by Melody Anne
“That’s great. What time do the meetings start?”
“Nine this morning,” he answered. He took the seat next to hers and quickly buckled up. The flight attendant got him a drink and soon they were moving. The take-off was smooth, easing her nerves.
Once they reached cruising altitude the flight attendant brought them breakfast. They chatted about business and before she knew it they were landing in Anchorage. After a short stop they were taxing again and it seemed like they’d barely reached cruising altitude when the jet started descending.
Cassie watched the sky lighten over the beautiful snow, covering the land like a thick down blanket, thinking flying wasn’t so bad after-all.
“We’ve been informed there are some strong cross-winds so our landing will be a bit of a bumpy ride. You have nothing to worry about, it’s nothing the jet can’t handle,” the pilot’s voice spoke over the intercom. Cassie immediately tensed. She hated turbulence. She triple checked her seat belt and grabbed the arms of the chair in a death grip. She knew they’d be fine if she thought about it logically, but still…
“We’re fine, Cassie.” Max’s soft spoken voice did nothing to ease her fear. When he reached over and started running his hand up and down her arm in a light caress, that was another matter. She stopped focusing on her fear of crashing in a fiery explosion, and instead couldn’t think of anything but his hand continuing all the way up her arm, across her shoulder, and down to her aching breasts. Her nipples tightened at just the thought of those large hands cupping her. Before she knew it, the wheels touched down and they were safely on the ground. Max took away his hand and she wanted to cry out her disapproval.
Soon, she was on the outside of the jet and shivers racked her body. She’d never before felt anything as cold. She was grateful she’d bought the snow gear. She wanted to get to their room and immediately change. Max led her to another waiting car and soon they were slowly traveling along a narrow road. She hadn’t before seen so much nothingness. She was beginning to wonder if there really was a town beyond the miles and miles of snow.
Cassie was enthralled, looking out the window, and didn’t know how much time passed when they arrived at a secluded cabin. She looked around, not another building seeming to be in site. She wondered if that was where they were lodging. It didn’t seem the kind of place Max would stay.
Her door was opened and she stepped into the freezing wind, quickly following Max up the stairs, breathing a sigh of relief when she felt the warmth pushing out the front door.
“Will you need anything else,” the man asked.
“No, thank you,” Max replied. The man left and Cassie stared at him inquiringly. His phone rang, breaking the silence. He quickly picked up and she went to explore. There wasn’t a lot to see. The cabin had two small rooms, beautifully decorated in rustic log cabin style furniture, a small living room, kitchen, and one bathroom. It was incredibly intimate for the two of them to be in together.
“That was my client. Some problems arose and we won’t be able to meet until tomorrow,” Max told her as he ran his hand through his hair. It was something she’d discovered he did when he was frustrated. “I wish we would’ve known sooner and we could have just flown in tomorrow. I need a shower,” he finished before heading toward one of the rooms. At least she knew which room was hers, now. She gathered her bags and made her way to the other room, taking her time to hang her clothes and situate her toiletries.
She walked back out and found Max at the dining table. He’d showered and changed quickly. He was looking over some papers so she headed for the kitchen, grateful to find it fully stocked. She’d be able to prepare them a nice lunch. She set about making soup and hot sandwiches. Anything cold didn’t sound appealing in the least.
“We have the entire day before us. Have you ever been to Alaska?” he asked.
“No. I’m pretty excited to be here,” she said with a smile. She set a bowl of soup and a sandwich in front of him. He mumbled a thank you and dug in, making her feel good when he sighed his pleasure. It wasn’t like it was a gourmet meal but she knew she made one mean sandwich.
“I’ll play tourist guide then. Let me make a few calls,” he told her. He finished his meal, then spent a few minutes on the phone. “Dress extra warm, we’re going out.” She quickly ran to her room and layered her clothes, throwing on the new coat she’d bought. She needed to step outside right away because the clothes were not made for indoors, that was for sure. She could feel sweat building on her brow.
They stepped onto the porch just as the same car that had dropped them, appeared. Max led her to the back and they were off once again. The driver dropped them by the lake and Max pointed out a small aircraft.
“We’re taking a scenic tour of the area. This plane can get really low, showing you the top of the glacier and some of the other great points of interest in this quaint town. You’ll soon find why I love it here so much,” Max told her. She looked at him like he’d lost his mind. There was no way she wanted to get in that deathtrap. She could barely stand to fly in his jet. “Are you too afraid to take a nice ride?” he ribbed her.
That did it for Cassie. She wouldn’t give him the pleasure of seeing her chicken out. She’d get in the dang plane, even if it killed her – and it very well may.
Max stood behind her as she tried to figure out how she was going to get inside the small space. Suddenly, his hands gripped her waist and he boosted her up. Even through the layers of clothes his hands on her were like searing irons.
Max followed her in, and if she thought the car was a tight space, it was nothing compared to the aircraft. She soon forgot about her fear, though, as they flew over a glacier. She cried out in pleasure when she saw a pack of wolves traversing through the rough country. Max turned out to be right because she found the town and its surroundings enthralling. She was disappointed when the plane landed.
