Goodbye Gifts_The Steamy Version

by Elena Aitken

  Carmen watched her go and tried to process everything she’d just heard. Her parents just wanted to see her happy and they thought they’d seen that in Dylan.

  She gathered up the mugs and carried them to the back room. She’d spent most of her adult life trying to prove her parents wrong and show them she could make it on her own. But what if all that time, they’d just wanted the best thing for her? What if that thing was Dylan?

  As much as Dylan wanted to immediately go find Carmen and make everything better between them, or at the very least, see if there was anything left to salvage between them, he had enough sense to wait until morning.

  He owed it to Trent to look after their project because for everything screwed up and wrong that Trent had done, he had done it all because he cared. And he had a point. Dylan needed to focus on the Springs, because without both of them giving the project their full attention, it would fail and neither of them could afford that.

  But the one thing his conversation with his big brother had made clear to him was that there was room in his life for both business and love, and despite his best efforts to avoid it, he had fallen in love and he could no longer deny it. Nor did he want to.

  He didn’t get much sleep, but as soon as it was decent to do so, Dylan showered, dressed and made his call to Sam Braxton. Luckily, he knew the man was an early riser and liked to get an early start on the day. Sure enough, he answered on the second ring.

  “Braxton.”

  “Mr. Braxton? It’s Dylan Harrison. I’m so sorry I missed you yesterday at the Lodge. It was a nasty stomach bug,” he lied. “And I didn’t want to risk anyone else getting sick.”

  “You’re feeling better today, I take it?”

  “Much. Thank you, sir.” Dylan rubbed a hand across his face, thankful the other man couldn’t see him. “Trent said you had a few more questions for me,” he said, eager to get to the point. “Let me see if I can answer those for you so we can move forward.”

  They spent the next twenty minutes discussing some of the finer points of the contract and the business aspect of the Springs. Overall, Sam Braxton was an astute businessman, and Dylan was impressed with his questions. But by the time he’d answered everything, Sam Braxton also seemed impressed.

  “Well, Dylan,” he said. “I think we have ourselves a new partnership. I’ll be more than happy to sign the paperwork and get the first installment transferred into the account so we can keep the build on schedule.”

  Dylan almost cheered from the relief of the other man’s words. “That sounds great, Mr. Braxton. I can’t wait to share the news with Trent. Thank you very much.”

  When he hung up, Dylan knew he should probably go find Trent and tell him immediately that everything would be a go-ahead with the Springs. But, he settled for a quick text message and headed to the lobby. He had more pressing issues to deal with.

  He was worried that Carmen would be off shift and already back in her apartment by the time he got there, but he’d already decided if that happened, he wouldn’t hesitate to bang down her door until she agreed to speak to him. As it turned out, he didn’t have to go to such measures. After a quick stop in the gift shop, he strode into the lobby, holding a large paper bag and found her leaving the office, with her jacket in her arms.

  She didn’t see him come up, which wasn’t surprising, since she looked exhausted or maybe sad. Or more likely, a combination of the two. “Carmen?”

  She turned and the look on her face when she registered that it was him standing in front of her almost broke his heart all over again. For a moment, he was afraid she was going to turn around and walk away. If she did that, he wasn’t sure how he’d handle it. He’d planned for many different eventualities, but that wasn’t one of them. He needed her to listen to him. He needed her to talk to him.

  “Please,” he said. “I know you must hate me right now, but—“

  “Wait.” She tipped her head and stared at him as if he’d just said the most ridiculous thing. “I must hate you? I know I’m tired,” she said. “And I really haven’t slept much. But, is that what you really just said?”

  He nodded. “I was a jerk, Carmen.” She dipped her head and he resisted the urge to reach out and lift it so he could look in her beautiful eyes. “I didn’t mean what I said about trying to get you to work at the Springs.” She looked up then. “I mean, I’d love it if you would, of course. But that was Trent’s idea. He mentioned it and told me I should ask you.” He was aware that he was rambling, but he couldn’t seem to get the words out in the way he wanted. He took a deep breath and slowed down. “But that wasn’t why I was spending time with you. And I don’t care whatever deal you may or may not have made with my brother.”

