“I'm fine.”
He stared at her, and she relented. “I was sitting over there.”
“I know. I saw you when I came in. My name's Rick, by the way.”
“Hi.” She watched his face as he helped her back to the chair. He'd surprised her, and her initial reaction had been gruff. Now he seemed kinder, his dark brown eyes showed concern, and there were tiny wrinkles around their edges.
Settling her into the chair, he pointed to the ottoman. “Want your leg up?”
“Sure.”
He lifted it with care and looked at her. “That okay?”
“Yeah.” She thought her voice sounded breathless, and the one-word answers made her come across as goofy. “That's good,” she added.
“All right, then.” He straightened, his body tall and stocky. Not overweight—solid—and masculine. She couldn't ignore that, any more than she could his tantalizing aftershave. It overwhelmed her, causing her to feel giddy, like a schoolgirl. It'd been ages since she'd felt that way.
She cleared her throat, trying to regain some semblance of control. “Are you the maintenance man here?”
“You might say that. Actually, I'm a Jack-Of-All-Trades. Right now I'm the desk clerk, until the five o'clock shift shows up.”
She glanced at the counter. “So you don't have to rush off?”
He looked around the empty lobby. “Not particularly. I should finish sweeping up this popcorn, though.”
She smiled sheepishly. “I'm really sorry about that.”
Shrugging, he returned to the spill and scooped it into the dustpan. “No big deal. You did a pretty good job, uh—”
She gazed dreamily into his eyes then realized he was waiting for her name. “Oh! Deidre. Deidre North.”
“Deidre,” he repeated and smiled.
He had a gorgeous mouth. When it curved upward, her heart melted. She watched him move about the lobby, sweeping tidbits here and there, before he finally set the broom down. He straightened some magazines on another table, leaning down to pick up an insert card that had fallen out. “I hate these things.”
“Me too,” she murmured, staring at the perfect view of his ass in tight denim jeans. She thought about knocking a card from one of her magazines, just so he'd have to bend over again.
He moved in front of her, his crotch at her eye level. Flustered, she glanced up quickly and said, “I'm not much of a magazine reader myself.”
“Really?” He eyed the stack on the table next to her.
“My sister,” she explained. “Everyone wanted to do something when I broke my leg. She thought she was being helpful.”
“It was all the talk around here. We hate it when guests and trees collide.”
“The owner was very kind. He sent flowers and stopped by to visit me yesterday.”
“Yeah, he's a real peach.” Rick rolled his eyes. “So, you decided not to leave? Most guests go home after an accident like yours.”
She shrugged. “My family's been looking forward to this vacation. I hated to ruin it. We're only staying until the second of January. I figured I could hang out until then.”
His eyes twinkled. “January second, huh? So you'll be here for the New Year's Eve bash. It's always a lot of fun.”
She looked at her cast. “Yep, I'm sure it'll be a blast. I was looking forward to it before this happened. Now I'll probably watch TV in my room.”
“No way!” He folded his arms across his chest. “You've got to come to the party. I guarantee you'll have a great time.”
She was skeptical, certain her hopes for a fun evening were ruined.
The front door opened, announced by a bell jingling. He glanced at the family making their way to the check-in counter. “Let me take care of these folks. In fact, if you don’t have other plans, maybe we could have dinner tonight.”
“Only plan I have is to sit right here.” She watched him stride to the front desk.
“We'll see about that.” He looked over his shoulder and winked.
His action shot through her like a spark, sending a tingle down her spine to points south. She couldn't believe her physical reaction to him—that never happened to her. Almost never.
He glanced her way every so often, as if making sure she was still watching. Was he checking her out? Deidre squeezed the arms of her chair, trying to get a grip on herself. She'd heard about love at first sight. Was there such a thing as lust at first sight?
He glanced up one more time and grinned.
She looked away, embarrassed. Lust at first sight—yeah, there was definitely such a thing, and she had it, big time.
Chapter Two
They talked until the evening desk clerk came on duty.
“Do you feel like getting out of here?” Rick handed Deidre her crutches. “Our restaurant is good, but I know a nice, quiet place I'd like to take you.”
“I'm not sure.” She hadn't ventured outside without her father to lean on since the accident.
“It's close. I'll help you, I promise.” His eyes did the sparkle-twinkle thing she was beginning to recognize and enjoy.
She couldn't resist; the idea of dinner with him appealed much more than an evening with her family. “I should probably go change.”
“You look fine. Jeans are perfect for this place.”
“Okay.” She ran a hand through her hair. She definitely needed to hit the restroom and check her appearance. “That sounds good. I just need to—”
“Deidre! How are you doing?” Her father entered the lobby, looking windblown but happy.
“Hey, Daddy, I'm fine. How was skiing?”
“Great. Your mother and sister tore up the slopes. I couldn't get them to come in.”
“Wow,” she replied wistfully. She loved skiing, but didn't feel quite as bad about missing it as she had earlier.
“Are you ready to go up? I'll give you a hand.”
“Actually, if you could take this to my room, I'd be grateful.” She shoved her book and magazines into a tote bag. “I'm not going up right away. I've been invited out to dinner.”
