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I happened to look over at Thane, who seemed distracted and was looking right at me.
Oh my God. Did he see that little interaction between Lyle and me?He was eyeing me like a hawk circling its prey, and I wondered if he could tell I was flirting with Lyle. Why did I suddenly feel like that was something I should be ashamed of? I could flirt with any man that I chose. And why did I care what Thane Erickson thought of me coming-on to another man? I didn’t and would continue to do so, despite the ice I saw in his eyes.
We played a few rounds, and we girls won by one point. “I think you girls cheated,” Thane accused.
“How so?” I asked, irked that he could think such a thing.
“Well, I’m sure I saw you coaching Addison when it was her turn to draw,” he said. He leaned forward and eyed me curiously.
“Stop making shit up,” I said.
“Would you two give it a rest?” Remi said, looking back and forth from Thane to me.
I made a face at Thane and said, “Who’s up for nighttime skiing? I read that we can ski until midnight, and it’s only nine-thirty right now.”
“Sounds good to me,” Lyle said quickly.
“I’m in,” Thane said, looking at Lyle, then at me.
“Let’s go,” said Evan and Shellene simultaneously.
“I’m out. I’m exhausted,” Lila said.
Addison and Remi also opted not to go.
Once we were on the slopes, Lyle confided that he’d never been skiing before. I jumped at the chance to spend some time getting to know him. “I’ll show you some of my tricks,” I said, a little too emphatically.
Thane furrowed his brows. “Lyle’smyfriend.I’llshow him how it’s done,” he said, almost protectively.
“I’m going to go with looks versus brawn,” Lyle interjected, lightly punching him in the arm in that way guys do. “Darcy, show me what you’ve got.”
As we walked over to the side of the hill, Thane shook his head and went over to Evan. The two of them started down the hill and disappeared out of sight.
“So, what are these tricks you want to show me?” Lyle asked, smiling down at me.
My heart warmed despite the bitter cold that was nipping at the exposed skin on my face. “Position your skis to the left, like this.” I demonstrated the movement. He was a great student and got it on the first try. “As you descend the slope, keep your legs bent like this, and your knees should stay together. Go across the top of the hill, lift your legs slightly off the ground, and twist, like this, so that you are now traveling down in the opposite direction. This will help pace your momentum, so you’re not barreling down the hill at an unmanageable speed.”
When we made it to the bottom of the hill, Lyle grinned. “You’re a great teacher, Darcy. Anything else you’d like to teach me?” He winked, and my knees became weak.
“I, uh. What else would you like me to teach you?” I asked, aware that Thane had just made it down a second time and was watching us with a strange expression on his face.Jealousy?This made me feel uneasy yet strangely satisfied.Eat your heart out, asshole.
“How about we discuss it on the chairlift?” Lyle said.
I nodded, and we made our way to the lift and got seated. As the operator started the lift again, Lyle turned to me. “You’re not at all like how Thane described you.”
I lifted my left eyebrow in question. “Oh? And howexactlydid he describe me?”
Lyle laughed, and my knees went weak again. I hoped I would be able to ski down the slope. “I think his exact words were ‘a harsh, unforgiving woman who lashes out at the smallest things.’ Oh, and he said you were nothing much to look at. He was wrong on all accounts.”
Anger burned inside my stomach as I heard his words. Who the hell did Thane think he was? I couldn’t believe what a child he could be. “Interesting. He’s just crushed that he can never have me.”
Lyle thought this was hilarious and couldn’t stop laughing. “You’re a funny girl. I love your sarcasm.”
I found myself blushing. We went down the hill a little faster this time, and I was amazed at how quickly Lyle’s skill progressed. When we reached the bottom, Evan, Shellene, and Thane were all waiting for us.
“Time to go back to our cabin. The others are getting a campfire ready for us,” Remi told us.
We all piled into the SUV and drove back to the cabin. We took our seats around the fire and began roasting marshmallows. Lyle sat beside me and began asking me questions to get to know me: What did I do for a living? How old was I? What were my hobbies? We talked back and forth, and then he roasted my marshmallows for me.
