Obsession - A Sexy New Adult Contemporary Romance Novella (4 page)

             
She pulled into the empty parking lot and hurried inside to the main office area where her locker was located. Still shivering from the chilly morning, she reluctantly removed her heavy winter coat and hat. She started a pot of coffee and then sat down to go over her duties for the day at her small desk in an unnoticeable corner. She saw that the flight schedule was pretty light, probably because a few snowstorms were expected to blow through in the next few days. That meant she needed to get as much as possible done and out of the way in case bad weather shut down the airport. Plus, she would be able to play the part of a hospitable tour guide without a guilty conscious if she knew she was finished with her responsibilities.

             
A light rapping at the office door made her look up from the neatly columned checklists she was beginning to fill out. Through the glass at the top of the door, she made out the face of Jake, the man who had startled her the previous evening. Without thinking, she went over, opened the door, and with no preamble asked him point blank,

“What are you doing here?”

             
Jake did not skip a beat.

“Good morning to you too,” he said with a wink.

She tried to hide the smile that his light-hearted banter unexpectedly produced.

“You took me by surprise. It’s six, and no one usually gets here for at least another hour,” Abby explained. She turned around and started pouring the coffee that had just finished brewing into her bright orange mug. “Would you like a cup?” she asked him over her shoulder.

             
“Sure, just black please. So what are you doing here so early?” Jake asked. Abby poured coffee into a Styrofoam cup. “I have a lot of work to get done this morning, especially since snowstorms are expected. It’s so quiet and peaceful here in the early morning, and I can usually get a lot done before the airport even opens. Once I am finished, I can show you around the airport if you would like,” she told him. She was making a conscious effort to be nice, and it wasn’t as hard as she originally thought it would be. Besides, it wasn’t Jake’s fault his boss was buying her beloved airport.

“Okay, that would be great,” Jake said as he walked over to pick up his cup of coffee.

Abby was surprised by the little thrill she felt when Jake drew near to her. She could smell the fresh out-of-the-shower scent, he was so close to her. She cleared her throat in an attempt to clear her head, as well.

“I really have to get started, but you can hang out in here if you want. I will see you later, Jake,” she said and left the office with her coffee so fast, he couldn’t even form a reply.

* * * *

Jake looked around the office, noticing the neat workspaces. One whole side was taken over by an L-shaped desk and file cabinets. He wanted to laugh at the ridiculous leopard print stapler, mousepad, and other accessories that graced the large desk. It had to be Scarlett’s domain. At further inspection, he saw a picture of Scarlett and Abby on the shelf behind the desk.
It’s hard to believe that Scarlett and Abby would be friends,
he thought. They seemed so different from each other.

After a few minutes, he decided to go and see if Abby would like some help. She acted as though she had a lot to do earlier, and hanging out with her beat waiting around in the office. In the hallway, he nearly ran right into Jim. “Sorry about that, Jim,” Jake said. “I am looking for one of your mechanics—Abbyis her name,” he explained.

“You’re talking about my youngest daughter,” Jim smiled.

Jake was actually not surprised to find out the mechanic was Jim’s daughter. She had the same kind eyes as those of her father.

“I am sure she is running a safety check on the plane in Hanger Three. It’s the first plane scheduled to fly out today,” Jim told him.

“Thanks, Jim,” Jake replied and swiftly headed in the direction of the hangers.

             
Jim shook his head in amusement as he watched Jake walk away. From the way Jake took off, it seemed to him that Abby had unknowingly caught another heart in her clutches. The girl had no idea the effect she had on the opposite sex. Unfortunately, she had always gone for the men who were bound to break her heart. Jim hoped that both Abby and Scarlett would find the kind of love he had had with his precious Elaine. Jake Penner, in Jim’s opinion, seemed potentially promising for his Abby.

* * * *

             
Abby was midway through the first column on her checklist when Jake finally found her. She was so focused on the plane’s inspection, she didn’t notice his approach. He sat his refilled coffee cup down on a rolling toolbox cart and cleared his throat to get her attention, trying not to startle her again. When she looked up at the noise, he said,

“I would love to help you tackle your duties today, Abby. I need to get a feel for the place, and you said you had a lot to get done.”

Being reminded of the fact that the airport was soon to be someone else’s made Abby involuntarily bristle. “I guess you can if you want to,” she muttered, trying not to sound offended, since he was offering to help. She knew she had covered her reaction poorly when Jake’s face fell. If he planned on hanging around her for the day, he was going to catch on soon to the fact that she wasn’t thrilled that someone was buying her family’s airport. Abby wondered how loyal he was to his boss and how much she could trust this guy.

She could tell he wanted to change the subject—and fast—when he asked, “So what do you do for fun around here?”

             
Abby thought while she checked fluid levels. “There really isn’t that much to do in town,” she replied after a moment of contemplation. “Most of the draw to Pinesville lies in the ski resort and lodge about half an hour away.”

             
“I’m familiar with Big Moose Resort. The cabin we are staying at is part of the resort, but I’m not too much of a skier,” Jake told her.

             
“It’s really fun once you get the hang of it, and I go whenever I get a free day during the week, which isn’t often. The weekend crowd makes it too crowded to be fun, in my opinion,” Abby said as she worked.

             
For the next hour, Jake helped Abby finish preparing the plane that was scheduled for takeoff. They worked mostly in a comfortable silence, intently focused on their task. He handed Abby tools and replaced fluids.

