Christmas on the Last Frontier (Last Frontier Lodge #1) (12 page)

“Tomorrow?”

Delia’s eyes widened. “Tomorrow?”

Don clapped Gage on the shoulder. “Hon, I told you Gage would put you to work right away.”

Delia nodded slowly. “Okay. I can probably make that work.”

After a few more minutes discussing some plans, Delia went her way. Don beamed at Gage, his eyes damp. “Thank you,” he said gruffly.

Gage shrugged. “I think I’m supposed to be thanking you for finding me a cook I can trust right off the bat.”

Don shook his head. “It feels good to have this place on its way back. I’ve missed Sandy so much it hurts these last few years, but being here is nothing but good memories. It’ll be pretty nice to have Delia around. Delia’s been at loose ends. Went to college, fell in love, got pregnant and then got dumped. She’s a damn good mom, but it hasn’t been easy on her own. She was all worried about what to do about her little boy Nicholas, so you made her day by saying it’d be okay if he was here sometimes. She won’t bring him everyday, but here and there it’ll be nice for her. She’s been working odd jobs, but hasn’t found anything that works out great for her. I think this might be a good thing. That’s why I’m thanking you.”

Gage’s chest tightened. All the years of childhood dreams of being back at the ski lodge had been so vague. He’d never considered how much this place meant to some of the people who worked here, or to the locals in Diamond Creek. As a man who’d led a private, structured life and learned the painful lessons grief had to offer, he’d responded by compartmentalizing his life, rarely allowing anyone new into his personal circle. Marley had slipped through the cracks of his heart in her own way. Don and now Delia touched another corner of his heart. He knew he was lucky to have her and Don and was happy to give her the chance to work at the lodge.

He took a breath, met Don’s eyes and nodded. “Well, I guess we’re even then. I’m glad it feels good on your end, but I can’t tell you how glad I am you offered to come back. I don’t know if I could pull this off without your help. Before I got here, I had high hopes, but I hadn’t really thought through the logistics of it. Pretty damn sure I might have crashed and burned if you hadn’t come along.”

Don held his gaze and nodded slowly. “Glad to be here.” He looked out the window. The sun was already sliding down behind the mountains even though it was only four in the afternoon. The days were shortening rapidly with winter solstice roughly a month away. Don looked back toward him. “I’ve gotta head back up to grab my tools before it gets dark. I’ll catch you in the morning, okay?”

After Don left, Gage returned to the office and tidied the mess he’d created. He sat at his desk and quickly checked his email. Out of curiosity, he took a look at the lodge website. Marley had done a beautiful job. Gage couldn’t quite believe it, but seeing the website made his dream feel real. He clicked on the blog page and his heart clenched. Marley had taken photos of his different projects with cute captions. She’d thrown in some wildlife photos—a moose nibbling on alder by the lodge, a raven flying across one of the trails, and an eagle sitting on the signpost. Her updates were light, breezy and inviting. He noticed she’d posted an update this morning announcing they were already almost fully booked for the week after Christmas. His heart squeezed, and he lost his breath for a moment.

His discarded childhood dream was coming true. Marley’s involvement only made it sweeter, and he didn’t quite know what to do with the feeling. He took another slow breath. His phone beeped, indicating a text had arrived. He glanced down to see Marley had replied to his earlier text.

Okay. What time?

His heart clenched, this time for a different reason. He hated that it was important for her to know what time, so she wouldn’t be startled by his arrival. It seemed trivial, but it wasn’t. After what had happened, the last thing she needed was anyone showing up unannounced. He was frustrated with himself for not thinking about that last night when he went over there. The anger he’d been trying to keep at bay flashed through him. He needed answers and fast on who was sending her those damn emails and who was behind the robbery. He knew he couldn’t erase what happened for her, but he wanted her to have closure. That meant finding answers.

He glanced at his phone and typed his reply.

How about six? Can I take you out to dinner?

After long moments of staring at his phone with no reply from her yet, Gage stood and went to grab the tools he’d left in another wing. He’d methodically made his way through the lodge handling the minor interior repairs. All that was left was for him to hire a cleaning crew and then deal with the new furniture. It had already arrived, and he’d stored it in the basement until the place was cleaned.

