He couldn't look away from her. "So it is. Would you like to get a drink?"
"I'd like that. At the hotel bar? Or out here in town?"
"Hotel is fine, but I'm good with whichever you prefer."
"Well, if we go back to the hotel, I can put my purchases in my room." She shook her bags.
"Hotel it is." He took the numerous bags from her. "Find everything you needed?"
She laughed. "Not even close. I still have another list of things to find for people."
"None of this is yours?"
"Only one bag is." Her eyes glinted. "The one that matches the shop I just came from."
He glanced up and suddenly had a hard time swallowing. It was a shop with some very lovely lingerie in their window displays.
"Oh," he said. In his defense, Conall couldn't formulate anything else. All his brain cells were focused on the fact he was carrying some small lingerie for her to try on later. Damn it all, he wanted to see what it was.
She began walking and he fell into step with her. "So, Conall Lennox, tell me about you."
He gave her a rough sketch as they made their way through the snowy night to the hotel. Ever the gentleman, he carried her bags up to her room for her and waited outside while she took them in. Together they went back down and took a small booth in the back of the bar where they were out of the way of everyone else.
"So you like construction work, then?" Sage asked, nursing her drink—bless the woman, she drank Irish coffee.
"I do. I love working with my hands and being outside." He drank his own, enjoying it especially since it was made properly. "Taos is a great place to live. There's a lot to do."
"And your friends? Are they all in construction as well?"
He frowned slightly at the interest she showed in his friends. "Yes. We all work at the same place."
She nodded, apparently not needing to know any more than what she'd asked. So he took a turn.
"What about you? What do you do?"
"I take people white-water rafting in the summer, teaching them how to do it and all that. Then the rest of the year I work for the USFS as a forest ranger."
That explained her athletic build. "A ranger? Where?"
"I live in Georgia." Another grin, which had his body reacting immediately and powerfully. "Work there, too."
They talked a bit more about what she did at her jobs, and with each passing moment, Conall found himself falling a bit more for this vibrant and enigmatic woman. Sage had an aura about her, which called to him on so many levels.
Chapter Two
Sage looked around at all the faces gathered in the large ballroom. A lot of singles had turned out for this Christmas event away from the norm. She made her way along the buffet table, which was piled high with refreshments as the mixer went on. This was the second night of the event and was a more laid-back gathering.
A plate of finger foods in one hand, she found a seat at a table in the back. Right now, this moment, she was beginning to doubt the wisdom of having come here. Most of the year she was around few people. She worked in the most remote part of her forest. Only in the summer when she did the white-water rafting was she typically around larger groups. She wasn't a ranger who gave talks, guided nature walks, or anything like that. She stayed farther out, keeping an eye out for the animals and for fire. Bottom line, she wasn't used to so much hustle and bustle.
The previous week had been wonderful. She had seen a lot, done a lot, and even got to spend some time with the increasingly appealing Conall Lennox. That was the real bonus in her mind. She truly liked him. He had a sense of humor, yet at the same time there was a certain rawness about him which constantly had her catching her breath.
"Hello."
She looked up from her musings to see a woman pulling out a chair to sit, and Sage gave her a smile. The woman was beautiful, tall, black hair, and a rich coffee-brown complexion.
"Hi."
"Big turnout."
"Yes, ma'am." She popped a mini-sandwich pinwheel appetizer into her mouth, chewed, and swallowed. "Although to be honest, I've begun questioning my decision to come." It was now just a few days before Christmas.
"Me too. I'm Ryanne McCall."
"Sage Addison."
A few more people walked over to sit at the table and they began talking as well. After eating the final item on her plate, a deep-fried cheesecake bite, Sage got to her feet, smiled at the others, and walked away. At the drinks table, she filled up her mug with hot chocolate and looked around, when a tingle suddenly ran up her spine.
Conall stood nearby, watching her with his intense, pale green eyes. That was all it took, and the rest of the room faded away, leaving only him and her. He strolled toward her, his every move predatory. Their eyes locked and she almost dropped her mug.
"Hi," he murmured, pausing before her.
"Hi yourself. How've you been doing?"
"Not bad. Better now."
Sage couldn't stop the smile on her face, even if she wanted to. "That so?"
"Haven't seen you in two days. You missed the first night's gathering."
It warmed her to know he was looking for her. "Doing a lot of night runs, and gone during the day for sightseeing. I figured once this thing started there would be more activities geared toward getting people together."
"Find someone who catches your eye?" Conall moved closer, taking her drink from her hand and leading her away from the table where they had been blocking it from other guests.
"Yes."
He didn't ask her to clarify, just gave a sex-infused grin. "Good."
Hell, she felt like a schoolgirl with a crush all over again. The things she imagined doing to this man. It had been a while for her, but if she was going to get out of this dry spell, there couldn't be a better man to do it with, in her opinion.
"I'm giving you fair warning, Sage," he said. "I plan on pursuing you during this time. If you don't want that, tell me now."
She glanced over the room again, her gaze landing upon the numerous single men. Very good-looking men, his friends included. But that wasn't what she wanted. There had been an instant connection between her and Conall, and she wanted to explore that more. Eyes back on him, she shook her head.
