EXcapades

by Kay, Debra

  He shrugged.

  I looked down at my tightly woven hands while I squeezed so hard it turned my fingers beet red. “If it were room 13, I might understand, but 226? This makes no sense,” I said.

  “I agree. Not much our eccentric owner does makes sense, but this is his hotel, and he has an issue with the number 226.” He leaned forward. “Most people don’t notice it’s skipped, which is good because we don’t know the full story behind the missing number. But I do have to explain this scenario often enough that I feel frustrated,” he said in a ponderous tone.

  “Whatever pleases the owner?” I sighed from this setback. “Will you look up my friend’s name and see if I have the correct room number?”

  I gave him the name Blake Benton and Lila Baxter. He searched the computer screen and shook his head. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but those names are not in my computer or checked in to this resort.”

  My stomach dropped like an elevator with the cable cut, careening out of control.

  I rolled my eyes toward my eyebrows as if searching my brain for answers. I leaned in closer. “Are you sure that’s correct? Will you look again?”

  Eddie would not meet my gaze when he answered, as if not wanting to witness my embarrassment and pain. “Sorry, ma’am; there’s no one checked in under those names.”

  I automatically nodded at his response, because my mind had already left the conversation. It took a minute for my brain to put the mental puzzle pieces together and register what he had told me. Blake never checked in to the hotel! I stood frozen, baffled. This was mystifyingly unreal.

  Absorbed in thought, I stepped away from the reservation desk. What was going on here? I believed we had a connection, but I thought wrong.

  I walked outside and scanned the parking lot, looking for any sign of him. I did not see Blake’s Corvette anywhere. I began to pace nervously up and down the endless rows of cars. I searched and searched. Ten minutes passed, and still, I didn’t see Blake’s car anywhere.

  My head began to throb as I fought off mental images of Blake laughing while he spun away—with my purse and my suitcase, too. Our getaway weekend had become a living nightmare.

  I sat down on the curb, dropping my face into my hands, and cried. If our relationship hadn’t worked the first time, what made me think it was a good idea reuniting with him now? Was sexual attraction stronger than good judgment? And I thought that night on the beach meant something to him. Stupid me. Sex is sex and never means commitment or anything else to a man. Women are so easily confused by a man’s touch.

  Just because I easily could fall head over heels in love with him again, doesn’t mean he had fallen in love with me. I guess that weekend at the beach was just a fling for him. And this weekend was a joke. Well, I guess he got the last laugh. I must be a dreamer for believing it would work between us a second time around.

  After hesitating, I wrote a text that read: How long did you plan this one? And hit send. Convinced that Blake had left, I started to send a hostile second text that read: You just had to be the one to leave me this time. Well, we are even. Did you plan this revenge all along? With my finger hovering above the send button, my blood boiled.

  I placed my finger on the button and hesitated. Should I press it? Shouldn’t I?

  At that instant, a familiar voice called out my name. “Lila! What in the world are you doing outside?” I jumped, startled by Blake’s voice. I dropped my phone. My entire body lurched, and I spun around. I twisted around so quickly that I flipped backward and toppled over the curb.

  After that awkward gymnastics routine, I tried to act nonchalant. I stood slowly, wiping the gravel from my clothes, and picked up my phone. I checked him out—up and down—to make sure it was actually Blake. I regained my footing and composure, but I was hurting.

  So now I just stared at him, confused. I could see the questions in his eyes, and to my amazement, he gave me a concerned gaze. “Finally.” He tossed his hands in the air and elevated his voice. “Why didn’t you come to the room? I waited and waited and then started looking for you.”

  My lower jaw dropped sharply, and my mouth looked like a giant O. What the heck? My stare questioned him, but I found no words for a response.

  He continued speaking, with his voice sounding serious. “I was having trouble getting phone reception here in the mountains, so I walked the halls for an hour looking for you.” He paused, catching his breath. “Why were you just sitting outside on the curb? Is everything okay?”

  I released a huge sigh of relief. Simultaneously, his words sank into my brain, and my heart filled with joy.

