Chapter Six
James Stevens was a romantic at heart, so when Emily told her dad she and Parker were headed out of town to scout locations for his corporate retreat, James was all for the idea. She wasn’t worried about leaving him alone with Rex lurking around because her ex had a pattern. He came and he went, disappearing again while he regrouped for another attempt at bringing her back to Chicago.
What she did worry about was her father getting his hopes up that something more would come of her relationship with Parker other than friendship. He didn’t need to know that more already had occurred, because Parker was leaving eventually.
But for now, they were going on a trip and she was excited. She packed her light parka because it was colder in the mountains even in April, boots, and her favorite cargo snow pants. In addition, she added the nightie he’d flung off her before she’d had a chance to wear it, lace bra, and panties, though she hoped not to wear them at all.
All set, she met Parker at the bottom of the stairs. She was still struck by his beard each time she saw him and had the scruff marks on her thighs to remember it by. She squirmed as she approached him, her sex tingling at the memory.
But she was unable to contain her excitement over their trip. “I’m ready!”
“I can see that. I’m impressed you’ve packed everything in one carry-on.”
“Used to more high-maintenance women?” she asked, trying not to be jealous.
“Truth?”
“And nothing but,” she said, bracing herself.
“There haven’t been many women in my life and none in a long time,” he said, taking her by surprise.
She stared at him. “But … that really shocks me,” she admitted. “Is it because of your fiancée who died?” This time she tried not to be jealous of a dead woman who was long gone and whose memory nobody could compete against.
“Again, no. We’ve got a long trip and a lot of time to talk.” Reaching out, he grabbed her hand. “And we will.”
She looked into his beautiful blue eyes and saw pain. Pain he normally hid well, but she already knew about his fiancée’s death and a ski career he no longer had and didn’t like to talk about. She wondered about the details he hadn’t revealed.
It looked like she was about to find out.
* * *
On the way out of town, Parker and Emily stopped at Caleb Benson’s ski shop so Parker could buy a comfortable down jacket, ski pants, and boots for their mini-vacation, things he hadn’t brought with him on his trip. Once he shed the shearling jacket and put on the puffer, he felt more like himself than he had in a long time.
Not long after, he and Emily were on their way out of town in her father’s more reliable truck. He’d talked her into taking the vehicle on the long ride because it was more practical in case something happened. He’d left James back at the inn, in charge of roofers, electricians, and a host of other repair people working on restoring the place to its former glory. He still didn’t know what James planned to do once the work was complete, but for right now, the end game didn’t matter.
Emily wasn’t stressed about what her father’s plans were. She was willing to let him handle the reno and deal with things when it was finished. Parker hoped that by then she’d see how much the inn meant to James and that he was physically and emotionally capable of running it. James just needed a plan.
Then Emily could open her baking business with Harper. If the banks didn’t give her a loan, he could. He knew better than to think that she’d just take the money; she was proud like her dad. And Parker, well he’d…
He didn’t know what he’d do.
He didn’t know what he wanted. Well, he wanted Emily, that went without saying. How he handled the future was a big, open question mark.
Right now he intended to enjoy the present.
They headed out of town, Emily ceding the driving to Parker. She hopped into the passenger seat, shucked her shoes, propped her heavy-sock-covered feet on the dash, and ordered him to drive. With Waze on his cell phone programmed to the Silver Valley Resort, three hours away, he did as she commanded, Queen playing on the radio.
He thought for certain she would pepper him with questions about his love life since Rina, why he hadn’t had a lot of females in his life and relationships in his past, but she remained silent, instead tapping her hands to the beat of the music and seeming content in their silence. She was easy to be around. She didn’t push him for anything, respecting when he needed to keep things to himself, which should make him happy.