Love Locked

by Britney M. Mills

  Chapter 11

  Lauren focused on cutting the tomato Walker had given her after the head of lettuce, making sure not to squish it as the knife struggled to slice through it. The look on his face after he’d said he talked to her when they were growing up sent butterflies circling through her stomach. It was a mixture of trust and adoration, and she found it yet another difference from Cory.

  She reflected on all the work they’d done that day shoveling snow, and even though he’d worn a coat, she could imagine his strong muscles flexing with every shovel of snow he threw. She glanced over at him now, admiring the long-sleeve shirt that emphasized his strong frame.

  “Sorry, use this knife for that,” Walker said, handing her a knife with a serrated edge. His words made her jump, causing her cheeks to heat. Hopefully, he hadn’t seen her staring at him.

  She pulled the blade against the skin of the tomato, surprised at how much easier it cut through. “How’d you learn stuff like this?” She pointed to the knife with her left hand and then grabbed the tomato again, readying herself for the next slice.

  “Watching my mom cook, and when we were on the road a lot, we just had to learn to cook here and there. Mom wasn’t with us when we traveled all that often, so we had to make do.” He lifted one corner of his mouth in a grin. “You picked up some culinary skills from your mother. I remember you making the best apple pie when we were younger.”

  Lauren turned a bit so he couldn’t see her expression, but she was sure he could hear the beat of her heart pounding against her ribcage.

  “I forgot about that. I was so excited that I didn’t burn it and people liked it. For some reason, the rest of the time I cook, it just doesn’t sink in. I read a recipe a hundred times, and it still ends up wrong. I’ll forget an ingredient or cook it too long. My mom could pull things from cupboards and the fridge, no recipe in sight, and the results would be amazing.”

  “I can understand that. The great thing about spaghetti is you can’t really ruin it. Cook the noodles, brown some meat, and heat up the sauce. Butter some bread and toast it for a minute—” Walker’s eyes went wide, and he turned to the oven, opening it to a thin cloud of black smoke. He pulled out a tray of charred bread and set it on the burners next to the sauce. “Or forget about it and make it black.”

  His face turned apologetic, and all the while Lauren was trying to keep from outright laughing. “I’m so sorry. It’s just so funny how you—” She giggled. “That was a good one.”

  Walker pulled some plates from one of the cupboards and brought them to sit at the end of the large island. He carried the sauce and noodles over and then retrieved some salad dressing from the fridge for the salad Lauren had just cut up. With it all spread out, it was a grand feast for the two of them.

  Once they filled their plates, Lauren twirled her fork in the pasta, watching Walker carefully pour dressing over the lettuce, a thin drizzle made in long lines back and forth. He was a puzzle, but the more she got to know him, the more the pull to leap right back into a relationship was harder to resist. How was she going to make it out of here with her heart intact?

  Surely a girl who had just broken up with her longtime boyfriend shouldn’t have feelings this strong, right?

  “So, tell me a story.” Walker placed a forkful of salad into his mouth.

  “A story?” Lauren asked, frowning a bit. What real story did she have to tell that they hadn’t already talked about at some point? “I’ve got a story. One with a tragic ending. It’s of a girl who missed Thanksgiving with her family, missed the brown gravy and the fluffy mashed potatoes, the homemade rolls and the juicy turkey.”

  “What about stuffing? Did this girl not sample her mother’s stuffing?” Walker’s half-smile caused Lauren to stop as she stared at his face. The temptation to lean forward and kiss him right then made her turn and focus on the spaghetti.

  After a moment of composure, she turned and grinned at him. “No, this girl doesn’t like stuffing. Thinks it’s a waste of time to make.”

  After leaning back in feigned shock, Walker said, “I don’t know. Your mother made pretty good everything. But then again, so does my mom.”

  “It’s like they grew up in the same house or something. How do they make everything taste so amazing?”

