Stay With Me, Julia

by Elle Linder

  “There is. Let me take you there?”

  “Are you asking me to dinner or offering me a ride to the pizza place?” She meant to tease, but it came out more like flirting. Her face warmed. How could she act so unprofessional in front of Erika? It was Luke’s fault. He stirred something in her that she hadn’t felt before.

  A hearty chuckle filled the lobby. “I’m asking you to dinner.”

  She watched him, enjoying the sound of his laugh. “Sure. Can you give me an hour to wrap up here and change out of these work clothes?”

  “You got it.” He held her gaze for a moment, then turned on his heel. As he walked out of the lobby, Julia examined…all of him, and her fluttery friends woke with a lively dance in her stomach.

  “So, no Scandal tonight?” Erika asked, breaking her trance.

  “Oh, I’m sure there will be some Scandal tonight.” She winked, walking back to her office with a bounce in her step. As much as she wanted to gab and giggle with Erika, Julia kept her excitement in check. She was the boss and didn’t know Erika that well. Her expectations for tonight and giddiness over Luke would have to be locked away.

  The Italian Pie Pizzeria was situated between the flower shop and barber shop, on the main road through town. It wasn’t big; it had only a dozen or so tables. Delivery and takeout orders drove most of their business. Still, it was quiet, clean, and about as romantic as a school cafeteria.

  Sitting across from Luke, she felt his eyes on her while she looked over the menu. It made her shift in her seat, and her nerves settled into the rapid swinging of her leg.

  “So, what’s good here?” she asked, not lifting her eyes from the menu.

  “The Chicago-style pizza is popular, but they also have thin crust if you prefer.”

  Julia slowly lifted her gaze from the menu. “Do I look like a woman who only eats thin crust?” She raised a brow.

  Luke leaned to the side. Casually his eyes roamed over her body, and he smiled as if he had X-ray vision.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You don’t look like a woman who eats a lot of deep-dish pizza.”

  “I’ll have you know, I eat a lot more junk food than you probably realize.” Her head swayed with attitude.

  “My apologies, I didn’t mean to offend you, but a body like yours isn’t usually achieved by eating junk food.”

  Julia’s leg swung faster as one of Luke’s brows arched. She focused, trying to control her breathing. What was he trying to do to her? Turn her on? Make her tingle? It was working, but she deflected as best she could. “Let’s go with the Chicago-style. It sounds delicious.”

  “Sure, and to drink? Beer or soda?”

  “Just water, thanks.”

  Luke left to order the food at the counter. His long legs and tight ass were a titillating sight in Carhartt jeans. Jeans that weren’t slim fit or straight leg were foreign to her, as were his boots. They weren’t suede chukkas. They were leather with some serious laces. The soles were thick and ridged. She liked his style, but it wasn’t any sort of fashion statement. It was simple and durable, matching his personality?

  She believed it did.

  They casually talked and laughed throughout dinner. Topics were kept generic: music, TV shows, favorite activities, and the like. Nothing too personal. They discussed resort stuff, the pizza, what a real lumberjack was, and what made a person a surfer. They bounced from topic to topic quickly, captivating each other as they spoke.

  “Did you get enough to eat?” Luke asked, glancing at the bare pizza pan. Julia had enjoyed the pizza so much that she’d matched him slice for slice.

  “What are you insinuating?”

  “Nothing, I want to be sure you ate enough. You seem to have a hearty appetite there.”

  “And that surprises you, why? Because I’m a girl? Did I eat too much and you’re still hungry?”

  “I like a woman who enjoys food and doesn’t complain about how she can’t eat because it will make her fat. That always bugged the hell out of me. And I’ve eaten enough pizza, so I’m not hungry for that anymore.”

  That hung in the air between them for a long, tense pause before they left the pizzeria.

  On the drive back to the resort, they were both quiet. One question occupied Julia’s thoughts: should she invite him up to her room? Maybe it would be presumptuous? She wasn’t the kind of woman who had sex on the first date, but making out she would welcome, and did she ever want to kiss Luke!

