by A. L. Loire
Just as she was about to make her move, he brought his lips to hers so briefly and lightly that it could barely be described as a kiss. “Goodnight,” he said, and with that, he was gone.
She stood for a moment alone in the dark, the sound of cicadas buzzing in her ears. In a daze, she went to her door, unlocked it, and entered the cabin. She was too tired to hunt for her pajamas. Instead she stripped off her sweater, jeans, and top, climbed into bed in her bra and underwear, and fell into a deep and troubled sleep.
Chapter 4
The next day sunlight poured in through the window she hadn’t bothered closing the night before. The view of jagged peaks rising above the pine trees was so breathtaking that she grinned and then leapt out of bed to admire it. It was postcard-perfect. She glanced at the clock—7 a.m. Why wasn’t it this easy for her to get up in New York?
Then she realized she was standing at her open window wearing only her underwear. Oops.
Hastily she closed the blinds. She went to sit down on her bed and contemplate the night before. It was hard to believe it had even happened. She had arrived at the ranch, met Nate, a ridiculously good-looking man, then met Spencer, another ridiculously good-looking man—the one she had spoken to on the phone—and then ended up kissing him.
This kind of behavior was not normal. If Dani found out, she would be shocked—though probably delighted. She always told Jess that she should have more fun in her life. “Just have a fling!” she’d say after one of her many dating adventures. That was easy for Dani to say—she had a body that turned heads, thanks to good genes and innumerable Pilates classes. Plus, Jess had always been a long-term-relationship type of girl. When she’d met Todd and he’d professed to be the same, she’d thought that things couldn’t be more perfect. He was a few years older than her and was finishing up his residency in medical school. He seemed just as smart, kind, and serious as she could have asked for. Before she could even discern what had gone wrong, though, their relationship had spiraled into manipulation (on his part) and tears (on hers). It had ended with him dumping her for a college student and telling her that she “had it coming.”
The last thing she needed was to get involved with another deceptively “perfect” man who would only use and abuse her like Todd had. Spencer seemed too good to be true. He was well-spoken, polite, successful, and of course, almost inhumanly good-looking. The fact that he claimed to be so attracted to her only made her more suspicious. Still, the feeling that he’d awoken in her had been impossible to ignore. He had opened the floodgates of her senses and drowned her in her own desire. The feeling had been so strong that it had almost scared her. She’d barely been able to control herself. But was that so wrong?
She sighed. Dani would tell her that she was overthinking things. That was probably the truth. It was time to get up and face this gorgeous day. She went to the bathroom and showered (singing the whole time), dressed, and towel dried her hair. She had brought her hair dryer, but it seemed silly to be so finicky about her appearance here. In New York getting a professional blowout twice a week was par for the course, but she was just as happy to wear hers damp.
She headed out into the sparkling morning. Everywhere seemed to bristle with life, from the breeze that whistled through the trees to the buzzing bees that dove through the air to the bright sun pouring down over all of it. She felt happier than she had in months, a feeling of joy welling up inside her. Joy—it wasn’t a word that had visited her mind much in recently.
Already people were out and about, families with kids darting around talking excitedly about their plans for the day. She entered the dining lodge, where a warm, heavenly mélange of coffee, bacon, and maple syrup hung in the air.
She scanned the room—no sign of Spencer or Nate. She felt both disappointed and relieved. What would the vibe be between her and Spencer? He’d said that he didn’t think it would be a good idea for them to…to do what? She wasn’t quite sure. But she was pretty sure the atmosphere between them might be tense.
It was time to make some friends. Feeling a little like she was a high school freshman in the cafeteria, she slid onto a bench at a half-filled table. Unlike in high school, though, here she was greeted with smiles and hellos. Everyone introduced themselves as she helped herself to a heaving plate of eggs, bacon, fruit, and toast, a glass of orange juice, and a cup of hot coffee.