“Really?” Her father shouldered the bag and looked at Rick. “David North.” He extended his hand.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. North. I'm Rick.” They shook hands.
“Hello, Rick. You work here?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Maintenance man?”
“Rick does all kinds of things, Daddy,” Deidre interjected. She loved her father, but hated the look on his face at that moment. He wasn't as judgmental as her mother, but came close, and it was irritating as hell. “He saw how bored I was and offered to take me out.”
“We'd have been happy to take you out,” her Dad said. She pouted, and he smiled. “All right, just be careful. We don’t need you to get in any more trouble.”
“I will.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek.
He squeezed her shoulders, nodded to the younger man, and walked to the elevator.
“Let's get out of here before your mother appears,” Rick muttered under his breath.
She chuckled. “Sorry about that. My parents are good people, but—”
“They're snobs, Dee. Face it. That's okay, I've dealt with my share of people like them before. My parents, for example.”
She gazed up into his face. No one had ever called her 'Dee', and she liked it.
“You're looking at me like, 'What do your parents have to be snobbish about?' aren't you?” His voice sounded snide.
“What?” She focused on him again. “No! I was thinking about your calling me Dee. I liked it.”
“Oh.” His face flushed pink. “Sorry.”
“Forget it. Listen, I need to use the restroom before we go. Do you mind?”
“Go ahead.” He brushed back his hair, gathering his composure, and smiled. “Need any help?”
“I think I can manage, thanks.” She hobbled to the white-tiled room. Staring at herself in the large, bright mirror, she wished she'd taken the time to apply makeup that mo
rning. Her mother would be mortified if she knew Deidre wasn’t wearing makeup when going out with a man.
She washed her face and rubbed her cheeks to give them color. She'd been blessed with a clear complexion. Somebody had a sense of humor—her rail-thin sister struggled with acne for years. On the other hand, Renee had beautiful, straight blonde hair, while Deidre fought the frizzies in her wavy, dishwater-brown tresses. Her latest stylist had given her a cute, shoulder-length cut, for which Deidre was grateful. She barely had time to run a brush through her hair, so it had to be good enough.
She hoped tonight wasn't a mistake. Something inside her wanted to trust Rick, so she ventured back into the lobby with hopeful enthusiasm.
“Ready to go?” He met her by the door, coat in hand.
“Oh.” She looked at the jacket. Hers was upstairs in her room. “I don't have a—”
“Coat!” He swatted his head absent-mindedly. “I should have remembered. I have a spare close by. Hang on one moment.” He disappeared, returning quickly with a second ski parka. “Here you go. A little big, but it'll keep you warm.”
“Thanks.” She smiled as he helped her slip the coat on. It was big, but comforting, and it smelled wonderful, like his after-shave.
He led her outside to the passenger side of a nearby black Jeep. “The restaurant isn't far, but given the circumstances, I suppose we should drive.”
“Probably so.” She imagined having dinner then strolling around the beautiful ski villa, hand in hand. Without a broken leg, it sounded perfect.
The restaurant was close by and, as he helped her inside, she admired his choice. The little Italian bistro was charming, with red checked tablecloths and candles on every table. Beautiful décor complimented the quiet and intimate atmosphere.
He kept a hand on her as the waitress led them to a corner booth. Rick made sure she was situated before he got in, scooting around the bench to sit next to her. He placed her crutches off to the side. “Are you comfortable enough? Do you need to raise your leg?”
“I'm fine. This is really lovely.”
“The food is great too. I recommend the lasagna or the spaghetti. Both are fantastic.”
“Either sounds great. You decide.” She closed her menu. “Do you live here year round?”
“Sure do. When there's no snow, the resort is still busy with vacationers. There's a lot to do here in the summer, and the sights are just as beautiful.”
“I never thought about coming here in the summer.”
He ran a finger down the back of her hand. “You might have to think about it.”
“I might,” she agreed, gazing into his eyes.
He shifted closer, their thighs touching. Using one hand to curl her hair behind her ear, he spoke softly. “I don't think I've told you how beautiful you look tonight.”
She shifted nervously in her seat. “Had your eyes checked lately?”
“No need to.” He looked as if he was going to say something else, but the waitress returned, and he shoved himself away.
She took a breath and exhaled. His intensity intoxicated her. She hadn't been sweet-talked in a long time. But, she wasn't the type of girl to get too friendly on a first date. He'd find that out soon enough. Especially now—she glanced down at her hard plaster cast, an obstacle she wasn't prepared to deal with. Getting romantic with one leg in a cast didn't sound romantic at all.
He ordered lasagna and spaghetti for them. By the end of the meal he was next to her again, sharing bites on his fork, and she didn't mind a bit. Outgoing, charming, and handsome, he got better looking as the night wore on. Several times she re-thought her first-date rules, her mind waffling back and forth as her nerves tingled with anticipation.
They each drank a glass of wine with dessert, so Deidre felt relaxed and happy as Rick led her to his Jeep and helped her in. He glanced over at her and smiled. “I don't want the evening to end.”
“Me either.”
“It's a nice night. What do you say to a drive?”
“Sounds good.”
