Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16661 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16661 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
Despite the snow that increased in both the size of the flakes and speed at which they fell from the sky, she swore he watched her as he walked up to her vehicle and swerved to the driver’s door.
Making sure her hazards were on, she unlocked the door and began to open it. A large hand on the upper frame stopped her.
Okay. Guess he doesn’t want me out there.
Biting back her instant irritation that for whatever reason warred with her internal squealing—she needed to rein in her inner romance whore—that he was a man who wanted to protect her from the weather. She lowered the window and sucked a sharp breath as the biting wind slammed into her, even with the mere two inches she’d opened it. However, on that coldness, came a scent of pine and musk. One that made her insides flip.
“Are you okay? It’s freezing out here.”
Shut up, he knows it’s cold. He’s the one standing out in the winter weather.
Weather that was getting worse by the second.
He thumbed up the brim of his cap, the chestnut brown hair, darker by the snow that’d dampened it and curled against the nape of his neck, and she was smacked with thick smoky lashes that exposed deep, rich sapphire blue eyes. Another wave of heat rolled over her, despite the window being down.
“You stopped.”
Holy crap. That voice. Had she not been near orgasm merely from watching him walk and his scent, his voice would have kicked her to the edge. As it was, she almost fell over that cliff.
“I did. Can I drop you in town? It’s not a night to be stuck alongside the road. Not that any night is a good one to be stranded. But maybe you’re not and you have a tow coming.” She flushed. “Oh god, I’m rambling. I’m sorry.”
He nodded, his beard dotted with snowflakes. “I would love a ride.” A pause as he ran an ungloved hand along the rim of her car. “I’m going to grab my bag, okay?” His words were hesitant, almost like he worried she would race off leaving him stranded, the moment he stepped away.
She managed to nod without having yet another flood of verbal diarrhea that only solidified her understanding as to why she was single. She lifted the window while staring at his firm ass while he headed back to his vehicle.
Plus I’m not single digit size. This is a man who is panty-soaking handsome and could have the pick of any woman he wanted. Like sexy as fuck lumberjack. Or mountain man. Or rugged grumpy who falls for his sunshiny neighbor and is always saving her.
Vivyan rolled her eyes. Could she stop thinking about romance novels at the moment? This wasn’t fiction. This was real life and she was about to have a stranger—a very large one—climb into her vehicle with her. In bad weather and he was damn near twice her size.
Her heart kicked up when he strode around the front of her SUV toward the passenger side. She hit the unlock button and swallowed hard as he popped open the back door, tossing his bag in on the seat. When that door closed, she exhaled and prepared herself for sharing her vehicle with this stranger.
The SUV rocked to the side, a combination of the wind and his large size settling into the seat.
“I appreciate you stopping.” He touched the brim of his cap. “Thought I may have been spending the night out here. A few other cars blew right by me.”
She glanced at him. A mistake for her breathing grew erratic again. “People left you there?” Indignation filled her. That was tantamount to killing someone on a night like this.
Firm lips twitched as he looked at her while buckling his belt. “You almost did. I stepped out of the vehicle and I could feel you almost leave.” She opened her mouth and he shook his head. “I get it, I’m a scary motherfucker.”
Vivyan bit the inside of her cheek. He reached over and covered her hand with his. Large, scarred, and covered with a dusting of hair it completely dwarfed hers. Her heart paused before kicking up a few knots. How was it this man’s hands warmed her? He’d been outside in this freezing cold weather, no gloves, no coat. And she believed that he was warmer than she.
“I will never hurt you, angel.”
“Vivyan,” she corrected. “My name is Vivyan.”
Lips twitched. “My name is Ronan. Ronan Milo.”
She didn’t want to think about how she missed his touch when he pulled his hand back.
“Nice to meet you.” Vivyan shifted into gear, checked the mirrors, turned off the hazards, and put them on the road once more, heading toward Sander’s Point.
Not commenting when he flicked on his seat heater, she kept both hands on the wheel. Wind buffeted her vehicle, slipping them on slick surface. It wasn’t that she was overly concerned. Sure, winter driving was dangerous but she’d grown up in the middle of Wisconsin and was used to that feat. Right now, though, it was a bit different when she was now responsible for someone else in the vehicle with her.