Tempting Gifts

by Elena Aitken

  She was halfway down the path when a voice calling her name stopped her. She turned with a smile on her face as Kayden ran toward her. She opened her arms just in time to catch the little boy, who crashed into her.

  “Hey, kiddo.” She ruffled his hair. “How are you doing today?” His mother, Jen, joined them, a grin on her face as well. She looked so much like Jason it was impossible to look at her without thinking of the way he rejected her.

  “Good,” Kayden answered her. “Can we go on another hike?”

  “No.” The women answered in unison before they laughed.

  “I think we’re going to keep you close to home base from now on,” Jen said. “Hey, do you mind heading inside to the lobby and finding Auntie Emily again? I wanted to talk to Lisa for a minute.”

  Kayden looked between them and gave Lisa another quick hug before nodding. “Alright. I’ll see you later, okay, Lisa?”

  “Absolutely.”

  The women watched as Kayden bounced off in the direction of the main lobby. “I keep thinking I don’t want to let him out of my sight, but I know he’ll be okay going inside.”

  Lisa nodded, sympathizing with her. “It must be hard after what happened. But I promise you, he was safe the entire time. Even when he fell in the water, he was—”

  “Oh, I know.” Jen held up a hand, and smiled. “I’m not trying to say anything about your care. I know he was safe, it’s just…well, sometimes it’s hard for me to remember that he’s growing up.”

  Lisa nodded again, even though she couldn’t possibly know what it was like to have a son who was growing up.

  After Kayden disappeared through the door, Jen turned to her and suddenly she got nervous. What if Jen had heard about her reputation and that was what turned Jason off her? Was Jen going to confront her? If the ground could have opened up to swallow her, Lisa would have welcomed it at that moment.

  “I wanted to thank you again.”

  “What?” The question popped out before she could stop it.

  If Jen was surprised by her outburst, she didn’t show it. She smiled. “I know I already thanked you for taking care of Kayden, but I really wanted to thank you for something else.”

  Confusion clouded her head, and she knew it showed on her face, but she couldn’t help it. “I don’t understand.”

  “I want to thank you for waking up my brother.”

  “Jason?”

  Jen laughed and nodded. “That’s the one. He’s been living in kind of a fog for the last few years, and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen him as happy as I did when you guys came down the mountain. I’m pretty sure I have you to thank for that.”

  As fast as the good feeling came, it went as Lisa remembered the way Jason’s attitude had changed and the way he looked at her the last time they’d spoken, only hours earlier. “Well…” Lisa paused as she tried to decide how much to say to Jen. Finally she sighed, and continued. What did she have to lose? “He sure doesn’t seem too happy with me anymore. So I don’t know what to tell you.”

  Jen waved her hand and brushed away Lisa’s concern. “Jason just needs to get out of his own way. And he will. Don’t worry about that.”

  How did she not worry about that? Jason had all but told her to leave him alone. She wasn’t going to pretend to understand it, but it had hurt nonetheless.

  “I do want you to come to the Porter Party, though. I know it’s a big family thing, and it has a ridiculous name.” Jen shrugged. “Actually, the whole thing is ridiculous. But it’s a lot of fun, and no matter what he says, he wants you there. He just doesn’t know it yet.”

  “I don’t know.”

  Jen grabbed her arm and forced her to look into her eyes. They were the identical deep green as Jason’s and it was almost as if she stared at him. “Please,” Jen said. “For me.”

  Before she could think of a suitable excuse, Lisa found herself nodding. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll be there.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Usually Lisa liked any excuse to dress up and go to a party. There weren’t a lot of opportunities at Castle Mountain Lodge, so she tended to jump at them. But as she prepared for the Porter Party, pulled her hair up into a simple but elegant twist and added a swipe of lip gloss, she felt like a black cloud hung over her. The second she’d agreed to the party, she’d regretted it. But seeing how pleased Jen was when she’d said yes, Lisa didn’t have the heart to go back on her word. Besides, it wouldn’t be all for nothing; she’d present the certificate to keep Ryan happy. But after that, she’d smile, say her goodbyes, and get out of there. She’d already tried to fix things with Jason, but she would not continue to bang her head against a brick wall. She could take a hint.

  She slipped into a royal blue sheath dress that she knew complemented her eyes, grabbed her one pair of black pumps from the closet and stood back to admire the entire effect.

  A smile played at her lips. She looked good. Damned good and she knew it. A part of her—a small part, but a part nonetheless—couldn’t help but hope that Jason would see her and realize what he’d lost out on. It was childish, and she knew it, but the thought did help soothe her a little.

  Before she could chicken out, Lisa grabbed her clutch that already held the gift certificate Ryan had prepared, as well as a few words he wanted her to say about the Lodge, and how appreciative they were for choosing the Lodge for their family reunion, or something like that. Lisa was pretty sure she could think of something better to say, but then again, if she looked at Jason, there was a very good chance that words would completely escape her. It didn’t matter.

  “Get in and get out, Lisa,” she said to herself. She took one last look in the mirror, pasted on a smile, and left for the party.

