“You didn’t let me win anything. But you did give me motivation with that bikini striptease you pulled.” I winked. Or maybe I let her win each time because I enjoyed the view of her in front of me too much.
She rolled her eyes with a grin and stomped free of her boots, bracing a hand on my shoulder for balance. It felt alarmingly good, being there for her in the simplest ways.
“The hot tub would feel great,” I hinted. “Good for my leg, too. Join me?”
“I was going to suggest hot cocoa. But I like your idea better.”
Right there in the lobby, I stripped to my boxers, while she shimmied out of her outfit, our gear in a pile on the floor. Standing before me in only her matching bikini bottoms, I nearly swallowed my tongue ogling her.
“You keep eyeing my cute little ass like that, we’re not making it to the spa,” she giggled, cheeks pink but eyes dancingas we passed the door to the library and our little nest of passion.
I didn’t wait another second and scooped her up over my shoulder in a fireman’s carry, headed for the indoor pool.
“Holden, put me down!” Her squeal echoed off the walls down the hallway.
“Finally caught you, bunny.”
“You know,” she said between giggles, “I think that reporter from the Times got it wrong.”
“Oh?”
“She should’ve called you ‘sexy billionaire mountain man.’ Your mountain, your hotel, a woman over your shoulder…”
I grunted, beating my chest once with my free hand like a caveman. Her laughter made the whole building feel warmer.
At the hot tub, I set her down carefully on the tile. She hissed when her bare shoulders brushed my chest. I arched a brow, getting a good look at her skin now.
“Uh… Lilah,” I started slowly. “You got a sunburn or windburn.”
“It’ll fade by tomorrow.” She shrugged, then winced. “I tan easily.”
We dipped a toe into the tub and instantly regretted it.
“What the—?” I jerked my foot back. “This is sub-zero.”
“More like an ice bath,” she said, teeth chattering from one second of contact with the water. Then, her eyes lit up with mischief. “Dare you to go all in?”
“Are you crazy? My nuts would never forgive me.” I backed away. “Sauna. We’re trying the sauna to warm up.” Which, as it turned out, would only get about three degrees warmer than the hallway. I fiddled with the dial. Nothing.
“Shit,” I muttered. “Okay, adding these to my list of things to fix before opening. Not exactly the luxury spa experience I was going for. Guests would give us a negative review for sure.”
She bumped my hip with hers. “Come on, hotshot. Looks like hot cocoa in front of the fire it is.”
Back in the library, I had the fire stoked and roaring by the time she came in balancing two oversized mugs crowned with whipped cream. She’d added a pair of fuzzy boots to her bikini ensemble and a blanket wrapped under her arms.
I’d pulled on red flannel lounging pants over my boxers, which I decided counted as plenty dressed for my special Christmas company.
We snuggled together on the couch, with a couple of wool blankets piled over our legs. She hissed when her shoulder brushed mine.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded, but I inspected her further.
“Do you tan after all that goes away?” I gestured at her chest.
She glanced down and gasped. Angry red patches and a few blisters covered her shoulders, chest, and back. “I’m burnt. I cannot believe this happened.”
“I think you need to face reality.”
