Snowbound

by Deborah Cooke

  Snowbound

  Deborah Cooke

  Deborah A. Cooke

  Contents

  Snowbound

  Secret Heart Ink

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Spring Fever

  Thank you!

  About the Author

  More Books by the Author

  Snowbound

  Secret Heart Ink #1

  Olivia trust here-and-now…

  Olivia doesn’t believe in magic or everlasting love—she’s a scientist, after all—but winning a tattoo from Chynna convinces her to take a chance. She’s always admired her best friend Lexi’s big brother Spencer, maybe because opposites attract. What would it be like to seduce him? Would it end her fascination with him? With a little help from her friends and a blindfold, Liv decides to find out. The bonus is that Spencer will never know his secret lover was her...

  * * *

  Spencer believes in forever.

  But Spencer guesses the truth almost right away. He’s good with having Olivia want him—having her alone in his cabin is the perfect chance to teach her to trust sensation and him. A blizzard interferes with Olivia’s plan, giving Spencer more time to work his own persuasive magic. He knows a night or two will only be the beginning of what he wants to last forever. Can he convince Olivia to give love a try, or will she leave him forever as soon as the snow melts?

  Snowbound

  By Deborah Cooke

  * * *

  Copyright 2018 Deborah A. Cooke

  All rights reserved.

  * * *

  Without limiting the rights under copyright preserved above, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright holder and the publisher of this book.

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  * * *

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Created with Vellum

  Secret Heart Ink

  Flatiron Five has a new tattoo shop—run by the enigmatic and legendary tattoo artist Chynna. When the moon is full, Chynna creates one tattoo to set two hearts afire and gives it away, with the goal of making romantic dreams come true. Who will be next?

  Secret Heart Ink is a series of short contemporary romances set in the same world as Deborah’s Flatiron Five series of contemporary romances.

  * * *

  1. Snowbound

  * * *

  2. Spring Fever

  * * *

  3. One Hot Summer Night (coming soon)

  Prologue

  New York—Saturday, March 31, 2018

  Flatiron Five was rocking, just the way Hunter liked it. The music was loud, the DJ was smoking, the dance floor was packed with writhing, bopping, beautiful bodies. He could see the gleam of Kyle’s blond hair on the other side of the club—it didn’t hurt that Kyle was tall and buff enough to stand out from the crowd. Hunter wasn’t a partner like Kyle, but he was glad to be a part of the club he loved more than any other place in the world. The two guys exchanged satisfied nods across the dance floor and they simultaneously gave each other a thumb’s up.

  On this night, Kyle had his satisfied smile and Hunter knew why. Tonight was to be the big reveal of the new shop in the lobby.

  At the stroke of eleven, Kyle raised his hand and the music fell silent, as arranged. He stepped forward to a cheer. “Thank you for coming to the first full moon party at F5!” Kyle said and there was a roar of approval from the crowd. “Are you having fun?” They shouted agreement and stamped their feet. “Only that much fun?” he asked, apparently surprised, and they bellowed agreement again. Hunter grinned, enjoying Kyle’s touch with crowds.

  “You’ve made this night awesome and the party’s just started,” Kyle said. There was another cheer in response to that, but Kyle lifted a finger. “But I had to stop the dancing for a surprise.”

  “Free memberships!” suggested someone on the dance floor.

  Kyle laughed. “You’ve got it!” he joked then snapped his fingers. Two of the waitresses flung fistfuls of gift cards into the throng. Each one gave the bearer a week of access to the club to try it out and they’d always been an excellent way to cultivate membership. There was a scramble to claim the cards, then shouts as they were held up triumphantly.

  “Woo hoo!” Kyle cried. “Welcome to another crop of new members at F5!” He was answered by a cheer and applause. Hunter saw people bouncing, obviously wanting the music to start again. “This last surprise is the touch that will make F5 even more special. Are you ready?”

  The crowd cheered, then quieted as the lights dimmed. There were still excited whispers and a hum of anticipation. Kyle gestured toward the door to the club. A trio of spotlights swirled across the walls and ceiling, then focused on a woman who stood alone in the doorway.

  When had she appeared? She hadn’t been there, and then she had. Hunter wasn’t the only one startled by her sudden appearance. She could have been conjured by magic. In fact, she was wreathed in swirling white and appeared to step out of a mist.

  She had short hair that was bleached white and tipped in pink. She was dressed mostly in black. Her eyes were outlined with dark kohl and her lips were vivid pink. There was a massive gem at the collar of her flowing white shirt and her black skirt swirled around her ankles. She wore black boots with stiletto heels and a long black jacket with silver embroidery. It looked Edwardian. A frock coat. Her face was pale and achingly beautiful.

  Timeless.

  The crowd stared.

  Hunter stared. He’d seen this artist in the new shop in the lobby, but she didn’t look nearly so dramatic in the daytime.