  And when I finally regained my speech, the merriment in my voice was back. My words gushed out in a squeaky high-pitched tone. “I started to think you changed your mind about our weekend together, but I didn’t understand since we had a fabulous time on our last trip.” I laughed shakily and added, “Or so I thought.”

  He looked at me perplexed. “Of course, I loved our last trip together.”

  “I looked all over for room 226, but there’s no room 226 in this hotel.” Just saying those words out loud sounded amusing to me, now that Blake was here, standing in front of me.

  “Lila, baby,” he laughed, “I said 206.”

  “I thought you said 226. And can you believe it, there’s no 226 in this hotel?”

  It appeared to take a second for him to understand what I was saying. “So you have been walking around this enormous hotel trying to find a room that doesn’t exist? What kind of hotel is missing one room number anyway?”

  I shrugged. “A hotel with an eccentric owner, I was told. And to make matters worse, when I checked the front desk for our names, they weren’t registered. So you can understand my confusion.”

  “That’s probably because I made the reservation using a friend’s name. He had a special discount pass for this resort. My name should have been on everything, too. They probably made a mistake and keyed it in wrong. I never put your name down since I wanted to pay for everything.”

  I smiled both inwardly and outwardly. I could not remember the last time I had been so relieved. “I don’t want you to pay for everything, but we can work that out when we check out.”

  “And if you were looking for my car, this lot is full. I had to park on the hill over there,” he said, pointing into the distance.

  I nodded, not knowing what to say next. And then I thought of my last text message I almost sent. Glad I didn’t react too hastily. Lesson learned; don’t jump to conclusions next time. But please, no next time.

  The fact that I was concerned he would and could play a cruel trick on me made me start to wonder if this was really a good idea, getting reattached to my ex-boyfriend. Was it a good idea to have feelings again for someone when it did not work out the first time? Something to think about when my nerves finally calm down.

  He grinned. “Enough of this nonsense. Let’s have a good time.” He rubbed my arm. “You must be starving. I know I am. I made reservations for dinner at the main dining room for six o’clock. If we hurry, we can make it in time,” he said.

  “I’m starting to get hungry.”

  He took my hand, and we walked to the room to freshen up for dinner. Room 206! I was not yet aware of the scrumptious feast that awaited me. Feeling my stomach growl, I quickly dressed for dinner in my black wool skirt, knee-high boots, and cashmere sweater.

  Before we left the room, Blake said, “Grab your jacket because we might want to step out on the veranda later.”

  “I got it and my gloves.”

  “We’re all set then.” He laughed. “This time I’m not letting you out of my sight.” As we walked down the hall, he squeezed my hand and held it tightly.

  Blake pushed open the heavy mahogany doors, and the hostess greeted us. She ushered us to a reserved table by the wide picture window. I felt eyes on us as we walked to our table. I noticed ladies staring at Blake. One woman froze with her fork suspended in mid-bite. I wanted to walk over, maneuve
r her jaws, and help her continue eating. But instead, I smiled at Blake.

  We took our seats and looked out across the expansive lake. The sun was setting over the mountains, casting a luminous yellow light.

  While enjoying the scenery, Blake rubbed the back of my neck, releasing the day’s tension. Overall, I was as relaxed as I could remember. The conversation became lively as we discussed current events and shared humorous stories.

  Our discussion slowed only after the waiter brought our first course and we relished every bite of our creamy Caesar salads. We were equally enthralled with our main course. Blake selected the filet mignon wrapped in bacon drizzled in béarnaise sauce with a side of mashed potatoes. I opted for the sea bass glazed in a chive butter sauce on top of spinach sautéed in garlic.

  We ate slowly, savoring every delectable morsel, although I eyed Blake’s filet mignon enviously. “Do you mind if I try a piece?” I asked.

  “Help yourself,” he said. “What’s mine is yours.” And when I took a bite of food off his plate, there was an implied familiarity to it that reminded me of dinners from years ago.