  Walker just shook his head, and Lauren continued with, “Cory’s mom’s food was subpar, what was left of it when I got through the line. There were just a lot of red flags I should have seen sooner.”

  Walker twisted his pasta around his fork and smiled. “Well, just know I probably ate your portion as well. Preston and I practically had to roll ourselves away from the table.”

  Lauren shook her head and rolled her eyes. “You say that, but I’m sure you both worked it off within a few hours.”

  “Guilty.” Walker grinned, raising his hand. “My mom sent me home with some leftovers because she made two turkeys this year since your family was joining us. I ate them at about eight that night. You’re lucky I even heard you crash into the fence. I was in a turkey coma at that point.”

  The look on his face was half-serious, and Lauren tipped her head back and laughed so hard that she started coughing and wheezing at the same time. Walker lightly tapped her back, but the tingle to his touch surprised her, and she had to stand up. Taking a long drink of her water, she did her best to compose herself.

  The rest of the dinner went about the same, with them bantering back and forth about different topics or stories about things they’d been through, and Lauren couldn’t remember a better night, especially not any of the dates she’d ever been on. Not that this was a date. This dinner was just two friends trying to survive being stuck indoors, she told herself, even though every part of her called liar.

  Chapter 12

  The snow kept falling Saturday, and Walker wondered if it was going to quit anytime soon. They’d lost power for a few hours that morning, but luckily, it had come on quickly, and with the wood stove, they didn’t freeze. While he loved having a reason for Lauren to stay with him, he also kept looking at the calendar, wondering if he’d be able to get all the orders he needed before people started coming to stay at Silver Brook Lodge.

  He and Lauren had made significant progress on the large drifts of snow in the driveway, and Walker would make sure to snow-blow it after a few inches so they wouldn’t have to shovel it all out again every time. They’d also freed his truck from its white prison, and he was just glad to hear it start with the freezing temperatures. The road still hadn’t been plowed, so they wouldn’t make it far, but at least that much had been accomplished.

  She’d asked him for a tour in between bouts of shoveling, and he’d been more than excited to show her through the place. The front of the lodge opened into what would be the check-in desk and then the great room, with vaulted ceilings and the rustic look of a cabin. Stairs leading up to the rooms on the second floor began at the other end of the great room.

  The kitchen and restaurant were located down from the reception desk and connected to the kitchen was the large cultural hall he hoped would be well-used. There hadn’t been large gathering areas for weddings and special events in the valley since the original had burned down, and it was his intention to make that much easier on the people from Coldwater Creek.

  Lauren had oohed and aahed through the entire tour, causing his heart to swell. He’d been proud of how it turned out, as had his family and friends, but for some reason, seeing her eyes light up as he showed her his hard work held so much more weight.

  He glanced at Lauren sitting at the other end of the couch tucked under a blanket. It had taken her longer to get warm this time as they’d spent longer outside that afternoon. A strange sense of accomplishment filled him, like if he had her by his side, he could conquer the world.

  They’d turned on a movie, one of the several his family had donated for the future guests of the lodge, and Lauren had been more than happy to choose a romantic comedy. Walker secretly liked this one and was grat
eful it hadn’t been some of the others his sisters had made him watch over and over again when he lived at home.

  “Are you okay?” he asked after seeing Lauren shiver, her whole body moving in response.

  Her teeth chattered a bit. “Just trying to get warm.” She smiled at him, her jaw quivering.

  “Come sit here. Maybe I can help with that.” He patted the seat next to him and stopped, realizing how forward that sounded. “I mean, uh, well, if you want.” Mentally kicking himself, he turned to the screen so he didn’t have to watch the decision play across her face.

  A few moments later, the cushion next to him shifted and the blanket Lauren had been using draped over him. She curled up with her head next to his chest, and he draped his arm around her. For several minutes, he was stiff, like if he made any movement, he’d scare her away. But as the movie played and he heard her laughter at several points, he relaxed, wishing this could last forever.

