Show Me How to Love (Caldwell Family Book 1) by Synithia Williams Read Free Book Online Page A

He jerked his gaze away.
    With a gasp, she uncrossed her arms and turned away. “Go shower, and we’ll figure out how to get through the day. We’ll need something to eat and a distraction from…the urge to smoke.”
    Nicotine wasn’t what his body craved. He grabbed his bag off the floor, put it on the couch, and pulled out some clothes. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”
    He quickly got the rest of his things and went into the bathroom, before he gave into his craving for a taste of Mikayla.

CHAPTER 5
     
    They secured the cabin for another night. Once they took care of the second night, again Andre insisted on paying for, they searched for food. With the roads blocked, they were limited to the breakfast options in the rental office and the Chinese Restaurant he’d found half a mile from the resort which didn’t open until later. They grabbed doughnuts, granola bars, and coffee from the office before walking back up the hill toward the cabin.
    “Want to walk the trail, instead of going back inside?” Andre asked.
    Mikayla eyed the paved trail circling the perimeter of the Huggie Bear property. The rental agent mentioned that many of their visitors came to their resort for the passive recreation. Hiking wasn’t on her short list of favorite activities. Too many memories of trekking through the woods with her dad, followed by teasing from the popular girls for her scratched arms and knees when she returned to school.
    She took one last sip of coffee then pulled up the collar of her grey wool coat. “It’s freezing. Besides, I’m not really a hiker.”
    “Once you start walking you’ll warm up.” When she gave him a skeptical look, his lips spread into a smile that would melt the ice in Antarctica. “I’m going to walk. Maybe it’ll help clear my head.”
    “I’ll wait for you inside.”
    The corners of his smile dipped and some of the light left his eyes. She could go inside and watch television alone, or hike a trail that appeared wonderfully absent of briars with a handsome man who seemed to want her company.
    “Come on,” he said. “Better than sitting in there alone.” He held out this hand.
    She stared at his hand. Taking his hand wouldn’t be that big a deal in a normal situation. Except this wasn’t a normal situation and the warmth spreading beneath her skin from the small gesture wasn’t a normal reaction to a guy, she shouldn’t be attracted to.
    “I was just thinking the same thing.”
    She tossed the coffee cup in the trash and slid her hand into Andre’s. He led her to the section of trail near their cabin. The resort staff had spent the morning shoveling snow from the paved trail. She and Andre were the only two taking advantage. Wooden signs marked various detours that lead from the regular paved trail onto more rugged hiking areas.
    Even bundled in jeans, boots, coat, and gloves, the coldness seeped into her bones. Not surprising, she’d picked this outfit with Renee because it was cute not hardy. A strong gust of wind made her shiver and she moved closer to Andre. He noticed and shifted to walk in front of her, blocking the wind with his body. She lowered her head and smiled at the kindness. Slowly, she warmed as they tracked up the hill. He didn’t talk much as they walked. Occasionally he’d stop and study their surroundings while she ducked the wind.
    She kept her head down avoiding the cold and looked for patches of ice that would have her falling on her rump. He stopped suddenly and she bumped into his back. A strong hand kept her from falling over.
    “Oh, sorry,” she glanced around. “Why did we stop?”
    He pointed to the mountains. “Check out the way the mist rises.” His voice held a sense of wonder and appreciation that she didn’t expect from a guy previously described as devious.
    She shifted her gaze to where he indicated. The mist clung to the peaks like a translucent white veil. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
    “It’s better in the summer