Chapter 3

It was well after check-in hours when the pair approached the front desk of the hotel. Linka had to admit it was decorated cozily with wooden beams travelling throughout the front room, as well as wooden floors that shined clean. A large fireplace and a piano decorated the lobby with its arch-shaped windows. Comfortable-looking sofas and chairs were everywhere with other tiny fireplaces scattered about, giving the room a sensation of warmth.

A young man was busily typing away at a computer but looked up from the task as he heard the guests approaching the desk. Far too young, assed Linka, he seemed as if he'd been called in at the last moment to avoid a last-minute disaster.

"Welcome," he smiled, before getting their personal details and producing a key card for their room. Linka was tapping her nails on the counter rhythmically before a look from Wheeler silenced her actions. She was not sure why she felt so nervous.

"So, here it is. Room 223, seven nights in one of our best rooms with mountain view. Breakfast starts at 7:30 in the dining hall, or if you prefer, you can call to have it sent directly to your room."

Linka's eyes widened and her hands gripped the wooden counter. "There must be some mistake," she shook her head a little, eyeing the young man's name tag. It read "Steve".

"We booked separate rooms." It could be a lie for all she knew, for she had not done the booking personally. Apparently, Gi had been so taken by her schemes that she had thought one room would suffice. Linka felt a sort of calm anger invading her; she failed to understand how she had possibly agreed to this. She had never been given an option, that's why! It was one thing hanging out during the day, quite another to see each other in sleep apparel at night time, sharing a bathroom, being catapulted into complete intimacy with the Yankee, all out of nowhere! She was blushing at her thoughts as she glanced up sternly at the clerk.

He, in turn, lowered his eyes and started typing on the computer, before shaking his head.

"I see only one room booked, ma'am."

Wheeler was looking at Linka as if amused, and this infuriated her more. Her nails dug into her palms as she newly drew her attention from him.

"We will take two rooms next to each other, then. Or perhaps you have adjoining rooms?"

"No can do, we are fully booked," the young man replied, and Linka could not believe he was also amused by the situation. Men! Apparently, he had never met such resistance in a hotel that mostly dealt with romantic getaways.

Linka was at a loss for what to say next, her mouth felt suddenly dry, but fortunately Wheeler came to her rescue.

"We'll just take a room with separate beds," he suggested calmly, but to Linka's horror the young man in charge shook his head.

"Our facility only provides king-sized beds for our guests."

Linka just then wished she could disappear like a bunny inside those tacky magician's hats. She and the Yankee would have to share a bed! They had never even shared a proper date or a proper kiss and already they were headed for third base? What in heaven's name was going on, all of a sudden?

"Listen, Steve…" she started out menacingly, her jaw clenching with the words uttered before she felt Wheeler take her arm in an attempt to calm down her raging nerves.

His eyes communicated her calmness and she knew he was asking for permission to take over the spiraling situation, like he often did with her. Her temper was no ease wave to tame, it could surely create an electrical storm of its own, but often, Wheeler proved he could talk some sense into her, get her to breathe.

"Chill, babe, I'm sure Steve can arrange for a pull-out bed in there."

As if on cue at Wheeler's calm but dominating tone, the clerk typed up something on the computer, before nodding energetically. The situation had embarrassed him some, and there was a bit of a mocking smirk on his young face.

"Excuse us a sec," Wheeler voiced to him, pulling Linka gently by the arm so that they could be out of his hearing range.

"That okay with you, babe? I think that's the best they can do."

Linka took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her heart had taken to beating loudly and she felt almost dizzy from the rollercoaster of emotions she faced with Wheeler by her side. She should be used to it by now, but it was always easier said than done.

"Remind me to kill Gi the next time I see her," she tried to joke, but it came out more threatening than she had meant it to sound, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Wheeler laughed. "She had this planned out pretty well, I give her credit for that! But, babe, don't worry about it. Sharing a bed doesn't have to mean anything, not unless you want it to."

The warm look in his eyes was doing nothing to stop the wild beating of her heart and she tore her eyes away from his, to regain some control. Did he not know how difficult it would be for her to disregard his solid body lying inches from her, within touching distance? She was no ice sculpture, after all!

"Plus, we'll get to say we slept together. I'm sure Gi and the others would love that!"

