Devoted to the Blizzard: A romantic winter thriller (Tellure Hollow Book 3) (30 page)

“You recognized the cabin, right?”

He sighed and leaned forward to put a hand on my back. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

I rolled my eyes. “How many times have we gotten ourselves into trouble by ignoring the obvious? There’s a connection here. I can feel it.”

“Maybe there is, but that doesn’t mean we have anything to do with it. Other things can happen in Tellure Hollow that don’t involve us, you know?” he quipped. “The world doesn’t revolve around us.”

I didn’t completely believe that, but I snorted despite myself. “Of course it does. We’re the most important people in this town,” I chuckled quietly.

“Come on,” Bryan comforted, sliding an arm around my waist. “Don’t borrow trouble. Let’s get Jack fed, start dinner, and enjoy a quiet night.”

“A quiet night?” I scoffed. “With Miss Moody stomping around upstairs? What if she brings the cloud down with her?” Still, sitting so close to him was giving me all sorts of ideas.

“We’ll put on America’s Got Talent or something equally lame to scare her back to her bedroom,” Bryan added.

“Well, aren’t you full of solutions?” I bumped his shoulder with mine, still trying to shake the sinking feeling in my gut.

“That’s me, solving the world’s problems, one compromise at a time.”

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Lauren read the text message for the tenth time, nervously biting her bottom lip.

Wear something sexy. Remember, you’re single, flirty but not slutty. Follow his lead with conversation and above all, show him a good time. You’ll do great, sweetie!

Well hopefully I’ve got the sexy part down,
she thought as she smoothed a wrinkle from her black pencil skirt. She tugged at the ruffled collar on the sleeveless blouse, exposing more cleavage.
I just hope I can manage the rest.

She reapplied the red lipstick she’d nervously chewed off and briefly considered telling the driver to keep going. As the car stopped in front of the restaurant, she realized it was too late for that. She was already in too deep. Taking a few calming breaths, she paid and stepped out. Winding her way through the crowd, Lauren searched for the man she’d seen only briefly earlier that day.

Damon Kael wasn’t a man easily overlooked. Mid-40’s with salt and pepper hair, even from a distance she’d noticed a fantastic body beneath the tailored suit. Within moments, she spotted him sitting at the bar, his arm casually draped over the back of the chair. She flicked her dark hair back, squared her shoulders, and sauntered over to him.

“Mr. Kael, I’m Lauren Kemp. I believe you spoke with my colleague Faith earlier,” she said extending her hand.

He took her hand and kissed her softly on the cheek, his stubble scratching her slightly. His eyes were focused, penetrating. She felt stripped bare by just one glance. “Yes, please have a seat. Do you drink?”

Swallowing her nerves, Lauren gracefully sat on the chair beside him and nodded. Just as she opened her mouth to tell him her normal drink, he flagged the bartender over.

He eyed her for a moment before saying, “She’ll have a Bee’s Knees. Another tonic for me.”

She was taken aback. No one had ever ordered for her like that before. She nearly corrected him by ordering something different but remembered who she was with and why she was there. Instead, she smiled sweetly.

“I’ve never heard of that particular cocktail, thank you.” She crossed her legs slowly, the skirt riding up her thigh.

“It’s sweet but has a bite, not unlike most women.” He held her gaze, his eyes a pale shade of sea green.

“Aw, I promise I won’t bite,” she said touching his knee.

He arched his eyebrow slightly. “That’s too bad,” he said calmly and looked away.

Lauren’s gut lurched at that comment but she steadied her reaction. She was used to always being the one in control, the one being chased, playing the games.
Maybe this is what it’s like with older men
, she thought. She couldn’t deny there was a part of her that wanted to grab his attention, make him look twice. He couldn’t just dismiss her so quickly.
I can’t be this rusty…

“Well maybe if you ask nicely I could accommodate you,” she purred.

“No, I never have to ask.” His smile, while disarming, didn’t seem to reach his eyes. She felt her stomach flipflop in a way she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
I know this is supposed to be work but I suppose there are worse people I could accompany to dinner.

As Lauren chewed on his last statement feeling completely out of her depth, the bartender delivered their drinks. A murky, faint pink concoction swirled in the cocktail glass. Lavender and honey scents wafted through the air. After a tentative sip she had to stop herself from swallowing the entire drink. Not only was it delicious, but she hoped the liquid courage might settle her nerves. She noticed he was watching her reaction.

