Dark Promise by M. L. Guida Page A

Eric’s response, Cassandra darted down the mountain, not caring how fast she went or whether she lost her pass. She wanted to go home. At the bottom of the lift, she undid her bindings and stepped out of her skis.
    “Cassandra, will you wait?” Eric held his skis.
    “How did you get here so fast? Where’s Diane?”
    “I don’t know. I ditched her.”
    “You did?”
    He lowered his voice. “Why have you been crying?”
    Not wanting to fall under his magical spell again, she shrugged, forcing her tears back. “Just a bad day.”
    “Are you leaving?”
    He sounded disappointed, but she didn’t want to play these games anymore. She wanted off the board. “Yeah, I think I’ve had enough skiing for today.”
    He tilted his dark head. “Going back to the Inn?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Could you give me a lift?”
    “What?”
    “I’ll buy dinner.”
    “Dinner? No, you don’t have to.”
    “Come on, Cassandra. I don’t want to take the damn bus back again. We’re going to the same place.”
    He was just using her for a ride. Great. She wanted to say no. “All right.”
    He smiled. “Good, I’ll take you to your favorite restaurant.”
    “Eric, I just want to stay in my hotel and read a good book.”
    “No, I insist. Somehow I feel I owe you,” he said. Red glittered in his eyes.
    She shook her head. She imagined it. “Fine, but I want to be home early.”
    On the shuttle ride back to the parking lot, Eric stood next to her, bumping into her when the bus lurched. Just his slightest touch turned her into a pool of slush.
    As they walked to her SUV, he leaned closer. “Is your Pathfinder far?”
    Alarm bells rang in her head and she shivered. “How did you know I drove a Pathfinder?”
    “You must have mentioned it.”
    “No, I didn’t. Okay which one is it?”
    “Excuse me? You want me to guess which one is yours?”
    “Yes, I do. Or I’m not taking another step.”
    He rolled his eyes. “Fine.” He scanned the parking lot. “The black one.”
    She followed his gaze. Behind her silver Pathfinder, was a black one. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe she was too damn tired. She hit the keyless remote and the lights flashed on the back of her SUV.
    “Ah, so I was wrong,” he said.
    “I’m sorry.”
    He clasped her arm and turned around. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the shape of his mouth or his deep eyes. He cupped her cheek, his thumb feathering her jaw line, his fingertip traveling up her chin to her lips. “Don’t be.”
    Her heart quickened as he bent his dark head. His mouth parted, his lips skimmed hers, titillating all the way down to her toes, and she opened hers. His tongue followed with a warming caress. She revealed in the familiar taste, tender, silky, seductive.
    Fire raced through her bloodstream, flaming her desire, despite the chilly air. Her stomach clenched. Sparks ignited and the full meaning of chemistry seized her. There was nothing else, not the cold, not the other skiers, but only his mouth claiming hers, whirling her into another world she had only dreamed about. And he tasted like cinnamon. She was lost and, her wall of doubt crumbled. Her legs wobbled and she reached for a nearby bench. He pulled away. “Let’s get to the damn car.”
    Eric gathered their skis and poles and tossed them into the back of the SUV.
    Still reeling from the kiss, her hands shaking, not able to ditch the feelings he had awakened in her, she undid her boot buckles and put on her suede boots.
    Eric watched her stand. She fumbled for her keys and dropped them in the snow.
    He snatched them up. “Would you mind if I drove?”
    She didn’t know him. How could she trust he would take her to the Inn? “No, I want to.”
    He frowned, but handed her the keys. “As you wish.”
    She slipped into the driver’s seat and he got into the passenger side. She grappled with sticking the key into the ignition.
    Eric chuckled. “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive?”
    “No, I…I…I can do it.”