St. Elmo

by Skye McNeil

  Hustling to the thermostat, she danced in place as her fingers slid the knob from sixty-six. A familiar woody scent fluttered around her, and she could’ve sworn it was Jared. The burst of warm air at her feet reminded her it was the heater. With enough haste to make a girl scout proud, she lit a fire in the large hearth and nodded. Despite hating the annual sale of cookies, she learned more than most during her years as a brownie. Coupled with the trips she’d taken with her dad, Bobbi could survive in the Colorado Rockies on her own and never be scared. She shivered. Unless she was stuck somewhere dark and small. She swallowed hard and pushed horrifying memories of such an event from her mind.

  She lugged her duffle to the one bedroom on the main floor. The bedding set was a good twenty years old, but the walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom were worth the starchy ruffled bedspread.

  Unhurried, she unpacked her clothes as the furnace grumbled its awakening. She snuck a peek out the window above the bed, but only saw another round of snowflakes falling on the wraparound wooden porch. By the time she finished putting the clothes away and investigating her room, the chill from the short ride had all but disappeared.

  She carefully stacked her paperback romance books on the bedside table. When her hand met the glossy magazine cover, she paused at the dog-eared page. After scanning the article again, she snorted. One of the last ideas stood out. “Walk around in just lingerie.” She eyed her frumpy sweatshirt and black leggings. “Maybe I can do this one. It’s not like Erin wouldn’t.” She frowned at the thought of her cousin strutting around in front of Jared.

  Bobbi shed her clothes with haste before she lost her nerve. At last, she stood in the bedroom wearing nothing but her green and red bikini briefs with reindeer on them and bright red bra. Both were gifts from Clara since the woman loved to shop. She almost always bought something for her roommate when she hit the mall. She reviewed her reflection in the full-length mirror on the back of the closet door.

  “I can do this,” she encouraged, sucking in her gut. For the most part, she was in shape, but which shape was yet to be determined. Ice cream and all things sweet called to her like a bodybuilder to weights. For her job’s sake, she worked out. And by work out, she meant she jogged on the treadmill while she read her newest romance book purchase.

  She twirled once and laughed as her hair hung behind her shoulders. Nodding once, she pressed her fists to her hips and put on her best serious face. “If Wonder Woman can wear spandex around dudes then so can I.”

  Bobbi took a breath then grabbed her phone and earbuds. Her newfound bravery deserved a song or two to celebrate. It wasn’t that she didn’t dance, because she did. A lot. Normally, she and Clara would have dance-offs in their pajamas while music blared from the stereo, but she’d have to go solo tonight. Dancing away the bad vibes from Jared and Erin sounded like a good waste of her time.

  Finding one of her favorite pump up songs by the Pussycat Dolls, the tune blared in her ears within seconds. Beaming, she tentatively strutted around the small room, singing along with the words. Heart pumping fast at her attempt at the latest dance fad, she slid on the wood floor with her socks and nearly toppled over. Grace wasn’t her strong suit, but she tried nonetheless.

  Reaching the kitchen, she focused on the lyrics as she grabbed a washcloth from a drawer and ran it under the faucet. Fluidly wiping the counter to the beat, she bobbed her head. Music and cleaning went together like ice cream and pie to her.

  Snoop Dogg began his rap, and she shook her hips suggestively, wondering if she could do this for real in front of someone or if her concerts were better left incognito. If Jared could see me now, she thought with a smirk. He’d think I’m nuts.

  »»•««

  She’s fucking gorgeous, Jared thought when he stepped into the cozy cabin. The first thing to catch his eyes was Bobbi. A dancing, practically nude Bobbi who was signing a bit off key. Holy mother of sex. His throat dried and his groin stiffened at the seductive sway of an ass he could only describe as pure perfection. Round, supple, and just the right amount of muscle to make walking more than awkward. He’d seen her flit around like a fairy at Asher’s, but this? He let out a struggled breath. This was plain torture.

  He stood in the doorway, mute. All he could do was watch her clean in her underwear. Little green panties with reindeer all over them and a bra most definitely from a high-end store. Say something, you idiot. Clear your throat or drop the bags. His body rebuked those suggestions. He just wanted to stay there, her own personal groupie, as Bobbi made him pant like he’d run a marathon and she was the water at the finish line. The luggage he once cursed as heavy felt like feathers holding him down from floating to a cloud of desire.

