Match Made In Paradise

by Barbara Dunlop

  “Hey, Mia,” he opened. “Busy this afternoon?”

  She seemed taken aback by the question.

  “I’m doing a run up to the Wildflower Lake Lodge,” he continued smoothly. “You should hop in the copilot’s seat and take a tour.”

  Raven hit him with an instant look of gratitude, jumping in immediately, her tone openly enthusiastic. “That’s a great idea. They’ve got a really nice setup out there, Mia. You’ll love it.”

  “But—” Mia looked around, obviously not wanting to leave in the middle of her own mess.

  He understood, even admired her hesitation. But she couldn’t fix a flat tire, and right now she was causing more harm than good.

  “My truck’s right out there by the road,” he said, pointing with a jab of his thumb.

  Raven gave her cousin a swift one-armed hug. “You should go. It’s a perfect day for a little sight-seeing.”

  “You’re sure?” Mia asked.

  “Absolutely. You need to have some fun while you’re here. Go see a few things, kick back, pretend you’re a tourist for the afternoon.”

  “Let’s do it,” Silas said. “It’s a super-light load, and it’s ready to go.”

  Mia hesitated a final second while Silas gave her an encouraging smile.

  “Okay,” she finally agreed.

  Silas shared a parting look with Raven, and she mouthed a “Thank you” as he and Mia set off in the direction of his truck.

  He played tour guide on the drive to the airport, talking up the state and describing some of the features he’d show her on the flight. Then after the safety briefing and takeoff, he took up the role again, naming the rivers and mountains along the way, swooping low on the peaks for a view of a mountain sheep herd, then down into the valley to see a moose in the shallows and a small pack of wolves running along a worn trail. As the airplane gained altitude again, Wildflower Lake Lodge came into view.

  “Are those wolves dangerous?” Mia asked, craning to look back over her shoulder. “They seem awfully close to the lodge.”

  “They’re thirty miles back and over a mountain pass. They won’t bother anyone there.”

  “So long as you’re sure about that.” She peered out the side window then at multiple red roofs gleaming boldly in the sunlight against the emerald forest next to the crystal-blue lake.

  “I’m sure.”

  “We’re a long way from anything, aren’t we?”

  “Paradise is the closest town.”

  She went quiet as he circled toward the strip.

  “You okay?” he finally asked.

  “A little intimidated by all this wilderness,” she said.

  “Don’t be. The lodge is a very well-run operation. You’ll like Cornelia, and the clientele there is more your crowd than mine.”

  She turned to look at him. “My crowd?”

  “Millionaire city dwellers. They come here to get away from it all.” He adjusted the flaps and the engine speed as they cruised their way toward the dusty landing a mile out back of the lodge.

  * * *

  * * *

  With the airplane now silent on the narrow airstrip, Alaska felt enormous around Mia. She and Silas walked toward a little white shed at the edge of a thick forest. He had a box under his arm containing a computer component for an emergency repair.

  “Is someone coming to meet us?” She wasn’t crazy about standing out here completely defenseless.

  There were wolves and bears lurking out in the woods, and Raven had told her more people were killed by moose than any other animal in Alaska. Raven had also said moose could weigh up to fifteen-hundred pounds.

  Mia had no desire to meet a fifteen-hundred-pound moose.

  “There’ll be an ATV for us in the shed,” Silas said as they arrived at the little building.

  It wasn’t locked, and he pulled up on the wide overhead door. It clattered its way open until it rocked to rest ten feet in the air.

  There were three ATVs parked inside. One had a little trailer attached. Another was larger, with side-by-side seating and would transport six people. The third was just like the one at Galina, only bright blue with a long black seat and front and back racks. Silas headed for the third one.

  “Can I drive it?” she asked, thinking this could be a chance for some extra practice.

  Silas seemed hesitant as he fastened the computer package to the rack with a couple of stretchy black cords. “You took out a truck tire this morning.”

  “That was with a loader. ATVs have logical steering and stuff.” She checked out the handlebar controls and saw they looked exactly like Galina’s.

  “And stuff?”

  “Throttle. Brakes. Starter.” She pointed them all out to him. “I know what I’m doing.”

  “Kill switch,” he said and pointed. “In case it all goes bad.”

  “Ha-ha.” She frowned at him then looped her leg over the seat, wrapping her hands around the handlebars and getting settled. The key was already in the ignition, and the ATV was facing the open door.

  “So, we’re doing this,” he said as he straddled the seat behind her.

  She started up the engine. “We’re doing this.”

  She revved it up and pulled straight out of the shed, breathing a small sigh of relief when they were clear.

  “Hold up,” Silas called out.

  She stopped smoothly and felt proud of herself. “What?”

  “I need to shut the door.”

  “Oh. Right.” Of course. She waited as he dismounted, mentally reviewing the driving controls while he pulled the door closed behind them.

  He returned and hopped back on the ATV, looping one arm around her waist, surprising a little gasp out of her.

  “Ready?” she asked to cover up her reaction.

  “Ready,” he rumbled behind her ear. “You can pick up the access road at the south end of the strip. But check for air traffic before you start. Always check for incoming planes. This might be a quiet strip, but it’s still an active runway.”

