Page 51 of Fire and Ice
Grady climbed out and hurried to the passenger side to help her out of his vehicle. He admired her cute ass as she reached back in to grab her purse. Damn, but he loved looking at her curves.
A light wind ruffled his hair, and the breeze caused strands of Chelsea’s hair to fall into her eyes as she tugged on her jacket. She pushed the strands behind her ears.
He grabbed his jacket and both of their duffels from the back, then closed the doors. He liked her family and had been looking forward to their New Year’s retreat.
“It smells so good.” Chelsea breathed deeply, tipped her head back, and closed her eyes. “Fresh air, pine, and rich earth.”
He kissed her nose. She opened her eyes and laughed before brushing her lips over his. She gripped his hand and they walked toward the cabin.
They reached the front door, and it swung open.
“You two took your time.” DeAndra held out her arm in an all-encompassing gesture. “Welcome to Camp Dunn.” She hugged Grady, then Chelsea, and then drew them inside. “This place is awesome. It has hot tubs in all three rooms.”
They walked over desert sand-colored tile, through a large entryway that opened up into a massive great room with vaulted ceilings.
Chelsea glanced at Grady. “The pictures on Airbnb are great. So far, I don’t think they do this place justice.”
Once again, the guys were playing Myth Hunter.
Joe looked over his shoulder. “Hey, Grady. Wanna hop in?”
Grady nodded toward Chelsea. “Depends on what Chelsea has planned after we get settled in.”
Brad glanced at Grady. “You’re welcome to join us any time.”
“Thanks, guys.” Grady turned his attention back to Chelsea and DeAndra. “This is a long way from pitching a tent and gathering wood for a campfire.”
DeAndra laughed. “In this case, it’s glamping.”
Chelsea called out to the twins. “We’re cooking lunch. All of you guys cook dinner.”
“Heaven help us.” Chelsea raised her voice as they walked out of the kitchen. “None of them can cook worth beans.”
Joe called back, “That might end up being what you’ll be having.”
* * *
While DeAndra’s cheesy pasta casserole baked in the oven, Chelsea and Grady explored the house. The rooms were spacious and resembled individual suites, and each had a stone fireplace. The window treatments and bedding were maroon and forest green. The bathrooms were large with brown and taupe granite and featured Jacuzzis as promised.
Two of the rooms had two double beds. Joe and Brad had taken one of those rooms, and DeAndra and Anneka took the other.
Vinyl planking that resembled mesquite wood covered the floors upstairs, with a few rugs scattered throughout.
Grady and Chelsea walked into the master suite that they would be sharing. A king-sized bed sat between floor-to-ceiling windows, and the room was twice the size of the others. The colors were warm and earthy—rich cream, pine green, light taupe, and bear brown. A stone fireplace stood against the left wall, a pile of wood ready and waiting beside it.
Chelsea ran her palm over the thick, fluffy comforter, and thoughts of snuggling beneath it with Grady behind her, hugging her close, made her smile. Lots of pillows were piled against the headboard.
She moved to a pair of French doors and opened them. Cool air rushed into the room, chasing away some of the warmth. “We have our own balcony.” She looked over her shoulder. “The view is gorgeous.”
Grady slid his arms around her waist and kissed her nape. “We’ll need jackets just to enjoy it.”
“Point taken.” She stepped back. He moved with her, and she closed the doors. “Let’s get unpacked.”
They spent the next few minutes putting away their clothes, and he tucked their duffels into the walk-in closet.
He returned to the room and brought her into his arms. She placed her palms on his chest and looked into his fire-ice blue eyes.
Her heart filled, and she felt such an overwhelming feeling for him, so deep that she was afraid even to acknowledge and identify exactly what that feeling was.
