Page 4 of Snowed In with Benefits

“She broke in!” There it is. He was absolutely going to let me go, damn it. I could have been out of here if it weren’t for the lumberjack.

“Um, excuse me? The door was unlocked,” I interrupt from my perch in the lumberjack’s arms.

Beau snorts. Clearly, he isn’t impressed by the logic of my argument.

“She’s freezing.” The lumberjack shifts me in his arms once more. “Come on.”

Crossing my arms, I give in to my fate. There’s no way I can get away from both of them, assuming I could even get out of this guy’s grip. Besides, he’s right. My adrenaline is starting to wear off and I am, in fact, absolutely freezing. The crunch of his feet in the snow combined with the rocking motion and the frigid temperature makes sleepiness creep in around the edges of my perception.

Once we’re back inside the cabin, he puts me down. The first thing I notice is the embarrassing mess I’ve left behind. I glance around. This is clearly the living room. There are two couches, a tv, and a long, low bookshelf. There’s a hallway ahead of me and slightly to the left, and a carved wooden staircase to the left of that. On the far side of the right-hand wall is a door that probably leads to a dungeon where they keep the lost women they find.

Okay, it’s probably not that, but who knows? They aren’t exactly keen to let me leave. I tug the coat more tightly around me, shivering, and turn around to face the front door. If only I had some better clothes, I could⁠—

My thoughts are interrupted by footsteps coming from behind me. I whirl around to see a third man coming in from the hallway. He’s leaner than the lumberjack, but he’s got muscles on his muscles. He’s wearing a thermal top, unbuttoned down to the center of his chest, and he’s rolling up his sleeves. A hint of a tattoo on his chest peeks out when his shirt shifts just right. He’s wearing glasses, which make his warm, hazel-green eyes look larger than they probably are.

“Beau, you left firewood scattered all over the floor—” He breaks off when he sees me. He looks me over and I brace for another abrasive greeting. He surprises me with an easy grin instead.

“Well, well… if I’d known we were having company, I would have worn a nicer shirt.”

I blink at all of them. The lumberjack, the scruffy tattooed one, and the blond Adonis. “Jesus… how many of you are there?”

The blond man chuckles. “Just three. I’m Hunter, the big guy with the beard is Emmett, and the guy with the tattoos is Beau. What’s your name?”

I’d rather not give it. It’s like keeping a stray kitten, as soon as there’s a name involved, things start getting real. I’ll be kept as their pet or something when all I want is to be back on the road. I shift uncomfortably on my bare feet. They’re all staring at me. It would be really rude of me to continue to ignore him, especially after he’s been so nice.

“I’m Josie.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Josie. Tell me… what are you doing out here?”

I take a deep breath and pull myself together. If Beau had wanted to, he could have hurt me. They all could have. So far, all they’ve done is keep me from hurting myself. I might not particularly like their methods, but they don’t seem like the kind who will chop me up into little pieces and cook me in a stew.

“I was trying to make it over the pass.” My eyes wander to my discarded wedding dress, sitting in a giant pile in the middle of the room.

Hunter’s gaze follows mine and his eyebrows creep up on his forehead. I brace myself for questions that, to my surprise, don’t come. He really is the gentleman of the three, isn’t he?

“I’m afraid that just isn’t going to happen right now.” He’s gentle about it, but firm. “The pass is completely closed. You’re stuck.”

“Mm-hm,” Emmett says. I can practically hear the “I told you so” in that little grunt. Beau gives me a look that echoes the sentiment. Fine. I get it. I’m really and truly stuck. So, what do I do now? Build a fort in the woods? Live out of my car until the gas runs out? I don’t know how to survive in the woods in the snow, how long until the pass is open again? I⁠—

“You’re welcome to stay with us.” Hunter’s gentle voice interrupts my panicked whirling mind. “There really isn’t another place for miles⁠—”

Beau gives me another “I told you so” look.

“—and it would be irresponsible of us to tell you to kick rocks when you have nowhere to go and no way to get there.” His easy smile is back, softening the harsh reality in a way that could easily lull me into a false sense of security.

But what if it isn’t false? What if this really is a safe place to stay? I look around at them again. Emmett is quiet, both in voice and expression. His expression is already hard to see behind his beard and brows, but the way he keeps it so subtle on top of that makes him very difficult to read. Beau is more expressive, but he seems more exasperated with me than hostile. Then there’s Hunter. Hunter is… charming. Preston is charming. Charm doesn’t sell me on his good intentions.

I shiver again and the reality of the situation finally hits home. I have to say yes. I’m freezing and naked, and my car is buried under god knows how much snow by now. Whether they’re safe or not, I have a better chance of survival in here than I do out there.

“Okay. But just for tonight. First thing tomorrow, I need to go.”

The guys all exchange looks, then Beau snorts. “Whatever you say, duchess.”

“Great!” Hunter’s smile could melt snow. His expression changes slightly and he clears his throat, gesturing at my coat. I look down. To my horror, the coat has fallen open while I was distracted by the question of whether to stay or go. “Do you need something to wear?”

4

HUNTER