Page 4 of Her Mountain Christmas
I can see her through the window, curled in the driver’s seat, cheeks and nose pink with cold, and I can tell she’s been crying from the way her mascara’s all smeared beneath her eyes. Long, blond hair falls around her shoulders, some of it disappearing into the neck of her heavy coat, and when her gaze collides with mine, I’m pinned in place by the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. She shifts, and her coat parts, revealing a sparkly red dress that looks wildly out of place in a blizzard. She shivers, wrapping her arms around herself as we stare at each other.
Christ. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
I blink rapidly. What the fuck is wrong with me? She’s been in a serious accident and I’m standing here thinking that her eyes remind me of warm, Caribbean water. I need to get a fucking grip.
Clearly, the fact that I haven’t had a woman in years is starting to get to me.
Because while this young woman is beyond beautiful, she also looks terrified.
My heart threatens to pound right out of my chest, smashing anything in its way towards freedom, and I have the insane urge to wrap my arms around her. To hold her tight and tell her that she’s safe now. That I’ve got her, and nothing bad’s going to happen.
It’s official. I’m signing up for a dating app first thing tomorrow morning.
I swallow and clear my throat, trying to pull my head out of my besotted ass. I tap on the window gently, hoping my voice doesn’t come out sounding as unhinged as I feel right now. “Miss? Are you okay?”
She stares at me, eyes wide, lips parted as she fogs up the glass between us.
“My name’s Jack,” I say, raising my voice to compete with the howling wind. “I’m the fire chief here in Honey Ridge. I’m here to help.”
I watch as she bites her lip, her gaze roving over me. Our eyes meet, and I again feel that electrical jolt shooting down my spine. She nods slightly, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I try the door handle, but it’s locked.
“Can you unlock the door for me?” I ask, cutting myself off before adding “honey” on the end. I don’t even know her, but I have the urge to call her honey, sweetheart, baby girl. To wrap her up in my arms and tell her I’ll keep her safe.
Must. Be. Professional.
She nods and presses a button on the door, and I hear the lock click open. I pull open the door slowly and carefully, causing snow to swirl inside the car. She shivers and pulls her coat tighter around herself.
“Let’s get you out of here,” I say, extending a hand. She looks at it, then up at me, her blue eyes so soft and trusting that it almost knocks me on my ass. She places her tiny, cold hand in mine, and I help her out of the car, steadying her as she steps into the snow. I look down, relieved to see that even though she’s clearly wearing a glitzy party dress, she’s got boots on her feet. “What’s your name, sweetheart?” I ask, stepping in front of her to shield her from the wind with my body.
Oops. I said I wasn’t going to call her that, didn’t I?
“E-Ella,” she stammers, her voice soft and sweetly feminine despite her wildly chattering teeth. “Ella M-Montgomery.”
“Ella,” I say, her name like sugar on my tongue. “Alright, Ella. Let’s get you somewhere warm.” I tip my head in the direction of my truck. She nods and starts to move, but then immediately slips in the snow. My arms shoot out, steadying her and then holding her lightly against me for balance. Christ almighty, she doesn’t even come up to my shoulder. She’s tiny.
And I’m going to hell, because our size difference is making my dick hard.
I guide Ella to the truck, my protective instincts firing on all cylinders. The snow crunches under our boots, and the wind howls around us, but all I can focus on is the tiny, shivering woman beside me. I want to wrap her up in my arms, hold her close and warm her with my body heat. But I can’t. I barely know her, and she’s just been through a traumatic experience. I have to remind myself not to touch her the way I wish I could.
I open the passenger door and help her up into the truck. She’s so small that she has to grab onto the door frame and pull herself up, even with my assistance. I start to reach out, wanting to put my hands on her hips to help guide her up, but I don’t. Once she’s settled, I reach across her to buckle her seatbelt. Her eyes meet mine, our faces only inches apart, and I’m once again sucked into those gorgeous blues. She’s turning me into a puddle of mush with those eyes. It takes every ounce of willpower I possess not to cup her cheek in my hand and tell her that everything’s going to be okay. That I’m here to take care of her now.
I pull back and shut the door, then jog around to the driver’s side and climb in. The heat’s already blasting, and I turn the fan up higher, wanting to chase the chill from her delicate bones.
“What happened back there, Ella?” I ask, glancing over at her. She’s huddled in her coat, her arms wrapped around herself, and her teeth are still chattering. I turn on the electric seat warmer for her.
She shakes her head, looking down at her lap. “I-I don’t know,” she stammers. “I was driving, and it started snowing so hard, and I couldn’t see, and then…” She trails off, her voice hitching with a sob. “I hate today.”
I reach over and gently take her chin in my hand, turning her face towards me. She goes completely still, her breath stuttering.I scan her eyes, checking her pupils, looking for any signs of trauma. But they’re clear and reactive, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I let my gaze travel down her body, checking for any obvious injuries, but she seems okay. Just shaken, and I’m sure she’ll be sore in the morning.
My brain very unhelpfully goes in a filthy direction with thoughts of Ella being sore in the morning.
“You’re okay,” I tell her, my voice firm but gentle. “You’re safe now.”
She nods, but her lips tremble, and her eyes fill with tears. “I-I don’t know what to do,” she whispers. “I don’t know where to go. I can’t—” She cuts herself off with a hard shake of her head and then winces slightly. Her breathing is fast, erratic, and I can tell she’s on the verge of panic.
“Hey,” I say gently, slipping my fingers under her chin again. Her eyes snap to mine, wide and frightened. “Take a breath for me. That’s all I need you to do right now. In through your nose, nice and slow, out through your mouth. Good girl. Again.” I watch her breathe until it steadies out. I try hard not to stare at her, but it’s absolutely useless. She’s gorgeous. Stunning. Angelic and sexy all at once.
And wayyyyyy too fucking young for me.
