Chapter Sixteen
A fter tucking in the babies, Lee, Maverick, and Kenai rounded the corner of the house. The large maroon SUV pulled up in front of the cabin and six men exited, four of them retrieving grocery bags and twelve-packs of beer from the trunk. Hard to tell ages, but it seemed like a few younger twenties guys and the rest older. One of the men in a blue coat that strained over his gut raised his hand in greeting and tromped over in what looked like stiff new boots.
Lee caught Maverick’s faint grunt.
The gray light had made things bright enough to require the sunglasses she wore. On instinct, she tugged her neck gaiter up over her nose and made sure her hair was tucked under her beanie.
Mav switched Kenai’s lead to his left hand and extended his right for a brief handshake. “Trip to town went okay?” His words came out friendly but tight.
The man, maybe in his late forties, grinned and patted his belly. “Tried out the local diner and then got some provisions for this weekend. Damn, but prices are expensive here! Nothing like Boise. Even when I met the boys to drive up from Anchorage the other day, it was cheaper there.”
Lee studied the man in his very puffy jacket. Wonder why he didn’t fly into Fairbanks? Who chose to drive all the way from Anchorage to Yukon Valley in winter?
Not her business. Lee shivered. She just wanted to warm up.
Maverick nodded. “It’s true. All the groceries have to be shipped in from longer distances. In rural Alaska, we pay more for sundries and food. We pay nothing in income tax, so that helps.”
“Ha.” The man peered around. “Not much benefit if there’s no income.”
Lee’s head whipped up. What the heck?
Next to her Maverick stiffened. She bristled along with him.
“Pardon,” Maverick finally gritted out.
The guy’s smile. Somehow it was wrong. “I meant that you don’t likely get much business way out here.”
“I get enough.” Mav’s tone dropped another few notes. “Well. I don’t want to keep you.”
Wind gusted snow around them, and Lee stomped a cold foot. Temperature was dropping, not all due to the conversation in front of her. She scanned the low clouds and snow scudding across the plowed parking area.
The grocery-carrying guys had disappeared into their cabin. The remaining man, tall but younger, wearing a heavy winter coat, headed for the entrance of the lodge.
“I’ll be ready in ten, Randy,” he called out, opening the front door.
“Roger.” Randy turned back to Maverick. “We’re going to get a ride in before the snow. Hope those older snowmobiles are safe and up to the task.”
Waves of tension poured off of Maverick. Kenai’s tail didn’t move. What was going on here?
The wind whipped at Maverick’s words. “I personally tuned up all the snow machines this past week. Even the extra one.” She caught the difference in terminology. Must be an Alaska thing.
Randy turned in a one-hundred-eighty-degree arc around him. His expression was assessing but not appreciative. “Yeah, Nick decided to tag along at the last minute. Lucky you had the extra guest rooms available for him and for me. With everyone else in the cabin, it’s nice to spread out.” He eyed Lee. “Who is this lady with you?”
Suppressing a cringe, she said, “Hello, I’m Lee.” Her voice muffled behind the gaiter.
“You live here?” Randy’s sparse eyebrows rose. Above his ruddy cheeks, weathered lines formed. He should have appeared jolly, but the impression she got from him was trying too hard . Calculating. He had a hard edge, and she couldn’t figure him out.
“Nope,” she said, equally as brief as Maverick. She didn’t want to give more details than absolutely necessary.
Maverick gave an empty, polite laugh. “Lee and I work together.”
“What do you do?” the man asked.
As Lee opened her mouth, Maverick interrupted, “I’m a paramedic in town.”
“Oh. Hmm.” He nodded, focusing immediately on Maverick.
“Well,” he said, jiggling Kenai’s leash. “Be careful out there. Weather’s coming in, blowing hard from the west. Take your GPS. Visibility can change quickly. Come to think of it, you may not want to go out today.”
