Spring River Valley: The Winter Collection (Boxed Set) (22 page)

* * * *

At eight p.m. Audrey walked into the lobby of the West End Inn just outside Spring River Valley. She’d been a bit shocked when Cassie told her John had picked the hotel restaurant for their date. The place was expensive and very posh. She would have loved eating there under normal circumstances, but in this case she hated to think her date might consider the evening a waste, since she already knew there’d be no second date.

She was a fraud, in her nice black dress and strappy pumps, the ones Harper had insisted she wear despite the weather. Why had she bothered to dress up at all when her plan was to let Appendix Guy
—John—down easy?

She crossed the lobby to the concierge desk which sat in front of a richly carved archway leading into the candlelit dining room. The aroma of gourmet food reached her, subtle in the carefully conditioned air so as not to overwhelm the guests, just enough of a tease to entice people into the velvety dark interior of the haute eatery.

“May I help you, ma’am?” The man wore a tuxedo like he was born to it. He eyed Audrey’s not so fancy coat with a hint of suspicion, but his expression morphed into approval when she sloughed it off to reveal her sizzling dress.

“I’m meeting someone here. The reservations are under the name Isaacs.”

The concierge checked an ornately penned ledger and offered her a dazzling smile. “Of course, ma’am. Right this way. Your party hasn’t arrived yet. Would you care to wait at the bar or to be seated?”

Audrey fought not to roll her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to cling to the bar, looking like a singleton on the prowl. “I’d prefer to be seated, thank you.”

He bowed, which she had to admit, she liked. Then he led her expertly through the dining area, dodging tables and waiters with stunning expertise. Audrey noticed she turned a few heads along the way. She might have been flattered except the only head she wanted to turn was Max’s, and he wasn’t going to see her in this dress, with these shoes, new lipstick and perfect hair. She’d dressed for him, because she wanted him to be the one waiting at the table.

The concierge pulled out her chair, and a white-coated waiter appeared at his side. “May I take your drink order, ma’am?”

“Lemon soda with lime for now, thank you.”

“Enjoy your meal, ma’am. I will see that your party is escorted here as soon as he arrives.”

“Thank you.”

Both men disappeared, and Audrey was left to contemplate the place. Soft music played in the background, crystal candle holders sparkled on the tables which were covered in fine linen with lace overlays. Huge paintings decorated the walls which were painted a muted shade of olive green to contrast with the gold leaf of the enormous frames. The chairs were leather, the carpet plush. If it wasn’t for the captivating scent of food, she probably would have curled up to take a nap, the place was that relaxing.

The waiter appeared with her drink and whirled away again before she could thank him. She sipped, twirled the lime wedge around with her straw and let her gaze drift surreptitiously to the couples seated around her.

Fifteen minutes passed, then twenty. At eight-thirty she began to tap her straw on the edge of her glass. At eight forty-five she grabbed her purse and fished out her wallet. A twenty should cover the overpriced drink and a tip, she thought. So much for the perfect guy. John, as it turned out, wasn’t even Punctual Guy.

Before the twenty dollars hit the table, a shadow fell across the creamy tablecloth.
Finally here?
Audrey looked up, and her breath caught.

Max stood beside the table, dressed in a charcoal suit and tie and a dark wine-colored shirt. His gaze held not a hint of mockery or the hurt she’d seen in his eyes at the hospital. All she saw there now was desire.

She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up a hand. “Before you say anything, let me apologize. I’m sorry for what I said at the hospital. I was an idiot. All I could think about was you out with someone else, giving some other guy the chance to make you smile or laugh, and I couldn’t deal with it. I hope you’ll agree to have dinner with me tonight and…maybe every night from here on in?”

“I…”
Of course! Yes!
Her brain formed the words, but her mouth was still in shock. “What did you do with John?”
Oh, God, was that the wrong question to ask?

Max only smiled. “I paid him to get lost.”

“What?”

“He’s actually a really cool guy, very understanding. When I told him I was in love with you and I couldn’t let any other man think for a moment that he had a shot with you, he completely understood.”

Fortunately Audrey was sitting down, because at that moment her knees would have buckled. “You’re in love with me?”

“I know it sounds a little creepy, but—”

“No, no. I’m…I…”

“You don’t have to say it.” Max sat across from her. “Just listen. If I had known you, if I had ever seen you before the night Cassie accidentally set us up, I would have wanted you. I would have demanded she fix us up. I’ve been a wiseass, I admit that. It’s my nature. I hope you can get used to it, because I’m not likely to change too much, but one thing that changed for me the minute I walked away from you the other night was how I see the future. I can’t see it without you in it. I know we haven’t known each other very long, but I don’t think that matters. Have dinner with me
. Let me give you the first date you deserved and all the second dates you’ll ever want.”

Audrey’s vision misted a bit, and she chanced smudging her mascara to dab at the corners of her eyes. “Oh…okay.”

“Perfect.”

*

Max was certain his heart would beat out of his chest the moment he saw Audrey in her little black dress and those heart-stopping heels. She looked like an exotic heiress sitting at the fancy table, toying with the soda straw. Now she sat before him, laughing and smiling only for him, with him, because he was the one she’d chosen, not because anyone had set them up. She had no idea what her every move was doing to him.

“I have to admit, I’m still a little jealous that you dressed up so much for your date. That dress is…”

“It was for you, knucklehead. I was planning on thanking John for a lovely dinner, and heading right to your place to tell you I wasn’t interested in him.”

“But what if you had been…interested in him?”

She winked one seductive eye, made green by the shimmering eye shadow she wore. “I’d have brought him along.”

“Shrewd, Iron Audrey, very shrewd.”

