to the chair lift and paused for a long moment before saying, "Okay."
It wasn’t the most enthusiastic answer in the world, but he’d take what he could get at this point. As they waited in line, she said, "I’ve never seen anyone ski backward before. When did you learn to ski?"
"I was probably the same age as that little girl you were trying to save earlier. My family used to rent the same cottage every winter." They slid onto the lift as it came around for them and he looked around at the mountains, the trees, the sparkling blue lake. "I’ve always loved it out here. What about you?"
"As you can probably guess, my family wasn’t much for skiing. I’m much better at snowball fights," she said with another one of those cute grins that rocked his world. "Once a year, my friends and I meet up for a vacation together, and this year the slopes won out over sand and sun." She shrugged. "I’ve been skiing a few other times as an adult, but I sort of have a thing about heights, too, so these lifts aren’t exactly fun for me."
He looked down at the ground a hundred feet below them, then back up at her. "But you’re doing great up here."
"I guess," she said slowly, as if she was as surprised as him, "I forgot to be afraid."
He didn’t think this time, just reached for her hand. "I’m glad."
* * *
By the time Colbie fell for what had to be the twentieth time, she didn’t even have the strength to laugh at herself anymore. Noah plopped down into the snow and lay back beside her. When he turned to smile at her, her stomach did flip-flops.
"Let’s make snow angels."
She’d seen people do it in movies, but had never done it herself. Noah went first, moving his arms and legs up and down, back and forth, until she couldn’t resist doing the same. A private plane flew overhead and when the pilot saw what they were doing, he tipped his wings at them.
Noah stood up, then pulled her to her feet so that they could admire their snow angels. "They’re beautiful," she whispered.
It had been an unexpectedly perfect day. Better than any she’d had in a very long time. And she had Noah to thank for it.
"You did great today, Colbie."
She was never going to be a pro, but he had been patient and encouraging...and she’d had fun. She’d even forgotten to be afraid of heights on the chair lift with him. He was funny and charming and sweet. He loved to ski—not to show off his moves or the latest gear, but because the snowy mountains were beautiful and feeling the wind on your face as the trees whizzed by was incredibly exhilarating.
"What do you say we go find a fire and a vat of hot chocolate?" he suggested.
She could so easily see them cuddling together in front of a fire under a thick blanket, her hands in his, her head on his shoulder as they watched the flames dance. A perfect day, followed by what would likely be a perfect night.
Colbie teetered on the edge of saying yes. But even with the word right there on her tongue, and despite the fact that she’d had a fantastic day with him, she knew that nothing else about her situation had changed.
One perfect day with Noah didn’t mean she was ready for a new relationship. And she certainly wasn’t ready for a one-night stand. Especially not with a man who out-talled, out-darked, and out-handsomed every guy she’d ever met by miles.
Sure, sex with Noah would probably be great. Mind-blowing, even. And if she cuddled up with him by a fire, she was one hundred and ten percent sure that she wouldn’t be able to resist getting even closer for a kiss that would surely lead to more.
But, as she knew from painful experience, after the orgasms faded, the broken heart lingered.
For way too long.
She’d braved the challenge of spending a day with Noah and letting him try to teach her to ski. And she was glad that she had. But there was a difference between bravery and stupidity.
She couldn’t risk getting hurt again so soon. Not when the pain was still resonating from the mistakes she’d made in her last relationship.
She picked up her skis and slid them back into place on her boots. When she reached for her poles, Noah grabbed her hands instead. Even touching him through