“As long as the snowmobiles don’t break, we’ll be fine.” He preceded them to the front door and walked in, not stopping to take off his boots. “Besides, I don’t want to waste the free fuel in the machines. Catch you later, boss.” Dots of snow dropped from his boot lugs and speckled the rugs and floor as he walked to the guest wing. A door slammed.
A muscle in Maverick’s jaw popped. In various situations over the past three weeks, she had never observed him angry. Even in the Code Blue, he stayed calm and loose. This man in front of her stood stiffly, as if a steel pipe ran though his spine.
Lee sat and unlaced her boots, patting Kenai on the head until she got a tail wag. “That was strange.” She pitched her voice low.
He bent and took off his boots, tucking them on the rubber mat beneath the entry bench. Removing his woolen beanie, he finger-combed his hair and glared at the guest rooms.
“Something about those guys hits me the wrong way. I can’t put my finger on it.” He hung his coat on the peg and fished out the satellite phone from a pocket.
Lee stood and hung her coat up then patted his arm. “I agree. I get weird vibes. Nothing scary, but kind of… off.”
His lips thinned, and he snaked an arm around her, tucking her into his side for a beat. “Dad always told me to trust my gut.”
“Forget the gut. I’d trust your mutt.” She pointed to Kenai, whose muted demeanor spoke volumes.
“True. She’s a good judge of character.” He patted Kenai on the head, and she trotted over to her nap location in front of the embers still warming the fireplace grate. Drawing Lee with him, he peered from the great room in the direction of the guest wing. “Sorry that none of this is what we’d planned. Activities not as advertised,” he intoned.
An impulse prompted her to keep her snow pants on as well as the vest over her long-sleeve Capilene thermal top.
“I enjoyed everything about today’s adventure so far. It’s been fun hanging out together.” She kept her beanie on, too, then sat cross-legged and sideways on one of the couches, propping her back against the armrest and facing the fireplace.
Maverick remained standing next to her, posture tense. Vigilant.
A snowmobile—no, snowmachine—rumbled, joined by another. Soon, four engines ran outside the door. Randy and Nick tromped back through the great room with thuds of boots and harsh rasps of waterproof outdoor clothing material.
“Later, folks,” Randy said, barely sparing them a glance as he barreled out of the house.
“You have your SAT phone just in case?” Maverick asked, holding his up.
He patted his pocket. “Right here, boss.”
The door slammed as they exited. Soon, more engines added to the din. Then the noise changed from a fading rumble into a higher-pitched buzz as they exited the property and increased their speeds into the distance.
Maverick stared out the great room windows with a dark scowl. At the point where she was about to get up and give him a hug, he turned. “I should offer you a drink or snacks.”
With a snort, she said, “You seem like the one who needs a drink.”
“No kidding. But not while I’m on the clock.”
“Water is fine for me.” She set the beanie on the coffee table and ran her hands through her tangled hair.
“Water. Got it.” He groaned. “Man, I’m not the best host today.” He went to the kitchen and brought back full glasses and placed each one on a coaster on top of the end tables. “Let me know if you want anything else.” With a tired grunt, he dropped heavily onto the couch next to her.
She studied his tense profile. “So, why is this group so important? And what was all that earlier rooster strutting from that Randy guy?”
Not answering right away, he leaned over and picked up her legs, setting them down on his lap. His palms rested on her knees, the comfortable weight warming her even through the winter clothing layers. “Not sure about Randy’s deal.” He patted her leg. “I’m not a big fan of airing personal laundry.”
“Did you not see me do that exact thing an hour ago? My laundry, bleeeah , there it went. Right at your feet. Totally aired out.”
He did a quarter turn toward her, his thigh muscles bunching beneath her legs as he shifted. “Lee, I’m happy to listen to anything you want to tell me, anytime.”
“Same.”
Running a hand over his hair, he nodded. “Dee and I inherited this property, the lodge, the cabins, the snowmachines, all of it, about four years ago. After Mom and Dad died. Once she and I finished estate matters and processed our grief, we decided to keep it in the family and carry on our parents’ dream to turn the place into a guest lodge.”