  She opened her mouth to say something, but Dylan laid a gentle finger against her lips. He stared directly into those eyes, so deep and green they would always remind him of the lake where he first kissed her. “Carmen.” He spoke slowly, making sure she heard every word. “I was with you because from the moment I met you, I haven’t wanted to be anywhere but right next to you. I can’t explain it, and I don’t care to try, but I’ve never met a woman like you before, and I certainly have never felt the way I feel when I’m with you and I don’t care what brought us together. All I know is that I’m not going to stand by and let anything break us apart. Because I know you’re scared, too. But scared or not, we both feel it and—“

  Her lips on his swallowed whatever else he might have said. He slid a hand behind her head and drew her closer, needing to feel all of her against him.

  Dylan was the one to finally break their contact. He pulled away, only far enough to look in her eyes, but kept both hands on her lower back, holding her firmly in place. He wasn’t going to risk her getting away again. “I need to know,” he said. “I need to know you feel the same way.”

  She tipped her head back and laughed. The sound escaping her throat was beautiful, and Dylan wanted to capture it to remember the moment forever. “If you need me to say it,” she said after a moment, “I will.”

  He nodded and waited.

  “I absolutely love your brother,” she said.

  Dylan almost dropped his hold on her, but the sparkle in her eyes gave him pause. He narrowed his eyes and said, “Oh really?”

  “Absolutely. If it wasn’t for him and his asinine deal, I never would have asked you to go out that first night,” she said. “And I never would have fallen completely, unexplainably, and totally in love with you.”

  His heart lifted at her words and he was about to pull her in for another kiss when she said, “Dylan, I’m so sorry. You need to know that—“

  “No,” he said, silencing her. “I know the truth about everything. And you’re right. We owe Trent and his backwards, screwed-up ideas for bringing us together in the first place.”

  “Yeah,” she said with a giggle. “We owe him a punch in the nose.”

  Dylan kissed her on the tip of her nose and laughed. “Already took care of it, darling.”

  Dylan would have been happy kissing and laughing all day, but it didn’t take a genius to see that Carmen was falling asleep on her feet, and she needed to get some sleep. He walked her back to her apartment, and reluctant to be away from her, tucked her into bed and curled up behind her, pulling her close.

  She snuggled into him, a perfect fit.

  “Dylan?”

  “I’m here.”

  “It’s time to say goodbye,” she mumbled. “I know you have work to do.”

  He shook his head even though she couldn’t see him and inhaled the sweet smell of her shampoo that lingered in her hair. “I’m not letting you out of my sight,” he said. “I want to spend every minute with you. Even if you’re sleeping.”

  She shifted and turned in his arms so she was looking at him. “But what about later? I mean, you can’t stay here forever. You have a resort to run and I…” She trailed off and wouldn’t look at him.

  Dylan tilted her chin up. “I know your career is h
ere,” he said. “And I wouldn’t dream of trying to take that away from you. And I don’t know how we’re going to do it, but we’ll make it work. I care about you too much, not to make every effort to…”

  Her lips turned up into a mischievous smile.

  “What?” Dylan asked.

  “I was just wondering,” she said slowly. “I know you said you weren’t trying to recruit me for the Springs, but maybe…I mean, if I suddenly found myself unemployed and looking for a change…would there maybe be a position for me there?”

  Dylan didn’t even try to hide the smile that spread across his face. The distance between them had been the one detail he couldn’t work out, and he’d never dream of taking her career away from her. It was part of what made Carmen so strong and so special.

  “What are you saying?” He tried to hide the hope behind his words.

  She propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at him. “I resigned my position at the Lodge last night,” she said. “At the time, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do next. I just knew I needed a change. It’s time. But now…I think working at the Springs might be just the challenge I’m looking for.”

