Snow Bound Read Free Page B

had her chickening out. She shook her he ad and adopted her appropriate “ I’m in charge ” expression , honed over years of runn ing her own business.
    “I don’t think so, Mister. Just hand over the goods and turn your back.”
    The laugh lines fanning out from his mouth became more pronounced as he star ed, but she sensed he was not amused. “How about if I promise not to look?” he asked.
    Her head shook out a negative before he’d even finished speaking. “Stop messing around, playboy, and hand me the shirt.”
    He did as sh e demanded , though his lips twiste d . Turning away, he paced to the fireplace and opened the grate, reaching for a couple of logs from the large stack nearby. She’d made sure to fill up inside and add to the pile on the back porch when they’d first predicted bad weather a few days ago.
    She shivered as the damp material slid down her spine. Her head was through the neck opening before the robe reached the couch. With efficient motions she had her arms in the right spots and pulled the gown down over her hips. Gathering her courage, she tightened her muscles and lifted up from the couch, whippi ng the gown down under her legs. The warmth of the thicker material engulfed her, chasing away the cold . But thoughts of why she’d been dressed in lingerie did not aid her composure with Damon just a few feet away.
    Needing to distract herself, she asked, “What was going on out there, anyway? Who was that?”
    “Don’t know, Sweet Cheeks,” he said, that rolling Texas drawl sliding over her like honey. “I was hoping yo u could tell me. I saw a light scanning the hill from my house and thought you were outside, so I came over to help.” He dusted his hands on his jeans as he turned back to face her . “Got a helluva surprise out there.”
    Her throat tightened, her heart speeding up as she took in the implications. “Someone was roaming around the backyard?”
    “Looked like it from my upstairs window,” he said with a nod. “The light was up near the tree line, so I thought it was you trying to get wood onto the back porch. I figured you hadn’t stocked up so I headed over— “
    She pushed away from the couch before he even finished speaking, clamping her teeth down against a moan of pain.
    “Whoa, where are you heading?” he asked, crossing the room with quick strides.
    But she was beyond answering. “The phone, I have to get to a phone,” she muttered as she hobbled toward the table near the front door.
    “Honey, the phones ar e probably out. Like the power, remember? ”
    Still she fumbled through her purse for her cell, pushing a button for the display screen. No Service . “Damn, the tower must be down.”
    His presence loomed over her shoulder, sparking distracting urges to both hunch forward for protection and lean back into his strength. She’d recognized at their fir st meeting that he was her type: strong, take -charge, and sensual . She just hadn’t realized how potent the charge would be with prolonged exposure. That hot flame of attraction burn ing through her chilly limbs felt like a runaway train , which was the last thing Tori was prepared for. She’d been in cont rol her entire adult life, learning her lesson well at eighteen. Now, no one got the chance to run her life, dictate her actions, or force her into anything she didn’t want. But she had a feeling Damon just might be able to, no t by bending her to his will but by seducing her into surrender.
    Hell, this situation was getting more complicated by the minute, and she had a feeling the trouble had only just begun.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
Cha pter Three
     
    “You wa nt to tell me what’s going on, s weetheart?”
    Heated breath grazed her cheek as Damon spoke, sending a shiver down her spine. His tone was deceptively calm, with a hint of undeniable steel at the center. As much as she didn’t want to ge t into it, she had to explain. With the sheriff’s dep artment unreachable,