Page 26 of A Billionaire for Christmas

Her mind flew to the last text message she sent to Petra, her line manager.

Levi was no longer her boss. And her thoughts about him were anything but professional.

‘I can stay in these. They’re not that wet.

Both my cases are back at the forest. Hopefully not under a mountain of snow.

’ While Levi disappeared into the bedroom, Molly walked over to the large picture window and pulled the cord next to it to lift the shutter, snow falling heavily onto the sill.

As soon as it stopped, she would get going before it got really dark.

Ava’s precious journal was in one of those cases and she needed to get it back.

Besides, it wasn’t fair on either of them to play these games.

She would be the one to get hurt. Plus, she was a woman on a mission to save her business. She needed to stay focused.

Within seconds he’d emerged from the bedroom wearing dry clothes. He was rubbing a towel on his hair, making it stick out in all directions. Molly marvelled at how he could look effortlessly good no matter what the angle or circumstance.

‘It’s all yours. The bathroom is off the bedroom. If you do want to change, the drawers are full of stuff. Just pick something warm and comfortable until I work out how long we’ll be stuck here. I have a ton of calls to make while I try and get the heating to work.’

As soon as she walked into the bathroom, the blooms of expensive-smelling spicy and exotic aromas hit her.

It was like walking into a lavish five-star hotel ensuite.

The bedroom was noticeably more authentic and olde-worlde looking.

It had an inviting, sumptuous queen-size bed with a huge old oak bed frame, with layers and layers of elaborately quilted blankets, cushions and plush plump pillows.

Molly wished she could collapse onto it.

She suddenly felt drained of energy now the adrenaline rush was deserting her.

Her clothes now felt uncomfortably damp.

She pulled open the first heavy drawer to find a plethora of neatly folded sweatshirts and jumpers.

The second drawer had lots of jogging pants and jeans.

She pulled out a pair of joggers and a sweatshirt and hastily put them on before wandering back through to the main room and the roaring log fire.

Her eyes darted about. There was an open door to her left which must lead to a kitchen, but apart from that and the bedroom, this was all there was to the lodge.

It was picture perfect. She could see why Levi would stay here.

It oozed peace and tranquillity. Molly plonked herself down on the chair and sank into the cushions.

She dragged a blanket over her for comfort.

‘Well, I’m afraid it doesn’t look like we’re getting out of here anytime soon. I can’t even get a mobile signal for more than a few seconds. Could be days at this rate.’

Molly almost choked. ‘Without Wi-Fi?’ She gasped. ‘However will you manage?’

Levi chuckled. ‘Contrary to popular belief, I’m not a complete workaholic. I’m sure we’ll find something to keep us entertained.’

While Levi was being borderline delusional – he’d been glued to his laptop and spare laptop (who has a spare laptop?) and phone since the second she’d met him – there was only one thing on Molly’s mind at this moment.

She was running out of time. How was she going to complete the bucket list without him finding out about it?

Levi stopped peering out of the window and turned to her.

Oh dear, she could lose herself for days in that gorgeous face of his.

She fancied him. With every fibre of her being.

She would need the self-control and discipline of a Tibetan monk to hide her true feelings for him while they were stuck here together.

She picked up one of the French magazines for something to distract her while Levi paced up and down the room like a panther.

She listened as he rapidly gave out instructions to his staff on the phone every chance the patchy mobile signal allowed.

He switched between four languages with ease.

He sounded important and incredibly intelligent.

He sounded kind and generous. Christ Almighty, she wasn’t sure she could last a few hours here, never mind a few days.

Then a thought struck her. Make that two things on Molly’s mind.

There was only one bed.

* * *

As the sky grew ever darker, Levi increased the heating and switched on the remaining lamps.

They threw comforting shapes across the small room.

It was cosy and homely. A large bookcase housed several well-thumbed fiction and non-fiction titles in French, Italian and English, board games and puzzles. It reminded Molly of her childhood.

‘Well, if we’re going to be stuck with each other then I suggest some board gaming,’ Molly said.

She needed a distraction because just being near Levi was sending her pulse sky high.

She fiddled with an antique radio and found a French station playing old-fashioned music.

After pulling out a few board games, she settled on a French version of Cluedo.

