The chalet he took Annie to boasted one rather large building, three stories in total. The main floor was dedicated to guest services—spa facilities, dining, lounge, and even a small gym. The second and third floors hosted luxurious guest quarters.

From the outside, the stained logs stood out in sharp contrast to the snowy backdrop. The windows, their French panes double-glazed against the cold, peeked out. So many eyes could be watching as he pulled out the suitcases from the trunk of his car.

Annie had shaken her head and sighed when the apparel arrived at his condo earlier that day. In her size. Folded and packed, ready to go.

When she asked how, he’d winked—yeah, he’d fucking winked again—and mouthed, “magic.” The powers of a credit card and friends who knew how to get shit done, even shopping for clothes for a trip to the snowy mountains.

As he let the valet take his car to park, and the bellman wheeled their luggage inside, he took a moment to peruse the windows, wondering if anyone inside was watching.

Is my target here?

An anonymous tip claimed she was.

If true, then what the fuck was he thinking bringing Annie along?

I had no choice. She was in danger if left alone. And if he didn’t keep an eye on her, she’d flee.

The best and only thing to do was keep her close.

You could have asked Harry to stash her somewhere safe.

Could have, but didn’t. He didn’t want anyone else protecting her.

And if the asshole terrorizing her came after her here—they wouldn’t find his body until the spring thaw.

If ever.

“Why are you grinning?” she asked.

He peered down at her, still smiling. “Can’t a man be happy to go away with a beautiful woman?”

Her cheeks took on a bloom that had nothing to do with the chilly air. “You don’t have to sweet-talk me anymore. I’m already here with you.”

“I don’t sweet-talk.” Perish the thought. “Just stating the truth. Come on. Let’s get you inside.”

Inside had a giant crackling hearth, couches scattered, and a few people in turtlenecks and sweaters who gazed at them curiously as they strode in, bringing with them a gust of cold air.

As they checked in, Reaper casually perused those in the lounge area. Was one of them the woman he sought? As for Annie’s stalker, he wouldn’t know. She’d yet to give more than a mumbled, “Tall asshole, you’ll know him if you see him. He’ll be the one talking trash to me.”

Not with my fist in his mouth, he won’t.

Annie didn’t say anything when she found out they’d be sharing a room. The sexual tension between them could have been cut with a knife it had gotten so thick.

She didn’t shy from his touch, and he’d seen her on more than one occasion staring at him, only to blush when he caught her.

Soon, honey. Soon, you’ll be mine.

The room given to them was big, but the bed still took up an impressive amount of space, as did the fireplace with—oh, yeah—the faux fur rug in front. Not real. The brochure stated that in small print.

He could almost touch her nervousness as they entered.

A nicer man might have offered to see if they had another room available to give her space.

I am not a nice man.

He could argue that he did it to keep her safe. That he couldn’t exactly protect her if she slept elsewhere. The real truth was that he wanted her with him. Here. In this room. In this bed.

Naked in his arms.

Goals.

She shed her outer clothes and hung them on the hooks on the wall, the rubber mat under it meant to catch any drips from outerwear. Her boots followed, and she said nothing as he followed suit.

Winter garments shed, Reaper watched her as she prowled the room, pausing for a moment to stretch her hands out to the flames.

“So, um—”

Knowing she would just start arguing—because it was what she did when nervous, he’d noticed—he swept her into his arms and kissed her. Not exactly a hardship, given that he’d wanted to kiss her for hours now.

Like when she ranted at him in his condo about not going on this trip.

When she’d drooled on him as she took a nap on his shoulder.

And now that they were alone, he didn’t stop the urge. He plastered his mouth to hers, and while she might have gasped at the contact, she kissed him back.

Kissed him and held him tightly. If only there were fewer layers between them.

He pulled back to take care of the problem, which meant she got a lungful of air.

“Shouldn’t we—”

“No.”

“But—”

He slanted his mouth over hers as his hands tugged at her clothes. The sweater came off over her head. He slid her pants down, the loose fabric pooling around her feet, easy enough for her to step out of.

As if his denuding of her body acted as a catalyst, she also stripped him, her hands skimming and stroking skin as she removed all his clothing except his socks.

They both stood in socks, and she giggled as she stared at their feet.

“Should we take them off?”

“I say we keep our toes warm and keep them on.” He winked, and she laughed. She looked so amazing in that moment.

Naked and proud, she didn’t hide her body, her heavy breasts with the dark nipples, the indent of her waist and flaring hips. Even her nicely rounded thighs. One hundred percent woman.

While he observed her, she stared at him. She reached forward to trace the scar on his chest.

“What happened? Heart attack?”

