Colton cleared his throat when he felt a lump forming in it, and tears at the backs of his eyes. He couldn’t start bawling in front of a stranger, even if she was a sympathetic stranger.
He took a deep breath. “Yeah, they were pretty devoted to each other.”
Lauren placed a mug of hot chocolate in front of him and sat down across from him at the kitchen’s island. “You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. I understand. I got out of Raleigh shortly after I got word my divorce was final. I wanted time to myself before my family began to smother me, wanting to know if I was all right.”
He noticed she spoke with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, which by contrast were sad. Because he didn’t like her ex-husband he couldn’t imagine a woman not being overcome with joy after being declared free and clear of the buffoon.
He ate his soup in silence as she sipped her hot chocolate.
Although neither of them actually looked at the other, there were a lot of quick secret glances. Lauren had noticed his short, naturally dark brown hair was still damp from the shower and he had strong hands. He ate slowly, savoring each bite, which made her wonder if he did other things in that manner, as well. No rush, just lingering and appreciating, enjoying the moment. His skin was the color of cinnamon, and his eyes were dark gray, like his father’s. His photographs didn’t do him much justice, and the few times she’d seen him at public functions she had not given him much thought because after all she had been a married woman.
Colton could not help inhaling the clean feminine scent of her. Fresh out of a bath, he figured since she had opened the door in her bathrobe. Even half-frozen, he hadn’t missed that. Her silhouette was classically beautiful, the slender neck, that square chin with the dimple in its center, angling up to a full mouth with lips that looked soft and inviting. Damned if a near-death experience didn’t make you more observant, and appreciative, of things you might never have noticed before. When she breathed in and out, he imagined her full breasts heaving with desire, for him.
Once or twice while he was finishing his meal they smiled at one another, but uttered not a word. When he was done with the soup, he looked up at her. “That was wonderful. You saved me.”
Lauren laughed nervously as her eyes met his. “What was I supposed to do, let you freeze to death?”
His gaze went to her mouth. Her tongue flicked out and moistened her lower lip. She rose and reached for his bowl. “Can I get you some more?”
Suddenly, his heart was thudding in his chest, and his manhood, already going commando in his borrowed jeans, began to stir. He knew he had to get out of her presence before he said or did something that would embarrass them both.
“Um, no, thank you. I think I’ll just go to bed. I’m more tired than I thought.”
If he wasn’t mistaken, she looked relieved at his announcement. Was she feeling the same attraction he was feeling?
“Of course,” she said, hurriedly crossing the room to put the bowl in the sink. “You know the way. If you need an extra blanket, they’re on the top shelf in the closet.”
“Good night, then, and thank you,” Colton said hoarsely.
“Good night,” she said softly, chancing a shy glance in his direction. “Hopefully, we’ll have better weather tomorrow.”
Chapter 2
Colton got all the way to the door of the guest room before he realized he hadn’t asked Lauren if the phones were working. He could not with good conscience go to bed without attempting to let his family know he was safe.
Lauren was washing dishes at the sink when he returned to the kitchen. She heard him enter and placed a dish on the draining board before turning to face him. “Is there a problem?”
“My cell phone’s out of juice and I have no way of recharging it. Do you have a working phone I can use?”
She was drying her hands on a dish towel as she walked toward him. “The landline’s down due to the storm, but I have a satellite phone you can use.”
“A satellite phone?” Colton mused. “You have to be outside when you use that, right, underneath open sky?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Lauren confirmed with a smile. “I take it with me when I hike in the woods or the mountains.”
She hung the dish towel on a rack attached to the oven door and walked over to the large window in the kitchen and drew aside the curtains. The wind had died down and it wasn’t snowing any longer. Colton joined her at the window.
“It’s not as bad as it was out there earlier,” he said contemplatively.
“There’s a hooded, insulated jacket in the front hall closet that should fit you. You won’t even feel the cold in that baby,” Lauren told him.
“All right,” Colton agreed, “I’ll go put on my shoes and try on that jacket.”
“And I’ll go get the phone,” Lauren said. He watched her walk away, the gentle sway of her hips a thing of beauty.
They met up again at the front hall closet where she helped him into the jacket, reminding him of his mother bundling him up for the cold when he was a child. Then she explained how to use the phone. “It’s simple, and it works anywhere in the world, so there shouldn’t be a problem reaching your mother.”
“How’d you know I wanted to phone my mother?”
“Your father just passed away and you’re missing, whom else would you want to phone? You’re not married, are you?”
“No, I’ve never been that lucky,” he said, marveling at how easy it was to talk to her.
She smiled sweetly as she handed him the phone and said, “Tell her my thoughts and prayers are with her.”
* * *
Lauren had been right, the phone was a cinch to use. He got his mother on the first try. She was sick with worry. “Colton, oh, my God, where are you?”
“I’m in Bryson City, Mom, at the cabin, or rather I’m at your neighbor’s cabin. Our cabin didn’t have power, so Lauren offered me her guest room.”
“That’s hours from here,” Veronica Riley cried. “And I heard there was a snowstorm expected in that area tonight.”
“Blizzard is more like it,” Colton said. He looked up at the sky. Stars were starting to peek through the cloud cover. “But things are clearing up. With luck, I’ll be home tomorrow.”
“Lauren is a sweetheart,” Veronica said. “Have you told her about your father?”
“Yes, and she cried,” he said, his throat getting full again. “She says her thoughts and prayers are with you.”
“Of course they are,” said Veronica fondly. “It’s not that I’m not glad she was there when you needed her, but why in the world is she up there alone in that godforsaken weather?”
“She told me she wanted to get away from well-meaning people sympathizing with her over her divorce.”
“She’s divorced?” Veronica sounded startled. “I didn’t hear anything about it.”
Colton didn’t want to go into the nondisclosure clause that Lauren had earlier told him about over the phone. “It was kept quiet,” was all he said. A moment of silence passed. “Mom, I’m using a satellite phone under the stars. I’d better go. I’ll call you again tomorrow.”
“Okay, baby, I’m glad you were able to let us know where you are and that you are safe. You’re in good hands,” Veronica said confidently.
“Good night, Mom,” said Colton with warmth.
“Good night,” said