When Love Comes Back

by Christi Snow

  She missed his touch and got a sinking feeling that she wasn’t going to like this news.

  “I’m not sure if this is something you want me to share with your friend, though,” Gage said in a low tone.

  Billy’s eyebrows rose in question.

  She shook her head. “It’s fine. I don’t keep secrets from Billy.”

  “Okay.” Gage blew out a breath. “We were in a meeting this morning, and someone had inserted photos into Steven’s file.”

  “Photos of what?” Sudden nausea churned low in her stomach. This was going to be bad. She could hear it in the undercurrent of the soft, soothing tone of Gage’s voice. This was going to be really bad.

  “You and me. Out in the forest.”

  It felt like someone had punched her directly in the stomach. “So...” Her voice shook, so she cleared it as Gage reached for her.

  She shook her head. “No, I’m fine.” She wrapped her arms around her waist. “So, he was...out there...watching us...taking photos...while we were...” Her head spun. This guy wanted her dead. He could have killed both her and Gage out there in the forest. Lord knew they’d been too preoccupied to realize anyone else was around.

  Billy made a sound of pain. “Poor Steven.”

  “Photos,” she whispered, thinking about Steven having to see those, to see her being intimate with Gage. She closed her eyes in pain. “Steven must be devastated.”

  “He’s doing okay.” Gage pulled her into his arms, trying to offer comfort. “The bigger concern for all of us is that this guy is getting braver every day. Before we only suspected, but now we know he’s in the military, probably part of Steven’s squadron.”

  “Is Steven in danger?” she asked.

  “The cops don’t think so. Right now, this guy seems angry at you and how you’re hurting Steven.”

  “They’re right.” God, she’d never wanted this...to hurt Steven. “This is a mess, and I hate it for him.”

  Gage kissed the top of her head. “He’s a big boy. He’ll be fine. Right now, everyone is just worried about you and keeping you safe.”

  Felicia laughed and swung her arm to wave at both him and Billy. “I think I’m going to be okay. I’m literally surrounded by big, strong guys who want to keep me safe. I just wish they’d catch this jerk so we could all get some normalcy back.”

  BUT FIVE DAYS LATER, that still hadn’t happened. Felicia had spent every night in Gage’s bed. While that wasn’t something she’d normally be upset about, this stalker had pushed them into deepening the commitment of their renewed relationship much faster than she would have been comfortable with otherwise. She lived with him, and they’d only been dating for a little over a week.

  In her heart, it felt right to be living with him, but her head kept warning her to be careful, that he’d hurt her before, so he was perfectly capable of doing it again.

  Gage drove her to and from work, and they’d spent more than one early evening enjoying one another in her bed after work, since they weren’t comfortable having sex at his house with the twins there.

  At work, Briggs had become her constant companion, and unfortunately, her patience wore thinner and thinner about that as time rolled on.

  Anytime she had to do a ranch call, Billy had stepped up to act as her escort since he had a vehicle that could pull her livestock trailer if she needed to bring an animal back to the clinic.

  She never had a single moment to herself. After living alone as an independent single person for the last eighteen years, it felt a little overwhelming and a lot claustrophobic.

  To add to her confusion, the twins had accepted her presence in the house as a normal thing and already treated her like one of the family. It all felt so domestic, maybe too domestic.

  It was too soon.

  That night, Gage picked Felicia up and guided her over to her house. “Go get changed into some of your most comfortable yoga pants and a T-shirt, grab a lightweight jacket, and pack more of the same.”

  She raised an eyebrow at him and wrapped her arms around his waist, tugging him close. “Usually when we come over here, you want me to get naked, not gather more clothes.” His erection pressed hard against her sex, proving her point.

  He shook his head. “Nope, not tonight. We have something different planned. So go, before we end up being late.”

  She pulled her head back to meet his gaze. “Late? Where are we going?”

  “Snowcroft. But that’s all I’m going to tell you. Go get ready. I already packed all your toiletries from my house.”

