When we land, fluffy snowflakes are falling lightly from the sky. There’s a black SUV waiting for us on the tarmac. Cas helps me out of the plane and loads me in the car. Then he wrangles some of the bags. I stare, unable to stop watching the way the giant flakes melt when they land on his black hoodie. Perhaps the universe thinks he’s as smoldering hot as I do. My thoughts make me laugh.
Thankfully, I’ve pulled myself together by the time Cas climbs into the car. He’s covered in half-melted flakes. “It’s really picking up out there.”
I shrug, unfazed about a little snow. “Us Colorado girls aren’t afraid of snow, Cas Wilder.”
He grins. “Noted. But that’s not what I’m worried about.”
He swipes open his phone and begins studying the weather app. The wordALERTglows on his screen. I know what that means. “Uh, Cas,” I grimace, “you do have food and essentials,, right?”
He throws his head back and laughs deeply. “Oh, darling, I’m more than prepared for a blizzard. In fact, I can’t wait to be snowed in with you.”
Fuck. I squeeze my legs together. I’m not going to be able to walk by the time he’s done with me. I try not to think about it, turning to gape at the cityscape out the window. There are so many lights. “Wow,” I sigh, taking as much as I can in.
Cas cracks a grin. “I know, Manhattan is pretty cool, huh?”
I nod. “Is Brooklyn like this?” I ask.
“No.” Amusement lights up his face. “Brooklyn is…” he searches for a word to describe it. “Well, you’ll just have to wait and see.
I cross my arms, sulking, and he shrugs his apologies. In no time at all, we pull up to a tree-lined street and adorable townhouses towering over the snow-covered asphalt.
Wow.
He lives here, and he’s willing to give it all up and start over in Colorado?. This street looks like it’s right out of a movie. My breath catches, and he picks up on it instantly.
“See? How can I explain this?” Cas waves his hand out over the street.
“Um, I guess I would have said the perfect holiday romance movie set.” My voice is hoarse and raspy from the coldness in the air.
He narrows his eyes as the car comes to a stop,the tires crunching over the snow until silence once again surrounds us. “You, my darling, are having a cup of tea, and then it’s straight to bed.”
I stick out my lip in a pout. “Are you sure it’s straight to bed? I could go for—“
Cas cuts me off, pressing a finger against my lips and nodding his head toward the front seat. The driver is unbuckling his seatbelt, unfazed. So now he wants discretion, but the plane was no big deal?Go figure.
In the 10 milliseconds it takes for the driver to close his door, then walk to Cas’s and open it, I blurt out, “Round 2.”
Cas shakes his head before sliding out of the car and helping me.
“I’ll be right back to carry some of the bags,” Cas calls to the driver as he leads me up the sidewalk and a small set of steps. The front door is heavy wood. He unlocks it, swinging it open and leading me inside. The entryway light is on, sweeping over a steep staircase with wooden steps and a carved wooden rail.
It’s older and charming, full of character despite the modern upgrades and fresh paint. “Wait here,” Cas huffs before jogging down the steps to help the driver. He hits the bottom step and grabs two suitcases. I watch, not the least bit disappointed at the ease with which he carries them. They roll across the entryway floor as he flings them inside before turning for the next set. Once all the luggage is inside, Cas closes the door behind himself and twists the lock.
“Like I said, I’m locking you up and never letting you leave my sight again.” He wraps his arms around me in a firm embrace. Despite the alarm bells ringing in my head, begging me not to fall for him, I relax, melting against the sexiest man to ever walk this planet. I don’t know how long we stand like this, only that once he does release me, I instantly want to be back in his arms.
Shivering, I reach for my luggage so I can change. I normally travel in my favorite pair of leopard-print sweats, but since I was kidnapped and not given the option to change, I’d like to shower and crawl into them. New York is fucking cold.
“Let me give you the tour,” Cas says, interrupting my thoughts and offering me his hand.
I release my fingers from my suitcase to reach for his. “Bring your bag.” He chuckles. “We can start upstairs.” I look from him to my luggage to the stairs, then back at him.
“I’ll carry it,” he laughs, scooping mine and one of his bags up by the handles. “Follow me.”
In a mocking snarky tone, I pop off, “Oh no. I’ve been kidnapped and there’s no escape.”
“Hey, if you want to brave the blizzard outside, you’re always welcome to see how far you get,” Cas bites back, his cockiness enthralling as usual.
“New York is the kind of cold that sinks into your bones. We don’t always get that in Denver. It’s more of a dry cold,” I complain.
