Cooped Up for Christmas (Eden's Idyll Series Book 1) Read online

  There was something just raw and savage about fucking on the floor. But this was more than just that. There was another level to our desperation, something that had nothing to do with sexual satisfaction at all. It was a connection of souls. And it was fabulous.

  Still, when it was all over, and we had recovered and dressed, I had to remind him of what we’d agreed. Or maybe I said it to remind myself. “That was awesome, but remember. This is not a thing.”

  It may have been a trick of the light, but it seemed that his smile faltered, but no. There it was, just as bright. “Right, Vic,” he said before he kissed me long and hard. “Not a thing.”

  But then he winked. And, as he walked away, he whistled.

  * * *

  Because the guests were, shall we say, in our faces all day, we had to take shifts or go insane. I made the schedule for my staff, which meant a late dinner for me. I sat down with a heavy sigh to a plate of ribs and baked beans Noel had made in the crockpot. They were surprisingly good.

  I sat there, alone in the little kitchen, just enjoying my meal, and the warm wet snout on my leg. Okay, maybe I didn’t enjoy that part a whole lot, but Mason was starting to grow on me. When he wasn’t growling at me over his girlfriend.

  When Coop wandered in, I frowned at him. “Your dog is leaking.” I gestured to my damp slacks.

  “Yeah. He does that,” Coop said on a chuckle. “What are you doing?”

  I waved at my plate. “Dinner.”

  “May I join you?”

  “Please.” I liked the quiet, but he was far more entertaining than my own brain. As much as I liked being alone, I liked being with him better. We chatted for a while. Just random, nothing talk. He told me about his neighborhood, and his neighbors, and even shared some of the adventures he’d had in the past fifteen years.

  Eventually, we came around to the people here.

  “You sure have an interesting staff,” he said.

  I nearly spewed a mouthful of baked beans. “You can say that again.” I leaned in. “Is it me? Or are kids getting younger these days? I don’t remember being that flaky when I was eighteen.”

  He shrugged. “I work with a lot of younger folks in my business. In fact, I’m the dinosaur. There are always some guys who come through the training program who just don’t pass. I mean, people’s lives are on the line. I can’t have one mistake. But for every flaky wannabe thrill chaser, there are a bunch of bright, engaged kids who just want a chance to learn the ropes.”

  “You’re saying I should make more of an effort to mentor them.” Hell, you couldn’t teach someone my job. It was pure instinct.

  “Or relate to them. Either works.”

  I snorted my affront. “I relate to them.”

  “Do you know their last names?”

  “What?” Why was that relevant?

  “Or where they grew up? Or if they’re single? Missing someone?”

  “In case you didn’t notice, we don’t actually have time to sit down and chat.”

  “Some effort would be nice.”

  “I’m here to work. Not make friends.”

  “You’re here to work—” he flourished his hands— “amongst people. Why not enjoy your time with them?”

  I kind of stared at him for a while. So he continued. “Did you know Olivia sings opera? And Wren can rap…in sign language?”

  Impressive, but… “We don’t have time to sit around and chat here.”

  “Seriously?” Now he gaped at me. “Do you even remember when we were here? We would sit around and talk for hours when the guests were out.” He winked. “Or sleeping.”

  “I remember that.”

  “What else do you remember from when we were here? How super clean we washed the dishes? Or the picnic we all took on a river float—”

  “And Santino fell in,” I said on a snicker.

  “Right. And then we fell in saving him.” We both laughed at the memory. What a fun day it had been. “That’s what we remember. That’s what we take with us. The way we felt. About those people… Our friends. That’s what matters.”

  “Well, these people are not my friends. They’re employees.”

  “You and Molly were friends, back when we were here.” Damn. The man was relentless.

  “That’s different.”

  “I don’t see how. You were Olivia. Molly was you.”

  There’s nothing I hate more than a man who makes a valid point. So annoying. I gusted a sigh and attacked my food in lieu of a response.

  “I heard the girls talking about you,” he said after a minute, apropos of absolutely nothing.

  I looked up at him over my rib. “Really?” Awesome. “What did they say?”

  “They think you’re a little uptight.”

  With great resolve, I did not snort again. But I thought the snort. “Of course I’m uptight. I’m an executive.”

  “Hmm.”

  I glared at him. “What?”

  He shrugged. “It’s just that you didn’t used to be uptight. In fact, if memory serves, you were…very flexible.” The glint in his eye was irritating. “Do you ever think about leaving?”

  I gaped at him. “Leaving what?”

  “All this?”

  I had to laugh, though it kind of got caught in my throat. “My job?” Was he crazy? “This is all I have. All I am.”

  “Yeah. I get that. But is that the way you want it?”

  I frowned at him. “I don’t understand what you’re asking.”

  “Are you happy?”

  “Happy?” What kind of question was that? “Are you happy jumping off mountains for a living?”

  “I jump onto them. From planes. Very different thing. And you’re avoiding the question.” I had no idea why he was so bloody persistent.

  “I’m the VP of Hospitality for the most popular mega luxury resort company in the world. It’s a great job.”

  “It is. But do you ever think of leaving?”

  Seriously?

