Daring to Love: A Contemporary Romance (The Armstrongs Book 3)

by Gray, Jessica

  "Evan?" her voice called again, drawing him out of his thoughts. He lifted a hand to his head and closed his eyes again briefly. The residual alcohol level in his blood, kept hammering his head and stomach felt queasy. Why does she have to shout? Why can’t she keep her voice down and let me die?

  "Is this your first time to ski?" she asked him.

  He nodded, instantly regretting the movement, because the jackhammer in his head raised another notch. Now came the hard part of the challenge. He didn't want to lie to her. He hated lying. Lying and cheating. Being a top athlete brought lots of temptations for cheating. He’d never given in to any of them. Ever. He wanted to win, yes, but the right way.

  Lying was the worst thing someone could do. He already hated himself. But then, if she never found out that he lied to her, no harm would be done. Right? He’d let her teach him to ski, score before dusk and forget her by midnight. He mentally snapped his fingers – child’s play. After today, he’d never see her again and wouldn’t have to feel guilty for having deceived her!

  And he'd take better care when celebrating with his teammates the next time. No more drinking games! No more betting, especially with the disgruntled competition!

  A sigh escaped him, loud enough to echo against the far away mountain. He’d promised this to himself many times before, but he couldn't seem to stop. It was too exciting. Thrilling. He loved taking on risks and whenever someone dared him, he had to jump in with both feet. It was just the way he was.

  You need to grow up one day, buddy! He hated that little voice inside his head. It never congratulated him, but always pointed out his shortcomings. Lately “Bob” as he’d named his worst critic, had been speaking to him a lot. And if Evan was honest with himself, he had to admit that Bob was right. You have better things to do with your time than hang around the bunny slope all day. Even if it does involve a beautiful woman!

  The season had been long and arduous, culminating in his stellar performance at the World Championships. He desperately wanted to get away from the snow for a while. When was the last time, I’ve had a break from the snow?

  Evan loved snow and skiing. It was his life, but still, he needed a break. The new season would start soon enough, and if he didn’t get a little time away from the slopes, it wouldn’t be good for him or his team.

  He wanted to get home to visit his family. With his crazy training schedule, he hadn’t gotten a chance to see them at all during the winter season. God, I miss them. After this challenge is over, I’ll fly home for a while. Recharge my batteries, hang out with my brothers.

  But that was tomorrow, and Evan wouldn’t be himself if he didn't make the best out of each situation. Today, he was at Eagle Mountain, with a beautiful woman who had no idea who he was. Let’s have a little fun, shall we?

  He looked at Charlene in what he hoped passed for beginner’s enthusiasm with a healthy dose of trepidation and gave her a grin. Let's see just how good of an instructor Charlene is.

  Chapter 3

  Charlene ground her teeth together until her jaws ached. He has got to rank right up there with my worst student ever! How could his friend have thought this was a good idea? The guy doesn’t even want to try!

  She opened her mouth for a sharp comment, but then she thought about the money she’d already been paid and bit her tongue. Six hours of private lessons, including a generous lunch stipend. Think of the money. You can suffer through six hours of this guy!

  As a ski instructor, Charlene didn’t earn that much, and she was diligently saving every penny to open up her own skiing school for kids. She absolutely loved to work with kids and she had some creative ideas on how best to teach them using games and drills that would be both instructional and fun.

  Her concept wasn’t a unique one. Several of the larger ski resorts had begun using this approach to teaching kids the joys of spending the day gliding down a snow-covered mountain. She’d suggested such a concept to her boss for Eagle Mountain, but he hadn’t been interested in changing the status quo. Eagle Mountain was a small resort and her boss operated the only skiing school in the valley. He was content to keep operating under the same old tired protocols that he’d been using since the 80’s! Monopolies are never good for innovation!

  Her piggy bank had been steadily growing, and the private lessons had a lot to do with that. Today’s trial was an even bigger boost and she wouldn’t turn those funds down. Not when her life’s dream stood on line.

  She watched as Evan clumsily stepped into his skis and then struggled to get to the baby lift. He used the ropes to pull himself along, and she shook her head at how futile this all seemed. A three year old performed better! She skied up next to him and held his poles while he made the lift operators stop the lift entirely so he could sit down on the seat.

  Once he was seated she handed him his poles and moved back to wait for the next lift chair. The baby lift was a single seat chair lift, because it had been proved time and time again that new skiers were less likely to injure themselves and others if they only had their own skis to worry about.

  While she was still silently grumbling about her newest student, she watched as Evan managed to fall off the single chair lift. Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything. She’d never seen or heard of that happening before. Even with the youngest students. The baby lift ended on a flat piece of terrain, and sensors on the cables slowed the lift down so that all the skier had to do was put their feet down and stand up. The chair would swing around behind them and they could glide out of the way of the next skier behind them. No fuss. No skills needed.

  She tried her hardest to keep a straight face as the lift operator once again stop the chair lift entirely. It took two men to help pull Evan to his feet, and she bit the inside of her lip in a feeble attempt to remain serious as she watched his overly dramatic antics.

