She squeezed by a couple who had their hands all over one another. Then she stumbled into a mother holding a toddler’s hand. No one else was here alone. She lugged her suitcases onto the elevator and tried to pretend that she was actually here to meet someone and not be a pathetic loser by herself. Christmas wasn’t meant to be spent alone, but she could still watch silly movies and bake by herself. Christmas was a week away. Maybe a family would adopt her as the crazy aunt for Christmas Day.
Drew had booked her ski lessons, and so she’d take those, but she suspected she wouldn’t spend much time out on the mountains. Sports weren’t her thing, but she was determined to make the most of her vacation. Before today, she’d never been outside Iowa, and she was surprised to find that she’d been excited to be on the airplane.
Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. There were no evil glares from the townspeople here. No one knew she’d unsuspectedly dated a man who thought sixteen was old enough to give consent.
Mia glanced at the room number. Huh, top floor. She wondered how far they’d upgraded her. She found her room, but instead of going in, the lobby below captured her attention. Fake snow fell from above and covered the tree. It was truly magical. She pulled out her phone and took a picture. At least she’d have something to send Violet.
Without warning, a dog collided with her knees. She gripped her phone and stumbled a little. A black and tan face stared up at her with terrified eyes. A bellboy raced down the hall after the Doberman, who nudged Mia’s hand with her long snout.
The bellboy put a hand on his chest and took a couple of deep breaths. “Sorry, she got away from me.” He was short with spiky black hair and a slight New York accent.
“No worries. I like dogs.”
The bellboy tried to grab the dog’s leash, and she cowered behind Mia’s leg and barked.
Mia giggled. “She doesn’t like you much, does she?”
He grumbled. “Part of our job is to walk the dogs of rich playboys and old broads. The little dogs are the worst. Usually the big ones aren’t a problem, but she’s been trouble since I picked her up.”
He reached for her again, and she barked and quivered behind Mia.
“Sera!”
Mia spun and gave a sharp inhale. A man stood there in nothing but a towel. He had ripped abs and a tattoo on one side of his chest, with another on his shoulder. Dark hair fell into his eyes, and a five o’clock shadow dusted his face.
He was the sexiest man she’d ever seen in real life. Holy flip.
The dog hung her head and slunk over to him.
He looked past Mia to the bellboy. “Sorry, she’s not used to being on a leash. Come on in, and I’ll make sure she’s worth your time.”
The bellboy raised his eyebrows at Mia and then dropped his voice. “Worth it. Maybe that towel will fall off while I’m in there.”
Mia took a quick pic of the man’s retreating back and then dropped her hand. Did she really just take a picture of a half-naked stranger?
Yeah. She did.
She leaned back over the railing and watched the fake snow fall, then she sent the pic to her sister.
My next-door neighbor.
Vi would appreciate the picture. She was always sending Mia photos of hot men.
Holy hell, sister. You. Must. Fling.
Mia rolled her eyes. Right. Like someone like that is going to be interested in me. Besides, that’s not me. A fake snowflake fell on her screen, and she brushed it off.
Sweetie. I’d cheat on Josh for that.
VIOLET
What? It’s true. Don’t send me another message until you have a name. Merry Christmas to you.
Dang it. Vi was serious. She wouldn’t respond until Mia had a name. Ah well. She’d make something up if she had to.
The door to Sera’s room opened, and Mia couldn’t help but look up expectantly. At least the eye candy would be nice. It was just the bellboy though.
“Did the towel fall?” Mia asked, grinning.
The boy brought a hand to his chest and dropped his eyes. “Sadly, no. But there’s always next time.”
He held out his hand. “I’m Frankie. Feel free to call on me at any time. I’m told Tristan’s friends will all be in town the next few days, and they all look like him. The view on this floor will be the best of the season. You’re lucky you got this suite. Most of the time they book the entire floor.”
“I heard it was a last minute cancellation,” Mia said.
“I hope you like dogs.” Frankie leaned against the railing next to her.
