STEFAN LOOKED OUT of the window at the looming dark clouds. It was apparently seven a.m. He’d never seen it so dark at this time of year. It seemed that all the weather reports he’d seen were entirely accurate.
Franco had told him that the people down at the café were getting annoyed and restless. Some supplies were dwindling, and there were no proper wash facilities. Although the chalet was available, the logistics of moving people across the snow in the first instance, then up the winding road, was just too risky. Whilst it was only a five-minute drive from the edge of the resort to the chalet in Stefan’s car, it would take a whole lot longer on foot.
Stefan’s offer to drive down and ferry people back and forth was declined.
‘Too risky,’ said Franco. ‘Right now, we only have people in two places. If we have another avalanche, it could hit the part near the road again. You, and your patients, are probably safer higher up and near the chalet. I wouldn’t take the risk of trying to move these people, when we still can’t be sure this snow won’t move again. At least in here they’re sheltered. Out there...’ He let his voice tail off.
‘Have there been any reports of anyone missing or unaccounted for?’
Franco sighed. ‘Thankfully not. There were a few accounts of possible missing people, but it turned out they’d already made their way down to the village, or were up here.’
Stefan heaved a huge sigh of relief. ‘Good.’ He finished the call and went back to the kitchen. He’d been up for the last few hours, reluctant to start working in the main room of the suite in case he somehow disturbed Paige.
The more he got to know her, the more intrigued he was by Dr McLeod. He loved that accent. The way it got thicker as she became more passionate about a subject, or even when she became more relaxed around him.
It was hard being in close quarters with someone with that pull about them. The pull that made him want to look at her every moment and keep looking for her when she moved out of his line of sight.
Stefan was used to being around all kinds of beautiful women. Paige was naturally pretty—pale skin, good cheekbones, wide eyes and long lashes. He liked her. He liked the way her sass could bubble up and overflow. He liked the fact that she’d pulled herself together and started digging with them all after the avalanche. She was out of her comfort zone, but clearly still prepared to try her best.
But there was something about her that didn’t quite sit properly. She’d talked a little about her work. She’d admitted she was here for a rest. But he couldn’t help but be curious about what her story was. The bruises he’d thought he’d noticed that first day were more visible when she wore scrubs. She hadn’t offered any explanation for them. And he hadn’t asked. They were fading. They were recent.
Understanding Paige McLeod was like trying to put together pieces of a puzzle. But something else was bothering him.
Himself.
Stefan Bachmann didn’t give himself time to think like this. Being stranded up a mountain with limited access to resources was odd. He was writing a million lists. Sending a million emails that he wasn’t sure were getting through. The internet had been installed the morning of the avalanche, but it was patchy. The booster that had been dropped to them didn’t seem to make much difference.
If he’d been back home, or even up here, with no avalanche, he would be doing things. Seeing more patients. Doing online consultations. Painting the walls if he had to.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken the time to sit and watch a movie. But last night, with Paige, it had just seemed to fit. It had just seemed right.
And even that made him a little uncomfortable.
Stefan had been born with a nervous energy. His mother had said she could never contain him. The school library had never had enough books. There had never been enough teams to join—football, hockey, rugby. But that energy had changed and been channelled after his mother had died. Once he’d qualified as a doctor, and finished specialising, he’d done voluntary mission after voluntary mission. And he could put his hand on his heart and say that he’d genuinely loved them. But stopping, even for a day, made his brain crowd with thoughts about treatments he should be doing, and people he should be helping. People like his mother. The one person he had failed. Working helped keep him ticking over. To push those guilty feelings from his mind and just focus on the next thing to do.
But now? Being stuck here? He was restless. He was antsy. He could have done with another ten patients or so in the hospital. Not that he wished for a second that anyone else was hurt or stranded here. But just to keep him busy.
The tracker he was using on his computer blinked. It was showing potential breaks in the weather. Trouble was, they were only lasting ten minutes at most. Not enough time to get a helicopter safely in the air and back to the hospital. He knew the journey meant the pilot and his team would be in the air for between thirty and forty minutes minimum—and there didn’t look like any predicted breaks in the weather to allow that to happen.