             
“You really know what you are doing,” Abby remarked. She admired the pride he seemed to take in even the most menial task.

             
“I grew up around planes. My dad was a pilot, too,” Jake told her.

             
While they were walking to the hanger that housed the next plane on Abby’s list, Jake said, “I wonder what Will is up to with the blonde he met yesterday.”

             
Abby wasn’t sure how to answer Jake. She selfishly and ridiculously hoped that Scarlett’s foolish plan was actually going to work, but she didn’t want Jake to catch on that his wealthy friend Will could possibly be in the process of becoming ensnared.

             
“I am sure Scarlett is just showing Will around,” Abby said casually.

             
There was no way Jake or Will could find out about Scarlett’s ridiculous plan. Not only would it sabotage the whole thing, but it may cause their father to lose the deal. Even though Abby wanted the airport to stay just as it was, her father surely had good reasons for initiating the sale in the first place, and Abby did not want herself or Scarlett to incur the fury of their father if they botched it up.

             
“You’re probably right,” Jake acquiesced.

* * * *

             
The sun streaming through Will’s bedroom windows woke Scarlett from her heavy slumber. For just a moment she forgot where she was, but the sound of Will’s light snoring and his arm haphazardly tossed across her waist helped her remember. She lazily smiled as memories of the previous night came to her mind. Thank heavens Will seemed to genuinely like her, and she was happy to find that she genuinely liked him, as well, and not just because liking him was the best thing for her family.He was charming, kind, and made her laugh constantly. When they first left the airport yesterday, she had quickly relaxed and just acted like herself. Will had an ease about him that would make anyone feel comfortable.

She had figured that she would have ended up in bed with him at some point, but not the first night. She frowned, hoping their night together would not deter her plan. This most definitely had not been part of it, but between his charisma, a few too many beers, and the searing kiss she had only meant to say goodbye with last night, she had ended up in his arms and, eventually, his bed.
If all goes according to plan, we will be getting married soon anyway,
she thought. The moment she found out from Will’s lips that he was unattached, the deal was completely sealed in her eyes.

             
Lying back against the Egyptian cotton pillows while Will still slept soundly, she looked around at the beautiful cabin’s master bedroom. The stone fireplace, large wooden beams, and elegantly appointed furnishings reminded her that this finery would be a part of her daily life when she married Will. Not that she had grown up lacking for anything, but her father’s airport did not provide for this sort of absolute luxury.

             
When Will finally began to stir, she rolled over so that she was facing him. She kissed his lips to speed up his waking process. He trailed his hand down her bare back, pulling her closer to him.

“This is a nice way wake up,” he murmured.

“I would have to agree,” she smiled into their kiss.

             
Several moments later, as they lay there catching their breath, Scarlett said out of the blue, “Let’s go skiing today.”

She knew it probably surprised him for her to say that. Most guys took her at face value, assuming she preferred lunching and shopping to anything outdoorsy, but they were wrong. As much as she loved shopping, she loved the outdoors. She just preferred to look really pretty while being in it.

“Sure, that would be fun,” he agreed as he got up and headed to the shower.

             
They dressed and headed to the resort lodge. Since the only outfit Scarlett had with her was her crimson dress from the day before, Will insisted she borrow a pair of his sweatpants and a sweatshirt. She accepted the offer appreciatively, but couldn’t tell him it was something she would never, under any other circumstance, be caught dead wearing in public.

             
“You look beautiful,” he smiled at her sincerely when they were getting out of the car. She tucked her head, shyly. No guy had ever complimented when she wasn’t wearing makeup, was dressed like a bum, and had her hair pulled back.

             
“Thank you,” she replied and took his hand in hers as they walked towards the entrance of the lodge.

Over a delicious brunch spread in the resort’s restaurant, they planned out their day on the slopes.

“Let’s hit this trail first,” Scarlett pointed to a trail on the resort’s map as she took a bite of French toast.

“Okay, what will be our next stop?”Will asked between sips of espresso.He loved that Scarlett was very knowledgeable about the different ski trails, and since he was a great skier, he was thrilled to have such a beautiful partner who it seemed would match his skill. This woman was a dream come true to him. “Are you a professional skier?” Will joked.

“No, I am just a very skilled amateur,” Scarlett laughed. “Surely you are more skilled than I am. You’ve probably skied in the Alps before,” she added.

He felt slightly guilty when she said that, because he was fairly positive she thought he was the wealthy buyer come to buy her daddy’s airport. At first, he had no problem going along with the idea, especially since it was not the first time he had helped Jake out by thwarting many a gold digger’s attempts to ensnare the poor guy. He had never minded, but this time, with this girl, he minded a great deal. He genuinely liked her, and she seemed to be taking the time to get to know him, as opposed to the other women he had helped keep away from Jake. Now, she was showing signs of falling for him, as well. He needed to come clean, and soon.

* * * *

After working all morning, Jake suggested they go into town for a much needed lunch break.

“I brought my lunch, but thanks anyway,” Abby said as they picked up the tools they had been using.

“I am not taking no for an answer,” he told her firmly with a smile.He waited as she put things away, obviously trying to decide if it was a good idea.

“Okay, I guess, but we will need to make it quick,” she called over her shoulder while she returned her work cart to the storage room.

He escorted her over to his SUV and opened the passenger door for her. He could tell the gesture surprised her.

“Why thank you,” she playfully said.