Don’t Fall for a Fugitive: Strong Family Romances

by Checketts, Cami

  “Oh!” Mama protested. “I’ll show you old age.”

  Austin made a heart symbol with his hands. “I still love you, though.”

  Heath smiled at the exchange. He was excited to teach Hazel to ski, but part of him wished he could be on the challenging runs with his family. He didn’t get nearly enough time with them, and he wanted to see Austin ski too. Yet Hazel would probably be exhausted by lunchtime. Learning how to ski wasn’t easy; maybe he could join his family then. Also, the pull of spending more time with the intriguing beauty couldn’t be denied. He hadn’t even worried about the attempted murder or the pile of work he’d hardly dented this morning. Hazel kissing him on the cheek and being in his arms had taken precedence.

  Chapter Eleven

  Hazel was all decked out in ski clothing, a helmet, goggles, and a face mask. She didn’t think her own mum would recognize her, as the clothes were a little too big and only her lips and about an inch of her cheek were visible. She tromped next to Heath’s side across packed snow in the heavy, awkward boots toward the bustling ski resort. She grinned as other people whooshed by on skis or snowboards or carried their skis like Heath was. Correction: Heath was carrying both of their skis. So cute of him to insist on being a gentleman. She’d wanted the pole thingies to maybe keep her from shooting down the mountain out of control, but he’d promised it was easier to learn without them.

  She glanced up at him. Even in similar gear to hers, sans the face mask, he had a regal bearing and an appeal that was undeniable. His snow clothing fit very nicely, and he looked tough and athletic. She, on the other hand, was probably going to spend the day on her backside. Oh well. She’d be with Heath, and she was outside in the glorious sunshine and the incredible mountains. If only she could’ve brought her Panasonic—but she didn’t want to risk crashing and breaking it.

  “I could be Princess Kate and no one would know,” she said.

  Heath smiled down at her, stopping close to an odd conveyer belt type of thing and setting their skis down in the snow. “You’re much more attractive than Princess Kate. Even all covered up, it’s hard to hide how beautiful you are.”

  She put a hand over her heart. Nobody was more beautiful than Princess Kate. “You flatterer. What part of me can you even see?”

  He leaned in closer and his warm breath brushed the spot of her cheek between her face mask and goggles that wasn’t covered. “I can see your creamy skin and your cheekbones.” His voice dropped to a husky and beautiful baritone. “And your lips.”

  She smiled. “If I put the face mask over my lips, I feel like I’m sucking on it.”

  He nodded, and she wanted to rip his reflective goggles off so she could see those deep-brown eyes. “I’m not complaining.”

  “Why aren’t you wearing a face mask?” she asked him, glad he wasn’t. She could see his strong jawline covered in dark stubble, his well-formed nose and cheeks, and especially his lips.

  “I’m too tough to feel cold.” He grinned.

  She laughed. “Okay, non-complaining and too-tough man, teach me how to ski.”

  “First thing. Let’s get these babies on.” He knelt down next to her, and Hazel’s stomach fluttered. How could he be so tough, alluring, and powerful, yet humble enough to kneel in the snow and help her get her skis on?

  He set a ski next to her right boot and said, “Hold on to my shoulder for balance.”

  She gripped his shoulder with her gloved hand. “Okay.”

  “Now put the toe of your boot in here.” He basically did it for her, digging the front of her boot into the spot on the ski that seemed made for it. He guided the heel of her boot and said, “Now push your heel down hard.”

  She did as instructed and heard a pop as the boot and ski clicked into place.

  He smiled up at her. “Perfect. Other side.” They repeated the move with her left side gear. “Great job,” Heath said as if she’d accomplished some huge task.

  “Thanks.” She beamed. She was on skis, the sunshine was sparkling off the snow, and Heath was by her side. Who cared about a fake attempted murder charge or a mobster coming after her?

  Heath stood and easily pushed his toe in, popped his heel down, and was on both skis before she could blink. “Okay. We’re going to ride up the magic carpet right here and go down the gentle slope a few times to get the hang of it.”

