The Best Of The Year - Medical Romance

He swallowed and retracted that last thought. She hadn’t seen him at his worst, but his coach had. Including the twenty pounds he’d shed over the past six months as the dreams had swallowed more and more of his nights and haunted his days. It’s what had made the man book this vacation in a frozen wasteland. Why couldn’t he have chosen Hawaii instead?

Maybe he could refuse her offer with grace. “No need, but thanks.” He held out his hands for the equipment she still held.

“Maybe not, but standing here without working my muscles has made me realize I’m freezing my tushie off, and I could sure use something to warm it back up.”

Those words finally yanked him free of his morose thoughts and put them right on...

No, you don’t, Perry. Don’t you dare look.

Too late. His eyes had already skated over her hips and mentally guessed what lay beneath all those layers of clothing. And it was good.

Wow. If she knew what you were thinking, she’d dump your gear in the snow and march her oh-so-cold tushie right back down the hill.

Damn. Time to renew his gentleman card. Paula would have given him a single raised eyebrow if she could hear him now.

But she couldn’t. Thanks to him. And the coach. And the team.

No. That was no one’s fault but his.

Suddenly the last thing he wanted was to be alone. Even if it meant spending a half-hour with a woman who’d probably made the rounds more than he had during his entire internship. “Hot chocolate sounds good. Thanks.”

She gave him a quick grin and handed him his equipment. “Don’t hurry, unless you enjoy sliding down the hill. I’ll meet you at the bottom.”

With that, she turned around and pushed off, her skis flashing as she leaned forward and took the slope like an expert.

Sighing, Jack juggled his poles and his skis and took his first shaky step.

* * *

Did forcing someone to drink hot chocolate count as date number five? Mira scrunched her nose as she waited for her next victim to finish trudging his way down the hill. She wouldn’t have pushed so hard if it hadn’t been for that Florence Nightingale crack Robert had made as he’d sailed past her.

Yes, it was spiteful to head for the bar with another man when she knew her ex was there on his break, but she wanted to make it as plain as the icicles hanging from the man’s heart that she was done. No amount of sweet-talking would get her to take him back. Seducing your female students was not part of a ski instructor’s job description, no matter what most people thought.

Ellory was right. She needed to move on. Not getting emotionally attached was something that came hard for her, but if she kept choosing men who were not her type, it should be a breeze.

Jack Perry was definitely on the “not” side of the equation. Her newly written “not” side, anyway.

With his chiseled, clean-shaven jaw and refusal to let her help him up, he was evidently a man’s man, something she was now avoiding like the plague as far as relationships went. She’d been there, done that—three times, in fact—and had the heartbreak to prove it. The next guy she got serious with was going to be a poet. Or an artist. Someone who was in touch with his feminine side.

There was nothing feminine about the man she’d met on the slopes. She’d bet he was an athlete—from the easy way his wiry muscles had pushed him up off the ground. Yeah, he might have crashed and burned on that slope, but that was from lack of experience, not lack of strength. Those glutes had some power behind them.

Something she was better off not thinking about.

Hot chocolate. Nothing else. She might have joked with Ellory about bedding a man or two during the next year, but she wasn’t planning on actually doing that. Too dangerous. For her, anyway. The words sex and casual? An oxymoron. It always became personal.

So far she’d racked up three losers. Three men who couldn’t resist the thrill of the chase, even when that chase involved someone other than their fiancée.

No more bad boys for her.

Surely after a year of empty dates she’d be able to tell the difference between a player and a guy who was capable of monogamy. Until then, she had to stick to the plan.

But, man, oh, man, as Jack sidled the last twenty feet, making short work of each step in those heavy boots, he was making her little heart go pitter-patter.

Reaching down to undo her skis when she realized she’d been watching him instead of attending to her own business, she stepped out of them and hefted them upright. “Ready?” she asked, when he reached her.

“Yes.” His voice was a little tighter than it had been up the hill, although she didn’t see how that could be, since he hadn’t been jumping for joy at the thought of spending some time with her. She’d had the opposite problem with man number three. He hadn’t exactly been happy when she’d closed the door to her room with him on the wrong side of it.

