Page 4 of Snowed in with the Enemy

"Nix?"

I paused at the doorway, turning to face the beautiful stranger. "Yeah?"

"Thank you. It means a lot, truly."

"No problem, but next time you're in town, you might want to dress for the weather. It changes on a dime this time of year." I rushed down to the kitchen, phone already in hand as I called Torey.

"Are you home?"

"What? Yeah, I've been home for over an hour, but that's not why I'm calling."

A beat of silence, then Torey sighed. "What did you forget?"

"Nothing. A hot stranger showed up on my doorstep. I sent you his picture and license plate, so if I don't show up at the bakery tomorrow, send the Sheriff looking for my body."

Another weighted pause. "So a strange but gorgeous man is inside your house right now? I'm not sure whether to shake you or congratulate you. Hang on." She sucked in a breath. "Definitely congratulate you because holy wow, that man is scrumptious."

"He could also be a killer, so maybe factor that in."

Torey's laugh echoed through the phone. "Okay, what's his name?"

"Lee," I whispered, glancing toward the stairs. "You have his photo, Torey. Don't make this weird."

"Oh, I'm the one being weird? Where is this stranger right now?"

"In Ryan's room changing out of his wet clothes."

"Wait!" She shrieked. "He's naked upstairs and you're down there talking to me?"

"Obviously. Focus, Torey. He's probably staying the night given the weather, and while I can't kick him out, I want justice if he turns out to be, you know, a psycho killer."

"Yeah," she laughed. "Okay Nix, I've got your back. Don't worry."

"I'll get right on that."

"Perfect. And get his last name too. Lee is pretty common."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. She was right, but there was no subtle way to ask now. "There's no good way to?—"

"It's Lancaster." His deep voice froze me in place.

"Did he just say—" Torey's voice boomed through the speaker. "Holy. Shit."

I turned to face him, irritated that he looked just as good in sweats and a t-shirt as he had in his fancy suit. Which, come to think of it, made perfect sense now. "Lancaster. Lee Lancaster."

"That's me," he grinned. "Nice to meet you, Nix."

A low growl escaped my throat as I glared up at the man who towered over me by at least six inches. "Good news, Torey. He's not going to kill me—he's just going to kill Holiday Grove." I ended the call, gripping my phone like a lifeline. "Lee Lancaster."

"Yes, we've established that part. Along with the fact that you're finally convinced I'm not a psycho killer."

"Not of people, anyway," I grumbled. What were the odds that this beautiful specimen, this gift of eye candy sent to help me weather the storm, would turn out to be the man determined to destroy everything I loved about my hometown? Had to be some cosmic joke.

Right?

"Look, Nix, I'm not sure what you think you know about me, but you've got it all wrong." He clenched his fists at his sides—a move that probably worked wonders on people who jumped to do his bidding, decimating amazing towns across the globe.

"Oh, I've got it all wrong, do I? My little pea brain can't possibly comprehend your billion-dollar business, right?"

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