by Karen Booth
“Hey,” he said to Joy when he reached the kitchen. She was busy digging through the refrigerator. “Do you think we should call someone about having the driveway plowed? Is there a caretaker?”
“No. I think they’re just supposed to come as soon as they can.”
“Oh. Okay.” That seemed odd, but he also lived in a gated neighborhood where things like snow removal were taken care of as part of the homeowners association fees. “What’s for dinner?”
“I’m trying to figure that out. Are you okay with chicken piccata? Lemon butter sauce, a little garlic, some shallot. I was thinking I’d make it with a thin spaghetti on the side, maybe some wilted spinach? That’s really the only vegetable I have in the house right now other than baby carrots.”
“Are you kidding? That sounds incredible. Yeah. Make that.”
“Do you want to help?”
“I’m seriously no good in the kitchen. I’ll just end up putting paprika in the wrong thing and then you’ll hate me forever.”
“First off, I could never hate you. Second, if you know what paprika is, you’re getting your butt in this kitchen and helping.”
Alex had no answer for that. “Okay. But you’re going to have to tell me how to do everything.”
He stood next to her at the stove top. She leaned closer and kissed him softly on the lips. “Something tells me you’ll be a quick study.”
There she was again—happy Joy. She was going to be the death of him. That was all there was to it. He’d dated plenty of sexy women, but she was simply off the charts. And perhaps it was just that she was exactly his brand of sexy. Every minute they were together, she managed to do or say something that left him wondering where she’d been all his life.
He followed her around the kitchen as she showed him the proper technique for mincing garlic, breading chicken, and sautéing. It turned out that he’d even been making pasta incorrectly all these years, not that he cooked very often. Don’t use oil in the water. Any Italian would have his head for that. The room filled with heavenly smells, and he enjoyed every chance he had to watch her while his hand settled in the small of her back, or she offered him a taste of something and she’d hold on to his arm while she did it.
As good as the meal looked, it really only took about thirty minutes to prepare. They decided to forgo the stuffy dining room, which had seating for at least twenty people. Sitting next to each other at the kitchen island with a bottle of wine Alex had found in the well-stocked wine fridge was plenty romantic for him. Joy had even dimmed the lights and lit a candle.
“This is incredible. Truly.” He held out his wine glass to clink with hers. “To the chef.”
She smiled shyly. “Cheers. But you did just as much work as I did. There’s no big mystery to cooking. Once you learn to trust your instincts, you can just go into the kitchen and have fun. That’s what I do.”
Trust his instincts. That was something he might be rediscovering with Joy. He still trusted his business instincts, but it was the personal side that had been lagging. She made him so comfortable; it was as if they’d known each other for months. Years, even. “Well, I’m still in awe of your talents, and the scary part is you’ve shown me so much in a very short amount of time. I can only imagine what mysteries Joy Baker is hiding behind that beautiful face.”
“There’s no big mystery to me, Alex. I love to cook. I like spending time with you. That’s all you need to know.”
“I seem to remember something about threatening to kick my ass in a snowball fight. It’d be good to find out what that’s all about. Sounds like a lot of hot air to me.”
“Snowball fight? Alex, it’s dark outside. And cold.”
“I know. But I have an idea.”
Joy shook her head and took another sip of wine. “If it involves trudging out in the driveway in snow boots and mittens, forget it.”
“Nope. It involves putting on your bathing suit and meeting me downstairs.”
* * *
Joy stood in the pool area in her bikini, wondering what in the heck Alex was up to. Outside, it was pitch-black. The snow was nearly waist high. “You are certifiable.”
Alex was trying to figure out the locks to the tall patio doors. “Half of the fun of a hot tub in the winter is enjoying the cold first. My brothers and I used to do this all the time when we were kids. We had a pool and hot tub in the backyard and we’d run around in the snow, then jump in. It makes the water so much nicer.”
