by J. H. Croix
Marley nodded. “I’m out of practice with dating, if that’s what we’re doing. It’s even worse because Gage is some fantasy guy. I mean, he’s sexy as hell, he’s nice, and he used to be a Navy SEAL! I’m just a nerdy girl.”
“I’ll give it to you that Gage is some kind of something, but you act like you’re not a catch. You’re gorgeous and smart as hell. You’ve kept your nose buried so deep in books and computers, you’ve never bothered to notice you could have had your pick of guys.”
Marley flushed. “Okay, whatever you say. Meanwhile, I’ll try to stop worrying. It would be much easier if these emails didn’t randomly show up out of nowhere.”
“That’s why you’re going to wait and see what Gage’s friend has to say,” Ginger said firmly. “Have you talked to your parents about it?”
Marley shook her head. “No! I don’t want them to worry.”
Ginger nodded. “Okay, but I hope you’re going to talk to them if this keeps up.”
“I’m hoping we can figure out who’s sending them and sort it out first. They’ll be beside themselves. They finally stopped calling me every day.”
Marley was frustrated with the emergence of these emails, which had her worried and didn’t make sense. Whenever she tried to convince herself they were nothing, her gut would blare loudly. Her parents had been so worried after the robbery. They’d had flown to Seattle and stayed with her for a week and only stopped with daily calls after she moved back to Diamond Creek. She understood why they’d hovered so, but it made her feel helpless and vulnerable.
Ginger met her gaze and nodded. “Got it. I’m just glad you let me know.”
Conversation moved on to lighter matters. By the time Marley left the café, snow was floating from the sky, and she had just enough time to get to Homer to meet Gage’s flight. It didn’t appear it would amount to much, but she was glad Gage would be in before nightfall. As she drove south toward Homer, she took in the familiar view. The Sterling Highway hugged the coastline of the Kenai Peninsula, which offered vista upon vista of stunning views. The mountains across Kachemak Bay stood tall and snowy against the sky. The green of the spruce forest was bright in the gray, snowy afternoon. As she drove past a clearing among the trees, she saw a pair of moose nibbling on alder. She stopped to watch them. She’d missed seeing wildlife while she lived away from Alaska. Moose here were a common sight, gangly and elegant at once. The pair turned to look at her car when she pulled over. Snow fell softly upon them as they looked away and continued eating.
When she pulled up at the airport in Homer, the plane she presumed to be Gage’s was landing. She parked and quickly walked into the small airport. She watched as Gage walked down the steps of the small plane. Her heart caught in her throat, and her pulse quickened. Even at a distance, he was all man. He moved with efficiency, his broad shoulders filling out his lightweight jacket, his strong arms swinging. Though he was clearly on the move, he paused and held the door for an elderly couple, lifting the bag out of the older man’s hands and carrying it.
His eyes met hers as soon as he stepped inside. It was as if there was a magnetic pull between them. She could barely hold herself back from running to him. He nodded toward the couple beside him, lifting the small bag he carried for them. She walked to meet them, her body vibrating at the thrill of seeing him. For God’s sake, Marley. He was only gone for one night. She ignored her internal talk and leaned up to kiss him.
His lips were chilled from the cool air outside. He tugged her to his side with his free arm. “Hey there.” His gray eyes held hers, flashing like lightning. “Let me carry this outside, and then we can get my bag,” he said, gesturing to the small bag in his hand.
The man turned to him. “You don’t need to do that. I can get it.”
The older couple held on to each other, appearing to need each other’s support to walk. Gage shook his head. “Just tell me where you’re going, and I’ll carry it.”
The woman smiled. “You’re a good boy. We’re calling a cab, so if you’ll walk it over to the waiting area, we’ll be fine.”
Marley followed them over, Gage holding her close every step of the way. After making sure the couple was settled on a bench, Gage turned and glanced around. He quickly pulled her into the short hallway that led to the restrooms.
