by Zoe Chant
Special Sneak Preview
Del slipped some shoes on and went around to the shack out the back to retrieve the shovels while Hazel zipped herself back inside her coat. She tried not to feel too disappointed about the way things were going. Del was being helpful – getting her food and luggage out of the car while the weather was clear. If they didn’t do it now, who knew when they might have another chance?
Del was being sensible.
Dammit, don’t be sensible! Take me right now, on the couch!
Hazel rolled her eyes at herself.
You’re a calm, professional woman, she reminded herself. You don’t throw yourself at men you’ve only just met.
That might’ve been true, in ordinary circumstances. But this was no ordinary circumstance, and Del was no ordinary man.
“Ready to go?” Del asked her, sticking his head in the back door. “I’ve shoveled a pathway out to the road. It seems like a snow plow has already been through, thankfully.”
Hazel was surprised. “That was quick.”
“If this community’s the same as I remember it, they’re always quick off the mark with things like that. No use waiting for someone else to do what you can do for yourself, is what they used to say.”
“Hard to disagree with that,” Hazel said. She opened the front door, waiting for him to come and join her.
He appeared around the corner of the house after only a moment, smiling and holding two shovels. He held one out to her. “Ready to go?”
Hazel reached out to grab one from his ungloved hand.
And the next moment, it was like a wave had crashed over her, dragging her into the depths of the ocean.
Hazel didn’t know if she could even describe it – one minute she had been standing next to Del like a perfectly reasonable adult; then their fingers brushed, and suddenly they were locked at the lips, arms twined around each other, his fingers curling through her hair and cupping the back of her head.
She could feel the strength of his hand around her waist, even through the thick down of her parka, his desperation to hold her evident in every move he made.
She melted against his chest, feeling helpless against the onslaught of his desire – and her own. All her thoughts seemed to be blocked out of her head. The only thing she could think was More, Please, Yes.
Sparks chased themselves through her body, sending small shockwaves of pleasure over her skin. His tongue swept into her mouth like it had been made to kiss her, hungry to taste her.
Just as hungry as she was to taste him.
He tasted warm and rich, like milk and honey – like evenings spent sitting by the fireside and drinking whisky. His big, warm body seemed to envelop her, pulling her into him, filling her up.
God, she wanted him.
She could feel her nipples hardening inside her clothes, goosebumps rising on her skin.
And she could tell from the growing hardness at his groin that he wanted her too. That this kiss was having exactly the same effect on him as it was on her.
She gasped when he broke away, still seeking his lips with hers for a moment before she opened her eyes.
He was looking down at her, his chestnut eyes drowsy with lust, his lips swollen and parted.
“I… I…” he started to say, before giving himself a quick shake. “Believe me when I say there’s nothing I want more than to carry you back inside and make love to you from now until tomorrow morning. But…”
With reluctance, Hazel realized what he was saying. There wasn’t a lot of food in the cabin. If they didn’t go dig her car out, they’d have nothing to eat. And then being overcome with passion might start to seem like not such a great idea after all.
“I know,” she said. He was still holding her against his body, one arm around the hourglass of her waist, the other tangled in her hair.
“If we didn’t have to… God, this is hard. So much of me just wants to say to hell with it, and…” Del trailed off, his voice husky with need. “But I promise you, the moment we’re back inside…”
Hazel nodded, biting her lip. She’d already made one decision today where her emotions had overruled her common sense. She’d be pushing her luck to make another. They couldn’t both turn out so wonderfully.
“We’ll be back in no time,” Del promised her. “I’m a fast digger.”
“You better be,” Hazel said. “Because I don’t know if I can wait that long. Might have to just pull you into the backseat of the car.”
Del swallowed heavily. She could see that maybe, that wouldn’t be particularly unwelcome. Heat flared through her, settling in her core. She’d said it as a joke, but perhaps, perhaps…
Finally, they managed to extricate themselves from each other’s arms. Hazel missed his warmth against her immediately. She felt empty without his hot body pressed against hers.
But we’ll be back soon enough. And then…
Hazel shivered. Then, she’d be all his.
And he’d be all hers.
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