He nodded and drove for a few minutes until they reached a secluded spot. The stars glittered brightly, the view of the mountains spectacular.
“Wow,” she murmured as he parked.
“It's beautiful country up here.”
“It certainly is.” She settled back into her seat and looked around, enjoying the serenity.
A moment of awkwardness ensued when he reached out to pull her into his arms. “Damned bucket seats,” he muttered.
“Damn cast.” She looked at him and smiled.
“Forces are conspiring against us. Let's try again.” He scooted closer, wrapping his arms around her. His mouth pressed against hers, his lips warm and inviting.
Deidre sank into the kiss, opening her mouth just enough to encourage him. He got the message, his tongue delving deep, batting against hers.
The kiss sent shivers through her body. Caught up in the exhilaration of the moment, she didn't pull away when his hand slipped under her sweater. His fingers massaged her breast, cupping then kneading in a manner that caused sparks to flicker deep in her belly. She vaguely sensed him unfastening her bra. A surreal but wonderful feeling, she leaned back to allow him better access.
Her cell phone rang, and they both jumped. “Ignore it,” he murmured, his kisses heating a trail down her neck.
She wanted to. His mouth was moving in a direction she longed for, and it seemed like a rotten time to interrupt. It had to be one of her parents. No one else would call. “I have to get it. It'll just take a second.” She reached into her jean pocket for the phone.
“No.” He rested his forehead against her shoulder.
She smiled at him, flicking open the phone. “Hi, Mom.”
“Deidre! Where are you? It's getting late.”
She knew he could hear and rolled her eyes for his benefit. “I told Daddy I was having dinner out. We're still out.”
“Are you with that maintenance man?” Her mother’s voice dripped condescension, and Deidre turned the phone away.
“Mother,” she whispered with irritation, “his name is Rick, and he's very nice. Please don’t speak about him in that tone.”
“What do we know about this Rick person?”
“What do you know about any of my dates? I'm a grown woman.”
“This is different, Deidre, and you know it. You've got a cast on your leg and you're not able to take care of yourself right now. If you were to get into a troubling situation, how would you handle it?”
Rick leaned back into his seat. She smiled at him and tried to reassure her mother at the same time. “Everything is fine. Rick is a gentleman. I'll be home soon, all right? I'll knock on your door when I get in. Goodbye, Mom.”
“Be careful!” she called.
Deidre punched the off button. “I'm sorry.”
He looked at her. “You think she believes that you're not in a troubling situation?”
“I don't know. She's usually not this way. It's just with the accident and all…”
“I understand.” He moved closer. “Now, where were we?”
“Rick.” She placed one hand on his chest. Speaking to her mother had brought her back to reality. On a first date with a man she barely knew, she realized she'd probably never see him again after this trip. She carried around several pounds of plaster and another forty of flab, unprepared to flaunt either in front of this handsome stranger. “I can't.”
“Can't what?” He leaned in to kiss her neck. “Can't remember where we were? Because I think—”
“Stop.” She reached for his hand before it slid under her sweater again.
His eyes flashed. “What's changed, Dee? You were all for this before your mother called.”
“I know. I'm sorry. I got carried away. I never do this sort of thing.”
He sat up, grabbed the steering wheel, and took a few deep breaths. “Pretty much what I figured. Okay, I understand. I'll take you back to the resort.”
“P
lease don't be mad.” She reached for his arm, but he pulled away with a quick glance at her. The look in his eyes stunned her. He didn't look angry, more…hurt. “Rick?”
“It's fine.” He drove fast, changing gears angrily and getting them back in record time. Without speaking, he escorted her from the Jeep to the resort lobby.
“I had a lovely evening.” She tried to smooth the awkward silence.
He led her to the elevator and stopped. “I trust you can get back to your room by yourself? I'd rather not bump into your parents.”
“Sure. I'm really sorry.” She regretted her decision already.
“Nothing to be sorry about. I'll catch you later.” He pushed the up button and, once she was in the elevator, turned and walked away.
Chapter Three
Tugging off her sweater, Deidre felt lousy. Her unfastened bra made her feel even worse. She threw her clothes aside and sat on the edge of her bed, trying to decide how to remove her jeans.
She'd already told her parents good night. When she had reached their floor she knocked on the door and spoke with them for a few minutes, before hurrying to her room. She had looked in the mirror and realized she still wore Rick's coat. Running a hand over the sleeve gently, she had removed the jacket and hung it over the back of a chair.
He was the one acting foolish, wasn't he? What kind of a guy expected a woman to sleep with him on the first date? She'd never done it before, hadn't considered it—until Rick. Different from any guy she'd dated, Rick seemed charming, handsome, and intelligent, with a lot going for him. Something else—his large frame made her feel smaller, instead of fat.
Fat. She'd hit on the root of the problem, right there. She hadn't slept with anyone since she'd gained weight. A couple guys in college, the first year, before her schedule had gotten so crazy that she didn't have time to date. Was she kidding herself? She'd always told herself she didn't have time to date.
Now she had time, even had the man. What truly held her back? Slipping a nightgown over her jeans, she decided to sleep half dressed, rather than ask for help. She used the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and fell into bed.
Dream by the Fire: Winter Magic Page 5