Extreme Limit

by Kendall Talbot

  “Well, this is it.” She stopped outside a door with the number four centered on it.

  He turned to face her. “May I take you out to dinner on Saturday night?”

  She seemed to deflate and shook her head. “I’m skiing again this weekend. At Altitude Mountain.”

  Her decline had him heading into uncharted territory. Never before had he felt so disappointed about being let down. “When do you leave?”

  “First thing Saturday morning.”

  “Damn.” He felt like a wrecking ball had slammed into his chest.

  Something flickered across her eyes. It was like she was on the verge of taking a giant leap but didn’t know how to make it. Silently praying that it was a leap his way, he reached for her hand. Their fingers entwined like they’d done it thousands of times before.

  But she didn’t leap. She didn’t do anything but chew on the inside of her lip. He decided to take the jump himself.

  “I haven’t been skiing in a while. Maybe I could come with you?” His heart thumped in his ears as he waited for her response. “If you want, of course.”

  “Really?” She tugged on her lip as if trying not to smile. “You can get out of work?”

  “Of course.” Oliver felt like he could fly. “I’ll check for accommodation in the morning. See if they have a spare cabin.”

  A twinkle danced across her beautiful blue eyes. “My cabin has a comfy sofa. You could sleep on that.”

  Oliver couldn’t stop the grin blazing across his lips. “Sounds perfect.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  For more than a day, Amber had been checking her phone with the expectation that Oliver would call to say that he couldn’t make the trip up the mountain. But there’d been no such call, and as she attempted to keep her mind on packing, she’d begun to wonder if his offer had been a dream.

  Her brain was like the giant pirate ship at the fair, smashing through one emotion after the other: fear that spending two whole days with Oliver would make her accidentally reveal who she really was, excitement about getting to know him better, and worry that he’d see more of her scars and be as disgusted by her body as she was. But the overriding emotion was curiosity about how a man like Oliver could be even remotely interested in a girl like her.

  She was introverted, insecure, and… average.

  Oliver was the exact opposite. Confident, charismatic, and stunning.

  He could have any woman he wanted.

  Of that she was certain. He was funny and successful too. Everyone loved him, men and women alike. They were drawn to him like metal to a magnet. She’d seen it many times while hiding in the shadows waiting for everyone to leave the gym. His customers idolized him; his staff respected him.

  Yet for some reason he seemed to be interested in her. She hoped like hell she was reading the signals right or she’d have some serious mental backtracking to do.

  She packed her bag into the trunk, and without any other reason to delay she jumped into her mother’s car and headed toward the address that Oliver had scrawled down two nights ago.

  Her heart skipped a beat when she spied him waiting at the curb. He waved at her, then bent over to gather the handle of the bag at his feet. His jeans were faded and worn thin at the knees, but the way he wore them, with a white t-shirt and a tanned leather jacket, had the words “rock star” blazing across her brain. This was the first time she’d seen him out of his gym uniform, and his appearance wasn’t just seductive, it was charismatic and stylish, and if she wasn’t careful, she’d probably drive right off the road.

  Avoiding catastrophe, she managed to pull the vehicle over to the side and pop the trunk. Before she’d had a chance to unbuckle and step out to greet him, he’d tossed his bag in, slammed the trunk shut, and raced to the passenger door. He slipped into the seat, leaned over, and kissed her cheek like it was something he’d done a thousand times before. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” The flush of heat coursing through her body was delicious, and she savored every pulse of it. She hadn’t felt this confused about her emotions in years. On one hand, she was as giddy as a schoolgirl. On the other, she was petrified that she was reading the signals all wrong.

  “How’s your finger? Do you want me to drive?”

  “It’s not too bad. Throbs a little. But I’m fine to drive.” With all the emotion running through her brain, she hadn’t given her finger any thought at all.

  “Okay, but I’ll drive home.” He buckled up and she put the car into gear.