“Hey…”
He cut her greeting off with a kiss, his lips claiming hers fiercely. He backed her against the wall, leaning one elbow against the wall while his free hand cupped her face. The banked heat that had flickered the moment she saw Gage soared to life, engulfing her in its heat. Her core drew tight and pleasure twirled through her. Their kiss went from hot to searing with Gage’s tongue sweeping inside her mouth. He stroked his thumb down her neck, dusting over her pulse. She was instantly wet, desperate for more. She gasped in his mouth, frantically sliding her hands inside his jacket. He shifted his weight, his knee sliding between her thighs. Pleasure spiked when his knee brushed against her. She lost sense of where they were. All she knew was Gage was here with her again, and she couldn’t get close enough.
Suddenly, he tore his lips away and swore. His breath was ragged, matching hers. She met his eyes, smoky and intent on hers. His palm was curled around her breast, her heart beating rapidly against the heat of his touch. He took a deep breath and stepped back an inch, his hand sliding down to curl around her waist. It felt like a chasm opened between them.
“I just wanted to kiss you, but… We don’t have much privacy here, and I can’t seem to keep my hands to myself when it comes to you.”
The sounds of the airport filtered into her awareness. A flush washed through her. She bit her lip and glanced around. They were blessedly out of sight, but at any second, someone could turn into the hallway. When she met his eyes again, his mouth curled at the corner. “Let’s get my bag and get out of here.”
Gage stepped back, grabbing her hand as he did, and turned to walk toward the small baggage area. After a short wait, they walked out to her car and she started driving back to Diamond Creek. The snow fell lazily, floating past the windows and sliding across the windshield when it landed. Marley felt warm inside and out when Gage reached across the console, his palm curling around her thigh, its heat traveling straight to her heart.
***
Gage relaxed inside for the first time since Marley had dropped him off at the airport yesterday morning. He loved his family and enjoyed Thanksgiving with them, but he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Marley. His thoughts bounced between missing her, wishing she were there with him, and worrying about her. He glanced over, taking in her auburn hair falling loosely around her shoulders, the freckles sprinkled on her nose and cheeks, and her forest green eyes. He’d almost lost control in the airport, ready to tear her clothes off and take her right there. An iron grip on his impulses was a huge part of the reason he’d become a Navy SEAL. Marley made him question his ability to manage his impulses because when it came to her, his control was weak. He forced himself to look away, watching the mountains roll by, and wondered what to do with his feelings. He was a planner, and Marley had come out of nowhere. Disoriented as he was, he couldn’t consider not being around her, so he’d have to figure out how to regain control.
Chapter 14
Gage walked down one of the halls at the lodge, marveling at how much the place had been transformed with a thorough cleaning and new furnishings. Marley had insisted he formally pick an opening date, so he’d finally selected the day after Christmas as the first day the slopes would be open. As much as he wanted this, the reality of his dream was hurtling toward him so fast he couldn’t quite catch up. Marley had shown him the reservation list, and he’d choked on his coffee. If it weren’t for Marley’s work on the website, Don’s steady and able help, and Delia’s energy and enthusiasm, he’d feel lost.
His phone buzzed. He tugged it out of his pocket. “Gage, here.”
“Hey man,” Aidan replied. “Do you have a minute?”
>
Gage picked up his pace on the way back to his office. “Yup. What do you have for me?” He passed through the reception area and kitchen, and kicked his office door shut behind him.
“Kent Walker has something to hide. We know that much. What we don’t know is what,” Aidan said.
“He’s the guy behind the emails, right?”
“Yup. Once we traced those emails to him, I set one of my guys to work on monitoring his account. Kent’s an accountant and handles the accounts for the company Marley used to work for, along with a few others. My hunch is that whatever he thinks Marley has doesn’t have anything to do with human resources. I’ve talked to the detective handling the investigation related to the robbery down here, and he took what we had and got a warrant signed off for surveillance on his online activities. We’re cleared to keep monitoring for now. I think it’s time for you to ask Marley how she knew this guy and what she might have accidentally stumbled upon.”
