by J. H. Croix
Contents
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
Excerpt: Just This Once
Find My Books
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Love at Last
A Last Frontier Lodge Novel
By J.H. Croix
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 J.H. Croix
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 1523345446
ISBN 13: 9781523345441
This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher with the exception of brief quotations included in critical articles and reviews.
Dedication
This one goes out to my readers for such amazing support - cheers to many more!
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Chapter 1
Delia jumped at the sound of banging on the front door. Reflexively, she glanced around the kitchen though she knew perfectly well no one else was there. It was close to midnight, and she was alone in the kitchen at Last Frontier Lodge. As far as she knew, every guest who had reservations had checked in hours earlier. The ski lodge was booked solid, so if whoever happened to be banging at the door hoped for a room, they were out of luck. She’d stayed late tonight to prep the pastries for breakfast tomorrow. Uncertain who could be here, but aware that it was below zero outside, she brushed the flour off of her hands and made her way through the darkened hall and into the reception area. When she swung the door open, her pulse lunged.
Garrett Hamilton stood in the small circle of light. His glossy dark hair looked as if he’d run a hand through it a few too many times, and his blue eyes were weary. Yet, he was so damn handsome, he stole her breath away. She must have stood there a beat too long with her mouth hanging open because Garrett arched a brow and nudged his chin forward.
“Were you planning to let me freeze out here, or can I come in?”
Delia gave her head a shake and stepped back from the door. “Sorry. You startled me. Come on in.” She gestured for him to pass by. Garrett adjusted the bag slung over his shoulder and walked inside. He paused and waited while she closed and bolted the heavy door. When she turned to face him, she felt suddenly self-conscious. Her hair was in a messy ponytail with long curls hanging loosely around her face. Her apron was streaked with the evidence of a day’s cooking in a busy ski lodge.
Garrett allowed his bag to fall to the floor and shrugged out of his winter coat. His chest and shoulders stretched at the fabric of his t-shirt underneath. Beyond his knowing blue eyes, his face might as well have been sculpted by an artist with his angular features and sensual mouth.
Delia swallowed and tried get her pulse under control. She’d met Garrett when he was here over Christmas. His brother, Gage Hamilton, was her boss. She supposed Garrett could technically be considered her boss as well since he and the rest of his siblings shared ownership of Last Frontier Lodge with Gage. Garrett cleared his throat. Delia whipped her head up, realizing her eyes had been coasting over his rock-hard abs. She wondered if he knew the effect he had on women.
“Where to?” he asked, his voice gruff.
Delia bit her lip and considered what to do with Garrett. There wasn’t a single room available, and Gage hadn’t mentioned anything about making sure she kept a room available for Garrett. Along with managing the kitchen at the lodge, she managed the staff for reception and housekeeping. She met Garrett’s blue eyes and somehow found her voice.
“Um…did Gage know you were coming?”
Garrett shook his head sharply. “Nope. Tried to call him when I changed planes in Anchorage, but I only got his voicemail. Is it a problem I’m here?”
“Oh, no. I’m just trying to figure out where to put you. The lodge is booked. I’m sure Gage and Marley wouldn’t mind if you stayed in the private apartment with them, but I’m guessing they’re asleep by now.”
Garrett picked up his bag again and turned to walk toward the kitchen. Delia followed behind, wondering where he planned to go. He strode through the kitchen and into her small office beside it. His bag hit the floor with a thump. He turned so quickly, she collided with him. Flushed, she stepped back.
“Sorry. I, um, can I get you something?” Her mind taunted her. Can you get him something? It’s midnight and you’re following him around like an idiot. Garrett flustered her, and the situation made it worse. She’d been working quietly in the kitchen for the last two hours since the kitchen staff went home for the night. The last thing she’d expected was to be facing a guest at this hour. And Garrett Hamilton, no less. She’d thought him all kinds of sexy when she met him when he visited over the holidays. But she’d politely reminded herself he was in another stratosphere.
From what she knew, Garrett was a high-profile corporate lawyer with the money and looks to accentuate his sleek career. She was just a single mother who grew up in Diamond Creek, Alaska. She was doing better than she had in the last few years, but that was mostly thanks to Gage offering her this job. Not only was she finally able to save some money, but she also loved her job. She’d once dreamed of being a chef in a big city, but she found this job as satisfying as any she could have imagined. She had free rein to dream up whatever gourmet dishes she wanted, along with a bustling restaurant filled ski tourists and locals every night of the week. All of that in the hometown she loved. A place like Diamond Creek was hard to beat—spectacular views of mountains, glaciers and the ocean, along with a bustling business scene with arts and restaurants abounding to meet the demands of tourists who traveled from all over the world to visit Alaska. Throw in the reality that Diamond Creek held onto its small-town charm due to its far-flung, rural location on the wild coast of Alaska, and she couldn’t imagine finding a much more charmed place. Though there had been times when she’d chafed at the small world of Diamond Creek, she loved it.
