“You did awesome,” Alisha said, paint smeared all over her coveralls. She’d been hit in the shoulder, the arm and the ass by Nick.
“Thanks. Who knew I had such gunman skills,” Ellie said with a laugh.
“It’s like The Hunger Games out there,” Nick said as he watched Callum and Brent stalk one another out in the field.
“I didn’t realize Brent was so competitive,” Alisha said. “I guess with the right motivation...” She let the rest of her sentence trail off, but she shot Ellie a knowing look.
Were the others sensing there were lingering feelings between the two of them? Had they all seen the connection redeveloping between her and Brent? Had Brent said anything to the group?
“Yeah, apparently Callum is too,” she said, despite knowing it was untrue. She had to at least appear to be rooting for her fiancé, didn’t she?
But she knew normally Callum couldn’t care less about winning. At this point, he’d basically forfeit and call it a day. So, why was he doing this? Why didn’t he just give up and surrender? What was he trying to prove?
That he was the better man? In general...or for her?
* * *
THIS WAS DUMB. They’d been out here for almost an hour after everyone else had been taken out. He should just wave the white flag and be done. He was soaked in sweat and the boots felt like they’d molded to his feet. The blazing sun threatened to set the field on fire, and he’d kill for a bottle of water.
Still, his pride refused to give up.
Brent was doing this to try to prove something to Ellie, and Callum refused to let him win without a real challenge. Ellie deserved a guy to fight for her, and kudos to Brent for doing just that, but the other man also thought that Ellie was engaged, so why was he trying so hard to impress her? Would he actually try to steal Ellie away?
Either way, this game had to end soon. They were nearing their two-hour time limit on the field, and Brent had to be weakening by now too. He knew the guy couldn’t be too far. They’d been stalking one another for a long time now. Whenever one of them got a clear shot, the other found somewhere to hide.
Callum crept along the side of a row of old crushed vehicles. He spotted Brent a few feet away. The guy’s back was turned as he was peering around the side of the hay bales. He had an easy shot...
But damn, he didn’t want to win that way.
He didn’t want to win Ellie’s heart that way either. And unfortunately, right now, he knew making the kill shot at Brent would only annoy her. His gaze settled on her now, sitting in the viewing area next to the others. She looked adorably hot, her hair messed up from the helmet and paint smears on her forehead and cheeks. She’d unzipped the coveralls, and the swell of her breasts was visible over the tight, white tank top she wore underneath. Damn she was sexy.
A paintball hit him square in the back and he stumbled forward slightly.
The other members of the opposite team cheered and everyone else seemed relieved the game was finally over as he turned to see Brent. He hadn’t noticed the other man creeping up behind him. Obviously, Brent had no problem taking an unheroic back shot.
Callum extended a hand. “Great game,” he said.
“Yeah, good hustle...” Brent’s cocky grin returned as he shook Callum’s hand firmly. “You had me worried for a minute there,” he said, his gaze purposely drifting across the field and settling on Ellie.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
BACK AT THE COTTAGES, Ellie and Callum raced for the bathroom as soon as the door opened.
She was slightly ahead before she felt his arms wrap around her waist and swing her around, dropping her back to her feet before he dived inside. “Callum!”
He smiled at her annoyed look. “I’m kidding. Ladies first.” He moved aside to allow her to enter the bathroom.
“Thank you,” she said, turning on the taps. “I can’t remember the last time I was this sweaty.” The hot sun had been relentless out on the field and even without the coveralls, she was seriously overheating. They’d all retreated to their cottages for a shower before meeting up for what Cheryl had called “couples yoga” that afternoon. She claimed it was a great way to reconnect and rebalance the spiritual connection, especially after shooting at one another all morning. Obviously, Ellie would rather participate with Brent, but how could she ditch her fiancé and not have it seem completely inappropriate?
Maybe Callum could pretend to be sick?
“Need help peeling that tank top off?” he asked, leaning against the doorframe, arms folded, taking in the soaked fabric that was pressed against her skin and slightly see-through now that it was wet. Thank God she’d worn a bra today. Being as small as she was, she didn’t always.
“I think I can handle it,” she said, pushing him out of the bathroom and shutting the door. A glance in the mirror revealed that even the bra had been soaked with sweat, so it wasn’t doing much to provide coverage.
She reached for the base of the shirt and lifted it up over her head, but then it stopped, refusing to go any farther. It was snagged on the back of her bra. She tugged, but it only tangled her up even more. She tried pulling it back down, but her arms were stuck in the tight fabric and she couldn’t get her elbows back down through the hole. She yanked a little more and tried twisting her body, but it was no use. Her face was trapped inside the shirt and the smell was too much. The damp fabric against her cheek was making her gag.
Shit.
“Callum!”
Instantly, he was outside the door. “You okay?”
“Um...not exactly. Can you come in?” she asked through clenched teeth.
“You sure?”
She sighed. No. But she also didn’t want to be permanently trapped inside her tank top all day. “I just need a hand with something,” she said through gritted teeth.
The bathroom door opened and she could practically hear the smirk, even though she couldn’t see it.
