Cadence entered the kitchen and gave Elle a hug. “What’s this about bears?” She glanced at her son. “And Bodhi Adam Lowry, what’s that in your mouth?”
“Nothing,” the boy said and scampered down the hall.
Elle smiled at the woman. “Jasper and I came upon a mother and her two cubs.”
Cadence’s eyes went wide. “That’s amazing! I didn’t know there were any living so close to the resort.”
“There’s a lake a little over five miles west in the National Forest where they usually congregate. They mostly stick to that area. We’ve rarely had any trouble with wildlife meandering onto the property,” Ray added.
Brennen poured a glass of orange juice. “But isn’t that the point of the cabins and why we picked that location? We wanted to give our guests the opportunity to experience a real backcountry adventure.”
Jasper spread peanut butter onto a slice of toast. “I’m not having the Bergen name and bear attack mentioned in the same sentence. I’ll have our people get in touch with the rangers today just to be safe.”
Cadence grinned and tapped Elle’s arm. “Speaking of the Bergen name, I love that piece you wrote about your first experience with Bergen Mountain Sports.”
“What piece?” Jasper asked, tone void of emotion.
Cadence’s smile grew forced. “It popped up on my phone from one of the blogs I follow. I think they picked it up from an online magazine.”
“When did you read this?” Jasper pressed.
Cadence’s brow knit together. “Just this morning. I’m sorry. I didn’t think this would upset anyone.”
The room grew quiet. Elle glanced around and found all eyes on her. She turned to Jasper and had to stop herself from gasping. The passionate man who’d proposed extending the man feast was gone. Dead eyes. Tight expression. Every ounce of the man who had made love to her evaporated right in front of her.
“Why didn’t you mention this, Eleanor? Everything that you write about this company goes through me. I thought you understood that?”
“Now, darling, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Harriet said.
Elle shook her head. “It was nothing, really.”
Jasper’s tone grew another degree colder. “Everything you write about Bergen Mountain Sports is something, Eleanor.”
He stood in front of her in full judge, jury, and executioner mode.
Elle lowered her voice as her skin prickled. “It didn’t have anything to do with the rebranding. It was a short piece about my first experience with the outdoors. I’d written it before I’d even signed on to work with your company.”
“And you didn’t think to mention it?”
She swallowed hard. “Honestly, Jasper, it slipped my mind.”
He barked out a laugh. “Why should I be surprised by that.”
Her cheeks grew hot. “You should be thanking me. It’s a lovely article about what your stores and your ski resort in Fell’s Peak, Vermont meant to me growing up. It’s a sweet little puff piece. It’s not a big deal.”
He narrowed his gaze. “It’s not a big deal? It’s my family’s reputation, which is quite a big deal.”
Screw him. Well, not screw him. Not anymore. But screw him for thinking so little of her, especially after what she thought was a night that had transformed their combative tit-for-tat relationship.
Elle glanced at her audience and held back the verbal assault she wanted to unload, but she wasn’t about to back down. “Maybe if you read it, you’d feel differently.”
He leaned in, his face inches from hers. “I would have read it, if you’d brought it to my attention.”
Unblinking, she held his gaze, as tension hung heavy in the kitchen, until a beeping cut through the air.
Abby patted her pockets then retrieved her phone and silenced the sound. She glanced around the room apologetically. “That’s my alarm. Elle, Cadence, we should think about leaving for the spa.”
Elle turned to Abby and did everything to block out the micromanaging robot standing beside her. “Thanks, Abs. I’ll get my notebook, and then we can go.”
Jasper blew out a breath and headed down the hall. “Enjoy the spa, Eleanor. Some of us have real work to do today.”
“Elle, I’m so sorry. I had no idea Jasper would respond like that.”
Elle leaned her head against the spa chair’s headrest. “It’s not your fault, Cadence. And as much as I hate to admit it, he may have a point. I am under contract with Bergen Enterprises.”
