CHAPTER SIX
Everett tried really, really hard not to stare at Georgia’s ass in her tight, black ski pants as he followed her down the mountain. He really did. But that was like asking a child not to play with any toys in the middle of Toys R’ Us. An impossible feat.
After showing her some basic tips, she managed to stay on her feet. It was slow going, but at least she was making progress down the mountain.
When he’d noticed a body lying near the tree line, he’d hurried over to see if he could help. Once he’d realized that it was Georgia, panic had gripped him, petrifying every one of his muscles, as visions of a night from three years ago rushed forward. A cold sweat broke out on his brow as regret and guilt threatened to take hold.
He mentally shrugged the thought off. Again, not the time or the place. Then again, was there ever a time and place to revisit the most difficult moment of your life?
“You’re doing well. Try to shift your weight a little more when you’re turning!” he yelled to Georgia.
She put a hand up to motion that she’d heard him, but then her arms wildly flailed around her. She lost her balance and fell, one of the skis breaking lose off her boot and beginning its long journey down the hill.
“Shit!” she screamed.
As he stopped alongside her, Everett pressed his lips together to stop himself from laughing. Her eyes were wide and practically bugging out of her head, she’d dropped her ski poles in the snow and fisted her hands, and her cheeks were flushed bright red. Georgia exasperated was an amusing sight.
“What do people find fun about this form of recreation?” she muttered to herself.
This time, Everett couldn’t help but laugh at her expense. “Here.” He held his hand out and helped her up to her feet.
“What am I supposed to do now?” She gestured to her skiless boot.
“I think there’s only one way we’re going to get down this mountain.”
She cocked her hip to the side and crossed her arms over her puffy, gray coat. “Oh?” she said with a raised eyebrow.
He nodded. “I’m going to have to help you down.”
Her hands flew out to her sides. “You’ve already been helping me.”
“That’s not what I mean. Spin around.”
She did as he’d asked without argument.
“Now, pick up your ski poles.”
She bent over at the waist, and Everett tore his gaze away so there’d be no chance of her catching him checking out her many assets.
“You’re going to put one foot behind you and stand in between my legs. You’ll slide down on the one ski, and I’ll have my arms hooked under yours to support you. My legs will be on either side of yours. Got it?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and raised one eyebrow. “If this results in my having to be in a full body cast, Everett, there will be hell to pay.”
“So noted.” He grinned, unable to help himself.
He enjoyed her Southern sass. Unlike a lot of the girls he’d dated in the past, Georgia wasn’t afraid to speak her mind.
“All right. Let’s do this,” he said.
Everett slid in behind her and positioned himself so that his legs were on the outside of hers, his hands in front of her and between her waist and her arms. She was petite enough that he was able to see clear over her head.
It certainly wasn’t going to be the smoothest or the fastest trip down the hill, but he’d get them there safely.
“Lift your one foot up and keep it there. I’ll let you know what direction to lean when we’re turning. Try to relax and enjoy the ride.”
Taking a deep breath, Georgia leaned back against his chest. He hoped like hell she hadn’t been able to feel the twitch of his dick on her behind. Having her pressed against him and her feminine scent filtering into his nose tested his willpower to keep his attraction at bay. But he was probably fighting a losing battle.
“Let’s go,” he said, his voice dipping lower and taking on a huskier tone.
Without a response from Georgia, he pushed off and began to move them down the mountain.
“Shift left,” he called out.
She did. In fact, she had no issues skiing down the hill with his help at all. It was as if their bodies were in sync, and by the time they were close to the bottom, he didn’t even have to direct her anymore. Georgia could read his body, anticipate his next move, and adjust accordingly.
It was hard not to imagine what the two of them would be like in bed. Everett was sure they’d scorch the sheets. Each would know the best way to drive the other crazy, how to touch one another in that perfect way that brought them to the edge.
When they reached the foot of the mountain, Georgia’s excited squeal dragged him from his reverie.
“That was so much more fun than what I was doing!” She giggled, and he realized how much he enjoyed hearing that sound.
He grinned and then pushed back from her to give her room to remove her remaining ski. “Happy to help.”
She winced when she shifted her weight.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said with a wave of her hand like it was no big deal.
“It’s not nothing, Georgia. Obviously something is bothering you.”
“My thigh is a little sore. That’s all.” She rubbed at a spot on her inner thigh.
He pursed his lips. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t a major issue. At all. Still, he couldn’t stand the idea of seeing her in any form of discomfort.
So, before he allowed his good sense to take hold, he said, “I’m done my shift now. Why don’t you come with me back to the bunkhouse I’m staying at so you can relax for a while? Maybe warm up with a hot chocolate.” He raised his eyebrows.
She blinked a couple of times and then her eyes grew wide. A sly smile twisted her lips. “I don’t know. Do you have any marshmallows?” Her blue eyes sparkled, further drawing him in.
“What kind of guy would I be to invite a woman back to my place for hot chocolate and not have marshmallows?”
