A thick arm wraps around my waist, and my back is warmed by solid, hot muscle.

  So much more.

  “You have an amazing view.”

  I take a sip of coffee before leaning my head on his shoulder. The fire crackles away at our side as we stand in front of my drafty window. “I know. My house might be falling apart at the seams, but that makes up for it.”

  Another Christmas has come and gone.

  My entire life, we’ve done the same thing at Christmas. Don’t most people? If traditions don’t live strong this time of year, when do they?

  I never realized traditions make everything blend into one memory. Sure, holiday rituals are nice, warm, and fuzzy. They’re comfortable like the ratty pajama pants you just can’t get rid of because they feel better with time.

  It wasn’t until this Christmas that I realized comfortable isn’t always best. Every detail of this Christmas will be burned on my brain forever. The year I was pushed out of my comfort zone by an accidental meeting with a man who is anything but a stranger now, and a blizzard for the record books.

  But the blizzard’s coming to an end, just like my days with Logan.

  The sun is shining, and Winter Falls is coming back to life again. My mom called this morning, and plows are hitting their streets in town. Their electricity is up and running.

  This should make me happy.

  “My mother is throwing a fit about Christmas.”

  I set my coffee down, turn away from the breathtaking view of sun glistening on the snow-covered peaks, and look up at the man who kept me warm for days, in so many ways. “I’m sorry.”

  He brushes a stray chunk of hair from my face that’s too short for my ponytail. “I’m not.”

  “But you have to be back at work, right?” My insides tense. “In Australia?”

  He winds my pony around his hand and tips my head back, his dark gaze intense. “I do. And I can’t push that back. I’m close to wrapping up my portion of the acquisition. The next month is critical.”

  “I feel bad you came all this way, and you won’t be able to see your family.” That’s a lie … sort of. I do feel bad, but not that bad. I wouldn’t change the last few days for anything, not even for his bossy mom.

  “I don’t. This was the best decision I’ve ever made.” He concurs with my private thoughts and lowers his forehead to mine, our noses brushing. “I make a shit ton of important decisions in my life, but this was by far my best.”

  “I can’t believe it’s about over.” I push up on my toes and press my body to his. Even though my intent is to kiss him, he takes over and claims my mouth first.

  His arms round me and the next thing I know, I’m pressed to the wall. Just when I expect Logan to rip my clothes off and give me another reason to dread his impending departure, he rips his lips from mine and frames my face with his big hands. “Come with me.”

  My eyes widen, and my breath catches.

  He doesn’t give me time to speak, agree, or argue. “It’s a month. It’ll fly by. Call it a vacation. A paid vacation. What difference does it make where you are? The mountains, the beach … fuck, Manhattan,” he stresses. I thought my breath caught before, but I might actually pass out from lack of oxygen. “Call it a second date. Hell, call it a trial. I don’t give a shit what you call it, but I’m not willing for this to end. If you end up hating me, I’ll buy you a first-class ticket back to your mountain. Come with me, Demi. Be with me. Give me a chance. Give us a chance.”

  You’d think I just hiked for hours, that’s how difficult it feels to pull in a breath. “I … I don’t know.”

  “Say yes,” he demands. “Say yes, and I’ll take care of everything.”

  Just when I’m about to open my mouth again, the world around us comes to life. Lights flicker. A commercial blares from the TV. The rattling hum of my old furnace begins to chug.

  Logan doesn’t move.

  “Demi—”

  I grip his wrists to pull his hands away from my face. Then I make the most lame excuse possible when the perfect man asks me to spend a month with him in Australia. “I need to reset my clocks.”

  His eyes narrow. “Are you shitting me?”

  I shake my head and give his wide chest a push. “They’ll blink and drive me crazy. I need to make sure my hot water heater is reset. We can shower and do laundry. Then I need to call my snow removal service and make sure I’m on the list for today. I need to go to the grocery store.”

  “You’re shitting me.” This time it’s a statement, and not a surprised one.

  He’s angry. Pissed.

