Tristan Carter has shaped his life around independence and the wild beauty of Aspen. A self-made man, he spends summers guiding hikers, winters on the slopes, and every season keeping the Lodge alive. The mountains are his refuge the one place where he feels in control. The last thing he wants is someone disrupting his hard-won balance.

Carmen Reiner has never stayed anywhere long. Running from a past she won’t name, she drifts from job to job, always chasing freedom but never finding a place to land. Fearless on skis and quick with her words, she takes work at the Lodge for the season. But when her bold spirit collides with Tristan’s rigid ways, friction turns into something far hotter.

Both carry scars they don’t talk about. Both are stubborn enough to keep their walls high. Yet the pull between them refuses to fade, pressing them to face what they’ve been avoiding trust, vulnerability, and the risk of wanting more.

Can two restless hearts find home in each other, or will pride drive them apart?

Denisse Gonsalez