Elkin Brothers Christmas The Complete Series - Leslie North Page 0,65

think we’ll do all right.” He winked.

“Sure will. Now. Show me the resort like you promised. I want to see everything.”

4

In the buttery light of morning, Gabe showed Anna the Elk Lodge—the ski resort tucked into the Colorado mountains. It was more than just one lodge. It was more than just one house. He took her up and around some trails near the family properties, which featured one house for each brother.

Gabe didn’t have much to say about why they weren’t staying in his family home, pointing out the intricate Christmas lights on every building instead. They paused near the bonfire at the bottom of the ski hill, where guests drank gourmet cocoa and ate cookies from the kitchens. They walked under a bower hung with tinsel. It was a Christmas movie come to life.

The two of them spent the rest of the morning and a good chunk of the afternoon wandering the grounds of the resort, even going so far as to take a ski lift to the top of one of the smaller hills. They hiked down some trails set aside for snowshoeing and walking. Even the benches on the trails were top-notch and strung with fairy lights. On the way back, Anna tossed sparkling handfuls of snow at him, dusting his nose.

The mood shifted once they returned to their room. It had been one thing to collapse on the bed in the middle of the night, exhausted from the shopping and the flight. Now he stood awkwardly in the center of the living room. “I’m sorry there’s only one bed. If you want, I’ll sleep on the sofa from here on out.”

“That won’t be very realistic.” Anna’s body still hummed from the kiss they’d shared in the elevator. Some practice kiss—it was more like what she expected on her wedding day when the priest announced the happy couple as husband and wife. “It’s really okay. It doesn’t bother me at all.”

How he’d react if she admitted that she wanted him to sleep with her was another story.

Gabe nodded. “That’s good. Listen, I need to go talk to my brothers about our situation. Now that we’ve got a better storyline, I owe them a conversation. Will you be all right here for a bit?” His eyes searched hers. One minute he was acting like the Gabe he’d been when they worked together. The next, he was her fake fiancée, hesitating to leave her alone without company.

Anna snorted a laugh, and his eyebrows rose in response. The light dancing in his eyes made her want to say something witty. It was hard to come up with the words. “Will I be all right in this luxury suite in the fanciest ski lodge I’ve ever seen? I think I can handle it, Gabe. Don’t worry about me.”

A smile crinkled the corners of his eyes, and for a moment she thought he might take her in his arms. Kiss her again, even. But then he seemed to pull back, shifting toward the door. “I’ll be back soon.”

And then she really was alone in the luxury suite.

Anna felt like she did when she walked into a brand-new conference site, albeit the most delightful conference site she’d ever worked on. Her feet sank into plush carpets, and the floor-to-ceiling windows were spotless, offering a breathtaking view of the mountains. Skiers made their way down the slopes, helmets glinting in the sun, and it was warm. Oh, it was warm.

Despite the cold outside, the room was the perfect temperature. Little touches here and there reminded her that this was a high-end resort. The soft blanket on the back of the sofa arranged to perfection, the tray of lotions in the bathroom, the fully stocked fridge with every kind of drink she could imagine. Even the rumpled bed somehow managed to look upscale. The sheets made all the difference, she decided.

But she wasn’t going to sit there in the room doing nothing while Gabe met with his brother. Item one on the agenda—make herself at home. She lugged the suitcases up onto the bed and flipped them open, pulling out some of her new garments. She reached for her phone and dialed the one and only Elena, her best friend in the world.

“Hey,” Elena said sleepily. She worked as a chef in one of the upscale restaurants on the Strip and never started her days early because of how late she worked. “Are you calling me about Christmas plans?” Her friend yawned, not bothering to