Merrillee Whren - Montana Match

After talking with Parker, Brittany concluded that he hardly seemed like the recluse Heather had described. After all, he’d apparently been skiing with Rose and Jasmine while Brittany took her ski lesson. She wondered about the two females that she hadn’t met but didn’t dare ask about for fear of seeming nosy. She was already worried that she’d seemed impolite by waiting so long to invite him to join her.

She’d forced herself to look out the window in order to keep from staring at him or the intensity in his coffee-colored eyes.

His handsome face, covered with dark stubble, gave him a rugged appearance. His tobacco-brown hair, in need of a trim, only added to the persona. His good looks probably went a long way in explaining the presence of Rose and Jasmine.

“So what do you think? Are you ready to try your hand at skiing after lunch?”

Brittany suddenly realized that Heather’s question was aimed at her. She needed to quit thinking about Parker and pay attention to the conversation. She shrugged. “I don’t know. One lesson hardly seems like enough.”

“Sure it is. Besides, Parker will take you out and give you some instructions, won’t you, Parker?” Heather glanced at her uncle with a sly smile.

Brittany tried to get her friend’s attention, so she could signal her disapproval. “Your uncle doesn’t want to be stuck skiing with me.”

Heather laid a hand on Brittany’s shoulder. “He doesn’t mind.”

Parker cleared his throat. “Ah…you’re talking about me as if I’m not here. I can speak for myself.”

“Okay, but you can’t deny that you’re a great ski instructor.”

“I won’t.”

Heather grinned at Parker. “Then it’s settled. You’d be happy to help Brittany this afternoon.”

Brittany had no idea how to respond. Parker didn’t look exactly thrilled, but he also seemed too polite to go against Heather’s wishes. He was the ever-accommodating host.

Brittany didn’t want to seem ungrateful, but she didn’t want him to feel obligated to spend time with her, either. “I’d hate for you to be tied down with a beginner like me when you could be out skiing with Rose, Jasmine and Heather.”

“Rose and Jasmine are occupied for the afternoon, and I’m going to do a little snowboarding. So Uncle Parker is all yours.” Heather grinned again, making no attempt to disguise her triumph. “And when the slopes close, I’ll meet you two at the lodge.”

“That works for me,” Parker said.

Manufacturing a smile, Brittany knew she was trapped. “Okay, if that’s the way you guys want it.”

“Good. Then it’s settled.” Heather stood, shrugged out of her ski jacket and hung it over the back of the chair. “Now, let’s get something to eat.”

Soon they were eating a hearty lunch. At least Parker and Heather were. Brittany barely nibbled on her hamburger and fries. Her appetite had fled as her mind buzzed with thoughts of Parker, skiing and her dicey job situation. All of them gave her something to be nervous about.

Chapter Two

Thirty minutes later, Brittany held her ski poles with a death grip. She felt as though she was headed for some other world in her helmet and goggles. Her stomach churned as she followed Parker to the chairlift. Thankfully, she’d left most of her lunch on the plate. The thought of skiing down a real hill, not the bunny hill where she’d practiced earlier, terrified her.

“Why so grim? You look like you’re headed to the electric chair.” Chuckling, Parker stopped next to the chairlift.

She squared her shoulders and looked up at him. Should she let him know how scared she was, or should she tough it out? Who was she kidding? He probably already knew she was quaking in her ski boots. “I’ve never been on a lift before.”

“You’ll do fine. There’s nothing to it. You hop on and hop off.”

“Easy for you to say. You can probably do it with your eyes closed.”

“Not quite.” He chuckled again. “Remember. I’m here to help you.”

Somehow that didn’t seem reassuring at all. The whole scenario intimidated her. “So what do I do?”

“Just follow my lead. You step out here and wait for the chair to come to you.” He moved closer to the lift.

“Okay.” Brittany followed, holding her breath until she was seated beside Parker in the chair.

“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

She let her breath out in a big whoosh when they swung out over the snow-covered hillside, awash in sunshine and glistening snow. Pressing herself back against the chair, she hoped she wouldn’t fall out. She didn’t think she had a fear of heights, but she was beginning to wonder about that as they dangled on a cable far above the ground. She tried not to look down.

“When we get to the top, put the tips of your skis down and push out of the chair.” Parker’s voice cut through the fear clouding her mind for a moment, but anxiety quickly returned.

“Okay.” Her pulse pounded in her head.

“Ready. Here we go.”

Brittany tried to put her skis on the ground. In the next instant, she sprawled face-first in the snow as the lift ground to a halt.

“Are you all right?” Parker rushed to her side.

Mortified, she scrambled to her feet with the help of Parker and several bystanders. When she was standing upright, she wished she had somewhere to hide. Did she dare look at him? He was probably wishing Heather hadn’t suggested he spend the afternoon giving ski instructions, especially with a klutz for a student. Finally, Brittany drummed up enough courage to glance up. A little smile played at the edges of Parker’s mouth. She supposed he was trying not to laugh.

“I’m okay.” Brushing snow off herself, Brittany wished everyone would quit fussing over her. She hated being the center of attention, especially this kind of attention. “Let’s go.”

“If you’re sure everything’s okay.”

“It is.”

“Good. Follow me.” Parker slowly skied ahead of her to the beginning of a trail.

Brittany followed and tried to remember what she’d learned in her lesson. “Are you going first?”

“No. You go, and I’ll ski behind and watch.” Parker stopped at the top of the trail and glanced her way as he pulled his goggles into place.

Oh, great. He was going to watch her. Just what she didn’t need. She couldn’t see his eyes behind the goggles, but she feared they were probably still full of laughter. Letting out a harsh breath, she put on her goggles.

“Okay. Here I go.” Her voice sounded strained even to her own ears. She pushed off with her ski poles and glided across the packed snow. She skied from side to side on the trail so she wouldn’t pick up too much speed.

“Hey, you’re doing great!” Parker’s voice sounded over the shush, shush, shush sound the skis made on the snow.

Brittany tried to ignore the way his praise made her pulse quicken. She tried to convince herself that her reaction had nothing to do with the fact that he was a handsome man. After all, her experience with Max had taught her that planning her life around a man had been a mistake. His inattention had broken her heart. She’d had it with men. So why did her first encounter with another handsome man have her feeling this way?

She shook away the question and focused her mind on her technique. If she wasn’t careful, she’d wind up face-first in the snow again. She had to give her full attention to skiing and forget about men.

When she reached the bottom of the trail, a true sense of accomplishment brightened her thoughts. Parker joined her and smiled. His smile took her breath away. Or was it the sudden gust of wind?

“Hey, that was a good job. Ready to go again?”

“Sure.” The triumph of her first downhill trip had made her forget the embarrassment at the ski lift. Now another ride loomed before her. She wasn’t going to let a ski lift intimidate her, and she certainly wasn’t going to let Parker sense any of her fear. Straightening her shoulders, she headed back to the ski lift, determined to get in and out of the chair without falling.