Page 4 of Snowed in at Santa's Lodge
“Or at least I could be a weather bunny.” His grin made his eyes twinkle, and I had a vague thought pass through about the actual rabbit shifter I knew who worked at the TV station in the city in just that role.
This omega, I had a strong feeling, would be awfully surprised if he knew.
Chapter Four
Aspen
“Let me help you with your bags,” Ragnar offered.
He reached out, but I shook my head. “It’s only the one. It was a quick trip. Let me kill the engine and get it. I was afraid if I turned her off, she would die.”
His brow furrowed. “It was dangerous for you to be driving in this weather with an unreliable car.” He ran his gaze up and down my car in disapproval. I was sure it came from a place of concern, but it bugged me for some reason.
I shrugged and grabbed my bag after getting the keys and shoved them into my pocket. “It was a gift from my dad. I was trying to hold onto it as long as possible. I suppose it’s time for a new one, but I haven’t shopped around, to be honest.”
Ragnar took my bag from me even though I tried to protest. He hefted it over his shoulder and then, before we went inside, he picked up the firewood too. A shiver ran through me watching how he did so without even a grunt or any change in his breathing. He was so big and strong. Capable. I would bet if my legs went out, he could scoop me up as well, no problem.
“I understand the sentimental part. About your car. Is there any way I could get you to close your eyes while you walk through? It’s a mess. A worthwhile mess, but a mess. Please watch your step. I mean, it’s not impossible but nowhere near ready for guests.”
I let out a laugh. “I can’t watch my step and keep my eyes closed, Ragnar.”
He sucked in a breath and his steps slowed. He turned around to face me. “I like the way you say my name. We walk through, and we don’t judge, okay?”
I put my hand to my heart. I would never. “I promise to watch where I’m going. You’re getting me out of the snow and that freezing car. I’m so grateful you took me in.” The front lobby looked to be done to me. It had couches and chairs for people to rest in and a front desk where guests would check in one day. A huge fireplace was the centerpiece of the welcoming room, and I imagined how lovely it would look dressed with wreaths and hanging garland. Lights and trinkets that marked the Christmas season. One day, this place was going to be a destination instead of a forgotten lodge. I could feel it in my bones. It was no wonder Ragnar chose this place and believed in it. Five minutes in the place and I was a believer too.
“Would be a shame for something to happen to you,” he said under his breath, but I heard it just fine. We walked through the inn and he was right. The place was a mess but from what I could assess, an organized mess. Tools were together and not thrown around. There was one huge room, which I supposed one day would be a gathering room. It held stacks of two-by-fours and drywall. Five-gallon buckets of paint were grouped neatly.
“It’s not a mess at all,” I mentioned as he opened a door at the end of the hallway. This door was secluded from the rest and it was newer wood. “There’s so much potential.”
“There is. I’m glad you see it too. Come on in. Please, make yourself at home. It’s not much, but it’s warm. I have stew bubbling, and I made some cheddar biscuits earlier. Or would you prefer coffee and cookies? Hot chocolate?”
This man was built for hospitality. He beamed, offering me different things. This place was going to be successful by his smile and kindness alone.
“Stew would be fantastic. I can serve myself if you point me in the right direction. I’ve put you out enough.”
He put my bag on a chair in the corner and dropped the firewood by the fire that had only a few embers at the bottom,but as soon as he added some wood, it came back to life. “I’ll get it for you. Please, sit by the fire. Warm yourself. There are some blankets hanging over the couch if you want.”
I did as suggested then undid my boots and took them off and wiggled my toes in the warmth. “I can’t thank you enough. Please allow me to pay the going rate. You really saved me.”
“Absolutely not. I feel awful that I don’t have a proper room for you.”
I shook my head as he pulled out a deep bowl and a spoon. “I think this place is pretty great. It’s cozy and warm. Perfect for hunkering down.”
He filled the bowl from the pot on the stove and handed it to me along with a dish towel so the bowl wouldn’t burn me. Our hands touched, and suddenly, no fire was needed to make me warm. “Let me grab your biscuits,” he said, and I barely held in a giggle. Ragnar could grab my biscuits any day. Any time.
“I could help out with the renovations.”
Ragnar sat down on the small sofa adjacent to my chair and put a plate of biscuits on the table between us. I must’ve been really tired because I swore I heard a growl come from him. Not menacing but more like protective. I needed sleep. “Let’s get through the night and let you rest. Then we’ll figure out the logistics, but paying is out of the question so we’re clear.”
“I’ll take that deal. Thank you again for everything.”
Ragnar pulled off his own boots and set them next to mine on the side of the fireplace. I eyed them together and somehow they looked good next to each other. Like they both belonged there. I shrugged my jacket off and laid it across the back of the chair. “Aren’t you going to eat? I hate eating alone.”
Instead of answering, he got up and made himself a bowl and dug in after putting his biscuit right in the middle of the stew and breaking it up with his fork. “I hope you like it.”
“It’s really good,” I said. “I’ve never been a stew fan, but this is great. You committed a crime with that biscuit, I’ll have you know. They are good too, the biscuits.” It would be great if I could stop stammering and sounding like an idiot.
He chuckled, and I swore the sound made direct contact with my cock. I swallowed, wondering what he tasted like—what kind of a kisser he was. My fertile imagination insisted he would be attentive and take things so slow I’d be begging for release. I shook my head a bit, trying to rid myself of those notions. I had no business thinking about Ragnar in that manner. He’d been kind in taking me in. The last thing he needed was me trying to jump his bones. He probably thought of me as a nuisance. For all I knew, he had a partner or a mate. I hadn’t asked, but I saw no ring on his finger and he didn’t mention anyone else. I could ask, but that would be a dead giveaway, telling him I was interested. “I’m glad to have converted you, but a warning, my stews are never the same twice. Each time, I throw something different into them.”