  “Oh, yeah?” He couldn’t help but tease her a little. “And the fact that I’m going to be there has nothing to do with your sudden change of heart?”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “It may have factored in to the decision-making process slightly.”

  “Well, since you need a job—“

  Carmen swatted at him playfully and dropped her head down next to his on the pillow. He couldn’t have contained his smile if he’d tried. He picked up a few strands of her silky hair and let them slide between his fingers. “I don’t know,” he said, keeping his voice light, “but I think we might just be able to work something out. I know the owners.”

  THE END

  If you enjoyed Goodbye Gifts, you’ll probably like the next in the series, Tempting Gifts. The steamy version is available now. Check out an excerpt, right after a note from the author.

  Thank you so much for taking a chance on Goodbye Gifts. I absolutely believe the mountains are a magical place and they hold a very special place in my heart. The love continues at Castle Mountain Lodge with Tempting Gifts, the next in the series. Enjoy an excerpt after this note.

  If you want to know about my new releases and other special deals, you can sign up for my newsletter list here.

  I offer discount prices for my fans, so you’ll want to make sure you’re subscribed, PLUS you’ll get a free copy of the exclusive short story, Fingers Crossed!

  If you enjoyed Goodbye Gifts, please share it with a friend. And if leaving reviews is your thing and you want to make sure others discover Castle Mountain Lodge, I’d really appreciate it if you took a moment to leave a review here.

  And if you do, make sure to send an email to assistant@elenaaitken.com with a link to the review and we’ll be sure to add you to a list of advanced copy reviewers.

  Finally, as well as falling in love at the Lodge, my new spin off series, The Springs is also now available. I know you’ll enjoy these stories that are so much more than just love stories, but also stories of friendship and growth. Right now you can download it for FREE!

  Read Tempting Gifts, the next in the Castle Mountain Lodge Series, NOW!

  Also by Elena Aitken

  Castle Mountain Lodge Series (Steamy Versions) Unexpected Gifts

  Hidden Gifts

  Mistaken Gifts

  Secret Gifts

  Goodbye Gifts Tempting Gifts

  The Springs Series

  Summer of Change—FREE

  Falling Into Forever

  Winter’s Burn

  Midnight Springs

  Second Glances

  She’s Making a List-Holiday Novella

  The Escape Collection

  Nothing Stays In Vegas

  Drawing Free

  Sugar Crash

  Composing Myself

  Betty and Veronica

  Halfway to Nowhere

  The Escape Collection

  Read the first chapter of Tempting Gifts, the much anticipated sixth Castle Mountain Lodge Book!

  Available NOW!

  Lisa Gibbs wiped a smear of blue finger paint off her cheek and then, before the little girl who sat at the miniature table across from her could squirm away, used the cloth to clean most of the paint off her smiling face. She couldn’t do anything about the paint that had found its way into her hair, but it would wash out. Besides, a messy child after arts and crafts was almost always a happy child. And if her parents didn’t like it when they came to pick her up from the Cub Club, well, that was too bad.

  “Why don’t you go play, Emily?” Lisa suggested. “I’ll put your painting on the rack to dry and you can take it with you when you leave.”

  The little girl nodded. “It’s for my mommy. I love her the mostest.”

  Lisa felt the familiar pinch of jealousy. Which was ridiculous because she didn’t even know the little girl’s mother. But it didn’t matter. She didn’t need to know the woman to envy her. Whoever she was, she had a beautiful little girl, and Lisa could guess she also had a husband who doted on her. The perfect family. Just like all the families who visited Castle Mountain Lodge.

  Lisa watched Emily join a group of children building Lego before she cleaned up the painting supplies and returned them to the supply cupboard. She loved her job. Loved working with the children. It was their parents she had trouble with. They were all so damn perfect and happy and…the complete opposite from anything she’d ever had, or likely ever would.