  “Chynna,” someone whispered with awe and the woman’s lips curved slightly.

  In one hand, she gripped a silver briefcase. She lifted the other hand and the rings on her fingers sparkled. The crowd gasped as a black bird flew from behind her, appearing just as suddenly out of nowhere, and landed on her finger. She lifted her hand so it easily could step onto her shoulder.

  It was a large black raven. It cawed then bobbed its head, seeming to survey the crowd with approval. Its eyes gleamed and Hunter saw that there was something silver on its leg. The woman murmured to it and the bird nodded again.

  “‘She walks in beauty like the night,’” Kyle said and the woman laughed. Hers was a throaty chuckle that made Hunter think of nights spent in bed, and maybe long afternoons there, too.

  Chynna lifted her head to look at him and he had the sudden urge to hide, as if she could see his secrets even from across the crowded room.

  Kyle obviously had no similar doubts. He walked toward the woman, joining her in the doorway as he spoke. Hunter thought they looked like moonlight and sunlight together. He glanced toward Kyle’s partner, Lauren, but she smiled as her gaze followed Kyle, her confidence in his intentions complete. “‘Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright; Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellow’d to that tender light; Wh
ich heaven to gaudy day denies.’”

  “Lord Byron,” the woman said, her words almost a purr of pleasure. She reached out to put a fingertip on Kyle’s chest and for a moment, Hunter thought he could see Kyle’s tattoo. His chest piece seemed to glow through his black T-shirt, as if it had been lit by fire. Hunter thought he saw the heart tattoo burn radiant for a moment, and Lauren’s name blazed, which was impossible. By the time he’d blinked, Kyle’s shirt looked normal and Hunter wondered if his imagination was messing with him.

  “The moon is full,” Chynna said. “There is magic to be worked.”

  “Please welcome Chynna,” Kyle said. A gasp of delight filled the club, and her name was repeated again and again. “The world’s most amazing tattoo artist, the one whose work has the power to set hearts afire.”

  The repetition of her name became a chant. Chynna, Chynna...

  She bowed to the crowd. “Tonight the moon is full,” she said, her rich voice carrying over the crowd easily. “The power of love magic is strong. Tonight, to celebrate my new shop within F5, I will give a tattoo to one of you, a tattoo with the ability to make your romantic desire come true.”

  There was a ripple of excitement, and Hunter felt that anticipation rise as they jostled forward. A free tattoo from a famous artist wasn’t a small thing, whether it was magic or not.

  “Me!” cried one woman, then the shouts became more numerous. Hunter could see that this artist didn’t just have a strong presence—she had a reputation and her popularity intersected perfectly with the people who had come to the club.

  Kyle had made another perfect choice.

  Chynna held up a hand for silence. “But the choice is already made. Tristan will show us.” The raven flapped its wings. The spotlights swirled as the bird took flight. Hunter thought it might be dazzled by the lights but it seemed untroubled by them. It flew over the crowd, circling three times, then descended to land with precision on the shoulder of a pretty woman.

  She was small and curvy with long chestnut hair pulled up in a ponytail. She looked a bit bookish to Hunter and not like their usual clients. She gasped in surprise but the taller woman beside her laughed with delight.

  “Liv! Total score!” the friend cried and gave her a high five.

  A third woman, a blond one with a lot of tattoos, tackled Liv from the other side and hugged her tightly. “You’re the luckiest person in the world!”

  Liv didn’t look convinced of that.

  The raven cried out as the women embraced and bounced. Hunter could see that Liv was wary. Her friends appeared to be a lot more outgoing, one tall and one curvy, both with some ink. They hooked their arms through Liv’s, leading her toward Chynna as if they thought she might not go otherwise.

  They might be right. Liv didn’t look like the kind of person to get a tattoo.

  The crowd parted before them and the bird flew overhead, returning to his mistress.

  While the raven had been choosing Liv, Chynna had removed a deck of cards from her pocket. The silver briefcase was at her feet and she fanned out the cards in her hands. Even from a distance, Theo could see that they were over-sized with pictures on them.

  Tarot cards.

  She lifted them so that only the backs of the cards were visible to the crowd, then held them out to Liv. Liv’s friends gave her a push when she hesitated, and she picked a card, turning it to look at it.

  “Who is he?” her tall friend demanded and the crowd laughed.

  “The object of desire.” Chynna plucked the card from Liv’s fingers and slid it into her right pocket. She offered the fanned cards to the bird, which was perched on her shoulder again. He cawed and bobbed his head, as if debating his selection, then tugged one out of alignment with his beak. “The mechanism of desire.” Chynna added it to her pocket without showing it to anyone. She then chose a third card herself and put it into her pocket. “The end result of desire,” she purred. The raven nodded as Chynna smiled. The rest of the deck disappeared into her left pocket.

