Eighteen
Natalia
“This was magical today.”
The words spilled out of my mouth effortlessly, an appreciative sigh accompanying them.
It had been years since I’d felt so good.
Reid’s decision to enlist my help in decorating his cabin with him had thrilled me. I hadn’t wanted to think too much about it—recalling his mom mentioning how much he enjoyed the holidays—but it was proving to be impossible not to believe there was something else happening.
Especially when I kept catching him staring at me in a way that made my toes curl. Or when he held my hand all the way back to my cabin last night. Or when it seemed that he was simply finding ways to spend time with me.
That Reid was willing to carve out time in his schedule just to do things with me that I’d find enjoyable meant the world.
And he’d just done it again. Reid gave me more time this afternoon by coming over to decorate my place.
It was a wonder I could even keep my eyes open for how little sleep I’d gotten last night.
I’d found myself unable to drift as thoughts of him consumed my mind.
Eventually, I managed to doze off, and when I woke this morning, I had enough energy coursing through me that I was convinced I could’ve run a marathon.
I was so excited to get to spend more time with him.
Suffice it to say, I hadn’t been the least bit disappointed. I’d had the best time with Reid this afternoon. Not only because I didn’t have to spend my time alone, but because I enjoyed spending time with him.
Even though he was completely capable of making decisions about how to decorate, he left it all up to me.
He’d done that last night, too. It didn’t seem to bother him that it was his cabin.
Reid appeared mostly interested in making me happy and went along with whatever I decided and deemed appropriate.
It was entirely possible he could have thought it looked ridiculous, but he never indicated that was the case.
“Magical?”
My eyes took in the work we’d done on my place this afternoon, the sight forcing a smile onto my face. “Look how beautiful and festive this is.”
Reid glanced briefly at the decorations. “You did a great job with it. With both places, if I’m honest.”
I smiled. “This was so nice of you to do, Reid. I don’t know that I’ve done a great job of communicating it to you, but it means a lot to me that you planned this. I enjoyed myself immensely.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” He seemed to stand a bit taller, and a satisfied smile washed over his expression. “Of course, now I’m concerned.”
“Concerned? About what? This looks fantastic. Everything about today was perfect.”
“So far,” he muttered.
My brows pulled together. “I don’t understand. You say that like you believe things are going to take a downward turn.”
“They could.”
I didn’t want to believe his grouchy side was making a comeback. Whatever it took, I was going to turn his mood around. Stepping closer to him, I promised, “There’s nothing that could happen that would ruin this. Nothing that will lead to our night being ruined.”
His chin tipped up slightly to one side. “Our night?”
My cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Well, I mean… I was just saying?—”
“Do you want to spend the rest of the evening with me, Natalia?” There was a hint of teasing and, dare I say it, seduction in his tone. Like this was what he’d wanted all along, and I’d played right into his hand. “Are you suggesting we have dinner together tonight?”
The gleam in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.
Reid wasn’t feeling grumpy at all. If anything, he was a confident man on a mission, and that look in his eyes indicated he had every intention of getting what he wanted.
Only, he intended to make it appear as though it was me who’d pushed for it to happen.
Two could play that game. My tongue darted out to lick my lips, and my fingertips brushed along the front of my throat. “We did work up a healthy appetite today, wouldn’t you agree?”
Desire swirled in his gaze. “I can admit that I’m starved.”
My pulse was pounding. “What do you think we should do?”
“In the interest of making sure our day doesn’t take that downward turn, I’ll order us some pizza.”
“Mmm. And while we wait for it to be delivered, I guess you’ll have to find another way to entertain me.”
I didn’t know where this confidence was coming from; I’d promised myself that I’d never want anything like this in my life again. Sure, right now it all seemed like harmless fun and flirting. But wasn’t that how it always began?
Reid would not be deterred. Whatever he had planned, he was sticking to it. “I guess I’d need to know more about the things you like, Natalia. What is it that would keep your attention?”
“Order that pizza, and I’ll be happy to tell you.”
I waited just long enough for Reid to pull his phone out of his pocket before I turned and walked back inside. Despite my best efforts to appear unaffected by him, to meet and match him at this game, I was struggling simply to keep my breathing under control.
