Hold Me Close, Contemporary Romance (Last Frontier Lodge Novels Book 7)

by J. H. Croix

  Ivy felt rather short beside Joan because Joan was so tall. She had to be close to six feet with a thin frame. With her wide brown eyes and dark hair to match, Joan had a warm, practical beauty. She wore jeans and cowboy boots with a bright blue sweater that hung loosely over her lanky frame. Ivy had to walk quickly to keep up with Joan’s stride, pondering Joan’s comment about Owen’s tendency to come across as distant as they walked. Ivy couldn’t help but wonder what Joan would think if she knew Owen had kissed Ivy.

  Ivy gave herself a mental shake. She could not let that kiss get to her. She wanted this job and didn’t want to blow it by crossing lines with her boss. For crying out loud, she had to leave her last job because of a foolish, powerful man who she hadn’t the least interest in. She definitely didn’t like to find herself facing a genuine attraction to her new boss. The only thing helping her stay sane was the knowledge she hadn’t initiated that kiss. That was all on him. Of course, the second his lips landed on hers, she’d lost all ability to think. She forced her mind onto batteries, that’s right, batteries. Nothing sexy about them—she’d do what she did best and focus on her work. She was confident she’d get accustomed to being around Owen and this incredibly inconvenient attraction would fizzle out.

  Hours later, Ivy walked into the late afternoon sunshine, pausing beside her car and taking in a gulp of the crisp winter air. Off the Grid was tucked in the hillside above Diamond Creek with its parking lot overlooking Kachemak Bay. At the moment, sunlight fell in a glittering path on the water. A light gust of wind sent a welcoming chill through her. The rest of her day had calmed her worries about Owen. Oh sure, there was that electric spark whenever they looked at each other, but as long as she managed to keep some distance between them, she could actually function. Once she’d had a chance to immerse her brain in her work, her body’s haywire reaction to Owen eased. It helped that he ended up seated at the far end of the table away from her in the conference room. She left the meeting with a clear idea of where to start tomorrow, as far as what she’d be doing, and with a sense she could get a handle on her attraction to Owen.

  As she drove away in her compact car, she couldn’t help but wonder if he felt the same intensity between them. Don’t go there. Don’t even go there. It’s nothing more than a passing attraction. She fervently hoped that to be true. She’d spent all of her adult life focused on her intellectual world. When her oldest brother died in a car accident a few years ago, she’d been devastated right alongside her parents and Cam. She’d taken a semester off from her doctoral program to be with them. Her parents had each other and had made it out from the worst of their grief. Cam, who’d been so close to Eric, had been knocked down hard, but he’d crawled out to the other side, in large part because he’d found his way to Alaska and found a life here with Ginger.

  After Ivy had grieved the loss of Eric and tried to help patch up her family, she’d turned her focus even more intently onto academics. What interested her was putting her brain to work, not the vagaries of physical attraction. That’s what had been so shocking about what happened at the university. She’d been thrilled beyond thrilled with Dr. Parkhurst’s attention to her research during her doctoral program. His support had propelled her into her dream job as a researcher on the faculty at a nationally renowned engineering program. She’d been flying high and felt like she’d been granted a small blessing on the heels of the pain her family had gone through after Eric died. Her euphoria had been short lived. Within a few months, she’d been facing the brutal choice of whether to stay or go with the knowledge that she would all but blackball herself from academia if she left a faculty position that quickly. The decision ended up being made for her.

  Just thinking about it now, she blinked back the tears that came on the heels of bitterness. She left the job of her dreams because she’d been politely asked to do so. Not because she did anything wrong, but because the chair of the engineering department where she worked had persistently pursued her to the point of harassment. Dr. Parkhurst had chaired the engineering department for almost twenty years and brought in gobs of grant funding with his outsize presence and alleged expertise. Ivy had the misfortune of being his latest sexual pursuit. Just thinking about him made her shudder. Not once, ever, had she looked at him in any way other than professionally. Not once had there been a hint of impropriety on her part. The human resources team was kind and polite, but they made it clear she might be better off if she cut her losses and left. Still, she wasn’t giving up on her fight against Dr. Parkhurst and had filed a formal complaint, but she could hardly work under the hostile conditions once she turned him down—again and again and again.

