by Morgan Blaze
Winter’s Fire
Welcome to Covendale: Book 7
Morgan Blaze
Thank you for picking up Winter’s Fire. Please join my mailing list to be notified of new releases, book sales, and special limited-time introductory prices – enjoy a discounted new release every month!
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Copyright © 2015 by Morgan Blaze
All rights reserved.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously.
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Books in the Welcome to Covendale series:
COWBOY’S PRIDE (Cam & Sydney)
SOLDIER’S CHOICE (Reese & Luka)
DEPUTY’S SECRET (Nick & Emma)
DAWSON’S STAND (Gage & Kyla)
DAWSON’S FALL (Mark & Aubrey)
DAWSON’S HONOR (Jonah & Piper)
WINTER’S FIRE (Adam & Winter)
** All Welcome to Covendale books can be read as standalones! **
She was never supposed to see him again.
His smile faded into a puzzled expression. “What’s wrong?”
“I said I was sorry,” she told him stiffly.
“Oh, no. I didn’t mean…” He set the flat tire on the ground and moved toward her. “I was just saying, be firm with him. He’ll try to snow you a little, because you’re not from town. But you’re good at being…well, stern.”
She shook her head. “I’m not stern. I’m just terrible at talking to people.”
“No, you’re not,” he said. “I like talking to you.”
Why? she wanted to say—but he was so close, she could barely breathe. Her heart pounded as she made herself meet his gaze, those startling blue eyes she’d nearly drowned in the first time they met. God, how badly she wanted to kiss him.
And then, suddenly, she was.
She couldn’t tell which one of them made the first move. One moment they were standing a breath apart, the next his lips were on hers, his hand on her arm and hers on his waist, and she could’ve sworn she heard ocean surf, smelled salt water on the air, felt sand beneath her feet. But those memories paled beside the sensations he ignited in her—with his mouth, his fingers, his tongue.
This was completely inappropriate, and she really had to stop it. But she didn’t even try. Wasn’t sure she wanted to.
Adam broke off abruptly. “Shit,” he said, stepping away with faint disgust on his face. “I’m sorry. That was really stupid.”
It took Winter a few seconds to recover. Hiding her unexpected disappointment, she nodded and straightened the hem of her shirt. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “Here, I’ll take care of this.” She walked past him to the flat tire leaned against the truck, carefully avoiding his gaze, and started rolling it toward the back end.
At least now she knew he wasn’t actually attracted to her. That should make things easier to deal with for the next few days.
Right now, though, it seemed harder than ever.
* * * *
Read on for more!
Prologue
Ocean Vista Resort – Last Summer
Winter Solomon only hesitated for a minute before she signaled the bartender and ordered a third Mai Tai. It was her last night here, so she might as well get good and drunk. That way she could honestly tell Teddy that she’d let loose—whatever that was supposed to mean.
This stupid vacation hadn’t been her idea. Her boss, Teddy Jones, had gotten her the Extravaganza Package for her birthday and insisted that she use it. Just because she hadn’t taken a single day off in the three years she’d worked for him. Well, so what if she enjoyed her job, and maybe worked a little more than the average for her profession? Lots of people didn’t take vacations.
She still remembered the last thing Teddy said to her when she left the office. Have a good time, and for God’s sakes get laid.
As if she would ever jump into bed with a stranger.
And speaking of strangers, she thought as the bartender headed toward her with the fresh drink, the particular stranger almost directly across the open-air beach hut bar had been staring at her for a while now. She couldn’t see him very well, but he looked cute. If she did suddenly lose her mind and decide to have casual sex—which she definitely wouldn’t—she’d want it with him.
“Here you go, miss.” The bartender set the fruit-laden cocktail in front of her and smiled. “No charge,” he said. “Compliments of the gentleman across the way.”
Winter frowned slightly and followed his gesture to the cute, staring stranger. When she looked at him, he waved.
And then he stood up.
Oh, no. Mild panic set in as he started around the bar, and she tried to soothe it with several big swallows of Mai Tai. He was going to talk to her. She’d already been halfway to fantasizing about him, but he was about to move into her reality.
He reached her just as she took a gulp of her drink that made her head swim with the cold. And he wasn’t just cute—he was gorgeous. Smoking hot. Something inside her rebelled at the idea that a guy like him would even want to talk to her quiet, unassuming, no-nonsense self.
But then, she didn’t have to be herself right now, did she? That’s what this vacation, so far from home that she couldn’t possibly meet anyone she knew, was supposed to be about. Letting loose. Having fun, and getting laid.
Oh, God. Was she really thinking about that?
“Hi,” the gorgeous buyer of drinks said. “I’m—”
“Wait.” She actually smiled at the confusion on his face when she interrupted. “This is going to sound a little crazy, but…don’t tell me your name, okay?”
He flashed a slanted smile that made her pulse race. “Why not?”
