Page 65 of Enemies, Lovers & A Valentine's Baby

In no time at all, my hair is plastered to my face from the wet snow, and I’m shivering.

He’s right. We don’t have forty minutes.

“Okay,” I agree, as my teeth start to chatter.

Chapter 25

The Start Of Something

Cole

Looking out the car window, I am barely able to see anything through the heavy snow. I’m glad that Lila didn’t fight me on my offer to wait it out at my home. I have a feeling this is going to be a strong storm.

We’re getting ready to pull up to my house, and I glance at her out of the corner of my eye, wanting to know what she thinks of it. I purchased this home a few months ago, and she’s the first woman I’ve ever brought here.

As if with new eyes, I watch as the car pulls up into a driveway that itself looks large enough to host an event, to a house that seems plucked directly from the pages ofArchitectural Digest. The massive structure of steel and glass seems to glow softly, as if it stole the last bit of sunset.

The house is even more impressive up close. The towering doors swing open as if on cue, revealing an entryway so big it feels like it belongs to a museum, not a home.

I lead Lila into my living room, her heels clicking softly on the polished marble floors. The warmth hits me immediately, the air scented faintly with cedar and lingering smoke from my earlier fire.

Her eyes roam around, lingering on everything we pass by. The floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the bare winter trees outside, the staircase that twists upward like it belongs in a design catalog, the subtle, neutral colors that feel as controlled as everything else about this house.

I can almost read her thoughts. It’s beautiful, but it’s cold. There’s no clutter, no signs of life. Nothing to suggest that anyone lives here.

“Why don’t I get you a towel and a warm change of clothes? Then, we can get started on something to warm you up. Maybe some tea,” I say, and she nods, wrapping her arms around herself to try and stop the shivering.

I can tell she’s freezing. Her skin is pale, the only color on her face being those blue orbs. I need to get her into something warm right now.

I quickly throw on a black sweatsuit and grab a pair of gray sweats and a hoodie from my closet, going back to the living room to hand them to her.

“Um...Where can I...” she starts uncomfortably.

“There’s a guest bedroom right through that door over there. You can change in there,” I gesture to the door on the right. She nods, taking the clothes and heading off to change while I go in search of some tea.

She’s out in only a few minutes, looking better than she did going in. At least her skin doesn’t look as ashen as it did justmoments ago, and I have to say that she looks much better in those sweats than I do.

“Thank you for the change of clothes, and I hope you don’t mind I used the hair dryer,” she says shyly.

“You’re welcome,” I respond, pouring out a cup of tea for her from the whistling kettle.

“Here you go. Careful though, it’s scalding hot,” I warn, setting the cup in front of her on the kitchen island.

“Thank you.” She blows softly on the tea before taking a sip. I pour myself a cup too, and we sit across from each other sipping in comfortable silence.

“Thank you for the tea. I’m definitely warmer now,” Lila tells me, pushing her empty teacup to the side.

“How about we trade the tea for a drink? We didn’t really get a chance to enjoy one together at the gala.”

“Depends. What do you have in mind?” she asks.

“Well, I’ve got this vintage bottle of wine I’ve been saving for a special occasion. Will you do me the honor?”

“What makes this a special occasion?” she asks, a puzzled look on her face.

“Well, for starters, I did save you from a snowstorm.” I grin as she rolls her eyes at me.

“If you’re trying to get me drunk, it’s not going to work.”

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