Chapter Six
Luke grinned to himself as he and Mar loaded into his Cessna Citation X. She’d bought it. When he’d watched her walk away earlier, he’d realized he simply had to have more time with her. There was nothing wrong with exploring a relationship with a beautiful woman. His ploy of the business advice was just that: a ploy. He’d love her advice and insight on the perfume business, but he’d know if he should buy it. He always knew.
Earlier, he’d claimed he’d forgotten some important papers at the hotel and left Isaac and Cosette at the airport, then had the driver take him back to Mar’s place. When she wasn’t home, he was unsure what to do, so he’d waited and waited until she’d come. She’d run at him as if he were her long-lost love. If only that could be true. If only he’d fallen for Mar instead of Tracey back in high school. Maybe he’d be married with a whole passel of adorable children. Would they have the Jewels’ blue eyes, or would Mar’s Spanish ancestry give them her beautiful dark brown eyes?
They sat in comfortable leather recliners, and the pilot readied the airplane for departure. It was a short flight, only two and a half hours. Luke didn’t let himself second-guess why he wanted Mar with him on this trip. He simply needed more time with her. He liked being around her. She was wicked smart about business. He didn’t want to go back to Jackson Hole by himself. Sadly, his parents weren’t even there, as Paisley had her first soccer tournament this weekend and they were staying in Golden with Eve. He liked watching cute little Eve run around the soccer field in a pack with the rest of the team, but a full-on soccer tournament for a three-year-old was a little overboard in his opinion.
His mind went back to why he wanted Mar with him. She was beautiful and fun, and she kissed like an angel who was meant to be in his arms. No. He couldn’t go there. If he went there, he’d be kissing her again and declaring his undying devotion. She was the one who’d pulled away last night and acted all casual like the kiss hadn’t affected her at all. He was the one who’d promised himself he wouldn’t fall in love, so he should be thanking her.
He turned toward her and pushed the internal battles away. “Do you need anything? Water, juice, pop, snacks?”
“Thank you, Mr. Flight Attendant, but I am fine. I just had a delectable breakfast with some of my favorite people in the world.”
She was adorable too. He had to add that to her list of great characteristics. It couldn’t compete with how she kissed, but he doubted anything could. “Well, then settle in for a comfortable flight, Miss Valez.”
“I’ve never flown on a private jet.” She rubbed her hands along the tan leather armrests. “Pretty snazzy. How long have you had this?”
“It is snazzy.” He smiled and started telling her about his long-held dream of owning his own jet, and the flight flew by as they chatted about different businesses he’d acquired and how she and Cosette had gotten started.
They arrived in Jackson Hole and descended from the airplane. The June air in Jackson was probably mid-seventies and dry. It felt like a heat wave after San Francisco. “I never thought I’d say Jackson Hole was warm,” he said, his eyes darting around as if Tracey was going to pop out from the terminal.Calm down, he told himself.
“After San Francisco in the summer, anything feels warm.”
“Crazy how San Francisco gets colder in the summer.”
“Yeah, but I love my foggy city.”
“I could tell you do.” He smiled at her and loaded their bags in the trunk of a waiting rental car. The silver Audi was nice and clean. His personal assistant over travel, Jake, did a great job.
They drove through Jackson Hole, and she teased about the elk arch but admired the beauty of the area. The lush greenery and the majestic mountain peaks were beautiful. He realized that he’d missed his hometown. It was silly, really, that he’d stayed away for so long. Jackson had grown immensely. It would be a crazy coincidence if he ran into Tracey, and even if he did, it would probably just be good closure. He’d know she wasn’t the one for him, and maybe he could finally let it all go and move on.
They pulled into his parents’ driveway. He punched in the gate code, and it swung wide, letting him drive up to the rustic mansion for the first time in years. Wooden beams and rock competed for space on the exterior, and all of the huge windows were strategically placed to showcase the forest and mountains surrounding the home.
He parked in front and turned to Mar. Her mouth was slightly open, and her gaze darted from the house to the well-kept property. “Where are we?” she gasped out.
“This is my parents’ house.”
“Oh!” She turned quickly to him. “Are they here?” Her voice sounded terrified.
“No.” He shook his head and smiled. “They’re with Eve. Paisley had a soccer tournament. We get the whole place to ourselves.”
Her eyes widened and she straightened up. “Um, it might be way past time to tell you this, as I went on this trip with you not really thinking. Too impulsive, that’s my problem.” She was rubbing her hands together.
“It’s okay,” he reassured, wondering what in the world she could need to tell him. His mind went from communicable disease to sleepwalking to some things he shouldn’t even think.
“I’m only a kisser, not a … doer of other stuff.”
His own eyes widened at her bold statement and the insinuation behind it. “Thank you for telling me that. I promise you there is plenty of room for you to have your own suite, or a couple of suites, if you’d like.”
“Thank you,” she said, all prim.
Luke should’ve resisted, but he didn’t. He lowered his voice and said, “And I’m great with only kissing.”
Mar’s cheeks darkened, and she grabbed the door handle and scrambled out onto the cement driveway. Luke groaned. Maybe she didn’t want to be kissing him, but maybe she’d reacted like that because she liked his kiss as much as he’d liked hers.
He got languidly out of the car and retrieved their luggage. They walked quietly up the ascending walkway, past water features and early-summer flowers, and into the grand entry. The house was two sprawling stories. The entry opened into a two-story great room. A staircase below and the balcony above separated the entryway and living area. The balcony was lined with the doors to upstairs suites for all the family members. Leaving their luggage in the entryway, Luke walked her through the main area with the office and dining room off the entryway, and through the massive great room beyond that. To the right of the great room was the laundry, the mudroom, and the seven-car garage over which half the suites were situated. To the left was the exercise room; the theater; an activity room with ping-pong, pool tables, and video games; and a climbing structure for Paisley, with the rest of the suites situated over that part of the main floor. Beyond the activity room was the indoor pool.
When they reached the pool she gazed around in awe at the retractable walls and large pool. “Can we swim?”