Chapter Three

Mira

I’ve always appreciated a good old-fashioned snowstorm. The blustering wind, the frigid cold, and the big, white flakes drowning out the rest of the world. A reason to stay inside. A reason to bake and eat an entire loaf of my signature banana bread while simultaneously binging on every book I’m behind on reading. Anything would be better than being trapped with Gabe. This is asking for trouble.

I glance down at my phone and shoot a text to Wolverine. I need to get my mind off Gabe and whatever happened between us the other night. He’s off limits. End of story.

Me: I miss you. Today sucks.

Wolvie: Why’s that?

Me: Snowstorm. What’s it like where you are?

We don’t talk much about where he’s from or what his real name is, but it’s probably time that we do. Everyone’s concerns over my choice in internet dating annoys the crap out of me, but some of it is valid. I should know something real about this guy before things go any further.

Wolvie: Sorry it’s storming, baby. If it makes you feel better, it’s crazy here too.

Me: It snows where you are! That’s good. I couldn’t live without a little snow. Are you in the mountains?

Three dots pop on the screen and stay like that for a long while, as though maybe he’s thinking over whether or not to answer me. Maybe I moved too quickly. Some people don't like talking about where they live to internet strangers, and that’s okay. Then again, if we’re officially dating like he says we are, I should know where he lives.

“You’re not supposed to be on your phone during work hours.” My phone pings as Gabe steps into the barn and pulls on his work gloves. “I’m thinking we should move the middle stack of trees to the back, and we’ll leave the space free for all the wreaths you finished yesterday. Let them showcase the spot. What do you think?”

“I think we should line the trees around the outside of the room and leave space in the center for dancing at the eclipse party. It smells like Christmas here. People will love that, and if they want to see the eclipse, they just step outside. Also, there’s a place for the band Jovie was talking about, and we could do catering off to the side there.” I drag in a deep breath. “Also, there’s no rule about phone time. You’re on your phone every time I’m looking at you.”

“I’m not on my phone all the time, and it’s general knowledge that there are no phones while you’re working.”

“You’re jealous.”

He narrows his brows and shakes his head. “No, I’m not.”

“You are! That’s why you’re being all weird. You can’t stand the fact that I’ve actually connected with another human being, can you?”

Gabe is gorgeous. There’s no doubt about it. In fact, I’m pretty sure I must have left a load of puppies on the side of the road in a past life because whatever God is up there throwing down this kind of punishment on me is ruthless. A big, strong man with dark features, a long beard, sleeves of tattoos, and a take no shit attitude that makes me cream every time he talks. Somehow, he’s into me, but completely off limits.

I’d jump on Gabe in half a second if he weren’t my brother's best friend. I’d give him whatever he wanted. I’d get on my knees. I’d beg. I’d let him have his way with me, but that’s not going to happen.

Besides that, Chevy isn’t only my brother, he’s my best friend, and he’s been like a father figure since our father ditched out of the picture years ago. I couldn’t repay him by messing around with his bestie.

There are plenty of nice guys out there. Sure, they might not look like Gabe, but then again, they might look like Hugh Jackman, so…

“Earth to Mira.” Gabe waves his hand in front of my face.

“What?”

“You asked me if I could get over you talking to someone else. I said I can’t. You’re right. Why’s this guy so great, anyway?”

I shrug and turn away as I walk a six-foot balsam toward the barn wall. Well, more so drag it. “Haven’t you ever met someone that you just connected with? Like you know you just met them, but somehow, it’s like you’ve known them forever?”

“Aside from you?”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t count because you have known me forever. I’m talking about a complete stranger. Someone you don’t know from Adam.”

“No one just gets someone, plum. You have to work—”

“Don’t call me that.” I turn back toward the trees and grab another, rolling it on its trunk toward the wall beside the other.

“You used to love that name.”

“I never used to love that. No one likes being called plum. ”

“It’s a perfect description, though. You’re small and sweet like a ripe, little fruit.”

“Dear God,” I roll my neck away, “just stop. Also, I’m neither of those things.”

“You are to me.”

“Great.” My chest tightens. “Well, if you’re done sexually harassing me, I think I’ll finish this job you hired me to do.” I sound sarcastic, but in reality, I like the compliments, and I’m not sure if I want them to stop.

Gabe’s shoulders stiffen as though I’ve cut him where it counts. Maybe I went too far. I know he’s not that guy. We’ve known each other forever. He’s pressing right now because he thinks I’ll bend.

“Okay, I get it.” He holds up his hands and turns away from the trees. “What’s so special about this guy, anyway?”

I snap a glance toward him and pull my phone out of my pocket, scrolling back up the messages to show him one by one how supportive Wolverine can be, though the main reason I’m checking is to see Wolvie’s response to my last question.

