Page 50 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

“Practice what?” She fiddled with her hood, making it look even better than it had moments before.

“Kissing. You know—being a couple. We can’t just hold hands with stone faces the whole time.”

She laughed, skepticism shining in her eyes.

Fine. Hedidwant to kiss Anna, and not only because they were pretending to be engaged. Hewanted it.Gabe wasn’t about to say that now, not when they were firmly stuck in the plans they’d made. They entered the elevator, and the door slid shut behind them. “Now’s a perfect time. No audience.”

“Do your worst,” she said, hand on her hip, and Gabe leaned down to kiss her.

Their lips brushed together, then connected.Wow.She was soft, her lips parting like they were meant to be kissing, and Gabe couldn’t help pushing forward to explore her mouth. Anna tipped her face toward his, her fingertips brushing against the back of his neck. It lit up all the nerves in his body with a strange heat. Where had they been headed again? He stepped back suddenly, remembering that this was supposed to be practice, not an end-all, be-all kiss.

Anna stepped back against the opposite wall of the elevator, cheeks pink, breathing hard. “Okay. That was akiss.”

The doors to the elevator opened again, letting them out into a lobby blessedly free of his family. He still felt the heat of her on his mouth, and the hairs on the back of his neck rose in expectation of having her touch him there again. “I think we’ll do all right.” He winked.

“Sure will. Now. Show me the resort like you promised. I want to seeeverything.”

4

ANNA

In the buttery light of morning, Gabe showed Anna Elk Lodge—the ski resort tucked into Cardinal Mountain. It was more than just one lodge. It was more than just one house.He took her up and around some trails near the family properties, which featured one house for each brother. Closer to the road, there was a series of staff housing and rental cabins for guests who wanted to stay in a private residence instead of the primary lodge.

Gabe didn’t have much to say about why they weren’t staying in his personal home other than he wanted to be closer to his grandmother. Throughout the tour, he pointed out the Christmas lights and decorations on every building. The whole mountaintop looked as if they were in a rustic Alpine Christmas wonderland. There was even a giant snow globe with a tiny ice rink in it big enough for two people that would make for amazing Christmas cards. They paused near the bonfire at the bottom of the ski hill, where guests drank gourmet hot cocoa or cider and munched on cookies that were created bytheChef Chris. They walked under a bower dripping in icicles, and she wanted to reach out to see if they were real. It was a Christmas movie come to life and she loved it.

“Would you like to see the view from above?” he asked her, pointing to the ski lifts. “We can take the lift up and hike down one of the walking trails.”

Anna grabbed his hand and tugged him along. “Are there Christmas decorations up there too?” Gabe laughed and nodded. “Well then, lead the way, Mr. Elkin.”

The ride up was fun, sitting together on the open bench. She could hear the excited chatter from the other guests on the seats ahead of and behind them. They then hiked down some trails set aside for snowshoeing and walking. Even the benches on the trails were decorated, and when she sat down on one, she was surprised to find it was heated.

“Oh, I could get used to this,” she said, sliding back and forth on the bench to warm up her butt.

Gabe sat down next to her. “I’d forgotten they were heated. It’s great because it keeps the snow off.”

Anna pulled out her phone and leaned against his shoulder. “Smile, fiancé, let’s make some memories.” Gabe laughed and the two of them made faces at the camera while she snapped their pics.

On the way back, Anna tossed sparkling handfuls of snow at him, dusting his nose. When he pretended to glare at her, his eyes were shining, and she had to remind herself that this was pretend and they weren’t even dating, much less actually engaged.

The mood shifted once they returned to his suite. It had been one thing to collapse on the bed in the middle of the night, exhausted from the shopping and the flight. Now Gabe stood awkwardly in the center of the living room. “I’m sorry there’s only one bed. If you want, I’ll sleep on the sofa from here on out.”

“That won’t be very realistic.” Anna’s body still hummed from the kiss they’d shared in the elevator. Some practice kiss—it was more like what she expected on her wedding day when the priest announced the happy couple as husband and wife. “It’s really okay. It doesn’t bother me at all.”

How he’d react if she admitted that she wanted him to sleep with her was another story.

Gabe nodded. “That’s good. Listen, I need to go talk to my brothers about our situation. Now that we’ve got a better storyline, I owe them a conversation. Will you be all right here for a bit?” His eyes searched hers. One minute he was acting like the Gabe he’d been when they worked together. The next, he was her fake fiancée, hesitating to leave her alone without company.

Anna snorted a laugh, and his eyebrows rose in response. The light dancing in his eyes made her want to say something witty. It was hard to come up with the words. “Will I be all right in this luxury suite in the fanciest ski lodge I’ve ever seen? I think I can handle it, Gabe. Don’t worry about me.”

A smile crinkled the corners of his eyes, and for a moment she thought he might take her in his arms. Kiss her again, even. But then he seemed to pull back, shifting toward the door. “I’ll be back soon.”

And then she really was alone in the luxury suite.

Taking off her boots, her feet sank into the plush carpeting and she wiggled her toes, sighing. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the mountains. Skiers made their way down the slopes, helmets glinting in the sun, and it waswarm.Oh, it was warm.

Despite the cold outside, the room was the perfect temperature. Little touches here and there reminded her that this was a high-end resort. The soft blanket on the back of the sofa arranged to perfection, the tray of luxury lotions in the bathroom, the fully stocked fridge with every kind of drink she could imagine. Even the rumpled bed somehow managed to look upscale. The sheets made all the difference, she decided.

Anna had no intention of sitting in the room doing nothing while Gabe met with his brothers. Item one on the agenda—make herself at home. She lugged the suitcases up onto the luggage racks and flipped them open, pulling out some of her new garments. She reached for her phone and dialed the one and only Elena, her best friend in the world.

---