There was a momentary silence. “You already made reservations?” Rachel heard the disbelief in Jamie’s voice. “When did you do that?”
“While I was packing my overnight bag to come down here.” Rachel pulled out of the hospital parking lot and onto the main road, suddenly aware of how tired she was. “You forget; this is my specialty. I have two dozen travel agents on speed dial, so booking a place in Bozeman was a cinch.”
“A lodge, huh?”
She glanced at him in the rearview mirror. “There’s some kind of big rodeo going on through the weekend, and a lot of the downtown hotels are fully booked. This place sounds nice, and we’ll only be here until my parents arrive.”
“One room?”
Rachel smiled. “Of course.”
“Then I’m going to love the place.”
The sprawling wilderness-style lodge overlooked a river, and was constructed of massive logs with a steeply peaked center roof that soared four stories high. Jamie eased himself into his wheelchair and stacked their two duffel bags onto his lap, before expertly wheeling himself up the ramp and through the wide entry doors.
Inside, Rachel stopped for a moment, and just stared in awe at their surroundings. A massive waterfall, complete with rock formations, trees, and other greenery, dominated the center lobby, while the ceiling soared upward. On the far side of the lobby was an enormous stone fireplace flanked by live pine trees. Looking up, Rachel saw each level of the hotel had a balcony that overlooked the lobby, supported by immense tree trunks. Tables with colorful umbrellas were arranged around the waterfall, and a gurgling stream meandered through the lobby, crisscrossed by rustic footbridges. Deer heads had been mounted on the supporting pillars, and chandeliers made of antlers hung suspended over the tables and the reception desk.
“Wow, this is pretty spectacular,” Jamie commented.
“I like everything except the animal head display,” Rachel said, wrinkling her nose. “All those eyes watching me…” She shivered.
Jamie nodded. “Yeah, I have to agree with you.”
They checked into their room, and made their way to the third floor. As they passed through the hallway, they were on eye-level with the top of the waterfall, and Rachel saw the lobby ceiling was a glass dome, through which she could see the stars.
Inside their room, Jamie tossed their bags onto a chair, and swiveled around, taking in the king-sized bed, the sitting area complete with small kitchenette, and the sliding doors that led to a private balcony.
“Well, at least there are no prying eyes in here,” he commented.
“Yes, thank goodness,” Rachel agreed. She pushed her hands through her hair. “I’m just going to brush my teeth and freshen up before bed.”
Jamie nodded. “Sounds good.”
In the bathroom, she almost wailed with despair when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her hair had mostly come loose from the ponytail, and hung in messy disarray around her face, which looked pale and tired.
Shedding her clothes, she turned on the shower and then coiled her hair into a bun on top of her head, before stepping beneath the hot spray of water. The day’s tension eased from her body, and she spent several long minutes under the stream, letting the hot water soothe her troubled thoughts. She dried off quickly and pulled on a pair of boxer shorts and a T-shirt, before letting her hair down and using her fingers to fluff it around her face. She quickly brushed her teeth, and then pinched some color into her pale cheeks.
Drawing a deep breath, she opened the door to see Jamie was already in the big bed. His toiletries sat on the counter beside the kitchenette sink, and his clothes were folded on a nearby chair. He’d turned the bedside light on to the lowest setting and the room was cast in shadows, but Rachel could see he was asleep, and she felt a pang of guilt for having kept him up so late. Careful not to disturb him, she slid beneath the sheets, and reached out to turn off the light.
In the darkness, she could just make out his profile, and the steady rise and fall of his chest. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and Rachel cautiously snuggled against him. She slid a hand over his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin and the contour of the muscles beneath. She wanted to slide her fingers lower to explore the hardness she’d glimpsed earlier, but was reluctant to disturb him. She closed her eyes, pushing down her disappointment.
*
Jamie lay awake for a long time after Rachel crawled into bed beside him. He could smell the clean, floral fragrance of the soap she’d used, and when she slid her hand over his bare skin, his body reacted instantly. He’d had to stifle his groan of frustration and concentrate on keeping his breathing even, knowing if she slid her hand downward, she’d discover he wasn’t asleep at all.