Well, from Jack’s guarded expression, getting rid of him should be a snap.

They turned in their skis and poles at the equipment center next to the ski lodge and then Mira led the way into the foyer of the main building. The familiar honeyed tones of wood-covered floors and walls welcomed her like a snug, warm cocoon, especially when compared to the vast snow-covered surfaces outside its doors. The crackle of the fire in the huge stone fireplace in the middle of the room only added to that sense of welcome.

Moving over to the long hallway lined with pegs and cubbies, she shimmied out of her jacket and hung it up along with her hat. As she ran her fingers through her hair to fluff it up a bit, she was far too aware of the man next to her shuffling out of his own coat and snow pants. She smiled at the snug black jeans he had on beneath his clothes. And, man, she was so right about those glutes.

Damn!

He swung back around, catching her in the act. One brow lifted, and his lips tightened just a touch. So he didn’t like her looking. Well, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t checked her out on the slope. She’d seen those dark eyes skim over her in quick appraisal. Right after her ex had zoomed past, like the jerk he was.

Forget about Robert. He was not on her current shopping list. Jack was.

She refreshed her memory about the goals of this particular encounter: have a quick cup of cocoa and then she was free to move on.

To man number six.

CHAPTER TWO

JACK’S SKI INSTRUCTOR was currently staring at his rescuer. And not a subtle kind of stare, either. This was a full-on, you-will-look-at-me kind of unwavering attention.

And yet as Miranda set their drinks down, she was chatting away as if she had no idea.

He gave himself a mental palm to the head. Of course. She had to be a ski instructor as well. No wonder she’d helped him up and made sure he got down the hill. It also explained why the other guy had told her to clear him off the slope.

What it didn’t explain was why the man was now staring at them.

Best to settle this right here and now, in case this was a pity drink. Surely he didn’t look that badly off. He’d have to work on his cheerful see-ya-later grin. “You don’t have to sit with me. I’m fine, really.”

She frowned. “Never thought you weren’t. I’m sitting here because I’m cold and tired and wanted some hot chocolate.”

“I didn’t see you up at the top when I was having my lesson.”

“That’s because I wasn’t there. I was skiing one of the harder slopes. I decided to finish up on the bunny. As a cool down.”

Cool down. No wonder she was in such great shape. And she was. He might deny it until he was blue in the face, but he’d glanced at her a time or two. Enough to know that her slender legs were strong. So were her arms. If he’d met her anywhere else, he might think she was a distance runner. But she wasn’t. She was a skier.

“I bet you have to rescue lots of guys like me.” The second the words were out of his mouth he wished he could retract them. He hadn’t needed rescuing. Not on the slopes, and certainly not anywhere else, despite what his coach might think.

He could have handled things himself, given a little more time.

Yeah? Like he’d handled those dreams? Popping sleeping pills like they were candy was not the best prescription—as he’d soon discovered. The good thing was he’d almost weaned himself from them. The nightmares were back, but maybe they were just something he’d have to live with. Like his guilt.

“Not too many rescues. Just the occasional stray.”

She picked up her chocolate and took a long sip. “Ah. Just what I needed. Something to keep me warm and happy.” Before he could dwell too long on those words, she continued. “So where are you from?”

Four years ago that would have been an easy question to answer. He would have asked whether she meant originally or at the moment. As it was, he wasn’t sure of his actual location. Halfway between anger and grief, if he had to guess, a place he’d been stuck at for far too long. “California, originally, but I live in Texas now. And you?”

“Silver Pass. Born and raised right here on the mountain.” She raised her mug and took another drink.

So why didn’t she seem thrilled to live in a gorgeous place like this? He took a gulp of his own hot chocolate and then sputtered when an unexpected burn slid down his throat.

“Hot?” She gave him a grin that could only be described as mischievous.

“No. Spiked.” His brows drew together. “How do you know I’m not an alcoholic?”

