A Winter Wonderland

by Fern Michaels

  “I don’t cook much. The theater usually orders takeout, so there’s really no need,” she explained.

  “So you really are that actress from New York?”

  Has he actually seen me in a play? Or maybe he recognized me as that piece of dirt in that floor-cleaning commercial currently airing!

  “After you left the registration office last night, Nicholas—Mr. Star—told me you were an actress.”

  He’d answered her question, and she hadn’t even had to ask. What a relief! It suddenly occurred to her that she’d felt a bit embarrassed when he’d asked her if she was an actress! Her entire career suddenly had the power to make her feel nothing but . . . shame? Did Meryl Streep and the late Elizabeth Taylor feel shame at their chosen careers? She doubted it. They were two of the greatest actresses of all time, in her opinion. She’d aspired for so many years to be just like them. Stage, film, television, she wanted it all, yet when a stranger asked her about her career, she found that she didn’t want to discuss her profession. As though she’d been struck by a bolt of lightning, Angelica had just answered the question she’d mentally asked, but she pushed it aside. It wasn’t the time to make a career choice or change. She was driving in snow and ice, and was just distracted.

  “An actress with nothing to say,” Parker added. “That seems a bit unusual.”

  “Like you, I’m not here to make friends or discuss my career.” She knew that she sounded terribly juvenile, but she didn’t care. She’d just had an epiphany and did not want to deal with the significance behind it, or at least not with a stranger in the car. This trip down the mountain was becoming way more than a quick trip to the market.

  “I guess I deserved that,” he said, turning away.

  Lucky for her, she spied the turnoff for the registration building just then. She assumed that was where he wanted to be dropped off, so she found an empty spot close to the entrance and parked. Part of her felt a tiny bit of sadness and a sense of loss. She had never had these kinds of feelings about a stranger, and it bothered her. She wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not. Most likely not.

  She turned to face him. “So,” she said, struggling to fight her sudden confusion, “I guess you can use the phone in the office if you can’t get a signal on yours.” Angelica said the words quickly as she tried to still her rapidly beating heart.

  Lame, lame, lame, she thought as she felt an unwanted warmth flow through her. This is not happening! What is wrong with me?

  “I’m sure of it,” he agreed. Then he continued, “Are you going to be on the slopes later? Maybe we can meet at the lift.”

  Unexpectedly, Angelica didn’t know what to say. One minute, he was telling her he wasn’t there to make friends; the next, he alluded to a possible relationship with someone—well, not really, but she wasn’t going to assume anything where this man was concerned—and now, he was asking her to meet him. Confused, and surprised at his change of heart, all she could manage was a quick nod.

  “I take it that’s a yes,” Parker stated.

  Again, she’d made an idiot out of herself. “I’d planned to ski all day anyway. If we see each other at the lifts, then sure, I can ride up with you, race you downhill.” She didn’t want to appear too anxious, but she didn’t want to brush him off, either. She kinda liked this guy she’d known for less than twenty-four hours.

  What does this mean? she wondered.

  Is this love at first sight?

  Chapter 12

  “Ouch! That hurt, but I see where you’re going,” Parker said, obviously chagrined by her comment.

  Angelica offered up a mischievous grin but said not a word.

  “I owe you an apology. I was tired.” He held up a gloved hand. “And I know that’s not an excuse for being so crabby, but I’d like to start over.” He gave her his dazzling smile again, and her heart did another flip-flop.

  She liked that he’d used the word crabby. A regular guy, not the suave sophisticated GQ type she normally dated. Angelica was getting way ahead of herself, though. First, he’d only asked her to ski with him, and she didn’t really believe that qualified as a date. Second, she lived on the East Coast. What happened if she really liked the guy? No way would she commute from coast to coast for a date.

  “Earth to driver,” Parker said, jolting her back to the present.

  Looking at him as though he had two heads, she wasn’t sure if he was insulting her while trying to apologize.

  A driver? Am I being oversensitive? Yes, I am. It was so unlike her to be so offended by comments that were simply comments. The critics had been beyond hard on her many times throughout her career. It went with the territory. So why him and why now? Why am I so defensive with this man?

  “Apology accepted,” she said before she changed her mind. It had been late when he’d rescued her. She could be a tiger herself when she didn’t get enough sleep. Maybe Parker was telling the truth. He had fallen asleep last night in the car, after all. So maybe he had been overly tired. Besides, she had no real reason not to trust him. She’d met and made friends on the slopes many times before. No harm in hanging around with the guy for a few hours.

  He opened the door and climbed out of the car, then smacked his gloved hand against the roof. “So I’ll meet you at the private lift in a couple of hours. If you agree,” he added, offering her his drop-dead killer smile.

  Two hours would be more than enough time to go to the market, make breakfast, and prepare herself to spend the day skiing with a really hot guy. She smiled. “I’ll be there.”

  Parker closed the door, winked at her through the window, then turned away and walked toward the registration office.