  I glanced around, trying to stay in the moment. All the while, I could feel Blake’s eyes on me. When I turned in his direction, he was grinning. It was impossible not to smile back at such a handsome face.

  Beyond the windows, I could see the sky darkening. Pinks and yellows gave way to crimsons and purples as the sun slid behind the mountains. As the natural light in the restaurant dwindled, the flickering candle in the center of our table appeared to be waving. A few minutes later, the room was nearly dark except for the lights positioned in the far corners.

  The soft murmur of voices could be heard. Suddenly, the room became more intimate as the man sitting behind the baby grand piano began his rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “Luck Be a Lady,” drowning out the hushed, whispered background sounds.

  With Blake’s insistence, I reluctantly ordered the triple chocolate layer cake. Without a hint of hesitation, Blake eagerly selected the crème brûlée. A few minutes later, the waiter returned with the desserts on a silver tray. We asked him to take our picture. When the waiter leaned in with the camera, we tilted our heads together and smiled. New memories to treasure.

  I looked down at the triple layer dessert centered on a small plate. The moist chocolate cake and thick frosting were drizzled with a red raspberry sauce that swirled in loops. As I bit into the sinfully rich treat, an explosion of flavors burst in my mouth.

  Blake licked his lips. “You must taste this one.”

  I nodded my head eagerly. He leaned forward and put a heaping spoonful of crème brûlée into my mouth. Instantly, I tasted the sweetness.

  I toyed with him as I closed my lips around the spoon, easing the creamy mixture off in a sweeping sensual motion, at the same time, purring, “Mmmm. That’s so delicious.”

  “I bet you’re even more delectable,” he said, repeating my gesture. He performed a slow motion lick of the creamy dessert from his spoon, at the same time shooting me a smoldering gaze. I felt my anticipation build. And I had to avert my eyes as he tried subtly to adjust himself under the table.

  “This chocolate cake is sinfully rich. Try it,” I said, reaching over, placing the fork inside his parted mouth and nudging his lips with the cake.

  He wrapped his hand around mine. “I feel lucky to be here with you tonight. And that frosting stuck to your top lip is making me think dirty thoughts.” He laughed. “Let’s order a piece of chocolate cake from room service later, and I’ll finger-paint your body with the frosting,” he said, smiling mischievously.

  “Now, Blake,” I replied in a disapproving tone, finding it hard not to laugh.

  “What, Lila? You want me to begin with your nipples or your toes?” I squirmed in my seat, thinking about his rugged thick fingers tracing frosting streaks across my chest.

  I made a silly face and then poked out my tongue. “Should we start in the middle?”

  “I have a place where you can put that tongue,” he said. He leaned forward, kissing me softly and flicking his tongue seductively across my lips, lapping up the remaining frosting.

  At the same instant, the waiter arrived with our coffee, clearing his throat to announce his arrival. “Looks to me like things are already heating up in here,” he said. The waiter grinned while placing the steaming coffee cups beside us. I glanced away to hide my embarrassment.

  The waiter, realizing his mistake, quickly cleared the table and returned to the kitchen. After he was out of sight, I elbowed Blake teasingly and mouthed the words, “Later, I’m yours.”

  “Yummy, but I want you now,” he whispered in my ear in a warm, breathy voice only I could hear. Taking my earlobe in his lips, he sucked softly and continued down the nape of my neck, sending goose bumps up my spine.

  “I want more of that,” I purred.

  “Oh, I promise you will, baby, until you scream for me to stop,” he said, keeping his voice low so only I could hear. “And, by the way, I have an idea the daring side of you will love,” he said, looking beyond the window. We watched the last speck of light from the day fade into darkness.

  “Hmmm.”

  “It already snowed about an inch. I bet we will get another five inches,” he said.

  “Or more,” I added with a tilted smile.

  Blake turned toward me, his bright eyes twinkling with mischief. His face lit up with a playful grin. “Come play with me in the snow?” he pleaded. “I’ll make it a night you’ll never forget.” Those golden eyes implored me, and I reluctantly obliged. Yes, I would go. What does he have in mind?