  She was attracted to his sexy smile and laugh like she was attracted to the shimmering, inviting water of the blue lake. He spoke like an educated man. Even his serious, intense side appealed to her. Best of all, she got the vibe he might be interested in her.

  The attention he gave her was different than that of other guys she had dated. Luke listened with interest and asked thoughtful questions. He wasn’t all about her body. Although, he had made her tingle when he had looked her over. That was the first time she had wanted to kiss him.

  Luke pulled into a parking spot, and there was a brief, awkward silence between them.

  Julia spoke first. “Thank you for dinner. The pizza was great, and so was the company.”

  “It was my pleasure. I enjoyed the company too.” He softly nodded his head like he was going to say more.

  Julia waited, but the pull to him inspired her to be bold. “Well…” She started to lean toward him, then quickly shifted gears and pulled back. Did she honestly want to be the one to make the first move? No, she wanted him to pursue her. A strong, confident man like him should take the lead. If he wanted her, he needed to show her. “I should go in. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night.”

  That’s it? Not even a peck on the cheek?

  “Good night, Luke.” She exited the truck and walked to the entrance, listening for the sound of him driving out of the parking lot. The rumble of his engine didn’t sound as she entered the lobby. She didn’t give it a second thought while she strolled to her room.

  A sudden rush of euphoria overwhelmed her. She had never had such a strong attraction to Trent or any other man. Sure, she had cared about Trent and had had fun with him. But it had been more like dating in college. Even after moving in with him, they had never settled into a comfortable routine. Most of their time together had been spent doing stuff outside of their home: concerts, ball games, festivals, and clubbing.

  Not once had she felt like she could walk on air with Trent. Or that she might tap dance across the hallway. The feelings inside her were glorious. They also scolded her for not going for the kiss. A modern-day woman such as herself didn’t wait for an invitation. She was experienced and could handle men.

  So what had happened?

  Luke had happened.

  His strong, rugged exterior had sparked new life in her. For once, she wanted to be treated with old-fashioned sensibilities, and he appeared to be the man who knew exactly how to give her what she wanted.

  Except right now, she wanted his arms around her and his lips pressed to hers for a mountain-man-style kiss. Why hadn’t he gone for it?

  She sighed dreamily. Luke.

  ***

  Luke had watched Julia until she was safely inside, wishing she had gone for it and kissed him. But all wasn’t lost. She wanted to kiss him, and that was good enough for him. Next time, he would make sure to taste her tempting pink lips.

  When the lights turned on in her room, he pulled out of the parking lot, and he plotted his next move on the way home.

  SIX

  Not Playing Games

  After only nine days, Julia had developed a morning routine of coffee and yogurt in her office before she started the day. In some ways, it was the same as her old routine back home, the difference being she merely walked down a long hallway to the breakfast room for coffee and yogurt instead of driving her Lexus through Starbucks for a Blonde Flat White with almond milk and a Greek yogurt parfait. She certainly didn’t miss hopping on the I-
110 for a twenty-minute drive to the inn. But it was mostly the same routine—made simple. And she liked it.

  “Morning, Julia,” Erika said, always in a chipper mood. Her cheerful demeanor surprised Julia each morning, given her young age. She recalled being in college and the dread of starting the day before ten o’clock.

  “Good morning.”

  “How was your scandalous evening?” Erika jested with a smirk on her face.

  “It wasn’t scandalous at all; it was nice. The pizza was great.”

  “Aww, that’s a bummer. It is a bummer, right?”

  “Nah, it’s fine. We work together, so this was kind of like two colleagues sharing a pizza.” Julia nodded like it wasn’t a big deal.

  Truthfully, she lamented that she had chickened out kissing him. And at the very last second no less. How could she have let her stubbornness stop her? Because she had her heart set on Luke kissing her first. That’s how.

  “So, you’re saying y’all are just friends?”

  “Mm-hmm.” Julia kept her eyes on the guest list to hide her disappointment. The term just friends sounded depressing. At the very least, couldn’t they be friends with benefits?

  “Dang! I thought there was a connection between the two of you.”

