“Who, my mother?” Hannah shook her head. “She moved to Palm Springs with husband number four quite a few years ago. Yeah, I grew up here, then left for college, and eventually worked in the Bay Area. I moved back to Tahoe when my grandpa—my dad’s dad—passed away and left me his cabin.”
“Where’s your father now?”
“He died when I was really young. Car accident.”
“That’s rough.” Tripp dipped a fry in ketchup. “Four husbands, huh?”
“She’s divorced again and currently reeling in number five…or so she says. I get a text every now and then.”
Sympathy for the unknown man surged. Hannah’s mother sounded like a real piece of work. No wonder she’d hung out with Eden so much while they were in college together.
“If you’re only going to push that burger around your plate, we can leave if you want.”
“I want.” She sipped her soda while he waved a hand to attract the attention of their waitress.
Mindy hurried over. “Another beer, Tripp?”
“Just our check.”
“Coming right up.” She handed menus to a couple who sat down at the empty table opposite them then hurried off.
The newcomer slouched back in his chair and took a healthy swallow of his drink. Based on the man’s glassy-eyed gaze, it wasn’t his first of the evening.
“That bitch, Monica Wright, is back in town. Couldn’t believe she had the balls to show her face after the way she burned me on a real estate deal a few years ago.”
“So you’ve told me. Three times.” The woman with him let out a heavy sigh. “Let it go, Harvey. Your blood pressure will be through the roof.”
“I can’t. She cost me a bundle, and I wasn’t the only one she reamed in the process. If you think I’m pissed, you should hear the way Frank talks about her. He called me from here earlier, but I guess he already left.”
Mindy reappeared. “Here you go.” She laid the check on the table before clearing their plates.
“Thanks.” Tripp glanced at the tab then pulled a couple of twenties out of his wallet to drop on the tray. “Keep the change.”
She scooped it up with her free hand. “You’re such a sweetie. Give me a call sometime.”
Hannah slid out of the booth after the waitress walked away. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s go.”
“Lead on.” Grinning, Tripp followed her through the bar and out into the parking lot. A cold gust of wind blew fine particles of snow through the air as he unlocked his shiny red pickup. Once they were inside and out of the arctic blast, he started the engine then cranked up the heater. “It’s freezing tonight. I guess the weatherman was right about an Alaskan cold front moving in.”
Hannah held her hands in front of the vent as tepid air swirled into the cab. “That guy at the table next to us was pretty heated. His temper could have melted a snowbank.”
“Drunken blowhard.”
“I bumped into the woman he was talking about the day of the avalanche. She’s an old friend of my mother’s. Or at least they used to be drinking buddies back when I was a kid. Real estate agents around town called Monica the praying mantis. Last I heard, she works for some venture capitalist now.”
“Charming nickname.”
“No doubt. She may have moved up the food chain in her career, but she’s obviously still pissing people off.” Hannah leaned back against the seat as they cruised down the West Shore. “How’s your shoulder?”
“A little stiffer than it was before, but not really painful.”
“Ice it when you get home. No more skiing for you.”
“Skiing didn’t hurt it.” Tripp glanced away from the flurry of snow streaming past his headlights. “My shoulder was completely fine until I climbed down into those rocks. That’s how I tweaked it a little.”
“When’s your next follow-up appointment with Dr. Ingram?”
“Monday. Want to go with me to hear what he has to say?”
“I do, actually.” She turned to face him when he pulled into her driveway. “I’m going to be really angry with myself if today’s fiasco set back your progress.”
He reached across the center console to pat her knee. “I’m fine, and nothing that happened was your fault. I make my own decisions.”
She let out a sigh. “So I’ve learned. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He hesitated for a moment. “You still look a little shaken up. Want me to come in with you?”
“I appreciate the offer, but, no. I’ve been taking care of myself for a lot of years, now. I can pretty much handle anything that comes my way.”
He tightened the hand he’d left on her knee. “I don’t doubt that for a minute, but it’s okay to lean on a friend every now and then.”
In the dark interior of the truck, her expression was hidden, but her voice held a hint of uncertainty. “Is that what we are? Friends?”
“I’d like to think so. Since we’ve been getting along so well, we can take it to the next level anytime you want.”
She drew in an audible breath. “What level is that?”
“Friends with benefits.”
Is that what I want? For the first time ever, he wasn’t one hundred percent sure.
Hannah’s rich chuckle filled the cab. “Always playing an angle. Thanks for making me smile, Tripp. I needed a good laugh.”
“Is that a no?”
“What do you think?” She swatted his hand off her leg.
“I promise we’d have a lot of fun.”
“I’m sure we would.” She unclipped her seatbelt and opened the door. “Not gonna happen, bud.”
“We’ll see. Don’t forget your skis in the back.”
“Right. Good night, Tripp.”
“Night, Hannah. Sleep well.”
He waited while she collected her gear from the bed of the truck then headed up the path to the front door. As soon as she opened it, her dog ran out, bouncing around her in circles. After a moment, she managed to get both the skis and dog inside, and with a little wave, shut the door behind her. He shifted into gear and backed out onto the street. He should have gotten out to help her with her equipment, but Hannah projected such a level of confidence—not to mention a hands-off attitude—that he hadn’t thought about offering assistance until she had the situation well under control.
