Stella quirked her brow. “That’s a loaded question.”
“It was meant to be.”
He might not be able to touch her, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t let her know exactly what he wanted.
“In that case, I wouldn’t mind being away from here, somewhere secluded so I could do anything I wanted for just one day.” She closed her eyes and sighed before meeting his gaze again. “But since that’s not happening anytime soon, maybe you could check in at the front desk and make sure everything is okay?”
Dane nodded. “Not a problem.”
When he started to turn, she called his name. ?
??Be in my room at eight.”
Already turned on by her demand, Dane leaned toward her to whisper, “You’d better be ready for me.”
Her visual tremble had him whistling on his way out. Damn if she wasn’t sexy. She’d been all authoritative, but then when he’d turned the tables, she practically melted to a puddle.
Dane had every intention of doing whatever he could to help her make sure this storm went unnoticed by the guests. But tonight, well, Stella would be his and there was no better recipe for seduction than to be snowbound with a sultry vixen.
Eleven
Stella stared at all the food and the special bottle she’d had brought up just for Dane. Was she a complete and utter fool? How could she feel so strongly for a man when she’d only just met him a few days before?
Yet he’d proved time and time again that he was selfless—both in the bedroom and out. He’d jumped at the chance to help her and pitch in around the resort since some employees couldn’t make their shifts. He’d helped work in areas she hadn’t even asked, putting in hard labor during what was supposed to be his vacation.
Was that why it was nearly quarter after eight and he still hadn’t made it to her penthouse? Perhaps he’d fallen into bed like all the other workers she’d put on sleep rotation.
There had been some serious shuffling of cots and blow-up mattresses in order to fit in the staff members who would be resting while others filled in.
She’d already made a mental note to give each employee a bonus for all their hard work. She hadn’t heard one complaint and anything she’d asked, they’d gotten right to handling.
Yet now she stood with her thoughts and her concerns. Not over Mirage or the raging storm. Those two were easy to manage. But Dane proved to be a much more unpredictable beast.
Stella padded through her penthouse and went to the fire. There was nothing like coming back here at the end of a long day and staring at the flickering red and gold flames. A glass of wine in her hand never hurt, either, but she was waiting on Dane.
“Stupid,” she muttered to herself and turned away from the fire. Even that wasn’t calming her nerves.
Dane was likely just as worn down as she was. Maybe he’d even had enough of her. Why was he busting his ass so much anyway? What was he getting out of all of this? Nothing here was his responsibility, his future didn’t hinge on how well this resort ran if the power went out and the road didn’t open for several days.
Jerking the rubber band from her wrist, Stella pulled her hair atop her head and twisted it into a knot. She should eat something since she’d brought leftovers from the kitchen up to her room. She hadn’t had much time for eating earlier, between bustling from common rooms to suites to fantasy rooms and thinking about her night with Dane.
Just as she popped a cube of smoked gouda into her mouth, the buzzer on her private elevator echoed through the penthouse. Nerves curled together in her belly, which was so silly. Dane was just a man and he was a temporary man at that. Their time would likely draw to a close as soon as the road opened and he was on his way. He had already overstayed his time here and his reservation was technically up. Not that she cared or would kick him out at first chance.
Was she an even bigger fool because she felt a little sliver of emptiness at the thought of him leaving?
Honestly, she didn’t care that she was getting in over her head. Dane had shown her so much compassion and support during these past couple of days. And the things that man could do in the bedroom? Her body tingled just thinking about his talents. Even if she got to keep him for only a short time, it would be worth it. That man would certainly fuel fantasies for years to come.
The elevator door slid aside and there he was. A man in a bespoke suit couldn’t have looked more powerful, more confident and in control. He had that whole rugged rancher look down to a perfectly imperfect manner. The plaid shirt, the worn jeans, the scuffed cowboy boots.
And those eyes. Dark as midnight surrounded by inky lashes any woman would envy.
Dane came toward her, but his eyes scanned the room before landing back on her.
“You worked all day and came back here to set up dinner?” he asked, obviously shocked.
Stella shrugged, not sure how to take his tone. Was he surprised in a good way or a bad way?
“I may not be able to escape to that remote location I dream of, but this is close enough.”