He sighed. They were stuck up here for at least another twenty-four hours. Maybe more. Paige had told him that she loved Christmas. She’d also mentioned how great the chalet was.
Claudia, the seven-year-old, was getting bored. Maybe he could bring some of the Christmas items from the chalet here to try and brighten the place up, make it a little more festive.
Paige had also mentioned some kind of presents. None of the adults would be worried about presents, but a seven-year-old who still believed in Santa definitely would. And it didn’t matter that it might not be what she’d hoped for. There still had to be something for a little girl to open on Christmas morning.
It was time for a meeting.
He called all his new colleagues together, made coffee and sat them down in the kitchen.
‘Franco called. It looks like the weather will be even worse today and an evacuation won’t be possible.’ Before they all had a chance to feel low, he carried on. ‘I was wondering how you would all feel about trying to make this place look a bit more like Christmas.’
Frowns creased a number of foreheads and he kept speaking. ‘We should be safe enough to take a few trips down to the chalet. What about the Christmas tree? And some of the other decorations? I was also thinking about Claudia.’
‘Presents.’ Lynn, Cathy and Paige said the word together.
They all exchanged glances. ‘Is there anything there at all we can use?’
Paige wrinkled her nose. ‘There should be. There are board games we can bring up. I’m sure I saw a basket with some kind of crafts. There are books. There might even be more stuff that I just didn’t get a chance to find.’ She held up her hands. ‘I’d only arrived the night before and had a quick look around. Because of the weather, I wanted to ski the next morning, and planned to spend the next day in the chalet.’ She gave a smile. ‘There could be more that I didn’t have time to discover.’
Stefan held up the car keys. ‘When we get a break in the weather, will we take a quick trip down?’
Paige nodded and turned to the others. ‘Are we worried about anyone today?’
Lynn shook her head. ‘All casts are good...fingers and toes are all pink and moving. Eva has had no further concerns with her pregnancy, Bob’s diabetes is fine, he’s just bored. Rafe needs to be tied to the bed. I’ve caught him trying to get up a few times by himself and he’s not quite there yet. He still needs some supervision.’
Stefan nodded, along with Paige. ‘Let us know if you’re worried at all again. I’ll check Rafe later. Let’s introduce Bob to the cinema. It might keep him entertained for a bit.’
‘What cinema?’ said Joe, Lynn and Cathy in unison.
Paige laughed. ‘The hidden one at the end of the corridor. Stefan will show you how to use the computer and set up the films. It’s a whole otherworld experience.’
Three sets of eyes widened and Cathy groaned. ‘How the other half live.’ It was said in jest and the rest all nodded.
When a short break in the weather was predicted, Lynn, Paige and Stefan drove down to the chalet. ‘We’ve got to get the tree,’ said Stefan as soon as they walked inside.
‘Will we get that in the car?’ asked Lynn.
‘As long as we leave the boot open,’ said Paige. She was looking around. ‘Okay, Lynn, the library is along there. I didn’t really get a proper chance to look, so you might find some suitable things in there.’
‘Can I take anything?’ she asked curiously.
Paige was hesitating and Stefan broke in. ‘We can send an email and let the owner know what we’ve done. Here’s hoping he might understand, rather than think we’ve just stripped his chalet clean.’
‘We kind of have.’ Paige pulled a face. ‘I doubt there’s anything left in the food cupboards. It was the best-stocked place I’ve seen.’
Stefan leaned back, looking around more critically. ‘You know, there might never have been an avalanche here before, but maybe the owner always had that in mind. They might have had concerns about the road. Even heavy snowfall or black ice could make it unusable.’
‘Is this really the best place for a hospital?’
Stefan sighed. ‘It’s why there’s also a helipad in the plans.’ He waved a hand. ‘From what I remember, it’s only a few times a year that the road might be dangerous.’
She leaned on the counter and put her head on her hand. ‘And aren’t you in charge of that now?’
