In that split second, there was no time to think, only react. Both ankles buckled like her bindings had loosened. Only that didn’t happen on cross-country skis. A horrifying thought raced through her mind, that she was flying down the mountain at high speed…completely out of control.
Jana used every bit of strength to hold her ankles steady, but there was no firm base underneath her. Her pulse pounded in her ears. She lurched to the side then felt a strong arm around her. She screeched and reached for anything stable.
What she found was a strong set of shoulders. Thaddeus had scooped her right off the snow and was carrying her in his arms, her skis and poles left behind. Jana had missed injury, if not a fatality, by a fraction of a second. She couldn’t believe she was being carried to safety.
Thaddeus skied to the lodge with Jana in his arms, then lowered her to a bench. “Jesus…are you okay?”
“I wouldn’t have been, if you hadn’t scooped me up.” Jana put her head between her knees to stop hyperventilating.
“I haven’t seen anything like that,” Thaddeus said. “It looked like your boots came loose from your skis.”
“That’s what happened.” Jana was calmer, so she sat up. “I don’t understand. My boots are Norwegian welted boots, top quality. How could the soles come loose?”
Thaddeus flagged security, and the ski patrol went back up the trail to retrieve the skis. He sat beside Jana. “Can I get you anything?”
“I just need to sit a bit longer. I’m kind of wobbly.” Jana was in shock. “Do you realize what could have happened if you hadn’t been with me?”
“I have an idea.”
“I might have hit a tree. At high speed, that could have been fatal. Or I might have broken something.” Jana lifted her hands and looked at her body. “But I’m not injured at all.”
“I’m relieved to hear that.”
Jana stared at Thaddeus. “How did you do that? I’ve skied all my life and I haven’t seen a skier pick up another person mid-run down a steep mountain.”
“Military training,” Thaddeus said without a blink. “On missions, I’ve been known to carry a six-pound rifle, a two-pound pistol, five pounds of water, plus a radio with headset, helmet, ammo. Well…you get the idea.”
“That doesn’t seem possible.”
“And that was pretty much stuff worn on the body. I’d also have grenades, a knife, light source, and some other pack add-ons.”
“You were a walking artillery.”
Thaddeus nodded. “You could say so.” He rolled a shoulder. “So, carrying your body weight, a hundred and thirty or so pounds, wasn’t much of an effort.”
“What about scooping me up while flying down that mountain?”
“I could use a bit more practice at that,” Thaddeus said. “That’s the first time I’ve tried it.”
Jana would have commented more, but the ski patrol returned and plopped her skis on the ground. “You are one lucky lady,” one said. “You could have been killed up there.”
Jana looked carefully at her boots then the skis. She could see what he meant. “The stitching of the boot has been loosened. Three rows of stitching don’t break apart like that.” She looked at Thaddeus. “The stitching was partially cut before I put those skis on. It had to be—which means someone intended for my boots to separate from the soles.”
“You think it was sabotage?”
Thaddeus looked at the patrol officer who’d spoken. “It could be. We’ll have those skis and boots inspected.”
Jana was glad he’d fielded the comment. She wasn’t in the mood for a police interview. The patrol went on, and one guy headed for the lodge. It was likely that he’d make a report.
Then Rakel showed up. “Jana…I saw the patrol over here.” He stared at her. “What are you doing down here? Did something happen?”
Jana had had enough. “I’ll tell you what happened.” She was shouting but didn’t care. “Some idiot messed with the stitching on my boots, that’s what.”
“Oh my God.”
“Yes, I’ll say. And I almost died up there.” Jana glared at Rakel. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”
Rakel was incensed. “What are you implying? That I had something to do with it?”
“I don’t know, Rakel, did you?”
“You are one crazy bitch, you know that?”
Thaddeus stepped in front of Jana. “Let’s chill, shall we?”
“What am I supposed to think?” Jana said. “You’re a ski tech, for Christ’s sake. You knew which skis belonged to me.” She expelled a breath. “You had access, Rakel. You had opportunity.”
