Eden shrugged and headed toward the living room. “Seems like the only guys I ever see, I’ve known since I was practically in diapers. Maybe taking a dip into your past works for you, but I’d kill for a new face.”
Hannah stopped and turned. “Have you ever thought about leaving the ranch and trying something different for a change? New places and people?”
“No, because I love it here. This ranch and my horses are my life.” Her voice rang with sincerity. “My brothers all moved away, but I won’t. I live and breathe this land.”
“I didn’t say you have to leave for good.” Hannah’s gaze narrowed. “Take a vacation, find a man, lasso him and drag him back home with you.”
“Who’s Eden lassoing?” Tripp stepped through the living room doorway into the hall.
“The next hot guy she sees.”
He gave his sister an up and down look. “Before you do, can you bring in that ice cream? The carton is starting to drip.”
“I suppose so.” Eden let out a sigh. “I’ve put off chasing down excitement this long. I think I can wait another hour. Let’s go eat cobbler.”
* * * *
Tripp shut the bedroom door and leaned against it. “Why do I feel like I’m still in high school, sneaking around behind my parents’ backs?”
Hannah dropped onto the edge of the bed. “Because they’re protective of me, the same way they’d be of Eden. Lucky for me, your mom always treated me like a second daughter.”
“They didn’t hassle Griff or Sawyer about sharing a room with a woman.” He approached slowly, admiring the way her sweater clung to her breasts. “At least Eden went to her room without comment when we headed down the hall together.”
“We talked earlier. I convinced her I know what I’m doing.”
“Oh, yeah?” He planted a hand on either side of her and leaned in for a lingering kiss. She tasted sweeter than the cobbler he’d eaten earlier. One helping of the dessert hadn’t been enough, either. He went back for a second kiss and came up breathless. “What, exactly, are you doing?”
“Living out my teenage fantasies.”
“Really?” He pulled back to study her. “So, doing it in my childhood bedroom is your ultimate daydream fulfilled?”
“Pretty much.” Her smile tugged at his heart. “Better watch out since it’s all downhill after this.”
He flattened her on the bed. “We’ll see about that.”
“We will, huh?” Her voice came out on a giggle, while the sincerity in her eyes nearly did him in.
“Yeah, we will.”
Stripping each piece of clothing away became slow torture. As more silky smooth skin was revealed, he paused to press his face against the tiny curve of her belly then kiss his way up to her breasts. Tossing her bra, he laved one nipple. When she let out a little moan, he pulled off her socks and turquoise silk panties in record time, then threw his own clothes in a heap on the floor.
Lying back down beside her, he stroked along the curve of her waist until his fingers paused beneath one breast. “This isn’t ever going to get old…just so you know.”
“Easy to say now.” Her golden gaze held steady on his. “But a lasting relationship isn’t built on sex alone.”
“No, but great—make that spectacular—sex sure doesn’t hurt the cause.” He brushed wisps of hair off her cheek. “We have a good time together, don’t we?”
She smiled. “We do, and for right now, I’m okay with that. I’m not asking for anything more from you than fun and companionship and respect. If either of our expectations change, we can reevaluate.”
“Sounds pretty damn clinical.” His lips lowered to caress hers. “This is anything but.”
She pulled away. “I don’t do well without some kind of structure. As long as I know where we stand—”
“Don’t think everything to death.” He pulled her into his arms and rolled with her. “Just enjoy.”
“I will for tonight. One day at a time—”
His mouth closed over hers, cutting off words he didn’t want to hear. He wouldn’t wonder if they could last as a couple beyond tomorrow or next week or even until winter melted into spring. The idea of not having Hannah around wasn’t something he could easily shrug off as he had so many times in the past. She wasn’t like the women he usually dated. He pressed deep inside her on a moan. She’s a hell of a lot better.
“Tripp, condom.” Her voice held a touch of panic.