  “Okay.” She stood there and waited. “How do I move?”

  Heath chuckled. “Push off like you’re ice skating.”

  “Gotcha.” She pushed off and amazingly started shuffling along the almost-flat snow toward the conveyer belt. She smiled over her shoulder at Heath, who was following her. “I’m moving.”

  “Good job.”

  Her skis hit the moving belt, and it started tugging her forward. She bobbed forward and probably would’ve face-planted, but Heath was suddenly behind her, his skis on the outside of hers, pushing her skis straight together. His body was close to hers as he held on to her waist. “You okay?”

  Her breath shortened. “I am now.”

  “Good.”

  They stood close together as they rode up the slow-moving belt. Hazel was having a hard time pulling in air with him so close. She glanced over her shoulder at him and saw he was smiling. “You’re laughing at me,” she guessed.

  “No. I was just thinking that I like riding the magic carpet this way.”

  “It’s definitely magical.” She winked, though she didn’t know if he could see it through her goggles.

  The end of the belt was fast approaching, and Hazel started worrying about what would happen when it shoved her into the snow. Small children were exiting and gliding down the hill as if it were no big deal. When she fell, her face mask would probably rip off, some child with a cell phone would snap a picture, and Brigham would find her for sure. Her hands felt too hot in her gloves. Would Heath hold her up?

  They reached the end, and she feared she’d pitch forward again, but the snow was smooth and gently sloped. Heath kept his hands around her waist and guided her to the right. They drifted down the slope, with his skis on the outside of hers. The chilly wind and bright sun kissed the small parts of her face that were exposed. Her stomach lifted with happiness. She was doing it. Okay, Heath was doing all the work, but she was on skis and sliding down the snow. It was brilliant.

  Once they reached the bottom, Heath’s skis guided hers toward the magic carpet again. Then they were on the conveyer belt, moving up.

  “What’d you think?” Heath asked, leaning close to her ear.

  “I loved it,” she gushed. “But that was all you. I wasn’t skiing.”

  He chuckled. “Caught me. You get the feel of this a few times; then I’ll let you go on your own.”

  “Okay.” She didn’t mind. Even with the warm coats on, it was bliss to be so close to him.

  They exited the conveyer belt and glided down again. She loved each sensation. She loved being outside. She loved being close to Heath. She loved the snow and the sunshine and the gorgeous pine trees and mountains.

  Soon they were riding up the conveyer belt for the third time, still in the original position of him lining his skis up outside of hers and staying close to her back to guide her. She should probably insist she do it on her own, but this was too much fun, exhilarating even though they weren’t going fast.

  She glanced up at the mountains. “I guess I won’t get the view from the top today.”

  “Maybe not from the very top. You’d need to be heli-skiing, and I think we’ll save that for day two.”

  Her jaw dropped. “You have a helicopter drop you off at the top of a mountain and you ski down?”

  “Occasionally.”

  She’d seen videos like that on Instagram. “That’s insane. You’re that good of a skier, and here you’re wasting your day riding the bunny hill with me?”

  Heath laughed. “This actually isn’t the bunny hill. That is.” He pointed to the left at a ski lift that moved straight up and a slope that looked m
uch too steep to be considered the bunny hill.

  “Maybe I don’t want to see the view.” Fear of crashing and rolling down that slope, or possibly falling off the lift that looked to be forty feet off the ground, clawed at her throat.

  They glided off the conveyer belt again and started down. She wondered when he was going to insist she try it by herself, but she was afraid if she’d even be able to stay upright without him. She fancied being close to him too much to insist she actually learn to ski.

  “We’ll get you to that view. Just be patient.”

  “We Brits aren’t long on our patience.”

  “I didn’t know that. I’ll try not to try your patience, then.”

  She giggled and leaned back against him as they gently glided down the small hill.

  “Heath!” a young voice yelled. “What the crap?”

  “Austin.” Heath tensed and glided them to a stop as a young boy decked out in bright blue gear flew toward them. Hazel shrank against Heath, certain the boy was going to barrel into them, but he did a little jump-hop, rotating both of his skis to the right; then, as he landed, he dug them both into the snow and sprayed snow on them.