  When Bobbi spun around, whipping the washcloth to her ass like a salsa dancer, his mouth dropped open. It was at her next sashay when she realized she had an audience.

  “Holy shit, Jared!” she mumbled, ducking behind the counter until only her bright blue eyes were visible. “How long have you been there?”

  Jared’s grip on the handles increased to keep himself from barring the door and showing her exactly how long he intended on being there alone with her. “Oh, I walked in a minute ago.” He slid his eyes down her neck and was disappointed when he couldn’t see any farther thanks to the counter. “You have a real talent.”

  He dropped the bags and walked into the kitchen. He couldn’t help it. She drew him in with those huge eyes full of caution and a tinge of excitement. “Do you often clean in your underwear or is did the freezing mountain air prompt your impromptu dance solo?”

  Bobbi’s face turned red then white then red again. It was too damn adorable. “For your information, yes, I listen to music while I clean. Sometimes I even dance. It makes the task seem more fun.” She stood up suddenly, and he could’ve kissed her for allowing his eyes full access to her scantily clothed body.

  “And the reindeer panties? Are they normal attire for your cleaning parties?” he teased, stepping in front of her to block the single exit she could take.

  She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “Um, no. My roommate bought these for me. I normally just wear—” She paused. “You know what, it’s none of your business.”

  Jared couldn’t stop his fingers from lightly touching her hip, the satin from the underwear contrasting with his calluses. Bobbi shivered, and he realized his hands were probably still cold from being outside. He slipped his index finger under the lace.

  “I like these.” She inhaled quickly, and his eyes fastened to her lips. “You’re not a regular type of girl, Bobbi. I don’t expect your lingerie to be any different.” His gaze moved to her bright baby blues, and he so badly wanted to kiss her. Playfully, he pulled on her bra strap. “Even if I think you going commando would be much, much better.”

  Bobbi’s chest rose and fell faster as he pulled her closer by the thin red strap. Her gaze met his, and he swore she was a fairy. No other woman could control his movements, and she wasn’t even trying. Just reading in between the lines of her body told him what to do. It was why she fascinated him so. She was simply herself. The carefree, unfiltered, beautiful version of Bobbi. It was this same version he fell for earlier this year, and he’d be damned if it wasn’t happening again. Rapidly, methodically, and too painstakingly fast for his body to permit.

  Leaning in, he nuzzled her nose with his, breathing in the intoxicating scent of Bobbi. It’d be so easy to hoist her on top of the granite and slip off her remaining articles. The counter was the perfect height for a thorough exploration of her tasty body. He pulled his eyes from her stomach. If she’d let him.

  A car horn blasted from the circular driveway, crumbling the connection between them. Bobbi used his temporary distraction to sneak out of arm’s reach. “I, uh, I should put my pajamas on,” she informed, almost running to the nearby bedroom.

  “Do you have to?” he asked before he could stop the words.

  Bobbi’s plump lips pressed together and smothered her smile. With c
arefree candor, she swayed her hips to the room’s threshold and glanced over her shoulder. Her red curls rested on her left shoulder while she said with sass, “Why? You’re not getting attached, are you?”

  He bit his tongue to keep from saying precisely which part of her he was attached to. Instead, he walked backward, not once breaking her gaze. “Maybe I am. Would it be so bad?”

  Before she had the chance to reply, the front door swung open and she shrieked. Jared watched in disappointment as she vanished into the bedroom when Erin and Grandma Jane stomped snow off their shoes.

  “Not interrupting anything, are we?” Grandma Jane asked, her hair wild with snowflakes.

  He cleared his throat. “Nope. Just enjoying the views Colorado offers.” He noticed the knowing grin on the older woman’s face before pointing Erin down the stairs to the remaining two bedrooms.

  Asher had warned him the Davis matriarch was crafty, but damn, her timing was impeccable. Another minute and he would’ve been a good nine inches in Bobbi. Reviewing the door Bobbi was hidden behind, Jared unzipped his coat. He wasn’t frozen anymore. No man in his right mind would be after seeing a stunning woman stripped to almost nothing. He needed to keep his hands busy, or he was liable to lock the beautiful dancer in a shack with him until she wasn’t cold toward his advances.