He sighed. ‘I’m beginning to realise exactly what that means.’ He glanced over his shoulder. Lynn had gone off to the library. ‘Are you unhappy that you’re stuck up a mountain with me?’
‘Only because you snore,’ she said without a moment’s hesitation.
‘I do not!’
‘How many times are we going to have this fight?’ she asked, walking over to the large Christmas tree, trying to decide how best to move it.
There were Christmas garlands along the fireplace, and more on the stairs. ‘I think we should take these too.’
Stefan looked out of the window. ‘If we try and take all the decorations off the tree, it will take too long. We only have a thirty-minute window. Any ideas?’
Paige nodded and walked into the kitchen, pulling open a drawer.
Stefan smiled and, between them, they wound the clingwrap around the tree to try to keep some of the decorations in place, before tipping it on its side and wrestling it out to the car. Lynn had already loaded up some other supplies, but she had another few boxes that there just wasn’t room for.
She looked at them. ‘How about I take these up, and come back for the rest?’
Paige checked her watch. ‘Is there enough time?’
They all looked at the sky. It was grey, but not as stormy as it had been.
For a moment, no one spoke. ‘There’s still a few rooms to check over,’ said Paige. Her stomach was twisting a little but she nodded. ‘You feel okay to drive up and back?’
Lynn nodded. ‘It will take longer for the other two to help me unload at the hospital than it will to do the drive.’
Stefan pressed his lips together and put his hand on her arm. ‘It looks fine now, but the weather is so changeable. All our patients are fine. If you have any concerns, or the weather gets worse, just stay.’ He looked around. ‘The chalet is secure and warm. We could manage.’
Lynn gave a nod. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be back in the blink of an eye.’
She climbed into the car and drove off. Stefan closed the door and turned back to Paige. ‘Anywhere else to check?’
She nodded. ‘You have no idea how big this place is. In fact, it’s a bit like your hospital. A Tardis. Bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside.’
He tilted his head at her. ‘A Doctor Who fan?’
‘Wasn’t every child?’ Then she laughed. ‘And they’ve started making Christmas specials. It was like someone sent them a note.’
‘You didn’t?’ He actually looked as if he believed she might have.
She tapped the side of her nose. ‘You don’t get to know all my secrets because you’re trapped in a chalet with me.’
Paige led him through to two more rooms near the back of the chalet. One was another sitting room with multiple cupboards, a comfortable sofa and a table and chairs. The other was smaller, with another fireplace and red squishy seats.
‘This place never ends,’ he said, as he headed into the room with the cupboards. A few moments later he gave a shout. ‘What about this...stuff?’
She could hear the question in his voice and wandered through to see him holding a large wicker basket. It was full of wool, knitting needles and lots of little bags filled with pom-poms, sequins, beads and felt.
‘Oh, wow.’ Paige couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. ‘This could keep Claudia happy for hours. Perfect. Good find.’
There was a loud roar of wind and they both froze.
‘Oh, no...’ Paige’s heart started to pound. Not because she was worried for herself. ‘Will Lynn have made it?’
Stefan put his hand to his pocket and let out a curse. ‘The satellite phone is with Joe. Is there a phone in here that might work?’
Paige walked back out to the hallway and picked up the main phone, shaking her head when she heard no tone. ‘Let me see if there’s Wi-Fi. We might be able to send a message that way.’
There was an older computer in one of the rooms. She fired it up, used the password in the drawer and, after an inevitable delay, it finally connected. The internet seemed spotty. But Paige logged into her account and sent a message to Joe. Within a few minutes she got a response.
She’s here. But stay where you are. Too dangerous.
Paige let out a huge sigh of relief. ‘Lynn’s okay. But Joe must have spoken to Franco. He says to stay.’
Stefan’s expression was unreadable. He paced over to the nearest window, pressing his face so close that the glass steamed up with his breath.
‘Think I’m making it up?’ she quipped.
He shook his head. ‘Of course not. But...’ he looked around ‘...what will we do?’
Paige looked at him. ‘Are you serious?’