“What?” he blinked down at her as comprehension dawned. “Oh, shit. Sorry.” Pulling out, he fumbled on the floor for his pants and nearly toppled off the bed grabbing them. “I’ve got this.” Foil ripped. He suited up with hands that shook. “I can’t believe I did that.”
She pressed kisses along his neck. “It’s okay. We’re ready now.”
Ready was an understatement. He wanted Hannah so badly he ached. Slowly he entered her. With infinite care, he built the tension until she whimpered with need. When he couldn’t wait a second longer, he drove them both over the edge. He held on tight, cradling her against his chest as they gasped for breath, loving the closeness and the warmth in her eyes as she met his gaze. Loving her.
With a jerk, his mind shied away from the thought. Dropping a quick kiss on her lips, he rolled out of bed, grabbed his pants, then darted across the hall to clean up. Confusion dimmed the eyes that stared back at him in the bathroom mirror. What the hell was he thinking? He liked Hannah…a lot, but love didn’t enter into the equation. Love wasn’t part of his lifestyle. He’d simply been carried away by the moment. Obviously, since he’d completely spaced putting on a condom. That had never happened before. He wasn’t stupid or careless. But with Hannah, he seemed to lose all power of rational thought. Drawing in a quick breath, he splashed icy water on his face.
A couple minutes later, he reentered the bedroom. Hannah had crawled beneath the covers to lay propped against the pillows, the sheet pulled up over her breasts. The bedside lamp cast a golden glow over her bare arms and highlighted the honey-colored streaks in her hair. An aura of sweetness and strength and vulnerability surrounded her, but the look on her face told him she had something serious on her mind. His gut clenched.
“We need to talk.”
Bingo! Here it comes. “Okay.” His voice was hesitant, sounding more like the kid who’d once inhabited this room than the confident man he’d become.
“What the deputy said about the brake line on our car being cut freaked me out. I’m worried.”
He sagged in relief. Not a relationship talk, thank God, since he wouldn’t have a clue what to say. “I thought…never mind.” He wasn’t sure what he’d expected. He dropped his pants and climbed into bed next to her. Pulling her close, he wrapped her in his arms. “I meant to discuss this earlier, but you were with Eden. I have a hard time bending my mind around the idea that someone wants to kill us.”
After a long moment, she glanced up, brow knit in a frown. “Us implies the responsible party is somehow related to Monica’s death. The pusher on the chairlift, maybe. That only makes sense if her killer believes we can identify him.”
“Word that we’d witnessed a possible murder spread pretty fast even before the body was found. Since the investigation is now active, maybe the guy who shoved her to her death is covering his bases. He might believe we know more than we actually do.”
“If that were the case, why wouldn’t we have identified him to the authorities already?”
Tripp shrugged, and her soft hair brushed across his chest. “I haven’t a clue.”
“I suppose he could be worried we’ll see him around town and have an aha moment. Seems a little extreme to follow us to Wyoming, though. Something else about this scenario bothers me.”
“Do tell. It’s obvious you’ve given the situation a lot of thought.”
The lines etched in her forehead deepened. “His methods are indirect. That downed power line and the iced-over steps were more likely to resul
t in injury than death. I admit we could easily have died if I’d crashed the car, but the result wasn’t a given.”
“Proof in point, we’re still alive to debate the issue.”
“Exactly. So, I’m inclined to believe the intent was to scare us off or cause injury, not death.”
“Scare us off, why?” Tripp shifted, letting his hand drop to rest on her bare thigh beneath the covers. “You think these incidents were some sort of warning? Maybe a threat to keep our mouths shut or he’ll do some real damage?”
“It’s a possibility, but not very likely.” Her breath hissed out when his fingers moved upward. “I’m leaning toward the injury theory.”
“How would causing a little bodily harm keep us from talking if we knew who the killer was? Makes no sense.”
She pushed his hand away. “Stop. I can’t think when you do that.” Her breathy voice trailed off. “I agree hurting us makes no sense if the person responsible for the so-called accidents is Monica’s killer. But, injuring you would serve a definite purpose if the goal is to keep you from skiing in the upcoming competition.”