  She gave a half wave and backed out of the parking lot onto the main road that led to the center of Maximum Glide. Angelica slowed the SUV to a crawl, searching for another parking spot, when she spied a black Hummer leaving. She whipped the Navigator into the spot before someone beat her to it. Grabbing her purse and keys, she opened the door and, once again, was greeted by bitter cold, but the kind of cold that didn’t make you cringe and race back inside. After New York, where the cold was damp from the ocean, she found the sharp coolness refreshing.

  The sidewalks in the village were clear of all traces of ice and slush. Angelica observed several maintenance men working hard to keep the streets and pathways clear. Briefly, she wondered if Parker was part of this crew, but he really didn’t look like he spent too much time in the sun. Maybe he was a supervisor and spent his time behind a desk. It didn’t really matter what his profession was. In two weeks, he would be nothing more than a memory. A pleasant one, she hoped.

  She found the village market around the corner from the Snow Zone, a ski supply shop she planned to visit later. Her old ski jacket wasn’t quite as warm as some of the newfangled ones she’d seen in the catalogues; it was time to replace it.

  Entering the market, Angelica was greeted by the scent of fresh-baked bread, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since her last bite of chocolate yesterday. With the warm yeasty smell guiding her, she found the bakery at the back of the store. As expected, the line was long, and she could see plenty of baked goods displayed for those waiting in line. Several young women wore white coats, with their hair matted against their heads with the required hairnet. Each performed her task with a smile on her face. Angelica thought that she might like to learn how to bake someday.

  As the line inched closer to the front, she made a mental list of the supplies she would need for the next two weeks. She added a bottle of wine and a nice pair of filets, thinking if the opportunity arose, she would invite Parker to her cabin for dinner.

  Greeted by a friendly blonde, Angelica selected a loaf of freshly baked sourdough bread, three poppy seed bagels, four red velvet cupcakes, and a loaf of French bread. With both arms loaded, she headed to the front of the market, where she found a small shopping cart. In New York, she usually just grabbed a few things and never required a shopping cart, only buying as much as she co
uld carry home on foot She walked up and down the narrow aisles, picking items that she normally wouldn’t even consider and placing them in her cart. Two bags of potato chips, something she never indulged in as her profession didn’t encourage weight gain. A large hunk of dark chocolate because she simply could not go a day without it. She filled the cart with cans of soup, milk, eggs, and two packages of precooked bacon. In the produce section, she filled bags with apples, oranges, and grapefruit. At least some of her purchases were healthful, she observed, while waiting at the checkout counter.

  Ten minutes later, she had the Navigator loaded with groceries. As she pulled out of the parking place, she glanced at the clock on the dash. She had more than an hour before it was time to meet Parker at the lift.

  Angelica felt blissfully happy, totally alive.

  Did this have anything to do with Parker, or was it simply the fact she was on vacation and had shucked all responsibilities for the next two weeks? It didn’t matter. Whatever the reason, she was boundlessly happy, and didn’t care why.

  Chapter 13

  Angelica found her way around the kitchen and decided she enjoyed the simple act of preparing breakfast for herself. She microwaved the bacon, scrambled eggs, and had three slices of toast. If this wasn’t enough carbs and protein to see her through her ski run, then she was in big trouble. She was not going to count calories on this trip, no way, no how.

  After a quick cleanup, she began the laborious task of dressing for a day on the slopes. Because her jacket was so old, she made sure to wear several layers of T-shirts and a warm sweater. She put on two pair of tights before topping them off with her old ski pants. First thing tomorrow, she would visit Snow Zone and update her ski gear.

  She planned to rent skis when she’d originally made her vacation plans, but was told by the travel agent that the cabin provided skis as well. All she had to do was give them her height and weight, then visit the repair shop, where they would make sure the fit was right for her. As she shoved her foot inside the cold ski boot, she was surprised when her foot slid in comfortably without all the hassle that she usually encountered. Tromping outside in the heavy boots, she found the skis and poles inside the storage shed, just where the agent told her they would be. She should have brought them with her in the morning, when she’d made her trip to the village, but she figured she would just ski to the repair shop, where they could make any adjustments.

  Kicking the toe end of her boot, then pushing down on the heel, she found that the boots fit perfectly in the ski’s bindings. Same with the other foot. There was no need for a trip to the repair shop, she thought as she poled her way several yards away to the private lift.

  Her skis cut through the snow, leaving tracks in her wake. She took a deep breath, reveling in the pure scent of pine and fresh powder. Her part of the mountain was still and calm, except for the soft whir from the wind that blew gently through the tops of the tall pines. She could get used to this, especially after the city.

  Remembering the directions she had read that morning while eating breakfast, she found the private chairlift without any trouble. The operating instructions were easy, so no worries there. It gave her enough time to smooth her hair and add an extra layer of lip balm. As soon as she tucked the tube inside her pocket, she looked up to see Parker, all decked out in Spyder’s latest red and black ski attire. He poled his way across the small expanse to the lift, then turned sharply, spraying her with snow.

  Winded, but smiling, he said, “I still have it.”

  Angelica’s heart raced at the sight of this incredibly sexy man, but she did nothing to reveal this. “You thought you’d lost it,” she commented wryly.

  “Never, but it has been a long time since I’ve skied. Work has kept me occupied, and there really hasn’t been time for a vacation,” he explained.

