Page 39 of Wild Promise

I’d been trying all morning to convince myself that what happened between us was a fluke. He wasn’t as understanding and honest as he seemed. My unexpected feelings weren’t a big deal. I wasn’t still yearning for more.

One date was good enough.

But it was hard to believe any of those lies when I’d experienced the most electrifying night of my life and the feel of his hands and lips were still imprinted on my skin. Even without sex—hell, we hadn’t even removed any clothing—Zane had helped me remember that, underneath the layers of responsibility and expectation, I was a woman with her own wants and needs.

Ravenous, agonizing, unfulfilled needs.

Damn him.

His sudden sense of morality was infuriating. Yet also incredibly endearing. I couldn’t fault a man for following through on his promises. Especially when he was well known for making none.

Still, as glad as I was that he’d done as agreed and stopped me from making what would have likely been the biggest mistake of my life, part of me was still disappointed. Our one night was over, and that was supposed to be it.

Sure, he’d made some tantalizing, filthy suggestions, and had hinted there could be more to come. But that was just a fantasy.

Our situation hadn’t changed. He still posed a threat to my career, and I didn’t have room to be careless. Not with my promotion so close in sight.

“Girls!” Dad called from the living room.

The urgency in his tone sent my heart straight to my throat. Eight months ago, there’d been no warning at all. No call for help. Just me walking into his bedroom and finding him on the floor, the phone inches from his hand, too late to use it.

Now, I dashed from the kitchen, air sawing raggedly through my lungs. When I found him standing at the bay window with a half-smile on his face, I sagged against the doorframe, shaking and out of breath.

Olivia and Lucy had somehow beat me there and were joining him at the window, crowding around it.

“What’s going on?” My voice came out steadier than I felt.

Lucy turned a beaming smile my way. “It’s snowing.”

“First snowfall of the year,” Dad said, his words clear and his tone almost joyful.

I cozied up to them, wedging myself between Olivia and Dad, not bothering to tell them I’d already witnessed the first snowfall. That moment was too private, too magical to share.

The glass was naturally frosted with lines of crystallized moisture that webbed intricate patterns across each pane, and our collective breath added a light fog to the view. But oh my, what a pretty picture.

Huge tufts of snow floated from the heavens, dancing around each other as they fell to earth. The ground was dotted with splotches of white as the last of the fall leaves that hadn’t been raked were quickly hidden from sight.

It was beautiful and judging from the increasing speed at which it was falling, was going to last a while. This snowfall looked like it was here to stay, and business at the resort would really pick up now. Chapman would need to get out his sleigh.

I sighed, the memory of my ride with Zane warming through me before I could stop it.

“It’s so pretty,” Lucy whispered in awe.

Olivia hummed her agreement. “It is, but I’m not shoveling tonight.”

Dad’s soft chuckle tickled me as he slung his arm around my waist, bringing me in for a light hug. “Your mom would’ve loved this.”

I burrowed my head into his chest, just like I had when I was little. My eyes welled, and emotion too big to hold on to threatened to pull me under. But I held fast, secure in the arms of my father—the strongest man I’d ever known.

I wanted to freeze this moment and live inside it forever.

“Okay.” Olivia’s no-nonsense tone dispelled the moment. “Who’s ready for Risk?”

“No,” Lucy complained with a pained groan. “That game takes forever. What’s wrong with Scrabble or Trivial Pursuit?”

“You’re so boring,” Olivia teased. “I want to take over the world.”

“My vote’s for Monopoly,” I mumbled into Dad’s sweater, his chest rumbling with more laughter against my cheek.