“Which you’ve done,” she said, holding her two palms up.
He draped the arm closest to her over the back of the couch, blunt fingertips tapping the supple leather upholstery. “It’s been challenging working as EMS director and getting the business off the ground. There’s always something that needs to be fixed, and even though we’ve made booking cabins or a room easy with the online portal through the website, availability is limited due to my EMS schedule.”
“What about Dee?”
“She helps where she can, but with her role at the hospital, most of her time is spent there. Also, she’s still working through her other grief, which was the loss of her husband five years ago.”
“Oh boy. It’s been tough for both of you.”
“We have each other, which helps.” He absently rubbed her leg. “We’ve gotten behind on the mortgage. My folks purchased this main lodge about ten years ago, with the smaller cabins and the guest wing added shortly before they died. The mortgage for this much land, a large house, added to the construction loans for those three cabins? Even in the middle of nowhere in Alaska, it’s considerable. Mom and Dad had been pouring every spare dime into the place.” His facial features appeared carved from stone.
“Guessing that you and Dee contribute what you can.”
“Yes, but it’s not enough. I mean, we do okay, but she needs to save for her retirement. Me, too, I guess. We have good rural jobs, but they don’t pay like city jobs.” With defensive heat, he said, “Yes, that’s a choice we made, staying out here.” He heaved a lungful of air in and slowly exhaled. “Sorry. I know that you understand.”
Lee knew all about having nothing in savings, a nonexistent retirement account, and a staggering amount of loans. She also had a good understanding of the economic realities of living in a rural area. Although in her situation, the hospital paid a premium to bring her in to urgently cover the full scope of services here. Still. She laced fingers with his on the back of the couch. “Sometimes it’s good to talk about it.”
He gave her a tight smile. “So, to answer your original question, every guest visit is important, not only for the lodge’s online reviews and publicity but also for the income.”
“Makes sense.”
“What’s adding pressure, besides the looming bank default”—his Adam’s apple bobbed—“there have been offers from a potential buyer lately.”
She squeezed his hand. “Guessing you’ve told them no.”
“It’s a big decision either way, and Dee’s wavering. I’m not ready to let it go. But if we go into foreclosure, then the bank can make the decision to sell it to them. Right out from under us.”
“That’s a terrible feeling.”
“You have no idea.”
Actually, Lee had a pretty good idea. At least she no longer had to cover the monthly lake cabin payments. How’s that working out for you, Preston? Creditors calling yet?
She mentally shook her head and focused on what Maverick was saying.
“Even though these guests are rough around the edges, I need for them to have a great time, tell their friends, put it on social media, and come back soon. That’s my whole business plan in a nutshell, with the dream that we might get someone famous to stay here and a review goes viral one day. When we don’t have a ton of customers, each encounter is that much more important. It’s stressful.” Maverick’s blue gaze locked on to her, stealing her breath for a split second. “Now I’d like to forget about that junk and move on to other topics.”
Lee leaned forward and pulled his hand resting on the back of the couch toward her, rubbing her cheek against his rough palm. For some reason, she needed to maintain physical contact with him in this quiet space. How much of that desire was due to feeling raw after she revealed her history with Preston and hinted at her financial issues out in the meadow? Or due to wanting to support Maverick? Or was it because of a need to explore the growing connection between them?
She dropped her hand, allowing him the choice to move his away.
He cupped her jaw in the palm of his hand.
Her heart stumbled.
“If you need time and space, I understand. I can leave you to your work.” She said the words because she felt they were necessary to say, not because she wanted to say them.
Maverick scooted closer and slid his hand over her cheek, sinking his fingers into her hair and sending tingles over her scalp. “You leaving is precisely what I don’t need.” He went still. “Unless it’s you who would like to go, and I wouldn’t blame you.” His chuckle came from a few inches away. “Look at our rock-solid confidence, giving each other mutual outs.”
Smiling, she said, “What if we’re not confident enough to take those outs?”