“Are you?”

He could have been, but a couple of years ago he’d realized drinking was not only not helping him but it could get someone hurt. His team relied on him to make good decisions. One wrong move and a career could be finished forever. Much like his had almost been.

It’s why he’d agreed with the coach about this vacation spot. The cold climate kind of fostered isolation. At least in his head it did. With all that gear on, it wasn’t very easy to talk to strangers. It wasn’t the same as lying on a beach or surfing. Because the waves always carried you back in to shore. With skiing, you could simply race away from strangers who were a little too anxious to start a conversation.

Like this one?

“No, I’m not an alcoholic,” he admitted, although the steamy brew slid down his throat in a way that was a little too comforting. He took one more long pull and then set it aside. He wasn’t going to switch one habit for another.

Miranda studied him for a few seconds. She started to say something then the instructor who’d been watching her from across the room appeared beside the table. “You headed back for the slopes, Mira? If so, I’ll ride up the lift with you.”

The guy pointedly ignored Jack, which was fine. He had no intention of stepping in between these two.

“I think I’ll go back to my room and read instead. And I can catch up on some reports, while I’m there.” The chill in her voice was unmistakable.

“Mira—”

She held up her hand. “I’d rather not do this right now.”

The man’s lips thinned. “You can’t avoid me forever, you know. We both live here. Eventually, we’re going to have to sit down and talk.”

Jack’s glance went to where her left hand gripped her mug. No ring. But there was a definite indentation there.

That’s why he’d been staring at her. These two had been involved at some point. Married? An affair, maybe?

Whatever it was, it was none of his business. In fact, maybe it was time for him to take his pity party somewhere else and let these two go at it in private.

Mira beat him to it, standing up, her chin angled at a dangerous height. “I don’t see what we have to talk about.”

“How happy do you think your father is going to be once he hears about all this?”

She gave a hard smile. “You’re right, Robert. I imagine he won’t be very happy at all.”

Jack was surprised to see the other man’s face drain of color.

So that’s how it was. The jerk had done something. Something bad enough to make her want to avoid any contact with him. A dark thought came over him.

When the guy reached out to take hold of her arm Jack rose to his feet, no longer trying to remain impassive. He held the man’s gaze for ten long seconds before “Robert” backed down.

“I’ll catch you later,” he said to Mira.

“Don’t think so. Let’s just stick to our own sides of the slopes.”

With an irritated roll of his shoulders the man spun away from them and stalked toward the nearest exit.

Mira dropped back into her seat. “Well, it looks like we’re even. I rescued you. You rescued me. Thanks.” She sighed. “Sorry you had to witness that, though.”

“No problem. Ex...” He had no idea why he gave that leading sentence.

“Fiancé. But that’s neither here nor there.” She pursed her lips. “You shouldn’t go up on that slope again without another lesson or two. Next time you could really get hurt.”

If she was worried about her ex pulling something, she needn’t bother. He could take care of himself. “I’ll do that.”

She must have sensed he was just handing her a line. “No, I’m serious. Robert’s not going to be a happy camper, so I wouldn’t count on him playing nice.” She eyed him. “I could give you some pointers if you want. Make sure you stay out of trouble.”

That was pretty much impossible. He’d stayed in trouble in one form or another for the last four years. Maybe he should have asked for the beachfront condo vacation despite his earlier thoughts. At least surfing was something he was actually proficient at.

“I don’t want to put you to any trouble. I think I can manage.”

“Like you did today? Come on. I really do want to show my appreciation.”

It was either accept graciously or be a jerk about it. “Did I look that bad out there?”

She laughed. “You want honesty or a gentle lie?”

He found himself smiling back. “Hmm...I’d take the lie, but I think it’s already too late for that. Okay, I’ll accept the pointers, but I don’t guarantee I’ll show much improvement. I’m a beachside kind of guy.”

“So you’re better on the surf than on the turf?”

His smile grew. “No, the turf I can handle. It’s cold, slippery surfaces that I struggle with.”

“Interesting. So, are we on?”

