on the winding road, but no one stopped.
“Are you sure…?” Cole hesitated, his ice blue eyes filled with worry.
“I’m sure. Let’s flag someone down to help us get back on the road.” Madison’s head
throbbed, and she fought a wave of nausea. She removed his hands from her face and turned her
attention to the traffic.
Minutes later a large four-wheel drive pulled over to the shoulder, and in no time they were
back in the car on the road.
They drove in silence for what seemed an eternity.
“I’m sorry Madison.” Cole didn’t take his eyes from the road.
The speedometer hadn’t gone above fifty since they’d resumed driving.
Madison glanced at him.
He didn’t meet her gaze. His hand trembled on the gearshift.
She resisted the urge to touch him. “I’m fine. The accident wasn’t your fault.” Neither was her
divorce or broken heart.
* * * *
Blake Ford was notorious for being an adventure seeking, risk taker linked to more than
one rocky relationship with female celebrities. Three-time gold medal winner in the Winter
Olympic snowboarding events and owner of a chain of snowboarding shops, Blake was a success
on and off of the slopes. Madison doubted his Christmas traditions would be relaxing or low-key.
Christmas tree decorating and hospital visits to sick children were not on the agenda with this
bachelor.
Buzzing his Penthouse condo three hours later, she wasn’t surprised he was still in bed. He
opened the door in a pair of reindeer printed boxer shorts and nothing else.
“Hi…um…I’m Madison Grey.” Madison’s cheeks flushed. Didn’t anyone put a shirt on
before answering a door?
Blake blinked and ran a hand through his dishevelled, shoulder length blond hair. He gave
her a confused look.
“From Women’s World Quarterly .”
“Okay…?” Blake still looked puzzled.
Oh no. He had no idea who she was or why she was here. Typical Ashley . The young
receptionist couldn’t be trusted with anything. She would have a long chat with her when she got
back to Staten Island. First, giving out her address to a stranger, then dropping the ball on the
assignment.
“Blake, man, go put on a shirt!” Cole appeared in the doorway behind an open mouthed
Madison.
“Hey Cole! What are you…?” Realization dawned on Blake’s face. He turned to Madison.
“Madison—from the women’s magazine.” He pointed to her and snapped his fingers. “I’d totally
forgotten that interview was this week. Wow, is it the twelfth of December already?” Blake
laughed.
“Yes.” Madison pursed her lips. Sorry Ashley.
Blake moved away from the door. “Come in, please. I’ll get dressed and be right with you.
Cole, help yourself. You know where I keep everything in the kitchen.” Blake disappeared down
the hall.
Cole shook his head and grinned. “The guy can’t even put on some clothes to answer the
door.”
Madison hadn’t been complaining about the view. Blake Ford was an ex-marine and his
chest and
bulging
biceps indicated
he
kept himself in perfect shape. At
least she
couldn’t
complain about a shortage of attractive men on this assignment. She may not be interested in a
relationship, but they were still easy on the eyes. “Thanks.” Madison removed her coat and
walked around the spacious living room. Blake’s winter home, where he spent the majority of his
time had a fantastic view of the mountains. She stopped to gaze out a window.
“I didn’t do it for you, I did it for me. He was making me look bad.” Cole flashed her his
famous grin.
She hadn’t realized she’d missed it until now. The rest of the way to Whistler, they’d driven
in silence as
Cole concentrated
on the
winding roads. Conversation had been brief and
superficial. Madison suspected he wanted to finish their discussion about her ex-husband and
why she’d agreed to the assignment, but he didn’t ask again. The conversation was bound to
resurface, but she was happy to prolong the inevitable.
Blake emerged from
“Are you sure…?” Cole hesitated, his ice blue eyes filled with worry.
“I’m sure. Let’s flag someone down to help us get back on the road.” Madison’s head
throbbed, and she fought a wave of nausea. She removed his hands from her face and turned her
attention to the traffic.
Minutes later a large four-wheel drive pulled over to the shoulder, and in no time they were
back in the car on the road.
They drove in silence for what seemed an eternity.
“I’m sorry Madison.” Cole didn’t take his eyes from the road.
The speedometer hadn’t gone above fifty since they’d resumed driving.
Madison glanced at him.
He didn’t meet her gaze. His hand trembled on the gearshift.
She resisted the urge to touch him. “I’m fine. The accident wasn’t your fault.” Neither was her
divorce or broken heart.
* * * *
Blake Ford was notorious for being an adventure seeking, risk taker linked to more than
one rocky relationship with female celebrities. Three-time gold medal winner in the Winter
Olympic snowboarding events and owner of a chain of snowboarding shops, Blake was a success
on and off of the slopes. Madison doubted his Christmas traditions would be relaxing or low-key.
Christmas tree decorating and hospital visits to sick children were not on the agenda with this
bachelor.
Buzzing his Penthouse condo three hours later, she wasn’t surprised he was still in bed. He
opened the door in a pair of reindeer printed boxer shorts and nothing else.
“Hi…um…I’m Madison Grey.” Madison’s cheeks flushed. Didn’t anyone put a shirt on
before answering a door?
Blake blinked and ran a hand through his dishevelled, shoulder length blond hair. He gave
her a confused look.
“From Women’s World Quarterly .”
“Okay…?” Blake still looked puzzled.
Oh no. He had no idea who she was or why she was here. Typical Ashley . The young
receptionist couldn’t be trusted with anything. She would have a long chat with her when she got
back to Staten Island. First, giving out her address to a stranger, then dropping the ball on the
assignment.
“Blake, man, go put on a shirt!” Cole appeared in the doorway behind an open mouthed
Madison.
“Hey Cole! What are you…?” Realization dawned on Blake’s face. He turned to Madison.
“Madison—from the women’s magazine.” He pointed to her and snapped his fingers. “I’d totally
forgotten that interview was this week. Wow, is it the twelfth of December already?” Blake
laughed.
“Yes.” Madison pursed her lips. Sorry Ashley.
Blake moved away from the door. “Come in, please. I’ll get dressed and be right with you.
Cole, help yourself. You know where I keep everything in the kitchen.” Blake disappeared down
the hall.
Cole shook his head and grinned. “The guy can’t even put on some clothes to answer the
door.”
Madison hadn’t been complaining about the view. Blake Ford was an ex-marine and his
chest and
bulging
biceps indicated
he
kept himself in perfect shape. At
least she
couldn’t
complain about a shortage of attractive men on this assignment. She may not be interested in a
relationship, but they were still easy on the eyes. “Thanks.” Madison removed her coat and
walked around the spacious living room. Blake’s winter home, where he spent the majority of his
time had a fantastic view of the mountains. She stopped to gaze out a window.
“I didn’t do it for you, I did it for me. He was making me look bad.” Cole flashed her his
famous grin.
She hadn’t realized she’d missed it until now. The rest of the way to Whistler, they’d driven
in silence as
Cole concentrated
on the
winding roads. Conversation had been brief and
superficial. Madison suspected he wanted to finish their discussion about her ex-husband and
why she’d agreed to the assignment, but he didn’t ask again. The conversation was bound to
resurface, but she was happy to prolong the inevitable.
Blake emerged from
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