Northern Escape by Jennifer LaBrecque Page B

always taken great pleasure in preparing food and having people enjoy it, in the scents and sounds of running a restaurant. Tonight, however, she simply wanted everyone to finish clearing out so she could have her date with Nick.
    And she was dead certain Nick had the same idea. More than once tonight he’d sent a smoldering glance her way. She’d smoldered right back at him. Her bodyhad felt too tight for her skin all afternoon. She’d obviously caught the cabin fever, too.
    â€œPsst, Gus, hey.”
    Jenna, at the edge of the pickup counter, waved Gus over. “Hey, have you had any luck in coming up with…well, what we talked about the other day, ya know, the recipe? ”
    Oops. Guilt pinged her. She’d been so wrapped up in Nick, in herself, she’d forgotten all about Jenna’s recipe request.
    Gus had no idea what the heck she was going to pull together for Jenna, but she’d come up with something. “I promise I’ll get something to you tomorrow. How’s Curl?”
    As with Gus and some of the other business owners, Curl lived above his business. It was much more efficient to build up than build both a business establishment and a separate residence.
    â€œHe was better when I left this afternoon. Luellen brought by your soup. She stayed with him for a long time.” She dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I think she might like him. Just give me a call when you’ve got it ready. I’m pretty booked tomorrow because of the pageant, but I’ll find time to run over and pick it up. I’m desperate. You-know-who doesn’t seem to know I’m alive.”
    Gus felt terrible for Jenna. This situation had heartache written all over it. But she just couldn’t bring herself to crush the other woman’s hopes. “I’ll see what I can do, Jenna.”
    â€œThanks, Gus. You’re the best, right behind Merrilee.”
    Funny how Merrilee and Jenna had become close when the only things they really had in common was they were women and they’d both had the bad taste to get involved with Tad Weatherspoon but the good sense to dump him.
    â€œI’ll call you tomorrow,” Gus said.
    Jenna drifted into the dining room and Gus got back to work. Finally, she locked the door behind her last customers and turned around. Even though Merrilee had protested, Gus had refused her help this evening. Between Chrismoose and the stress of the situation with Nick, Merrilee had clearly been exhausted. Bull had helped with the bar until around nine when Gus had insisted he check on Merrilee.
    She and Nick had been busy the last hour, but it had been manageable. Now Nick stood in the kitchen opening. “You know, I spend more time alone in a city of thousands than I do in your town of hundreds,” he said with a smile.
    Gus nodded. “And especially here in the restaurant and bar where there’s always someone around from six until ten.”
    â€œTrust me, I’ve figured that out.” He lowered his voice and his look sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. “Come here, Gus.”
    She crossed the room on unsteady legs, her heart thumping in her chest like a mad thing. She stopped in front of him. “Yes? You wanted something?”
    He bracketed her face in his hands. “Yeah. This. All day.”
    Nick slowly lowered his head and feathered hislips over hers. She sighed and linked her arms around his neck, holding on. It was nice, but it wasn’t nearly enough. She wanted more. Gus pressed her lips more firmly against his and turned it into a real kiss.
    Oh, oh, oh. His mouth was heaven against hers. It felt as if it had been an eternity rather than a mere day. She buried her fingers in his hair and relished the feel of his body against hers. It faintly registered in the back of her mind that the last time a man had been pressed against her it had been menacing. She pushed the thought aside and gave