Tucking my bag into the compartment in the seat, I let her guide my taut limbs onto the bike while Chewie watched next to us.
“Put these on.” She dragged her goggles off her head and gave me no choice, sliding them over my face to shield my eyes.
Climbing on the bike in front of me, she cranked the key. Before I could stop it, she grabbed each of my arms and wrapped them around her waist, turning back with a hard expression. “Hold on.”
Not that I had much of a choice, but even stranded and half-frozen, I couldn’t think of anyone I’d wanted to hold on to more. My arms tightened around her softness and she felt like a flame against me, her strength burning right through all my layers onto my skin.
“Home, Chewie!” she yelled through the wind and the husky, obeying her command, took off again.
The bike leaped forward and pressed her against me. So small but a force to be reckoned with.
She couldn’t hear my groan, but while the rest of me might be frozen, there was one singular part that was very much hot and pulsing with the knowledge that my feisty snow-white nymph was in my arms.
I needed to give her more than my thanks and an apology after this, but that wasn’t what concerned me. It was all the things the stark, unyielding cold had made me want that were now the problem…
Dumb. Stupid. Foolish. Handsome. Jerk.
I jabbed the logs in the fire, the flames taking their sweet old time to gain traction on the dry timber. I needed it hotter, and I needed it hotter now.
Ryan groaned behind me, swearing under his breath.
I turned, still on my knees, and began unlacing his boots. He was going to be fine, but he was going to be damn cold and uncomfortable for a little while.
“Let me help.” I winced, several painful reminders coming along with those words.
I brushed his fumbling hands to the side and quickly unlaced his boots, the fur-lined heavy rubber soaked through from the deep snow.
I sniffled, my face still smarting from the short drive through the storm back to the cabin without my goggles.
“Thank you,” he said with a heavy sigh.
I quickly loosened both his boots and tugged them off his frozen feet before he could think to try and do it himself. Grabbing a small pillow from the empty side of the couch, I propped it under his feet and scooted out of the way of the warmth of the fire.
“I’m going to grab your bag of things, I’ll be right back,” I told him, having left his groceries in the seat of my bike in order to help him into the cabin.
“Thanks.” He surprised me by saying again.
“Stay, Chewie,” I instructed, swallowing down the rush of warmth I felt and leaving the watchful pup at Ryan’s feet while I went back outside.
Dragging in a few deep, flurry-filled breaths of cold air, I knew something had changed. Even though the man was mostly frozen, the look in his eyes was different when it crossed paths with mine. No longer hostile, but craving help.
When I closed the cabin door once more to the howling winds outside, I sagged against its solid support for a relieved second before I saw the empty chair and panicked until I found its previous inhabitant standing directly in front of the fire, his hands out, warming them.
He looked over his shoulder to me. The flicker of fire in his eyes had to be some sort of reflection of the flames. Still, it zipped a warm string of goose bumps down my spine and made the hairs on my arm stand on end, a new kind of anticipation driving the rest of the chill from my body.
“Thank you, Winna,” he rasped.
I liked the sound of my name on his lips. It rasped rich and exotic rather than the cold season it stood for.
My mouth parted, lips cold and dry and curious, wondering how his mouth would feel on mine. Wondering if it would burn hotter than the flames.
It had been a long time since I was kissed by a man. A very long time.
Chewie nudged the bag at my side, breaking my train of inappropriate thoughts.
“Of course,” I muttered.
My chin quickly dipped slightly, heat flooding against the windburn in my cheeks. I quickly pivoted my attention to the small kitchen, striding over and depositing the three bags of groceries on the small counter between the sink and tiny refrigerator, catching a glimpse of the devoured package of jerky I’d given him.
My stomach somersaulted.
I should go before I caused more trouble.
I turned and gasped, finding Ryan standing only a few inches in front of me.
“You should really sit by the fire and warm up.”
I swallowed over the lump in my throat, drinking in the sight of him. The raw skin of his face was broken up by the stubble on his cheeks that hadn’t been present the first time we’d met.
“I’ll be fine,” he said with a tight smile. “A little snow and cold won’t kill me.”
“Jerks are one of the hardest species to kill,” I blurted without thinking. Eyes wide, I clapped a hand over my mouth quickly and shook my head. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I should get going. I just wanted to make sure you were back safe and had a fire,” I rambled, flashing him a quick smile, and darted around him toward the door.
“Winna, wait,” he said, cold fingers clasping around my arm to stop me.
I half-turned, expecting—and preparing for another battle of tongues. I grimaced, heat flooding between my thighs. Seriously, Winna? Another poor choice of phrase.
This was my problem. I was skilled at fending for myself, at surviving on my own and making my own way in life. I faced all challenges and emotions head-on—just like my dad and uncles had taught me.
But they hadn’t taught me about this. Not really. Or, I guess, maybe it was more accurate to say they hadn’t prepared me.
They hadn’t prepared me for the kind of mind-scrambling attraction I felt for a man I hardly knew.
“I’m sor—”
“No,” he broke in. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being a world-class jerk. I know you were just trying to help… in your own way.” The small smile that punctuated his statement made hope burst like a tiny firecracker in my stomach. “I’d like to make it up to you. An apology and a truce.” My eyes turned into saucers. “I have some burgers, beer, and double-stuff Oreos, if you want to stay. If not, I understand.”
He released my arm, leaving me completely unhindered to make my own choice.
I glanced to the door. In the midst of our conversation, Chewie had given up his post waiting to leave and now, I caught him curled up by the fire, contently chewing on—
“Chewie!” I scolded, my boots squishing on the floor as I scrambled to the other side of the room, yanking Ryan’s right boot from Chewie’s mouth. “You are so bad.”
I couldn’t even scold him properly though, my insides still entirely knotted from Ryan’s offer to stay for burgers and beer.
Standing straight, I frowned at the teeth marks on the rubber sole of the boot but determined no permanent damage was done.
“Sorry about that,” I said, picking up the left boot and extending them both to Ryan.
That invitation to a truce was probably gone now.
He took his shoes and set them inside a cupboard next to the fireplace.
“You’re still welcome to stay,” he said with a chuckle as though he’d heard my thought.
Flushing, I pulled my lip between the edges of my teeth and then stepped into the storm, “Okay.”