Love 'Em or Leave 'Em Read online

  Ashley definitely wanted out and back to the true reality of her life, but she did feel a little bit special to have been selected. After all the recent rejections from her cheating boyfriend and her job at the insurance company, it was nice to be wanted. As long as Luke didn't want her for much longer. She did have a life to rebuild, one that didn't involve cameras, lighting, or a hunky football player.

  The next day turned out to be low-key. Luke took Jenny and Gwen to the famous San Diego Museum of Art. Ashley didn't see Luke as much of an arts man, but perhaps he was more than what he seemed.

  Liz, Rachel, and Ashley were hanging out on the back deck overlooking the sandy beach and distant waves when Kate, a gorgeous law student, popped her head out a window to announce the arrival of more date mail. They followed her in to get the skinny. Kate hopped up on the kitchen counter facing the rest of the group, her lean athletic legs swinging to and fro. She matter-of-factly ripped open the envelope and began to read:

  A quick smile came over Kate's face. "All right! We're going skiing."

  Torn between convincing herself that she didn't want to go and feeling excited that she was actually going on a date, Ashley glanced at Liz, who was also getting her first date, and Ashley saw her look of panic.

  "What's wrong?" Ashley whispered.

  Looking around desperately, Liz replied. "I can't go. I'm terrified of skiing."

  The excitement and anticipation of leaving the heat of southern California and experiencing the cool temps and white powder of Vail made the morning pass quickly. Ashley could see Liz's nervousness. Her new friend had been involved in a minor skiing accident during high school, and now she avoided the sport. Though Liz really wanted to be on the date, she kept trying to find ways out of the skiing. Twice she approached the producers about staying in the lodge, but no go. Most likely, they intended to add more drama by showcasing her fear.

  "Don't worry. I have a plan guaranteed to help you relax today" Ashley smiled as she patted her carry-on bag.

  "What's that? Crashing the plane?" Liz hugged herself.

  "Trust me."

  The limo pulled onto the tarmac where a private plane was parked with the door open. A pilot and flight attendant awaited their arrival.

  "Wow, this feels like the movies when the tycoon takes his new girlfriend to lunch in some exotic place" Megan boarded the plane eagerly. Ashley followed.

  Everything was leather or gold. Huge leather seats. Beautiful wall sconces every four feet. Leather couches and loveseats were set close to the front of the plane with small oak tables next to them for beverages and snacks. The smell of freshly brewed coffee welcomed the group, along with the sweet aroma of baked cinnamon rolls and croissants.

  Ashley directed Liz to a pair of seats two rows behind Luke and Kate. This way he couldn't easily see her when he looked or spoke to the other women, and Ashley could sit near the window tucked out of sight from him. Her plan was to have a good time while allowing the other vultures plenty of room to circle their prey.

  The turbulent flight kept everyone from moving to the luxurious leather couches. Despite the upheaval, the flight attendant served freshly squeezed orange juice in crystal and delicious breakfast fare on china. Ashley wondered how much the flight cost the network. Then again, the plane probably belonged to the network, so maybe it wasn't much of an investment after all.

  After the short flight, a shuttle bus delivered them promptly to Vail Village. Snow dusted the rooftops and window sills, but the sidewalks and streets were clear. There was a festive feel to the air as people milled around, window shopping in the exclusive stores or enjoying a late breakfast in one of the enticing little chalets.

  The producer directed them into a trendy ski shop on Bridge Street, where a staff waited to outfit each of them with the latest in ski-bunny fashions. There were sporty one-piece ski outfits, stylish jackets, fur pieces and more than Ashley could imagine people would want to wear skiing.

  After being shooed into a dressing room with a pile of clothing, she stepped out with a grimace.

  "I can't wear this," Ashley said.

  "You look fabulous," replied the sales clerk.

  "You don't understand. Where I come from, skiing means you put on as many layers of clothing as possible. I wear padded ski pants and a long down-filled jacket that covers my rear end"

  "No, no, no. If you're going to ski Vail, you must dress Vail," the clerk said in her singsong voice.

