Roadtrips and Romance (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 5)
Page 17
“Are you Dr. Jorgenson?”
He chuckled. “No, I’m Lukas, and I’m a little young to be the superintendent of a school. Doc doesn’t leave the island during the winter. I’m your landlord.”
She nearly burst out laughing. She was so in for it.
“How’d you recognize me?” she asked.
“You're the only one not dressed for the weather. Doc said you were from Florida, but I thought you’d have more sense than this.”
Tess wore a wool coat over a sweater dress, ankle length leggings, and knee high black boots. She was more covered than she’d ever been in Florida. Yet she was still freezing.
Before she could answer, he continued speaking.
“Do you have a heavier coat and gloves in your suitcase?”
Tess shook her head. “I bought the best I could find.”
He frowned. “The shops are closed. You’ll have to come back to the mainland later and get more gear. In the meantime, you’re gonna lose a couple of fingers. Seriously, are those the only gloves you have?”
She nodded and looked down at her thin gloves that matched her dress. She had four other pairs, but they were all the same kind, and trying to layer them didn’t make much sense. She knew he was right; her fingers were in danger.
Chapter 2
Lukas hefted the two massive purple suitcases into the bed of his truck. He hoped like hell he had an extra pair of gloves in the cab, otherwise his fingers wouldn’t survive because there was no way he was going let her freeze to death on the back of his snowmobile. Doc would never forgive him. Though, if she was this ill-equipped for the northern Michigan temperatures, she might be on the first plane back to Florida.
“Did you bring any snow pants?” he asked her as he rummaged behind his seat. He didn’t find any gloves, but he found hand warmers.
“Oh, no, I don’t ski.” He chuckled. Doc was probably going to be looking for new teacher in less than a week. Lukas had another full-face hat too; at least she wouldn't completely freeze. Also, his body would protect hers, especially if she hung onto him. Not that he minded. He hadn’t seen a body like hers in years. She had legs that went on for miles, and he seriously wondered if that rack was real. They didn’t make girls like her in Michigan. No, she definitely belonged somewhere with palm trees and bikinis.
“Do you have any pants?” he asked.
“What do you call these?”
He looked at her legs again because he didn’t want to waste the opportunity.
“Tights. You need pants. Do you have jeans? Sweat pants? Since you don’t have snow pants, you’ll need to layer a little bit.”
“I brought a few pairs of jeans.”
They pulled into the long-term parking lot. He dropped her and her bags off at the ferry waiting room. They kept it open and heated most of the year, even when the lake froze over.
“Find three or four pairs of pants and put them on over each other.”
Tess gave him a tight grin. “Okay, I’ll try.”
Try. How does one try to put on jeans? He shook his head. Women.
He parked the truck and jogged to the waiting room. The wind chill was around negative twenty degrees, cold, even for someone used to it. Tess had one suitcase open, and she was rolling on the floor, fighting with a pair of jeans.
“You okay?” he asked, choking back a laugh.
Her cheeks reddened as she shook her head.
“They won’t go on over the leggings.”
“Do you have anything that isn’t skin tight?” All of the pants sitting around looked to be the same size.
She pouted. It looked adorable. Those lips of hers practically begged to be kissed. “No.”
He rolled his eyes. “Okay, listen, I’m going to the truck to get something. In the meantime, take off those silly tights and put on a pair of jeans. They’ll keep you warmer. Maybe you can get a pair of leggings on over your jeans.”
“They aren’t as stretchy as they look, but I’ll see what I can do.”
Lukas tried to think of the best way to keep her warm on the drive across the lake. He grabbed the blanket and hand warmers he kept in the cab. Dammit. The snow pants would have to be sacrificed. His legs would be cold when he got home, but at least she’d have all her body parts.
Tess looked just as underdressed as before. He took off his snow pants and handed them to her.
“Don’t you need these?” she asked. How sweet of her to be concerned.
“Not as bad as you do. I’ve got long underwear under my jeans. Do your boots have a lining of any kind?”
“No, but I brought a pair of Uggs. Let me find them.” She opened the other suitcase, and it looked like all she had was different kinds of boots and tennis shoes. Most of them would be useless on the island until May. He shook his head. Silly girl.
