“So, is this just another layover, or a turnaround point?”

“I wanted it to be the latter. Felt it, when I stopped.”

“And now?”

“I don’t know. More to figure out, I guess. What about you? Is this a beginning point, or an end point?”

“This. You mean the inn? An end point. At least that was the plan. We’ll see how that pans out. It’s funny, I guess…I came across country, too. But I knew where I was heading. And why.”

“I thought I knew. Why I was leaving, anyway, if not exactly where I was heading,” he said. “Now I’m wondering if I’ve just been fleeing…or maybe hiding, the whole time.”

She looked curious, but, to her credit and his relief, she didn’t push. There was time, yet. Or would be, if it was still important to either of them. Later.

After.

The silence expanded, but it wasn’t an uneasy one.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“That this might have been easier without all the talking first.”

She smiled a little, but there was a hint of disappointment in it. “Men hate foreplay.”

“Some men, maybe. Not me. But that’s not what I meant. I didn’t mean it was tedious.”

“Then what?”

“Personal. Makes it more personal.”

“Exactly what I was getting at. Maybe we both wanted something more nameless/faceless.”

“I don’t know what I wanted. I didn’t even know I was going to want at all.”

She smiled briefly. “You mean you haven’t left a string of broken hearts across the country?”

He shook his head. “Haven’t disturbed-or severed-a single body part, I swear.”

“What about back in Vegas? Is there someone there who is waiting to hear about your commitment decisions?”

“If you mean a wife or significant other, no. It’s not about that.” He watched her face. “Would it matter if it did?

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“I was raised to play well with others and share my toys, but some things aren’t meant to be shared. I didn’t like it when it happened to me and I sure as hell wouldn’t be a part of doing that to someone else.”

“So, then I suppose I don’t have to worry that someone other than Clemson is going to come banging on your door, asking nosy questions?”

“Oh, there might be all kinds of nosy questions.” She watched him this time. “If that’s a problem, I understand.”

“I’m not the one who lives here, who’ll keep on living here. It doesn’t bother you?”

She lifted a shoulder. “It’s not the kind of thing I would let bother me, no. I’m a grown woman and can do what I want with my private life. If they have issues with my business or how I run it, that’s one thing, but about me personally?” Again, she lifted a shoulder.

His smile widened a little. He noticed she’d said “would let bother,” indicating she hadn’t actually had any experience with small towns and even smaller minds. “How much do you know about small towns?”

“Enough,” she said. “Ski resort towns are very small towns.”

“Although a bit more cosmopolitan than, say, a small town in Iowa, given the international tourist aspect, don’t you think?”

“Possibly, but the resort itself is like a village within a small town, and there are no secrets, and gossip is second only to the skiing and golfing as a favorite form of entertainment. I lived under an enormous amount of scrutiny when I was working for Patrick. I was twelve years his junior, and despite being more than qualified for the job, both by my upbringing and by my college education, absolutely everyone naturally assumed I’d slept my way into the job as resort manager at such a young age. The irony was that Patrick was considered quite the prodigy himself for being an internationally renowned resort owner at such a young age…but no one thought he’d gotten there by anything other than hard work.”

“Or the hard work of others, from the sound of it.”

She shrugged off the intended compliment. “Bottom line is, if you’re asking if I’d be bothered by what the locals here might think of how I conduct my personal life, then the answer is no. Both because it truly isn’t their business and therefore their opinion is none of my concern, but also because I don’t plan on conducting myself in any manner that could be considered questionable, no matter how conservative and small the mind. I’m a grown, single woman and can see or sleep with whomever I wish. It’s not like I plan to jump your bones in the middle of the town square.”

“Does Pennydash have a town square?”

“Are we in New England?” she teased. “Yes, it does. Actually, it’s quite charming and one of the draws for both the resort planners and me. It had fallen on some pretty hard times since the town’s inception a hundred years ago, but the resort is bringing a rejuvenation to the shops and empty properties. A few good winters and I think it will turn into something as special as the western resort towns, but with its own distinct East Coast feel. Which I think it is a good thing, despite my western background.”

“Actually, I think it sounds pretty nice. I have a thing for town square architecture and development.”

She looked surprised. “You do?”

“It’s partly why I turned up the drive to your place. I liked the look of the old structure. We don’t have this kind of architecture out west and I thought it was both charming and interesting.”

“Hunh.”

He chuckled. “Still an enigma?”

“More all the time, it seems.”

He smiled, but didn’t ask if that was a good or a bad thing.

“What about you? You sounded like you had small town experience. Did you live somewhere else before Vegas?”

His laugh was dry, short. “Oh, don’t be fooled. Vegas is the smallest of small towns. Especially if you’ve lived there your whole life.”

“Have you?”

“Until recently, yes.”

“Oh. I thought you were still a resident. Where did you move away to?”

He nodded in the general direction of the front of the house. “That bike in your driveway.”

“Ah,” she said again. “The running away that became a journey.”

Her hands were still on his bare shoulders, and his body was painfully aware of just how close she was, and how badly he wished there was a whole lot more contact points between them than his hands on her hips and hers on his shoulders. And he let himself get caught up in that for a moment, so she caught him off guard. It was the only reason he could think why he answered her so openly.

“You paused, a moment ago. When I said I’d sent your license to the sheriff’s office. I do that as a precaution. One of the good things about small towns is we all look out for one another, but I’m a lone woman running a business and times aren’t exactly flush, so while I am appreciative of the business, I’m also careful. No insult intended.”

“None taken.”

“So…why the pause? We’ve established you haven’t hacked anybody up recently, and there aren’t any angry exes chasing you-” She paused, and looked at him.

“What?”

“You just did it again.”

“Did what?”

“Paused.”

“I wasn’t talking.”

“Your body, something. You stilled, then. You sure there’s not someone in Vegas waiting for you to decide if you’re coming back?”

“I didn’t say there wasn’t anybody waiting, just that it wasn’t a woman. Or significant other. There are a few other folks waiting.”

“The ones on that list?”

“Them. And a few others.”

Now she paused. Then she said, “You’re right.”

“About?”

“Knowing too much. Maybe we should have skipped right past it. Just enjoyed the moment.”

“Maybe.”

She let out a short, self-deprecating laugh. “Although, in retrospect, I don’t know why I thought I’d be any good at this.”

“This?”

She played her fingertips along his shoulders. “This.”

He swore his entire body vibrated. They might be having a seemingly calm, casual conversation. But there was nothing remotely casual about what her touch did to his body. “No complaints from me.”