Free Snowed In by Anna Daye Page A

by. He took any and all opportunities. Poking fun at her for majoring in art. Tugging at her paint-stained clothes and asking when she was going to dress like a grown up. Teasing her about her hair and her ideals…ugh. She couldn’t think of a single person she’d rather not be stuck with in a snowstorm.
    “Guess we might as well get comfortable. I’ll see if there are some candles in the kitchen.”
    He was gone before she could reply, moving quickly through the house as if he could see in the dark. But then, she could see better now, too. Her eyes had adjusted somewhat, and she could make out large shapes in the dark, odd-looking, highlighted by the thin rays of light coming through the windows.  
    The roll and bump of drawers opening and closing in the kitchen sounded, and before long, Bryan reappeared.
    “Not sure where the candles are. If the lights don’t come back on in a few, I’ll see if I can get reception to call the lovebirds to ask where they keep them.” He waved a glass toward her and she took it.  
    “Wine. Figured we might as well get comfortable. Who knows, maybe a few drinks and you won’t despise me quite so much.”
    She choked on the sip she’d ventured, then wiped at her jaw, happy he couldn’t see her spitting on herself in the dark.  
    “Don’t bother arguing. I told David that their little scheme would never work, but Stacy isn’t one to let go when she has a plan.”
    “What plan? What are you talking about?” she managed, after another drink of wine to clear her throat.  
    “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed. All the time the four of us have been spending together the last few months. And now the weekend away to the romantic cabin.”
    “They’re trying to set us up.” It all suddenly made sense, and she burned with embarrassment that she hadn’t picked up on it already, like Bryan had.  
    “Yep,” he said, but to his credit he didn’t add that she was slow for not realizing sooner.  
    “But that’s ridiculous.”  
    “Is it?” he asked, but she could hear the smile in his voice.
    “We’re like oil and water. If oil and water annoyed the crap out of each other in addition to not mixing well.” She drank down the rest of her wine and set the glass on the coffee table between them. “Sorry, but come on.”
    “Don’t worry, the feeling is mutual.”
    Something inside of her twinged at his words. It wasn’t that she expected Bryan to like her—they annoyed each other far too much for that—but her pride didn’t care to have it spoken aloud. And he was a very attractive man, well-built with a chiseled jaw and the sharp features of an old movie star. If he’d keep his mouth shut for five minutes he’d make good eye candy.
    And if she was totally honest, she’d thought about him far too often. Not about being with him in any real way, but there was something about the cruel set to his mouth, the way his eyes watched her sometimes, that made her wonder what it would be like with him. Different, she was sure, than it had been with the other men—boys, really—that she’d dated in school.
    “That’s not to say I haven’t fantasized about you.”
    Her throat went dry when he voiced her thoughts as if he’d plucked them right out of her skull, and she wished she hadn’t drank all of her wine. She swallowed hard, but her voice still came out weak, hesitant.  
    “You have?”  
    “Oh yes.” His glass chinked as he set it on the coffee table. And even in the darkness she could feel his eyes on her. Watching. Waiting for her reaction.
    Images ran through her mind. Bryan’s cruel grin replaced a look of ecstasy when she touched him. His body covering hers while he thrust into her heat. Bryan’s eyes, locking on hers as he whispered pretty words…or dirty ones.
    It was a terrible idea to delve into any fantasies he’d had that she happened to star in. Terrible. But she couldn’t seem to stop herself.  
    “What have you fantasized