“At least it stopped snowing.” Taylor snuggled under the down blanket as Brayden turned from adding wood to the fireplace. “But it’s sooo cold.”

“I know how we can warm up.”

Taylor’s eyes widened. “I bet you do.”

“My, my, Taylor Stone. Your mind does go to interesting places.”

She pulled the blanket higher to cover her smile. Her mind was indeed going to interesting places. He was wearing jeans that had just the right fit. Not too tight. Not too loose. Watching him bend in front of the fire had set loose a flutter of little butterflies all through her stomach. She decided it was best not to answer.

“I was thinking more along the lines of a bath.”

“I already had a bath.” She said against the blanket.

“Didn’t it warm you up?”

She lowered the blanket from her face. “Yes. It warmed me up quite a bit.” She admitted.

He rubbed his hands along his arms. “You know what? I think I’ll take a hot bath.”

“Good idea.” She said and nestled deeper into the couch.

He grinned and went into the bathroom. A few seconds later, she heard water running.

With the blanket around her shoulders, she went to warm herself in front of the fireplace. She needed to think about something besides Brayden naked in the next room.

Anything would do.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t get her mind to focus on anything else for longer than a few seconds. She gave up, closed her eyes, and replayed the feel of his arms around her as he pulled her from the tree.

“The water’s about ready.”

She jumped, and her eyes flew open. He was standing right in front of her. Totally in her space. “Good.” She scoffed at herself. She couldn’t even put her brain in gear enough to make a complete sentence.

He grinned at her. “I really hate to keep that hot water all to myself.”

Her eyes widened. She shook her head, and he shrugged. “If you change your mind…” He said as he turned around.

She heard him turn off the water to the tub. She paced to the window and watched as the snow fluttered against the window pane.

She shivered. A hot bath sounded really good. She shook her head.

I just met him. Taylor wasn’t one to hook up with guys. She’d had a boyfriend in high school and a couple of boyfriends in college. She’d only slept with one of the boyfriends in college. And she’d really expected to marry him. But once they graduated, and he moved to Minnesota to go to graduate school, he’d called her twice. Twice.

The second time he called, he told her it wasn’t going to work out. He couldn’t do the long-distance relationship thing. Taylor hadn’t seen that coming. He’d promised that they’d stay together and find a way to make their relationship work.

In retrospect, she considered herself fortunate. After she’d gotten over the pain of being dumped, she’d realized how controlling he was. Taylor enjoyed her freedom. She loved making her own decisions.

Single by choice. Having a mother who was a psychiatric nurse had led to her having an open mind about most things. Overall.

But she’d never been tempted like this before. There was something about Brayden that she couldn’t explain. Just seeing him set her hands trembling and her heart racing.

Something crashed in the bathroom.

Then silence.

“Brayden?”

No answer.

Damn it.

She turned on her heel and tossed the blanket onto the sofa on her way to the bathroom.

He’d left the door open. She stood in the doorway and instantly saw the overturned chair. Then looked at Brayden sitting in a tub of bubbles, looking sheepishly at her, only his head visible above the mountain of bubbles. “Oops,” he said.

A bubble of laughter escaped before she could stop it.

He grinned at her. “What’s funny.”

“You. Taking a bubble bath.”

“You’ve never seen a man take a bubble bath?”

“No. Actually I haven’t. It’s very metro of you.”

“Maybe I’m a metrosexual.”

“You? Ha. I don’t think so.”

“I’m hurt. I’m very metro, thank you.”

“You’re a cowboy.”

“Okay. Now you’ve done it.” He shifted in the tub.

She put a hand over her mouth and laughed.

“You really know how to boost a guy’s ego.” He put his hand on the edge of the tub as though to stand up.

She shrieked and covered her eyes. “What are you doing?”

“I’m coming to get you.”

“No.” She shook her head and turned. “I take it back,” she said, but her voice caught.