attractive lift of his lips? “I guess that would be safer.” She started walking again, and he fell in step beside her.
“So, do you live in the dorm too? Ooh, that did sound like I’m stalking you.”
She laughed. Something she didn’t do much of these days. “No, I have a small place next door. Since I’m here full-time I get an upgrade, such as it is.”
“I just threw my duffel bag on a bunk and headed out for a burger. Place reminds me of college—dirty socks, snoring and beer cans everywhere.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle again. “Yeah, I know what you mean. An army barracks isn’t much more appealing.”
“You’ve been in the military?” Amazement orbited his words.
“Yeah. That’s where I got my training.”
He didn’t comment, and she was relieved. She didn’t want a repetition of their earlier conversation. They seemed to have reached a temporary stalemate.
They crossed the main paved road that divided the top of the mountain and maneuvered around a pile of snow left by the road crew. The pavement was the line that separated the Alpine village, where all the visitors stayed, from the side of the mountain where the employees lived in considerably less luxury.
No longer in the light of the numerous security lamps, the footing became more difficult along the gravel road. Baylie slowed her pace. It had started to snow.
“What’s there to do up here after the slopes close?”
His deep smooth voice and being alone together in the darkness had a far too intimate a feel. She didn’t do romance. Not now, not ever again. She couldn’t carry any more guilt if she failed another man. “The usual, I guess. Dinner, bars. Some people swim in the indoor pool.”
“You aren’t into the après-ski scene?”
“I’m sure you know the saying that those who ski all day go to bed.”
“They do, do they?”
His words came out slow and rough, putting a double meaning to them that made her think of a big bed, roaring fire and no clothes. What was happening to her? She was letting this stranger get to her. Crazy stuff. They didn’t even like each other. Again she was glad for the darkness. She needed to get to her place right away. “You know what I mean.”
He chuckled. “Yeah. If you ski all day it’s hard to stay up and party all night. You’re too worn out.”
“You and Tiffani looked like you were having a good time.” If Baylie could have taken the words back she would have. It was none of her business with whom he spent his time. Nothing about him was her concern except what he did on the slopes between nine and four-thirty.
“So you did see us.” Kyle’s tone implied the statement had a significant meaning, and he was mulling over what that was.
It was time for her to put a door between them. She’d already said too much. “Well, here’s your stop.” The large, functional three-floor building loomed in front of them. “I’m on down. Good night.”
“Night, Baylie.”
The way he said her name made her think of chocolate melting in her mouth.
The next morning Kyle pushed through the door of the patrol building. He wasn’t any more enthusiastic about the prospect of being on the slopes again this morning than he’d been the day before. What Kyle did find interesting was that he looked forward to seeing Baylie. The small, gutsy live wire was interesting. Gave as good as she got. She piqued his curiosity.
For a few minutes the night before they had spoken to each other as if they could be friends. He liked her intelligence and practical manner. If he was staying longer, which he definitely wasn’t, and she wasn’t such a control freak, which she certainly was, and if he wanted to ski again, which he didn’t…Heck, who was he kidding? They really had nothing in common.
Kyle stepped farther into the room. Baylie stood behind the counter, handing out assignments with a smile and an occasional laugh.
“Morning, Baylie.” He smiled at her.
Her face sobered. “You’re on the beginner slope again today. Would you mind teaching a group in ski school?”
Had he misread their amity the night before? Why was she treating him less warmly than the others? “What does it entail?”
“You’ll have about six students. All you have to do is show them the basics, let them take a couple of runs down the slope and then bring them in for hot chocolate.”
He didn’t say anything right away.
“I’m terribly short on help today.” Her voice held a hint of desperation.
“I can handle that.” He gave her his best syrupy smile. The day before he wouldn’t have been anywhere near as confident.
Baylie blinked twice as if she was unsure what she’d heard or seen. At least she hadn’t asked him to patrol the main slopes. She’d surely have demanded an explanation if he had refused. That, he wouldn’t give. He certainly wouldn’t admit to being afraid.
Suddenly Baylie looked over his shoulder, squealed and circled the counter. Crossing the room in quick steps, she threw herself into the arms of a tall, lanky guy. He picked her up and swung her round. When he stopped, she slid back to her feet. Others came up and slapped the man on the back calling, “Congratulations.” Seconds later, Kyle could no longer see Baylie for the throng of people with voices raised in excitement.
Who is this guy?
One of the volunteers who had been in the back room passed Kyle and he asked, “What’s going on?”
“Oh, that’s Derek Lingerfelt. Local hero. Just back from winning the national downhill race out in Colorado. People around here hope he’ll go further. Maybe even the World Games.”
That old familiar feeling of disappointment jabbed him. “So what’s he doing back here?”
“Aw, Derek can’t stay off the slopes so when he’s home to visit his parents, he helps us out. Even runs a class for some of the visitors. Good PR, he says.”
Kyle’s sponsors had encouraged him to do as much PR as possible. People had wanted to join him on the slopes—mostly women. Looking back on it, he’d really enjoyed having his ego stroked. But now he found similar satisfaction in seeing a patient improve and go back to playing a game they loved.
Derek still had his arm draped over Baylie’s shoulders. There was a broad grin on her face as she craned her neck to look up at Derek. Kyle shook his head. Wouldn’t it be nice to have her smile up at him with the same fondness? That was certainly an irrational idea. Baylie didn’t mean anything to him. She could smile in awe at anyone she wished.
The whole scene rubbed Kyle up the wrong way. Turning his back on all the admiration, he snatched up his jacket. It was time to leave.
“We need to get to work, folks,” Baylie called, breaking up the crowd of well-wishers.
When Kyle brushed by her on the way outside she gave him a quizzical look. was his displeasure with the scene that obvious?
Less than an hour later he was so caught up in giving little kids skiing lessons that he pushed thoughts of Baylie away. As he worked with the children, showing them how to stop, start and approach the lift, he remembered the passion he’d had when he’d learned something new, he’d pushed further. What he wouldn’t give to have that feeling again. First he’d done it with downhill skiing, and when that had no longer been possible, he’d turned the same determination toward medicine. He loved medicine, and had risen to the top of his field.
“Laura, you follow Mikey,” he told the girl in the pink and purple suit. “Move back and forth like a snake.”
The girl pushed