Rosetta played with the edge of the page. “Then perhaps we need to find lookalikes because I’m telling you, the two of you would be perfect.”
Ivy bent her head as she continued to look through the pages… or at least pretended to look through. Although she really didn’t study any of them, she couldn’t see anyone that stood out as someone who would resemble her or Steele. But regardless of what these people looked like, she needed to find her actors. She’d been here two days already and needed to start the commercial. If only she knew why she was being so picky and dragging her feet with this project.
She flipped through a few more pages before Rosetta blew out a frustrated breath. Ivy felt as impatient as the other woman sound.
Straightening, she turned to the secretary and moved the notebook in front of her. “I’m going to give you the job of choosing the couple. I can’t make up my mind.”
Rosetta arched a thickly penciled eyebrow. “But I’ve already picked out the couple.”
“No, Rosetta. I told you why Steele or I won’t be able to do it. So please, keep looking until you find the perfect people.”
The smile left the woman’s face as she nodded. “Okay, I will.” She closed the notebook and turned her upper body toward Ivy before reaching out a hand and patting Ivy’s arm. “What do you and Steele have planned to do today?”
“Nothing has been planned. I’m sure he’s still stiff and sore from barely missing a tree while we were skiing.”
Rosetta laughed. “Gordon told me about Steele, and from what I’ve gathered, I don’t think he’ll stay down long. According to his father, Steele is a go-getter and he accomplishes whatever he sets out to do.”
Hearing these words from Steele’s secretary was a little mind-boggling, especially when his version of what Gordon thought of him was exactly the opposite. “Mr. Holliday said that about Steele? He really thinks that highly of his son?”
“Of course. He’s very proud of everything Steele has accomplished.”
“Well… I’m glad to hear that.” Ivy smiled, wondering if she should let Steele know as well.
“What kind of things do you want Steele to show you while you’re here at the resort? You know there are dance instructors and massage therapists that Gordon spared no expense in hiring for Cupid Island.”
Leaning back in the chair, Ivy linked her fingers over her flat belly. “I’ve always wanted to ice-skate. That’s something I never did as a child. But Steele doesn’t want to do that.”
Rosetta’s eyes widened as panic crossed her featured. “Oh, well… he has a good reason for not wanting to get on the ice.” She placed her elbow on the table and rested her weight in that spot. “Hasn’t Steele told you about being on the hockey team in college?”
“No, but I knew he was on the team while researching this resort on the internet.”
“He was a great hockey player – one of the best on the team. Steele played defense. It was his job to stop the opposing team, and to clear a pathway to the net. His team was in the championship playoffs. During one of the plays, something happened on the ice between Steele and an opposing team member, which distracted Steele. Because of that, he wasn’t focused on helping his team members who played the forwards. One of the members was knocked down and he slid head-first into the wall.” She paused briefly as her fingers absently toyed with the edges of the notebook. “The player had been going so fast that when his head hit the wall, it broke his helmet. The man suffered a terrible head and neck injury which resulted in the player becoming paralyzed.”
Sitting up in her chair, Ivy sucked in a shocked breath and lifted her hand to her chest. “Oh, dear. How awful.”
“It was, and Steele blamed himself even though there are other players who play defense. After the game, Steele quit the team and sold all of his equipment, vowing never to put on another ice-skate again.”
“Does he like to talk about what happened?” Ivy asked skeptically.
“From what I’ve heard, Steele hasn’t said anything about it to anyone.”
“Thanks for telling me.” Ivy relaxed back in the chair again. “I won’t push him about ice-skating. There are other things we can do.”
“Oh, yes.” Rosetta stood and gathered the notebook against her chest. “Cupid Island has several things for couples to enjoy together.”
Ivy rose from her chair. “Okay, so you find the main couple in the commercial, and I’ll have Steele take me to a few more island attractions so that I can figure out where the best spots are to film.”
“Should we meet tonight for dinner and compare notes?”
Ivy nodded. “That’s a great idea.”
“Wonderful. I’ll reserve a table in the restaurant for seven o’clock.”
“That time works perfectly.”
As Ivy walked Rosetta to the door, her heart ached for what Steele must have gone through, bearing the weight of his guilt for his friend’s accident. Part of her wanted to get him to talk about it, but another part of her discouraged the idea. After all, they hadn’t known each other for very long so why would he confide in her at all?
She finished dressing in her thickly insulated boots before grabbing her coat, scarf, and gloves and leaving the suite. Last night she had helped Steele to his own apartments on the top floor of the resort, so at least she knew where he lived.
When she reached the door, she hesitated to knock. Would he still be sleeping? She was sure his doctor had given him some muscle relaxers or pain pills. Quietly, she rapped on the door and listened.
From the other side of the door, she heard footsteps, and seconds later, the door opened. Steele was up and dressed… and as handsome as ever. His facial scratches didn’t look as bad as they had last night. Hopefully, he’d been given cream to put on his face to moisten his skin to help the cuts heal faster.
“You’re up and dressed,” she said. “I thought you’d still be in bed resting.”
