Читать книгу His Love Lesson - Nicki Night - Страница 16

Chapter 6

Chey stood frozen in the middle of her floor. Not because of the cold. It was because of the encounter with that stunning stranger who had been sleeping in her villa when she arrived. She felt like Goldilocks even though she was the one who belonged there.

What had he been doing in her room? Who was he? She knew his name—Hunter...Hunter Barrington. She could almost hear him saying it again in that rich baritone timbre.

Despite the fact that his presence had practically scared her senseless, she’d hardly been able to tear her eyes away from his brown skin, dark eyes, inviting lips and tall, lean, muscular frame.

Finally, Chey unglued herself from the spot that she had been standing in since the stranger let himself out.

“Enough with him! I can’t believe I’m here!” Chey remembered how excited she was about this solo trip. Giggling, she flopped on the couch. “This feels amazing.” She reveled in her freedom. After a deep breath, Chey sank farther into the couch and smiled, but she didn’t stay long. After a few moments, she hopped up and went from room to room, checking out her lodging.

The villa resembled a cozy two-bedroom apartment with enough accommodations to sleep up to six people. The rustic Navajo-inspired decor created a warm and cozy vibe that made Chey smile and want to hug herself. On the back wall, there was a vivid view of snowcapped mountains through the large picture window, which looked like an enormous postcard. Chey imagined sitting in front of the stone fireplace, being serenaded by the crackling fire and mesmerized by the glowing embers. She decided right then that that would be her reading spot. The space was more beautiful than she had imagined, even though the hanging moose heads and the life-size bear in the corner proved a little creepy. The common area had an open floor plan, the kitchenette stretching into a great room with an area set aside for a large wood dining table. In front of the leather sofa bed there was a coffee table that looked like a chunk of wood someone had chopped out of a tree and propped on a smaller chunk of wood. Under it, there was a bearskin rug with talons still attached, as if whoever had caught the bear had forgotten to remove the claws. Still, this place was perfect.

Chey hadn’t expected the severe weather when she booked this vacation but didn’t let that deter her excitement. At some point, she’d get out and do all the adventurous activities she’d planned, but right now all she wanted to do was settle in and relax. Since this was her first time ever doing anything like this, she’d set up lessons for both skiing and snowboarding.

After her self-led tour, Chey called her sister and parents to let them know that she’d arrived safely. Then she went to take a shower. She removed her toiletry bag in search of her facial cleanser, body wash and toothbrush, finding everything except her toothbrush. Frantically, Chey dumped the entire bag on top of the vanity and rummaged through the contents. Then she looked in her purse and finally her suitcase.

Chey groaned, put her fingers to her temple and tried to think. “Where are you, toothbrush?” she asked aloud as if it could answer. Closing her eyes, she concentrated and then realized that she’d left it beside her sink at home. She could see it clearly in her mind. The reception desk would have courtesy toothbrushes, even though she hated those. They didn’t feel anything like her electric brush and certainly didn’t clean her teeth as well. Maybe when the roads opened, she’d find her way into town and go to a convenience store.

Chey took her time in the shower and then slipped into a pair of comfortable jeans and pulled a knit sweater over her thermal undershirt. Teasing her short tresses, she nudged her curls into place and rubbed her lips with a balm that held a hint of color. Her stomach rumbled and she remembered that the last time she had eaten was before her flight. Grabbing her coat, she put some money into her pocket and headed to the café.

The lobby had cleared out considerably since she’d first arrived. A few people who were obviously still waiting for rooms remained. Some were stretched out in chairs and some lay on the floor with their bags propped up under them.

Chey went to the clerk to ask for the toothbrush and shoved the small courtesy package in her pocket. “Are all these people still waiting for rooms?”

The clerk sighed. “Unfortunately, most of them are stranded and we have no more vacancies. Some of their flights were canceled and others weren’t able to get down the mountain before the roads were closed. Some guests have offered to take a few of them in, but there are still several left who don’t have a place to stay until at least the morning. We’re doing everything we can to find them some kind of lodging. We’ve set some up in our other resort, but it’s pretty much the same situation over there.”

“Oh.” That was all Chey could say. She felt horrible for them and almost guilty for having so much space to herself. However, as a woman traveling alone, she had to be careful.