"You are getting the pull-out bed," Linka affirmed smartly, fighting the little smile forming at the corners of her mouth before slowly turning back to the counter to finalize their check-in. This would definitely make for one interesting week. That is, if they lived through it!

Since it was too late in the day for hitting the slopes, Wheeler suggested they ride the ski lift to survey the premises, and Linka agreed. The sky's color was lessening in intensity, but there was still another hour of light left or so, and Linka was at ease sitting beside the Yankee. They talked about their winter experiences and snow days back home, and Wheeler managed to get her laughing on more than one occasion. Linka's eyes caressed his strong profile as he talked, and when their eyes met, it was with more intimate undertones than ever before. Perhaps it was because they were alone, not running around from one stressful mission to the next, and Linka felt her body relaxing more in his presence.

She liked that Wheeler was a good listener, attentive, nodding here and there and asking her questions to get her to open up more. He naturally engaged her in conversation, something she had yet to experienced with other men. Wheeler was actually interested in what she had to say, almost like he was leading a private study on her, and she enjoyed his attentions. She especially liked that whenever she'd state something important, he would glimpse into her eyes for signs of congruency between her words and her emotions. It was sweet the way he wanted to reach her core, get past her walls. Surely, he had grown from the recruitment of the Planeteers. He spoke less abrasively and acted more cautiously now, and whenever he was in her presence, he made a real effort not to look at other women, unlike his earlier years where he'd holler at every pretty girl they stumbled upon.

Linka's high spirits continued on through dinner. The dancing flames in the dining hall provided a lovely ambiance, rich and warm like the red wine she was sipping on, and their easy conversation carried from one course to the next. The alcohol relaxed her jittered nerves further, but Wheeler wasn't drinking. He had this pact with himself that he wouldn't consume the thing that was destroying his father, and Linka admired his strength. He never talked much about his family and she silently wondered how much affection they had deprived him of, how many hugs that never got delivered, how many soft words that never got uttered. She wondered if it somehow played into his genuine want of attention.

Linka knew that Wheeler could be soft-hearted, but he often felt the need to mask that. He had probably learned that lesson from the harsh environment of his childhood days. Be tough in order to survive, sink or swim sort of a thing. Being vulnerable didn't come easy to him, just as it didn't come easy for her. They were both proud that way. She had to admit she liked the tough guy streak in him, but strangely enough, she wondered how the soft side of him would feel on her. Her mind was picturing slow kisses and gentle caresses on her skin, warm hugs and sweet nothings whispered in her ear. Linka blushed a little to herself and decided to put away her wine glass for the evening. Why were those images suddenly invading her mind? They were friends, team mates, nothing more than that, for Pete's sake! Did she suddenly want more from him? Did Wheeler expect more? Was she actually missing being in a relationship with someone?

As they waited for dessert to be served, Linka fell silent and started playing with her napkin. Her only relationship to date had taken place before becoming a Planeteer, and she rarely allowed herself to think about Aleksandr anymore. She had been seventeen and naïve. He'd been handsome and older, but they had shared a year of love (at least on her end) and passion. Linka had somehow thought it would be logical for them to one day marry, but then Aleksandr had decided to study abroad in England, and she'd even agreed at the time to move there with him once he'd settled. Only, they had drifted apart. He'd been more and more sullen on the telephone, less willing to talk, and before she knew it, Linka felt as if she were single again. It was not even a month later she found out from a mutual friend that Aleksandr had posted on some social network a picture of himself with another girl. Apparently, Linka had been forgotten quite rapidly. She'd suffered over the break-up, cried herself to sleep even, but now, with the eyes of a woman, she viewed it as part of a growing experience. They had both been too young to fully invest in a solid relationship, and she would definitely do things differently now.

Maybe she missed belonging to someone, sharing her body and heart with a man, seeing reflected in his eyes the joy that lay in the depths of her soul. Maybe it was exhausting pretending to be strong and unwavering all the time, maybe she craved some tenderness and a strong shoulder to cry on. Sometimes she felt as if she were to give in to Wheeler and his attentions, she would find it impossible to stop, and this terrorized her. The need to be dependent on someone, especially if they turned out to be as unworthy as her last boyfriend, whispered panic to her ears.

Shaking her head slightly, Linka decided her brain was in overload mode. She simply needed to halt her jumbled, wild stream of thoughts. She did not want past and present to play havoc with her senses, not while she was enjoying Wheeler's company and the warm way he looked at her for the rest of the evening.