Читать книгу Wilde Thing - Jannine Gallant - Страница 8

Leaning against the kitchen sink, Tripp froze with the water glass halfway to his lips. Holy shit!

The storm had let up, and a full moon rode high in the sky, shining over the lake to illuminate everything in its path…including the woman who stood before the French doors leading from the dining room out onto the deck. Hannah wore something thin and floaty. Her silhouette was clearly visible in the silvery light. Long legs, rounded hips, the barest hint of a curve at her belly, full breasts with pearled tips… He swallowed hard. The ache in his shoulder couldn’t compare to the sudden throbbing in his groin.

Down, boy.

This was Hannah, his sister’s best friend, his soon-to-be physical therapist. Getting all hot and bothered over her was definitely not a good idea, no matter how badly he wanted to touch those curves. He gritted his teeth and strongly considered pouring the glass of ice-cold water down the front of his boxers, which was all he had on except the sling. With any luck, maybe he could slink back to the bedroom before she noticed him. He wasn’t exactly going to be able to hide his reaction to seeing her if she flipped on a light.

Turning, he stepped down a little too hard on his weak ankle and swore. “Mother fu…” Clamping his teeth together, he bit off the expletive.

“Tripp?”

He closed his eyes. “Yeah.”

Silk whispered against skin as she rushed through the dining room. “Are you okay?”

At least the shooting pain up his leg had taken the edge off his other…problem. “I’m not going to collapse or anything, but I should have used the crutch. What are you doing up?”

She stopped a couple yards away with the center island between them. “I couldn’t sleep. What about you?”

“Thirsty. Those pain pills gave me dry mouth.”

“Do you need help getting back to bed?”

The thought of those swaying breasts tucked up against his side with only a wisp of material between them… He let out a long breath. “I got out here on my own, so I think I can make it back, but it’s a damn good thing the master suite is on this floor.”

“You could have slept on the couch. It’s toasty in here with the fire still burning. I added a couple more chunks of wood to the stove, by the way.”

“Thanks.” He took a gulp of water then set the glass on the counter. “Good night, Hannah.”

“Good night.”

He limped out of the room and down the hall, wondering when Hannah Ryder had become the sexiest woman on the planet. Maybe it was her take-charge attitude, which was a hell of a lot more attractive than the hesitant mouse he remembered from her college years. He was tempted to ask her out. Maybe not while he was banged up and aching and wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, however. He’d give it a few days. She’d either grow on him, or not. In the meantime, getting to know her better promised to be an experience he wouldn’t soon forget.

* * * *

“Are you trying to kill me?” Tripp stretched out his arm, trying to touch the hand she held just out of reach. “Holy mother of God!”

“You’re doing great.”

Hannah’s encouraging smile grated on his nerves.

“Two more reps and we’ll be finished.”

Unless he died first. Sweat broke across his brow. “This can’t be helping.”

“I promise you it is. I’m pushing you a little, but not outside the safe range of motion.” She gave him another quick smile. “A little farther. That’ll do it. You can rest now while I apply a cold compress.”

He slumped against the wall. Freezing his shoulder off was almost as bad as the mobility exercises she tortured him with. “Something else to look forward to.” His voice dripped sarcasm.

A grin curved her lips. “Don’t be a baby. Three weeks into rehab, and you’re making remarkable progress. Obviously, you’re a fast healer.”

When she gestured toward the small seating area in the corner of his home gym, he headed over and took a chair by the window that faced out onto the forest. The sun peeked through cloud cover, and melting snow fell in clumps from tree branches to pock the deep powder below them. The day had warmed up to above freezing, but another cold front was predicted to move in at nightfall ahead of the next big storm. The most epic winter the Sierras had experienced in years, and he was missing all the action.

“When can I ski again?”

She stepped up to his side and applied an icepack. “Depends on what you mean by ski. Nothing in the way of competition for a few more weeks. A hard fall would undo all the healing you’ve accomplished.”

“My ankle’s one hundred percent. Not a hint of pain, anymore.”

“True.”

He turned to face her, hope stirring. “Could I take a few easy runs, just for fun? Nothing strenuous. I need to get out on the mountain again. Being cooped up in the house is killing me.”

