Free All She Wants for Christmas by Jaci Burton

He checked the display. “Shit.”
    He pressed a button and put the phone to his ear. “Hi, Mom.”
    Wow. It was ten years ago.
    Ethan rolled his eyes. “No, I found her. She’s fine. We’re just sitting here…talking.” While he listened, he gave her a look that sent her up in flames again. “Yeah, I’m going to bring her back shortly. Okay.”
    He pressed the button and tossed the phone on the dash, then dragged his fingers through his hair. “Sorry. Kind of lost myself there for a minute.”
    Riley shuddered out a sigh, realizing whatever had been about to happen, or might have happened, wasn’t going to. Not here, not tonight. “It’s okay. I did, too.”
    “I’ll drive you back to my parents.”
    The only good thing was, Ethan looked as frustrated and regretful as she did.
    He hit the defrosters and the windshield wipers and by the time everything cleared, Riley realized how much snow had fallen already.
    They took a slow drive back to the house, giving Riley a chance to fix her hair and put on some lip gloss so she didn’t look quite so…ravaged by the time Ethan pulled into the driveway. They made a mad dash to the house where Ethan’s mom was waiting with the door open.
    “It’s horrible outside. I was so worried about you.” She enveloped Riley in a hug. “I already sent Brody and Wyatt home, which is where you both need to go before this gets any worse.”
    “Yes, Mom,” Ethan said, with a roll of his eyes, then a laugh and a kiss.
    “I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend more time together. I blame my son for that.” She glared at Ethan.
    “Already discussed and apologized, Mom. Topic’s closed.”
    “Okay, okay. You two get on the road.”
    “I’ve driven in snow before. I have a four wheel drive, Mom.”
    “And I’m still your mother and I’m going to worry. You should drive Riley back to her place.”
    “I have an SUV, too, Mrs. Kent,” and at her look, corrected it to, “Stacy. I’m sure I’ll be fine, but thank you.”
    “I’ll follow her,” Ethan said. “To make sure she makes it there safe.”
    “That’ll make me feel better.” She hugged Riley and Ethan and they were out the door.
    Snow pelted her on the face as the wind picked up. “Wow. It’s really coming down.”
    “Really, do you need me to drive you back to the B and B?”
    “No, it’s not that far. I can make it.”
    “Okay.”
    He seemed as reluctant to let her go as she was to be let go of. But since Ethan’s mother was peeking through the blinds, she opened her car door. “I’ll see you later.”
    “Yeah. Later.”
    She started the car up. She hadn’t thought about gloves because she was a moron, so gripping the icy cold steering wheel was torture, but she managed to back out of the driveway and made the trek back to the bed and breakfast. She had to admit it gave her some comfort to see Ethan’s SUV behind her the whole way. When she pulled into the parking lot and turned off the car, he waited in the street until she opened the front door and went inside. Only then did he drive off.
    Leaving her aching and frustrated. And alone.
    She sighed and turned off the lights.

Chapter Seven
    There was a holiday celebration at town square tonight, with Christmas carolers, ice skating on the makeshift rink, a parade and, of course, Santa. It was one of Zoey’s favorite parts of the holiday, though Ethan wasn’t sure if it was because of all the events that took place at town square or because she knew that meant Christmas was only a couple days away. Either way, he loved watching the joy in her eyes. He fed off her excitement and this was the event that always got him in the mood for Christmas.
    Because it had snowed, the whole town had a holiday look to it, which made everything perfect. Wreaths hung on every street light, banners and lights decorated every store front, and with the seven inches of snow they’d gotten the entire town looked like something out of a Christmas movie.
    Zoey had spent