Adventurous Love

by Lea Coll

  Satisfied, Gray nodded.

  The waitress stopped by our table to get our drinks and food orders.

  Eating dinner, I stayed quiet, hoping I’d glean more information about Kelsey through her conversation with Elle. Instead, talk revolved around the renovation of their new home and the baby.

  The girls were talking about what she needed for the baby when Gray asked me, “You on board with helping with the wedding and entertaining Kelsey?”

  “It’s my venue. You know I don’t mind helping with the wedding. It will be a good trial run for the future if I decide to allow other weddings.”

  “You up for entertaining Kelsey? I want her to experience everything Telluride has to offer, but Elle can’t go skiing or hiking.”

  “Sure.” My tone was confident even if I wasn’t positive I’d be able to resist her if we were alone, exploring my favorite places.

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah.” It would be just us at the lodge, working together on the wedding and showing her around the town. “It’ll be fun.”

  Gray nodded. “Good. I appreciate it, man.”

  “I’m so glad we reconnected.” Elle’s voice wavered, drawing my attention back to her.

  “Me too,” Kelsey said. “The producers and that show were toxic.”

  “They were,” Elle agreed, “but I shouldn’t have gone along with what the producers wanted. I pushed you away and I heard—what happened after.”

  We’d told Elle numerous times she wasn’t at fault for the show, but she still harbored some guilt.

  Kelsey stilled, putting her fork down. “What do you mean?”

  “I heard you were at that party that got out of control. There was a fight. Kids were jumping off the balcony into the pool. I think someone even went to the hospital.”

  Kelsey’s lips pursed. “Oh, I wasn’t there.”

  “Everyone was talking about it. I think it was… Josh who said you were there.”

  Kelsey’s eyes widened at the name Josh. She shook her head adamantly, her shoulders tense. “You know parties weren’t my scene in high school. I wasn’t there.”

  She was there. Elle seemed to be satisfied with her denial but my instincts were on high alert. Kelsey was lying, but why? Did something happen she didn’t want Elle feeling bad about? What could be so bad that she’d lie to her friend?

  I’d have plenty of time alone with Kelsey the next couple of weeks. I’d have time to delve below the surface.

  Chapter 3

  Kelsey

  * * *

  Henry was quiet on the drive home from the bar. I hoped he wasn’t regretting offering to help with the wedding.

  He parked, leading the way through the lodge. It was inviting and cozy, exactly how guests want to feel on vacation.

  I unlocked the door to my room, pushing it open. I turned to tell Henry goodnight, my breath hitching when he grasped the top of the door frame, leaning forward as if he wasn’t ready for the night to end. His eyes searched mine. “Are you adventurous?”

  “Not anymore—I mean, not really.” With good reason. I chewed my lip wondering if I could trust him. “But I want to be.”

  His eyes softened. “You’re in good hands with me.”

  I wanted to wrap my arms around his waist and melt into him. I wanted to rely on someone other than myself. Trusting anyone wouldn’t be easy, but I had to start somewhere. “Okay.”

  His lips tipped up at the corners. “Yeah? You trust me to take care of you?”

  I slapped my hand on his stomach to lighten the moment― the cotton of his shirt was soft, but his abs underneath were hard. I wanted to push up his shirt, exploring the ridges and valleys with my fingers, then with my tongue. Smiling, I tried to cover my reaction to him. “Elle trusts you, so you must be a good guy.”

  “I am.” His expression was uncertain.

  Had he done something he wasn’t proud of?

  My mind drifted back to that party Elle mentioned, the one I tried hard to forget even as the reminder of not being able to count on anyone but myself pushed me to be stronger.

  “I haven’t discussed this with Gray, or anyone really, but I’d like to offer adventure tours for my guests.”

  Standing this close to him, his unique scent—soap and pine—surrounded me. “You’d be the tour guide?”

  “I’d prefer that over planning weddings.”

