by Tessa Clarke
“Why are we stopping?” Jarod, one of the other skiers called.
“Just want to make sure everyone’s good with this run,” Cade said evenly. “That it’s not steeper or tighter than you expected.”
“It’s good,” the men all chorused, and Alissa gave Cade a slightly frosty nod, trying not to feel the wave of desire that burned through her.
“Great,” Cade said, his mirrored goggles focused directly on her. “Just call to me if I’m going too fast then.”
He turned his skis directly down the slope and pushed off at a much faster pace, darting in and out of the trees like a jackrabbit. Alissa let a smile creep over her face. That was more like it. She pushed off and followed. The closer she got, the more he increased his pace, until she was pressing herself to the edge of her ability to follow him and they’d left the other men far behind. Cade slid to a stop at the bottom of the steep slope just above where the run came out on a catwalk and Alissa pulled her skis in parallel to his, spraying him with a skiff of powder. She turned her head up the hill to where the other men were picking their way down, smoothly, expertly, but nowhere near as fast as she and Cade had skied.
She was panting, and so was Cade, and her thighs burned a bit, but she had a euphoric grin on her face at the absolute glory of the run and the sun slanting down through the trees. Cade whipped his goggles up on his helmet and gave her a long look that was part angry, part impressed. “Were you in control that whole run?” he demanded.
She lifted her chin and her own goggles and met his eyes squarely. “Yes, I was.”
Cade leaned into her a bit, his full lips tantalizingly close. Was he about to sniff her? Was he…? The thought was thrown from her mind by the other men piling up behind them on the catwalk whooping. Cade pulled back immediately.
“That was unreal!” Jarod shouted. “And who knew we were setting out with the ski queen?” He made a mock bow in Alissa’s direction. “That was a sick line.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
“All right, Mr. Danforth. Lead on,” Leif instructed. “This is going to be the best day ever.”
Cade pulled his goggles back over his eyes and Alissa wondered if he didn’t dart a dark look in her direction.
She sat in between Leif and Jarod on the lift this time as they both chatted her up and grilled her about where she was from, what she did, and how she became such an awesome skier.
The first two questions were easy. She was from Denver and she worked as a child psychologist. The third question was harder. She gave her pat answer that she’d grown up in the mountains skiing at Vail and Telluride and had been on the junior freeski tour for several years. She didn’t tell them that she had cat shifter blood in her, that all cat shifters were good skiers, something to do with their natural grace and ability to always land on their feet. She wasn’t a shifter herself, but her shifter genes definitely contributed to her skiing. Leif and Jarod accepted her answers at face value and chattered amiably about their next run, about their sick turns, and the incredible pow. Cade, much more subdued than he’d been on the previous lift ride, seemed to be studying her through his mirrored goggles.
The morning passed in a series of amazing runs through trees, down creek draws, and eventually, once Cade was satisfied with their skiing ability, down each of the three narrow couloirs that White Peaks Resort had to offer. The third—the steepest with a couple of cliff bands that they had to drop—was untracked. Everywhere Cade took them, there was the glorious knee-deep champagne powder and sunshine, and always it was Cade down the hill first, followed by Alissa, and then the other men.
Cade was a better skier than she was. Once she knew that she no longer had to impress him or worry about the other men overtaking her, she could pause to watch Cade ski occasionally. His line was fluid and graceful, but there was a raw power in his speed and ability to stomp the jumps. The almost careless ease with which he skied sent shivers down her back. What would this man be like in the bedroom?
They ate a late lunch in the swanky bar at the top of the lodge that was included in their tour package. Leif, Jarod, and Sam took off partway through lunch to book their cat-skiing package for the next day—Cade had directed them to his buddy Flynn’s company—and Alissa found herself staring into Cade’s green eyes. Fortunately he seemed almost as bemused as she was, and although they’d both contributed to the conversation over lunch, rating their best runs and turns, she’d caught him staring at her several times with a hungry, but curious, look.
