Free COLD INNOCENCE (snowed in with the billionaire #1) (billionaire erotic romance) by Karolyn James Page A

their color. Judging by the speed of
the snow right now, Stephanie knew it would be a matter of hours
before those trees were completely covered.
    She walked to the fireplace and stuck her
hands out, letting the intense heat race along her body. It felt
great to be here; a place where nobody could find her, no debt
collectors could really bother her. She had a chance to make
something of herself. It was like a once in a lifetime chance… the
chance to walk into a place one person and walk out totally
different. If things went well, she’d have a stable, full-time job.
She’d have the confidence of executives, investors, and be able to
actually show herself to those that mattered.
    Beyond the living area was an archway
leading to a dining room. The room had eight square tables with a
coffee station and buffet at the end of the wall. Three small
windows grazed that wall, again showing the increasing snowfall
outside. As Stephanie walked, her nose picked up on the smell of
hot food and her stomach rumbled. She could go for some real
cooking. The long trip, including two flights, and a two hour
layover in Ohio, took its toll on Stephanie. Eating fast food and
airplane snacks wasn’t exactly filling, but it got her to the
lodge. In Ohio, she was almost sent home because of the pending
weather but she managed, thanks to a kind woman who understood what
Stephanie wanted to accomplish this weekend.
    “Um… ma’am?”
    Stephanie turned to find a tall, skinny man
wearing a black button wool coat, holding a knitted cap in his
hand.
    “Oh. Hello.” Stephanie put her hand out.
“I’m Stephanie Miledon, here for the executive…”
    “I figured that,” the man cut in. “I do
apologize, ma’am, but the lodge is closing.”
    “Closing?”
    “Due to the weather. We’re set to close in…”
the man pulled up his sleeve and checked his watch. “… three
minutes ago.” He looked over his shoulder. “I had the door
locked.”
    “It was open,” Stephanie said. “I swear
it.”
    “Either way, I do apologize for this. The
lodge is closed.”
    The man stood with a forced smile on his
face. His body language screamed impatient, desperate to leave to
beat the weather outside.
    Stephanie frowned and grabbed for her cell
phone. She checked for missed calls. None. She checked for
voicemails. None. She pressed for her email and there was nothing
but the usual spam.
    “Nobody said anything to me,” she said. “I
was told…”
    “I understand,” the man said. “I don’t mean
to be haste here, ma’am, but the weather is really picking up
outside. Lower levels in town are seeing snow accumulating already
and it’s going to be a wicked storm. Up here, you have to realize,
gets a lot more snow. If the town calls for a foot, we’ll get two
to three feet. I have to close up. Right now.”
    The man tapped his watch, leaving Stephanie
scrambling. She looked at her suitcase, her cell phone, and then to
the fireplace.
    “The fire…”
    “I was coming in to put it out,” the man
said. “Again, the lodge is closed. I have to get off this mountain
before the roads get too bad. I’m assuming you drove these roads
here. The climb, the turns. It doesn’t take much to make the trip
treacherous. I’m sure you understand that.”
    “Of course I do,” Stephanie said. “I’m
sorry, sir, I’m not trying to be difficult. I’m just not sure what
I’m going to do now.”
    The man sighed. He gazed to Stephanie’s
suitcase. Then he looked at her, bottom to top, making Stephanie
uncomfortable as he was obviously checking her out.
    “Excuse me…,” she whispered.
    “Do you have a way off the mountain?” the
man asked.
    “No,” Stephanie said.
    “How much clothing did you bring?”
    “Enough for the weekend.”
    “I have to leave,” the man said. “You’re
more than welcome to stay.”
    “You want me to stay in the lodge by myself?
For the weekend? With a snowstorm?”
    “What’s your other option…?”
    Stephanie