“You were an officer, right? You’d have to be if you were a doctor in the military in any branch of the service.” Stella sipped on her drink and regarded Denver with compassion.

“Yes, that was the only way I was going to get anywhere. My family has money, but they weren’t going to help me get an education, or anything else for that matter. Don’t think that because people have money their families aren’t fucked up, Stella.”

Stella had never heard a single note of bitterness in Denver’s voice before. She let her gaze drift over his face. He looked the same as he always did, but there was a hint of pain in his eyes. She nodded. “I understand, maybe more than you think I might be able to.” That was as much as she was going to give up of her own past.

She came from a wealthy family and her drama had been played out in the press all over the country. If that hadn’t been enough, later it had been featured in one of those silly television episode dramas, not very accurately either. She certainly knew that growing up with money didn’t guarantee a cushy childhood.

“Well, you did good for yourself, Denver, and that should tell you something about what a strong person you are. That’s what I always think. I’m proud of who I am. I hope you are. All of your friends, including me, look up to you. If your family doesn’t appreciate you, screw them.”

He grinned at her. “That’s so you, Stella. Loyal to your friends. I don’t exactly have any family left.” He gestured around the bar. “I guess this is it. I decided to make my home here when I first came here. It was the only place that gave me real peace.”

She understood that. “It sounds like you inherited a lot of money. You could go anywhere.”

He shrugged. “I live simply and I like it that way. I make a shit ton of money on my own. I’ll think about what to do with the money I inherited. We could use it here for the hospital, and maybe I could set up a foundation. I’ll talk to Zahra and Vienna. Zahra knows what the hospital needs, and Vienna knows what we need for Search and Rescue.”

“Give it some time, Denver. Even if you had a difficult time with your family, the loss can still hit you at the most unexpected time. I know from experience. We weren’t close, but it was still a loss when I lost my mother. You have to allow yourself to grieve and process.”

“I suppose so.” He sounded doubtful. He drained his drink and held up his glass. The bartender came over to refill it. “What’s going on with you and Sam?”

She frowned at him. “Not sure what you mean. He’s our sober driver tonight.”

“He never dances with you more than one dance. Two at most. And he doesn’t have his hands all over you.”

Her frown deepened. “I don’t recall that he had his hands all over me.” She pulled out her cell phone. Did you have your hands all over me when we were dancing?

She watched as Sam took out his phone and looked down at the screen. His expression never changed, not even while he texted her back.

“Yeah, he did. Well, he was dancing closer than he has in the past. You have to be careful of him, Stella.”

When I have my hands all over you, Satine, you’ll remember it and it won’t be in public.

A little shiver went down her spine. She glanced at her screen twice. Yeah. He used the word when. It was crazy, but just looking at his text made her body aware of him. Come alive. Too many Moscow Mules, for sure. She needed to stop drinking. She took another sip because the pounding of blood between her legs felt delicious when she’d felt cold and alone and frigid for so long. Sam had slowly awakened her. If he had come at her too fast, she would have run for the hills, but somehow he’d slipped past her guard and found his way inside her.

“I thought you were friends with Sam.” She leaned closer to Denver, keeping her face turned directly toward him, afraid Sam could read lips. She’d always thought he could— well, after the first few encounters with him. Either that or he really was as psychic as she was, just in a different way.

Denver’s gaze lifted to drift over Sam and then came back to her, his expression concerned. “I’m not saying I don’t like the man. I do. It’s just that no one can really be friends with a ghost, Stella, and that’s what he is.”

“Um, no, he’s real flesh and blood, Denver. He’s sitting right there and he works his ass off at the resort. He’s on Search and Rescue with you and never shirks. You’re the one who told me that.”

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Murder at Sunrise Lake - Page 27