by Elisa Leigh
SNOWY KISSES
Warming Up To Love Series
ELISA LEIGH
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 by Elisa Leigh
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover created by Yoly at Cormar Creative.
Contents
Snowy Kisses
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Epilogue
Warming Up to Love Series
Join My Reader Group
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Elisa Leigh
Justice Wright and his brother Jonah own and run a small resort in the small mountain town of Jolly, Vermont. They're extremely busy this time of year with all of the holiday festivities they have planned. When one of his employees falls ill, it's up to Justice to take over running the sleigh rides and he isn't happy about it. He's more the behind the scenes kind of guy. One cold Friday night he's all set up to guide a blind date sleigh ride when the guy calls it off last minute. He's about to start cleaning up when the most beautiful woman he's ever seen shows up for her blind date.
Delaney Brewer has been anxious all week about the blind date her friend from work set her up on. She never does things like this, but her friend promised her he was a great guy and that they would totally hit it off. She's cautiously optimistic when she shows up only to find out her date bailed on the date without telling her. She's not sure if she should be pissed or thanking the guy since the man standing in front of her is the real-life version of the man of her dreams.
When Justice offers to take her out for a ride anyway, Delaney accepts even if it is just a pity ride.
One night of Snowy Kisses turns into something neither of them could have expected.
Chapter One
JUSTICE WRIGHT
My brother Jonah sits beside me on the couch in our shared office then taps my knee with his. “Hey man, don’t you have that sleigh ride tonight?” He asks, staring at the beer in my hand that I just cracked open.
I choke on the beer and wipe my mouth with the back of my forearm. “Fuck! I completely forgot about that one.” I stand and hand my beer to Jonah who takes a long swig.
“Tell me again, why the hell are we giving sleigh rides away for free?” I ask, grabbing my coat off the back of my chair and putting it on over my red flannel.
Jonah smirks like the asshole he is. “Because it’s good for business big brother.”
“Good for business my ass,” I grumble heading to the door.
“Justice, it’s the middle of December, where’s your Christmas spirit?” He laughs.
“My Christmas spirit is at home, where I should be, at six-thirty at night,” I say then walk out the door.
Jonah is such a fucker. I love him, but I could really kick his ass right about now. When Bob got sick a week ago, Jonah told him not to worry, that I’d take care of running the sleigh rides at our ski resort until he got back. The old man refused to leave and rest until I assured him I had it handled. I’m not one to go back on my word, so here I am walking out to lead a sleigh ride through our winter wonderland. A man’s word is his bond, at least that’s what our Grandfather taught Jonah and me when we were little running around this very resort. We loved this place as much as he did, so when he passed away, it was to no one’s surprise that he named us as the new owners. It’s been under our ownership for the last five years. After a rough first year, things are going pretty well.
I head to the stables to get our horse Gerard ready for the ride. He’s a Percheron, and the best horse we have. He’s the one I lean toward when taking people out, although I try not to overwork him since he’s getting on in age. Once I have Gerard harnessed and hooked up to the sleigh, I drive the sleigh around towards the front where the guests will meet me for their ride. It’s not that I mind that the sleigh rides are free, I just don’t want to be the one who’s giving them. I was happy enough when Bob was doing his thing. Now I’m stuck having to play nice with guests and pretend I’m a jolly motherfucker. I’m more of a grinch, and I like it that way.
Even though this is the last thing I want to be doing tonight, I make sure everything is ready for our guests. A fresh red flannel blanket is folded up on the seat with a thermos full of hot chocolate on the side. I check my watch and see that it’s almost time for them to be here. Good, I’m ready to get this ride over and done with and get back to my cabin in time to watch Die Hard and eat a frozen pizza before falling asleep and doing it all over again tomorrow.
I check my watch a while later when no one has shown up and see that it’s seven-fifteen. They’re late. I hate when people waste my time, especially when it’s twenty-three degrees out and I’ve done so much to prepare for something they’re getting for free.
I’m turned around, preparing to lead Gerard back to the barn when I hear someone clear their throat behind me. My back stiffens and I’m instantly pissed. Are they serious right now? They’re almost twenty minutes late and they still expect a free ride?
“I’m so sorry. I know I’m really late,” A soft voice behind me says.
“You should be,” I bark before turning around to look at the thick goddess standing in front of me. Fuck, she’s gorgeous. Long blonde hair cascades down her back in waves. She’s got on leather knee-high boots, painted-on jeans, and a tight cream-colored sweater under her red wool coat. She looks to be about a foot shorter than my six foot six height and has huge tits and thick thighs. What I wouldn’t give to dive between them and lick her creamy center. My dick hardens just imagining it. Fuck, I need to get myself together.
The goddess glares at me. “As I said, I’m sorry. I was waiting on my date to pick me up, but he didn’t show, so I figured there must have been some mix-up and I was supposed to meet him here. Has he already left?” She asks with a bitchy attitude, looking around us.
“No one but you has shown up and I’ve been out here for a while.”
“Damn it! Are you kidding me?”