  "On top of that is a gator, sort of like a triple-wide headband. You pull it down over your head to keep your neck warm and it doubles as a face mask"

  The woman continued to peruse Ashley, brushing imaginary lint off her lycra-covered bottom.

  "Of course"-Ashley went on talking, mostly to herself-"an actual headband keeps your hair back and warms your forehead. If done correctly, no one recognizes you. Looking cute plays absolutely no role in Wisconsin skiing."

  Here, under the tutelage of the ski shop style masters, she realized she wasn't in Wisconsin anymore. Ashley found herself dressed in skintight black Lycra ski bibs cut out tightly below her small bosom, which pleasantly made it appear much larger but unfortunately drew the eye there as well. The rich persimmoncolored turtleneck hugged her body as well, and set off the highlights in her hair. Then she donned a formfitting jacket that ended just below her waist and was accented with a small bit of black fur around the neck. The jacket zipped only a third of the way up, which further showed off her curves. She felt naked! "Really, don't you think I'd look much better in something from Lands' End? How 'bout Eddie Bauer? I don't do designer very well"

  The woman stood back, admiring her creation.

  Pleading further, Ashley asked, "How about one of those big, bulky, long wool sweaters? I get really cold and I need a lot more insulation."

  The savvy saleswoman wouldn't budge. "It's a beautiful day. In this outfit, you won't be cold-you'll be melting the snow."

  They had designer duds to push and Ashley was just another body to exploit. Someone, please save me.

  As Ashley stood in front of the three-way mirror, mournful over her sex-kitten look, Liz popped into view glowing over her sassy white ski outfit. She wore the cutest hat, with white fur around the edge and matching fur on her collar and cuffs. Poor dead bunny. Her long dark hair hung like silk down her back, framing her lovely face and accentuating her big brown eyes and pouty red mouth.

  "This is so not fair!" Ashley turned to get a full view of her. "You look like an A-list movie star. I look like a D list nobody, as in `Vicky Takes Vail!'"

  "Isn't it gorgeous?" Liz beamed, catching her reflection in the mirror. "I've never felt more stunning. It even makes me less worried about the ski hill."

  "Look at me!" complained Ashley. "It shows everything!" She kicked herself for not losing those extra few pounds.

  "Oh relax. You look sexy, babe," Liz cajoled.

  "I don't want to look sexy. I want to crawl under a rock, or better yet a horse blanket. Look, your ski jacket even covers your bum" Liz's coat went down slightly past her hips and flared out, so there was only a hint of her bottom showing beneath. Liz turned from side to side, peering over her shoulders to admire herself.

  Each of the other women seemed quite comfortable in their various levels of overpriced designer ski duds. Ashley felt they carried it off with much more panache and style than she. She, on the other hand, couldn't walk comfortably with her pants riding up. It made her feel oddly aware of herself and a little bit naughty.

  Standing in the back of the group to hide her overexposed body, she saw Luke saunter around the clothes racks from the men's side of the shop.

  Wow! Maybe tight ski pants aren't such a bad thing.

  He wore formfitting bibs with a charcoal black turtleneck. His jacket flashed electric blue with accents of black throughout, emphasizing his tan sculpted face. So maybe hanging out around Luke all day, looking like he did, might not be bad at all. Nope, not at all.

  Everyone prepared to hit th
e slopes. When no one was looking, Ashley grabbed her flask from her bag and put the leather strap over her head, then tucked it into the crook of her jacket.

  Ashley watched puffy clouds drift in stunning blue skies over the inviting snow-covered slopes. The temperatures were a mild thirty degrees. Cricket, Ashley, and Kate had skied enough growing up to be totally comfortable. Luke confessed he preferred a golf course to a ski hill any day.

  At the chairlift Luke and Kate went first, Cricket and Megan followed, and Liz and Ashley brought up the rear. The camera crews waited, one at the base of the hill and one at the top. Ashley hoped they knew how to ski.

  As they waited for their turn at the lift, Liz's nerves escalated.

  "I can't do this."

  "Sure you can. I'll help you," Ashley reassured her. "Just take a deep breath and relax. It's like riding a bike."

  "It took me a whole summer to learn to ride a bike."