"Like I said, there's one person here who turns my head."
He reached out and cupped her cheek. Her breath caught at the feel of his rough fingertips and palm along her skin. This was the first time he'd touched her in the week they'd been talking, and it was powerful.
"Perfect." He shifted closer, and she thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he removed his hand. "Want to take a night run?"
"What about the mixer?"
"It's served its purpose. I met someone." He gave a negligent shrug. "Besides, I've seen some people leave already."
"A night run? I'd love to."
"Want your drink?" She shook her head and he placed it down before leading her from the room.
"What about your friends?"
"They're grown men. They can take care of themselves."
He had the right of it. They agreed to meet back at the lift in ten minutes. In her room, Sage stared at her reflection in the mirror: face flushed, eyes bright and full of both excitement and desire. She changed quickly and risked another glance in the mirror as she zipped up her coat. Grabbing her lip balm, she stuck her tongue out at herself. Go enjoy yourself.
This was her holiday. Hers. Keycard firmly secured in the inside pocket of her coat to keep it safe, she headed down to meet Conall. He stood there wearing blue and white, skis in hand, and masculine approval in his eyes.
"Sorry," she said.
"Worth the wait," he replied easily. "Ready?"
A silent nod, and then they headed for the lift to the top. She adjusted her cap, ensuring her ears were covered. She looked up at him when he flicked her hat's pompom.
"Yes?"
"Cute." He winked, and she felt that trembling in her legs again. Not good if she planned on making it ba
ck down the mountain.
She touched the head covering. "A gift from my sister."
"Hot pink?"
"What can I say, I'm the tomboy in the family. She wanted me to have something with a 'girlie' color." Sage shook her head. "If she had her way, my ranger uniform would be all bedazzled and bright colors as well. She thinks the green is just drab and doesn't at all flatter anyone who wears it."
He leaned closer. "I bet you wear the hell out of that outfit, drab green or not."
His words sent heated pulses through her and she licked her lips, suddenly feeling a bit out of her league. Their ride rocked to a stop, and they exited the gondola. Sage smiled as she looked around at the lights illuminating the slope. Night runs were so much fun, in her estimation. The mountains tended to get a different feel and had a certain mysticism about them.
She snapped her boots into her skis once they neared the point they'd begin their descent, and looked over to see Conall ready as well. Surprisingly, there were not that many people there for a night run.
"Following you," Conall said with a chin gesture.
So she pushed off and away they went. The beat of the mountain sang within her as she zipped along, creating a sense of peace within her that only came with skiing. Glancing to her left, she smiled at the sight of Conall right there beside her, matching her.
"Hold up here!" He gestured with his pole, and she veered to follow him off the main trail.
When she turned and stopped, she saw what had caught his attention. From their spot here, they could see the town, as well as the Village Resort, all decked out with Christmas decorations.
"Beautiful," she said. Using the opportunity, she reapplied her lip balm as she continued to observe the scene below them. "It looks like a Thomas Kinkade painting."
"It does, doesn't it?"
His heat surrounded her, and she knew without turning he'd moved even closer. She had an urge to lean back against him and initiate some contact.
"So, you ski a lot then, in Taos?"
"When I get the chance, yes. I enjoy being on the slopes."
He shifted closer to her, and she inhaled deeply as the scent of him rolled over her. There went her legs again. Gritting her teeth, she locked her knees.
"What about you?"
Cripes. His voice, low and sensual, was right in her ear. He'd surrounded her with a blanket of warmth, and she wanted nothing more than to sink further into it.
She looked at him. "I love skiing. Don't get to do downhill as much as I'd like. I spend most of my days on snowshoes or the snowmobile when I'm out. Occasionally I cross-country, but it's typically the snowmobile."
He watched her closely and she couldn't read his expression. "Let's go," he mumbled before backing away.
"After you." She needed a moment or two to regain her wits. This man had not even kissed her and she was ready to melt with nothing more than a look from him.
They finished the run and went up for another. Then they called it quits. In the lobby, skis in hand, he had her backed against a wall. Not that she minded being there. She stared up at him, thinking how tall and fit he was…as well as how much she'd love to stretch up and press their lips together.
"I had fun." Conall’s words were low and they rumbled through her, bringing her body even further along into “alert” status. Her nipples beaded and tightened, and there was this craving deep in her core. She licked her lips and took pleasure in noticing the flare of desire in his gaze.
"Me too."
"Meet me for breakfast?"
She stared at him, well aware of the hunger in her eyes. "I'd like that."
The hand he'd rested on the wall dropped and he stroked along her cheek with his knuckles. "Good night, Sage Addison." Then he walked off, leaving her there, breathing hard and horny.
"You okay?" a woman asked from her left.
She looked in that direction and found a woman there, with dark brown hair which hung straight to her chin, and light brown eyes. She was very pretty.
"Fine, just…" Sage trailed off, not really knowing how to say it.
The woman didn't ask any more questions; in fact, she seemed to understand. She stiffened however when a male called out from behind her. "Cynda!"
"Got to go." She gave a wide grin, revealing brilliant white teeth. "Have fun."