  Julia shot her a glance, then arched her brows expectantly, waiting to hear more of Erika’s thoughts. “Why would you think that?”

  “Just the looks between you two. They even make me uncomfortable, like I should give y’all privacy when you’re together.”

  Julia laughed, shaking her head. “That’s simply not true. We’re just being friendly.”

  “Is that what you call it? I’ll be sure to not act like that with a guy I don’t like. It would for sure give him the wrong idea.”

  Julia furrowed her brow.

  “Really, if that’s you just being nice, every guy you’re nice to will think you like him.”

  “Now that’s foolish talk—”

  “I’m just saying, from what I could see, you both like each other. Just admit it.” The front desk phone rang, and Erika answered it, leaving Julia hanging, contemplating her words.

  Was Erika right? They liked each other? Did they only have to admit it?

  Well, she would have to see how Luke acted today.

  After lunch, Luke stopped into the lodge. He walked directly to Julia’s office, giving Erika a nod. “Knock, knock,” he said, tapping on her door. Her eyes shot up as he walked in and sat in the chair in front of her desk.

  “Hey there. How’s it going?” She swiveled around in her chair to face him, then gently folded her hands on the desk.

  “It’s going just fine. How about you?”

  “I’m great…just working.” She popped her shoulders up in a giddy fashion as if happy to see him.

  “I had a good time last night. Maybe we could do it again?”

  “Maybe we could.” She dropped her gaze from his. Biting her lower lip, her cheeks flushed.

  “So, you’re going to play hard to get?”

  “What?” Her eyes darted to his. “I don’t play games.”

  “Glad to hear it. Neither do I. I enjoyed having dinner with you last night, and I’d like to take you out again.” His candor put a smile on her face, to his relief. He wasn’t about to leave anything up to interpretation it seemed.

  “Last night was nice. I’d like to go out with you again too.”

  “See there, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” He winked.

  Julia fidgeted with a paper on her desk. It wasn’t hard to admit she’d had a good time, but opening her heart made her vulnerable. Her attraction to Luke was like nothing she’d ever experienced. After Trent had cheated on her, she had vowed to never trust another man. Maybe she had overreacted. Trent had never been as direct and forthcoming as Luke. The fluttery creatures went into a frenzy, causing her to inhale deeply. Maybe Luke was different than Trent.

  “I’m making a run to Coeur d’Alene for some building supplies. While I’m there, is there anything you’d like me to pick up for you?”

  “Um, I’m not sure. What kind of things?” He was a considerate man, but in all likelihood, he’d checked with Becky before making the trek. Julia didn’t want to overthink his intention, even though she hoped he had asked because he liked her.

  “Anything you want for the resort or yourself.”

  Her eyes danced around the room. It was her tell and a dead giveaway when the wheels in her head were hard at work.

  “Is there a liquor store you could run into?”

  “There is. What can I pick up for you?”

  She excitedly jumped out of her seat and went to her handbag on the filing cabinet.

  Luke stood and watched her dig out her wallet.

  “Now, don’t judge me.” She flashed a sheepish grin.

  “Never.” He stepped closer to her.

  Usually, Julia didn’t carry cash, but living in a small town had changed that. Not every establishment accepted debit cards. She handed Luke two hundred dollars, and his eyes widened. “No judging,” she scolded playfully. “I would love wine: Merlot and Pinot Noir.”

  “How much does a bottle cost?” He fanned out the bills in his hand.

  Filled with embarrassment, she placed her hand over his, stopping him. The electricity she felt pass between them could supply the whole town. Maybe the entire state.

  “This money is for several bottles, not just one,” she explained, staring into his dark eyes. She abruptly removed her hand from his when an impish thirst made her swallow.

  No, no, no.

  Luke had to initiate physical contact. He needed to pursue her. Not the other way around. She heard her father’s words, the ones he had said dozens of times before he died: “Darling, let the boy pursue you and you’ll know if he’s the right guy for you.” She hadn’t done that with Trent, believing her father’s ideas were old-fashioned. But now, she would heed his advice. If Luke truly liked her, he would put in the effort to win her heart.

  “What brand or label of wine?”