And once I had a few moments alone, I realized what the problem was.
Not only had it been years since I’d been with anyone, but I also didn’t know much about Reid.
Sure, I knew his parents and had witnessed his moods and gotten an explanation about what caused them.
And yes, I’d seen his sweet side in full swing.
But I didn’t know anything about the man.
There was no question he was breathtakingly handsome and had that voice that had been my undoing since the first time I heard him speak.
But there wasn’t much I knew beyond that.
When he followed me into the cabin a few minutes later, his stare was just as predatory as it had been outside. If I thought a bit of distance might cool things between us, I’d been mistaken.
“We’ve got twenty minutes to kill, so I’m curious to hear how you intend to spend that time.”
“I think you’re going to have to do all the work.”
That did it.
Those words stunned him enough to bring him to a halt as his brows shot up in surprise. “The work?”
A smile grew on my face as I nodded slowly. “Look, it’s no secret that I’m the one who’s almost always doing all the talking. I think it’s only fair that you do it now.”
It hadn’t been difficult to get a sense of where Reid’s thoughts had taken him, but once I’d revealed precisely how I intended to spend the next twenty minutes, curiosity had replaced that desire. “You want me to talk?”
“I do.”
“About what?”
“Anything. Like, maybe you should tell me why you were so interested in missing out on decorating at this retreat for all these years.”
He jerked his head back. “I… I already told you about why I avoided this place.”
Nodding my understanding, I lowered myself onto the couch and explained, “I know. I get that. I probably shouldn’t have worded it that way. You know things about me, and I don’t know anything about you. I was wondering what kept you in Pittsburgh all these years.”
Reid sat down, too. “I built a life there. My business is there.”
His life was there. Even though I’d wanted to know more about him, I hadn’t prepared myself for how those words would hit.
Six months.
Reid was only here for six months. Five now. Then he’d return to that life he’d built.
Ignoring the way that it made my belly twist to consider no longer having any of what we’d had the past couple of weeks, I asked, “What kind of business?”
“I’m a land developer.”
I hadn’t had any preconceived ideas about Reid and the work he did, but for some reason, I found myself feeling slightly stunned by his admission. “A land developer?”
He dipped his chin. “Yeah. A commercial land developer, to be specific.”
“So, what exactly do you build? Is it big warehouses and factories?”
Reid shook his head, a chuckle escaping. “No. That would be an industrial developer. I deal with things like office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, and other similar commercial properties.”
While it was obvious that I was great at my job and understood the ins and outs of running the retreat, there wasn’t a chance I possessed the skills to do what Reid did for a living. “Oh, I see the difference. Wow. That must be a ton of work. How are you able to be here for so long?”
“I have an excellent team that works for me. When I went back to Pittsburgh to check on things there after the first week of being here, it was mostly just paperwork and administrative stuff I had to deal with. Fortunately, I can do most of that from here, and my guys can handle the physical labor there.”
“You’re very fortunate to have that. I presume you enjoy the work.”
“I do. I like creating things and seeing the plans come together. One of the biggest rewards for me is witnessing the transformation in the areas where I build.” His expression turned pensive, and it was clear he was lost in thought for several beats.
“Of course, what I’m responsible for creating is the very opposite of what my dad has built here. ”
I wasn’t quite sure I was following. “What do you mean? They’re both successful businesses.”
Reid nodded his agreement. “Yes. But where this retreat occupies several hundred acres of land, it’s mostly untouched.
Even with all the cabins, the lodge, and the rest of the buildings on the property, it only covers a fraction of the available land.
This place is all about preservation and peace and serenity.
With the same amount of acreage where I live, I’d have a bustling metropolis.
There’d be countless jobs, businesses, and growth of communities. ”
“They both serve their purpose, though,” I reasoned. “I mean, obviously, I’m partial to this place. It’s changed my life for the better in so many ways, but what you do is tremendous, Reid. And it’s just as important.”
He tipped his head slightly to the side, his eyes studying me. “Do you really think so?”
“Of course, I do. Don’t you?”