Fine brows knit, and concern clouded her golden eyes. “That’s pushing it a little, Tripp.”

“You could come with me to supervise. It’s a beautiful afternoon. Tomorrow will be another storm day, so this is our window of opportunity.” He topped off the plea with his most persuasive smile. “I promise I won’t hurt myself.”

“No black diamond runs?”

He wasn’t willing to go that far. “Just the ones I can manage with both hands tied behind my back.”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “Show-off.” She hesitated for a long moment. “Will you quit if you start feeling any pain?”

“Pain is a problem for you?” He adjusted the cold pack. “You have the nerve to mention pain after the suffering you just put me through?”

“The abuse I dish out is directed and serves a purpose. I’m not kidding about stopping if you feel discomfort.”

“Fine, I promise. The last thing I want is to set back my recovery.”

“Then, against my better judgment, I’ll agree.”

“Sweet!” He jumped up.

She grabbed his good arm. “After you finish icing that shoulder.”

“Anything you say.” He met her still skeptical gaze as she moved to stand by the window. “Maybe we can go out to dinner afterward. My treat to thank you for being such an excellent sport about this.”

She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. “How many times have I told you I don’t date clients? Ten? Twelve? Give it a rest, Tripp.”

He couldn’t let the idea go. Getting Hannah to agree to go out with him was his new mission in life. His top goal—right behind skiing again. If he could accomplish both in the same afternoon… He pasted on what he hoped was an innocent, wide-eyed expression. “Dinner together doesn’t have to be a date, per se. Just a friendly meal. We both need to eat, after all.”

“You’re pushing your luck. Again. I agreed to a few ski runs. Shouldn’t that satisfy your quest for adventure?”

“For now.”

She snorted then headed across the room. “You can take off the icepack in ten minutes. If we’re really doing this, I need to go home to change and get my ski equipment.”

“Do you have a season pass for Squaw and Alpine? If not, I can get you a free ticket.”

She paused in the doorway. “I have a pass. I’m not a fanatic about skiing the way you are, but I enjoy it.”

“Good. I’ll swing by your house to pick you up in a half hour, if that works for you.”

When she nodded and disappeared down the hallway, Tripp slumped against the chair to wait out his ten minutes and tapped his fingers with impatience. Nothing right now—except possibly enticing Hannah into bed—would do more to lift his spirits than getting out on the mountain. He planned to enjoy every last minute of it.

* * * *

Hannah pushed off the chair lift at the top of KT-22 and skied behind Tripp to the edge of the bowl. A cold breeze stung her cheeks, but she didn’t mind. The blood pumped fast through her veins to keep her warm. Skiing with Tripp, even when he swore he was taking it easy, was nothing if not invigorating.

She glanced around as the long shadows faded into dusk on the nearly deserted mountain. “Last run. The sky is getting darker by the minute.”

“It’s past four o’clock, so they’ve probably stopped loading chairs by now. I love this time of day, after all the crowds have left.” Resting one gloved hand on her shoulder, he pointed with his other. “Ski straight down and then head over to the right. This run isn’t too difficult for you, is it?”

“No, I can manage.”

“That’s the spirit.”

She followed him as he dropped into the bowl. As usual, the beauty of his effortless turns mesmerized her. In the flat light, she didn’t notice the bump until she hit the edge and went flying. Arms windmilling, she caught her balance just in time to avoid a face-plant. When she reached his side where he waited for her near some trees, she was out of breath and shaking.

“Nice save.” He flashed a smile in the gloom.

Heat crept up her neck. “You saw that?”

“I caught the tail end of your performance when I glanced back to check where you were. I thought I was going to have to hike back up to dig you out.”

“I’m glad I saved you the trouble.”

He squeezed her arm then turned to gaze out across the mountain. Barely visible against the darkening sky, the Olympic Lady chairlift carried a final few skiers toward the top of East Face.

“I wouldn’t have minded.” He glanced down at her and grinned. “This afternoon has been the most fun I’ve had in weeks. Sharing it with you made the day even better.”

When his hand fell away, she adjusted her pole straps. “I’m not exactly in your league.”

“You’re not half bad. Your technique could use a little work, but overall… What the hell?”

Hannah glanced up. “What’s wrong?”

