Snow Place Like Home

Chapter Sixteen

Shonna

He must be crazy.

"This doesn't seem like the place to do that," she noted, glancing around the room at the drunken patrons.

"That's not what I asked. Do you want to dance with me?"

Every fiber in her being was screaming, "yes." She wanted to be near him and have his hard body pressed to hers as they held each other, but not with an audience of drunk strangers.

She stared into his hopeful eyes, pleading with her to take a chance. Against her better judgment, she took a big gulp of her drink and nodded.

He smiled and took her hand, leading her to the "dance floor," a narrow space between the karaoke stage and the row of tables nearby. He kept his hand in hers and placed the other around her waist, bringing her close to him. She wrapped her free arm around his neck and let him sway her to the music that had shifted from annoyingly off-key to hauntingly beautiful.

She felt silly at first, standing there awkwardly in front of everyone, but as she glanced around the room and saw that no one was paying them any attention, she relaxed her body against his as they spun around in slow circles. She let her head rest against his chest, and she could hear his thundering heartbeat resounding as it began to quicken in pace. He squeezed her tighter to him and slid his hand down to the small of her back. Although she knew he was too much of a gentleman to grab her ass in public, she was almost disappointed when he didn't go further. She hoped he wouldn't be as gallant in bed.

Then, in an unexpected move, he lifted her hand above her head, leading her to twirl, before returning her to his embrace. She laughed at that, but when she looked up into his eyes, his face was overcome with dark desire. He leaned in, and with his face so close to hers, she could feel his breath. She waited for his kiss, her anticipation building with every second that passed, but he didn't move any closer. They stayed that way for what felt like hours but had been mere moments because Charlie had just finished her rendition of the classic song.

"Last call," the bartender shouted.

They stepped away from each other as the bar began to clear out. It was just them now and a few stragglers left at the bar. Rigby had disappeared as well, likely to hook up with one of the women he had been chatting with all night.

"Did you want another drink?" Jason asked.

"No, I'm good."

She paid for her and Jason's drinks, surprised that he let her. When they stepped outside, it was snowing, and although she had on her big black winter coat, she felt a chill that shot right down to her bones. She pulled the scarf out of her pocket and wrapped it around her neck.

Jason's eyebrows shot up. "You still have my scarf."

"Sorry, I've been meaning to return it," she said.

"Keep it. It looks far better on you anyway."

He lightly brushed her cheek as he readjusted the scarf, securing it more comfortably around her. The fact that such a soft, innocent touch lit her insides on fire was indicative of her irrefutable hunger for this hunky mountain man.

"The road might be slippery," he said. "Ride with me. We can get your car in the morning."

She smiled. "I'll be fine. I didn't drink that much."

"Have you ever driven in the snow?"

"No, but I'm a very safe driver."

He laughed. "Right. Miss Fast and Furious."

What started as a gentleman's attempt to see a lady home safely was quickly turning into an asshole's way of controlling everything she did, and it was getting on her nerves.

"What's with you? You keep trying to take my keys away like I'm some drunk or underage driver. I'm a grown-ass woman who has been driving long before you came along, so I don't need you to regulate when I can and can't drive my own goddamn car."

"I'm not trying to treat you like a child, Shonna. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I've seen too many accidents in my time on these dark, windy roads, even with people who'd been driving in snow all their lives," he said.

Then in an unexpected move, he brushed the hair away from her face, instantly quelling her anger.

"Let me take you home." It was more of a command than a request.

Home.

She knew it was only an expression, but she couldn't help the way she felt when she heard the word from his mouth. It stirred something deep inside. She wasn't sure what.

Shonna started to protest more about driving, but the look on his face told her she shouldn't bother, so she followed him to his truck and hopped in as he opened the door for her. He turned on the heat, but by the time it finally started to kick in, they arrived at the inn.

"What are we doing here, Jason?" she asked.

She was still feeling the bourbon, and it was giving her the courage to speak her mind.

"What do you mean?"

"This pull between us...."

"Yeah?"

"What's going to happen when...."

"You leave?"

Suddenly, she was regretting this conversation.

"Forget I said anything."

She reached to open the door, but he placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"No," he said gruffly, leaning in.

She licked her lips in anticipation. He kissed her softly at first, then captured her mouth with the appetite of an insatiable beast. She parted her lips for him, and he welcomed her invitation. Letting his tongue enter her mouth, tasting her, penetrating her, claiming her.

With the heat building between them, in a minute, they would be having sex in his truck. So reluctantly, she broke from his kiss.

"Jason..." she whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Let's go inside."