“I don’t know. Because I feel like being mysterious.” Actually, she’d almost convinced herself to hit on him and see where it led, and she didn’t want to know his name in case things went badly. Or in case they went well. Okay, especially if they went well. That way she wouldn’t have to feel guilty about never seeing him again.
“All right. I’m intrigued.” He slid easily onto the stool next to her, as if they were old friends having a chance meeting. “Does that mean I don’t get your name, either?”
“No, you don’t. No names.” She smiled and toyed with her glass. “Thank you for the drink, by the way.”
“You’re very welcome. Looks like you’re enjoying it.”
She blinked, surprised to notice the drink was half gone already. “It seems I am.” Then before she could think about it, she said, “Listen, I don’t normally do this but…would you like to walk with me? Somewhere private?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Are you a serial killer?”
“Of course not.”
“That’s just what a serial killer would say, you know.”
Her own laughter surprised her. “Point taken,” she said. “But I promise I’m not. Are you?”
He grinned. “Yes.”
“Are you saying that because a serial killer wouldn’t?”
“Exactly.”
“Well, I guess that settles it. We’re both not serial killers.” She smiled, trying to keep her nerves out of the expression, and drained the rest of her drink. “So how about that walk?”
“I’d love to.”
The husky note in his voice sent warm shivers through her, and she suspected things might go well. Every rational part of her screamed in protest as she stood slowly from the stool, watched him stand with curiosity and desire in his
eyes. Blue eyes, she noticed, the color of a stormy ocean.
He took her hand, and a powerful jolt traveled through her body.
They walked without hurry down the beach, toward the gentle rush of the surf. She couldn’t think of anything to say, but he didn’t seem to mind the lack of conversation. Her heart sped faster with every step. She was going to do it—sex with a stranger, a one-night stand. For once in her life, she was going to be daring and impulsive.
And clumsy, apparently. She misjudged a step, failed to clear a small sand dune, and felt herself falling.
He caught her easily.
The breath rushed out of her at the casually intimate contact—his arm around her waist, fingers resting lightly on her hip. “Whoa,” she said, laughing to cover a swell of physical desire like she’d never felt before. “Where’d that hill come from?”
He righted her gently, but his arm stayed in place. “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” she said. “More than fine.”
“You sure?”
She nodded. “Definitely.”
The walk along the beach was almost magical. Moonlight and sand, the clean fragrance of the ocean breeze, her hand warm in his. Without even knowing his name or anything about him, she felt a connection. It was a feeling she would’ve ignored under any other circumstances.
Eventually they rounded a rocky hill and came to a secluded, sandy alcove. She stopped and turned to him, once again ignoring the little voice that demanded to know what the hell she was doing. “I like you,” she said. “I want you.”
She could hardly believe those words had come from her mouth, but there they were.
His breath caught. He reached for her with a small moan, brushed his fingers lightly along her jaw. “I like you, too,” he said. “But I need to know something.”
“No names.”
“No,” he agreed. “I can handle that. But…are you drunk?”
The question surprised her—and then she laughed, with more pleasure than amusement. “I confess, I was getting there,” she said. “But no, I’m not.”
“All right. It’s just that I’m not the kind of guy who takes advantage of drunk women,” he said. “No matter how beautiful and intriguing they are.”
She shivered at his rasping tone. “I appreciate that.”
“Glad to hear it,” he murmured, bending closer. “Now, where were we…?”
When he kissed her, she nearly exploded in sensation.
His lips were clean and sweet, with the faint salt of the ocean. She slipped her arms around him and pressed closer, gasped when his tongue teased her mouth open. His hands spanned her waist, slipped lower, and she moaned her encouragement.
Then he pulled back gently without breaking contact. “I have a place a little further down,” he said hoarsely. “Private. On the water.”
“No,” she whispered. “Here on the sand. Please.”
He shuddered against her. “My God, you’re fascinating.”
The word delighted her. No one had ever described her as fascinating, or intriguing or beautiful. Winter Solomon, insurance investigator, was just not interesting.
But here and now, she didn’t have to be boring, unremarkable Winter. She could be mysterious and passionate. She could have this one night of pleasure for pleasure’s sake.
They came together on the sand, still warm from the day’s heat. He was attentive and thorough, touching her everywhere, making her feel things she hadn’t felt in a long time. Things she’d never felt. In turn she touched him, explored the tanned skin and hard muscle of his body, even the thick length of his cock.
By the time he entered her, she was slick and wet with desire. She cried out more than once, forgetting they were on a public beach as she clung to him and urged him faster until they reached a shuddering mutual climax.
She lay there spent and satisfied as he lowered himself gently beside her and curled an arm around her waist. “You’re amazing,” he murmured, his face pressed against her neck. “Come to my place. Please.”
Though she’d meant to end the evening on a high note and leave now, Winter found to her surprise that she wanted more. “Yes,” she said. “I think I’d like that.”
He raised his head and smiled. “I know I would.”
