I swallowed hard and offered to ride to the top with her as my heart beat against the inside of my chest in a way it hadn't before. It had to be withdrawals. Twelve years of holding a different woman every night became a nasty habit after a while. I was addicted to being wanted like some guys were to the bottle.
It's just a girl. Slow your roll. No women for 25 days.
She refused my offer, which was a slap to the face. There had been very few women in my past who hadn't jumped at the chance to do something with me. It was shocking and refreshing. It caused a fire to ignite inside of me. She would be a challenge, if nothing else.
She got on the lift as Jerry, the old man who owned the thing, gave the girl my name. He winked at me and I rewarded him with a smirk, calling out to her and asking for her name in return.
When she'd called herself baby, I knew I was in for a treat. She was either a player herself or had guys like me figured out. Either way, I wanted to know.
I jumped on the platform and got on the next lift as Jerry chuckled. "Good luck, son. She's not interested."
"I'm glad she's not." I wrapped one arm around myself and waved as she looked back at me. She might not think she was interested, but she was. If not, I'd subtly force it to happen.
It seemed like forever by the time we made it to the top and she was quick to hop off and move toward the bunny slopes. A chuckle left me at the thought of her learning to ski and I realized that I had to tread lightly. My usual attack wouldn't work on this girl at all. She had a man, or had been broken by one. Either way, her unwillingness to give me the time of day meant something was up.
"Couldn't be me." I shrugged and internally rolled my eyes. When the fuck had I gotten so cocky?
I dropped off the lift and moved toward her, calling out with my hands around my mouth. "Baby. Wait up."
Several people from the bunny slope line turned and smiled like we were a cute couple and she was leaving my ass in the snow. She turned and put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes and making my cock twitch at the dominance in her gaze.
"I'm not your baby, and I don't need your help." She kept her glare locked into place and some part of me expected it to fade, but it didn't. She was serious.
"Well, if I knew your name I wouldn't have to call you by a common nickname for lovers." I shrugged and moved up behind her. "You know my name. Give me yours."
"And then you'll hop off? I'm not interested."
She let out a soft sigh and I worked like hell to keep my eyes on hers and not take in the rest of her beautiful face. I wanted to memorize her, but I hated it when people did that shit to me. I was standing on the other side of the situation for the first time in my life and it was thrilling.
"Yes, but if you're trying to learn to ski, I'm a local and there are much better bunny slopes around the back side of this mountain. I would be more than happy to help you learn. Nothing else. Promise." I held up my hands and gave her my best innocent expression.
"I'm Stacy, and I'm not buying that face for a second." She shook her head.
The smell of strawberries and vanilla filled my senses and I stifled a groan at the sweet smell of her shampoo. I glanced behind me and pointed to the narrow passage that would lead to a little bit of privacy.
"Well, Stacy, which isn't your name at all," I looked back at her and winked, "if you can get through that narrow passage, I'll show you a secret slope that honestly will help you much better than what these guys are going to do."
"Nothing else? No phone number, no see you around and then you stalk me?" She lifted an eyebrow.
"Nope, so giving me your real name would be good. If I need to call out to you, you ain't responding to Stacy."
"Ain't isn't a word." Her hand dropped from her hips and she shook her head. "Okay on the teaching session, but I only have an hour. So cut to the chase and save your flirting for someone it might work on."
I reached out and took her hand, helping her to the opening in the mountain and squeezing in behind her as I let her go. She had to be the most naturally beautiful woman I'd ever seen. If she were wearing makeup, she hid it well.
"So, California or Florida?" I asked and moved up beside her, offering my hand.
She slapped it as if we were exchanging a greeting. The smirk on her face caused my stomach to tighten. I had to have her. The cocky bitch needed a man like me for the night, and she would bring me back down to reality if nothing else.
"California, and my name is Mindy." She winked and I chuckled, unable to help myself.
"Alright, Lindy."
She turned and growled softly. "Mindy. You've already forgotten my name. You should switch to baby or hun."
"How do you know that trick?"
"I go to school at UCLA. Manwhores are a dime a dozen." She positioned herself at the top of the slopes and glanced over at me as I flinched from her comment, not meaning to. "Oh. I'm sorry. I was just teasing."
"Sorry about what?" I deflected and nodded toward the slope. "Alright, so let's try this little one first and we'll move up. I'll go right beside you should something happen. You skied at all before?"
She watched me for a second, analyzing something about me, but I didn't ask what. Two could play her game.
Manwhore…
It was a proud badge to wear, as most guys would know. Only girl's seemed to use it as something derogatory.
"As a kid, I skied. Up here actually." She turned and bent her knees a little before pulling her glasses into place. "How long have you lived here?"
"All my life, baby." I winked at her and moved up beside her. "Take it slow and if you need me, well, you know my name. Let's hope I don't need you."
She chuckled and lifted her pole, smacking me in the chest with it. "It's Chloe and stop being so damn cute. I'm only here for a few weeks. I don't sleep around, and I'm only looking for a friend. Be nice and I might let you put in an application."
"Ha! Who said I want to?" I pushed off and she moved up right beside me as the wind blew around us.
Her voice was sexy as hell and filled to the brim with confidence as she responded. "Oh you want to."
I did. Badly.
We made it to the bottom of the circle and I pulled her to a stop, seeing that she didn't seem able to figure out how to slow herself.
She turned toward me and reached out, taking a hold of one of my arms as she wobbled a little.
"Wow. What a rush." She turned and looked back up the mountain. "I love it. Let's do it again."
"You skied as a kid, but you don't remember how to stop yourself?"
"It's been a long time. I much prefer the beach and the heat." She turned back to me and smiled before reaching up and brushing something from the side of my cap.
Her nearness stole my breath and for the second time in the hour I felt light-headed over this woman. I needed her number, needed to figure out something I could offer her that would have her taking up another one of my afternoons.
"You only have an hour. We can do this two or three more times and then we need to get back." I pointed down at my skis and turned both of them inward. "Do this to stop, okay?"