“No, Matt. Thank you for listening and being so…” She didn’t even know where to begin and surely shouldn’t gush. “Nice.”
He gave a little salute goodbye and walked toward the mudroom, peering up at the ceiling, then looking over his shoulder to give her a thumbs-up.
Wordlessly, he scooped up the towels in one easy move and put them on top of the washer. Then he walked out into the cold night and she could hear his footsteps on the ladder, the roof, then off to the garage.
MJ stood in the kitchen and listened to the hush settle back around her, letting the whole night press on her heart like a flower in a photo album—always there to be remembered.
She turned out lights one by one and walked to her little suite.
At her dresser, she took off the sparkly earrings and set them in the dish beside her watch. In the mirror, a woman looked back who had told a near-stranger…a lot.
She’d gone on a fact-finding mission, and now Matt Walker knew more about her than she knew about him. He knew her deepest dreams and secrets of her heart.
How on Earth had that happened?
She had no idea, but she’d had the best time and fell asleep with a smile on her lips.
Nicole woke slowly, blinking against a pale stream of winter light that filtered through the mismatched curtains covering the Powder Keg’s back bedroom window. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was, and the unfamiliar scent of wood smoke and old pine only deepened her confusion.
Then it all came rushing back—the storm, the long night, and Cameron sitting across from her in front of the fireplace, their legs stretched toward the flickering flames.
Her heart warmed at the memory. They’d stayed up for hours, talking and laughing while the wind howled outside the old cabin until well past midnight. They hadn’t played games, but stayed wrapped in blankets, her head on his shoulder while they talked about their childhoods, their passions, their lives, and loves…or lack of them.
On a sigh, Nicole rolled onto her side, hugging the thin blanket. The blow-up mattress he’d covered for her creaked beneath her as a smile lifted her lips.
Maybe it was the secret, special feeling of being trapped in a cabin in a storm, or maybe it was the undeniable chemistry between them. Maybe it was…real.
The thought made her heart jump a little, as it had last night when he finished getting this room ready for her and held her in the warmest embrace goodnight. He’d pressed his lips to her hair and said something sweet she didn’t remember now, but only because she’d been wondering if she was going to kiss him.
They didn’t kiss, but that didn’t make their connection any less powerful. In fact, the build-up would just make the first kiss even better. And after last night, she was pretty sure there would be one.
She peeked toward the cracked bedroom door, hearing the low groan of the couch springs from the front room. He must be up.
She brushed her tangled hair out of her face and sat up, grateful for the privacy and the heater he’d found. He’d stretched out on the couch, saying he’d done it a hundred times after late-night ski patrol shifts. Still, she couldn’t shake how gallant it had felt—him giving her the cozy spot, no questions asked, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The clink of a metal scoop and the first aroma of coffee floated in.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” he called from outside the door. “Did you survive your first official night at the Keg?”
Nicole grinned, her stomach fluttering. “Morning. Barely. Do I smell coffee?”
“Black and bitter.”
“Be right there.” After dressing in her under layer and ski pants, then using a small powder room, she padded out to find Cameron holding a mug and looking outside. He wore thermals and a long-sleeved black base layer that clung to his broad shoulders. His dark blond hair was damp, like he’d splashed water on his face.
“Come,” he said, beckoning her closer. “Look at the world after a storm.”
Outside, the storm’s fury had been replaced by a crystalline stillness. Two feet of untouched powder blanketed the slopes, blinding white under the rising sun. The trees sparkled, weighed down by ice, and in the distance, the groomers were already making their slow, deliberate passes across the ski runs.
“It’s like another planet,” she breathed.
Cameron handed her a steaming mug, their fingers brushing briefly. “The calm after the chaos. Best part of a storm.”
She sipped and nearly moaned. It was strong, and the warmth spread through her in the most heavenly way.
“Thanks for staying with me,” she said softly, meeting his gaze over the rim of her mug as she sat at a rickety table in the corner. “You didn’t have to, but you made last night…really nice. Cozy, even. Everything okay with your sister?”
“She claims to have loved the solitude.” His smile turned sheepish as he joined her. “I liked being here with you. More than liked it.”