  Here she was now, walking into a new position at a world-renowned engineering firm and this time she was so attracted to her boss, she could barely think. To the point, thinking of Owen just now sent a wash of heat through her and she clenched her thighs. She had better get a handle on this and fast, or she’d been in trouble.

  At the sound of a knock, Owen spun on the stool by his worktable. When he saw Derek Bridges through the glass door to his office, he gestured for him to come in. Derek stepped through the door and strode to the opposite side of the table. Hooking his booted foot around another stool, Derek sat down and eyed Owen. “You like the new engineer,” he said by way of greeting.

  Derek was a friend from United Tech and had joined at Off the Grid when Owen decided to move the business to Alaska. He was currently in charge of the wind turbine projects and was Owen’s most trusted researcher. They’d worked together on projects at United Tech. Derek was blunt and direct about anything and everything, so Owen knew he could count on him to keep things on the level. He also didn’t shy away from making pointed observations, hence his opening salvo about Ivy.

  Owen tapped save on the digital diagram he’d been reviewing and looked over at Derek. He’d hoped no one would notice his reaction to Ivy, but he should’ve known Derek would. “I hired her. Of course I like her. She’s brilliant and has the background for what we need,” he said with a shrug, aiming for casual in his reply.

  Derek ran a hand through his dark blonde hair, his brown eyes narrowing. “Of course you’d say that. That’s not what I meant. You like her.”

  Owen wasn’t up for bantering about Ivy, most certainly not about the raging lust she elicited. He was still mentally bashing himself for losing his mind and kissing her. He returned Derek’s narrowed stare. “I don’t know what your point is, but I’d rather discuss the latest data from your project.”

  Derek held his gaze for another beat and then shrugged. He might be observant and blunt, but he wasn’t one to push on personal issues. Given Owen’s tendency to prefer to keep even his friends at a comfortable distance that was one reason Derek was such a good and trusted friend. He respected the distance Owen set with everyone. Oddly enough, his respect brought him closer to Owen. Outside of Joan, if there was a friend and colleague Owen would turn to in times of trouble, it was Derek.

  Derek spun one of the computer screens on the table in his direction and tapped a few icons on the screen. “Okay, here’s what we’re looking at.” Within seconds, they were immersed in a review of data and assessing the implications of a few tweaks Derek and his team had made to an innovative wind capture system.

  Hours later, it was dark outside and Owen stood up from his worktable and strode to the windows. Derek had left over an hour ago. Owen figured most of the building was empty now. He was almost always the last person to leave and tended to work as late as midnight some nights. Derek occasionally teased that Owen should’ve put a bed in his office. Owen had a house on the massive property he’d purchased for Off the Grid. He owned over three hundred acres on the outskirts of Diamond Creek. Aside from the company offices, he’d built his dream home just down the road—a fully self-sustaining home with the same breathtaking views offered at the office. The rest of the property was nothing but wilderness and trails.

  He stared out into the night sky. The moon was a
curved sliver above the mountains, their snow-capped peaks barely visible in the darkness. He considered Derek’s comment about Ivy. Owen had gone out of his way to keep his distance from Ivy during the meeting in the conference room. He’d invited Derek to the meeting since Derek had his fingers all over the battery project as well, although of late he’d moved his attention elsewhere at Owen’s request. Problem was, even with the length of the conference room table separating him from Ivy and plenty of active discussion on topics that usually held his attention, Owen’s body hummed at the feel of Ivy’s presence across the room.

