Lily held her head high when she got out of bed. She had wanted new experiences, she reminded herself sternly. The metaphorical walk of shame was apparently one of them.
The three men, all dark haired and rough hewn like they’d been carved straight out of the Adirondacks, exchanged a look and seemed to reach some silent consensus. Broad chests, big frames, and those ruggedly handsome faces under their hats—Lily could practically feel the testosterone humming off them. And every one of them flicked their gaze between her and Rush with way too much knowing amusement.
Another of the men stepped forward. He had the same night-dark hair as the other two men, but his eyes were more watchful and serious. He gave her a sharp, assessing look as he took off his glove and held out his hand. “Sorry to interrupt. I’m Gage MacKenna, and these are my brothers, Ian and Connor. We live up the mountain on Autumn Ridge.”
Connor clapped Rush on the shoulder, the embroidered patch that read Park Ranger on his parka catching in the sunlight. Beneath his hat, dark-blue eyes crinkled warmly at the corners as he smiled at her.
“The storm took out most of the mountain’s power,” Connor said. “The roads are still bad, but we brought the snowmobiles if you need a ride on the trails.”
Rush didn’t hesitate. “Yeah. You can give her a ride to the lodge.” He shot Lily a quick, unreadable look. “You’ll be able to get a ride from there.”
It wasn’t a question, but Lily nodded even as her stomach dropped. Just like that, it was over. Even though she knew it was coming, it still hit her like missing a step in the dark.
Rush was already moving, gathering their things with quick, effective movements. He was back to being a remote, distant sheriff. It shouldn’t have been a surprise, but it was.
Lily might not have much experience, but she wasn’t naïve enough to believe this could be real—at least not beyond the cozy bubble of the cabin. This had been a weekend straight out of her wildest fantasies, a chance to forget who she was and be seen as someone brave enough to chase what she wanted.
But reality was hitting hard, and the bubble had popped when Rush opened the door.
She knew from the start that what happened between them this weekend wasn’t meant to last. Of course she did.
Lily stayed quiet while she picked up what was left of her dress. Her chest was strangely heavy, an ache that she hated curling behind her ribs.
The MacKenna brothers talked and laughed easily as Lily and Rush took turns washing up in the bathroom, their conversation a mix of teasing and catching up. Lily listened quietly, piecing together details about their relationship while she stuffed her ruined wedding dress in a garbage bag. The comfortable way Rush interacted with them and the funny stories they shared about Rush spending time at their lodge made her chest tighten with the realization of all the things she didn’t know about him.
She had memorized the rough scrape of his beard against her skin and the deep groan he made when she took him into her mouth.
But there was so much more to Sheriff Callahan than she would ever have a chance to learn.
She felt awkward and out of place and faintly sad, but she kept her emotions locked down. There would be time later when she got home to process all that had happened. In the meantime, she tidied the cabin, erasing all traces of her stay there.
When it was time to go, Lily put on an extra coat Connor handed her and the old boots she’d found. She followed the men out on the porch, but Rush stayed back. She hesitated at the bottom of the steps, glancing back to find Rush standing at the door, his hands braced on the doorframe and his eyes unreadable. Riggs sat at attention next to him. Clearly, they were both ready to reclaim their cabin.
She offered them her sunniest smile and lifted a hand to wave. “Bye, guys. Thanks again for…” She paused, feeling warmth flooding her face.Ride my face, darlin’.“Well, everything,” she finished lamely.
“Be safe getting home,” he said quietly.
That was it. No kiss. No touch. Just a clipped nod as a goodbye.Don’t you dare cry.Rush had made it more than clear what he could offer.She let her hand drop back to her side, swallowing against the strange lump in her throat.
Outside, the air bit sharply at Lily’s cheeks, crisp and cold now that the storm had passed. Sunlight sparkled across the snow, casting the little cabin in a golden glow that felt peaceful and calm, as if it hadn’t just been the scene of the most transformative weekend of her life.
Life-altering. Heart-shifting. And now over.
She kept her eyes forward as she trudged through the snow, refusing to look back.
Onward.
She concentrated on her breath. Cold air in, warm air out, and the strange, humming awareness still alive in her chest.
Gage helped her onto the snowmobile, handing her a helmet, but before she could lift it, familiar strong hands suddenly took it away. Warm fingers closed around her arms, lifting her off the machine and spinning her around until she collided with a familiar, solid chest.
And then Rush’s mouth was on hers in a sweet, hot, unapologetically possessive kiss. He didn’t seem to care that they had an audience. His tongue swept against hers, rough and demanding entrance even as she parted her lips eagerly, like he was trying to brand her while she clung to him. He tasted like mint toothpaste and hot, urgent male, and she clung to him, knowing that this kiss would wreck her all over again. And not caring.
Rush growled and slid a hand down to her bottom, hauling her against him while the other hand slid into her hair and tugged her head back, seeking a deeper angle. She clutched his broad shoulders and forgot about the men watching and what lay ahead for her and sank herself into the shockingly raw intensity of his kiss.
And then it was over. Lily felt herself being set back on her feet just as quickly as she’d been swept off them. Her knees were weak, her head spinning, and he was already backing away.
He hesitated, the muscle in his jaw flexing, and tilted her chin up toward him. “If you need anything,” he said gruffly, “you call me at the sheriff’s office. Got it?”