“You’re from New York City, are you?” asked a lithe gray-haired woman who had introduced herself as Nancy. She was on an extended stay at Getaway with her husband Bill.
“That’s right,” Jess said, buttering another piece of toast.
“I lived there myself when I was about your age,” Nancy said. “Nothing quite like the city that never sleeps, is there?”
“There sure isn’t,” Jess said. “Although I needed to get away and get some sleep.”
“I understand,” Nancy said. “Don’t you think the food tastes better out here? I think it’s something about the mountain air.”
“Whatever it is, I like it,” Jess said. Nancy tossed her head back and laughed. She liked this woman already. “Are you coming on the hike?” she asked brightly.
A hike—that sounded like a nice idea. “I’d love to!” Jess said. “When does it start?”
“Ten a.m.—right after breakfast. At this time of year, you have to get started before it gets too hot,” she explained. “Spencer’s leading it.”
She almost choked on her coffee. That was one factor she hadn’t anticipated.
“Sounds great,” she said weakly.
***
“Hey, Spence, what happened to you last night after the campfire? I was looking for you and couldn’t find you anywhere. Was everything okay?” Nate looked up from his laptop, where he had been reviewing their books, as Spencer strolled into the office for their morning meeting.
Spencer busied himself by going over to the coffeemaker and pouring himself a cup as he decided what to say in response. He wasn’t used to lying to best friend and business partner. “Everything was fine,” he said slowly. “Sorry for disappearing.”
Nate looked at him questioningly but didn’t say anything. Spencer knew he wouldn’t pry. That wasn’t his way.
He sat down at the table. “I was with Jess,” he admitted. “She wasn’t feeling well, so I walked her to her cabin.”
Nate’s features crinkled with concern. “Is she alright?” he asked.
“She’s fine. Just a little overheated and overwhelmed, I think,” Spencer said. Then he decided to just be out with the truth. “I kissed her.”
Nate practically spit out his coffee. “Damn, Spencer, so much for not kissing and telling,” he said, shaking his head playfully. “Well, she’s a beautiful woman. More power to you.”
Spencer sighed and went to the window, rubbing his hand through his hair. “I don’t know what got into me, Nate. It really wasn’t the best idea,” he said. “I shouldn’t be messing around with one of our guests.”
Nate considered this. “I don’t see anything so wrong with it,” he said finally. “There’s no particular conflict of interest about it, even if it gets some nosy guests gossiping. The real question is, what do you want with her?”
“I don’t know,” Spencer answered honestly. “I don’t want to mess her around, that’s for sure. All I know is that I’m drawn to her.”
“I can see why,” Nate said. For a moment, Spencer wasn’t sure if he detected something else behind his friend’s usual affable demeanor—a twinge of what could only be called jealousy.
***
In her harried last two weeks, Jess had purchased some hiking gear for her trip: a pair of hiking shoes, a canteen for water, and a small, durable backpack. The sales guy at the REI in Soho had tried to talk her into buying a whole lot more, but she had stuck with the basics. She didn’t intend to make a career out of this, after all.
After she returned to her cabin to change her shoes and pick up the pack and water bottle, she headed to the main lodge, where
Nancy said the hiking group was assembling. She felt butterflies fluttering around her stomach. What would Spencer think of her now, in the daytime? Would he still feel so attracted to her? She felt a wave of excitement course through her abdomen as she remembered his words the night before and the way he had looked at her—as if he were restraining himself from taking her right then and there.
A group of about thirty people had assembled outside the lodge. Her heart contracted as she saw Spencer standing on the steps, appearing to be counting the group. If possible, he looked even better than she remembered, with his shadow of stubble, tanned forearms and capable-looking hands radiating manliness. As she approached the group, Spencer’s gaze fell on her and their eyes locked. His dark eyes simmered underneath their placid surface.
“Alright, everyone, let’s get going!” he said briskly. “Does everyone have water? It’s going to get real hot, real fast up there.”
No kidding, she thought.
