Flirting With The Boss. Tina Beckett

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      He wrote down his number and handed it to Erin. “Give me a call if Lori gets in touch with you.”

      He left as he pulled out his cell phone and gave Claire Keenan a call, asking if she’d watch Cassie a little later, then he hung up and glanced up at the sky. An odd feeling came over him, and not a good one. “Where are you, Lori?”

      An hour later, Lori had turned off the highway to a private road, just as her GPS had instructed her to do. She shifted her car into four-wheel drive and began to move slowly along the narrowing path.

      It wasn’t long before she realized coming today wasn’t a good idea. Deciding to go back, she shifted her SUV into Reverse and pushed on the gas pedal, and all that happened was the tires began to spin.

      “Great. Please, I don’t need this.” She glanced out her windshield as her wipers pushed away the blowing snow, which didn’t look like it was going to stop anytime soon.

      She took out her cell phone. No signal. The one thing that was working was her GPS and it showed her destination was a quarter mile up the road. What should she do? Stay in the car, or walk to Hidden Hills Lodge?

      She buttoned her coat, wrapped her scarf around her neck and grabbed a flashlight. She turned on her emergency blinkers and climbed out as the blowing snow hit her. She started her trek up the dirt road and her fear rose. What if she got lost and froze to death? Her thoughts turned to Gina and Zack. And Jace. She cared more about the man than she even wanted to admit. And she wanted to see him again. She quickened her pace, keeping to the center of the dirt road.

      Ten minutes later, cold and tired, she finally saw the structure through the blowing snow. It was almost like a mirage in the middle of the trees. She hurried up the steps to the porch and tried the door. Locked.

      “Key, where are you?” she murmured, hating to break a window. It took a few minutes, but she found a metal box behind the log bench. After unlocking the dead bolt with nearly frozen fingers, she hurried into the dark structure and closed the door. She reached for the switch on the wall and light illuminated the huge main room. With a gasp, she glanced around. The walls were made out of rough logs and the open-beam ceiling showed off the loft area overhead. Below the upstairs were two doorways leading to bedrooms. The floors were high-gloss pine with large area rugs and overstuffed furniture was arranged in front of a massive fireplace. She found a thermostat on the wall and flipped it, immediately hearing the heater come on.

      Shivering, Lori walked to the fireplace and added some logs. With the aid of the gas starter, flames shot over the wood. She sat on the hearth, feeling warmth begin to seep through her chilled body.

      Once warmed, she got up and looked around. The kitchen was tucked in the back side of the structure, revealing granite counters and dark cabinets.

      She checked out the two bedrooms and a bath on the main floor. Then she climbed up to the loft and found another bedroom. One of the walls was all windows with a view of the forest. She walked into the connecting bathroom. This one had a soaker tub and a huge walk-in shower.

      “I guess if you have to be stranded in a snowstorm, a mountain retreat isn’t a bad place to be.” At least she’d stay warm until someone found her. When? Next spring?

      She came back downstairs trying to think of a plan to get her back to town, when a sudden noise drew her attention. She froze as the door opened and Jace Yeager walked in.

      “Jace!” she cried and leaped into his arms.

      He held her close and whispered, “I take it you’re happy to see me.”

      Jace didn’t want to let Lori go. Thank God, she was safe. When he found her deserted car, he wasn’t sure if she would find cover.

      He pulled back. “Are you crazy, woman? Why did you go out in this weather?”

      She blinked back the obvious tears in her eyes. “It wasn’t this bad when I started out. Besides, I didn’t think it was that far. I tried to go back when the weather turned, but my car got stuck. How did you know where I went?”

      “I stopped by the bank. Erin was worried because she couldn’t get ahold of you.”

      “No cell service.”

      Jace pulled out his phone and examined it. “I have a few bars.” He walked toward the front door, where the signal seemed to be a little stronger. “I’ll call the Keenans.” He punched in the number and prayed he could get a message out. Tim answered.

      “Tim. It’s Jace.” He went on to explain what had happened and that Lori was with him. Most importantly they were safe. He asked Tim to keep Cassie, then to call Lori’s sister and let her know they wouldn’t be back tonight. “Tell Cassie I love her and not to worry.”

      He flipped the phone closed and looked around the large room, then he turned back to Lori. “Tim will call Gina and let her know you’re okay.”

      Lori’s eyes widened. “We’re not going back now?”

      He shook his head. “Can’t risk it. The storm is too bad so we’re safer staying put.” That was only partly true. He glanced around, knowing being alone with Lori wasn’t safe anywhere. “I’d say this isn’t a bad place to be stranded in.” He looked at her. “This is one of your properties?”

      She nodded. “I think my father came here … to get away.”

      Jace grinned. “So this was Lyle’s secret hideaway?”

      Lori frowned. “Please, I don’t want that picture in my mind.”

      Jace looked around at the structure. “Well, whatever he used it for, it’s well built. And it seems to have all the modern conveniences.”

      He went on a search, and found two bedrooms, then a utility room off the kitchen. There was a large generator and tankless water system. “Bingo,” he called to Lori. “All the conveniences of home. In fact, it’s better than back home.” He nodded to the fire. “Propane gas for the kitchen stove and most importantly there’s heat.”

      Lori looked at him. “You really think my father used this place for his own personal use?”

      Jace shrugged. “Or he let clients use it. Come on, Lori, did you think your father lived like a monk?”

      She shrugged. “Truthfully, I hadn’t thought much about my father’s personal business in a long time. So what if he came here.” She walked to the kitchen. “Maybe we should look for something to eat.” Opening the cabinets, she found some canned goods, soup, beans and tuna.

      Jace opened the refrigerator. Empty, but the freezer was filled with different cuts of meat, steaks, chicken. “I’ll say one thing about Lyle. He believed in being prepared.” He pulled out two steaks. “Hungry?”

      She arched an eyebrow. “Are you cooking?”

      “Hey, I can cook.” He took the meat from the package, put it on a plate and into the microwave to defrost. “I’ve been on my own for a long time.”

      Lori had wondered about his childhood since he’d mentioned that he’d been in foster care. “How old were you?”

      “At eighteen they release СКАЧАТЬ