“Frenemies?” One dimple pops deep in his left cheek, and I ignore the way my body heats. Jamie Murphy has always pulled off boy-next-door charm in a way no one else ever could. One minute, he wants the world to think he’s sweet and kind and helpful. The next, he’s grinning at you like he’s starving and you’re his next meal.
And there’s not a doubt in my mind this man can eat.
I tilt my head back, cursing my lack of height in a way I only ever do when I’m around this asshole. He’s got to have a solid two to three inches on his younger brother, putting him easily at six feet four or five. Well over a foot taller than me. “No.”
“Come on... Strangers who know each other’s middle names and worst habits?”
“You don’t know my worst habits.” I grab my carry-on and look around, ignoring the fact that there was a time when he definitely did. “I’m going to find a seat.”
Jamie steps in front of me, effortless and exasperating, blocking my path.
“Careful,” he warns. “You heard the announcement. There’s a snowstorm coming. You might want to stick with me for a while.”
“Why would I do that?” I look back down the concourse at the wall of windows being pounded by the snow, pretty sure the storm is already here. “Not like I haven’t been snowed in before.”
He leans down just enough for me to smell his cologne—clean, crisp, familiar and dangerous. “Yeah,” he murmurs. “But you’ve never been snowed in with me.”
My breath catches for a single heartbeat.
The board updates again.
CANCELEDstares back at me this time, and mystomach plummets.
Guess it’s official.
“Well,” he grins, “this should be fun.”
I fight the urge to scream nothing about today is fun.
Every flight status updates toCANCELED.
No.No. No.
“Come on, Ace. Looks like we’re going to need hotel rooms.” He presses his palm to the small of my back and pushes me forward, but I don’t move. Not immediately. Not even if my body’s first reaction is to listen to him for some unknown fucked up reason.
Oh, you have got to be kidding me.
I stare at the board, like it’s going to magically update toon timeand save me from this nightmare.
But it’s my life, so of course, it doesn’t.
It’s okay. I’ve gotten used to nightmares.
“Ashton... Come on.” Jamie takes my bag off my shoulder and my rolling carry-on out of my hand, then angles his body behind mine, blocking me from getting trampled. “Let’s get to the desk and see if we can get hotel rooms.”
Shit.
And here I thought this day couldn’t get any worse.
I pull out my phone and reluctantly place my other hand in his. “Fine. You lead us to the counter, and I’ll start calling hotels.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I snap at the sixteenth hotel I’ve called in the past twenty minutes. “How can you not have any rooms?”
As the woman on the other end of the call drones on about weather and flights being grounded, tears of frustration burn my eyes.
“Not a single room?” I ask and look up to find Jamie smiling at me.
“No ma’am. Not a single one. You should really talk to your airline. They might be able to find you something.”