  “Oh, right!” She scurried back to her desk. She noticed him watching her like he wanted to press her against the wall and kiss her. She would have welcomed his advances, but he just stared at her. The tension building inside her body unnerved her. Her hand trembled, and she dropped the paper as she went to hand it to him. “Oops!”

  They squatted at the same time to retrieve the floating list. Face to face, the warmth of his breath on her cheek sent a chill down her spine, and goosebumps covered her arms. She swallowed again. Luke had grabbed the paper before her, and merely the tips of their fingers touching roused indecent tingles within her.

  “I got it,” he whispered.

  “I see that.” She stared up at him and knew her desires were flowing out of her like a river. Downplaying her longing would never work, so she didn’t bother. “Any of those will be fine.” She looked at the paper as they both stood. “As many as you can get. Oh, and a corkscrew. None of the bottles are screw caps.” She blushed, turning away. How could she have said screw? And twice.

  “Got it.” He nodded with a hardly visible smile, but it was there. “I’ll be back late this evening, so I’ll get your wine to you tomorrow.”

  “That’ll be fine, and thanks.”

  He lightly gripped her elbow, then left.

  Julia returned to her chair, plopped down…and swooned over Luke.

  ***

  Just before six o’clock, Chip Reynolds arrived on the scene for his overnight shift at the front desk. He had worked at the resort for over twenty years. Becky had called the fifty-year-old unmarried man invaluable in her notes to Julia. He rarely missed work, and he did his job well. It was why Becky wanted Erika and Calvin to become independent multitaskers. Maybe one day, after Chip retired, they could be night clerks. But they were onto her, and neither of them wanted to work overnight.

  Truth be told, Julia couldn’t blame them. It took a special person to work overnight, and when you found
that person you did everything possible to make them happy. Chip had been plenty happy working the overnight shift. Like most of the men in the area, Chip was an outdoorsman. Having his days free for fishing, hiking, and hunting was all that mattered. An added benefit, he could read most of the night because the front desk was often slower than molasses. It was the perfect gig for him.

  “Is it a Scandal night?” Erika smirked, collecting her things.

  “I don’t know. I heard Wednesday night is Ladies’ Night at The Peak. I’d love a decent glass of wine.”

  “It is!” Erika’s eyes brightened. “Come on out. I’ll be there with my sisters and my bestie, Lindsey.”

  “You aren’t twenty-one. How can you be in a bar?” Julia raised her perfectly sculpted brow suspiciously.

  “The Peak is a family bar and grill. It isn’t just a bar.” Erika giggled. “There are two sides to it: the bar and the dining room. Bruce doesn’t care where you sit. He just won’t serve you if you’re not twenty-one. Plus, everybody in town knows the drill, so families usually stick to the dining room. I like to go for the dancing on Wednesday nights and Saturdays. Friday is karaoke night, but I’m not a fan of that.” She scrunched her nose.

  “Hmm, dancing. I haven’t been dancing in a long time. I used to go clubbing with my girlfriend, Lauren, but that was before…” She stopped herself. She really didn’t want to talk about Trent.

  “Before a guy?”

  “Are you sure you’re just nineteen?”

  “I’ll turn twenty in April, and it’s not like I live under a rock. I also have older half-sisters who’ve taught me a lot. You should meet them; I bet you and Tami would hit it off.”

  “Why not! It sounds like fun. But I should change.”

  Erika looked her over and nodded. “Jeans and boots work. And a T-shirt or a sweater. It’s a bar and grill, not a country club.”

  “Right. I might have something that works.”

  “Cool, we’ll be there at seven.” Erika waved, exiting the lodge.

  Julia looked down at her black corduroy pants and ivory silk blouse. They wouldn’t work at all. She needed to get her “small-town country” on—and Google for ideas and check out Pinterest. While she was at it, she might do some online shopping. Tory Burch riding boots didn’t seem like the kind of boots women wore around town. This little outing to The Peak would also give her a chance to observe what the local gals were wearing. Julia had never liked sticking out like a sore thumb. Her wardrobe didn’t work in Faithful Falls.