by Kristen Echo
The flashes followed them in to the living room. She took multiple pictures of them as they rummaged through the pile of discarded clothes. Carly handed Theo his underwear and pants. He dressed quickly.
Cybil reached down and grabbed Theo’s sweater. “You have to autograph something for me. You guys are going to win the cup. I know it.” She clung to the top like it was made of pure gold.
“Only if you erase all those pictures,” he said passing Carly her bra and shirt.
“No way! Those are mine and I’ll cherish them forever. This is the best Christmas.” Her glee wasn’t shared by the rest of them. She turned her body and snapped a couple of selfies with Theo in the background.
Being famous had some serious disadvantages. They finished dressing and she wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. “I’m so sorry for intruding on your holidays. Can you give Theo his sweater so we can leave?” She held out her hand but Cybil didn’t budge.
“Cybil, give the man his damn shirt.” He hadn’t put the gun down, but he was no longer aiming it at them. His daughter didn’t comply.
Theo tried to hide his annoyance with a charming smile. “Cybil, if you erase the pictures I’ll take some new ones with you and autograph whatever you want. How does that sound?”
Carly put on her coat, waiting for the teenager to do the right thing. It never happened. The girl yammered on about how great Theo was and how much she loved hockey. He took it in stride and tried to win her over. It would have been sweet if she wasn’t holding them hostage with incriminating photos.
They could have stood there for hours and there was no way that kid was going to erase naked pictures of her idol. “Let’s go.” Carly handed Theo his jacket but it was clear he didn’t want to leave without deleting those pictures. “It’s a lost cause.”
“Enough. Get out, and don’t come back.” The farmer opened the door and motioned for them to follow.
Short of begging her to give him the phone, Theo asked her one last time. She hugged him but kept her phone out of reach. In the end, the farmer slammed the door on them without Theo’s top or the pictures. Theo put on his jacket and remote started his car. They wiped the pile of snow off the windshield in silence.
Carly was in shock.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
T hey drove to the end of the driveway before Carly broke out laughing. “That was the craziest thing ever.” The giggles wouldn’t stop. The situation was too ridiculous.
“Why are you laughing? There is nothing amusing about what happened.” Theo pounded the stirring wheel with his fist.
His reaction wasn’t expected. “Come on. We were naked and had a gun pointed at us. Then a fan girl stole your clothes. It’s hilarious.” She laughed again, but stopped when Theo stopped the car.
He ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s a disaster and the opposite of funny. Dammit, I never should have left without taking her phone. We should go back.”
She put her hand on his thigh and squeezed. “The only way you were going to get that phone was out of her dead little fingers. She idolizes you. Her room was covered in pictures of you and the team. She’ll probably print them off and add them to her collection. What’s the big deal?”
Theo shook his head. “You don’t get it, but you will.”
“You’re overreacting. There were no charges pressed. We got out safe and sound. It’s a crazy story we should be able to laugh about. I mean, that could have ended so much worse.” She reached up and gripped his chin, tilting his face towards her. “Theo, why does this bother you so much?”
His eyes caught hers and she could see the worry there. “As soon as she gets service back, she’ll post those pictures all over her social media. Then it will go viral because I can’t sneeze without getting press. Naked pictures of us will be everywhere. You thought dating a hockey player was going to be tough; now add media frenzy.”
How could she have been so naïve? Of course, Cybil was old enough to post those pictures and tell her story. She might even sell the pictures.
“Balls! That sucks big harry ones.”
Theo laughed, and he leaned into her hand. “You are amazing.” He kissed her palm and Carly swooned. “Thanks for making me laugh, but do you think you can handle it?”
This big strong man was afraid of what this would mean for her. If she wasn’t sure before, she was now. She loved him. “You were fighting to get the phone because you were worried about me?”
He chewed his lip and took a moment to answer. “Yeah, I don’t want to scare you off. The limelight doesn’t bother me. My reps might not like it but I don’t care what they think about me. I care what you think.”
“Theo—”
“Don’t run from me. Whatever happens, we’ll handle it together.” He kissed her hand again.
Together. She liked the sound of that and her feet were firmly planted. “I’m not running. The idea of being plastered all over some tabloids wasn’t on my bucket list but I think I can find a way to deal with it.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “I thought maybe you’d think I wasn’t worth the hassle. I told you being with me would be complicated, but I’d hoped to ease you into it.”
“Life is the complicated part. Being with you is easy.” She leaned over the console and kissed him. As long as he kept kissing her like this she could handle anything.
“Let’s get you home.” Theo put the car back in gear and eased on the gas.
There was so much she wanted to say. Instead, she nodded and looked out the window. Whatever pictures surfaced they would face them together as a couple.
Theo maneuvered the car back onto the road and they inched slowly towards the highway. The road was impossible to see with the giant drifts. Carly didn’t mind the soft hum of the Christmas carols on the radio. She found herself singing along with Theo to more than one. The longer she sat there watching him drive, the deeper she fell. There was too much to love about him. His arrogance had even grown on her.