“I do.” She’d never had one, but she loved them. Maybe that would be her Christmas present to herself. A puppy. Then at least she wouldn’t be lonely.
Frankie grabbed one of her suitcases and dragged it to her door. “So where is your hubby?”
“Excuse me?” Her words nearly caught in her throat. She should have a husband right now, but she didn’t.
Frankie snatched the room key out of her hand. “I was told you were celebrating your honeymoon. They radioed me and said to take care of the happy couple.”
Mia didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t very well tell Frankie the truth.
Before she could say anything, he continued.
“I don’t know about you, but I think a heart-shaped bed and lots of roses are overrated. If you want real romance, all you need is a fireplace, a view, and a large bed.” He wiggled his brows at her. She cringed at the thought of a heart-shaped bed and wondered if it had a quarter slot to make it vibrate.
“Uh, the wedding was canceled, but the trip was already paid for so…” She watched Frankie’s face for a reaction, but he didn’t give one. Maybe this happened more often than she thought.
Frankie pushed open the door and shoved her suitcase in. “Your choice or his?”
“What?”
“Did you call it off, or did he?”
How did she answer that question? She decided on a modified version of the truth.
“He cheated on me.”
Frankie winced. “I hope he paid for the trip. Well, you’re a beautiful single woman. You’ll enjoy yourself on this floor this week.”
“I’m sure I will.” Right here. Alone with her suitcase full of books.
“Call me anytime you need anything. I’d give anything to see that man in a towel again.” Frankie waved a hand in front of his face.
“I’ve never been to a place like this before. What exactly would I call on you for?”
“Whatever you want. Need to book a massage? Dinner reservations? A date with boy toy over there? Do you need a dress pressed or a wine stain taken out? I do it all.”
“Thanks, Frankie, but I’m probably not going to need much. I’m mostly going to sit and read when I’m not on the slopes.” Which would be ninety percent of the time, but Frankie didn’t need to know that.
“Ah, I know all the best places to read. When you want someplace other than this, I will show them to you. But make sure you insist I come up here.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“Will do.” She chuckled. Frankie would be fun to have around.
He left, and Mia stepped into her room. Maybe vacations weren’t so bad after all. The room had a small kitchen and living room. Not romantic, but rustic like a wood cabin. This beat whatever honeymoon suite she was supposed to have. A carved wooden bear hung on the wall in the small hallway leading her to the bedroom. The room was painted in greens and reds, which fit her Christmas mood perfectly. She took her suitcase to the bedroom and found a king-sized four-poster black oak bed covered by a huge green quilt with skiers all over it. There were enough pillows to drown in, and she thought about sinking into them for a nap.
Forcing herself out of the comfy bedroom, she stepped into the bathroom and found a large jacuzzi tub and separate waterfall shower. While it had a manly feel, especially with the old timey saw above the toilet, she still felt very comfortable. A large green rug was laid out in front of the sink, and intricate rock work made up the w
alls.
In the living room, another wooden bear hung on the wall over the couch with throw pillows and a blanket with elk and snowflakes. A fireplace sat where the TV should’ve been. It was perfect. Except it needed some garland, a few bells, a tree, and a wreath. If she was feeling inspired, maybe she’d try to recreate the magic of the lobby in a more tasteful way. Maybe Frankie could wrangle up a few decorations for her.
She wheeled her other suitcase into the bedroom and stared out the window overlooking the snowy mountains. She dug her bathroom bag out and went to put her things away.
The enormous jacuzzi tub once again drew her eye.
Maybe she would be paging Frankie and asking for a bottle of wine and something divine to put in that tub.
She took a couple of pictures and sent them to Violet.
So. Maybe I’m glad I came.
…Name?
Oh yeah, Tristan.
You move fast. There’s hope for you yet. You better be sharing that tub with Tristan.
Nice try, Vi.
