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Fifteen minutes later, and not only do I now know I'm absolutely wrong...but I'm also absolutely certain I'm this close to freezing to death. My rental is stuck one foot deep in the snow, my cellphone can't catch even the faintest signal to save my life, and...this is all my fault because I thought I could pull an Eat Pray Love move a la Julia Roberts.
Oh, Raffi, you're smart nine times out of ten, but when you choose to be dumb...
I take a deep breath in an effort to stay calm. Blaming myself is pointless. My time is better spent figuring things out, and first things first: survival rate.
The thought has my fingers involuntarily curling around the steering wheel, and I draw another deep breath. Outside, there's the risk of dying of hypothermia, but if I stay inside my car with the heater on, there's also a chance I'd die of carbon monoxide poisoning.
I know those are worst case scenarios, but I also think—-
Oh my God, hallelujah, God is good!
I'm out of my rental as soon as I catch sight of a pick-up through my rearview mirror, and I jump and wave my hands wildly in the air like a cheerleader on championship night. "Hey! Hey! Help please!"
My heart leaps in relief when the driver pulls up behind my car. Something about the pick-up seems awfully familiar, but things only click when I see the guy stepping out, and of course...it has to be him.
Wyoming Keanu.
A shiver runs down my spine, but it has more to do with an almost forbidden sense of excitement rather than the bitingly cold winds currently stinging my cheeks.
"You alright, ma'am?"
Ma'am. I've never been called that before. Also, how perfect is that voice? Think strong, deep, and authoritative but at the same time reassuringly gentle and wonderfully precise, like Superman meets Professor X, and...oh my God, is that a badge he's showing me?
I squint hard, just to make sure I'm seeing things right. It is a badge, and next to it is his I.D., which tells me his name is Aidan Blackwood, and he's the...Chief of Police of Hartland, Wyoming?
I'm beyond stunned, and when I lift my gaze up to his, I see a smile curving over his lips, and oh my freaking God, but the sight is just so dazzling my lips start moving on its own.
"You're handsome."
Aidan's smile turns into a grin, and my mood switches from dazzled to completely enthralled.
"Thank you, ma'am."
His tone is polite enough, but it's the glint in his dark eyes that brings me back to my senses.
What the hell?
While I've never been the shy and awkward type, neither have I ever been the type to just go up to a man and start flirting, and I have no idea - absolutely no idea - how in the world I ended up saying such words.
Get! A! Grip! Raffi!
I give myself one last mental shake while Aidan starts talking about snow tires and engines and batteries. He gestures to my tires and bends down as he speaks, and I'm immediately distracted by the way his pants stretch across his behind.
Oh my God, I'm such a perv.
But...
That ass of his is seriously sexy. Just perfectly muscled, and—-
"Ma'am?"
My gaze darts back guiltily to his direction, and I feel my cheeks turn pink when I realize he's caught me ogling his lovely behind. "Um...oops?"
He doesn't say anything this time, but the way his dark gaze smolders has me torn between swooning and panicking.
A little help here, God? Please?
I've long sworn off forbidden fruits like Chief Aidan Blackwood, but how the heck am I supposed to stay unaffected when Wyoming Keanu keeps looking at me like I'm his next meal?
I wait for God to answer, but all I hear is crickets.
Fine then.
I look back at Mr. Temptation-Come-To-Life, thinking it's time to make things clear, but—-
"About your car," he suddenly murmurs, and I perk up right away, relieved to hear him changing the subject just when I need him to.
"I can have it towed first thing tomorrow."
"That would be a huge help," I say right away.
"But in the meantime...if you've got somewhere to go, maybe I can give you a lift?"
****
THINGS MOVED PRETTY quickly after that, and before I know it I'm struggling to contain my breathless excitement while seated next to Aidan in the tight, dark quarters of his pick-up. The whole thing feels rather surreal, and my heart's pounding so hard I'm seriously worried it's about to burst out of my chest.
Distraction.
