a gift, and took the roll.
Then she glanced at her watch. âI should get you back to your apartment.â
He shrugged. âWhy donât I just stay here?â
She folded her arms across her chest. âI wondered when you would get back to that. Iâve told you more than once, itâs not happening again.â
âWhatâs not happening?â He played dumb so she would be forced to say it.
âSex.â Her eyebrow rose as she said it.
He had to bite back a smile. Clearing his throat,he put his napkin back on the table. âI understand the word no, Katie. I wasnât suggesting sex. There are two bedrooms, and I thought Iâd take the one you werenât using. In case you hadnât noticed, thereâs a blizzard outside.â He pointed at the window and the twirling mass of white beyond. âI doubt taxis are even running tonight.â
Turning in her chair, she glanced out. âCrap, when did that start?â
About a minute before heâd suggested they work out. The longer he stalled the worse the weather got. Before heâd left the lab heâd made sure his greenhouses were protected against what the forecasters were calling the worst blizzard in years. Thatâs when heâd hatched his plan. He had a feeling if she came back to his apartment sheâd feel too on guard. In her hotel room, she was on her turf. Heâd taken the blizzard as a sign from the universe that he and Katie were meant to be together. Well, he knew that was stretching the truth, but he wanted to be close to her again and the snow was a legitimate reason to stay.
Katie stood and glared out the window. âI didnât know you had blizzards here.â
Mac stood beside her and watched the massive white flakes float to the ground. âHonestly, it doesnât happen that often, but Iâve seen it shut the city down. Most of the time we just get a lot of cold drizzle, but the weather here is mercurial at best.â
Her arms were still folded against her chest. âWell, it seems silly to try and go out in this,â she said finally. âWe canât risk getting stuck somewhere. Take the spare room. Do you have everything you need? I can rundownstairs to the desk or see of they have a gift shop if you need something.â
Mac had brought the bag he kept at the office, which was packed with a change of clothes and all his toiletries. The bag was so that he could leave at a momentâs notice if something came up in one of his other labs, which were stationed around the world. He had greenhouses on four continents and he never knew when one of his experiments might need his attention.
His plants were important for the study of sustainable crops that some day could possibly prevent starvation as a result of droughts.
âIâm covered, thanks. Though I would like to send my clothes I wore today to the valet to have them washed and pressed. The same with the workout clothes, in case we are stuck here tomorrow.â
That was a very good possibility. Mac had made sure of it.
âWhat?â
He walked to the television and flipped it on. âWe should probably watch the news to see what they say.â
âA winter storm warning is in effect for the next twenty-four hoursâ¦â stated the broadcaster.
Mac tried to look serious. âNow, that is unusual. They havenât had a storm like this in years.â
âKind of like back home,â Katie murmured as she left his side. âItâs cold and wet in the city during the winter, but we donât usually get much snow. If we do, itâs usually a light dusting.â
Mac nodded. âI grew up in SoCal, and we didnât get much snow, unless we went north into the mountains. Iâm still kind of a kid when it comes to the white stuff.And the university will probably call a snow day. They are a cautious bunch. They wonât want to risk faculty and students slipping on
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