  At me.

  “You can, um…” I look around and realize there’s nothing for him to do. “Never mind. I’ve got to check the water heater.”

  “Demi.” His growl is guttural and angry. A sound I’ve never heard pass his lips, not even when he crashed into my tree.

  And like the chicken I turn into when unease settles deep within me, I run. Though, I can only escape to the basement since there’s still three feet of snow outside.

  Chapter 17

  Logan

  Go With Your Gut

  “Sorry, Dad. My plans changed at the last minute, and I got stuck in a blizzard. I have to be back in Sydney after the new year. My project there should wrap at the end of January. I already booked time on my schedule after that to come home.”

  “Your mom’s pissed. Really she’s hurt, but she’s masking it as pissed.”

  The power has only been up for an hour. My clothes are already in the dryer and Demi busied herself with every-fucking-thing before she got in the shower. The lane to her house was just plowed, a service shoveled her drive and walk, and a tow truck is loading up my rental.

  Winter Falls doesn’t mess around when it comes to getting back to business after a storm.

  “I’ll make it up to her,” I promise, but wonder how exactly I’m going to do that. Besides going back in time and missing out on the last few days with Demi—which I wouldn’t trade for anything—there’s nothing that will make up missing a Carpino Christmas in my mom’s eyes.

  “The least you could do is tell us what was so important you changed your plans at the last minute.”

  What the hell? It’s like I’m in high school and didn’t show up for dinner. I sigh and drag a hand down my face. “I met someone. I had plans to come here after Christmas, but she was ground zero for a blizzard that moved through. I took a chance and came here first.”

  The line goes silent.

  “Dad?”

  “You met someone? You mean, you actually took time out of your schedule—hell, your life—for another human?”

  I knew this would happen. Which is why I’ve been radio silent with every Carpino on earth other than saying I wouldn’t make it for Christmas. “This is why I didn’t tell anyone.”

  “Who is it?” he asks.

  “A woman. She lives in Winter Falls.”

  “How did you meet a woman in Winter Falls?”

  The tow truck driver finishes and gives me a thumbs up from the snowbank he’s trudging through. I’m about to answer, but my damn brother appears in the background. “Logan met a woman?”

  Shit.

  My father is intent on torturing me. “Let me put you on Facetime.”

  “Why is my meeting a woman so shocking? I date.” The Facetime request comes in, and I sigh before accepting. My fucking family. I hold my phone up and look at the screen. “Hey.”

  My dad greets me. “Merry Christmas, son.”

  “Merry Christmas.”

  “Dude.” Grant forces his way in the screen, and is resorting to dude. “What the fuck are you wearing? Did you become someone’s bitch over Christmas?”

  I look down at my pink, bedazzled sweatshirt from a lingerie store and shrug. “I lost my suitcase.”

  “Link!” Grant yells. “Logan met a woman, and he’s wearing shit from Victoria’s Secret!”

  My dad keeps talking. “What’s most shocking—aside from your choice of attire—is that you met a woman you’re willing to wander into a blizzard for. I know you and I don’t think there’s ever been anyone you’ve been willing to cross the street for. So, yeah. Shocking. I can’t wait to tell your mom. She’ll drop the pissed and get off my ass about you. But I’ll leave out the part about your outfit.”

  “Dad—” I try but get interrupted.

  Grant keeps going. “Tell me you met her online. Make all my dreams come true and tell me I’m the one responsible for you actually finding the one. Was it the one who swiped you?”

  “I’m not telling you shit.”

  Link enters the fray. Good Lord, the Carpinos are always together, even the in-laws. “What the hell are you wearing?”

  “A chick swiped on Logan’s dating profile we made,” Grant explains.

  Link is as surprised as the rest of them. “No shit? Who would swipe on that?”

  Grant and Link continue an entire conversation without me or Dad. “Right? We’re geniuses. Women might say they don’t like assholes, but I think they do.”

  “Hey,” I butt in. “I’m not an asshole. I’m busy and have a life.”