Rakel glared at her then shook his head. “I’m leaving.” He stormed off.
Jana was royally pissed that her boots had been tampered with. She should have been terrorized by the event. Instead, she was fuming. She would find out who was messing with her and put a stop to it.
Thaddeus carried her back to the lodge, where she ditched the damaged boots. Then she changed into her other boots, so she could walk over to the competition. It would be over soon, and even though her life had been threatened again, she was damn well going to watch Coley cross the finish line.
Chapter 16
The finish line was a buzz of excitement. Even though the public hadn’t been allowed in, there were plenty of spectators. Supporters, friends, and family shouted as though the competitors could hear. The sun had peeked through the bank of clouds, and rays shimmered across the snowy slopes.
Jana spotted Coley in the distance. Her skintight blue and white racing suit stood out, as did her recognizable style on the skis. She appeared strong and confident as she crested the top, then barreled toward the finish.
While Jana watched, Thaddeus kept his arm around her. He was sticking closer than before, and she didn’t mind. She leaned against him. This was an important day, a big deal for her. The previous afternoon, she’d received notice that the patent on the microchip would soon be finalized.
All that remained was the field test to give Jana the confidence to market the new product. It meant so much, and not only to her. The distribution of the microchip was important to her ski company, which meant it was important to her grandmother.
Eva hadn’t mentioned anything about that. She was tough and didn’t faint at signs of trouble. But Jana hadn’t confided in her that the business was shaky. She hadn’t wanted to burden her grandmother, since she was the only one who could do something about it.
That had been her aim all along. It had been the reason she’d earned her engineering degree. The retail business was highly competitive, so the future was unpredictable. Jana had wanted a backup, a hedge on the future. In school, she hadn’t known what that would be.
But when Jana had taken over running the ski shop, she’d been immersed in the sport again. She particularly enjoyed the competitions for youth. And an idea had come to her. Years later, that idea was about to become a reality.
If the product didn’t function as intended, Jana would have to make adjustments or start over. She didn’t anticipate that, but there were no guarantees. Yet if all went well, she could move into the marketing and advertising phases.
The adrenaline had worn off, and Jana was shaken, feeling the effects of the scare she’d had. It was reassuring to have Thaddeus standing next to her, like a tower of strength. The ski sabotage had been awful, and the timing bad. On the morning when success was at her fingertips, danger had found her. While she attempted to enter into the spirit of the event, her attention wandered to the looming threat.
The crowd cheered then Jana saw the competitors streaming down the hill. Coley was in the lead, but that didn’t tell the complete story. The event hadn’t been organized with the strongest competitors. The others were there to pace Coley and create a realistic race environment.
Coley was racing against herself, striving for a good time in the event. It appeared that she was giving it all she had. Her knees were bent with her po
les held horizontal against her sides. Her tinted goggles covered her eyes while she sliced into the wind, speeding downhill.
Then Coley reached the bottom and glided across the flat area. Cross-country and the biathlon were extremely challenging. The physical demands were impossible to describe unless experienced, which Jana had. It was common for the competitors to collapse on the snow at the finish line.
Jana ran over, pushing past a couple of bystanders. Coley was breathing hard, then she fell onto the snow on her back with her skis angled to the side. Michael dropped onto his knees beside her, glowing with pride.
When Jana stood close, Coley looked up at her then grinned. Through heavy breathing, she said, “That thing is awesome!”
Thaddeus and Michael helped her up then assisted her to get out of the skis. Coley’s breathing had calmed, but she looked exhausted. Jana followed them into the lodge, ignoring the crowd praising the other competitors as each reached the finish.
Michael carried Coley inside where she’d left her warm boots. It seemed to be the day for being carried. Once seated she stripped off gear: the goggles, hat, gloves, and scarf were tossed on the table. Coley accepted a hot drink, then took a deep breath.
