just lost a big client. And she’d stupidly thought that “coming by to get a few things” he’d left in the garage when he’d moved out was a genuine retrieval mission and not a lame excuse to see her.
The moment she’d opened her front door instead of just allowing him access to the garage, she knew she was in trouble. He’d still been in his police uniform, looking nervous but even more gorgeous than ever, and she hadn’t been able to find the strength to push him away when he’d hugged her. “You look amazing,” he’d said.
In actual fact she’d had mascara-stained cheeks, her hair a tangled mess, wearing an old football jersey, but she’d accepted the words and had clung to him a little longer than was safe.
“I’m sorry, Kate, so sorry,” he’d whispered in her hair. The same words that he’d said repeatedly to her voice mail and in emails for the last ten months. Words that had once been hollow, meaningless, suddenly became fact, a solid reason to avoid listening to common sense as she’d dragged him inside.
His mouth had found hers in an instant, and from there, clothing had been discarded, caution had been abandoned and any sense didn’t have a chance. They’d had sex in the living room, the kitchen, in the shower and on the bed that they’d once shared. It had been great sex—promising, uplifting, rejuvenating...until he was still there the following morning when she’d woken up hungover, regretful and ashamed.
She groaned now at the memory of his face as she’d tossed his boots outside and shoved him through the door. The night had been her fault, her mistake. One she didn’t dare repeat. Did she still love him? Maybe a part of her did—the part that didn’t remember so vividly what it had felt like to dismantle her own wedding before it had occurred. But mostly not. He’d simply caught her at a moment of vulnerability. Which would not be happening again, especially since she’d couriered all of his remaining things to his apartment the next weekend. No more excuses.
A sign to the right of the road caught her eye, and she slowed her speed to peer through the snow. Chain-Up Area, 2 Miles. Chain-up area? What was that? Sounded kind of like spicy erotica, she mused. Which maybe she’d been reading too much of lately.
Two miles ahead, she noticed several cars in the pull-out area, their drivers putting chains on their tires. Ah...that made sense. She bit her lip. Was she supposed to do that? Did she even have chains in the vehicle? Did they come with it? She didn’t think so. Surely the Escalade could handle the snow.
Fifteen miles later, however, she was starting to panic. The snow was even heavier now and falling fast, and the road beneath her tires felt like a sheet of glass. Car horns honked behind her as she slowly crept along the mountainside, continuing her trek north. What the hell had she been thinking to come up here? She’d been to Big Bear once, when her parents were still alive, but that had been in the fall, before the snow and icy conditions set in, and she hadn’t remembered the drive being so winding and dangerous.
When the sign for the Snow Summit resort appeared, she released a deep breath. Thank God, she’d made it—her last thought before the vehicle hit a section of black ice and spun into the opposite lane.
Panicked, she pumped the brakes, which only made the spiraling worse, and as she struggled to regain control of the wheel, the car landed in the deep ditch on the side of the road.
Great, just great. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the seat and forced a deep breath. This was nothing. She wasn’t hurt. She hadn’t hurt anyone... She could handle this.
A tap on the glass a second later made her jump, and her eyes flew open. A man stood beside her car, dressed in a heavy winter coat, hat and gloves. He motioned for her to roll down the window.
She hesitated, but hell, she was stuck in a ditch. Chances were he was more help than danger.
“You look a little lost,” he said with a pleasant, easy smile.
With his light blue eyes and chiseled features, he looked like the latest guy to play Superman... Henry something or other. Judging by his build, she could almost believe he’d be able to just lift the vehicle from the ditch, or so her overactive damsel-in-distress mind mused.
Yep, too many erotic novels. “Not at all, this ditch was exactly my destination...stupid GPS,” she said, suddenly grateful for the tiny mishap. Since Cooper, her reaction to the sight of most men was a desire to punch them, but this guy made her feel slightly less hostile.
“Well, I have a tow kit. I can pull you out if you’re ready to leave,” he said with a smile that made her mouth go dry.
She nodded. “I think so... Yes, thank you.”
“Why don’t you climb out and go sit in my truck while I pull your car free,” he said, opening her door.
A blast of cold snow blew across her lap, white against her charcoal dress pants, and she shivered as she climbed out. Pulling her light jacket closed, she zipped it as high as it would go. Snow piled over the tops of her short leather boots as she took several steps away from her vehicle, and she gasped. “Damn it, it’s cold.” Had this hellhole not gotten the memo that it was spring?
“You’re hardly dressed for Big Bear weather,” the man said, offering his arm for support as she struggled to climb the tiny hill out of the ditch. The smooth soles of her high-heeled boots made traction impossible and she slid backward with each step. “May I?” he asked, holding out his arms toward her.
“May you what?”
“Lift you out of here.”
She shook her head violently. At five foot nine, she was hardly a china doll. “I’m already shaming women everywhere with this clueless, city-girl damsel-in-distress situation... I think I can do this,” she said, digging her heels into the bank and, with every ounce of dignity and determination she possessed, launching her body over the high snowbank. “See?” she said proudly, straightening her coat and turning to face him.
He held his hands up. “Sorry, you’re right. You don’t need me, and I’m sure you could probably just grab the bumper and pull this thing out yourself, but I’d still like to help, if that’s okay?”
Her smile even felt flirtatious as she nodded. “Sure, why not?”
“Climb into the truck and stay warm,” he said, turning his attention to her vehicle.
She got in quickly and shivered in the warmth. “So much better,” she muttered, kicking her boots together to shake off the melting snow. Through the window, she watched the guy hook up his tow kit to her Escalade, grateful for his out-of-nowhere appearance. Glancing around, she saw the closest business was several blocks away—not a hike she’d want to make. And sitting in a ditch, waiting for a tow truck, she’d probably have frozen to death.
He worked quickly, obviously having done this before, and as she watched, she warmed even more. He was far from her usual type. Big football player build and thick thighs straining against the confines of his jeans as he leaned down to attach the tow rope to her bumper...but she found herself checking out his ass when he bent to collect his tool from the ground.
A nice ass, indeed.
He turned and she looked away quickly.
When he climbed in moments later, he put the truck in Reverse and freed the Escalade from the ditch with ease.
“Wow, clearly not your first time doing that,” she said.
“No. But I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that it’s your first time in Big Bear?”
He removed his gloves, and her eyes immediately flew to his left hand. No wedding ring. The silver lining on a shitty day. “Second, but the first time was when I was a kid and not this time of year.”
He handed her keys to her, and his warm fingers grazed her cold hand, sending an electric current up her arm. If a simple touch could create such an intense reaction in her, she wondered what a purposeful caress could do. Or those full, sexy lips. “Well, you’re free.” He hesitated before releasing