  She had no intention of letting him drive—that would mean he’d have full view of her scar the whole way—but she didn’t see any need to argue about it now. She changed the subject instead. “Did you have any trouble getting out of work?”

  “Nope, I’m the boss. I just told them what to do.”

  “That’s good.”

  They cruised through town and were amongst rolling green pastures within minutes. As the miles coasted along, they covered superficial topics like favorite foods and types of music. Their conversation flowed so freely she was fooled into believing they’d been friends forever.

  But of course, if they had, he’d know her real name.

  Her deception ate away at her soul. As much as she desperately wanted to tell him everything, she didn’t want to scare him away. The longer she left it, the harder it was.

  As much as she felt complete in his presence, she felt incomplete too.

  Fulfilled, yet hollow.

  It was a weird sensation. Other than her therapist back in Seattle and the lawyer who’d changed her name, not one person knew who she was. And that’s the way it was meant to stay. But it didn’t stop her from feeling guilty about it whenever Oliver was around.

  The mountains came into view and, like every other time she’d spied them, the sense of foreboding was almost crippling. Today was no different. Because of a mountain, the life she’d known as Holly Parmenter had changed forever.

  Oliver shifted in his seat, angling himself so he could see her better. “How long have you been skiing for?”

  “Oh, um… same amount of time I’ve been rock climbing.”

  “Same? As in exactly the same?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wow, you’re on a mission, huh?”

  If he only knew. She shrugged, trying to downplay it. “What about you? How long have you been skiing?”

  “Ever since I was a kid. Our parents took us skiing all the time.”

  “Lucky you.”

  “Yeah, I haven’t been for a few years, though. We’re pretty lucky having the mountains so close. Where’d you grow up?”

  Realizing she had to be careful, she paused. But then, conceding how foolish the pause was, she decided to answer truthfully. “Seattle.”

  “I went to Seattle once, a few years ago, for a mate’s wedding. It’s nice. So, what made you move to Brambleton?”

  “I don’t know. Wanted a change, I guess.” She needed to move the conversation away from her before she said something she couldn’t undo. “Have you always lived in Brambleton?”

  “Yep. I’m fifth-generation Brambleton. We’re born there and usually die there. Not too many of my family have ventured out. Those that did usually came back.”

  “You’re happy with that?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t mind doing some traveling, but I think I’ll always come back home. Besides, my mother would drag me back by the ears if I left.”

  She chuckled. “Tell me about her.”

  “Oh, you’d love her. She’s a strong woman who rules with an iron fist, but she’s also the biggest softie.”

  Thankfully she’d chosen a subject that kept Oliver talking most of the way up the mountain. His love for his mother, and the rest of his family, was incredible. They were close, something she’d never had a chance to experience.

  She pulled into the covered car space outside her cabin. The resort had come to expect her every Saturday morning, and in addition to lighting the fire and leaving the lights
on, they also left the door unlocked and the keys on the kitchen table so she didn’t need to check into reception first.

  Oliver helped with the bags and she showed him into the cabin.

  “Is this your place?”

  “No.” She explained how they looked after her.

  “Wow. Talk about luxury.” His eyes scanned the downstairs area and then looked upward toward the loft that jutted out over the lounge. “Shall I take your bag up?”

  “Yes, please.”

  As he carried her case up the stairs, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the bulge and flex of his muscles beneath the fabric of his jeans. The flush coloring her cheeks was hotter than the blazing fire and she quickly told herself to calm down.

  “Holy smokes. Look at this place.” He leaned over the railing. “I’ve never stayed in anything so fancy.”

  She smiled up at him. His boyish exuberance was impossible to resist. “I get the same cabin each weekend.”

  “Must cost a fortune. Sorry, you don’t have to answer that. It’s none of my business.”

  He must’ve seen the smile fall from her face. The last thing she wanted to do was explain her financial situation. She couldn’t believe it herself.

