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He shot her a sideways look as his shoulders tensed. Damn, she was pissed about being up here. If he thought there was a chance he could talk her into seeing the retreat as a positive experience, he would have given it his all. In matters like this, though, Bethany had a tendency to stay true to her initial reactions. Stubborn girl.
“Oh, come on now. It isn’t that bad. You’ve got to admit, it’s pretty peaceful up here with the night drifting past us in tiny pieces. You want to go outside for a bit?”
Brows arched in utter disbelief, she stared at him. “It’s the middle of the night, in a blizzard. Are you crazy?”
He could almost hear her think, Typical Ryan. Doesn’t he know it’s
snowing? He had to fight for every shred of credit from her, yet every bit was worth the fight.
He’d play it cool. With Beth he had to. But he’d put money on his ability to get her out. “It’s falling pretty heavy, but you can see from the way the flakes are coming down, there isn’t much wind. Whatever, though. Suit yourself.” With a wink, he headed to the front hall.
Bethany crossed her arms around her waist and shuffled over to where he was bent forward tying up his boots. He looked up at her with an arched eyebrow and his most inviting smile. “Change your mind?”
“I think I might have, but I don’t have any boots, and I don’t want to wear someone else’s. Maybe I’ll just stand here by the door for a second and let a few flakes blow in on me.”
Ryan stood up, stamped his feet a few times, and opened the door.
A thick layer of new snow blanketed the earth around them and seemed to siphon all sound from the surrounding world. Crisp, cold air swept in and crept stealthily around them, teasing Bethany’s nipples into hard points, obvious even through her bra and silk blouse.
He swallowed hard.
She leaned against the doorframe, her eyes closed for a moment. “It feels good.”
Don’t stare. It’s the cold, asshole, not you! Still, with the residual image of her lingering gaze fixed on him, goading his lust, blood thundered through his veins in its plummeting descent to his cock. Playing it cool was no longer an option.
“Then you ought to come out.” Before she could protest, he ducked and grabbed her around the thighs, just under her ass, and hoisted her straight off the ground.
“Ryan!” Her startled shriek escaped with a finish of resistant laughter as her fingers dug into his shoulders. Her touch was so foreign; somehow he’d expected it to be lighter. But when he thought of how tenacious she was in work and every other aspect of her life he’d been able to finagle information about, a ferocious grip seemed the perfect fit.
He walked them both out a few feet from the house into the middle of the walkway and tightened his hold around her legs. She seemed self-
conscious in his arms, holding herself in a slight arch away from his face.
“I should dump your ass in the snow for all the complaining you’ve done about this trip.” He laughed and swung her forward so her hair hung an inch above the snow.
Her eyes went wide then sparked with delight as they fixed on him. “You wouldn’t dare,” she growled, gripping tighter.
What a schmuck, wooing the girl he liked with teasing and torture. How the hell had he become that guy? He was thirty-six, had a smooth rap and his pick of most any woman he aimed for. What was he doing still showboating for the girl who never noticed? Well, she was smiling now, and as embarrassed as he was to admit it, having her fists balled in his shirt and her attention on him was immensely satisfying.
He grinned and swung her back upright. “No, I wouldn’t dare.” She relaxed and, quietly, he savored the feel of her in his arms.
Turning in a slow circle, he noted the heavier snowfall. Visibility ended within fifteen feet. Even the view of the door was obscured. But in the midst of nature’s chaos, it was perfectly serene. At least it was until he turned his attention back to the woman in his arms and his sense of calm collapsed.
Snow had settled against the full swell of her silk-covered breasts and, already, her body heat was melting the flakes. The silk clung provocatively against her skin, delineating every bump and ridge of her hard nipples under the lacy sheath of her bra.
She looked down at him through lashes dusted with white. Red patches marked her cheeks, and a shy smile graced her face. Beautiful. Too beautiful.
Clearing his throat, he asked, “You chilly up there?”
She blinked the snow from her eyes and nodded. “Maybe a little. Thank you for bringing me out.”
Holding her gaze longer than he should have, he finally carried her back inside and kicked the door closed behind them. “My pleasure.”
Chapter Two
Bethany rested her hands on his shoulders, enjoying the solid mass of them. He was strong, sturdy, and somehow had the confidence to treat her in a way no one else would ever dare. It felt good. She brushed the snow out of his dark-brown hair, and the second her fingers touched the damp mess, she recognized the intimacy of the gesture. What was she doing?
He turned his face up to meet her gaze, and everything seemed to stop. There was a heat in his eyes she’d never before seen. This was a foolish game—Ryan wasn’t someone she wanted. She didn’t want anyone. Romance was distraction enough from the big picture, but an affair with a coworker—her partner—would be crazy.
