April laughed—probably harder than the comment deserved, but Jared grinned. He couldn’t deny that her attention was nice.
They were still talking about Hope Springs when the lift reached the top of the hill. Jared followed April to the start of the black diamond Peyton had gotten hurt on earlier.
“You good for this hill?” he shouted at her back. He hadn’t seen her ski yet, and he didn’t want another person to get hurt on his watch today.
“Just try to keep up,” she called over her shoulder as she pushed off.
Jared shoved off right behind her. After watching her for a second, he relaxed. This obviously wasn’t her first time on the slopes. Her technique was flawless as she carved perfect curves down the hill.
By the time he reached the runout, she was standing and watching him, her hat in her hand, a mischievous spark in her eyes.
“Couldn’t quite keep up, huh?” She shoved his shoulder playfully.
Jared rubbed his arm, pretending to be hurt. “Hey, let a guy keep some of his pride.”
She raised her hands to her sides. “Fine. But I think it’s only fair that you buy me dinner since I won.”
Jared snickered. “I don’t remember there being any wager. Or an official race.”
“Okay, then, you can buy me an unofficial dinner.”
Jared realized with a start that she was serious. She wanted to have dinner with him.
He should say no. He was supposed to have dinner with the whole group. And he should check on Peyton’s ankle. And he shouldn’t be having dinner with another woman.
“Come on.” She nudged him again. “I want to talk more about Hope Springs. Maybe I’ll plan a visit there soon.” Her amber eyes were warm and bright, and he found that he didn’t want to say no.
“Okay. Let me just go change.” He pushed the door to the lodge open and held it for her. “Meet me in the dining area in half an hour?”
“Deal.” She grabbed his hand for a quick squeeze, then flounced across the lobby and disappeared down the hallway to the right.
Jared crossed the large room more slowly. What was he thinking?
Peyton would be in the dining room. She’d see him with April. Much as he knew they both needed to move on, he didn’t want to hurt her by showing up with another woman.
He stopped at the bottom of the staircase. As soon as he got to his room, he’d call April to cancel dinner.
Except he had no idea what room she was in.
He jogged toward the hallway she’d disappeared down, but it was empty, aside from a middle-aged man who shot him a suspicious glare.
Jared turned around and made his way up the stairs and to his room. When he got to the dining room, he’d just have to tell April he couldn’t have dinner. It’d be awkward, but there was nothing that could be done about that.
Decision made, he knocked on the door to the girls’ room. Before he did anything else, he needed to check on Peyton’s ankle. If it was worse, he wouldn’t be going to dinner with anyone. He’d be driving her to the hospital for an x-ray.
Sophie pulled the door open. “Hey, Jared. We were beginning to think you were going to spend the night on the hill.”
He grinned. That sounded pretty good, actually. “Nah. Thought I better come in and check on my patient. How’s she doing?”
“Better, I think. I actually haven’t seen her. Spencer and I spent most of the day in town. We found this cute little antique store that Vi would love—” She broke off. “What’s wrong?”
“You haven’t seen her? Where is she?”
Sophie bit her lip. “I think Leah said something about dinner.”
“With Sawyer?” Jared’s jaw clenched. He’d told Leah to warn her about that guy.
Sophie touched a hand to his arm. “I think so.”
“I guess I’ll check her ankle later then.” His voice was stiff, and he made himself gentle his tone. Sophie wasn’t the target of his anger. “Thanks, Soph. Glad you and Spencer had a good day.”
“You coming to dinner with us?”
He shook his head, a sudden decisiveness taking over. “Actually, no. I have other plans.”
Chapter 7
“That was the best meal I’ve ever eaten.” Peyton wiped her mouth and set her napkin on her plate.
