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Viv leaves the room and I shoot Harry a dirty look.
“I’m not thinking about it,” I say, trying to sound firm.
He shakes his head. “Come on, stop being so goddamn stubborn. Let my mom hang out with Avery for one weekend. You can binge watch a show or read a book. Go to a spa…you’ll find something to do.”
“Where would we even go?”
“Upstate. I’ll book a place.”
I don’t have enough self-control to spend an entire weekend alone with Harry refusing his advances. It’s not just the handsome face and muscles, I also find it weirdly attractive that he calls me out on my bullshit. He’s right, I am being stubborn. I could use a weekend away. Just not with the one man I’m too weak to be alone with.
“I have to work Saturday morning,” I say, both relieved and disappointed.
Harry approaches me, stopping a few inches in front of me. He’s as close as he can get without making physical contact. I tilt my face up to look at him, willing myself to stay cool and not look away.
“You better reschedule that,” he says smoothly. “Because we’re going away this weekend.”
He turns and leaves the room then, not saying another word. And I can’t bring myself to argue with him, for once.
I guess we’re going away this weekend. I’ll have to wear a snowsuit or something. Claim I have horrible diarrhea. How else am I going to keep from ending up in bed with the man I want more than I’ll ever admit to anyone?
Chapter Eighteen
Harry
“How did you book this place on such short notice?” Winter asks as I pull into the winding driveway of the log cabin I rented for the weekend.
“I paid extra.”
“You didn’t have to do that. All we’re doing is hanging out and sleeping here.”
“I wanted to get a nice place.”
It’s more than nice. I paid almost five grand to get this place for the weekend, buying out the people who had already reserved it. But when I saw the photos, I knew it was perfect. It’s quiet, set back from the highway on a large property in the woods, surrounded by trees with red, orange, and yellow leaves. A perfect fall setting.
The luxury cabin has lots of windows, a soaker tub, four fireplaces and three bedrooms. I’m really, really hoping we’ll only need one of those bedrooms, though.
Winter and I have been doing this dance for more than two months. I want her more than I’ve ever wanted a woman. I booked this cabin with the hope that we could discuss whatever is holding her back so we can move forward—together.
I park and she comes around to the trunk as I take out the bags.
“I’ve got the bags,” I tell her.
“I’ll get mine.”
She’s too headstrong for her own good. I fix my gaze on her.
“I’m getting the bags, Winter.”
She sighs softly. “I’m not trying to be difficult. It’s just that this feels like a happy couple having a weekend tryst while they have a sitter.”
“What if it’s just a really horny couple instead of a happy one? Would that make it easier?”
Winter glares at me. “Stop joking about it. I told you, I didn’t come here to sleep with you.”
I take her bag out of the trunk and we walk up to the cabin’s front porch together. As I look up the code for the door on my phone, I say, “You told me at least fifteen times.”
“Just so we’re clear.”
Never in my life has a woman tried so hard not to sleep with me. Winter isn’t just stubborn, she’s also uptight at times, and I could help her relax if she’d just let me.
I open the door to the cabin, and she smiles as she takes in the modern, yet rustic, finishes. I leave her to admire the place as I go get the rest of our bags.
“This place is incredible,” she says, walking back into the main room, which has vaulted ceilings and an entire wall of windows that look out on the forest.
“Is it because you’re afraid you’ll fall in love with me?” I ask her.
“What?” She gives me a confused look.
“Do you not want to sleep with me because you’re afraid you’ll fall in love with me?”
Winter’s smile falls away and her expression turns serious. She walks over to a dark leather sofa and sits down. Even in black leggings and a flannel, with very little makeup on and her hair up in a bun, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. It’s all I can do not to get on my knees in front of her and beg; to tell her I ache for her in ways I never thought possible.
“I guess that’s part of it,” she says softly. “There are lots of reasons. It’s not just any one thing. And I think all of those reasons are valid.”