  “Thank you for all your help with the snow. I wouldn’t have made it as far without you.” He looked down, breathing in the floral scent of her hair.

  She didn’t shift but said, “I doubt that. It’s not like I can move mountains like you.” She poked in his side, and he jerked back, a ticklish reflex. She poked again, and he moved again, trying to slide away from her hand. “Don’t tell me the fearless Walker McBride is ticklish.”

  “Maybe,” he said, trying to keep his lips closed so he wouldn’t laugh.

  She reached out and tickled his side, causing him to fall off the couch. After several seconds, when to the point where he could no longer breathe, he raised his hands in surrender “Stop.” His chest heaved.

  Lauren sat back on the couch, giggling so hard she’d doubled over.

  “How did I not know you were that ticklish?” Her white teeth and wide smile caused Walker to stare for a moment, the realization hitting him that he hadn’t been this happy in so long.

  He sat back on the couch and watched her, waiting for her to attack, but she scooted over and cuddled up next to him again, making him breathe out a sigh of relief. It was the most right thing in the world to have her in his arms.

  He’d never really thought of her as more than his friend’s sister, but she’d always been nice to him. Preston had always been annoyed by her, complaining to their parents that she kept tagging along.

  But now, his chest was going to explode with happiness, the loneliness he’d gone through the past year seeming to be swallowed up with her presence.

  The movie ended a while later, and the credits began to roll, but Lauren didn’t push away from him. He was sure she could hear his heart pounding, and the smell of her vanilla shampoo kept him entranced.

  Once the credits were over, she shifted a bit, sitting up next to him but still leaning into him. “Thanks for watching that with me. I needed a good laugh after all this week has dealt me.”

  Walker barely registered her small smile, focusing more on her eyes searching his face. The two of them were so close, inches apart, and as much as his brain told him to back up and give her some space, his head leaned closer, inch by inch.

  The ping of a text message pulled him back a bit, and he reached into his pocket to pull his phone out. “It’s Preston.”

  A feeling of dread looped through him. He’d been by Preston’s side several times when he’d intimidated one guy or another into steering clear of Lauren. And here Walker was, nearly kissing her.

  Hey. I just heard Lauren made it to your place. I’m glad she’s somewhere safe. Take care of her until she can make it through the storm.

  Preston would probably never think Walker would make a move on his younger sister, so he wasn’t much of a threat.

  Sure thing, Walker texted back.

  “I’m not surprised that he’s checking on me.” Lauren smiled.

  “Yeah. He’s always been worried about you.” With a long sigh, he said, “We should probably get to bed. I’m beat after a day of shoveling.”

  “Me too,” Lauren said, leaning against his chest again, not making an attempt to leave her spot.

  They sat there for several moments, and he recognized the slower breathing on her end. Should he wake her and help her to bed? He’d carried her from the car the other night, so it wouldn’t be that hard to help her to her room.

  “A few more minutes,” he whispered, breathing in her scent. But he didn’t make it that far before his own eyes closed and he was dreaming of fulfilling the urge to kiss her.

  Chapter 13

  Lauren’s dreams featured Walker as the leading man that night, and when she woke up the next morning with her head against his chest, she couldn’t help but smile. She’d been disappointed when the text had come through from her brother, breaking off the one chance she’d probably ever have of kissing Walker.

  But, maybe she’d dodged a bullet. She doubted things could work out long term between the two of them, especially with Preston’s nose for any increasing feelings she’d ever had toward another guy. He’d always known she had a thing for Walker, but since Walker had never pursued her, he was a non-threat.

  He was going to kiss her, though, right? She hoped it wasn’t just another facet of one of her dreams.

  He was still sleeping, a slight snore sounding from him, and she grinned. Getting up, she made her way to the kitchen, wondering if she could return the favor of making a meal. There was one thing she’d actually mastered with the help of one of her roommates at college.