“You should see it in the summertime. It’s really something else, then,” he told her. She was thinking she’d definitely come back and stroll along the waterfront, maybe even take another scenic plane ride.
They drove out to the same glacier she’d seen from the air, and she stood by it, fascinated as the water lapped against the mountainous ice. It was huge and every so often a piece would tumble off and crash into the ocean below it.
Max’s next adventure for her was to take her through the country in a snowmobile. She actually had to shed some clothes once they were inside, with the heater running. It was like some of the farm equipment she’d passed before in the Willamette Valley during harvest season, but with huge snow tires on it. She was pressed up tightly against Max, but as the day wore on she was getting more used to that. She felt secure in their glass enclosed cab, and she got to see things the average person didn’t ever get to experience.
By the time they made it back to their cabin the sun was starting to set and Cassie was exhausted. She’d managed not to think about the fact that they were going to be sleeping only a few feet apart. Now that they were standing in the living room, dripping snow on the wood floors, she was all too aware of it.
“You go ahead and shower, get the chill off. I’ll throw something together for dinner,” he offered. She quickly ran to her room and hung her outer clothing up to dry, then dashed for the bathroom. It was actually fairly large for the small cabin. There was a decent size tub she could relax in, a separate shower, and two sinks. She decided on a quick shower to wash away the dirt, then she was sinking in that tub for at least an hour.
An hour passed and Cassie snapped her head up when she realized she was falling asleep in the now lukewarm tub. She quickly got out and dried off, then grabbed her robe. As she slipped it on she realized it was inappropriately short and wished she’d brought in her flannel pajamas. Hopefully, Max wouldn’t notice her as she made a dash for her room.
She peaked out the door, didn’t see him, so stepped out just as he turned the corner from the kitchen. His eyes lit on her, slowly traveling do
wn her body, from her hand clutching the lapels of her robe together to the very short hem.
As his head came back up her body and their eyes connected, she stopped breathing. Please don’t come near me, she silently begged. If he wrapped his incredible arms around her, she’d be lost. She was completely aware they were alone in the middle of the woods, with zero chance of interruption.
“I’m going to change,” she muttered and slowly edged her way past him, bolting for her room. She shut the door with a sigh of relief, then leaned against it while she got her breathing under control. He’s just a man, for goodness sake, she berated herself, as she layered on her pajamas. The cabin was toasty warm with the fireplace blazing, but she had a chill and thought the more clothes the better. If she wasn’t so hungry she’d stay in her room the rest of the night to avoid temptation.
Cassie stepped into the living room and followed her nose to the tiny kitchen, where Max was washing potatoes.
“Do you often run around barely dressed?” he asked.
“I was perfectly covered. I just forgot to take my pajamas with me to the bathroom,” she defended herself. It was none of his business what she did or didn’t wear, anyway, though she was burning with embarrassment that he’d call her on coming from the bathroom in nothing but her robe.
“I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it,” he said, then his lips turned up in a mega-watt smile that had her knees trembling. He was sexy all the time, but when he really tried, he was devastating. Only a couple days, she chanted in her head.
She hadn’t wanted to take the time to blow dry her hair, so threw it up in a quick braid. She’d sit by the fire and it would dry in no time. She wasn’t wearing any makeup and her pajamas were a few sizes too large, since she didn’t like tight things on her when she slept. She knew she looked like a teenager and there was zero reason for him to be looking at her like she was on the dessert menu.
“What have you prepared so far?” she asked, trying to distract him from staring a hole through her.
“I have a couple steaks in the oven and was just getting the potatoes ready,” he answered. She went to the fridge and rifled around, trying to find something healthy to go with the meal. She found an assortment of salad items and began pulling them out.
“They stocked the cabin well. I’m impressed,” she spoke again, uncomfortable with the silence.
“My client recommended this place. He said they take care of their guests,” he spoke in a knowing tone, as if he could read her mind. She really hoped he couldn’t because she thought about him naked, in her bed, doing wonderful things with her, at least ten times a day.
She began chopping vegetables while her mind wandered. She realized, as she stood there, that she’d never had a man at her house before. She’d never done something so simple as to prepare a meal with the opposite sex. Max was humming a song she didn’t recognize, and the scents were drifting around them. She found she liked the sensation of cooking with someone else. She had to remind herself this was strictly business, not a date, before she got too comfortable in her little fantasy.
“You can go relax in the living room if you’d like. I can finish this,” she offered. She didn’t want him to leave but she was getting too comfortable with their domestic roles.
“Nope, I’m known for my excellent steaks. I can’t leave them or they’ll get ruined,” he said with another of his signature grins.
“Suit yourself,” she told him as if it didn’t matter one way or the other. As they prepared dinner in the small kitchen he seemed to brush up against her no matter how she moved about. His hip would graze hers one minute, then he’d reach into a cupboard above her, his chest sliding along her back. By the time they finished making the meal she’d be reduced to a pile of ashes.
“You seem awfully nervous. Haven’t you ever cooked a meal with a date before?” he asked.
“This isn’t a date - we’re only here for work. Technically, on this trip you’re my boss, so saying things like that doesn’t help me to feel more comfortable,” she scolded him. She needed to remind both him and her of that fact.
