Page 52 of Snowbound with the Alpha Wolf
All the way back to the ranch, she tried to ignore him. Impossible, because he sat close, loaning her his body heat, his arms wrapped around her much as the blanket. Maybe she had pride, but pride meant nothing compared tofrostbite.
But after thirty minutes of feeling this wonderful warmth, all her numbness fled and she became aware again. Aware of the amazing aroma of him, the warm spices and hot male flesh. Adrian smelled like hot apple cider on a snowynight.
Aware of the wiry strength of his body, the ebony bristles on his chiseled jaw as she turned her face towardhim.
Aware of the steady beat ofhis heart and the complex emotions he hidthere.
The last made her finally pull away to protect her own heart. She had to hold it together here. Not let Darius and Samantha, nice as they were, hear her internalscream.
Why? Why? What’s wrong with me,Adrian?
Everything she worked her entire life to hold together threatened to fall apart if she released those feelings. Instead,she pulled the blanket around her shoulders once more. “I’m warm enough now. You can quit gropingme.”
Soon as the words were out, she regretted them. Adrian had been a gentleman. Hurt flashed in his dark eyes, and then his expression smoothedout.
“Fine,” he said curtly and pulled away, pressing against the truckdoor.
The distance between their bodies expanded, and she feltcold and bereft once more. It felt almost as bad as when they’d first parted more than eight hours ago at thelodge.
Darcy opened her mouth to apologize. Closedit.
“Sure is cold in here,” Darius quipped, yanking up theheater.
Samantha and Darius began talking cheerfully about everything and nothing at the ranch, from the alpha pair’s new baby to repairs needed for the barn.Darcy scarcely heard the words for the blood rushing in her ears, the yearning pull she felt towardAdrian.
If only sex would suffice. But after making love with him, she knew it went beyond the physical. They might both lose interest in each other. That post mortem examination of their relationship would be simple and logical. But this bracing flurry of feelings, this crazed deep love,wasneither.
Darcy felt like a chocolate addict craving her favorite sinfully delicious caramel dark that sat within tempting reach and yet wrapped in layers of steel she couldn’t undo. Mouthwatering cravings riddled her. Her fingers itched to unzip his parka, lift the cable-knit sweater and explore the play of muscles rippling under tanned flesh. Slide her hand up to his chest, toy withthe dark, curly hairs there, maybe toy with each small, brown nipple and then slide down, dipping past the waistband of his jeans to cuphis…
Blowing out a breath, she shrugged off the blanket. Fannedherself.
Adrian turned, his intent gaze capturing hers. “Oh?’“ he saidsoftly.
That singular word told her that he knew everything through his wicked wolf’s sense of smell. Knewshe’d recovered from her frozen apathy and felt a heat far different from the warmth blowing through the truck’svents.
Knew her mind wanted to keep him at arm’s length but her body sang out to cuddle close—and do more thancuddle.
Grumbling, she turned her head to look out at the darkness rushing past them. It was going to be a very long drive back to theranch.
When theyfinally reached the lodge, Darcy felt strong enough to bound up the stairs to her room. She closed thedoor.
Adrian opened it a minute later. Panting, he stared ather.
“That was a damn foolish thing to do, Darcy. You could have died outthere.”
“Oh yeah?” She felt foolish, childish, and needing a fight. “What do youcare?”
“I do care,” he snapped. “I care about you,damnit.”
“Funny way of showing it,” sheretorted.
“Want me to showit?”
He crossed the room, eating up the space between them, and kissed her. All the hunger inside her broke, and she kissed him back, desperate to have himclose.
They kissed each other with fervent hunger, tongues tangling, their moans mingling as they held each othertight.
This was all wrong.She wasn’t about to be used for sex. No matter how good the sex was. Darcy pulled away and pushedhim.
“Go away,” she said dully. “Leave mealone.”
Torment swirled in his dark eyes, but he turned andleft.
Long after he’d gone, she lay in bed, weeping into herpillow.
