His casual touch, with the promise of several more, sends a prickle of desire tingling through me.
I dash up to our room to get my laptop, e-reader and notebook, then settle into the library. It's perfect – buttery soft, worn leather chairs, lots of ambient light, and a window that shows the fluffy faint snowfall. A huge bookshelf is filled with the classics, and a small fireplace is already crackling.
I fall into my work, using a side table as a desk, not even realizing how much time is passing.
Slight movement catches my eye, and I jerk up my chin to see Callan in the doorway.
"You were so zoned out I didn't want to disturb you," she smiles. “But since I have, I was wondering… Could I get those book recommendations?"
"Of course!" We fall into a lengthy chat about what she likes, what she doesn't, and where she's trying to broaden her literary horizons.
I begin making her a list that pushes her boundaries just slightly. She likes action and adventure romance, so what if a story like that happened on an alien world? She likes mystery thrillers, so what if it were a coven of witches solving the crime?
By the time we have a list together for her, it's past five o'clock.
"I didn't see you at lunch," Callan says. "You must have gone early."
"Actually, I completely missed it," I laugh.
"Oh! I'll go see what room service can do for you." Callan jumps to her feet, but I grab her elbow.
“Please, there’s no need. I'll just eat a bit more at dinner."
She frowns. "But that's not for another hour and a half.”
"Honestly, I’d feel guilty troubling them while they’re busy getting the evening meal ready. It's my own fault. I'll set an alarm on my phone to remind me tomorrow."
She looks at me strangely. "But we're guests here. The chalet is set up to cater to us."
I laugh again, waving my hand. "I skip meals all the time, really." I check my phone. "But after sitting still all day, I think I'll go back to the room and do some stretching before my neck and shoulders get mad at me."
She smiles, yet there's still some lingering tension in her eyes. "Well, if you’re sure. I'll see you at dinner." She waves thepiece of paper. "And thank you so much for the list. I might download one of these tonight."
I collect my things and am walking to our room in this beautifully restored boutique hotel when it finally hits me.
Devin is a stockbroker. He probably makes a ton of money. If I'm his wife, shouldn’t I be accustomed to ordering room service and having people wait on me?
Oh, crap. I hope I haven't messed up already.
6
DEVIN
Ifind that fortunately I'm still able to ski fairly well, even though it’s been a couple of years. Still, I stick to the medium hills and enjoy the scenery more than the speed.
I wasn't watching the time, so I missed running into Laila at lunch. It's about six-thirty when I wander back to our room to get ready for dinner.
At the door, I hesitate. A married man wouldn't knock before entering the hotel room he’s sharing with his wife. Luckily there's no one around, so I give it a brief tap, then crack the door open just two inches until I hear, "Come on in."
When I enter, I blink. Laila is already dressed for dinner, her gorgeous curvy figure wrapped in a dark green dress. However, she's lying diagonally across the bed with her head hanging off the edge so her face is upside down.
"Are you okay?" I ask slowly, closing the door behind me.
She smiles. "Oh, I’m fine. Just stretching out my neck. I figured I should get ready and be done in the bathroom before you got back, since you might want to shower after skiing."
"You're right. I do." My eyes dart to the clock. "But I also want to hear all about your day before we go downstairs. Can we talk while I shower?"
There's a brief moment in the middle of Laila's roll onto her stomach where she gives me a sly grin. "Sure."
