Page 7 of Let it Snow
CHAPTER FIVE
Max
––––––––
The smell of baconwafted up the stairs and into the bedroom Max was currently staying in.The down comforter he was tangled up in was delightfully warm and toasty, but the promise of salty, crispy breakfast meat was enough motivation to get him up and out of the large queen bed he had spent the night in.When his feet hit the floor, even the wool socks he was sporting weren’t enough to keep out the chill from the hardwood.With a shiver, Max grabbed his toiletry bag, a fresh change of clothes, and made his way toward the door.
He walked quickly in an effort to get to the carpet runner he remembered being in the hallway the night before, but his steps faltered as he passed the window and he glanced outside.Not only was the world still covered in a blanket of white, but more was falling from the sky.One look at the road beyond the main yard had Max’s shoulders slumping.There was at least two feet of snow out there if not more, and it was enough that he doubted he was going to make it out of Upper Middlewood anytime soon.
As he made his way to the bathroom, the sinking feeling that he was stuck at Blackhorn Inn for at least another day disappeared, instead the corners of his mouth twitched with the need to smile.There were worse places to be stranded.He considered himself quite lucky he found himself snowed in with a woman who was not only charming, but the most beautiful person he had ever met.Miss Lucy Shaw was adorable.
When she answered the door the previous night, her strawberry-blonde hair tied in twin braids and her body covered head-to-toe in fuzzy pajamas, Max had had the urge to scoop her up into his arms and place her in his lap for a cuddle.The cold that had chilled him to the bone on the walk from the car had all but been forgotten in favor of the warmth caused by the sight of such a woman.As he remembered how sweet and slightly awkward she had been, he couldn’t help but think there was something special about her.
Max quickly washed up in the shower, letting the hot water run over his body to soothe his tired muscles and the smell of the orange soap he favored rejuvenate his sluggish mind, he thought back over his short time with Lucy the night before.She was very personable, though that was no surprise given she ran a bed and breakfast, but more than that, her friendly countenance had instantly put him at ease.
While they sat and drank their tea, both of them peeking over at the other with what he imagined was thinly veiled interest on her part, he couldn’t help but hope that she was single.It was a ridiculous thought given the fact that he was only in town until the storm passed, but he’d had it nonetheless.How could he not when the sweet woman was adorably sexy as well?Her gentle teasing had him wanting to kiss the sass right out of her before snuggling up with her in bed all night.It was obvious she had no idea how beautiful and alluring she was, and that lack of ego made her even more appealing.Maybe...
Max shook his head to dispel any notion of starting something with the lovely Innkeeper.He would most likely be gone soon, and while the thought of spending some quality time with Lucy without either of them being clothed caused his cock to twitch with interest, he didn’t have it in him to have nothing more than a one-night stand with the woman.Everything about Lucy screamed marriage and babies, and as much as he wanted those things for himself, he wasn’t going to be around long enough to find out if they had a real connection.
Even if he wasn’t thinking of moving back to England, he knew that any work opportunities he might be interested in would more than likely be in London and not in the small town he now found himself in.Upper Middlewood hadn’t even existed in his consciousness until last night and would most likely be forgotten as soon as he left, though he had a feeling the memory of the sweet innkeeper would remain.Disappointed at having only a memory of Lucy, Max stepped out of the shower with a heavy sigh and toweled off.
After dressing and taking a quick look in the mirror to make sure he looked presentable, Max trotted down the stairs, his stomach growling the closer he came to the kitchen.When he opened the swinging door and stepped inside, he was hit with stronger smells than the ones that had previously reached him.There was bacon and sausage for sure, but the smell of roasting vegetables and warm bread as well.When he spotted Lucy at the hob as she fried up a couple of eggs, he smiled at the sight of her.She was in a pair of tight leggings that showed off her petite yet shapely legs and an oversized sweater that hid the rest of her body from him.He had never been so fiercely attracted to a woman, yet here he was, thinking all kinds of inappropriate things he could do with Lucy.
When she turned toward him, Max felt his cheeks flush at having been caught undressing her with his eyes.“Morning,” he said, his voice thick with the remnants of sleep as well as a healthy dose of desire.He nodded toward the back window.“Looks like the snow didn’t let up last night.”
Lucy smiled wryly at him as she started to dish up the food.“No, it did not.”She looked at him with sympathy as she placed a plate containing a full English breakfast at one of the stools of the island.“Unfortunately, I think that might mean you’ll be unable to leave today.”
Max took a seat, a reassuring smile on his face.“Well, there are worse fates in life, especially if this is the kind of meal I can expect while I stay here.”He grabbed his fork and scooped up some of the baked beans that were running into his eggs, groaning as the earthy flavor hit his tongue.His eyes flicked over to Lucy who had taken a seat across from him, though her own fork remained untouched as she watched him eat.A smirk pulled across his face as he watched her watch him.“Your food’s getting cold.”
That seemed to startle her from her reverie and she picked up a slice of buttered toast.“We can’t have that now, can we?”she said before taking a generous bite.
If Max thought he threw her off her game, she was now doing the exact same thing to him.He watched with rapt attention as her rosy lips came together as she chewed.When her pink tongue peeked out to lick at her glistening lips, he nearly came undone.She was so effortlessly sexy, and somehow, he knew his earlier promise of trying to keep his hands to himself was all for not.He was insanely attracted to her, and there was no way he was going to make it another full day without at least trying to get a kiss.
When her eyes met his, it was her turn to smirk as she gestured to his plate with her fork.“Getting cold, remember?”
“Right,” he said huskily, clearing his throat and taking a sip of tea to wash away his need for her, at least for the time being.“So Miss Lucy, as it looks like I will be your guest for a little longer, would you tell me a little about your Inn?”
A shadow passed over Lucy’s face, but it was there and gone in seconds, her expression turning into one of fondness.“The Blackthorn was started by my grandparents after the war.They wanted to welcome people into their home who might be a bit lost after everything that had happened both here and over in Europe.”
Max smiled.“So, taking in strays runs in the family?”he jested, giving himself a little mental pat on the back when her melodic laughter reached his ears.
“I suppose you could call it that.At first, they offered room and board in exchange for help around the Inn or some other kind of trade if people didn’t quite have the money to pay.After a few years, people started to pay cash and the business grew, with some coming to stay while they visited the countryside or traveled through on their way further north.And then there’s the ginger biscuits, of course.”
Max raised a brow as he finished chewing his bite of bacon.“Ginger biscuits?I think Brent mentioned something about that last night.”He looked down at his plate as if one of the aforementioned treats would appear there out of thin air, but none did.
Lucy smiled at him over her tea cup as she took a sip.“Of course, he did.Brent is always the first one to brag about this place.”She nodded toward his plate.“I don’t have any for you now, but every year on Christmas Eve, the Inn opens its doors to the town and anyone who wants to wander in, decorate a biscuit and enjoy a spot of tea for the holidays.”She looked around the small kitchen wistfully before meeting his gaze again.“It’s all a part of the history of this place, letting the town gather here at least one day a year.And it’s up to me now to keep it going.”
Her smile faltered when she finished and her eyes looked shiny with unshed moisture.The sight of her in distress caused an ache to form in Max’s chest.Feeling something so intensely for someone so quickly startled him, but the sense of wonder that followed washed away his skepticism.“I’m sorry if talking about it brought up some bad memories.”
