Asher was waiting, leaned against the doorframe, and waved them in. He knocked Grady on the arm as they passed into the house. “And how you warded off hypothermia all night, all alone, just the two of you.”
The house felt like a welcome sauna after last night. Claire kicked off her snowy boots and set them in the boot tray, while Grady and Zane did the same. Grady slipped his hand into hers, the easy affection sending her pulse aflutter.
From the kitchen, Sophie smiled and flashed her a wink. “You guys must be starving.”
Stomach rumbling on cue, Claire nodded. “We missed dinner.”
“Coffee?”
Sleepy grin widening, Claire whimpered, “Yes please.”
Sophie poured a pair of steaming mugs in the homey kitchen. The lights over the island were on, and a lamp in the attached living room, a fire blazing in the hearth, but otherwise the house was dark.
Asher caught her perusal. “Power’s out all over town. Probably the state. We have a generator.”
As Zane returned from the back of the house where he’d dropped the bags he’d carted in, he tossed Freya a bundle of pink fuzzy socks. “For which we are grateful.” He looked to Claire. “Freya and I live in the apartment over the garage. As we are saving up for a house, we hadn’t even thought about investing in a generator. And there’s no fireplace in the apartment.”
Asher shrugged. “Can’t say I thought about it either, but my dad owns the hardware store in town and ensured we had this thing properly installed before winter hit.”
“Oh, I’ve been wanting to go in there but haven’t had an excuse to. I was hoping it was locally owned.” Claire gratefully accepted the coffee from Sophie and leaned back into Grady, the zing fluttering through her as he wrapped his arms around her before accepting his own coffee.
“Unless you’re gainfully employed, don’t risk it. He’s hiring.”
Grady stood behind her and laced his arm around her waist, and she melted into him. Voice light, he said, “Not to worry, you are looking at the newest veterinarian at Parson’s.”
Cozy in her socks, Freya curled up on the couch and whooped, “You’re staying in town?”
Grady nuzzled close, his smile palpable as he held her close.
“Damn right,” Claire beamed.
Leaned against the kitchen island, Sophie asked, “How do the roads look?”
Grady’s voice rumbled against her. “Awful. Mind if we crash here for now?”
“You’d better,” Sophie answered. “Freya and Zane already claimed Freya’s old bedroom. You guys can have the other one. We already tossed some sheets on the bed when we heard you were coming. I’ll grab some dry clothes for you, and there should be plenty of hot water for showers, but I’m fixing breakfast so don’t take too long.”
Zane rolled up his sleeves and headed into the kitchen. “I’ll give you a hand.”
Relief was a paltryunderstatement to describe how Grady felt on getting Claire to safety. That treacherous drive to reach her last night had been the stuff of nightmares. No visibility, creaking and snapping branches all around, utter darkness. All amplifying the fear of finally finding the love of his life, only to lose her before he even had a chance to tell her.
Like they’d been made for each other, each piece fitting together like an intricate puzzle, last night was extraordinary. The fact that she hadn’t been a cheating bitch certainly hadn’t hurt.
Grady tugged Claire against him and whispered in her ear, “Let’s go warm up.”
Biting her lower lip, she grinned and leaned into him. “Quickly. I’m starving.”
Before his friends could drill him any further, he dragged her into the back bathroom. Stealing her coffee, he set their mugs on the counter and peeled her top off. Lips warm and pliant against his, fluidly joining without hesitation, he was lost in her.
They must have disconnected long enough to remove the rest of their snow-encrusted clothes. Must have turned on the shower and stepped inside. But Grady noticed nothing but her in his delirium. Her lips trailing along his shoulder. Her clever fingers teasing along his hard shaft and gripping him tight.
Sensation returning, her skin pinked and pressed against his, he lifted and braced her against the shower wall. As the steaming flow rushed over them, he thrust into her. Gasping on impact, she moaned as he moved inside her.
A thousand words, infinite hope threatened to cross his lips as he made love with her again. Biting his tongue, he restrained himself from confessing his love to her in the midst of a shower quickie. Really romantic. His timing was already nightmarish, his words continually inadequate around her, he didn’t dare risk it.
But fuck, he was in so deep.
On a moan, as she ascended into her climax, she whispered in his ear, “Come with me, Grady.”