She needed to tell him how she felt. He’d been honest about his feelings and she wanted to do the same. She opened her mouth to speak but the car stopped moving. She looked over and Theo’s brows knitted together. That was not a good sign. “What’s wrong?”
The tires spun, but the car refused to make progress. Carly could see the highway turn-off ahead, but there were no houses nearby. They hadn’t seen another vehicle yet. “I think we’re stuck,” he said as he tried to rock the car off the snow drift.
He pushed his door open and snow tumbled inside. The car was buried in a mountain of snow. They forgot to grab a shovel for a moment like this, and the house was now miles away. “I’ll try to push,” she said, getting out and sinking into the white stuff. “Shit.” She trudged her way to the back of the car. There was no way they were getting it out. Pushing with all her might didn’t help them move an inch. If anything, it dug them in deeper.
“Switch!” Theo joined her. “You drive and I’ll push.”
“All right, but I don’t think even your brute strength can get us out of his jam.” They exchanged positions, but the results were the same.
After several wasted minutes, they huddled into the car to warm up. Theo blew on his hands to warm them. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t see this drift. It—”
Carly reached over and squeezed his hand. “Totally not your fault. I don’t blame you. You brought us to the highway; maybe we’ll be able to flag someone down.”
The suggestion they walk wasn’t met with glowing reviews by Theo. He argued they were safer to wait. His plan was warmer, but she wanted to at least try. It was after midnight, and the likelihood of someone turning off the highway onto the remote country road wasn’t great.
Logic won. Reluctantly, Theo agreed, and they ambled together to the main highway. He kept her tucked against him as they climbed drifts higher than her head. She was winded by the time they reached the road.
“Think anyone will come by?” Theo’s nose was red, and he snif
fled.
Carly was chilled to the bone and regretted her decision to get help. Her teeth chattered. “They better. Soon people will leave the parties and go home. Christmas is over.” As she finished the sentence headlights appeared in the distance. “Look!”
“Sweet.” Theo brushed a frozen kiss against her lips. “We’ll be safe and warm in no time.”
Visibility had improved dramatically from the day before, but it was hard to gauge the distance in the dark. Neither of them had worn anything reflective or bright to signal their presence to the driver. They waved their hands in the air, trying to alert them that they needed help. Based on the position of the lights Carly guessed it was a car. The driver kept changing lanes, swerving all over the highway.
Theo stood closer to the road as the car neared. Carly didn’t have a good feeling. Instead of slowing down, it sounded as if the car revved its engine, picking up speed. People often say there’s a moment of clarity before disaster strikes. All Carly saw was two bright lights turn and point directly at them. In that second, her only thought was of Theo and his safety. She gripped his jacket and yanked with all her might. He stumbled backwards behind her towards the ditch. Then she heard a loud screeching of break as the lights blinded her. Pain spread across her side and it felt like she was flying.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
C arly wanted to open her eyes but the most alluring dream lingered in the forefront of her mind. She pictured the famous hockey player’s face with precision detail. Dark blue eyes, framed by long thick lashes; strong jaw, dusted with stubble; and the most sensual full lips perfect for kissing. She could almost feel his kiss. Her lips tingled at the fading memory.
She expected to open her eyes and be in the darkness of her dorm room, instead she was greeted by bright overhead lights. The last remnants of sleep disappeared, and she blinked until her eyes adjusted to the brightness. They burned while her lids fought to remain closed.
“You’re awake.” Carly recognized the soft melodic tone of her mother’s voice. The short woman rushed to Carly’s side and gripped her hand hard. “Are you okay? Let me get the doctor. Stan, go fetch the doctor.”
Carly was confused why she needed to see a doctor. She felt fine. Her parents had always been the over-protective type. One of the side effects from being an only child.
“I’m fine, Mom.” She tried to sit up, but her mother pushed her back into the bed with a firm hand to the shoulder. Carly looked at her mom and noticed the red, puffy eyes, and runny nose. A strong indication she’d been crying.
“You are most certainly not fine. You almost died.” Her mother sobbed and dropped her head onto Carly’s chest. “I don’t know what… I would do if I lost you too.”
Everything in her mind sped by in a blur of information, slightly out of reach. She felt dizzy. She ran her fingers through her mother’s silver hair, reassuring her she was okay. But she wasn’t okay, because she was lying in a hospital bed.
“What happened?” The words came out slightly slurred. She was tired, keeping her eyes open was a difficult task to accomplish.
“You don’t remember?” A familiar, deep masculine voice said from somewhere in the room.
Carly sought the sound and feasted upon the man of her dreams. Theo Montagne was sitting in a chair, looking every bit as sexy as he did on television. Only he became fuzzy and the room behind him spun.
“The room is moving too fast.” Carly couldn’t concentrate. She closed her eyes to keep from getting sick, only it didn’t help. Her stomach was ready to revolt at any moment.
“Miss Saint, I’m Doctor Patel. You were struck by a car and admitted for a head injury and some minor lacerations.”
She opened her eyes and attempted to zero in on the doctor but failed. “What?” Her hands moved over the bandages on her head.
