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“It looks like we won’t be going anywhere,” Jana said. “We’ll have to get a room for the night.” It would have been romantic to be snowed in with a lover, but she cautioned herself that she wasn’t on a date.
“I’ll get the room. There has to be a suite or something,” Thaddeus said. “I want to make sure I don’t get stuck down the hall from you. This outing may seem safe enough, but I’m not taking any chances.”
Jana had learned not to be cavalier about her safety. She shuddered. What if the enemy had followed and was snowed in with them? That seemed ominous, so she was glad that she wasn’t alone. It would be difficult to escape in a snow storm.
“We can leave the truck in the lot and make a run for it to the resort hotel,” Jana said. “It’s a huge place. I’m sure they’ll have room for us.”
The resort had a family suite with two bedrooms and two baths, but it was pricey. “I’ll cover it,” Thaddeus said, and handed over his credit card. “It’s a business expense.”
The room was spacious, and the rooms had balconies with a view of the lake. It had a dining table large enough for ten and a full-sized kitchen. “This is way more than we needed,” Jana said, but she didn’t object to the luxury accommodations.
“There was no other way to get two bedrooms.” Thaddeus looked at her. “Unless you’d prefer two beds in the same room.” His eyes twinkled. “But I’m afraid you snore.”
Jana laughed. “I do not snore.” She got a kick out of him. He was so serious most of the time. Yet he had a sense of humor.
She thought about the coffee shop. Thaddeus had actually talked to her; he’d spoken more than a sentence or two in a row. She felt like she was getting to know him.
Thaddeus walked over to the window. “That’s quite a view.”
Jana stood next to him, looking out at the nighttime scene. The mountains rose in the distance, surrounding the lake. South Lake Tahoe was close to the shore and looked like a sprinkling of glittery building blocks at the base of the majestic Sierra Nevada range.
“It’s going to be stunning in the morning, when we can see the snow-capped peaks.” Jana gazed into the dark that was lit by the lights of the buildings below. “Right now, it’s a blaze of white. But I love to watch it snow, don’t you?”
Thaddeus was so close that she smelled his cologne. His strong, hot body was close enough to touch. Temptation pulled at her, but she managed to resist. She must be crazy, being this close to him and letting the moment pass.
Jana turned from the window and strolled around the room. She glanced at the big-screen TV and the plush furniture. The bathroom for the master suite where she’d be sleeping was large enough to live in. The marble floors gleamed, and the sunken tub had Jacuzzi jets that she had the urge to try out.
“Are you hungry?” Thaddeus said.
Jana’s cheeks warmed, and she nearly shared what she was hungry for. Instead, she walked past Thaddeus, out to the main room, and grabbed her purse. “Starved.” She smiled. “How about you?”
“We don’t have a lot of choices, since I don’t plan on leaving this hotel until the weather lets up.”
“True enough, but I happen to know the downstairs restaurant is excellent.”
Thaddeus opened the door. “Lead the way.”
In the elevator, Jana steeled herself to focus on something besides Thaddeus. He stared up at the lights indicating the floors as they descended. She wondered if he was having the same difficulty that she was. He seemed overly intrigued by those lights.
When the doors slid open, Thaddeus put his hand on the edge while she stepped out. As she moved past, attraction consumed her. And it wasn’t only hers. She felt tension from Thaddeus and sensed that he wasn’t immune to what was happening between them.
The restaurant had the ambience of the region, with wood-paneled walls and a massive stone fireplace. The understated elegance was upscale and romantic. Thaddeus asked for a table by the patio, and the greeter offered one by the glass doors.
It was an opportunity to watch it snow. Jana looked out, trying to tell if the weather had abated. Snow fell heavily, so all she could see was the covered patio. It was vacant for the evening, since the customers would be eating indoors.
Since Jana had the entire evening, she planned to enjoy herself. She ordered the coconut hibiscus mojito, and to her surprise, Thaddeus ordered a beer on tap. “We’re fairly snug in this hotel. If there is anyone in pursuit, I doubt any attack would come in this classy restaurant.”
“You’re right about that. In the morning, when the weather lets up, would make more sense.” That was if anyone was around, which Jana doubted.
Dinner was as delicious as predicted. She ordered the curry-roasted pork chop and Thaddeus had the twelve-ounce ribeye, which he ate every bite of. It was a joy to watch him eat, as he did so with such abandon.
Jana discreetly watched him devour his meal, eying his kissable lips and craving the feel of his strong arms around her. Thaddeus relished his food, but he glanced at Jana when he didn’t think she noticed. But she had. The meal turned into a sensual game, with each looking at the other, while trying not to.
The elevator ride back up to the suite was electrifying. Jana stood close, as if testing his resolve. She was so bad; she wanted him to grab her. And she prayed he would. But his sense of duty probably overrode the chemistry radiating between them.
Inside the suite, it was awkward. It wasn’t like Jana was going to say goodnight and disappear into her room. She didn’t want to leave Thaddeus. She chatted a bit about the weather, the lake, the dinner—about a lot of nothing.
Because what she really wanted wasn’t conversation.
