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He rocks back on his heels. “I did.”
I feel the smile slide slowly over my lips. No one’s ever done something like this for me before. Maybe he’s right. Perhaps a little holiday is exactly what we need.
“Where are we going?”
“That, my beautiful travel companion, is a surprise. But I already packed your bags, and Lindsey is going to keep an eye on your house. We’re good to go.”
“Wow. So, you’re just whisking me away right this minute?”
“I can’t figure out if you’re excited or mildly pissed.”
“I’m not pissed,” I say with a shake of the head. “And depending on where we’re going, I might be excited. So, tell me.”
He moves in, wraps those ridiculously strong arms around me, and kisses me until I’m breathless.
“I’m not spilling the beans,” he whispers against my lips. “And we’d better go before we miss our flight.”
“Do I get to double-check your packing skills?” I ask as he guides me out of the building to his car.
“Nope.”
He tucks me inside the vehicle and walks around to the driver’s side, then climbs in and leans over to kiss me again.
This one makes my toes curl.
“What if I need something you forgot?”
“There are stores where we’re going,” he says as he drives away from the sanctuary, and away from Bandon. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”* * *“You brought me to the boonies,” I say seven hours later. We landed in a remote part of Montana, although I would guess that all parts of Montana are remote. Archer rented a Jeep Wrangler, and the late summer weather is nice enough to take the top off.
Mountains rise up all around us, the trees covered in varying shades of yellow and green leaves, contrasting beautifully with the deeper shades of the evergreens.
“Cunningham Falls,” I read as we drive into a small town nestled next to the mountains. “How in the world did you find this?”
“Some of my family has talked about coming here to visit,” he says casually. He’s in ripped jeans, a black T-shirt, and aviator sunglasses. The wind blows through his dark hair, and he hasn’t shaved in a couple of days, leaving a little scruff on his face.
He’s damn hot.
“And before you yell at me,” he continues, “no, I didn’t call anyone and tell them this is where I am. I made all of the arrangements myself. Literally no one knows where we are. I told Margie I was just taking you away for a few days. No details.”
He grins and pulls my hand up to his lips, nibbling on my knuckles.
“You went to a lot of trouble.”
“It’s no trouble to spoil you a bit,” he says. “I wanted to be able to do this for you for as long as I can remember. But we were in school, and I was poor. Now, I’m not.”
I sigh, feeling the weight of my situation lift from my shoulders for the first time in years. We’re hidden, alone, and in this beautiful place for several days.
“I don’t remember the last time I could really relax,” I reveal and tip my face back to soak in the warm sun. “And I have to admit, it feels amazing. How did you know this is what I needed?”
I open my eyes in time to see him send me a look that says, really?
“You’re coiled so tight, always worrying, always afraid that you’ll be found. I can give you a few days of letting go of that worry.” He drives us through a cute little town filled with shops and restaurants and then heads out of town and up a mountain road.
“We’re not staying in town?”
“No, ma’am. This is a ski resort town. We’re staying up on the mountain. I’ve been told the views are incredible and that where we’re staying is world-class.”
“Well, I can’t wait to see it.”
I don’t have to wait long. After a couple of turns off the main road that leads to a small ski village, Archer parks beneath what appears to be… “Treehouses?”
“Luxury treehouses,” he says with a grin.
“Welcome!” We turn and look up to see a pretty blond woman waving from a deck above us. “I’m Jenna.”
Archer waves, and we grab our bags out of the back seat and climb a staircase to one of the three treehouses. Jenna waits for us at the top of the stairs.
“I’m so glad you made it safely,” she says. “I have you in the Ponderosa, which is on the end here. You’ll have views of the ski run, the village, and after sunset, you can see lights from the town below.
“But the best part is at night. There’s so little light noise here that you’ll be able to see the stars in a way you never have before. The weather’s been great too, so the show will be spectacular.”
“Sounds awesome,” Archer says and smiles down at me.