  She stilled. “We’re staying overnight?”

  He nodded. “Yes. The twins will be okay for one night. They’re seventeen, and Dr. Rogers promised to keep an eye on things and check on them periodically. You need a break. We’re taking it. Tonight.”

  A little thrill jolted through her. She’d never had someone surprise her with a trip before. It sounded so romantic...except he’d told her to basically grab her slouchy, lazy-day clothes. That didn’t fit with romance. Maybe she’d misunderstood.

  But on the entire thirty-minute drive up the mountain, he wouldn’t spill and tell her anything more. They wove their way through the curvy village roads of Snowcroft until Felicia got an inkling of their destination. “The Depot? Gage, I don’t know what you’ve been told about this hotel, but this”—she waved her hand down her athletic-gear-clad body— “isn’t appropriate for the Depot.”

  The century-old Victorian hotel was rumored to be fairly fancy, not that Felicia had ever stayed there. She just couldn’t justify the expense of the beautiful, resort hotel when she only lived thirty minutes away.

  “It’s okay,” Gage reassured her. “We aren’t going to the hotel proper.” He turned the Jeep down a small road behind the large, picturesque hotel. They bounced along the small road for less than a quarter of a mile before they pulled in front of a small cabin in the same style as the Depot—whitewashed, plank walls with gray trim; leaded-glass clear windows; and an actual turret on one side. The sign out front said, The Annex.

  “What is this?” Felicia asked.

  Gage turned off his Jeep and got out without answering her. He came around to her door and swept it open with a flourish. “This, my dear, is your escape from reality. From this point on—or at least for the next twenty-four hours—it’s all about being relaxed, pampered, and refreshed.” He swept her into his arms as she squealed in surprise.

  He carried her to the door, which flew open as they approached, opened by a well-dressed man inside.

  Outside the cabin was rustic elegance, but inside candles glowed from every flat surface she could see. Once inside, Gage set her on her feet on the aged, mahogany wood floor as a large, middle-aged man came forward to greet them.

  “Colonel”—he extended his hand forward to shake Gage’s—“I’m Travis Laurie, the Depot’s manager. Welcome to the Depot Annex. We’ve made all the arrangements as you requested. If you find anything amiss or need anything further, just dial ‘zero’ on your house phone, and it will connect you to the front desk of the main hotel. And of course, you have my cell phone number if you need it.”

  Felicia gazed behind the manager, enraptured by the space. A fire roared in the stone fireplace, warding off the evening chill. The living room looked like something out of Pottery Barn’s Christmas catalog—light-gray, stained wood walls; oversized furniture in whites and shades of gray. Little pops of red in the throw pillows, pitchers filled with gerbera daisies, and little heart chocolates in white pottery bowls were spread throughout the room pulled the whole look together. It was enchanting.

  The man turned his attention to her with a gentle, welcoming smile. “Dr. Parks, welcome to our little escape in the mountains. I hope you find it all that you expect.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured as she glanced again at what she could see of the luxurious, quaint guesthouse. “It’s beautiful.”

  Travis nodded in satisfaction as he refocused on Gage. “Dinner is laid out in the dinin
g room, and Origin—your private spa technician—will be here for in an hour. If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave you both to get settled. Enjoy your stay.” He left, the door softly clicking closed behind him.

  Felicia turned wide eyes to Gage. “What? How?” She glanced around the cabin again. She’d only seen the living room and entryway, which was a small mudroom for shedding wet snow gear, but everything was elegant and refined and definitely high-end. “It looks so expensive. Gage...”

  He interrupted her with a kiss. “Don’t. It’s fine. The last wing commander had bid on a night here in a charity auction, but he never got a chance to use it, so he gave the voucher to me. We just lucked out that the cabin happened to be vacant tonight. We’re taking advantage of the ‘pamper yourself’ spa package. That includes all the meals, several spa treatments in the cabin, and a complete escape from the world for twenty-four hours.”

