Chapter One...

The moist smacking of eager kisses, the playful male growl and the giddy female giggle were strikes one, two and three. They made Dakota Tokala regret ever agreeing to this vacation and kept her from enjoying everything the ski resort and quaint, Bavarian-styled town of Leavenworth had to offer.

When Lana first pitched the idea for the ski trip to Washington, Dakota had been led to believe it would be a girls-only getaway for herself and her two best friends. Unfortunately, one week before the trio was scheduled to leave, Lana fell trying to run in her obscenely high stilettos to avoid a rain shower and broke her arm. Then Carrie decided to invite her fiancé to take Lana's place since he'd been moping over the prospect of entertaining himself for a week without her.

Dakota glanced at the couple in the seat opposite her just in time to see him feed her one of the strawberry they'd stocked up on from the lunch buffet.

Once again, you're the odd duck. She frowned and took a bite of her salad, unable to savor the taste of herbs and vegetables. Disgruntled, she forked the food around on her plate, then gave up and shoved it away.

As she started to scoot out of the booth, Carrie turned to ask, "Hey, you not hungry?"

"No," she replied, trying to keep the disappointment from her voice.

"But I thought you said you were famished."

Her friend looked confused, and Dakota sighed. Carrie was a great friend—had been since they met as freshmen during rush week at college—but things were different when men entered the picture. Not that she faulted Carrie. She was happy for her, but the queen-sized hideaway bed wasn't as appealing an option for the week when the only bedroom was occupied by a couple ready for a real honeymoon.

Dakota had only claimed hunger to get out of the suite because of the lovebirds. She hadn't expected Carrie's fiancé to agree and suggest they all try the restaurant they'd passed in the resort's lobby after checking in the night before.

"I know. I thought I was too, but you two go ahead and enjoy the meal. I'm just feeling a bit restless and thought I'd do a little souvenir shopping or something." Maybe the idea of shopping would keep Mr. Testosterone from wanting to follow this time.

It worked. Carrie's fiancé didn't say a word. Instead, he stuffed his mouth with a bite of an almost-mooing T-bone drowned in steak sauce.

Though Carrie frowned, she nodded. "Okay," she said, a hint of apology in her eyes. "We're still heading for the slopes later, right?"

Dakota smiled. Her friend was trying to keep her included, but that could prove impossible when Carrie's attentions were diverted by much more interesting playthings.

Grabbing her goose-down jacket, Dakota raised her cell phone and waved it. "Call me when you guys want to go."