• 147 •


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Caroline shed the jersey, folding it neatly before setting it on the table beside her. Clad only in her T-shirt, sports bra, and body armor, she loosened the laces on the hard plastic chest protector. Without thinking, she peeled off her T-shirt and her sports bra, unconcerned of her nakedness in front of Fran. They had seen each other naked before, either in the gym, skinny-dipping, or in situations just like this. They were friends, nothing more. She didn’t think twice about it and neither did Fran.

“What in the hell is that?” Fran asked in her not-so-subtle way.

“What?” It took a moment for Caroline to register what Fran was talking about. When it dawned on her that she was staring at her breast she remembered that there was a vivid reminder of the passionate sex she had shared with Shannon the night before. She felt her face flush with embarrassment. Wasn’t it she who made a disparaging comment about Shannon’s hickey that night weeks ago?

“Exactly what it looks like,” Caroline replied, knowing the twenty questions had just begun.

“I know what it is. Where did you get it?”

“Right here on my left breast,” Caroline countered in an attempt to joke her way out of an awkward situation.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it. Give.” Fran waved her fingers at Caroline.

“Fran, I don’t want to—”

“Details, Davis. What happened last night after we left?” She held up her hand, palm facing Caroline. “Wait, don’t answer that. I don’t want a smart-ass answer. Who gave that to you?” She pointed at the red bruise for effect.

Caroline didn’t want to share the night she had spent with Shannon with anyone. She was still processing exactly what had happened, or more specifically how she had let it happen. Again and again, as a matter of fact. The butterflies in her stomach started up again. She had felt jittery ever since waking up this morning to find Shannon and her father in the doorway. But she also knew Fran would not let up until she had all the answers.

“Shannon.” Caroline braced herself for the onslaught that would come. Fran didn’t disappoint her.

• 148 •


Descent

“Shannon? As in my red hot high school lover that my dad caught me with Shannon?” Fran always did have a way with words.

“Yes, and I don’t want to talk about it.” She grabbed the clothes Fran had removed from the locker at the far end of the trailer. Caroline went to the basin, drew some water and a washcloth, and quickly washed her face, arms, and neck, splashing some of the cool liquid over her head.

“Too bad. You’re not getting away that easily.”

Caroline pulled on a fresh T-shirt with Bellow broadcast across her chest in bright yellow letters against the black background. “Fran, please. I can’t.” Her voice cracked on the last two words. Caroline took another quick look at herself in the mirror, checking to make sure she didn’t have any dirt on her face. She grabbed another full bottle of Gatorade and stepped out the door.

Shannon watched Caroline approach the winner’s stand holding her head high. She was proud of her accomplishment, and Shannon was proud of her. Caroline received several congratulatory hugs, handshakes, and even a few kisses. As her name was called, she stepped onto the platform, a smile on her face that Shannon thought didn’t quite reach her eyes. But anyone that didn’t know her as well as she did wouldn’t know the difference. She lifted her arms in the air and waved at the crowd showing her appreciation for their cheers. She stepped up onto the box and the crowd roared again. Caroline acknowledged them with another wave and a dip of her head, which was true Caroline Davis style. She was a gracious winner and a more gracious loser. She never said anything negative about her fellow racers; she recognized their skill and their accomplishments and simply moved on to the next competition.

The mayor of Schladming presented Caroline with a bouquet of flowers and draped the second place medal over her head and it bounced lightly against her chest. He shook her hand and kissed both checks in the European way and stepped aside.

Shannon knew she was next. She wanted to let Caroline savor this moment, but this was her race. She had won, damn it. Against all odds, she had shown them, all of them. Especially Caroline. As she approached the winner’s platform her eyes never left Caroline’s.

• 149 •


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She tried desperately to read what was in those dark eyes but she couldn’t. One second they said, “great race,” the next, “you could have goddamned killed yourself.” It didn’t really matter. It was over. It was done. And as she stepped up on the highest position on the platform, the only thing she cared about was how good it felt to be on top.