‘Thank goodness one of us doesn’t have a multi-million-dollar global empire to run,’ Levi quipped, walking over to the kitchenette to pick up a bottle of wine.

He inspected the label, opened it, poured two glasses and brought them over.

‘It’s not quite what you were drinking last night with my brother, but it might do. ’

‘There’s no way I would have accepted a glass from him had I known what it was. I thought he was setting the table for you, not me.’

Levi didn’t make eye contact with her as he set the glass down on the coffee table next to the Cluedo board. ‘He’ll have done it on purpose to rile me. It’s his way of getting my attention.’

‘Opening your expensive bottles of wine? Why doesn’t he just WhatsApp you annoying memes or send you videos of cats line dancing, like normal people?’

‘I guess I’m not always available.’

Oh.

‘I’ve been busy working.’

‘I know what that’s like,’ Molly said sympathetically. ‘But it’s never too late to change, as they say.’

Levi’s lip quirked. ‘Forgive me but you don’t strike me as the workaholic type.’

If only he knew.

‘What changed for you?’ he probed.

Where to start? My best friend died? I let all my staff go? I failed to keep the restaurant going?

Molly shrugged. ‘Things beyond my control.’

Levi remained silent. His dark eyes pierced hers. She felt as though he was staring right into her soul. As though he understood that sadness consumed it, and she wasn’t yet ready to let go of it.

‘Le Colonel Moutarde?’ Levi asked, flicking through the Cluedo cards and fanning them out for her to choose.

‘Not sure I’d suit the moustache. What do they call Miss Scarlett?’

‘Mademoiselle Rose.’

‘How many languages do you speak?’

‘Only three fluently but I can generally get by in German and Spanish too, as they’re so similar to the others. What about you?’

‘ Je m’appelle Molly . J’aime faire du shopping. Je suis de l’Angleterre .’

‘Also fluent in French.’ Levi chuckled. ‘Please help yourself to my extensive collection of French periodicals on the global economy.’

‘I thought you’d never ask.’

After rejecting another offer to take the armchair, Levi settled on the rug ready to play.

The evening passed quickly with the roaring fire, the snow coming down and Levi sprawled in front of her while she embarked on some good-natured cheating much to his amusement.

She was unused to drinking, and the delicious wine was going straight to her head.

It was making her bold and nosy. ‘Your family. Do you see them often?’

Levi shrugged. ‘They’re all a little needy and no, I don’t see them much. Once a year, during the holidays.’

‘So you’re missing your one and only chance to see them?’ Molly shook the dice and moved her token. Neither of them had been in a particular rush to win the game.

Levi shrugged. His phone bleeped. And kept bleeping.

‘Is everything okay at the resort?’ Molly asked.

Levi exhaled noisily. ‘Yes, everything at the resort is fine. It’s just us that have been cut off by the avalanche, but that’s not who’s messaging.

’ He shook his head scrolling through the texts.

‘It’s my mother and this ridiculous week-long mega-wedding she’s planning for my sister. I doubt she even wants one that big.’

‘Are they Indian?’

‘Hah. No. My mother is American, old money. My father is a French hothead. Used to be an art dealer, even older money. They have been married forever. Rock solid. My sister is a typical millennial, wants everything given to her on a plate, and my brother, well, you’ve met him.

He’s a real womaniser, a loose cannon. Parties round the globe full-time. ’

‘Every family should have at least one loose cannon,’ Molly insisted, pouring more wine into their glasses. ‘Tell me about you,’ she demanded. ‘What’s it like?’

Levi scoffed. ‘Being a successful billionaire?’

‘Yes. Is it as tiring as it sounds?’

He treated her to a husky chuckle. ‘It has its moments.’

‘You don’t like to give much away, do you?’

‘That would be my years spent at Harvard Law School. I’m economical with the truth.’

‘And this resort – Val D’Amore. Did you build it or inherit it or buy it over time or what?’

Levi regarded her. ‘And this nosiness of yours, did you inherit it, or have you developed it over time, or what?’

Molly chuckled, unfolding her legs. ‘Fair enough.’ She picked up a heavy glass paperweight from the coffee table that said ‘Levi LeRoux’ on it. ‘Do you put your name on everything you own? Are you like a male version of Oprah? Should I be stealing this?’