Colton's Covert Baby

by Lara Lacombe

  His hand rose up again, brushing the side of her breast. Her breath caught in her throat as he fit his palm around her curve. She stilled, deliciously shocked by the sensation of a man’s hands on her body.

  But Max immediately dropped his arm and pulled away, breaking the kiss. “I’m sorry,” he said, touching his mouth with the back of his hand. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

  Molly shook her head, her mind still trying to process what was transpiring between them. “I’m fine. It’s fine,” she stammered.

  “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” he said, as if he hadn’t heard her. “My brain just went out the window when we started kissing.”

  She laughed softly, happy to hear she wasn’t the only one who’d been so affected. “I know the feeling.”

  Max ran a hand though his hair and smiled down at her. She saw a mix of emotions in his eyes: arousal, relief and amusement. His apparent feelings mirrored her own, which was another point in his favor.

  But now that she was no longer distracted by the feel of his mouth on hers, Molly started to remember all the reasons why her attraction to him was a bad idea. Whatever this was between them couldn’t go anywhere. And while it might be fun to try a no-strings-attached fling, was her heart really capable of staying on the sidelines?

  It was a big risk, one Molly wasn’t sure she should take.

  “Let me get your coat,” Max said gruffly.

  He stepped away, leaving her with an odd sense of disappointment. Truly, she’d never felt such immediate chemistry with anyone before. A small part of Molly acknowledged that if he hadn’t misinterpreted her reaction, they would probably be in bed right now.

  It’s better this way, she told herself as Max helped her don her coat and they parted ways.

  But as she trudged along the snow-dusted trail to the main building, she couldn’t help but wonder if that was the truth.

  * * *

  It was a beautiful day. So why wasn’t he enjoying it more?

  Max reached the bottom of the ski run and moved to the side, wanting to get out of the way of the people sliding to a stop behind him. He pulled off his goggles and turned back, squinting up the path he’d just traversed. Even from this distance, The Lodge was a huge complex snugged up against the steep rock face of the mountain. But despite its size, the building didn’t look out of place. Whoever had designed the hotel had taken pains to make the exterior blend in well with its surroundings. The whole complex looked like a natural extension of the wilderness, as if it was trying not to disturb the area.

  Somewhere up there was Molly’s office. Was she sitting at her desk, typing away on her computer? Or was she standing by a window, lost in thought as she gazed down the mountain?

  He smiled at the thought that maybe, just maybe, they were looking at each other right now.

  Max hadn’t managed to fall asleep until the stars had begun to fade from the sky. He’d spent most of the night tossing and turning, his mind playing an endless loop of last evening’s events. Dinner had been quite enjoyable, almost surprisingly so. He’d invited Molly over because he’d been attracted to her after their first meeting, but he hadn’t expected to have such chemistry with her. She was so easy to talk to; she was one of those rare people who actually listened, rather than simply waiting for her turn to speak. It was a refreshing change from the conversations he was used to having with potential donors. He hadn’t had to feign interest in subjects that he found boring, hadn’t had to laugh at lame jokes. They’d been able to move beyond superficial niceties and actually start to get to know each other.

  And then he’d messed it all up by pawing at her like a hormonal teenage boy.

  He hadn’t meant to make her uncomfortable. Hadn’t intended to overstep her boundaries. He’d simply misread the signs. The kiss had short-circuited his brain, fogging up his normal clear-sightedness when it came to reading people.

  He’d never forget the way Molly had stiffened under his hand. Embarrassment filled him at the memory, and his stomach churned. Max prided himself on being a man who made sure the women he was with enjoyed themselves with no regrets. But last night he had come across as a creep.

  Molly had been gracious about accepting his apology. Still, it had been a disappointing way to end their evening.

  But the worst part of all? How much he’d enjoyed kissing and touching her. He felt like a starving man who’d been given a taste of a scrumptious feast, only to have it jerked away after the first bite. A year was a long time to go without even a casual relationship, but between K-9 Cadets and his other responsibilities, the dearth of female companionship in his life hadn’t really bothered him.

  Now, though? He felt the void acutely. Last night’s dinner and subsequent kiss had been like a wake-up call, a heady reminder of what it felt like to really connect with a woman. And while he understood there was no real future for him and Molly thanks to the geographical distance between them, he still wanted to make sure he didn’t leave her with a bad impression.

  He glanced at his watch. He was due to meet Blaine for a late lunch in an hour. Maybe he could ask his old friend about Molly? After all, the two of them were cousins. Blaine had to know something about her.

  Max dismissed the thought almost immediately. Molly had been very clear yesterday that she didn’t mix business and pleasure. That meant she would probably not appreciate Max talking about their dinner with Blaine. The two of them might be related, but they also worked together. The last thing Max wanted was for Molly to get any grief over seeing a guest on a social basis.

  Still, there were other ways he could reach out to Molly without making her feel like she had to respond to his overture.

  He walked over to the ski lift, pulled out his phone and took a seat on the moving chair. A few clicks later, he’d found exactly what he was looking for...

