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  Her voice lowered. “I’ve watched you with Gem and Timothy. I think you’ll be a wonderful mother.”

  She’d watched me? When? “Maybe.” I cleared my throat and finally just asked the question I’d been avoiding. “Cate…what is this? I mean you’re only here for a short while and I’m staying in Australia. At least for another few months then I don’t know where I’ll be.” I didn’t know what else to say. Instead, I tightened my grip on her hand.

  Cate squeezed back and with her free hand, twisted her glass of wine on the table. “Why don’t we just see what happens? Have some fun for now and if it comes to it we can decide the rest later.”

  Slowly, I nodded. “Fun. Sure, okay.” Fun I could do, but I had a sinking feeling that I was going to want more than fun with her. The fact she lived so close back home only made the feeling stronger. After all my years of competition and everything that’d happened in Vancouver I was innately superstitious, and didn’t believe in coincidences. If something felt wrong, it probably was. Conversely, like this thing with Cate, if something felt right…

  She lifted her glass, a smile teasing her lips. “You know, I never asked outright but I assume, given you came to dinner with me and how your gaze has been lingering on my cleavage for the past hour, that you’re not seeing anyone.”

  Busted. I snapped my eyes back up to her face. “Sorry. And actually, it’s been the past two hours. You’re very attractive and I have a lot of unconscious thoughts.” Or very conscious ones about how much I wanted to kiss and lick every inch of those breasts.

  Cate’s smile was pleased rather than offended. “I didn’t say I minded.”

  “Well then, where was I?” I teased but instead of letting my eyes stray down, I disciplined them to keep eye contact. Despite the simmering lust, it was rude to treat her like eye candy. “No I’m not seeing anyone. I was almost engaged once but since then, nobody serious.”

  “Almost?” Cate’s left eyebrow lifted.

  “Mhmm. I had grand plans for twenty-ten.” I raised a finger with each point. “Three medals in Vancouver, propose to my girlfriend, move on to train for Sochi and start a family somewhere in among all that.”

  “But?” Cate prompted.

  “But then I had the accident and it all kind of went to shit. Turns out she wasn’t so great at the in sickness and bad times part. Luckily I learned that before I asked her to vow it.”

  “Oh God. Really?”

  “Yeah. She didn’t like me when I was grumpy and trying to recover and she really didn’t like me when I told her I’d lost my nerve and was afraid of competing. Then she realized that the glamour and excitement and overseas travel were over for a while, and she got kind of absent. She exited stage left, before the indignity of me retiring officially and my sponsorships ending.”

  Cate blinked a few times, rapidly. “Wow.”

  “Yeah. But you live and learn. Right?”

  “Right…” Cate mused. “Do you miss it? Competing?”

  “Some days, yes. More than I could ever express. Other days, not so much.” I kept my gaze steady, feeling lost in the depths of her eyes. Her expression was sweet and kind but also knowing, and we smiled at the same time, like we each knew what the other was thinking. God she was beautiful.

  Cate’s thumb drifted over the back of my hand. “Something sweet to finish?”

  “Yes,” I said hoarsely. But the sweet thing I wanted wouldn’t be found on any restaurant menu.

  * * *

  The drive back to the rental she was sharing with her friends was quiet and contemplative. No awkwardness, but a silent acknowledgment of a shift and the possibility of exploring something more. Attraction crackled between us and I wondered how long I’d be able to hold out before I had to act on it. As I turned onto her street, Cate reached over to run her hand up my thigh. The muscle tensed involuntarily when she kept up the teasing rhythm.

  “You’re making it very hard to concentrate.” I pulled a hand off the wheel to take that one of hers, thinking it would ease some of the electricity pulsing through my body. It didn’t. When her fingers interlaced with mine and her thumb began to move over my skin instead of stroking through my jeans, the tingle grew even more insistent.

  I felt it everywhere but mostly deep in the pit of my stomach. Desire. A hunger so raw I wondered if I’d ever be satisfied. I parked in front of the closed triple garage and reached up to turn on the interior light for her. “Thanks for dinner, I had a great time.”