“I’m happy right here with you. Confident that I’m happy.” He massaged her scalp with his warm fingers, and she sighed, leaning into his touch.
“I’ll be very happy, too, especially if you keep that up.”
The first full laugh she’d heard in a while came from deep in his chest. “I’ll get a good Yelp review, then?” he said.
“At least four and a half stars.”
His brows shot up. “What if I want to get five stars?”
Lee froze, thoughts tumbling through her logical brain. God, she wanted to explore more of… whatever this was with Maverick. The banter, the gentle and sexy teasing, the possibility of more. She stared at him. “I—”
His voice slid over her like a soft, warm blanket. “What do you want, Lee? Don’t overthink it. This isn’t life or death.”
“But.” Her mind whirled with things past and present and future. “You. Me?”
“Let me start. I want to kiss you more if you’re okay with it.”
Don’t overthink it . Lee knelt on the couch, steadying herself on his shoulders and locking eyes with him as he gripped under her butt to boost her onto his lap. “Maybe we can get that extra half star if we continue what we were doing when Kaaktuq tried to fumigate us?” she asked.
He removed the satellite phone from a leg pocket and set it on the arm of the couch. Then he positioned her knees on either side of his thighs and then he lifted his hands. “Be my guest. Literally.”
Her laugh turned into a low hum as their lips met in an air-stealing kiss. Lee wrapped one arm around his neck and fisted her other hand into his shirt, hanging on while he changed angles.
She could have let go completely and the iron bands of his arms snaking around her back and waist would have held her securely against his chest. His fingers pressing into her flesh triggered pressure deep in her pelvis, and she let herself sink deeper onto his hard thighs.
Toying with the strands at his nape, she enjoyed the silky slide of his hair through her fingers. Under her roving hand, the muscles of his neck grew taut, as if formed from metal. An Alaskan mountain man, indeed. All fresh air, ruggedness, and steely strength.
But gentle. He held back the strength. Let her set the pace.
This man could not be any more different than any man she’d known before.
Lee stifled any inner debate. What did she want? The answer was simple. She enjoyed spending time with Maverick. She wanted to experience more of his strength, more of him, up close and personal.
By the growling rumbles coming from his throat and how he clenched his hands on her hips, he shared her interest.
Are we good? the vulnerable part of herself she protected the most asked.
Oh yes. We are good .
The sweep of his tongue over hers tilted the world around her, until she realized that he had eased her back onto the couch and bracketed her head with his hands. Maverick pressed his torso against hers but kept his full weight off of her with a foot planted on the floor.
Lee lifted her hips off the couch, craving the pressure of his body. She shifted restlessly, tugging him down to her, gripping his corded upper arms. She was so warm beneath him, in her outdoor gear.
He continued the sensual onslaught of kisses, dragging his lips over hers, then licking his way down her neck and back up again. His warm spruce and fresh air scent was laced with the hint of aftershave, and she inhaled deeply.
At one point, he nudged her head to one side and nipped at an earlobe—not enough to hurt, but enough to make her squeal. Hearing his rapid breaths and growls so close sent delicious quivers straight into her belly. Everything about him was so intimate, so immediate.
For a moment, Lee froze as a wave of vulnerability shook her limbs. There it was again. Self-doubt paralyzing her.
Did she trust herself to make a good decision?
Lee had to be okay with the current situation, regardless of any long-term plans for either of them. Regardless of her history.
Regardless of her fear.
She breathed deep once, twice. His scent both focused and excited her. This felt right. Safe.
Sexy.
God, Lee wanted to feel good in his arms. Wanted to trust that he would care about her. Care for her.
She wanted to trust that she would choose someone who wouldn’t hurt her. That realization jolted her back to reality.
She couldn’t move.
After a few more seconds, the kisses stopped. He pulled his head back. “Lee? Hey, are you all right?” His voice was rough, and he exhaled like he’d run a race. “Talk to me.”
