Free Snowball's Chance by Cherry Adair Page B

while he was still inside her, he wasn’t squishing her against the hard wood of the steps.
    â€œOkay?” he asked, opening his eyes a crack.
    Pushing hair off his forehead, she grinned. “Better than. But I think I have bruises on my butt—” She screamed playfully as he turned her over to lavish kisses on her delectable ass.
    His jeans rang. He fumbled to reach them, then flipped them to reach his back pocket and the chiming cell, bringing the phone to his ear. “Yeah?”
    Cradling her cheek on her folded hands Kendall let herself drift. She was limp as a noodle with a mixture of pleasure and exhaustion. While he talked, she stared through the open risers beneath her at the unfinished Christmas tree below in the great room. Not that it mattered at this point, but still—
    And while she was lying here—not that she’d noticed while they were in the throes—but now that she wasn’t otherwise occupied, she felt each individual plank of wood across her upper chest, midriff, hips, thighs, and shinbones, just as she’d felt them all the way down her back earlier.
    She found just enough energy to turn over, then to clamber over his long, rangy body. Let him take the brunt of the hardwood for a while. He shifted beneath her, getting comfortable, as he talked to Roz. Kendall whiled away the time by kissing his throat, his jaw, his mouth, and wherever else she could reach without expending any more energy than necessary. He moved the open cell phone accordingly. “Yeah. ’Preciate it, thanks, Roz.”
    He snapped his cell phone closed. “They’ve managed to clear part of the road up here. The local cops are on their way.” Before she could move, Joe scooped her up and carried her upstairs.
    â€œVery manly,” she murmured admiringly, looping her arms about his neck and laying her head on his chest. Fortunately, all of her clothes were upstairs.

7
    T hey dressed and, taking the radio with them to listen to the weather, went downstairs to wait for the police to arrive. The house was icy, and Joe considered lighting the fire in the great room. But they wouldn’t be there long enough to get the benefit.
    Kendall had left a pair of bright blue, fur-lined, knee-high boots in the hall closet, and she plopped herself down on the area rug to pull them on.
    Joe held out his hand to pull her up when she was done. “Man. I’d give a year’s pay to see you in those—and nothing else.”
    â€œYeah?” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes as she came up beside him in a smooth move he had to admire. “That can be arranged.”
    â€œI’ll consider that a promise and take a rain check. Here.” He took her coat from her. “Let me help you with that.” The yellow down coat made her look like a fluffy chick. He took the opportunity to gather her luxurious hair in one hand as she shrugged the garment over her shoulders.
    He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. He knew she was scared, and he wasn’t going to diminish that emotion by pretending he wasn’t aware of her feelings. As much as he sympathized, her fear would keep her on her toes. He should be feeling a mild form of relief at this point. The storm had relented enough for them to leave. He had ample backup and the means to leave quickly, and there had been no reported sightings of Treadwell for almost five hours.
    Instead Joe felt a tightening at the back of his neck. There was the sense—the anticipation—of impending danger. Something was off.
    Treadwell was close.
    Following her into the kitchen, Joe tugged on his own heavy coat, then picked up his hat and gloves from where he’d left them the day before. Hell. Was it only yesterday?
    â€œWant one of these oh-so-stale cookies? Neither do I.” She tossed the one she held back onto the animal plate as she passed. She opened the refrigerator. “No coffee,” she