Dan was taken aback. A one-night stand was the last thing he was after. He had a feeling a relationship with Sarah could hold his attention for a long time.
“Just like I thought—you’re the same as every other asshole out there,” she went on before he could say a word of what was on his mind. “Well, head’s-up, hero. I’m not impressed by your Navy SEAL status. If I was allowed to try, I’d pass every test they could throw at me. And I’m not impressed by your super-hero looks. I care about character, kindness and honor far more than I care about muscles. I’m not looking to be your holiday fling. The next time I get involved with a man it will be for the long haul. So just…forget about me, would you? Just leave me alone.”
She jogged off, leaving Dan speechless. There was pain behind those words—real pain. Some asshole had hurt Sarah—he was sure of it. And her inability to try out for the SEALS—or rather, the Special Forces, in her case—must have hurt her even more. He stood still, his breath fogging the air as he tried to picture how he’d feel in her shoes. What if he’d tried to become a SEAL and been told to go take a hike?
He’d have been furious.
He began to walk slowly, thinking it through. Was that why Sarah had such a chip on her shoulder? Because she felt like she’d been held back?
Was that why she was leaving the military?
It made sense.
She must be sick of guys trying to bed her to prove their superiority, too.
But that’s not what he wanted to do, he thought as he got moving again. He was teasing her so hard precisely because he did respect what she had accomplished, and he was flirting with her so baldly because she turned him on. He jogged after her. When Mason had suggested Sarah as a possible partner in his adventure course, Dan hadn’t taken him seriously. His clients would want to feel they were getting the real deal. They’d want to be taught by men who’d served in elite squads themselves. In his mind, Sarah didn’t fit the criteria.
But maybe he was wrong. Maybe there was a place for a woman as accomplished as she was proving herself to be. She could attract a female clientele he hadn’t even considered. He decided to test her a few more times before approaching her with an offer, though. She was strong and she was fast, but it took a lot more than that to make an elite fighter.
He increased his pace again, and was surprised to see how far Sarah had drawn ahead. He’d have to move fast if he wanted to give her a real run for her money. Sarah glanced back, saw him coming and re-doubled her efforts.
It was too early in the race to push himself into a full-out sprint, but Dan didn’t see any other choice—Sarah had too much of a head start.
Their friends were waiting for them near the Hall. Dan knew he’d have to race past them and touch the bannister on the stairs to the front door first to win. He ran for all he was worth until he was nearly neck and neck with Sarah. Time to leave her in the dust.
He called on every ounce of his strength and pushed himself to the limit to pass her, just as they drew close to the cheering crowd.
“Go, Sarah! Go, Sarah!”
Wasn’t anyone cheering for him?
He put that out of his mind and kept his concentration on his goal. Sarah’s gasping breaths behind him told him he hadn’t quite left her behind.
In fact, when he slapped his hand down on the railing, her hand slapped down just a moment later and she crashed into him, sending him to his knees. She landed in the snow beside him.
“Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!” She scrambled back to her feet and paced in a circle as their friends mobbed around them.
“Did you win?” Mason asked Dan, pulling him upright. “That looked awfully close.”
Sarah was still muttering under her breath. Despite himself, Dan felt sorry for her. She’d nearly beat him, for Christ’s sake.
“That was awfully close,” he said. Sarah turned toward him in surprise. Had she thought he’d deny it? “Never seen a woman move like that. I’m impressed.” He held out his hand to her. “Good race.”
Chapter Five
?
Sarah took Dan’s hand hesitantly. She’d lost again and her forfeit was two kisses. If he pulled her close and kissed her now—in front of everyone, like he’d done before—she’d die of humiliation. What if they thought she’d lost on purpose? She could feel her cheeks heating.
Something in Dan’s gaze told her he knew exactly what she was thinking. He didn’t pull her close, though. He firmly shook her hand and let go. “I’m starving. When’s lunch?”
“Coming right up!” Regan led the way back inside and Sarah bent to remove her snowshoes. She didn’t notice until the bulk of the crowd had gone indoors that Dan had hung back too.
“I mean it,” he said, “that was a hell of a race.”