Gage forced himself to take a slow breath. He was doing his damnedest to let Aidan handle this, but being so far away in Alaska chafed at Gage. He was also constantly battling his fury at whoever lay behind the robbery and now this. His gut told him they were connected. His brain reminded him he needed to let Aidan do what he did best. Much as Gage wanted to strong-arm this investigation, he knew it wouldn’t help. But when it came to Marley, reason had to fight to be heard in his brain.
“I don’t want to scare her, but I don’t see any other way to find out how she knew this guy,” Gage said tightly.
“Me neither. Talk to her when you can and let me know what she says.” Aidan paused before continuing. “I’m betting you’re ready to run down here. Don’t,” he said flatly.
Gage gritted his teeth. “Right. I’ll wait, but keep me in the loop.”
“You got it.”
The line went dead in Gage’s ear. He slipped the phone back in his pocket and stared out the window. Spruce trees marched up the hill behind the lodge, flanking the ski slopes. Snow was gradually accumulating. Don predicted they’d have more than enough before Christmas. Gage rested a hand on the window frame and tried to rein in his anger. He wanted answers and fast. He knew he needed to talk to Marley about what Aidan had turned up, but he didn’t want to rattle her. He kept recalling the look in her eyes the night he’d shown up unexpectedly. He turned away from the window, battening down his feelings. He spent the rest of the afternoon immersed in work, dogging Don’s steps as he showed Gage how to run the lifts. An afternoon outside with the icy breeze whipping at him kept his mind occupied and off of the disconcerting feelings Marley brought up.
***
Marley pushed away from her desk and stood up for a stretch. She’d been at work most of the day tweaking the code on an app she’d sent out to a few friends for beta testing. When she’d leapt into the world of software and applications development after college, she’d been willing to try anything. She was damn good at writing code, so she’d bounced through a few jobs before settling at the last place she worked for almost seven years. Among other things, they developed games to help with training for the health field. If someone had asked her if she’d love doing that before she did it, she’d have been doubtful. She’d quickly learned that she became immersed in the task of finding ways to make learning fun and engaging. She’d worried when she left her job that she might struggle to get her footing on her own. While she had a steep learning curve as far as the business end of things, she was already discovering that health companies she’d partnered with before were thrilled to hear from her. She had the benefit of not needing a ton of income to meet her meager expenses, so it looked as if she’d be working for herself steadily with freelance development work within the next few months.
Her phone beeped insistently, and she snagged it off her desk. “Hello.”
“Hi Marley, it’s Kent Walker.”
“Oh, uh, hey Kent. What’s up?”
Kent worked in accounting at the same company she’d worked for in Seattle. He was a step beyond an acquaintance, but they’d never been particularly friendly either. He’d dated a friend of hers from work who used to take care of her apartment whenever she was out of town. Not that there was much to take care of, but she had a few plants that needed watering. Becky had lived in the same apartment building, so she’d volunteered. Marley returned the favor in kind and fed her cats when Becky was out of town. Marley would occasionally encounter Becky and Kent on the elevator in their building. Beyond those brief encounters, Marley barely knew Kent. She didn’t know how he had her number, or why he would be calling. Tension coiled inside.
“I’m following up on a few emails human resources sent to you. No big deal, but you need to get back to them. Thought I’d do you a favor and give you a heads up on it.”
The knot of tension coiled tighter inside. Marley may not have known Kent well, but as far as she knew, his work in accounting had nothing to do with HR. She fought the urge to tell him she didn’t have what they kept asking her about and beat back the questions that welled inside.
“Marley?”
“I’m here. I guess…thanks for the heads up,” she finally said.
Kent cleared his throat in the following pause. “Make sure you get in touch with HR, okay?”
