Page 60 of A Wrong Bed Christmas: Ignited\Where There's Smoke

“I’m fine,” she said, suddenly feeling shy about her nudity. Minutes before, she’d been crying his name, shattering in his arms. But now it felt sordid. She’d seen the look in those men’s eyes. They knew what had gone down in the cabin last night. And it damn sure wasn’t completing a puzzle.

“At least we don’t have to go up to the highway and look for help. It came to us.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, reaching for the pajama top she’d shed earlier. She didn’t want to bare her breasts. Silly, of course, but she felt so vulnerable. In the blink of an eye, Erik had gone from tender lover to a man ready to stride back into his regular world. “Guess I better go get my things out of the bathroom.”

“The water in the pot should be warm enough to wash up a bit. I’ll put it in the bathroom,” he said, tugging on the sweater he’d left by the fire before lifting the pot.

Emma couldn’t help it. She blushed. If anyone needed cleaning up, it was her. They’d had sex three—or was it four?—times. She needed a good long soak, but lukewarm water dipped from a pot would have to do.

She scrambled from the bed and five minutes later emerged from the bathroom with her hair braided, face scrubbed clean and lip gloss firmly in place. She pulled on her ruined boots and shrugged into her wool coat. “I’m ready.”

Erik had donned his coat and scarf and had moved everything back into its original order. He’d bundled the sheets into a ball, which he carried out with them. Walt and the deputy sat in a cruiser emblazoned with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on the side. Erik held the back door for her and then set her suitcase between them, holding sheets that were the last reminder of their wild winter night.

“I brought the sheets. Figured they’d need to be washed,” Erik said to Walt.

“Sure. My housekeeper, Maria, will wash them and I’ll run them back later. Probably should clean that place up a little anyway. Maybe stick some rations in there in case another couple gets stranded again. Probably would have been nice to have some food.”

“We survived on wine and chocolate-chip cookies,” Erik said.

“Don’t sound bad at all,” the deputy said, backing around and turning toward the highway. “You folks were lucky to find shelter. A man died last year in the same situation. He stayed in his wrecked car and died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The snow clogged the tailpipe.”

Fifteen minutes later, Emma was seated in the kitchen of Walt’s enormous house, sipping a cup of coffee and trying not to wolf down the fluffy blueberry muffins Maria had set in front of her and Erik. Christmas music played in the kitchen and a pretty flocked tree glittered in the living area opened to the kitchen. Quite the opposite of the dusty cold cabin they’d abandoned moments ago.

Still, Emma longed for the cabin and the sweet love that had bloomed there if only for a night. Nothing seemed to remain of what they’d shared. Erik had withdrawn, passing over the sheets and blankets to Maria, erasing any evidence of their lovemaking. Or maybe she read too much into how easily he went back to normal. She didn’t feel normal. More like confused and scared of all the feelings she’d unearthed for Erik.

He glanced at her. “You okay? You’re awfully quiet.”

“Sure.” What else could she say? That she already mourned the loss of him. That her heart already felt wounded. Maybe actually broken. But that was crazy, right?

“I called a tow-truck company and they’re supposed to get back to me on when they can make it down here. Deputy Shane said he’d write out a report. Here’s his card for when you call your insurance company.” He handed her the card.

“Thank you. I called my parents while you were on the phone. They flipped out but they’re glad I’m safe.”

“More muffins?” Maria interrupted with a gap-toothed smile. She filled Erik’s mug and arched a brow.

“You bet,” he said with a nod of thanks. “Good as my grandmother’s and that’s saying something.”

Maria giggled and waddled back to the stove.

“I don’t think Alexis ever got your text,” Erik said, munching on the muffin Maria brought over. “I tried calling but her phone is off.”

Walt toddled in. “Bad news. Roads aren’t passable yet. Called the sheriff and he said he’d call the county to send the snowplows out. You’re probably going to have to stay here tonight. Got plenty of room and we’re stocked, right, Maria?”

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