“You looked great out there,” Jana said.
Coley held the cup in both hands and grinned. “That was exhilarating. I’d practiced with that device before, but using it in a live competition was so different.”
Jana hung on every word.
“That fight to stay calm in order to shoot a rifle…how we have to withstand the mental stress of shooting during cross-country racing…” Coley spoke in an excited tone, and Jana was anxious to hear about every detail.
“Your little thing worked.” Coley grinned, and patted the collar of her ski jacket where the microchip had been inserted. “Dammit, it worked!”
Jana listened while Coley described how it had felt. The biofeedback device that she’d practiced with then worn during the event had functioned like magic. “I was able to calm my heart rate, which gave me a crucial edge.”
Thaddeus watched, and Jana caught the gleam in his eyes. He appeared to be as pleased as she was. The trial had been a success. She could move ahead. With Coley’s experience so positive, Jana would take the device to more beta testers. But she predicted the outcome would be good, so it wouldn’t be long before the product would be on the market.
*****
After the event, Jana went home. She didn’t feel like celebrating, so told Coley she’d take a rain check. Michael was happy to party with his wife, so no explanation was needed. Bowing out didn’t even raise an eyebrow.
Jana hadn’t told her friend about the near-death incident. It would have put a damper on the excitement. Coley had been her greatest supporter over the years, with faith that the invention would work.
It warmed Jana’s heart to see Coley’s joy at the success. At least one of them could celebrate. On the drive home, gloom settled over her. She turned to Thaddeus. “The win was anticlimactic after what happened earlier.”
Thaddeus nodded.
“I just want to get home, lock the doors, and regroup.” Jana watched the snowy scenery roll by, but her mind was elsewhere.
When they arrived, Thaddeus checked the property for safety before he escorted her into the house. Was that what her life had become…expecting disaster around every corner? Not even safe in her own home?
Eva had left a note on the counter that she would be home late. She’d gone to the movies with friends. Jana smiled. Her grandmother could have texted, but in some ways, she was still old school. Leaving a handwritten note was like her.
It was just as well. Jana wasn’t in the mood to tell her grandmother the bad news. Since she was out, that dreaded task could wait. That would give her a chance to figure out how to share that drama with Eva without upsetting her.
On second thought, that was impossible. Eva was going to be more worried than before, but it couldn’t be helped. Jana was worried, too. She couldn’t tell whether Thaddeus was more concerned or not. He had a way of appearing calm under any circumstances.
Jana made hot cider, and Thaddeus joined her on the enclosed terrace. He didn’t say anything, but he was concerned. He had to be. Yet he offered no reassurance, didn’t tell her that everything would be okay.
It was comforting to sit in the familiar setting and gaze at the beauty of the forest. The trees stood tall and silent, like they’d been there for centuries. Trauma and upheaval came and went, yet the massive pines were still there.
Some things endured; some things weren’t shaken by every whim of fortune. The mountains, the snow, the trees. Those were the things Jana could count on. That was why she lived there, to be close to the wintry world she adored.
The longer Jana stared at nature, the better she felt. Having Thaddeus next to her didn’t hurt. He was a stabilizing influence, a man she could count on. She hadn’t thought of him that way before, but it was true.
Jana put her cup on the table, then took the empty one from Thaddeus to place it beside hers. She sat on his lap and put her arms around his neck. He didn’t seem to mind. Judging from the look in his eyes, he liked it.
Love radiated between them. Jana didn’t break the spell by talking. She leaned down and touched her lips to his. Thaddeus pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. He tasted so male, and his steel body excited her.
Jana ran her hands over his strong shoulders then down his biceps. She delved into his mouth, wanting him. His tongue lashed against hers, revealing his desire for her. She put her palm on his cheek and pulled back to look into his eyes. “Thaddeus…”
Why was it that she couldn’t think of more to say? There wasn’t more to say. Thaddeus was all; he had her heart. She wanted the danger surrounding her to go away, but she didn’t want him to leave. Yet he would go as soon as he wasn’t needed.