‘Yes.’ He nodded, and it was then she realised that he was entirely serious.
‘Nothing, Stefan. We’ll do nothing. We’ll wait. Read a book. Sit down. Watch the TV. Rummage around and hope we can find some leftover food.’ She moved away from him and walked out into the corridor and along to the kitchen, running the tap. ‘Look, the pipes haven’t frozen or burst, so I can make you tea, coffee or hot chocolate. We can survive on that if we have to.’
He kept moving. She watched in amazement as he paced from room to room, eventually climbing the stairs. Now, she was curious. She found him in the main bedroom, looking at the mountain through the large window. He’d raised the blind she’d pulled the last time she’d been here, thinking it could protect the room a bit if the avalanche had come this way. He was looking up at the swirling grey and black clouds. It actually made her shudder.
‘What are you doing? Are you hoping that a tornado will put down and sweep you off to the Emerald City?’ It was easy to joke about the well-known film.
‘Will there be something to do there?’ he muttered.
The words stung. Was he really so worried about being alone with her? She turned and walked downstairs, taking some deep breaths. It would be so easy to be offended and take his remark personally, but Paige was wiser than that.
She knew exactly how many thoughts were swirling around her own head. Thoughts that she hadn’t said out loud to anyone. Maybe Stefan was exactly the same as her.
He’d already mentioned that his dad could be alone for Christmas now. Might he be worried—or feeling guilty? She’d sent a message to her family to let them know she was safe. She’d never planned on spending Christmas with them as she’d expected to be working. She’d told them about the assault at work and that she was taking a holiday for a few weeks.
She put water in a jug and filled the coffee machine, selecting a pod with a coffee with a hint of nutmeg. She was determined to try and be a little festive. The main room was bare without the huge Christmas tree, but there were still other Christmas decorations around, and she lit the fire as the coffee gurgled through in the kitchen.
They were alone. Stranded alone in this chalet. The man whose breath on her skin the night before had sent a dozen sensations down her spine. She recognised he was feeling edgy. But she was feeling edgy too. A night alone together in this chalet might be more than she could handle. The flirtation was already there. Paige took a deep breath, trying to focus herself back on the immediate issues.
Since they were stuck here, she pulled off her boots and jacket, contemplating going upstairs for one of the luxury bathrobes. But the coffee was ready. She grabbed the mug, strolled through to the library and pulled a thriller from the shelves. A few minutes later she was curled up on the red sofa with a blanket on her knees. She could quite easily be stranded here, even if Stefan Bachmann couldn’t. As for the tension between them? She would just need to see how things played out.
The swirling black clouds seemed to echo his thoughts. He’d been rude, he knew that. And he’d have to apologise.
But Stefan made his way back to the computer and sent a message to his father, hoping it would reach him. His father was quite tech savvy. He would be worried, of course he would. Even though they were sometimes thousands of miles apart, his father always knew where Stefan was.
He’d planned to spend Christmas Day and Boxing Day with his father. During the evacuation of patients to the hospital, he’d considered asking Franco for the use of the satellite telephone to get in touch. But it would have been wrong—very wrong.
He’d just made sure his name was on the list of people stuck on the mountain and trusted the people coordinating the rescue to let his father know he was safe. That would be enough for his dad. He would trust Stefan to fill in the details later, knowing that he would be staying to help as much as he could.
His head filled with pictures of his parents’ house. A small settee, and two chairs around the fire—one that had been empty for twelve years.
It didn’t matter where Stefan had been in the world, at Christmas time he’d always asked his father to join him. Sometimes he’d said yes, sometimes no, dependent on the potential length of the journey. But, if they couldn’t be together, Stefan would video call his father at breakfast time, and at dinner time, so they could drink coffee or eat food together, sharing news and stories.
It was hard being an only child. For a time, he’d tried to persuade his father to move to Los Angeles with him, luring him with warm weather and a large, spacious home. But his father had refused. The visits were enough. The heat made his brain foggy, he complained, he preferred the fresh mountain air. Los Angeles was too spread out, he didn’t want to spend his life in a car, and a variety of other excuses.
