NovelConcepts

Taking over from Rebecca Grace is Sarah E. Stevens, bringing us to a close. 

"Paul?"

"Yes?"

Paul sat so close to Cammie that they were almost touching. She could lean right in for that kiss--and she wanted to. From the way he kept looking at her mouth, she was pretty sure he wanted it just as much.

But she needed answers first. Could he be her ally? Or did she need to guard her heart against him?

"If you and Brad do become business partners, what are your plans to change Cascadia Family Run? What would you do to increase profits?" Cammie nearly held her breath after asking the questions.

Paul stood up and walked several steps closer to the fire, before turning to look at her.

"The truth, Cammie Zhang?" he said. "To maximize profits, we'd need to completely overhaul this place. Mid-range family-centered slopes are all well and good, but they don't bring in money. To really earn money, you need to cater to the more exclusive crowd. Offer fine dining and five star rooms. Raise prices to attract only a certain clientele. Hell, some resorts have moved to a members-only model to ensure privacy for celebrities. Royalty, even."

Cammie felt angry tears rush to her eyes and blinked furiously. She could see it now: her beloved slopes full of rich people who cared more about the appearance of luxury than any type of fun.

"Cammie--"

She held up a hand to stop him. "Nevermind, Paul. It was an inappropriate question. I'll let you and Brad handle the logistics. I don't need to hear more."

"No, wait." Paul moved forward and dropped to his knees in front of where she sat on the couch. He grabbed her hand and tugged. Reluctantly, she looked at him.

"That's what I thought before I got here, before I knew what Cascadia Family Run is really about. Now I understand."

"What do you understand?"

"That we need to preserve what's special about this place." Paul squeezed her hand.

"And...what's special about this place?" Cammie asked. Her stomach lurched with nerves.

"The people."

"The people?"

"Families come here to have fun. I talked to one family near the fireplace? They've been coming here for four generations--and all they talked about was how this place gets better and better. They love the kids' area."

Cammie laughed. "All parents love the kids' area, because it's great to have somewhere to send the kids when they start whining."

Peter ran his thumb along Cammie's knuckles and she shivered. The warmth of his skin against hers seemed much more real than the wind howling outside.

"This place has the most dedicated staff I've ever known. Brad, Carlos in the ski shop, and even Lucille in the kitchen. Hey, even the custodial crew have been amazingly cheerful and welcoming."

Cammie smiled.

"But the most amazing person I've met? That's you, Cammie. I don't usually mix business and pleasure, but I'm not sure I want to stay professional with you."

Cammie felt the blood rush to her face. "Maybe we don't have to stay quite so professional. Maybe..."

She didn't finish her sentence. Instead, she leaned forward and kissed him. He met her lips eagerly in a kiss that started gentle and left Cammie out of breath with desire. She pulled back and looked up at his blue eyes.

He kissed her again, a quick kiss, like a benediction sealing some agreement.

"So where do we go from here?" Cammie asked.

"We continue with the innovations you're making! These romantic getaway cabins are brilliant. I've got ideas on how to attract corporate retreats during the weekdays when your family traffic is lighter."

Cammie swatted his arm. "Not that 'we.' This we." She gestured between the two of them.

Just then, the power flickered. Outside, the wind blew so fiercely that Cammie could hardly see the treeline through the whirling snowflakes.

"Where do you want to go from here?" Paul asked. He smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Well, I think first, I want to kiss you again. And then, maybe I'll finish making the hot chocolate. Looks like we might be stuck here for a while."

"Mmm. Both of those ideas sound great. I think I saw a Scrabble board, too. Maybe a rousing game of Scrabble?"

Cammie grinned. "Strip Scrabble?"

Paul snorted and they both collapsed into laughter.

"I'm not sure how we'd play strip Scrabble," he said.

"Me neither," said Cammie. "But I bet we can figure it out."