His eyes warmed when he saw her, and she blushed in response. She knew she was acting like a sixteen-year-old on her first date, but she couldn’t help it. This was the most exciting thing to happen to her in a long time. And she needed lots of good tidbits to pass on to Leslie and Kylie so they could live vicariously.
“I wish my friends could see this,” she said. “It’s beautiful up here.”
He straightened as she sat, and then pulled her in against him to cuddle. He leaned over her hair. “You smell wonderful.”
“Um, thanks,” she said with a laugh. She inhaled his musky scent. Pine and forest and cold rivers. “You do too.”
“Thank you.” He smoothed his arm along her middle. “Much better. So soft.”
“Hey, no creeping,” she said, wriggling away. “And no touching my fat.”
“I’m touching you, not your fat. And if you don’t like it, I’ll stop.” He started to pull back, but she grabbed his arms and tugged them around her. They were huge, protective, and warm. No way she was giving them up.
Only problem was they made her think of earlier in the evening and what they’d done on the couch they were now sitting on. Damn.
“As for your friends, you’re welcome to call them up. As for sleeping arrangements, I didn’t mean to bring you to my cabin. It’s just when I thought about subjecting you to the parties at the lodge, and my brothers, I wanted to give you something private. You can take the bedroom, and I’ll take the couch. You can also call the girlfriends over and share the cabin with them.”
“Where would you go?”
“I’d still be here.”
“Um, no offense, but I don’t think they’re going to want to stay here with a dude in the living room.”
He frowned. “I didn’t think of that.”
“You didn’t think this through much, did you?”
“Honestly, I thought of it all on the spot when I saw you in that store and saw that Scott creep getting ready to make his move.”
She gave him a surprised look, then shrugged. “Well, I guess if it’s that short notice, you didn’t do too badly after all.”
“Glad you think so,” he said, holding her tight.
She held back a long sigh. He was so warm, so right. She wanted to stay here watching trashy TV while snow fell and just forget that life existed outside. She also wanted to take him back to the bedroom and make him prove what they’d had wasn’t a one-time thing. Already, her body was aching for more. She’d never been like that with Scott, never felt this constant, bone-weary need for him.
She didn’t think she was the type to be swayed by Ryder’s fame or reputation, so she wasn’t sure exactly what it was. Maybe it was just him. Maybe you really could get to know someone quickly if they were open enough.
Or maybe she was just letting her heart do more dangerous wishful thinking.
When it was dark outside, she said good night and reluctantly pulled herself out of his arms. He insisted he could set himself up on the couch and didn’t even go to the closet in her room. Instead, he pulled out a travel suitcase from a closet by the door. Ryder Hart was apparently the type who prepared for anything.
She watched him making up his bed on the couch and leaned against the frame of her bedroom door. She was surprised by the feeling of tenderness that hit her as she watched the big man trying to get comfortable on the too-small sleeping space.
Invite him in, a part of her said.
Not yet, the more persuasive part answered.
And because she’d already listened to the first part and done something far outside of her comfort zone, she allowed herself to stay inside her comfort zone on this. She bid him good night and shut the door.
But the look in his sapphire eyes stayed with her for hours before she fell asleep and then visited in her dreams, which were oddly about bears in the woods.
So when she woke to see a pair of plaintive bear eyes staring at her, she at first thought she was dreaming. But a minute later, when she realized she was all too awake, she let out a blood-shattering scream.
8
Ryder jumped on the couch where he was sleeping and rubbed his eyes. Something had woken him. A scream. Had he imagined it? He leaned forward, listening keenly in the direction of Janna’s room.
Another scream rang out, and he ran off the couch, dragging his blanket with him, and strode to her door. He knocked hurriedly, and when she didn’t respond immediately, he barged in.
She turned to him with tear-stained eyes, and he felt his heart clench in his chest. So this was the effect of a mate. He’d thought his heart was going to stop when he heard her scream. He let out a breath and walked over to her bed. She was staring mutely at the window, pointing with a shaking hand.