letters. I’ll take more care,” he said, and began to shift them to the box she had beside her. When his box was three-fourths empty, hers had been filled. He bent over his box and felt around. “I don’t feel anything, except letters.”
“Try reading a few,” she suggested.
He frowned slightly and picked up a letter to skim over it. “Nothing,” he said, tossing it into the discard box and taking another. After an hour, Zach was clearly tired of his fruitless search. “I can’t find anything worth keeping.”
“Maybe I should get in the car and go home now. It’s sort of tempting fate to stay.”
“You made a decision to stay. If you were going you should have left hours ago. You made your decision, so stick with it. If you leave now, you could get caught if the storm comes in early. You’d be in the snow in the dark. Not a good combination. Just stay.”
Stay, she’d have to.
On Friday the storm arrived as predicted, the first big flakes falling late morning. Emma went to the window. “Zach, this is beautiful. I have to go outside to look.” She left the office and went out the back to the patio to stand and watch huge flakes swirling and tumbling to earth. She stuck out her tongue, letting an icy flake melt in her mouth. She also held up her palm, watching for the briefest second as a beautiful flake hit her and then transformed into a drop of icy water.
In seconds she heard the door and glanced around to see Zach hurrying outside with a blanket tossed around his shoulders.
“I thought you might be cold,” he said, shaking it so it was around her and over her head as well as covering him. With his arm around her shoulders, he held the blanket in place. Shivering, she pressed closer, relishing the cozy warmth of Zach beside her.
“Isn’t this beautiful! I love the snow. It would be fun to have a white Christmas if it didn’t keep people from their families.”
“Your family will probably build snow forts and snowmen this weekend.”
She smiled. “Our yard will be filled with snow sculptures, bunnies, snow dogs, forts, tons of snowballs, snowmen. Our local paper came out one year and took pictures. We have sleds and everyone will go sledding if they can.”
“I guess in their own way, your family really enjoys life.”
“In the best way possible, they enjoy life,” she said, looking up at him. “Okay, I’m ready to go back in.” She tossed the blanket over his shoulder and dashed for the back door, feeling her cascade of hair swing as she ran.
Inside she stomped her feet to get the snow off and wiped her shoes on the mat. Zach appeared and did the same, best he could with his still-injured foot. “Want coffee, tea or hot chocolate to take back to the office?”
“Sure, hot chocolate.”
In minutes she had a mug and was at her desk, concentrating on work and trying to forget about Zach and how he had looked with big snowflakes in his thick brown hair and on his eyelashes.
“Emma,” Zach interrupted her during the afternoon. “Look outside now.”
She had been concentrating on work and forgotten the snow. The wind had picked up and when she glanced out, she gasped.
Snow was “falling” horizontally and the entire world was white. Everything in sight was buried in snow except the tall trees that were dark shadows as a blizzard raged.
“I didn’t notice. Oh, my word. I’m glad I didn’t get caught out in that.” She walked to the window and heard him coming to join her. Once again he draped his arm lightly across her shoulders.
“Tomorrow night, we’ll have our fancy steak dinners. Tonight it will be informal and cozy with Rosie’s Texas chili and homemade tamales. We can curl up by the fire and watch a movie or play chess or whatever you want to do. I can think of a few other possibilities,” he added in a huskier tone.
“Chess and a movie sound perfect. Forget the other possibilities. Stop flirting.”
“We’ll see what the evening brings,” he said, caressing her arm lightly. “And at the moment, I can’t resist flirting.”
“Try,” she said, taking a deep breath. She looked outside again, shivering just because the storm looked icy and hazardous. Once again she was thankful she wasn’t traveling. “I’m glad Rosie and Nigel are off. No one should be out in this. What about your livestock?”
“That’s who is out there fighting the elements and working—the cowboys who take care of that livestock at times like this. Just hope there’s nothing unusual happening with any of the stock.”
She nodded. “I’ll go back to work. I’ve received a text from Mom and all my family is home now except those who work close and they’ll be home soon. Some businesses have closed early.”
“Our Dallas office closed two hours ago. I have a policy with my CEO and with the vice presidents—whoever is in charge when I’m away—I don’t want anyone caught in this getting home. They’ve all had time to go home.”
“That’s nice, Zach,” she said as she returned to her desk.
They worked until five when Zach stood and stretched. “Time to quit, Emma. Actually past time to stop.”
“We’re out of the storm and I don’t mind continuing.”
“I mind. Come on—knock off and we’ll meet back down here for a drink and then dinner. Want to meet here at six?”
“Sure,” she said, shutting down her computer while he turned and left the room. She closed up and went to her room to shower and change. Dressing in a bright red sweater and matching slacks, she brushed her hair and tied it behind her head with a scarf.
Eagerly, she went downstairs to search for him. She followed enticing smells to the kitchen and found Zach stirring a steaming pot. He put the lid back in place. The minute she saw him, she forgot dinner. He wore a bulky navy sweater that made his shoulders appear broader than ever, and faded jeans that emphasized his narrow hips and long legs. He was in the health shoe and his loafer. Tangled curls were in their usual disarray. Zach’s eyes drifted slowly over her, an intense study that had the same results as a caress. Then his gaze locked with hers and her mouth went dry. She was held mesmerized while her heart became a drumbeat that she was certain he could hear. Captured by his look, she remained still while he stopped stirring and set aside the spoon to saunter toward her.
Her heart thudded as she tingled in a growing temptation. “Zach,” she whispered, uncertain if she protested or invited because she wanted to do both.
He reached for her, drawing her to him to kiss her.
Her stomach lurched while longing blazed. His passionate kiss demanded her response. Trembling, she returned his kisses, her tongue stroking his and going deep, exploring and tasting. He smelled of mint and deep woods. His lean body was hard planes against her softness, building her excitement.
Zach reached beneath her sweater, sliding his hand up to flick free her bra and then cup her breast as his thumb stroked her. Pleasure fluttered over her nerves and tickled her insides while she clung tightly to him. Finally, she looked up at him.
“Zach,