She showed him one of her stiletto heels. “Later on, I’ll explain to you exactly how I got that nickname.”

Max shivered a little. The night just got better and better. “I’m strangely intrigued. Can I order you some dessert?”

She licked her lips and shook her head. “Let’s save something sweet for later. Why don’t we go back to my place?”

“Sorry, not tonight.” He had to fight to keep the glee out of his voice.

She pouted. “Why? Do you have a headache?”

“No, I have a room. Here.” He brought the key card out of his jacket pocket where it had been burning a hole all night.

“Here? The rooms here are…pricey.”

“And I hear they’re gorgeous too. Let’s go find out.” He signaled the waiter who brought the check for him to sign, and the concierge brought Audrey’s coat which Max carried over his arm.

She followed him to the lobby and to the elevators, which rose four stories, giving views of an inside atrium on the far side. Audrey gasped as they shot upward. “It’s amazing.” Fountains in the secondary atrium danced with colored water and shimmery crystal nets. It looked like a wonderland.

“The view from here is pretty spectacular.”

She peeked at him over her shoulder and actually blushed. “I like this Max. The serious one. He’s very sexy.”

“I like this Audrey, the demure one. She’s melting the buttons off my shirt. Come here.” He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her until the elevator doors opened. The scent of flowers surrounded them, and he waltzed her out into the silent corridor for the short walk to their room.

“I can’t believe you did all this for a second date. It’s magnificent.”

“Let’s save the compliments for later. I’ve got a lot more to show you.” He opened the room and led her inside. He turned on the lights, bathing the room in a dim amber glow that offset the rich gold and chestnut décor. The king-size bed, set with a pure white duvet and a dozen pillows, shimmered with a cascade of pink and red rose petals.

Audrey covered her lips with her fingers. “When did you do this?”

“I had housekeeping do it.” He showed her an ice bucket where a bottle of champagne cooled. The cork had been recently popped, and bubbles still spilled out the top. He poured two fluted glasses and handed her one. “There’s a gorgeous balcony, but in this weather, it might be best if we keep the French doors closed.”

“Oh my god, Max. This has to be the best room in the place. Is this the presidential suite?”

He laughed. “Not even close, actually. The presidential suite would have cost us both a year’s salary. I’m magnificent, but I’m not independently wealthy. This is just a standard room, believe it or not.”

“Wow. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. It’s perfect.”

He clinked his glass to hers. “To perfection. Even if it’s only for one night.”

She clinked back. “Now, tell me more about how magnificent you are.”

“Only if you tell me why they really call you Iron Audrey.”

She raised one stiletto heel and set her toes on the edge of the bed, giving him a heart-stopping view of her leg. “Maybe you’d better have a few more drinks first. You might not be ready for that yet.”

He took her in his arms and kissed her until she wobbled. “I’m ready for anything.”

Audrey’s fingers shook as she unbuttoned Max’s shirt. She still couldn’t believe she was here with him, ready to tumble onto a bed of rose petals. How had she gotten so lucky?

He smiled at her, his eyes deep and dark in the low light of the posh hotel room. “Let me help you.” He gently set her hands by her sides and finished the task of opening his shirt, one delicious button at a time. She watched, licking her lips in anticipation, and nearly fainted when he pulled the shirt open, revealing his perfectly sculpted abs and chest.

He took her in his arms and kissed her lips, her jawline, her shoulder, slipping the neckline of her dress down just an inch to nibble at the sensitive skin above her collarbone.

Her zipper fell to his skillful hands, and seconds later, her dress plummeted to the floor. She kicked it away with her heel and lifted one ankle to remove her shoe. He stopped her. “Leave those on.”

“O…kay.” Her breathing quickened, and in a moment she was lightheaded. He lowered her to the bed, crushing rose petals beneath her nearly naked body.

“I wish I had a camera right now,” he said, taking a moment to gaze at her as she stretched on the fluffy duvet, rose petals tickling her thighs and her back. “But I could never show anyone the pictures.”

“Maybe we can take a few art shots one of these days. You know, just for us.”

“If you keep talking like that, I’m not going to make it to the magnificent part, sweetheart.”

She struck a sensual pose for him, pouty lips and wild hair. “Oh, tell me how the camera loves me. Tell me to make love to the lens—”

“Stop, I swear…” He sloughed off his pants and threw himself on the bed. Rose petals flew everywhere, and she laughed as they bounced.

“I could get used to this very easily.”

“What, sleeping on rose petals or sleeping with me?”

“Who’s going to be doing any sleeping?” She pulled him to her and kissed him, then maneuvered herself on top of him. “Now, let’s talk about Iron Audrey.”

“Yes, Nurse.”

In a moment, she was naked, and so was he. He’d remembered condoms, and she raised a brow as he put one on. “Pretty confident you’d get me this far, weren’t you?”

“Well, I figured if you said no, there’s a cute cocktail waitress in the lounge who—”

She hit him with one of the dozen pillows, which promptly burst, scattering small downy feathers everywhere. Audrey gasped, nearly choking on a feather, and they stared at each other as the innards of the popped pillow settled around them like snow.

“Hey, at least nothing caught fire and neither one of us has a concussion,” Max said.

Audrey eyed the ornate headboard of the bed. “Yet.”

“You’re scaring me a little.”

She laughed and tapped the heel of her stiletto. “Iron Audrey says, Be quiet and prepare to be boarded.”

* * * *

Hours later, Audrey lay sated, floating on a cloud of rose-scented feathers. Max lay beside her, teasing her with his fingertips and brushing a petal softly across the underside of her breasts. She shuddered every time he moved, still lost in the last waves of a third orgasm—or maybe the fourth. She’d lost count and didn’t care. There’d always be more.