The group set off, with Spencer at the helm. They were going to climb Baby Big Horn, one of the smaller peaks of the mountain range that surrounded the property. She chatted with Nancy as they got to the trail and started the ascent. Her heartbeat was picking up, first pleasantly, then a tad uncomfortably. Boy, I really need to hit the gym, she thought as her breathing grew heavier. This is embarrassing.
Baby Big Horn—now that’s a joke! The incline was only getting steeper and steeper. She stole a glance up as she tried to hold up her end of the conversation. The trail stretched discouragingly ahead. She was quickly being outpaced by the other people in the group—most of whom looked twice as old as she was.
“I’m just going to take a picture,” she told Nancy, trying to hide her panting. “Don’t wait up!”
As Nancy strode up the hill with the grace and agility of a gymnast, she took out her iPhone and tried to look purposeful as she snapped random pictures of rocks and pine branches. Her gaze was caught by a figure approaching from higher up on the path. Oh, no—it was Spencer.
Quickly she tried to look absorbed in her picture-taking.
“Hey, Jess,” he said as he approached her. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine!” she said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. “I’m great.” She was suddenly aware of what a mess she looked. No makeup, her face no doubt red, sweat clinging to her scalp—ugh.
“Are you sure? You aren’t still feeling unwell?” he asked.
“Well, maybe just a little bit,” she said, offering an excuse for what was really just her pathetic lack of physical conditioning.
“Alright,” he said. “Well, don’t push yourself.”
A silence stretched out between them, the only sound the shrill chirping of an insect somewhere in the foliage. The tension she had anticipated was definitely there.
“Nice hike,” she said to break the silence.
“You know, I hope you weren’t offended by my—advances,” he said. It seemed like he had been weighing whether or not to say it. “Really, that’s the last thing that I intended. It was rather uncouth of me.”
Uncouth. She smiled slightly. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard that word spoken out loud. Spencer, though, looked anything but amused.
“Look, you don’t need to worry about it,” she said. “I wasn’t offended. I promise.”
He seemed to relax. “Good,” he said. “Then you won’t mind if I walk with you a bit now?”
“Don’t you have to lead the group?” she asked.
“They’re all fine,” he said, waving his hand. “I brought the first wave to the top. The rest will follow suit. They’ll all be there for a while, taking in the view and having a rest.”
She was relieved to hear that it was the home stretch. They started up the incline. He was walking in pace with her, she realized—that is, slow—but in a way that seemed perfectly natural and not at all impatient.
“I really should work out more,” she said.
“No need,” he said. “You’re perfect as you are.”
A wave of pleasure coursed through her at his unexpected words. He had called her perfect. Could he really mean that? She cleared her throat. “So I’ve been wondering,” she said, trying to deflect the attention away from her. “Yesterday you said that it was ‘the right moment’ for you and Nate to leave New York. Did something happen?”
Spencer breathed in deeply. He seemed to be recalling a painful memory.
“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “That was a nosy question.”
“It’s alright,” he said. “I don’t mind telling you. Nate and I were both working at the same big hedge fund on Wall Street. We were doing super long, crazy hours, day after day, night after night. It was the kind of life that leaves you with an excessive amount of money to spend, and nowhere to spend it. I’m sure you know the type.”
“I do,” she said, thinking of all the harried traders, investment bankers, and hedge fund managers that she saw when she ventured to the Financial District, screaming into their iPhones and sucking down cigarettes. “It’s sort of hard to think of that being you and Nate.”
“It may be hard to imagine now,” he said. “But believe me, back then we were the worst of the worst: no time for anything but work, no concept of anything or anyone else existing. Well, when you’re in that world, it gets to a point when your best just isn’t good enough. It doesn’t matter how many hours you put in. There will always be more that you aren’t getting.”
“That does sound bad,” she said. “Maybe even worse than fashion PR.”
He laughed. “I don’t know. I’ve never done fashion PR.”