  Of course, she wondered what he did for a living and why there wasn’t time for a vacation, but she was not going to ask. If he wanted her to know, she guessed that he would tell her. For the moment, she was happy to be accompanying him.

  “Well, we’re here now. Let’s take the lift to the top of the mountain,” Angelica said. “Or is that too much for a first run?”

  Parker gave her a look that sent a warm glow throughout her body. Yes, she was in trouble, she thought, as they poled across to the chairlift. This guy was definitely worth pursuing.

  “Of course I’m up to it. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t. What about you?”

  “I’m ready. It’s been a couple of years, but I think I can handle a run down the mountain. Though I have to admit, I am a bit leery of this lift. I have never used this kind before.” She had read the instructions just a while ago and hoped the timer was set to allow them enough time to get seated comfortably before shooting up the side of the mountain.

  Angelica punched in the number of seconds required for the lift to come to life, then poled over to the entrance area with Parker by her side. In fifteen seconds, the chair, squeaking but moving at a slow pace, swung from the heavy cable, stopping when it crossed the line where they waited. As soon as the chair stopped and touched the back of their legs, they dropped down onto the icy seat, and Parker pulled the safety bar into position.

  With a squeal and whine, the chairlift began its climb up to the top of the thirteen-thousand-foot mountain.

  Angelica inched into a comfortable position, or as comfortable as one could be on a ski lift, carefully placing her skis on the bar provided directly below the chair. Sitting on the left side, she held her poles in her right hand over her left shoulder. Parker did the opposite. Once they were settled for the slow climb, the wind in their faces and the sun almost blinding in its intensity, Parker turned to look at her.

  Glad that her face was covered by her scarf, her eyes hidden behind the amber lenses of her ski goggles, she knew she was blushing.

  Damn, I am thirty-two years old! This stuff only happens in those terrific little romance novels I used to read back when I was in high school.

  As was becoming the norm for her when she was with Parker, her heart beat so fast, she wondered if it would pound right out of her chest.

  His words were muffled when he spoke, but she clearly understood him. “Are you nervous?”

  Darn! Am I that transparent?

  Shaking her head from side to side, she adjusted her scarf so she could speak. “Not at all, just cold.”

  Before she knew what was happening, with his free arm, he pulled her closer to him. Their heavily clothed thighs rubbed against one another, and her shoulder was hard against his. Trying to inch away was not possible as Parker now used his free hand to tilt her chin up. Again, he surprised her when his lips lightly touched her own.

  For a few seconds, again, she was at a total loss for words. When she found her voice, all she could manage was a low, “Wow!”

  Chapter 14

  “I’ll take that as a compliment,” Parker said, mere inches away from her face. He smelled like freshly washed skin and shaving cream.

  She wasn’t sure what to say or if she should say anything at all. She decided on not saying anything simply because she was shocked by her reaction to such a . . . chaste kiss! Mentally ticking back the clock, she realized it’d been almost a year since she’d gone out on a real date. Yes, that had to be the reason she was reacting like a lovesick teenager.

  Angelica felt Parker’s gaze on her. It wasn’t like she could turn around and leave. Nope, she was stuck. Deciding to make the best of her situation, as there really wasn’t another choice, she looked him squarely in the eye. “What do you want from me? If you’re looking for a . . . cheap fling, look elsewhere. I certainly hope I haven’t done anything that would make you think I was that kind of woman.”

  Did I actually say that? I must have sounded like an old spinster right out of the nineteenth century!

  Parker laughed, and Angelica couldn’t help but smile behind her scarf. Once again, she came across as an idiot.

  They were more th
an halfway up the mountain when Parker spoke. “Trust me, a fling, cheap or otherwise, is the last thing on my mind.” His voice became more serious, as though an unpleasant memory had surfaced.

  Angelica wished she had kept quiet. Why couldn’t she just accept that a nice, handsome man kissed her for no reason other than that he wanted to? Did there have to be an answer for every move a man made toward her? Yes, yes, and yes, she told herself. It was probably the reason why she’d had so many dates, most of them disastrous in one way or another.

  She pulled her goggles on top of her head, then wiped her eyes. The air was so cold, her eyes were watering. She knew without looking in a mirror that her nose was probably as red as Rudolph’s.

  “Look, I shouldn’t have said that. I do that a lot,” she said as a way of explaining herself.

  Parker still looked serious, all traces of that fantastically sexy smile gone. “No, I shouldn’t have kissed you. I don’t know what came over me. Look, I don’t normally do that either. Hell, I can’t remember the last time I kissed a woman. It’s been too long. I’m sorry,” he said.

  Wanting to ask him to explain further, she stopped herself before she put her foot in her mouth again. “Hey, it was just a kiss. As long as you don’t expect anything else, then we’re okay. And if it makes you feel any better, it’s been a long time since I went out on a date myself. I work odd hours. Broadway being Broadway and all.” She didn’t dare tell him that, in point of fact, she worked off-off Broadway. She’d already gotten the impression he thought her profession was unprofessional.

  And why did I just tell him I haven’t had a date in a long time? What is wrong with me? Surely, I must be oxygen deprived!