Daring to Love: A Contemporary Romance (The Armstrongs Book 3) by Jessica Gray
Book: Daring to Love: A Contemporary Romance (The Armstrongs Book 3) by Jessica Gray
Read Free Book Online
Authors: Jessica Gray
Ads: Link
capable of handling the runs on this side of the mountain.
***
Charlene was so caught up in following his speedy retreat, and admiring his elegant and powerful style, that she didn’t pay much attention to where they were headed.
When they came to the second crossing, she saw him waiting for her. She stopped besides him, still breathing heavily. That had been a fast get away and…suddenly she knew where they were and her body responded immediately. Her already jazzed heartbeat, kicked up again and she felt all of the blood drain from her head.
Her whole body trembled, and her breathing grew erratic as the panic she’d been keeping at bay for so long threatened to burst free. They were standing at the top of the Devil's Nose run. Her nemesis.
“No! I can't!" She realized she was shouting in her panic, and must look and sound like a lunatic. That mountain freaked her out!
He looked at her, incredulous over her outburst, "Charlene, you’re good. It's not that difficult.”
"You don't understand! I can't go down there." She removed her skis and started climbing up the hill, until she realized how ridiculous her attempt was. There was no way out on this side of the mountain. Once a skier reached this particular crossing, it was either ski down the Devil’s Nose, or take a long cat track down to the next village. Once there, they’d face a three plus mile walk back to Eagle Mountain village.
Evan came after her. When he was almost within reaching distance, he called to her, "Charlene, stop."
Keep it together, Charlene. You don’t want him to see you like this. Of all the people on this mountain to witness you falling apart, you don’t want it to be him. But no amount of self-talk worked. She had lost control over her trembling body. The panic sucked the breath out of her lungs and the last thing she saw where whirling stars.
Chapter 9
Evan finally reached her just in time to catch her in his arms when her trembling legs gave way. She was shaking uncontrollably and he felt a sting in his chest when he spotted sheer agony and terror on her face.
Her breathing hitched. Holy crap. If this isn’t a full blown panic attack. What am I supposed to do ?
Now he chided himself for not paying better attention to the obligatory yearly first aid training his coach made them go through.
He gently sat her down on snow, took off his jacket and then picked her up to sit on his jacket. Once she was seated, he squatted next to her and unzipped her tight overall so that she could breathe better. Next, he lowered himself down to sit behind her, wrapped his arms around her and then pulled her into this chest. Leaning down, he whispered softly in her ear, “Breathe in. Breathe out."
When she began to follow his lead, he felt a huge sense of relief. He continued to hold her in his arms and felt her body slowly relax as she calmed down.
Moments later, he realized how hot he was feeling, despite not wearing his jacket in the cold mountain air. Apart from urge to lay her down on the ground and have his way with her right now, a peculiar emotion was filling his chest. C ompassion? Worry? No, it was something much deeper. Like love?
The minutes tickled away, neither of them saying a word, until her breathing came back to normal and she had completely relaxed in his arms. The urge to kiss her grew almost unbearable, but he didn’t want her to freak out again. Now was not the time to give in to his sexual attraction.
When he felt her shiver, he reached around her and closed her overall again to protect her from the cold breeze. I’d much rather be undressing her!
But she didn’t need him pawing at her right now, she needed to calm down and feel safe once again. He moved to sit so that he could see her face. Jesus she is beautiful! But something is horribly wrong and I have to find out.
He looked at her with genuine concern and asked, “Okay, tell me. What just happened?"
Her cheeks blushed again and she tried to turn her
***
Charlene was so caught up in following his speedy retreat, and admiring his elegant and powerful style, that she didn’t pay much attention to where they were headed.
When they came to the second crossing, she saw him waiting for her. She stopped besides him, still breathing heavily. That had been a fast get away and…suddenly she knew where they were and her body responded immediately. Her already jazzed heartbeat, kicked up again and she felt all of the blood drain from her head.
Her whole body trembled, and her breathing grew erratic as the panic she’d been keeping at bay for so long threatened to burst free. They were standing at the top of the Devil's Nose run. Her nemesis.
“No! I can't!" She realized she was shouting in her panic, and must look and sound like a lunatic. That mountain freaked her out!
He looked at her, incredulous over her outburst, "Charlene, you’re good. It's not that difficult.”
"You don't understand! I can't go down there." She removed her skis and started climbing up the hill, until she realized how ridiculous her attempt was. There was no way out on this side of the mountain. Once a skier reached this particular crossing, it was either ski down the Devil’s Nose, or take a long cat track down to the next village. Once there, they’d face a three plus mile walk back to Eagle Mountain village.
Evan came after her. When he was almost within reaching distance, he called to her, "Charlene, stop."
Keep it together, Charlene. You don’t want him to see you like this. Of all the people on this mountain to witness you falling apart, you don’t want it to be him. But no amount of self-talk worked. She had lost control over her trembling body. The panic sucked the breath out of her lungs and the last thing she saw where whirling stars.
Chapter 9
Evan finally reached her just in time to catch her in his arms when her trembling legs gave way. She was shaking uncontrollably and he felt a sting in his chest when he spotted sheer agony and terror on her face.
Her breathing hitched. Holy crap. If this isn’t a full blown panic attack. What am I supposed to do ?
Now he chided himself for not paying better attention to the obligatory yearly first aid training his coach made them go through.
He gently sat her down on snow, took off his jacket and then picked her up to sit on his jacket. Once she was seated, he squatted next to her and unzipped her tight overall so that she could breathe better. Next, he lowered himself down to sit behind her, wrapped his arms around her and then pulled her into this chest. Leaning down, he whispered softly in her ear, “Breathe in. Breathe out."
When she began to follow his lead, he felt a huge sense of relief. He continued to hold her in his arms and felt her body slowly relax as she calmed down.
Moments later, he realized how hot he was feeling, despite not wearing his jacket in the cold mountain air. Apart from urge to lay her down on the ground and have his way with her right now, a peculiar emotion was filling his chest. C ompassion? Worry? No, it was something much deeper. Like love?
The minutes tickled away, neither of them saying a word, until her breathing came back to normal and she had completely relaxed in his arms. The urge to kiss her grew almost unbearable, but he didn’t want her to freak out again. Now was not the time to give in to his sexual attraction.
When he felt her shiver, he reached around her and closed her overall again to protect her from the cold breeze. I’d much rather be undressing her!
But she didn’t need him pawing at her right now, she needed to calm down and feel safe once again. He moved to sit so that he could see her face. Jesus she is beautiful! But something is horribly wrong and I have to find out.
He looked at her with genuine concern and asked, “Okay, tell me. What just happened?"
Her cheeks blushed again and she tried to turn her
Similar Books