  I tapped a finger on my chin before giving him an impish grin. “Let me guess, I’m going to be your guinea pig.”

  He tipped his head to the side considering me. “I would describe you as the beautiful volunteer.”

  “You think I’m beautiful?” My voice tipped up at the end, full of hope as if I were sixteen and this was the first boy I wanted to kiss me.

  He lowered his hands from the door frame, the knuckles of one hand grazing my cheek. “You’re even more beautiful with your cheeks red from the cold and your eyes full of wonder when you look at the mountains. I want to introduce you to more of Telluride.”

  Had I been beautiful in New York? Or was this place bringing it out in me? I wasn’t prepared to be attracted to anyone, much less Elle and Gray’s friend. Desperate to change the subject, I asked, “Do you have any specific adventures in mind?”

  “We could take a helicopter ride to see the waterfall, go bike riding in the snow, Nordic skiing in the valley, or snowmobiling to a ghost town.” His eyes filled with excitement as he listed the options.

  “All of those sound great, but I don’t want to take you away from what you need to do here.” Anticipation flowed through my body, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

  “Like I said, you’re doing me a favor. Let’s call it research for my adventure tours.”

  I stepped back, severing the moment we’d shared. “I’m happy to help.”

  He rested a hand on the doorframe. “I’ll figure out which adventure we’ll do tomorrow and text you a time. I’ll need your number.”

  I pulled my phone out of my purse, handing it to him to enter his information. When his phone buzzed with an incoming text, he said, “There. Now you have mine.”

  Exchanging numbers felt like we were embarking on something bigger than just being Elle and Gray’s friends. There was a thrumming of desire and anticipation skidding across my skin. When was the last time I was this excited about anything? And it wasn’t just the promise of adventure—it was Henry.

  His eyes focused on me with an intensity I’d never experienced from anyone before. “You might not think of yourself as adventurous, but you are. Maybe you never realized it or maybe you pushed it down so far you don’t recognize it, but I’m going bring out that side of you—the side that craves it.”

  A shiver went through my body at the promise in his words. I was carefree when I was younger, a product of my parents’ free-range style. One scare shocked that part of me out of my system. I’d reinvented myself as someone who followed the rules and took all necessary precautions. I hoped I was making the right move with Henry, trusting him to take care of me at the same time, trusting myself not to act on my attraction to him.

  The buzz of a text came through after I climbed into bed and pulled the covers around me. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand, my heart thumping faster when I saw the name Henry as the contact.

  Henry: Your first adventure, should you choose to accept it: Nordic skiing at Telluride Town Park.

  My fingers hovered over his message. Nordic skiing sounded intimidating. I tried to rack my brain for anything I’d ever heard about it, coming up with nothing. Could I keep up? Would Henry be disappointed in my lack of athleticism? I was more of a bookworm these days.

  Henry: Stop panicking.

  I laughed that he’d read me so easily when he couldn’t even see my face.

  Kelsey: I’m not.

  Henry: You are.

  Kelsey: Ugh. Fine. I am. What if I can’t keep up?

  Henry: It’s not like I’m going to leave you in the dust. I’m a nice guy.
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  My heart pinched at his words—I’m a nice guy. Many guys claim they are, but I’d yet to meet one that was.

  Henry: When was the last time you had fun?

  I could almost hear Henry asking me that question out loud, almost smelling his scent as if he was in the room with me. I’d felt so free as a kid. Then I learned the hard way that there was no one there when I got hurt. Being wild lost its appeal pretty quickly.

  Henry: That long, huh?

  Kelsey: I’m afraid so. Thinking of backing out?

  Henry: No. I love a good challenge.

  His text came through with no hesitation. A thrill shot down my spine, sending tingles to my extremities as I thought of a different challenge—Henry and me alone in my room again—except this time, I give into my urge to push up his shirt, going up on tiptoes to kiss him. For once, I’d ignore any rational thought as I explored him. I could practically feel the ridges of his stomach under my fingertips, the warmth of his lips under mine.

