Elizabeth Lane - Stranded With The Boss

The great room encompassed a sitting area in front of a huge stone fireplace, with a dining table and wet bar at the far end. Double swinging doors concealed what she assumed to be the kitchen. A hallway opening off one side led, presumably, to the bedrooms and bathrooms.

The layout of the lodge wasn’t surprising. It was the construction of the place that made Tessa catch her breath. Seen in the faint light that fell through the shutter vanes and the open door, massive trees, stripped of their bark, supported the cathedral ceiling of the great room. The chandelier that hung from the center beam was a rustically elegant filigree of twisted wood and glass that had probably cost more than she would earn in a lifetime. The floors were dark wood, the thick sheepskin rugs almost floating on their polished surface. The cream-colored leather divans grouped around the fireplace looked as soft as baby skin. The surface of the coffee table was a slab of black marble. The tall windows, if uncovered, would have offered a view of the inlet through the trees.

The place was spectacular—but one thing it wasn’t was warm. Tessa’s skin had shrunk to goose bumps beneath her wet clothes. Her teeth were chattering.

“Come on!” Dragan took her arm and led her down a hallway lined with doors. “While you get out of those wet clothes, I’ll light the fireplace and turn on the water. The pipes have been drained for the winter, so it’ll take a few minutes. You can use the bathroom but you won’t be able to flush the toilet until the tank fills. And I’ll need to turn on the propane tank to heat the water and run the stove.” He paused outside one of the doors. “This room should do you fine. You’ll find some thermal underwear and wool socks in the dresser drawer and a warm robe in the closet. Put them on. This is a summer lodge. There’s no heat except the fireplace.” He opened the door and disappeared back the way they’d come.

The twins were getting heavy in her arms. They’d been unusually subdued since they’d come inside—awed, perhaps, by their strange new surroundings. Tessa carried them into the room and set them on the bed. They’d soon need to be fed and changed, but she’d be useless to care for them if she didn’t get out of her wet clothes first.

The queen-size bed was covered with a dark-green, down-filled comforter that matched the window drapes. The twins loved the fluffy softness. Happy to be out of their confining seats, they tumbled, rolled and giggled as Tessa stripped off her wet clothes and hung them over the shower rack in the bathroom. She was soaked to the skin. Even her bra and panties had to come off. In the dresser she found several sets of new thermal underwear, still sealed in plastic bags. Choosing the smallest size, she pulled the shirt over her head and stepped into the drawers. They were too big, and the fly in front told her they were made for a man, but they were soft and warm, and she was in no condition to complain. The waist had a drawstring. She tightened it to fit, rolled up the ankles and opened a packet of thick wool socks.

As she was pulling them on, she heard the gurgle and rush of water in the adjoining bathroom. The taps, she realized, would have been left open when the pipes were drained for the winter. She raced into the opulent marble bathroom to shut them off. At least Dragan had made good on his promise to get the water running right away.

But she’d been a fool to trust his offer to fly her to Anchorage. Blast the man! Once they were safely out of this place, she was going to give him a piece of her mind! The robe in the closet was black cashmere. It glided around her as she slid her arms into the sleeves and tightened the sash. It was too big for her, but so decadently soft that it was a pleasure to wear. She took a moment to roll up the long sleeves, then turned back to check on her twins. Missy was sitting on the bed, watching her with wide blue eyes.

Maddie was nowhere in sight.

Tessa glanced around. There was no cause for panic. She’d closed the door firmly behind her when she’d entered the room. Hadn’t she?

She swung toward the door, her heart creeping into her throat. The door stood partway open. Preoccupied with the babies and her wet clothes, she must have failed to close it all the way, leaving just enough edge for Maddie to catch with her tiny fingers. The little scamp was an accomplished Houdini.

Snatching Missy off the bed, Tessa flung the door all the way open and peered up and down the hall. No Maddie. She’d made a clean getaway—into a house filled with unknown dangers.

“Maddie!” Tessa called. “Come back here! Come back right now!”

There was no answer.

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