Chey thanked the clerk for the toothbrush and headed across the lobby to the café. On her way she spotted the handsome stranger who’d been in her room earlier. Trying to be discreet, she watched him from the corner of her eye as he lay with his head back in a large rocking chair with his feet up on an ottoman. Damn! she thought again. He was ridiculously handsome. Just as she crossed in front of him, he lifted his head and attempted to shift his body in the chair. He opened his eyes and Chey quickly turned away. In her peripheral vision, she could see him nestling in his newfound position. He still looked incredibly uncomfortable.

Chey went into the café and ordered a salad and sandwich with a hot cocoa. Her mind kept drifting back to the stranger the entire time she ate and she wondered if he would end up sleeping in that chair all night.

“Excuse me.”

It was that voice again. Chey swallowed hard before looking up to acknowledge the person.

“Hi. Can I help you?”

“I was wondering if you would mind if I joined you at your table.”

Chey looked around, wondering why he hadn’t pursued any other empty seat and quickly realized that there weren’t any. The café was full, probably with all the people who had no place to sleep.

Sheepishly, she drew into her shoulders, silently chiding herself for wanting to send him away. The truth was, she couldn’t trust herself to be around him without staring as if he were on display at a museum. She assessed him again—smooth brown skin, penetrating eyes, luscious lips framed sharply by a handsome goatee. Geesh!

He pleaded with his eyes and then his mouth. “I wouldn’t bother you, but there’s no place to sit and although I don’t know you, I know these other folks even less.” He chuckled and the beautiful sultry sound of his laughter made her think of a cool breeze blowing in a meadow at sundown. How corny!

Chey pulled her food closer to her side of the table, making room for him to place his food down. He sat directly in front of her and she rolled her eyes before she realized it. She hadn’t meant to be rude. She just didn’t want the pressure.

Chey allowed herself to look at him and managed a small smile. “Sorry if I seem a little...insolent... I’ve had such a long day.”

“Tell me about it. Whew!” Hunter took a spoonful of his soup and sipped.

Chey watched as his lips puckered to take in the hot liquid. Mmm!

“So...” Chey hesitated, not sure if she wanted to actually start a conversation with him. “Are you...stranded?” She braced herself for his answer as if that were a hard question. She felt bad already.

“Unfortunately, yes. I was supposed to go home earlier today, but my flight was delayed and then eventually canceled.

“Oh.” What was she supposed to do with that information? She couldn’t invite this strange man into her villa. Now she regretted asking him. Chey allowed silence to envelop them. She listened as he quietly sipped his soup.

Part of her wanted to offer him her second room and part of her wanted to stay as far away from him as possible. There was something about him, something that pulled at her, and with her new spontaneous nature, she wasn’t sure if that pull would overcome her sense of reason. Secretly she took in his thick silky brows, high cheekbones, bedroom eyes and the strong lines of his chin. This man was chiseled to perfection. She deduced that she probably wasn’t his type anyway. She’d noticed his designer luggage. He looked like the type who preferred high-end stilettos, long flowing hair that hit the tailbone, and backgrounds of a certain pedigree. He was probably a wealthy prick like Todd.

Chey found herself wondering if Hunter would find her passion for creating fragrances silly and then cast those thoughts from her mind. Why was she even thinking about such things? “Nice seeing you again...um...?” She pretended to forget his name.

“Hunter,” he interjected and held his hand out once again.

Chey shook it and that same feeling from before returned—a slight flutter in her belly.

“Well...” she cleared her throat “...have a good night. I guess I’ll see you around.”

“I’m sure. Probably right here in the same spot.” He chuckled.

“Oh. Sorry,” Chey said for lack of anything better. “Good night,” she said again.

Chey didn’t stop walking until she reached her villa. She pushed the door open, then quickly closed it behind her and leaned her back against it. Why was her heart beating so fast? Why was she flustered? Chey had carefully planned out her day and now that she’d had another encounter with the stranger—Hunter—she was mentally off balance.

Shaking off the feeling that had attached itself to her from the moment he touched her hand again, Chey headed to the first bedroom and pulled out her laptop. She decided to work on her novel. She booted up her computer and started reading through the last chapter she’d written. Every time she read the male character’s lines, she imagined Hunter’s voice, until finally she put the laptop aside and burst out laughing.

Chey lay back on the comfortable bed and savored the firmness of the mattress as it seemed to mold itself to her body. A vision of Hunter sleeping uneasily in that chair in the lobby popped into her mind. Chey closed her eyes tight in an attempt to rid herself of thoughts of him. She worked at this for some time before rising from the bed, bundling up and heading back to the main reception area to find Hunter, who was now “resting” in a new chair.

“You can have the second room in my villa on one condition.”