“Oh?” Nick asked, interested. “Which gallery is that? I know we have a few in the towns surrounding us.”
“Oh, none of those, sadly. It’s call Liberty Art, based in Chicago, Illinois.” She saw his mouth drop slightly in surprise. “Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s a bit of a road trip, but… anything to save a dollar.”
Something that felt like rage washed over Nick in a surprising wave. “Chicago! That’s like a two day drive at least!” He gave her an incredulous look. “Couldn’t your boss have just saved you the time and paid for a flight?”
She shrugged. “Not in the budget, I’m afraid.”
“Oh come on, he couldn’t have been saving too much,” he exclaimed, taking Jo by surprise.
“Yeah, I know,” she replied, wondering if it wasn’t Nick who was overreacting, but her who was underreacting? Brian had been treating her this way for a while now. Maybe she was just numb to the injustice.
Nick blew out a long, cool breath, and Jo watched as he loosened his grip on the steering wheel to something more normal. “I reckon your boss should start treating his employees a little better,” he grumbled. The anger in his voice was chilling, even passed the cold of the night.
Jo glanced at him, taking in the fierce expression on his face and the steely glint in his eyes. His frustration for her, over the way she was being treated, it made her feel glad that she’d hung up on Brian. Seeing Nick as angry as she should have been this whole time, she was finally beginning to realize that she did deserve better, didn’t she? She nodded her resolve. “Maybe I will treat this like a vacation, after all,” she murmured.
“That sounds like a wonderful plan,” Nick assured. He seemed to visibly rest after her answer, all his fight melting away into and the easy contentment he’d carried when he first entered the car. Just like that, his anger was gone as he rounded a corner and the cabin finally came into view.
“Thank goodness,” Jo whispered softly to herself, hopefully quiet enough that Nick couldn’t hear.
He grinned widely at her. “Turns out I’m not a serial killer after all.”
“I wasn’t thinking that,” she retorted too quickly, a redness tingling her cheeks that had nothing to do with the cold.
Nick didn’t reply, flashing another smile before killing the ignition and exiting the car. Jo followed eagerly behind.
The outside of the cabin was certainly rustic. Encircled by trees on three sides and a clear view of the road on the fourth side, it was entirely surrounded by beautiful sights, sounds, and smells. Jo took in a huge breath, appreciating the heavy scent of pine on the brisk cool air. “This looks amazing,” she sighed, taking in the twilight view of the land.
Nick shrugged noncommittally. “It’s not much,” he commented, tossing her the key, “but it does us well whenever we need something a little more rural. A place to get away.” He flashed her a small smile and she could feel the frost melting from her fingertips. “Please, go on up. I’ll get your bags.”
She nodded immediately, but stuck around outside in the cold a bit longer to watch him walk away. She didn’t mean to stare at him, but he moved like he was made of water, his motions liquid, his muscles rippling. Everything in a constant of ebb and flow, like he was meant to be more than the tall, brooding muscleman that he appeared to be. Maybe that’s what she was seeing of him as of late. Maybe the Nick she met when she first entered Rawlins hadn’t gotten out of his shell yet. She hid a smile as she turned to enter the cabin. She could at least admit to herself that she was excited to see where this new and friendlier Nick would take things.
Opening the door, the sight made her breath catch. The inside of the log cabin was absolutely stunning. It appeared to have two levels. The first floor had comfortable sofas and chairs surrounding a fire, and on the other side sat a table, chairs, and almost an entire kitchen! Walking a little further in, Jo discovered a tiny reading corner, partially hidden by an entire wooden cabinet of books. The literature scaled from classics like Dickens and Bronte to modern bestsellers like Rowling and King; a book for every reader.
Claiming the wooden staircase to the second level she spotted two beds in two small rooms, with a bathroom connecting the middle. The entire cabin was both practical and beautiful. With a pang of guilt, Jo realized that upon hearing ‘cabin’, she’d expected a rundown rickety dump with bearskin rugs, shot gun displays, and singing bass on the mantle. She hadn’t expected anything like this!
