“Other than that, I just want to make sure the house is always ready for me to return at any moment. The SUV will be the house’s vehicle. You’ll use it for any trips you need to take. Your truck is nice, but I want you to drive a decent vehicle with a GPS in it so if something happens we can find you. Any questions?” I wanted to make sure that she understood everything I was asking of her.
“Sounds pretty straightforward. I’m sad you won’t let me take my truck though. It’s been with me through a lot. I guess I’ll just ask John if I can keep the truck at his place until I come back.” She replied as Dane brought our cheesecake slices.
We were able to relax after that and just enjoy some small talk as we ate our cheesecake and she told me some of the Native legends. I was about to ask her more information on the Legend of Sleeping Lady — the oddly shaped mountain across the inlet from Anchorage — when her phone rang, interrupting us.
“Hey, hold on a second so I can step outside.” She said as she stood, grabbing her jacket.
I watched as she hurried to the front of the restaurant, and threw a couple hundred dollar bills on the table, before following her myself. I didn’t want to eavesdrop, so I stayed just enough away anything I overheard was by accident.
Chapter Four
Alexa
“Hey, John. What’s up big Brother?” I walked out of the restaurant, not willing to tell Daniel, John was my brother just yet.
“Hey, Little Sister, I hate to do this to you but we need the room tonight. Half of Sheila’s family just showed up and expect a place to stay. Do you have someone you can stay with or would you like me to put you up in a hotel? I wouldn’t ask, but I know how much you hate crowds, especially recently.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure something out. Hell, you know me. You guys have fun. I’ll be by in the morning to grab my things and say goodbye. Daniel wants me to stay at the house when he’s not there and I agreed. It’s not like I have a reason to be in Anchorage right now. Maybe some time out in the wilderness will do me some good. Let me clear my head and get some things straight. John, you didn’t tell me the whole reason for Daniel coming back up so fast. You could have warned me.”
“I knew he had walked in Nat with someone. But, I didn’t think it was my place to tell you. We’ll see you tomorrow. Good night.”
“Is everything okay?” Daniel walked up from behind me as I hung up the phone. I wondered just how much of our conversation he’d heard.
“Yeah, just my brother letting me know I have to find a couch tonight because his wife’s family dropped in unexpectedly. I don’t care for large crowds, especially when homes aren’t big enough for them. With his family and now her family it’s too much for me. Don’t worry about me, I’ll figure something out. I’ll just stay at a hotel. Speaking of, let’s get you back to yours so you can get some sleep. I bet today has been emotionally and physically exhausting for you.” I walked off toward my truck.
Chapter Five
Daniel
John was her brother? I’d told him everything that happened today. What was John thinking sending Alexa to meet me? I would meet Alexa and everything would be fine? I would sweep her off her feet and we would live happily ever after? Probably not. John did tell me he had someone he could set up to work for me on short notice when I called him earlier. John didn’t mention that person just happened to be his hot as hell sister.
Shit, John’d complicated matters because I wanted her. And I wanted her bad. With her brother being one of the best contractors in the state though, I wasn’t sure if pursuing her would be the best idea. What if something went wrong and John hated me? No, I wasn’t willing to screw up a business deal over a woman.
Even a woman as desirable and soft as Alexa. The next four days were going to be hell. I could already tell it as I watched her walk across the parking lot to her truck; her long legs sure, her hips swaying in rhythm to her step. She stopped and looked over her shoulder at me and motioned for me to hurry. I did so willingly.
By the time, I got to the truck I had made up my mind. “You’re staying with me tonight. We have to get used to each other. Why not see if we can even tolerate each other? I’ll even sleep on the couch in the parlor if it makes you more comfortable. That'll save us time in the morning, and you won’t have to spend money on a hotel.” I buckled himself in for the ride, looking at Alexa making sure she didn’t think I was crazy.
“Well, as amazing as the offer sounds, I don’t want to put you out of the bed you paid for. I am sure I can find a cheap hotel and call to let you know where I am so we can meet up in the morning.” Alexa looked at me as she spoke, unsurity in her eyes. I got that she had been burned before, but she had to be able to tell that I wasn’t other guys. Especially Sean. Did she feel the same spark that I did whenever we touched? I thought she did, but now I wasn’t sure. I took a deep breath and looked back out my window.
“Alexa,” I looked back at her, “this is an innocent offer. I have no ulterior motives. I don’t want to risk the business relationship I have with your brother and I am only just starting to figure out how I feel about being cheated on for so long.
“Please think about it while we are driving back to the hotel and see it… this as a business arrangement. I’d feel a lot better knowing you didn’t run off in the middle of the night because you got cold feet about working for me.” We pulled out on the road as she thought about what I said.
“Fine,” she finally said as we pulled up to the hotel, finding a spot on the street. “I’ll stay with you, but only because I have nowhere else to go and would probably end up sleeping in my truck tonight. I’m broke, I know you’ll tell John you offered to let me stay with you and I refused to do so, putting myself at risk.” She jumped out of the truck, looking inquiringly at me.
