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  The clanging grew louder, accompanied by a shout.

  The bear started, then began moving quickly, lumbering right past Lily, so close she felt his snow-covered fur brush her arm and leg.

  And then he was gone.

  She didn’t remember sinking to the snow, but that’s where she was when Logan hit his knees in front of her. “Lily. My God, he was huge. Are you okay?” Without waiting for her to answer, his arms came around her hard.

  She discovered another thing she’d miss—his hands on her. She’d miss that a lot, too. “Was that you making that noise?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m okay.”

  “I’m not. Hold on to me a minute.”

  She could feel his heart pounding hard, or maybe that was hers. In either case, she did as he’d asked and held on. In fact, she considered never letting go.

  From behind them came voices now, where before there’d been only eerie silence. A handful of people rushed toward them, led by Matt.

  “Tell me the whole lodge didn’t see that,” she said.

  Matt crouched beside them and tugged on a strand of her hair. “Just a few guests, and they’re still inside.”

  “I think he’s gone.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m glad he’s not busy eating you.”

  “Because you’d miss me?”

  “Because you’d have given him indigestion.”

  “Ha ha.”

  Sara pushed in beside Matt and threw herself and her big old belly right at Lily, who just barely managed to catch her. “Oh, my God, Lily Rose! You were nearly eaten alive!”

  Lily patted her sister’s bump. “Don’t get too excited, I’m still here.”

  Then Gwyneth pushed her way through. “Heard you were almost bear bait,” she said, toughlike, then folded like a cheap suitcase as she sank to the snow and hugged Lily hard. “You enjoy giving me gray hair, don’t you?”

  “I live for it. Sorry you didn’t inherit tonight.”

  Gwyneth looked around at the resort and sighed. “Yeah. Next time make sure to scare a hungrier bear, could you?” Then she hugged Lily again, hard.

  Aunt Debbie joined them. “Look at you, front and center, as usual.”

  “Yeah, I’m so desperate for attention, I asked that bear to meet me at the trash bin.”

  “You didn’t ask to be Grandma’s sole heir either, but that’s what happened.”

  Lily’s smile faded. “True enough.”

  Gwyneth, either oblivious or trying to relieve the sudden tension, sighed at the scene. “Would you look at the mess?”

  One of the two garbage bags had ripped, spilling some of its contents onto the ground, already getting covered with snow. And yet it wasn’t the bear or their guests on Lily’s mind now.

  It was Aunt Debbie and her quiet resentment. Gwyneth and her not-so-quiet resentment.

  And the fact that Lily herself felt a sudden and nearly overwhelming resentment toward them all. She looked into Logan’s warm, concerned eyes and shook her head to his silent question. She was fine. She always was.

  But for the first time in her life, it wasn’t the mountain making her fine. No, a man was doing that.

  A man who was leaving tomorrow.

  13

  LOGAN WATCHED Lily gather all her family and staff back inside, asking them to reassure the guests, who were watching from behind the safety of the windows of the bar and common room. “Just in case the big bastard comes back,” she told him quietly. “Don’t want anyone else to become bear dinner, either.”

  Seeing the strain in her expression, he stroked a hand up her back. He didn’t think it was the bear incident, but rather whatever had flickered between her and her sister and aunt. “You hanging in?”

  “Yeah.” She leaned into him for a moment. “So what were you making that noise with? The one that scared him off?”

  “Matt told me you’d gone out. He gave me his flashlight. When I saw you and the bear at a standoff, I banged it on the recycling bins behind you.”

  She smiled. “Quick thinking.” Then she pressed her face into his shirt and inhaled, as if he was better than air.

  “You weren’t so bad yourself.” His hand came up and cupped her head, holding her close when she might have pulled back. “Cool, calm, just like always. Do you ever panic?”

  “I was plenty panicked. I just didn’t want to be munched on by a bear, that’s all.” She lifted her head and smiled. “I’d better remind everyone to be careful out there.”

  He watched her move through the common room, running her world in her usual love-me-as-I-am way, joking and sweetly sarcastic yet firm and in charge.

  And utterly unaware of the fact he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  Tonight would be their last night, and he had no idea if she even realized it. He’d thought to leave the lodge without regrets, but it turned out he had one big one.

  Leaving her.

  How many times had he promised her that this thing was for fun only? He’d be lying if he gave her that promise now, tonight. It’d been a good long time since he’d felt the urge to put a woman through the stress of fitting into his life, but now he could admit that maybe he hadn’t wanted to put himself through it, either. At the moment, he couldn’t remember why.

  Near the roaring fire, Lily sat perched on the edge of the couch, chatting and laughing with a handful of guests. She tossed her head back when she laughed, giving it her all. She always gave her all.

  And yet she’d held back with him, big-time.

  But he’d held back, too. Now they had only one night left, and he didn’t want to hold back anything. Needing their last few hours all to himself, he walked over to her, drew her up and brought her fingers to his mouth.

  Her eyelashes fluttered down over her eyes, but not before he saw the surprise and pleasure flickering there. “What can I do for you, Mr. Logan White?”

  “Anything you want,” he murmured in her ear. “As long as you’re naked.”

  A blush rose over her cheeks, which he found not only adorable but also an unbearable turn-on, given all they’d done. He didn’t touch her other than her hand, and that in itself teased him into an erection. “And wet,” he added in a barely-there whisper. “I want you really wet.”

  “Excuse me,” she said to the guests, grabbing his hand and taking him into the office wing, then past that to her apartment. They kept stopping to kiss, to whisper breathless promises, to touch and tease some more, until Logan could hardly breathe.

  At her door, she stopped to search her pockets for her key while he used the opportunity to step up close behind her and cup her breasts, stroke her nipples.

  “Stop that.” She sounded breathless as she fumbled with the key, trying to get it into the lock.

  “Really?” He tugged at the tight, taut peaks. “You want me to stop?”

  “Okay, don’t even think about it.” She closed her eyes and pressed her bottom back, grinding into his crotch. “Don’t you dare.”

  There was no one in the dimly lit hallway. Smiling against her neck, he slid his hands down her back, squeezed her squeezable ass and dipped his fingers between her thighs.

  She dropped her forehead to her door and arched back into him. “Please,” she gasped. “Help me get us inside.”

  Instead, he went beneath her sweater and another soft camisole to cup her bare breasts while he scraped his teeth over the side of her neck.

  “Oh.” She trembled, a reaction that brought out more heat and added a shocking amount of tenderness to the mix, as well. “Logan, I…I can’t open the door.”

  He skimmed his thumbs over her nipples again, and she dropped the key.

  “Uh-oh,” he tsked. “Better get that.”

  When she bent for it, he gripped her waist and rocked his hips to her ass. She moaned and whipped around, shoving the key at him. The moment he got the door open, she dragged him inside, slammed the door, then pushed him back against it, biting his throat as she tore a