She turned to him and laughed softly. “Mr. Kael, you have impeccable taste. I think I might have found a new favorite drink.”

“Please, call me Damon.”

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I parked the car in the back lot, heading in one of the secret back entrances I’d since learned about. It was my main point of entry now, easier to avoid the growing mob of protesters outside.

My conversation with Autumn cycled through my mind as I rode the elevator to the top floor.
Is that what it is? Just a safe crush? It feels different…

I walked down the hall, preoccupied with my thoughts.
It feels like more than a crush, like I could actually come to really trust him. I mean, the guy is like pure sex molded in the flesh…

As I pushed the door to his office open, the universe practically proved my point. Xander stood with his back to the door, shirtless, skin gleaming with sweat. He turned as the door clicked open, his usually perfectly styled hair hanging in his eyes. He wiped his face with a white towel and nodded.

“Morning Maisie, you’re here early.”

I couldn’t tear my eyes from his body. Every shiny muscle popped and rippled with his movements. His abs were hard and flat, the lines of his obliques disappearing into the waistband of his sweatpants. I couldn’t detect an ounce of fat on him… and I was looking way too hard.

“I needed to get started on… the… thing…” I said, stumbling over my feet and words as I quickly walked in. I did my best to appear casual but felt like a robot trying to act human.

“Care to be a little more specific?” he asked with a half smile. He wiped down his chest with one hand, my eyes following his every move.

“I need to print and collate the packets for today’s meeting,” I said as if in a trance.

“Ah, okay then. Well, I’m glad you’re here.” He squatted down and rolled onto his back, beginning a series of rapid sit-ups. “Take a seat, I’ve got some ideas I want you to jot down for me while I finish.”

I blinked several times, a voice in the back of my mind screaming, “MOVE STUPID!” I dropped my bag and pulled out a legal pad, sitting on the edge of the desk with a pen poised.

What I hadn’t been able to explain to Autumn was how over the past few weeks, I’d learned how to compartmentalize my thoughts. It was like I’d developed a split personality. Maisie the professional appeared and acted as she should. As Xander rattled off his ideas and thoughts for expansion, things he wanted to address with Rian at the meeting later, I quickly transcribed. Professional Maisie thought, smiled, responded like nothing else was going on inside her head.

But Other Maisie, the one I wasn’t very familiar with, didn’t think… not with words. She ran almost on pure instinct. Her thoughts came in images… her teeth sinking into his shoulder as he lay on top of her, his broad hands splayed across her stomach. She thought in imagined sensations. What would it feel like if he pressed me against the wall? To ride him, his fingers digging into my hips as we…

“Did you get that?” he asked, pulling my attention.

“Yup. Researching the next ten cities for expansion, possible scouting trips to meet and greet,” I read from the page.
One point to Professional Maisie.

Xander nodded before smoothly flipping over to his stomach. He proceeded to do push ups while I tried not to stare at the muscles on his back.
At least he can’t really catch me staring from this angle,
I thought with a thrill.

He continued talking, although with growing difficulty as his workout continued. Other Maisie wondered what that kind of stamina might mean in the bedroom while Professional Maisie took notes. He finished with a long huff, laying prone on the floor for a few seconds to recover.

“It might seem overwhelming at first, but you joined the company just as we’re about to expand. It’s going to be a lot of hard, difficult work, but it’ll be exciting.” He rocked back onto his knees, wiping his skin down again with the towel. Even though we were talking about work, I felt like his walls were down lower than ever before, that I was seeing a more complete version of Xander for the first time.

“Sure, yeah. It’s good business,” I said as my eyes dropped to the legal pad. “Everyone has sex.”

Xander laughed, his voice deep and hearty. “Other than funerals and burials, our business is one of the most future-proof you can find.” His burning gaze traveled down my body for a split second. “Even if people aren’t having sex, they’re thinking about it.”

A lump grew in my throat as my cheeks turned a light pink. “Yup, absolutely.”
God, I sound like a clinical idiot.
It was just a casual comment, but I instantly feared he was reading my thoughts.

After another pounding heartbeats of him studying me, he rocked back to his feet and stood. “I’ll need to meet with Rian before the meeting. He should be downstairs somewhere, if you wouldn’t mind finding him for me.”

“You want me to get him now? The meeting isn’t until two and…”

Xander walked to the attached bathroom as he spoke, the door swinging partially shut behind him. He raised his voice as the shower warmed up. “We have a lot to go over.”