  “It sounds too good to be true.” Already she felt the stress of the last week dropping from her shoulders. She hadn’t realized how tightly wound she’d become until this moment. She rose up on her tiptoes and peppered kisses across his cheek to his mouth. “You’re spoiling me, but thank you. This is going to be amazing.”

  “I hope so. The first thing you’re going to do is take a quick look at the place. I’m going to unload our bags, and I think there’s a huge, Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom with your name on it.”

  She raised her eyebrow, flirting with him. “Are you going to join me?”

  “Nope. This is your time. The only time I want you to even notice I’m here is when you need something, like your wine glass refilled. Otherwise, I don’t exist. This is for you to relax and unwind—alone, unless you want some conversation. We’re here to let you to regenerate your energy levels.”

  Overwhelmed by his generosity, she wrapped her arms around him. “What did I ever do to deserve you?” At every turn he showed her another way of just how much he loved and cherished her. She knew he wanted the same level of love and devotion from her, but it was so hard to let go and give that when she’d been hurt by him before.

  And the fact of the matter was...he was still in the Air Force. He’d be moving again eventually and then they’d be right back where they started, but this time she wouldn’t even be able to say it was her own naivety that got her hurt. She’d been here before and knew what dating an Air Force guy meant.

  Either she gave up her career or at least her vet practice and commit to risking it all—her heart and life—with him. She just couldn’t do that. Not yet.

  “This week,” Gage said, “you allowed me the peace of mind and let someone stay with you twenty-four, seven. I know that’s been uncomfortable for you—”

  She stopped him by pressing her fingers against his lips. “No. Being dead would be uncomfortable for me. I’m sorry if I made you think that I wasn’t completely onboard with having protection with me all the time, because I was...okay with it that is. I don’t want to spend any more time at the hospital. Yes, the close quarters has been a bit claustrophobic at times, but I also feel more protected and cherished than I ever have in my entire life. That’s thanks to you.”

  She looked around his shoulder into the bedroom where she could see a huge, four-poster bed and romantic candles lighting the room. “As far as this little getaway, I think I have a better plan.” She nibbled up the tendon along the side of his neck and was gratified when he gave a full-body shiver. Along with the hard erection pressing against her stomach, she didn’t think this would take too much convincing.

  “Oh, yeah?” he asked and his voice had dropped a couple of octaves.

  “Yeah,” she whispered. “How about instead of pretending you aren’t here, we take this time to explore one another like we haven’t had a chance to do yet?” From the time they’d committed to try this again, the threat had been hanging over her head. They’d also had the twins—who certainly weren’t intrusive—but they were always there, waiting for them to get home or lounging in the next room. She wanted to forget the kids, the danger, and just enjoy time with Gage for once.

  She reached under his shirt and tweaked his nipple that had already hardened to a tiny bud. He groaned loudly, and his hips ground into hers.

  “I want to hear all those sexy sounds that you make...for as many hours as we both can stand,” she said, her voice husky with desire. “Doesn’t that sound better than spending time with a stranger named Origin?”

  “So much better.” He groaned as she lifted his shirt and lightly bit the other nipple she hadn’t been paying attention to.

  She nodded and sucked the skin just on the outside of the puckered skin, something that he’d always loved. “Good. Then you can go call the front desk, and I will go run us both a hot bath. I’m assuming that tub will hold two.”

  “I’m praying it does,” he said as he picked up the phone to call and cancel the spa services.

  Then they spend the next hour doing very bad, very dirty things to one another in their very luxurious, sinful bathroom.

  “I LOVE YOU,” HE SAID as he dropped a plush, unbelievably soft, terry-cloth robe over her shoulders.

  “Hmm.” She hummed, completely satiated and relaxed, but then her stomach growled. She giggled.

  “Someone’s hungry,” Gage said with a kiss to her terry-cloth covered belly.

  She sat up. “Didn’t Travis say something about dinner?”

  “Hmm, I like the way you think.” He pulled her by the hand, and they wandered through the living room and into the kitchen and dining room area where candles glowed everywhere.