 
When he returned to his office, his phone lit up with her reply.

Six works. I’m meeting Ginger at Sally’s. How about I meet you there? You’re welcome to join us.

He grinned. Any chance to see Marley made him feel like a teenage boy again. Tech savvy though she was, Marley didn’t engage in the banter so many others did with texting. She was short and to the point. He liked it because it was like her—without artifice. If dinner with Marley meant Ginger would be there, Gage would go along though he selfishly wanted her for himself.

***

Marley took a look around Sally’s as she walked in. It was just as she recalled. Sally’s was a hopping local hangout—a restaurant that served basic pub fare and a bar that kept busy year round with music acts booked through every season. It was in a renovated barn with the place divided into the bar and restaurant sections. The old hayloft held overflow seating for the restaurant. She scanned the restaurant and spied Ginger sitting at a booth. She quickly made her way over and slid into the booth.

Ginger looked up from the menu and squealed. “Marley girl!”

Marley rolled her eyes and grinned. “How’s it going?”

Ginger shrugged. “Nothing new except I’m gonna be giddy for months that you’re finally home for good. You’ll just have to put up with it.”

Marley’s chest tightened. It felt so good to be home, she couldn’t quite believe it. “It’s not hard to put up with. Safe to say, I’m just as happy as you are,” she said with a grin.

A waitress arrived and took their drink order. Ginger brushed her dark hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ears. “So, what’s new with Gage?”

Marley felt the flush on her face. Ginger’s eyes widened. “Well then. No details needed. If you’re blushing like that, then I know how last night went.”

“Oh my God! How do you know something happened last night?”

“Because I left with you. So, something happened between then and now or you wouldn’t be blushing.”

Marley considered last night—another night when she lost herself in the wild heat that engulfed her whenever she was with Gage. She almost couldn’t believe she was the same woman who’d fallen apart in his arms last night. Heat streaked through her. She shifted uncomfortably. Amazing as it was, her complete lack of control with Gage chafed at her. She was trying to get her life back under control, not lose herself in a man. The second her mind questioned it, her body remembered the feel of his rough hands on her, and she felt a ping of longing in her center.

Marley distracted herself by grabbing the menu and flipping through it. “Last night was great,” she mumbled. “He’s also meeting us here.”

Ginger squealed again. People at nearby tables turned in their direction. “Ginger,” Marley hissed. “Do you mind? It’s enough that I’m talking to you about him, you don’t need to make a scene. He’ll be here any minute, so how about not embarrassing the hell out of me?”

Ginger sat back with a humph. “Okay, okay. I’m excited for you. You deserve something good, and he’s good,” she said, dragging the last word out.

Marley fought her blush and gave up with a giggle. “He’s definitely good.” Which was part of her problem. Gage was so good, he was knocking past her guard and she didn’t know what to do about it. He was so out of the stratosphere when it came to sexy, he blew her mind with just a touch.

Ginger’s eyes sobered, and she reached over to squeeze Marley’s hand. “I can’t help but tease, and I’m happy for you.”

“Don’t get too excited. I’m not really sure where things are going.”

Ginger released her hand and leaned back when the waitress arrived with water and a bottle of the house red wine. Ginger waved the waitress off when she started to pour, deftly taking the bottle from her and filling both of their glasses. After a quick toast, Ginger angled her head to the side, eying Marley thoughtfully.

“What?” Marley asked.

“Just thinking maybe you should give yourself a chance to think something good might come of this thing with Gage.”

Hope flashed in Marley’s heart. She hadn’t planned on any of this, but it was impossible for her not to want more with Gage. She immediately tried to quell the feeling. The last thing she needed to do was pin her hopes on something that couldn’t go anywhere.

“I didn’t say it wouldn’t, just that I’m not sure where things are going.”

“I know, but that’s an easy way to keep him at a distance. I think he really likes you.”