  She touched Liv’s cheek with a fingertip. “As you wish, so shall it be,” she said, then picked up her briefcase and spun to leave. Her coat tails and skirt flared out as she pivoted. Her heels clicked on the stone floor as she led the way to the new shop. Liv and her friends followed, their excitement clear.

  Hunter and more than a few others followed from the club.

  Once in the lobby, the raven took flight again and flew over Chynna toward the new shop. Again, it flew three circuits, then dove toward the shop. The bird was the first one over the threshold, and landed on a gold perch there.

  Secret Heart Ink it was called, the name filling the back wall with a red pulsing lit heart at the end of it. The black floor had the phases of the moon in white on it, and there were a lot of black glass tiles that sparkled like they were filled with stars. There were red hearts scattered in key locations. One wall was filled with framed photographs of Chynna’s work and there were a lot of fairy lights. A pair of women were standing ready. They were dressed in black, but not quite as flamboyantly as Chynna. One had short black hair and one had long hair that looked like flowing flame.

  Chynna ushered the three women into the shop, took another bow, then her employees pulled deep red velvet drapes across the glass walls that faced into the F5 lobby. They tugged the drapes until only Chynna stood framed in the gap. Hunter realized there were hearts embroidered across the drapes.

  “Some magic must be done unobserved and by moonlight,” Chynna said, her voice coming from everywhere and nowhere. Hunter suppressed a shiver, but the guests didn’t seem to share his reaction. They hooted and cheered as the drapes closed, then the music started again and Kyle pointed back to the club.

  “Let’s dance!” he shouted and they were only too happy to follow his instruction. In a heartbeat, Hunter was alone in the lobby with Kyle and Lauren. Kyle seized Lauren’s hand and came to Hunter’s side. “So? What do you think?” he asked, that familiar triumphant sparkle in his eyes.

  “I liked the show,” Hunter admitted as another of the partners, Theo, joined them.

  “Another triumph,” Theo said, giving Kyle a fist bump. “Looks like a great fit.”

  “And quite the reveal,” Lauren teased. “But then, you’re the best tease.”

  “We all have to stick with what we do best,” Kyle replied with a grin.

  “Did Chynna do your tattoo?” Hunter asked, indicating Kyle’s chest.

  “No. She gave me a referral to an artist in San Francisco.” He smiled down at Lauren. “I knew that any magical spells would be unwelcome.”

  “You’re persuasive enough on your own,” Lauren said, but she didn’t seem to have an issue with that.

  “Come on upstairs to one of the suites and I’ll remind you just how persuasive I can be,” Kyle threatened.

  Lauren laughed easily. “You just want to make sure I don’t change my mind before we get married.”

  “You’d better believe it.”

  “Have you picked a day?” Theo asked.

  “Still waiting on Lauren’s divorce,” Kyle said with a grimace. “On the upside, it gives me more time to convince her to get married again.”

  “It’ll be a casual affair when it happens—” Lauren began.

  “When not if?” Kyle teased her and she gave him a little push.

  “On the beach in Santa Cruz. Fish tacos all around,” Lauren continued. “I want everyone to come, so we’ll have to pick a date that works for everyone.”

  Hunter wasn’t expecting that, but Lauren gave him a smile. “You’re part of the team, now, too, Hunter.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I’ll be there,” Theo said. “The world needs photographic evidence that Kyle Stuyvesant is a one-woman man.”

  Kyle and Lauren laughed together, so obviously happy that Hunter smiled. Kyle snapped his fingers then and turned to Theo. “Hey, I should warn you. Chynna took one look at you and said you get a tattoo free anytime. She wanted to do it tonight, but
I convinced her to choose someone from the crowd instead.”

  “I don’t really want a tattoo,” Theo said, apparently unable to keep himself from taking a step backward. Hunter was intrigued. Theo was usually so composed. Did he dislike the idea of ink so much as that?

  “Or is it magic you don’t want?” Lauren asked, her tone teasing.

  “Or is it love?” Hunter dared to say.

  Theo didn’t smile though. In fact, he looked ready to run.

  Kyle was studying the other partner, his expression serious. “You know, Theo doesn’t share any of his secrets. Never has, now that I think about it. He’s worse than Damon in that, but so subtle that it’s slipped under my radar.” He had a determined look, as if he meant to change that.

  “Maybe Chynna has already guessed his secret,” Lauren said.

  “Well, that tattoo will have to wait,” Theo said. He spoke quickly, as if he wanted to redirect the conversation. He wasn’t as gracious as he usually was, which intrigued Hunter. Did Theo have a secret love? “I’m heading back west tomorrow.”

  “Sooner or later, she’ll catch you,” Kyle taunted.

  Theo laughed but it sounded strained. “Maybe, maybe not.” He changed the subject with less than his usual grace. “Maybe we could do something similar at F5 West.”

  They all nodded agreement.

  “It’s a perfect service to offer this crowd,” Lauren said. “And the giveaway is a great idea.”