“Maybe the kind of guy who’d invite me back even though he didn’t have any hot chocolate?” She smirked.
The conversation had moved in a direction Everett hadn’t seen coming. Georgia’s comment wasn’t just playful, but also dripped with innuendo. And he couldn’t decide if he should ignore it altogether or feed their mutual attraction.
Damn it. He’d never been such a waffler in his life. He’d always been so certain of every course of action he took. Until Georgia. One minute, he was pushing the Southern beauty away from a kiss, and the next, he was inviting her back to his cabin. Alone. Where anything could happen.
Way to give mixed signals, jackass.
He cleared his throat. “Let’s see if we can figure out where your ski landed, and then we can head over.”
After they’d found her lone-ranger ski, Georgia followed him in her car back to the bunkhouse. As he drove along the snow-filled road, his stomach churned as nerves set in. This was feeling an awful lot like a date—not that he would know. He hadn’t been on one in longer than he even wanted to consider. Oh, he’d had the odd dalliance here and there, but never anything meaningful with someone whose opinion of him mattered. No, he’d been completely off the market for anything that required any form of emotional entanglement.
When they reached his cabin, he gave her a quick tour of the small space. They settled in, and he was putting the finishing touches on the hot chocolate when, from the corner of his eye, he spotted her removing the bulky sweater she’d had on under her ski jacket. The long-sleeved, cotton shirt underneath clung to her breasts and invited his stare. She was none the wiser as she tried in vain to finger comb the static from her hair. Apparently, her hat had done her no favors. In the end, she used a hair band from her wrist to put her hair into a ponytail.
With her hair drawn back off her face, her wide eyes and her high cheekbones drew more attention. There was an innate innocence about her look, but he had no doubt that she could have graced the covers of magazines with the biggest models in the world and not looked out of place.
Her gaze darted over to where he was standing across the room, staring at her, two hot chocolates—with marshmallows—in hand.
“What?” She patted at her ponytail.
“Nothing. Sorry.” He shook his head. Way to come across as a creeper.
Soon, he wouldn’t have to worry about what signals he was sending her because she’d never want to be around him again.
“Here.” He stepped forward and passed her the sugary concoction.
“Thank you.” She smiled up at him and made herself comfortable on the couch.
“It’s pretty hot, so you may want to wait a minute before you try some.”
She nodded and leaned forward to set the mug on the coffee table. Everett took a seat beside her.
“This is a cute place you have here.” Georgia gestured around the bunkhouse with her hand.
“Thanks. Amanda and Justin have been nice enough to let me use it while I’m working here. It’s not much, but it’ll do for now.”
“Oh, do you have plans to buy a house of your own in town?”
He shook his head. “No, I meant while I’m here, it’ll work. I plan to move on when the season is done, and it doesn’t make sense to buy a house, or even rent a place in town, what with the price of short-term rentals.”
Georgia’s eyebrows rose, crinkling her forehead. “I assumed that you were building a life here in Hope Falls. You seem to know so many people.”
“I’ve been here for a few months. It helps that I have family here with Eli and Deanna—makes it easier to meet people. I was fortunate that they introduced me to Sam, who got me the job in the ski patrol. She and her husband, Luke, are both Olympic medalists, and they run the ski program for Amanda and Justin.”
“Oh wow. That’s so cool. So, once the season is done, you’ll just up and leave? Won’t you miss everyone?” A crease formed between her eyebrows.
He shrugged. “No guarantees, but I don’t like to stay in one place for too long.”
Was that disappointment that flashed in her eyes? It had come and gone so quickly that he couldn’t be sure.
“Sounds like you have a bit of wanderlust.” Georgia grabbed her mug and then shifted on the couch so she was facing him.
“Something like that,” he muttered, not wanting to delve into it any further.
With the mug cupped between her hands and her legs crossed in front of her, she blew on her hot chocolate. The perfect circle of her pink lips had him wondering what else she could do with them. Which, in turn, had his dick twitching in his pants. He adjusted his position in order to hide the evidence of his arousal.
“What did you do before you came to Hope Falls?” she asked. The expression on her face was eager, and she appeared genuinely interested in learning more about him.
“Odd jobs here and there.” He shrugged. “I spent some time in Colorado and Oregon for a while. When Deanna had her accident with that fire, I flew in to visit her in the hospital and decided I’d head this way if I could find any work.”
“We almost met back then,” she said. “When I heard she was in the hospital, I’d tried to get the time off work to come and see her. By the time Deanna had caught wind of that, she’d called me and told me not to bother, that she was fine. You know how she can be.” She rolled her eyes.
Everett laughed. “Believe me. I grew up with that kid nipping at my heels. I know exactly how she can be.”
Georgia’s eyes lit up. “Oooh, you’ll have to tell me some stories I can use against her when she’s being stubborn.”
He gave her a mock-shocked face. “Deanna? Stubborn?”
She laughed, and not only was the sound like his own personal siren’s call, but it lit her up from the inside. Her eyes sparkled even more than they did already, the crook of her smile made the apples of her cheeks stand out, and it brought color to her pale skin. It made him want to see it again. And again. And even more than that, it made him want to be responsible for her laughter.