  I tried to register exactly what he was asking here. I felt titillated by the thought of frolicking in the snow with this handsome man. But do I dare step into the darkness with him?

  So many “what ifs” invaded my mind. I tried to gather my courage, and I searched deep inside to awaken my latent adventurous spirit that was somewhere in there. I knew it. I just need to locate it and then channel it. Do it!

  I looked at him sheepishly, nodding while taking his outstretched hand. He wrapped his large fingers around my hand, and then we exchanged a scandalous look meant only for each other. Our eyes gleamed with excitement.

  Chapter 10

  After charging the dinner to the room and swallowing the last sip of his coffee, Blake excitedly said, “Ready to go, dear.”

  “There’s no stopping us now,” I said. And with both of us grinning, he escorted me toward the exit.

  Before stepping into the night, I saw him searching inside his jacket. He pulled out a small blanket and flashlight he had discreetly tucked away. Evidently, he had been secretly planning this adventure. No wonder he sighed in relief when I agreed to go.

  Blake and I stepped outside. Fortunately, the moon was full and lit up a huge mass of shimmering snow clouds. Looking into the sky, I saw the snow illuminate the night with dancing lights. We were greeted by the biting cold air and the winter wind that carried a slight smell of chimney smoke. It was invigorating.

  The frozen wetness smacked my face. I wiped the soft snowflakes away, turned up the faux fur collar on my coat, and pulled my wool hat over my ears. I stood captivated by the crystals that fluttered furiously around us. “The snow is like diamonds falling from the sky,” I shouted.

  “It’s a lovely sight,” he said, watching me waving my arms in the air, spinning in circles.

  White dusted the ground everywhere around us, like creamy frosting on a wedding cake. Looking out past the resort, the snow cast a luminous glow onto the rolling hills. But in the distant sky an ominous bank of thick, churning clouds warned of pounding snow yet to come. We agreed not to stray too far from the resort, and then we forged ahead.

  Blake leaned over, picked up a handful of powdery flakes, and pretended to fling it at me. “Wow, it’s seriously cold out here. You better zip your jacket,” he said.

  “Good advice.”

  He tossed the fistful of snow to the ground in a shower of cry
stal sparkles and wiggled his fingers in the air, showing off his thick leather gloves. “The military provides these top-rate gloves. Would you like to wear mine?”

  I shook my head. “Thanks for watching out for me. My gloves should be fine. If not, maybe you can help keep me warm.” I smiled up at Blake and brushed the snowflakes off his broad shoulders.

  “My pleasure.”

  “I think this crisp air is exhilarating. And is there really anything more beautiful than falling snow?” I asked, watching the tiny crystals fly through the air.

  “You are and seem to get more so each day. You really found the fountain of youth.” He smiled, squeezing my hand. I smiled back at him, loving every sweet word that flowed from his lips.

  We strolled along the path that bordered the lake, letting the silvery light from the moon become our guide. In the distance, we could hear the faint whistle of a train.

  As we continued walking, Blake encouraged me to step slightly ahead of him while he lagged behind. The entire time I could feel his eyes staring intensely at me.

  “Ouch!” he cried out. “Stay focused on the ground,” I heard him whisper under his breath.

  “Is everything okay?” I stopped, turned, and was bewildered to see Blake rubbing his leg.

  “Yes, babe. I stared so intently at the sway of your hips that I forgot to watch the ground in front of me. My ankle twisted slightly on that upturned branch, but I’ll be fine.”

  “Should we go back?” I asked, turning to see the trail of footprints we created. With each crunching step in the compacted snow, my boots left imprints.

  “No, I became hypnotized by your magnificent bottom. It must be the static electricity because your skirt is grabbing your rear end like plastic wrap and clinging to your curves.”

  “Ah, so that’s what you’re doing behind me,” I said, smacking him lightly on the arm. “You’re making me laugh so hard, I’m warming me up inside. I’m thrilled to share this glorious night with you.”