  Grant points at me through the screen. “You made Mom cry on Christmas. If you’re not an asshole, then I’m not a Carpino. That’s beyond the point. Is this the same chick you told me about last week or did our epic profile crash the servers on the dating site?”

  I’m about to threaten Grant’s ability to have more children, but something else demands my attention.

  And that something would be a police cruiser making its way up Demi’s lane. It stops and the driver rolls down his window to talk to the tow truck driver, who points to my rental, and the tree.

  “Shit,” I mutter.

  “Did you piss off your new woman already? Don’t mess this up. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime shot, and Mom wants more grandkids. You can’t leave that shit to Avery and me alone.”

  As if on cue, my sister appears. “Leave what up to us?”

  Link puts an arm around his wife. “Logan met someone online. We’re trying to coach him on how not to fuck it up. I think she likes assholes.”

  “You two are trying to coach Logan?” Avery laughs and looks back at me. “And why go through the process of being an asshole just to have to kiss her ass? Kiss her ass from the beginning. Trust me.”

  “That’s true.” Link pulls her in to kiss the top of her head. “You know I enjoy kissing your ass, baby.”

  Avery slaps his chest. “Stop.”

  “I’ve got to go.” I don’t need to run numbers or use my reasoning skills to tell me this is Demi’s dad trudging to the door through the snow. And since I’m still in her clothes, and she’s in the shower, this might be awkward.

  “Don’t listen to them, Logan.” I look back at Avery. “Go with your gut. If you want her, do everything you can to make her yours. You don’t make it easy on yourself by traipsing all over the world for work.”

  Don’t I know it. And if Demi running away from me when I asked her to come with me is any indication, Avery is right.

  Grant disagrees. “I say he stays true to himself. Let your assholeness shine, bro. If she swiped, she’s into it.”

  My dad interjects his last words of wisdom. “Don’t listen to your brother. He talks big but he’d be sleeping in the garage if he followed his own advice. Good luck! And call your mom.”

  “No!” Avery reaches for the phone and I only see her face. “Call me. I need to know everything.”

  My family. They’re fucking crazy. I don’t say goodbye but disconnect as Sheriff Benjamin keeps his eyes trained on me.

  It might’ve stopped snowing, but it’s still freezing. I don’t make him wait and open the door before he makes it up the steps. He crosses the threshold and stomps the snow from his boots.

  The main lawman in the county looks me up and down. For the first time in days, I regret going commando. “Seeing as my daughter owns this house, who the hell are you?”

  I pretend I’m in a four-piece suit instead of clothes from a lingerie store and hold out my hand. “Logan Carpino. We spoke on the phone.”

  He tips his head, and his eyes narrow. He also does not take my proffered hand and crosses his arms. “Gotta say, you are not at all what I was expecting. I also didn’t expect you to be here, especially during a blizzard. You told me you’d be here after Christmas.”

  I mirror his stance and pretend I’m wearing underwear. “When the weather shifted, I changed my flight mid-trip. My luggage didn’t make it. I’m making do.”

  “I can see that,” he deadpans, but he won’t stop glaring at the mattress situated in front of the fireplace.

  It goes without saying, I’ve made better first impressions.

  Moving on. “I’m sure you’ve had a busy few days. Demi said you were working.”

  “Dad?”

  We both turn to the opening of the family room. Water is dripping from Demi’s hair, she’s wrapped in a towel, and for the first time in my life, my desire to make a prank call to nine-one-one shoots through the roof just to get her dad out of the house. But it doesn’t have anything to do with wanting to rip that towel off to have my way with her.

  It does have everything to do with the look on her face. She’s not embarrassed for me to be here while her dad is too. She’s guarded, and my gut tells me it has everything to do with me just asking her to travel around the world with me.

  Sure, we’ve only known each other for a few weeks. And most of that was long distance. But from everything I’ve learned about her since I crashed into her tree, I’m sure this is all about me pushing too hard, too fast.

