Wonderland

by Bridget Midway

  No way. Not on his watch. Reid took his shoe off, the only weapon he could get to quickly, and stormed to the bed. He saw white hair peeking from under the comforter.

  Reid ran through the catalogue of employees at Village and couldn’t recall any blondes that worked there except for that quiet desk clerk. No time to wait or waste. He ripped the covers back. What he saw under the comforter almost dropped him to his knees.

  Cynda sat up in his bed. Seeing her shocked him enough. To see her completely naked unnerved him.

  She smiled as she stirred to wake up. “Welcome home, Reidy.”

  Chapter Three

  Reid stared at a woman he’d only seen recently on TV, tabloids, and the Internet. He didn’t want to remind himself just how long it’d been since he’d seen a naked woman.

  It took all his strength to keep his gaze on her face instead of traveling down her body. Reid wanted to recall everything about Cynda. Just one glance and his body and mind jumped back to a happier time, a time before she said she couldn’t go with him to Colorado.

  Remembering that sad moment sobered him to reality. No matter what, he needed to keep his heart guarded.

  “What are you doing here?” Reid crossed his arms over his chest. He realized then that he still held onto his shoe, which he dropped in short order.

  “Visiting for the holidays. Is that okay?” Cynda threw the comforter off her body.

  “Jesus!” Reid started to turn away but decided that in his own home, he wouldn’t crumble and show her she had power over him…again. He turned back to her but kept his gaze down to either her knees or up to her face. Looking anywhere in the danger zone would have him forgetting the last few years of his life. “Would you put some clothes on, please?”

  “When did you get so uptight?” She scooted to the edge of the bed and crossed her legs. “Remember all those late nights at my house when we used to skinny dip in the pool?”

  Did he remember? Hell, Reid jerked off to those memories more times than he’d care to admit. “We were kids.” He turned to his dresser and pulled open a middle drawer. After picking up a t-shirt, he tossed it to her. “Put this on.” He waited a few seconds to give her time to cover herself before he turned around. “How did you get in here anyway?”

  When he turned, he found Cynda standing and his blue 17th Street Surf Shop shirt on the bed. He should have known she wouldn’t have listened to him. She never had.

  “Josie let me in since it seems there’s no room in the inn. Plus I guess Mom and Dad are redoing their chalet…again. Otherwise I would have stayed there.”

  Reid stared into her eyes. He could always tell when Cynda lied. She could never look him in the eyes. This story ranked up there with one of her worst.

  “Don’t believe you.” He shook his head.

  Cynda screwed up her full lips before she answered him. “Why not?” She took a step closer to him.

  At her proximity, he caught her intoxicating floral scent. Christ, he could scoop her petite frame into his arms right now and smother her with kisses. Her breasts had gotten fuller since their last physical encounter. Her tapered-in waist and her voluptuous hips gave Cynda a definite hourglass shape.

  He felt his cock pulsating as he thought about exploring every swell and valley on her body. His heart pounded. Even with snow on the ground, sweat rolled down between his shoulder blades, and his reaction had nothing to do with him being beside the fireplace.

  He ached to touch her. If her plan, though, had her blowing into town and leaving right after the holidays and not see him for another few years, he wanted no part of it.

  As he stared into her light brown almond-shaped eyes, Reid remembered the heartache. When he said he couldn’t go around the world with her, she left. She walked away.

  Cynda had proposed utopia in the form of the unknown. He at least had a plan, security, a goal. He had no idea what Cynda wanted. Still don’t even now as she stood in front of him.

  Reid glanced up at her hair. When they were together, Cynda didn’t mind pushing fashion boundaries. He’d never known her to rock a wig.

  “What’s up with this?” He reached for her hair.

  This time she recoiled from him. A look of almost horror masked her delicate features.

  “You know better than to touch a woman’s hair.” She smoothed her hand over her platinum locks. A nervous smile twitched at the corner of her mouth.

