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He shifts the vehicle into park and kills the engine. “You can get just about anything if you pay enough money for it.”
We leave the SUV, and I follow Zane into a mudroom before continuing down a hallway that leads into an open kitchen and living room space. I expected his place to be lavish, but I’m surprised when I see that it’s spacious and nice but understated. The kitchen is clean and filled with stone countertops and high-end appliances, but it’s relatively compact. The living room has a leather sectional couch and a couple of chairs. A large stone fireplace takes up most of one wall. But the showstopper is the scenery.
My eyes take me straight to the sliding glass doors that lead to a massive deck built into the side of the mountain. The fresh air hits my face as I walk across the threshold and onto the wooden surface. There’s a hot tub on one end and a grill on the other with a small firepit. But the view … is breathtaking.
I stop when I reach the railing. My stomach presses against it, and my hands rest on top. There are miles of land stretched before us, and it’s like we’re hovering in the clouds. Zane steps up beside me.
“Why have we been staying in my rental when we could’ve been here?” I ask, not tearing my eyes away from the landscape.
He chuckles. “I like your cabin. It’s cozy, and it’s closer to town.”
I glance at him. “We could’ve been cozy up here.”
“It might’ve gotten crowded with all those other girls at my place.”
He’s joking, but I narrow my eyes anyway.
He shakes his head with a smirk on his face. “Come on.” He takes my hand and tugs me along. “Let me show you the rest of the place.”
It’s a three-bedroom, three-bath house with an office. The space is clean and tidy, which surprises me. The office is filled with trophies and medals. Framed pictures of Zane snowboarding in different competitions are scattered around. He’s on the cover of a few magazines too.
I step closer to a large candid shot hanging on the wall. Zane is boarding down a mountain. His cheeks are flushed from the cold, but that’s the only bit of skin that isn’t covered. I move to the next one. He’s performing tricks on a half-pipe. In this photo, he’s mid-flip, suspended about ten feet in the air, above the upper rim of the pipe.
“You look fearless,” I comment, studying the shot.
He’s silent somewhere behind me, but the intensity he carries radiates throughout the room.
“Do you miss it?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder.
He meets my eyes with a somber expression. His lips are in a thin line. “Every day.”
I resist the urge to throw my arms around him, to comfort him, because Zane doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who likes to be coddled. So, instead, I glance back at the image.
“Well, you look like you were flying there. Like a boss.” I smile to myself when I quote Benji. “Did you win that competition?”
I see his smirk from the corner of my eye, and I have my answer. My smile widens.
“So … where does the magic happen?” I ask, sliding my fingers through his.
He leans over and kisses me. It’s deep and smoldering and … unexpected.
“Wow,” I breathe out when he steps back. “What did I do to deserve that?”
“What makes you think you have to do anything?” We start moving toward the door. “That was a just-because kiss.”
“Just because you can?” I ask.
He nods his head. “Just because I can.”
Zane walks me into his bedroom. He has a California king sitting in the middle of the room and some bedroom furniture. His bed is made, and the finishes are dark, but it’s masculine and it suits him.
“So, I’m starting to realize you’re only messy at my place,” I chide.
He chuckles. “The cleaners came yesterday.”
“Ahh.” I nod. “What did it look like before they came?”
“The same,” he insists, pulling me against him, “just messier.”