  He bounded down the stairs. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

  Grateful that he’d changed subject, she nodded. “Me too. After we unpack, we’ll get your skis sorted and then get a bite to eat at The Summit. They make a good omelet.”

  “Excellent.” He rubbed his stomach. “With bacon, right?”

  She chuckled. “For you maybe.”

  “I don’t know how you get through life without bacon.”

  “It’s not that hard.”

  “Hard? It’d be impossible.”

  “Exaggerator.”

  He feigned shock. “Have you even tasted bacon?”

  “Yeah, I didn’t become a vegetarian until my early twenties.”

  He whistled and shook his head. “Crazy woman.”

  She laughed and then showed him around the rest of the cabin, including the hot tub that she’d never used and never would, especially not while he was there. After showing him where he could put his things, she went upstairs and unpacked her suitcase.

  Once they were ready, they pulled on their ski clothes and headed back outside. Despite the sunshine, it was freezing. She pointed out one aspect of the ski resort after another: the chairlifts, the beginner run where she’d learned to ski, and the side of the mountain where the black run started.

  They entered the resort, and as she peeled out of her scarf and beanie, she spied Kelli behind the information desk. When she’d called Kelli yesterday, the crazy woman had been so excited about Amber bringing a male friend that Amber thought she’d hyperventilate. Then again, Amber could’ve said she was bringing the plague with her and Kelli would have emitted the same childish glee. It was in her nature, and Amber couldn’t image anything that would perturb the young woman. Amber liked to think she’d been like that once. But it was impossible to remember back to that time.

  “Hey, Amber!” Kelli waved at her and she headed in her direction.

  “Kelli, this is Oliver.”

  Kelli held her hand forward. “It’s always nice to meet a new victim.” She giggled.

  Oliver shook her hand. “Victim, huh? Nice.”

  “Yep. Amber told me you haven’t skied in a while. How long’s it been?”

  He rumbled his lips. “Oh, about five years.”

  “That’s nothing.” Kelli flicked her hand. “You’ll be on the slopes in no time. Let’s get you geared up.”

  Half an hour later, Oliver had rented his equipment. They’d arranged to meet Kelli in an hour, which was just enough time to get something to eat.

  There were plenty of tables available, and she chose one in a corner next to giant windows that offered a magnificent view up the mountain. She ordered the asparagus and mushroom omelet and Oliver ordered bacon and eggs with extra bacon. Once again, their conversation flowed. She was getting good at directing the conversation toward topics that kept Oliver chatting.

  She ate only half the omelet before she’d had enough and picked up her coffee. Oliver may’ve underestimated the meal sizes, as he seemed to be struggling to finish his. She decided to save him by checking her watch. “You finished? We’ve got just enough time to brush our teeth and get back to Kelli.”

  He stood. “Yep, don’t want to keep her waiting.”

  Twenty minutes later, they were on their skis at the top of the beginner run.

  “Okay, big boy, show me what you’ve got.” Kelli flashed her dazzling grin at Oliver.

  Amber watched as he pushed over the level platform and headed down the hill. She couldn’t stop giggling as his knees wobbled, his skis gradually grew farther and farther apart, and his elbows stuck out like chicken wings. To her surprise, he completed the turn and quickly shot back across the slope.

  But his speed gathered and his arms began to backpedal. He was losing it.

  She burst out laughing when Oliver plowed headfirst into a mound of snow. Kelli was instantly at his side and Amber scooted down to him too. “Are you okay?” she said.

  He came up smiling and brushed away snow lacing the couple of blond curls that’d escaped his beanie. “Yep, all good. The first tumble is always the worst.” He chuckled, and Amber and Kelli laughed with him. Oliver removed a glove to fix his goggles back into place, then made easy work of getting back up on his feet.

  Amber recalled nearly being in tears the first time she tried to right herself after falling.

  “Let’s try that again.” Without hesitation he pushed off, scooting crossways over the slope. He did a tentative turn, with his elbows a bit closer this time, and looked to be finding his balance. After a couple more turns, he increased his speed.