“What do you think?” Nick’s voice echoed through the cabin and curled around her like the softest scarf, beckoning her back downstairs to greet him. His eyes flared as he watched her stunned expression, her eyes filled with surprise.
“This is absolutely beautiful!” She passed a glance over him with a light air of suspicion. “Are you sure you meant to let me stay here for free?”
Nick tucked his hands into his pockets and managed to look a little bashful. “Like I said, it’s on the house. I’m just glad you like it.”
“I love it,” Jo admitted, eyes gleaming. Since when had her life gotten so lucky?
Nick chuckled, hiding his eyes as he turned back toward the front door. “Anyway, your bags are at the door, and with that, my work here is done.” He tossed her a smile. “I’m going to head straight back to the shop to help Tom get started on what we can do with your car.” He glanced away a moment before looking back. “Afterwards, I was wondering if maybe you’d like some dinner later? I mean, yeah the refrigerator has a few things…but hardly a meal. There’s this fantastic Chinese takeout in town… if you want.”
Jo could see him inconspicuously gnawing on the inside of his lip, as though he were unsure about his suggestion. There was something darker than a dinner date flickering in his gaze, and Jo noticed with a happy shiver that it most certainly wasn’t just a hunger for Chinese food.
“I suppose so,” Jo replied, after a second of hesitation. “That would be nice.” Her inner warning lights were flashing and alarms were ringing in her ears, but she couldn’t stop herself from accepting the offer. There was an allure about him that she just couldn’t get enough of. She’d met him as the muscular stoic mirror of his brother, steeping in mystery and more than a little intimidation. Now he was evolving into something more, and she found herself wanting to spend even more time with this man.
Ignoring her worries, she watched excitedly as a wild grin crept over Nick’s face, his grey eyes flashing with a new light. As if thoroughly prepared for her agreement, he pulled out a well-worn copy of an old Chinese takeout menu and rattled off a few of the best dishes.
She smiled up at him from where she’d been glancing over the menu. “Tell you what. You know this place better than I ever will. Why don’t you choose for me?” she asked, trying for coy. “I’m sure whatever you choose will be… delicious.” Her gaze quickly swept down his body as she stepped away. That word could easily be used to describe him as well.
Jo felt the heat building up between them, and if in that moment Nick chose to throw caution to the wind and take the next step with her, she wasn’t entirely sure she’d have it in her to stop him. Suddenly, Nick gave a little shiver, and she could see some sense of responsibility come back to his eyes. He let out a small cough. “Uh, there’s wine somewhere as well,” he said, forcing himself to back away towards the door. “Make yourself right at home. I’ll be back later.” He winked before turning to depart.
“See you later.” Again, she couldn’t help but watch him walk away, his entire body rippling with unspent power. The door closed behind him, and Jo imagined his confident stride down the stairs as his footsteps faded into the night. She hugged her arms close, nearly squealing with glee. She was lodged up in a cabin that was fancier than any hotel she’d seen in the last year, there was wine in a cellar somewhere with her name on it, and she had every book she could ever want to read at her fingertips. And…
“And he’s coming back tonight,” she murmured, an excited shiver running through her. This time she didn’t try t
o stop it.
***
“I don’t like this,” Tom grumbled as Nick shook off the cold of the night breeze. “I didn’t like it when you left with her, and that look on your face right now tells me that I have even more reason not to like it now that you’re back.”
“Would you relax?” Nick insisted, pulling on his gloves. “I told you, I have everything under control. Plus she’s human. Even Lucas knows the rules. Humans are off limits.”
“What’s one human to Lucas if he can use her to finally get rid of two alpha bears?” Tom retorted.
Nick’s body tensed at the thought. “Law is law, Tom. Besides, she’ll be gone in a few days. We just need to keep an eye out until then.”
“She’s a liability, Nick.”
Nick growled. “Hardly a liability when we haven’t seen the Northern Wind in over a month.”
