options.
Either way she couldn’t keep standing there. A group of school aged students on a field trip
whizzed by her.
“What are you waiting for? Do you want me to come get you?” Cole called from the bottom
of the hill.
Not a chance . That was the motivation she needed. She pushed off and started down the hill.
She moved as slow as she could and with caution. Okay, this isn’t so bad . Almost there . She let
out a breath she’d been holding as she neared the bottom.
“See, that wasn’t so bad.” Cole held out an arm as she approached him at the base of the hill.
An amused smile spread across his handsome features. Behind his sunglasses his eyes glinted.
She caught his arm and rotated as her skis slowed to a stop. “Whoa.” She stumbled and
struggled to balance. “Thanks.” She let go off his arm and moved out of the way as the school
kids ran past on their way to the chair lift.
“Going back up?” Cole pushed off and headed in the direction of the lift.
“Ah, I don’t know…” Madison glanced up the hill. It hadn’t been that bad. Maybe after a
few more runs, she’d get the hang of it.
Blake shot down the hill and stopped inches from them. “Having fun yet?” His face was
flushed with exhilaration.
Cole nodded. “Madison’s a little nervous.”
She blushed and shot him a look. “I haven’t been skiing in years.” She shrugged.
“No problem. Come on, I’ll teach you a few basic moves on the Bunny slope, and in less
than an hour you’ll be skiing like the pros.” Blake took her arm.
“I doubt that, but okay.” Madison gave Blake a smile. She turned and stuck her tongue out at
Cole as the two skied away.
He looked disappointed. She’d abandoned him so easily for lessons from his playboy friend.
At the t-bar lift, Blake held it steady as she climbed onto one side. He glanced toward the
chair lift and laughed.
“What?” Madison turned to see Cole sandwiched between two young girls on the chair as it
made its way to the top of the hill. He looked uncomfortable.
Blake shook his head. “I’ll never understand that guy.” He chuckled as the t-bar started with
a jolt.
Madison tore her eyes away from Cole. “What do you mean?”
“You know, he’s hot…”
“He’s okay.” Madison blushed. Yes he was, but discussing that with Blake might be blurring
the professional line a little .
“Okay, maybe you don’t think so…” Blake pinched her crimson cheek. “But ninety-nine
percent of the women out there do, and yet, the man never gets laid.”
Madison lost her grip on the handle and fought to regain her balance. She hadn’t been
expecting that. Talk about crossing the professionalism line. At this point, she knew too much
about him already. She wasn’t sure how much more she wanted to hear. She coughed.
“Sorry, forgot I was talking to a chick.” Blake laughed.
Chick?
“Let me put it another way, he doesn’t date—ever.” He shrugged. “Makes no sense to me.”
“That is strange.” Madison frowned. Her curiosity peaked. “So, you two have been friends
for a long time?” The pair didn’t seem likely.
“Since college. We were roommates.” Blake helped her off of the metal bar at the top of the
learner’s slope. Children and a few awkward adults littered the hill. “He had a girlfriend then, but
since they broke up in junior year, he’s only dated a handful of women, and only once or twice.”
That part wasn’t surprising. He was a player. Just as she’d thought . He’d himself admitted
he wasn’t the marrying type.
“I always thought he was upset when she called off the engagement, but I think it’s long
overdue to get over it.” Blake shrugged. “Okay, stand with your feet shoulder width apart.” He
grabbed her shoulders and positioned her on the hill.
Engagement? He’d been engaged?
“Earth to Madison.” Blake waved a hand in front of her dazed look.
“Oh sorry, what were you saying?”
Blake stood back and studied her. He folded his arms across
Either way she couldn’t keep standing there. A group of school aged students on a field trip
whizzed by her.
“What are you waiting for? Do you want me to come get you?” Cole called from the bottom
of the hill.
Not a chance . That was the motivation she needed. She pushed off and started down the hill.
She moved as slow as she could and with caution. Okay, this isn’t so bad . Almost there . She let
out a breath she’d been holding as she neared the bottom.
“See, that wasn’t so bad.” Cole held out an arm as she approached him at the base of the hill.
An amused smile spread across his handsome features. Behind his sunglasses his eyes glinted.
She caught his arm and rotated as her skis slowed to a stop. “Whoa.” She stumbled and
struggled to balance. “Thanks.” She let go off his arm and moved out of the way as the school
kids ran past on their way to the chair lift.
“Going back up?” Cole pushed off and headed in the direction of the lift.
“Ah, I don’t know…” Madison glanced up the hill. It hadn’t been that bad. Maybe after a
few more runs, she’d get the hang of it.
Blake shot down the hill and stopped inches from them. “Having fun yet?” His face was
flushed with exhilaration.
Cole nodded. “Madison’s a little nervous.”
She blushed and shot him a look. “I haven’t been skiing in years.” She shrugged.
“No problem. Come on, I’ll teach you a few basic moves on the Bunny slope, and in less
than an hour you’ll be skiing like the pros.” Blake took her arm.
“I doubt that, but okay.” Madison gave Blake a smile. She turned and stuck her tongue out at
Cole as the two skied away.
He looked disappointed. She’d abandoned him so easily for lessons from his playboy friend.
At the t-bar lift, Blake held it steady as she climbed onto one side. He glanced toward the
chair lift and laughed.
“What?” Madison turned to see Cole sandwiched between two young girls on the chair as it
made its way to the top of the hill. He looked uncomfortable.
Blake shook his head. “I’ll never understand that guy.” He chuckled as the t-bar started with
a jolt.
Madison tore her eyes away from Cole. “What do you mean?”
“You know, he’s hot…”
“He’s okay.” Madison blushed. Yes he was, but discussing that with Blake might be blurring
the professional line a little .
“Okay, maybe you don’t think so…” Blake pinched her crimson cheek. “But ninety-nine
percent of the women out there do, and yet, the man never gets laid.”
Madison lost her grip on the handle and fought to regain her balance. She hadn’t been
expecting that. Talk about crossing the professionalism line. At this point, she knew too much
about him already. She wasn’t sure how much more she wanted to hear. She coughed.
“Sorry, forgot I was talking to a chick.” Blake laughed.
Chick?
“Let me put it another way, he doesn’t date—ever.” He shrugged. “Makes no sense to me.”
“That is strange.” Madison frowned. Her curiosity peaked. “So, you two have been friends
for a long time?” The pair didn’t seem likely.
“Since college. We were roommates.” Blake helped her off of the metal bar at the top of the
learner’s slope. Children and a few awkward adults littered the hill. “He had a girlfriend then, but
since they broke up in junior year, he’s only dated a handful of women, and only once or twice.”
That part wasn’t surprising. He was a player. Just as she’d thought . He’d himself admitted
he wasn’t the marrying type.
“I always thought he was upset when she called off the engagement, but I think it’s long
overdue to get over it.” Blake shrugged. “Okay, stand with your feet shoulder width apart.” He
grabbed her shoulders and positioned her on the hill.
Engagement? He’d been engaged?
“Earth to Madison.” Blake waved a hand in front of her dazed look.
“Oh sorry, what were you saying?”
Blake stood back and studied her. He folded his arms across
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