Joy was thinking that Alex’s back was so much nicer. He was wearing his basketball shorts, which hung a bit low around his hips. He had no shirt on, so she could see every muscle as it rippled and twisted when he flipped through the set of keys she’d given him, trying each one. Everything about what they were doing was crazy...using the house the way they were, putting up Christmas decorations and having sex on the bathroom counter. Still, it was the most fun Joy had had in a painfully long time. The last twenty-four hours might have been the most fun she’d had with a man, ever. Alex, for all of the syllables and roman numerals in his name, was at heart, a playful guy. It was just that nothing about his upbringing, his career, or his past romantic life hinted at any of it. She had to wonder if he felt as though he’d been living half a life. It was hard to fathom given every advantage he’d had, but perhaps it was true.
“Finally.” Alex turned the handle and opened one of the patio doors. Cold air rushed in with a forceful gust. The snow that had been piled up against the glass tumbled inside onto the flagstone floor.
“Oh, my God. Alex. It’s freezing.” Joy wrapped her arms around her waist and turned her face away from the arctic blast. “And the snow. It’s going to make a mess.”
“It’s frozen water. There’s a drain. It’s a pool area. It’s meant to get wet.” He approached her with a huge smile on his face. “And stop being such a wimp. Come on.” He took her hand and led her to the open door.
The cold air was more and more bracing the closer she got, but it certainly made her heart race—almost as much as Alex did. “Are we really having a snowball fight?”
“Nah. That doesn’t seem very fun. We’re just going to run out into the snow, stand there for a minute, and run back inside. Then get in the hot tub.”
“In our bathing suits. And bare feet. Right now.”
“Right now.” He squeezed her hand and lifted it to his lips. Such a simple gesture, but she loved it. For a nanosecond, she couldn’t feel the cold.
“Okay.”
Alex tore off and Joy hustled to keep up. Her bare legs shuffled into the icy snow, cold shooting up the length of her body, but this was entirely different from being in the snowbank. At least she could breathe. In fact, frozen air filled her lungs readily, but it stung in a delightful way now that she couldn’t stop laughing. She was into the snow past her knees. It came to Alex’s shins. She hopped from foot to foot, trying to keep warm, not letting go of Alex’s hand. They were facing each other, not far apart. His cheeks were bright red, his eyes piercing. Their breaths left their lips in puffs of white.
“Have we been out here long enough yet?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Nope. I’m not dying yet.”
“Wait a minute. We have to wait until you’re dying? I might freeze to death before then.”
“Just a few more seconds.” He bobbed his head five or six times, his hair flopping into his eyes. “Okay. Now.” Still holding her hand, he bolted for the back door.
With their entrance came several cubic feet of snow all over the floor. Mariella Marshall would literally give birth to a litter of kittens if she saw this. Joy wasn’t about to ruin the moment with thoughts of being found out.
Alex didn’t wait. He hopped down into the hot tub. Joy took the steps. The water was impossibly hot. Alex submerged himself to his shoulders right away, but Joy had to ease in slow
ly, the heat prickling her back and stomach. She held her arms above the surface of the water as she acclimated herself, gradually sinking down.
Alex had been so right, but she wasn’t quite ready to admit it. Her blood raced through her body. Her cheeks and lips were still ice-cold. Her body didn’t know what to do about any of it—it only knew that whatever was going on was exciting.
Alex dipped his hand into the water and ran his fingers through his thick hair, then settled back on the stone bench, draping his arms over the side of the hot tub. “Well? Good?”
No longer worried about surviving the freezing temperatures, she now had the chance to admire his chest and shoulders. Every distinct contour, the way his muscles bulged and dipped, was familiar now, but that didn’t stop her from desperately wanting to touch him. Her hands were alive with electricity. “Better than good. Fantastic.”
“Told you so.” He bounced his eyebrows in that cocky Alex way.
Joy thought she might faint. This was certainly one of those pinch-me moments, frolicking in the snow and hanging out in a hot tub with Alex, the impossibly handsome billionaire. “You were right. I fully own up to it. Between your genius at recreational planning, your Prince Charming good looks, and the fancy car, I’m trying to figure out how you’re still single.”