Chapter Four
Conner and Jessica were due any minute, Adam and Liz would arrive later that afternoon, and David, Seth, and Grayson would all be there late that night. Blake canceled a couple of weeks before, which was how the suite next door to Tristan ended up with someone he didn’t know in it. He hoped like hell she liked dogs because they’d be running up and down the hall for the next two weeks.
He was slightly embarrassed he walked out in just a towel, but he’d heard Sera barking, and he wanted to make sure everything was okay. Frankie had been more than accommodating even though Sera had abandoned him.
Tristan probably should’ve trained Sera better, but at home, she had free reign. She went out her doggy door and explored the beach at her leisure.
He had to admit he’d loved the reaction he’d gotten from the woman next door, and he wondered if she was vacationing alone. Her eyes had completely drank him in, and if Frankie hadn’t been standing there, he might’ve tried to take advantage of that. He hadn’t missed that Frankie had also taken him in.
“Your dad’s one handsome dude,” he said to Sera. She cocked her head, and he nodded. “You’re right, I don’t need to get too cocky.”
His mind went back to the girl. He shook his head. She seemed far too wholesome for his taste. Sure, she had gorgeous thick red hair and piercing green eyes, but she also wore a grandma Christmas sweater and mom jeans. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought he’d glimpsed a cat at the base of a Christmas tree on her sweater. She was probably married. Single women didn’t dress like that.
He wasn’t sure what he’d do today. Maybe check out the bar and see who was around. Tomorrow he’d hit the slopes with his friends. He stretched and looked down at Sera. “You wanna go for a walk, girl?” She was always a hit among the ladies.
By the time dinner rolled around, Tristan was bored. He was itching to get out and ski. There had been weather, and the planes had trouble getting in, so he still hadn’t seen his friends yet, but they should be there for dinner.
He watched a little TV, then got dressed. He wore a red button down and a black blazer. He didn’t bother shaving. This trip was about relaxing. He went down early to scope out the bar and see who might be worth bringing back to his room tonight.
He ordered a rum and Coke and admired the sleek black bar and the rock work on the shelves that held the liquor. It matched the walls in the bathroom and was one of the reasons he loved going to the lodge so much. The whole place paid attention to the little details that took it from comfortable to elegant.
He considered taking a picture of himself with his drink at the bar, but decided that would be sad. He took a sip, and a hand touched his shoulder. He spun and met the eyes of the busty blonde from the night before. She took the stool next to his, a small smile forming on her lips.
Tristan waved the bartender over. “Get the lady a martini, would you?”
She chuckled. “You remember my drink.”
He winked. “But not your name.”
“Tara.” She slid her hand on his knee.
“Tara, I like that name, and now I will remember it. Are you sure you even gave it to me before?”
“Probably not.” She gave a simpering smile.
A flash of red caught his eye. The woman from the room next door hovered in the doorway to the bar. She met his gaze. He smiled, and she blushed and rushed away. A small twinge of excitement sparked in him. Oh, this could be fun. Maybe even more fun than Tara.
“Did you enjoy the slopes today?”
She grinned, showing perfectly straight white teeth. “I don’t ski. I spent the day in the spa.”
“Ah. Who are you here with?”
“My sister and her family. She wanted us to spend Christmas together. You want to join us for dinner? I’m kinda sick of being a third wheel.”
Hell no, he was not meeting her family. “I’m meeting some friends.” He patted his pocket, looking for his phone. Hopefully they were here by now. Shit. He’d left it upstairs.
He finished his drink quickly. “It was nice talking to you again. Maybe I’ll see you around.”
He hustled out of the bar and punched the elevator button. He’d thought this woman was the kind who didn’t care that he didn’t remember her name, and now she was talking about having him do dinner with her family. What was she thinking?
The phone was on the counter. There were thirty texts from various people asking where he was. He was going to catch hell if he told him he got distracted at the bar. He sent a quick group text letting them know he was on his way and slipped out the door. The bellboy, Frankie, was holding a bottle of wine and had just knocked on the suite next door.
