Deeper (The Real Fling) Read Online Free PDF

locker key, she directed him. “Thank you.”
    Val slipped out the door and returned moments later with Adriana’s things. She yanked on her shearling boots, wiggled her toes and felt better.
    “You like that.” He was watching her.
    “Yeah. Nothing better than getting out of those ski boots.”
    He arched his brow at her as if to say Nothing?
    They exited the locker room and Val guided her toward the left. “I know a quiet place.” He went in the opposite direction from the madness that was the center of the village. People greeted him along the way. He waved back but never slowed his pace.
    “You do know people.”
    He glanced at her. “Not everyone.” He stopped in front of a small restaurant with a deck facing the mountain. “The deck is heated.” He dropped her bag at a small table outside and dragged out a chair for her. “Is this okay?” The snow had eased up but there was enough of an overhang that they’d be sheltered. The view of the mountains was stunning.
    “Perfect.”
    “Hey, Val.” A perky red-headed server came over to their table. “How’d it go today?”
    “Great, Jen.” He seemed at ease. “You?”
    “Same.” Jen was searching his face, examining him like he was…fragile?
    “This is Adriana.” He turned toward Adriana. “She’s from the East Coast too.”
    “You live here?” Adriana sat back in her seat. What must that be like?
    “For the time being.” Jen put a couple of napkins and glasses of water on the table. “There a lot of us transplants around. How ’bout you?”
    “On my way home.” Adriana avoided Val’s gaze.
    Jen put her hands on her hips. “Not going anywhere for at least a few days, unless this snow ends.” She looked up at the clouds. “The pass is closed.”
    “The what?” Adriana’s stomach twisted.
    “Loveland pass. That tunnel, on the Continental Divide, you came through from Denver.”
    Adriana sort of remembered a tunnel by a ski resort, but that couldn’t be the only way back to the airport.
    “When the weather gets real bad, the tunnel closes.”
    “There’s gotta be a way around it.” Adriana got her phone and opened her map app.
    Jen laughed. “Yeah, you’re from New York. Not unless you want to go hundreds of miles out of your way. Sorry to say, you’re stuck for a bit. But you can’t get a better tour guide than this guy.” Jen bumped her hip into Val’s arm. “Nice to see you’ve got company,” she murmured to him, then louder. “What can I get you two?”
    “White Russians?” Val lifted his brow toward Adriana.
    “Seriously?” Adriana smiled and put her phone away.
    Val held up two fingers. “And a bag of ice.”
    Jen acted like it was a usual request and left.
    “Is she for real?” Adriana leaned forward. “I can’t leave?”
    “Not at the moment. They close the pass when there is a risk of avalanches. We got a lot of snow.”
    Now what? Stop asking that or more will come . She didn’t want to go back to the one-bedroom condo with Jackie banging some guy and she couldn’t afford a hotel. This sucks. Her heart raced.
    “The snow will clear,” he rumbled softly.
    “When?” She was shaking.
    Val put his hand on her back. “The weather in the Rockies is mercurial. It can be a blizzard one day and forties and sunny the next. One thing that is certain is it will change.”
    She bit her bottom lip.
    “Come on, it’s not that bad.” A smile played across his features.
    “How do you figure?”
    “You could still be sitting in the bowl without a ski.”
    “Oh shit.” She cringed.
    “Until it clears you can stay with me.” His eyes darkened.
    Right. “No, I’ll be fine at the condo. Besides I’ve gotta be ready to bolt once the snow stops.” She rose. “Where is the restroom?”
    “In the back of the bar on the left.” He jerked his chin to the left.
    The ladies’ room was empty. Adriana had the damnedest time getting undressed. Not being able to use her right shoulder was a drag. Each time she