with a sharp crack that reverberated in the forest.
"I thought you said you didn't have an ax in that bag of yours?" Andi teased as they trudged back through the snow.
"I only bring it out for special occasions," he said. Together they laughed, making the tough work easier. With both of them, they managed to hoist the tree into the back of the truck and secure it.
Before long, they were back on the road and headed towards the Lodge. At least, he hoped they were headed back to the Lodge.
The snow had started to fall as the sky darkened, creating a winter wonderland effect over the forest. It was beautiful, but it worried him a bit too. He wasn't familiar with the area, and he had to admit, his map was a little sketchy.
"Are you sure you know the way back?" she asked as if reading his thoughts. "I swear, I'm not trying to question your manly sense of direction or anything. It's just..."
"What sense of direction?" he laughed and then seeing that she was genuinely concerned, he added, "Don't worry, I promise I know the way back."
It wouldn't do any good to tell her the truth. She had enough on her mind. Besides, Colin thought, the road was starting to look a little bit familiar.
He drove in silence for a few minutes, lost in his thoughts of holidays past. His favorite times were when it snowed heavily the night before Christmas. There was something magical about the snow. He'd set out to experience the perfect traditional festive season, and he'd had it. Colin glanced over at Andi, who was staring out the window at the building storm. He knew it wasn't by chance that the last two days had been so perfect. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the happiness he felt at that moment had a lot to do with the woman sitting next to him. A whole lot.
"When I was a little boy, I used to love it when it snowed on Christmas Eve," he said breaking the silence. "There was nothing better than being inside, looking out at the snow, waiting for Santa. It was magical. Like being inside a snow globe." He smiled and looked at Andi.
Kind of like now, he thought, but didn't say, when she slid across the seat and once again snuggled into him.
Chapter Twelve
Andi wasn't ready for the drive to be over when Colin pulled up in front of the villa to drop her off. With the building snow storm, she'd secretly been hoping that they'd get lost or stuck, at least for a little while. Being stranded with Colin would have been romantic, but she knew Eva would kill them if they took too much longer, after all, the party was set to start in an hour. But even spending a little bit of time with Colin was just what she'd needed. And watching him swing that ax certainly hadn't hurt either.
"I'll see you soon," Colin said and squeezed her shoulder one more time. They'd driven most of the way home with his arm around her, and Andi couldn't remember the last time she'd been so comfortable and so acutely aware of another person all at the same time.
She slipped away from him and put her hand on the door handle. Before opening it, she turned and said, "Thanks for all your hard work today. Don't let Eva steamroll you with anything else."
Colin smiled. Damn, Andi thought, he looked way too sexy when he did that.
"I think I can handle myself," he said.
"You don't know Eva." Andi pushed the truck door open and slid out.
"Andi?" She turned back to see Colin leaning across the bench. "I'll see you later tonight."
His voice held the promise of what exactly later meant and Andi felt her face grow hot with a blush.
"You better get that tree over to the lodge," she said and closed the door.
Maybe Eva was right, she thought as she walked into the empty villa. Colin definitely hadn't been acting like a guy who wasn't looking for a relationship. Did she dare to think that her escape to the mountains may have turned into something more?
Andi pushed away the thoughts of Colin and what may
"I thought you said you didn't have an ax in that bag of yours?" Andi teased as they trudged back through the snow.
"I only bring it out for special occasions," he said. Together they laughed, making the tough work easier. With both of them, they managed to hoist the tree into the back of the truck and secure it.
Before long, they were back on the road and headed towards the Lodge. At least, he hoped they were headed back to the Lodge.
The snow had started to fall as the sky darkened, creating a winter wonderland effect over the forest. It was beautiful, but it worried him a bit too. He wasn't familiar with the area, and he had to admit, his map was a little sketchy.
"Are you sure you know the way back?" she asked as if reading his thoughts. "I swear, I'm not trying to question your manly sense of direction or anything. It's just..."
"What sense of direction?" he laughed and then seeing that she was genuinely concerned, he added, "Don't worry, I promise I know the way back."
It wouldn't do any good to tell her the truth. She had enough on her mind. Besides, Colin thought, the road was starting to look a little bit familiar.
He drove in silence for a few minutes, lost in his thoughts of holidays past. His favorite times were when it snowed heavily the night before Christmas. There was something magical about the snow. He'd set out to experience the perfect traditional festive season, and he'd had it. Colin glanced over at Andi, who was staring out the window at the building storm. He knew it wasn't by chance that the last two days had been so perfect. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the happiness he felt at that moment had a lot to do with the woman sitting next to him. A whole lot.
"When I was a little boy, I used to love it when it snowed on Christmas Eve," he said breaking the silence. "There was nothing better than being inside, looking out at the snow, waiting for Santa. It was magical. Like being inside a snow globe." He smiled and looked at Andi.
Kind of like now, he thought, but didn't say, when she slid across the seat and once again snuggled into him.
Chapter Twelve
Andi wasn't ready for the drive to be over when Colin pulled up in front of the villa to drop her off. With the building snow storm, she'd secretly been hoping that they'd get lost or stuck, at least for a little while. Being stranded with Colin would have been romantic, but she knew Eva would kill them if they took too much longer, after all, the party was set to start in an hour. But even spending a little bit of time with Colin was just what she'd needed. And watching him swing that ax certainly hadn't hurt either.
"I'll see you soon," Colin said and squeezed her shoulder one more time. They'd driven most of the way home with his arm around her, and Andi couldn't remember the last time she'd been so comfortable and so acutely aware of another person all at the same time.
She slipped away from him and put her hand on the door handle. Before opening it, she turned and said, "Thanks for all your hard work today. Don't let Eva steamroll you with anything else."
Colin smiled. Damn, Andi thought, he looked way too sexy when he did that.
"I think I can handle myself," he said.
"You don't know Eva." Andi pushed the truck door open and slid out.
"Andi?" She turned back to see Colin leaning across the bench. "I'll see you later tonight."
His voice held the promise of what exactly later meant and Andi felt her face grow hot with a blush.
"You better get that tree over to the lodge," she said and closed the door.
Maybe Eva was right, she thought as she walked into the empty villa. Colin definitely hadn't been acting like a guy who wasn't looking for a relationship. Did she dare to think that her escape to the mountains may have turned into something more?
Andi pushed away the thoughts of Colin and what may
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