Page 27 of Snowbound

Then he turns on his heel and, without even glancing at me, marches off towards the door. “Where are you going?” I yell.

“To shovel snow,” he shouts back. I hear him stomp away through the hall, and the front door slams shut behind him.

I slump down into my chair. What does he mean he’ll waive the fee? Cars cost a fortune, and I don’t want him to do all that labor for me with no repayment. I’m not a cheapskate. Even if it would help my finances out a lot, I can’t accept his offer.

This is the most confusing thing about Gabe. He always seems angry when he talks to me, but every word he says is so kind. He blows hot and cold at me at the same time, and it’s making me dizzy.

Choking back a sob, I run upstairs, not wanting him to see me if he comes back in. I run to my room and into the bathroom, where I finally let tears fall down my face. I need to shower. The hot water will clear my head. It always does.

But as I undress and step in, I realize that the smell of Gabe still clings to my skin, his musk, the firewood, and I realize I don’t want to wash it off.

CHAPTER15

GABE

Ispend a long while shoveling snow, digging until I’ve worked up a sweat and my front drive is spotless. But no matter how much I shovel, the thoughts of Carly aren’t going away.

Why is she doing this to me?

This blonde bombshell has exploded into my life and made absolutely every part of it difficult, yet I can’t seem to keep from giving her what she wants or needs.

The offer to waive the fees on her car surprised even me. I’m not going to waive the fees on her car. I don’t care how much she’s struggling for money. I’m not betting my livelihood against hers.

I don’t care about her at all.

But no matter how many times I tell myself that, it isn’t becoming more true.

Eventually there’s no snow left for me to deal with, and I brave going inside again. At the very least, I want to change my clothes.

I find Carly in the kitchen, washing the dishes. “You don’t have to do that,” I tell her.

“It’s the least I can do after all your hospitality.” She’s clearly been crying.

It’s pathetic, really, for someone who claims to be independent, how lost and unable to fend for herself she seems to be. But in her defense, I haven’t given her much opportunity. Ever since she got to Mullen Falls, I’ve been looking after her like some sort of watchdog or stalker.

I hope she doesn’t think of me like that. We might be in a weird situation, but I don’t want her to think of me as creepy.

Waking up with her so close to me, though…

It was so close that I could have wrapped my arms around her. So close I almost wanted to. I guess what that really means is it has been too long since I felt the touch of a woman.

In fact, I can’t remember the last time.

“Let’s go into town,” I say suddenly.

She blinks hard at me. “Why?”

“You can’t just sit here all day. You’ll go insane. I have errands to run. You can come with me.”

“You want me to come and hold your bags?” she sniffs.

“I don’t want to leave you in my house alone. So go and get dressed. We’re going into town.”

With that, I march up the stairs and close the door to my room behind me. Possibly not the best way to invite her out, but at least this way, she’ll definitely come.

Twenty minutes later, we’re getting into my truck, and she’s complimenting what a good job I did clearing the front drive. “We’re used to snow around here,” is all I say in response, even if the praise does fill me with a stupid warm glow.

We drive in silence for a while. Then she says, “So, where are we going?”

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