  The bells on the door chimed, alerting her to the arrival of a new guest. Instinctively, Lisa looked for Morgan. Her boss—and friend—was in the middle of reading a story to a small group who hung off her every word. Morgan waved at Lisa to handle the visitor and she nodded her response. Lisa grabbed the registration clipboard and turned around.

  When she saw the man in front of her, tall and filling out his T-shirt with muscles that looked to be earned by many hard hours in the gym, Lisa momentarily forgot what to say. She’d certainly never seen him before. But that wasn’t unusual at the Lodge. Guests were always coming and going, bringing their kids in and out of the child care center.

  “Welcome to the Cub Club,” she said. She gave him a bright friendly smile. “What can I help you with?” He didn’t have a child with him, which was unusual. “Are you picking up your child?” She scanned the list, trying to figure out who he might be picking up. “Because I’ll have to see some ID before we release them to you.”

  “Oh no. I’m not here to pick anyone up.” She raised her eyebrows at his choice of words; he tipped his head briefly and gave her a strange look before he added, “I’m just wondering how this works here.” He gestured around the room.

  “Well, usually you have a child to register in the program.” If he was some creeper who was just trying to figure out a way to be close to the kids, there was no way he’d be getting past her. The fact that he looked as if he could pick her up and throw her over his shoulder hardly seemed like an important detail. She forced a smile and tried to be as friendly as possible until she could figure out what he was after. “This is a club for kids, but if you’re looking for something to do at the Lodge, I could direct you in the right direction. We have a wide variety of activities for our older guests as well, sir.” She put her clipboard down and looked at him pointedly.

  “Oh no.” A smile crossed his face and he laughed as he realized what she was implying. “It’s not like that at all.”

  Lisa’s instincts were to believe him. Despite his broad chest and thick arms, he didn’t look like the threatening type. In fact, he looked like the type of guy she would normally be attracted to. Very attracted. But that was before. Things were different now and a man, even one as attractive as the one who stood in front of her, was not on her agenda. “Well, how is it then, sir?”

  “Jason,” he said. “My name’s Jason. And I actual
ly am wondering about the Cub Club. Not for myself obviously,” he added quickly.

  The man crossed his arms over his chest, which drew more attention to them as far as Lisa was concerned. She tried not to stare at his defined muscles.

  “Obviously.” She looked directly into his big green eyes. “That would be weird.”

  He chuckled and nodded. “That it would. But don’t worry, I’m not some kind of crazy. I actually need to register Kayden .”

  “Kayden? That’s a nice name.”

  “Yeah. His mom named him after his grandfather.” There was a time, not too long ago, when Lisa would’ve inquired further about Kayden, his mom, and whether his extremely good-looking and charismatic father was a single father and potentially in need of a date. But that was before she almost lost everything she’d worked for at the Lodge because of her tendency to flirt, and well, more than flirt, with guests. After the Gage Mitchell incident, when she took her attraction to the movie star who was staying at the Lodge a little too far, she was lucky she still had a job at all. And there was no way she was going to make that mistake again. Things had changed. She had changed.

  She glanced up from her clipboard where she’d started writing. “Okay.” She returned her attention to the clipboard with the professional detachment she’d perfected since the incident. “We can get your son registered without a problem. How many days will you be visiting us at Castle Mountain?”

  She held the pen poised in her hand and waited for his response. When he didn’t say anything, she looked up. “Sir? How many days?”

  “It’s Jason,” he said finally. Amusement laced his voice. “Remember?”

  “I remember.” She returned his smile. He was so disarming, she couldn’t help how her body responded to him. “How many days would you like to register for, Jason?” She emphasized his name this time. “Basically, how it works is every day we plan different activities for the children so they can enjoy some fun, kid time, and you and um…Kayden’s mom…”She tilted her head with the implied question that she knew she had no business asking and tried to tell herself that she didn’t care what the answer was. When Jason only shrugged in response, she continued. “Well, then the two of you are free to enjoy some of the activities at the Lodge that aren’t quite so child friendly, and everyone has a good time.”