“Ah.” He slumped back against the pillows. “That’s what this is about. You’re worried someone is after me, not you.”
She nodded. “The logic behind the assumption works a whole lot better. I don’t suppose you’d consider dropping out of the Big Air Championship?”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t.”
“I told Eden you were too stubborn to play it safe.”
Tripp rolled his eyes. “I’m sure that wasn’t a newsflash. My sister knows me well.”
“Well enough not to say anything about this around your parents earlier. She figured you wouldn’t want to worry them.”
“I don’t…no matter what the reason is behind the attacks. Why flip them out?” He picked up her hand and squeezed it. “I’ll feel a lot better, though, if this vendetta really is about me and not what we saw on the mountain. It means you should be safe enough as long as you keep your distance.”
“No.”
He reared back and frowned. “Why not?”
“Because you still need me to work on your shoulder. Look how much stronger it’s gotten just in the last few days. If we keep up the extra therapy sessions, you’ll be nearly one hundred percent by next weekend.”
“While I appreciate your work ethic, I’m not going to risk your life for the sake of my shoulder. That’s just stupid.”
One brow shot up. “But risking yours is okay? What about Marco? He’ll be hanging out with you in Crested Butte all next week while you train. Then there’s the guy who waxes your skis, and didn’t you say your manager would be showing up for the competition? What about your buddy Jake? If I’m not around, you’ll probably spend a lot of your downtime with him. There’s also Zeke and Laird and—”
“Stop.” He pulled away from her to wrap his arms around up-drawn knees. “I get your point. I don’t exist in a bubble. I care about all those guys and certainly wish them no harm, but you…you’re different.”
Her voice softened. “Then don’t compete.”
He shook his head. “I’m not going to cave in to a dangerous bully, and that’s all this man is. If he thinks he can intimidate me into quitting, he’s wrong. What I’d like to do is figure out who the asshole is and put a stop to any future attacks. Then no one would be in danger.”
“Makes sense.” She laid a hand on his back, her palm soft against his skin. “Who benefits most if you don’t compete? Who would take that championship trophy and all the perks that go along with the victory?”
“I don’t know. Hell, I might lose even if I’m one hundred percent healthy. There are a few of us who could take the title on any given day.”
“True, but surely the skiers who have a legitimate shot are limited.”
He let out a breath. “Jake has been skiing really well this season. So has Laird. They’re probably my biggest rivals, but Jake is also my closest friend on the circuit. Laird is a bit of an egomaniac, but since he thinks he’s better than me, I don’t see why he’d go out of his way to remove me from the competition.”
“What about Zeke? He was in Jackson Hole with us, so he had opportunity, same as Laird.”
“The guy is good, and he has a unique flair that looks great on film, but I don’t believe his tricks are technical enough to win this event. Not unless he’s been practicing moves I haven’t seen him do yet.”
“Anyone else?”
Tripp frowned. “There’s a guy from Australia who might pull out a win. Last I heard, though, Rod went home for his sister’s wedding, so he probably has a pretty solid alibi for when the brake line was cut.” He shrugged. “That’s everyone on the short list.”
The hand on his back stilled. “Jake was in Tahoe during the downed power line and iced-over steps incidents, wasn’t he?”
“Yes, but I won’t believe he would try to hurt me.”
Hannah turned to face him, her golden eyes sober. “Maybe Jake has money problems you know nothing about. Even if he didn’t fly to Wyoming, he could easily have driven up to Jackson Hole, kept a low profile and been on the lookout for an opportunity. People can surprise you when they’re desperate.”
“Maybe, but we know Laird was at the lodge with us. It’s possible he was in Tahoe last week, though I didn’t hear about it.”
“You could call the sheriff and ask him to look into both men’s whereabouts when the incidents happened, maybe eliminate one of them as a possibility.”