  “Me too,” she said, voice husky. She unbuckled and leaned over to brush a kiss over my cheek. When she pulled back, her eyes told me what she wanted as clearly as anything. They moved from mine to my lips and back again a few times, the same way they had the day she’d fallen on the mountain. Her hand played over the back of my fingers, the touch light and teasing.

  Interlacing our fingers again, I brought her hand to my face, brushing my nose over the inside of her wrist. Her perfume lingered there, sweet and enticing. My mouth was dry, voice hoarse. “God, you smell so good.”

  Cate turned off the interior light, leaned in and kissed me. It was a chaste, friendly good night kiss and I had a moment of ridiculous uncertainty. The feeling was soon pushed aside when her lips parted and her tongue tentatively stroked mine. She eased back enough to murmur, “I’ve been dying to do that for days.”

  “Me too.” My hip jammed against the parking brake when I leaned closer, seeking more and she gave it to me. Her face was hot under my hands, her tongue seeking mine and finding it. She kissed me like a woman starved and when her teeth grazed my lower lip, my desire uncoiled like a beast. I unbuckled and tugged her closer.

  Time meant nothing. The only things that mattered were her hands in my hair, the way she kept pressing herself against me, and her lips. Those lips. Hot and searching. Warm and inviting. We acquainted ourselves as more than friends but not yet lovers, the heat of her stoking the embers in my belly until I was almost aflame.

  Cate pulled back first, forehead resting against mine, her breath coming in quiet rasps. “I really want to invite you in.”

  “I really want to accept.”

  “I just don’t think it’s a great idea right now with a house full of people.”

  “Mmm, probably not.” Despite my acceptance that nothing more was going to happen, the mere thought of taking her to bed had me throbbing and tingling in delicious places.

  Cate sighed shakily. “Okay, I’d better get inside before I ask you to drag me into the backseat and take me right here.” She kissed me again and exited the car swiftly as if she was afraid she’d change her mind if she didn’t leave. Cate strode away, hands stuffed into her coat pockets and shoulders hunched against the cold. Once she’d unlocked the door, she stepped inside, waved at me and closed it again, leaving me to sit with my arousal threatening to run out of control.

  I shuddered, the image of her in the backseat firmly etched in my head thanks to her suggestion. Her, spread wide for me, nails in my back, my fingers buried deep inside her as I begged her to come for me. “Stop it,” I groaned to myself.

  Closing my eyes, I willed my body to pull blood away from my groin and throbbing nipples and send it back to my brain so I could drive home. If I thought I had it bad for her before, after that kiss I was well and truly gone.

  Chapter Ten

  After lying awake thinking for most of the night, I woke a little groggy, and a lot horny for the same reason. By the time I’d dealt with the horny, I was borderline late to work and had to limp-run up from the shuttle stop. Rach was out sick and Tess enlisted me to teach a private kid lesson first up because apparently I was the only instructor available.

  “First time on skis,” Tess explained as she pointed out a girl who was quite a bit smaller than my usual child clients.

  I pulled on my gloves and as I made my way over, tried to dredge up some tiny kid-friendly terminology from some dark recess of my brain. I felt the pang of longing I always did when I saw little children in ski
gear. Little children any time, really. She would just brush the top of my knees and was flanked by two women—one in snowboarding boots, the other in ski boots—with her arms raised to keep a hand in each of theirs. So damned cute. “Phoebe?”

  The short brunette in ski boots smiled, and raised her free hand. “Right here.” American. Small kid. Lesbian couple? Maybe these were Cate’s friends. How many rainbow families from America could have suddenly descended upon an Australian ski resort? Under her helmet, the snowboarder’s dark hair could well be the curls that had made me jealous.

  I smiled politely. “Hi. I’m Aspen.”

  The two women exchanged an eyebrow-raised look before the woman who’d spoken before offered her hand. “Melissa.”

  I shook it, then the hand of her companion, an African American woman who grinned and introduced herself as Danielle.