“So what happened?” she asked. “Nate said last night it was ‘the right moment’ for you to get out.”
He picked up a branch that had fallen across the path and tossed it aside so she could pass. “In fact, we got into a spot of trouble,” he said. “We were accused of insider trading.”
“Insider trading? Like Martha Stewart?” she exclaimed. This just kept getting more and more interesting.
He laughed. “In essence, yes. Except that we didn’t go to jail for it. Basically we got an out—go quietly, or face the consequences. So we left.”
She contemplated that. “How did it happen? I mean, didn’t you know what you were doing was illegal?”
“It’s not quite that simple,” he said after a pause. “Nate and I were working as analysts at the fund. The opportunity came—a rare one—for both of us to get promoted to portfolio managers. That’s a big step, and it means a lot more money and power.”
She tried to imagine Spencer as a power-hungry Wall Street type. Actually, she could see how the tightly coiled strength he projected, with his compact physique and dark, chiseled good looks, could be applied to the urban jungle as well as the natural one. Not to mention he would look damn good in a well-cut suit.
“Charcoal,” she whispered.
“What’s that?” he said.
“Oh, nothing,” she said, blushing. “Continue, please.”
He smiled faintly. “It may not seem like it now, but at the time, both Nate and I were exploding with ambition. We were really just immature and bursting with testosterone. It can really sweep you up when you’re at that age—and it did for us. We found each other as kindred spirits from our first day meeting at the fund, when I was fresh and Nate was even fresher. We got along, we thought the same way, and pretty soon we were scheming on ways to get ahead.”
He squinted into the sunlight that was coming over the ridge, as if trying to discern why exactly things had taken a turn for the worse. “We got some insider information and for a while we were bringing the bacon home big time, and just riding high off that wave. We thought we’d really made it,” He inhaled deeply, then let it out. “Eventually, though, word got out. It always does. Our phones were tapped and we were apprehended. But we were little fish, and the feds were looking for big fish. So we helped them out, and they let us walk—provided neither one of us set foot in the
industry again. That’s the long and short of it.” He shook his head. “It’s insane. You can be living the dream one moment—or so you think—and then it can all come crashing down.”
“Shit,” she said after a pause.
Spencer let out a peal of laughter. “That about sums it up,” he said.
“So how did you go from there to here?” she asked.
“Nate’s a bit of a country boy himself,” Spencer said. “He was born and raised in Arizona, from a family of rangers.”
“That explains the accent,” she said.
“That’s right. New York beat it out of him, but out here it has a way of coming out” he said. “Anyway, he always missed communing with nature. He used to talk about it sometimes when he’d get a few drinks in him—that’s when the West in Nate really comes out. He knew that property came cheap out here and that the guest ranch market was always a good one—plus it’s a smart investment and easy on taxes.”
She got the message that lay behind Spencer’s words: he and Nate had made it out with money. Lots of it.
Her breath was picking up again as the ascent got even steeper, but she was too transfixed by Spencer’s story to care. “Does anyone else here know about you and Nate?” she asked. “I mean, about your past?”
He looked stricken by the thought. “No, of course not. Everything here thinks we’re just good down-home boys.”
She nodded. “Don’t worry,” she said with a smile. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
He stopped walking and turned to her. Suddenly she was aware of the double meaning of her words. The look that he gave her—one eyebrow cocked—implied that he had caught on, too. The only sound to be heard in the perfect stillness of nature was their heavy breathing. She felt the heat vibrating on her perspiring face.
“Almost there,” he said, breaking the taut wire of tension that was stretching out between them, and started up over the ridge.
She took a deep breath, rallied her strength, and scrambled up the last few steps of the ridge. The view opened out in front of her like a flower exploding into bloom. The valley below was a patchwork of lush meadows and pastures. A sparkling vein of a stream cut through it. Mountains rose up on all sides, craggy and majestic, their bases dotted by dark green pine trees. For a moment, she felt like she was one with those mountains, untethered to the bounds of the earth.