Just One Kiss (Whisper Lake #4) - Barbara Freethy Page 0,46

as they walked toward the lift. They'd ride a chair up to the top of Grizzly's Peak about 200 yards, then grab a sled and come down the steep and icy slope. She felt both nervous and excited, which was pretty much how Jake always made her feel.

As they got in line, she saw a couple come flying down the mountain, crashing in a somewhat spectacular fashion at the bottom. But they picked themselves up with a laugh, brushing the snow off their clothes.

"Let's not do that," she told Jake.

"Amateurs," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Trust me. Our ride will not end like that."

"It already did," she couldn't help saying.

He frowned. "This ride will be different."

"I hope so." They stepped into place and then sat back in the chair as the lift swept them upward. As they rose up over the trees, they had a beautiful view of the park and the surrounding mountains. It was a gorgeous day, no trace of the storm that had kept them in the cabin all night together or the one that was forecast for later in the week. It was a perfect moment in time, and she was just going to enjoy it.

"You look happy," Jake commented.

She turned her head to meet his gaze. "Is it crazy to say that I love riding a lift up a mountain more than I like skiing or sledding down?"

"That is crazy," he agreed with a smile. "I like both."

"There's a peacefulness up here, swinging our legs above the treetops."

"The calm before the storm. But the race down the mountain brings the energy, the excitement, and the challenge. You can't beat that feeling of exuberance at the end of a good run."

His words made her feel like she was already on that run. This had probably been a really bad idea, but it was too late now. There was no other way down than sledding with Jake, and the excitement was already bubbling up inside of her. "Have you done this run before?"

"Nope. This place wasn't here when we were kids. And sledding isn't really my thing. I'd rather be snowboarding, skiing or freestyling."

"Then why the push to sled now?"

"Because I get to put my arms around you," he said with an honest and open grin.

She couldn't help but smile back. Thankfully, she didn't have to come up with a response as the lift had reached the top. They hopped off and grabbed one of the two-person sleds before making their way to one of the three runs that went down the mountain. When it was their turn, she had to admit to a little trepidation.

"It's very high," she murmured. "It didn't look this steep from the bottom."

"It will be fun. You will love it, Hannah."

"How do you know that?" She got onto the front of the sled, and he slid in behind her, wrapping his arms around her, and pulling her back against his very solid chest. And just like that, her fears slipped away.

"How do I know that?" he echoed. "Because deep down, you love to fly, Hannah."

She had no time to argue or even to think about that, because they were racing down the mountain. As their speed picked up, as the wind beat against her face, she screamed with both fear and excitement, appreciating the strong arms around her. It seemed like it would be impossible to stop, but there was just enough of an upward rise to slow them down and bring them to a stop in a spray of beautiful white powder.

Her heart was pounding against her chest as she rolled off the sled and jumped to her feet. Jake looked at her with sparkling brown eyes as he got to his feet. "Well?"

"That was amazing."

"Seems like the perfect time for a kiss. But it's your call," he said.

She must have lost her mind somewhere on the slope, because she found herself grabbing his arms and leaning in for the kiss she wanted as much as he did.

She closed her eyes as his mouth settled on hers with spine-tingling heat. There was cold surrounding them, but there was nothing but delicious warmth in their kiss. She'd always loved kissing Jake, and now the past was mixing with the present in the best possible way.

Until a flurry of snow hit her on the side of her cheek. She broke away from Jake as a sled came perilously close to running them down but managed to land a few feet