AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But the twenty percent risk that he might have turned his head or gently pushed her away concerned her. Leaving him longing for her was a strategic move in the game of love. It was excruciating, but smart.
It was clear he was fighting not to fall for her. Maybe because of this Miriam, or because he was her security guard. Maybe the age difference worried him.
Or maybe her dream man really was a confirmed player, didn’t want to settle down, and would shatter her heart in the end.
She wasn’t certain the reason, but she prayed for help. The plan was by Saturday night to have him telling hershewas his perfect woman and that he’d happily settle down in a shack in the mountains or follow her around the world if she asked.
Kiera smiled to herself. She didn’t want to control Mason or order him around, but she did want to love him.
The next morning dawned bright and exquisite. Everyone seemed to be in a fabulous mood as they cooked and ate breakfast together and then loaded up the golf carts to head to the gondola in town. Mason was his happy, teasing self, but Kiera could tell he was trying to keep his distance. Well, too bad for him as they’d be skiing and riding lifts together all day.
They got to the gondola and loaded up. Too bad for her, as there was a small crowd and they definitely weren’t alone. With her helmet and goggles on, somebody would’ve been hard pressed to recognize her, so that was a relief. At the same time, it would’ve strengthened the ‘pretending to be a couple’ angle if a tourist figured out who she was and started snapping pictures. Kiera could’ve cuddled into Mason and used his strong, tall form to shelter her from the camera. She was tempted to pull her goggles off and start name-dropping her family, but she didn’t.
When they exited the gondola, she popped her FC08 ski boots into her Foil Oro-Nero Gold skis.
Mason lifted his brows at her gold-plated skis, a gift from her incredible father. “The most ridiculously expensive freestyle skis on the market won’t help you out-trick me.”
“We’ll see, my favorite bodyguard. We’ll see.” Kiera winked, pulled her goggles over her eyes, and took off down the slope.
The skiing was fabulous. She appreciated that Mason could not only keep up with her, but he might actually be faster than her. He didn’t prove that, instead staying diligently by her side. Most of the runs they were on were intermediate, which was great for Sarah and Josiah to stay within visible distance. She and Mason found ideal spots to backflip, front flip, and do three-sixties.
Kiera fancied showing off for him, and he rewarded her with lots of praise and more challenges. Just before lunch, they launched off a twenty-foot cliff with a decent amount of powder below it. As Sarah and Josiah were far behind them, they decided to climb back to the top and have another go.
Side-stepping quickly, Kiera reached the top of their jump first. “Double backflip with a twist?” she asked.
“I know you’re trying to impress me, but you don’t have to kill yourself to do so.” Mason pushed his goggles up on his helmet. His blue eyes sparkled at her.
“I know you’re already impressed by me.” She grinned. “I’m simply proving I’m the best trickster around and that the Oro-Neros are more than worth the money.”
He chuckled. “I don’t know about any of those statements.”
“Ah,” she protested. “Watch, learn, and be impressed, my inferior-skiing bodyguard.”
He shoved his poles in the ground, folded his arms across his chest, and gave her a fake glower. “Inferior-skiing?”
Kiera laughed. Then she shoved off with her poles, jumping at the same time and aiming her skis straight. She flew down the steep slope, hit the overhang, and launched off of it. Arching back, she easily rotated once, twisting her body for the second flip. She made it around and prepared to sink into the powder.
The spot she hit for a landing had been tracked out on their first run, so the powder wasn’t as deep as the last time, and she may have over-rotated. Slightly. The back of her skis hit packed snow sooner and much harder than she anticipated. Her skis popped off, and she was launched forward into the snow. Her chest and forehead slammed into powder and packed snow. The breath was knocked clean out of her, and her chest and head both ached.
“Kiera!” Mason’s urgent call broke through the now-spinning bright day.
Kiera tried to pull in a breath to respond, but she couldn’t. It was dark, and she desperately needed to breathe. There was no oxygen left in her body. Face down in the snow, she was sealed in an icy coffin.
“Kiera!” Mason gently rolled her over. She blinked up into his handsome face, though he looked like he was at the end of a long tunnel.
“Breathe, sweetheart,” he urged.
She clutched his arm and tried to pull herself up. He cautiously cradled her back and head to lift her. Finally, her chest heaved and then she pulled in a breath.
“That’s right, love. You’ve got this. Breathe.”
She followed his advice.
His goggles were still on his head, his blue eyes full of concern.
She took slow, long breaths and her vision cleared.
“How are your head, chest, back, and neck?” he asked.