“This feels so good. It’s a lot to process. Are you okay? I mean, with this,” she whispered. “It’s not too much? Too fast?” Without thinking about the motion, she scraped her nails over his scalp.
He lowered his hips and rocked against hers, groaning along with her. The friction and pressure weren’t enough. Not by a long shot.
The cords in his neck flexed and relaxed. “I can’t explain it.” His respiratory rate slowed as he dropped his forehead to hers. “Never been one to jump into things.” He barked a laugh. “With you? I’ll ski off the edge of an unknown cliff right this minute.” He locked his elbows, holding himself away, watching her. “That’s not to say we have to take this any further. No pressure.”
“It’s both of our decisions.”
His jaw clenched and he growled his response. “I already know my answer.”
In this cocoon surrounded by cushions and his arms, Lee studied the fine weathered lines of his face and the slash of his firm and sensual mouth wet with their kisses.
She bit her lip. “Would you?”
“Would I what?”
“Want to go further than just kisses?” she whispered.
“Hell. Yes.” He bit off the words like a piece of jerky. “How about you? We’re both grown adults. We can decide together to stop or go. Both choices are right.”
“Are we voting?”
“Sure, but if there’s a tie, you get the tiebreaker, Lee.”
A heady swirl of self-determination, confidence, and anticipation coiled in her belly. “I vote… yes! Onward and upward.”
He threw his head back and laughed, then dropped back down for another kiss that went on and on until her head spun. His hand drifted down to her waist, and he worked his fingers under the layers of her clothes until the rough pads of his fingers grazed her skin. Goosebumps rose beneath his touch.
Slipping his hand back out, he huffed a half curse, grabbed the hem of her Capilene top and vest, and scooted the garments up.
Sitting back on his knees, he pressed his hands to her abdomen and slid them over her simple bra, cupping the undersides of her breasts.
“Damn it,” he muttered, pushing the material higher and failing.
“What?”
His feral scowl made her shiver. “You have way too many layers on.”
With a shaky laugh, she winked. “Sounds like an Alaska problem.”
“It’s one I intend to solve.” He slipped his hands out from under her garments and unzipped her vest, pushing the thicker fabric to the sides. Then he lifted the thin Capilene shirt hem up to her upper chest, sliding the bra off with it. The first touch of his hands on her breasts set off a spark of desire, hotter than a roaring fire in the hearth. He palmed the fullness of each breast, then squeezed until she gave a desperate squeak.
With rough thumbs and index fingers, he pinched her nipples, rolling them. Liquid heat pooled at the junction of her thighs. She gripped his upper arms. If he weren’t anchoring her to the couch, she might have gone into orbit with the sensual touch.
“Oh my God.” She gasped.
A chirping sound reached her from the periphery of coherent thought.
He bent his head to suck one tight nub into his mouth, flicking his tongue over the tip. Squirming, she arched her back.
The high-pitched sound continued, and she struggled to identify it.
“Maverick,” she panted. He moved to her other breast and sensations bloomed brighter and hotter. “Oh, my—”
More chirping. An electronic sound.
“Maverick.”
“What, Lee? Are you okay?” He stopped, eyelids at half mast, lips damp, hands clamped on her breasts. He blinked and looked at the coffee table. “Damn. It.” Launching himself off of her, he grabbed the satellite phone on the end table. “Yeah,” his voice came out harshly.
Moments passed. Words she couldn’t make out came through the phone.
Her skin cooled where he had licked her. Lee reset her bra, pulled her top and vest down, and sat on the couch, taking deep gulps of air. She detected Maverick’s scent every time she inhaled. Touching her tingling lips, she watched as he paced.
“Where are you?” A pause. “What’s his condition?”
Oh no .
“Don’t move him,” he said, in take-charge paramedic mode. “Call 911 to mobilize local EMS backup. Tell dispatch I’ll be at the site soon.” He ended the call.
“What’s going on?”
His thunderous expression made her lean away from him. “One of the guests crashed on the trail.”