  Mia looked up, all around the sky. It was blue and clear. “Nothing up there.”

  “Then off we go.” He settled himself on the seat behind her, the inside of his knees cradling her thighs and his chest brushing against her back.

  “Off we go,” she muttered under her breath, her skin tingling with awareness every place he touched.

  They left the smooth airstrip for a rougher, narrow road. Mia tried her best to steer around the worst of the ruts and potholes, but the ATV still bounced beneath them, pushing Silas against her, or her against Silas. It was hard to tell which.

  Tall trees shaded them from above while squirrels darted across the trail out front and birds flitted from branch to branch. They came up on a porcupine gnawing on a stick of wood. It looked up at the sound then sauntered away into the underbrush.

  The bush felt alive around them.

  Then she misjudged a maneuver and they dropped into a particularly deep pothole, sending a vibration up her arm, causing her to turn the handle, squeeze the throttle and fly sharply back against Silas.

  She let the throttle go, and they coasted to a stop.

  “You’re doing fine,” he said, his voice calm and soothing. “You can’t miss them all.”

  “I’m just taking a breather.” She didn’t want to admit she was unnerved, even though a couple more feet to the right and they’d have hit a tree.

  “You want me to take over?”

  “No, I’m good.” She pushed the throttle again. She was not going to give up that easily.

  The road smoothed out beneath them as they cruised into the yard of the resort. They passed some utilitarian outbuildings as well as several pretty log villas set back in the woods before coming up on what was obviously the main lodge. The building was bigger than it had looked from the ai
r, built of massive smooth logs that gleamed with clear varnish.

  Several people were outside on its giant deck, some sitting at tables under umbrellas, presumably guests, while servers were moving around in crisp white shirts, patterned green vests, black slacks and black bowties. The tables sported white tablecloths. Propane heaters dotted the area. And the seating looked plush and comfortable.

  All gazes were on Mia as she drove closer.

  “Pull out of the way,” Silas told her. “Down past the gazebo.”

  A fit-looking fifty-something woman with a tidy, dark-haired bun spotted them and started her way down the grand staircase that was centered on the front of the building and ran next to the deck.

  Ignoring the curious stares and focusing on parking the ATV, Mia pulled into a clear spot and shut off the engine.

  Silas climbed off from behind her. As cool air swirled against the back of her thin, yellow and gray T-shirt, she realized how much she’d liked having him pressed up against her back. She should have thought to enjoy it more during the drive instead of concentrating so hard on controlling the ATV.

  “Silas!” the woman exclaimed. She was wearing crisp black slacks and a meticulously ironed, button-up long-sleeved mottled shirt that coordinated with the vests of the other staff members. “I didn’t know it would be you.” She pulled him into a hug, and Mia noted her manicure, precise makeup and her classy little jade and gold stud earrings.

  “I hate to miss a chance to come see you,” he said, rocking her in the hug.

  Mia was suddenly conscious of her own appearance. Her makeup was minimal. She’d fallen into that habit while working at Galina, deciding it was silly to spend an hour on her face in the morning, only to sweat it off. She was wearing a pair of Raven’s khaki green workpants, the ones with seven different pockets. And her boots were scuffed and worn, with a patch of steel shining through one of the toes.

  When she’d dressed this morning, she hadn’t expected to see anyone except the staff at Galina. At least her high ponytail had held. If her hair had been loose, it would have been a rat’s nest by the end of the ATV ride.

  A few seconds later, Silas drew back and turned to include Mia in the conversation. “Cornelia, this is Mia, Raven’s cousin from Los Angeles.”

  Cornelia stepped forward, sharing a wide, welcoming smile. “Very nice to meet you, Mia.”

  Mia held up her gritty-feeling palms. “I don’t think we should shake. I didn’t expect to be coming anywhere like this. Oh, and it’s nice to meet you too.”

  Cornelia laughed and held out her hand. “I’m not afraid of a little dirt.”

  They shook, and Mia felt a bit better.

  “You’ll stay for dinner,” Cornelia said to Silas. She linked an arm with his and turned him toward the lodge.

  “Love to,” he said, surprising Mia.

  Cornelia looked back and motioned Mia up to her other side.

  Mia quickly hopped up to catch them, moving from the gravel road to a cobblestone pathway that led to the wide staircase.

  “I want you to make yourself at home,” Cornelia said to Mia. Then she switched back to Silas, taking in his flight suit. “You got anything decent under there?”

  “Afraid not.”

  “Then off to the gift shop for both of you,” she said cheerfully.

  As they passed by the deck lounge, Mia saw how nicely the guests were dressed. The fashions were country club casual, but she recognized some fine labels, including two women wearing something from the Lafayette summer collection, one in a paint-spattered, cowl-neck tunic and scarf, the other in a pair of dark denim patch-pocket skinny jeans. The jeans were one of Mia’s favorite styles.

  Before she could catalogue the rest of the crowd, Cornelia had whisked them through a set of big coastal cedar and glass doors and into a bright, beam-ceilinged lobby with a polished reception desk and a smiling young attendant. The brunette woman looked to be in her early twenties with dark eyes, thick lashes and amazing cheekbones.