Half a smile cracked at the corner of his lips, but he quickly adopted a more serious look. The air stood still for a moment while the water swirled around them. Their gazes connected, his icy blue eyes making her feel exposed in a way she not only was willing to admit she liked, but that she also didn’t want to end. “I can’t figure out how you’re single, either. You’re literally one of the most beautiful and fascinating women I have ever met.”
Alex’s words were like a dream come true. Normally a compliment like that might make her blush, or possibly roll her eyes if it wasn’t delivered with sincerity. But Alex was not like a normal man. He didn’t warrant an everyday reaction. “That’s very sweet of you to say. Today has been so amazing.” The one thought that wouldn’t leave her head at this moment was that she didn’t feel like less than Alex. Not anymore. She was in awe of him, but she no longer felt as though they were on uneven ground. The realization made her keenly aware of every frantic beat of her heart.
He held out his hand, his eyes heavy with desire. “Come here.”
She’d never followed a request so quickly. She slipped her fingers into his grasp and he tugged her closer through the water. His other hand cupped the side of her face. That single touch had the power to make her melt. His hand was firm and strong against her skin. He leaned closer and she shut her eyes, soaking up the moment when his lips touched hers. His kiss was like heaven, just like the first time, the perfect balance of strong and soft. She tilted her head to the side if only to get closer to him. Her lips parted, then his, and their tongues found each other, winding together in a way that was now beautifully familiar. Every inch of her body was on fire now and not just because she was immersed in the hot water. She had to be closer to him, and the second his arm wrapped around her waist, she shifted herself, placing a knee on the bench and straddling his lap.
He groaned his approval as her legs settled against his hips and her elbows found his shoulders. Her fingers dug deep into his thick hair, their kiss never breaking. It only intensified. She gently nipped his lower lip and he got harder between her legs. She rocked back and forth against him, letting her body take over. His warm and masculine scent filled her nose, his damp, silky hair so soft against the tender underside of her forearms as she dug her fingers deeper into it. His hands raced up and down her sides, gripping tightly, pressing into her skin, like he couldn’t get enough. And she didn’t want him to go without. She reached back to the nape of her neck and untied her bikini top. He was immediately on board with her decision, undoing the tie across her back, plucking the garment from the water and tossing it onto the pool deck.
“Much better,” he muttered, pulling her into another deep kiss. His hand molded around her breast, his thumb riding back and forth across her nipple.
They rocked against each other, her hips involuntarily bucking into him. She couldn’t get enough and she couldn’t get it fast enough, either. “I want you, Alex.”
“Can I say how much I love hearing that?” The words were delivered straight to her ear, his rich voice only deepening her need for him.
“You can if you make love to me. But we have to get out. Condoms and water don’t mix.”
“I realize that.” He flattened his palm against her belly and slid his fingers down into the front of her bikini bottoms, finding her apex. “Just relax.”
Joy gasped. She dropped her chin and nestled her face into Alex’s neck. Her shoulders rolled forward and his hand did his bidding, fingers moving in firm circles. The rhythm did not waver. Round and round. The tension in her hips wound tighter.
“Kiss me,” he said.
She dragged her cheek across his stubble, their lips joined, tongues even hotter than the steam swirling around them. The kiss was wild. Brash. Like they were trying to outdo each other, only Alex had the advantage. Joy was under his spell. The strokes of his fingers exactly right, the pressure in the perfect spot. The energy gathering in her belly coiled, mercilessly pulling at the muscles in her thighs. Her breaths frayed. Her mind juggled too much—heat and pleasure and Alex.
The peak slammed into her. Alex broke the kiss. His other hand clutched the side of her neck. His thumb raised her chin. Joy’s head dropped back then rolled to the side. A squeak left her throat as the waves kept crashing. He stilled his hand. Her body tightened, then let go. Over and over again. When the final crest faded, she collapsed against his chest. He reined her in with his strong arms. She was as vulnerable as she could be, strength wrung from her body, but she’d never felt safer.
