Page 24 of Scotch & Shortbread

She shrugged indifferently, and he looked like he was about to say something but held back. Instead, they both fell into a companionable silence as they sat sipping their warm drinks and watching the logs burn and crackle in the fireplace.

17

The Will of the Snow Gods

Quinnletoutacontented little sigh that stole Alex’s attention. While she seemed deep in thought staring into the fire, he took the opportunity to study her. It was no wonder Alex found her attractive. Physically, the lass was very bonnie. Auburn brown hair fell just past her shoulders. In the firelight, the glistening strands of rich bronze and copper appeared to be shimmering. A pert nose fit perfectly against the backdrop of soft angled cheekbones and full rosy lips. He was mesmerized as she took a sip of tea, and her pink tongue darted out to lick her lips. As if sensing his eyes on her, she glanced up at him. When he didn’t look away, her big brown eyes turned sheepish.

“You must think I’m an idiot.” She exhaled, looking down into her mug. “For getting stranded out there.” She closed her eyes, and he had no doubt she was reliving the events of the day.

“I dinnae think yer an idiot lass, far from it,” Alex replied honestly.

Quinn looked up at him with surprise on her pretty face. Her eyes searched his. He could tell she wasn’t sure if she believed him.

“My girls left in the early afternoon to go back to B.C., and I don’t know… I hadn’t intended to go hiking. I knew it was late in the day, but I guess I just craved getting out. And these mountains are just so dang gorgeous. It’s like they beckoned me.” She swirled the tea in her mug and stared down at it as if it was showing her the playback of her harrowing day.

Alex could relate to the need to get out in the fresh mountain air. He’d felt the same way today. These mountains often beckoned him too. He stayed quiet though and let her be with her thoughts.

“Well, and you know about my night.” She looked at him awkwardly, a moment later.

Recalling what he’d said to her the night before, he felt like an ass. Shite, he shouldn’t have said what he did to her. It was a low blow, and he knew it. Memories of the night before flickered in his mind—their almost kiss and all the other parts that should have never happened. Just recalling it made his pulse kick up a notch. It was dangerous territory. He definitely did not want to talk about last night, and he was silently grateful when she didn’t elaborate.

“I think I just needed to move and get some fresh air,” she said, “and it was so sunny and gorgeous earlier in the day. I didn’t even pay attention to the fact it was snowing pretty hard when I started the hike.” The remorseful look in her big brown eyes made him wish he had the power to steal away her regrets.

“I was so in the zone. You know?” she said as more of a statement than a question, but he did know. Nothing better than the zone.

“Then the weather seemed to turn bitter in a flash. I should’ve turned back sooner.” She shook her head. “The snow had been coming down thick for a while. It was stupid of me to keep going.”

There was remorse in every pretty feature.

“I got caught in it too,” he said with a dispassionate shrug. “The storm was expected but no’ until well after midnight. The weather can change in a flash in the mountains, but this storm kicked from zero to sixty faster than I’ve ever known.”

Alex was disarmed when the lass looked up at him. Her big brown eyes were filled with warmth that seemed to spread over his skin.

He could’ve scolded, he could’ve disapproved, or he could’ve agreed with her assessment of her stupidity. She half expected him to, but he did none of those things. And she found her heart a little lighter.

“Proper winter clothing.” She grinned, gesturing to her pile of winter gear.

“Aye,” he said as his lips tugged in a smile obviously catching her reference to his comment from the evening before.

It was the second time she’d seen him smile, and it was like the sun bursting through the clouds after a storm. There was absolutely zero possibility now of denying that the man was ridiculously hot. Breathtaking really. Wow. He was far from the intimidating Mean Cop now.

To her surprise, he actually seemed likeable. Perhaps out of uniform, he let that cold Mean Cop guard down. Although she hadn’t forgotten his jerk comment when he’d left her room last night, nor would she. It stung more than she cared to admit. It felt good that they seemed to have found a truce, but she’d be wise to remember that he wasn’t attracted to her like she was to him. So be it.

For now, Quinn was feeling toasty and contented. Her worries were at bay. It seemed she had all the feeling back in her feet and hands too. Thank goodness. She’d gotten used to the sickly sweet tea and found it had kind of grown on her by the time she took her last sip. Mug empty and as pleasant as the situation had somehow become, she decided it was time to head back to the inn. Unfolding her stiff legs from beneath her, she gingerly stood up, getting to her feet, she stretched out her arms above her.

“I should get back to the inn. Do you have a landline so I can call an Uber?” she asked, not wanting to put him out.

Alex laughed. “Uber’s dinnae come up here.”

“Oh right.” She bit her lip, concern winding through her as she contemplated how she would get back to the inn.

Not moving from his chair, he sat back looking amused. She had a feeling he knew what she was about to ask. She just hoped their newfound civility would hold.

“Would you possibly be able to drive me back then?” she asked him sweetly.

Without a word, he lifted himself out of the chair and took her empty mug from the tree stump end table as he did. Standing facing her, Quinn felt a little shiver of awareness race through her.

God, he was big, and when he stood towering over, for some reason, it tickled her horny side. She felt her cheeks heat as her mind flickered back to him carrying her to the chair and how his thickly muscled arms lifted her like she weighed nothing even in all her wet winter wear. That was when she caught his piercing blue eyes on hers, and her stomach did a little flip-flop as she felt certain that he knew where her thoughts had gone.

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