  “This is so romantic.”

  He grinned. “I’m glad you approve.”

  Felicia followed Gage’s gesture to a massive charcuterie board set up in the middle of the wood plank dining room table. Filled with at least half a dozen different cheeses and meats, several different olives, and a mix of cut up fruit and crackers, the assortment made her mouth water. It all looked so good. On the other side of it sat another rustic, wooden board displaying a red wine, a white wine, a desert wine and a pitcher of water as well as several goblets. “They’ve thought of everything.”

  “I don’t know,” Gage said with a sorrow-filled nod. “I’m not seeing any chocolate here. That’s definitely a missing food group for you.”

  She snorted a laugh, but then turned him by the shoulders so he could see the island in the kitchen. Several decadent, bite-sized desserts had been laid out on tiny plates in a bed of ice to keep them chilled. Beside them sat a one-cup coffee maker along with a variety of coffees, hot chocolates, and even brandy to create a nighttime hot toddy.

  “I stand corrected,” Gage said. “This is Nirvana. It works as both a sexy getaway and a culinary feast. Seriously, how do they get people to leave?”

  Felicia winked. “I’m guessing that they may flash a shot of the bill and find their customers a little more willing to vacate. This place has to cost at least a grand a night.”

  He wrapped her up in his arms. “Then I guess we better enjoy our night to the fullest. Now, let’s eat. If I remember correctly, there’s a fireplace out on the deck, too. Shall we light it, take out some candles and food, and enjoy the sunset?”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  FIVE MINUTES LATER, Gage followed Felicia onto the porch. Even under the heavy robe, her ass was a thing of beauty, and he’d happily follow it anywhere. His legs still felt like jelly from the powerful orgasm he’d had with her in the bathtub. In his entire life, he’d never found someone who could so completely knock him off his feet like Felicia could. She’d done it when they were together twenty years ago. Her effect on him was even more powerful now.

  He would be an idiot to let that go like he had before. He didn’t plan to make that mistake again.

  The fire was already roaring in the fireplace since he’d started it and opened the bottle of red wine while Felicia filled their plates. As he returned, he was relieved to find that it was already heating the deck since it would cool off q
uickly as the sun began to set.

  They sat in the big, comfy outdoor club chairs in front of the fireplace, and Gage poured them each a glass of wine. “I don’t think you’ve told me. How and when did you take over ownership of the vet clinic?” When they’d broken up, she’d been an unpaid intern. That was a long way away from being the owner and sole doctor on the premises.

  For a moment, it didn’t look like Felicia planned to answer him as she broke a cracker into crumbs. He hadn’t thought this would be a touchy subject.

  He frowned in concern. “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine.”

  She shook her head and finally met his gaze. “No, it’s not that.” She grimaced. “It was actually one of those things I had planned to talk to you about when I went to Georgia that New Year’s Day.”

  A lead ball settled into the pit of his stomach just like it did every time he thought about the horrific events of that weekend.

  “I don’t know how much you remember about the clinic back then, but Dr. Oliver Hernandez was the owner then. Ollie.” She gave Gage a wistful smile. “When Whitney and I went to work for him, he was in his late sixties and ready to retire. He’d hired us as his interns, but he really wanted us to take over his legacy. He thought since Whitney was a local girl that she’d be interested in buying him out. But he also knew that would be a huge undertaking for a single new veterinarian, so he hired both of us.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “We didn’t know it at the time we were hired, but he had high hopes for us.”

  He reached across and grabbed her hand. It seemed like she needed his support to get through this story. “But by the time you came out to Georgia, he’d told you all this.”

  “Yes, at least most of it.”

  “Were you planning to take over then?”

  She nodded and bit her upper lip in between her teeth, watching him warily.

  He’d been planning a future for the two of them in the Air Force, but she had already been putting down roots in Terravista. There was no way they could have had the future he’d envisioned for them back then. If they’d stayed together, she would have wanted him to leave his career in the Air Force. He didn’t know how to take that.