Come Fly with Me by Sherryl Woods Page B

the fire now no more than dying embers, and, to her surprise, Mark was sound asleep in front of it, still in his jeans and wool shirt, his dark hair tousled, his jaw shadowed with an early-morning beard.
    Lindsay stared at him, an odd, yearning ache filling her. Even asleep, he was an impressive sight, though he looked uncomfortable with his tall frame scrunched up on the too-short sofa. She wondered again what turbulent thoughts had kept him awake so late that he had fallen asleep at last right where he was, rather than down the hall in his own room.
    Lindsay got an afghan from her room and gently spread it over him, her hand lingering on his shoulder. She only barely resisted the urge to caress the dark stubble on his cheeks. Quickly, before she could give in to temptation, she pulled on her jacket and went out the door. As soon as she opened it to slip outside, Shadow rose up from his spot at Mark’s side and followed her. His tail wagged hopefully.
    â€œOkay, fellow, come on,” she whispered as they went out into the icy morning air. A blast of bone-chilling wind hit her full force, but she pulled her bright turquoise knit cap farther down over her ears and kept going. She was determined not to be put off by the weather, no matter how awful it was. She was going to be gliding around on these damn skis like a pro by the time Mark woke up. Either that or she was going to break something important and spend the next month recuperating on some nice, warm beach at Trent Langston’s expense.
    With Shadow frolicking along beside her in a display of suddenly boundless energy that seemed to match her own high spirits, she clicked her boots into place on the skis andset off across the field behind the house. Every muscle in her body protested her renewed attempt to perform this unnatural act, but she persisted and suddenly she realized that she was actually gliding instead of stomping, her arms moving in tandem with her legs and all of her staying perpendicular to the ground.
    â€œShadow, I’m doing it,” she called excitedly as the dog bounded back to her and barked. They were in the midst of a rowdy, joyous celebration, when Mark poked his head out the door, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
    â€œWhat’s all the noise about?” he mumbled, his morning voice husky.
    Lindsay skied over to him, dropped her ski poles and threw her arms around his neck. “I did it. I actually skied.”
    Mark’s arms instinctively wound around her and held her against his chest, his suddenly laughing eyes meeting hers. “It’s not half bad once you catch on, is it?”
    â€œIt’s wonderful,” she said gleefully, then grinned at his smug expression. “Well, maybe not wonderful, but it’s pretty great.”
    â€œI—”
    â€œDon’t say it,” she warned. “If you eventhink about saying I told you so, I will take these skis off and wrap them around your neck.”
    He feigned fear. “I promise I won’t say a word,” he agreed quickly. “Besides, I much prefer having your arms around my neck anyway.”
    Lindsay suddenly realized the intimacy of their embrace and started to back away, but Mark shook his head. “Oh, no, you don’t. You started this. You’re not quitting on me now.” He hesitated. “There is just one thing, though.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œDo you suppose you could come back inside or wait until I get my jacket? I am about to freeze to death.”
    Lindsay started chuckling at the plaintive tone in his voice. “Interesting turn of events.”
    â€œIsn’t it, though?” he agreed dryly. “So, what’s it going to be?”
    â€œYou come out here. Shadow and I are having too much fun to come inside.”
    â€œShadow?”
    Lindsay looked around. The dog had vanished. She peered past Mark into the livingroom. He was flopped out in front of the fireplace again, apparently