I ignore the way that smirk does things to my insides and cross my arms over my chest. “What do you want, Thorne?”
“Two things. First, your name.”
“It’s Naomi.”
“And second, my tree back.”
“And what’s in it for me if I say yes?” I ask.
His eyes lock with mine, and suddenly, my knees feel wobbly. I can tell what he’s suggesting. Or at least, I’m wishing he’d suggest what I’m imagining could happen.
“You can help me decorate it,” he says.
I blink. “That’s it? I give you this tree and get to what, string some lights?”
“And hang ornaments. I’ll even make you dinner. Hot cocoa with those little marshmallows. You can put the star on top of the tree. Whatever you want, Naomi.”
The way he says my name makes my throat go dry. I don’t want him to notice, though, so I quickly say, “Wow. What an offer.”
“Also, there’s a storm coming in. You really want to spend tonight alone in this cabin, or do you want to actually enjoy decorating a tree and be safe?”
I glance outside. Those dark clouds are definitely closer now, and I can already feel the temperature dropping.
“Why wouldn’t I be safe here?”
“Power goes out a lot in these cabins. If you haven’t noticed yet, they’re not the best quality,” he says, and I feel my resolve falter.
Is he right about it not being safe here? Or is he using it as an excuse to lure me to his cabin? And why am I considering actually going? This is insane. I don’t go to strange men’s cabins. I’m careful, methodical, the kind of person who reads reviews before buying a new brand of toilet paper. But I also came here to break out of my rigid, controlled life. To do something spontaneous for once. And what could be more spontaneous than following a hot mountain man to his secluded cabin? It’s almost like living in a romance novel. I can’t say no to that.
“Fine,” I tell him and take a deep breath.
There’s definitely no turning back now.
“Maybe pack an overnight in case this turns into a full-out mountain storm.”
Overnight bag? My pulse races, and it’s got nothing to do with a possible storm sweeping over this small town while I’m here.
“Okay,” I squeak.
“Oh, and you might want to change out of those slippers first, though,” he says with a wink.
I look down at my fluffy bunny slippers and feel my face heat. “I was getting to that.”
“Take your time. I’ll start loading this up.”
He lifts the pine tree like it weighs nothing. His muscles flex under his shirt, and my brain can’t follow for a second. What was I supposed to do again? Right. Clothes. Real shoes. Sanity.
I need all three, and fast.
Chapter Three
Thorne
While I wait for Naomi to grab a bag and lock her cabin, I fire off a quick message to my brother Joel, telling him I won’t be able to make it tonight for our weekly drinks at The Copper Mine bar. If he asks for details, I’ll tell him it’s work-related. No fucking way in hell am I admitting I’m blowing him off to decorate a Christmas tree with a gorgeous woman. I’d never hear the end of it. He’d probably get our other brother, Marshall, involved too. So yeah, it’s better to be vague. At least for now.
I shove my phone back into my pocket. Naomi’s locking the door of her cabin. I can hardly believe I came here to retrieve my tree like this. Deep down, I realize this isn’t about that pine anymore. It’s about Naomi. After she left, I felt deflated and miserable, as if I’d finally found something I’d been looking for my entire life, only to have it ripped from my hands.
I have no idea where this night will lead, but I want to find out.