“Two people on the final occupied chair—shit! Did you see that?”

Something dark against the sky plummeted toward the ground then disappeared from view.

She pressed a hand to her lips. “Oh, my God, did someone just fall off that chair?”

“Looked like it. Or the person was pushed. Movement on the chair attracted my attention in the first place. They could have been fighting, or maybe it was kids goofing around.” He turned and shoved off. “Let’s go.”

Heart thumping, Hannah followed as best she could, but Tripp was flying across the snow. When he skied out of sight, she bit her lip and stopped near an outcropping of rocks. “Tripp?”

“I’m down here.”

She sidestepped up to the rocks and peered over the top. Tripp stood a short distance away, hands fisted on his hips.

He waved toward the chairlift moving silently high above them. “The skier would have fallen right down there into those rocks, but I don’t see anything.”

“Maybe he’s buried in the snow. Shouldn’t we call ski patrol?”

“I want to give them an exact location, if I can. Anyway, we’re a hell of a lot closer. I’ll head down to check it out.”

“Tripp! You can’t ski between those rocks.”

He glanced back at her. “Sure, I can.”

“Your shoulder—”

“If the person who fell is still alive, time is critical. You can ski down to the lift shack and tell the attendant to radio for help. That’ll be faster than calling 9-1-1. I’ll meet you down there as soon as I can.”

“Okay, but, be careful.”

Hannah’s legs shook as she sidestepped a few yards to get back onto the run before heading down the mountain, skiing with caution in the fading light. She sure wouldn’t get there any faster if she took a tumble. When she reached the lift shack, the little building was deserted, but a snowboard leaned against one wall. She called out then stood with her fists planted on her hips, waiting for a response. Where the hell had the attendant gone? If his radio was still in the shack, maybe…

When a swoosh sounded above her, heart in her throat, she spun around on her skis. “What the…?”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Not the attendant. Tripp.

Relief filled her, and she let out a breath. “Did you find the skier?”

He shook his head. “Nothing. Not a damn thing but a sunken spot in the snow and some track marks that could have been made any time since the last storm.”

Hannah frowned. “Do you think whoever fell off the chair got up and skied away?”

“I don’t see how. That was a hell of a long drop. He would have broken half the bones in his body on those rocks.” Tripp glanced toward the shack. “Where’s the attendant?”

“No one’s here. I was going to go check for a radio when you showed up.”

“Let’s… Hey, where the hell have you been?”

A uniformed man, probably in his early twenties, tromped through the snow out of a nearby stand of trees. An unmistakable odor clung to him.

“What’s the problem? I was…uh…taking a leak.”

“More like smoking a joint,” Tripp muttered. He waited for the man to reach them before speaking again. “We saw someone fall off the last occupied chair.”

The man’s brown eyes widened. “Shit. No way! Did you call for help?”

“Not yet. I went looking for a body but didn’t find anything.”

The kid’s shoulders slumped. “It’s pretty dark. Maybe the last guy dropped his board or something. That could be what you saw.”

“I don’t think so. There were two people on the chair.”

He scratched the scraggly beard decorating his chin. “You sure? The last two chairs I loaded were singles.”

“I noticed the two singles then a good-sized gap before the final chair.” Tripp glanced over at Hannah. “Right?”

She nodded. “I think so. I wasn’t really looking until you yelled.”

“Maybe you were mistaken. If you didn’t find anyone…” The attendant shrugged.

Tripp pressed his lips tight. “I wasn’t seeing things. Did you get a good look at the last skiers?”

“They were both boarders, I think. I was on my phone and not paying much attention. Then I headed into the woods to, uh…pee.”

Tripp snorted. “Terrific.”

“I’ll report what you saw to ski patrol. Where do you think this guy fell?”

Hannah turned away while Tripp gave him specific details. Above them, a hint of movement in the trees caught her attention. A frown drew her brows together. Maybe she’d imagined that flash of blue.

She nudged Tripp’s elbow. “I thought I saw someone in blue up there.”

The lift op glanced up the slope. “Maybe a skier crossing through on Champs Elysees? No one’s up there now. Are you sure?”

Tripp stared toward the trees. “If someone was up there, he must have headed over toward Red Dog. I’m going to haul ass down to the bottom to see if I can catch him. Maybe it’s the person who was on that final chair.”

