Wicked Wonderland (27 page)

 

At two o’clock on the dot, Hallie parked her car near a familiar chain pizza place. Daniel pulled up beside her moments later.

He kissed her on the nose. “I have a sudden urge to take you somewhere tropical so I can see you in a bikini.”

She laughed as he helped her into his car. “I thought you
loved
Alaska,” she teased.

He eased out into the traffic. “I’ll be the first to admit that it has a few drawbacks. But don’t worry, Hallie. I’ve got a great imagination.”

That deliberately suggestive remark, and the naughty grin that accompanied it, set the tone for the afternoon. Daniel didn’t miss any opportunity to let her know that he wanted her.

And the attraction between them sizzled at a slow burn.

He stopped at the visitors’ center, which was a grand name for a small, cramped building. There she had to surrender her driver’s license, and wait until her identity was verified. Apparently being accompanied by the boss didn’t circumvent the red tape.

When the formalities were all in order, Daniel drove her through the gate and onto the post proper. Hallie wasn’t sure what she had expected, but Fort Wainwright took her by surprise. It was a big area, for one thing.Vast, unoccupied, snow-covered fields gleamed whitely in the deepening dusk. The road wound around and through them until Daniel and Hallie reached clusters of buildings.

He pointed out administrative areas, a shopping center, a post office, the chapel, aircraft hangars, and finally several neighborhoods of neat, well-kept post housing for military personnel. “Fort Wainwright is really like a small town,” he said, pointing out a playground, vacant for the winter.“Very self-contained.”

He parked in front of one of the office buildings and they got out. Hallie wasted no time in scurrying up the steps. It wasn’t windy today, but the air was just as cold. Once inside, Daniel showed her his modest office and they left their coats there. Then he took her arm and steered her down the hall toward a dimly lit stairwell.

“I’m going to show you something I’ll bet you’ve never seen before,” he said as he unlocked the metal gate at the base of the steps.

She bumped his hip with hers. “Bragging now, are we?”

He looked at her blankly for a split second before he understood. “You should be so lucky,” he shot back, laughter lighting his gorgeous brown eyes and curving his masculine lips.

He relocked the gate behind them and they took a step forward. Hallie scooted to a halt, digging in her heels. “Um, Daniel?”

He stopped and looked back at her. “What is it?”

She wrinkled her nose. “This might be a good time to mention that I’m slightly claustrophobic.”

He took her hand and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, enough to make her toes tingle.“No small dark spaces, I swear. I’m taking you into the utilidors.”

He might as well have been speaking Greek for all the sense that made to Hallie. “Utilidors?” Her stomach rolled uneasily.

He put his arm around her waist and urged her forward. “They’re a series of tunnels that link most of the main buildings on the post. All of the utilities—water, heat, electricity—flow through underground pipes via the utilidors. It’s not scary at all, I swear.”

Against her better judgment she let him take her into the passageway ahead. And in fact . . . it was pretty amazing. The tunnel was large and well lit, even if the color scheme bordered on “prison beige.” And the air was delightfully warm. So much so that she actually had to shed the lightweight fleece jacket she’d worn over her long-sleeved T-shirt.

“So why the tunnels?” she asked as they walked.

“Think about it,” he said. “The ground stays frozen for a big chunk of the year, which would present a big headache in terms of pipes breaking. Even being able to dig to do repairs would be difficult, if not impossible. When the post was built, they constructed this system of tunnels, and then put everything in one place. Pretty ingenious. If you’ll look when we’re back aboveground, you can see exactly where the utilidors run, because they keep the sidewalks directly above them so warm the pavement stays snow free.”

All along the way, there were gates similar to the one they had entered through. One even led directly into the post commander’s house. Hallie was fascinated.

In a particular section of the tunnel, there were fewer exits and the lights were spaced farther apart. Daniel stopped and leaned back against the wall, his expression difficult to read.

He tugged her hand until she stood in front of him, almost touching nose to nose.“Thanks for coming over today, Hallie,” he said quietly. “I gave the Fairbanks chief of police a tour last week, but you’re a lot more fun—and way cuter....”