Sawyer had gone all-out for dinner, ordering them ravioli in a white truffle sauce and a chocolate cherry cheesecake so decadent she was pretty sure it should be illegal. The meal, combined with the intimate reception room, with its widely scattered tables—all empty aside from theirs—and tasteful crystal chandeliers, had her feeling almost like a princess. She’d nearly forgotten about the throbbing in her foot.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” The two candles that lit their table cast a soft glow on Sawyer’s face, and the butterflies Peyton had finally managed to calm as she ate returned with a vengeance.
Being with Jared had become so familiar and comfortable, she wasn’t used to this nervousness that kept her constantly off balance.
Sawyer’s gaze on her was a little too intense, and she let her eyes travel to the full wall of windows so she’d have a moment to catch her breath. Moonlight glinted off the snow on the trees that covered the hill behind the lodge. Their shadows crisscrossed the ground in an intricate patchwork.
“Stunning, isn’t it?” Sawyer’s voice drew her eyes back to him. But he wasn’t looking out the window. He reached his hands across the table and cupped them around hers.
She felt the heat rise in her cheeks as the butterflies took off at full speed. “It’s beautiful here. You live here year-round now, right? What’s it like in the summer?”
She was babbling, she knew it. But she needed to slow things down. She liked Sawyer. He seemed to be a nice guy. But she barely knew him. She gently slid her hands out from under his and pretended to adjust the sleeve of her shirt.
A frown puckered Sawyer’s face for half a second, but he quickly erased it and gave her an easy smile. “It’s even more beautiful, if you can believe it. Wildflowers everywhere. Everything’s green and lush. The deer come right up to this window sometimes.”
“Wow. That does sound beautiful.” This was better. Talking about safe things. Taking it a little slower. Sawyer was the first guy she’d done so much as have a meal with since she and Jared broke up, unless you counted Ethan and Spencer, who were both in happy relationships. She needed to get the feel for this dating thing again before she jumped right in.
“We see deer in winter, too. But they stay closer to the woods. Actually, this is usually about the time they come out. ” He swiveled in his chair to peer out the window. “Yep. Two of them. Right over there.”
He pointed, and Peyton squinted out the window. “I don’t see anything.”
“Right at the edge of the tree line.”
But all she saw was more trees.
Sawyer pushed his chair back and came to stand behind her. He bent until his face was almost pressed against hers and raised his hand to point again. She tried to follow the line of his finger, but she was too aware of his nearness.
“Where?” Her voice sounded scratchy and unnatural.
He used his hands to turn her head, grazing a thumb across her cheek, then let his arm fall across her shoulders. She tried not to tense as she peered into the darkness. But her heart was beating too fast, and she felt that same mix of exhilaration and terror she’d felt on the ski hill right before she’d crashed.
Finally, she picked out two shapes moving against the silhouette of the trees. “I see them.”
The deer were nosing through the snow, seemingly oblivious that they had an audience.
She waited for Sawyer to lift his arm off her and move back to his seat.
But he pressed closer and inhaled deeply. “You smell nice.”
“Thanks,” she managed to get out. But she needed space.
Right now.
She stood abruptly, and he grabbed the chair to keep from losing his balance.
She lim
ped to the window, pretending to strain for a better look at the deer as she drew in a few calming breaths. Now that she was on her feet, her ankle set to throbbing again, but she ignored the pain.
In the window’s reflection, she saw Sawyer move to blow out the candles on the table.
Now she felt bad. She was letting Jared’s stupid warning about Sawyer prejudice her feelings about him. He’d done nothing wrong. He just wanted to show her that he liked her.
And she liked him, too.
“I’m sorry.” She turned toward him and made herself meet his eyes. “I didn’t mean to push you away. I just need to move a little more slowly.”
“Of course.” His smile was charming and little-boyish at the same time, and she found herself smiling back.
She limped closer, and his expression dropped into a frown. “You shouldn’t be on your feet. How about a movie?”
“I don’t think there’s one playing tonight.” She’d checked the schedule for the lodge’s small theater when they’d arrived as part of her plan to avoid Jared.