Cynda took off in the opposite direction the voice had come from. A man strode into view, reminding her a bit of Ryan Reynolds. His gaze skipped over her, and she merely gave him a smile, taking in the uniform colors of the staff, before lifting her skis again and heading for the elevator to get to her room.
In her room, she put away her purchases from earlier after she took a shower and donned the fluffy bathrobe. When all was done, she flopped back and closed her eyes. Conall appeared before her mind’s eye, and she moaned as she imagined watching him strip. His hands had just undone the buttons on his jeans and started lowering them, his eyes on hers, full of desire…
The theme from The A-Team shattered her daydream, evaporating the near-naked man that she was sure would be damn near the epitome of perfection. Fuck! Sage rolled over, reached for her cell phone, and answered the call she really didn't want to take.
* * * *
Conall lounged against the wall leading to the room where a large spread had been set out for breakfast. He could see people in there mingling and chatting up one another. All good and well, for it was the purpose of this singles event. However, he'd found the one he wanted. The second he'd laid eyes on her, he had wanted to know her better.
Sage wasn't the typical woman that he’d dated in the past. He had been more with women who cared a lot about appearance, clothing, and status. Despite being in construction, he owned one of the largest companies in Taos and the surrounding area—Lennox Construction—so women went after him for that. They knew he had money.
Sage Addison, on the other hand, seemed to be a woman after his own heart. She loved the outdoors, and from what he'd learned about her so far, preferred jeans to skirts, dirt to diamonds. Honestly, he found her refreshing, but there was more to it than that. Way more. Never had he wanted a woman so badly and yet continued to wait for her to make the first move, so she didn't think him uncouth. His friends had found it so amusing.
Had he not been walking around with a case of blue balls since he met her, he may have found some humor in it as well. He'd never had a problem getting women into his bed, but with her, Sage, he wanted more than just a quick fuck.
"What are you doing hanging by yourself here, man?"
He looked to his left and found his friend Ben approaching. "Waiting for someone."
Ben's eyes were full of amusement as he nodded. "Right, the cutie we've seen you hanging around with. The one you warned Steve away from."
"Not just him."
Ben smiled and clapped him on the back. "Don't worry, man, I've found a woman I like here. I was meeting her for breakfast. I don't think Steve or Travis have even come down from their rooms yet."
That he could believe; when those two weren't working, they didn't do much in the earlier hours of the day. They were night owls, and he had no problem with that. He wasn’t here as their boss or keeper.
"Who are you looking at?" Conall asked his friend. Ben never had any problem getting women either.
"A cute little thing. I don't think she even knows how to ski, but," he grinned, his white teeth brilliant against his dark skin, "that's fine. I can ski in Taos."
"You are such a dog." Conall laughed.
"What? You telling me you've not hit that yet?"
"I've not hit anything." Not that he hadn't thought about it. In extremely vivid detail since the first night they'd arrived at the resort.
Ben chuckled and smacked Conall on the shoulder. "Maybe you should. It would loosen you up a bit." He straightened up. "Catch you later, man. Maybe we can do dinner tonight. The other two should be up by then."
Conall followed Ben’s line of sight and saw a cute, petite black w
oman wearing jeans and a nice blouse. He knew she was the one Ben was with; they couldn't keep their eyes off one another.
"Yeah, sure. Sounds like a plan. Go enjoy. We'll meet up later."
Ben gave him a wink and walked across the floor to where the woman waited. Conall watched his friend brush a kiss along her cheek and slip an arm around her back before leading her to the restaurant to get some food. He smiled. They made an attractive couple.
Conall sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets as he readjusted his stance against the wall. It didn't take long before he straightened as Sage strode into view. She wore a University of Georgia sweatshirt, gray the primary color, and black jeans, both of which he just wanted to remove and touch what lay beneath. Her hair moved with each fluid step she took. She headed straight for him, a gentle smile curving her lips.
"Morning," she said with a slight drawl when she halted before him.
"Good morning." He clenched his fingers into fists to keep from grabbing her. "Hungry?"
Heat flared in her eyes briefly before it cooled. "You could say that. You?"
Oh, he definitely was. Sage stepped closer, eyes locked on his, and breathed deeply as she tilted her head to the side. Conall waited, but she didn't speak.
"What?"
"Just wondering why you haven't kissed me yet. Do you not find me attractive?"
He couldn't believe it. "Is that what you think?" He straightened to his full height, making her tilt her head back to maintain eye contact. "You think I don't find you attractive?"
"I'm beginning to wonder. I thought maybe so, but you've not even attempted to kiss me." She blinked. "And there've been opportunities. I just want to know, not that I'll stop hanging out with you, but I won't be frustrated at the end of the night."
He quirked a grin. "So even if I told you I was gay, you'd still hang out with me?"
"Yes." Her answer came instantly. "I enjoy spending time with you. You're not a dumb jock, and you're smart and funny. I just need to know if this attraction I'm feeling is one-sided."
"Not at all." He reached out and cupped her face. "Definitely not only from your side. I'm extremely attracted to you. I wanted to be a gentleman."
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