Page 6 of Mountain Trial

He realized he was being an asshole―which surprised him. He considered himself a friendly guy. At least, he normally didn’t have any trouble not being an asshole.

Luc took off his helmet and placed it on the floor next to him, considering his next words.

“I’m sorry. I know what you meant.”

“Okay,” she said. Her smile came back, though it was more tentative this time around.

She’s interested.

Please tell me it’s not the wheelchair she finds interesting.

Since his injury, Luc had met a few women who got turned on by the wheelchair, or, he supposed, by the idea of taking care of someone else. But he’d worked hard to become one hundred percent independent, hadn’t needed any help since the moment he’d left the rehabilitation clinic five months after his accident, and wasn’t about to spend time with someone who considered his inability to walk to be his most attractive trait.

“Where did you learn to ski?” she asked.

“I used to be a snowboarder,” he said, leaving out the fact that he’d won the Snowboard World Cup twice. It seemed like that had happened a lifetime ago. “I didn’t start skiing until after my accident,” he added cautiously.

He expected a well-meant I’m sorry, perhaps a question about the accident. People were naturally curious about it. But she surprised him once again.

“You’re an athlete,” she said, her expression shutting down. She suddenly looked like she couldn’t wait to get away from him. “You’re here for the Victory Games, aren’t you?”

Luc was about to reply when two men appeared, both of them dressed in black and blue PGHM ski uniforms.

“Everything okay, Kat?” the tall, blond man asked, looking curiously at Luc.

“Everything’s fine. Jens, Drake, meet Luc Fournier.”

Both men nodded politely at him. “We were nearby, so thought we’d come check on you.”

“Thanks. We thought we might need help, but everything was okay in the end.”

“We’ll go on our way, then. Don’t forget Damien has called a team meeting tomorrow at eight. Nice to meet you, Luc.”

Kat waved them away. She ran her fingers through her red curls, trying unsuccessfully to smooth them into submission.

“You work with them?”

“Yeah,” she said. “I’m a search & rescue pilot.” The pride in her voice was evident.

Damn.

She’s so out of your league, it’s not even funny.

But she wanted to have coffee together. Maybe you should take her up on that offer.

He never had a chance to open his mouth.

“I have to go,” she said, her expression guarded once again.

You missed your chance, buddy.

“Sure. I should go get my chair back before the lifts close. The lift attendant is holding it for me. I’ll see you around, maybe?”

Kat nodded, but her attention was clearly elsewhere. Luc already missed her sunny smile.

As he pushed off, Luc noticed a tall, slim snowboarder approaching her. An enormous smile stretched the man’s face, his teeth bright against deeply suntanned skin.

Luc groaned under his breath.