by Leah Sanders
Kate rolled over to see the branches bending almost vertical and the snow sliding toward her at a fantastic speed. Luca traced her horrified gaze upward, his eyes widened just in time to take the brunt of the avalanche full in the face.
Down it came, half-burying the pair in ice and snow.
Kate squealed as the ice made its way down the neck of her sweater, trickling down her spine. She shook her head and brushed at the snow coating her face and chest. It was freezing.
“See? Now… now we’re even,” she said with a shiver.
The rumble of Luca’s laughter caught her off-guard. She opened her eyes to find Luca’s face just inches from her own. His eyes were closed tight, and there were particles of snow and ice covering his face, clinging to his hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. His laughter subsided and he opened his eyes, meeting her gaze.
Neither of them moved for a moment.
Luca’s gaze bore into hers. Kate couldn’t do anything but stare back, trying desperately to keep from getting lost in the deep dark blue of his eyes. So when his gaze darted to her mouth and then back to her eyes, she knew what he was thinking, and she found her own gaze wandering to his lips and her mind entertaining the thought of kissing him, and an urgent desire for it rose in her chest.
The voice of reason nagged in the back of her mind.
This can’t happen. You can’t fall for this guy. You’re leaving. You’ll be gone in a few days. This can’t happen.
Kate knew it was true. Even the wise thing to do. Stop this before it started. But she didn’t want to, and it felt like she was being tempted beyond what she was able to handle. Where was her escape?
She didn’t want an escape.
Or maybe Luca was the escape from the drudgery her life had become.
Would it be so bad?
Luca’s eyes traced the path to her lips again.
Kate was rapidly falling under his spell.
But then…
Her phone chirped impatiently, effectively breaking the trance and jolting Kate back into real life. She sat up suddenly, narrowly missing Luca, who dodged the blow with the reflexes of a cat.
“It’s Mrs. Hall.” Kate’s heart sank. “She says it’s an emergency.” She turned her head to face Luca. “How far to the emergency room?”
His eyes widened in alarm, and he jumped to his feet and offered her his hand to help her up. “I can take you. It’s just a couple miles from here.”
CHAPTER SIX
Troll the Ancient Yuletide Carol
SIX AND A HALF HOURS.
That’s how long Kate had sat in the ER waiting for Jake’s head to be stitched up.
Apparently, in Wyoming, the rich and beautiful people still had to wait their turn. Of course, Jake had thought that the epitome of injustice, and made sure everyone within earshot knew it.
Mrs. Hall had opted to stay at the resort.
It was an emergency.
But it was an emergency Kate could easily handle on her own.
That was what Mrs. Hall said.
That and, “Make sure he gets the best care, Kate. Stay with him the whole time. This is an emergency that requires your personal touch. I would just be in the way there. You know how I get when I’m in a hospital.”
Of course, she wasn’t wrong.
Mrs. Hall would have been a bigger baby about it than Jake had been.
“Don’t let them scar me, Kate, will you? Make sure they call in the plastic surgeon. I don’t want these butchers making a mess of my face.”
One would think he had needed major reconstructive surgery the way he talked.
He had a tiny cut on his forehead, just deep and long enough to need four stitches. And how did he get it? From paying too much attention to the backside of a woman walking past him and not nearly enough attention to the guy carrying skis on his shoulder crossing the path in front of him.
When they finally returned to the resort, it was late. She dropped Jake off at his suite and went to her room.
Even though she had missed dinner and was hungry, Kate just wanted to get out of her wet socks and boots, maybe sit in the quiet for a few minutes before facing the world again.
She sat heavily on the bed and pulled off her boots. They were probably ruined. Kate’s mind replayed the afternoon in the snow as she peeled her still very wet socks off one by one and tossed them onto the floor beside her boots.
Lying back onto the pillow, Kate allowed her body to relax. In spite of the way it had ended, it had been one of the best days Kate had experienced in a long time. She allowed her eyes to close, the memory of Luca’s face so close to hers danced in her mind, and the warmth that accompanied the thought comforted her until sleep pulled her under.
THE CLOCK ON THE table beside her said 12:37 A.M. when Kate’s eyes popped open. The only sound in the room was the rumble of her stomach, roaring its protest against skipping dinner.
She sat up groggily and rubbed her eyes, trying to get her bearings.
The restaurant was closed.
Room service, of course, was not an option down in the bowels of the resort.
Kate sighed. Why hadn’t she bought some groceries? There was a whole little kitchenette in her room.
When would you have had time for grocery shopping?
“It doesn’t do me any good to wonder about that now,” Kate thought aloud. She glanced again at the clock and swung her legs over the bed. She was still wearing her sweater dress and leggings. Her socks and boots lay on the floor where she had left them.
First order of business, change clothes. Second, drink some water. Maybe that would take the edge off the hunger.
It didn’t.
She wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep now.
Not hungry.
The clock read 12:53.
Maybe the lobby bar?
No. They were probably still serving drinks, but the kitchen had already closed. She drummed her fingertips on the nightstand. Her gaze fell on her phone.