  Chapter 5

  In what was staring to become a habit, Molly once again found herself knocking on the door to Max’s cabin.

  This is crazy, she told herself. But she needed to see him.

  The flowers had arrived at her office a few hours ago. She’d been working on a project when a knock at the door had interrupted her concentration. She’d looked up to see a veritable wall of flowers filling her doorway. From somewhere out in the hall, a voice had called out, “Molly Gilford?”

  The arrangement was gorgeous, a garden’s worth of red roses, pink hydrangeas, white daffodils and sprays of yellow freesia. It took up all the space on the small side table in her office, and made the room smell like a perfumer’s workshop. She’d never seen such an extravagant arrangement before, much less been the recipient of anything like it.

  It had taken some searching to find the card, tucked away amid the blooms. Given the scope of the flowers, Molly figured they had to be from one of her corporate clients; she’d facilitated a retreat for a major airline last week, so this was probably a thank-you gift for her efforts.

  She couldn’t have been more wrong.

  The typed message inside the card had been simple and sweet:

  Thanks for putting up with me last night.—Mike.

  Molly frowned at the unexpected signature. Was Max trying to be funny?

  She pulled up his reservation information, curious to find if Mike was perhaps his middle name. But he’d registered as Maxwell Hollick; there was no middle initial.

  Her gaze drifted over the flowers as she pondered this small mystery. Her cheeks heated as she sniffed one of the roses. Red roses meant passion; she knew that. A quick internet search helped her decode the meaning of the other blooms: romance, new beginnings and friendship.

  Pleasure blossomed in her chest as she savored this new information. Did Max know the meanings of the flowers he’d chosen? Or had he simply told the florist to create a display?

  Her thoughts returned to their conversation last night. Max was a
smart man who seemed to know exactly what he wanted and how to go about getting it. This wasn’t a typical arrangement—she’d never seen this combination of flowers before. Given what she knew about Max, it was likely he’d been very specific with the florist.

  Which meant this subtle message wasn’t a coincidence.

  Molly leaned back in her chair, trying to decide how she felt about that.

  There was no point in denying she found him attractive. If these flowers were any indication, Max felt the same way. But should she act on her desire?

  It’s not smart, whispered a small voice in her head. There were a myriad of reasons why exploring her attraction to Max was a bad idea.

  Still, as she tallied up the risks, she couldn’t help but wonder if she should throw caution to the wind and dive in anyway.

  Her gaze drifted over the framed pictures on her desk. There was one of her with her siblings, and a formal portrait her parents had taken on their fortieth wedding anniversary. Seeing the photo reminded her of some advice her dad had given her several years ago.

  “Molly,” he’d said, “five years from now, what are you going to regret more? Doing this, or not doing it?”

  He’d been right then, and he was right now. His words were the perfect litmus test for the major decisions in her life, including this one.

  The answer came as soon as she considered the question. Despite all the risks, all of the reasons it was a bad idea, she knew she’d regret passing up the opportunity to know Max better.

  One question remained, though; with all the thought Max had put into this delivery, why was the card signed Mike?

  Maybe he was trying to be discreet? He had to know such a fancy display of flowers in her office would attract attention. Perhaps he’d used the name so that anyone who saw the card wouldn’t connect him with the gift. She had made a big deal about not dating guests, so this could be his way of keeping their date last night a secret.

  She’d reached for the phone, intending to call his cabin and thank him. Then she’d thought better of the idea. This was a grand gesture. It deserved more than a phone call.

  So as soon as she’d finished work, she’d grabbed the card and hiked up the trail to Max’s cabin, hoping to solve the “Mike” mystery once and for all.

  She knocked, stomping her feet on the mat to help ward off the chill. Is he even here? She hadn’t bothered to call before setting out. Now, as the cold settled over her, she began to wonder if she’d made a mistake.

  Another knock, but still no answer. Disappointment roiled in her stomach as she turned to leave. Now that Molly had made up her mind to embrace the chemistry she felt with Max, she didn’t want to waste any of the time he had left at The Lodge. But it seemed she would have to wait to thank him another time.

  She was about ten feet down the trail when a furry form shot past her and skidded to a stop on the path ahead. Molly froze, a burst of adrenaline making her heart pound as she squinted in the fading light. Bears and mountain lions were generally shy creatures, but they were more active at dusk. Every once in a while, there was a sighting on the trails that connected the cabins to the main building. Was this the latest incident?

  Molly slowly took a step back, her brain whirling as she desperately tried to recall the safety training every employee was required to complete. Was she supposed to drop to the ground and play dead? Charge forward screaming? Or move away as calmly as possible?

  The creature took a step forward. Molly’s throat tightened as she suppressed a scream. Just as she took another step back, a voice cut through the air.

  “Furbert? Dammit, dog, where are you?”

  Molly saw the animal start to wag its tail. She took a deep breath, her panic fading as the dog trotted over and she got a good look at him.

  He stopped at her feet and plopped his butt on the ground, staring up at her expectantly.

  “Furbert?” Max called out again.

