Page 80 of The Christmas Highland Lodge

‘Goodness me, you must all be so exhausted and frozen,’ exclaimed Stephanie, eyeing Blake and me. She gave me a small, knowing smile as she huddled closer to Max on the steps of their house. ‘Come on in and get warmed and have something to drink and eat. All of you.’

One of the recue team members, a thin, wiry man, was insisting they should return to Craig Brae, but Stephanie was having none of it. The man accepted defeat.

‘We’re all fine. Relieved. Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t cure,’ said Dylan to a concerned Stephanie, as he squeezed his wife’s hand.

They filed past us, together with the rescue team, who were talking about what a stunning house Rowan Moore House was. They were a sea of brightly coloured jostling waterproof jackets and trudging boots.

Blake and I lingered by the entrance steps, with its glossy holly decorations and scarlet ribbons.

The snow was slowing and the air was punctuated by a crisp sharpness.

Blake’s eyes danced from under his hood. A couple of locks of damp, dark hair tumbled forward onto his brow. It made him even more irresistible. ‘You do realise I have done this climbing lark once or twice before?’

I folded my arms. ‘Nooo. Really? I don’t recall you ever mentioning that before.’

Blake smiled and pulled a face. ‘So, how worried were you about me on a scale of one to ten?’

I glanced up at him. He towered over me, all broad-shouldered and beardy. ‘Now you’re just trying to milk it, Dempster. Of course, I wasn’t worried. I was actually sitting here all the time, giving myself a manicure and watching daytime TV.’

‘Yeah, right.’

Oh God. He was doing that lip-gazing thing again. My stomach rippled. Part of me wanted him to stop staring at my mouth like that; the other part of me wished he would do something about it. What would it be like to have his lips greedily kissing mine?

There was an electrified silence. His mouth slid into a charming, lopsided smile. ‘You’ve got snowflakes in your hair.’

My breath froze as he tugged off one glove and brushed a couple of flakes from out of my tangled, damp locks. His fingers glanced across my cheek and a brief gulp escaped from the base of my throat.

It was no good. I could protest all I wanted. I could try and compare him to Kyle, with his intense dislike of Christmas, but the truth was, he was a world away from my ex-boyfriend.

The shock of what I wanted ripped through me. I couldn’t go on like this, fighting my feelings, insisting I was in control and that Blake was an acquaintance who meant nothing to me. I was fighting a battle I knew I couldn’t win. I had to admit defeat. I wanted Blake to kiss me. I wanted to taste his lips; feel them moving against mine. Images of him pressing himself against me, raced before my eyes. I’d never experienced a burning desire like this before and although it was addictive, it was also frightening. My heart rocketed against my ribcage.

I didn’t want to drag my eyes away from his handsome face. ‘I was so worried,’ I choked, unable to bite it back any longer. I had to tell him. My emotions were going to brim over otherwise. They were twisted up inside of me and I had to release them. ‘I kept thinking about you up there and wondering if you were injured or worse…’

Blake’s fingers stayed wrapped around one of the strands of my hair, his gaze grazing my features. I didn’t want him to stop touching me.

I knew what all this meant. I knew the complications it could create, how I would be putting myself in a vulnerable position again, at the mercy of my feelings, but right now, with the snow drizzling around us and Blake stroking my face, I didn’t care. I realised I was more than prepared to take a risk and deal with the consequences.

I lifted his un-gloved hand and rested it against my cheek.

‘Oh Lottie,’ he growled, moving even closer to me.

I savoured the sensation of his warm skin against mine. I could make out the glistening tips of his blue-black lashes. ‘What’s happening here?’ I managed, searching his face. ‘Up until a few weeks ago, we struggled to be in the same room together.’ I was unable to control the wobble in my voice. ‘Then things started to change. Until you went missing, I promised myself I would keep my distance. It would all get too messy. But then when I thought you might be in trouble up that mountain, I thought I would go crazy.’

‘I can’t say I enjoyed it much either,’ joked Blake.

I arched one brow.

His eyes softened even further as he looked down at me. ‘When the three of us were sheltering in that cave and the snow was piling up, all I kept thinking about was you, Lottie.’

My heart zoomed in my chest. ‘Really?’

‘Really.’ A whole array of emotions swept across Blake’s face. ‘My feelings for you have crept up on me. They’ve caught me off-guard and I don’t know what to do half the time.’

He took one long finger and traced it down the side of my face as we remained by the steps of Rowan Moore House, surrounded by what was like our own Christmas card scene.

I nestled my cheek further against his hand. ‘Even though I don’t know you, I feel the same.’

Blake blinked down at me. ‘What do you mean?’