She laughed, leaning into him and laying her head on his shoulder. “I’m honored.”

They stood there in the steamy semigloom, and Hallie felt the mood shift once again.

He put a finger beneath her chin and tilted her face toward his. When his lips brushed hers, retreated, and came back with more force, she sighed. They kissed lazily, as if they had hours, days. She ceased wondering if this was wise—ceased caring about how long she’d known him and how soon she would be leaving. For once, she dived right in, content to live in the moment. Throwing caution to the wind had a certain appeal.

His hands moved beneath her shirt, caressing her breasts through her thin, silky bra. Her breath caught. She moaned and pressed her hips to his. His arousal nestled in the notch of her thighs, making her crazy. In the middle of a busy, crowded army installation, Daniel had managed to find the only warm, deserted oasis of privacy.

But not completely private. At least not enough for what they both wanted so badly.

In the distance, they heard muffled voices.

D
aniel swore under his breath and started straightening Hallie’s clothes. His breathing was harsh and his hands shook.

Hallie didn’t feel so steady herself.“Will you get in trouble for bringing me down here?” she whispered.

He kicked a pillar with his boot and sighed. “No. But I guess we’d better go.”

They retraced their steps in silence, and never actually crossed paths with anyone. Sounds echoed in the cavernous spaces, so whomever they heard must have retreated in another direction.

Back in Daniel’s office, Hallie didn’t know what to say.

Daniel was braver than she. He perched on the corner of his desk and watched as she put her coat back on and buttoned it all the way up to her chin. He cocked his head. “Protective armor, Hallie?”

She looked out the window, marveling at the fact that it was dark at four o’clock. But even so, ambient light from the reflective snow cover lent a pretty glow to the scene.

She wasn’t sure how to answer his question, but she had one of her own. Now that Daniel’s arms were no longer around her, she could think straight.The little voice inside her head ... the annoying voice of reason spoke up. “Why me?” she asked bluntly. “Am I convenient? Is that it?”

He burst out laughing, his face alight with humor. “Lord, Hallie.You’re not convenient at all.We’re both living in an inn surrounded by people. Not to mention the fact that the climate makes outdoor sex lethal. And you’re only here for two weeks. I’d say this is all pretty damned
inconvenient
.”

“So why do it?”Was she hoping he could explain this madness to her?

The office door was closed. Daniel sobered. “Come here, Hallie.” He tugged her close. “I’m no callow twenty-year-old kid who can’t keep his pants zipped. I haven’t been with a woman in several months. And until you showed up the day before yesterday, I was getting along just fine.” He paused and placed her hand over the bulge of his erection. “But now that I’ve tasted those cute lips and touched those lush, curvy breasts, having you in my bed is pretty much all I think about every minute of the day. How’s that for honesty?”

He might have been feeding her a line. She didn’t really know him at all. But somehow, she believed him.

Slowly, she stroked the ridge of his arousal through two frustrating layers of cloth. He was unmoving beneath her tentative touch, his whole body braced. Her fingers brushed his zipper. And for half a second, she toyed with the idea of lowering it. But sanity returned. This was a public building. Daniel had an important job to do. “You’d better take me back to my car,” she said, her knees in danger of giving out. “I promised Robbie I’d help them wrap Christmas presents.”

 

Daniel hobbled to the car, thankful for the long heavy coat that kept him from embarrassing himself.The arctic air slapped him in the face, but did nothing to dampen his urgent need. Every minute he spent with Hallie made him want her that much more.

They drove in silence the short distance to where her car was parked. He got out and waited for her to unlock the rental. Then he tucked her into the driver’s seat. Despite the cold, he didn’t close the door immediately. He waited while Hallie turned on the engine, his arm stretched across the top of the open doorframe.

When she had adjusted the heat, she turned to face him. “Thanks for the tour.”

He studied her face. She had pulled up the hood of her coat, and flyaway strands of her soft hair danced in the light breeze. He leaned in and caught one, wrapping the blond silk around his finger. “A woman needs to be cautious. I get that. Why don’t you call Hazel? She’ll vouch for my character.”