She walked around the truck and we walked down the sidewalk into the building together, ignoring the raised eyebrows of the other patrons at the hotel. She followed me into the elevator where I pushed the button for the nineteenth floor at the top of Tower Three. The elevator raced to the top where we stepped out into the gorgeous hallway, the door to the Lounge at the end of the hallway. I walked partway down the hall to my door and opened it.
“I hope you can get comfortable here. You can see if Sheila will bring you something to wear tonight, or you can borrow a t-shirt and a pair of boxers if that’s more your style. I’m going to go take a shower. I feel extremely grimy after being on a plane most of the day. After I’m done with my shower we’ll figure out the schedule for tomorrow.” I walked towards the bathroom.
Turning back to look at her, before I went down the hall, I decided to put her to her first test and ask her to get me my things from the bedroom. She just stared at me as I smirked and turned to finish walking to the bathroom.
Chapter Six
Alexa
Damn, I knew I was going to have to get used to helping out Daniel since I was going to be working for him. I walked into the bedroom and opened the suitcase on the bed. Packed neatly inside were boxers, socks, pajama bottoms, sweats, jeans, t-shirts of various colors, and a pair of sneakers. I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw the casual wear. Especially the sneakers. I hadn’t pegged him as a sneakers kind of guy. Loafers maybe, but not sneakers.
I got him the pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. Looking at the clock I noticed it had been ten minutes and not the five I thought it had been, and he had to be getting close to the end of his shower. I had lost track of time and I didn’t really want to… Well, maybe I did want to walk in on him naked. I still knocked on the door to the bathroom and walked in. Thankfully, he was still in the shower.
“Dammit, I got soap in my eye! Will you hand me a towel?” His hand was stuck out waiting. “Fuck this shampoo stings more than the brand I use at home. I forgot to get some before we came back to the hotel.”
I laughed. “We were right across the street from Wal-Mart. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Here,” I placed the
towel in his hand. “I left your clothes on the counter. Do you need anything else?”
“No.” his voice sounded strained as he wiped his eyes.
I shut the door to the bathroom and walked back into the parlor. My heart was racing with wanton thoughts of what it would have felt like to be pushed against the shower wall with him buried deep inside of me. I should have tried to sneak a peek so I could at least have a good visual representation of what he looked like.
He would never touch me, because of John and his respect for their business relationship. I hated the fact that people knowing who my brother was made me so untouchable. This one though, I needed to change his mind. I wanted him and I didn’t want to walk away not knowing what could have been. I had to figure out a way to let him know not only was I touchable, but I was also a woman.
Frustrated I went into the parlor and flopped down onto one of the couches, turning the television to one of the local news stations to see what had happened during the day. I was finally getting comfortable when he came out of the bathroom and sat down next to me.
“So, did you figure out what you were going to do about your clothing situation?” He asked me.
“Yeah, I’m going to see if Sheila will bring me some clothes since they don’t live too far from here. I don’t think it’ll be a problem. Gimme half a second to call?” I grabbed my phone and stepped towards the door before I stopped.
“You don’t mind if I borrow your key, do you?” I held out my hand as he went back into the bathroom to get the room key. He came back out and placed the room key into my outstretched hand.
“Thanks! I’ll be back after I talk with Sheila.” I walked out the door, to the privacy of the hallway.
I didn’t want to call the house because the kids would most likely already be asleep so I called Sheila’s cell instead. Course with Sheila’s family there they could be awake still bouncing off the walls. I’d take my chances with the cell phone.
Sheila answered, laughing, on the third ring
“Sheila, I need a favor? I need a couple of things and I don’t want too many questions.”
“Sure. Whatcha need?” Sheila asked, shushing someone on the other end of the phone.
“Could you get my purple nightgown, the one you bought me for Christmas? I need something flattering, but comfortable for tomorrow. Something I can sit in for several hours. I don’t really know if I own anything suitable, but you’re the fashion genius and I’m sure you can figure it out.” I paused, making sure Sheila had gotten everything.
“Want the store with that too?” I could hear the eye roll on the other side of the line. “I’m pretty sure I can figure something out between both of our closets. Where are you at? John said you were possibly staying at a hotel.”
“I’m at the Cook, Daniel blackmailed me into staying here tonight. Well, not so much blackmailed me, as told me he would tell John he offered to have me stay with him like a gentleman and I turned him down.”
“Wait, you’re staying at the Cook with Daniel because you didn’t want to get in trouble with John? That’s rich Alexa. He’s a good-looking man. I can help you out. Are you going for full out seduction or slight tease?”
“Well, I didn’t exactly have much notice. You guys have already been so kind to me I didn’t want to take any more money from you.” I could hear the intake of air as Sheila prepared to berate me for thinking such things.
“I know it would have been no problem for you. And how the hell did you know what why I was asking you to pick out my clothes? Fuck, I guess I am going for a ‘jump me before I jump you’ look.” I grinned into the phone, thinking of the man in the room.
“Oh? Has it really been that long?” Sheila laughed, teasing me.
“You know who the last man I had sex with was. Daniel is being far too perfect a gentleman and doesn’t want to mess up his business relationship with John. I just want to know a hot-blooded man still wants me.”