“What about you?” he said. “Heading out on any adventures tomorrow?”
She smiled tentatively. “I bought a two-day pass,” she said. “I heard it’s going to snow overnight so I thought I’d hit all the runs we did today again tomorrow. Then I have to head home.”
She saw a muscle in his cheek twitch, and then he opened his mouth, and closed it again. “If you’re planning to ski alone, and you’re looking for company, I’d be happy to show you some of the sweet spots on the other peak,” he added. They’d spent most of the day on White Peak, which was the most challenging of the two mountains, but Alissa had heard there was some pretty good skiing on Snow Peak too.
She hesitated. Was he asking her if she wanted to pay him to be her personal guide, or was he asking her on a ski date, or just looking for a ski buddy? Men like Cade didn’t usually ask her out. She lowered her eyelashes and looked down at the piece of chocolate cake she’d decided to order. She never could stick to a diet, and most of the time she didn’t see the need. Some day she’d meet someone who would love her for her curves and for her heart. That’s what all her psychology books insisted. That was the line she gave her patients if they came in worried about their weight. She hoped also to find someone who would love her for her shifter blood, but that might be too much to ask. Of course her shifter blood was easier to hide than her curves.
She raised her eyes to find Cade staring at her intently and she almost started to stammer. With his helmet and jacket off, she could see the fine cut of his cheekbones, his thick wavy hair, and his broadly muscled chest. He was too delicious for words and she felt a shock of desire in her groin. She stifled a low moan. He couldn’t possibly want to date her. He must be looking for money to guide her.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I was going to meet some friends tomorrow.”
Chapter Four: Cade
Cade tried to process her words. She was saying no, just after letting out the cutest, sexiest little moan ever. He was so turned on he wanted to pull her into the staff room and take her there. She was his mate, he was sure of it now. He’d been sure of it ever since he’d seen her ski, and he was even more sure of it after he watched her toss her gorgeous brown hair over her shoulder and look back up at the hill at their tracks with that expression of rapture. She even smelled like a crisp winter morning. Every instinct in his body called out for her, wanted to take her, keep her safe, and touch every one of her voluptuous curves.
But as much as he clearly knew she was his mate, she evidently didn’t. He knew humans didn’t have the same instincts as cats, although there was something about her eyes and her agility that made him wonder.
He drew back from her words, trying not to show the hurt and anger he felt. She was his mate. He knew that. But she’d just met him, and she didn’t know. He’d have to try to be patient.
He rose abruptly, and forced a smile. “We should get back out on the slopes,” he said. “The others will be waiting for us.” Then he turned and walked away and tried to compose himself. The lifts closed in an hour. They didn’t have much longer to ski, and he didn’t have much longer to convince her to come to his bed and become part of his life. Forever.
The Utah boys were waiting by the ski racks, jostling and joking. Jarod had taken a shine to Alissa, Cade could tell. Who wouldn’t when she skied like a goddess and had the tightest, curviest ass he’d ever seen? Cade almost snarled with jealousy as Jarod greeted Alissa enthusiastically.
&
nbsp; He settled for clapping Jarod firmly on the back and towering over the shorter man with a broad, but probably faintly threatening, grin. Jarod took a step back from Alissa, who tossed Cade a strange look, and then they all skied over to load the chair. They skied run after run, Cade increasing his speed just a little each time so that he’d have more time waiting at the bottom of the run alone with Alissa while the rest, who were looking increasingly tired, caught up. But every time he had her alone with the opportunity to stare into her stunning amber eyes, he found himself completely tongue-tied. This flabbergasted him more than anything. He was Cade Danforth, the smoothest talker on the hill. He’d bedded more than his share of women. But he couldn’t seem to find a single joke or quip. If he could just take her into his arms and show her how he felt… But she’d said no.
Just before last chair, Jarod skied down to join Alissa and Cade. They were waiting at the catwalk that led to the Stairway to Heaven chair for the last run.
