A Wedding in December

“I wouldn’t say so.”

“You wouldn’t?”

“No.” He strolled into the cabin. “For a start, my name really is Jordan. And when you ask me for my number, I’m going to give it to you. My real number. Every digit correct.”

She gave a half smile. It was the best she could manage. “Why would I ask for your number?”

“Because it’s going to be hard for you to contact me without it.”

“Why would I need to contact you? Oh, I get it—” She nodded. “You’re worried I might be pregnant. Relax. That’s not going to happen.”

“That’s not the reason.”

Then what was the reason? “It’s fine, Jordan. We spent a night together and probably won’t see each other again once Christmas is over, it’s no big deal. In fact, it’s how my relationships always turn out. You don’t have to worry. You’re not dealing with some dreamy princess who thinks life is a series of happy-ever-afters.”

“That’s good to know, because dreamy princesses aren’t really my type.”

“No?” She picked up a few of Rosie’s clothes that had been strewn around the living room. If she kept busy and didn’t look at him, she could get through this, she knew she could.

“This is the part where you ask me what my type is.”

Did he have no tact at all?

“Sorry, I haven’t memorized the script.” She kept it light. She also kept her back to him. “What is your type?”

“That’s the strange thing. If you’d asked me a few weeks ago I would have said I didn’t have a type, but it turns out I’m partial to a certain moody doctor with a brain as sharp as the business end of a scalpel and an impressive knowledge of anatomy.”

She didn’t move.

“Katie?” His voice was rough. “Look at me.”

She turned. “I’ve told you—”

“You’re not interested in relationships, I know, but hear me out.” He kept his gaze fixed on hers. “I didn’t keep you in that cabin because I wanted to give Dan and Rosie time together, although I did think they needed time together. I kept you in the cabin because it wasn’t safe to leave.”

“Rosie said—”

“I’m telling you Rosie was wrong. Think about it, Katie. When have you and I held back on telling each other what we think? Not once. You’ve been speaking your mind since I gave you a ride from the airport, and I’ve been speaking mine. So why would I concoct some elaborate plan to keep you away from your sister? If that was the reason for keeping you in the cabin, I would have said so. I would have told you right out that I wasn’t going to let you go home and interfere. I would have locked the door and put the key in my pocket. We would have fought. With luck, you would have wrestled me for it.” There was a gleam in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before.

“We really were snowed in?”

He shrugged. “Could I have got us out? Maybe, but not without risk to life. I’m not sixteen anymore. Taking risks like that doesn’t have a whole lot of appeal.”

“I thought you were adventurous.”

“There’s adventure, and then there’s stupidity. Even if I’d been willing to risk my life, and that of the rescue teams who would undoubtedly haul themselves out to search for us, I wouldn’t have risked yours.” He paused. “In the spirit of honesty, I ought to also admit that I wanted you there. If the snow hadn’t cooperated, I would have found another way.”

She felt warm for the first time all day. “You—would?”

“Yes. Was that your dad I saw leaving?”

“Yes.” What exactly was he saying? She wasn’t sure. Wasn’t experienced enough at this to interpret his words.

&nbs

p; He strolled across to her. “You talked to him? Are your parents okay?”

“They are. Seems they’re not getting divorced, and this whole pretend thing is part of the reason. Which means the sex was, in fact, real. And that’s something I’m trying not to think about.” She rubbed her fingers over her forehead and stiffened as he took her hand.