Lukas sighed when he saw her socks. “You’ll need to buy some wool socks too. Those will never keep your feet warm. Better dig out a few more pairs.”
A nervous giggle escaped her. “At this rate I’ll be wearing half my suitcase.”
He nodded and yawned. He had to be up early, and this was taking longer than he planned. Especially since her plane was an hour late.
After Tess put her suitcases back together, he carried them outside and loaded them on the sled he towed behind his snowmobile.
“You get on first,” he said, handing her a helmet. She took it without question and sat on the back of the snowmobile. He wrapped the blanket around her and then climbed on in front.
“Get as close as you can and put your hands inside my coat.”
“What the hell?” she asked.
He chuckled. “Listen, princess, it’s not like I want your hands all over me, but if you don’t, you're going to lose a few of those fingers, and you need those fingers to teach.”
She pressed herself against his back, wrapped her arms around his waist, and slipped her hands up the front of his coat. He hissed, not quite prepared for the cold, or the feelings of desire that crept up. It was going to be a long ride.
Want to keep reading? You can purchase the book here:
www.kimberlyloth.com/snowfall
Want to read the rest absolutely free? Click here: http://eepurl.com/bGb8Nn
About the Author
Kimberly Loth can’t decide where she wants to settle down. She’s lived in Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, California, Oregon, and South Carolina. She finally decided to make the leap and leave the U.S. behind for a few years. She spent two wild years in Cairo, Egypt. Currently, she lives in Shenzhen, China with her husband and two kids as a full time author. She loves romantic movies, chocolate, roses, and crazy adventures. She’s the author of Amazon bestselling series The Dragon Kings.
Also by Kimberly Loth
The Thorn Chronicles
Kissed: www.kimberlyloth.com/kissed
Destroyed: www.kimberlyloth.com/destroyed
Secrets: www.kimberlyloth.com/secrets
Lies: www.kimberlyloth.com/lies
The Dragon Kings
Obsidian: www.kimberlyloth.com/obsidian
Aspen: www.kimberlyloth.com/aspen
Valentine: www.kimberlyloth.com/valentine
Skye: www.kimberlyloth.com/skye
The Kings: www.kimberlyloth.com/kings
Omega Mu Alpha Brothers
Snowfall and Secrets: www.kimberlyloth.com/snowfall
Pyramids and Promises: www.kimberlyloth.com/pyramids
Folly and Forever: www.kimberlyloth.com/folly
Monkeys and Mayhem: www.kimberlyloth.com/monkeys
Roadtrips and Romance: www.kimberlyloth.com/roadtrips
Stella and Sol
God of the Sun: www.kimberlyloth.com/sun
God of the Sun: www.kimberlyloth.com/sun
Prince of the Moon: www.kimberlyloth.com/moon
King of the Stars: www.kimberlyloth.com/stars
Queen of the Dawn: www.kimberlyloth.com/dawn
Sons of the Sand
The Smoki
ng Lamp (September 2017): www.kimberlyloth.com/lamp
Acknowledgements
Thank you to my family for loving me unconditionally—Will, Xandi, AJ, Mom, Matt, Tiffany, and all of my extended family. You are the best.
Thank you to those who help me turn my manuscripts into real books—Kelley, Suzi, Brittany, Rebecca, and Jaye.
Virginia, you are amazing. I find I have run out of ways to thank you. Know that I appreciate you more than I could ever express.
As always, my superfans are incredible. Thank you for being awesome—
Aanchal Kohli, Alie Morgan, Amanda Showalter, Andi Taylor, Andrea Hubler, Astrid Rudloff, Beverly Laude, Brandie Gillian, Brianna Snowball, Carol Stalnaker, Cassandra Sue Dahlin, Dawn Foster, Debbie Rodriguez, Deborah Yunevich, Denise Austin, Diane Norwood, Donna Wolz, Elisa Castro, Gina Johnson, Gwen Leak, Hanife Omerod, Heather Fellows, Jai Henson, Jenn Allen, Jennifer Jeray, Jennifer McIntosh, Kasey Briggs, Kate Schoenherr, Kelly Tress, Laurie Murray, Lena Clark, Linda Longo, Maria Altieri, Mary Martin, Michelle McLain, Samantha Murphy, Sara Groenheide, Stephanie Pittser, Tricia Wright, Zoe Cannon