Her little speech wiped the cocky grin from his face. He sent her a glare, seemingly not happy about her pointing out the facts to him.
“Sorry, I didn’t need to snap like that, it’s just that we’re in this cabin, and I’m nervous,” she admitted. She didn’t want to fight with him - she just wanted to create some distance, before she ended up jumping on the counter and demanding he take her. Why couldn’t she just be like Darcy Undermost, back in high school, who would jump any guy that asked? She was thinking that at least the girl got some pleasure, even if everyone called her a slut.
She could see he accepted her apology when his sexy smile overtook his features and he moved forward, brushing her forever disobedient hair out of her face. His fingers lingered, as they often did when he performed the task.
Max barely kept himself from taking her in his arms. He could see her relief that he accepted her apology. He didn’t want to fight with her, either. He was sick of fighting with her and himself. He decided he needed to end the torture for both of them. He knew she was interviewing him, and technically for this trip he was her boss, but he couldn’t seem to think anymore when she was around. He never had office affairs, never slept with an employee, but this was a special case and he was losing the battle to resist her.
He found he enjoyed her company, he liked how she wasn’t afraid to stand up to him. Most of all, he liked that she wasn’t pulling out all the stops to seduce him. As a matter of fact, she was doing just the opposite, hiding her body beneath the unflattering pajamas, not wearing make-up, or even trying to appear sexy.
She’d be disappointed to know none of it was working. She looked far sexier to him in her flannels than she would’ve looked in lingerie. She just had a natural sex appeal that wouldn’t stop calling to him, and in the remote cabin he had no desire to fight it. He felt the tightening in his pants, and turned from her.
“Would you like a glass of wine?” he asked. She nodded her head, yes. He was sure she was thinking the same as him - maybe a little drink would help calm the nerves. He sure hoped so, or he wouldn’t make it past dinner.
They both went back to their tasks, but it wasn’t long when he felt the need to be close to her again. He gave up all pretenses of keeping away.
“Mmm, that looks good,” he softly spoke into her ear, leaning over her and peering into the bowl. It’s just a salad, not a gourmet dish, she though, but he leaned the full length of his body into her backside, and she tensed. His breath brushed against her neck, making her shiver.
“Thanks,” she muttered, wanting him to lower his lips to her neck and run his tongue along the skin his breath had just moistened.
You need to calm down and relax. He’s just like any other guy, she silently commanded. She took a few deep breaths and moved sideways, out of his grip. She set the table, and sat down, creating a barrier between them.
Max brought the steaks and potatoes and their conversation stilled for a moment as they began to eat. As hungry as she’d been earlier, her stomach was so tied in knots she barely managed to get anything down. She moved her food around her plate, and then grinned. She was thinking Kinsey would get a real kick out of the situation.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“I was thinking about my best friend. She’ll be home in a month and I can hardly wait,” she told him honestly.
“You mentioned her in the hospital. Have you been close a long time?”
“Forever. I can’t remember my life without her in it. We went through school together, and then college. She’s a nurse and out to save the world. I know what she does is important, but I’m selfish and just want her with me,” she said.
“I can understand that. My siblings, cousins, and I used to be closer than just family. We did everything together. Then, my mother died, and my siblings and I drifted apart. We all hurt so badly and were trying to somehow
outrun the pain. My father forced us into this move back to Seattle, and though we won’t admit it to him, it’s the best thing that could’ve happened. We’re all right back where we used to be. It’s important to have people in your life that you care about,” he said.
Cassie stared at him in shock. She’d never heard him say something so personal about his life. It had to be the wine and the intimate atmosphere. She was sure he’d regret being so open with her, come morning.
“I’d love to have a family as large and loving as yours. Everyone I’ve met so far are wonderful,” she said. He smiled his approval.
“We can be a tad overwhelming.” From what she’d heard, the Anderson’s as a group were quite the sight. She’d love to see it, though she knew she wouldn’t get the opportunity.
“Overwhelming is much better than empty,” she said, fighting the sudden tears wanting to spring to her eyes.
“Let’s leave this mess until morning. I want to enjoy the fire,” he told her as he stood and stuck out his hand. She hesitated only a moment before taking it. He grabbed the wine bottle and led her to the couch facing the fire.
She sat on the far end, sipping from her glass, letting the flames lull her into a sense of security. When he spoke again, she jumped.
“How long have you wanted to be a reporter?”
“I think since I was twelve. We went to outdoor school, and when we got back one of our assignments was to create a newspaper about our week at camp. I really got into the project. I went around and interviewed the different teachers who had chaperoned, got my film developed from all the pictures I’d taken, and even got quotes from the kids. The other students in my group were thrilled to be paired with me because they didn’t have to do much on the project. I did the complete layout of the paper, provided all the photos, and did most of the stories. I was really picky, even in sixth grade,” she said with excitement edging through her voice.
“Aah, you were that kid.” Her hackles immediately rose. There was absolutely nothing wrong with being smart and caring about your grades. Not everyone was handed millions of dollars when they reached adulthood.