Kind of the way she did everything.
In his world, flirting with a woman as fine as Hannah was pretty much a knee-jerk reaction.
Tripp turned left onto the main road and stepped on the gas. With Hannah, he found he actually cared what she thought and waited in anticipation for her response. Which, despite his best efforts, nearly always was to shoot him down. The fact that she’d finally agreed to eat dinner with him was a true testament to how ragged her nerves must have been after the events on the mountain. He figured she’d simply been too tired to argue.
Damned if he wouldn’t convince her he was worth breaking her no-dating-a-client rule.
Then what?
The skeptical voice in his head sounded suspiciously like his little sister.
Hannah’s special. Don’t you dare hurt her.
His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he sped through the lightly falling snow. Hurting Hannah was the last thing he intended. Maybe he’d have to rethink his strategy, figure out if he wanted something other than a quick fling.
Then, and only then, would he reconsider his pursuit of the elusive Ms. Ryder.
* * * *
Hannah dug into the muscle of Tripp’s shoulder, executing a deep tissue massage with professional detachment…or so she kept telling herself. The man’s body was gorgeous. Sculpted arms, well-defined abs, nothing but lean muscle from the waist up. But the thighs of a professional skier stretched the legs of his shorts tight, the results of hours and hours of training. Then there were those rock-hard glutes. The man had one fine ass.
“God, that feels good, in a torturous s
ort of way.”
She stroked her hands across warm and elastic oiled skin. Despite having put him through a tough session, he still smelled good, citrusy and primal. She drew in a breath and stepped back from the massage table. Time to wrap this up before her imagination got completely out of control.
“You aren’t quitting, are you?” Turning his face to the side, he met her gaze. Green eyes the color of the forest outside the window, sparkled with humor. “What about the happy ending?”
A smile curved her lips. “You aren’t paying me enough.”
“Are you sure? When I opened your bill, I almost fainted.”
The smile broadened. “You wanted me to work exclusively with you. That costs.”
“No friends and family discount?”
“What I gave you was the discounted rate.” She wiped her hands on a towel. “We’re finished. You can go take a shower now.”
He rolled over and sat up. “I don’t suppose you want to join me?”
She eyed him up and down. “As tempting as you are, all greased up like a pig at the county fair, I’ll pass.”
He let out a snort of laughter. “With you around, I don’t have to worry about getting an inflated ego, that’s for sure.”
“Consider ego squashing a free perk. I’ll see you later, Tripp.”
As she headed toward the door, he reached out to grab her arm. Lean fingers held her in a loose grip, but she didn’t try to pull away when he tugged her one step closer.
“Do you know what tomorrow is?”
One of her brows shot up. “Sunday?”
“Yes, but more importantly, it’s my birthday.”
“Oh yeah? The big three-oh?”
“I’m officially ancient. Want to know what I’d like to do to commemorate such an auspicious occasion?”
She scowled. “If you say have sex—”
“Believe it or not, I have a little more class than that. A real date…not a burger at the Bridgetender. A grown-up, dress nice and go out to dinner date with an elegant and fascinating woman. What do you say?”
Dating a client wasn’t an option. Ever. And getting emotionally involved with Tripp was the last thing Hannah wanted. She had absolutely no doubt she’d wind up with a bruised and battered heart if she was foolish enough to give in to his persuasive charm. She’d fallen for this man once before with no more encouragement than a few easy smiles, and all her youthful fantasies had been hopelessly crushed. Still, turning him down on his birthday seemed…wrong. Forewarned is forearmed, right?
“Since you put it so nicely—and it’s your birthday—I accept.”
“Great. Sunday’s my rest day, so I won’t see you in the morning.” He regarded her steadily. “I’ll make a reservation for seven at that new lakeside restaurant in town and pick you up at a quarter to. Will that work?”
She hesitated for a moment then nodded. “I haven’t eaten there yet. Thanks for asking me.” He slid his fingers down to her wrist, leaving tingles in their wake before he released her.
“I’m looking forward to trying something different for a change.”
“Tripp?”
His gaze met hers, warm and filled with pleasure. “Yes?”
“Have a happy birthday.”
“I intend to.”
Chapter 5
“You’re going out to dinner? With Hannah?”
Tripp slid the razor across his foam-covered jaw with one hand while he held the phone to his ear with the other. “That’s what I said. Uh, is this going to take long? I’m trying to shave, and I don’t want to be late.”
His sister was silent on the other end of the line for a long moment. “Why?”
Deciding she was obviously in no rush to get off the line, he engaged the speaker and set the phone on the bathroom counter. “What do you mean, why? Because it’s rude to pick up your date late.”
“Why are you taking her out? I know you flirted with her a little last fall at Griff’s engagement party, but I thought that was your usual knee-jerk reaction to the nearest available female.” Eden’s voice dripped sarcasm. “Anyway, Hannah basically ignored you.”
