by Kristen Echo
“Here.” He brought my bag over and placed it next to me. “Your sled won’t start. When the storm passes, it will need a tow.”
We discussed the damage as I booted my laptop. It wasn’t broken like the sled I had borrowed. I smiled. Maybe I’d been too hasty to dismiss Christmas miracles.
“Thank you. You are… amazing. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you for your kindness.”
“Not necessary. It’s what I do. Help people.”
“Right. I should go. It’s a long hike to town.” I motioned to sit but Matteo stopped me.
“You’re in no condition to leave and the roads are not in good shape. Are you hungry?”
“Not really. More tired than anything.” I was exhausted. My eyes could barely stay open.
“You will stay the night with me.” He stood next to the bed and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s not a request.”
From my vantage point, he looked as intimidating as he did sexy. The proposition was platonic and friendly, but a thrill raced through me. I had no reason to leave. His bed was comfortable and warm. I nodded.
“Are you always bossy?”
His lip lifted into a panty-melting lopsided grin. “Always. Do you need to call your parents again?”
I shook my head. “No, that won’t be necessary. How old do you think I am?”
“A teenager. Perhaps eighteen,” he guessed hesitantly.
“Close. I’m twenty-two. My parents passed away. I should have corrected you earlier. There’s actually no one looking for me. No friends or boyfriend. No one. What I’m trying to say is I called my sister earlier, and I don’t need to call her again.”
“Twenty-two,” he repeated. He leaned closer, adjusted the pillow behind my head and smiled.
With his handsome face so close, I almost expected him to kiss me. I licked my lips in anticipation. It would have been a great way to end an otherwise horrible day. As my eyelids fought to stay awake, he hovered for another heartbeat before moving away.
“Sweet dreams, Leah.”
I had a hunch my dreams would be very sweet indeed.
Chapter 3
The dream lingered on the cusp of reality as I chased the big O. His beard scratched between my breasts as his skilled fingers reached deep inside me. I moaned and rubbed my sex against Dr. Matteo Ricci, needing more. Only nothing followed. Instead of the orgasmic bliss my imagination craved, I woke up.
“Why? Just five more minutes,” I mumbled.
With my eyes shut, I tried to fall back asleep to no avail. After the disappointing erotic dream, my skin was on fire. Part of me wanted to throw off the covers, but that required effort. My body ached like I’d been thrown from a snowmobile into a tree. With each breath, my discomfort expanded. I needed more pain meds, but I wanted more sleep. Above all, I wanted some release.
The mattress was lumpy and too firm. I yawned as my hands roamed the heated sheets below. I didn’t recall the blankets being heated the night prior. When the bed moved and groaned, I stilled and stopped breathing.
I wasn’t alone.
At some point, Matteo had joined me in bed.
The smooth hotness under my fingers wasn’t the sheets. It was him. Opening one eye just a sliver; I peeked and confirmed my suspicions. I’d inadvertently crawled on top of the sinfully, sexy doctor. Not as in I used him as a pillow. More like I’d sprawled over him and became his personal blanket. My right hand had traveled to inappropriate places. One very hard place covered by a thin layer of cotton.
“Buongiorno.” His throaty morning rasp sent a frisson through me. “It’s been some time since I’ve shared my bed.” His body vibrated as he spoke, and his cock twitched against my palm.
The hint of humor in his tone did little to calm the erratic beating of my heart. With my face plastered against his naked chest, I wasn’t laughing. A spattering of dark hair trailed down his torso. At least he’d worn underwear to bed. Otherwise I would have been skin to skin with his… I scrunched my eyes shut.
“Good morning,” I replied. My voice was nothing more than a whisper.
“Sleep well?”
“Not bad considering I forgot where I was.”
I shifted my leg off his thigh. Slowly, I inched towards the mattress. As I moved my hand from between his legs, the hard length made me shiver and my nipples pebbled. The throbbing in my core intensified. There was a lot to him. More inches than any man I’d been with before.