His chest shook with a silent laugh. “I think you just wanted to catch me in my pajamas.”
Biting her tongue, she refrained from going down that path. The question that popped into her head was wondering if he wore reindeer PJs. Stop it, Ivy!
She fought the urge to ask him what he wore to bed. “How are you feeling?”
He motioned for her to enter. “I’m stiff, but I’m fine.”
Once she was inside his suite, he closed the door. When she realized they were alone, warmth crept over her. Yesterday was different because they were out in the open where anyone could see them. But now…
She took a deep breath. Somehow, he’d awakened feelings inside her that she kept buried since her last numb-skull boyfriend had broken her heart. Because she and Steele needed to work closely together until the commercial was finished, perhaps it was best if they just remained friends.
“Today I was thinking,” she began, turning the conversation back to business, “that you should take me to those indoor activities. I’d even like to visit the couple’s therapy room.”
“We can do that.” He moved to the coat closet and opened the door. He reached a hand out to her. “But since we’ll be inside, you won’t need your coat and scarf. Let me hang them up in here.”
As she started to shrug out of her coat, he walked behind her to assist. His fingers brushed against her neck, sending tingles up and down her spine that spread comfort all over her body. She silently cursed her reaction to him. If only she could remember how upset he’d made her when they first met, perhaps she could stay focused.
“Oh, before I forget,” she said as he finished removing her coat. “We are having dinner with Rosetta tonight.”
“Why?” He moved back to the closet and hung up the garment. “Has she decided to help us?
“I told her that she could find the main couple for our commercial because we couldn’t decide.”
His expression grew softer as he slowly stepped closer, stopping a few inches in front of her. The beating of her heart accelerated. Inhaling his m
anly scent of musky pine caused her knees to weaken, and she tried her hardest to remain strong.
“Our commercial? Are we now sharing this project?”
She swallowed hard, trying to moisten her dry throat. “Well, it is your resort, so yes, it’s our project.”
A lazy smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. His gaze dropped to her lips. She was losing control fast, and if she didn’t do something to stop it, she’d fling herself in his arms and beg for his kiss… which she had no doubt would make her sigh with happiness.
TWELVE
There was something about Ivy this morning that drew Steele to her much deeper and faster than he could imagine. He wasn’t sure if it was because she’d stayed with him at the hospital until he could convince the doctor to release him… or was it because she had helped him limp to his room last night and her arm had wrapped around his waist as he held her shoulders? Whatever the reason, she was here with him now. Alone. The urge to hold her and kiss her to distraction was strong inside him and growing stronger as every second passed. The look of interest on her face let him know she too, wanted to know what it would be like to kiss him.
Slowly, waiting for her to stop him, he lifted his hand to her cheek and softly brushed the warm skin. Her mouth parted in silent invitation, and he wanted to kiss her more than anything. But as he closed the space between them, she quickly stepped back.
“I, um… I think we should go,” she said in between ragged breaths. “There’s a lot to do and not a lot of time to get it done.”
Sighing, disappointment filled him. Perhaps this wasn’t the right time for their first kiss. But he wasn’t going to give up.
“Yes, you’re right.” He stepped toward the door. “Let’s go.”
As they walked into the hallway, he asked, “Have you had breakfast?”
“Yes. I was up early this morning. It’s hard to sleep when it’s constantly the same light outside.”
He laughed. “It’s definitely something that’s hard to get used to.”
They walked to the elevator, and the doors were open and welcoming. As they stepped inside, he remembered their first trip in the elevator and how it ended with her in his arms… He scolded his wayward thoughts. He really needed to remember that today was about the commercial. Fun time would come later… and he would make sure they had a glorious time!
The day passed quickly, and Ivy’s mind was filled with ideas on how to incorporate the resort’s activities into the commercial. Those particular activities couldn’t be in an actual scene, just mere flashes to let the viewers know why this resort was so special.
The pool looked relaxing, and the hot tub was tempting, but she wouldn’t have time for that today. She chatted briefly with the dance instructor, the ice-skating instructor, as well as the couple’s therapist. They were all excited about the commercial.
Although she felt she’d gotten a lot accomplished today, she struggled to keep her mind focused on her project. Steele was just too gorgeous and smelled so incredibly wonderful. When they walked from place to place inside the resort, he touched her lower back quite a bit which made her want to be closer to him. She’d lost count how many times he made her heart skip with excitement and how many times she became breathless around him.
Once they were finished with the tour, there was an hour left before their dinner date with Rosetta. Steele had escorted Ivy back to her room so that she could change for dinner, and she thought he was going to try and kiss her, but instead, he just told her that he’d meet her down in the restaurant dining room.
Ivy stood in front of the full mirror in her suite, looking at her reflection. The red velvet winter gown with long-sleeves clung to her figure more than she thought it would. She’d purchased a few things before coming on this excursion, and this was one of them. Now she wondered if it was too fancy to wear to dinner. After all, the meal tonight was about discussing the commercial – not trying to impress a certain man.
