“I’m getting dressed anyway. Wooden floors in old New England houses in the winter don’t make for cozy beds, rug or no rug.”
As much as he liked feeling her naked body up against his, he didn’t mind watching her get dressed again. But once she’d covered up the best parts, he decided she was right about the cold floor so he dropped the condom in the trash can next to the desk and pulled his clothes back on. Once they were both dressed, the office became boring in a hurry, though.
“I wonder if they ate all the snacks,” Katie said.
Because they knew their guests would be staying up later than usual, they’d made the kitchen more accessible. Cheese and crackers, popcorn, a nice assortment of goodies from Rose. They couldn’t supply alcohol, so it was strictly BYOB, but they wanted to give a little extra to people who’d chosen to a spend a holiday at the Northern Star.
“Doing this as long as I have, you learn a few things,” he told her. “Like squirreling away some of the goodies before you lay them out for the guests. There might be some cookies, cheese and a pepperoni stick hiding behind the baking powder in the pantry.”
“You keep your stash behind the baking powder, huh? I’ll have to remember that.”
Josh grinned. “I’ve caught guests digging around for some weird things, but I’ve never had one try to sneak off with the baking powder. What do you think? Want to go eat cookies in the pantry?”
“Let’s do it. Should I let you go first and then wait a few minutes?”
He laughed so hard he knew there’d be no doubt he wasn’t alone in the office, anyway. “Jesus, Katie, we’re not sixteen. Just walk to the kitchen and say hi or happy New Year or whatever to anybody who talks to you. Don’t forget, this is my house.”
Sure, it would be nice if he didn’t have to lead the woman he’d just made love to through a gauntlet of guests who didn’t seem to realize that once the ball in Times Square dropped, it was time to go to bed. But he was polite and kept moving, so they made it to the pantry without Katie passing out from embarrassment.
He closed the door behind him, the only light coming through the slats in the louvered doors, and rummaged behind the baking powder for the cookies. He handed her one, then took one for himself. Sure, hiding in the closet was stupid, but he was having too much fun with Katie and her adjustment to sharing living space with strangers not to.
“Gee, Josh. Sex in a barn. Cookies in a closet. You sure know how to show a girl a good time.”
“I’m a hell of a catch, huh? Wait ’til I show you what I can do in the basement.” He grinned and popped the cookie in his mouth.
*
Rose was always thrown off by holidays. People checking out on Tuesday and then more people checking in on Friday would make for a short week. Adding in the fact she’d stayed awake long enough to ring in the New Year with a kiss from Andy, and she was out of sorts. Even though she’d only been up a few hours, she could have gone for a nap.
Katie was moving back to her apartment today, and Rose had no good excuse to offer why she shouldn’t. She’d thought—or maybe just hoped—that Josh and Katie would just go along as they were for a while. The longer they played house, the more right it would feel to them. But Rose could understand Katie’s desire to get the barbershop back on schedule, even if she didn’t understand why she couldn’t drive to work from the lodge and back. It wasn’t very far.
And Josh didn’t seem upset at all by seeing Katie’s bag next to the back door. If anything, he seemed happy about the fact she was leaving, and Rose couldn’t understand that at all.
Andy walked into the kitchen, probably looking for coffee. “Uh-oh. You look like you want to slap somebody upside the head with a shovel.”
“I’m trying to think of a good excuse for Katie to stay.”
He slid an arm around her shoulders and kissed her before reaching past her for the coffeepot. “You’re back on your feet now, and that’s the only reason she was here. It makes sense she’d go home.”
“Maybe if I cough a few times, she’ll stay.” When Andy gave her a stern look, she laughed. “I was kidding. But why does Josh seem so okay with her going? I thought he was falling for her, but if he was he’d want to keep her here.”
“Privacy.” He blew across the top of his coffee and then took a sip, closing his eyes as he savored the brew. “Josh can, uh…visit her there instead of in a houseful of people.”
Rose hadn’t thought of that, but Andy had a point. Maybe spending time at Katie’s apartment, where he could totally relax and enjoy her company, would strengthen their relationship more than continuing on in the routine they had now.
Before she could say anything else, the door to the basement opened and Katie emerged. When she saw them standing there, she smiled and then blew out an exhausted breath. “All the bedding’s downstairs. First load’s in the washer.”
“I could have done that, honey. I really do feel better.”