the window and yanked back the heavy curtains. A blanket of snow covered everything, and more was falling fast. It hadn’t let up all night. She resisted the urge to giggle and clap. If someone granted her one wish, she’d wish for this exact scenario. She threw a silent thanks to the fates for extending her stay.
She hurriedly dressed and followed the tempting aroma.
In the kitchen, Luke had just poured himself a cup of coffee and was walking toward the table. “Well, good afternoon, sleepyhead. I was wondering if you’d make an appearance today.”
Catherine looked at the clock on the wall. It read 11:24 AM. “Technically, it’s still morning.”
He held up his cup in salute. “Coffee’s just finished perking if you want some, and I’ve got bacon, scrambled eggs and toast.”
To say she was shocked would have been the understatement of the year—or rather ten years. “You cook now?”
“ Always have,” he answered, sitting at the table in front of his filled plate.
“ You never cooked when we were together.”
“ Cat, we lived in a dorm. What do you cook in a dorm, other then mac and cheese and frozen pizza?”
He had a point. “But we came here a lot.”
Luke shook his head, chewing a piece of toast. “No way I’d ever take over the kitchen from Mom. She’d kill me.”
Another good point.
“Well, I’m starving, so I’m going to load my plate.”
He chuckled. “Please do. We both worked up quite an appetite last night.”
She ignored the heat stealing across her cheeks as she filled a plate, grabbed a mug of coffee and sat across from him at the table, searching for a way to change the subject. “Wow. I’d forgotten how fast these snow storms can blow in before Christmas.”
He swallowed a mouthful of scrambled eggs, nodding. “Right before the holidays is when we get the snow that gives us the quaint look everybody knows us for. You know that.”
Oh, she knew all right. And this time she was thankful for it. She took a sip of the strong coffee to hide the smile suddenly curving her lips.
“How long have you been up?” she asked after a moment of comfortable silence.
Luke shrugged. “A while. Long enough to check on Sapphire and crank up the gennie.”
Her eyes widened at that. “We’ve lost power?”
He nodded. “Early this morning. Furnace is propane, so no problem with heat, but electricity is another matter.”
Stuck in the house with only Luke to keep her warm? Sounded rather cozy. “How long do you think it’ll last? The weather, I mean.” Secretly, she hoped the storm would linger for a week.
“ Probably another couple of days, I’d guess.”
Not bad. Two days of fantastic sex with the man would definitely keep them warm enough. “When’s the season start again? January?”
He wiped the napkin over his mouth. “Usually around the end of January or the first of February. Why? Are you volunteering to help me?”
A crumb of toast flew down her windpipe and she choked, coughing until she dislodged it. “Are you kidding? Remember the last time I volunteered to help?”
Luke ’s chuckle wrapped around her like a secure blanket. “I remember we couldn’t use half the syrup we were supposed to be boxing up.”
Her laughter mingled with his. “Yeah. Because we poured it on each other and made a sticky mess out of the entire basement. Your folks were so pissed. I thought they were going to disown you.”
His brown eyes softened as he gazed at her. “It was worth it.”
Perspiration trickled between her breasts. “Wanna do it again?” she asked devilishly.
“ God, if only. But I barely have any extra surplus.” He winked. “After the season, ask me again.”
Uncontrollable warmth spread across her face and down her body, pooling between her thighs. She looked away, pushing her uneaten food around the plate. “Ah, well. I have work to do anyway. I hate to be a mooch, but do you happen to have a laptop I can borrow?”
Luke ’s eyebrow rose at
She hurriedly dressed and followed the tempting aroma.
In the kitchen, Luke had just poured himself a cup of coffee and was walking toward the table. “Well, good afternoon, sleepyhead. I was wondering if you’d make an appearance today.”
Catherine looked at the clock on the wall. It read 11:24 AM. “Technically, it’s still morning.”
He held up his cup in salute. “Coffee’s just finished perking if you want some, and I’ve got bacon, scrambled eggs and toast.”
To say she was shocked would have been the understatement of the year—or rather ten years. “You cook now?”
“ Always have,” he answered, sitting at the table in front of his filled plate.
“ You never cooked when we were together.”
“ Cat, we lived in a dorm. What do you cook in a dorm, other then mac and cheese and frozen pizza?”
He had a point. “But we came here a lot.”
Luke shook his head, chewing a piece of toast. “No way I’d ever take over the kitchen from Mom. She’d kill me.”
Another good point.
“Well, I’m starving, so I’m going to load my plate.”
He chuckled. “Please do. We both worked up quite an appetite last night.”
She ignored the heat stealing across her cheeks as she filled a plate, grabbed a mug of coffee and sat across from him at the table, searching for a way to change the subject. “Wow. I’d forgotten how fast these snow storms can blow in before Christmas.”
He swallowed a mouthful of scrambled eggs, nodding. “Right before the holidays is when we get the snow that gives us the quaint look everybody knows us for. You know that.”
Oh, she knew all right. And this time she was thankful for it. She took a sip of the strong coffee to hide the smile suddenly curving her lips.
“How long have you been up?” she asked after a moment of comfortable silence.
Luke shrugged. “A while. Long enough to check on Sapphire and crank up the gennie.”
Her eyes widened at that. “We’ve lost power?”
He nodded. “Early this morning. Furnace is propane, so no problem with heat, but electricity is another matter.”
Stuck in the house with only Luke to keep her warm? Sounded rather cozy. “How long do you think it’ll last? The weather, I mean.” Secretly, she hoped the storm would linger for a week.
“ Probably another couple of days, I’d guess.”
Not bad. Two days of fantastic sex with the man would definitely keep them warm enough. “When’s the season start again? January?”
He wiped the napkin over his mouth. “Usually around the end of January or the first of February. Why? Are you volunteering to help me?”
A crumb of toast flew down her windpipe and she choked, coughing until she dislodged it. “Are you kidding? Remember the last time I volunteered to help?”
Luke ’s chuckle wrapped around her like a secure blanket. “I remember we couldn’t use half the syrup we were supposed to be boxing up.”
Her laughter mingled with his. “Yeah. Because we poured it on each other and made a sticky mess out of the entire basement. Your folks were so pissed. I thought they were going to disown you.”
His brown eyes softened as he gazed at her. “It was worth it.”
Perspiration trickled between her breasts. “Wanna do it again?” she asked devilishly.
“ God, if only. But I barely have any extra surplus.” He winked. “After the season, ask me again.”
Uncontrollable warmth spread across her face and down her body, pooling between her thighs. She looked away, pushing her uneaten food around the plate. “Ah, well. I have work to do anyway. I hate to be a mooch, but do you happen to have a laptop I can borrow?”
Luke ’s eyebrow rose at
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