She took a sip of her champagne and washed down the words, tasting of shame and regret. She hated that she needed this job. Even more than that, she hated that she’d almost let Jasper into her heart. She knew better than to trust him—or any man—when it came to her well-being. A one-night stand trapped in a cabin wouldn’t negate the fact that he was a rigid, robotic CEO, and he’d never be able to give her what she needed. No man could.
“Still, I feel terrible.”
The three of them sat with their newly moisturized, glossy hair, their cheeks as soft as a baby’s ass, and freshly primped and polished toes and fingernails in the spa’s relaxation room. Once they’d arrived for the ladies’ BFF package and the staff got wind that Brennen Bergen’s fiancée was there, they’d gotten the royal treatment which she usually didn’t like, but today, she’d take all the extra cucumber sandwiches and champagne she could cram into her mouth. It was also the first time in three hours they’d been left alone and could chat privately.
She patted Cadence’s hand. “Please don’t feel bad. I’m serious. This is just the way it is between Jasper and me.”
Abby leaned over. “I thought something might have gone on between the two of you last night, you know, with the man feast. This morning you looked really…”
Elle closed her eyes and sighed. “Exhausted? Haggard?”
“Happy,” her cousin countered with a hopeful smile.
Cadence sat in the spa chair between the cousins and grasped their hands. “Rewind! What is a man feast? Does this have something to do with Abby’s man fast?” Cadence asked as her phone chimed. She raised a hand. “Hold your explanation. I better check my phone, just in case it’s Bodhi.”
The woman reached for her cell, and her cheeks grew pink as she gazed at the screen.
“Okay, that is not a making sure my five-year-old is fine look. Did someone send you a dick pic?” Elle asked.
A wide grin stretched across Abby’s face. “Nope, that’s Cadence’s man find face.”
Cadence waved her off. “Oh, Abby, stop! It’s nobody.”
Elle narrowed her gaze. “I seriously doubt it’s nobody. You should see yourself! You’re all googly-eyed.”
“No, I am not!” Cadence replied, looking very much googly-eyed and turning a darker shade of pink.
Elle threw up her hands. “Okay, ladies. Help a gal out. What the hell is a man find?”
Abby giggled. “You know the saying, a good man is hard to find?”
Elle sighed. “Oh, girl! I don’t know it. I live it.”
“Well, Cadence found one. She talks about him like he’s a real find, but he’s more like her pen pal. Get it? Her man find.”
Elle pressed her fingertips to her now petal soft eyelids. “Jesus, Abby! You can’t sum up all our man needs into a pithy two-word catchphrase!”
Abby sat back, looking quite pleased with herself. “Can’t I? I’m pretty good at figuring out what you need, Elle.”
“What do you think Elle needs?” Cadence asked, eyes darting between Abby and her phone.
Abby folded her hands in her lap. “Bren and I say she needs a man feast because Elle’s had a pretty insane dating dry spell. And you, Cadence Lowery, have found a man. You just can’t find him.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Elle asked.
Abby picked up her champagne flute and gestured toward Cadence with it.
Cadence sighed. “I met someone on a mountain sports chat room a year ago, and we hit it off. I just don
’t know his real name or where he lives or what he does for a living.”
“Or if he’s a serial killer,” Elle added. “Jesus, Cadence! It could be anyone!”
Cadence glanced at her phone then took a gulp of champagne. “It’s not like I’ve shared my address with him. He doesn’t really know anything about me other than the fact that I live in Colorado. We just seem to get each other. You know, like everything clicks. He’s funny and really knowledgeable. He helped me with the kind of mountain bike I should get, and he knows a lot about hiking. If I had to guess, I’d say he works for the National Parks Service or something outdoorsy like that.”
“Or he’s holed up in his mother’s basement, wiping Cheetos on his T-shirt, and masturbating to your messages!” Elle shot back as Abby and Cadence broke into laughter.
“That would be my luck,” Cadence said, wiping giggle-tears from her cheeks.