When the thought came to her, she tried to push it out of her mind.
Luca had said to call if she needed anything.
But it was late now. Really late.
He’d had a full day. He was probably sleeping.
Kate’s stomach sent a sharp pang of hunger reverberating through her.
On impulse, she grabbed her phone, scrolled through to Luca’s number, and pressed call.
Luca answered the phone on the second ring. “This is Luca. How may I help you?”
The sound of his accent took her by surprise, causing her to hesitate just a moment before responding. “Um, hey, Luca. This is Kate. Kate Curtis. In Room 17…” She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. Like he didn’t know who she was. He had her number stored in his phone. “Um, you told me to call if I needed anything.” It was silent for a moment. “Is this a bad time?” It was too late at night. Maybe he was sleeping. Kate immediately regretted calling him.
“Oh, hey. Kate. How are you? How did it go at the hospital?”
“It went about how you’d expect.”
“Is Mr. Adams alright?”
“Honestly, I think his pride is wounded beyond repair, but according to the plastic surgeon, his head should heal just fine.”
There was a soft chuckle on the other end of the line.
“Am I calling too late?”
“Not at all. I was just going over the schedule for tomorrow. With Peter out, I had to shift a couple of things around.” There was a pause, then, “I’m sorry, did you say you needed something?”
“Um, yeah, sorry. I’m wondering if I can get something to eat. I kind of missed dinner.”
There was another pause on the line.
“I think I can make that happen. One moment, please.”
There was a knock on Kate’s door. Odd. She hadn’t been expecting anyone. She stayed where she was, holding the phone to her ear, waiting for Luca to come back on the line.
“Aren’t you going to answer the door?”
“It’s cold and dark out here,” he whispered into the phone.
She opened the door. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was you.”
He laughed. The same soothing sound she had been replaying in her mind all evening.
“We can go up to the kitchen. It’s closed for the night, but…” he pulled a card out of his pocket, “I have the key.” He punctuated his statement with a wide smile.
Luca led her up the stairs and through a dimly lit hallway until they came to a side exit. Just to the left of the exit, there was a set of double doors. Luca slid his key card into slot and the lock clicked out of place. Luca opened the door and gestured for Kate to precede him into that dark room.
She hesitated. “Are you sure this is okay?”
“No. But I don’t think anyone will see us.”
Not reassuring in the least.
“Maybe you should go first.”
Luca shrugged and stepped in front of her, reached around to the wall and flicked on the switch. It flickered on, and light filled the room.
“Hmm…” Luca said. “Maybe a bit much. We don’t want to draw attention.” He flicked the light back off and used the flashlight on his phone instead. “Follow me,” he said, and stepped inside the kitchen.
Kate reluctantly followed.
The beam from Luca’s phone lit the way as they wound around the food prep islands and came to one of the stoves. Luca reached for the switch on the wall and snapped it on. It lit up just one spotlight over the stove top.
“That’s better. Now…” He turned off his cell phone light and slipped it into his pocket. Then he rolled up his sleeves. “What are you in the mood for?”
“I… I don’t know. I’m just hungry.” As if to prove her point, her stomach audibly growled its agreement.
“I make a mean omelet.”
“Sure.” She could feel the embarrassment heating her cheeks. Luckily, it was dim enough that Luca probably wouldn’t notice.
“Omelet it is then.” He spun around and opened the walk-in cooler, then disappeared inside for a moment. He returned just as quickly with a bowl of eggs. He set them on the counter next to the stove and then reached over Kate’s head for a skillet that hung from the ceiling rack.
“I really appreciate this.”
He cracked the eggs into the bowl. “Not at all. It’s my job to take care of the resort’s guests. You’re a guest, aren’t you?”
There it was. The subtle reminder that she was a visitor and would be leaving in just a few days. It was his job to be nice.
But it didn’t quite add up.
“So, are you saying you bring all the hungry guests down here in the middle of the night?”
“Not exactly. I mean, they wouldn’t all fit in the kitchen. And I’m not trained to cook for that many people. Plus, my omelets really aren’t that good.”
“So, when you said you make a mean omelet, you meant—”
“Unfriendly.”
“Wow. You really know how to sell your cooking. Should I be worried? You don’t have Bernard hiding in here somewhere with his special chocolates, do you?” Kate glanced around the dark room for suspicious shadows.
He chuckled. “No. You don’t put chocolate in omelets, silly.” He gently tapped her nose with his index finger, then returned to his cooking.
When it was ready, Luca pulled up a stool for her and slid a steaming dish toward her. Kate sat down and picked up the fork, hesitating briefly.
“It probably won’t kill you,” Luca said, wearing a playful half-smile.
“Well, that’s a relief.” Kate inhaled the aroma of the freshly-plated omelet. Her stomach rumbled again. “Do you have any salsa?”
“Salsa? In a Swiss resort?” He snorted in disgust.
“Well, what would you put on it?”
