Primrose Read online

  After joining in on the search for her, Rafe had found a new passion—one that he was positive his sister would have embraced—that of being a member of a search and rescue team. In the time since then, he’d joined the ski patrol and forged many friendship bonds. The problem was that he’d never allow himself to completely give all of his heart or truly love anyone. His twin was missing, and until he found out what happened to her, he’d never be whole again.

  If only he’d gone through her gear with her, she might have been more prepared for whatever had happened.

  Stop it. He’d been down this self-destructive path before. Marianna had insisted she had everything she needed for her three-day hiking retreat.

  Needing to clear his mind, Rafe jumped up from his warm perch and walked over to the front entrance to check whether it was safe to drive the three miles back to his apartment. The snow was still coming down hard, but it wasn’t sideways like it had been earlier. With the moon illuminating the snow, it looked rather magical. He was lost in thought until the delicate scent of lilacs filled his nostrils. Someone had walked up to the glass two feet from him. Not wanting to break his contemplative mood, he didn’t look over.

  When the door remained closed, he figured the person was studying the landscape too. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he said, partially talking to himself.

  “It is.” Even though the woman had the voice of an angel, he didn’t need any more distractions in his life, so he didn’t comment any further.

  Too often, single women only came to the lodge looking to hook up—not necessarily to ski. Didn’t they ever think what it might do to the guy once they left after a week? Ski instructors had feelings too.

  The polite thing to do would be to turn and face the woman next to him, but he didn’t sense she was interested in him, as much as she was just enjoying the peaceful view. That worked for him.

  They must have stood there for a minute without any further conversation, giving Rafe time to relax. The storm was finally dying down. It was time to head home. He had a lesson tomorrow morning and needed his sleep—or at least it was a good excuse to leave. When Rafe finally turned to face the woman, she was gone.

  Okay, that was strange. He spun around to search for whoever she might be, but no woman appeared to be by herself. Hell, maybe she was a figment of his imagination.

  He pushed open the door, ready to face the cold.

  Primrose couldn’t sleep. Not only had the falling snow captivated her, the man who was staring out the front door had affected her. She didn’t dare put a label on her feelings for fear of becoming too distracted. If she called it lust, she’d be too focused on some winter fling and not on expanding her horizons and learning to ski.

  Had she been home, she would have contacted her mom. Sure, her mother had given her and her sisters the facts of life talk when they were little, telling them how their bodies would glow when they met their mate, but that was long before they developed any interest in men. She at least didn’t pay a lot of attention to the talk because all four of them believed they would never be paired up with anyone since they were needed to help others. Primrose had never questioned it—until this very moment.

  A teeth-jarring alarm chimed at seven fifteen. Ugh. While that was her usual wake up time, she was in the middle of a pleasant dream—one starring that pensive and very hot man who was by the front door.

  Making it worse was the fact that the chill in the room made her want to pull up the down comforter and snuggle. Primrose didn’t have that luxury since her first ski lesson was in less than two hours.

  Breakfast was being served downstairs, so after she washed up and dressed, she set out her jacket, gloves, and scarf on the bed and headed downstairs to eat.

  Once she found the dining room, she stood at the entrance and smiled. The place was bustling with excitement. Several tables were free, which suited her fine. While she would have liked to join a guest, she wasn’t ready yet to ask. Maybe in a few days she would be. Right now, she needed to find some food and mentally prepare herself for the rigors of learning to ski.

  After filling her plate with a lot of appetizing food, she snagged an empty table, content to people watch. She was so lost in thought that when she checked her watch, she had to rush back to her room for her gear. Being late on her first day would not be good.

  Once outside, she followed the signs to the ski lift area and entered a building that claimed to sell lift tickets and lessons. Wow, the place was swarming with people, all looking as if they knew what they were doing. Maybe, this hadn’t been the right choice for her vacation.

  After standing in one spot for a bit, she realized no one was going to come to her. It was time to take control of the situation and speak with the man at the counter. “Hi, I’m Primrose Faiten. I’ve signed up for lessons with…” She looked down at the paper in her hand. “Trevor Whitmore.”

  The guy behind the counter said nothing as he clicked on his computer. “Trevor is out sick. You’ll be with Rafe Tremont.”

  As long as he was competent, she didn’t care. “Okay.” She looked around, but no one seemed to be waiting to give a lesson. “Where should I wait?”

  “Sit on the bench over there. Rafe will be in shortly. I hope.”

  That didn’t sound good. People were putting on their heavy ski gear—stuff that looked like it would really protect them from the cold weather. Talk about a fish out of water. She might have gloves and a scarf, but she didn’t have a hat. The jacket she’d borrowed from Chelsea, who came from Earth, was a lot bulkier than anyone else’s, but hopefully it would be warm enough. Maybe she should have done a bit more research on what to wear.

  As she was studying the attire of the other women, a totally unexpected wave of familiarity and sexual excitement shot through her so hard that Primrose clasped her chest. When she looked around to see what might have caused the reaction, she spotted the same man she was standing next to at the front door last night—the one who had just starred in her dreams.

  Whoa. That was three times now that she’d been overwhelmed with a blast of need so strong that it unsettled her. What was going on?