Arousal coursed through my veins like a shot of adrenaline, dulling the pain. I was no longer sleepy. I wasn’t delusional either. Plenty of men got hard in the morning. His erection probably had nothing to do with me.
“When did you come?” My eyes flew open. “To bed,” I added after far too long of a pause. “I didn’t notice last night. I assumed you’d sleep on the recliner or floor. Maybe in the loft. Not that I mind. It’s your bed and all. Just unexpected.”
His decision to join me didn’t bother me; it excited me. More than it should have considering he was nearly twice my age and taken. Not to mention, he was completely out of my league.
“Plenty of room for two. Would you not agree?”
“Yesss,” I hissed as I continued to peel my body from his. “Sorry about… invading your space.”
I lifted my head from his chest to see the smirk on his lips. He didn’t seem upset about our sleeping arrangement. His flirtatious eyebrow lift and light chuckle stroked my inner fire. My head injury was playing tricks on me. I rolled off him onto my back and winced. The slight movement hurt.
“I’ll get up,” I offered without moving a muscle.
He turned to his side, cradled his head with one hand and moved wisps of my hair from my forehead. “No apologies needed. Though I shouldn’t, I enjoyed having your soft curves keeping me warm.”
“Dr. Ricci, I—”
“Matteo,” he corrected. “There is no need for formalities in bed.”
I giggled. A sound I hadn’t made in ages. It was nearly as foreign as his accent.
“You have a beautiful smile. So young and full of vitality.” Our eyes locked. His brown eyes held me captive as steam filled the air between us. “Tell me more about Leah. It felt odd sharing my bed with a girl I hardly know.”
A girl. I exhaled slowly, trying not to take his word choice to heart. I was a woman. With womanly desires. Not that I’d ever act on them.
He was right about one thing. Our situation was weird. Being rescued by a doctor was a stroke of dumb luck. The fact he also happened to be a smoking hot, bearded dreamboat was almost too much to accept.
“Two strangers stuck in a cabin, sharing a bed while a blizzard wages war on the mountain. Nothing peculiar about that,” I joked. “Before we get into my life story, where are you from? Most Canadians don’t sound like you.”
“Italy. My brother chased a Canadian girl, and they settled in the Rocky Mountains. After meeting my niece last year, my priorities changed. I had no reason to stay after my parents left to be closer him and their first grandchild. They asked, more like begged me to come and so I am here.”
“It’s nice to be wanted.”
His eyes crinkled in the corners as he smiled. “Love and family is most important. Children are a blessing.” A wistful expression crossed his face. “I have not been in town long. I wondered if I’d made the right choice, but meeting you makes me believe I will be happy here. Are you a local?”
I shook my head. “Vancouver originally… couldn’t stay there anymore. I was headed to surprise my baby sister in Calgary for Christmas, but she won’t be there.” My voice quivered. “I needed to escape and start over.”
The snippet of truth popped out, but I spared him my sob story. My heart had been shredded beyond the point of repair. After losing my parents four years earlier, my sister recently moved away for school. I was alone. I hadn’t expected to be an empty nester in my twenties.
Matteo cupped my cheek with his massive hand. “Leah, are you in danger? Is someone after you
?”
“No,” I harrumphed. “No one at all. I’m sorry if I’m being overly dramatic. Nothing life threatening.”
“You are safe here. I will protect you.” His alpha tone nearly caused me to purr like a cat in heat. “You don’t—”
“I am not in any danger.” I placed my hand over his heart. It thundered as quickly as mine. “Thank you for your concern, but it’s not needed. If I can get through the holidays in one piece, I’ll be all set.”
“I'm worried for you. There should be someone looking out for you and keeping your safe.” His enchanting brown eyes conveyed only kindness and warmth.
“The only worry is me making an ass of myself.”
“My English is pretty good, but I don’t know what you mean by making ass.”