“I think we’re done,” Jarod said. “We’re going to head straight down. Leif has an old knee injury that’s acting up. We want to make sure he can cat-ski tomorrow. Thanks for the great day.” He nodded at Cade and Alissa.
Cade nodded back. “It was great skiing with you. Enjoy your day tomorrow.”
Jarod grinned. “Will do. We’re heading out to the Slopeside Bar at around seven if either of you are interested in joining us for a bite and a drink.” Cade couldn’t be sure, but he thought that Jarod’s eyes fell more heavily on Alissa when he said this, and Cade had to suppress another growl. She wasn’t his yet. He had no claim over her.
“Sure, sounds great,” Alissa said.
Cade plunged his pole into the snow and tried not to scowl. Jarod skied off and Cade turned to Alissa. “Are you done too? We don’t have to do this last run if you’re tired.”
She shook her head. “No way. I’ve been looking forward to one last run down the Starlight Bowl all afternoon. Lead on.”
On the chair, Cade realized that the clouds had rolled in and the light had grown increasingly flat in the late afternoon. A few stray snowflakes drifted out of the air, portending the heavy snowfall that was to happen that night. Not the best of conditions to be skiing the steep and rocky Starlight Bowl. Since most people had been skiing hard in the powder all day, there was almost nobody left on the lift or slopes.
He busied himself telling Alissa stories about when the Stairway to Heaven chair was put in a few years ago opening up a whole bunch of new expert terrain that had once been only available to backcountry skiers, including some steep chutes on the back of the mountain that were super popular with the adrenaline junkies, but an avalanche nightmare.
“Are there runs down the chutes?” she asked.
Cade looked at her. “Yes but they’re not in great shape. We need more snow.”
“Do you ski them?”
“Yes, but I don’t take guests there. You get your skis pointing in one direction down those chutes and there’s no way you can turn them. You just have to ride it out.”
“I want to give it a try,” she said.
Cade shook his head. “No way.”
She placed her mitted hand on his arm. “Please,” she said. “Don’t you have faith in my skiing?”
Cade’s words definitely came out in a growl. “You’re the best damn female skier I’ve ever met, but that doesn’t mean I think skiing the chutes is a good idea. Not now. Maybe tomorrow after another foot of snow.”
Alissa pouted a bit, and he wanted to kiss her perfect rounded bottom lip, tease it into his mouth and let loose one of her rounded breasts and kiss that too. He was getting completely horny at the wrong time. The snow had picked up and a scatter of snowflakes decorated her hair.
At the top, she obediently followed him to the top of the Starlight Bowl, which was no easy run either. Steep and unforgiving, the bowl was bordered by two sizable cliffs and the drop in was almost vertical. Snow fell more heavily now and the visibility had dropped. The rest of the hill was deserted, and Cade had a sudden desire to just get down. He was tired too. He gestured for Alissa to go first. There was no need for him to lead as the run was wide open and she’d done it before. And he felt a strange surge of protectiveness. He’d be more comfortable tailgunning, and watching the glorious view of Alissa moving down the slope.
Alissa did a clean drop off the lip and began carving through the snow. He watched her ski in stunned disbelief. She was so good. He found himself almost aching for her. Aching to hold her and have her as his mate. He wondered how she would feel about him being a shifter. It wasn’t a secret he shared with many women, or men for that matter. At White Peaks, only his buddies Dylan and Flynn, who were also shifters, knew. Cat shifters tended to be loners, moving away from their families as soon as they were old enough, and he was no different. He stayed in touch with his family, and he knew his mother hoped that he’d find a mate soon, but it took a special human to want to be with a shifter. He pushed off and started following Alissa down the slope.