The door opened, and the spa’s director entered the relaxation room. “It sounds like you’re having a wonderful time. How were your treatments?”
“They couldn’t have gone better! Your staff is extremely knowledgeable and accommodating,” Abby said, grinning ear to ear.
Elle smiled to herself. Her cousin was going to be the perfect billionaire’s wife.
“And you, Miss Reynolds, how were your treatments?”
Word must have made it to the director that she was here in a work capacity. Elle met the woman’s gaze. “I couldn’t agree more with my cousin, and don’t worry. I’m not here to critique or assess the spa.”
“But you will be writing about your experience,” the woman said with a cautious expression.
“True, but you don’t have to convince me on how great Bergen Mountain is. I’m here because I want to share that information with the world.”
The director nodded, her features relaxing a fraction. “It’s our pleasure. We work to exceed the expectations of every guest.”
“You’ve done that in spades,” Elle answered.
“That’s very encouraging,” the woman said with a warm expression then turned to Abby and Cadence. “I’m sorry to cut your time short, but Miss Quinn and Miss Lowry’s car has arrived to take you back to Bergen Cottage.” The woman looked down at the clipboard. “But it looks like you, Miss Reynolds, are staying for a couples’ massage package?”
Elle nodded. “Yes, I wanted to try it out so I could write about it accurately. I asked the resort staff to pick someone who worked here to join me.”
“Yes, well,” the woman said with a nervous smile, “he’s arrived.”
“Great! I can’t wait to meet him.”
The director’s nervous expression crept back. “And there’s another couple booked as well. They’ll have their massages separately, but you’ll all spend some time here in the relaxation room. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. Actually, I’d prefer it,” Elle answered.
Some of her most interesting experiences came through the chance meeting of strangers.
“I’m glad to hear that.” She turned to Abby and Cadence. “Ladies, I’ll see you out, and Miss Reynolds, the staff member joining you is changing into a robe and will be in any minute.”
Elle hugged her cousin and Cadence, waved goodbye, then fell back into the pulsing warmth of the spa chair and closed her eyes.
The door opened and closed, most likely her companion for the couples portion of today’s spa-palooza. She sighed heavily, wishing she could sink into the chair and not have to interact with anyone for the next two days.
She kept her eyes closed, listening to the deliberate footsteps of her spa buddy.
“I’m sorry to be rude. I’m Elle Reynolds. I really appreciate you coming to keep me company, but I’ve had one hell of a twenty-four hours, so I’m just going to veg out here for another minute.”
“You and me both,” came the low, growly tone of the most infuriating man on the planet.
8
Elle
Elle gasped and opened her eyes.
Jasper Bergen stood in front of her.
Her jaw dropped. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He glanced around the room and frowned. “I’m your couple’s companion.”
“Why you? I told them any staff member could fill in. Man or woman. I didn’t care. I thought it would be a good way to get to know someone who worked at the resort.”
“Then, I don’t see a problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m a staff member.”
“You own the resort!” she said on a frustrated breath.
Jasper maintained his detached demeanor. “Do you not see how that makes me part of the Bergen staff?”
She stared at the ceiling. If she looked at him, she might punch him in his pretty face. “How did you even know I was trying out the couple’s package?”
“When I called the spa to check up on you—”
She shot up, her robe falling off one shoulder, almost exposing her breast. “Wait! You’re checking up on me?”
She pulled the robe closed tightly around her body. What did it even matter? A few hours ago, this man was licking tequila off her boobs.
“You work for me. I’m entitled to know what you’re doing.”
She glanced at him—a glaring giant in a fluffy spa robe. If she wasn’t so angry, this might be funny.
“Don’t you have numbers to crunch? I didn’t think you could spend another day away from doing real work.”
“I can’t have you running around unsupervised.”
She grabbed his robe and pulled him down, so they were eye to eye. Unlike back at the cottage, his gaze wasn’t cold and muted. Here, alone with her in this room, his eyes burned with intensity. His muscles twitched as if he were preparing to pounce. And sweet baby Jesus, after last night, she knew this man could pounce and pounce.