Why did that seem like a loaded question all of a sudden? But unless he wanted to make a big deal out of what was probably an innocent offer, it was better to let it slide on by. “Yep.”

“Great!” She paused to wave at someone across the room. A blonde grinned and held up five fingers.

Mira nodded.

They must be meeting up in a few minutes or something. That was his cue to leave. “What time were you thinking tomorrow?”

“Does tennish work for you?”

“Sounds perfect.” He stood. “Thanks for the hot chocolate.”

“No problem. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With one last smile she picked up her cup and headed over to where the other woman was standing. And heaven help him if he didn’t watch her hips bump and sway for a couple of beats before forcing himself to turn away.

It’s not a date. She hadn’t even used that word.

Why he needed to explain that to himself he had no idea. All he knew was that his heart rate had just kicked up a notch and a zing of anticipation was edging through his veins, picking up momentum as it went.

This could be bad.

Very, very bad.

Unless he nipped it in the bud right here. Right now.

The only question...was how.

* * *

“Where did you get your goggles?”

Mira peered into her patient’s red, streaming eyes as he sat on the exam table in her tiny clinic. Around twenty-two years old, he was here for a week with several buddies. Yesterday evening, after coming off the slopes, his eyes had begun burning. When he’d looked into the mirror that morning, he’d been shocked to see his lids were swollen and his eyes looked terrible.

“I picked up all my gear at a second-hand store right before coming. It was a bargain.”

And like any other bargain, sometimes you paid the price later on. Mira had found that out the hard way when it came to relationships.

She clicked off her penlight and leaned back to check out the eyewear lying beside him. They had the customary reflective surface, but there were no markings that indicated the UV protection the lenses offered. “Your goggles and skis are two pieces of equipment you really shouldn’t skimp on. This is why.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ever hear of snow blindness?”

Her patient scrubbed moisture from his cheeks. “Snow blindness. Doesn’t that only happen to people who are stranded in the snow?”

“Nope. I see it fairly often up here. It’s basically a sunburn of your corneas.”

He blinked, squinting one eye to look at her. “Can you treat it?”

Swiveling around to her desk, she pulled her prescription pad forward and started writing. “I’m going to give you a prescription for some eyedrops, but you need to stay off the slopes for the next couple of days. Believe me, your eyes aren’t going to want to face any light, much less what you’ll find up there on the mountain.”

“But we’re only here for a week.”

She felt for him, really she did. “I know. I wish there were a quick treatment, but it’s just like any other sunburn. You have to stay out of the sun for a while.” She glanced up. “Oh, and make sure you see an eye doctor when you get home.”

The man swore a couple of times before finally nodding and taking the slip of paper. He then took his goggles and dumped them in the trash. “I guess I won’t be needing those any more.”

She smiled. “We have some regulation eyewear at the rental kiosk. Make sure your friends are covered, so they don’t wind up in the same boat.”

“I will. Thanks, Doc.”

“You’re welcome.”

Once he left, she locked up the clinic and headed up the mountain to meet Jack. It was still a little early, but she wanted to make sure she arrived before he did so she could prepare herself.

Man number five.

Okay, so the guy was cuter than the other men she’d met for drinks or a quick trip down the slopes. In fact, she’d been with one such guy yesterday on the advanced slopes. She had finished on the bunny slope in order to cool down—like she’d told Jack—but only because guy number four had seemed to have hands that never stopped finding excuses to touch her in little ways. Add him to the guy she’d been with two nights ago, and she began to wonder about the wisdom of her resolution. How did serial daters go about avoiding the creeps...and worse?

She needed to be a little more careful about picking these guys. She certainly didn’t want to get in over her head. Ellory had forced her to put her cellphone number on speed dial, so Mira could reach out with the touch of a button in case she got into trouble.

She didn’t plan on that happening. So far it had just been the two weirdos. Of course, since she’d only been out with four guys in all over the last several weeks, that wasn’t much of a track record.

