“They’re very supportive of our plans, Mrs. Elkin,” Anna said smoothly. “I just had to see where Gabe came from.” She looked all around the lobby, her eyes shining with excitement. “Can you blame me?”
That earned her a smile from his grandmother. “No, I can’t. We have a lovely home. Though our real home isn’t in the lobby, naturally.” She laughed.
“I can’t wait to see it,” Anna said. “Do you live on the grounds, Mrs. Elkin?”
“In the lodge,” his grandmother confirmed. “We have space on one of the upper floors, and please, call me Elin.”
“Which we can see at dinner,” Gabe put in. He needed time—time to make a better plan. “We were about to take a tour of the grounds.”
“With no coats?” Jonas put his hands in his pockets and frowned.
Why? Why did you have to say that?
Anna laughed. “Too excited to come down and meet everyone. We’ll grab them, and then head out. It was so nice to meet you all.” She slipped her arm through his and tugged him back toward the elevators, smooth as could be, waving behind them at his family.
The moment the elevator doors shut, she whirled toward him, a laugh on her lips. “We need a way better plan before dinner.”
“Yes.” Relief swept through him. “That was my fault. We should have come up with a story on the plane.”
“Well, it was an exciting night. Okay, what about this?” The elevator dinged and let them off at their floor. “We’ve been seeing each other for months. Almost a year.”
“Why would we have hidden it?” He led her into the room, where they grabbed their brand-new outdoor coats. Anna slipped into a gray parka with faux fur around the hood. With the hood on, she looked like she’d just stepped out of a winter sports magazine. Why would he have hidden a woman like this from his family?
“Maybe you wanted to see if it would last before telling your family.” Anna glanced away, looking down at the floor. What’s that about? Gabe didn’t ask. It wasn’t his business.
“Makes me seem like a jerk, though. Who would do something like that?” They went back into the hallway, wrapped up in winter coats and boots. “What about this—we both wanted to keep it a secret because we were working together, or something.”
At that moment, he knew that simply saying they were engaged wouldn’t be enough. They’d have to sell it physically. “Before we go back down, we should practice.”
“Practice what?” She fiddled with her hood, making it look even better than it had moments before.
“Kissing. You know—being a couple. We can’t just hold hands with stone faces the whole time.”
She laughed, skepticism shining in her eyes.
Fine. He did want to kiss Anna, and not just because they were pretending to be engaged. He just wanted it. Gabe wasn’t about to say that now, not when they were firmly stuck in the plans they’d made. They entered the elevator, and the door slid shut behind them. “Now’s a perfect time. No audience.”
“Do your worst,” she said, hand on her hip, and Gabe leaned down to kiss her.
Their lips brushed together, then connected. Wow. She was soft, her lips parting like they were meant to be kissing, and Gabe couldn’t help pushing forward to explore her mouth. Anna tipped her face toward his, her fingertips brushing against the back of his neck. It lit up all the nerves in his body with a strange heat. Where had they been headed again? He stepped back suddenly, remembering that this was supposed to be practice, not an end-all, be-all kiss.
Anna stepped back against the opposite wall of the elevator, cheeks pink, breathing hard. “Okay. That was a kiss.”
The doors to the elevator opened again, letting them out into a lobby blessedly free of his family. He still felt the heat of her on his mouth, and the hairs on the back of his neck rose in expectation of having her touch him there again. “I think we’ll do all right.” He winked.
“Sure will. Now. Show me the resort like you promised. I want to see everything.”
4
In the buttery light of morning, Gabe showed Anna the Elk Lodge—the ski resort tucked into the Colorado mountains. It was more than just one lodge. It was more than just one house. He took her up and around some trails near the family properties, which featured one house for each brother.
Gabe didn’t have much to say about why they weren’t staying in his family home, pointing out the intricate Christmas lights on every building instead. They paused near the bonfire at the bottom of the ski hill, where guests drank gourmet cocoa and ate cookies from the kitchens. They walked under a bower hung with tinsel. It was a Christmas movie come to life.
