Page 16 of SnowBound

5

ABIGAIL

Andy stared at me with a mix of amusement and interest. Yep, I didn’t miss it. I could have sworn there was a spark of lust too. Could it really be, or was I reading him wrong? My heart cartwheeled in my chest at the realization we shared a deep connection.

There was an aura of magnetism around him. From the instant I walked into that coffee shop and laid eyes on him, something about him called to me.

By now, I’d concluded he was the kind of guy whose sulking attitude increased their charm.

I wouldn’t lie to myself. I was attracted to him. To the mystery surrounding him. The energy he tried so hard to conceal. I could tell something about tonight had been weighing heavy on his shoulders. Right now, he was failing to keep a straight face. He wasn’t fooling me, and I intended to discover the other side of him. The one he tried so hard to conceal. Remove every brick from his walls. I loved the idea of solving the puzzle he was. And freeing his soul from its makeshift prison.

A zing traveled along my spine when he spoke. “Pass it to me. Since it was bought for me. I deserve it.” Glad to know I’d sized him right when I chose the liquor. With his strong country-boy vibe, I assumed it was a safe choice. I high-fived myself mentally. For a reason that seemed foolish, I liked being right about him. And the bribe should help appease his doubtful side. I crossed my fingers, hoping it would work.

I grabbed his hand and winked. “Only if you are nice to me.”

Andy’s fingers closed around mine, and flutters invaded my chest. How could his touch have this much effect on me? And every inch of my body? Tingles ran up my arm from where our skin touched. It sounded crazy. The guy was hot. Sure. But we were strangers who had just met. Not longtime acquaintances. The way my insides heated up every time my hand grazed his made absolutely no sense. Perhaps the idea of being stuck in this airport for the night was to blame. It disturbed my body’s chemical balance. Or my hormones.

All semester, I’d been so caught up with school that I didn’t take the time to go on dates, and I avoided most parties, too busy aiming for perfect grades. Perhaps a few hours of harmless banter would bring back the fun side of me. The one I’d missed lately.

Unable to process all the sensations swirling inside me, I let go of his hand and swallowed hard, averting my eyes after his turned darker, liquid amber that could have a lot of pull on me if I let them.

“What’s next?” Andy asked.

His words didn’t register.

“Abby?”

This time, my eyes met his, and I could see the flames banked low. Could he see the same in mine? Read my inner thoughts? The attraction I was trying hard to cover up? I hoped not. “I’m sure you can do better than a Santa hat.”

Oh, I was right about him. He enjoyed being challenged. He was just too stubborn earlier to admit it. My lips curled up. “Ready for phase two?”

Andy gave me a heavy-lidded stare, then looked away and cleared his throat. “What’s phase two?” he asked, bringing his attention back to me.

“Let’s get to know each other better.”

“Explain.”

“I’ll tell you three truths and one lie about myself, and you gotta guess which one is the lie.” I pushed his chair toward a corner and sat on a bench facing him.

“And?”

“Then you’ll do the same. It’ll break the ice, and we’ll feel less like strangers.” I fidgeted with my hands, wondering what I was ready to reveal about myself. “One. I’ve never skinny-dipped. Two. I have two sisters named Chloe and Shana. Three…” I paused, thinking about my next two statements. “I’m not always as confident as I pretend to be. Four. I was voted ‘Most Likely To Live My Passion When I Grow Up’ in high school.”

Andy tapped the side of his chin. “Easy. Two.”

I blinked. “Wait? How?”

“Your nose twitches when you lie.”

“No, it does not.”

His clear laughter vibrated through my being. “Yes, it does. So, you never skinny-dipped?”

“No.” I folded my arms, upset he could figure me out so easily. “Have you?”

“Once. But it’s not about me. Do you want to?”

I looked away. “Maybe. Growing up, I didn’t have a lot of freedom. I like to experiment with new things. Skinny-dipping seems like the ultimate definition of being free.”