Danni's heart was racing and her adrenaline flowing as she raced along on her Pantera. How she loved snowmobiling! The smooth growl of the engine and the swish of the runners on snow sounded in her ears as she glided along. She was filled with the sheer joy of riding this morning as she headed for the 3-foot drop off made by the snowplows on the mountain road.

She glanced behind her to see where Darrell was. She was disgusted as she noted him several hundred feet behind her. Why Eva wanted to set her up with him for the weekend she didn't know. The man had no sense of adventure. Dismissing him from her mind, she concentrated on the jump coming up.

"Whoooooooaaaa," she sang out as she became airborne for several breath stopping seconds before the Pantera hit the ground, still flying.

She came up quickly on the narrowed curve and gasped as the cross-country skier suddenly loomed in front of her. Applying her brakes and turning hard to the left, she sprayed out a wide curtain of snow and ice bits that covered the skier in a shower of white debris. As she skillfully pulled the Pantera on around in a wide arc, she came back full circle and stopped in front of the snow giant, her heart beating fast.

"Are you okay?" She was breathless from the thrill of the close call and struck by a sudden desire to laugh as the man literally shook like a big dog, sending snow flying everywhere. As he pulled off his ski mask and goggles, Danni had a sudden sense of impending danger. When a pair of deep blue eyes pinned her in an icy stare, she could tell she was facing one immensely ticked off male!

"Do you make a habit of riding hell bent for leather on that thing?" he ground out, tamping down the overwhelming urge turn her over the seat of that Pantera and apply his hand to the bottom outlined in the tight little ski pants she wore.

Just then, Darrell pulled up beside Danni, a concerned look on his face as he noted the blond giant glaring at his "date" for the weekend.

Immediately, Sanders's gaze swung to the man who had just driven up. "You need to take your little snow bunny in hand before she hurts herself or somebody else," he snapped out at Darrell.

Danni bristled at his words. He couldn't talk about her like that! "You need to mind your own business," she declared saucily, her chin defiantly in the air. "What business is it of yours how I drive?" How dare he insinuate she was nothing but fluff!

"You shouldn't have been going that fast coming up on a blind curve. You're just lucky you had enough room to pull out or you could have caused a serious accident. And it's my business because I just bought into this resort, and you almost ran me over as well."

Danni knew he was right but she wasn't going to admit it. This must be Sanders Linson, the new owner her father had spoken about. Well, she didn't care who he was, his whole attitude grated on her nerves. As if Darrell could take her in hand! Humph! It had taken all of two minutes to figure out that Darrell was a wimp in the first degree.

"I was in complete control the whole time," she sassed back, ignoring the storm clouds in the blue eyes. Throwing Darrell a contemptuous glance, she slammed the Pantera into reverse and went backwards at a furious clip, then cutting back to the right to spin around. After a quick backward glance, she gunned it and took off, the snowmobile whining as the rpms accelerated at a heavy pace.

"You better get after her before she hurts herself," instructed Sanders to the embarrassed young man in front of him.

"No one tells Danni Oaks what to do," complained the petulant young man. "She is too spoiled to her own way and her father lets her do whatever she wants." But, he obediently turned his snowmobile around and headed after the disappearing Pantera.

Tears began to trickle down Danni's cheeks as reaction to the close call set in. Feeling her anger burn out after a few minutes, she guided the snowmobile into one of her favorite glades, winter or summer. As Danni took off her helmet, her long platinum hair cascaded down her back, looking beautiful on her maroon parka.

She got off the snowmobile and walked to the summit. From there, she looked out over valleys and mountain peaks, all covered in snow. It was a beautiful view in the summer as well and she never tired of it.

Danni sighed and smoothed her hair back behind her small ear. She remembered the fury she had seen in that pair of blue eyes a few moments ago. She thought about her reaction to it. Her stomach had curled and her heart leapt in her throat as she recognized his desire to mete out some type of retribution. And then there were his words to Darrell about taking her in hand. As if he were a man who would do exactly that in a heartbeat! Question is, what would he do, she asked herself? How would it be to have someone want to straighten her out and be worried about her she wondered? Sighing again, she looked out over the summit, her heart feeling heavy in her chest.

The closest she had come was her best friend's husband, Dale. He was the nearest thing to a male with a backbone that Danni had come across yet. Eva was lucky, she decided. Dale really loved her, and he showed it in every way possible, and Eva certainly seemed to pay attention when he told her something. She seemed hesitant to disobey him, even when Danni was cajoling her to come and play with her.

Danni smiled to herself as she recalled the scene a few nights ago. Danni had invited Eva to go with her to the club where a new male dancer was supposed to be appearing. Dale had chimed in and said no, Eva would not be going. And, she shouldn't be going either! Her stomach had done a queer little flipping sensation at the commanding look on his face. She knew he felt somewhat protective of her, but she attributed it to being Eva's friend.

