Corporate Fire: Corporate Romance Book 1 Read Online Free PDF

win. She said, “I can't guarantee the open mind, but otherwise, deal.”
    She clipped her skis back on and pushed herself over to the top of the trail. He skied up to her, and she heard him sigh.
    He said, “Full disclosure: I grew up here and raced down this hill all the time in high school. You can call off the bet if you want.”
    What was his deal? She'd never expect someone like him to admit anything out of a sense of fairness. But she needed to beat him. It would make her feel better about the layoff. She put her goggles on and said, “High school was a long time ago. Let's go.”
    He grinned. “Don't say I didn't warn you.”
    Charged with new energy from the bet, she crouched down and put her goggles on. A moment of hesitation slipped in when she looked over at him. He'd gone to an awful lot of trouble to get her on a date. He could have any woman in the resort with his looks and, she had to admit, charm.
    She tightened her grip on her poles and shoved aside any warming up to him. With a job like his, trying to get her to go out with him was probably some sort of sick conquest game he played. She'd beat his ass down the slopes and send him home. She shouted, “Ready.”
    He looked straight ahead.
    “Set!”
    He turned to her, and she saw him wink behind his goggles.
    He was so good looking. Bastard. “Go!”
    She pushed off with her poles, but he jumped ahead. Grace stayed calm. The path he'd taken was cluttered with several close trees. She glided by trees as well, but they soon opened up. Moguls met her, but at least she could see clearly for a while. She turned in the valleys of the bumps, keeping her head the same height and allowing her legs to bend and straighten—Doug's advice had been pure bullshit. The air brushing her cheeks as she gained speed gave her confidence. It was a run she'd done all her life.
    She caught a glimpse of Royce in the trees when she passed him and leaned into a curve before she arrived at a copse. She swooshed among the trees, still feeling the rise and fall of the bumps. The next part was tricky with several sharp turns, but she managed them with ease and remembered to keep her head down for the low branches. She skied through the final mogul and emerged from the trees only seconds before Royce did the same on the other side. Damn, he was good.
    She bent at the waist to bring the run home. She gained distance from him with her better ability to navigate the moguls and pushed herself harder by anticipating the sweet victory. This time she’d be the one sending him packing.
    But fresh powder was not her friend on a race over an open slope. Her skis sunk into a deeper pile of powder hidden in her path, twisting her legs. After a moment of air, one ski hit the ground at a jarring angle, and she fell on her ass, tumbling a few more feet down the hill. Rage made her numb to any pain. The bastard was going to win.

5| Softening
     
    She took her goggles and helmet off and slammed them on the ground.
    Royce turned to a stop, unclipped his skis and ran back. “Are you okay?”
    “No!” Grace's breathing was shallow, but she had to yell at him. “First you fire me, and now I can't even beat you on the slopes. I hate you.”
    He knelt next to her. She was startled when he brushed her hair out of her face and it didn't make her cringe. Maybe it was because his gloves were still on. Her anger faltered.
    “I meant are you physically injured?”
    She noticed for the first time that her leg was throbbing near the ankle. She winced, not wanting to answer his question. He would probably gloat, or worse, be nice some more. “I'm fine,” she said and tried to push up into a standing position. Pain shot through her leg, and she ended on her butt with a yelp.
    “That doesn't sound good. Let me help you. I'm really not a monster.”
    Grace unclipped her skis. “I'm sure it's nothing. I just twisted my leg funny when I fell.” He held out a hand to help her up. She glared at it but didn't