By the time I get to the airport, I think I’ve figured out why Sophie decided to come to Alaska and what she’s going to say.
She’s in love with me, and she thinks we should be together.
Okay, maybe love is too strong of a word. But she has to at least like me a lot. A woman doesn’t just get on a plane and fly to Alaska unless she has deep, serious feelings for you. Right?
A couple of weeks ago, the possibility of anyone having feelings for me would’ve sent me running. Now, knowing the person is Sophie… Maybe it’s not such a bad thing after all.
Not that we should jump into anything.
She lives in Seattle. I’m pretty set on my life here. Still, maybe, if we take our time and get to know each other a little better, we can have some kind of relationship.
But, first things first. I need to hear her out—like I promised Winter. And then, I need to do the grown-up thing and fill her in on some details of my past.
Fair is fair.
I pull up to the curb at the airport as Sophie steps outside. She’s wrapped in an oversized parka and wearing an adorable stocking cap with a pom-pom on the top, along with some heavy boots. Winter must have given her a few tips on wardrobe before she boarded the plane.
Good, I want her to be comfortable while she’s here. Hell, maybe she’ll fall in love with this place the same way I did. It would make any hopes of a future relationship a lot easier if she did.
Putting the car in park, I jump out and call her name.
She glances up, and the sight of her beautiful blue eyes focused on me sets my heart racing. Damn, I really do have it bad for this woman.
And it doesn’t suck.
Unable to resist, I jog toward her and scoop her into my arms. She stiffens slightly, but only for a second. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and squeezes me back, even as her booted feet dangle off the ground.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d be happy to see me,” she murmurs into my chest.
Not bothering to lower her to the ground, I keep one arm wrapped around her waist and lift her chin so I can gaze into her eyes.
“Believe me, there isn’t anyone else I’d rather see right now.”
I lower my head to capture her lips in a kiss. I close my eyes and sigh deeply, feeling more at peace at this moment than I have since I left her behind. Yeah, this is right.
After swearing off love, I’ve found the one woman who could change my mind. No one could be more surprised—or happier—than me.
A car honks behind me, and with a reluctant groan, I break off the kiss and lower Sophie to the ground. “I suppose we should get out of here.”
She gives a breathy, “Yeah” and I can’t help but smirk smugly at how much she’s still affected by our kiss.
Keeping one of her hands tucked in mine, I grab her small suitcase and put it in the back of my truck. I help her up into the passenger seat.
And, because I can, I lean in to give her one more quick kiss, flipping the bird to the annoyed person still laying on their horn behind us at the curb.
Sophie’s lips curve into a grin against mine. Chuckling, I pull back and hurry around to the driver’s side. Not that I give a fuck what the pissed-off driver behind me thinks. I just don’t want to be away from Sophie now that she’s here.
Though I know I should probably ask what it is that’s brought her here, I realize I’m not in any rush. As we drive away from the airport, I point out little sights along the way.
We keep up a light conversation about all of the places we’ve been and where we’d like to go. Considering how little I talk with other people, and how little I want to, it’s easy to keep up a conversation with her.
That’s no surprise. She’s Sophie.
“Are you hungry?” I ask.
She gives a little grin. “I could eat.”
“Let’s stop in town.”
