Christmas Alpha by Carole Mortimer Read Free Book Online Page A

of her and the situation.  
      She finished dressing quickly before standing up to walk over to the window, pressing her hot forehead against the cold pane of glass as she stared out at the snow still falling heavily outside. Usually she loved snow, especially this close to Christmas. But not today. Not when it meant she had to continue to be an uninvited guest in Finn Devlin’s house. A man of such lethal magnetism, she had gone further with him in one day than she had with Tom in two months of dating—
      What on earth...?
      There was someone outside in the snow!
      She turned and quickly called out to Finn, only to frown as she turned back to the window and saw there was one there. No matter how she strained to see through the density of snowflakes, the pale shadow she thought she had seen beneath the trees had now gone.
      But there had been someone there. Eva was sure of it. A shadowy figure standing amongst the fir trees that surrounded this side of the house.
      Perhaps it was someone else caught in the snowstorm, and looking for shelter?  
      At this rate, Finn was going to think he’d opened a hotel for all the strays from the snowstorm!
      Although Eva couldn’t claim she wouldn’t welcome the distraction of another person after—
      “What is it?” Finn demanded sharply as he strode quickly back into the studio.  
      “There’s someone out there.” Eva didn’t turn to look at him but kept her face pressed against the window, her gaze fixed on the place where she was sure she had seen that shadowy figure.
      Finn joined her by the window. “I can’t see anything...”
      “I saw someone, I’m sure of it.”
      “Maybe it was an animal you saw?” He shrugged beside her. “I haven’t seen any, but I believe there are supposed to be deer in the area.”
      “I think I’m capable of telling the difference between a deer and a human being, Finn.” Eva turned to him impatiently. “And that out there,” she nodded towards the window, “was walking on two legs, not four.”  
      Finn gave an exasperated shake of his head. “What do you expect me to do about it? No,” he stated firmly as she raised her brows pointedly. “I said no, Eva,” he repeated as she continued to look at him with those bewitching green eyes. “I am not going to the bother of getting dressed in my winter gear and going out in that,” he gave a nod at the storm still raging outside, “just because you think you saw someone out there.”
      “I did see someone out there,” she insisted stubbornly.
      “Oh for the love of… Okay. Alright. I’ll go.” He grimaced in impatience. “But only if you agree to cook dinner,” he added challengingly.
      “Horse-trader!”
      “Bossy witch!”
      Eva grinned at him, unconcerned. “You haven’t tasted my cooking yet.”
      “You really don’t want to taste mine!”
      Eva gave him a slow and deliberate stare from his head to his toes. “You don’t exactly look as if you’re fading away.”
      “I have a strong constitution.”
      “You’re going to need it with my cooking,” she assured him dryly.
      Finn folded his arms in front of his chest, muscles bulging beneath the short sleeves of his navy blue t-shirt. “I’ll risk it.”
      “You’re a brave man, Finn Devlin.”
      Finn went to collect his heavy coat before pulling on his boots, followed by his hat and gloves, and heading for the front door.
      He had deliberately downplayed Eva’s claim just now, wasn’t about to let her see how worried he was. Could it have been Moira out there? Watching the house? Watching him ?
      Surely if Eva couldn’t leave, then Moira wouldn’t be able to get in either?  
      Unless she had driven in before the storm hit so badly...?
      This house was miles from its nearest neighbor—Lucien really did value his privacy—and the chances of anyone else finding themselves stranded out here were virtually non-existent. It had been pure