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“Thanks,” I murmured. I looked out the window, feeling the heat burn on my cheeks and willing it away.
“How do you like your coffee?” he asked.
“Do we even have any cream?” I turned toward him.
He flashed a quick grin, then pointed at the counter. My eyes followed and landed on a small box with those little cream containers. “The date hasn’t expired. Someone must’ve gotten them recently. Noah and Sasha were here last month.”
“Well, that's handy. I'll take a little cream.”
“We have sugar too,” he offered, gesturing toward a small container sitting beside the cream.
“I don’t like my coffee sweet, but thanks.”
He filled a mug for me and set it beside the box of creamers. I added two to the coffee and crossed over to sit at the kitchen table. Snow swirled outside, and I couldn't even see the ocean.
“According to the weather, the snow is going to last all day and probably into tomorrow,” I commented.
“I know,” Ian said as he sat down across from me. He held two creamers in hand and poured them in before lightly swirling the mug in his hand and taking a swallow. He set it down, adding, “I called down to Haven’s Bay Grocery. They're open. I'm thinking of heading in.”
“You are?”
“I have an SUV with four-wheel drive. It shouldn't be too bad, and the drive’s not very far. What were your plans for today?”
“I was going to go investigate my parents’ house.”
“I'm not sure it's worth it in this weather.”
That comment pricked me. “I thought I’d check to see if it was worth me trying to stay there.”
Ian's eyes narrowed as he shook his head. “No.”
“No?” I countered. “I'm pretty sure you don't get to tell me what to do.”
“I don't think it’s a great idea in the weather.”
“If you can drive to town, so can I,” I protested, feeling downright contrary.
“Jane, you’re not going to stay there. There’s no power or water. You cannot stay there,” he said,waytoo firmly for me.
I knew what he said was entirely logical, but still. I bristled and straightened in my chair, narrowing my eyes at him. “That'll be my decision. Once the storm passes, I'll go take a look and see what I want to do.”
His brows arched up. “I'll go with you.”
“You're not my keeper,” I retorted.
“No, but you're a friend of Thea’s, so by extension, a friend of mine. Your parents would kill me if I let you try to stay there.”
I felt that pesky flush creep up my neck and into my cheeks again, and before I could even think of what to say next, other than to volley back and forth in this sort-of argument, he added, “Do you want to go to the grocery store with me?”
I shrugged.
“How long were you planning to stay?”
“Until Christmas. I'm reconsidering that plan,” I replied. I honestly didn’t know if I could take too many days, much less a few weeks, in this house with Ian. My hormones were annoying the hell out of me, and this big house seemed too small for both of us.
“No need to do so on my account,” he responded smoothly. “I already checked with Thea. She told me your lease in Boston doesn't start until January. Were you going to spend Christmas with your parents?”
Sweet Jesus. This man was driving me crazy with his questions.
