A rap,loud and distinct, shook the side door.
Puzzled,he rose and padded over. He flipped the outside switch and peered through thehalf-light door. Beneath the dim yellow beam, a small form huddled on thestoop. Greater than the surprise that someone was at his door was the one hegot when he opened it.
Andieshivered on his doorstep. “Thank God I found you, Beck.”
.~ * * * ~.
After closing his gaping mouth, a bespectacled Beckett drewPaige in and shut the door. She lit up inside at the sight of him.
Helooked her over. “You’re soaking wet.” He walked her to the fire and handed herhis cocktail. “Drink this. Are you all right?”
How wasthis man not married? Oh, right.
“Neverbetter. Is your invitation still open?”
He snatchedoff his glasses. “Absolutely!”
“Ibrought some wine and munchies,” she chattered, turning her back to the flames.Her legs were so cold they barely held her up.
“I’llunload your car.” Beckett pulled on boots, hat, coat, and gloves. “Keys?”
“In thecar.”
Afterhe stepped out, she looked upward at soaring tongue-and-groove vaults supportedby massive timbers, then back to the towering stone fireplace. The room shestood in—a great room—was big enough to fit two master suites. When she’d firstpulled up, she thought she was looking at a multi-unit building where Beckettowned one unit—not the entire structure. But this was no cabin. He owned africkin’ lodge! She was still gawking when he swept back in, depositing thecontents of his full arms on one of several stone kitchen counters. “That it?”
“Uh-huh.”She peeled off her gloves and coat.
When hepointed the key at the door, she made out her truck’s muffled chirp. “Youreally need to lock the car in the middle of nowhere in this weather?”
Heshrugged out of his gear. “Abominable snowmen roam all through these mountains,and they’re real practical jokers. They like to hot-wire cars and take them forjoy rides. They leave an awful smell. Surely you’ve read about the yetigrand-theft-auto crime wave in these parts?”
God, hewas making her smile already.
He tookher soggy things and disappeared. When he returned, he stood behind her andrubbed her arms. Heat radiated off him like a stoked woodstove.
“Better?”he asked.
Shefought her desire to lean against him. “G-getting there.”
“How’dyou get so damn wet? Your lips are blue.”
“Thereare no house numbers, and my GPS didn’t work up here. I must have tried fivedifferent places in the pitch dark before I found you.”
“Christ.You need to get into something warm.”
“Ididn’t bring a change of clothes. I headed out late morning, expecting to stayjust for the afternoon. But I got so turned around, it took me forever to findyou.”
Hiseyebrows crashed together. “You didn’t check the weather forecast?”
Sheshrugged. “It wasn’t supposed to be this bad.”
“Well,you’re not going anywhere in this storm. I’ll find you something, pixie.Then I’ll pour you a glass of wine, and you can sit by the fire. I’m gladyou’re here, by the way.” He gave her a cockeyed grin that brightened his lightblue eyes.
Crap!I’m in trouble.
Hedisappeared again, only to return with a stack of folded clothes. “These arethe smallest I could find. The heat’s off in the guest rooms, so change in myroom.” He pointed toward where he’d just come from. “You can use that bathroomtoo.”
Shestepped through the doorway and about dropped her jaw. On one golden-plasteredwall stood a king-sized sleigh bed covered in lush navy and cream bedding. Itwas piled high with neatly arranged pillows and begged to be jumped on.Opposite, a stacked-stone fireplace rose to a vaulted ceiling. But the bestpart? The twenty-foot-high floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out on thesnowscape swirling against an ultramarine backdrop.
In theequally luxurious bathroom, she changed into a pair of worn flannel pants and agreen long-sleeved T-shirt; it smelled like Beckett. He’d also given her aburgundy robe—which hung on her like something from a Harry Pottermovie—and a pair of white crew socks.
Peeringinto a wide mirror fixed above double stone sinks, she finger-combed her hairand pinched her wan cheeks. Ugh. The look was as far from body-clinging Tadashias she could possibly get, but she was dry and warm. When she emerged, Beckettwas uncorking a bottle of wine. She eyed him; she couldn’t help it. He wore asnug, long-sleeved white tee, navy flannel lounge pants, and wool socks.Everything fit—really well. When he glanced over at her, he started laughing.
“What?You’ve never seen a woman in clothes she picked up from a big-and-tall before?”she quipped.
“Ithink we could fit two of you in that outfit.”
“Thisway I can eat as much as I want without the waistband digging in.” She shuckedthe robe, yanked and cinched the pants—again. “I like how we match, Beck. We’retwins.”
He handedher a glass of wine and rang his against it. “Twins. Just what I was thinking.Not.” After a sip, he said, “Now satisfy my curiosity. I thought you couldn’tget away. What changed?”
“A fewappointments got postponed.” By me. “I suddenly had a free afternoon andwas ready for an adventure. Besides, I wanted to see your place.” Wanted tosee you. Paige swallowed a hefty gulp. Does he buy it?
“Ah.Well, it sounds as if just getting here was an adventure. With this ragingstorm, you may regret coming. I hope you’re ready and willing to hunker downfor a while.”
Stuckin a cabin alone with you? Oh yeah. Can’t think of a better way to put thisdisturbing day behind me. Hadhe forgiven her though? Since they’d made up, he’d acted as though nothing hadhappened. Yet she’d fretted. Everything had to be right again.
Hestudied her over the rim of his glass.
Thebreath suddenly whooshed from her lungs, and tears flooded her eyes. Damnit! She flapped her hand in front of her face. She’d vowed to herself shewouldn’t do this. “I’m sorry.”
Hewrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “Don’t be. This aboutthe divorce being final today, huh? I didn’t bring it up because I was waitingto follow your lead, and you didn’t seem ready to go there.”
“Youremembered.” She laid her cheek against him. “I didn’t expect