Stefan knew it was much more fundamental than that. His father would never leave the home he’d shared with his wife.
Guilt swamped him again and he drew in a deep breath. Paige didn’t get it. She didn’t understand that he couldn’t bear to be still. He couldn’t bear not to be busy. Being snowed in at a luxury chalet might be her idea of paradise, but it was his kind of trap. A trap to keep him still. A trap to make him stop and face his demons.
He swallowed and looked out at the dark clouds. The weather would be like this for the next few hours. He’d have to contain himself. Sitting for just over two hours last night had been quiet enough. Dinosaurs and the floral scent of someone sitting next to him had at least been a part distraction.
He was aware of the sexual tension between them. He was definitely interested in Paige, and was sure she felt the same. But being stranded in a hospital with a whole host of other people was entirely different to being stranded here alone with a very sexy woman. A woman he still had to apologise to.
Stefan made his way back down the stairs. The aroma of coffee drifted towards him. He walked through to the kitchen and found the pods, hoping he was putting it in the correct way before sticking a cup underneath. Most of the cupboards had been stripped, but he found a long thin wall cabinet that contained a stash of undiscovered biscuits.
After a few seconds’ contemplation, he found a plate and laid the biscuits out the way he’d seen his mother do in years gone by.
Steeling himself, he made his way through to the room he knew Paige would be sitting in. She didn’t even glance up and he knew he had to settle the tension between them.
He contemplated the single armchairs, before biting the bullet and sitting down right next to her, setting the plate of biscuits between them.
‘I come in peace,’ he said.
‘Shoot to kill,’ she replied, her face deadpan.
He choked on the coffee he’d just swallowed, coughing and spluttering.
She raised her eyebrows. ‘What—you don’t like the worst pop song ever about my favourite sci-fi series?’
He started to laugh, in amongst the coughing and choking. ‘I can’t believe I actually know what you mean. And you’re right, it is the worst pop song ever.’
She gave a shrug. ‘But it’s moved with the times. Memes are everywhere with those words.’
He shook his head and pushed the biscuits towards her. She lifted one and frowned at him. ‘Where did you find these?’
‘One of the wall cupboards in the kitchen. We must have missed it before.’
‘I can live on biscuits for a night,’ she said, biting one in half.
He waited a second, trying not to focus on her lips, then dunked his biscuit in his coffee, letting it semi-melt before eating it quickly. He looked up to see her horror-struck expression.
‘You didn’t just dunk.’
‘Of course I did. And don’t give me that. I’ve worked in Scotland. Everyone in Scotland dunks.’
‘Everyone in Scotland does not dunk. I do not dunk,’ Paige said indignantly. He liked her when she had that glint in her eye.
‘You don’t know what you’re missing,’ he whispered as he stuck his biscuit back into his coffee.
‘It’s tea you dunk with, not coffee. No one dunks in coffee,’ she protested.
Stefan raised his eyebrows and lifted his biscuit back out of his coffee. Then, as if in slow motion, the weight of the coffee-laden biscuit made it waver, then split in the middle, break and land in the coffee with a thunk.
Paige was done for. She dissolved into fits of laughter. She had to put her own cup onto the table at the side of the sofa before she rolled onto the floor.
Stefan was sitting frozen, paralysed at the catastrophe that had been his coffee and biscuit. He peered into the cup and shook his head as he glanced at Paige. ‘There’s no hope, is there?’
She was on her back on the floor at this point. ‘Nope—’ she laughed ‘—none at all.’
Stefan reached down and pulled her up by the hand, landing her halfway onto his lap. ‘I’m glad I’ve managed to amuse you,’ he said wryly, liking their close proximity.
But she knew he was joking. He wondered if she might pull away. But she didn’t.
Instead, she sort of snuggled into him, leaving them both on the sofa together. She didn’t say much—as if she didn’t want to draw much attention to their now ultra-close positioning. Instead she grabbed the TV remote. ‘Today, I get to choose.’
