Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Boone squinted through the windshield and cursed the weather.
“Fucking weather forecasters,” he muttered, not for the first time since pulling off the highway and making his way down a snow-covered Main Street, fighting to see the turnoff to Stormy Weather Farm.
He’d stupidly trusted the timing of when the predicted storm was going to start, not anticipating that the last thirty minutes of his return trip to Gracemont would be made white-knuckling the wheel in a veritable whiteout.
The storm wasn’t supposed to start until later this evening, but apparently it was moving faster than anticipated. The eight to twelve inches they’d been calling for had now been upgraded to twelve to sixteen, and he was starting to think he’d made a mistake not canceling Sadie’s visit.
He breathed a sigh of relief as he made the turn to the farm—then immediately sucked it right back in and held it, because these last couple of miles were going to be the most hazardous.
Levi insisted they’d improved the road leading to the farm over the past decade or so, but there were still too many twists and turns for his peace of mind.
The prospect of teaching Sadie to drive one day was daunting enough, but the idea that she’d eventually be behind the wheel on this road was enough to give him night terrors.
He wondered if the family would be open to more suggested road improvements.
There was one hairpin turn in particular that was a real bitch.
Speaking of, Boone slowed his speed as he made the tight turn, hoping his truck would make it the rest of the way up the mountain.
He had four-wheel drive, but he probably would have been smart to invest in snow tires or chains, too.
His truck was fine for driving in snow on flat roads, but the farm road had one hell of a sharp incline.
He made the turn just fine, trying to maintain enough speed that he wouldn’t get stuck. In addition to the thick snow, the wind was beating a gale, blowing the white stuff in every direction. His windshield wipers and the defroster were only just about doing the job.
He drove past the winery and was coming up on the brewery when he slammed on the brakes, spotting a figure plodding along on the road.
The back end of his truck fishtailed and the tires slipped off the side of the road as he fought to correct course.
Squinting through the windshield, his temper exploded when he saw a shivering Mila huddled in the ditch. No doubt he’d surprised her, and the sound of his brakes and the truck skidding had sent her hightailing it off the road.
He rolled down his window. “What in the fuck are you doing out here?” He hadn’t meant to shout, but the thought that he could have hit her scared him spitless.
Mila trudged over to the driver’s side, but he shook his head when he saw her bright red cheeks. “Get in.”
As she crossed around the hood, he cranked the heat.
“Thanks,” she said as she climbed in. “It’s like a blizzard out here.”
“What the hell are you doing walking in it?”
“The storm wasn’t supposed to start until later tonight.
We opened the winery and brewery, but obviously no one was coming to drink with the forecast, so we closed early to let the employees get home safe.
I made a bad call and decided to clean the walk-in pantry and fridges at the winery, since no one was around.
I’ve been meaning to do it for months—Nora’s actually been threatening to do it herself, which would have driven me crazy—so I thought I’d tackle it before the snow started.
There are no windows in the pantry, and I didn’t even think to look outside—”
“I almost hit you, Mila. I didn’t see you until you were right there.” He tried to loosen his grip on the steering wheel, aware he was still white-knuckling it.
She bit her lip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you hadn’t already gotten back, and I sure as hell didn’t expect anyone to be driving on this road.”
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his rapidly racing heart, but it wasn’t easy. While she’d obviously miscalculated the storm the same way he had, Boone couldn’t get over the fact she’d put herself in serious danger.
Too many times during the past couple of months, he’d considered how Mila’s life would be different if she was his. Because there was no way he’d let her continue to work herself to the point of exhaustion, and hell would have frozen over before he’d let her walk a mile in a fucking blizzard.
When the first few deep breaths didn’t work, he gave up hope and put the truck in drive.
The tires spun, traction a thing of the past, thanks to the blowing snowdrifts.
Getting the vehicle moving on a flat surface would have been challenging, but no amount of shifting from reverse to drive was going to budge the thing out of the ditch.
“I’m sorry,” Mila said, shivering quietly as he put the truck in park, cursing under his breath.
“Not your fault.”