“Darlin’, does it look like I’m the kind of man who jokes?”
She looks me up and down and I swear I see more than interest staring back at me. Tilting her head to the side she shakes her head. “No, I guess not.”
“We can wait for a few more minutes if you’d like.”
“I don’t want to put you out,” She says, dropping her attitude. “I feel bad enough as it is.”
“Come on,” I say, holding my hand out to her. “Have a seat in the sleigh and have some hot chocolate at least. I’m Justice, by the way.”
“Delaney,” she says, taking my hand.
I help her into the sleigh and pour her a cup of hot chocolate while she waits.
“Thank you.” She takes the cup and blows on it.
My dick hardens even more watching her full lips make an ‘O’ as she blows. All I can think of is how she’d look with my cock between her sweet cherry red lips. Clearing my throat I turn to adjust something on Gerard and adjust myself in the process. When I turn back around Delaney looks on the verge of tears. What a little shithead. If I was supposed to be meeting her I would have been early.
“Justice, this was really nice, but I think I’ll be going now.”
I can’t let her leave like this. My momma raised me better than that. I’m a grouchy asshole, but I still respect women. You don’t stand a woman up on a date, especially not one as beautiful as her. Not that I was the one to stand her up, but still. I need to do something t
o brighten her night, and I know just the thing.
“You haven’t even finished your cocoa.”
“Let’s just chalk this up to a bad blind date and be done with it,” she says, standing to get out of the sleigh.
I move so that I’m standing in the way of her getting out and take her hand. “Darlin’, I don’t know who you were supposed to be on this date with, but the fucker is a damn fool. Don’t go yet. I’d love to take you out for a sleigh ride, it’s beautiful this time of night.”
Delaney bites her plump bottom lip and looks around us before looking back at me. “God, I feel so pathetic. Are you sure you don’t mind, Justice?”
Hearing my name on her lips does something to me. Something I’m not prepared for. “It would be my pleasure,” I say as my cold heart starts to warm with something I’ve never felt in the thirty-nine years I’ve been alive.
She studies me for a long minute, trying to work something out in her head. When she finally figures it out it’s like something’s come over her. Something I like.
“Only if I can sit up front with you,” she says, gesturing with her chin to the front seat where I’ll steer the sleigh.
I grab the blanket and the hot chocolate and put them in the front seat, then help Delaney up to the front. I walk around and pet Gerard, telling him to be a good boy, before making my way to the other side of the sleigh. Once I’m in and sitting beside her I grab the reins and look over at Delaney, “Are you ready?”
She gives me a huge smile. “Ready when you are.”
I jerk the reins, telling Gerard to get moving, and we’re off.
Chapter Two
DELANEY BREWER
When Theresa from work said she knew the perfect guy for me, I hesitated. I’ve been set up a few times by friends and they’ve all ended… not badly per se, just not well. She promised Louis was a great guy who was looking for someone special to settle down with. “The real deal,” as she put it. I didn’t know how to ask her how he felt about plus size girls. Trust me, I’ve been on plenty of first dates where we’ve had a great time, but left as friends because they just weren’t attracted to me because of my size. Want to know how many times I’ve been on a second or third date? Never. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard I’ve got a gorgeous face if only I could drop the weight. Yes, it’s as humiliating as it sounds. After years of this happening, wanting to put myself out there just to be let down wasn’t at the top of my to-do list.
It’s been almost two years since I’ve been on my last date, and as a big girl, pushing a size twenty in jeans, and a size forty-two DDD bra size, most men aren’t lining up to take me out. At almost thirty I haven’t given up on love, but I’m not chasing it down either. I’m lonely but I don’t know how many more times I could get my feelings hurt. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love more than anything to find a man who can handle all of my curves and dominate me in a way no one ever has. I want a man’s man. Someone rough that doesn’t put up with any shit from others but also treats his friends and family well. Where are those guys hiding? They’re probably already married.
Theresa said she was really good friends with the guy and that he was interested in seeing where things went if I was. So I told her to give him my number and have him text me. He did, and while I didn’t feel a spark, I wasn’t ready to dismiss him so fast. Some people are better in person. Not to mention we’ve never officially met. After texting for a few days, Louis asked if I’d like to go for a sleigh ride on Friday night. I’ve never done that before, most of the time when I go out on dates we go to dinner or the movies, so this sounded promising. I agreed and even got a little excited, hoping this could go somewhere. Maybe Louis was the person I’ve been looking for.
I work in customer service at a health insurance company. I’ve got tough skin after dealing with irate customers for years. So when Louis didn’t show up to pick me up for our date, I gave him the benefit of the doubt and thought signals might have got crossed somehow. I tried calling and texting, but they went unanswered. Maybe I was supposed to meet him at the ski resort instead of him picking me up like he said he would. There might not be good cell reception at the resort and that’s why my calls were going straight to voicemail. Yeah, I was reaching, but not ready to give up hope.