  Maybe it was like riding a bike, because he improved greatly in the space of a few minutes. She left the safety of the deeper snow and scooted down toward him. Her turns were smooth and she felt the now familiar rush of adrenaline as she glided down the ski run with ease.

  She came up beside Oliver and with the flick of her skis cast a wave of snow over him. “Finally, I’m better than you at something.” Laughing, she skied ahead.

  “Is that the way it’s going to be?” His laughter seemed to echo off the trees as she continued to sashay from side to side down the hill. At the bottom, she slid to a halt and watched Kelli mirror Oliver’s every move down the slope.

  “How’d he do, Kelli?” Amber asked when they were within earshot.

  “He’s ready for a green run.”

  Oliver’s smile beamed. “I’ll catch up to you in no time.”

  “We’ll see,” Amber said, but she had no doubt he would.

  Kelli led the way to the chairlift and then stepped aside. “You two lovebirds go first.”

  Amber’s heart fluttered at the reference and she turned to Oliver. When they smiled at each other, something teetered between them. It was fresh, exciting, exquisite. And as his eyes bounced from her lips to her eyes and back again, she was certain he felt it too.

  Their turn on the chair came quickly and they jumped on and lowered the bar together. The chair swung back and forth with their weight a couple of times before it steadied. Rising quickly, tiny flurries of snow fell upon them, peppering their legs in a layer of white. Twenty feet below them, a group of kids about half her size skied along in a smooth practiced line.

  Oliver reached behind her back and placed his gloved hand on her shoulder. Her heart swelled as she wriggled over so their legs touched. It felt so natural to be in his embrace, and she curled her gloved hand over his leg and nestled it between his thighs.

  It’d been an eternity since she’d felt so wonderful, and a sense of peace enveloped her as they rode up the mountain. “Thank you for coming.”

  “Thank you for letting me come.”

  She nestled in, and with her head resting on his shoulder she listened to the beat of
her own heart in her ears.

  All too soon, they crested the top of the ski run and the turnstile hut appeared. They raised the safety bar above their heads, and the second their skis touched the snow they pushed off the chair. She’d half expected both of them to end up in a tangle of skis, but Oliver handled the dismount with ease and they glided to the side and waited for Kelli in the following chair.

  She turned to face the magical view. Trees, heavy with snow, lined the sweeping slope, and the sun painted everything pure white, creating a magical glow.

  “Ready to go again?” Kelli’s smile was extraordinary, and with the circle of fur from her hooded jacket surrounding her face she could easily grace the cover of a sports magazine. A pang of jealousy hit Amber out of nowhere, and for a brief second, she wished she’d never introduced Oliver to Kelli.

  “I am.” Oliver turned to Amber, and when he touched her elbow that bout of protectiveness vanished in a flash. Instead she found herself puzzled once again over how a man as spectacular as Oliver could want to be with her.

  “Sure am.”

  Together the three of them tipped their skis and glided down the slope. Oliver handled the turns well and became faster with each leg of the run. His quick learning surprised her, and it was hard to believe he hadn’t skied in five years.

  As the day progressed, his skiing ability improved extensively, and when they arrived at the bottom for the fourth time, she decided to let Kelli go for the day.

  “Hey, Kelli, Oliver and I might do another run by ourselves. Is that okay?”

  “Of course it is.” Her high-pitched voice could dislodge icicles. “You two lovebirds enjoy yourselves. But stay clear of the moguls and the black run.”

  Oliver saluted her. “Yes, boss.” With his ski mask covering most of his face, his distinct cheekbones and angular jaw made him look even more handsome—if that was even possible.

  Kelli playfully slapped his shoulder. “You look after her.” She indicated to Amber. “She’s special.”

  “I know she is.” When he gazed Amber’s way, his eyes softened and a flush of warmth washed through her.