  “Hi, Silas.” The younger woman grinned. It was clear from her tone she found Silas attractive, but when her attention turned to Mia there was no jealousy or resentment in her expression.

  “Piper will help you with anything you need,” Cornelia said. She gave Silas’s arm a final pat and smiled at Mia before turning for a hallway that led off from the right-hand side of the lobby.

  “She wants us to dress for dinner,” Silas elaborated to Piper.

  “Are you staying the night?” Piper asked.

  Silas seemed to consider the possibility. “I hadn’t thought of it.”

  “The south creek villa is vacant,” she said.

  He lifted his brow and turned to Mia. “We could stay if you want.”

  The suggestion took her by surprise. “What? Spend the night here?” There’d been no plans for them to stay. She hadn’t brought anything with her for overnight, and Raven was expecting her back.

  “You heard Piper,” Silas said easily. “The south creek villa is vacant.”

  Mia gave him a look that said his proposal was ridiculous. He thought the two of them should share a cozy little villa for the night?

  “It has three bedrooms,” Silas said, as if he was reading her mind.

  “Each bedroom is self-contained,” Piper added and held out a key. “At least take a look through it.”

  “Wildflower Lake Lodge loves to bribe West Slope Aviation,” Silas said.

  “It’s how we get such good service,” Piper said without missing a beat.

  “This is a twofer,” Silas said.

  “How so?”

  “Mia is Raven’s cousin from Los Angeles.”

  Piper beamed at that. “Raven’s fantastic.”

  “I agree with that,” Mia said.

  Piper held the key out farther. “Okay, now for sure you have to stay.”

  Silas took it. “I’ll give her the grand tour.”

  Chapter Nine

  Silas wasn’t surprised that Mia loved the south creek villa. It was much more her style than Raven’s cabin.

  Dominated by a spectacular great room, the villa’s living area featured a massive stone fireplace. It had high, peaked windows overlooking the ocean, and an open maple-wood staircase leading to the rail of a sleeping loft. The kitchen, dining room and a library nook were tucked under the loft, bracketed by two bedrooms with doors off opposite sides of the great room.

  After a visit to the gift shop, Silas was dressed in charcoal slacks, a white dress shirt and a jade-green tie. He’d paired them with a black sports jacket borrowed from Cornelia. His boots looked out of place, but at least they were black.

  Piper had eagerly offered her own shoe collection for Mia to peruse. Silas hadn’t yet seen what they’d found in Piper’s closet, but it seemed like the two had become best friends within about an hour.

  He’d given up watching Mia try things on in the gift shop. She and Piper were clearly determined to analyze every single dress on the racks. So, instead, he’d wandered into the cigar bar and shared a scotch with two bankers from Boston who seemed eager to hear about Alaska in the winter.

  By the time he’d made it back to the villa, Mia was already in her room, changing. He’d heard the shower running and changed for dinner himself. Now he heard the hum of a blow dryer and guessed it would be a while before she emerged. But the mini bar was stocked, so he dug into bag of chocolate almonds, pairing them with a bottle of club soda as he read his way through a recent fishing magazine.

  When Mia’s bedroom door finally opened, he glanced up to see how the process had all turned out. He froze at the sight. He swallowed and all but dropped the magazine.

  Looking uncertain, she took a couple of steps into the great room. “I’m not sure about the neckline,” she said, looking down.

  The neckline was slashed straight across her chest
and blended into short, dropped sleeves that left her creamy shoulders bare. The dress was snug over her breasts and waist, with a full skirt, the hem shorter in the front than the back showing off her long slender legs. It was deep burgundy, but the color couldn’t have mattered less. To call it sexy was the understatement of the decade.

  A wide silver choker encircled her graceful neck, and silver earrings dangled below her upswept, wispy hair. Everything about the outfit framed her, decorated her, celebrated her.

  “I’m better with a cowl-neck,” she said, but he barely heard.

  He saw it now—the goddess who had the world infatuated.

  He’d play poker for her. He’d walk through fire for her. Hell, he’d take on a grizzly, a wolf pack or every man from here to California for her.

  “Silas?” Her voice sounded far away but it brought him back to reality. She was waiting for his reaction.

  “You look . . .” He wasn’t about to say what he really thought.

  She didn’t seem to notice that his words had trailed off. She held out a foot and wiggled it back and forth as she studied the shoes. They were silver, sparkling, strappy with open toes and a narrow band around her ankle.

  He had to stop looking at them.

  “Good thing there’s a walkway to the dining room with these heels,” she said.

  He came to his feet, spilling the remainder of the almonds on the floor.

  She laughed at his clumsiness. “Thank goodness somebody else finally messed something up.”

  He reached to the floor and crumpled the bag, scooping up the nuts then crossing to drop the whole mess in the kitchen wastebasket. He was less embarrassed about being clumsy than he was grateful to have something to distract himself from her.

  He washed his hands in the sink and dried them on a towel. “Ready?” he asked, going back to the living area, determinedly fixing his focus on the front door.

  She joined him there. “So, what do you think?”