She blinked. Her chest heaving, she tried to find the words to tell him he was acting like a micromanaging overcontrolling ass clown, but nothing came out. The electricity between them, the buzz of having him a breath away, left her mute. All she could think about was his warm breath against her cheek. His ripped torso pressed against her. His glorious cock making her feel things that no vibrator could ever do.
Jasper leaned in a fraction closer and tangled one hand in her hair while the other gripped her robe. “Do you have something you’d like to say to me, Eleanor?”
Damn her body! Damn every inch of her skin that begged for Jasper’s touch.
She sucked in a shaky breath. “You are a complete—” she began but stopped when the door opened.
“Elle?” came a deep, familiar voice.
“Allen Parker?” Elle said, still tangled in Jasper’s grip.
The attorney’s eyes went wide. “Miss Reynolds? Jasper? I didn’t realize you two were acquainted.”
What the hell was her attorney doing here? The man glanced between them. Faces inches apart and clutching each other, they must look like horny teenagers ready to go at it and not grown adults ready to…
Wait!
What were they about to do? There was no easing into anything when it came to Jasper Bergen. There seemed to be a thin line between despising him and wanting to climb him like a tree and hate fuck him into the ground.
“Allen?” Jasper said as if he couldn’t believe the man was real.
“Oh, Jasper, dear! It’s so good to see you! It’s been ages!” came the singsong voice of a woman entering the room.
“Marla?” Jasper replied. He looked like he was stuck in the twilight zone.
Jasper untangled his hand from her hair, and Elle released her death grip on his robe. He took a step back, his gaze bouncing between the new arrivals.
Elle swallowed hard, and her stomach dropped. Allen wouldn’t mention her dire financial situation, would he? No, attorney-client privilege and all that jazz. She steadied herself and pasted on a grin when this Marla lunged forward and wrapped Jasper in a warm embrace.
“
Dear, Jasper! It is so good to see you! My goodness! It’s been years, hasn’t it, Allen?”
Allen Parker nodded, taking a more measured approach to this encounter—thank goodness.
The woman turned to her. “I’m Marla Parker. Allen and I were dear friends of Jasper’s parents.” She reached up and cupped Jasper’s cheek. “You look so much like your father.” She turned away from Jasper and met her gaze. “Are you Elle Reynolds?”
“Yes, I am.”
Marla pressed her hand to her heart. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve read all your books. I’m a huge fan.”
Elle released a relieved breath. “Thank you!”
Marla glanced around the room. “Let’s sit! What a treat this is! Jasper, I had no idea you were with Elle Reynolds. And aren’t they just like Griff and Hannah,” the woman said to her husband with a wide, playful grin. “Those two couldn’t keep their hands off each other either.”
Elle glanced at a shell-shocked Jasper and hooked her arm with his, guiding him over to a pair of couches where they joined the Parkers.
“What brings you to the spa?” Elle asked, keeping Jasper in the corner of her eye.
“It’s our fortieth anniversary, and while Allen would rather be up at our ranch tending to the beehives, he’s indulging me in this spa adventure.”
Allen wrapped his arm around his wife. “I don’t think a couples spa treatment every couple decades is too much to bear.”
Marla patted her husband’s knee. Then her features grew pensive. “Hannah and Griffin would be celebrating their fortieth anniversary this year, too, had they not passed.”
Jasper didn’t move, didn’t blink. Elle reached over and took his hand and held back a gasp when not only did he allow her to hold it, he held onto her as if his life depended on it. The man looked as if he were drowning, and all she wanted to do was save him.
She smiled at Marla and steered the conversation in another direction. “Are you going to get in any skiing while you’re here?”
Allen tightened his grip on his wife. “We plan on hitting the slopes tomorrow, thanks to Jasper.”
“What do you mean, thanks to Jasper?” she asked.
Man Feast (Bergen Brothers Book 2) Page 10