Sawyer winked. “There are some perks to owning the place, you know.”
He held out his arm to her, and she took his elbow, letting him support her as they made their way to the theater.
She felt like a kid sneaking in somewhere she didn’t belong as he held the door to the dark theater open for her, but she shoved the feeling aside. Sawyer’s family owned the place. She wasn’t doing anything wrong.
She pushed down the image of Jared glaring at Sawyer on the slopes. Pushed down the warning he’d made Leah deliver to her. Sawyer was a good guy. She was perfectly safe with him. Jared was just being overbearing, as usual.
“Be right back.” Sawyer gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze as he led her to a row of seats on the far side of the theater, then disappeared into the projector room.
Peyton settled in and tried to relax. She wouldn’t give Jared another thought tonight.
Chapter 8
Jared held the lodge door open and waited for April to pass through. When he’d met up with her earlier, she’d suggested that they skip the dining room in favor of a pizza place she knew in town, and Jared had jumped at the offer. He couldn’t stand the thought of spending another minute in the building where Sawyer was working his charms on Peyton.
“Thanks for dinner.” April stopped inside the doors. “Maybe we can do it again tomorrow?”
Jared ran his hand back and forth on his chin. Dinner had been nice enough, but he’d known halfway through that he and April would never work. It wasn’t her—she was funny and kind and vivacious. But she wasn’t Peyton.
Not that he had any idea how to tell her that. “I’m sorry. I just—”
But she held up a hand to stop him. “I kind of had a feeling. For what it’s worth, I hope you patch things up with Peyton.”
He chuckled wryly. Had he really talked about Peyton that much? “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
But she dropped a hand onto his arm. “It was sweet, actually. She’s a very lucky woman to have someone who loves her so much.”
Somehow, he didn’t think Peyton would see it that way.
“Anyway, maybe I’ll run into you in Hope Springs sometime. My grandma’s always bugging me to visit more.” She gave that sparkling laugh of hers again, squeezed his forearm, and bounded across the lobby.
Jared shook his head and scrubbed his hands over his face. What was he thinking, letting a woman like that walk away in exchange for something that would never happen?
But he’d realized at dinner that if he couldn’t be with Peyton, he didn’t really want to be with anyone. At least not right now. Maybe never.
He trudged across the lobby, up the staircase, and through the empty hall toward his room.
He should check on Peyton’s ankle, but he had no desire to hear her gushing about Sawyer to the other girls. He could check it in the morning.
But a stab of conscience stopped him as he was about to unlock his own door.
She could be in pain or need more advanced medical attention. She’d trusted him with her care, and he owed it to her to follow up.
With a sigh, he shoved his key into his pocket and crossed the hall to knock on the girls’ door.
Leah pulled it open, and her face fell into a frown. “I thought you were Emma. She ran downstairs to grab some ice cream. Want to join us?”
“Where’s Peyton?”
Leah shook her head. “You know where she is, Jared.”
“She’s not back yet?” Jared shoved the door open and looked past Leah. Sophie and Ariana waved from across the room, where they were playing some game at the table.
“Relax.” Leah stood aside so he could come in. “She texted a while ago to say they were going to watch a movie.”
Jared’s hands clenched. “Where?” The theater had been closed when he walked past it downstairs. “If he took her to his room—”
“You know her better than that, Jared.” Leah’s voice was sharper than he’d ever heard it. “Sawyer opened up the theater for a private screening.”
“So she’s alone with him?” He clenched his teeth so hard pain shot up his jaw. If that guy laid a hand on her, so help him. “You were supposed to warn her.”
“I did.” Leah eyed him with a mix of pity and compassion. “But you can understand how she thought your assessment might be a little biased.”
Jared blew out a breath. He supposed it might be. But it wasn’t jealousy that had motivated him to tell Leah to keep Peyton away from Sawyer. Or at least, not only jealousy. He’d heard Sawyer tell one too many stories to feel comfortable with him being alone with any woman he knew. Especially one as open and trusting as Peyton.