She flicked through the channels, her warm body heating him. Stefan had no wish to move at all.
‘Well, looks like you get your wish, just about everything is Christmas,’ he murmured in her ear. He could feel the heat of her body close to his.
She settled on an old Christmas movie. ‘Perfect.’
‘Perfect,’ he echoed. He’d probably seen it a dozen times in his life, but it was one of those Christmas films that no one minded—harmless and entertaining—plus his mind was currently on other things. He definitely needed the distraction.
All of a sudden he wasn’t thinking about all the work things he could be doing. He wasn’t thinking about referrals, surgeries, or even how many renovations the hospital still needed and estimating the exact opening date.
No. Stefan Bachmann was thinking about something else. Someone else.
Paige leaned back a little, her hair brushing against his nose. She really was comfortable. He moved his arm slightly, settling his hand on her hip. He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t interested in this Scottish doctor. The girl who loved Christmas but had come up here to escape. Who’d somehow found herself in a baron’s hideaway luxury chalet, that was available for people like her.
As the light seemed to fade from outside, warm, dim lights automatically switched on inside the room. The peach glow bathed the side of Paige’s face, and he noticed an old wound. It was mainly healed, but it was still red and angry, as if the crust had just fallen off.
He stiffened, automatically worrying about her, all his senses moving into protective mode. Should he really ask questions if he wasn’t prepared for the answers?
But Stefan was a doctor. Of course he would. In a soft voice he spoke next to her ear. ‘What happened to your head? Were you skiing before? Did you fall?’
He felt her stiffen against him too, but only for a few seconds before she slumped back against him. ‘No. That was work. A&E. A drunken patient slammed me into a wall.’
He felt instant rage. The fury at someone attacking a fellow worker. He sat up a little. ‘What happened? Wasn’t there anyone there to help?’
She sighed and shook her head. ‘If you’ve worked in A&E you know how these things happen in the blink of an eye. You don’t have time to think about anything. It’s just a minor head wound. The bruises on my back are worse.’
‘But it shouldn’t happen,’ he said angrily.
She turned her head sideways to glance at him. ‘We don’t all work in the Hollywood Hills, Stefan. I work in the roughest part of Glasgow and see all sorts. Some of the people are the salt of the earth, and would give you the shoes off their feet, others are victims of alcohol, drugs or domestic abuse. It takes all sorts.’ He thought she was going to stop, and for some reason he could tell that she normally would have, but instead she took a big breath. ‘I’ve been kind of unlucky. It’s the third time I’ve been assaulted in six months. The second time was actually the worst—I had to go for a head CT. That’s why I’m here. After it happened again my boss sent me away for a few weeks. He knew about this place and arranged it for me. They’re making changes at A&E, bringing in more staff, and some security. It should all be in place when I get back. I think he feels guilty.’
‘He should. You never should have been assaulted once, never mind three times. That’s ridiculous, for any hospital, I don’t care where it is.’
For a second, he thought he saw her blink back tears, and he was ready for her to come out fighting. But instead she leaned back against him again. ‘I’m just tired,’ she said quietly. ‘Tired of it all.’
Something struck a nerve in him and he tried to understand why he suddenly felt so protective of her.
He placed his hand over hers, squeezing it gently, then stroking the back of her hand. ‘I know this hasn’t exactly been the time away you wanted, but, if there are changes, things might be better when you go back.’
Actually, he didn’t want to say that at all. He wanted to tell her to leave her job and come to Los Angeles. He could talk to friends. Find her a job somewhere half decent. Somewhere you didn’t need a bodyguard to keep you safe at work.
There was a long silence. Her voice was shaky. ‘What if I don’t want to go back?’
Now, he sat up fully and pushed her up too, just so he could adjust his position and they were facing each other. ‘Paige, what are you saying?’
A tear slid down her face. ‘Do you ever feel like not being a doctor any more? Do you ever think you should find something else to do?’
It was like a punch to the guts. He planned to spend his whole life helping people. He owed that to his mum and dad. He would never, ever consider walking away. How could anyone do that, when they had the passion for the job that he had?
