“Want me to hunt Needleman down and stomp on his balls for you? I’m happy to do it.”
An image of tall, imposing Logan confronting skinny, freckle-faced, and completely unsuspecting Jeremy—who probably didn’t look anything like that anymore—made her smile. “Thanks, but no. Wherever he is today, I like to think he’s already sorry for being such a jerk in school.”
“With a name like Needleman, I guarantee he’s sorry. I’m sorry you had to put up with little pricks like him, and assholes like your gym teacher, and do-nothings like your algebra teacher. And you’re right. I don’t know what it’s like to endure that kind of treatment. Not because I’m some kind of Mr. Perfect and nobody’s ever fucked with me, but I was always surrounded by my brothers, Trevor and Michael. Always,” he repeated and raised his eyes heavenward. “Whether I wanted them around or not. Throw shit at one of us, get it back from all three. Consequently, I never had to put up with more than a normal amount of shit. But I don’t need to have experienced the shit you went through to understand it left scars.”
“Thank you for understanding.” Too bad now that he understood, he had to realize what a broken wing she was.
“The thing is, Sophie, you’re not the same girl you were in high school. You’re so far beyond that girl the rest of us can’t even see her. We see a clever, sexy woman. A woman I would have appreciated waking up next to, after everything we shared last night. Oh, and just for future reference, I don’t expect a stand-up routine first thing in the morning.”
With that, he resumed climbing the last few feet to the top.
Wait…what? Future reference? Did he really say future reference? She huffed and puffed after him. “Just for…future reference…what do you expect?”
“This may come as a shock, but when I let a clever, sexy woman show me the proper use for my favorite tie, about the only expectation I have is that she not sneak off in the middle of the night. Other than that, I’m wide open. With me, you can do anything you want, and say anything you want. Or you can say nothing, because while I’m a big fan of bold, aggressive Sophie, I like your quiet side, too. I could use more reflection in my life these days.”
He looked at her then, and must have read something dubious in her expression, because he reached down, took her hand, and hauled her up next to him. Only after she’d caught her breath did she dare glance around, and realize he’d lifted her the last couple feet to the summit. She took in the panoramic view of the mountain, the sky—she swallowed loudly—the tiny, ant-like people wandering the path far, far below.
“You look like you’re about to tip your head back and yell, ‘I’m king of the world,’ at the top of your lungs.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Nope. Not going to happen. I’m the quiet girl, remember?”
“I remember you making some not-so-quiet sounds last night.”
Do not blush. Don’t. But it was no use. Heat climbed into her cheeks.
“Sorry. I couldn’t resist.” But he didn’t look repentant. He looked cocky and happy. “Do you know why I love climbing?”
“Because you have a death wish?”
The comment earned her a grin and a head shake. “It’s a chance to escape all the demands on my time. I can shed the guy-in-charge image and relax. Reach a place where all the bullshit disappears.” He leaned back in his harness, looking completely at home fifteen feet up, and stared off into the distance. “I feel the same way when I’m with you.”
“Spending time with me is relaxing? I think you may be confusing ‘relaxing’ and ‘boring.’”
“I’m not confusing anything. Who else would take a moonlight sprinkler run with me? Who else would climb a rock wall with me?”
“Not Regan.” As soon as she said the words she wanted to hurl herself over the other side of the wall and disappear.
But he simply wrinkled his brow. “No. Probably not. The footwear alone would be a showstopper.” He lowered his voice. “Who else would discipline me when I get out of line?”
Her face heated. Regan would. This time, thank God, she managed to keep the thought in her head rather than letting it spew out her mouth. “You, ah…liked that, did you?”
“I’m not ready to embrace the lifestyle, but with you, last night, I definitely got into it. The whole thing was surprisingly stimulating, and…fun. Somewhere along the line I let all the fun leak out of my life. I miss it,” he added softly, as if to himself. “So thank you for that.”
Then he glanced at her and tightened his hold on her hand, tugging her toward him. When he had her close enough that she could see the striations in his irises, he kissed her, and her heart did some kind of crazy aerial maneuver that had nothing to do with her current altitude. “I feel like I can be myself when we’re together,” he said, “and I’m trying to tell you, you can be yourself, too.”
Herself? Plain old Sophie, who was putting all this energy and effort into becoming someone more outgoing and interesting? Heck, maybe they weren’t complete opposites. He craved peace and quiet sometimes. She appreciated excitement and adventure…sometimes.
As long as you remember you’re both just fooling around, maybe you can share both for a little while.
Chapter Nine
It wasn’t graceful, but Sophie made it down the wall in one piece, without taking out any innocent bystanders in the process. She’d lost her hold on the belay line toward the end and started to rappel too fast. Luckily, Logan was there to catch her.
While she debated giving in to her wobbling knees, sinking down, and kissing the ground, a resort employee made a beeline toward Logan and handed him a message. He quickly scanned the small pink sheet, and then frowned and sent her an apologetic look. “Apparently my playtime’s over. I’ve got to join a call.”
A wave of something like disappointment rose up, but she tamped it down. Any time with Logan was borrowed time and she’d best remember that. Wanting to hang out with him was one thing. Allowing herself to need him was another thing entirely. “No problem.” She let him help her out of the harness and then handed it to an attendant. “You go ahead. I’m going to check out the shops on the way back. Maybe find a little memento for Colt and Kady.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later.” He leaned down and gave her another of his patented, Lycra-melting kisses, and pulled away far too soon. “Save a dance for me,” he said and then took off jogging toward the resort in a loose, easy gait that would have left her in the dust.
Save a dance? Oh, right. Dance lessons were on tonight’s agenda. She cringed as she walked through the faux Alpine village full of resort shops. Normally she avoid
ed dancing in public the same way she avoided public speaking, but heck, if she could scale a rock wall, she could handle a two-step, couldn’t she?
Her gaze snagged on a flash of crimson in a shop window. A slinky dress with a neckline that plunged low and a flirty skirt that ended mid-thigh. Open-toed red lace stilettos completed the ensemble. The outfit whispered, “Give me a twirl,” and a whole lot more.
Show up in that and nobody’s going to notice your dancing skills.
Did she dare?
“Amazing dress, Sophie. You should try it on.”
Sophie whirled and came face-to-face with Kady. “Oh, hey.” She glanced around, unaccountably nervous that her brother might be nearby and, somehow, reading her mind. “What are you up to?”
Kady wiggled her fingers. “I’m on my way to get a mani-pedi, but I’m way early.” She grabbed Sophie’s hand and pulled her into the shop. “I’ve got plenty of time to help you decide whether to say yes to the dress.”
“I was just window-shopping. I’m not in the market for a new dress.”
“Please. A girl is always in the market for a perfect red dress, and the dance lesson tonight is reason enough, if you really need an excuse.”
When a pretty blond saleswoman approached, Kady said, “Do you have the dress in the window in…what do you wear now, Soph? 8P?”
“We do,” the saleswoman answered, before Sophie could do more than nod. “Let me get you set up in a fitting room and I’ll bring the dress to you.”
“Thanks,” Kady said as they made their way to the back of the shop. “The shoes, too. Seven and a half.” She settled herself into one of the two dainty Queen Anne style chairs just outside the fitting rooms.
“Of course,” the saleslady replied. She unlocked a room and gestured Sophie inside. “Be right back.”