A Magical Christmas. Elizabeth Rolls

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      “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

      “Funny—no one wants to see me hurt, but they’re the ones doing the hurting. If I want to have sex with Josh, then I will. And it will be my decision. But if you’re worried about Jess, don’t be. We can go back to his place.” She slid off the chair. “I’m glad we had this conversation. I feel I know you better. I’m going to bed now.”

      “I’ll help you upstairs.”

      “No need. I can manage.” She walked to the stairs and paused. “Do me a favor, Ty?”

      “What?”

      “Don’t take a shower tonight. I don’t want to think of you naked on the other side of the wall.”

      SHE WOKE WHEN the alarm went off, feeling as if her head was trapped between two boulders. To make things worse she had a clear memory of everything that had happened the night before and all the things she’d said.

      Oh, crap….

      She didn’t want to remember what she’d said.

      After glugging down water and swallowing painkillers, she showered and made it to the mountain in time for her first lesson. The sun was blinding, the rays cutting like a blade through her pounding skull as she struggled through the morning.

      “So as you complete the turn you need to extend, release, then plant your pole—” She was in the middle of a private lesson when her radio crackled. The slightest noise was agony and she winced. “Excuse me for one minute, Alison.” It was Patrick, one of the newest instructors, asking where she was. “I’m at the top of Moody Moose.” With a throbbing headache. She was willing to bet she was moodier than any moose.

      She held the radio as far away from her ear as possible and listened as he outlined the problem. For a moment she forgot about the pain crushing her brain. “What? What are you doing on Black Bear?” She turned away and lowered her voice so that she couldn’t be overheard. “It’s one of the toughest runs in the resort. Why would you take a bunch of six-year-olds up there? They’re babies!”

      His voice crackled over the radio as he explained that one of the kids had gone the wrong way, and the others had followed. “They saw a blue sign and thought it was a blue run.”

      Brenna didn’t waste time pointing out he should have had firmer control of them.

      She glanced across the ridge, knowing it would take her less than five minutes to get to the top of the run where Patrick was trapped. “Stay where you are. I’m coming to help you.”

      Thankfully, Alison was a confident skier and together they traversed to the top of Black Bear.

      “I don’t see them, and I’ve never skied this run. It looks scary.” Alison peered doubtfully down the slope and then looked back over her shoulder.

      “They’re out of sight.” Brenna adjusted her gloves. “The top of Black Bear is deceptively gentle, so I’m guessing they bombed off without waiting and by the time they hit the steep section, it was too late to turn back. We’re going to need to get them down the mountain somehow. I’m so sorry but I need to help Patrick, Alison.”

      “Of course you do! We’ll reschedule. I’ll call the Outdoor Center.”

      “Would you mind? I feel terrible, but I can’t leave him to deal with this by himself.”

      “I’m here for another week, so it’s not a problem. I’m going to take a different route down. Do you want me to call the ski patrol or something?”

      Brenna considered the options and shook her head. “We’ll take them down one at a time. It will take a while, but that can’t be helped.”

      “What can’t be helped?” Tyler skied up behind her, his black ski suit hugging the muscular contours of his powerful frame.

      If the Devil had ever decided to take up skiing he would have worn that suit, Brenna thought, noticing Alison’s expression change.

      “You’re—oh, wow—I can’t believe I’ve met you. I mean, I knew you lived around here but—”

      “We have babies stuck on Black Bear.” Trying not to think about all the things she’d said to him the night before, Brenna kept her eyes on the horizon.

      “Is this a new policy? Challenge them young?”

      “It’s not funny, Tyler.” Nothing seemed funny after tequila.

      “Are they injured?”

      “Not yet.”

      “Such an optimist.” Calm, he bent and adjusted his ski boots. “So what’s the plan?”

      “It’s too far to get them back up, so I’m going to have to ski down with them. And someone has to stay with the others, so I’ll have to do it one at a time. It will take three runs. The whole of my lesson time with Alison.”

      “Hi, Alison.” Tyler gave her a smile that could have melted snow, and Alison smiled back.

      “Hi. I think you’re amazing, by the way.” Her face was scarlet. “That downhill run in Beaver Creek was off the scale. You skied like you’d broken out of jail or something.”

      Brenna gritted her teeth but Tyler didn’t seem to notice, and if the reference to his past successes bothered him, he didn’t show it. He was charming, charismatic and even gave Alison a couple of tips. By the time she skied away, she was wearing the biggest smile Brenna had ever seen.

      “Aren’t you going to follow her?” She told herself that the snap in her voice was the result of her headache, not jealousy. “I think you could get lucky. She’s your type.”

      He shifted his weight on his skis and gave her a long look. “I’m going to help you rescue these kids. How many?”

      “Four. Two boys, two girls.” She felt small for having thought for a moment that he’d abandon them. Warmth spread through her. “Thanks.”

      “Are you feeling well enough to help?”

      “Why wouldn’t I be feeling well enough?”

      “You don’t have a headache?”

      “Not a trace of one.”

      He gave a faint smile. “Right. So let’s do this.” He slid forward a short distance and without his body shadowing her, the sun blazed into her face. She didn’t think she’d made a sound, but she must have because he turned his head. “Keep your goggles on,” he advised, “that will help filter the sunlight.”

      “I don’t have a problem with sunlight.”

      “Honey, that was a grown-up girl’s drinking session, and you have a grown-up girl’s hangover.”

      All warmth and good feeling faded. “I’d punch you, but I have children to rescue.”

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