However, the people who she’d be dining with were both fancy dressers. It would be expected that she would dress up a little for the occasion. That first night when she had sat at a table in the restaurant, all the other couples wore dressier clothes.
She’d decided not to fix her hair fancy, but left it long as it waved down her back and over her shoulders. She wore a red and black heart-shaped pendant on a silver chain around her neck, but that was her only jewelry that hopefully would take people’s direct attention off the wide-scooped neckline that showed more skin than she wanted.
On the bed stand, her phone buzzed with a text. She moved away from the mirror to see who was contacting her. The text was from Rosetta explaining that the restaurant was full tonight and that Steele offered up his apartment for their dinner tonight. Rosetta also mentioned that the restaurant would be supplying the food.
Ivy sighed and frowned. She really should change, especially since they were only going to be in Steele’s apartment on the top floor of the resort. However, she didn’t have time. It was nearly time for her to leave as it was.
She slipped into her red high-heels and swung a silk shawl around her shoulders. As she walked out of her room, she prayed she wasn’t overdressed.
It didn’t take very long before she stood in front of Steele’s door. Her heart jumped crazily in her chest and the butterflies in her tummy were in competition to see who would make her pass out the fastest. She quickly knocked, hating to prolong the moment any further.
Steele answered the door seconds later. As she ran her gaze over him, she held her breath, not wanting to sigh aloud. He was incredibly handsome wearing a black dinner jacket with matching trousers. His dark blue shirt emphasized the blue of his eyes, making them appear dreamier, if that was possible. His hair was slicked back away from his face. When she met his gaze, his wide smile was mesmerizing.
“Wow,” he gasped, moving his gaze over her. “You are so… beautiful.”
Her face heated from his compliment. “May I repeat your phrase because I think you are just as beautiful. I’ve never seen you so refined before.”
He rolled his eyes jokingly and he flipped a hand. “Oh, this old thing? I had to brush off the mothballs before putting it on.”
She laughed. “Sure you did.”
He reached for her hand, and she automatically gave it to him as he pulled her into the room and closed the door. She didn’t want to take her eyes off him, but she swept her attention around the room. In the corner near the window was a table set up and set with nice china and silverware. Two lit candles sat in the middle of three place-settings.
She noticed there was soft music playing in the background, and she said a silent thanks that it wasn’t country music. Living in Montana, it seemed that was everyone’s choice of music. Not hers. She enjoyed romantic songs and even some classics.
Steele was unnervingly quiet, so she looked at him again. His relaxed expression as his gaze moved over her from top to bottom, made her heart sing with gladness. The urge to grab him and kiss him passionately became strong, but she knew this was the wrong time for that to happen. Rosetta would be here any minute.
When she realized they were still holding hands, she gently pulled her hand away and moved toward the table. “What’s for dinner tonight?”
“Rosetta told me she ordered the house special. I hope you like seared Alaskan black cod with garlic roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli.”
Her stomach grumbled softly, and her mouth watered. “I don’t think I’ve ever tasted that, but I can’t wait to try it.”
He moved with her to the table and hurried around to pull out her chair. She gave him a smile as her heart skipped a beat as she sat. “What a gentleman you are tonight.”
“Tonight? I thought I was a gentleman all the time.” He took the closest chair to her and his knee brushed against hers.
“You know, I believe you’re right. You have opened several doors for me.”
“See.” He wagged his eyebrows. “I know how to be a gen
tleman. My father taught me well.” He laughed. “Which, ironically, is the only thing I learned from him – or so he says.”
Her heart tugged with emotion. “Steele, I feel the need to tell you what I heard from Rosetta earlier this morning.”
He frowned, turning serious. “Is it something about my dad?”
“Yes.”
He huffed and folded his arms, resting back in his chair. “Then I don’t think I want to hear. My meddlesome old man will be the death of me, I just know it.”
“No, Steele.” She leaned toward him. “I think you’ll want to hear this.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Okay, tell me.”
She told him what Rosetta had said about his father being proud of Steele because he accomplished his goals. The expression on Steele’s face changed slightly, and she detected tears in his eyes, but he quickly blinked, and they disappeared.
“I can’t remember the last time my father said anything that sounded remotely like praise.” He sat up and rested his elbows on the edge of the table. “He’d rather tell me what my brothers were doing and that I should do the same.”
She touched his arm. “While talking with Rosetta, she made it sound like your father was very proud of you.”
Steele’s gaze dropped to her hand before he covered it with his palm. “Let’s just say that I’ll believe it when I hear it myself.”
“That’s understandable.” She dropped her gaze to their hands. The beat of her heart quickened. “You know, Steele…” She swallowed hard, wondering if she could tell him what was on her mind. “I feel as though we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well these past few days.”
“I think so, too.” He rubbed his thumb gently over her knuckles.
“And I’m happy to say that you’re nothing like the man I met at the airport.”
He laughed. “I was pretty awful. I had even thought you were accident-prone.”
Cupid Takes a Wife Page 8