“Hey, this is Sharon, manager of Central Supply. I found the missing stuff. It’s here. It’s in an adjacent room. I’m not sure how it ended up there, but it’s all together now.”
This was good news. “Thanks so much.”
At least that was resolved.
The afternoon passed slowly. Ellie played with the kids, and then gave in and sat them down in front of a DVD so that she could make dinner. Her cell phone buzzed again. A text message from Jesse.
COUNTING THE MINUTES.
His words gave her heart wings. She floated through making supper, kept her sense of humor through Daniel’s painting experiment with poop, hummed during bath time, then snuggled with the kids to read stories.
Claire and Cedar arrived just as she was putting the kids to bed, but that was probably for the best. That way Daisy and Daniel wouldn’t be surprised to see them if they woke up in the middle of the night. While Claire gave the kids bedtime kisses, Ellie shut herself in her bedroom and tried to figure out what to wear.
What did a person wear to a ski lodge when they weren’t going skiing and would probably spend most of the night naked?
She put on the bustier, thong, and stockings and slipped on a curve-hugging black sweater dress that reached her knees and knee-high boots. She hurried into the bathroom and put on makeup—eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara, blush, lip gloss. She studied her reflection in the mirror, a kind of excitement in her eyes she hadn’t seen for so long.
She stepped out of her room, overnight bag in hand, and walked to the living room where Claire and Cedar were settling in with a DVD.
Claire squealed. “Oh, my God, Ellie, you look hot.”
“Shh!” Ellie laughed. “You’ll wake up the kids.”
“You look good.” Cedar pointed the remote at the TV. “Do you have any beer?”
“Get off your butt and go look,” Claire teased. “The fridge is that way.”
“I’ll get one.” Ellie had just pulled an Indian Peaks Pale Ale out of the fridge when a knock came at the front door. She hurried over to Cedar, handed him the beer, then answered the door. The sight of Jesse made her breath catch.
He stood there looking like a rock star in black jeans, a black crew-neck T-shirt, and a black blazer, his face clean shaven, his hair neat and combed, dark brown suede boots on his feet. His gaze traveled over her. “Damn.”
“You remember Claire, my sister?”
Jesse nodded. “Hey, Claire. How’s your knee healing?”
“It’s better. Thanks. I hear you almost got blown up.”
Jesse touched a finger to the stitches on his forehead. “Yeah. Stupid accident.”
Cedar got to his feet, held out his hand. “I’m Cedar, Claire’s partner.”
Jesse shook hands with him. “Good to meet you.”
“Let me just check the kids, and we can go.” Ellie tiptoed into their bedrooms, kissed them, then tiptoed out to the living room. “I’m ready.”
Jesse picked up her overnight bag, put his arm around her shoulder, and walked with her to the door. “Good night.”
“Thanks so much, you two. See you at six a.m.”
“Have fun,” Claire called after them. “And use contraception!”
Ellie couldn’t help but laugh.
*
Jesse swiped the key card, pushed open the door, and held it for Ellie, anticipation warming his blood. He’d done a little recon earlier this evening. He’d wanted to check the suite out, make sure they had everything they needed—champagne in the fridge, condoms in each room, an antipasto plate and some fresh fruit in case they got hungry. He’d never done anything like this before. He wanted to get it right for her.
She walked inside, and her eyes went wide. “Wow.”
He followed her, savoring the play of emotions on her face.
“Can you believe this place?”
It wasn’t called the luxury suite for nothing. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out onto the slopes, the vaulted ceilings crossed with polished wooden beams. Two contemporary chandeliers hung over the living room area, a blocky leather sofa and two matching armchairs arranged around a coffee table across from a large stone fireplace. Wood stood in a neat stack in an alcove beside the hearth, kindling in a basket. A door led to a small balcony outside, where chairs sat buried in snow.
“Where’s the bed?”
He pointed. “It’s through there.”
She laughed at the sight of the king-sized bed with its thick, carved posts that had to be seven feet tall. There was another fireplace, a leather sofa sitting off to one side. A doorway to their right led to a bathroom with a large steam shower and a sunken hot tub.
He couldn’t say what was running through her mind, but he was sizing up every room and every piece of furniture for its erotic possibilities. The fluffy sheepskin rug on the floor in front of the living room fireplace. The built-in bench in the shower. Those big bedposts.
“I’ve never been anywhere this posh.”
“Yeah, me neither. Want some champagne?” He retrieved the bottle from the kitchen, popped the cork, and poured them each a glass. “Salute.”
“Cheers.”
Their glasses clinked.