Snowflakes pelted his goggles, the fluffy white flecks of snow becoming projectiles at this speed. He was having a hard time seeing. Alissa must be skiing half blind as well unable to see the subtle shifts in pitch on the now desolate mountainside. She’d hit the second steep part of the bowl, and Cade heard her cry out. He lifted his eyes from his own line in time to see her tumbling head over heels down the run, and then falling sideways and picking up speed as she rolled down the steep incline. There was a jagged set of rocks at the bottom and then a thirty-foot drop onto more rocks below. If she had enough momentum to go over the rocks, or even into them, she might be killed, or badly hurt, the two little pieces of bamboo that marked the cliff useless in preventing her tumble. There was no way she could stop herself before she hit them, and he was way too far behind her to catch up. Unless… unless he shifted. And then would he ever have a chance with her?
He watched her white form skid relentlessly down the slope for a fraction of a second before throwing off his clothes and gear, taking his panther form and barreling down the hill after her.
He somersaulted a few times himself in his haste on the nearly ninety-degree slope, but always came to his feet and resumed his downward plunge, gaining on her slowly, the dark rocks starting to loom too close on the horizon. At the last second, he managed to get in front of her and flung his sleek muscled body in front of her falling one, staying her fall just before the rocks.
He could feel her breathing hard against him, taking deep gulps of terror and exertion from the effort of trying to stop her own descent. He wanted so much to take her in his arms and tell her everything was okay, that he loved her. But he needed to catch his own breath before he could shift back. She was covered in loose snow, her long, dark hair matted with balls of white. She wiped the snow from her goggles and flipped them up just as he shifted. She saw his panther form. She saw the shift, and her eyes widened in shock and she couldn’t disguise her audible gasp. Instead of putting his arms around her like he wanted, Cade pulled back. He wasn’t sure what she was thinking. How she’d take the reality of his animal form? And he was naked and freezing. He saw her eyes scouring his body, lingering on his groin and abs. His cock, cold as it was, shot to attention at the glance.
“Are you okay?” he said. “Don’t move before you know whether anything’s broken.” Their bodies were still so close together, their legs entwined and he could feel her heat and smell her scent and he almost wanted to devour her. But he held back, almost trembling with the effort.
She closed her eyes, moving each limb fractionally and then fluttered them open again. “I’m okay,” she said. “Bruised, but okay.” She glanced over Cade’s body at the jagged rocks that lay only five feet away. “Thank you for saving me,” she said simply. She hadn’t screamed. She hadn’t pulled away in horror or disgust, but still that didn’t mean she wanted to be with a shifter.
Cade extracted himself carefully from her and rose to his feet, s
ensing her eyes following him. He surveyed the now completely whited-in slope where their skis and his clothes lay in unknown locations. Darkness was starting to fall in the late January sky and the now heavy snowfall was only making matters worse. They needed to get off the hill.
“I better go get our skis,” he said. And then before she could say anything else, he turned back into his panther form and tore off up the slope.
Chapter Five: Alissa
Alissa watched the sleek panther race up the hill and tried to control her breathing. As Cade, he was magnificent, even triply so naked. In his panther form, he was breathtaking.
Those eyes.
She should have known he was a shifter. Her father had been a shifter. She suppressed the small sob that often emerged in her throat whenever she thought of him. Her father, James Grey, had been killed in service with the military in a covert operation that only a shifter could do. Her father had possessed the same pale green eyes that seemed to see right through her and into her soul.
That was why Cade was such an amazing skier. If she thought she’d wanted him before, her heart and body swelled with an almost dizzying desire. He’d just saved her from free fall, from a certain death. She had just seen him naked. She swallowed hard. Her heart seemed to be right in her throat. There was no way a man like Cade would be interested in her.
The wind had picked up and she found herself shivering. Snow pressed itself into all sorts of unwanted crevices in her suit. She sat on the edge of the rocks that had almost killed her and undid her jacket and pants quickly and tried to scoop it out. Despite her state of cold, she almost wanted to slip her fingers inside her own wetness and stroke herself to climax so she could stop fantasizing about Cade and focus on getting off the mountain. She’d heard that near-death experiences sometimes increased the libido. Was that what was happening to her? She allowed herself one quick press and let out an involuntary moan at the pleasure that surged through her.