  “What are you doing on the magic carpet?” the boy asked with disgust. She recognized his voice from the house. He lifted his goggles up, revealing deep brown eyes similar to Heath’s. “And who’s the hottie with you?”

  “Austin,” Heath warned. “This is my friend, Ha …Hattie.”

  Hattie? Oh yeah, he probably didn’t want anyone even knowing her first name and connecting the two. “Hi, Austin.” She waved.

  “Heya, pretty girl. You wanna ski with a real skier?”

  Hazel couldn’t contain a burst of laughter. “Maybe when I graduate from the magic carpet.”

  “That’s a date.” He winked, his deep brown eyes twinkling. Focusing back on Heath, he said, “Why’d you lie and say you had to work? You coulda told me you found a hottie to ski with. I’d understand.”

  “Sorry, bro.” Heath seemed to be searching behind Austin on the big hills to the right. “Where’s everybody else?”

  Austin waved a hand. “They’re coming. I’m just fast. We’re heading to the Stump next. You two coming?”

  “I’m going to teach Hattie some more.”

  “Okay, see you soon.” He grinned, pulled down his goggles, and pushed off, heading toward a ski lift that snaked up the mountain until Hazel lost sight of it.

  “We’d better head for Little Falls. The rest of the family will not let me off the hook so easily if they see you.”

  “Okay.” Hattie hated that she couldn’t meet his family and that he had to lie and hide stuff from them. Some of the joy of the beautiful winter day and being out on the slopes faded as she remembered the situation she was in.

  Heath released her and eased backward then to her side. He reached out his gloved hand. “We can’t go on the lift with me behind you. Well, maybe we could have you sit on my lap, but it might be dangerous.” He grinned.

  The thought of going on the lift at all had her stomach pitching, no matter that she did want to see the view from the top of one of them. Clasping Heath’s hand, she let him tug her forward. The slope was gentle down to the lift that he’d claimed was the “bunny lift.” It looked a lot steeper than a beginner hill. Her skis kept wanting to cross, even though they weren’t moving fast at all. She concentrated on using all her leg strength to keep them straight like Heath was doing, and she clung to his hand with her glove. She fancied herself in great shape, but the muscles required to keep skis straight seemed underdeveloped.

  There was a small line, so they joined the cue and slowly edged forward. Hazel was nervous, but she was also undeniably excited. Her first ski lift. She was doing it. “Can I admit to you that I have a teeny little fear of heights?”

  Heath lifted his goggles and put them on his helmet. His deep brown eyes were full of concern, but just seeing his eyes reassured her somehow. “How bad?”

  She lifted her shoulders. “You’ll never catch me going skydiving.”

  “Amusement park rides?”

  “Avoid them like the plague.”

  The group in front of them was up next. Hazel watched as they pushed forward and then looked over their shoulders as they waited for the chair to swoop around.

  “Most people with a mild fear of heights do okay on lifts, but I don’t want you to be uncomfortable,” Heath said. “We don’t have to do this. We can go back to the magic carpet.”

  The chair came, hit the people behind the knees, and they all automatically sat and were lifted up the hill.

  Hazel really, really wanted to do it. She pushed her fears away. She knew they should push forward now, so she shuffled toward the spot where those people had been. Heath was instantly by her side, tugging on her hand to get her into position. The chair came quickly, and before Hazel even had time to stress about it, the chair pushed against her calves and she automatically popped backward so she was sitting in the padded seat.

  The chair soared up the mountainside, and soon they were lifting higher and higher. She stared around at the incredible view, almost forgetting that there was nothing between her and falling to her death but a padded seat and some metal. There wasn’t even a safety bar.

  “It’s so pretty,” she murmured, twisting to take in not just the mountain above and to the sides of them, but also the pine trees covered with white fluff, the people zooming down the slopes, and the picturesque valley behind them.

  Heath turned, following her gaze. “It is,” he agreed.