“She has her phone on her, Jared. She’ll let me know if anything is wrong.”
Jared spun on his heel and stalked down the hall.
“Where are you going?” Footsteps shuffled across the carpet behind him, and the girls’ door banged shut as Leah grabbed his elbow. “Don’t go after her, Jared. It’s not fair. To either of you.”
“I just have to see that she’s okay.”
Leah gathered her hair at the base of her neck. “Jared, she’s fine. She said she was having a really good time.” She dropped her hair and laid a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry.”
Jared pulled both hands through his hair and locked his fingers behind his head, pacing the short width of the hallway. “So I’m supposed to, what— Stand by and watch her go out with him?”
Leah gave him a sad smile. “Yeah. Unless you’re going to change your mind and give her the life she wants, that’s exactly what you’re supposed to do.”
Jared dropped his arms, gave Leah one last look, then strode down the hallway.
“Jared, don’t.” But this time Leah didn’t follow him.
“I’m not,” he called over his shoulder. “I just need to go for a walk.”
“Where? It’s late.”
He raised his hands to his sides. “Doesn’t matter where.”
“At least let one of us come with you.”
Jared shook his head and kept walking. He knew his friends would do anything for him.
But right now the only thing he needed them to do was leave him alone.
Chapter 9
Peyton tried to make herself relax. Sawyer had chosen When Harry Met Sally, one of her all-time favorite movies. But she couldn’t concentrate on it with his arm around her. Couldn’t get used to the way he was running his hand up and down her shoulder. She shifted on the double seat to put a little more distance between them, but he shifted with her, moving so that his head rested on hers.
He nuzzled his face into her hair. “You smell so good.”
“So you said.” She tried to keep things light. Maybe Sawyer hadn’t understood what she’d meant by taking things slowly.
Then again, he was just smelling her hair.
She forced herself to take a slow breath and unclench her fists.
Sawyer wrapped a
hand around hers and lowered his mouth to her neck, dusting a light kiss there.
Peyton reared back, jerking her head away. Her pulse pounded against her temple. She suddenly didn’t want to be here anymore.
She half stood, waiting for Sawyer to move so she could get to the aisle. But he grabbed her hand, pulling her down next to him.
Her heart thundered harder, and the impulse to run seized her.
But Sawyer slid a gentle hand along her cheek. “Relax. You don’t think I would hurt you, do you?”
She tried to get her heart rate under control. Of course he wouldn’t hurt her. She was overreacting.
“Sorry. I’m not used to—”
“I know.” His hand slid from her cheek into her hair. “I’m sorry if I’m moving too fast. You’re just so beautiful.”
He leaned closer, tilting his head down toward hers, and his eyes fell closed.
Peyton closed her eyes, too, telling herself this was what she wanted. She hadn’t been kissed in almost a year.
But the moment their lips touched, she knew it wasn’t right. His lips were not the ones she wanted to feel.
She pulled back as gently as she could.
Sawyer’s eyes remained closed for a second longer, then he straightened. When he opened his eyes, something dark flashed in them for a second, but it was gone so quickly Peyton was sure she’d imagined it.
“I’m sorry.” She set a hand on his arm, then drew it back, locking her fingers together in her lap. “I don’t think I can—”
“It’s okay.” Sawyer blew out a breath. “Is this about Jared?”
“No.” But if he had even a fragment of skill in reading people, he’d know that was untrue. When Sawyer had kissed her, all she could think was that he wasn’t Jared. “I mean, it’s complicated—”
“What’s complicated?” He gripped her hands. “I like you. I think you like me. Jared has nothing to do with anything anymore.”
She nodded. Of course he was right. Jared shouldn’t have any bearing on anything she did.
Not Until This Moment: Novella (Hope Springs Book 2) Page 4