“What do you mean?”
She looked him up and down. “I don’t know. You seem manic. You’re fake happy. Then there are these slivers of pain in your eyes.”
He looked away. “It’s nothing.”
She sighed. “Okay, never mind. I have enough of my own junk to handle.”
They were both quiet for a few seconds. He tried to shake this intense feeling between them. She’d been the first person to ever notice his moods. Strike that—she’d been the first to call him on it. He wondered if others were simply afraid to. Purposefully, he changed the topic. “Hey, you live here and probably ski or snowboard every day.”
She let slip a sarcastic laugh. “Well, yeah, but that’s mixed into work.”
“Still.” He countered. “You live here.”
“Not in Park City.” She turned away, looking sad.
“Where?”
“Uh, no. I don’t tell people where I live. No stalkers, thanks.”
He laughed. “Yeah.” Little did she know he could make one call and find out anything he wanted to know about her from his contacts in less than ten minutes. That was the benefit of having to background check people for a life in politics.
He didn’t know what to say, but could tell she was holding something back which was ludicrous because he’d just met her. “I don’t need to stalk women.” It was the truth, but it sounded like he was at a bad political debate defending himself.
He didn’t have to say anything because the look in her eye let him know he was going to regret pestering her. “Do you mind helping me load all this into my truck? Since you’re a do-gooder and all?”
Her tone made him smile. He thought about how he’d actually forgotten how hungry and sore he was since meeting her. Man oh man, he didn’t understand how he’d gotten so lucky. “Sure, but only if you let me buy you dinner.”
She headed down the sidewalk. “Can’t tonight.” She called back. “Like I said, I have somewhere I have to be.”
He watched her jog to the parking lot and realized the more she said, the more he wanted to know about her. The Olympics? Her injury? And the number one question rattling around in his brain: was she married? Or did she have a boyfriend?
A few minutes later, she pulled up and kept the truck running as they quickly loaded the bins and gear. Once they finished, he shut the tailgate and turned to her. “So will you let me take you out to dinner tomorrow night?” He tried not to sound too hopeful.
She moved to the driver’s side door then paused. “Don’t date out-of-towners. Sorry.” She gave a mock smile. “I’m not the ‘hang around the slopes and wait for a rich guy’ type.”
Man, he was liking this woman more and more.
She got into her truck and rolled down the window. “But I do appreciate the help.”
“You’re going to be here tomorrow, right?”
She crossed her arms. “I told you, no stalkers.”
He laughed.
She grinned and said somewhat reluctantly, “I have a shoot tomorrow, but I will open the tent doors at one.” Putting her hands on the wheel, she looked thoughtful. “Thanks for your help. Maybe you can stop and give me some more sales tips another time.”
Not believing he was doing this, he put his hand on the window. “Wait, let’s make a deal. I’ll show up and help you sell your merchandise. If I sell more than you, I take you to dinner.”
She gave him a doubtful look. “You’re going to help me sell merchandise, and if you do better than me, you take me to dinner?”
He shrugged. “It’s a win-win for you.”
When she bit her bottom lip, he couldn’t help but think how pretty her heart-shaped face was. “C’mon, it’ll be fun.”
Both eyebrows rose. “What do you get out of this?”
He shrugged. “Oh, believe me, my ego will get plenty out of outselling you after you put me in the dust on the slope earlier.”
She tried to hide a smile.
“C’mon.” He pressed.
She spread her hands in a gesture of mock defeat. “What can I say? I need the help as you’ve clearly pointed out. Since you’re so good with all the sales tips, I guess we’ll see if you’re as good of a salesman.”
“All right then. It’s a date.”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t call it a date.”
“Fast track, right? If you believe it, you can achieve it. I know I can outsell you.” He grinned, feeling cocky. “I’ll bet you I can outsell you and whoever else you want to bring too.”
She rolled up the window. “Fine.” She winked at him. “Okay, I guess you’ll put up or shut up. See you tomorrow afternoon at two.”
“Two? I thought you opened at one?”
She shrugged. “Give me time to set up. Plus, skiers are usually done skiing between two and five. It gets too dark.”
“Sounds good.” Nathan watched her drive away, and a wide grin spread across his face. This could be an interesting couple of days after all. He took off, heading back in the direction of the hotel attached to the resort. The night was still young, and he felt good enough to skip the hot tub, take a shower, and go out and find another pretty smile with his dinner. This was gonna be a good trip. He could feel it.
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Pass Interference: Book 6 Last Play Romance Series (A Bachelor Billionaire Companion) Page 18