  ~ * ~

  The annual Porter Party was in full swing and even Jason had to admit, it wasn’t totally lame, which probably had something to do with the event planning company the Lodge used to make the event a success. All the relatives were having fun: the older ones danced with the kids, and everyone else seemed to be laughing, drinking, and eating too much. All signs of a successful party. Everyone was having fun, except for Jason.

  He’d spent the better part of the evening so far pacing the room, wishing he’d had the nerve to invite Lisa. Any event would be more fun with Lisa there. But even if he had asked her, there was no way she would come. He’d been a total jerk. Not once, not twice, but more times than even he could count. And what was worse was that his sister had nailed it on the head when she’d told him that Lisa wasn’t Nikki, and he needed to smarten up or lose what could very possibly be the best thing that had happened to him in a long time.

  Jen was right. Jen was always right. And there was no point in him hanging around the party thinking about it; he needed to fix things. If they could be fixed. He put his drink down on a nearby table and was just about to march out of the room, when a small group of his cousins stopped him.

  “Don’t be mad.” Emily held out her hands in a peace gesture and flashed a smile that had Jason concerned. Very concerned.

  “About what?” He scanned the faces of the others. Chase had a huge grin and nodded; Nolan, Emily’s husband, looked slightly confused, but his arm was around his wife, and Jason knew he’d go along with anything. It was Conrad that Jason’s eyes stopped at. He did not look happy. Not at all.

  “He’s not going to be mad, Em.” Nolan rubbed her back. “It’s not like he could keep it a secret forever.”

  “What?” Jason looked around the group again. He grew more and more confused.

  “As if you didn’t know,” Conrad spat. “Were you planning on telling anyone, or were you just going to waltz into the office and take a seat at the head of the table?”

  Oh. That. Realization filled Jason and he glanced at Emily, who at least looked sheepish. “I’m sorry, Jason. I didn’t mean to say anything, but it kind of slipped out.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “I think it’s great.” Chase slapped Jason on the ba
ck. “I know your dad’s looking at retiring, and with you finally coming on board, it will finally be a true family business. Emily says you’re probably going to work in operations and acquisitions.”

  “Did she now?” He narrowed his eyes at his favorite cousin, but he wasn’t mad. Not really. It wasn’t exactly the way he hoped to tell his family about his decision. A decision he himself hadn’t been very sure of until that moment, but it seemed as good of a time as any. “The truth is, I’m not exactly sure what my role will be, but yes, I’ll likely take over a lot of what Dad is doing so he can retire. It’s time.”

  “Damn straight it is.” Chase clapped him on the back again.

  “I think we could have had a family vote on it.”

  “Oh, stuff it, Conrad.” Jen came up beside Jason and gave him a supportive wink. “It’s a family business—there’s no voting. Otherwise we would have voted you out a long time ago.”

  Everyone laughed, and Conrad had the decency to look embarrassed. He said something else, but Jason didn’t hear it. His eyes, and his attention, had been snagged by a vision in blue. He watched, sure his mouth hung open, as Lisa made her way through the room. Some of the men stopped to stare at her as she passed, no doubt taken off guard by her beauty and ease. She smiled and nodded at everyone as she made her way to the front of the room.

  He had no idea why she was there, but he was determined to find out. Jason opened and closed his mouth, and was just about to excuse himself when Conrad spoke.

  “I knew she’d come.”

  Jason flipped around, fists already curled at his sides. Conrad held his hands up in defense. “Not for me. For you.”

  “What?” Conrad’s words were so unexpected, Jason wasn’t sure he heard him properly.

  “I’m not the enemy, Jason. What happened with…well, it wasn’t planned and—”

  “Don’t.” Jason shook his head. He didn’t want to hear it. Not in front of everyone. “I don’t think this is the time.”

  “I think it is,” Conrad said. “I think it’s way past time.” His cousin took a step toward him and everyone else seemed to step back to make room for him. “I blame myself every day for what happened, Jason. It was my fault she was on the road that night and…I loved her, Jason. I’m sorry it went down the way it did.” Conrad took a deep breath, and Jason saw the hurt lining his cousin’s face. “I miss her every day.”

  Obviously finished saying his piece, Conrad exhaled long and low before adding one last thing. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry.” He turned and walked away, and Jason let him go. It would take a bit of time to process everything he’d just heard, but he knew he’d forgive his cousin. It was time, and there was obviously a lot more he didn’t know.

  He couldn’t blame Conrad forever. It was just as much her fault as it was his. And more than that, Jason couldn’t continue to live the way he was, untrusting of anyone he got close to. It was time to move on.

  His eyes locked on Lisa’s across the room. She stared at him, and even from a distance, Jason could see the realization there. He’d never told her who Nikki had deceived her with, but it was clear she’d somehow pieced everything together. She smiled ever so slightly in invitation and Jason didn’t need to be asked twice. He left his cousins, who were likely still trying to process everything they’d just heard, behind, and with a single-minded determination crossed the room until he stood in front of her.

