Countdown to a kiss...
At the stroke of midnight, Lindsey Collins will finally kiss Carter Shaw. A former championship skier, Lindsey had a life of all training and no play until a devastating injury sidelined her. Now sheâs ready to put her good-girl ways behind her and kick off the New Year with a little fun...and the sexy snowboarder is the perfect distraction!
Now that Carter has Lindsey in his arms for one mind-blowing night, heâs not giving up. Heâll do whatever it takes to break through her Ice Queen exterior and show her heâs more than just a fun time. But how can she believe in him when she canât even believe in herself enough to return to skiingâand all that sheâs worked for?
âThe countdown is starting...â
It had already begun, Lindsey thought. It had started ten long years ago, and now it came down to this moment.
Three, two, one...
She went up on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around Carterâs neck and met his mouth with hers.
His hands on her waist tightened as he drew her closer into the curve of his body. His chest was firm against hers. Solid. He held her as if he wasnât going to let her fall. Let her crash. And that was exactly what she needed.
Her pulse was racing, and little tingles were shooting down her body. Turning slightly, he moved them a few steps off the dance floor.
She felt the hard wall at her back and the warmth of Carterâs skin through his shirt as he pulled her closer.
She needed more. So much more from him at this moment.
âWant to get out of here?â he asked.
She nodded. Tonight, she was impulsive...
Dear Reader,
Happy New Year! Do you make resolutions? I do. Iâm shameless in my love of making lists and then working until I can check them off. Lindsey hasnât had the best year, and sheâs determined to make this new one count. Sheâs starting over after a career-ending injury, and honestly, the last person she really wants to see is hotshot snowboarder Carter Shaw. But heâs been flirting with her for forever, and sheâs tired of denying herself. Hey, itâs New Yearâs Eve, so why not, right?
Of course, those kinds of decisions always have consequences, and one of them is the fact that Lindsey actually likes Carter more than she expected. And heâs way more into her than a playboy should be.
I hope youâll enjoy this conclusion to the Holiday Heat series.
Happy reading!
Katherine
KATHERINE GARBERA is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than fifty books and has always believed in happy endings. She lives in England with her husband, children and their pampered pet, Godiva. Visit Katherine on the web at katherinegarbera.com, or catch up with her on Facebook and Twitter.
This one is for Nancy Thompson and
Mary Louise Wells. Thank you for the gift of your friendship.
1
âHELLO, GORGEOUS.â
Carter Shaw.
Bad boy, snowboarder and Lindsey Collinsâ worst nightmare. Carter was everything she wasnât, and if she was being totally honest, everything she sort of wished she could be.
âHello, trouble.â
He laughed in that husky deep-throated way of his.
She tried to ignore the fact that his eyes were a kind of blue-gray that reminded her of early mornings on the slope just after the sun came up. His dark hair was thick and curly on the top, but at this moment cut short on the back of his neck. Sheâd seen him wear it a lot longer, but this sportier cut called even more attention to his handsome, gorgeous face. He had that sexy stubble that made her fingers tingle with the urge to touch it each time she saw him. And it didnât help her libido that the guy had that relaxed vibe of someone whoâd grown up in California. To her, heâd always looked as if he should be on a surfboard instead of a snowboard.
âNice shindig,â he said. âIf you like glamour.â
Briefly glancing away to check out their surroundings, she smiled despite herself. The club at the Lars Usten Resort and Spa certainly did New Yearâs Eve in a big way. Lots of champagne. Lots of partygoers. Hats and horns for everyone. There was a large dance floor in the middle and banquettes around the end, as well as lots of high tables.
âI can do glamour,â she replied.
âYou sure can,â he said with a wink.
âAre you hitting on me?â she asked. âYouâve always said youâd rather kiss your snowboard than a Super G skier.â
âWell, you are looking a lot better than my snowboard at the moment.â
Lindsey shook her head at the way he said it. There was something different about him tonight. He wasnât his usual cocky self. They were both here this evening because of the wedding of their two friends, Elizabeth and Bradley. The newlyweds had long since departed and she had stayed behind because it seemed a little too Bridget Jones to be sitting all alone in her barely furnished condo on New Yearâs Eve.