Katherine Garbera - In Too Close

“I’ll run this by my board. I want to take some time to go over our charity work for the coming year. I might try to combine this with something else so we can get more exposure. Maybe we can work with the local recreation center to get the kids lessons before the event.”

“I like that idea. Should we meet again in a week or so?”

“Yes,” she said, pulling out her smartphone. “I have some time on Thursday....”

He checked his calendar and noticed that he was supposed to call Penny—one of their college friends and Elizabeth’s best friend. She was a party planner by profession and had volunteered to coordinate the party. But Bradley still needed to get the details of their celebration party for Elizabeth sorted out. He still had to get a list of local friends to her. “I can do it in the afternoon.”

“I’ve only got thirty minutes but that should be enough time.” She smiled. “Thanks for bringing this to the lodge. I’d like to take the lead on this for a Park City venue before you take it to another area ski lodge.”

He locked eyes with her and gave her a smoldering look. “Lizzie, I always think of you first.”

“That’s flattering,” she said, looking adorably flustered. “But if you screw up and call me Lizzie in front of anyone, I’m going to get very angry with you.”

“Really? What does really angry Lizzie look like?”

“You don’t want to know.”

He laughed. “Dinner?”

“Yes, let’s head down to the restaurant. We just hired a top-notch new head chef. Anthony Cruzel.” Her lovely face lit up with pride. “We’re the only restaurant in Park City doing traditional French cuisine with that Creole spin. I think you’re going to be impressed.”

“I’m not much of a foodie,” he confessed. “I’m more interested in you.”

She shifted in her chair and suddenly became focused on her notepad. Was it the fact that he’d stopped talking business and started getting intimate that rattled her?

“Me, too,” she said at last.

He was surprised she’d admitted it. She usually—wait, scratch that—there wasn’t anything usual about them now. They were charting a new path and he had to stop thinking of this as a game. There could be no winners in a competition between lovers. Hadn’t he already found that out in the years he’d spent waiting for Elizabeth to make time for him in her life?

“I never thought you’d say that out loud.”

“It’d be stupid to deny it after the way I kissed you in the elevator.”

“Yes, about that kiss...”

“Friends plus, right?” she said, flashing a very wide smile that he suspected she wanted him to believe was genuine but appeared a little forced and nervous. “We can talk about that after dinner,” she said.

“Why?”

Lizzie gave him a saucy look. “Because you don’t always get to be in charge.”

“And you do?”

“Yes,” she said, standing up and leading the way out of her office. “The sooner you realize that, the better.”

* * *

USTEN’S GASTROPHILE WEST, the five-star restaurant located in the Lars Usten Lodge, re-created the atmosphere of old New Orleans. A large mural that depicted Bourbon Street and the Gastrophile restaurant there covered one wall. There were big trees, with lanterns and lights hanging from the branches, and an indoor water feature made to resemble a river ran around the perimeter of the dining area.

The hostess greeted Elizabeth and led them to a waiting pirogue—a traditional Cajun fishing boat. They were seated in the boat and a uniformed staff member using a pole piloted it to the back of the restaurant and the dock there.

“Welcome to Gastrophile West, ya’ll. My name is Etienne and I’ll be your server tonight.” The waiter had deeply tanned skin, dark curly hair and an accent that was as thick as the humidity in the South. He smiled at Elizabeth as he led the way to their table, which was nestled at the foot of a big old oak tree.

As they were seated, it was easy to forget they were in Utah. Frankly, Bradley was impressed by the new restaurant, which wasn’t surprising. Much like Elizabeth.

Etienne took their drink orders, went over the specials of the evening and left them to look over the menu.

“Nice place,” Bradley murmured.

“I’m glad you like it. We just reopened last month and so far the response has been great.”

“Was this your idea?”

“No, but I hired the people who came up with it,” she said. “I think the success of the renovation of this restaurant and my hiring of Lindsey Collins as our resident ski pro influenced the board’s decision to promote me.”

“I’m sure that was just the icing on the cake. They know what a gem they have in you,” Bradley said.

“A gem?” She arched both eyebrows at him, making him aware of how blue her eyes were tonight. “Are you mocking me?”

“I wouldn’t dare. You’re too intense in this environment. And you are a very hard worker,” he said. “As evidenced by how often you check your phone. Do you think you could put it away for a little while?”

She hesitated, her hand hovering over her cell before she put it in her pocket. “I don’t like being out of touch. I’m in charge, and if anything goes wrong—”

“They know you’re in here dining, Elizabeth. And I’m sure you will agree that even you are allowed to have a meal uninterrupted,” he reminded her.

Taking her hand in his, he turned it over and stroked his finger along her palm. She pulled her hand back and placed both of them in her lap. It amused him in a way, but it also told him that no matter what she said, they had a long way to go before she was going to be comfortable being friends with benefits.

Damn. They were talking too much about it and prolonging the inevitable. He should have taken her in the elevator. Perhaps then she’d be able to relax. “If we’re going to be lovers, I should be able to touch you.”

“Sorry. You make me nervous,” she admitted. “I don’t like feeling out of control.”

“Too bad,” he said with a cocky grin. “You do like other parts of me.”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Oh, I won’t,” he said. “You have a way of reminding me of my place in your, uh, friend zone.” He’d wanted to see how she’d react. Agreeing to be more than just friends was one thing, but even after that smoking-hot kiss in the elevator she’d backed away. She was sending him mixed signals and he needed to be very sure before they moved forward that he was what she wanted.

He’d been waiting in the wings for too long to risk anything else.

“We’re not in that zone any more. We’re changing,” she said, taking a sip of her water.

“Are we?”

“Yes, of course. I mean, after today...well, I think that proved we are definitely in a different place. Friends with...”

“Benefits,” he said, with a grin.

She reached over and tentatively stroked her fingers over the back of his hand. “One of the things I admire about you is your tenacity.”

“I’m not afraid to go after what I want.”

“You’ve never been one of those guys to take the easy path,” she agreed quietly, almost more to herself. “You’re so different than the other men I know.”

“In what way, Elizabeth?” he asked huskily.

She leaned back in her chair. He noticed she reached into her purse for her phone and then shook herself as if she realized what she as doing.

She licked her lips and he saw her swallow before she nodded slowly and then folded her arms on the table and leaned forward.

“You make me dangerous,” she said. “I’m acting in a way that I wouldn’t with any other man. But you have always called to the wildness inside me.”