  I was saved from answering when Olivia popped her head into the room. “Hey, Vic,” she said cheerily. “Chef’s on fire again.”

  Did I ever think of leaving?

  All right, I have to admit that I did, on occasion, think about chucking all this in and winning the lottery. But where would I go? What would I do? Who would I be without this job?

  And why on earth could that man not flambé without setting himself on fire?

  * * *

  I thought about what Coop had said as I went back to work, spelling Olivia who was covering the great room, which, at the moment, played host to all of the adults—drinking cocktails and pretending to play Cards Against Humanity.

  He was right. I did used to enjoy other people. I used to have a sense of humor.

  What had happened? Had I become old and crusty in my quest to command my career? And when had my job become my everything?

  Was this what I really wanted in life?

  If I was being honest, my life wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. I was lonely. I did have walls—battlements, really—that kept people at bay. If I wanted something different, I had to do something different.

  I decided to make an effort to be friendlier with the staff. Or, at least, try to understand them. They were a completely different generation and had a very different world view, so it might take some effort.

  Take Jed, for instance.

  His work ethic was really great. When there was something that needed doing, he might complain about it, but he’d do it. And he did a good job. And, aside from the fact that he really liked murder movies and smoked pot, he was a nice guy.

  Wren was kind of quiet, but there was a lot going on inside her head. When she did say something, it was either terribly witty, or extremely insightful. Or both.

  Olivia was a sweetheart. She simply wanted to please everyone. I think she just needed a little more confidence to help her own her place.

  Ben was just awesome. He was a powerhouse of energy and he just jumped in
whenever anyone needed anything.

  And Ken was an unmitigated rock star.

  Yeah. I guess I did have a great staff. I should spend more time getting to know them, and appreciating them.

  I did miss having a connection with other people. A real connection, I mean. Not just a nod on the way to the water cooler or an exchange over a boardroom table. Real stuff.

  I knew it would be hard for me to make this shift, because I’d become so ensconced in the corporate culture, I’d forgotten to think about people as people.

  As annoying as it was that Coop had brought this up, I was glad he had.

  Olivia and I had a nice chat that night, while the adults were drinking. We talked about her plans for the future, and her upbringing and her dreams. She really wanted to pursue hospitality as a career. I told her about the management mentoring program and the classes Eden offered employees who wanted to advance.

  When she told me about her boyfriend, a mechanic named Lance, I pulled out my phone. “This is my boyfriend, Dirk,” I said, showing her a picture.

  Her eyes got all big. “Oooh. Dirk’s hot.”

  I nodded. “He’s a cover model. And a physicist.” Because it bore repeating.

  “Holy crap.”

  Right. He was perfect. On paper.

  Her brow wrinkled. “But I thought you and Cooper were a thing?”

  Oh. Yeah. “Coop and I were a thing about fifteen years ago.”

  Her smile was sly. “It seems like you’re a thing now too.”

  I shrugged because, honestly, it kind of did.

  “So… Which one do you like better?”

  Her question caught me off guard. Which one did I like better? There was no competition. Life with Dirk was pleasant. Predictable. Placid. Low-pressure. If Dirk dumped me for Barbie Malone, I’d be like, “Okay, have fun, dude.”

  Dirk and I were just marking time together. I could see that now.

  Coop was an entirely different story. Coop was exciting and challenging and the sex was beyond the stars.

  My heart screamed, “Coop! It’s Coop!” But my head told it to shut up because my head was scared.

  “They’re both awesome,” I answered—somehow the truth and a lie at the same time.

  “Yeah. But you have to pick one, don’t you?”

  God, life was so simple when you were in your twenties!

  Just pick one! See how easy that was?

  But, if I was being honest, I already had picked one.

  I just needed to convince my head to go along with my heart.

  Cooper came to my room for a “shower” again that night. This time, our lovemaking was a lot slower and more, shall we say, exploratory. But I have to say, my favorite part was after, when he held me in his arms and we just talked into the darkness.

  Honestly, I could get used to this.

  Chapter Nine

  Christmas Eve dawned with a new sprinkling of snow. As much as I wanted to stay in bed with Coop, we had to get up. Today was the big day. The guests were leaving for snow adventures and shopping again, and while they were gone, we had the Christmas Evening Dinner and Fairy Ball to set up.

  Jamison’s In-N-Out burgers arrived in time for lunch, still hot. Unfortunately, Jamison was not there to eat them. Apparently, he’d taken off sometime in the middle of the night after one of his fights with Farley, and no one knew where he was. Not even his mother, which concerned me.

  Too bad it didn’t concern her. She sat in the great room sipping Don Julio, and telling everyone he would be back in time for the afternoon excursion.

  Neither Farley, her friends, nor any of the adults in the party wanted burgers, and all Jamison’s pals had left with him—so it was up to the staff to chow down on In-N-Out burgers, delivered straight from Los Angeles.

  Yes. At times, there were perks.

  At any rate, when Jamison and his friends returned to the lodge, they had already eaten in town.

  As the guests prepared themselves for their afternoon outings, Olivia, Wren, Jed, and I awaited their pleasure in the great room. I suspected, given the personalities involved, we might be in for a longish wait, so I decided to use this time to try my hand at—what was it called again?—relating to my staff.

