“Welcome to Get Lost Lodge,” Presley said, standing as close to Beckett as she could with all the bags in the way.
“Thank you. We’re excited to be here,” said the other woman. “I’m Libby, and this is Gabby, and our mama, Chantel. We were already planning a girls’ getaway when a friend of a friend told us about this place and your Hot Mountain Man. We checked out the website, thought it looked like a little slice of heaven, and decided, why not?”
Libby was more polished, more professional, and somewhat familiar, though Presley couldn’t place her. She probably followed her on TikTok or something.
“Well, my family and mygirlfriendand I are very happy you could join us.” Beckett reached out, shifting the bags to find and grasp Presley’s hand. Gabriella, still pouting a bit, leaned across the counter, addressing Jill. “Any others as fine as him around here?”
“The captain was a cutie pie,” Libby said. Her mother nodded.
Presley wanted to remind these women that Beckett and Gray were men. Humans. Not objects they could get their paws on. Irritation and an odd feeling of protectiveness rose up inside her, overheating her skin. “There are a number of wonderful guests, and Smile is only a short trip away. Rooms one and two connect, don’t they?” Presley had realized the door she thought led to a closet in her room actually joined the room beside it.
Jill’s brows arched even as her gaze narrowed. “They do.”
Now or never. She’d packed up all her stuff after the shower, hoping she’d have the nerve to tell Beckett she’d rather stay with him.
“We have them in rooms two and five,” Jill said slowly, eyeing Presley. “Those are the ones I was able to get ready.”
Grayson descended the stairs, Bo and Morgan behind him. They took obvious notice of the women, putting on smiles and straightening their shoulders. Presley would have laughed if the tension in the air wasn’t poking her like a hot stick.
“We recently had the guest check out of room one. Didn’t we, Beckett?” She’d wanted to dive in. Seemed like now was a good time. Putting on what she hoped was a great girlfriend smile, she stared up at Beckett, putting one hand on his biceps.
His smile loosened, widened. “That’s right. I’ll just take these to room one and unlock the connecting doors, and that’ll make your visit with us even better,” Beckett said, his smile more genuine.
When he started for the room, Presley, still holding on to him, naturally fell into step beside him, muttering under her breath, “I need to grab my bags, but otherwise the room is clean.”
He looked down at her. “You packed up your room?”
Looking away, she stared at the door, using her key to open it. Jill was talking to the women and the guys, including two new guests who had joined the little group.
Beckett chuckled under his breath. “Not going to tell me why you packed your things when you’re staying another six nights?”
They went into the room, and Beckett put everything on the freshly made bed. She picked up her bags, which she’d left by the door, and sent Beckett what she hoped was a haughty glance. Not that she had much of a soapbox to stand on now.
“Maybe I’m leaving.”
The door shut behind them, giving them a second of privacy. He used that second to close the distance between them. Presley backed up into the wall, anticipation humming along her skin at an alarming rate.
Fisting his hands in her hair, Beckett lowered his chin. No hesitation now. There shouldn’t have been so much satisfaction in that. He leaned down, so close she could taste his breath against her lips. It made her crave more. “Are you?”
“Maybe.”
His gaze lowered, his body pressing in. His lips twitched. “Presley Marie Ayers.”
She laughed, tilted her head. “Well played. Does it matter?”
His gaze went impossibly dark. “It matters.”
They held each other’s stares, neither of them saying anything. “I would think, as my boyfriend, you could guess my plans.”
His grin came lightning fast. “Myhopeis that you’re staying in my cabin.”
“We don’t have a lot of time,” she said, reminding him of his earlier concern.
His breath fanned her face, his body molding itself to her own. He nodded, like he was making a decision. “Then I guess we’d better make the most of it.”
She liked the idea and the way he said that. Very much. A knock sounded on the door. They jumped apart as Jill opened it.
“Guess you two got lost in here,” she said, her voice loud.
