Snowbound by Janice Kay Johnson Read Free Book Online Page A

his heart pounding and a bellow raw in his throat, he wasnt so sure.
    I feel better than I did when I tried to go back to work at Robotronics. Which was truth, so far as it went.
    It is peaceful up here. Shouts from outside drifted up, and her mouth curved. Or was, until we darkened your door.
    Youve been good guests, he forced himself to say.
    Why, thank you. She sighed. I suppose Id better go check on the kids.
    He stepped aside and let her pass him, a flowery scent lingering for a moment even after shed disappeared into the hall. Had she brought perfume? No, he realized; shed used one of those fragrant bath beads.
    John glanced toward the old-fashioned tub, picturing her letting her bra drop to the floor, then slipping off her panties before stepping in. Hed seen her long legs when she changed yesterday in front of the fire. Imagining the rest of her naked body came easily. Had her hair been loose, to float on the water when she sank down into the tub? Or had she bundled it up?
    Loose. Definitely loose. Her hair had still been wet when she came down for breakfast.
    A groan tore its way from his throat. Damn it, what did he think he was doing? He had a shaky enough hold on reality.
    He forced himself to scan the bathroom with a practiced, innkeepers eye before following her downstairs.
    As predicted, Amy was the one to have come in and was shedding her outerwear in front of the fire. Water pooled on the plank floor around her boots.
    Its freakin cold out there. She shivered and hugged herself.
    It was nice of you to go even though you didnt want to, for the sake of everyone else, Fiona said.
    Reaching the foot of the stairs, John paused to hear the girls answer to the teachers kindly retooling of motives he was pretty damn sure hadnt been that altruistic.
    Even though I went out to be nice, Troy, she said the name with loathing, made this big snowball and smashed it against my face. Hes aa creep.
    Well, you did go out to have a snowball fight.
    But he walked right up and did it! Hes such a jerk. Him and Hopper, too.
    How sad romance was when it died. A grin tugging at his mouth, John crossed the huge great room, opened the heavy front door and went out on the porch.
    Snow still floated from the sky, obscuring the landscape. The steps hed shoveled last night had disappeared again.
    There seemed to be a free-for-all going on, snowballs flying, accompanied by shrieks and yells. With the snow still falling, the teenagers were indistinguishable fromeach other, all blurred in white. They were thigh deep and higher in the white blanket that enveloped the landscape, the shed and the cabins he could usually see from here.
    John raised his voice. Time out!
    The action stopped and heads turned his way.
    When you get cold and decide to come in, everyone go get an armful of wood and bring it. Piles just around the side of the lodge. He jerked his thumb toward the north corner.
    Girls, too? a voice squeaked.
    Girls, too.
    He went back inside, where Amy was elaborating on what pigs all boys were, while Fiona soothed with common sense. As far as he could see, the girl was a spoiled brat, but what did he know?
    Not that much later, the kids did all carry in wood, and all three boys and one of the girls willingly went back for another load.
    John nodded his approval as they dumped split lengths in the wrought-iron racks. That should keep us going for a bit.
    Its a really big fireplace, the girl said. Have you ever had to cook in it?
    No. The generator hasnt failed me yet.
    God forbid, Fiona murmured.
    He silently seconded her prayer, if thats what it was. Hed be okay on his own with just the fire. But trying to feed ten of them? No ability to do laundry for who knew how long? He remembered all too well what it felt like to go for days without a chance to do more than sponge your underarms and genitals with lukewarm water, to getso you couldnt stand your own stink, to have sand in every fold of skin and gritty between your teeth.
    Somehow, he