Free A Very Crimson Christmas (Crimson, Colorado 4) by Michelle Major Page A

but didn’t open the door. “Where’s Jase? I thought he was picking us up and we were meeting you at the trailhead.”
    “He called his morning,” Liam answered. He threw the car into Park and walked around the front of it to where she stood. “Some last-minute deposition he had to take for a trial that starts next week.”
    Her eyes narrowed and he raised his palms. “I swear, Nat. Do you want to call him?”
    “I believe you,” she muttered under her breath. “I’m not so sure about Jase’s story. Maybe we should reschedule for a time he can go, too.”
    “Do you think he’s trying to push us together?” He felt a smile curve the corner of his mouth. “Like he’s setting us up or something.”
    She shook her head. “No. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. Nothing is going to happen between us.”
    “Right,” Liam agreed although the hammering of his heart as he looked at her told a different story. He tried, once again, to ignore his body’s reaction to her. Today she wore a dark purple parka and a fleece cap. As forecasted, it had snowed overnight, and she looked especially bright and beautiful against the backdrop of the crisp white mountain shadowing the farm. “If you want to cancel today, you’re going to have one disappointed kid on your hands.”
    Her eyes flicked to Austin in the backseat.
    “Come on, Mom. Get in,” her son called.
    “He’s so excited.”
    “It’ll be fun, Nat. I promise.”
    She bit down on her lip as if considering her options, and Liam held his breath.
    “Fine. Fun,” she said after a moment.
    Trying not to look relieved, he opened the SUV’s door for her, then climbed back in and started the drive up Crimson Mountain.

Chapter Six
    N atalie’s stomach dipped and swayed as Liam drove the winding road up the mountain. Although snow blanketed the valley below and the branches of the pine trees in the surrounding forest, the road was clear and dry for most of the ride. The snowplow drivers were out early in Crimson, and she was used to winter driving.
    Her butterflies had more to do with the man sitting next to her, his arm resting casually on the console between them. His olive-colored down jacket made his eyes look more intense than normal. To Natalie, Liam had always been the perfect combination of rugged good looks and polished sophistication that came from his fancy upbringing. Not much had changed in ten years.
    He turned onto one of the forest service roads, and a sign announced they’d be at the River Run Sports Park in two miles. It was a slow drive. Natalie tried to keep her attention focused on the scenery and not Liam’s strong fingers gripping the steering wheel. Even so, she felt her skin grow warm as he absently rubbed the back of his neck.
    He flashed a grin as she adjusted the temperature on her side of the SUV. “Too warm?” he asked.
    “Just fine,” she answered and tucked her hands under her legs on the leather seat.
    Austin chattered from the backseat, peppering Liam with detailed questions about the machines he’d rented. Her son had an engineer’s brain from the time he said his first words, and she was surprised Liam could answer the nine-year-old’s array of questions easily and with so much patience.
    The mountain sports outfitter’s cabin came into view a few minutes later. Liam parked and Austin bolted from the car to where two shiny snowmobiles were parked nearby. A burly man came out of the building to greet them. “I’ve got your machines all ready, Mr. Donovan.”
    “Thanks,” Liam said, looking almost embarrassed at the deference the older man showed him. “Call me Liam. I appreciate you taking care of everything.”
    “You bet.” The man stuck out his hand and Liam shook it. “I’m Mark Wright, the owner here. I...uh...have been thinking of expanding the operation. If you like what you see today, maybe we can talk about an investment?”
    She saw Liam close his eyes for a moment and take a deep breath before