  "See them?" Ashley pointed to the couple next in line. "As soon as the chair passes, they just glide into place with one push of the poles. Nice and smooth. You can do this." Ashley talked to her slowly and reas suringly, as if Liz was a child who needed coaxing to try something new.

  "Are you ready?"

  Liz nodded nervously. "Okay, I'm ready. Now I just glide."

  "That's right."

  They settled onto the chairlift with a huge sigh of relief from Liz.

  "Okay, now the reward" Ashley pulled the flask from her jacket. She had tucked it under her arm and next to her breast, the only spot with any extra room. "Here, drink this."

  Looking at her, Liz asked, "What is it?"

  "Trust me. It's guaranteed to calm nerves on any ski hill."

  Liz eyed her skeptically and hesitated.

  "Come on and drink up, Evel Knievel. You need to relax so you don't embarrass yourself." Ashley unscrewed the top. "Liquid courage, and it can't be beat! Listen, if it makes it any easier, I'll join you. I could use some, what with my having to wear this getup"

  "All right, if you really think it will help." Liz took the flask from Ashley and tipped it up, pouring the liquid into her mouth. She swallowed and started coughing and choking. "Is this hot chocolate?" she croaked.

  Ashley giggled. "It's a combination of dark chocolate, hot cocoa powder, and steamed milk."

  Liz took another drink and savored the flavor. "This is really good"

  Ashley stole the flask back and took a drink. "Guaranteed to cure anything." She smacked her lips, then tucked the flask under her coat and prepared to dismount the chairlift.

  Fortunately, the first run was a green beginners' hill. Several of the group hadn't been on skis for a while and were happy to start slowly. They surrounded Luke, looking around awkwardly until he said, "What the heck, it's only snow" and led the way.

  Everyone followed. Ashley stayed with Liz while her friend found her ski legs. They glided down a nice gradual slope. Nothing scary. The day was gorgeous with almost no wind. Ashley slalomed gracefully down the hill, the sun on her face and the wind blowing through her hair. The saleswoman was right. She felt like a vision in her sexy black outfit.

  Everyone was in great spirits as they lined up for the chairlift again. This time Luke sat with Cricket, and Ashley stayed with Liz. As soon as they settled on the lift, the flask reappeared. They passed it back and forth twice before they got off. Liz became more confident and steady on her skis with each run, or perhaps the sugar high was having the desired effect, and she just wasn't as worried.

  After the next successful hill, they found a different chairlift that took them farther up the mountain and dropped them off at a beautiful chalet overlooking the ski hills and neighboring mountain peaks. The majestic snow-covered mountains in the distance jutted up into the blue sky, demanding attention. Having grown up in the Midwest, where there were no mountains, no oceans, and no deserts, Ashley couldn't help but be awed by the landscape. Wisconsin was beautiful, but nothing like the majesty and power that nature had created here.

  They removed their skis and entered the Swissthemed chalet. Inside, a fire blazed in the center of the room. A huge bar lined one entire wall, surrounded with tables. The decor included broken ski tips hung throughout the building.

  Ashley nudged Liz. "Should we add ours to the collection before we leave?"

  "Sure, why not?" Liz smiled.

  The group followed one of the producers up to a private loft area where the camera crew set up. All of the hats, ski gloves, and jackets came off. Ashley no longer felt concerned about her ski-bunny outfit and comfortably slid the jacket off as she approached the table. She couldn't help but notice Luke gazing at her as he held a chair for Megan. Ashley usually kept a low profile, but this outfit was anything but. The fresh air had exhilarated her and the warm tingling in her face told her that her cheeks must be very rosy indeed. Ashley slipped out of her boots as well.

  The waitress arrived to collect their orders for beverages.

  Lunch turned out to be the highlight of the day, with a fun combination of people. Some of the women vied heavily for Luke's attention, but Ashley and Liz weren't concerned. Ashley didn't want his attention. The joking and teasing about each person's skiing ability went on as they enjoyed a relaxing and entertaining lunch.

  They returned to the slopes in great spirits, Ashley and Liz in especially fine form. It was Liz's turn to sit with Luke on the chairlift, since he picked a different woman each time. Ashley gave her the thumbs-up as she joined Luke. Liz looked stunning, and Ashley was sure Luke would be entranced by her striking beauty and great personality.