She had laughed at him, but she had respected him for Eva's sake. Eva had started to say something, but he had arched his eyebrow and looked at her with a stern look and she had caved. Danni wondered why.

Usually the only emotion she inspired in men was lust, or frustration because she wouldn't respond to their lust. Restlessly she kicked the snow in front of her. She knew she was beautiful. She had been very blessed in that department but sometimes she wished she wasn't. Between her looks and her father's money, men came on to her constantly. Or if they didn't have the guts to approach her, they just lusted from afar. No one ever saw who she really was underneath. How she longed for someone who wanted to get to know her, not just get her into bed.

Danni broke a branch off a nearby scrub oak and started hitting the bush with it, knocking snow onto the ground. She had heard Darrell's snowmobile pass on by the glade without turning in a few moments ago. Another one bites the dust she thought, knowing after the little scene that had played out, he would not be around when she returned to the lodge. She kicked out at a small rock, dislodging it and sending it flying. Brushing a stray tear from her cheek, she renewed her attack on the helpless bush.

"I can think of a far better use for that switch than beating a bush with it," drawled a sardonic voice from behind her.

Danni whirled around to face Sanders Linson, the man she had covered in snow a short time ago. She stared in astonishment when he released the catch on his skis and stepped out of them. He took off his goggles and ski mask as well. He obviously skied a lot because he had those white circles around his piercing blue eyes.

"W-what are you doing here?" she stammered, her heart beating fast. She looked around her but there was no one else in sight. She glanced behind him where her snowmobile was sitting. She would have to get around him to get out of there. Maybe she could brazen this out. After all, he was just another man. The blonde giant certainly did not look enamored of her, though. Even though Danni was not used to that, she was used to getting her way. She stared insolently at him.

Sanders appraised the defiant girl before him. He had seen the guy on the snowmobile pass the glade, obviously ignoring the fact that Miss Oaks had pulled in here. That meant he had left the girl on her own. As much as he did not want to stop, it went against his grain to leave a woman alone. He figured for all her bravado, she was probably shaken up by the close call they had both encountered. She needed a good spanking as far as he was concerned and if she had been his date, that's precisely what she would have gotten!

He walked over to her and took the branch out of her hand. "This would be much better applied directly to your little bottom." He swished the branch experimentally through the air. He was amused to see her back up, some of the defiance fading to be replaced by a wary pout.

"I don't know what you want," she said in a sulky voice, "but you better not even think it."

"I can do more than just think it," he replied evenly. He saw the tear trail on her cheeks and knew he had been right. He could see without her helmet that she was a very lovely girl, but he had seen many beautiful women and most of them were spoiled and vain. He hoped to find someone with more to offer than a lovely face and body, and certainly something more than just a spoiled brat.

"What I want is an apology for starters. Then we'll go from there depending on your attitude." He smacked the switch lightly against his palm, testing its strength.

Danni stared at him suspiciously. Surely he didn't mean ... no ... he wouldn't ... would he? She inspected his face carefully. His smooth brown face was set in a stern look not unlike Dale's had been a few days ago, and the square jaw looked very uncompromising. She glanced at the switch he was tapping against his palm and shivered.

Danni had seen her Aunt Mindy use a switch on her cousin once, years ago, and it had not been a pretty sight. Heidi had yelped and danced like it was killing her as her mother had laid stripes across the shorts clad bottom and the backs of her thighs, leaving ugly red welts on the bare skin. Danni had run like a rat, deserting her cousin to her Aunt's ministrations. She knew Aunt Mindy had called her mother, but nothing had ever come of it.

She bristled at his action and drew herself up to her full 5ft 3in stature. Well, he was not going to intimidate her! He had no right to even begin to think about touching her with that thing and the sooner he was informed of that, the better. Her blue eyes flashed with anger and her mouth went into full throttle.

"I don't have to apologize to you or anyone else, and you have no right to threaten me! I don't scare easily," she stormed at him, her chin jutting out. "So you can just take a hike Mister Linson, and the sooner the better!"

Sanders' eyes narrowed as he took in her insolent words. This young lady really needed a good lesson in manners he decided. She was virtually asking for it! He hadn't really planned on spanking her when he came in here, but he could make time for it if she didn't straighten up.

"I'm the guy you nearly ran over and that's all the right I need," he ground out, his temper rising at her disrespectful attitude. "And you've got about three seconds to start apologizing, or you and I are going to have a much more serious talk!"

"In a pig's eye," she spat at him.

"We'll just see about that," retorted Sanders and he started towards Danni. He had been so intent on their argument that he didn't notice that his ski had slid sidewise. As he stepped out towards Danni, he stepped onto the loose ski and it went sliding out, taking him down as he lost his footing.