  When he pulled one of the attendants down into the snow, toppling himself over again in the process, she gave a short laugh and then covered her mouth with a fake cough. How could anyone be so stupid or uncoordinated as this man?

  When they finally got him to his feet, he barely managed to hold himself steady, even though the ground was completely flat. The lift started up again and she glided off to join him, still grinning about the show he’d given. As soon as she reached him, he made a face and said, “Are you laughing about me?”

  Her first impulse was to shake her head, but then she admitted, “Maybe a little. I’m sorry, but it looked hilarious.”

  Instead of getting angry, he cast her a smile that melted her insides and answered with shocking honesty, “I guess I made myself the biggest fool on earth.” With these words, he turned toward the bunny slope, just to trip over his own skis.

  Charlene quickly took hold of his arm to steady him, a gesture she’d done a million times with her students. But this time was different. She wasn’t prepared for the sensation that travelled through her body with the force of an avalanche. Her palm held his muscled upper arm for dear life, and tingles of electricity almost knocked her over. She stood there with a dry mouth and a racing heart, barely able to hold herself up with her jelly legs.

  What a shame that he doesn’t have the slightest bit of control of his gorgeous body. I wonder if he’s this uncoordinated in everything else?

  Her eyes travelled over him while he wasn’t looking. I can’t believe I’m even thinking this way, but he’s hot! Despite his heinous hair color. She scanned his hair once more and wondered what on earth had possessed a grown man to dye his hair such an ugly color. She’d seen the entire rainbow at various times on the mountain, but never that particular shade of golden yellow. Blue, green, and pink hair were common among the teenage skiers and snowboarders. But this particular shade was as unique as the man was!

  She was brought back from her perusal when Evan shifted his weight to lean against her. When his body pressed into hers, a jolt of energy ran through her and she found herself wanting to throw herself into his arms. Probably not you
r best idea, Charlene. Shoot, with his lack of balance, you’d find yourself both rolling down the hill. She smiled as an image flashed through her mind of what that might look like. Comic relief for the crowd! And a little touchy feely to help compensate what was sure to be the longest day of her life.

  Don’t even think about it! He’s a student, and I don’t make out with students. It’s a rule somewhere. Besides, he’s really not my style. She’d noticed a hint of arrogance in his attitude, that was in direct conflict with the bumbling idiot he presented to the naked eye. Be professional. Just because the male instructors flirt and hit on their female students, doesn’t mean you need to follow in their footsteps! Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt to prove it.

  Most of the other ski instructors exuded an atmosphere of partying and playing around, and it had come to be expected that if you were of legal age, female, and not a total dog in the looks department – along with the price of your ski lesson, a healthy dose of flirting would be included. If that later turned into a romp in the hay, so be it. No harm. No foul.

  She didn’t operate that way. She wanted to be taken seriously. And while everyone acknowledged the rules should be the same for both men and women, that was not the case. When one of her male colleagues slept with a female student, he was considered a stud, a great guy, and pats on the back and pride ensued. But let a female instructor get caught doing the same thing with a male student, and suddenly she was not only acting unprofessional, but she was labeled a slut! A definite double standard!

  Still, he’s is kind of cute and so goddamn sexy. The longer she stayed in the danger zone pressed against his hard body, the more she acknowledged that she definitely needed some relaxation and play time. But he’s a student!

  She reminded herself of that fact again and then pushed thoughts of anything other than teaching him the basics of skiing from her mind. Even though there was obvious attraction on her part, she was strong enough to ignore it and do her job.

  Releasing his arm and fleeing from his nearness, she showed him how to place his skis in the snowplow position, cautioning him to keep the tips from crossing over each other, and instructed him to ski down the almost flat slope. She stayed behind him as he wavered his way down the small path of only a hundred yards, calling out words of encouragement as he managed to stay on his feet the entire time.

  When they reached the flat once again, she suggested to take the lift up and try it again, “Ready for round two?”

  Evan shook his head at her, “No. How about we take a break and get some lunch first?”

  “Really? You’ve only been on your skis for thirty minutes. One more run?”

  He shook his head again, held out his hand towards her and cast her another one of his iceberg melting smiles, “, “I’ve had enough for now. See, I’m already shaking.”

  Then he began trying to release his boots from the skis with his trembling hands. He stabbed at the release with his ski poles, becoming impatient when nothing happened. Charlene rolled her eyes and then came to his aid, pushing down on each release lever and holding his arm while he stepped out of the skis.

  “What do I do with these now?” he asked, holding his skis, one in each hand.

  She released her own skis and showed him how they hooked together. “Follow me,” she said as she walked down the slope leading back to the patio area.

  After stowing their gear, they entered the cafeteria where they each took a tray and filled their plates from the buffet table.

  Charlene found a small table next to the large picture windows so that they could watch the other skiers coming down the mountain while they ate. She gave him a small smile and then began eating her lunch, having no idea of what to talk about with him.

  He saved her the worry a few minutes later when he complimented her on how pretty she looked. “So, you have a boyfriend?” The question threw her completely off. He’s hitting on me?

  Swallowing her food, she looked at him and shook her head, “No. Do you have a girlfriend?” Turn about is fair play. She really shouldn’t have asked, but since he’d started this line of questioning, her earlier attraction had come flaring back to life.