  Kelsey: Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

  Henry: Consider me warned. Sweet dreams, Kelsey.

  His words were playful and sweet. He shouldn’t be affecting me like this. He was a friend of a friend, one tasked with showing me the town. His text shouldn’t have meant anything, but his words wrapped around my heart, making me long for something I hadn’t in a long time—companionship, connection, and love.

  I tied my boots, prepping myself mentally for what I’d researched online last night. Nordic skiing seemed easy enough. At least it was on level ground. A knock sounded on my door.

  A smile easily spread over my face at the sight of Henry holding a steaming coffee he held out to me. “I could get used to this.”

  I took a fortifying sip, letting the warmth flow through my body. I drank another while waiting for the caffeine to clear the fuzziness from sleep.

  He was dressed in snow pants, boots, and a University of Colorado sweatshirt. “I picked up a box of pastries too. It’s not exactly the breakfast of champions, but it will do.”

  Headed downstairs, Henry grabbed the box of pastries from the counter before heading to his truck. Eating on the way to Telluride’s Town Center, Henry explained that the area hosted musical festivals in the summer, boasting two ice rinks, a Nordic training center, and Nordic trails for skiing in the winter. It wasn’t just his family that seemed idyllic, it was the whole town.

  He helped me choose equipment to rent, assisting me in snapping on the skis at the trail head.

  Henry nodded toward the path. “This trail is fairly easy, a good first run.”

  “A first run?” I asked, amusement lacing my words.

  “You’ll fall in love with Nordic skiing and beg me to take you out again.” He smiled, the playfulness in his expression impossible to ignore.

  “Ah. You’re so confident.”

  “I have a feeling you’re going to love it.”

  His words sent warmth spreading through my body despite the cold morning.

  Henry demonstrated the proper stance, feet shoulder-width apart with knees slightly bent, then shifted weight from one foot to the other as he glided away from me. He glanced over his shoulder, “Ready to give it a try?”

  “Sure,” I said, feeling more confident than I felt.

  He skied back in my direction. “You’ll get the hang of it in no time. I promise.”

  Looking up into his blue eyes, I trusted I would. “Okay.”

  I shifted my weight, kicking back like he’d demonstrated, a thrill shooting through me when I glided on the track like he had.

  “See? I knew you could do it.”

  When had anyone ever encouraged me to do something? With my parents, there was none of this gentle instruction, more of an expectation that I would. I’d gone through life figuring things out on my own, hoping for the best. With Henry, I felt safe. He’d guide and help me along the way.

  We slid into a good rhythm, gliding side by side on the worn trail until I felt confident enough to take in the world around me. The cool morning air—the quiet of the landscape aided by the cushion of layers of snow—serenity. No one needed me to do anything for them. I just was.

  “It’s peaceful, yeah?” Henry asked.

  “I’ve never experienced anything like this.” Honesty poured from me. I wasn’t sure if it was Henry or the purity of my surroundings. A crash of a branch in the nearby trees startled me.

  “It’s just heavy snow.”

  Growing up in California, I had no experience with snow. In the city, it was more of a nuisance when walking to work than a thing of beauty, something to be admired and treasured. Too soon, the snow turned gray from the exhaust and filth of the city.

  “This is why I came back after college. There’s nothing like Telluride. It’s difficult to get to, so only the most determined come. Only a few get to experience this.” He gestured at the snow-covered landscape, the tall trees, and the mountains. There was a feeling of being alone, and at the same time, connected to something bigger than ourselves. It was an addicting sensation.

  I felt lucky to be one of those people. I filled my lungs with cold air, letting it fortify me, healing me from the last few years of rushing from one thing to another. “I might never want to leave.”

  Trepidation filled Henry’s expression. His lips were set in a straight line but he didn’t answer me. Was he thinking of what would happen between us if we’d met under different circumstances?