  The ski runs became longer, and the one they skied now was a blue intermediate run. When the group approached the end of the run, Ashley held back. She felt a bit of false bravado and decided to spray the group at the bottom of the hill with snow. She came straight down the hill without slowing; the faster the speed, the better the effect would be. As she neared the waiting group at full speed, panic lit their faces. She leaned hard into a tight turn at the last second and skidded expertly toward them. The spray created a huge arc of snow crystals shooting in all directions. She covered them literally from head to toe. Usually when she pulled this trick, she managed to stop directly in front of the skier. Not this time. She slid right into Liz.

  Okay, maybe it was more of a slam.

  Ashley tried not to hit too hard, but didn't want to spear Liz with a ski pole in the process. Her momen turn caused Liz to fall into Cricket, and then Cricket into Kate, and so on, until she wiped out the entire group, including Luke. In moments, the whole group lay in a giant snow-covered heap at the base of the hill. Passing skiers didn't bother to stop. Instead of being horrified, Ashley began to laugh. Liz joined her, laughing as though it was the funniest thing that had ever happened.

  Getting up, Kate tangled her skis with Megan's. Ashley, the only one not trapped under another skier, couldn't move because she was laughing so hard and trying not to wet her fancy ski pants. Luke lay buried under a couple of bodies, numerous skis, poles, and spandex-covered legs.

  It took a couple of attempts, but finally they stopped giggling long enough to get untangled. Of course, the camera crew recorded the entire escapade and laughed right along with them. Once they were back on their feet, skis reattached, Luke motioned for the others to move ahead to the chairlift, then slid up to Ashley.

  "Your turn," he said, piercing her with a knowing stare. He gestured her to join him on the chairlift.

  Ashley felt like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She gave him an innocent smile as she slid smoothly past him into the lift line, acting like nothing was amiss.

  "So, what's up?" He gazed down at her from only a few inches away, his firm mouth curled.

  "Sorry, I guess I lost control back there," she replied, looking straight ahead.

  "No, I mean what's going on?" He looked at her conspiratorially.

  Ashley feigned innocence.

  Luke gave her a sideways glance. "Your turn" He held his arm out
to direct her toward the chairlift.

  Ashley glided forward smoothly to the lift. She could feel Luke's eyes admiring her sexy ski outfit.

  He joined her, and together they turned toward the approaching chair and sat. As Ashley settled herself, Luke examined her closely, then reached into her tight little jacket and pulled the leather strap to the flask.

  "Okay, now I understand" He gave her an accusatory stare.

  "It's not for me"

  "Is that so?"

  "Really, it's for Liz. She was afraid to ski and I knew a little boost would loosen her up"

  "Well she's not the only one loosened up" He'd just discovered a new angle to her personality.

  She nodded. "Yup, did you notice how relaxed she is now compared to her first run?" Luke watched her try to talk her way out of the situation. "She's a natural. Not a care in the world." Ashley swung her arms open wide.

  He quickly put out his arm, as if to keep her from leaning forward and off the chairlift. "Whoa there! Let's keep you on the chairlift, okay?"

  "Sorry. I guess we got a little carried away. I didn't mean to cause a scene with my snow spraying-it just sort of happened"

  Luke stretched an arm around her shoulders and leaned his head close, enjoying the view her sexy outfit offered. "I'm disappointed you didn't share some of it with me." He noticed how relaxed she became when the cameras weren't around.

  A big smile spread across her face as she looked up into his eyes. "By all means! What's mine is yours. You are the guest of honor here. Please help yourself." She opened the top of the flask and nodded for him to drink. He lifted it into the air and the liquid streamed smoothly into his opened mouth.

  Luke began to choke. "It's hot chocolate, but not even hot."

  Ashley grinned. "Gee, what did you think it was?"

  Luke eyed her and gestured with the flask. "I never drink alone."

  She took the challenge and, leaning back into the welcome crook of his arm, opened her mouth. He gently touched her lower lip with the edge of the flask opening and raised it high as he poured the rich liquid between her parted lips.