“Sure. Thanks for calling.” Marley ended the call before Kent had a chance to say anything else. She stared at the phone in her hand, as if it would tell her why he’d really called and what he had to do with the mysterious emails. Her heart beat rapidly, and she felt slightly nauseous. She pulled up Becky’s number in her contacts, her index finger hovering over it as she considered whether to call her. She abruptly decided against it. She didn’t even know if Kent and Becky were still on good terms. Their dating had been on and off. She and Becky weren’t close enough for Marley to know much more than the surface details. If she called Becky and started asking questions, that would only tip Kent off. She couldn’t stop wondering what was on those flash drives and why it was so damn important.
With a sigh, she tossed her phone on the kitchen counter and stalked over to the windows. The morning had dawned cold, windy and overcast. The sun had never shown itself. Its hidden light was already fading behind the thick veil of clouds. Restless, Marley grabbed her jacket and tugged her boots on. She started walking and quickly noticed she’d automatically headed along one of the trails that cut through the woods to Last Frontier Lodge. She’d unconsciously sought out Gage. She picked up her pace. The wind came in icy gusts, chilling her through. Once she reached the edge of one of the ski slopes, she stayed by the trees and made her way to the lodge. The light was fading faster than she’d considered.
When she began climbing up the back steps, the outside lights came on and the door swung open. Gage stood inside the door, his hard-muscled form filling the doorway. Her breath caught in her throat. Relief washed over her. She didn’t like to think about it, but she was on edge. She’d finally started to settle a tiny bit after coming home and getting away from the apartment where she’d been robbed and attacked. She’d discovered how fragile her hold on her anxiety had been when the emails started. The call from Kent today had keyed her up even further. The sight of Gage was so good, she almost ran across the deck. His teeth flashed with his smile in the dusky light.
“Thought that was you,” he said as he stood aside and gestured for her to come in.
Marley stepped inside, shivering from the cold. The door Gage opened led into a hallway adjacent to the lodge kitchen, which was bustling with activity. Gage turned to her when he closed the door, his pewter gaze coasting over her face. He wore jeans, hanging low on his hips, and another one of his worn t-shirts that stretched across his sculpted chest. It was ridiculous how sexy he was. His chocolate brown hair was rumpled, as if he’d run his hand through it a few too many times. Marley’s pulse quickened, and her belly fluttered—a semi-permanent state when she was near him.
His eyes darkened a shade, that smoky gaze send
ing desire sliding through her veins. He reached for her hands, the warmth from his bringing a sigh to her lips.
“You’re freezing,” he said.
“I forgot my gloves when I started walking over here.”
His mouth kicked up in a grin. “You coulda called me. I’d have come to get you.”
“I didn’t really think about it. I just started walking…and ended up here.” When she spoke, she recalled her restlessness and the reason behind it.
Gage’s eyes coasted over her face. “Everything okay?”
She shrugged. “I, uh…”
She paused when something clattered in the kitchen. Gage glanced over his shoulder and back to her. “Come on. Let’s get you where it’s warmer. Delia will insist you have something hot to drink. Then you’re telling me what’s on your mind.”
Marley met his eyes in the dim light in the hallway. He knew her better than she’d like to think. She nodded and let him lead her into the kitchen. Delia had transformed it from the sterile, quiet space it had been into a bustling, lively kitchen. While there were a few weeks left between now and Christmas, Delia had hired a crew and was doing practice runs for the locals on invitation only nights. When Marley had heard this, she’d been impressed. Delia had explained she needed some way to make sure the kitchen staff had enough practice with the menu and were ready for busy nights. Marley’s mother had already attended the first two and could hardly shut up about it.
Delia turned their way when they walked into the kitchen. “Hey Marley! Gage said he thought he saw you walking over. How’s it going?” Delia carefully measured flour and added it to a mixing bowl. “We’re working on the baked goods for the menu,” Delia explained as she gestured for a young woman nearby to pass her some spices. Delia added a few spices to whatever she was working on and wiped her hands on her apron. “Let me get you something. We have tea, hot cider and cocoa. Take your pick.”