“It’s because they hadn’t found a way to get to us yet!” Tom replied. “Until now. You’ve just gift-wrapped the perfect prey for them to use against us. Congratulations, brother.”
The tension built between them and Nick fought to stop the rattle of his bear’s growl from crawling up his throat. “We’ve had to fight for our own protection for as long as I can remember. This is nothing new. Lucas is nothing new. If helping out a human cause any sort of issue, we are fully capable of protecting ourselves.”
“But she shouldn’t have to!” Tom yelled, throwing up his hands in disbelief. Nick could feel the anger radiating off his brother, and it only made his own inner bear bristle in response. “Who’s there to protect her if Lucas attacks the cabin right now? How do you plan to watch her as we’re both working on her car? We can’t babysit her twenty-four seven because you decided to put her in danger.”
“She’s safest with us!” Nick yelled, nose flaring.
Tom scoffed. “Sure, whatever you say. She was safest when she was just another boring human customer.” He sighed, finally looking at his brother with honest eyes. “You haven’t been yourself since she walked into the shop, Nick. Usually you’re all grunts and groans, hardly making eye contact with customers. But with her… it’s different. I can tell. You’re making too much of an effort, even for a Good Samaritan. It makes me worry if—”
“Stop worrying,” Nick interrupted, breathing a sigh of his own. “Look, if you don’t want to deal with her, fine, but this is still the right thing to do, whether Lucas is snooping around or not.” He shrugged. “Besides I’m headed back there later tonight anyway, so, I’ll be able to check for any trace of the Northern Wind Pack easily enough.”
Tom’s head shot up. “‘Headed back’?” he repeated, brows knitting together in confusion. “See this is what I’m talking about, Ni—”
“Calm down, Tom,” Nick interrupted again. “I told her I’d treat her to some Chinese. That’s it.”
“Uh-huh,” Tom rebutted, unconvinced. “And am I able to tag along on this ‘dinner trip’ tonight?”
“You can if you want to,” Nick replied, feigning nonchalance. “You’re paying for your own food, though.”
Chapter Six
“This is amazing,” Jo moaned, sinking leisurely into the deep bath. Like the rest of the cabin, the luxury style bathroom upstairs did not disappoint. She’d been more than a little surprised to find bubble bath stashed away in the cabinet, the thought of Nick in a tub of suds bringing a smile to her face. It soon faded, her thoughts wandering into darker territory. Just thinking about him brought heat to her face. Closing her eyes, she thought about the strong, burly musculature of his body that she’d been able to see from afar as she’d watched him throughout the day, imagining how it would look bared and covered in scented bubble bath, against her… right now…
She quickly pushed the image away. How cliché… Now wasn’t the time to be lusting for the mechanic. Now was the time for relaxation. She sank lower in the bath with a contented sigh, allowing the warm water to soak deeply into her tired muscles. Things had done a complete turn-around, starting with this cabin, and she was determined to enjoy it. She’d even gone so far as to block Brian’s number. She’d unblock him once she was on the road again, of course, but until then, she’d decided to take a much-needed vacation from the stress of her work life.
Jo lay prone in the bath for what seemed like a glorious and painfully short eternity. Only with a growl of her stomach did she realize that she probably overstayed her welcome in the cooling water. With a stretch, she hopped out of the bath, drying off quickly and rushing to dress before Nick arrived with food and caught her naked. There was a fleeting fantasy about what might happen if he did catch her bare and she allowed a warm thrill to shiver through her before batting the idea away. It was much too soon to be thinking of those things with a guy she just met a few hours ago. If at all. She’d be leaving in a few shorts days after all. That was hardly enough time to form any sort of meaningful relationship. Shooing that thought away as well, she opted for an oversized long john shirt and some sweatpants for the evening.