  As it was, we could enjoy the next week and a half, then it was back to reality. The thought sobered me.

  We fell silent. The burn of my little-used muscles, the rub of my sock in my tight boots, and the cool air on my throat centered me, reminding me what was important. Not the success of a sale or a satisfied customer but moving my body, enjoying nature, and Henry’s quiet companionship. This place soothed my soul.

  “Is this what you do when you take women out?”

  A darkness passed over his expression. “No. I haven’t dated anyone I’ve wanted to share something like this with.”

  “Really? If I lived here, I’d want to do this all the time.” Baring my soul to him felt like taking a step off a cliff.

  He offered a crooked smile. “There’s so much more to see. This is just the start.”

  Anticipation ticked through my system, waking up the dormant parts of my body. When I was working, I hadn’t thought of myself as repressed or missing out. I’d thought I was living a dream, doing something few people got to do, but it was nothing like this.

  I could see Henry with someone who craved adventure as much as him. Someone to challenge him. Not some beach turned city girl who didn’t know what she wanted. Who thought living was brokering sales of stocks all day.

  “What about you? Have you dated anyone seriously?” His tone was light.

  I wanted him to care, for my answer to matter to him.

  “I dated someone in college. I wanted more than he had to give. Then I took a break from that whole scene for a while. My hours are kind of crazy. It’s hard for anyone outside the business to understand. I tried dating guys I worked with but that made things awkward when it didn’t work out.

  Henry’s expression was thoughtful. “What did you want that he didn’t?”

  I shrugged. “I had these unrealistic expectations. That we’d spend all our time together―studying, eating, sleeping. I wanted a companion. He wanted something lighter, more fun.”

  “Why do you say it like what you wanted was a bad thing?”

  Seeing nothing but genuine interest in his voice, I said, “He said I was too clingy.”

  Since then, I’d learned to fulfill myself, not look to men to do that for me.

  “I dated someone through high school until my junior year of college. I thought I’d come back after college and we’d get married, but she didn’t want to wait for me. She wanted her life to start right away. She moved on to another guy, got married, popped out a few kids. Looking back, I should have known that would happen. Young
love like that rarely withstands long distance.”

  His expression was so open. It was like seeing the boy he’d been then. I wondered how often he allowed himself to think about it, to feel that pain. Or had he covered it up, ignoring it?

  “That is hard.”

  Smiling, he said, “We both had growing to do. It was inevitable we’d grow apart.”

  He was minimizing the hurt I’m sure he felt from that experience. It was probably his first big break-up. I was devastated when my college boyfriend said I wanted too much from him. It felt like my parents’ rejection all over again, except theirs was a slow buildup over time until I learned not to expect things from them. I thought a relationship with a man would be different, that I could ask for more. It was a hard lesson to learn but one I needed. I never leaned on anyone like that again.

  At some point during the conversation, we’d stopped moving. I reached out a hand to pat his arm. “It still hurts when it happens.”

  “At the time, it was hard to understand. I wrote off women for a while.”

  “And now?” I held my breath, hoping he wasn’t so jaded that he’d closed himself off entirely.

  “I’m focused on the lodge, making it successful. The future of the ranch depends on its success. I can’t afford to be distracted.” His tone was determined, his expression closed off in contrast to how open he’d been a minute earlier. He pushed off, gliding into motion again.

  Hurrying to catch up, I couldn’t help thinking I was a distraction for him. If Henry went to college with Gray, then he was a few years older than me. I could see the desire to want financial stability, wanting his business to be a success. I wasn’t ready to settle down. Though when Gray looked at Elle with such tenderness, it tugged on every desire I’d had when I was younger. Someone to count on. Someone to be there for me.

  We were quiet, lost in our thoughts for the rest of the trail. It eventually circled back to where we started.

  Henry planted his poles on the ground, leaning slightly forward. “This was a good first start.”