  Pulling out eggs, milk, and several other mix-ins, she prepared to make him an omelet. It wasn’t the fanciest thing ever, but it was something she never burned, and that was saying something.

  She had just flipped it over to cook the other side and add the ham, peppers, and cheese when she heard footsteps behind her.

  “Smells good in here. What are you making?” Walker leaned with his back against the counter, folding his arms as he grinned at her, his eyes still not quite open.

  “An omelet. Is there something here you’d prefer not to have in yours?” She waved to the small piles of ingredients she usually enjoyed in her own.

  He frowned, making a face that had her wondering what she’d done wrong. “I’m actually allergic to tomatoes.”

  Lauren’s eyes went wide. “Oh, well, I’ll eat this one and make you one sans tomatoes.” She looked up as his chest started shaking with laughter.

  He smirked. “Sorry, bad joke. I’m not really allergic to tomatoes. We had spaghetti for dinner, remember?”

  His mischievous grin caused irritation as well as swooning to swell inside her, and she balled her hand into a fist, punching his shoulder. “Not funny. I was trying to return the gesture, and here you are, teasing me.” She held up the spatula as if she would inflict more damage on him with it.

  He raised his hands in retreat and scooted back a step. “Truce. I’ve been hit by those a few times, and they leave a mark.” He motioned toward the spatula and laughed. “It was my mother’s weapon of choice when we were eating before the food was done. All in fun, of course.”

  Lauren slid the omelet onto a plate and added the lightly toasted bread from the toaster. She placed the plate on the counter in front of him. “I’ll let you butter those while I get this next one cooking.”

  A few minutes later, she had her own omelet plated and her toast spread with butter and homemade strawberry jam. She slipped into the chair next to Walker’s and looked over at him.

  “How is it?” She held her breath, hoping he would be honest with her about it.

  “It’s not very good. I don’t think you should eat yours either.” He stuck out his fork to steal the bite she’d just cut.

  She laughed, swatting his hand away. “Not funny.”

  “It’s delicious. See, you have some skills in the kitchen after all.” He grinned at her before biting off a piece of toast.

  She loved the sound of his voice, especially when he was complimenting her. “Thank you. What’s on the agenda for today?”

&nbs
p; Walker turned to look out the window. “Well, the snow just keeps falling, so probably some more shoveling as well as cleaning up around here. I wish I had all the things I need to install here already, but I’m sure there is plenty I can get done while we’re snowbound.”

  “You mean ‘we.’ You’ve been kind enough to let me stay here and eat your food. The least I can do is help out.”

  Once they finished eating and did the dishes, Lauren ran up the stairs and pulled on some sweats and a long-sleeved t-shirt she’d had since college. She took the stairs a few at a time and jumped off the bottom step. It was something she’d done forever ago as a child, and she’d forgotten how much she loved it.

  She heard a rustling sound from the hall. “Where are your cleaning supplies?” she asked Walker as he pulled on a coat. “There are some places I can work to clean inside, as well as plenty of dusting in the great room.”

  “You really don’t have to do that. You’re a guest of my hotel and should be relaxing.”

  Shaking her head, Lauren said, “I’m an old family friend and will not take no for an answer.” She bit her tongue before she could expound on wanting to be more than just a friend, reminding herself that a couple of days and one night of cuddling didn’t mean he felt the way she had since grade school. Although, the feelings she’d always had for Walker were now growing exponentially, and soon enough, she was going to come down from the clouds and realize it was all a wonderful dream.

  After he showed her where the supplies were, she turned on some music on her phone and worked systematically throughout the great room, making sure to dust several of the higher places using a ladder. Not many would notice it, but she liked getting all the little nooks and crannies cleaned. She just hoped the dust wouldn’t return before Walker’s opening day.

  After some pauses for food throughout the day, she was more exhausted than she’d been in quite some time. But at the same time, she felt more accomplished than she had since she’d begun working for the Turners.