  Now that I thought about it, the resemblance between Phoebe and Tim was obvious, and the looks and smiles Danielle and Melissa were exchanging made a lot more sense. My first name wasn’t exactly common. I shook off the thought and gave both women my best reassuring smile and leaned down to small child eye level to introduce myself to her. “How’re you doing, Phoebe? I’m Aspen.”

  Her mouth quirked into an uneven line. “Like the trees?”

  “Exactly like the trees. You are really smart to know that. How old are you?”

  Phoebe turned to press against Danielle’s leg. “Five,” she said shyly.

  “And have you ever been skiing?”

  She gave me a very solemn head shake. “No, but I’ve done sledding.”

  Melissa spoke up. “We’ve been trying to get her on skis or a board for a year, but she’s shown no interest until now. Didn’t want to push her.”

  I smiled up at Phoebe’s moms, then turned my focus back to the girl. “Well, I’m super honored to take you out for your first day on skis.” I straightened up, to the protest of my joints, and looked at Danielle and Melissa again. “We’ll be on the flat out here for a while if you want to watch.”

  Danielle brushed her fingers over Melissa’s arm. “What do you think, hon?”

  Melissa shifted the tiny skis she was holding. “Coffee, inside.” She bent down and kissed Phoebe’s tiny gloved hand. “See you soon, sweetheart. Have fun!”

  Danielle crouched, tugged Phoebe’s jacket straight and tickled her, eliciting a squirmy giggle. “Got your listening ears on, Pheebs?”

  A serious nod. “Yeah.”

  Danielle placed a hand on Phoebe’s helmet. “Great. Mom and I will see you soon. Have fun, love you.”

  I held out my hand for Phoebe’s skis. “I can take those. Thanks.” Tucking them under my arm, I offered my hand to the small girl. “Ready to go?”

  Phoebe looked look up at her mothers, who both smiled encouragingly, and then put her small hand in mine. Thank you, Universe, for this willing pupil. I liked kids of all ages, but reluctant ones were tricky. Small reluctant ones could be a nightmare. We clumped away, her taking three steps for every slow and shortened one of mine. I was bent to the side so she didn’t have to reach so high to keep hold of my hand.

  She tugged at my hand to get my attention. “These shoes make my feet feel funny.”

  “I know. But you’re just like me. See? Try like this.” I made an exaggerated heel-toe movement. “I bet with a bit of practice, you’ll be zooming around. Come on, let’s get our skis on.”

  Once we were clipped in, I found a quiet space and started by pulling her around on the flat. After a few minutes she was giggling so much that I wondered how she was still breathing. When it was time to try a little bit of downhill, I yanked my gloves off so she could hold my hands securely and skied backward down the beginner slopes with her while she laughed and cheered. By the end of the lesson, she was starting to get the hang of making her skis into a wedge and telling me over and over she was ready for the big hills.

  “Almost,” I agreed. “But we’re outta time today. Maybe another day.” I positioned myself behind her, skis on the outside of hers and held her hands again as we shuffled over to the racks. I clipped out, stored my skis and knelt down in the snow. “That was super, Phoebe. Double high five.”

  Little hands slapped mine. Before I could get her out of the bindings, shadows came over from behind me. Phoebe looked up. “Mom! Mama!”

  I twisted around to see Danielle and Melissa. With Cate.

  Cate smiled secretively and my mouth went dry, thinking of those smiling lips on mine less than twelve hours earlier. I turned around again to help Phoebe out of her skis but she was sliding them back and forth in the snow, clutching my sleeve. “I learned to make pizza!” she informed everyone present.

  “Pizza? Hang on, I thought you were learning to ski,” Melissa exclaimed.

  “No! A pizza!” Phoebe twisted her skis inward to show them a wedge. “See?”

  “Wow, that’s so clever. Are you going to let Aspen help you out of your skis now?”

  “Yeah.” Phoebe clutched fistfuls of my jacket while I pressed down and released her from the bindings. She clumped as fast as she could to her mothers and tackled their legs. “Did you see me?”

  Danielle nodded while Melissa stroked her daughter’s hair. “We did. You were so great.”