Only tonight, she told herself. Tomorrow it would be back to the normal, everyday real world, which didn’t include passionate beach flings and gorgeous men with ocean-blue eyes and dazzling smiles. Her life might be quiet, even boring, but she was fine with that. She’d just forget all about him. Pretend this never happened.
It would be easy…she hoped.
* * * *
Adam Rhodes woke up in bed alone.
That wasn’t unusual, since he woke up alone just about every morning. But he could’ve sworn there’d been a woman in bed with him last night. The encounter was so strange, he could almost convince himself he’d imagined the whole thing.
It must have happened, though. He could still see her face, feel her body against him. The mystery woman who didn’t want to know his name and wouldn’t give hers had slipped away, like Cinderella at midnight, and he didn’t even have a glass slipper to help him find her.
He never should’ve agreed to sleep with her.
Not that he regretted the experience in the least. He’d never felt more attracted, more connected to a woman, and he didn’t even know her name. But he’d bought her a drink with the intention of getting to know her, with no expectation of so much as a goodnight kiss. The reason he was down here in the first place was awful enough. He’d just been looking for some pleasant company to take his mind off the whole ordeal.
But things had escalated quickly—and with her already in his arms, there was no way he could’ve said no.
He sat up slowly, stifling a groan. The sheets were mussed on the empty side of the bed, the pillow still slightly indented where she’d lain. At least he hadn’t imagined her. Then something caught his eye on the nightstand by the phone, a sheet of paper torn from one of the resort’s note pads. He reached over and grabbed it.
On it, scrawled in a concise and business-like hand: Thanks for a great night.
That was it. No name, no phone number, no invitation to look her up or find out more about her. Five little words that closed the door on the most intense experience of his life, ensuring that it would remain an isolated incident.
Whoever she was, she didn’t want to be found.
He folded the piece of paper carefully, found his wallet and tucked it inside. One more day, one more depressing round of follow-ups and chasing loose ends before he could head home to Covendale, but at least the funeral was over. Maybe he’d ask around, find out if anyone knew who Miss No Names was—or more importantly, where she’d gone after here. He wanted another chance to convince her that it didn’t have to be one-and-done.
Adam didn’t give up easy on anything. And he had a feeling she’d be worth it.
Chapter 1
Covendale – One Year Later
Winter had never been to a bed and breakfast before, and she wasn’t sure she liked it much. She was used to hotels. In general, they weren’t quite so…cheerful.
She’d come into town on a bus. The bus station was also a Laundromat, a convenience store, and an entertainment center, which apparently meant a handful of video games and a few tables where you could sit and play the lotto. There were no taxis, but some nice older woman had offered to drive her the half-mile to The Whispering Rose. Which, of course, was the town’s only bed and breakfast.
The woman who’d checked her in—Sandy or Andrea, she’d barely caught the name in the flood of chatter—had greeted her like an old friend. She’d gushed over Winter’s unusual name, insisted on carrying her bag, and rattled off a string of places to visit and things to do in Covendale, which had seemed awfully long for such a small town. Then Sandy-or-Andrea informed her that breakfast was served at eight a.m. on the dot, and that all the guests ate together.
She could hardly
wait to feign interest in more strangers talking at her.
She had to admit, the room was very nice. Spacious yet cozy, with stone walls, hardwood floor, a soft area carpet beneath the bed, a sitting area arranged around a fireplace. There was even a Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. Realistically she’d only be here for one night, but the stay would be comfortable.
After she’d stowed her bag at the foot of the bed, she brought her phone out and called her boss. He answered on the second ring, skipping the greeting. “So, how is it?” he said. “Picturesque and relaxing, right?”
“I’m here to work, Teddy,” she said. “And it’s…small.”
“Oh, come on. You can do better than that.”
She sighed. “The room is nice.”
“Very descriptive.” She could hear the grin in his voice. “You know, I don’t need you back here right away,” he said. “You could take a few days. Enjoy the room, see the sights.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t be trying to make me take another vacation, would you, Teddy?”
“No, no. Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Uh-huh.” She still hadn’t recovered from the last time she’d “relaxed.” Every time she thought about the previous summer and that final night on the beach—which was far more often than she cared to admit—her pulse raced a little faster and her skin grew too warm. She still couldn’t believe she’d done…what she’d done. Or who she’d done it with. Twice. A complete stranger whose name she’d never know, the kind of man who never would’ve given her a second glance if he’d known her. “Look, this won’t take long,” she said at last, firmly changing the subject. “I mean, how much trouble could a small-town fire department possibly cause? It’s probably just a couple of misplaced numbers.”
“Might be,” he said. “Just make sure you’re thorough, because you never know.”
“I always am, Teddy.”
“Yes, you’re very serious,” he said. “And that’s what worries me.”
“That I’m good at my job?”
“That you are your job,” he said with a sigh. “Look, Win. I know this is important to you—but make an old man happy and try to have a little fun. Enjoying yourself does not make you any less good at your job. All right?”