  To say Owen wasn’t interested in a relationship was an understatement. He emphatically didn’t ever want to experience the emotionally brutal toll of losing someone he loved. The loss of his parents had taught him far more than he’d ever wanted to know about how capricious life could be. To this day, that loss echoed. He’d made a choice to control what he could in his life, and that included keeping people at a distance. He dated and kept things clearly casual. He was so committed to casual that he pointedly didn’t get involved with anyone local. Diamond Creek was too small, and he didn’t want to run the risk of unintentionally leading someone on. He hadn’t found this to be limiting, or even difficult. When he looked back, he hadn’t made a conscious decision at first. He was barely nineteen when his parents died. Over the years though, the choice had become purposeful. His intellectual pursuits fulfilled him on many levels. He had a small circle of friends he kept close and that was enough. He’d yet to meet a woman who even gave him pause.

  Ivy sent him spinning sideways inside. It wasn’t simply the raw physical pull he felt for her. If it was just that, he could easily manage the situation. It was the pure magnetic connection, plus the fact that she stepped onto the intellectual field with him and met him on equal terms with as much passion as anyone he’d ever seen. He’d heard as such about her before her resume had landed in his inbox. It had never crossed his mind he might be so attracted to a woman, he’d lose focus at work. His mind replayed the memory of how her lips felt under his, his body instantly tightening. With a muttered curse, he spun away from the windows and grabbed his jacket.

  Within moments, he walked into his house. He turned up the heat and started a fire in the soapstone fireplace. Even though he knew intellectually that wood fires weren’t the most efficient, he loved the scent and feel of one. He’d gone with soapstone because it retained heat for hours and hours. The soapstone chimney went straight up through the center of the roof in his octagonal home. The stone would radiate heat throughout the cold night and still be warm to the touch in the morning.

  Once a fire was crackling in the fireplace, Owen strode to the kitchen. The octagonal home offered a wide-open layout on the main floor. The kitchen and a dining area occupied one side of the space with the fireplace, open to both sides of the area, serving as a natural divider. The living room area, if one wanted to call it that, was to the other side with a large, comfortable sectional and several chairs with small tables scattered throughout. A bathroom was off the kitchen, the only room on the main floor that had walls and a door. A master bedroom and bath occupied the entire upper floor, reached by a spiral staircase tucked against the wall. Another staircase led downstairs, which contained a workout room, laundry, a bathroom and two more bedrooms, both of which had gone unused since he’d built the home. He opened his refrigerator to find hardly anything in there. His eyes landed on a casserole dish with a note on it.

  He snagged the note to find his name written in Joan’s tidy handwriting. Just so you don’t starve. She’d added a smiley face at the bottom. He couldn’t help but smile. Joan, her husband Reggie, and their daughter were the closest thing he had to family. Joan and Reggie were roughly ten years older than him and had taken him under their wing after his parents died. Their ten-year old daughter, Katie, was named after his mother. To this day, Joan said his mother had been like a mother to her, giving her a job when she was fresh out of college and casting about in her life.

  He pulled out the casserole and looked under the cover to find some kind of creamy pasta dish. With full faith in Joan’s cooking, he put the casserole in the oven and set the timer. He immediately carted his laptop over to the couch and tried to return to work while he waited. His focus was so scattered he found himself bouncing between thoughts of Ivy—her cognac eyes behind her glasses, the delectable dimple at the corner of her mouth, and her tempting curves.

  He woke the following morning on the couch, irritable from the moment he opened his eyes. His neck was sore from an odd angle, his clothes were rumpled, and he’d notched maybe three hours of sleep.

  All because of Ivy.

  Chapter 4

  “Well, hey George,” Ivy said, looking down at the gray rabbit who’d just bounced into her lap.

  George’s solemn blue eyes studied her for a moment before he leaned his head into her hand. She stroked his soft fur and looked up from where she was sitting at the kitchen table in Ginger and Cam’s house. Ginger was at the stove, busy stirring the stir-fry she was making for dinner.

  “How long have you had George?” Ivy asked.

  Ginger’s glossy dark hair swung in its ponytail when she glanced over her shoulder. Her blue eyes crinkled at the corners with her smile when she saw George on Ivy’s lap. “About four years. He’s spoiled rotten, and I love him to pieces,” Ginger declared as she turned back to the pan on the stove. She gave the vegetables and chicken another stir and then turned off the burner.