That's what I need a.s.a.p., but when I ask for his permission to play some music—-
"I'd rather talk to you," he murmurs, "if you don't mind." He slides a glance at me, asking, "Are you here for business or pleasure?"
I frown at him. "How do you know I'm not local?"
Wyoming Keanu smirks. "Anyone who doesn't know the difference between a snowstorm and a blizzard better not be local or he'd be dumber than a doornail."
I gape at him, torn between shock and laughter. "Did you just call me stupid?"
"Only if you're local."
I make a face, knowing he has me there.
"Well?"
"You already know I'm not local."
"And?"
I roll my eyes but answer him all the same. "Both, I guess?"
"You don't sound sure."
"Story of my life." The words are out before I can stop myself, and I can't help wincing at how terribly emo I sound. "Sorry. Ignore that, please—-"
"What are the other things you're unsure of?"
"I just asked you to ignore that," I exclaim.
"Ignoring things isn't one of my talents, I'm afraid."
"But rudeness is?"
"I prefer...roguish."
God, he's impossible, and even worse, I'm having a hard time keeping myself from smiling.
"It's always easier to talk to strangers," he says suddenly. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that?"
I shake my head.
"It's true, though."
"Of course you'd say that."
"Come on," he says cajolingly. "What's there for you to lose?"
"A lot."
His brows shoot up, and I realize I've done it again. If there's anything I dread more than the C-word, then it's the E-word. There's nothing I find more appalling than being emo, but...isn't that the whole point of this trip as well?
Eat Pray Love is just one giant emo fest, and if I want to carve a path of self-discovery the way Julia Roberts did, then...
"I don't know what I want to do with my life," I blurt out.
"And you have a deadline for that?"
I expel a sound of frustration. "You know what I mean."
"And I think you also know what I mean," he says equably.
I suppose I do, but...it's different for him. One look at Wyoming Keanu, and I know he already has things figured out. He knows what he'll be doing until his 101st birthday, and while I'm happy for him, that just makes me feel like I suck even more. I don't even know what I'm going to do in the next hour—-
"Do you know Stan Lee?"
The question throws me for a loop, and I look at him, confused. "Not personally, no, but I know of him."
"Then there you go."
"I'm sorry, but you've totally lost me."
"Stan Lee was in his late thirties when he hit it big with Fantastic Four."
Hearing Wyoming Keanu use a Marvel analogy is just so unexpected I find myself fighting off another smile.
"And Vera Wang—-"
I can't help laughing now. "Seriously?"
"I'm not making any of this up—-"
"I k-know you're not, b-but..." I try to finish, but I'm laughing too hard to be coherent. This really isn't good, but I just can't help it. Wyoming Keanu almost seems to have a secret key to my funny bone, and I need to clear my throat several times before I can finally start speaking again. "I'm sorry. "I just never expected a macho guy like you to even know who Vera Wang is."
A moment passes, and then he says, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For thinking I'm macho."
Oh my God, this guy is totally killing me with his lines, and that is so not good—-
"By the way..."
I stare at him warily, wondering if he's about to threaten my heart again with another killer line.
"You never told me your name."
I breathe a sigh of relief. Oh thank God. Something prosaic to talk about, finally, and I'm just so grateful I happily give my name up. "It's Raffi."
"Just Raffi?"
"Short for Serafina."
"Much better."
The words startle a smile out of me. "That's kinda telling, don't you think?" I shift in my seat to look at Wyoming Keanu, thinking I'd tease him about being old-fashioned—-
Shit.
I quickly look away before the heat in his eyes has me doing something stupid. I just don't understand this guy. He's Wyoming Keanu, for God's sake, while I'm...well...I'm the type of girl guys like to hang out rather than make out with. I bring the big O to ordinary, and yet I just caught him staring at me like he's been eye-fucking me this entire time. Is it because there's a shortage of females in Wyoming or...wait a minute.
I think I finally get why he's acting like this, and I turn to him right away, saying, "I think I should make something clear."
"I'm listening."