Waiting for Nick to return was a particular sort of sweet torture that Jo didn’t really want to think about. Her mind danced with ‘what ifs’ and ‘could bes’, finding no harm in casually fantasizing over what kind of night this could turn into if she only let it. She wasn’t blind to the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn’t looking. She saw the darkness in his eyes when he was angry for her and felt the sparks when their skin brushed together. Just thinking of it both thrilled and terrified her. It wouldn’t take much…
Three sharp knocks rattled the front door, startling Jo from her reverie. She held her hands to her cheeks, hoping they weren’t warm and blushing to betray her wayward thoughts to Nick once he entered the cabin. Finally regaining her posture, she pulled the door open.
“Oh hey. Back so soon?” she joked, trying to ignore the tingle that danced over her as Nick silently took in her damp hair and clean clothes.
“Yeah, I guess so. I’m sure you’re hungry.” He shrugged. “I invited Tom, but he bailed at the last second.” Jo didn’t admit it aloud, but she was completely okay with that.
She stood back from the doorway and beckoned him inside. “So um, I found the wine and helped myself to a glass. I hope you don’t mind.”
Nick gave her a heart-stopping smile. “Not at all. Fancy getting me a glass?” He held up the large bag of steaming Chinese. “A nice red pairs well with the lo mein.”
Jo swallowed, softly and nodded, not sure she could trust her voice to be calm after seeing that grin and how his eyes danced over her body. Something told her that Chinese wasn’t the only think he was hungry for, but she ignored it. Food now, anything else later… she thought sternly to herself.
She steadily poured Nick a glass, focusing more on the wine spilling into the cup so that her mind wasn’t focused on how nicely his broad shoulder filled out his t-shirt. He’d showered and changed before returning to her, his jeans weren’t stained and his shirt was made of a material a little better than cotton. Absently she wondered if he’d tried dressing up for her, but she hadn’t know him long enough to assume his habits just yet. Still, he looked nice. Very nice…
“Thank you. For the dinner, I mean,” she said, handing him the glass of red wine. As she dipped into the kitchen to grab cutlery and plates, she called back, “It smells amazing!”
Nick seemed content with her gratitude as he sorted the food across the table for easy serving. “Best takeout in town!” he replied. It sounded natural and automatic, like he said it a lot. Jo smiled. He probably does.
Jo seated herself at the dining table and refilled her glass. “If it tastes half as good as it smells, I have no doubt of your words.” She took an exaggerated whiff of the food. It really did smell delectable. “I have to admit, it felt a bit odd making myself cozy in a strange, albeit nice, cabin, but the wine and the takeout are starting to make it feel like home.”
“Ha, I know what you mean,” Nick agreed with a grin. “I’m hoping the bath helped as well? I wor
ked hard on renovating the bathroom the most.”
Jo paused, her fork mid-serve of some delicious looking lo mein noodles. “How did you know I had a bath?” she asked, one inquisitive eyebrow raised.
“It’s just your hair,” Nick replied. He barely missed a beat, but Jo still caught the tiniest pause in his answer. “It’s still a bit damp. And I just figured, what with the day you’ve had and all, it was probably more of a bath night than a shower one, you know?”
“Ah,” Jo laughed, feeling slight relief. For a moment, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking that Nick might have the place rigged with cameras or something… she waved the thought away, along with the thrill of excitement it invoked within her. Food now… “So, um, do you bring other people here often?” she asked, immediately biting her tongue in embarrassment. “I mean, do you rent out the cabin for people often?” she tried to salvage, but Nick was already grinning, the corners of his eyes crinkling with the effort to hold in his laughter.
“If you’re asking if I have a girlfriend, the answer is no,” he replied smoothly, swirling the wine in his glass before taking a slow sip.
“I wasn’t asking that,” Jo protested, though not too much. “It’s just… this is such a beautiful place. I just figured that… you wouldn’t want… I think people would like staying here,” she finished limply, losing all confidence in her façade as Nick’s smile only grew. Her embarrassment grew under his gaze, but underneath it she felt something else unfurling—a desire from his attention that she found particularly hard to control. She tried to cover both emotions by bringing the glass of wine to her lips.
She averted her gaze awkwardly for a moment longer than comfortable before Nick granted her blunder some leniency and changed the subject. “So you enjoy your job?”
The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise Page 47