  She’d lived long enough to hear everyone’s tales of what they went through when they first met their mate. Could this be what she was experiencing? That would be too good to be true.

  The man from the front door locked gazes with her, and when he strode toward her, she wanted to shrink back. Primrose and hot men did not always mix well.

  “Primrose Faiten?”

  “Yes.”

  He held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Rafe Tremont. I’ll be your instructor.”

  Her mouth turned dry. Primrose stood and then slowly held out her hand, almost afraid to touch him. When she did, heat poured through her body, forcing her to instantly let go.

  Her instructor looked a big perplexed but then smiled. “Tell me a bit about yourself,” he said.

  Primrose froze. Had she been misinformed about what hiring a ski instructor meant, and this was really some kind of dating service? That wouldn’t do at all. It didn’t matter he was sexier than sin. “Like what?”

  He chuckled, and her muscles relaxed. “Have you ever skied before?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, have you ever ice skated or done gymnastics as a kid? You know, things that might help me judge your athletic ability.”

  Always one to tell the truth, she explained she’d never done any of those things before. “In fact, I’ve never seen snow before until coming here.”

  Now she regretted not traveling more. Poppy had been right. She should have teleported to the mountains and checked them out before coming here.

  “Where are you from?”

  “Edendale.”

  “That’s why. It is milder there. What do you do for a living, if I may ask?”

  “My sisters and I run a pottery store where we make pots, bowls, cups, and wall decorations and such.”

  “You’re an artist. That’s really cool
.”

  “I do love working with my hands and creating things.”

  “That’s great.” Rafe dragged his gaze down her length. “Okay. Given the type of coat you’re wearing, you might get cold. Let me see if I can find an inner vest for you to put on and some better ski pants that are waterproof. Then you’ll need something to wear under your gloves, as well as a hat and goggles. What size shoe do you wear?”

  His list of how she’d failed to prepare took her by surprise. “Shoe size?”

  “I need to fit you for a ski boot.”

  “Oh.” Talk about feeling like a fool. Ugh.

  She told him. When he walked away, she couldn’t help but study the way he strutted and held his shoulders back. His confident stride did something to her insides—something erotic and lustful.

  Oh. My. Goddess. Was he her mate?

  It couldn’t be. None of her sisters—or even her mom—believed that Fate would grant them one. To top it off, he was a human. Sure, everyone on Tarradon knew about shifters and white lighters, but goddesses? That might be too hard for him to grasp.

  She and her sisters had worked very hard not to let anyone know the scope of their skills. The Guardians—the dragon shifters who helped protect much of Tarradon—didn’t even know for sure what they were—other than they could perform magic.

  Rafe returned with an armful of gear. “Here you go. See if these clothes fit. Then I’ll show you how to put on your boots.” Rafe held out a tight fitting shirt that he said could be worn over or under her shirt, a cap, liners for her gloves, as well as ski pants.

  She was about to tell him that with a swipe of her hand, she could dress herself, but fortunately she remembered in time her promise to herself and her siblings that she wouldn’t use any magic. “This is a lot of gear, but thank you.”

  “If you get too cold, you won’t enjoy yourself. Since you aren’t used to this weather, your feet might become chilled. But don’t worry. When you move around, you’ll be fine. We’re just going to be on a small hill outside the building, which means you can always come in and warm up if need be.”

  Primrose smiled. “Thank you.”

  She couldn’t remember when someone had been so nice to her—or rather someone as hot as Rafe Tremont had been so nice. She put on the clothes he gave her and instantly could feel the heat being trapped.

  “Now for the boots. Sit on the bench while I show you how to put them on.”

  He knelt in front of her, and Primrose’s imagination went wild. Of the four sisters, she was the dreamer, the one who read the romance books and watched all of the falling-in-love movies. This reminded her of Cinderella. Admittedly, the clunky snow boot was nothing like a glass slipper, but the image of Rafe down on one knee would forever be etched in her memory.

  Clearly used to doing this, Rafe unlaced her hiking boots with ease, slipped them off, and then slid her foot into the heavy ski boot. “It’s important to have them snug but not tight so your feet don’t get too cold.” After he buckled two straps, he had her stand to make sure they were secure. Then he snapped the two buckles near the toe. Lastly, he tugged close a strap on the top then repeated on the other side. “How do they feel?”

  It was hard to tell. She stood and walked a few feet. “It’s like I’m walking in cement.”

  “They are stiff, but you’ll get used to them.” He stood. “Now it’s time to teach you how to ski.” On the way out, he picked up a helmet and a pair of goggles. “You’ll need these too.”

  The last time she was this excited was when a new selection of glazes for their pottery had arrived a few months ago. She remembered not being able to wait to test them out. This adventure was something totally new and highly exhilarating, though she wasn’t sure if it was the idea of skiing or being around Rafe that thrilled her more.

  Outside, the sky was a brilliant blue and not as cold as it had been last night. After he put the helmet on her, he handed her the poles and skis. “I had no idea there was so much equipment,” she said.

