who Zach was. So, why did the look on Owen’s face bother her when she told him about their bogus relationship?
She shook her head, forcing the image from her mind. Tomorrow was a new day. She had to let go of yesterday. There were so many memories. Her confused feelings overwhelmed her. Damn Owen Banks!
Chapter Eight
Alex opened her eyes. The room was black with darkness. She slowly closed and opened them again, making sure they were really open. The howling wind rattled the windows. She burrowed deeper under the covers. Maybe this seclusion thing wasn’t for her. She imagined the snow was flying now, but didn’t want to get out of the warm cocoon she created to satisfy her curiosity. A thud on the other side of the wall startled her. She wondered if Zach had heard the noise. The clock said 5:15 a.m. She sat up, attempting to gather the nerve to investigate.
She was wide awake now and smelled the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Unless a burglar, or bear, stopped by to have a cup her bet was Zach was up. She pushed aside the covers and shivered. The room was freezing. Who shut off the heat? Alex grabbed her robe, brushed her teeth and her hair, and splashed some water on her face. She jumped with the shock of the ice cold water.
“Zach? Why’s it so cold in here?” she asked, walking into the living room. Her eyes scanned the room nervously. There were candles lit and two oil lamps that shadowed the room.
“Good morning to you too, honey. Electric’s out,” he replied, lighting another candle.
“But, I smell coffee.” He tilted his head toward the fireplace.
Alex closed the robe tightly around her. “The water’s cold too.”
“My ski resort is on the other side of the mountain. Everything here runs on electricity. It’s all tied in.”
“So, we have no heat?” She wouldn’t panic.
“No. And the well pump works on electricity,” he warned, kneeling in front of the fireplace.
Alex knew what he was implying. “But, I just used the water in the bathroom.”
“Left over in the lines.” The panic must have shown in her face, because he quickly consoled her. “Don’t worry. We have plenty of wood…and snow. Have you looked outside?”
She shook her head. How could he see anything through this darkness?
“Really, it’s going to be okay. This kind of thing happens all the time when there’s a storm. That’s why I wasn’t happy you came alone.”
He stood and handed her a cup of coffee. The warmth was heavenly in her hands. “Thanks.”
“Sure.”
Why did this feel so awkward?
“So, what do we do to keep warm?” Did she really ask that? She didn’t have to look in the mirror to know her face was beet red.
He laughed at her obvious embarrassment. “It should warm up in here soon. I was sleeping and didn’t realize the electric was out. I have the wood stove burning in the kitchen and the fireplace. We might have to sleep in here, though, until they get it fixed.”
“How long will that take?” She bit her lower lip nervously.
“Depends. Sometimes it’s a couple of days, sometimes weeks.”
“You’re serious?”
“As a heart attack.”
She rolled her eyes and flopped on the couch. “How am I going to get any work done if I can’t turn on my computer?”
He sat in the chair opposite her. “We’ll think of other ways to keep busy.”
Okay, Zach, I can play your game. “What other things?”
“You forgetting that actor. Christmas. Us.”
Alex didn’t know what she expected, but that wasn’t on the list. “What actor?” She raised her eyes to his.
“That’s a start.” A sexy smile touched his lips. “We’re going to have plenty of quality time to get to know each other. Electricity brings with it distraction.”
The electricity she was feeling in the room was very distracting. “I don’t mind the fire for warmth and the candles for light, but the whole bathroom thing…” her voice trailed off.
“You’ve never been camping?”
“Camping is a
She shook her head, forcing the image from her mind. Tomorrow was a new day. She had to let go of yesterday. There were so many memories. Her confused feelings overwhelmed her. Damn Owen Banks!
Chapter Eight
Alex opened her eyes. The room was black with darkness. She slowly closed and opened them again, making sure they were really open. The howling wind rattled the windows. She burrowed deeper under the covers. Maybe this seclusion thing wasn’t for her. She imagined the snow was flying now, but didn’t want to get out of the warm cocoon she created to satisfy her curiosity. A thud on the other side of the wall startled her. She wondered if Zach had heard the noise. The clock said 5:15 a.m. She sat up, attempting to gather the nerve to investigate.
She was wide awake now and smelled the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Unless a burglar, or bear, stopped by to have a cup her bet was Zach was up. She pushed aside the covers and shivered. The room was freezing. Who shut off the heat? Alex grabbed her robe, brushed her teeth and her hair, and splashed some water on her face. She jumped with the shock of the ice cold water.
“Zach? Why’s it so cold in here?” she asked, walking into the living room. Her eyes scanned the room nervously. There were candles lit and two oil lamps that shadowed the room.
“Good morning to you too, honey. Electric’s out,” he replied, lighting another candle.
“But, I smell coffee.” He tilted his head toward the fireplace.
Alex closed the robe tightly around her. “The water’s cold too.”
“My ski resort is on the other side of the mountain. Everything here runs on electricity. It’s all tied in.”
“So, we have no heat?” She wouldn’t panic.
“No. And the well pump works on electricity,” he warned, kneeling in front of the fireplace.
Alex knew what he was implying. “But, I just used the water in the bathroom.”
“Left over in the lines.” The panic must have shown in her face, because he quickly consoled her. “Don’t worry. We have plenty of wood…and snow. Have you looked outside?”
She shook her head. How could he see anything through this darkness?
“Really, it’s going to be okay. This kind of thing happens all the time when there’s a storm. That’s why I wasn’t happy you came alone.”
He stood and handed her a cup of coffee. The warmth was heavenly in her hands. “Thanks.”
“Sure.”
Why did this feel so awkward?
“So, what do we do to keep warm?” Did she really ask that? She didn’t have to look in the mirror to know her face was beet red.
He laughed at her obvious embarrassment. “It should warm up in here soon. I was sleeping and didn’t realize the electric was out. I have the wood stove burning in the kitchen and the fireplace. We might have to sleep in here, though, until they get it fixed.”
“How long will that take?” She bit her lower lip nervously.
“Depends. Sometimes it’s a couple of days, sometimes weeks.”
“You’re serious?”
“As a heart attack.”
She rolled her eyes and flopped on the couch. “How am I going to get any work done if I can’t turn on my computer?”
He sat in the chair opposite her. “We’ll think of other ways to keep busy.”
Okay, Zach, I can play your game. “What other things?”
“You forgetting that actor. Christmas. Us.”
Alex didn’t know what she expected, but that wasn’t on the list. “What actor?” She raised her eyes to his.
“That’s a start.” A sexy smile touched his lips. “We’re going to have plenty of quality time to get to know each other. Electricity brings with it distraction.”
The electricity she was feeling in the room was very distracting. “I don’t mind the fire for warmth and the candles for light, but the whole bathroom thing…” her voice trailed off.
“You’ve never been camping?”
“Camping is a
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