“You’re lucky there were no major injuries from the impact other than some bumps and bruises. The snow must have softened your landing but you were knocked unconscious. We sedated you while we assessed, cleaned and stitched the cuts on your scalp. You may feel groggy for another moment or two, but it will pass. You’ve been out for several hours. How do you feel?”
The doctor spoke quickly. It made her head hurt. The longer they spoke the more the pain set in. Her entire body ached.
“I feel like I was hit by a car. Everything hurts. What time is it?” She tried to sit up again but winced in agony. Theo rounded the bed and rubbed her back. His fingers caressed her cheek. The gesture was sweet, but she didn’t want him to see her like this. Vulnerable and weak.
“It’s early evening. Do you remember anything?” Theo asked.
Carly had been unconscious for an entire day, but she recalled every moment of her time with Theo. The past few days had been the best of her life. Until an idiot rammed into her on the side of the highway. “It will take more than being run over by a car to forget you.”
A shiver of unease raced down her spine when she thought about how she almost lost him. She eyed him from top to bottom, checking for any wounds. He looked perfect.
The doctor gave her a reassuring smile. “We will have to keep you overnight to monitor your concussion. We should be able to release you in the morning. The scan revealed no broken bones, but you’ll have some discomfort.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “Do you have any questions?”
The questions she had weren’t for the doctor. “Are you sure we can’t take her home tonight?” Carly’s father patted her foot, and she burst into tears at the sight of him. He wore his favorite NHL team hat, which also happened to be Theo’s team. His warm smile brought back so many memories.
“It’s standard protocol I’m afraid. First thing tomorrow morning is the best we can do.”
She did not understand how her parents arrived, but she was thankful. Her dad came to her side and took the hand she was using to hide her tears. “Hush, girl, everything will be okay.” She drew strength from their support.
The doctor made his exit, drawing the curtain closed while the tears fell. Her mother cried right along with her. Even her dad looked on the verge of letting the waterworks fly. He was the rugged outdoorsman who rarely showed emotion. She never doubted his love, because he said the words often, but he wasn’t a sentimental guy.
Nothing like a near death experience to bring a family together. “I’m so sorry I didn’t take an earlier flight.” This mess was avoidable. “I wanted us to be together for the holidays, but not like this.” Her joke made them all laugh.
“We’re together now,” her mother said, patting her leg.
Carly reached out and took Theo’s hand. “Thank you. How did you pull this off? How did you get them here?”
“It was nothing. They needed to be here. You need your family.” His modesty made her heart swell. He kissed her knuckles.
She’d been falling for him from the moment she met him, but his kindness sealed the deal. She loved Theo for who he was on the inside, not the hockey or the perfect smile. There was no such thing as perfect, but Theo came darn close.
“Yes, we can’t thank you enough, Mr. Montagne. No parent ever wants to get a call that her baby’s been in an accident, and it’s worse when she’s thousands of miles away. But you got us here. You’re a miracle worker,” her mother said, as she walked over to Theo. She pulled him into her arms and hugged him tight.
Theo shuffled his feet uncomfortably, but hugged her back. “No thanks are needed as I told you before, but you’re most welcome. I suppose I should leave you all.” He turned to face Carly and his forehead creased like he had something important to say. But he said nothing.
“Please don’t go.” She smiled, and he returned the gesture. “Mom and Dad, do you mind giving us a moment alone?”
“Of course, darling.” Her mother kissed her cheek and took her dad’s hand, lacing their fingers together. Over twenty-five years of marriage and they were still head over heels in love. It made Carly hopeful for a future like that someday. Maybe she had a cha
nce at happily ever after too.
“Merry Christmas, sweet-pea.” Her father leaned down and kissed her forehead. She’d always been daddy’s little girl and nothing would ever change that. “You make your mother and I so proud. Every day we thank our lucky stars to have you, Carly.”
She hugged her dad with all her might, which at the moment wasn’t much. “I love you too, Daddy.”
Once the door closed, she patted the bed beside her.
“You saved my life.” Theo crawled into the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms. He was careful not to squeeze her too hard. “When I found you knocked-out in a snow bank, I thought I might lose you. There was so much blood and you weren’t talking to me. I’m not afraid to admit I’ve never been so scared in my entire life.”
“I was terrified when the car swerved towards us. But you can’t afford to be injured.” She may have pushed him out of the way and saved him, but he’d saved her in so many ways.
She wrapped her arms around him, ready to never let go. “How did we get here?”
“The car that hit you ended up skidding off the road but stayed out of the ditch. The stupid jerk had been texting while driving. I carried you to his car and made him drive us to the nearest hospital. If he wasn’t so sorry for his actions I might have killed him with my bare hands. You almost died.”
She squeezed him harder. “But I didn’t.”
“We got lucky. After you were admitted, I had my PA locate your family and fly them here. We’ve been waiting a while for you to come around. It’s been a long day,” he said, stifling a yawn.
“That’s crazy. Are you okay? Did the car hit you too? Have you been here the whole time?” She wanted to know everything that happened.