“How’s she feeling?” he asked, moving the conversation along.
“No better. Worse, actually, if you can believe it. She hasn’t been out of bed at all.” Georgia reversed her crossed legs, wincing when she did.
It wasn’t much, but he’d caught it all the same.
“Your knee bothering you?” he asked.
“No. Honest to God, the bruise is a little sore, but it’s no biggie. My upper leg hurts a little. That’s all.”
Everett set his hot chocolate down—which he’d yet to have a sip of because he’d been so engrossed in the conversation—and reached for her ankles, stretching her legs over his lap.
“Here. Let me massage it for you.”
She stiffened underneath his touch before she let herself go lax. “You don’t have to do that,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
He ignored her mild protest. Whether it was because he hated seeing her in any kind of discomfort or it was as good an excuse as any to place his hands on her, he wasn’t sure. In fact, he wasn’t going examine the why of it too closely—not sure he’d like what he would find.
“You were probably overcompensating for your knee while you had the ski boots on and didn’t even realize it.”
“Maybe. Those things aren’t exactly the easiest to move around in.”
“Especially if you’re always landing on your butt and having to drag yourself up from the snow in them.”
Georgia’s mouth fell open. “Hey!” She swatted him across the arm. “I’m sorry if we can’t all be pros on the slopes.”
He grinned at her, unable to hide the smile that wanted to be a permanent fixture on his face whenever she was near.
“Is it okay if I…” Everett motioned toward her thigh that was lying over his own.
She nodded, biting her bottom lip and he positioned his large hands on either side of her thigh and began massaging the muscle. With any luck he’d be able to relieve some of her discomfort.
Georgia was a little tense at first, but after a minute, she relaxed, letting her head drop back. At one point, a low moan escaped her lips, and Everett had to go through a mental list of disgusting images to keep from sporting wood against her leg and, thereby, mortifying both of them.
Maggots, dead fish, his parents having sex.
That last one did the trick, and he was good for a few minutes. But, as he watched Georgia sitting there with her eyes closed, enjoying his hands on her, overwhelming need built up inside him. It was as if her body had a physical pull to his and he was powerless to resist.
When her eyes opened, she caught him staring at her. Rather than comment on it, she glanced down and brought her mug to her lips to take her first sip of the warm, chocolate liquid while he continued to knead her thigh muscle.
“Mmm. This is yummy,” she said with appreciation.
“Thanks,” he replied, sparing her another glance and grinning.
“What?” Her entire body stilled.
He chuckled, took the mug from her hands, and set it on the table. After her sip, some marshmallow froth was left on her upper lip. It sat there, taunting him, daring him to taste it—taste her.
Leaning toward her, he said, “You have a little something right”—he cupped her face and brushed his thumb along her upper lip—“here.”
“Oh,” she said in a breathy sigh.
As they stared into one another’s eyes, her blue to his brown, Everett closed the gap further, leaving only inches between them. He had to know if he was building up their attraction beyond what was really there.
He pushed his other hand into her hair and brought his lips to hers. At first, Georgia didn’t respond, rigid and unmoving—until he swept his tongue across her lower lip. Then she joined him in the kiss, tasting him back as their tongues met. He groaned from deep in his throat, unable to control his reaction to finally, finally sating some of his desire for her.
She drove her hands into his hair and pressed her chest against his, moaning her own satisfaction. Everett slipped his hands down the sides of her body, gripped her waist, and brought her over him so that she straddled him while his back was against the couch.
Georgia must have liked what she felt, because she ground herself against his hard length as he deepened the kiss, wanting to devour her whole.
Everett ran his hands up the sides of her waist, underneath her T-shirt, and unlike last night, she was the one to pull away.
With wide, panicked eyes, she blurted out, “We shouldn’t be doing this.”
He couldn’t even form a coherent response since all of his blood had rushed to the lower half of his body—which she was still seated upon, he might add.
Georgia scrambled off him, readjusting her outfit when she stood, and grabbed her sweater before hightailing it to the coatrack near the door.
“Look, Georgia, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
She reached for her ski jacket and shoved her arms into the sleeves.
“You didn’t. It’s not like that. I wanted to kiss you.” She smacked herself in the forehead as if that weren’t quite what she meant. “I mean, obviously, I’m attracted to you as well. I did try to kiss you last night, after all. But I’m Deanna’s friend, and you’re her cousin. Who knows how long I’ll be in town—or you, for that matter. It’s not a good idea.”
He stepped around the coffee table and stood in front of her as she pulled the zipper to her coat up. “You need to know that all of those reasons you mentioned are the reason why I pushed you away last night. Not because I didn’t want to kiss you. I’m sorry I took things too far today.”
Georgia pressed her lips together, nodded, and flew out the door before he could say anything else. Which was probably a good thing because he was going to either kiss her again or try his best to convince her why everything they’d listed as deterrents to exploring what was between them didn’t matter.