“Swiss omelets are not the same as what you Americans eat. They are very rich. Thicker than French crepes, bigger than pancakes. They can be filled with vegetables and cream sauce or with jam or chocolate syrup.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Chocolate syrup. Not pillow chocolates—incidentally, these are filled with spinach and cream.” He gestured toward the plate. “Just like mama used to make.”
“So… no salsa.”
“No. Just try it, Kate.”
The sound of her name on his lips thrilled her. She studied his face a moment, wishing he’d say it again.
“Go on.” He pointed at her plate.
She looked at the omelet. It did smell amazing. She pinched off a piece with the edge of her fork, scooped it up, and popped it into her mouth.
Luca hadn’t exaggerated about its richness. The fullness of flavor brought her full attention to what she was eating. She had never had an omelet like this before, and she knew they were something she could get used to.
“Holy pancakes!”
“Not pancakes, Kate. Omelet,” Luca said with wide grin.
Kate’s gaze shot to his face. “I thought you said these were unfriendly! They are the opposite of that. What is the opposite of that?”
“Friendly?”
“A-ma-zing!” She brought another bite to her mouth. She was certain she could never enjoy a regular American omelet again.
“I’m glad you like it.”
She did. She definitely did.
Once every last bite was consumed, she stood and brought her dish around to where Luca stood. “Where should I set this?”
“I’ll take it. What do you say about dessert?” He reached for the plate, then stretched beyond her to set it on the counter closer to the sink.
“I don’t want to be a bother.”
“You’re no bother.”
When she looked up into his eyes, they were standing much closer than she had anticipated. The heat radiated from—was it the stove or Luca? Kate’s brain seemed to swim, finding the memory from earlier in the afternoon, the closeness of Luca in the snow, how much she’d wanted him to kiss her.
Before she knew what she was doing, she stepped closer, willing it to happen before her judgment could make a comeback.
Luca didn’t back away, but his eyes held a question. She must have answered it with her own because he lifted his hands to cup her face, holding her gently, and everything seemed to move in slow motion.
His head descended slowly, giving her time to object.
She didn’t want to object.
Her lips parted expectantly as he closed the distance almost hesitating before the first soft brush of his soft lips. His first kiss was like an introduction, a question. She almost smiled at how right it felt when his hands moved to her hips gently pulling her against him as their mouths met again, this time more urgent.
Was this really happening?
His kiss was slow and purposeful, burning from the gentle press of his mouth on hers. A shiver rushed down her spine as her mouth trembled beneath his. He deepened the kiss as her hands, with a mind of their own, snaked up around his neck. His fingers raked through her hair as they stumbled backwards against the metal table. A pan crashed to the ground. They jumped apart from one another.
Luca’s eyes danced and his chest heaved. Kate quickly averted her eyes and whispered, “So… um…” Her voice was raspy, her breath gone. She cleared her throat. “Can I get the recipe for that omelet?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Follow Me in Merry Measure
BACK IN HIS ROOM, LUCA TOSSED and turned.
He had a problem.
And he knew it was his own fault.
For some reason, he had a thing about falling for women he could never have. First there had been Amelie, his brother’s fiancée, now Kate, and she would be leaving in a few days. Gone from his life forever. He shoo
k his head, thinking the motion would erase the memory of her in his arms—at the same time, hoping it wouldn’t.
He would see her again. There were too many activities going on this week that would put them together.
What if she wanted to talk about the kiss?
What would he say?
Worse yet, what if she thought it was just his M.O.? The way he operated. A new woman every week. It’s my job to take care of the resort’s guests. You’re a guest, aren’t you? He cringed inwardly. Why had he said that?
If she did think that of him, she’d be wrong.
Luca didn’t give away his heart easily. He had been guarding it closely since putting the pieces back together, and he didn’t relish the idea of repeating the process.
Kate was leaving. It wouldn’t pay to get too attached. It would be best to keep his distance. No matter how much he despised the thought.
CAN I GET THE recipe for that omelet?
The memory haunted Kate, charging into her mind the second her alarm went off in the morning, quickly followed by the chirping of her phone with a text from Mrs. Hall.
For once, Kate was happy to have the demand for her attention. “I hope you have a crap ton of work for me today, Mrs. Hall,” she thought aloud, pulling up the message on the screen. Words she’d never spoken in her life.
CSA: DRESS FOR BREAKFAST. SEE YOU IN THIRTY MINUTES. LOTS OF ACTIVITIES TODAY!
Thank God. Anything to keep her mind off Luca.
She typed in her acknowledgement and rolled out of bed.
Thirty minutes later, Kate was dressed to impress and knocking on the door of Mrs. Hall’s suite.
Mrs. Hall answered the door. “Oh, it’s you, Kate. I was expecting room service. They should be here any minute.” She turned and walked back toward her room. “Check into that for me, will you, Kate?”
Kate glanced down the hallway in both directions. No sign of anyone. Stepping into the suite, she let the door close behind her and went to the phone on the desk. She dialed zero and waited.
“This is Luca. How may I help you?”