“So, you actually do need help with that shirt?” he asked.
“Just get me out of here. I’m holding my breath and I’m going to pass out,” she said, turning around so that he could untangle the fabric from the bra hook.
He laughed as his hands touched her back at the base of her bra. “Hang tight.”
This was mortifying. At least it was just Callum...not one of the others catching her in this position. In high school, she was known for her slightly awkward moments. Nothing too embarrassing, just little things like being clumsy or having bad luck that often made her a source of entertainment for the others.
This would definitely be filed in that category.
She could feel Callum’s cool breath against her warm skin, and she shivered as his fingers struggled with the fabric. “What’s going on?”
“It’s really stuck on the lacy trim of the shirt. It would be better if I just unclasp the bra and untangle it when it’s not on you,” he said, his voice sounding slightly hoarse.
“Really? You’re not just saying that so that I’ll take my bra off?”
“Believe me, I’m not hating that additional perk, but no, it really is stuck. I can rip it...”
This was her favorite tank top. It was soft and feminine-looking and had cost more than she’d normally spend on one piece of clothing. “No, that’s fine. Go ahead and unclasp it,” she said, feeling her cheeks grow even warmer. The heat combined with the arms-overhead position had her close to passing out.
Unfortunately, she wouldn’t even be able to shield herself once the bra and shirt were removed from her body.
She heard Callum move away from her. “Where are you going?”
“Don’t worry. Not far,” he said as she felt a towel wrap around her body and knot at the back. “A shield,” he added as he reached up under the towel to unclasp the bra.
A second later, he’d lifted the shirt and tangled bra off over her head an
d she was free and not at all exposed. Huh. “Thank you,” she mumbled.
“You’re welcome,” he said. “Enjoy your shower, and I’ll get this sorted out.” He held up the tangled clothing as he closed the bathroom door behind him.
Ellie stood there for a second staring at it. He’d had a chance to catch a glimpse of her exposed and he hadn’t taken it. She knew it wasn’t because he didn’t want to see her naked—he was a guy after all.
A really good guy.
Would Brent have made the same call?
* * *
THE SIGHT OF ELLIE trapped in her tank top would forever be etched in his mind. The thin waist, sexy rib cage and enhanced cleavage—thanks to the arms-overhead pose she’d been stuck in—had been both hilarious and seductive.
Callum sat on the edge of the bed and carefully removed the bra clasp from the lace at the base of the shirt. A hint of honeysuckle hit him, and he groaned at his self-restraint. For once, why couldn’t he be that guy who took advantage of a situation? Giving Ellie the towel for privacy had been the right thing to do, but damn if he hadn’t been tempted to be the bad guy for once.
He stood and draped the tank top and bra over the edge of a chair as his cell phone chimed in his shorts pocket. He glanced at it and saw a new email message from Chateau Resorts.
Must be that time of year again.
Chateau Resorts was one of his father’s biggest competitors with six luxury, high-end resorts in Alaska and the Northwest Territories. They’d opened their first hotel the same year Callum’s grandfather had opened the Wild River Resort. The other company knew of the rocky relationship he and Sean had with their dad, mainly due to Callum’s refusal to take over. At least once a year since they were eighteen, the major resort chain had reached out to them to try to recruit them. He always declined and so did Sean, but he wondered if his brother had ever considered accepting their offer.
Once again, they’d both been copied on the request for a meeting with the senior VP of Chateau Resorts, a Mrs. Sarah Mileman. Callum had met her a few times when their dad had dragged them to hotel sales conferences. Nice woman. Ran a very successful hotel chain.
Maybe his brother should consider their offer. Working for Sarah would be much better than working for their father. Nevertheless, Sean’s decline on the invitation was almost instantaneous, and Callum sighed as he sent his own.
The bathroom door opened and Ellie appeared. “Okay, you’re up,” she said.
He nodded absentmindedly.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
“Yeah...just Chateau Resorts trying to recruit Sean and me again,” he said as he set his phone on the charger.
“I know you’re not interested, but do you think Sean would ever consider it?” she asked, towel drying her hair.
“I wish he would, but he’s far too loyal to our father,” Callum said. He shouldn’t have opened the email. He’d been doing a good job keeping his family out of his thoughts that day, but now the stress was lingering there on his shoulders again.
“You okay?” Ellie asked, touching his arm.
He forced a smile as he grabbed his discarded towel from that morning. “Absolutely.” He paused. “Hey, if you want me to bail on this couples yoga...” He didn’t want to. Right now he could definitely use the relaxation, and the idea of participating in a reconnecting ritual with Ellie sounded like the perfect afternoon, but she obviously wanted to do this with Brent. “I can go up there, claim to be sick and insist that you still partake.”
She studied him, hesitating. “You’d do that?”
Not happily. “That’s what we’re here for, right?” he asked, staring deep into her eyes. Was it his imagination or was that same flicker of interest he’d caught the night before there again? Things were definitely changing between them, but he couldn’t be certain in what capacity.
She shrugged. “I think maybe I spent too much time with him already today. It might be coming across a little weird.”