Garrett cleared his throat again. She looked up to find his sharp blue eyes on her. Fighting the flush that heated her face, she met his eyes. “We have tea and hot cider. I was just finishing up when you got here.”
Garrett nodded. “Your hot cider?” he asked, the corner of his mouth kicking up into a way-too-charming smile.
Heat swirled in her belly. She nodded.
“Perfect. You think it’ll be okay if I crash on the couch in here?” He gestured to the couch along one wall in her office.
She shrugged. “Probably your best option unless
you want to wake Gage and Marley.” She turned to stride into the kitchen and quickly poured him a mug of cider. It had been cooling, but was still warm enough.
When she handed it to him, Garrett took a swallow and sighed. “Damn. Gage made me try your cider at Christmas. I’m not really a cider guy, but this…” He held his mug up. “…is amazing. It’s got a hell of a kick.”
Delia flushed and shrugged. “It’s my mother’s recipe.” She fiddled with her necklace and tucked a loose curl behind her ear. “I’ll get out of your way now. Some of the kitchen staff will arrive as early as five, so don’t get startled.”
Garrett took another gulp of cider and grinned. “Right. I’ll make sure I’m up and out of the way.”
She nodded and pulled her apron off. She quickly covered the pastries and slid them in the refrigerator. Garrett wandered out to the empty restaurant. She glanced in to see him standing by the windows. When she called goodbye, he turned and waved. For a second, she thought he was going to say something, but he remained silent. She left, making her way out to her car in the dark, cold night. Stars glittered above, sharp in the crisp air. She drove home, wondering why Garrett affected her the way he did. After her youthful tease with love in college, she’d discovered not much in life was guaranteed, most definitely not the fluff of fantasy. Out of the ashes of that painful lesson came her son Nick. He was the single best part of her life, but she’d learned her lesson quite thoroughly and steered clear of relationships.
She hadn’t fantasized about a man in years. Until Garrett showed up at the ski lodge over the holidays. His presence was like a lightning bolt. She couldn’t help but wonder about his unannounced visit now. With a sharp shake of her head, she turned down the driveway to her father’s house. She’d moved home with Nick after barely finishing college. Being a single mother was a financial challenge beyond anything she could have imagined. While she didn’t feel great about staying with her father, it was the smartest option she had. She had free child care, and while Nick might not have his father around, he had hers. Her mother had passed away a few years ago. She knew it helped her father to have her and Nick around, so she figured while she may have stashed her dreams of independence and happily-ever-after, at least she could make sure her son and father benefited from each other’s presence.
***
The moon was high in the sky, its silvery light bright on the ski slopes. Garrett looked out into the darkness and took another hearty swallow of Delia’s amazing cider. She didn’t scrimp on the alcohol content, and he savored the burn. The mountains loomed in the darkness, hulking shapes in the night. The waters of Kachemak Bay rippled under the moonlight. Garrett took a deep breath and turned away from the view. He strode back into the kitchen and refilled his mug. He returned to sit by the windows and let the quiet settle around him.
His mind wandered to Delia and he chuckled. Damn, she had no idea what she did to him. When Gage had introduced him to her over the holidays, he’d had to resist the urge to flirt with her. He knew it would annoy Gage, and for some reason, he’d known it was a dangerous place for him to go. She was just so damn sexy and cute. When she answered the door tonight, he wanted to tuck those loose honey gold curls behind her ears and kiss her full lips. But she was not the kind of girl he could do that with. For starters, Delia Peters worked for his brother. She also happened to be a single mother, and the consensus from everyone Garrett encountered in Diamond Creek was that she was just about the nicest woman in the universe. No matter how tempting Delia was, the truth was they were worlds apart. She was a wholesome, small-town single mother. He’d spent years cultivating his reputation as the go-to corporate lawyer in Seattle. That translated to work, work and more work. Relationships were low on his priority list.
He was the master at brief and casual—precisely why the attraction he felt toward Delia confused him. He preferred things to be on his terms. Translation: under his control. Delia was the first woman he’d met who ruffled his composure. For God’s sake, he wanted to tease her about the smudge of flour on her cheek. He couldn’t remember if he’d ever contemplated kissing a woman impulsively. But he’d stood by the window right here and looked across the room at her and wanted more than the quick brush of her soft curves when she bumped into him in the office. He wanted to know how her plump lips felt under his and wanted to see what happened when she let loose. Because he’d bet anything she was something else.
