Autumn is very quiet as I drive. Almost too quiet. I’m mostly silent too, since I’m concentrating on the roads. By the time we’re driving into the small village where the resort is located on the east side of the lake, there’s a gleam in Autumn’s eye.
“I think I know where we’re going,” she says with confidence.
“Oh you do, huh?” I keep my gaze straight, not daring to glance over at my pretty, distracting girlfriend. The car in front of me turns left into the gas station and goes slipping across the road before the driver is able to right the vehicle.
Damn. I’m glad we’re almost there and about to get off these roads. The snow just keeps on falling.
“Yes,” she says with a firm nod. “But I’m going to keep quiet until we get there.”
“Hope that doesn’t mean you’re let down,” I say, hating the sudden doubt that washes over me.
“Oh no. Not at all,” she says breezily. “Like I would ever be let down by anything you do for me. For us.”
I can’t help but snort. “Come on. I’ve fucked up a time or two.”
“So have I,” she returns. “But look at us. Still together, am I right?”
“You are so right.” I reach over and give her knee a gentle squeeze before I place both hands on the steering wheel once more.
Yeah. Not going to take any chances.
We enter the resort parking lot and I make my way to the pull through the entrance, parking my car right in front of the giant double doors. I shut off the engine and climb out of the truck, jogging round the back of the vehicle to the passenger side so I can open Autumn’s door, only to find one of the resort hotel employees already opening the door for her.
“Thank you,” Autumn says to the guy, who looks to be about our age and is staring at her like she’s the most beautiful woman on the planet.
Which she is. But she’s my woman, so I send him a mean look and take her hand, walking with her through those automatic double doors that lead to the front lobby.
Autumn is completely oblivious to how that dude stared at her. She’s too busy glancing around the impressive lobby we’ve just entered.
“I’ve never stayed here before,” she says as she tilts her head back and takes in the soaring vaulted ceilings. “It’s beautiful! We ate at the restaurant a long time ago, when we first moved here, and just…never came back.”
“Who says you’re going to stay here now?” I tease, and she sends me a look, one that says come on.
I approach the front desk and offer up my name to the overly cheerful woman who greets us. “Ah yes, Mr. Davis,” the woman with a nametag that says Judy pinned on her chest says. She’s moving the mouse around and studying the computer screen in front of her. “Ah. It appears your cabin has been upgraded.”
“Really?” I frown. I definitely didn’t ask for an upgrade. I got the smallest cabin they offered, mainly because it’s just the two of us staying there for two nights, but also it was the only thing I could comfortably afford.
“Yes.” Her gaze still on the computer screen, she enters something on the keyboard every once in a while. “You’ve definitely been upgraded.” Her gaze meets mine and she smiles warmly. “I’m sure you’re going to enjoy your stay with us. You’re in one of our premium cabins.”
Autumn nudges me in the side and I glance down at her. “What did you do?” she asks, her voice low.
“It wasn’t me,” I tell her before I turn my attention back onto Judy. “There must be some mistake. I didn’t request an upgrade.”
“Well you received one, and it’s already been taken care of.” Judy smiles politely in my direction before she starts tapping on the keyboard once more. “If I could see your driver’s license and a credit card to cover any extra charges you might make, please. Once I’ve processed everything, I’ll give you your keys and you two can be on your way.”
Digging out my wallet, I hand over my license and credit card, then tap my fingers restlessly against the high granite counter, trying to figure out who got us an upgrade. The only ones I can think of who would do such a thing are the Callahans. Autumn’s parents. Most likely her mother. Very sweet gesture, but she didn’t have to.
Though I suppose when you have an endless supply of money like they do, a couple hundred bucks in upgrades is no big deal. I’m going to have to thank her when we go back to their house for Christmas. Maybe I should buy her another present…
“Here you go, Mr. Davis. Your license and credit card.” Judy hands them over. “And here are your keys. You’re staying in cabin six.” She offers me a small envelope with two key cards nestled inside.
Judy goes over the instructions on how to get to our cabin and wishes us a wonderful stay. Autumn takes my hand as we exit the lobby, smiling up at me as we stop at the passenger side of my truck and I open the door for her. “I’m so excited.”
“Not sure how much we’re going to be able to do, considering the snow is falling pretty heavily,” I say as she climbs into her seat.
“Everything I’m thinking of, we can do in the cabin,” Autumn says with a sly smile.
Her suggestive tone makes my skin go hot.
Sounds like we’re thinking about the same thing.
When I’m sitting behind the wheel and about to start the engine, she leans over and drops a soft kiss on my cheek. I glance over at her. “What was that for?”
“Thank you,” she murmurs, her eyes glowing, her lips curved in a barely there smile. “This is the best Christmas gift ever.”
“You haven’t even seen the cabin yet,” I point out.
“I know it’s going to be amazing.”
“Your parents had something to do with this upgrade,” I mutter as I put the truck in drive and carefully maneuver our way over to where the cabins are located.
“Isn’t that awesome? You know this cabin will be huge,” Autumn says, her head tilted toward the window as she checks out all the cabins we drive past. They get bigger and bigger the deeper we go.
“Kind of ridiculous since it’s just the two of us,” I say, only slightly annoyed. I want to take care of things on my own. I appreciate her parents so much. They’ve done a lot for me over the years, and I can never repay them.
Not that I want to sound like an ungrateful asshole, but I can handle shit on my own. I appreciate the upgrade, but we didn’t need it.
“Ridiculous and awesome. We can run around that cabin naked for the next two days and not have to worry about anyone seeing us.” She literally claps her hands and bounces in her seat, making me laugh. “I love my family, but I only just barely arrived, and I was already feeling claustrophobic.”
“There was a lot going on, I agree,” I say with a nod.
“The best part of this early gift? Is that we can be alone. Just the two of us.” I glance over at her to find she’s smiling at me, that glow still in her eyes. “I rarely get you alone.”
“I know,” I say. “This is why I got the cabin. So I can keep you to myself for a little bit.”
She’s full blown grinning now. “I like the way you think.”