She shot him a look. “Of course it was. If you hadn’t had to slam on the brakes, the truck wouldn’t have slid off the road.”
Boone debated whether it was smarter to give her a few minutes to get warm in the truck or to get the damn hike through the snow over with, so she could put on some dry clothes.
Glancing outside at the thick, fat snowflakes and the ever-growing drifts, he decided their best bet was to get to his place.
“Looks like we’re going to have to walk.
” He nodded to the wine bag in her hands. “What’s that for?”
Mila gave him an adorable grin as she gestured toward the six bottles of wine. “I’m facing being snowed in for two days with Remi and Nora. Felt like provisions were necessary.”
He chuckled. “Well, my cabin is closer. What do you say you get snowed in with me?” Boone was perfectly aware he was sealing his fate with that invitation, but after nearly hitting her with his damn truck, he couldn’t shake the need to keep Mila close, where he could protect her and ensure she was safe and sound.
Sure, he thought sarcastically. That’s all you want to do.
Mila hesitated just long enough that he regretted phrasing his invitation as a request. Because it wasn’t.
“Stay there,” he said, turning off the truck and climbing out. Circling, he opened her door and took the bag of wine. “Come on. This trudge is only going to get harder the longer we wait.”
Mila took his hand, the two of them hunched forward, pushing against the strong wind as they slowly made their way to his cabin. Neither of them bothered with conversation, as it was too damn cold to make the effort.
She hadn’t verbally agreed to stay with him, but when he made the turn down his lane, she didn’t say anything, just let him continue to guide her.
He sighed in relief when they made it to his place, the warmth of the cabin welcome after the freezing-cold walk. Facing her, he helped her out of her hat, scarf, gloves, and coat, depositing them all on the hooks hanging by the door.
She gave him an amused grin. “I can do that myself.”
Boone ignored her as he knelt down, untying her boots and pulling them off. Once that was done, he repeated the process for himself before reclaiming her hand and taking her to his bedroom.
“Let me find you something to wear that’s dry, then I’ll go start a fire for us.
Loaded the woodbox yesterday, so we’re set there.
” Boone rummaged through his dresser drawer as Mila stood quietly by his bed.
He forced himself to ignore how easy it would be to push her down on that mattress and get her nice and warm without clothing.
He discreetly adjusted his growing erection, pulling out a couple pairs of lounge pants and some warm socks. Walking to Mila, he started to hand her the clothes, aware he’d be smart to leave her to change on her own while he closed himself inside the bathroom to do the same.
He wasn’t feeling particularly smart right now. That kiss last night by her car had shaken something loose, and all those well-rehearsed reasons he had for staying away from her had already started to fade. Now, the storm raging outside had blown them away once and for all.
So instead of leaving her alone, he tossed the pants and socks on the bed…then reached for the button of her jeans.
Mila gasped, her trembling hands flying to his.
“You’re shivering too much. Put your hands down.”
Now, as always, Mila responded to his commands instinctually, acting before the part of her brain that needed to consider stuff could kick in.
She closed her hands into fists at her sides, as if forcing herself to keep them there, while he drew down the zipper. Her jeans were soaked clear through from the knees down, but when he reached behind her to tug them down, he realized the ass of them was wet too.
He gave her a curious look.
“I slipped in the winery parking lot.”
Boone frowned, as she reminded him again how much danger she’d put herself in. Slipping the jeans over her ass, he worked the clinging denim down until she was able to step out of it.
Mila’s cheeks were red, but they’d been like that since they walked into the cabin, so he couldn’t tell if the color was from the cold or if arousal driving it. When she licked her chapped lips, tugging on the bottom one with her teeth, he got his answer.
She started to reach for the lounge pants, intent on covering up, but he rose and grasped her wrist, stopping her.
“Boone?” she asked.
“Turn around.”
She frowned.
“You fell. I want to make sure you’re okay.”
Her soft intake of breath reminded him that she was relatively inexperienced.
Hell, inexperienced didn’t even cover it.
Mila was practically a virgin, which should have been the biggest fucking red flag in the world.
He had no business taking her to bed, and yet, that inner caveman was beating his chest, determined to claim her.