“But first, tell me.” She pauses her words, while her hands work magic on my lower back. Then, she whispers hot against my skin “Were you trying to get me to leave this cabin? Or make sure I stay?”
“I—,” I let out a breathy moan, then the truth spills from my lips. “I wanted you to leave initially, but now?—”
Her hands disappear. “Iknewit,” she says, her tone victorious. “All that ‘working’ was nothing but a stunt to torture me.”
I blink, realizing the trap I walked straight into. She’s good. I twist and see the devious expression plastered on her face. I scoff. “Me? You’re the one in the police uniform.”
Her brow jolts upward. A smirk paints her mouth when she leans in. “Is my outfit doing it for you?”
My eyes drift to her lips and back up. “I never said that.”
She meets my gaze. “You don’t have to.” We pause. “Maybe Idowant to do something about it—finish this game we’ve been playing…before you leave.”
Our flirting needed to stop five minutes ago. Our faces are too close, and my panties are too wet. Being stuck with a hot woman in uniform who’s good with her handsandher mouth isn’t helping either.
Something ignites inside my belly, overcome with an urge to end this moment before it’s too late. “Or onceyouleave—,” Iexhale and abruptly stand before I kiss those very kissable lips. I yank my phone off the couch and adjust my lounge shorts that are probably soaked through. “I’llfinallyhave some quiet time to actually get work done.”
“Where are you going?” she asks, voice thick with desperation.
I’m glad I’m not the only one affected by our moment. Forget waiting her out. I’m ending this today. The perfect idea comes to mind. “Calling the tow company back.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders droop with disappointment. She faces me, but I’ve already rushed past her. “Are they still giving you a hard time about your car?”
I grab my winter jacket by the front door. “No, that’s taken care of. I’m reporting an unauthorized vehicle creating a hazard on private property.Myproperty.”
“Wait. You aren’t serious.” Her jaw drops when the front door swings open. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Winter air pierces the bare skin above my thigh-high socks. I know it’s cold—somehow warmer than yesterday—but I don’t feel it, my body still on fire from Kez’s words, hands, and of course, her damn uniform.
“Watch me.” I huff a laugh and boots on, I march outside. “I just need the license plate number.”
I’m halfway down the long driveway, far enough from a barefoot Kez still standing in the entryway. Not even a sexy policewoman can catch me.
Heavy footsteps hit the snow-brushed porch. She yells from behind me. “Hey! Charlotte—wait. That’s my dad’s truck!”
I falter for only a moment, then continue, picking up my pace. The truck isn’t far ahead.
Suddenly, my right boot catches on something. I trip, my hands and knees sinking into the snow. I glance back at my foot. Seriously? A tree root?
“Drop the phone!” Kez’s voice booms through the wind.
Fueled by determination and adrenaline, I quickly climb to my feet, almost close enough to make out the truck’s plates. I take another step and?—
Splat. A snowball explodes against my back, sending me flying face first into the snowdrift.
Did she just…? My mouth opens in disbelief. When I look up, Kez is laughing, a maniacal expression on her face, seemingly proud of her direct strike.
My cozy outfit is ruined. Snow iseverywhere:stuck to my legs, down my nice cream sweater, and hanging on every strand of my hair. I spit the snowflakes out and grab two fistfuls to return the favor. The truck can wait.
I clench my teeth and stand. “You’re going to get it now.”
I face her and run—as fast as one can in these conditions—toward the officer already in a high-knee sprint in my direction. I launch both snowballs. One strikes her shoulder. The other is nowhere close.
“Charlotte Harrington!” she yells, then smiles. She dodges another snowball. “Give me the phone.”
“Screw you.” I chuckle, ignoring the patches of melting snow stuck to my clothes, weighing me down. Oh, I’ll give her something—another packed snowball ready in the chamber. I lift my arm, all thoughts of dialing the tow company abandoned.
We collide mid-throw, hitting the ground, our limbs tangling together, as we dissolve into breathless laughter. I twist free, attempting to crawl to my feet, but she grabs my hips and yanks me back down. She shoves more snow into my face. I return the favor. Our laughter echoes in the air.