“Not quite. I was injured at work.”

“I didn’t know real estate was dangerous.”

“You have no idea,” he murmured. “What’s this?”

He noted the white line of a scar across her own chest. Surely not…

“Knife wound.”

He didn’t ask who, just reeled her close and dug his fingers into her hair, finding the pins holding it in place, pulling them free so that her dark strands tumbled around her shoulders.

“So fucking beautiful,” he growled.

“You aren’t too shabby yourself,” was her husky reply.

His nostrils flared at the teasing words. This was the woman he wanted. A woman untamed and ready to be loved.

He pressed his mouth to hers, drinking of her essence, imprinting himself on her lips.

Something in her exploded. Or perhaps it was just the last barrier to her resistance finally brought down by lust. Whatever it was, her mouth devoured his hungrily. Her tongue slid against his and savored him. She even sucked at him, a suddenly brazen temptress.

Her body brushed against his, igniting every single nerve ending he owned. Plus some. The heat of her scorched his skin.

Her hands clutched at his shoulders while he stroked over the skin of her back, learning her shape, dipping low enough to cup her sweet ass.

He spun her so that she spooned into him, his mouth dragging across her neck up to the lobe of her ear. He licked it, and she sighed, her head dropping back, giving him access. As he sucked her tender flesh, his hands cupped the curve of her breasts, kneading them in his palms. Squeezing them. Rolling his callused thumbs over the tips.

She shivered.

Not from the cold. The flames dancing in the fireplace kept the room warm. But desire shook her, and he held her cradled against his body, the skin-to-skin contact exciting, and they’d only just begun.

His hand slid down her belly to cup her mound, and the heat of her scorched. She moaned as she gyrated against his palm, demanding more.

More is coming, honey.

She whirled around and reached to grab him, her hand barely fitting around his engorged cock.

“Nice,” she murmured.

He couldn’t help but swell at the appreciation in the word.

Then moan as she slid her hand up his shaft, then back again. While she toyed with his cock, his fingers plucked at her nipples, twisting and rolling the nubs while his hips pumped in time to her hand motion.

“Fuck, Annie, you’re going to make me come.”

Did she stop?

No.

She muttered a husky, “Should I get on my knees?”

He almost said yes.

But he’d waited it seemed like an eternity for this moment.

The carpet provided a soft padding for her body as he lay her down on it. The flames licked in the hearth, the orange light dancing over her nude skin.

He could have stared at her forever; she looked so perfect. Her skin flushed with passion, her eyelids heavy, her lips parted and welcoming. And he had to stop to grab a condom from the pants he’d shed.

Clutching the foil packet, he joined her, nestling his heavier body between her thighs, rubbing against her mound.

She rocked against him and drew him down for another kiss, threading her fingers through his hair. Tugging it. Roughly.

“Now,” she growled, most demandingly.

“Give me a second,” he grumbled back as he fumbled with the condom.

She didn’t make it easy. As he tried to roll it onto his thick cock, she hung on to him, licking and sucking at his neck. Even nipping it.

What a wild and wicked temptress his Annie was turning out to be.

Finally, the condom sheathed him, and he was ready to tease her back.

The head of his cock nudged at her sex. Her thighs parted to give him better access. He pushed into her, stretching the walls of her sex, feeling the tight grip of her around him. Their lips meshed in a heated kiss as he thrust into her. Felt her squeezing tightly.

As he drove deeper into her, she dug her nails into his back, the painful bite only making his pleasure deepen. She arched under him, drawing him balls-deep, her breath hitching, her skin hot and dewy against his.

Need coiled inside him, a need to thrust and mark this woman. A need to hear her scream as she came.

Came for him.

His hips rotated against her, grinding himself into her tight sheath, pressing against a spot that had her gasping in pleasure.

The noises she made? Fucking incredible.

When her body went rigid, he expected the pulsing waves. He didn’t anticipate the exultation that came with her murmured, “Reaper. My Charming Reaper.”

His name on her lips. His real name. It threw him over the edge, and he pumped her hard and fast, drawing out her waves of bliss, even sending her silently screaming into a second orgasm as his pleasure finally exploded.

He collapsed against her. Hot. Sweaty. Sated.

Happy.

So fucking happy.

He might have smiled like a moron when she suggested a shower—together. He certainly scowled at the bellhop when he ordered up food, and the guy tried to peek over Reaper’s shoulder.

He definitely wore a grin when he woke up the next morning to her looking just as gorgeous as ever.

No artifice with her. No regrets either.

Annie was the one who rolled atop him to say good morning. She yelled his name when she came around his cock.

Reaper felt like the man until she said, “Let’s go skiing after breakfast.”