“That was so amazing.” She dotted his wet shoulder with kisses, wanting to show her appreciation.
“I loved watching you at the end.” One of his hands traced up and down her spine.
“Now we have to take care of you.” She was surprised she could feel anything at all between her legs right now, but Alex was even harder than he’d been minutes earlier.
“Upstairs. In your bed. All night long.”
She smiled, fighting back a well of sadness inside her. Tonight had been magical, but in Joy’s experience, magic didn’t last. Soon enough, the snow would be gone, and her real life, the one without Alex, would resume.
Seven
The beep beep beep woke Alex from a deep sleep. What the hell? His eyelids opened and closed. What was that sound? Oh, right. The snowplow. Careful not to wake Joy, he peeled back the duvet, padded down the hall and looked out through the Palladian window visible from the top of the stairs. The telltale scrape of metal against the house’s stone drive served as further confirmation—his time with Joy was up. Another hour or so and they would no longer be snowbound.
Which left him with a quandary. He liked Joy. A lot. Last night had been incredible. They couldn’t have gotten enough of each other if they’d tried. And they’d tried. They’d even broken a condom, a feat Alex had never before accomplished. Joy hadn’t seemed overly concerned. She said she was at the end of her cycle anyway. No need to worry.
That wasn’t heavy on his mind, but the calendar was. He was only in town for a little more than a week. Come December 26, he’d be headed back to Chicago. Just enough time to enjoy each other a few more times. The trouble was, he didn’t want to seem like he was just after her for the sex, even when there was no blowing out that candle anytime soon. They’d fallen into sync with so little effort it was uncanny. Sex with Joy was fantastic, but it wasn’t the only reason he wanted to see her. Never before had Alex wished, at least for a second or two, that he had waited or taken it slower. Even when he couldn’t imagine any path other than the one they had traveled together.
&
nbsp; The other concern was its own sticking point—feelings. Eight or nine days was just enough time to get attached. Alex was fairly sure he was capable of walking away with few scars. Not none, but few. She would always have a special place in his heart. He knew that much by now. And although he knew so little about her, he did know that while she was tough at times and fiercely independent, there was a sweet side to her as deep as the ocean. No woman cooks for a man the way she did without caring. He didn’t want to hurt her.
“Hey. You’re up,” she said from behind him. Her voice was sleepy and sexy. She was wrapped up in her robe, looking as gorgeous as he could imagine, messy hair and fresh faced.
“Yeah. Good morning.” He put his arm around her waist and kissed her temple softly. They settled against each other, both leaning into the railing, watching the back-and-forth of the plow in the driveway.
“Looks like they’re digging us out.”
“Appears so.”
She looked up at him and licked her lower lip, but her expression was difficult to decipher. The trademark Joy wariness—it was the only way to explain it. What made her like that? Was it the ex she’d talked about? Her life, at least the career and family part, all seemed perfect. If anyone was following their bliss, she was. “I’ll go make coffee and then I think I’ll call the bakery to see if they need me today.”
If she was going back to work, that meant he should probably do the same. It was Thursday, after all. He’d turned off his phone and left it downstairs. There was no telling what fresh hell might be waiting for him when he powered it back on. Back to reality. “What are the chances of scones this morning?”
A delighted grin spread across her lips. She’d converted him and she would gladly take the credit. “What happened to the guy who doesn’t eat breakfast?”
“He’s making up for lost time. I had absolutely no idea what I was missing.”
She kissed his cheek. “For you, I will make scones. Different flavor, though. I have an idea after digging through the pantry last night.” She flitted down the stairs, her hair bouncing behind her. Cooking was her happy place and he envied her for that. For him, work was work. Success brought satisfaction, and there was no question he relished any time he proved his father wrong, but he wasn’t drawn to his occupation the way Joy was.