The two of them spent the rest of the morning and a good chunk of the afternoon wandering the grounds of the resort, even going so far as to take a ski lift to the top of one of the smaller hills. They hiked down some trails set aside for snowshoeing and walking. Even the benches on the trails were top-notch and strung with fairy lights. On the way back, Anna tossed sparkling handfuls of snow at him, dusting his nose.
The mood shifted once they returned to their room. It had been one thing to collapse on the bed in the middle of the night, exhausted from the shopping and the flight. Now he stood awkwardly in the center of the living room. “I’m sorry there’s only one bed. If you want, I’ll sleep on the sofa from here on out.”
“That won’t be very realistic.” Anna’s body still hummed from the kiss they’d shared in the elevator. Some practice kiss—it was more like what she expected on her wedding day when the priest announced the happy couple as husband and wife. “It’s really okay. It doesn’t bother me at all.”
How he’d react if she admitted that she wanted him to sleep with her was another story.
Gabe nodded. “That’s good. Listen, I need to go talk to my brothers about our situation. Now that we’ve got a better storyline, I owe them a conversation. Will you be all right here for a bit?” His eyes searched hers. One minute he was acting like the Gabe he’d been when they worked together. The next, he was her fake fiancée, hesitating to leave her alone without company.
Anna snorted a laugh, and his eyebrows rose in response. The light dancing in his eyes made her want to say something witty. It was hard to come up with the words. “Will I be all right in this luxury suite in the fanciest ski lodge I’ve ever seen? I think I can handle it, Gabe. Don’t worry about me.”
A smile crinkled the corners of his eyes, and for a moment she thought he might take her in his arms. Kiss her again, even. But then he seemed to pull back, shifting toward the door. “I’ll be back soon.”
And then she really was alone in the luxury suite.
Anna felt like she did when she walked into a brand-new conference site, albeit the most delightful conference site she’d ever worked on. Her feet sank into plush carpets, and the floor-to-ceiling windows were spotless, offering a breathtaking view of the mountains. Skiers made their way down the slopes, helmets glinting in the sun, and it was warm. Oh, it was warm.
Despite the cold outside, the room was the perfect temperature. Little touches here and there reminded her that this was a high-end resort. The soft blanket on the back of the sofa arranged to perfection, the tray of lotions in the bathroom, the fully stocked fridge with every kind of drink she could imagine. Even the rumpled bed somehow managed to look upscale. The sheets made all the difference, she decided.
But she wasn’t going to sit there in the room doing nothing while Gabe met with his brother. Item one on the agenda—make herself at home. She lugged the suitcases up onto the bed and flipped them open, pulling out some of her new garments. She reached for her phone and dialed the one and only Elena, her best friend in the world.
“Hey,” Elena said sleepily. She worked as a chef in one of the upscale restaurants on the Strip and never started her days early because of how late she worked. “Are you calling me about Christmas plans?” Her friend yawned, not bothering to smother it.
“I’m calling to apologize about Christmas plans.” An
na took a brand-new ski outfit from the suitcase and hung it up in the closet. “I got swept away on a holiday vacation.”
“What?”
“Remember that guy I was working with? Gabe?”
Elena chuckled. “The hot billionaire?”
“Yes. The hot billionaire if that’s what you must call him. We were at dinner last night, and he asked me to spend the holidays with him.” A ringing silence took over the phone line. “Are you still there?” There was no use in getting into the whole engagement. It would be over before she knew it.
“And you went with this guy?”
“His family owns a luxury resort in Colorado. So, yeah, I came. We’ll be home after New Year’s.”
Elena let out a disappointed sigh. “How many times do we have to have this discussion? You cannot keep letting rich jerks take advantage of you like this. We were supposed to spend time on Christmas together, but it’s not really about that. This is a huge mistake.”
Anna stopped halfway between the bed and the closet, a little stunned. “Okay, well, he’s not a jerk, and I have my own plans.” Tension pulled itself tight across her chest. “He’s offered to help me with my business idea in exchange, and we’re going to talk about it while we’re here.”