  Reid had never seen this uneasy side of Cynda before. A tickle crawled across his stomach as he assessed this woman. She hid something from him. He had to find out her secrets.

  As though she needed a shield or barrier, Cynda turned her back on Reid and picked up his shirt finally. While she struggled to get the item on, he took the time to stare at her luscious ass.

  “Stop staring at my butt.” Cynda turned back to him, smiling.

  “You haven’t answered my question.” Reid leaned back against his dresser trying to look cool even though, with just her presence, she had unnerved him. “What are you doing here?”

  Cynda paused before answering. She tiptoed toward him. “Can’t a friend want to see another friend for the holidays? Does there always have to be a motive?”

  Reid chuckled. “With you? Yes.” He raked his fingers through his hair and paced in front of her. “What in the world am I going to do with you?”

  “I can think up a lot of things we can do together.” She chewed on her lower lip and tugged the hem of the shirt she wore. “Why are you talking about me like I’m some baby left on your doorstep? I’m here. Isn’t that great?”

  Had Reid imagined this moment when he would be alone with Cynda again? Absolutely. Now that he stood in the middle of that situation, he didn’t know how to proceed. He’d envisioned a long life together with her. Did she want that?

  He stopped. “Do your parents know you’re here?”

  “You mean my father, don’t you?” Cynda put her fists to her hips.

  She shouldn’t have done that. Her shirt rose about a good four inches, nearly showing off her pussy again. Now Reid wanted to recall whether or not she kept that area completely shaved or did she have a cute landing strip of hair.

  “Who knows you’re here?” Reid asked more directly this time.

  “Let’s see. The woman at the front desk, Josie, Harold, and you.” Cynda crawled on the bed again and sat on the edge.

  “No paparazzi?”

  Cynda cocked her head. “Believe it or not, I don’t invite those leeches to follow me. I just want to live my life. Because of my last name, the media chooses to document my every move.”

  Reid shook his head. “And you parading around naked and jet-setting across the globe has nothing to do with their interest, right?”

  The smile returned to Cynda’s angelic face. “Have you been watching what I do, Reidy?”

  He released and exasperated sigh. “Stop calling me that. Between you and Josie, I feel like I’m sixteen again.”

  She giggled. “Does she call you Monkey?”

  “All the time.”

  Cynda did a full laugh this time.

  “Luckily she only does it when we’re by ourselves.” This time Reid laughed with her. He hadn’t laughed like that with anyone in a long time.

  “Wow, so you haven’t lost your sense of humor. I was starting to wonder.” She stretched her shapely leg out and tapped her toe against his knee.

  That slight connection accelerated his heartbeat. He imagined himself holding her ankles and spreading her legs. From the way Cynda reacted to him now, it looked like she wanted to resume their relationship, at least their physical one. Could he be happy with that?

  “No, I didn’t lose my sense of humor. But I did lose something.” He glared at her.

  Cynda must have picked up on what he implied.

  Reid continued. “Over the next couple of weeks, there’s a lot going on here. The Christmas tree lighting will be in a week. Not only are we doing a special holiday package for families like normal,
but Graham proposed this new singles’ package that’s gone over like gangbusters. The place is packed. I’m working sixteen to eighteen hours a day to make sure everything is running the way it should.”

  Cynda jumped off the bed and approached him. “Hey, look, I’m not here to cause you any problems. As a matter of fact, I would like to help you. You tell me what I can do to help run some of the events and I’ll do it.”

  Reid snickered. That would be all he needed for Donald Richmond to hear that he couldn’t handle the holiday crowd and needed help from his most irresponsible child.

  “I know what you’re thinking.” She drew an imaginary X over her chest above her right breast. “I promise not to get you in trouble. You can handle the family side since you’ve done that before. I’ll take care of the singles.”

  Reid shook his head. “I can’t ask the resort owner’s daughter to work during the holidays. It’s bad enough that I’m working during the holidays.”