And what about Jack? She’d never been out with a surfer dude before. Although the serious guy who’d sat across from her at the table yesterday did not match her image of a California beach bum.

Just look at the way he’d stood up to Robert.

Yeah, that had been a little heady. She hoped seeing her with Jack had drilled it into her ex’s brain that she was moving on—whether it was true or not. Robert had blown it. She’d learned the hard way not to give people second chances.

That included him, and it included her father.

This might be her dad’s resort, and he technically might be her boss, but that didn’t mean she was going to fall all over him. He’d hurt her mother badly. And even though her mom had been the one to convince her to come back to the lodge and work after she graduated from medical school, she didn’t forgive him for his transgressions any more than she’d forgive Robert or her two other exes.

It was exactly why she’d sworn off men. And if she could just get past man number five and move on to the next guy, she’d officially win her bet with Ellory.

Should be a snap.

She leaned on the rail and surveyed the line of chairs on the ski lift.

Speaking of bets, she spied Jack about halfway up the mountain. His safety bar had not been pulled down, making her frown. She’d have to add that to the lesson.

She sucked down a deep breath as he drew closer. She’d just about convinced herself that he wasn’t as good looking as she’d thought he was yesterday. But he was. Even from this distance. With streaky brown hair that was in need of a cut and those broad shoulders, he pretty much filled the chair. She’d have to tuck herself under his arm to fit on there with him if they ever rode up together.

The image made her swallow. Silly. You’re here to teach him to ski and put a notch in your... Hmm, what should she notch, since she had no intentions of sleeping with him or any other of her dates?

Her skis, that’s what. Okay, so he’d be one more notch in her skis.

He slid off the chair with lithe grace that had been lacking yesterday when he’d smacked the ground and slid to a halt. How that must have cost him in the ego department. Except he just stood there.

“Slide over here.”

He glanced over and saw her then eased down the hill to meet her, a little less shaky than he’d been yesterday.

She had a feeling he’d be a quick study when it came to skiing. Well, whether he was or wasn’t, it didn’t matter. This would be his one and only lesson with her—a favor for saving her from Robert’s pestering. Tomorrow he’d be on his own.

“Hi.” He pulled a hat down over his head, juggling his poles as he did so.

At least he’d remembered to put his skis on before getting on the lift. She checked out his eyewear, nodding at the item in his hand. “Did you get those here at the resort?”

He glanced down at them. “Yes, why?”

“Just wondering. Don’t want you to get snow blindness.”

His brows went up, but he didn’t question her comment.

“You ready?” she asked.

“I have to admit I thought about standing you up.”

Interesting. He had seemed a little skittish at the bar yesterday.

“Yeah? Well, I’d have had to come and track you down.” Ellory had spied Jack from across the room yesterday after her encounter with Robert and claimed that this time she was going down hard. This one was just too yummy for her to resist.

Oh, she could resist him all right. He was just one more guy. In fact, it was quite liberating to be with a man and know there was no future in it. She didn’t have to worry about whether or not she’d have to watch her words or get all prettied up.

The time she’d spent in front of the mirror this morning had been strictly about personal grooming. She’d do that for anyone. No need to send people scurrying for the nearest exit with her morning rat’s nest and dark under-eye circles. And her lips were chapped from the cold, so of course she’d had to put on something to soothe and protect them. The fact that it had a little dab of shine was just a coincidence.

He smiled. “I guess it’s a good thing I showed up, then.”

“Absolutely.” Luckily, Robert was off this morning, so one of the other instructors was working with a small group of newbies. She could have sent Jack to the class, since her professed reason for meeting him was because her ex might do or say something she would end up feeling badly about. But since she’d told Ellory he was man number five...

Really, who would know she didn’t meet him?

Ellory, for one.

Yeah, and why was that? Because she couldn’t tell a lie worth a damn.

“So, let’s start with your skis. You got them on, but it’ll help if you know how to click in and out of them quickly.”

She gave him a quick lesson on doing just that. Once they were back on, she had him face the bottom of the hill, but with the fronts of his skis pointed toward each other.