“Okay.” Elena’s voice had become clipped and sharp. “I hope this doesn’t turn out to be another debacle.” Like the one with Freddie. That was the part she left out.
“It won’t.” Anna smiled. She was trying to project confidence over the phone, even if she didn’t feel it. “This will be great for my career.”
Her friend’s voice softened. “I hope it is.” The two women hung up, and Anna’s hands shook as she unpacked the rest of the clothes.
She hadn’t expected Elena to be thrilled that their Christmas plans were canceled, but then again, she hadn’t expected the reaction she’d gotten either. Maybe Elena was right about some aspects of this. Maybe Gabe was another billionaire she should keep at arm’s length, but it was too late to leave now. Anna wasn’t going to do that to him.
Her phone buzzed. She snatched it up off the bed, thinking it would be Elena calling to add one last bullet point. That would be so like Elena. She’d get in her parting shot, and then they’d both back down. They’d make new plans.
“Just say it, okay? I want to move past this with you,” Anna said in a rush, wanting to right things with her friend.
The phone line crackled. “Move past what?” Her breath fled, leaving her lungs worthless empty sacks. It was her father. “I’m calling to tell you I’m out of jail, but I guess you already heard.”
Anna wrenched one of the suitcases off the bed and pulled it over to the closet. “Hi, Dad. No, I hadn’t heard.” A pang of strange and ridiculous guilt tightened her throat. If he was calling because he wanted to spend Christmas with her, then she had bad news for him, too. Not that she wanted to spend any time with him. He had always been focused on his criminal activities. “What’s up? Besides the fact that you’re out of jail.”
Her dad cleared his throat. “Well, it’s been a bit of a rough time.” Anna braced herself. This was a familiar pattern. “I can’t go back to dealing since that’s what they took me in for in the first place. I’ve been staying at your brother’s.”
“How’s that going?”
“It’s all right since he’s back on the inside.”
Anna put a hand to her forehead and shoved the second suitcase into the closet. “For what?” Her brother couldn’t keep himself out of jail.
“Grand theft auto. But that’s not the point. I need a little money to get by. Can’t have this place getting any bad marks on it while I’m here. If you could send me five or six hundred, that would be enough to—”
Anna hung up. Not again. Anna swiped hurriedly through the apps on her phone and blocked his phone number. No money. No guilt trips. Not this time. She’d spent so long trying to make everything okay in her family, but it wasn’t going to happen anymore. She was finished with all that.
“I hope I wasn’t gone too long.” Gabe’s voice startled her, sending her hand flying to her chest. She had no idea how much time had passed. “It’s time for family dinner and we’ve got to knock this one out of the park. My previous girlfriends made either no impression or a negative one, and I’m not sure why, but—wait, did you put away all the clothes?”
“I did.” She put a big smile on her face but saw concern flare in his eyes. “It was relaxing, if you can believe it.”
“I don’t.” Gabe went to the closet, opened it up, and pulled out a jacket. “Did something happen while I was gone?”
“Nothing. But I am surprised to find out you’re dressing so fancy for dinner. I can’t go wearing these pants. Give me thirty seconds.” Anna had an outfit in hand and on her body in far less time than she’d needed. In the bathroom, she ran a hand through her hair and gave herself a stern look in the mirror while she refreshed her makeup with a skilled hand. She was not going to slip up and let the false front of perfection drop. The stakes were high for Gabe and his family and she’d promised to do her best.
It had taken her years after she left home to figure out how to act like someone with money and poise, and it wasn’t going to crumble today. Not today. This wasn’t about a luxury vacation or relaxation. Anna had a point to prove, both to herself and to Gabe.
She swirled out of the bathroom, hands above her head. “How do I look?”
“Gorgeous.” His eyes moved down over her body and flicked away, the glance so short she thought she might have imagined it. “Dinner is down one floor in my grandmother’s apartment.”