“So you want me to do yoga with you?” His mood picked up slightly again as he waited for her reply.
She seemed to be contemplating it for a long time. “I think we should, yes,” she said, finally. “Just for appearances’ sake.”
“Okay. But only for appearances’ sake,” he said with a wink.
Brent may have beat him at paintball in more ways than one, but Ellie had just given him a chance to redeem himself.
* * *
“DEEP BREATH IN. Deep breath out.”
The group inhaled and exhaled as Cheryl started the class from the center of the yoga-mat circle they’d formed on the tennis courts near the lodge. As a certified fitness instructor, she taught all kinds of classes at the community center in Wild River and had an impressive client list as a personal trainer.
But she had her work cut out for her if she hoped to make this a relaxing experience for Ellie. Her heart pounded in her ears as she sat cross-legged on her mat next to Callum’s. Brent was sitting this one out, but he was watching from a lawn chair near the pool, a cooler of beer beside him.
Ellie didn’t remember him being much of a day drinker, but they were on vacation.
“Arms up, overhead and slowly lower,” Cheryl was saying. “Okay, everyone stand and face your partner.”
Ellie got to her feet and turned toward Callum. He was wearing just his shorts and his bare body was definitely an added distraction. Cheryl had insisted that they wear as little as possible for traction against one another in some of the more challenging poses.
Traction. Wonderful. She wasn’t eager to create any sparks between her and her coworker.
“The first pose is the double swan,” Cheryl said. “All you need to do is lean forward toward your partner, arms extended, and slowly lift your right leg straight into the air behind you. As you lean, stretch and lengthen your spine, and hold hands as you lower your head and relax your neck.” Cheryl demonstrated the move with Mitch, who seamlessly perfected the move like this wasn’t his first time.
Ellie glanced at Callum and he shrugged, moving through the motions. She did the same, and when their hands connected, she fought to control an odd sensation that extended through her arms, down her spine. A tingling that had her nerve endings on alert.
“We will hold this pose for a full minute. Allow your energy to flow to your partner. Support one another through the hold, keep your balance, focus on your core...”
All Ellie could focus on was her hands interconnected with Callum’s. They were just touching hands and yet it did feel intimate. How the hell was she supposed to go through the other, more challenging poses?
It was a shame this activity was being wasted on her friend. This would obviously be better with Brent. There was no way she and Callum would find a true connection this way. They were faking it after all.
“And three, two, one... Slowly release your hands and return to a standing position,” Cheryl said.
Ellie let go quickly and tipped slightly off-balance before dropping her leg back to the mat. Beside her, Callum looked more relaxed than he had in the cottage. At least he was getting that benefit of the yoga. She suspected the email from Chateau Resorts had rattled him more than he’d let on. He might not want to work in hospitality, but she knew he’d like to see his brother secure and working in a healthier environment.
“The next pose is the superman. Men, please lie on your back on your mat and bring your knees into your chest,” Cheryl said, walking around the circle.
Callum lay on his mat and did as instructed.
“Ladies, we are simply going to place our stomachs against the heels of their feet like this,” Cheryl said, lying on Mitch’s feet. “And, as we hold their hands for support, they will lift up, extend their legs, and we will assume the superman pose.”
Ellie eyed the position and hesitated. Alisha attempted it and laughed as she was raise
d into the air on Nick’s heels.
It did look kinda fun.
“We doing this?” Callum asked.
“Why not?” Ellie placed her bare stomach on his feet and pressed her palms to his as he extended his legs and she was lifted into the air. “Whoa.” The head rush threw her slightly off-balance and her upper body fell forward, and she nearly bumped her forehead on Callum’s nose.
“Don’t worry, I got you,” Callum said, steadying her.
He did have her. She felt oddly safe in the pose with him. He wouldn’t let her fall, she was certain of that.
“When you feel ready, secure...you can let go of your partner’s hands and extend your arms to the sides. Balance with just the connection of feet and stomach and trust in one another,” Cheryl said, demonstrating the move.
Yeah, she wasn’t so sure about that. Letting go of Callum’s hands seemed a little too risky. She glanced at Alisha and Nick and watched as they made a successful transition. Alisha’s face lit up as she slowly extended her arms and indeed looked like she was experiencing the freeing sensation of flight. From the ground, Nick looked pretty damn proud of himself too.
“You can let go,” Callum told her.
She stared down at him for a long moment, their gazes locking and holding for an intimate beat.
“Come on, I promise I got you,” he said.
Ellie took a deep breath, and on her exhale she tightened her core against his feet and slowly released his hands. She wavered slightly and reached for his hands again, but he moved them out of reach. “Trust yourself.”
She struggled to balance, staying focused by keeping her gaze locked on his as she extended her arms to the sides. Her body stabilized and she was balancing.
She was doing it.
They were doing it.
“Great work, partners,” Cheryl said.
Ellie’s smile was wide as the liberating sensation flowed through her as they held the pose. She was steady, secure and strong. The only thing threatening to throw her off-balance was the connection forming between her and her fake fiancé.
Alaska Reunion Page 12