Page 47 of Scotch & Shortbread

Suddenly sounding irritated, he said, “The truth is there is a wee bit of chemistry between us, but it is only due to circumstance. Of course, we’re going to be affected by each other being stuck here together. It’s human nature.”

Oh my God.Is that what he thought? Their chemistry was simply due to being alone together? Quinn was silently nonplussed that this was how he was justifying the sparks that flickered between them.

“The thing is, I am not looking for a fling, and I suspect ye feel the same,” he said as if that explained it all.

“I see. And what if I am looking for a fling?” she asked pointedly.

Heat careened through Alex at the possibility, and he let himself ponder it. Was that what she wanted—to just go at it?

“I mean, we are stranded here. We could make the most of it,” she said as if she’d heard his silent questions.

Alex’s mind raced at the very idea that he could fuck her senseless for the rest of the evening and into the next day and maybe the next too. For a brief scintillating moment, he permitted himself to contemplate the possibility before he swore in his head. It would only cause trouble in the end.

The last woman in his life had fucked him over and nearly destroyed him. It would be a cold day in hell before he’d risk ruining all the work he’d done to rebuild his world. Absolutely nothing was worth risking going down that path again. And despite being nothing like the woman who haunted Alex’s past, even the vexing ever-present temptation of Ms. Quinn West was not powerful enough to sway him. He’d learned his lesson well. Canada was a fresh start, and he had made a good life here. Screwing it up was not an option.

The woman who had a knack for firing up his cock looked at him expectantly with her tempting brown eyes. Even worse, Alex found he was beginning to like her more than just sexually. It surprised him all to hell to realize her presence here with him somehow made him feel more Christmassy with a little less longing in his heart than he usually felt these past couple of years missing his family over the holidays. She’d been surprisingly pleasant company making it that much harder to let her down.

“Quinn, I think ‘tis best if we dinnae complicate things,” he said more softly.

Quinn searched his face and must have realized the battle was lost. “No ‘stuck in a cabin, Christmas sex fest’ eh?” she teased half-heartedly.

Alex’s lips tugged in a smile appreciating how Canadian she sounded. There were turns of phrases and nuances that Alex found to be distinctly Canadian, but Quinn’s Canadian-ness hit differently. Hers was laced with a soft twist of sexy.

“I think ’tis best that way,” Alex said. His resolve was challenged when her lush lower lip tucked worriedly under her teeth.

“Okay,” she agreed lightly. “No sex. Even if you beg,” she joked referring to his comment to her only a few short days ago.

A half grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. Shite, he was an idiot. Alex should have felt relief, but he didn’t. What he felt was something more akin to disappointment. What on earth was wrong with him? Did he want her to put up a fight? Beg him to slide his cock into her.

Oblivious to his internal battle, Quinn smiled brightly. “I still think we should make the most of this time though being Christmas and all.” She regarded him painfully diplomatically. “We don’t need sex, but we can still enjoy each other’s company and celebrate the season. I mean honestly, look out that window. Hallmark would beg to put that snowy mountain scene on their Christmas cards.”

Alex chuckled even though inside he still wared with himself. Despite being the one to shut down any chance of sex, it still grated how easily she acquiesced. Although he supposed she was right they should make the most of this time. It was Christmas after all.

He smiled at her. “So what do ye suggest then lass?”

Picking upA Christmas Carolfrom the trunk coffee table, she asked, “Shall I read some more?”

Nodding, he settled back on the couch and crossed his feet up on the trunk coffee table. “Aye.” If he couldn’t make mad, passionate love to her, then just hanging out was a surprisingly decent backup plan.

29

Shin Kicking

ThisChristmasEvewouldbe burned into Quinn’s mind forever. Sitting in Alex’s ruggedly cozy mountain cabin while snow fell outside, talking, laughing, and “making rather merry” as Dickens would say. Their rocky start felt like a distant memory. It seemed the “we will not have sex” conversation was exactly what Alex needed to let his guard down, and Quinn couldn’t feel happier about it.

Quinn wished this conversation had gone differently though. But if she was honest, she also knew deep down that he was right. The truth was, she didn’t want just a fling with him. Somewhere along the line, she’d started to develop real feelings for Alex. Things she would have never expected to feel especially for Alex. It was playing with fire to think she could do “friends with benefits” with him. It wasn’t the one little kiss that had her heart fluttering. It was that and literally everything else—their conversations, the moments of quiet companionship, the way she felt safe in his arms. The kind of safe feelings she’d never known before in her life. It was sobering to realize that if they did have sex, there was no way she’d be able to walk away unscathed.

The ease of their conversation made her wonder how she’d ever thought he was a jerk. Relaxed Alex was light-hearted and funny, and Quinn couldn’t imagine better company. Those gorgeous smiles came easily now and with a heart-thumping frequency. It was like hanging out with one of her best friends minus the fact that she had to tamp down her urge to just nestle into his arms and kiss every square inch of his handsome face.

It was well into the evening when Quinn decided to press her luck. “Okay, so what I really want to know is what brought you here—to Canada?” She knew he’d been reluctant to talk about it before, but maybe now after the evening they’d had together, he’d be willing to open up and talk to her.

“I told ye, it was an exchange.”

Quinn didn’t miss the tension that suddenly laced his voice, and she could see the tick in his chiselled jaw, but she refused to be deterred. “Mm-hmm, and…” She looked at him pointedly.

He knew what she wanted to know. Without a word, he stood up from the couch and stepped towards the ladder.

Quinn stared at his back wondering if he was honestly going to shut down and walk away over her question.

---