Damn it.
On the walk back to the parking lot, Isabelle reflected that Leah had truly craptastic timing. Her appearance had broken whatever spell Brandon had woven over the day, reminding her of all the things she’d neglected for this unplanned romp in the snow. She wished Leah’s phone had died, as hers had. Glancing up at Brandon out of the corner of her eye, she wished a lot of things. That he hadn’t pulled back up on the mountain. That she hadn’t been interrupted. Now both moments were past, and she didn’t know how to recapture the relaxed, casual flirtation.
They reached the Subaru.
“Well, here we are,” she said.
“Here we are,” said Brandon.
Isabelle fiddled with the keys in her mittenless hand, wondering if she could work up the guts to try to kiss him and if she could pull it off without the whole thing being weird and awkward.
“I had a lot of fun today. I’m not that great at fun, so…thanks.” She dared a look up at him.
His expression was sober, but she could tell he was laughing with his eyes. It got her back up and killed some of the nerves.
“What?” she demanded.
“That’s a sad, sad state, not being any good at fun,” he said.
Embarrassment and irritation warred, and Isabelle dropped her gaze.
“I’m duty bound, as an ambassador of fun, to see that you continue with your lessons.”
Her head shot up at that.
“So, I’m gonna need your last name and phone number,” he finished. His mouth quirked. “For professional purposes only.”
Isabelle felt her lips twitch. “Naturally. It’s Lawson.”
He pulled out his phone and waited as she gave her number.
“Mine’s dead,” she said, “so you’ll have to call me.”
Brandon punched something in. “There. Now you’ll have a text from me when yours has juice again.” He shoved the phone into his pocket.
“Good thinking.” She knew she’d be plugging the thing into a charger as soon as she got into the car.
“You have work, so I’ll see you around.”
“See you around,” she said.
He stepped back and started toward the slopes again.
A sense of disappointment zinged through her. Before she could think better of it, she called after him, “Hey Brandon?”
“Yeah?”
She checked her watch, did some mental calculations. “Devin and Tess should be firmly ensconced in their happily ever after by six-thirty. I’ve gotta eat. Do you have plans for dinner?”
He smiled and crossed back to her. “Just to meet you. One condition, though.”
“What’s that?”
“We start with dessert first.” Brandon stepped close, boxing her in against the car so she had to lift her head to keep his gaze.
“I’m amenable to that,” she said.
“Great,” he murmured. One corner of his mouth kicked up as he slid a hand beneath the fall of her hair to cup her nape and tip her face up to his. His other hand curved around her hip.