  I stood—moving slightly to the side, holding the skis—and tried not to look too obviously at Cate. I failed. When she looked at me with that knowing expression a now-familiar warmth spread through my body. It seemed Phoebe was reading my mind because she turned her attention in the same direction as mine. “Aunt Cate, did you watch?”

  Cate smiled and looked down at her. “I sure did, Pheebs.” Raising her eyes back to mine, she added, “I watched you guys the whole time.” You guys. She’d watched us. She’d watched me.

  Danielle took Phoebe’s hand, swinging it back and forth. “Saaay, why don’t we have pizza for real tonight?”

  Melissa coughed. “This wouldn’t be because it’s your turn to cook, would it, babe?”

  “Maybe.” Danielle slid her free arm around her partner. “Aspen, how’d you like to come for dinner at our place? I’m sure Cate would be thrilled.”

  Cate looked both thrilled and also ready to throttle her friend. Danielle pointedly ignored the look Cate was throwing her way and asked, “You know where we’re staying, right?” She was baiting me, and I liked it. I liked her sense of humor and her silent offer of acceptance.

  I grinned. “Yes, I do. Why don’t I pick up the pizzas on my way over?”

  “Fantastic, I’ll let Cate organize the details. And uh, you know you’re allowed to come inside this time?” she asked dryly.

  My grin got wider. “Great to know, thanks.”

  Cate slapped Danielle’s arm. “That’s it. You. Go. Now. Give me a few moments to talk to Aspen.”

  They left with promises to see me later tonight, Phoebe giving me a final vigorous wave as she walked away. The moment her friends were out of earshot, Cate swung back to me. “I’m sorry about them.”

  “Don’t be. They seem really great.”

  “They are, but they’re also shitheads.” She glanced around, slowly, as if taking stock of our surroundings. “You have to go back to your clients. Talk to you after?”

  “I look forward to it.”

  “Mmmm.” Finally those blue-gray eyes found mine. “Aspen?”

  “Yes?” I tried not to look at her mouth and was almost successful.

  “I want to kiss you so badly right now,” she admitted.

  Last night’s kiss echoed through my body, reminding me of the taste of her, the low sounds of pleasure she’d made. It’d be so easy. I even looked around to see who would notice us before reality reminded me of how inappropriate it would be. “Me too…but I’m working.”

  Her hand brushed against mine. “I know.” Cate straightened, almost as though shaking off a thought. “Are you sure you don’t mind coming to dinner tonight?”

  “I absolutely do not mind. I’m excited to join you guys.�
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  “We eat around six thirty so Pheebs can get to bed. Is that okay?”

  “Perfect.” I’d have time to go home, shower and have a minor freak-out about spending the evening with Cate and her family.

  “Then we usually watch a little television together or play some board games after dinner.” She hastened to add, “But you don’t have to stay.”

  TV. Games. A regular family evening. The thought made something inside me twist into a knot of longing and I had to draw in a breath before answering, “I’d love to. If you’ll have me. I mean, if you don’t mind.”

  “We’ll have you and we do not mind.”

  “Great.” I paused as someone ski-shuffled past us and when we were alone again, I turned back to her. “Cate, will Gemma be okay with me coming for dinner? It’s one thing to get together outside the house, but me being in her space is another thing entirely.”

  She seemed surprised that I’d asked. “I’ll mention it to her but I’m certain she won’t care. Why?”

  “I just don’t want her to be uncomfortable about it.”

  “You’re so sweet. She won’t be, trust me. She likes you.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Never surer.” Her lips turned up in the same smile of interest and promise she’d given me the night before.

  My pulse picked up even more, which seemed to be the standard now when I was around her. “Cate, you can’t smile at me like that when I’m at work,” I complained quietly.

  “Why not?” Cate raised her eyebrows, all mock innocence. She stretched up to whisper in my ear. “I like watching you squirm.”

  * * *

  Dressed in jeans, slippers and a faded University of Michigan tee, Cate answered the door. Her hair was down and the breeze lifted strands away from her neck, exposing a smooth expanse of skin begging for kisses. “Come in, come in. It’s freezing out.” She relieved me of the pizza boxes and pushed the door closed with her butt. “There should be a free hook for your coat.”