“Lead the way.” Anna kept her chin up, tossing a lock of hair back over her shoulder, all while anxiety prickled in the pit of her stomach. If Gabe’s grandmother’s rooms were anything like the suite they were staying in, it would be a very fancy place. Anna was familiar with opulent hotels, but she mainly frequented the meeting rooms, not the private suites for the owners. On the next floor, her steps faltered.
Gabe squeezed her hand. “You did so great in the lobby.” The familiar tone grounded her. It was the same way he’d praised her after a productive meeting or a killer presentation. “And I’ll be right there next to you if you need anything.”
How close? She was so nervous she couldn’t quite believe it. And he was so comforting that she wondered who this man was she’d been working with all along. That man would never have squeezed her hand and coaxed her in to dinner. Anna took a deep breath and stood up straight, just as Gabe slid an arm around her waist and bent down to kiss her cheek.
“I’m a professional,” she murmured. “I won’t embarrass you at dinner. Or myself.” He nuzzled into her neck, planting light kisses on her skin. “Gabe...” She put one hand up around his neck. It felt so comfortable with him. So terribly easy. Not to mention out of view of his family. This couldn’t be part of their performance. “What are you doing?”
“Practicing for dinner.”
The words made sense, but she blushed deeply, heat spreading across her cheeks. Anna let herself sink into him—just for one moment, just to see what it felt like—and wished as fervently as she’d ever wished for anything, that this wasn’t pretend.
He broke away from her but stayed close enough for his hand to linger on the small of her back. Anna wanted to curl back into his arms, but not because it was a job. She needed to remember she was playing his fiancée and not lose herself in the role. “I’m good,” she said, as much to herself as to Gabe. “Let’s do this.”
5
Grandmother’s apartment—most of one floor of the big building they called the Elk Lodge—reminded Gabe of his childhood. It was only now that he’d been living in the desert of Vegas for so long that he could appreciate it for its simple, elegant beauty. There was something different about the quality of the light on Cardinal Mountain. The nights seemed to come earlier, making the glow of silver candlelight centerpieces warmer. She must have had the staff come in to help set the lon
g table in her formal dining room, decorating the table runner with mistletoe. The family’s formal china gleamed the way it always had at Christmastime.
“Good to see you.” Jonas was first to greet them, sticking out his hand to shake like old business associates and not brothers. Gabe and Anna made the rounds to greet everyone in the room. His grandmother’s silver shawl and black outfit did the heavy work of hiding how thin she’d gotten, but Gabe knew the truth, having talked to her this afternoon. Chase and his beautiful new ski director-instructor girlfriend, Tana, and her daughter Lindsey, added gaiety to the scene, their laughter echoing around the room. But the sound did nothing to help him relax.
Gabe wanted to know what had made Anna so nervous earlier. It couldn’t have been the performance element of all this—she was too good at her job to let something like that shake her. The urge to take her into a secluded corner and lean in close to whisper questions in her ear got stronger every second.
Maybe telling her about how his previous girlfriends had all traditionally bombed this portion of the family schedule had put her on edge. They either refused to eat anything but undressed salad, used their phones under the table to fire off social media posts or send business emails, or excused themselves to make calls. Gabe had nothing against salad—that wasn’t it—just the tension it caused with everyone else. He did have a problem with the phones. But he’d always found himself squarely in the middle, which meant he pleased absolutely nobody.
The group sat down around the table, and his grandmother waved in uniformed waiters who came in with the soup course. Anna watched all of it with bright eyes and a big smile. “Jonas, tell me about running the resort,” she asked as one of the waiters ladled a delicate vegetable stew into their bowls. Anna made it a point to thank the wait staff as they stopped to take up her food or offer her a choice of fresh rolls and butter, taking the time to make eye contact.
Jonas paused with his spoon halfway to his mouth. “What do you want to know?” Mild shock registered on his face. Of all Gabe’s girlfriends, not one had ever cared to ask Jonas about running the place.
The Billionaire’s Fake Christmas Engagement: Elkin Brothers Christmas Book Two Page 3