Page 50 of Night and Day

I closed my eyes and counted to ten. I needed to go. Ro was waiting.

As I approached his office, I saw the door was open. I heard the deep murmur of his voice, and a shiver ran through me.

No. We are not paying attention to, or acting on, this obsessive attraction to Ro Langston.

I stopped in the doorway. He sat at the desk, phone to his ear. He was leaning back, in profile, looking like some king plotting a conquest. His lips curved into a smile. My chest did something weird.

Holy cow, when the man smiled he looked… totally beautiful.

The memory of the phone calls with his dad hit me. I’d only heard one side of the conversations, but that was all I needed to know that the elder Langston sounded like he wasn’t going to win father of the year anytime soon.

Don’t feel sorry for Ro. He’s rich, handsome, and arrogant to go with it. He’s not some poor little rich boy.

And before I knew it, he’d be gone. Onto his next conquest. Which was exactly what I wanted.

Suddenly, I felt the intensity of his gaze. He was staring at me as he ended his call. He rose with an easy, fluid move. It drew my gaze like a magnet and I mentally berated myself.

“You’re all shiny again,” he noted, taking in my skirt and top.

“As are you.” The dirty white shirt had been traded in for a crisp, blue one.

“I’m ready to continue our tour.” He stalked around the desk. “Shall we?”

“Let’s do it.” He followed me out of the office. “Let’s head outside next.”

When we stepped out onto the flagstone terrace, sunlight washed over me. I looked up at the mountain and smiled. I spotted several hikers carrying poles in the distance. The gondola was running, taking people up the mountain to higher trails.

“We offer lots of outdoor activities, in summer and winter. Hiking and mountain biking are extremely popular right now. As is our early-morning yoga classes. Obviously, in the winter, it’s the skiing that draws the crowds.”

He made a non-committal noise.

“We also have a cabin on the mountain. It’s popular with honeymooners. It takes a little extra effort to clean and cater for it, but we charge more.”

“I want to see it.”

“It’s occupied right now, but I’ll make some time tomorrow after the guests check out.” I led him down the steps. “I’d love to see the terrace expanded and add some outdoor restaurant seating out here. Right now, people can bring their own drinks out, but there isn’t enough space for tables.”

Ro nodded, his gaze running along the terrace and up to the mountain. “Hell of a view.”

My lips quirked. “Yes, it is.” We walked along the pathway. “Sierra Kerr is our outdoor activities coordinator.”

“The small blonde.”

“That’s her. She’s tiny but never runs out of energy. She recently redesigned the bike track, and it’s been very popular.”

We paused at a fence. Several mountain bikers appeared around a bend on the hill, bumping over the track as they sped down the hill.

“There are tracks for all different skill levels. Same thing with the hiking trails, and the ski trails in the winter.”

He nodded. “I might need to try the mountain biking.”

I tried to imagine him in anything other than a fancy suit and failed. “I can arrange that.”

“I’m sure you’ll be a good guide.”

I stilled. “Oh, no. I ski, but mountain biking isn’t my thing.”

“Something the efficient Ms. Ashford isn’t good at?”