He could see how upset she was, so he answered carefully. ‘No, I’ve never felt like that. And I can’t imagine ever feeling like that. Being a doctor was all I ever wanted to do. My mum and dad made a lot of sacrifices to let me go to medical school. I don’t have enough hours in the day. I’m always planning my next consultation, or surgery, or trip for Médecins Sans Frontières.’ He put his hand to his chest. He wanted to say these words with fervour and passion, because that was how he honestly felt. But he knew he had to tread gently. He wasn’t a clown.
‘Don’t you still feel the passion inside? The buzz when you wake up in the morning? The feeling that, no matter what, you will be doing some good?’
More tears spilled down her cheeks. She shook her head. ‘Honestly? No, I don’t. I haven’t for the last few months.’ She put both hands up to her face and covered her eyes. ‘I’m the worst doctor in the world. My heart isn’t in it any more. When the avalanche hit, I panicked. When you pulled me to the floor, all I could remember was the assaults. I had to come and help, of course I would do that. But up at the hospital, when you asked me if I wanted to leave?’ She swallowed and pulled her hands away from her face. ‘For the smallest possible second, I actually thought about it. Who does that, Stefan? Who actually does that?’
His blood felt chilled. This was the total opposite to how he felt about things. How he wanted his life to be. But he could see the pain written all over her face. He lifted his hand to her cheek. ‘Maybe your boss was right. Maybe you just need some time away and some space to get your head clear. You did help, Paige. You helped in an emergency situation. And you helped in surgery—something you never usually do. You stepped up. You did that. And you did a good job.’
She nodded slowly, her dark eyes fixed on his. ‘But what about later?’ Her voice was shaking.
He pulled her into a hug. ‘Don’t think about later. Not right now. You’ve just been involved in an avalanche. You’re essentially cut off from the world. This isn’t the time or place to make life-changing decisions. Don’t think about any of this.’
A tune started playing on the TV on the wall behind them, reminding him of the Christmas movie. He wrapped one arm around her shoulder. ‘Here, think about Christmas. Think about celebrating. Because if we’re still stuck here, that’s what we’ll do.’
He could sense the tiny tremor in her. He guessed she’d never had this conversation with someone before. And he wasn’t sure he was the best person to assist, when he felt so strongly and passionately about his job.
It didn’t help that he was currently fighting such feelings of attraction towards her. Paige was beautiful. He’d seen her working...he’d seen her spark. He honestly believed that back home she would be a wonderful doctor. She’d studied hard for years. It had just been an unlucky few months. He should distract her. Let her think about something else for a while.
He wanted to keep talking. But, deep down, something stopped him. He might hear something he didn’t like. She might question his passion and his motives. She might uncover his guilt. Things that he didn’t need right now.
He looked around. The chalet was warm, beautiful and comfortable. They were safe here. And for some reason that was the thing that struck hardest. Because, above all else, he wanted to make Paige McLeod feel safe.
The Christmas movie danced across the screen. It really was one of her favourites. The flickering fire, the reds and greens of the decorations that were left, and the cosy feel of Stefan’s arm around her shoulder, and his warm body next to hers was something she would never even have imagined a few days ago.
But here she was, having just poured her heart out to another doctor, and admitted she might not still want to be one.
She could tell he was surprised, and shocked. Just like everyone else might be if she told them too. But telling someone she’d only spent a few days with seemed like a good testing ground.
He’d been nice, and she got the feeling he might have been holding back. When he’d fixed those blue eyes on hers it had seemed all right to tell the truth, to try and loosen the heavy weight on her shoulders. Maybe he’d brushed off what she’d said a little, but at least he’d allowed her to talk, to have that conversation, and he hadn’t shouted or been angry with her. He hadn’t told her she was stupid. He’d told her to take some time, think about something else for a while.
And she was. Stefan Bachmann.