  “Cam even loves him now,” Ginger said as she sat down across from Ivy.

  Ivy grinned as she stroked George’s soft fur. “I’ve noticed.” She looked up at Ginger. “I’m so glad Cam found you,” she said, suddenly overcome with how happy she was to know Cam had Ginger now. In the aftermath of their brother’s death, Cam had been hit hard. He and Eric had competed on the professional ski circuit together for most of their lives. Eric had been driving in the car accident that killed him. He hadn’t bothered with his seatbelt and had been thrown from the vehicle. Cam, always the more practical of her two brothers, had been wearing his seatbelt. He’d come away with minor injuries and crushing grief. Only after he took a job at Last Frontier Lodge here in Diamond Creek and found Ginger had he discovered joy again. Ivy adored Cam and had worried about him so much after Eric died.

  Bold, bright and with a sly sense of humor, Ginger was the perfect match for Cam. Ivy considered it a total bonus that she and Ginger had become fast friends and sisters. Ginger caught her eyes and reached over to squeeze her hand. “I’m glad I found him too. I’m not as sentimental as you, but I have my moments.”

  Ivy laughed softly and watched as George bounded from her lap to Ginger’s in one smooth leap.

  “It’s been almost a week now. How are you feeling about your job?” Ginger asked.

  Owen flashed through Ivy’s mind, heat rolling through her at the mere thought of his startlingly bright blue eyes, jet-black hair and muscled body. The moment she batted that thought away, she thought of his intellectual drive. That was the problem. She figured she could find a way to move past her burning attraction for him, even if it was so hot it almost scalded her. Yet, she didn’t know how to beat that back when she also felt such an affinity for his thinking. She’d spent her entire academic career working on the type of projects Off the Grid was researching and building. She loved her work, down to her bones. It wasn’t easy to find people who shared her passion, and Owen did.

  Ginger cleared her throat, prompting Ivy to realize she’d been sitting there silent, meandering off on another tangent in her mind and body about Owen. She gave herself a shake and met Ginger’s eyes. “It’s good.” Her reply was entirely true. Her job was good, so good it terrified her. She’d been so focused on succeeding in the world of academia, she had closed herself off from the possible joy of working on the other side of research. In the single week she’d been at Off the Grid, she’d almost clapped so many times when she realized her research had the
possibility to become actual products.

  “What’s Owen Manning like?” Ginger asked.

  Ivy felt her cheeks heat, but she ignored it. “He’s driven, and he’s brilliant,” she replied, trying to stick to the work details.

  Ginger rolled her eyes. “Well, duh. You told us that before you even met him. The man is a bit of a mystery around here. He moved Off the Grid here last year, built that amazing compound up on the hill and pretty much stays there. Cam knows him a bit because he likes to ski and goes to the lodge a lot, but other than that, he’s managed to keep to himself around here. That’s no easy task. I met Joan, his HR person. She’s awesome. Her daughter’s cute as a button. Anyway, he’d probably hate to hear it, but there’s plenty of gossip about him. You can’t be all sexy and mysterious in Diamond Creek without making people curious. It doesn’t hurt that he’s obviously loaded. Everyone who works there so far came with him, so it’s all hush-hush. I can’t help but wonder. What’s he like personally?”

  Ivy’s mind flashed to the feel of his lips against hers. She forced her thoughts away from that, and they immediately went to the many tiny moments she’d observed him in the week she’d been at Off the Grid. His presence was almost overwhelming anytime she was near him, but she’d learned once she was focused on the details of work, she could tolerate it. She’d quickly come to admire the hell out of him. He was driven and brilliant, but he lacked the arrogance that was so often part and parcel of men high on the ladder in the engineering world. He clearly had his finger on the pulse of everything happening at Off the Grid, but he had no problem letting go of control. He listened to any and all feedback and appeared to fully trust those who worked for him. She sensed his expectation was for her to take over the battery projects, but he seemed to be making sure she was ready for him to step back. That elated and terrified her at once.