  Cynda reached for Reid’s hand. “Hey, I’m sorry that you can’t—”

  Not wanting to touch her right now, he pulled back. “Look, just stay out of my way and let me do my job.”

  She shook her head. “Nope. Can’t do that. I’m here to help. I will not take no for an answer.”

  “If the media catches wind of you working here...”

  “They won’t. I’m not going to say anything. The guests might blab about me being here, but I’ll try to keep low-key.” She took a step closer to him.

  “Low-key wearing that?” He pointed to her hair.

  Cynda’s flashy nature didn’t appeal to his public sensibilities. In private, it drove him nuts. If they were still in a relationship, and she came to bed wearing one of those flamboyant wigs, he wouldn’t be able to contain himself.

  He never saw himself as someone who would be into role play. Cynda brought out a different side of himself, one he didn’t want to explore.

  Cynda brushed the hair from her eyes. “I won’t wear the pink, green, purple or blue one. Not in public anyway.” She smiled. “But I have to be me.”

  Reid kept his position. “What if your father finds out?”

  “I hope he does find out. Maybe he’ll be proud of me then.” She lowered her gaze to the floor.

  For a woman who had ripped out his heart at one time, his own heart ached for her apparent pain. “Your dad loves you. He’s not ashamed of you.”

  “You mean like you?”

  Reid furrowed his eyebrows. “What are you talking about? I’m not ashamed or embarrassed of you.”

  “Except you keep no pictures out in your home. You keep me in a drawer.” She pointed to his dresser.

  “You snooped through my personal belongings? You had no right to do that.” His head pounded. Now he wanted her out of his home, out of his life.

  “I’m standing here telling you that I’m trying to get to know you again. Just let me in.”

  He crossed his arms over his naked chest again. “Yeah, because that worked out for me so well the last time.” Reid walked away from her. “I care about you.”

  When she smiled, Reid knew he had to clarify his statement.

  “As a friend. You and your family have done a lot for me. But I can’t do this with you again.” He looked at his rumpled bed. “You can stay here for tonight. Tomorrow night you move into the guest bedroom. If you’re here beyond that—”

  “I will be!” She moved in closer to him.

  Reid swallowed hard. “If you’re here beyond tomorrow, I’ll find you other accommodations.”

  Cynda’s smile melted. Before speaking again, she regained intense eye contact with him. “Leaving you to travel was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”

  Reid studied her eyes and her expression. Oh shit. This time she told the truth. Reid connected a bit to her pain, but refused to drop his guard around her, not just yet.

  “I have no plans to leave. Not just yet.” She reached out to touch him. “While I’m here, I do want us to clear the air and reconnect again.”

  Reid had no idea what Cynda meant by reconnecting and why her desire to do so had to be done now. Maybe she’d seen too many holiday movies. Either way, he couldn’t have her distract him from his ultimate goals.

  “Get some sleep.” Reid stepped into his bathroom where he found Cynda’s bra and panties on his bathroom floor. A quick image of him snatching off those items from her body and throwing them on the floor flashed in his mind.

  Reid really had to get away from Cynda or he’d do something he’ll regret.

  He grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste before he retired to his spare bedroom. “Clean up my room.”

  “Yes, sir.” She saluted. “Wait.”

  Reid turned around at the doorway.

  “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other. I don’t even get a hug?” She held her arms out.

  He had imagined this scenario in his head for years, what he would do if he saw Cynda again. In one version, he would grab her into his arms and would refuse to let her go. In another, he told her how much she’d hurt him and refused to see her again. Right now, his feelings lay somewhere in between.

  Reid approached her with great caution. He gave her a loose hug using only one arm, and tried pulling away from her, like mouse daring to take a chance snagging a piece of cheese from a trap. Then she held him even tighter.

  Snap!

  The light aroma he’d caught earlier now overwhelmed his senses along with the warmth of her body. He felt her nuzzling her face against his chest. All at once, heat engulfed his body.