Marley flushed because it was hard to comprehend a man like Gage would really like her. He was the kind of man many a woman would fantasize about—a body honed to perfection, the military sexy vibe he gave off, and so good in bed, he nearly set her on fire. She’d never been known to turn heads and definitely lacked experience. When she was skin to skin with Gage, her doubts didn’t crowd her mind, but outside those moments, she wasn’t quite sure what to think. She had no idea what he considered them to be. It was obvious he had eons more experience than her, so for all she knew, he figured they were having a good time and when it was over, it would be over. She didn’t know if she wanted it to be something else, but she wanted to feel more in control.

Ginger’s voice broke into her thoughts. “I know I can’t talk you into it, but you’ve spent most of your adult life oblivious to the guys checking you out. You were too damn busy with your work to pay attention. How about you practice making your brain shut up and just go with it?”

Marley took a sip of wine and leaned back, working to keep her expression calm. Trying to “just go with it” with Gage scared the hell out of her. He pushed her so far past her comfort zone, she lost control in ways she never had before at a time in her life when what she wanted was to feel like she had control again. Complicating matters was the fact that after she climbed peaks of passion she’d never even contemplated, the way he held her made her feel safe and secure—made her want to give herself over and let him take care of her. When she knew she needed to take care of herself. No one else could do that for her. She took another gulp of wine and met Ginger’s eyes. “I’ll work on it.”

As Marley looked over at Ginger, Ginger’s grin widened. Marley’s back was to the door, so she jumped when she felt a warm hand curl around her shoulder. Turning to glance up, her eyes collided with Gage’s. His lightning eyes darkened the moment they met hers. Without a word, he leaned down and took her lips in a swift kiss, his tongue stroking deeply inside. In what couldn’t have been more than a few seconds, he left her flustered when he pulled away. If she doubted her control with him, all it took was one kiss and she forgot where she was. The undertow of passion was so strong between them, she felt powerless to resist it…and part of her didn’t want to resist.

He turned to Ginger. “Hey Ginger, nice to see you again,” he said smoothly as he slid onto the seat beside Marley.

Dazed, she wiggled over so he had room beside her. His leg rested against hers, the warm heat curling through her.

Ginger smiled brightly at Gage. “Nice to see you too! What’s new at the lodge today?”

“Almost done on the inside. Don tells me he’ll have the lifts running by next week. I also hired his daughter Delia to cook. I’m hoping to persuade her to help manage the front, but she says she wants to see how it goes first.”

“Delia will be perfect. She was there all the time with her mom. Have you seen her since you’ve been home?” Ginger asked, directing her question to Marley.

“I ran into her at the store, but we barely had a chance to talk. I was with my mom, and she had her son with her.” Marley glanced to Gage. “I’m so glad Don sent her your way. She worked with her mom when she got older, so she knows her way around the kitchen there. I bet she’ll do great managing the front too.”

Just looking at Gage flushed her again, so Marley took another quick sip of wine. The conversation moved on with Ginger offering suggestions for who to hire for cleaning and reception. As they talked, Gage rested his arm across the back of the booth, his thumb idly caressing her neck and driving her to distraction in the process. With the slightest touch, he turned her into a puddle. The current between them snapped and crackled. She lost track of the conversation though she managed to nod and make enough vague comments for Gage and Ginger to carry on.

Ginger’s sharp question jolted her. “How come you didn’t mention the emails to me?”

Marley swung her eyes over to Ginger and then to Gage. “I thought you’d have mentioned it to her,” Gage said, holding her eyes, his gaze clear. When she didn’t reply, he arched a brow in question.

Though she hadn’t been purposefully withholding anything from Ginger, she felt bad she hadn’t mentioned it. Gage’s concern made her feel protected, which felt so good she didn’t know what to do. On the heels of that came her confusion about how to rein in the feeling he elicited—the wish to simply let him take care of her.

Marley focused on Ginger again. “It’s only been two emails. The second one showed up last night after you left. I didn’t want to make something out of nothing.” Thinking about the emails sent a curl of discomfort up her spine. She took another sip of wine. Gage’s thumb kept stroking softly across the base of her neck.

Ginger chewed her lip. “What the hell? Are you worried they’re connected to the robbery?”

Marley shrugged. “I don’t know. They don’t make any sense. Aside from my own stuff, I had nothing to do with human resources. I definitely never had any data from them for my work there.”