The next morning Lee carried two cups of coffee to the wraparound porch. Brooke was huddled in the corner with a blanket draped around her shoulders. The snow hadn’t stopped all night. She looked like an angel sitting there. He almost hated to interrupt her. She looked lost in thought. He knew this place had a way of doing that. It stirred something in him too.

He knew how much he loved his peaceful mornings here. It was one of the reasons he had fought so hard with Ty to keep her away. He didn’t want his routine interrupted. But now with Brooke on the porch, he couldn’t imagine her being anywhere else. She didn’t know it yet, but this was where she belonged. She would be safe here. She would be cared for in a way she could never experience anywhere else.

He sat next to her on the steps, handing her a hot mug.

“For you.” He put the ceramic in her hands.

“Thanks.” Her eyebrows pinched together. “Is there liquor in it?”

He chuckled. “No. Just straight coffee.”

“Too bad. I think I should just stay drunk for the next two months.”

“Coping mechanism?” he pressed.

“How did you know?”

He thought he saw a tiny smile on the corner of her lips, but it quickly disappeared.

“How did you sleep?” he asked, ignoring her sarcasm.

She pulled the cup to her lips. He couldn’t stop staring at them. Fuck. He had been in the woods too long. Just looking at her made his cock hard. She was gorgeous, but he reacted to her too quickly, too easily. He had to get control again.

“My cell is ok,” she sassed.

He huffed. “It’s not a cell. You have an entire suite. A luxury suite.” He knew which rooms Tyler had chosen for her. It was the most elegant set in the cabin.

She looked at him. “I can’t exactly leave, can I? So I’m going to call it what it is—a cell.”

He shook his head. “That was Ty’s deal with your cousin, but give it a chance.” He sighed and looked toward the tree line. “I know you aren’t here by choice, but it’s a special place. I didn’t want to come here either, but I’m not sure I want to leave now. There’s nothing like this in the city. Clean air. Nature.” He exhaled. “I think I might stay here a lot longer than I planned.”

She pointed to his face. “And the beard? Part of communing with nature?”

He scowled at her. “Are you always such a smartass?”

“Do you always look like you’re going to devour someone?” Her cheeks immediately flushed and she covered her mouth. “I’m sorry.”

Shit. Did she know that’s all he dreamed about last night? Devouring her sweet pussy while the come flowed to his mouth. Did she have any idea that he wanted her to come so hard he could lube her ass with it and slide inside her? He’d never seen an ass in a pair of jeans like hers at dinner last night.

He couldn’t get her out of his mind. He had to take a shower at 3am, just to soothe his aching cock. She had him upside down. He twisted inside out, in a way he hadn’t felt in months. If he was being honest about it, possibly years.

He grunted. “Don’t worry about it.”

They drank their coffees in silence for a minute.

“You know there’s an extra office upstairs?” He finally broke their silence. “It isn’t being used by either of us.”

“What are you saying?”

“Just that you can have a space to work here if you’re serious about taking on the StarCon project.”

She huffed. “Another prison?”

“It’s not a prison.”

“I think we have different perspectives on this arrangement.”

“Come on.” He stood tall, towering over her. “I’ll show you.” He waited for her, but she threw him an icy stare.

“Fine,” she grumbled. “I’ll take a look.”

He hid his smile as he led her inside the house. Brooke followed behind him closely as they ascended the stairs. At the end of the dark hallway was a set of double doors. Lee opened them.

Brooke gasped. “This is the office?”

“Think this would suit your needs?”

She strolled to the center of the room. He watched the wonder on her face. There was pride welling in his chest. He knew he had impressed her. There was so much he could show her. So much he could do for her.

She turned around to face him. “It’s incredible. But there has to be a catch.” She stood over the design table.

He shook his head. “No catch. We’re used to working in the finest offices in the world. We’ve thought about having a working office here, but every time we’re about to pull the trigger we change our minds.”

“Why?” she asked.

Lee sighed. “I think it would ruin it. If we turn this place into another corporate headquarters, what’s the point? There are no more places to escape.”

“So this is a full-fledged hideout, isn’t it?” she pried.

“Not a hideout,” he snarled. “We needed a break. This is a break.”

She rolled her eyes. “If you say so.” Her fingers smoothed over the deep mahogany on the bookshelves.

“I’ll let you get comfortable.” He started to back out of the room.

“I’m going to win my freedom,” she reminded him. “Just watch.”

He grinned. “I have no doubt you’re going to try.”

He closed the doors and walked to his own set of rooms. It had taken everything in him not to kiss that defiant look off her face. This was never his plan. Ty had lost his fucking mind. Convincing Brooke was going to be a hell of a challenge.

Lee grabbed his hiking jacket and his camera. He had to get out of this house and away from Brooke. Away from the temptation she dangled in front of him.

He stormed out of the house and straight into the woods.