“I knew it!” I cut him off. “You did check the weather forecast, you lying bastard!”
Lucas laughed, not even bothering to deny it. “Of course I did. And it worked, didn’t it? You should be thanking me.”
The bathroom door opened, and Hayden stepped out with atowel wrapped around his waist, his hair damp and tousled. My mouth went dry at the sight of him, all those freckles scattered across his shoulders and chest, the memory of tracing them with my tongue still fresh in my mind.
“I gotta go,” I told Lucas quickly.
“Ooh, is he there? Put him on!”
“Not happening. Goodbye dickhead.”
I hung up before Lucas could say another word and tossed my phone onto the bed. Hayden stood there, droplets of water still clinging to his chest, his sandy hair dark with moisture. Those freckles that drove me wild were on full display, and I couldn’t help but stare.
“Was that Lucas?” he asked, one eyebrow raised as he adjusted his towel.
“Yeah.” I nodded, trying not to look too obvious as my eyes traced the lines of his body. “He’s... thrilled about the snow.”
“I bet he is.” Hayden’s lips quirked into a small smile. “Did you tell him about...?” He gestured vaguely between us, a flush creeping up his neck.
“I didn’t give him details, if that’s what you’re worried about.” I took a step toward him, drawn like a magnet. “But yeah, he knows something happened. He’s insufferable.”
Hayden laughed softly, the sound making my heart do a little flip in my chest. “I figured. He seems like the type to gloat.”
“You have no idea.” I reached out, unable to help myself, and ran a finger along his collarbone where a cluster of freckles stood out against his skin. “You’re something else fresh out of the shower, you know that?”
His breath hitched, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he leaned slightly into my touch. “Is that a compliment?”
“Definitely.” I let my hand trail down his arm, feeling goosebumps rise in its wake. “How you feeling this morning? Any regrets?”
The question hung between us, heavier than I’d intended. I heldmy breath, waiting for his answer. Because despite my usual confidence, I was terrified he might say yes.
“No,” he said finally, his blue eyes meeting mine. “No regrets. You?”
Relief flooded through me. “Not a single one, Freckles.”
He rolled his eyes at the nickname, but I caught the small smile he tried to hide. “So, what’s the plan? Are we still stuck here?”
I nodded toward the window where snow was still coming down steadily. “Roads are closed until at least noon tomorrow. I checked while you were in the shower.”
“So, we’re here another day.” He said it like he was testing the words, seeing how they felt.
“Looks that way. Hope you’re not too disappointed to be stuck with me.”
Hayden’s eyes traveled down my body, lingering on the bulge in my jeans that had started forming the moment he walked out of the bathroom. “I think I’ll survive.”
The heat in his gaze sent a jolt straight to my groin. I stepped closer, backing him against the wall. “Just survive? I was hoping for a bit more enthusiasm than that.”
His hands came up to rest on my chest, fingers tangling in the fabric of my shirt. “This is about as enthusiastic as I get,” he said, leaning forward and kissing me softly. “This definitely wasn’t how I planned on spending my month in Sagebrush.”
His words hit me harder than I expected. “I can’t convince you to stay longer?” I asked before I could stop myself.
Hayden paused, staring down at me with an unwavering gaze. “Areyougoing to stay in Sagebrush longer?” he asked. “Last thing I knew, you were getting ready to leave yourself.”
“I… I mean…” I stammered. “Yeah… I was gonna leave after the weddin’.” I glanced at the floor, then back up at him. “But I… I’m really enjoyin’—”
“Don’t,” he interrupted. There was no anger or desperation in hisvoice, just a simple statement. “We barely know each other. Let’s not go making this more than it is.”
My stomach twisted, but I found myself nodding. “Yeah… You’re right,” I conceded. Iwasgetting ahead of myself. And he was right, we both had limited time in Sagebrush, then our paths diverged completely. “Let’s just…enjoyourselves?” I said, putting on that cocky grin I knew he loved. “Asoftenas we can.”