  “He’s here,” she said. She knew from experience Max probably couldn’t see them in the gloaming, and she didn’t want him to worry about his dog.

  Max was quiet for a second. Molly imagined he was frowning, trying to place her voice. Then he spoke again. “Molly?”

  She smiled at his tone, a mix of pleasure and surprise. “The one and only.”

  Molly heard the crunch of shoes on the gravelly trail. Then Max stood next to her, looking down with a grin. “This is a nice surprise,” he said.

  Her heart started to pound again, though not from fear. She stared up at him, thrilled to be close to him once more.

  He was wearing glasses, a simple pair of black frames that should have made him look nerdy. On him, though, they were sexy. “Hello,” she stammered, feeling suddenly self-conscious. Why hadn’t she brushed her hair or put on lipstick before coming out here?

  “What’s going on?” Before she could reply, he shivered and hugged himself. He wasn’t wearing a coat, only jeans and a sweatshirt. The sun had all but disappeared, and cold came early on the mountain. “Actually, scratch that. Do you mind if we talk inside? I’m not used to this weather.”

  Molly nodded, all too happy to get out of the growing darkness. Even though the blurry shape had turned out to be Furbert, there was a primitive part of her brain that was still reeling from the scare. Shelter was a good choice, at least until her body relaxed again.

  They started walking toward the cabin. Max snapped his fingers, which was apparently the only signal Furbert needed to follow his master. He held the door open for her, and Molly walked past him and into the soothing warmth of the living room.

  “So what are you doing out here?” Max asked as he shut the door. “Not that I’m not happy to see you. But I wasn’t expecting you.”

  Molly moved to stand in front of the fire blazing at the hearth in the corner of the living room. “I should have called first. I came by to say thank you, but it didn’t seem like you were here.”

  Max plucked at the cord of the earbuds dangling around his neck. “I was listening to music while I got some work done. I didn’t hear you knock, but Furbert did. He kept scratching at the door. When I went to let him out, he took off like a shot.”

  “I’m glad he didn’t run into the woods,” Molly said. “Believe it or not, we have bears and mountain lions up here. I’d hate for him to get hurt.”

  “Oh, he’s not the type to roam,” Max reassured her. “He just wanted to get to you.”

  As if to prove his master’s point, Furbert walked over to the fireplace and sat at Molly’s feet. She reached down to scratch behind his ears, earning a contented sigh for her efforts.

  “But enough about him,” Max said. “Have a seat.” He gestured to the sofa. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  Molly shook her head as she walked over to the couch. She settled onto the cushion, in the same spot she had occupied last night. Max sat next to her, angling his body toward hers.

  “Like I said, I came by to thank you.”

  Warmth glowed in his eyes. “Did you like the flowers?”

  “Oh, yes.” She got out her phone, showed him a few of the pictures she’d taken of the arrangement. “They’re gorgeous. I’ve never seen anything like them.”

  Max glanced at her photos, then back to her. “Looks like the florist did a nice job.”

  “They did,” she agreed. “But it does seem like someone else is trying to take credit for your work.” She reached into her bag, pulled out the card. “Who exactly is Mike?”

  Max read the message with a frown. “Unbelievable,” he muttered. He shook his head, chuckling softly. “When I dictated the message for the card, I wanted it to be signed as just M. I didn’t want to put my name, in case someone saw it. So to make it clear, I said ‘M as in Mike,’ which is the military designation for the letter.” He handed the card back to her, clearly amused. “I guess the person on the other end
of the line just heard ‘Mike.’”

  “Well, that clears things up,” Molly said. “But I must say, I was rather hoping you were a secret agent or something.”

  Max threw back his head, laughter pouring out of him. The sound wrapped around her like a velvet rope, making her want to get closer to him.

  “I’m afraid I’m not that interesting,” he said. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

  “I’ll get over it,” she retorted, unable to keep from smiling.

  Max settled back against the arm of the sofa, watching her face. “I’m glad you liked the flowers. It was the least I could do.”

  Molly tilted her head to the side. “What do you mean by that?” Why did it seem like he was trying to apologize?

  Max glanced down. “Last night.” He sounded almost shy. “I made you uncomfortable when I kissed you.”

  What was he talking about? Molly racked her brain, trying to figure out what she’d done to give him that impression.

  Then it hit her. “Oh,” she said slowly. She’d stiffened when he’d touched her, and now that she thought about it, that had been the moment he had stopped kissing her. He’d also apologized before going to get her coat. “I told you last night, I’m not upset with you.”

  He glanced up at her, interest sharpening his gaze. “You aren’t?”

  Molly shook her head. “Hardly.”

  “But...you tensed up.”

  “I was surprised, that’s all.” She debated if she should say more, then decided to forge ahead. “I haven’t dated anyone in a while,” she confessed, reaching out to pet Furbert, who had relocated to sit at her feet once more. “I’d forgotten how nice it feels to be touched that way.”

  He didn’t reply. As the silence stretched between them, Molly realized she shouldn’t have said anything. Max probably felt sorry for her, which was the last thing she wanted.