Just Friends

by Stacy Gold

  Table of Contents

  Just Friends

  Publication Page

  Dedication

  PRAISE FOR AUTHOR

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  About the Author

  Also Available

  Also Read

  Thank You

  Just Friends

  by

  Stacy Gold

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Just Friends

  COPYRIGHT © 2017 by Stacy Gold

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com

  Cover Art by Diana Carlile

  The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

  PO Box 708

  Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

  Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com

  Publishing History

  First Scarlet Rose Edition, 2017

  Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-1380-1

  Published in the United States of America

  Dedication

  To my amazing husband. Thank you for saying, “You should write one of those,” then supporting me every step of the way.

  PRAISE FOR AUTHOR

  Stacy Gold

  “I’m a sucker for a ski hill and a sexy ski patroller—in uniform and out—and this page-turner delivers. It’s got plenty of heat and sizzle, and the heroine’s struggles with her self-esteem are really relatable. I was rooting for her to find love and happiness from page one.”

  ~Laurel Greer, Author Second Time’s the Charm

  Chapter One

  I wedged my shoulder against the side window of my sister’s SUV and yanked on the backseat lever for the third time. It still didn’t budge.

  “Dammit!” I smacked the back of the headrest. Yet another thing gone wrong.

  I’d been looking forward to a fun day skiing in the mountains with my family. One day when I could forget about rebuilding my career and my life, and how much I owed my sister and her husband for taking me in. Instead, it was ten till noon, Dan was injured, and I couldn’t even convert the rear cargo area into seat mode so we could get him and his torn-up knee home.

  Bending, I probed under the jammed seat lever. My fingers struck hard, sticky gold. I grimaced and plucked at the glob of green with my nails. The semi-melted remains of an old hard candy broke free from the release mechanism.

  “Gross.” I flicked the offending blob into a nearby snowdrift.

  “Monroe.”

  My last name floated over the buzz of chair lifts and chatting skiers, but I ignored it. Monroe was a common name. And I didn’t know anyone in Washington.

  I shifted on my knees, gripped the lever, and yanked again. Nothing moved. With a growl, I yanked harder. The lever broke free with a pop. I rocked back on my heels and snapped the seats into place.

  “Taya Monroe.”

  This time the voice pulled me upright so fast I whacked my head on the padded ceiling. Monroe might be a common name, but I’d never met another Taya.

  I backed out of the hatch, planted my feet in the snow, and looked around the small, almost empty emergency parking lot. A tall, broad-shouldered man wearing a black helmet, mirrored goggles, and a red ski-patrol jacket stood near the entrance to the old, wooden first aid shack. I couldn’t see his eyes but I could’ve sworn he was staring at me. My hands dropped to my sides as I strained to identify him.

  “Don’t you recognize me? I’m hurt.”

  A familiar shiver ran down my spine. That deep, smooth voice. That sensual mouth curving into an impish grin. The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention, almost quivering.

  Jordan Wiley.

  A ball of excitement bloomed in the pit of my stomach. “Jordan!”

  I made it all of two steps before his long legs brought him close enough to sweep me into a spinning hug, the heavy weight of my ski boots flying behind me. His strong arms engulfed me. I melted into him, heat fusing us together through our jackets and layers. As my boots crunched on the snow-covered ground, frigid air filled the space where his body had been.

  Jordan kept his left arm draped over my shoulders and squeezed me close, making up for the sudden separation of our torsos. My right arm twined around his waist. When he pulled his goggles up onto his helmet the full force gaze of his warm brown eyes washed over me, and my knees went weak.

  “What are you doing here?” My brain struggled to process the sudden reappearance of my old friend in my life, while my body reacted the same way it always did around Jordan—inappropriately.

  “Working.” The corner of his mouth twitched as he glanced down at his uniform then flicked his eyes back up to mine. “What are you doing here?”

  “Skiing.” I smirked and glanced down at my ski clothes as I slid back into our old banter. “Or I should say, teaching my nieces to ski. At least, I was. Until my brother-in-law fell on Lucky Ned’s and got an all-expenses paid ride down the mountain in a sled.” I nodded in the direction of my sister, trying to wedge Dan and his bandaged knee comfortably in the backseat, his grunts of pain audible.

  My forehead creased. I hoped he wouldn’t need surgery and made a mental promise to find more ways to help out at home.

  Jordan’s voice swiveled my head back around. “Seriously, last I saw you, you were headed to Brown to get your Masters and become a famous novelist. What are you doing in Washington?”

  My heart dropped into my stomach where it tried to smother that lovely, blooming ball of excitement. The last thing I wanted to talk about was the half-finished novel gathering dust on my hard drive. Not when the first good thing to happen in forever stood right next to me.

  “I’m a tech writer. Moved to Seattle three months ago.” I shrugged. “What about you? Still living the ski bum dream?”

  “Nah. I work for the Tacoma Fire Department. I just volunteer here on weekends for the season pass.”

  The heavy wood door of the first aid shack banged against the wall of the building and another ski patroller stepped out. “Hey Jordan, I’m going to fix the fence by the Express chair. Can you take over?”

