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“What?”
He stands, leaning his ass against the wooden barrier. Behind him, the sun is shining through the aspen trees, casting a glimmering light over the water of the lake. “It doesn’t mean shit, does it, Ace?” he drawls, asking the question more to himself than me.
“I don’t know,” I reply, not knowing what to say.
“Let me tell you a story about the pipe,” he says, running a hand through his long hair.
“Sure.” I tuck my legs under me and watch him. He takes a deep breath and kicks his foot against the reeling.
“Each time I drop into it, I’m risking everything. I’ve been on a board since I was three years old, and this is all I ever knew for the most part of my life. My dad first took me on back country rides until I got Ben to coach me when I was ten years old. You have to learn about all the different elements—the wind, the snow, and flat light. When the sky is the same color as the ground and you can easily lose vision of what is happening.” He takes a moment before he goes on. “And I’ve had a couple of close calls. It didn’t matter back then. Do you get what I’m saying?”
“I think I do,” I say. Is he telling me he has feelings for me too?
“Take a walk with me, will you?” he pleads. “I want to show you something.”
“Okay,” I promise, pulling on my boots. We walk in silence along the path of the lake.
“That house across from the lake is the place I want to grow old in,” he tells me, trailing his hand in mine. “I know I kid around a lot,” he says while we continue our way along the waterline. “And sometimes I don’t say the right things, or perhaps I say nothing at all.”
“I like that part of you, but you need to know I can’t be with someone who doesn’t want to spend every part of his life with me,” I confess. “I know the mountain calls to you. I get it, and that’s what scares me. Because I might know you better than—”
“I know myself,” he finishes for me.
I stop walking and stare out to the water, the soft mist gliding over the surface. “If we were going to do this, really do this, then you need to let me in, Jesse,” I tell him, laying my hand on his heart.
He covers my fingers with his palm. “I know. Fuck, I don’t care if this is going too fast, or not fast enough. Know this, babe,” he says. His eyes are dark when he scratches his stubble. “I travel the best part of the year, chasing pow and competing harder, faster, better. This was all I ever wanted… until you, Ace.”
My mouth dries, and my heart starts to hammer in my ears. “What do you mean?” I ask, loving the way he laces our fingers together.
“I’m going to find a way to keep you, Ace. One way or the other, I’m going to keep you,” he promises, and I close my eyes, wanting to believe every word he just said.
