Page 76 of Snow Balled

“Well, we’re not playing a card game, that’s for damn sure,” Tristan said, and I nodded.

“Too bad we don’t have a jigsaw puzzle,” Drew said, and we all stared at him as if he was four. He shrugged. “It just seems like a cabin-in-the-woods kind of thing to do.”

Maybe he had a point.

“What would you like to do, Sierra?” Carter asked.

I thought about it, just as I’d been thinking about it for hours, ever since waking up from a nice nap with Tristan. “I’d like to see the upstairs bedrooms.”

Silence greeted that.

“I hoped all of you could give me a tour.”

“Are you sure?” Carter asked quietly.

“Yes.”

Tristan didn’t say anything, but when I met his eyes, something passed between us. Drew reached out and squeezed my fingers.

“All right. Why don’t you come on up in fifteen minutes?” Carter suggested.

That sounded good to me.

It was a little longer than a quarter of an hour later when I climbed the steps for the first time. I’d taken the world’s quickest shower and fixed my hair, but I kept my makeup light, now that I finally had some. I wore the dark balconette bra and panties I’d unearthed in my suitcase, along with Carter’s shimmery gray shirt on top of it. It would’ve been sexier to wear heels or go barefoot, but I’d opted for wool socks instead. Last night was about impressing them. Tonight would be about something different.

When I got to the landing, only one door was open. To my surprise, soft light and alluring music came from it. I took a cautious step inside. Drew and Tristan sat on opposite sides of a queen-sized bed. Carter leaned against the dresser, smiling. “Welcome.”

“Thanks.” My voice was quiet, but sincere.

“I’m glad you’re finally here,” Carter continued.

“Me, too.”

He cocked his head, looking sexy as hell in his black jeans and a tight black t-shirt. “Can I have my shirt back?”

I smiled. “Not quite yet.” I’d done up the lower buttons but left the top third open. “I like the candles.” Someone had brought up the emergency candles that Tristan had set out last night. I wasn’t eager to replicate too many things from yesterday, but I appreciated the fact that we could see each other without having to use harsh electric lights.

“Is this music okay for you?” Drew asked. Since he was the IT guy, he’d probably been in charge of the sound system—which appeared to be his phone.

“It’s perfect,” I said. It was smooth and instrumental.

A little self-consciously, I sat down at the end of the bed with Drew and Tristan behind me on either side.

Carter closed the door. He didn’t need to—obviously, we were the only ones in the cabin—but it made it feel more intimate. Like we were the only people left on Earth.

He stood in front of me, and I was eye-level with the belt of his jeans. I couldn’t help thinking about yesterday when I’d seen all of him. Somehow, this felt sexier. He wasn’t showing off—he waited for me to be ready.

And I was.

Carter smiled down at me. “I heard a rumor that you’ve recently changed your opinion on kissing.” His voice was low and husky and seemed to travel straight to my core.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“How can you be sure, though, with a sample size of one?” Carter’s voice was seductive. “Maybe you should try again.”

“I’d like that,” I breathed.

He leaned down and put his index finger under my chin, tilting his head up. I closed my eyes as his lips met mine.

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