had been hanging in the bathroom for her.
The matching lingerie set she had on made her pause. She looked down at one of her garter straps, almost feeling the brush of Nartanâs fingers against her thigh.
Ghost. Only this one was far more welcome than the specter of her ex-husband.
Drawing in a deep breath, she walked over to where her dress was hanging. She tore off the plastic covering in which the pressing service had encased it and lifted the dress over her head.
As overwhelming as Nartan was, it was a relief to have memories of someone other than Caspian.
Youâre enjoying the idea of seeing him againâ¦
Actually, she was, and she wasnât going to get her panties in a twist over it.
Nartan wasnât the only one who knew how to make an entrance. She was going to knock him off his stride tonight and enjoy every second of seeing him on edge.
Playing with fireâ¦
Yes. And high time too.
The dress was spring green, matching her eyes, and settled just above her knees. She stepped into a pair of heels that clicked on the tile floor, and reached into the closet to pull out a wrap in case she wanted to venture outside. The Alaskan summer was packed with eighteen hours of sunlight. Maybe sheâd get a look at the peak before sunset.
She tucked her room card into her bra and left her purse on the bedside table.
No cell phone.
Nope.
She was on vacation.
Youâre going on a dateâ¦
Date, vacationâthere was no need to overthink the moment.
Whatever emergencies were brewing in the Lower 48 could be resolved without her tonight.
She was working on her to-be-dealt-with list.
She took her time walking toward the restaurant, the scent of dinner teasing her nose before she arrived. The hallway was constructed to allow for an unobstructed view of the granite peaks in front of the hotel. She heard the low rumble of conversation coming from the restaurant before she turned the last corner and arrived in front of the reception desk.
âGood evening, Ms. Connor.â
The way everyone knew her name was a little unnerving. Of course, she was a guest of the boss, so everyone would be betting on just how much influence she had with Nartan. It wasnât much but no one would believe her if she claimed otherwise.
The gentleman smiled and gestured her past his desk. Instead of taking her into the spacious dining room, he led her past the floor-to-ceiling wine cellar to another more private dining area. Large tables were set into secluded dining alcoves with velvet curtains that could be closed to provide privacy. There were also small, intimate tables.
âPlease mind your step.â
The man took a moment to point out the first step of a staircase with the help of a small flashlight. He led her up the stairs silently, the mark of a professional butler. The stairs took a right-hand turn and rose another floor. Once she stepped onto the landing, the restaurant below and its sounds dissipated, leaving her immersed in the wide expanse of Alaskan wilderness surrounding her. Some sort of soft music was playing,
âThe Denali dining roomâ¦â
The man gestured her forward but that wasnât really necessary. The table was set in a section of the restaurant that overhung the viewing patio below. Floor-to-ceiling glass created a temperature-controlled environment with a breathtaking view.
âMay I take your wrap?â
âYes, thank youâ¦â Celeste surrendered the garment as she moved closer to the table. Another waiter had appeared while she was absorbing the grandeur of the view and now held her chair out.
He reached for a wine bottle that was nestled in a silver bucket and opened it, then poured a small measure into a glass for her approval. She swirled it once around the glass and inhaled before taking a sip.
âPerfect.â
He nodded before filling her glass and a second one. The waiter finished with a twist of the bottle to keep it from dripping and set
The matching lingerie set she had on made her pause. She looked down at one of her garter straps, almost feeling the brush of Nartanâs fingers against her thigh.
Ghost. Only this one was far more welcome than the specter of her ex-husband.
Drawing in a deep breath, she walked over to where her dress was hanging. She tore off the plastic covering in which the pressing service had encased it and lifted the dress over her head.
As overwhelming as Nartan was, it was a relief to have memories of someone other than Caspian.
Youâre enjoying the idea of seeing him againâ¦
Actually, she was, and she wasnât going to get her panties in a twist over it.
Nartan wasnât the only one who knew how to make an entrance. She was going to knock him off his stride tonight and enjoy every second of seeing him on edge.
Playing with fireâ¦
Yes. And high time too.
The dress was spring green, matching her eyes, and settled just above her knees. She stepped into a pair of heels that clicked on the tile floor, and reached into the closet to pull out a wrap in case she wanted to venture outside. The Alaskan summer was packed with eighteen hours of sunlight. Maybe sheâd get a look at the peak before sunset.
She tucked her room card into her bra and left her purse on the bedside table.
No cell phone.
Nope.
She was on vacation.
Youâre going on a dateâ¦
Date, vacationâthere was no need to overthink the moment.
Whatever emergencies were brewing in the Lower 48 could be resolved without her tonight.
She was working on her to-be-dealt-with list.
She took her time walking toward the restaurant, the scent of dinner teasing her nose before she arrived. The hallway was constructed to allow for an unobstructed view of the granite peaks in front of the hotel. She heard the low rumble of conversation coming from the restaurant before she turned the last corner and arrived in front of the reception desk.
âGood evening, Ms. Connor.â
The way everyone knew her name was a little unnerving. Of course, she was a guest of the boss, so everyone would be betting on just how much influence she had with Nartan. It wasnât much but no one would believe her if she claimed otherwise.
The gentleman smiled and gestured her past his desk. Instead of taking her into the spacious dining room, he led her past the floor-to-ceiling wine cellar to another more private dining area. Large tables were set into secluded dining alcoves with velvet curtains that could be closed to provide privacy. There were also small, intimate tables.
âPlease mind your step.â
The man took a moment to point out the first step of a staircase with the help of a small flashlight. He led her up the stairs silently, the mark of a professional butler. The stairs took a right-hand turn and rose another floor. Once she stepped onto the landing, the restaurant below and its sounds dissipated, leaving her immersed in the wide expanse of Alaskan wilderness surrounding her. Some sort of soft music was playing,
âThe Denali dining roomâ¦â
The man gestured her forward but that wasnât really necessary. The table was set in a section of the restaurant that overhung the viewing patio below. Floor-to-ceiling glass created a temperature-controlled environment with a breathtaking view.
âMay I take your wrap?â
âYes, thank youâ¦â Celeste surrendered the garment as she moved closer to the table. Another waiter had appeared while she was absorbing the grandeur of the view and now held her chair out.
He reached for a wine bottle that was nestled in a silver bucket and opened it, then poured a small measure into a glass for her approval. She swirled it once around the glass and inhaled before taking a sip.
âPerfect.â
He nodded before filling her glass and a second one. The waiter finished with a twist of the bottle to keep it from dripping and set
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