“Hey, Frankie, can you take Sera out when you’re done?”
The door opened, and the woman from earlier answered it. She’d changed out of those awful mom jeans and now wore a sweatshirt that fell off her milky white shoulder, and black leggings. That red hair was up in a messy bun, revealing a very kissable neck. Her eyes met his, and she immediately dropped them.
She took the bottle from Frankie and mumbled, “Thanks.” Tristan raised his eyebrows to Frankie, who took the hint.
“Miss Mia, have you met your neighbor, Tristan, yet?”
“No, I haven’t. Thank you for introducing us.” She had a soft sweet voice that was void of any kind of accent.
Tristan held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Celebrating something special?” Wine usually meant one thing.
She flushed. “Oh no. Just enjoying an evening alone with a book and a hot bath. Wine is mandatory.”
Thoughts of her in the bathtub flashed through his head, and he had to bite his tongue before he said something inappropriate.
Instead he turned his attention to Frankie. “Do you still have bath butler services?”
“Yes,” Frankie answered.
“Order Miss Mia the Divine Chocolate and charge it to my room. And take that cheap wine back downstairs.” He met Mia’s eyes. “And I’ll check on you later and make sure you enjoyed the bath.”
Her face flushed, and he knew he’d succeeded in getting to her. He slipped Frankie a fifty for walking Sera and escaped down the hall. He might meet another woman tonight, or he might be spending the night in Mia’s room.
Either way, the evening prospects were definitely looking up.
Chapter Five
Frankie waited until Tristan was on the elevator. Then he grabbed Mia’s hand. “Oh my, someone is getting laid tonight. I’m a little jealous.”
“I’m really not interested.”
Frankie’s mouth dropped. “Who’s not interested in that?”
“I’m just not into the whole fling thing.”
“Wait until you’re done with your bath. You will be.”
Frankie had a one-track mind. She didn’t like thinking of Tristan that way. She had to distract him. Otherwise, she might do something dumb. Besides, he clearly had another woman. Mia had seen her
at the bar when touring the resort. She was the kind of woman men fawned over—the exact opposite of Mia.
“Where do you walk the dogs?” she asked Frankie. Comparing herself to the rich women in this place would get her nowhere.
“In the basement. Do you want to see?”
“I’d love to. Let me put on something more appropriate.”
“Don’t be silly. We’ll take the service elevator. The only people you’ll see are other workers. I’ll order a bath, and by the time we get back, it will be ready to go. Keep the wine. You can drink it another night.”
He set the wine on an end table and ordered a chocolate bath on his walkie.
“I’ll go get Sera, and we’ll head on down.”
Mia waited outside and tried not to be too nervous. She imagined Tristan joining her in the bath, his rock-hard abs glistening with the water. Her body heated. She should not be thinking of him in that way.
What would she do if Tristan expected something now? She wasn’t interested, but would she be able to turn him down? She wasn’t sure.
Frankie came back with Sera straining on the leash. Sera nudged her thigh, and Frankie handed Mia the leash. “Maybe she’ll be better for you.”
They walked down the hall and onto a service elevator. Frankie pressed the button for the basement. Upbeat and catchy music surrounded them. Even the elevator for the help was fancy.
The door opened into a massive dog park, but only a few other dogs were around. Doggie heaven. Tall lights illuminated the dogs as they sniffed around the fake trees. How nice the hotel accommodated their furry guests as well as their human ones. Sera found a grassy patch to do her business, played a while with a couple of other dogs, and then they headed back up.
Mia pushed her door open and could smell the chocolate immediately. Sera nudged past her and made a beeline for the bedroom. Frankie went running after her but didn’t reach her before she jumped onto the bed. Frankie approached her, and she growled.
Frankie looked at the dog apprehensively. “Can she stay here while I go find Tristan? We’re not supposed to deal with the dogs once they start showing aggression.”
Christmas and Commitment (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 6) Page 2