Page 96 of Snowed In With the Mountain Man
Tucked in here away from all the drama with her family and the reminders of her life in New York. This storm was keeping her from all that.
But he couldn’t forget that she’d be leaving just as soon as this storm passed.
He shifted and stretched. All the more reason to enjoy this time with her while he had it.
And after?
He shoved the thought aside. He’d never been a worrier. He’d never seen much point in fretting over matters that were out of his control. And while some part of his mind itched to go there—to try and find ways to make this thing between them last—he resisted the urge.
For the tenth time since he’d bid Dahlia good night, JJ shut his eyes with every intention of falling asleep.
And just like every other time, his eyes opened again, as if they had a mind of their own. And just like every other time, he found his gaze drifting toward the bed.
What was she dreaming about?
He couldn’t wait to hear her stories in the morning.
He gave a soft huff of laughter. What had come over him? He was a man obsessed. He felt this crazy curiosity around Dahlia, and he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. He wanted to see every little facet of her personality. Heck, if she was cranky first thing in the morning, he wanted to know.
And then he’d do everything in his power to make her smile.
She must have thought him nuts with all his questions about what she was thinking. But he couldn’t help himself. The more he found out about her, the more she let him see, the more he wanted to know of her.
There was a bottomless pit inside him when it came to Dahlia O’Sullivan. And he wasn’t sure he’d ever get enough.
One day in a cabin definitely wouldn’t cut it.
And there his mind went again, trying to fix a problem he couldn’t do anything about.
For long moments, he let his brain settle in the silence. He let the memories of the day slide through his mind’s eye. He let himself linger on Dahlia’s smile, the quirk of her lips, the curve of her chin, the way her fingers felt as they gripped his shirt…
The way she’d kissed him with such passion.
Those thoughts had nearly lulled him into sleep when he heard it. A sound coming from the bed. He stilled, waiting to hear it again, confirming what he suspected.
Yep. There it was.
A soft shiver. Lightly chattering teeth.
Coming to stand, he padded quietly toward the bed. “Are you all right?”
“Just a little cold,” Dahlia murmured. Her voice was quiet and sleepy, and JJ’s heart faltered, affection sweeping through him faster than he could stand it.
Without hesitating, he headed to the couch and grabbed his blanket, walking it over to the bed to add an extra layer.
She turned onto her back, her eyes darker than night in the flickering light of the fire. Her features were cast in an ethereal hue, and she looked like an angel in his bed, all delicate and sweet without her armor on.
“Is this your blanket?” She fingered the material. “But… what are you going to use?”
“Well…” He paused. He hadn’t actually thought it through. All that mattered was Dahlia’s comfort. “Don’t you worry about it.”
Her answer was a huff of amusement as she sat up. “Don’t worry about it? You do know who you’re talking to, right?”
He chuckled as he leaned over her, tucking her in. “I’ll be fine until morning.”
She sighed. “JJ, I’m not going to be able to sleep if I think you’re freezing over there on the couch.”
He smiled down at her. Did anyone else in the world know how big her heart was aside from him?
