Come To Me (Dare With Me #3) - J.H. Croix Page 0,17

Gage Hamilton, who’d resurrected the ski lodge. Or, so I’d been told by Nora, who kept all of us up to speed on all the local gossip, seeing as she’d grown up here.

“Good to meet you,” Gage said with a quick smile toward Gemma before he disappeared into the kitchen.

“Is there anyone you don’t know?” Gemma asked as she pushed her plate away and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

“There are plenty of people I don’t know,” I replied with a chuckle. “I’ve lived here for five years though. If you stick around, you’ll discover it’s hard not to get to know all the locals. Tourist season is another ball game. We know these guys well because we send people to them, and they send people to us. It’s a two-way street. That’s mostly how I’ve gotten to know people here. You’ll see, it’ll happen for you. Are you planning to stay?”

Gemma’s eyes held mine for a moment. I thought I saw uncertainty passing like shadows through her gaze, but she lifted her chin and nodded. “That’s the plan. I just need to make sure I can make it work financially.”

“Your classes are always full when I’m there.”

Her lips quirked with a smile. “That’s because Daphne corrals all of you guys there. She’s been great for my business. Classes are full, and that’s a good thing.”

“What brought you to Alaska?” I asked.

Alaska was filled with transplants. It was sparsely populated for many years and still was. Everyone had a story for the how and why behind what brought them here. Whether it was for a change of pace, or because they wanted to experience this kind of wilderness. We all had a reason.

Gemma’s eyes cast down for a moment, and she took the last swallow of her wine. Her shoulders rose and fell with a breath, and I sensed trepidation from her. Even though I didn’t know the story, protectiveness rose inside me. We had only shared a kiss. Mind you, that kiss stood the test as one of the hottest kisses of my life. I’d only known her for a matter of months, and yet here I was, wanting to protect her from whatever I saw flickering in her eyes.

“I needed a change. I wasn’t sure where I was going to find that change, but I actually won a trip here. Not to Diamond Creek, but to Anchorage. I loved it, but I didn’t really want to do the city thing and Anchorage is an actual city. A woman at the place where I was staying, suggested I check out Diamond Creek. I did, and I came across the job to take care of the horses. Since it came with the house, I took it as a sign because I love horses and riding. That job covers my bills, so I figured it was the perfect way to get started here. What brought you here?”

“Air Force,” I said simply.

“Were you stationed in Alaska?”

I shook my head. “I was in the Air Force with Flynn, Elias, Gabriel, and Tucker. Flynn came back to take care of his brother and two sisters after their mother passed away. He invited the rest of us to come work for him whenever we left the Air Force because he needed pilots. Elias and I came up around the same time, about five years ago. Tucker and Gabriel made it another year later.”

“You guys seem pretty tight.”

“We are, they’re like family to me.”

“Where are you originally from?” she asked.

“I was a military brat. My father was in the Air Force too. We lived all over. I have four sisters, but both of our parents have passed away.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said quickly.

“Thank you. It’s been a few years, and I still miss them. I was blessed. They loved each other and loved us, so we’re all still tight even though none of us live in the same place. What about you? Where are you from?”

“Portland, Oregon. My parents and my brother still live there.”

“What does your family think of you coming up to Alaska?”

“They’re supportive, but they’d like me closer to home. I keep reminding them there are actually direct flights from Portland here, and it’s not that far.”

I sensed Gemma was uncomfortable talking about her family, so I let it drop, commenting casually, “Most families wish everyone would stay in the same place.”

After the waiter came to clear our plates and checked on dessert, Gemma passed. I almost