The heat of his body was doing strange things to her. She’d thought he was attractive the first moment she’d met him on the road and he’d raged at her driver. When he’d approached her in the ski café for ‘stealing’ his chair, she’d enjoyed the gentle flirtation and teasing. It had been fun. And it was a long time since Paige had experienced fun.
As for all the rest? The way her eyes had boggled out of her head when he’d stepped out of the shower, his dedication to his job, and the few surprises she’d found here and there. It all added up to someone she wanted to know more about, and a guy she was immensely attracted to.
Being snowed in, in a chalet in the mountains, had its plus points.
‘What would be your ideal dream date?’ she asked, her head lying against his shoulder and her eyes now closed.
‘Where did that come from?’ She could hear the amused tone in his voice.
‘Let’s call it a cosy enquiry?’
‘You’re feeling cosy?’
‘Who wouldn’t?’
He was quiet for a few moments and she nearly opened her eyes, but then he started speaking. ‘Dream date is a strange question. I haven’t done much dating in a while.’
‘Don’t tell me.’ She was smiling, ‘No time.’
‘How did you know that?’
Now she did open her eyes and look at him. ‘Let’s just say, in the few days I’ve known you, I’ve kind of got that impression.’ She patted her hand on his chest since it was so close. ‘So, no secret wife or fiancée in five countries, or a million dating apps and a hundred conversations going on at once.’
He laughed. He actually laughed. ‘I can’t keep up with one dating app, and one conversation, let alone multiples.’ He shook his head. ‘Plus, it’s hard. I’m going between Los Angeles and Switzerland. I’m doing the jobs for Médecins Sans Frontières and they can take me anywhere. And...’ he shrugged ‘... I do occasionally like to ski.’
She sat up and smiled. ‘So you do actually take holidays?’
‘Occasionally. In fact, that would be my dream date. A day on an off-piste ski run.’
‘Seriously?’
‘What?’
She let her head flop back. ‘I give up. I ask about the dream date, and I get a ski run. Thick, fumbly clothes, skis and poles, danger, speed, and what part of skiing involves touching?’ she asked indignantly.
‘Ah... So that’s what you were looking for.’ He was teasing now. ‘You wanted dinner in an exclusive restaurant, or on a beach somewhere, with sexy clothes or swimsuits. A private castle. A Learjet.’
Their eyes locked. ‘Can’t a girl have the simple things in life?’
He moved closer, his nose just a few inches from hers. She could feel his warm breath on her skin and see the shadow around his chin line.
‘So, whereabouts did the touching come into this dream date?’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘Now, that’s a loaded question.’
‘Or a lucky one. Do you think being snowed in, in a luxury chalet, will count?’ He glanced down. ‘We forgot the black suit, bow tie and evening dress.’
She nodded in agreement. ‘Formal dress clothes, I’ve always found them quite restrictive.’
‘Me too.’ He moved his hand. It was almost back to its former position at her waist, but this time her shirt and jeans had separated a little and his fingers brushed her skin. Paige didn’t object. Not for a second.
She put her hand on his shoulder. ‘I guess I can make an exception for one day.’
‘If we can get to the touching?’
She ran her finger along his jaw line. ‘If we can get to the touching,’ she repeated.
He moved then, leaning forward and connecting his lips with hers. There was a hint of coffee, but all she could really focus on was the sensations sweeping over every part of her. The kiss deepened, their bodies moving even closer, moulding into each other.
She ran her hands through his dark hair, then bringing them back around to his face, letting his stubble rub against her palms. Heat was rising inside her. Clothes which had felt cosy were now uncomfortably warm.
He shifted his weight and she moved automatically, leaning back into the sofa. His blue eyes fixed on hers. ‘Is this okay?’ There it was. His accent. Thicker than ever. Sexier than ever. She might have to change her idea of a dream date.
‘Yes,’ she said with certainty, and his lips started to move over her face and down her neck. In turn her hands slid down his sides, feeling his defined muscles and muscle tone.
Nothing had felt this good. Nothing had lit the fire inside her quite like this. So, for now, Paige McLeod didn’t waste a second thinking about anything else.