  I should ease up. I should give her space. Fuck knows, I haven’t ever wanted anyone enough to make a move on them unless it was one hundred percent convenient, and even then I rarely gave a shit.

  Avery said to go with my gut. I’m going for it.

  “You didn’t tell us you had company for Christmas.” It’s not a question. It’s an accusation.

  Demi takes a step forward. “Dad, this is Logan Carpino. He came a few days early—we were snowed in like everyone else.”

  The sheriff turns his glare from the mattress to me. “I’m sure you were.”

  “Sheriff—” I start.

  “You can call him Joel,” Demi interrupts.

  I look to her dad, and he rolls his eyes.

  “Joel,” I start again. “I know what this looks like. I also know your daughter had a bad experience recently. You and I talked about that.” I look at Demi. She bites her lip and white knuckles her towel. I continue speaking to her dad but don’t look away from her tentative blue eyes. “Demi is as smart as she is gorgeous. She challenges me in ways no one has. I like that. This has been the best Christmas, and I don’t want it to end.” She widens her eyes and gives her head a slight shake. I think she’s silently begging me to shut the fuck up, but I refuse. I look back to her dad. “I have another month on my project in Sydney. Demi can work from anywhere, and I’ve asked her to come with me.”

  “Logan,” Demi hisses.

  Joel shoots her a glare. “You said no, right?”

  She narrows her eyes on her dad.

  The sheriff raises his voice. “You’re not going to Australia with a man you hardly know.”

  “Dad, you can’t tell me what to do. And I know Logan. Just for your information—both of you—I haven’t decided.”

  “It’s only for a month,” I try.

  “It’s a whole damn month,” her dad growls.

  Her eyes fall and she pulls in a big breath. “Dad, why did you stop by?”

  Joel throws his arms out wide. “To check on you, Demetria. I thought you were stuck by yourself in a blizzard for days. I see I was wrong.”

  I hold my hand up. “Whoa. Don’t take this out on Demi. She didn’t know I would be here early. I surprised her.”

  His expression hardens. “Like my girl would tell you to leave in the middle of a damn snowstorm. I don’t need another jackass pushing his way into her life.”

  “Dad, stop,” Demi warns. “Go. I’m sure you have citizens to check on who need you. I’m fine. We’re fine. I’ll call you and Mom later.”

  Joel glares at me before stalking across the room to his daughter. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Demi reaches up and kisses his cheek. “I know what happened with Sam freaked you out. But I’m fine. I wouldn’t let Logan be here if I didn’t want him here.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re thinking about going with him,” Joel growls.

  “I haven’t decided. But when I do, it will be what I want, without input from anyone else.”

  I let out a silent breath. She hasn’t said no.

  Yet.

  “Get dressed. You’ll freeze.” Joel reaches down and places a kiss on his daughter’s forehead before turning for the door and pins me with one last stare for the road. “Watch it.”

  “Bye, Dad,” Demi yells, not at all concerned with the sheriff’s threats.

  “Nice to meet you too,” I mutter and shut the door. I turn to Demi. “I’m going to cut your power so we can go back to the way things were yesterday.”

  She leans into the door jamb. “Things were easier when it was just the fire, bad food, and us.”

  “I can make that happen.”

  She shakes her head.

  I move and don’t stop until she’s in my arms. “I don’t give a shit what he says or thinks of me. I’m not backing down. I want you to come with me. Promise me you’ll think about it. I have to leave tomorrow. We can get your travel Visa online in just a few hours.”

  She gives me her weight, and I gladly take it. At this point, I’m desperate enough, I’ll gladly take anything she gives me as long as she doesn’t cut me out. “I don’t know, Logan. It’s so fast. You’ll be back in a month. It’s not that long. We can pick up then. One holiday without power is nothing. What if you get tired of me? I’m actually very boring. I work, and work, and work some more. That’s it.”

  “Interesting, since that’s all I do too. The only difference is you do it from home, and I do it from everywhere but home. Let’s spend the next month in Oz and see if we hate each other.”