I drove to Jolly Ski Resort, good thing it’s only a few minutes from my house. I parked, then followed the signs to where they do the sleigh rides. Standing at the sleigh was a man a good foot taller than me in worn jeans, brown boots, and a black leather jacket. Is this Louis? I didn’t picture him like this in my head, but damn. I shouldn’t be shallow, but I hope he looks as good in the front as he does in the back.
“I’m so sorry. I know I’m really late,” I say.
“You should be,” the man barks, turning around and scowling at me. I immediately get the impression that this isn’t Louis, but someone else. Maybe the driver.
Talk about rude! Even if he is the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen with a full dark beard and piercing blue eyes, he’s not going to talk to me like that. “As I said, I’m sorry. I was waiting on my date to pick me up, but he didn’t show, so I figured there must have been some mix-up and I was supposed to meet him here. Has he already left?” I ask, pissed that he thought it was okay he could talk to me that way.
“No one but you has shown up and I’ve been out here for a while.”
“Damn it! Are you kidding me?” I growl. I’ve been stood up. This is a first, although it doesn’t surprise me.
“Darlin’, does it look like I’m the kind of man who jokes?”
I look the man up and down then tilt my head to the side shaking my head. “No, I guess not.”
“We can wait for a few more minutes if you’d like.” He offers, losing the scowl and replacing it with a look of pity.
“I don’t want to put you out, I feel bad enough as it is.”
“Come on,” he says, holding out his large hand. “Have a seat in the sleigh and have some hot chocolate at least. I’m Justice, by the way.”
“Delaney,” I say taking his hand. He helps me into the sleigh and pours me a cup of hot chocolate. “Thank you.”
After a few minutes, I’m ready to go. Waiting, when I know Louis isn’t going to show, is just making things worse. I want nothing more than to go home and curl up with a greasy burger and a Coke and drown my sorrows watching trashy reality television. “Justice, this was really nice, but I think I’ll be going now.”
“You haven’t even finished your cocoa.” He says, looking worried.
“Let’s just chalk this up to a bad blind date and be done with it.”
“I don’t know who you were supposed to be on this date with, but the fucker is a damn fool. Don’t go. I’d love to take you out for a sleigh ride, it’s beautiful this time of night.”
Is it weird that it turns me on that he called Louis a fucker? I love his dirty mouth and the edge he has. I’m surrounded by corporate guys all the time. It’s refreshing to be around someone who isn’t so proper. I bite my bottom lip trying to decide what I should do here. “God, I feel so pathetic. Are you sure you don’t mind, Justice?”
“It would be my pleasure,” he all but purrs, looking me up and down.
What am I doing? Am I really flirting with the guy who was supposed to take my blind date and me out for a ride? Does this make me desperate or an opportunist? Whatever it makes me, there’s something here, something between Justice and I. Maybe it’s just flirting, but what if it leads to something more? Hell, I’d be happy with one night with him. It’s been years, like a lot of years since a man has touched me and your girl is thirsty. Why the hell not? It won’t make things any worse than they already are. “Only if I can sit up front with you,” I say, gesturing to the front seat of the sleigh.
When he agrees and helps me into the front of the sleigh, I’m hopeful this night won’t turn out half as bad as I thought it was going to. He’s rough, but he’s also a gentleman. Me like.
Justice pulls
up to the path and I gasp. The path is set up with Christmas lights and beautiful decorations.
“You like?” He asks.
“I love. When I was a little girl, my Mom and Dad would take us driving around to look at Christmas lights, but we haven’t done it in years,” I tell him.
He smiles but is quiet as he navigates the snowy path under the arches of Christmas lights.
“I know this isn’t what was supposed to happen tonight, but thank you for bringing me out anyway.”
“You’re welcome. What that guy did was shitty. If I were you, I wouldn’t give him a second chance. You deserve someone who will put you first, always.”
I agree with him one hundred percent, but I can’t help pushing. “How do you know he didn’t have an emergency?” I ask, biting my bottom lip. I do that whenever I’m nervous or I’m trying to keep from laughing. Right now it’s to keep from laughing. There’s no way in hell I’m giving Louis the time of day after this.
“Darlin’, if I was meeting you, nothing would stand in my way from getting to you. Not even an emergency.”
“Is this your usual MO, hit on single girls that you take on sleigh rides?”
Justice laughs. “I’m just filling in for the guy who usually does the sleigh rides. He’s out sick and refused to stay his old ass at home unless I promised I’d take care of it for him.”
“So if you don’t drive the sleigh, what do you do around here?”
Justice grins. “I’m more the behind the scenes guy around these parts. I make sure everything runs smoothly and the guests have what they need. I also put up all of these damn lights,” He growls.
“You did? Wow, Justice, you did an amazing job. It’s so m-m-magical,” I say as my teeth start chattering from the sudden drop in temperature.
Justice looks over at me with a look of concern on his handsome face, then pulls back on the reins, stopping the horse and the sleigh ride. He grabs the blanket, laying it over my lap, then tucks it around my legs. “You need more cocoa?” He says, reaching for the thermos.