“I guess we should head down now.” He nods, not saying anything more as he releases his hold of me, and we both sit down to strap our boards back on.
All set to go again, Jarrod turns to me. “Don’t forget to collect your dignity on the way through,” he says, grinning for the first time with me.
“Jarrod … Did you just make a joke?” I ask, slapping him lightly on his upper arm. “Careful. I may have to start rethinking my opinion of you.”
A laugh rumbles from deep in his chest. “C’mon, let’s go … and try to keep yourself in one piece.”
The ride down the green trail back to base is uneventful, thankfully, as my poor body would probably not withstand any more bruises today. It’s still early, and the others aren’t due to meet us for another hour. I try to convince Jarrod to leave me, but he insists on keeping me company in a couple of chairs near the cozy fire at a smaller, quieter bar. We drink mulled wine and eat salty fries and spicy buffalo wings.
He asks me about my job, and I tell him some funny stories about the kids in my class. I have so many stories to tell. It’s why I love working with kids; their honesty and directness is so refreshing. And they are fun.
Jarrod’s laugh rumbles up freely from deep in his chest. Damn, he should do that more often, as I think it’s the sexiest sound I’ve heard in a while. Probably because my love life has been nonexistent lately.
“Tell me more about your class,” he asks. And with a big grin, I do. I love being a teacher and talking about the children I teach. There is a part of me that never really grew up, and spending my days with twenty-five inquisitive little minds gives me the freedom to experience the childlike joy of new discoveries through my students’ eyes.
Jarrod laughs along with me, and the sound reaches all the way down to my toes, making them curl up with pleasure. There is no sign of the grumpy, scowling man from the last two days. Today he seems more relaxed and almost happy. I like this Jarrod.
The sweet, kind man who rescued me after my not-so-graceful flying exit from the chairlift.
“What about your job, Jarrod? I’ve spoken enough. It’s your turn.”
No sooner have I asked the question, a perfectly reasonable friendly question, than his grumpy mood is back. Well, maybe not his grumpy mood, but his smile has been erased, replaced by his now familiar scowl.
What is it with this guy and his moods? More importantly, why am I finding his broody dark looks so sexy?
Chapter 8
Jarrod
Suddenlyfeelinganeedto be alone after dinner, I slip away from the others for a soak in the outdoor hot tub. It’s sunken into the wooden deck in a secluded corner at the back of the lodge, and with everyone else left in the living room, I’ll have it all to myself. With a bottle of whiskey and glass in one hand, a towel slung over my shoulders, I walk barefoot across the cold wooden decking. Thanks to Klaus, the tub is ready and waiting for me.
Steam curls up from the water, giving it a mystical quality, and I can’t wait to sink into its warmth. It’s damn cold standing in board shorts and not much else. I quickly place my towel and drink down and discard my hoodie, then step down into the steamy warmth, sighing as the heat seeps into my cold feet and legs.
It’s a clear, frosty night, and the only light filtering out to this part of the deck is from the main living area. I could have turned the light on, but I like the way my senses become attuned in the darkness. The tall, shadowy grove of trees soaring nearby fills the air with a refreshing pine scent and provides a natural privacy screen from our nearest neighbors. It’s so peaceful. The only sounds are the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze and the muffled voices of my friends drifting through the locked windows. It’s comforting hearing them talking and laughing, even if I can’t make out what they are saying.
Dinner with my friends tonight was entertaining, as usual, and Madison was even willing to talk to me briefly. But I like being in my own company too. Left to my own thoughts. So as everyone settled before the fire with a glass of wine, I escaped to one of my favorite places. Right here in the hot tub.
I stretch my arms out wide, resting them along the rim, and sink slowly down until the water is lapping high on my chest. My head drops back lazily, and I gaze up at the stars. There are so many more visible here in the mountains than in the city. My fingers reach for the glass of whiskey I placed on the side of the tub earlier, and I take a sip. The burn down my throat heats me from within in the way the water is warming me on the outside.
I relax back again, my eyes drooping closed as I maneuver so the tub’s jets are hitting on my tight back muscles, massaging the tension from them.
My mind drifts back to the events of the afternoon with Madison. The woman is turning out to be a danger to herself on the slopes. I’ve never met someone who is so accident prone. It was luck I was there today to move her out of the way before somebody skied into her and she was really hurt.
This time, the instructor hadn’t noticed the unfolding incident, but I did. No second-guessing my intentions like yesterday and sitting idly by, watching the Australian guy wrap his arm around her waist again. Madison needed help, and I wanted to be the one to help her.
It felt good playing the hero, and not only because of the positive shift it brought to our friendship in the bar afterwards. I liked that somebody needed me. It’s been a while since I’ve taken my head out of my own ass long enough to notice the people around me. Somewhere along the way, I’ve become so embedded in my work, I’ve forgotten what fun kicking back with a group of friends can be. I have to admit I’m enjoying myself.
Damn, I really did need this break from the city to get some perspective, and I thought I was succeeding until Madison asked me about my job. The simple question left me scrabbling about for an answer and brought back thoughts of all the piled-up work I had planned on doing during the holidays. I guess my regular stressed city self is never far away.
I wonder sometimes if I love my work too much. Ever since I was a young boy and I watched my first episode ofLaw and Order,I wanted to be a lawyer. Man, I loved that series, and when it finished, I just watched repeats. But lately, it has been getting me down. I’ve been meaning to speak to Dad about some ideas I’ve had to bring in a junior lawyer to do some of the more time-consuming and mundane aspects of my job. Freeing me up to … I don’t know, have a life outside of the office.
A noise at the door has me turning my head and peering through half-closed eyes, a scowl already fixed on my face. But when I see it’s Madison, like I’ve conjured her up, my mouth automatically turns up at the corners. I’m more than happy to share my hot tub with her.
She hasn’t noticed me yet as she searches the wall for a light switch.
“The light switch is inside the door, if that’s what you’re looking for.” She visibly jumps, spinning around in my direction and appearing to squint in the dark. I was right. She hadn’t seen me. “But trust me when I say it’s much nicer without it on.”
She walks toward me slowly, her body silhouetted against the light coming from the living room windows. I can’t see her face clearly, but her hair is piled up in a messy bundle of curls, and I have an urge to loosen the tie and run my fingers through them.
