I headed downstairs as soundlessly as possible. A few of the steps creaked, so I made sure not to make too much noise.
I wasn’t trying to hide exactly. I just didn’t want to be noticed.
Or questioned.
Or gossiped about.
The elegantly appointed foyer beckoned. Sconces high on the wall flickered as if lit by candles. Tasteful Christmas bells and garland dripped from the reservations counter, and cheerful holiday carols played from recessed speakers. The air was scented with cinnamon and nutmeg. All seemed perfectly welcoming.
Yet once I reached the bottom stair, I didn’t move.
It wasn’t terribly late, but the desk seemed deserted. That was good news for me. I’d grab some sodas and salty snacks from the vending machines off the foyer, and hopefully, a few condoms. Even a dignified establishment such as this should be prepared with typical vacation items, right?
Razors, pretzels, and rubbers. Seemed like a usual bed and breakfast shopping list.
I found the sodas. The salty treats. The sweet ones. And a discreet sign that said, “For personal care items, consult the desk.”
Inwardly, I groaned. Probably outwardly too.
We’d already had sex. Amazing, life-changing, jingle my balls off sex. I wanted more of it. I was pretty sure she did too. There were plenty of other ways to enjoy ourselves without the need for protection, but I couldn’t deny getting back into the sweet clasp of Ellie’s body was at the top of tonight’s agenda.
So, I was just going to go to the desk. They probably had other people manning it during the off-hours anyway. Sage Hamilton couldn’t be there all night long.
“Hi, there,” Sage said cheerfully when I rang the bell for service. She’d popped up from behind the counter.
I managed not to stumble backward but only narrowly. Did she hide behind there to surprise all the guests or was I just special?
“Hi, Sage. Late for you, isn’t it?”
“Oh, it’s almost Christmas, so we gave Alyce the night off. She’s usually the one who handles the desk after hours.”
“That must be hard on you.”
“Not so much, no. We’ll close early tomorrow, and Oliver—my husband—is watching our daughter. It gives me a night off, to tell you the truth.”
“But you’re working…?” I regretted asking as soon as the half-formed question was out.
“It gives me a night off from babymaking practice.”
“Oh. Um. Okay. Good luck with that.”
“We just kicked into high gear for our second kid, and the man is relentless. Give him a target, and he insists on shooting his gun over and over. But it’s fun for the most part. Just requires lots of stamina and hydration. Have you tried those vitamin waters? We have some in the vending machine. I recommend them for long sessions, if you know what I mean.” She waggled her brows, and I was fairly certain my kneecaps blushed.
But it also gave me a nice segue into what I needed. I would even extend this painful conversation if it led to more condoms. Preferably a few.
“That’s why I’m here actually.”
“Oh, I guessed. You had that look. Plus, all of that stuff.” She gestured to the items in my arms. “You have the munchies. Been there, done that.”
“Right.” I might die right in this very spot.
“It’s a different kind of munchies than you get after taking marijuana. At least I assume. I haven’t tried that myself.” She frowned. “You’re not smoking in the room, are you? That’s prohibited in Section IV of the agreement you signed.”
“No, of course not. I wouldn’t do that here.”
Or anywhere, at least not since college. If I stayed down here much longer, she’d probably know all about my days at the university too.
“I should hope not. How many do you need?”
Now the flush was steadily moving up my body. Soon, my nose would be redder than Rudolph’s. “Do you have a…package?”
“Yes. Three, six, and fifteen.”
“Wow, that’s quite a jump.”
“You always save when you buy in bulk.” Her cherubic face was so serious I wasn’t sure if she was kidding until she grinned. “It’s almost Christmas. Consider this my gift to you. Be sure to put a nice note in the guest book. Don’t mention the freebies though. I don’t want to shake loose the bargain hunters.” She slid an organza-covered box tied with a bow my way.
I laughed so hard that one of our snacks went flying.
After I collected it, I tucked the box of condoms next to the pretzels in my arms. “Well, thanks. You’re all heart, Sage.”
She beamed. “I am, that’s why I’m going to warn you—you probably don’t need those. Unless you’ve had a vasectomy? And you look too young for that.” She waved a hand while I stared and wondered if we’d launched into another dimension. “Sorry, I’m getting too personal. Bad habit of mine. I just consider all of my guests to be staying in my home, so we’re more than friends, we’re family. Anyway, merry ho-ho-ho.”
“No, I haven’t had a vasectomy. What do you mean? Don’t need them, why?”
“You haven’t heard about Crescent Cove?”
Why, yes, now that she’d mentioned it, I’d heard about unplanned pregnancies related to the Cove. But that had to be like an old wives’ tale or something.
Even if it wasn’t, too late now. Still, the odds were in my favor.
Probably.
“Heard what?” I asked.
She bit her lip, her blue eyes getting even wider. “Let’s just say we’re having a baby boom. A lot of women come to town and end up getting pregnant. Quickly. Our tourism is up thirty-eight percent this year just due to that bit of legend and lore.”
The logical side of my brain immediately threw up a roadblock. “If that’s so, why are you needing to practice so much?”
“Oh, I could be pregnant already. We just enjoy the process.” She laughed. “Happy holidays!”
I went back upstairs in a zombie-like state. I couldn’t even claim not to believe what Sage had just claimed—that a propensity towards pregnancy might as well be in the water—since I was a mythology professor. Fantastical tales were my lifeblood.
Had I somehow stepped into one?
I unlocked the door to find Ellie sitting in the middle of my bed, her hair a riot of waves around her bare shoulders. She pulled the sheet up to cover herself, and her eyes were soft from sleep. “What time is it?”
“Just a bit after ten.”
“Oh.” She swung her legs over the side. “I should really head home.”
I crossed to her, dumping my bounty on the bed. “I got us some snacks and drinks.”
The ribbon-wrapped care package landed beside her leg. She picked it up. “A present?”
“Sort of a present for us both.”
She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear then turned over the box. The rattle inside made her laugh. “Presents for us, indeed.” She loosened the bow and laughed again. “Ribbed for her pleasure, at least.”
“Bonus points to Sage.”
“Do I want to know?”
I grinned. “Uh, probably not.”
The echo of Sage’s warning about the baby boom in town should have tempered my lust, but it seemed to only get me more excited to break into the box.