Emma took her purse from Skylar and immediately dug for her cell phone. At least Aiden had cell phone service here. She had two messages, but she’d look at them later. Right now, Skylar was smiling at her with an odd expression.

“What is it?” Emma asked.

“Nothing.” She grinned. “Doc’s ready to go, but maybe when the snow slows down, I can come back for some girl talk.”

“Okay.” Skylar was acting strange. But maybe she was always strange. After all, they’d just met. “What kind of girl talk?”

Skylar smiled broadly. “You know. Boys and such. There’s really no one around here for me to talk to. Except Riley.” Skylar wrinkled her nose. “But Riley’s engaged, so she doesn’t really count.”

Emma kind of doubted that. Skylar didn’t look like the kind of girl who would spend much time alone, but she was willing to play along. “Sure. Looks like I’ll be here for a few days anyway.”

“Great.” Skylar started toward the door, but turned back, “An elderly couple got stranded here in the snow and needed a place to stay, so I gave them your cabin. I hope you don’t mind. You won’t owe anything for your stay. See you later.” She waved and headed out the door before Emma had a chance to respond one way or the other.

Stranded. She was stranded here with hunky guy Aiden. She didn’t even know how to get to her car. At least she had her cell phone. She had one message from Henry – just checking in and one message from her mother – also checking in.

Since Aiden was outside bringing in firewood, she immediately called her mother back. “Hi Mom.” She infused as much positivity that she could muster.

“How’s your trip?”

“It’s not going quite as planned. There’s a blizzard, and I’m snowed in.”

“Oh honey, you really need to start checking the weather before you head out to those places.”

“I know.” She groaned. “But anyway, I got some good footage of a momma bear and her cubs.”

“I can’t even think about being out there in the woods all alone with bears and other wild animals.”

Aiden came into the room and closed the back door with his foot.

“What’s that noise? Is someone in your room?”

Her mother always did have impeccable hearing. “It’s just the help delivering firewood.”

Aiden lifted his eyebrows and dropped the logs into the wood box. He grinned.

“See. Firewood delivery.”

“Well… That’s a nice service they provide.”

“It’s a nice place. But I should go, so I can pay him.”

“It’s not included?”

“I have to tip him. But I just wanted to call you back and let you know that I’m okay.”

“Okay, dear. But please watch out for strangers. You’ve always been so trusting.”

“I’ll be careful, Mom. Love you.”

They disconnected, and Aiden held out his hand.

“What?”

“My tip.” He smiled mischievously.

She crossed her arms and glared at him. “Sorry. I don’t carry cash.”

“Seriously?”

She shrugged. “Yeah.”

“Then you’ll have to come up with another form of payment.”

She frowned at him.

“I can’t have you lying to your mother. That’s not good business. If I lied to my mother, she’d know it, and there’d be hell to pay.”

Emma laughed at the image of this grown man being scolded by his mother. “Unfortunately, unless you take credit cards, I don’t have anything of value.”

“Well, I don’t take credit cards, but I’m pretty sure you have something of value.”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“My, my, Emma Miller. Your mind does go to interesting places.”

“You’re a mind-reader now?”

“I don’t have to be a mind reader to know that look.”

His smile was contagious. “All right. You can steal a kiss.” She tapped her cheek. “Right here.”

Without hesitation, he leaned over, both hands against the couch, and placed his lips on her cheek. But this was no friendly peck on the cheek. This was an I-want-more-so-much-more kiss.

Emma closed her eyes and savored every moment of his lips on her skin. When he pulled away, her eyes fluttered open to see that he had a smug look on his face.

And she suddenly became aware that she had on very little under his t-shirt. She pulled the blanket up to her chin. “I think you’re paid in full.”

“Perhaps there’s more I can do for you.”

“I need to put on my clothes.”

“Why? You don’t like my t-shirt and boxer shorts?”

She squirmed at the thought of his t-shirt against her naked breasts and his boxer shorts against her privates. And then it struck her. “How did I get undressed?”

“Somebody had to do it before you froze to death.”

She squinted at him.

“I can assure you. I was a perfect gentleman.”

“I probably don’t even want to know.”

“I put a blanket over you while I undressed you, so I promise I didn’t see much at all.”

“Not much, huh?” She was having a little trouble getting past the thought of his hands undressing her.

He shook his head. “Nah. Not much at all.”

She stared at him, and he was looking at her with that look.

“So.” He cleared his throat. “I’m gonna go get the guest room ready for you.”

She smiled. It was good to know that she wasn’t the only one who was feeling a little out of sorts. She looked out the window at the fat snowflakes still falling.

Maybe it would keep snowing for a few more days.

A few weeks would be okay, too.