I giggled again followed by a wince. “Ouch. Embarrassing myself like a complete and utter jackass. Never mind. It’s a bad reference.”
“For whatever it’s worth, your ass is nice. No reason to be embarrassed.”
My cheeks heated against his hand. “Matteo, you shouldn’t say things like that, but you can keep going.”
The compliment wasn’t cheesy or a segue into my panties. However, the latter seemed like a mighty fine idea. After my dream, a little friction would go a long way.
“I speak only the truth.” He released my chin and trailed his fingers down my arm. “Medically, of course. Personally, it would be inappropriate.”
“Why would it be inappropriate?”
“We are at different stages in life,” he answered.
“Because I’m in my twenties and you’re what? Thirty-five. Age is just a number.”
“Thirty-eight.”
I stared at his mouth and those full kissable lips. “Our stages might not be so far apart. Tell me about you. Did you always want to be a doctor?”
“Always. Since I was a boy, I’ve enjoyed helping people and solving problems.”
His response wasn’t intended to be sexy. I’d purposely guided the conversation towards a safe topic. Yet, his accent caused each word to glide over my skin like a slow seductive tease. I needed to get out of that bed. If the sparks flared any hotter, I was liable to combust.
“Do you have to work today? I’m not moving too quickly, but I’m sure I can walk.”
“No work yet. My license and paperwork won’t be finalized until January. I arrived early to surprise my family, but the surprise was on me. A day later, they left to visit friends in Vancouver.”
At least he got to see them. I missed my sister. She was happy and that’s what mattered most. Selfishly, I wished she was more disappointed about not being with me.
“Will they be back soon?” I glanced at the door, expecting the knob to turn.
“Si. In a few days. They have a Christmas tradition at the hospital. They bake cookies for the kids and ensure everyone has a present.”
“That’s a nice tradition. Your family seems like nice people.”
My mind wandered back to the pictures on his phone. The woman and the baby growing in her belly. His baby. There was probably a crib in the loft. I had no business fantasizing about his thick fingers prodding between my folds or the feel of his beard against my skin.
I pressed my thighs together. “Do you have children?”
“Not yet. But I want very much. I can’t let my brother have all the fun,” he said with a slight laugh. “Moving across the world was exhausting. I am glad I didn’t have to uproot anyone but myself.”
“Where is your wife or girlfriend?”
“I like the back-and-forth questions. I like that you are curious about me.” His sinful lips spread over straight white teeth into a smile so blinding I had to look away.
“Avoiding the question isn’t an answer.”
He laughed, shaking the bed. “Leah, you are funny. I am glad you are here.”
Another non-answer. I rolled my eyes and shifted to my side, facing away from him. My ribs screamed, and the air left my lungs in a huff, depleting my limited energy supply.
“Can you help me up?”
As he moved closer, his weight shifted the mattress and my body landed against his. “Stay. Look out the window. We have nowhere to go.”
His tattooed arm crossed over me as he pointed outside. The dark ink spread down from his shoulder to his wrist. I’d been so taken by his muscles before, I hadn’t noticed the designs.
“We can’t stay in bed all day,” I protested.
“Not all day, but a little longer. Tell me more about your life. Explain why a woman as bellissima as you is traveling alone. You must have plenty of young boys chasing after you.”
“Not much to tell. I haven’t had time for anything serious,” I admitted. “I’m not interested in the messiness and drama of being with boys that don’t know what they want and can’t appreciate a good thing.”
“You are too young to be so cynical.”
“I’m old enough,” I huffed.
“If you say so, but you have much life ahead and much to learn. When I was your age, I could not give my full attention as I was in school and many hearts were broken. I am more ready now. One day, I’d like to build more rooms to this cabin and share my life with someone special. Perhaps, I am a boy at heart. I asked Santa to bring me love.”
“Good luck with that.”
His hot breath caressed my neck. “You should not give up.”
“Are you a shrink?”
He chuckled. “Pediatrician.”
“Unless you’ve been in my shoes, you wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me. I am a good listener.”