  He laughed, and the tension in her body relaxed. After he showed her how to step into her skis, they headed over to a relatively flat slope where he illustrated how to move forward by pushing off with the poles. After living for so long, she’d thankfully developed a good sense of balance. To her surprise, she was quite good at this ski stuff. “I want to try something a bit steeper.”

  “I always love an eager student,” Rafe said. “Remember that falling is part of the game.”

  “I’ll remember.” Though she had no intention of landing on her butt and looking like a fool.

  “Then let’s take it up a notch.”

  Rafe showed her how to stand sideways, dig in her skis, and walk up the slope. He followed alongside her, probably to prevent her from slipping all the way down the hill should she misstep.

  By the time she reached the top, her muscles were quivering. “This sport sure uses a lot of leg muscles.”

  “It does, but you’ll get used to it. It just takes practice. Now comes the fun part—going down. Remember, I showed you how to snowplow?” She nodded. “If you want to cut across to the left, put your weight on your right leg. Then switch your weight, so you will cut across right.”

  “I get it. I’m going to zigzag down the mountain.”

  “Yes. If you feel yourself going too fast for your comfort, keep your weight on one leg until you complete more than a half circle. That way you’ll be pointing uphill. The incline will slow you down.”

  “Got it.”

  “And whatever you do, don’t lean backward.”

  She inhaled. “Where will you be?”

  He smiled. “Right behind you.”

  Aw. Could he get any sweeter? “Here goes.”

  The slope started out relatively flat, making it easy to zigzag. Very quickly though, the hill turned steep, and she sped up. Her heart raced.

  “Turn your skis inward, Primrose,” Rafe called.

  Shit. She couldn’t remember which way to turn. She must have chosen the wrong foot to lean on—or else she leaned back too far because a second later, she lost her balance and tumbled on her butt. She thought once she was on the ground, she’d stop moving, but that was not the case. She kept sliding and sliding, unable to slow.

  Out of nowhere, her white knight skied in front of her and blocked her progress. Her tangled skis ran into his shins, but she didn’t knock him down. Once she came to a complete stop and realized neither was hurt, Primrose laughed.

  Rafe smiled and moved next to her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yes. Just embarrassed, that’s all.”

  He smiled. “I’m glad you’re okay. Let me show you how to get up.” He moved her skis under her butt. “Lean on your poles and stand.”

  Her knees were shaking, but she managed to do as he asked. “I know what I did wrong.”

  “What was that?”

  “I leaned back when I should have been leaning slightly forward.”

  He smiled. “You’re a fast learner.”

  His praise bolstered her spirits. “I’m going again and again until it becomes second nature.”

  He held up a hand. “If you say so, but this is only your first day. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

  “It’s in my nature. Besides, I have everything under control.”

  She most definitely did not—especially when it came to the intangible attraction to this man. All he’d done was provide her with some equipment and give her a few skiing pointers, and yet she felt as if he really cared whether she learned or not. It would be foolish of her to think they actually had a connection though. Her lustful thoughts had to be a result of the beauty of the snow-covered mountains doing a number on her head.

  Not used to failing, Primrose pushed off and concentrated on keeping proper form. After several zigzags, she began to get the hang of it and actually chanced going straight for a bit before zigging or zagging once more. Before she knew it, she was at the bottom of the small hill.

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; Rafe skied up next to her. “Great job today. I believe you’ve signed up for a few more days of lessons.”

  “We’re done for the day?” Her words came out whiny.

  Rafe chuckled. “We’ve been at this for a few hours. I don’t want you to be sore tomorrow.”

  “I understand.” She really did. It didn’t matter that Primrose wanted to stay outside a little longer. Her nose and hands were already quite cold. If her legs hadn’t been so wobbly, she would have begged him to let her try it again. “Will you be teaching me?”

  He smiled. “I will. Now let’s get you out of those boots. Your cheeks and nose are turning quite pink from the cold air.”

  As soon as she’d returned the equipment, Rafe said he’d meet her in the same spot tomorrow.

  “Thank you for everything,” Primrose said.

  He winked. “You did great today, Rosie.”

  Rosie? Nobody had called her that before, but she liked it. The nickname certainly was better than Ms. Prim.

  When she returned to the lodge, she was still excited. Not wanting to go to her room while it was still light, she ordered a hot chocolate and then sat by the fire. She couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

  Chapter Three

  After Rafe made sure Primrose made it back to the lodge safely, he headed out to ski. The release would do him wonders and help clear his head from his conflicting thoughts. He’d forgotten how exciting it could be to teach someone who didn’t seem to be afraid of anything.

  While Rosie, as he liked to think of her, wasn’t a good skier yet, she could be. The sexy redhead was quite a unique individual that was for sure. He just wished he could pinpoint exactly what it was about her that attracted him to her. It might be that she hadn’t fallen into him on purpose or grabbed hold when she hadn’t needed to. Regardless, he knew all too well that it was best not to become too attached since she’d be leaving in two weeks.

  Rafe took the ski lift to the top of Crescent Mountain since it was his favorite slope. The air was thinner and cleaner up there. And he could see for miles. On top of the world, he didn’t have to worry about anything or anyone but the mountain and the mercurial elements.