Remember Me. Laura Browning

the young flight attendant asked.

      “Thanks.” Brandon settled his big frame into the cramped seat. There was no first class here. His long legs almost bumped the wall in front of him.

      “You can angle your legs this way, if you’d like.”

      Brandon shifted at his seatmate’s invitation, stretched and then allowed himself to meet Legs’s gaze. Beautiful was all he could think, looking into a face with the most arresting dark gray eyes dominating it. Gazing into their depths was like staring into the ocean on a storm-tossed day.

      “Thanks.”

      One corner of her mouth curved upward and a dimple appeared. “That seems to be a favorite word of yours.”

      Brandon blinked. Was she cracking on him? He held out his hand and grinned. “I have others. I’m Brandon Barrett.”

      When she slipped her hand in his, he sensed several things at once. First and foremost, he felt like he’d just received an electric shock. From the slight widening of her eyes, he guessed the feeling was mutual. The second thing that struck him was the strength of her grip. So many women shook hands like they were holding out a limp rag, but this woman’s hands held power.

      She smiled. Her hands weren’t the only power she possessed. Her smile must have belonged to a model, but damned if he could place her anywhere—and he knew plenty of models, some in the biblical sense.

      “I’m Lucy Cameron.”

      “Well, Lucy. Are you here to work or play?”

      She chuckled. It was a rich, seductive sound that sent a shiver of pleasure along his spine. “I’m going to play.” She eyed his attire. “Business?”

      Now he grinned. “No. Vacation too. But I had a breakfast meeting and then had to race to make the flight out of Dulles.” He wanted to keep her talking. “I noticed you in line there. Are you from DC?”

      “I work there.”

      “Modeling?”

      She shook her head with a smile, but didn’t enlighten him. There were definite keep-out vibes coming off her now, increasing his curiosity, but he held it in and changed the subject.

      “Have you been to Falcon’s Head before?”

      “No. In fact, this is the first time I’ve been to Colorado.”

      “Are you here for the skiing, or just sightseeing?”

      “I’m going to ski, which is another thing I’ve never done. What about you?”

      “Major vice, I’m afraid. Most of the time I ski back East because it’s easier to get away for a weekend.” No need to tell her he’d once been shortlisted for the Olympics, but maybe this could work to his advantage. “Have you set up lessons?”

      She shook her head. “I figured I would handle instruction when I did the whole ski rental.”

      “I can walk you through it all. Even get you started, if you’d like.”

      She tucked a strand of her shiny golden hair behind her ear. It was straight, but not thin and wispy like so many blondes. “I don’t know. I don’t want to impose…”

      Hell, maybe she was here with someone, or meeting someone. “No problem. No doubt you and your friends already have plans, and here I am trying to barge in on them.”

      “Oh, I’m not…” She faltered to a stop, before appearing to come to a decision. “I’m on my own.”

      “Then let me show you around, get you skiing.”

      Her smile showed gratitude, but still a little caution. “I can’t imagine it would be much fun for you. You must be pretty good.”

      Yeah. He was, but if he could arrange to spend a day with her, he’d ski backward down the bunny slopes the entire time and grin like a kid in a candy store while he did it. However, looking at her, he didn’t think it would take all day. She looked like an athlete.

      “I am, but I’m also here on my own to relax. Look, I taught two of my younger siblings to ski. Up to you.”

      She smiled, glancing at him from the corner of those long-lashed gray peepers of hers. “I’d like that.”

      “Great.” The tenor of the engines shifted. “We must be getting ready to descend.” Brandon pulled out his phone. “What’s your cell number?”

      She blushed. It was just a faint rose tint to her golden skin. “I don’t have a cell.”

      He couldn’t keep the surprise from his face. Even if they didn’t use it, he wasn’t sure he knew anyone anymore who didn’t at least carry a prepaid phone for emergencies. “No big deal. Sometimes I’d like to be a little less plugged in. Where are you staying?”

      “At the lodge at Falcon Summit Resort.”

      He grinned. “Me too.” He leaned across her a bit to peer out the window. “If you look, you’ll be able to see some of the slopes from here.”

      He was rewarded when she laughed in that husky voice of hers. “Oh look, Brandon! It’s like looking at a line of ants.”

      His laughter joined hers. “It is. Never thought of it that way. Tomorrow and Sunday will be even busier, but if we get out there early, we can get ahead of the crowds. Can you stand getting up at dawn on your vacation?” And, boy, wouldn’t he love to see what she looked like when she woke up in the mornings.

      “Sure. I’m an early riser most of the time.”

      Their conversation was interrupted by the captain coming over the speaker with details of their arrival and the weather forecast. Though it was late in the season, it sounded like conditions for the upcoming week would be ideal. Brandon glanced at Lucy’s profile. Since she’d returned to looking out the window, her face was averted a bit. Damn, but it was almost like she’d never seen the world from this view. On first acquaintance, she appeared to be an odd mixture of sophistication and naivete. Whichever was real, it was damned intriguing.

      * * * *

      Lucy accepted the ride Brandon offered in his rental car. It would save her from squeezing into the resort’s hospitality car—at least she kept telling herself that was the reason she’d accepted his offer. The truth was, she wasn’t sure she’d ever met a man as handsome as him. If he was hitting on her, it was with a whole lot more class than the usual crowd of men who patronized Flamingo Road. And for the last couple years, those were the only men she had encountered.

      When they reached the lodge, he turned to her before they got out. “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

      Lucy’s natural caution reared up. Maybe the invitation was him looking for company, but she wanted to keep things casual as a precaution because of the way her body responded to him. She shook her head. “No. I don’t think I’d be very good company tonight. Can we meet in the morning?”

      He nodded. “Six thirty in the front lobby.”

      “I thought they didn’t open ’til nine?”

      “They don’t, but I figured we could get some breakfast first, and I have an in with the owner.” His grin was so disarming, all Lucy could do was nod.

      “Let’s get our bags in, and you can take it easy.” When he cupped her elbow with his palm, Lucy discovered she liked the casual touch. It was a courtesy he didn’t have to think about, he simply did it.

      While she checked in, another clerk was helping him a few feet away. Lucy handled the registration and credit card information, overhearing the way the clerk said Mr. Barrett, as if he were a valued guest. He probably was. From years of counting on tips to help her make her living, Lucy had come to recognize the difference between off-the-rack clothing and clothing that was hand-tailored. There was nothing even resembling department store about anything touching