  She clung to the side of the lift with her gloved hand and asked, “Is this lift similar to your lifts, this mountain to your ski runs?”

  “Every resort is different, but I have a mix of aerial lifts like this, some quads that slow down when people get on or off, and gondolas.” There was obvious pride in his voice.

  “What’s a gondola?” She turned toward him. “Like a boat they use in Venice?” She had visions of a flat-bottomed boat soaring up the mountain suspended by cables with everybody just sitting in their seats and admiring the view.

  Heath chuckled. “No, it’s like an enclosed lift. There’s a rack on the outside for the skis. The inside has benches to sit on, and it’s all windows so you can still enjoy the view, but you’re out of the wind and the cold for a few minutes. They move faster than these lifts too.”

  “Wow. Crikey, I’d love to go to one of your resorts someday.”

  “Okay.” His deep brown eyes held a promise much more serious than the simple word. She wondered if that someday would ever happen. If Brigham had his way, she’d be behind bars soon. She shivered, and Heath put his arm around her shoulders. “You cold?”

  She smiled up at him, wishing he’d simply hold her close like this when they weren’t wearing thick snow clothes. “I’m doing great. A little nervous about getting off the lift.”

  “You’ll do great. Just keep your skis straight.”

  “Got it.” But that was the thing she was nervous about. Well, that and the steep slope they were going to go down.

  The end of the lift was approaching quickly, so Hazel pulled her gaze from Heath’s handsome face and concentrated on getting her skis straight. The group in front of them naturally stood up, slid down the steep slope from the lift, and then curved toward the hill.

  It was now their turn, and Hazel turned to Heath in fear. “How do I stand up?”

  “It’s natural. Don’t worry; I’ll be right here.”

  He took his hand from the back of the seat and grasped her elbow. The lift approached the built-up slope. Hazel figured she could help a little bit, so she pushed off the seat with her left hand as Heath grasped her right elbow, and then she was standing and speeding down the hill. She was doing it, skiing by herself, and it felt amazing.

  Suddenly, she heard a scraping noise as her skis crossed in the front, and she screamed as she was launched forward. Grabbing on to Heath’s hand, she yanked him down too, and they landed at t
he bottom of the ramp in a heap. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt, as the snow had cushioned their fall.

  Heath braced himself on his hands, staring down at her. “You okay?”

  “I’m so sorry,” she gasped out.

  He chuckled. “You’re great.” He somehow popped both his skis off and got to his feet. Gently, he lifted one of Hazel’s skis the other direction and then wrapped his hands around her waist and easily lifted her up, tugging her to the side and out of the way of the disembarking skiers.

  She stood there, finally with her skis straight again, and took a long breath. “These buggers are hard to keep straight. Crashing off my first ski lift. Not sure that bodes well for my chances of success.”

  Heath shook his head and popped back into his skis, gliding close to her again. “You’re going to be great. My mama used to say, ‘Wrecking’s riding.’”

  “Which translates to?” She stared up at him as people got off the ski lift and glided past them and down the slope.

  “I guess it’s easier translated to mountain biking or motorcycle riding, but basically you’re going to wreck, it’s part of the gig, don’t stress about it or get embarrassed, and get up and keep riding, or skiing.”

  While she appreciated those thoughts, she hoped she didn’t spend the day skidding down the icy slope on her face mask. “I really want to meet your mama.” The woman had a lot of wisdom, and Hazel loved how Heath talked about her with such warmth and respect in his voice.

  “I’d like you to meet her someday too.” His tone was almost wistful.

  “Oh yeah. I forgot for a second that I’m wanted for murder,” Hazel said spitefully.

  Some teenagers were gliding by, and one darted a sharp gaze at her.

  “She’s teasing,” Heath called out, smiling reassuringly at them. “She’s wanted because … I want her.”

  The teenager pumped his fist. “Go for it, dude!” He disappeared down the slope.

  Heath turned to her. “Maybe let’s not say that so loudly in public.”

  “Crikey.” Hazel pulled a face. “I’m so sorry.”