Page 18 of Corey
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After feeding Loki and spending a little too much time in front of the mirror primping, Sera pulled on a pair of leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. She’d left her wet tennis shoes on the hearth to dry, so she donned a pair of socks.
He was awake.Corey is awake,she corrected herself. Or, to be more precise, Corydon. She liked his name. It fit him well. Thinking about those intense, ice-blue eyes of his made her belly tumble. They were mesmerizing, and she couldn’t stop thinking about how good he looked in nothing but his boxer briefs. Total silver fox.
The smell of coffee and frying bacon made her stomach growl. From their brief time together, he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. He woke up to a stranger in his house—in his bed—and took it all in stride. For all he knew, she could be a thief or up to no good. And he’d offered to make her breakfast.
The last thing she wanted to do was drag him into her mess. After eating, she probably should leave, even though she had no idea what to do about her car, which was now probably covered in a foot or more of snow. Maybe he could help her get it out or point her to the nearest garage or tow truck service.
“Be good, little man,” she told Loki and closed the door behind her. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she started down the steps.
Corey was in the kitchen cooking away. As she approached, he turned, spatula in hand. Leaning a hip against the counter, he motioned to the island. “Have a seat. I poured you some coffee. Do you want milk or sugar?”
“No, thank you. Black is good.” Climbing onto the stool, she gave him a grateful smile then wrapped her hands around the mug and took a sip. A fire crackled, and the warmth in the room, combined with the delicious smells of breakfast, gave her a cozy feeling.
Don’t get too comfortable, Sera,she warned herself.You’re just passing through.
“So how did you stumble onto my property in the middle of a blizzard?” Corey asked, sounding curious as he scooped scrambled eggs onto two plates. He ambled over and set one down in front of her.
Sera chewed her lower lip, trying to figure out the best way to answer. “Car trouble?” she finally said. It sounded more like a question, and she tried to deflect by picking up her fork and digging in. She took a bite and moaned in delight. “Oh, this is delicious.”
“One of my specialties. Scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese.”
“You like to cook?”
“I do.”
When he didn’t offer any further information, she sent him a smile. “Well, this is divine and you should seriously consider becoming a chef. If you aren’t one already.”
“It’s just a way to pass the time,” he murmured, sounding almost shy. “Back to your car. What kind of trouble? Where is it and how’d you end up here?”
“Oh, I hit a patch of ice and ran off the road. I decided to look for help, got lost and stumbled onto your doorstep.” Shetried to keep it vague and, hopefully, believable. Because it was all true, just missing a couple of key details.
“So, it’s currently stuck in the snow somewhere? How far away?”
She nodded, then tilted her head, thinking. “Maybe a fifteen-minute walk?”
“I can help you get it out,” he immediately offered.
“That would be amazing. Thank you. But there’s also the other problem.”
“What other problem?”
“Um, well, I had to keep the heat on and used most of the gas up overnight.” She gave him a sheepish look and reached for her coffee. “And, on top of that, it’s a piece of junk and might not start.”
He was studying her intently and she shifted on the stool. “Then I’ll help you get it to a nearby garage.”
“Thank you. Where am I exactly, anyway?” she asked. “I’ve been driving since San Diego and, at a certain point, the states all start blending together.”
“Cielo Springs, Montana,” he answered. “Smalltown, USA.”
She nodded and took a bite of buttered toast.
“Where are you heading?” he asked, eyeing her closely.
“Canada. To visit my sister,” she quickly added, and he arched a brow. It was the truth, albeit not the entire truth.
“That’s a long drive.”
