all around them. The inside was filled with pleasant surprises. There was a large living area and an equally large den off the main room. A fire was going in the den, making the place seem cozy. Their hosts had been there to prepare a warm welcome.
Everyone explored. They found three bedrooms upstairs, as well as a full-size basement. Nick was relieved to discover that whoever owned it was security conscious, as evidenced by the state-of-the-art security system installed. It made their job a good deal easier.
The kitchen was fully equipped, and someone had provided coffee, cream and sugar, fruit and snacks.
He and Ron returned to the living room and waited while the party of six sorted themselves out and decided who was going to room with whom. It wasn’t long until they returned to the foyer where they’d left the luggage. When the group saw the agents relaxed in the living room, they followed them in there.
Derek was the first to say, “Hey, I’ll do my patriotic duty and sleep in Ashley’s room.” His unstinting selflessness garnered a fair share of catcalls and giggles.
Nick watched Ashley’s reaction. She blushed before laughing and shaking her head. “No way!” she said. “You probably snore.”
“Or walks in his sleep,” Craig said with a grin. All the rooms were equipped with twin beds. “So how are we going to do this, anyway? We’ve got an odd number here.”
Joe spoke up. “All right, you clowns. Erin and I are taking one of the bedrooms, so Trish and Ashley can have one, Craig and Derek the other.”
Now it was Erin doing the blushing, but Nick noted she wasn’t protesting.
Since none of this was his business, Nick chose to keep quiet and watch.
Joe settled the matter by picking up his and Erin’s bags and going upstairs. Trish turned to Nick and asked, “But where will you and Ron sleep?”
Ashley spoke up. “Didn’t you know? They don’t need sleep. Actually they’re androids programmed to do their job. I doubt they ever eat, either.”
Ron laughed. “You got that wrong, Ashley. As a matter of fact, my poor ol’ stomach thinks my throat’s been cut. So what do we do about meals around here?”
Since Ron already knew the answer to his question, Nick knew he was attempting to deflect some of Ashley’s sarcasm. It also directed everyone to thinking about how long it had been since they’d been served breakfast on the plane. They began to clamor with suggestions, each volunteering the others to do the KP duties.
Nick finally held up his hand in the “T” that signaled timeout in sports. “We eat at the lodge. The kitchen never closes. I suggest we head out now if you intend to get any skiing done this afternoon.”
Once the thought was planted, everyone grabbed his or her bag and rushed upstairs, eager to get unpacked and change into ski clothes. While they were upstairs, he and Ron checked out the den. The two sleeper sofas were arranged at right angles to the fireplace, opposite each other. Nick knew they wouldn’t be the most comfortable beds, but he could survive. Since the sofas were long, he decided to leave his closed and treat it as a single bed.
Ron peered out one of the windows. “I’m glad I don’t have to get out in this stuff,” Ron said with a shiver. “Sitting by the fire at the lodge and waiting for you guys to come back inside suits me just fine. Guess you have to be born around this kind of weather to enjoy it.”
“I suppose. I know I prefer the cold dry air of the mountains to the heat and humidity at the beaches.”
“Good thing, since there’s plenty of us who prefer hot sand and cool seawater.”
The clatter on the stairs warned them that the troops were on the move again. Nick grabbed his down-filled parka and said, “Guess it’s time to head ’em up and move ’em out.”
“You know, this is going to be tough, doing round-the-clock protection. Does Ashley have any idea what she’s asking of us?”
Nick glanced over his shoulder and lifted an eyebrow. “Do you really think she cares? I have a hunch she hopes I break a leg first thing and you injure yourself falling off a bar stool.”
Ron shook his head. “I don’t think she’s quite that adamant about having her privacy.”
“Don’t bet on it!”
Hours later Ashley finished a run down the side of the mountain and paused to catch her breath. This was just what she’d needed—a chance to get away from routine for a few days, a chance to be with friends.
She’d chosen an easy trail her first time, not wanting to come to grief her first day back on the slopes. She looked around, watching as Craig, then right after him, Trish, came down, both of them whooping with glee, exhilarated by the fresh air, the fresh powder and the physical release after having been cooped up for so many hours.
She’d missed winter in Colorado more than she’d remembered. The mountains were home to her and always would be. This was the first time she’d been allowed to join her friends, some of whom came every winter holiday. Thank God her dad had finally agreed to let her go on this ski trip.
She was glad Ron was along. He was fun…and funny. They’d all indulged themselves at the buffet in the restaurant at the lodge. When it came time to see about renting equipment, he’d waved them off with a shiver that may not have been totally faked, promising to be right there by the fire when they decided they’d had all the fun they wanted with that foreign white stuff.
She was sorry that it wasn’t Ron who was out there with them.
“Going up again?” Craig hollered, motioning to the nearby lifts.
“You bet!” she replied, and started to the lifts to join them.
She wouldn’t have minded Ron being out there with her, but everything Nick the Noble did grated on her nerves. He’d taken charge of seeing that everyone was properly fitted for their skis, obviously enjoying the teasing and flirting he received from the other two women in the group.
He’d missed his calling. As a professional ski instructor he could have spent his days impressing all the giggly females. He certainly seemed to thrive on all the attention. He wore a black ski suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and slim waist. She noticed that Erin did a quick visual of him when Joe wasn’t watching. Oh, yeah. He looked good.
She also had to admit that he was something to watch on a pair of skis. All that controlled energy came to the fore as he swooped down the side of the mountain. Trish was already lamenting the fact that he stayed so close to Ashley, leaving her to ride the lifts with Derek or Craig, while Joe and Erin continued the twosome they’d formed.
Ashley would gladly change places with Trish, but she knew better than to suggest it. At least while winging down the slopes she could pretend to be alone. She wasn’t going to do anything foolish that would be reported to her father.
“Let’s find us a blue run this time,” Craig suggested as he grabbed for the lift. “Green’s too easy.”
Ashley and Nick grabbed the next bar, sliding onto the seats and holding on. She looked over at him. He was cleaning his goggles and not looking her way. His profile caught at her and she forced herself to look away.
By the time they got off the lift, the others were waiting for them. A large map of the area was posted, naming each trail, color coding them to show their degree of difficulty. They stood there debating various ones. Ashley agreed with Craig. She was ready for a little more challenge.
She followed him to Duke’s Run, gave him some time to push off and build up some speed, then shoved forward with a sense of excitement. There was nothing better than experiencing the silence of the mountain, with only the sound of the wind as it whistled past your ears.
Ashley gave herself up to enjoying the moment.
Nick kept her in sight but wasn’t worried about her. She handled herself