“Fine, but you’d better stick around to talk to ski patrol after you do. They’ll want a firsthand account.”

He glanced at the attendant and nodded. “Sure. Let’s go, Hannah.”

Hannah quit trying to keep up with Tripp’s breakneck pace after the first twenty seconds. The cold breeze stung her cheeks as she focused on where she was going and breathed a sigh of relief when the steep terrain level out. As she approached the bottom of the hill, she searched for Tripp’s neon-green helmet. He was standing near the gondola, talking to a woman who carried a snowboard. As Hannah skied up, the boarder walked away, headed toward the village.

“Any luck?”

He wiggled his gloved hand back and forth. “Carrie was on the chairlift. I’ve met her before at local parties.”

“Did she see what happened?”

“She confirmed another boarder was riding the lift behind her, but he wasn’t anyone she knew, and he flew by her on the way down. Brown jacket, no helmet, dreadlocks. He wasn’t around when she reached the bottom. Carrie also mentioned she glanced back once when she was approaching the top of the mountain and saw a skier quite a ways down the line of chairs.”

Hannah’s pulse beat a little faster. “Skier, singular?”

“Yeah, it must have been after the other guy—”

“Or woman.”

“I suppose so.” Tripp blew out a breath in the cold air. “Anyway, it must have been after the other person had already fallen.”

“Did she see the skier after he got off the lift?”

“Just from a distance. He wore a black jacket and helmet. She was pretty sure it was a guy from his height and the way he moved, but she wasn’t close enough to make out any details. He didn’t pass her on the way down.”

Hannah glanced around at the few remaining skiers still on the snow. Two women and a man laughed together near the gondola. A lone man wearing a rust-colored jacket headed toward the parking lot. Two employees in uniform called back and forth as they glided toward the children’s ski center.

“If the man in black came down off the mountain, he didn’t hang around. Who knows, maybe he went to report the incident.”

“There’s no one in a blue jacket, either, if that’s what you saw up there.” Tripp snapped out of his skis. “I guess we should head over to the patrol office. Maybe it was just a backpack.”

“What was?” Hannah pushed down on the binding release then stepped out of her ski.

“The object we saw fall. Maybe the guy in the black jacket dropped his backpack. He could have been struggling to take it off while he was on the chair. That could have been what caught my attention, but I could swear…”

She straightened, holding her skis. “It sure looked bigger than a backpack to me.”

He met her gaze. “Nothing else makes any sense.”

A little shiver worked its way down her spine. “I’d rather believe that than think we saw someone die.”

“No kidding.”

He headed across the snow. Resting her skis on her shoulder, Hannah fell into step beside him. “After all that drama, how do you feel?”

“My shoulder aches a bit, but not too bad.”

“I hope you didn’t reinjure it. Damn, I was an idiot to agree to this.” She huffed out a breath. “You made me feel sorry for you, so I shelved my better judgment.”

“I…” He stopped and pointed. “Over there. Do you see them?”

Hannah squinted through the gloom toward the parking lot. Headlights flashed, briefly illuminating two men at the rear of a van, one in a black jacket, one in royal blue.

“Shit!” Tripp took a few running steps then stopped.

Doors slammed, and an engine started. The van moved through a scattering of cars, taillights gleaming red before it turned toward the road out of the valley.

Hannah caught up to Tripp. “The man in blue had a beard. I didn’t get a look at the other guy. Did you recognize either of them?”

He shook his head. “No. I didn’t see the second man’s face. There’s no way to catch them now.”

She pulled her phone from her pocket. “We can call 9-1-1. Maybe a patrol car could stop the van.”

“For what reason?” Tripp turned away as the taillights vanished. “We saw something fall off a chairlift. That’s it. No dead body turned up, so there’s no crime to report.”

She tucked her phone back into her pocket. “When you put it like that…” A long sigh slipped out. “Let’s go talk to ski patrol then head home. All of a sudden, I’m exhausted.”

“A few hours ago, I was bored out of my mind and looking for a little excitement. I guess I got more than I bargained for.”

Hannah stared into the dark night as a chill shook her. “You know what they say. Be careful what you wish for.”