Tripp scowled then swore when he nicked himself. “She can’t ignore me now since we see each other pretty much every day for my therapy sessions.” He pressed a piece of tissue to the cut. “I like her. She keeps me on my toes.”
“She’s not your usual ski groupie.”
“You think I don’t know that? I’m not stupid.” He finished shaving and wiped the last of the foam from his face with a wet washcloth. “Did you call to wish me a happy birthday or to insult me?”
“I can do both. I’m excellent at multitasking.”
Tripp choked with laughter. “Well, you don’t have to worry because Hannah is fully capable of taking care of herself. For now, we’re just friends.”
“For now?” Eden’s voice rose.
“Hey, you never know about these things.”
“If you hurt her, I’ll personally drive down to Tahoe to kick your ass.”
Giving his still damp head a shake, he dropping the towel tied around his waist on the tile floor then pulled on a clean pair of boxers. “Why would I hurt her?” He carried the phone into the closet and came out with a button-down green dress shirt and a pair of slacks. “As I mentioned before, I like Hannah.”
“Because I know how you operate. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Walking into the bedroom, he dropped the phone on the tangle of sheets then jerked the pants up his legs.
“She kind of had a thing for you when we were in college.”
His hand stilled on the zipper. “She did?”
“Yes.” His sister let out a sigh. “We were both at the ranch for summer break, and your friend, Danny, asked me out. I didn’t want to ditch Hannah for a movie date, and she didn’t want to be a third wheel. Then you offered to go along with us as a foursome.”
He shrugged on his shirt, taking care to ease it over his injured shoulder. “Why don’t I remember any of this?”
“Probably because you bailed at the last minute when Wendy called you.”
“Wendy Obermeyer?” An image of the curvy brunette flashed through his mind. “I was what, twenty-two or -three? Wendy put out. Back then, I did most of my thinking with my…uh, never mind.”
“You’re disgusting.”
He let out a sigh. “Despite what you may believe, I’ve grown up since then.”
“That’s not what I’ve heard. Anyway, you left Hannah high and dry and dateless that night. Not to mention you really hurt her feelings.”
Guilt niggled as he buttoned his shirt. “I didn’t know. She never said anything about it to me at the time.”
“Of course she didn’t. We both agreed you were a huge jerk and she should get over you. Except I’m not sure she did. Not that summer, anyway. Hannah always kept her emotions all bottled up behind a cheerful smile, so it was hard to tell sometimes.”
The guilt dug a little deeper. “I really have to go, Eden. Hannah isn’t the quiet little mouse I remember from way back then. Now, she speaks her mind and isn’t shy about putting me in my place. Anyway, it’s just one dinner.”
“Fine. Sorry I yelled at you. Have a happy birthday.”
“I will. See you, Eden.” He pushed the disconnect button and scooped up the phone then grabbed his keys and wallet off the dresser. Shoving everything in his pockets, he headed toward the back door, pausing only to pull a leather jacket off the coat rack before he entered the garage. By rote, he started the engine, raised the double door and backed out onto the street. His mind was fully occupied with his sister’s surprising revelation.
Not the fact that he’d been a huge asshole. That wasn’t exactly a newsflash.
He never would have guessed Hannah had the hots for him all those years ago. She sure hadn’t acted like she was interested. Not in the way good old Wendy had ma
de her feelings abundantly clear. Maybe that was the reason Hannah seemed so determined to keep him at arm’s length now. He’d blown it with her the first time, though he hadn’t been aware of it, and he knew her well enough to figure she wasn’t big on second chances.
Maybe I should apologize. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. Or not. It wasn’t hard to imagine how awkward that conversation would be. Best to pretend the heart-to-heart with his sister had never happened. Bottom line, he’d keep things low-key with Hannah. For now. Problem was every time he saw her, he couldn’t help wanting more than a friendship. Good thing she was a whole lot smarter than he was and had made it clear romance was out of the question.
By the time he had that settled in his mind, he was parked in her driveway and halfway up the snow-packed path to her door. When she opened it at his knock, his jaw sagged…and every good intention he’d struggled with disappeared on the stiff breeze.
Her wide smile shook him, but not as much as the figure-hugging royal blue dress that displayed mile-long legs and enough cleavage to make him want to see a whole lot more. Her hair was pulled up into some kind of knot with a few strands escaping to caress her soft neck. At least her skin looked as delicate to the touch as the cream-colored roses in his mother’s garden back home. Tripp’s fingers twitched, just itching to find out. He stuffed them in his pockets.
“Right on time. Let me get my coat.”
He bent to pet Winnie when the dog sat at his feet and gave him a demanding look that even a moron couldn’t misinterpret. When Hannah returned with a short, black jacket, he took it from her and held it as she slid bare arms through the sleeves.
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you. No, you aren’t coming with us.” She pushed the dog back inside with the toe of her knee-high boot then shut and locked the door.
“Careful. It’s slippery.” Taking her arm, he held tight all the way down the ice-slicked path, even though she was probably perfectly capable of walking on her own. When they reached his truck, he opened her door, shut it after she was seated, then ran around to the driver’s side.
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