  On instinct, he embraced her like his life depended on it. Maybe it did. Maybe in order to move on, he had to have a tough conversation with Cynda and let her know his true feelings. Or maybe sleeping with her again would help put a period on whatever they had between them.

  As though she could read his thoughts, she brushed her lips against his collarbone before fully pressing her lips against his neck. Although he didn’t want to, he let a moan escaped from his lips.

  Reid rubbed his arms over her back, feeling silly that he still held onto the tube of toothpaste and his toothbrush that he’d grabbed from his bathroom. His body told him to drop the items and pick her up instead. His mind attempted to keep him grounded in reality.

  She raked her nails down his bare back, and his cock responded. Cynda pressed her breasts against his chest, and the memories came flooding back. That night. The sex. His disappointment when she refused to come with him.

  Reid panted. His damn traitorous body betrayed him. His foot without a shoe took a step toward his bed. The foot in a shoe remained grounded in its spot.

  “Come to bed,” she whispered. “Come.”

  Cynda took a step back. Reid’s feet remained planted and frozen in their spots this time.

  Mentally, he threw an imaginary bucket of cold water over his body by recalling the moment she said she couldn’t go with him to Colorado, the moment that broke his heart.

  “Good night, Cyn.” Reid released his embrace and kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Before anything else could happen, Reid slipped his foot in his discarded shoe. Since all of his clothes hung in his bedroom closet, he picked out his outfit he would need for the next day including his underwear and socks.

  Opening his underwear drawer, he got a quick reminder that Cynda had looked through his items. His clothing remained pushed to the side exposing pictures he’d collected of the two of them.

  Reid had wanted to put the pictures up around his home, especially the shot of him with her their last night together. Cynda would never understand his reasoning for keeping these items hidden. Unless she pressed him, he would never tell her either.

  He ducked into the spare bedroom, closed the door behind himself, and locked it. Knowing Cynda, if she wanted to crawl into bed with him, she would figure out a way to break into this room and sleep with him.

  Reid reached into his pocket and pulled out his
cell phone. He had to call Donald, his boss.

  After the first ring, Donald answered. “Something wrong, son?”

  “Just wanted to let you know about a recent development here.” Reid had to sit down before he revealed the news. He kept his voice low in case Cynda stood at the door with her ear pressed against it.

  “What is it?” Worry laced Donald’s voice.

  “Cynda. She’s here. She showed up today and is staying in my chalet.” When Cynda’s father didn’t respond, Reid decided to clarify. “I’m in the spare bedroom, sir.”

  Donald released a long breath. “Good.”

  Reid scratched his head. “Excuse me?”

  “At least I know where she is and I trust that you’ll look out for her and make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble.”

  Wow. That would be a tall order.

  Donald asked, “Would you do that for me, Reid? Will you make sure she stays out of trouble and has a wonderful holiday in the process?”

  “Um, I’ll try. With everything going on, I—”

  “Is it too much? If so, I can send you help.”

  “No. No, sir. I can handle the events here and Cynda. Not a problem.” Reid had to show the man he could be trusted and that he could multitask. Maybe then Donald would think about giving him more responsibilities.

  “I’ll call Cynda tomorrow. Don’t tell her you and I spoke.”

  Although Reid hadn’t been around Cynda in years, he felt strange not telling her the full truth. Then again, he knew Cynda kept a secret from him. She had a reason for being there. Thanks to Donald Richmond, Reid now had another job: Cynda’s babysitter.

  Chapter Four

  Reid couldn’t sleep at all. As soon as he started to drift off the sleep, images of Cynda’s naked body popped into his dreams. As soon as that happened, he would jerk awake covered in sweat.

  The last start of a dream he had himself fucking Cynda on the floor of his bedroom in front of his fireplace. Even in his dream, he could feel the tightness of her slick pussy. When she came in his dreams, he opened his eyes and found another unpleasant piece of proof that he still had feelings for her.