  “No. The position’s vacant. Are you interested?”

  “Interested?” she asked, realizing she’d just taken his bait. Stopping him before he could answer the obvious, she added, “In becoming your girlfriend?”

  “Yes. I like you.”

  Charlene choked on her food and shook her head, “You just met me. Besides, I’m supposed to torture you for at least four more hours up on the slopes. You won’t like me so much after that.” Why does he have to grin like a maniac? And why on earth is it suddenly so hot in here?

  “Sure I will. How about you forget about becoming my girlfriend. What do I need to do for you to kiss me?"

  Chapter 4

  Charlene was getting seriously annoyed. At him. At herself. At that infuriating attraction she felt towards him.

  Wanting to show him just what she thought of his suggestion, she looked out the window and pointed to the far side of the mountain. Her annoyance overrode her common sense and she spoke before thinking, "See that run on the far side. That’s a double black diamond run. When you ski down that slope and make it to the bottom, I'll kiss you."

  "Sure."

  She couldn’t believe he’d agreed to her terms. Before she knew it, he was up out of his chair and on the way to retrieve his skis. She watched in shock as he put his skis on and stumbled towards the chair lift that would take him to the top of the mountain.

  Damn it! What does he think he’s doing? He’ll kill himself. He can’t even manage to get off the baby lift or down the bunny slope!

  As he neared the front of the lift, her heart clenched in her chest. This situation was all too familiar. She rushed to get her own skis back on and raced over to join him in the line. “Evan, you can’t do this.”

  When he didn’t listen to her, she reached out and grabbed his arm, “Did you hear me? You can’t do this.”

  “But you said I’d get a kiss then,” he reminded her.

  What a stupid guy. He’d risk his life just to kiss her? Maybe she should feel flattered, but she wasn’t. She hated irresponsible skiers. Taking risks that were unnecessary, just to prove they could.

  “Evan, you have no idea how difficult that slope is. A beginner like you would never get down alive.” Just like her friend Graham. He’d always overestimated himself. He’d been a daredevil.

  Graham hadn’t been a beginner, by any means. But he’d had an irresponsible streak a mile wide, and lived for the next thrill. He’d taken the dreaded Devil's Nose run under extremely bad weather conditions. No visibility. Ice on the surface of the snow that had hardened into glassy sheets in the shadows of the tall pine trees. The result – he’d died. And it was her fault.

  Charlene shivered as if someone had just walked over her grave.

  Evan must have seen her visceral response, because he asked with a worried tone, "Charlene, are you okay?" The warmth and honest concern in his voice melted her insides.

  "Yes." She quickly gathered her composure; she wouldn't tell him her sad story. She hadn’t told anyone, and she definitely didn’t want to share it with a complete stranger. There was no way in hell she was going down that sorry path.

  No! She wasn’t willing to make the same mistake again. She hadn’t been able to save Graham, but she’d be damned in hell if she didn’t stop Evan. He was her student, for God’s sake. He was under her responsibility!

  Her voice was sharper than she had intended, but she didn’t let that worry her. She looked straight into his eyes and told him, "You are not going down that run!"

  Evan raised an eyebrow at her tone, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't. It was silent for a moment and then he softly asked, "Why?"

  Why? Is he that stupid? She tried to be patient with her answer, "Because you’ll kill yourself. That is a double black diamond run. Lots of experienced skiers don’
t have the guts to tackle it.”

  His lip tipped up, almost as if he wanted to smile, but then it disappeared. Stubbornness took its place and he told her, "How do you know I can’t make it down that run? And if I did kill myself, it would be my problem. Not yours.”

  Charlene felt her temper spill over, and she answered him in a shriek, her voice high-pitched, "No, it isn't! I'm your skiing instructor and it's my responsibility to keep you safe." I couldn't save Graham but I'll save you. Whether you want me to or not!

  He grinned at her. A boyish grin that under different circumstances would have brought a smile to her face in return. It was full of love of adventure.

  Her blood boiled. Why was that idiot smiling at her? This isn’t funny! What does he think he’s doing? This is dead serious!

  His next words only served to infuriate her further. “What exactly will you do to keep me from going down there?” he challenged her.

  “Anything it takes,” she answered, not meaning to say it aloud. But, there it was. She was willing to do anything in her power to keep him from killing himself!

  “Okay. Kiss me,” he challenged her, turning to face her.

  “No!” She shook her head at him, and then watched in horror as he stepped back into line and sat down on the chair lift seat!

  “Wait!”

  The attendant wasn’t of a mind to stop the high speed chair lift and glared at her, “You’ve got ten seconds to plant your butt on that chair or get out of the way.”

  Charlene quickly pushed herself towards the chairlift and managed to get seated just before Evan pulled the safety bar down and her skis left the ground.

  “You are insane!” she shrieked at him.

  “No. Just determined. I want a kiss, and if I have to go down that run to get one, so be it.”

  She fumed most of the way up the mountain. She was furious with herself for losing her temper, but even more furious with him that he was acting so irresponsibly. Doesn’t he realize the danger this mountain possesses?