Garrett swore softly and gulped down the rest of his cider, forcing his thoughts away from Delia. He looked around the shadowed restaurant and felt a prick of pride at the work Gage had put into this place. When Gage told him he was moving back to Diamond Creek, Alaska, Garrett had thought he was half-crazy. Garrett had only fuzzy memories of coming to Last Frontier Lodge to visit their grandparents over the holidays. Now that he’d seen what Gage had done, he was impressed. Last Frontier Lodge was well on its way to being the premier ski destination it had once been in its heyday. As for Diamond Creek—well, it was so beautiful it made his chest tighten. He was so accustomed to the bustle of Seattle and the hustle of work, the awe-inspiring beauty of Alaska made him crave the quiet it offered and the way it took him out of the relentless turning wheels of his mind.
He stretched out on the couch in the office he’d commandeered and stared at the ceiling. He pondered how he’d explain his surprise visit to Gage. A bit of a challenge when he wasn’t so sure what had driven him to book a flight to Alaska at the last minute. For the first time in years, he’d walked out of a courtroom and instead of being gleeful at the case he’d won, he felt bitter and tired. He’d looked across the room at the woman who’d lost her lawsuit against the insurance company and couldn’t even meet her eyes. Next thing he knew, he’d told his assistant to rearrange his entire schedule for the next month and booked a flight to Alaska.
Hours later, Garrett blinked his eyes open and looked around. The wispy light of a cold winter morning filtered into the office. He stretched and stood. Swiping his bag, he quickly stepped into the tiny bathroom adjacent to the office, which conveniently had a shower. He had no idea why, but it worked for him. In record time, changed and refreshed, he walked into the kitchen, glancing at his watch to see it was just past six-thirty. Though there was no one in sight, fresh coffee scented the air. He walked in the direction of the coffee pot when the door beside it swung open.
Delia collided with him. Garrett looked down into her blue eyes. Her honey gold hair fell in tousled waves around her shoulders. The door was behind her now, so she couldn’t step back. For the life of him, Garrett couldn’t either. Her breasts rose and fell with her breath, the lush curves grazing his chest. Without a thought, he closed the distance between them and brought his lips to hers. She gasped, and he dove into the warm sweetness of her mouth. Lust surged through him as he slid his hands down her sides, his thumbs caressing the full curve of her breasts, and around to cup her bottom. He tugged her against him, unable to resist the urge to arch into the cradle of her hips.
She moaned into his mouth, and it was as if she struck a match inside of him. Lust coiled and tightened, the heat of his want for her so strong, all he knew was he wanted more. Now. He couldn’t have imagined that she’d become a living flame in his arms, her tongue tangling wildly with his, her hands stroking roughly up his chest and dragging down his back. Distantly, he heard voices and tore his lips from hers. He opened his eyes to find hers locked onto him. She took another breath and he had to fight to get his body leashed. He had a raging hard-on and wanted nothing more than to drag her to the office couch and tear her clothes off. So much for control. He took shaky breath and stepped away.
Chapter 2
Delia leaned into the backseat of the car, reaching with one arm to find the present Nick had picked out for his friend’s birthday. Her fingers slipped on the wrapping paper. She reflexively curled her hand around the gift only to cringe at the sound of paper tearing. With a sigh, she yanked the present forward. Two finger-shaped holes marred th
e surface. Blue fur taunted her through the holes. Nick had spent close to an hour finding the perfect stuffed whale at a toy store in Anchorage last week. One of the joys of being a single mother was constantly hurrying, constantly feeling as if she wasn’t quite measuring up to what her little boy needed. Today’s joy was perfectly encapsulated in the fact she’d been in too much of a rush to turn around and look for the damn present. Tears pricked at her eyes.
Seriously, Delia? It’s not a big deal.
Another sigh and Delia forced her brain the shut up. Some days, it was hard not to get down over little things. She’d learned to let go of so much. Her dream of being a chef at a fancy restaurant somewhere big had been whittled down to its nub. She’d come full circle and now worked in the same kitchen her mother had managed when she was a little girl. She thanked the stars every day that she loved it. Her dream was simply gone, vanished in the harsh light of reality. The familiarity of the kitchen at Last Frontier Lodge offered a comfort she hadn’t known she needed. She hadn’t imagined being a mother like this—when she could barely pay the bills and constantly hoped she was good enough. When Gage Hamilton had offered Delia her mother’s old job at the ski lodge, she’d experienced a mix of euphoria and resignation. Euphoria because she could finally consider finding her own place with a steady income. Resignation because she was treading a familiar path—staying in her hometown and essentially following her mother’s footsteps with the glaring exception that Delia hadn’t married a steady man such as her father. No, she’d fallen in lust in college and confused it with love. Once she’d settled into her job at the ski lodge, she realized she loved the comfort. She still felt like she was ten steps behind when it came to keeping up with everything she needed to do for Nick, but she did the best she could.