  “No problem, Soph.” His arm never left my shoulder. His gaze never left my face.

  My eyes followed the curve of his lips. They weren’t thin, and they weren’t full either. But they had a kissable shape that begged me to trace their subtle contours with the tip of my tongue. To nip. To explore and taste.

  Not that it would ever happen. Not again. I had proof of that.

  We’d kissed once, on a drunken night years ago, right after he’d split with his long-term girlfriend. It started out toe-curling, but ended when he pulled away and made it clear he wasn’t attracted to me. At least, not in the way I was attracted to him. Mortified, I pretended it was the alcohol and vowed never to let him know how much I wanted him.

  A good vow to remember. Especially now, when I needed a friend more than anything else. Definitely more than I needed a romantic distraction.

  “It’s great to see you.” His words, and his smile, flowed over me like heated caramel.

  “You too.” The connection between us buzzed in me like high-tension power lines. Same as always. So powerful I couldn’t understand how, or why, he didn’t feel it too.

  Our noses were inches apart. I tasted his breath, minty and sweet, and licked my lips in anticipation of a kiss I knew would
never come. Some habits die hard. I was determined to choke this one until it gave up the ghost.

  Lara’s high-pitched scream pierced my eardrums. I cringed. I loved my nieces, but too many hours of hot chocolates, snowman building, and checking in on their dad had taken its toll—on all of us.

  Glancing over Jordan’s shoulder, I spotted the four-year-old, red-faced and mitten-less. She squealed again as her older sister shoved another handful of snow down the back of her ski parka with manic glee.

  “I’d better go.” I sighed with regret and pulled away, not looking forward to returning to my dull, out-of-place life.

  Jordan’s arm tightened around my shoulder, firm and strong. “Wait.”

  Tempting. But duty called.

  Before I peeled myself away, Morgan appeared, soothing Lara while ordering Phoebe into the car, and buying me a few more minutes. I reveled in the weight, the heat, of his arm.

  “What are you doing tomorrow?”

  You, I thought, looking into his crinkling chocolate eyes. Then I locked that ridiculous thought in a tiny closet in a dusty corner of my mind. Where it belonged and where I hoped it would stay.

  “Lazy Sunday. Sleep in, then work on a project.” I shrugged, striving for nonchalance.

  Jordan’s smile grew, his square white teeth bit into his lower lip. I found myself irrationally jealous of those teeth.

  “Wanna ski?”

  I hesitated. Morgan had covered my lift ticket today in exchange for giving the girls a private lesson. She knew I would happily teach them for free, but she also knew my new job was more escape hatch than career move, and didn’t pay much. I couldn’t afford to pay to ski tomorrow either. And I did want to get ahead on writing my latest tech manual.

  “C’mon Monroe, they’re calling for twenty inches tonight. Powder day. Just like old times.” His eyes gleamed with excitement. “Meet me in front of the gondola at eight.”

  I smiled. A powder day with Jordan. I couldn’t say no. Not after today’s ski day got epically shortened. And not with Jordan standing there looking at me like that. Somehow, I would find a way to pay Morgan back. Again.

  My heart tightened. I already owed her so much, though I knew she’d say that’s what sisters are for.

  I widened my smile. “Sure. Sounds great.”

  “This time I’m not letting you disappear so easily. Give me your phone.”

  I unzipped my pocket, fished it out and handed it over. Jordan pulled his well-worn leather glove off with his teeth and worked the keypad one-handed. His phone rang in his pocket. Handing me my phone he slipped his hand back into his glove.

  “It’s really good to see you again.” He stepped around and wrapped me in both arms for a goodbye hug. His body pressed against me from hard torso to firm thigh. The attraction buzz flared again, but I ignored it. Just like old times, indeed.

  “You too.” I had missed having a good friend the past few years. And I’d missed Jordan even longer.

  He leaned back a little, face inches away. His mesmerizing chocolate eyes bored into me. My heart fluttered. My lips tingled with anticipation.

  Jordan, this close, after all this time, was too much. I’d forgotten how to ignore these feelings. I let my eyes drop, unable to hold his gaze any longer. Not without doing something stupid, like kissing him. Or grinding against him.

  Mind out of the gutter, Taya.

  My face burned. This was Jordan Wiley. Not some random hot guy I could use as a rebound. Not that I wanted one of those either. Or that I even knew what I wanted right now, other than to spend time getting to know myself, and getting my life back on track. Crushing on a guy was a distraction I didn’t need.

  Jordan had always been a great friend, and I needed to focus on that. Back in Jackson Hole we’d skied countless days together, and stayed up late talking about everything under the sun. We’d shot pool, cooked dinner, and enjoyed each other’s company.

  I’d compartmentalized this visceral attraction back then. I could do it again now. Why ruin our friendship by making something out of nothing?

  My sister’s horn honked and I jumped. “I really do have to go.” The warm brush of his lips on my cheek took me by surprise. His hand slid from my shoulder to my waist, leaving a shimmering line of heat in its wake that I also did my best to ignore.

  Jordan grinned and squeezed my hip as he stepped away. “See you at eight, Monroe.”