  With her high heels on, she was almost as tall as he was, and he looked straight into her eyes. Given everything that had happened between them, he had no right to touch her, and she had every right to push him away when he put one hand on her narrow waist and cupped the back of her head with the other.

  But she didn’t. And when he pulled her close, close enough to smell the sweetness of the champagne she must have drunk earlier, she still didn’t push him back.

  “I’m supposed to present your sister with a gift certificate as a present from the Lodge.”

  So that’s why she was there? He didn’t care.

  “Later,” he whispered. “Now I need to talk.”

  She nodded slightly, and didn’t take her eyes from his.

  “I’ve been such a jerk.” He spoke softly so only she could hear. “I probably don’t deserve it, but I’m hoping for it. Will you give me another chance?”

  Lisa’s nod was slight, but it was the touch of her lips on his that told him everything would be okay. He let her lead; his lips molded to the soft pressure she provided, while his thumb smoothed circles on her cheek. So lost in this woman who drove him crazy, he didn’t even notice that his entire family surrounded them, likely taking in every second of the show they provided.

  Lisa pulled back. She offered him a smile. “We have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”

  Jason nodded. He didn’t even want to think about the logistics of how he’d make things work with her; all he knew was he would. No matter what. “And we will. But for now, let’s dance.”

  He held out his hand, which she took. His fingers squeezed hers as he led her to the middle of the room, where he pulled her in close again for a slow dance. At some point the music had started to play again, and he would be eternally grateful to whoever it was who had selected a ballad at that moment. For a few moments they didn’t speak, just moved together to the rhythm.

  Finally, Lisa broke the silence. “I heard a rumor you were going to take the job with your family company?”

  “How did you—”

  “Ladies’ room.” She smiled. “I may have overheard a little.” She laughed and the sweet sound filled his ears. Now that he had her back in his arms, Jason didn’t plan to ever let her go.

  “That means I’ll be even closer to come visit you,” he said. “And I do plan on coming to visit. A lot.”

  Her smile faded slightly and she ducked her head. “Well, that’s the thing…”

  A million ways to finish the sentence flew through his head, but Jason forced himself not to jump to conclusions. “What’s the thing?”

  “I think I might be ready for a change myself. I’ve been thinking of putting in my notice and going back to the city.”

  “But you love it here.”

  “I love a lot of things.” Her smile was back. “And I think there might be a few other things I’m falling in love with, as well.” Without giving him a chance to respond, she closed the gap between them with another kiss, and Jason felt himself fall a little, too.

  THE END

  If you enjoyed Tempting Gifts, you’ll probably enjoy my other series, where you just might see some of your favourite characters from Castle Mountain Lodge. The Springs is available now! You can download the first in the series, FREE and check out an excerpt, right after a note from the author.

  Thank you so much for taking a chance on Tempting Gifts. I absolutely believe the mountains are a magical place and they hold a very special place in my heart. The love will continue at Castle Mountain Lodge, make sure you stay tuned to my Facebook Page and newsletter for more news.

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

  If you enjoyed Tempting Gifts, I’d really appreciate it if you took a moment to leave a review where you purchased this book. 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.

  My spinoff 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!

  Also by Elena Aitken

  The Springs Series

  Summer of Change

  Falling Into Forever

  Winter’s Burn

  Midnight Springs

  Second Glances

  She’s Making a List

  The Seasons Volume 1

  The Seasons Volume 2

  The Springs
—Stone Summit

  Summit of Desire

  Summit of Seduction

  Summit of Passion

  Castle Mountain Lodge Series (Steamy Versions)

  Unexpected Gifts

  Hidden Gifts

  Mistaken Gifts

  Secret Gifts

  Goodbye Gifts

  Tempting Gifts

  Box Set Books 1-3 Steamy

  Box Set Books 4-6 Steamy

  ~ * ~

  Available NOW!

  Elena’s sexy new series…

  Read the first chapter of Summer of Change, the first book in The Springs series. Read it for FREE!

  Trent Harrison shuffled the ever-growing stack of papers on his desk and resisted the urge to shove them all to the floor. Sure, it would feel good on some level to watch them all flutter to the ground where he could kick them out of sight. A clean desk, if even for a moment, would almost be worth the fallout, but what would be the point? The work wasn’t going away.

  With a sigh, Trent dropped into his chair and picked up the paper on the top of the stack. He couldn’t ignore the messages, especially because he knew exactly who they were from. The Springs, the resort he’d been working on and developing for years, was finally only weeks away from opening. They simply needed to put the final touches on everything and his dream would finally be realized. But along with the opening came the inevitable panic from the investors. Their top investors, the Braxtons, were already breathing down their necks to get reservations up and make sure they had the rooms full on opening. These things took time and although Trent wasn’t the least bit worried, that wasn’t what the investors wanted to hear.

  Trent would make it happen. The Braxtons—more specifically the younger Braxton, Les—didn’t have anything to worry about. If there was one thing Trent Harrison and his partner and brother, Dylan, knew, it was the hotel business. The Springs had been their dream for years. And after everything they’d gone through to make that dream a reality, the last thing they were going to do was let it fail. Now all he had to do was convince his investors of that.