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I shook my head.
“Right. There probably wouldn’t be much of a reason to go if you aren’t going to take advantage of being able to ski or snowboard there. Well, I checked the forecast for winter storms, saw they were expecting a substantial dump at Powder Mountain, and since I like riding there, I packed up and took off.”
“Aren’t you worried?”
“About what?”
I sent an incredulous look his way. “With the amount of snow that falls in parts of the Rocky Mountains, I can’t imagine the thought doesn’t cross your mind of being stranded somewhere.”
Griffin’s lips twitched. “Of course, I do.”
My brows shot up. “So, then why would you seek to drive into the danger?”
He covered my hand with his, stroked his thumb gently over my skin, and pointed out, “I’m technically stranded here right now, and nothing about this feels dangerous to me.”
I swallowed hard, unable to ignore the way my heart started to beat a little faster in my chest at the tender touch. God, it felt good. So soft, so gentle.
He was only touching my hand, and I started imagining what it would be like to feel that touch, Griffin’s touch, on other parts of my body. Would it be just as delicate, or would it be rough?
At that thought, my mind had no problem recalling the memory of his naked torso—a vision I hadn’t been able to rid my mind of ever since—wondering how it would feel to press my fingertips against his skin.
Apparently, I was so caught up in the way he was making me feel, I didn’t immediately respond. Griffin must have thought I was struggling to come up with something to say in response, because he took advantage of my silence.
“I understand what you’re saying about getting stranded somewhere, but I’m always careful, and I pack emergency supplies. The great thing about this camper is that it’s meant for off-grid camping. I don’t need to be connected to power at a campsite in order to have everything I need. That said, I was just trying to point out that having something unexpected or inconvenient happen isn’t always a bad thing. I’m not the least bit bothered about not being able to leave here right now, because it means I’m sitting beside a beautiful woman I can’t seem to stop thinking about whenever she’s not around.”
Griffin’s words held a lot of intention, and there was something about them that made me want to let go of all the concerns I had about making the same mistakes twice. I’d gone against my better judgment in a unique situation with my ex-boyfriend. Up until that point, I’d gone with my gut instinct, and it always served me well.
One mistake didn’t need to dictate the way I lived the rest of my life. I could still be responsible with my financial life—assuming I got a job soon—and take a risk with my heart, couldn’t I?
“Maybe you’re right,” I said softly. “Maybe it’s okay to accept that not all inconveniences are bad.”
Griffin smiled at me, his face lighting up.
I loved the look so much, I added, “But one thing that’s not inconvenient now is this lunch. Gosh, this is delicious, Griffin. I can’t believe you’re such a good cook.”
He burst out laughing. I watched him do that, loving that even more than the way he’d just been looking at me, even if I didn’t understand why what I’d just said was funny to him.
It took some time, but he eventually settled down. He turned his shining eyes in my direction and confessed, “I didn’t cook this food.”
My brows pulled together. “You didn’t?”
“My mom,” he shared. “She might think that I’m crazy for running off to snowboard when bad weather is coming, but she’s still a mom and can’t help herself.”
“Do you live with her?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No, but I was at my parents’ place before I came here, which is when my mom decided to stock me up.”
“I guess that’s true about moms in general,” I noted.
“What about your parents? Do they live here in Blue Spruce?” Griffin asked.
Shaking my head, I answered, “No. My parents moved quite a few years ago to Arizona.”
“Any siblings?” he pressed.
“No. You?”
“I’m an only child, too.”
