Free Secret Gifts (Steamy Version) by Elena Aitken Page A

built to the exploding point. She’d purposely steered away from the pathways that led to the main buildings and the village with the shops. She didn’t want to run in to anybody. She’d only barely cooled off when she realized she was on her second loop of the wooded path. Megan knew she should go back. It wasn’t professional to blow up at clients. Especially huge, important ones. Of course, it wasn’t professional to have inappropriate feelings about clients, let alone act on them. She never should have done that, or let him do that, or…whatever. It didn’t matter if it felt good. More than good. God, it had been so long since— No. It didn’t matter. Her job was on the line and she’d never crossed that professional line before. And no matter what she was feeling for Gage Mitchell, it wasn’t worth it. Especially considering he clearly didn’t feel anything and was a first-class asshole.
    She kicked at a clump of dirt and wished it was Gage or maybe Ryan. Or any man who had somehow managed to screw things up for her in the last seventy-two hours. But it wasn’t their fault. Not if she was really being honest with herself. She knew exactly who Gage was and what he was like, and allowing herself to forget that, even for a moment, was stupid. And she wasn’t going to let Ryan and his hurt feelings ruin her career. It wasn’t a suicide mission. They’d been at the Lodge for almost two full days and Gage hadn’t done anything the tabloids would care about. Not even Lisa would rate much more than a few lines in the gossip column. So far, Megan had managed to steer him away from scandal. And as long as she could hold on for a few more days, everything would be fine. She’d keep her job and she could handle Ryan later.
    She turned around and headed back the way she’d come, back to the suite. All she had to do was keep Gage out of trouble, out of her head and far away from her body.

    As far as Gage was concerned, there was no way he was going to be there when she got back. He’d been a total asshole. It’s not as if he’d meant to. Well, he’d definitely meant to kiss her and touch her and make her lose control—oh yes, he’d meant to do that. But he really hadn’t meant to be a total jerk afterwards. Dammit. He liked Megan, a lot. And that pissed him off because there was no way that could happen.
    Immediately after Megan stormed out, he’d grabbed a jacket and taken off, careful to go in the opposite direction. He had no idea where he’d go; after all, it wasn’t like Castle Mountain Lodge had a ton of options.
    He stalked through the trails, heading away from the main building, and when he got to the village with its cute little stores and cafes, he shuddered. He was trapped, and for the first time since he’d arrived, he actually felt that way. Megan had made the Lodge and the mountains seem like an adventure and climbing the day before had been amazing. Maybe if he found Bo, he could convince him to take him out again.
    A sign for staff lodging caught his attention. “Perfect.”
    He only had to walk for a few more minutes, down a much smaller pathway, clearly designed to keep guests from wandering down it. When Gage arrived at what looked to be a small compound, with low apartment buildings built in a circle around a common courtyard area, he smiled. With the fire pit, the horseshoes, and the basketball net hanging off the front of one of the buildings, it actually looked like a fun place to live and maybe if he was younger, and not Gage Mitchell, he would have liked to live there.
    A different lifetime, he thought and headed across the lawn to a small group of people who were perched on a picnic table, enjoying the morning sun.
    “Good morning,” Gage said. “Sorry to interrupt.”
    He saw the looks of recognition on their faces as they turned around at his voice. One of the girls giggled and a blond man jumped up and stamped out his cigarette as if he’d been caught doing something he