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“Good point.” He lifted his eyebrows, and her smile grew.
“What is going on here?” a male voice demanded from above them.
“Oh, hey, Bryan. I just met a new friend.” The woman’s voice wasn’t friendly or welcoming now, and the blond man glowering at them was miles from either.
Ah, crap. No. Stronger than crap.
The unrealistic dream of this perfect woman shattered as quick as it had been sketched in his mind. She was with someone. Dating, engaged, please not married. He’d feel like the biggest heel on the planet if he was holding someone’s wife this securely and enjoying it this thoroughly. Especially after watching his wife cheat on him repeatedly with some of the biggest names in the music industry.
He released his grip on the lady. She gave him a look of surprise, but she didn’t roll away. In fact, she seemed to nestle in closer as if she had no intention of moving anytime soon. She couldn’t be married then. Though the guy standing over them looked angry enough she was definitely involved with him in some way. He also looked too old for Jace’s dream woman, but who was he to judge? His wife had been older than him, and a huge mistake. Could he beg this beauty to not make that mistake? Tell her not to ruin her life and dreams like he had his own?
It was none of his business, and he should move.
He didn’t.
“What’s your name, superhero who leaps over children and rescues women wearing the absolutely wrong, perilous to her life and others, boots to a ski resort? These ridiculous boots were probably the reason you knocked me over, by the way,” she said in an undertone as if they were sharing a joke. Jace wanted to share a lot of jokes with her. How could she be so perfectly appealing, the first woman he’d wanted to take a serious chance on since Iluminada, and … involved with the guy standing over them?
“Jace Jardine.”
“That’s a great name. I like it. I’m Ayla Thurston.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” he said, ignoring the man who was now tapping his foot. Ayla acted as if the man wasn’t there, so he followed her lead. He liked her name. A long “a” and then “la” as if she were singing it. Her name was as unique and pretty as she was.
Since she showed no intention of standing up and dealing with the man, he found his arms moving of their own volition and he gently wrapped her up tight again. Her smile grew.
“Ayla, really?” the guy demanded, standing right over them.
“Oh, goodness, Bryan, relax. I guess we should … get up?” she said to Jace.
“Probably.” He released his grip on her and she rolled off of him and sat up. Jace popped to his feet, put his arms around her waist and easily lifted her back onto her “ridiculous boots.”
She tottered on her heels and leaned against his shoulder. “Whew,” she murmured for only him to hear. “Who knew Colorado men were so strong and athletic?”
“Everybody, ma’am.” He smiled at her. She was … his mom would say delightful. His brother Bentley, who was a little behind developmentally, would say she was the prettiest lady ever. Jace thought she was that, but also the most intriguing. Ammon would say to take a chance and “finally forget the bratty Iluminada and go after a beautiful and genuine sweetheart.” He should ignore Ammon and all the desire to stay close to Ayla. He shouldn’t go after anyone. She’d be here and gone before they could form any kind of relationship.
The man cleared his throat and Jace forced himself to look away from Ayla at her glowering … he glanced quick for a wedding ring but thankfully there wasn’t one … so, boyfriend. They’d drawn a small crowd as well.
“Are you okay, Mr. Jardine?” Tanner, the young bellhop, asked. He was a great kid, fifteen, scrawny, and overanxious to please.
“I’m great, Tanner.” He’d be better than great if there was no Bryan. “And it’s Jace, remember?”
“Yes, sir.”
Tanner turned to Bryan. “Can I take those bags for you, sir? Checking in?”
“Yes, we’re checking in,” Bryan said in an annoyed tone as if Tanner was slow and not simply doing his job and being cordial.
“I’ll get these bags up to your room and have Julie over at the desk,” he pointed at Julie thirty feet away, smiling her welcome smile at them, “start the check-in process, Mr. and Mrs. …”
“Worthen,” Bryan supplied.
Jace’s gut turned over. So they were married. Ah, no. Just another lesson in why he should stay away from exquisitely beautiful women. His gut churned with disappointment and frustration. He felt like he’d just lost his best friend, which was pathetic and far too dramatic. He didn’t even know Ayla. Why had she been so irresistibly cute with him? Why had he let her draw him in like that? Why had touching her felt like heaven?
Bryan should be angrier than he was. Here Jace had thought Bryan was the jerk.
Jace looked away so he would stop ogling Ayla’s face. He also forced himself to step away so she wasn’t so close to him. She tottered on her heels, and he almost reached out to steady her but caught himself. Didn’t she say her name was Ayla Thurston? Were they recently married and she hadn’t changed her name, or was Bryan being presumptuous and wanted her to be Mrs. Worthen, or maybe they were siblings? He hoped for one of the latter options.
He checked the small crowd, mostly guests, but he did glimpse his brother Ammon walking past in ski gear, heading out to teach a lesson probably. Ammon gave him a curious, smart-alecky, but also too-hopeful look. Ammon was the best and had always wanted Jace’s happiness above his own. He didn’t want to shoot down Ammon’s hopes, but Ayla was involved with Bryan.
