Exposed: New Adult Sport Romance (The Boys of Winter Book 5) (2 page)

My mother thought giving up my daughter for adoption was the best move for me. She wanted me to have the life I chose without being held back by a child. She’d know. I was a high-school pregnancy too.

The summer before my senior year, we moved from Maine to Colorado, and my mother homeschooled me. I had my baby without having to deal with rumors and vindication. I’m grateful she saved me from the embarrassment, but she couldn’t save me from the shame. I shake off my thoughts and move to the jewelry counter to find accessories.

Chains jingle as I sort through, looking for the opera length locket I want. Holding the cool metal of a heart pendant in my hand, I place it on the outfit and smile because this is something I would wear.

On a whim I pull the same pieces for me. One of the perks of my job is a clothing allowance, and I’m going to utilize it to have something fun for tonight. Carrying it over to the checkout counter, I fondle the locket and flick it open. Rubbing the smooth interior with my thumb makes me wish I had a picture of someone I love to put inside.

I snap the locket shut and set the clothes down. Yeah, getting involved with Neal would be a mistake. A very big mistake.

Chapter 2

Bitter cold
wind whips my body as I walk to my car. Winter seems to have sneaked up on me, and my hands are chilled as I wrap my jacket tighter around myself instead of buttoning it up. I’m grateful the parking lot is just an alley away as I tuck my fingers under the bag with my new clothes in an attempt to warm them.

As I emerge from the narrow lane I notice the leather bomber jacket I sold earlier today. Neal is getting in a car on the other side of Nika’s Land Rover in the shop owner’s reserved spaces. How is it I never noticed my spot was so close to his?

His door slams, and I see him wave through the windshield at me. I return it quickly and smile at how clueless I can be. Lost in my own mind more often than not, it shouldn’t surprise me that Neal has been watching me without my notice.

Yanking the sleeve of my coat over my hand to protect my skin, I open my car door, and the metal creaks with the cold. I have an apartment in Frisco, which is close to twenty minutes away from Breckenridge. It seems foolish to go home for a couple hours only to return to town for dinner at Nika’s, so I go work out.

Driving a back road to the rec center, I glance at the mountains in the distance, which are covered with a dusting of white, making my skier’s heart beat faster. Even though I’ve skied since before I can remember, I still get a thrill when the season begins. Working in retail can be tough for getting daytime hours off, but I make the schedule and arrange to have three mornings and one day free.

After an elliptical session that leaves room for a calorie-laden meal, I dress in my new vest and shirt, and the skirt I wore earlier today. The vintage fabric of my prairie skirt is soft from age and caresses my thighs as I wiggle into it. I survey my look in the mirror and am pleased with the outfit. I know I shouldn’t be trying to impress Neal, but the simple cotton peasant blouse I picked this morning wasn’t anything special. As a clothing designer, I should at least look as though I care.

That’s what I tell myself when my boots clunk over frozen asphalt toward my car. But if I’m honest, I’m looking forward to someone giving me attention, even if I have no intention of doing anything about it.

The drive to Nika and Christian’s is quick, and the sound of barking dogs greets me as I approach the front door. Nika has three Portuguese water dogs that are full of energy. I’m more of a cat person, but these puppies are sweet. I’ve learned to give them attention after I enter, and then they calm down.

Nika lets me in. “Hey. You look fabulous.” She starts to laugh, and I notice her tall ex-model body in the green version of my vest. I grin at her and squat down to the dogs.

“You look amazing, too.” As I run my hand over silky soft animals, I inhale a delicious meaty odor that must be duck. Having been a picky eater as a child, I learn new flavors coming here once a week. Christian is a great cook, and I’ve stopped wondering if I’m going to like whatever he’s making because I always do.

Nika asks, “Wine?”

“Of course. What am I having?”

Neal raises up from a couch and answers, “Pinot noir.”

I hadn’t noticed him when I walked in, and heat rises to my cheeks at how obtuse I can be.

I save myself quickly. “From your shop, no doubt.”

He grins and says, “Come with me and I’ll dazzle you.”

I roll my eyes and follow him to a kitchen area separated from the living room by a dark green granite island. An oversized wine glass is empty next to a decanter full of wine. Neal pours garnet-colored liquid into the goblet and swirls as he holds it near my nose. “What do you smell?”

I grin. “It smells like wine.”

“Aw, try for me.”

Neal tilts his head, and I can’t help but comply. I inhale through my nose. “Fruit and—”

“What kind of fruit?”

What is this? A test? I glance at Nika, who is seated on a bar chair by the counter, and she nods encouragement, so I answer, “Berries.”

“Yes, very good. What else?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know.”

“If you were to pick a spice, what would it be?”

I sniff again. “Vanilla?”

A smile covers his face. “Nice job. That’s it. I’m going to guess you’ve never done a wine tasting.”

“You would be right. But I can sure tell you what raw silk smells like.”

I notice how Neal’s eyes crinkle a little at the corners, and it makes me think he’s definitely older than I realized. He asks, “What does it smell like?”

“Fish.” I can’t help but let a huge grin cover my face too.

“I suppose fabric tasting isn’t much fun.” He lifts his eyebrows and adds, “But I’ll bet a fabric touch test would be.”

My hand flies up to the velvet at my chest before I think about what I’m doing. It makes Neal’s eyes fall, and heat rises to my cheeks again. So many flirty things could be said, but I keep quiet and take a sip of my wine instead as my hand fondles the locket I’m wearing.