“No.” Tripp’s lips twisted. “I won’t throw either Laird or Jake under the bus on a stinking hunch. Word would get back to them, and the result would be nothing but bad blood between us from here on out. I can’t deal with that for the rest of my career.”
“So, you’re just going to sit back and let the guy who’s responsible make another attempt on your life?” Her voice rose. “What if he succeeds the next time?”
“I can casually ask a few questions to find out where Laird was before Jackson Hole. Zeke, too, just in case.” Tripp turned to slip his arm around her waist and squeezed. “I’ll be on high alert. Nothing will happen to me now that I’m aware of the situation. You don’t have to worry.”
She rested her head on his shoulder. “I can’t help it. So many things could go wrong. A loose binding on a practice run. Something toxic slipped into your drink at a crowded bar. How about a poisonous spider in your ski boot?”
His lips curved. “Are you sure you don’t write thrillers in your spare time? I promise to be vigilant.”
“I still don’t like any part of this, but if you’re determined to go to Colorado, I’ll be right by your side to keep an eye on you and our suspects.”
“I still can’t believe anyone I compete against would try to hurt me. Not to mention the fact you ended up as collateral damage.” He tightened his hold. “Twice. That’s cold and twisted. If one of them really did want to take me out, he’d be more direct. I know all these guys pretty well.”
“Well, someone cut that brake line. One of those men isn’t the person you believe him to be.”
A chill shivered through him. “I can’t argue with that, but I don’t have to think about it anymore tonight.” Sliding down in the bed, he pulled her with him to wrap her in his arms. Need surged as her softness pressed against him.
“Make love not war.”
He grinned. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
Chapter 17
Hannah sat on the lowest rail of the fence, shoulders hunched, cell phone pressed to her ear while her other hand burrowed in her jacket pocket for warmth. At the far end of the corral, Eden worked with one of her wild horses, leading the skittish animal in slow circles. Her voice, low and soothing as she spoke to the mare, carried on the crisp afternoon breeze. Near the barn, Tripp saddled a pair of Quarter Horses. Every now and then, he glanced her way, green eyes filled with concern.
Elbow propped on one knee,
Hannah rested her head in her cupped hand and closed her eyes, waiting for an opening to get a word in edgewise, as her mother’s voice droned on, angry and accusing.
When she paused for breath, Hannah jumped in. “I would attend the service for Monica if I was going to be home, but I won’t change my plans at the last minute. I already told you you’re welcome to stay at my cabin.”
“I prefer a hotel.” Her mother’s voice cooled further. “How long has it been since I’ve seen you? Eight or nine months? I’d think you could adjust your schedule, if not in respect for my old friend, then at least to spend a few hours with me.”
Hours not days. She rolled her eyes. “I invited you up for Thanksgiving, but you made plans with friends instead. Over Christmas, you went on a cruise. But I’m supposed to drop everything at a moment’s notice when it’s convenient for you to see me?”
“Don’t be spiteful, Hannah. I have obligations.”
“And I don’t?” She pressed fingers to her temples and rubbed. “I hadn’t seen Monica in years. My only memories of her from my childhood are vague at best. I wasn’t very old when you two worked together.”
Tripp’s boots crunched the crusty layer of snow as he approached. She glanced up and forced a smile.
“Speaking of those years, I had a conversation with Luther this morning. He called to make sure I’d heard about the service, which was decent of him. He assumed you’d be attending. I told him you’d texted me that you would still be out of town and hadn’t returned my calls.”
Hannah ignored the dig. “I’m glad the two of you were able to have a civil conversation.” She blew out a puff of breath in the cold air. “Monica lived in Los Angeles. I don’t understand why the memorial is being held in Tahoe.”
“She had no family to speak of, so her ex-husband made the arrangements to suit his own convenience. Didn’t you mention once you know Lewis Hamilton?”
“Yes.” No way did she intend to elaborate on their previous relationship. That would really set her mother off.
“Yet another reason to pay your respects. Where are you, anyway?”
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