  “So, Wren…” I began with her, because she was in my line of sight. “What are your plans for the future?”

  Her mouth came open, but only a little because she was pretty good at disguising her surprise. Not good enough, though. “Uh… I’m not sure. I really like this.” She made a face. “Some of this.”

  I chuckled. “I know what you mean. But you can learn to tolerate the horrible parts for the great parts.” A thought hit me. “But have your limits on the horrible, people. No matter how wealthy or powerful someone is, there are still lines that cannot be crossed.” They all stared at me, wide-eyed, like little chicks gaping at their mother.

  I was not going to mouth feed them, but I could provide them some perspective. From experience.

  “There will be people who will try to push limits in this business. You need to know where that line is and take charge if it’s crossed. Understood?”

  The girls nodded. Jed just stared at me.

  “Did you really start here? In our jobs?” Olivia asked.

  “I did. And now I am the Vice President of Hospitality.”

  “I heard you were here incognito,” Olivia whispered.

  “I’m really here because Darcy flaked.” They all snorted. “But it’s been a really good reminder of what the company is all about. In fact, I’m going to recommend a required internship on a company property for all management candidates so they understand what actually happens in the field.” In fact, I’d kind of been toying with an idea for revamping our training package for boots on the ground. Leaving it to people like Darcy to convey the company élan wasn’t quite working.

  Wren nodded and wagged a finger at me. “I thought you looked familiar.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  She grinned. “Your picture is on the company website.”

  Shut your mouth. I gaped at her. “You’ve been on the company website?”

  “I, ah, thought it was a good idea to find out more about the company.”

  “Yes,” I said through a small laugh. “It’s a very good idea. Well done.” It was not lost on me that she glowed with the praise. “I don’t know if it’s on there, but the company has an executive training program, if you’re interested.”

  “Yes. Yes, please.”

  “Me too,” Olivia said.

  “Great. I’ll get you both connected.” I turned to the lone male. “So how about it, Jed? What do you want for your future?”

  His expression remained blank.

  “Do you have a plan?”

  He shrugged. “I haven’t thought about it much.”

  I nodded. “Yeah. I didn’t think about it much either when I was your age. But now, looking back, I kind of wish I had. You know, planned better.” When they asked what I wish I’d done differently, I told them. Well, some of it. I told them I wished I’d paid myself first—the way my mom always said—making sure a certain amount of my income went into an untouchable investment for my decrepit and looming future. I told them I wished I’d stopped, once in a while, to have a little more fun. I wished I’d spent more time with friends and heartily wished I’d taken more chances.

  What I didn’t tell them was my biggest regret of all.

  How ironic that he appeared at the door, at just that moment, looking tall and dark and oh-so-sexy. I didn’t care for beards on men, but I liked that sexy scruff on his cheeks. When our gazes collided, a hot blade sliced through me.

  I ached for him.

  Damn it. Why did he have to leave for the day?

  Why hadn’t we done it just one more time in the shower?

  “Are they all ready?” he asked, clapping his hands and stamping his feet. His words came out in a cloud.

  I shook my head. “Not yet.”

  “
I’ll run up and let them know you’re ready,” Wren said, bounding up the stairs.

  “Me too,” said Olivia, bounding up after her.

  Jed looked at me. “Should I go too?”

  “No.” I patted his shoulder. “You’re good.”

  “So…” Coop headed across the foyer, slowly stripping off his gloves. Tease. I couldn’t help grinning at him. “Here we are again.”

  “Here we are.”

  “Any idea when they’ll be ready?”

  “They’re coming.” Probably not a lie?

  He grinned and leaned in. “So’s Christmas.”

  We both smiled at the old so’s Christmas chestnut, but Jed said, “Technically, it is Christmas. I mean, it’s the 24th.”

  Ah, the logic of Generation Z.

  “Right!” I said, because I’m a leader who supports her people. And Jed was my people.

  The point, however, became moot as Whit and his people tromped down the stairs.

  “Good afternoon, everyone. Are we ready to go?” Coop asked.

  “Not yet,” Whit said. “We can’t find Farley.” He stepped closer and said under his breath, “She really upset about that last fight with Jamison.”

  I nodded. “I see. All right. Why don’t you all relax in the great room, and I’ll send the staff out to look for Farley?”

  Since his response was a relieved smile before heading for the bar, I assumed this was a yes.

  * * *

  I was the one who found Farley. She was in the library, which was a small room set in the back of the east wing. It hadn’t been used much this Visit. Probably because it was filled with books. Not that I’m judgey, but this group didn’t exactly scream bookworms! She was in the chair by the cold fireplace, curled into a ball.

  “Are you all right?” I asked.

  She snuffled and said, “No.”

  “The others are ready to leave.”

  “Oh, let them wait.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help?” I had in mind lighting the fire or having a nice cup of tea and digestive biscuits sent over.

  “Oh yes, please.” She grabbed my hand. Hers was damp. “I’d love to have someone to talk to, you know, someone who doesn’t know me. Kind of like…a therapist?”