Jana wouldn’t think about that. It was in the future, and for the moment, she was in his lap. She’d enjoy his sweet kisses and the feel of his rock-hard muscle. When he was gone, all she’d have would be her memories. She cherished each moment with him.
*****
Thaddeus had gazed at the winter scene outside the window. It was peaceful, in contrast with Jana’s life. It wasn’t right that she had to face one life-threatening event after another. He didn’t bring that up, though.
For as long as Jana was content, sipping her drink and enjoying the view, then Thaddeus was happy. Her joy was his joy. He supposed that was how love worked. He hadn’t experienced it before, but it seemed right.
He shuddered to think what might have happened on that slope if he hadn’t been there. Even with him beside her, the situation had been dicey. He’d reacted, and things had turned out okay. But what if they hadn’t?
He didn’t want to imagine Jana alone, not now…not ever. But it would happen. He was around to take care of the situation and make sure she was safe. After that, he’d be gone. He tried to imagine it but could only think of Jana beside him.
It felt good to be near her. Emotion surged inside him, and he was tempted to tell her how he felt. But that was a bad idea. Confessing his love would make it more difficult when the time came to go. So he was quiet.
When Jana came over and sat on his lap, Thaddeus welcomed her. Holding her close was all he wanted—that and her sensual kisses. Her soft lips touched his, heating his blood and warming his skin. She dipped her tongue into his mouth, making his need impossible to hide.
Thaddeus stroked his palms down her spine, then dug his hands in her hair. She was luscious and sexy, a temptress. Then she pulled back and looked in his eyes. His heart skipped a beat—he loved her so much.
Sadness filled Jana’s beautiful green eyes, tearing his heart apart. Thaddeus wanted to take her away from the danger, keep her somewhere safe, and make sure that no one harmed her. If he was able to achieve that, he’d almost be okay with living without her…almost.
Jana ran her fingertips over his lips. She sighed. “What d
o we do now?”
That could mean one of two things. Either she was suggesting that their relationship might have a chance, or she was talking about the danger she was in. Thaddeus took a chance that it was the latter. “About the attempts on your life?”
Jana nodded. “My life has been turned upside down. After years of effort, just when life should be good for me, this has to happen.” She kissed him lightly on the lips. “I don’t mean you.” She paused. “You’re the best thing that has happened to me.”
Having a relationship was still beyond his level of expertise. But danger he understood. It had been a part of his life for as long as he could remember. Yet it shouldn’t be part of Jana’s.
Thaddeus touched her cheek and his heart melted. “My vow is to take down your enemy and restore your safety. It’s what I do. It’s why I’m here.”
Jana sighed, and he sensed disappointment. Whether she was pleased about it or not, protecting her was the reason he was there. He had no intention of failing in his duty. It had been that way from the start, but loving Jana the way he did, he was more motivated.
“I will stick close,” Thaddeus said. “You can count on that.”
Jana put her arms around his neck, then rested her cheek on his shoulder. “I know I can count on you. I’d be in a bad way if you hadn’t been here.” She raised her head and looked into his eyes. “It’s just that…I don’t know how to make all of this stop.”
Thaddeus wrapped her in his arms and held her tight. “It’s not up to you. I’m here and I’m not leaving.” He pressed her warm body to his, craving the feel of her. “Whoever is doing this will be revealed. No one can stay in the shadows indefinitely.”
Jana pulled back to look into his eyes. “That’s what I’m afraid of. What’s going to happen next?”
“The enemy will surface, and when that happens, I’ll be there,” Thaddeus said. “I’ll take care of you.”
If only he could offer that beyond the current situation. He looked forward to putting an end to the danger. Yet if he had a choice, he’d stay with Jana after that. It wasn’t meant to be, but that didn’t keep him from wanting it. He could dream, so long as he didn’t confuse dreams with reality or shirk his responsibility.
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