  »»•««

  Bobbi rolled over the next morning and groaned at the sunlight beaming through the slit in the curtains. Her arm outside the comforter was chilled, so she burrowed her entire body beneath the cozy blankets. The night before circled her thoughts, and she grinned. Seeing the desire in Jared’s face was worth the terror that coursed through her body when she spotted him. She’d seen something primal shine through his forestry eyes. It scared her almost as much as it enthralled. Her stomach jumped in longing even hours after the fact. His easy smile and flirting words reiterated her gutsy move.

  “Maybe the article isn’t complete shit after all,” she muffled against the sheets. They didn’t smell the best, but pickers couldn’t be choosers. The mattress was comfortable enough, but she’d rather have another person’s body heat next to her. Even though she didn’t remember sleeping next to Jared, she was positive he’d kept her plenty warm.

  “Are you going to snooze all day, Bobbs? Because we’re going snowmobiling after breakfast.”

  Eyes popping open, Bobbi sat up in a hurry. Her cousins had arrived and would no doubt fawn all over Jared if she knew them. And she did. One drooling cousin was already enough to make her antsy. Mouth drooping to a frown, she pushed out of the blanket cocoon.

  Twenty minutes later, she emerged from the master bedroom to see Jessie and Asher sipping from red mugs, Erin chatting with a circle of the rest of their cousins, and Jared. Holy hell. He looked like a lumberjack on steroids with his green-and-blue-checkered flannel shirt and blue jeans. His face held another day’s growth, and she instantly liked him better with scruff. I wonder how it’d feel on my neck.

  She shooed her fantasy away and grabbed a cup of coffee. While a breakfast of healthy cereal and fruit sat on the table, she rifled through the cupboards in search for another way to fuel her morning. “Aphrodite be praised,” she breathed at the sight of off-brand chocolate rolls with icing between the layers. Grabbing the tempting treat, she stuffed it in her mouth.

  “I thought you were a nutritionist,” a teasing voice scolded from behind her.

  Whipping around, she took a gulp of coffee. Regret washed through her mouth. Hot! She swallowed the scalding liquid and patted her chest. “I am.”

  “But you eat chocolate rolls for breakfast?”

  She snatched another package. “And lunch and dinner and snacks if I so choose.”

  Jared lifted his mug in salute. “Whatever floors your engine, sweetheart.”

  Bobbi munched on her giant bite taken out of spite, but she quickly saw she was wrong about the path of his teasing. No condemnation or wondering how she wasn’t a tub full of lard. She sipped the coffee this time and kept her gaze on Jared. It seemed he was a different breed of man than what she was used to. Her ex, Tommy, used to gripe daily on her about her love of snack foods and sugary delights. It even made her stop eating her favorite foods while they were together. She told herself back then it was healthier, but now she knew Tommy was controlling her.

  Shifting away from the Tommy fiasco, Bobbi listened to the hum of the room. It was rarely quiet when the Davis family got together. This day was no different.

  “Okay, people, let’s get out there,” her cousin Daisy suggested.

  Her sugar rush was put on hold when Erin sidled up to Jared and looped an arm around his waist. The coffee suddenly tasted bitter. Very, very bitter.

  “We have to share a snowmobile. Do you want to drive or should I?” Erin asked with a sweet smile.

  Jared set down his coffee but kept Bobbi’s gaze as he answered. “You drive. I like to hold on for dear life.”

  “Like she could thrill you,” Bobbi snorted under her breath.

  “What was that?” he asked quickly, his brows elevated.

  Oh my God, did I say it out loud? She rinsed out her cup and then threw away her breakfast wrappers. Saying whatever popped into her mind without thinking was a common occurrence when she was upset. “I said, you’re up for a thrill. Erin is one of the best. Snowmobiling up here is a blast.” She noticed Erin bought the cover, but Jared’s furrowed eyebrow told her he didn’t follow suit.

  Asher filled the room with his voice, much to her relief. “Everyone find a buddy. We have enough for three single riders if we take turns on the buddy system.” He patted Jessie’s belly. “But I’m not letting these two out of my sight, so no swapping here.”