“Are you sure you really want to go after Daniel, if that’s how he feels?”
“Fuck you woman. We both know John won’t ruin business over me. I need him to realize I am actually a woman and not an obstacle.”
“Obstacle? That’s an interesting way to describe yourself. You leave tomorrow, right? Are you driving together or separately?”
“Yes, we leave tomorrow sometime. He wants to buy an SUV, or I should say I convinced him to buy an SUV instead of using the sports car. He doesn’t want me to drive the truck up, so I was hoping I could leave it at the house with you and John.”
“Duh, of course, you can. Are you going to be stopping by the house before you leave or is he going to make someone drop it off?”
“Of course, I’m stopping by the house! First to say goodbye, and then to get my stuff woman. Shit, did you really think I would leave without saying goodbye to you and the kids? Hell, I already told John I would be by tomorrow.”
“Well, no, I didn’t think you would, but I had to make sure. You know the kids would never forgive you if you left without telling them goodbye. Alexa, please be safe. He’s probably feeling a little leery of women.”
“I’m almost always careful. Sean was a mistake I made when I was young and dumb. I won’t do that again. I’m hanging up the phone and going back into the room now. I’ll see you when you get here.”
“What room are you in? Or do you want me to leave it at the front desk for you instead?’
“We’re in room 1912. Just come on up, Tower Three. Or, you could always leave it at the desk if you don’t want to come up. Thanks, Sheila. I owe you one.”
“Okay, See you soon.” Sheila hung up.
After I hung up, I tried to get the keycard to work in the door, but the damn thing wouldn’t scan for me. Annoyed, I knocked on the door.
Daniel smirked as he opened the door. “Everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. The damn key wouldn’t work for some reason. Sheila’s going to bring me some clothes from home. I hope you don’t mind, but I told her she to just come up.” I walked past him and sat down on the couch, glancing up at the television.
Daniel walked over to the bar and poured him something a drink, amber and smooth looking, so I guessed it was whiskey or scotch. Daniel didn’t look like a brandy kind of guy.
“So, what’s the plan for tomorrow?” I picked up the remote to flip thru the channels and find something to watch.
“We can either get the SUV first or we can go and drop off your truck and pick up your things from your brother’s house.” He walked over to the couch where I was sitting and perched on the arm as he talked to me.
“I want to get some items before we drive to the house. We should eat before we hit the road. Do you want to pick up lunch before we leave, or would you rather find somewhere to eat on our way? I don’t know what is available on the way. I want to get up to the house by eight o’clock so we aren’t on the road late into the night. Is there anything else you need to do tomorrow?
“I think us driving up together will really give us some time to get to know each other. Especially, since we are going to be living together. I think it will help us figure out the little nuances about each other before we get to the house. A fair warning though, I’ve been told I snore.” Daniel finished with a laugh.
Snoring was the least of my concerns. Not with what I was planning to do tonight. I needed to seduce this man. Not only to prove I was no more under my brother's control, but to prove I was a desirable woman and Sean had just been a lying jackass.
It wasn’t like John had threatened Daniel. Well, not that I knew of anyway. I doubted John would have threatened him though. He was above that and I knew if John was worried he would have asked Daniel to let me take the lead and make up my mind and not try to change it.
No, he had seemed genuinely surprised and bemused to see me outside of the hotel this evening and hell, he hadn’t even known John was my brother, not just my boss until he had overheard my phone conversation at the restaurant e
arlier.
I was pulled out of my thoughts by a knock on the door. Jumping to get the door I almost knocked Daniel into the table. He sat back down as I stepped over his lap. Opening the door, I shifted to allow Sheila into the suite.
“Alexa! Wow, nice room.” Sheila took a quick look around. “I decided to come up instead of just dropping the bag off at the front. I hope you don’t mind Daniel?” She looked at Daniel. Daniel just shrugged as he got up and walked over to refill his glass with some water instead of alcohol. He knew Sheila from when he was working out the contract and blueprints for the hotel with John and Sheila would bring them lunch at the office.
“Don’t worry Sheila, you can let John know I’m fine,” I gave her my I know he sent you to check on me, I’m a big girl look. “We were just figuring out what order we were doing things tomorrow.” I rolled my eyes dramatically.
“I know it’s late though and you should really get back to your company. I don’t think John wants to be left with your family for long. I’ll be by in the morning to say goodbye and leave the truck for y’all to watch and use while I am gone.” I hugged her and pointed her towards the door. “Give John and the kids a hug for me.”
“I think you’ll like what I packed for you. It should help a lot.” Sheila whispered, winking. Stepping back from Alexa, Sheila looked at John, “Be good to my sister. I don’t want any reports of you being mean. Have a good night you two. See you tomorrow.” She turned, kissing me on the cheek, and walked out the door.
I turned back to Daniel and gave him an apologetic look. “She’s just watching out for me. She has been really protective since Sean and the divorce. I guess she just needed to make sure I was okay for her own sake.” No way was I about to tell him she had come up to let me know the plan was in motion. I didn’t want him to know what I was up too. I walked over to the bag and picked it up.
Snowed In (Lost and Found Book 1) Page 3