She turned to her left, shaking the hand of the third place winner.

She turned to her right and when her hand touched Caroline’s it was as if a jolt of electricity went from her fingertips to her feet, practically gluing her to the platform. For a few seconds she couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t do anything but look into the smoldering eyes looking up at her. There was a connection between them. There always had been and even after ten years it was still there. Shannon didn’t know whether to be thrilled or scared to death.

The festivities over, the photographs began. Snap after snap, flash after flash, all vying to get the perfect shot. One persistent writer followed Shannon back to the TKS trailer. He bombarded her with questions the entire way.

“So, Shannon, how do you feel? Did your injuries slow you down at all? Did your injury compromise your chance to win the race? Did you feel any different out there? Were you afraid to go down the mountain?

Were you afraid you were going to fall again? What was going through your mind at the top of the hill? Do you have any kind of posttraumatic stress syndrome from your fall?”

The reporter and his asinine questions dogged her the hundred yards to her trailer. Shannon kept her temper, knowing that he could easily paint a very ugly picture of her in his article with the simple tap of the keys.

She was polite but clearly brushed him off when she got to the door. She stepped inside and the coolness of the air conditioner chilled the sweat on her skin. Unfortunately, she wasn’t alone.

“Well, the champion has finally arrived,” a not so sultry voice greeted her. Shannon thought for a moment to step outside into the clutches of the idiot reporter.

“Nikki.” Shannon knew Nikki expected her to cross the trailer to her locker, but there was no way that was going to happen. It was too far away from the door and too close to Nikki.

“I just wanted to offer my congratulations.”

• 150 •


Descent

Nikki’s tone immediately told Shannon that she was after more than a simple acknowledgment of a job well done.

“Thanks,” Shannon replied, trying to keep it light while at the same time surveying her options—they were few.

Nikki walked across the floor, her eyes pinning Shannon with a look that said this time she was going to get what she wanted. Shannon’s mouth went dry but it was not due to desire.

“Nikki,” she said.

“Shannon, you look a little tense. You were awesome out there.

The way you handled that bike gave me the shivers. You were one with it. It was as if it was an extension of you. The way you handled that mountain was how you would make love to a woman. Strong, demanding, unrelenting.”

Shannon almost choked at the absolute ridiculousness of what she was hearing. How could anyone equate what she had just done, what she had to do, what she put her body through, to making love to a woman? She never conquered a woman; she never needed to.

“I’ve never heard it phrased quite that way.”

“You’ve never had anyone watch you like I’ve been watching you.”“I’m sure Frank appreciates you keeping an eye on me.” She had no idea why she injected his name into the conversation. Nikki was immune to it; it meant nothing to her. Nothing was going to stop her.

She wasn’t getting the hint. Subtlety was not working with this woman.

And that was exactly what Shannon was afraid of.

“Frank has no idea how I’ve been watching you.”

Before Shannon had a chance to respond Nikki had her in a second unwanted lip lock pushing her against the lockers. She had her tongue in her mouth and her hands up her shirt before Shannon even realized it. Shannon tried to squirm away from her, but Nikki was stronger than she looked. Shannon had to use more force than she thought she would.

She was breathing heavily from anger but not nearly as heavily as Nikki was from desire.

“Nikki.” Shannon seemed to be repeating herself and getting nowhere.

“You want this as much as I do. Frank doesn’t know and if he did he wouldn’t care. All he’s interested in is your body for the money it

• 151 •


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can make him.” She moved closer to Shannon again. “I, on the other hand, am also interested in your body but for what it can do for me, and what I can do for you. I know your type, what you want. Quick, fast, anonymous. Let’s celebrate your victory.”

“That’s very flattering, Nikki, but I’ve told you, and at the risk of pissing you off, I’m going to repeat myself. I don’t do this. I don’t do married women. I don’t do straight women, and I certainly don’t do the boss’s wife.”

The look in Nikki’s eyes told Shannon that she was trying to decide if she was going to get angry or let it pass and try again. She chose the former.