Hallie grinned. “It’s not your character I’m worried about. Let’s not overthink this, Mr. Reynolds. We’re just having some fun, right?”

Something about her careless statement annoyed him, but he didn’t react. He had a feeling that she was fighting the same out-of-control attraction that was turning him inside out.

He was a patient man.

He released her and stepped back.“I’ll be late getting home tonight. Drive safely, Hallie.”

 

Hallie made it back to the B&B only moments before the Denmans returned.They brought pizza for dinner and insisted that Hallie eat with them. One of the women plugged her iPod into a portable dock, and soon Christmas music filled the kitchen and dining room.

Hallie devoured two slices of ham and pineapple without blinking, realizing suddenly that she had forgotten to eat lunch. And she thought it was definite progress when the music didn’t give her indigestion.

Robbie dropped a third slice on Hallie’s plate. “Where’s Daniel?” she asked. “We brought plenty for him, too.”

Hallie grimaced. “He’s working late tonight.”

Robbie plopped down beside her and smiled inquisitively. “So what’s going on with the two of you?”

Hallie choked on a bite of pizza and had to wash it down with Diet Coke. “Going on?”

Robbie nudged her with an elbow and kept right on eating. “Don’t be coy, missy. I may have only been here twenty-four hours, but I’ve got an eye for romance. And Daniel Reynolds is just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen . . . except for my Stanley, of course.”

Stanley was sixty-four, carried about fifty extra pounds, and was addicted to ESPN. Love truly was blind.

Over the years, Hallie had perfected the art of the pleasant, noncommittal smile. It served her well in hotel management. “Daniel is a very attractive man,” she said. “He’s a pleasant guest.”

Robbie snorted. “Pleasant? Pull the other leg.You’d better snap him up, Hallie. Living under the same roof gives you a definite advantage. All the women in Alaska can’t be slow on the uptake.”

Hallie picked at a piece of pepperoni one of the kids had left in the pizza box. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

“Do I have to spell it out?” Robbie shook her head sadly, eyeing Hallie like a slow student. “Sex, honey.”

“I thought your generation was more conservative. Daniel and I barely know each other, and I’m only going to be here for a short while.”

“You young people these days are so picky. Life doesn’t run according to a script. If something amazing falls into your lap, don’t waste time wondering if it was really meant for you.”

“And if it hurts when I leave?”

“Nobody can predict the future. But don’t you deserve to have a wonderful Christmas this year? You lost your mom and the job you loved. I can see in your eyes, darlin’, that you’ve been through hell these last twelve months. But you’re here now. Live in the moment. Kick up your heels a bit. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“A broken heart?” Hallie was joking, but she began to wonder whether, deep down inside, that’s really what was bothering her. Was she afraid her heart couldn’t take any more hard knocks?

That evening she allowed herself to be dragged into the game room, where the Denmans embraced her and made no attempt to pander to her because she was not one of them. They beat her at Uno. They beat her at Scrabble. They even beat her at Wii bowling.

A game of Monopoly was her only success. She managed to get hotels along two whole sides of the board and wiped out her opponents in short order.

Hallie had a lot of fun with the Denmans. And she was abashed to realize how seldom she allowed herself to goof off for an entire evening.

Daniel never showed. She told herself she didn’t care. The Denmans were delightful people and they made her feel right at home. Which was ironic since she was supposed to be the one hosting.

Their son Timothy wasn’t off today. Robbie talked about him often, enough that Hallie began putting together a picture of a competent, grounded young man. She wondered if he appreciated his loyal, loving family. But he must, because when she met him last night, his expression, though colored with shyness, had been lit up with happiness.

When everyone finally trundled off to bed, Hallie wandered the downstairs, turning off lights, checking door locks, and adjusting the heat. She sank down onto the sofa near the tree and stared hard at the ornaments. She hadn’t bothered to examine them before now, but it was obvious this was a collection accumulated over the years with loving care.