  Bobbi held in a groan at the look exchanged between her sister and Asher. They couldn’t have been more perfect unless she ripped them out of a fairytale.

  “I call single,” she shouted before anyone else. Daisy huffed at her and the rest of her cousins scattered in search of someone to ride with through the woods.

  By the time she bundled up, the rest of the crew was outside with machines purring. Straddling the last open one, Bobbi slid her goggles in place. This was by far her favorite winter activity. Though, snow skiing was up there, too. She cranked the gas and smirked at Jessie.

  “Try not to flip it, will you? We don’t need a repeat of that Christmas,” her sister warned.

  Asher poked his nose around his wife. “Ooh, story time. I love it.”

  Bobbi rolled the snow toy to them. “Nothing to tell. I took a hill too fast and biffed the corner. The end.”

  “And a broken arm later, Santa was pissed,” her cousin Patrice added.

  “Yeah, yeah.” She adjusted the mirrors and saw Erin do the same. Her cousin looked like a genuine snow bunny in pink gloves and a matching hat. Bobbi could never claim to be a girly girl if Erin was the standard. It irked her how easily Jared let Erin take control. He was mine first.

  “Let’s go. I have the need for speed.” She gunned the engine and snow spit up behind her. The rest followed their leader, though Erin lagged a bit.

  Determined to remain ahead, she whizzed the machine over the snowy roads, trees heavy with ice at every turn. Breathing deep, she kept a vigilant eye for non-hibernating critters. She didn’t want any bloodshed on her watch or treads.

  The hum of snowmobiles echoed in the valley between Mount Princeton and Mount Antero. Winter in the mountains was perfection. Snow clung to the heavy branches of the pine and fir trees while rabbits scurried along the road. The scenery couldn’t have been better. Nestled between four mountains, Timberline was the epitome of a Christmas postcard. Some of the locals even hung bright red bows on the trees surrounding their cabins. Visiting the Rockies was gorgeous in the warmer months, but there was something special about how the snow blanketed the harsh terrain. Now and then, she checked over her shoulder to be sure no one dropped off the side of the steep ravine. The high brought on by the artic vehicle slammed to a halt when she witnessed
Jared’s thick arms around Erin’s teensy waist. At his content smile when Erin’s planted a kiss on his cheek, her blood chilled to match the wind around her. Clenching her jaw, Bobbi reminded herself she wasn’t with Jared. And I have no reason to be jealous. Still, the air felt especially frigid when the handsome couple lapped her position. She realized then she’d stopped completely and had been glaring.

  “Why the long face, sis? Did somebody steal your GI Joe?” Jessie joshed, slowing her own machine.

  Bobbi wiped off her goggles and squinted. “I thought I saw something suspicious on the mountain.”

  Asher chuckled. “Uh, huh, right.”

  “Come one,” she called, revving again. “We’ll switch partners at Hancock.” Bobbi sped up, not wanting to hear more teases from anyone. She wasn’t envious. She just needed some power between her legs. Bobbi grunted when her mind went gutter. Very gutter.

  Chapter Five

  If Jared could snap a photo of the way Bobbi glowered at him and Erin, he swore it’d scare a zombie. Erin smooching his cheek didn’t help either, but it was well worth it to see Bobbi’s blue eyes light up with wrath. The snowmobile sped up, and he held onto Erin’s waist. He learned a few new things about Ms. Davis, and it seemed she was a bit of a daredevil most days. When a race started between them and two other cousins, all he could do was hold on for dear life. The Davis family was more competitive than his by far.

  They zoomed around Timberline’s small community, a few folks out and about. The roar of engines made several dogs howl and bark, but he merely waved at the residents and hoped he lived long enough to make Bobbi jealous once more. They fish-tailed the sharp curves of the trails made specifically for the winter vehicles. It’d been years since he rode one and he was getting antsy to drive when they reached Hancock. The thick woods gave way to the scenic location where Asher and Jessie said their vows. It looked even more romantic in the winter. Fresh tracks all throughout the meadow reminded him they were far from alone in this wilderness. A group of snow-shoers was on their way to Tin Cup Pass, and he waved a gloved hand as they tromped into the distance. One of these days, I want to try it, he thought as they slowed to a stop. They’d lost the race, but they managed to beat Asher, Jessie, and Bobbi.