Turning, he stepped down a little too hard on his weak ankle and swore. “Mother fu…” Clamping his teeth together, he bit off the expletive.
“Tripp?”
He closed his eyes. “Yeah.”
Silk whispered against skin as she rushed through the dining room. “Are you okay?”
At least the shooting pain up his leg had taken the edge off his other…problem. “I’m not going to collapse or anything, but I should have used the crutch. What are you doing up?”
She stopped a couple yards away with the center island between them. “I couldn’t sleep. What about you?”
“Thirsty. Those pain pills gave me dry mouth.”
“Do you need help getting back to bed?”
The thought of those swaying breasts tucked up against his side with only a wisp of material between them… He let out a long breath. “I got out here on my own, so I think I can make it back, but it’s a damn good thing the master suite is on this floor.”
“You could have slept on the couch. It’s toasty in here with the fire still burning. I added a couple more chunks of wood to the stove, by the way.”
“Thanks.” He took a gulp of water then set the glass on the counter. “Good night, Hannah.”
“Good night.”
He limped out of the room and down the hall, wondering when Hannah Ryder had become the sexiest woman on the planet. Maybe it was her take-charge attitude, which was a hell of a lot more attractive than the hesitant mouse he remembered from her college years. He was tempted to ask her out. Maybe not while he was banged up and aching and wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, however. He’d give it a few days. She’d either grow on him, or not. In the meantime, getting to know her better promised to be an experience he wouldn’t soon forget.
* * * *
“Are you trying to kill me?” Tripp stretched out his arm, trying to touch the hand she held just out of reach. “Holy mother of God!”
“You’re doing great.”
Hannah’s encouraging smile grated on his nerves.
“Two more reps and we’ll be finished.”
Unless he died first. Sweat broke across his brow. “This can’t be helping.”
“I promise you it is. I’m pushing you a little, but not outside the safe range of motion.” She gave him another quick smile. “A little farther. That’ll do it. You can rest now while I apply a cold compress.”
He slumped against the wall. Freezing his shoulder off was almost as bad as the mobility exercises she tortured him with. “Something else to look forward to.” His voice dripped sarcasm.
A grin curved her lips. “Don’t be a baby. Three weeks into rehab, and you’re making remarkable progress. Obviously, you’re a fast healer.”
When she gestured toward the small seating area in the corner of his home gym, he headed over and took a chair by the window that faced out onto the forest. The sun peeked through cloud cover, and melting snow fell in clumps from tree branches to pock the deep powder below them. The day had warmed up to above freezing, but another cold front was predicted to move in at nightfall ahead of the next big storm. The most epic winter the Sierras had experienced in years, and he was missing all the action.
“When can I ski again?”
She stepped up to his side and applied an icepack. “Depends on what you mean by ski. Nothing in the way of competition for a few more weeks. A hard fall would undo all the healing you’ve accomplished.”
“My ankle’s one hundred percent. Not a hint of pain, anymore.”
“True.”
He turned to face her, hope stirring. “Could I take a few easy runs, just for fun? Nothing strenuous. I need to get out on the mountain again. Being cooped up in the house is killing me.”
Fine brows knit, and concern clouded her golden eyes. “That’s pushing it a little, Tripp.”
“You could come with me to supervise. It’s a beautiful afternoon. Tomorrow will be another storm day, so this is our window of opportunity.” He topped off the plea with his most persuasive smile. “I promise I won’t hurt myself.”
“No black diamond runs?”
He wasn’t willing to go that far. “Just the ones I can manage with both hands tied behind my back.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Show-off.” She hesitated for a long moment. “Will you quit if you start feeling any pain?”
“Pain is a problem for you?” He adjusted the cold pack. “You have the nerve to mention pain after the suffering you just put me through?”
“The abuse I dish out is directed and serves a purpose. I’m not kidding about stopping if you feel discomfort.”
“Fine, I promise. The last thing I want is to set back my recovery.”
“Then, against my better judgment, I’ll agree.”
“Sweet!” He jumped up.
She grabbed his good arm. “After you finish icing that shoulder.”
“Anything you say.” He met her still skeptical gaze as she moved to stand by the window. “Maybe we can go out to dinner afterward. My treat to thank you for being such an excellent sport about this.”
She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. “How many times have I told you I don’t date clients? Ten? Twelve? Give it a rest, Tripp.”
He couldn’t let the idea go. Getting Hannah to agree to go out with him was his new mission in life. His top goal—right behind skiing again. If he could accomplish both in the same afternoon… He pasted on what he hoped was an innocent, wide-eyed expression. “Dinner together doesn’t have to be a date, per se. Just a friendly meal. We both need to eat, after all.”
“You’re pushing your luck. Again. I agreed to a few ski runs. Shouldn’t that satisfy your quest for adventure?”
“For now.”
She snorted then headed across the room. “You can take off the icepack in ten minutes. If we’re really doing this, I need to go home to change and get my ski equipment.”
“Do you have a season pass for Squaw and Alpine? If not, I can get you a free ticket.”
She paused in the doorway. “I have a pass. I’m not a fanatic about skiing the way you are, but I enjoy it.”
“Good. I’ll swing by your house to pick you up in a half hour, if that works for you.”
When she nodded and disappeared down the hallway, Tripp slumped against the chair to wait out his ten minutes and tapped his fingers with impatience. Nothing right now—except possibly enticing Hannah into bed—would do more to lift his spirits than getting out on the mountain. He planned to enjoy every last minute of it.
* * * *
Hannah pushed off the chair lift at the top of KT-22 and skied behind Tripp to the edge of the bowl. A cold breeze stung her cheeks, but she didn’t mind. The blood pumped fast through her veins to keep her warm. Skiing with Tripp, even when he swore he was taking it easy, was nothing if not invigorating.
She glanced around as the long shadows faded into dusk on the nearly deserted mountain. “Last run. The sky is getting darker by the minute.”
“It’s past four o’clock, so they’ve probably stopped loading chairs by now. I love this time of day, after all