Wolvie: Just outside of Rugged Mountain. You?

Rugged Mountain! He’s here, in town, with me. For a second, I wonder if that’s weird, but I haven’t told him where I’m from yet, so… maybe it’s just luck. I think the dating site algorithm looks for people nearby first.

I think.

A streak of excitement rolls through me at the thought of finally meeting up. We can do it sooner than later now, being that he’s so close.

“What am I looking at?” Gabe rolls his thick finger through the messages, scrolling quickly, as though he’s uninterested.

“Never mind.” I snatch my phone back and tuck it into my pocket.

Gabe shakes his head, pulls his glove back on, and lifts another couple of trees onto his shoulder. I love to watch that man work. I’m not sure anything will ever change that.

There’s no law against that, right? I can’t ruin things with my brother if I just watch Gabe from afar.

When the final tree is rolled to the edge of the space, I make my way to the back and grab two water bottles from the employee cooler. It’s restocked during shift close so there are fresh bottles waiting in the morning. I always thought that was a dumb practice, but now, I’m thankful.

I hand one toward him, our fingers brushing together as he takes it from my hand. “Look, I think denying that we have affection for each other is silly. We both know it’s there, but… we need to agree right now that it can’t go any further than that. You’re too close to Chevy, Gabe. I mean it. Nothing is going to change my mind.”

He draws in a heavy breath and lowers his giant frame onto the step with me. We’re close enough that our shoulders brush together and our bent legs touch. It’s a dangerous place to be, but here we are… again.

For a long while, we sit like this, almost as though we’re savoring a moment we both know we shouldn’t. The slight touch. The emotion passing in the silence of the storm. The peaceful, closed off world around us, whited out as we pass whatever feelings we have back and forth between the two of us. Right here and now, we’re in our own world. Anything could happen and no one would have to know.

He could kiss me.

I could kiss him.

He could touch me.

I could let him.

My heart pounds and my throat goes dry with anticipation as our arms brush against one another.

I might not make it. I knew it when we were at the bar, but I’ve suppressed it well. I’ve had to. Another moment like that doesn’t do either of us any favors. It only helps to brew the sad reality that’s staring us in the face.

“What are you doing?” I glance toward Gabe and wet my lips. “I’m going to have to quit if you keep this up, and I really need the money.”

He stands from the stair and stares down at me like a god of sorts, and like a slave to his muscles, I drink every inch of him in with a throbbing clit.

Wait, is my clit supposed to be throbbing?

“We need to talk,” he groans.

Dear God, I’m not going to make it out of this barn alive.

“No.” I shake my head and stand, tossing the empty water bottle onto the counter. “I’m going home.”

“You’re not going home in this.”

I walk toward the barn doors, ignoring everything he’s saying. “I am going home. I’m not feeling good.”

He reaches out for my arm and holds me in place. “You’re not going anywhere, plum. Get your ass back inside until the snowstorm is over.”

I flinch away from his grip and storm out into the snow, but Gabe is bigger and stronger. He bends down and lifts me over his shoulder, tosses me back into the barn, and locks the door with his set of keys.

Oh my God!

When my feet are firmly on the ground again, my heart is still thumping at the reality of what’s just happened. I’m not a small girl, and I’ve never been tossed around like that before.

I shouldn’t like it as much as I do.

“What are you doing? You’re going to kidnap me?”

“I’m keeping you safe! There’s no unnecessary travel right now and you’re acting like a lunatic!”

“I’m acting like a woman who doesn’t want to be trapped in the barn with some jerk for God knows how long. Besides, I’m starving. We have nothing to eat and—”

“We have more cookies than we know what to do with.” He pulls out a tin of sugar cookies and a box of peppermints. “Candy canes, too. We’ll survive. If we get really desperate, we can go up to the house.”

I stare out the side window and watch as the snow plummets down. He’s not kidding, it’s really bad out there. Leaving and climbing the mountain in my little Elantra would be a mistake. Still, though, I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be trapped with him. “Just stay over there and I’ll do my thing here. Okay?”

He nods and sinks behind the counter, pulling out his phone. He’s texting someone. Of course he is. He’s probably texting lots of someone’s. With a body like his, I’m sure he’s the center of attention everywhere he goes. I’m sure this thing he’s trying out with me is some kind of deep seated mental disorder. I’m the one he can’t have, so he wants me. The second he gets me, he’ll stop caring.

Now I sound like Emma.

Despite all this information being fed into my brain, I’m still tempted to ask him who it is he’s talking to. Thankfully, a series of vibrations distracts me from whatever it is I feel for Gabe and sends me back to the space I’m the safest… tucked away in the ether with the Wolverine.