  ****

  I ducked inside the first aid station and watched through the hazy window as Taya walked to the idling SUV. Still feeling the heat of her body pressed against my side. Still feeling how damn nice it was having her tucked under my arm. Like she belonged there. Like she’d always belonged there.

  I hadn’t heard from Taya Monroe since she left Jackson eight years ago. But the sound of her voice still made my heart clench. And the sight of her round ass still made me hard.

  Looking back, I had no idea how I managed to keep it in my pants after Lexi and I broke up. Except that I’d been smart enough to know Taya was special and I was a mess. So I’d been a good boy. Done the honorable thing. Then watched her walk right out of my life. Like a fucking idiot.

  I wasn’t stupid enough to lose her again. But I wasn’t willing to risk our friendship just to sleep with her. And now I had Peyton to think about too.

  Besides, Taya wasn’t attracted to me. We were just friends. That time we kissed never would’ve happened if I hadn’t taken advantage of the half-dozen tequila shots she’d already put away. Not that I could ever forget it. Fucking hot.

  The door banged open, startled me, and let in a draft of cold air that didn’t do near enough to cool me off.

  “So, who’s the hottie, Jordan?” Sophie left a trail of snow on the plywood floor as she crossed the room.

  “Taya? She’s an old friend from my Jackson Hole days. We used to ski together. Hadn’t seen her in years.”

  “Old friend, huh? You looked like you were ready to eat her.”

  Shit. I needed to work harder at hiding my feelings or I would scare Taya away. “It’s not like that. We’re just good friends.”

  “Uh-huh. I hope you don’t plan to keep it that way.” She smirked. “I’d bet my new snowmobile that girl would’ve jumped your bones right out front if you’d asked.”

  “Taya’s an amazing woman. I respect her, and our friendship. I’m not going to throw that away trying to get laid.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “Besides, she’s smart. A writer. She’s not interested in a guy like me. With no career. No education.”

  “A guy like you. Riiiiiiiiight.” Sophie rolled her eyes. “So, when are you seeing her again?”

  “Tomorrow.” I saw the snappy reply coming, so I blocked it. “We’re just skiing.”

  She stepped in so close I could make out the dark lines in her sky-blue irises. Then she rested her tiny hand on my shoulder. “Don’t get stuck in the friend zone again, Jordan. You’re a great guy. And you’ve been alone for too long. You deserve a real relationship… Or at least some hot sex.” She waggled her eyebrows, killing the serious moment. “When was the last time you got laid, anyway?”

  “The last time I felt like it.”

  I loved Sophie like the little sister I never had. Knew her even before she married my best friend, Max. The three of us had spent plenty of days on the mountain together, and I trusted her with my life. But damn she could be annoying.

  Shaking off her hand, I tried to explain. Not that she ever listened. “You don’t get it, Soph.” I closed my eyes and sighed. “Peyton still has issues. I can’t just parade a bunch of women through his life.”

  “Excuses, excuses.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “I’m just saying it might help your stress level to get some once in a while. And from what I saw back there, your old friend would be more than happy to oblige.”

  “Whatever.” I scoffed. “Maybe I don’t want to sleep with her.”

  “You’re not seriously trying to convince me, or yourself, of that, are you?
” Her look of disbelief bordered on comical. “That girl is gorgeous. And the connection between you was so hot it’s a miracle there’s any snow left where you were standing.”

  Garbled noise blared from our radios, followed by Max’s voice. “Garfield 22188. Skier down at the bottom of Powder Basin. Possible tib-fib. Who’s available?”

  I clicked the button on the side of my radio as I escaped out the door. “Wiley 22196. On my way to the gondola now. Wiley Out.”

  Seated in the packed box, I tried to erase the visual Sophie had planted in my head… Me standing naked in front of the first aid station with Taya’s legs wrapped around my waist. My hands grasp her ass, guiding her slick pussy up and down my cock while sunlight bounces off the snow, lighting her honey-colored hair like a halo.

  Shit.

  I pulled off my gloves and dropped them in my lap for cover. I did not need to get busted riding a full gondola, in uniform, with a raging hard-on.

  Besides, I had no right to think about Taya that way. We were just friends. And that’s all we’d ever be. That’s all that made sense.

  Except in my fantasies. Then we were something else.

  Chapter Two

  Steady rain pattered on the roof of Bessie, my old blue Subaru, as I loaded skis into my beat-up rocket box in the pre-dawn darkness. Even though it’d been years since the last time I skied with Jordan, familiar excitement fluttered all the way to my fingertips. I focused on how wonderful it would be to ski and hang out with a good friend while I moved through the ingrained loading process on autopilot.

  Bessie had been my trusty wagon on hundreds of ski days. I’d saved money from my part-time job in high school and bought her used my senior year. We’d been all over the country together. Driven on beaches in Oregon. Gotten stuck in snow banks in Jackson Hole. She’d carried me, and everything I owned, to college. Twice.

  Gabe had tried to convince me to let him buy me a new car. But I loved Bessie. She might’ve been getting up there in years but she’d never let me down. I refused to sell her just because Gabe didn’t think she was appropriate for the soon-to-be wife of an upwardly mobile Wall Street trader.