Bearllionaire(28)

She set aside the sheet she’d most recently finished and stretched, not missing Ryder’s gaze flicking to her chest, which pressed against her tight sweater. She grinned. “So I think that’s all I can take of numbers right now. How about that special lunch you promised me?”

His deep-blue eyes widened slightly, and he nodded and straightened up. She returned the favor of checking him out while he stretched. His pecs were enormous, cut in that perfect, square shape she liked so much.

“Well, if you want to wait here for a few moments, I just need to get a few things together.”

She nodded at him and picked up a packet of papers she might as well start looking at. Dang, Barry had left things a mess for her. Then again, Barry probably wasn’t planning on anyone looking at these anytime soon. To be honest, she wasn’t sure what he’d planned to do when Royce died. He had to know his sons, one of whom happened to be extremely financially successful, would want to take a look at the business they’d be inheriting.

It was odd that Royce had never mentioned his sons. She’d been here at the lodge for some of his parties, always low key, but never heard him mention his family. She’d always just assumed he was an old bachelor and never thought to ask Leslie or Kylie about it.

The door shut behind Ryder and she sighed and rolled her shoulders, relieved at the lack of sexual tension. Being in the same room with him, even looking at financials, was exhausting. Something inside her kept urging her closer, telling her to take a chance on this mysterious, powerful man.

But that stubborn part of her (that was, she supposed, her mother talking) that wanted her to stay safe wouldn’t shut up long enough for her lustful thoughts to continue unabated. So she kept fighting them, and she was feeling physically tired from it.

The odd dreams and waking up half scared to death by the bear didn’t help.

But the bear’s eyes. They’d been so odd, almost… human? Somewhat familiar, but she didn’t know how.

Her phone buzzed and she realized she hadn’t checked messages since yesterday. She opened it and let her voicemails play on speaker.

Not too much of note. Sherry had left a message saying everything was good at the store and she would be missed. Her mother sent a message asking if she knew where her sister was. She shook her head at that. Beth liked to use the money from her various alimony payments to travel. Janna couldn’t be expected to keep track of that.

The last message made her pause and then made a slow tremor of fear work its way down her spine.

“Think you’re pretty smart? If I were you, I’d leave the lodge.”

The voice was low, ominous. At first, she thought of Scott, but then she shook away that thought. It was too aggressive for him. He liked to intimidate in different ways, and he’d never outright threatened her. Just been overly available.

Her finger paused over the play button, shaking slightly as she tried to decide whether or not to replay it.

Then Ryder walked in, excitement on his handsome face and snow lightly dusting his hair, like he’d been outside. “They’re here. Let’s go.”

“Who’s here?” she asked, slipping her phone in her pocket and making a mental note to think about mentioning the message to Ryder later. Nothing could happen to her as long as she was with him anyway.

“The surprise.” His face was boyishly mischievous, but his body was all man as he helped her on with her coat and ushered her out of the back room. “Come with me.”

She had no choice but to follow him, yanked along by her arm entwined through his, though his stride was much faster and longer than hers. Tall men. Sigh.

He practically lifted her up the stairs to the top floor and then unlocked a door she hadn’t noticed behind some of the tables at the back wall. They went through it and up some stairs that seemed to lead outside. They went through a door and found themselves on the roof.

Janna gasped at the sight in front of her. A helicopter was waiting, blades whirring, and she realized she must have been really intent on her work not to hear it approach. Ryder’s thick, dark hair whipped in the wind and he reached out a hand. She took it, and his strong grip guided her up into the cabin. She belted up, still agape, and he sat across from her, grinning like a cat that had gotten into the cream.

“Good surprise,” she said, bracing herself against the wall as it started to take off.

“I’m glad,” he said. He leaned back like he’d done this a hundred times, and maybe he had, and eyed her with that gleam that made her squirm in her seat.

He looked at her like she was the only woman in the world, and she didn’t know what to do with that fact.