I clear my throat, and then I say as firmly as I can, "I Am Not Easy. Okay?"
Silence.
"I know it's hard to believe when it seems like I've come on to you first, telling you you're handsome and...and macho, but you shouldn't really read anything into it."
"I shouldn't?"
"You can feel flattered if you want."
"I can?"
"I mean, I don't normally say things like that."
"You don't?"
I open my mouth to answer when it suddenly hits me. I look at him suspiciously, and as if sensing my gaze, Wyoming Keanu also turns my way...with a sexy little smirk playing over his lips.
"Jerk!" I sock his shoulder hard even as a helpless laugh bubbles past my lips. I can't believe it took me so long to realize he was letting the whole conversation play out just to enjoy the sight of me squirming.
"You're Chief of Police," I say chidingly. "You're not supposed to act like a jerk."
"You're probably right," he agrees. "But since I'm off duty right now..."
His tone lowers a notch, and I manage to make myself scowl even as my whole body feels like it's on fire. "Will you quit that?" I grumble. "I mean it when I said—-"
"I never thought you were easy."
The mildness of his tone throws me off, and my mind goes blank. He has to be lying. He has to. Why else would he bother—-
"We're here."
What was that? What does he mean we're here—-oh. I realize what he means when I see him switching the engine off, and I quickly paste a smile on my face even as my heart aches at the thought of him leaving. "Right. Um. Thanks then."
"Let me open—-"
"It's fine, thanks." I open my door and jump out of the pick-up without looking at him. It was nice spending time with Wyoming Keanu, but it's time for a reality check.
A blast of icy wind strikes my skin as I study the B&B he's taken me to. It's a picturesque three-story brick building, and I hear its doors being unlocked just as Aidan takes my hand-carry out of the backseat.
"Thank you for all of your help," I say politely.
"I'll help you check in."
"It's not necessary." I try reaching for the handle of my luggage, but he swiftly puts it behind his back, and I end up falling against him as I lose my balance.
Shit.
Before I can even try moving away, one hand is already gripping my hair while Aidan has his other arm going around my waist.
"Stop—-"
But he's already pulling me closer, and my heart races. I put my hands up, intending to push him away, but the moment I come into contact with the muscular wall of his chest—-
Oh God.
My senses reel at the hard warmth of his body, and I find myself clutching his shirt instead of pushing him away.
"Serafina..."
Hearing my name on his lips makes me whimper, and the sound makes his hold on my hair tighten...just before his mouth crashes over mine, and I'm suddenly drowning in a maelstrom of heat and passion. The kiss deepens, and my heart slams against my chest. His lips ravage mine over and over, his kiss scorching the air around us until every inch of me is burning—-
No!
I manage to wrench myself away, shaken and desperately clinging to the last smallest piece of sanity inside of me. "Why did you do that?"
"Because I want to kiss you."
"You just can't kiss—-"
"I also want you to be my girlfriend."
"What?"
"But if you're ready for marriage—-"
"Are you insane?"
"Please don't think this is a dig on your current situation, but..." His broad shoulders move in a shrug. "I've never had problems knowing what I want."
Shit.
It really does sound like a dig, and I almost wish I can convince myself it is one.
But one look at his gaze, and I know Wyoming Keanu isn't lying. He really does think he likes me. Really does think he wants me to be his girlfriend, and...I just wish I can make myself think it's true.
"I'm flattered," I say lightly, "but I'll have to say no. One of us has to be sensible, and you don't even know me—-"
"I know enough," he says quietly.
What does that even mean?
"I know you think what just happened is next to crazy—-"
"Because it is," I cry out.
"And I can tell you're running away from something—-"
I freeze.
"But whatever it is—-"
I start shaking my head.
"I can—-"
"You can't." It hurts to say the words, and it hurts even more to see the way Aidan's looking at me and think of what could've been. It hurts because I want so badly to think it's real.
But it's not.
I show him the necklace resting under my shirt, and the way his jaw clenches tells me Wyoming Keanu knows exactly what the ring hanging from it means.