The tree in the corner mocked me with its promise of presents and happiness. My eyes filled with tears. I didn’t want to tell a stranger about my problems and homeless state.
“When your life implodes, then we can talk.” My tone was lifeless and harsh. “I hate the holidays.”
“Christmas is a time for miracles,” he said. “Anything could happen.”
“What a farce. I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but Santa doesn’t exist. He isn’t real.”
His body shrugged against mine. “I choose to believe.”
“As a man of science, I would have expected you to have a better grasp on reality.”
“What’s your story. Why so jaded?”
I cleared my throat. No amount of time would change the past. I was stronger because of my experiences, but I had to start putting me first.
“My sister is four years younger than me and taking care of her has been my responsibility. I didn’t mind at all. We’ve had each other’s backs. In the fall, she left for college and I’ve been lost. It’s like life is darker without her around. I can’t figure it out. Maybe the world is sending me a message.”
“And?”
“If I could, I’d erase this holiday from the calendar,” I replied. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, but I lost my job. Lost my apartment. My car is in the shop and I’m stranded in the middle of nowhere.”
I swung my leg off the mattress and regretted it almost instantly. The pain sliced like a dagger into my lungs. I cried out.
Matteo moved quickly and helped me back into a comfortable position. “Easy Leah. Don’t over do it.”
Before I was allowed to move again, he performed another check-up and provided more painkillers. His bedside manner was gruff, demanding and sexy as fuck. This time his hands seemed to linger longer against my skin, or maybe it was my imagination. Probably in my head because he never returned to bed. He moved a chair closer, but that was as close as we got.
The conversation switched to something less likely to make me throw things. We swapped childhood stories, and we laughed. I still felt like I’d wrapped my body around a tree, but the meds dulled the pain. As he made breakfast, I watched from bed. He moved with grace and precision. Matteo was hands down the most ruggedly handsome man I’d ever seen. Usually beards and plaid were a turn off, but he worked it. The age difference made him more seductive. I liked t
hat he had life experience and colorful stories.
He set a plate on my lap but kept a respectable distance. The bacon and eggs went down easily, but I was hungry for more than food. By the time we finished eating, the frustration from my dream had morphed into a full blown ache deep in my core. Despite my best efforts to sway him back into bed, he refused. Eventually, I gave up and sleep claimed me.
When I woke up, Matteo was nowhere to be seen. Outside, the snow continued to fall. The wall of white showed no signs of stopping. Not that I wanted to leave, but I couldn’t exactly stay. I checked my phone and there was no reception.
My backpack was on the bed next to a note. I lifted the note and read it aloud.
“Chopping wood. You missed lunch. Be back soon. XOXO M.”
The note was sweet. Okay, it was more than sweet. Once again, I swooned. I dismissed the lust-filled thoughts and booted my laptop. The previous night’s events gave me a great idea. I typed furiously over the keys.
Lost in my chapter, I didn’t notice when Matteo returned. When he sat next to me, I screamed and nearly threw my laptop. My heart was lodged in my throat, making me cough.
He placed his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry. I come in peace.” He formed a peace sign with his other hand.
With both hands over my heart, I exhaled slowly. My ribs didn’t protest as much as they had earlier. “Please don’t sneak up on me.”
He smiled and eyed my screen. “What are you doing?”
I returned his smile. “Writing my next manuscript.” I closed the lid. “I am a novelist. Leah Monroe. I have one book out and it’s sold a few copies.”
His eyes widened, and he jumped off the bed. He opened the top drawer on the dresser. A second later, he returned holding one of my paperbacks.
“Your book is good. So much suspense. It kept me guessing until the end.” He looked at the back of the book. “You look different from your bio.”
“It’s a stock image of someone else who shares a few similarities. It’s a way to keep business and personal things separate. Draw a line between fact and fiction. Had I been smarter, I would have used a pen-name.” I dropped my hands and knotted my fingers over my laptop.