Neal is not quite in my personal space and doesn’t reach out to touch my necklace when he says, “That’s a pretty locket. Anyone special inside?”

“No.” He’s not blatantly flirting with me, and while I appreciate it, a piece of me is disappointed. “I haven’t had somebody special for years.” I drop my gaze and want to kick myself for letting that come out of my mouth.

The sound of footsteps jogging down the stairs announces Christian, and I’m about to sigh in relief when Neal’s voice lowers for my ears only. “Perhaps that can change.”

I should be careful what I wish for. But my heartbeat quickens a little at his words as I turn to walk toward the living room.

Nika’s house is a large mountain-style home with a living room that is open up to the roof. A gas fire dances, and three couches are set up in a conversation area. I slide onto the cool leather of the oversized cushions as Christian rattles pans in a cupboard. He calls out, “Dinner is about forty-five minutes away.”

My stomach grumbles, and I look longingly at the cheese on the coffee table as I take another drink of the wine. It’s going down quickly, and I blame it on the flavor. Neal has followed me and perches himself on a different sofa. He waves his hand toward the tray and says, “Would you like to try some? It’s Cabriflore, a French cheese made from goat’s milk.”

I almost wish he hadn’t described it, but I throw caution to the wind. “Sure.”

Neal places a slice on a cracker for me. “Take a small bite and hold the flavor on your tongue for a moment. As soon as you swallow, take a sip of wine. The combination is wonderful.”

I do as he says, and when the cheese hits my taste buds, I’m in heaven. It’s a smooth, creamy flavor with a texture that is lighter than Brie. Following it with the pinot noir is every bit as wonderful as Neal said. I close my eyes and lick my lips in satisfaction.

I lift my eyelids to Neal licking his lips too. My breath catches when I notice he’s leaned in closer. “Good?”

I nod and repeat the process as Nika plops down next to me on the couch. “Isn’t that wonderful? Neal gets the best cheeses and makes it so easy for us to just enjoy them.”

I look at him. “Do you do cheese tastings at your shop too? Because if they’re all this good, I might need to attend one.”

“You can always sample cheeses anytime you come in.”

“I didn’t know that. I may have a new hobby, because I could live on Brie, wine, and chocolate. But now I might be expanding the dairy portion of my diet.” I scoot forward to get more. I taunt Neal. “I’m going to become your most annoying customer when I insist on tasting every one until I’ve tried them all.”

Neal winks at me. “If that’s all it takes to get you to come see me, I welcome it.”

I walked right into that one. But with the help of wine to loosen me up, I decide to play along. “I guess you didn’t need to buy that jacket after all.”

Nika snorts and gets up from the couch with my empty glass. “I’ll just go refill this, because I’m seeing a side of you I didn’t know existed.”

I smile at Neal as I think, Me, too.

Chapter 3

Candlelight f
lickers as Christian sets plates of food before us. Moans of appreciation sound as we all take our first bite. Nika says, “This might be the number one reason I’m marrying you.”

Christian swallows and says, “I wasn’t this good of a cook when you said yes.”

“Well, I must have known, because this is amazing.”

I say, “It really is. I’ve never had duck before.”

Christian raises his glass of wine as he says, “I thought you might like it, Ruby. It’s fun introducing you to new foods.”

Neal is next to Christian and across the table from me. He asks, “I bet you didn’t know what you were in for when you agreed to a management position for two foodies.”

“If they’d told me, I wouldn’t have understood what a perk it was. I grew up eating about ten things.” I stab a green bean and put it in my mouth, savoring the lemon butter that lightly coats it.

Nika says, “Neal, a year ago she didn’t eat many vegetables beyond the starchy ones.”

He looks at me in amusement, and I shrug. “It’s true. But I didn’t know what I was missing.”

Neal asks, “What are the new foods you’re in love with these days?”

“Wild game. Bison, pheasant, and now duck make the carnivore in me so happy.” I sigh and pick up my wine glass. Before I take a sip, I say, “I’m still working to get over the texture of eating plants, but because they’re good for me, I’m trying. And, honestly, Christian makes then taste yummy enough, it’s not hard.”

Nika says, “Ruby, you’re going to have to try the elk at Neal’s restaurant, Stone Soup. It’s to die for.”

Stone Soup is a fancy restaurant that isn’t somewhere I would go. Expensive meals are not a luxury I am willing to pay for. I smile and nod while chewing instead of saying something that might insult Neal.

I’m a little uncomfortable with the focus being on me, so I shift it to Neal. “How did you get into food and wine?”

“I started working in restaurants when I was in high school. I knew I could make more money at the better ones and worked my way up over the summers off from college.” Neal pauses to take a sip of his wine. “When I was getting my MBA I did a stint as a restaurant manager and decided the money was in owning one. And having add-on businesses.”

“What made you pick Breckenridge?” I drag the last piece of my duck through the raspberry-balsamic vinaigrette sauce.

“I grew up around here. But enough about me. What brought you to Breck?”

While a pregnancy brought me here the first time, I don’t have to lie about why I came back. My fork clinks when I set it down on my plate. “The skiing. I used to be a racer in high school, and when I graduated from RISD I decided to come make a go of an indie career here.”

Christian and Nika nod, but Neal asks, ”Ris-de?”

“Sorry, Rhode Island School of Design. It’s an art school where I got a degree in fashion.”

Neal’s plate scrapes against wood as he pushes it away so he can rest on his elbows and lean closer toward me. “Wouldn’t New York make more sense?”