Unexpected Gifts: (The Steamy Version) (A Castle Mountain Lodge Romance Series Book 1) by Elena Aitken Read Free Book Online Page A

follow. But instead of shoving her face first into the snow, Colin’s arms wrapped around her waist, cradling her. Together they fell to the ground, lying side by side.
    “Got you,” he said.
    She opened her eyes to find his face only inches away from hers. “Yes, you did.”
    “No fair,” she said when she had some control. “Your legs are way longer than mine.”
    “That’s not my fault,” he said. “It was a valiant attempt at escape, though.”
    His breath smelled like cinnamon and coffee. Andi’s stomach flipped when he moved closer to her in the snow and put his hand on her hip. Even through the layers of wool, his touch burned her, lighting something inside.
    “Colin,” she started to say, “I—“
    “You’re going to be soaked soon,” he said abruptly. In the next instant, his hand was gone and he was jumping up, pulling her out of the snow. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have thought about it. Are you cold?”
    Andi busied herself with brushing snow from her body because it was easier than looking him in the eye. Had he been about to kiss her?
    “I’m fine,” she said. “Honestly.” Andi looked up. “Besides,” she said. “Next time, you’re going down.”
    He laughed and took Andi’s hand, leading her out of the snowdrift and back to the path. “We’ll see. But for now, let’s get started on the festive fun.”
    For a while, they walked without speaking. It was a comfortable silence and he held on to her hand. Andi tried not to think about the almost kiss that wasn’t. The last thing she needed in her life was a man, especially this one. Eva would tell her she was being crazy, and she absolutely needed a man, at least for a night or two. But Eva was like that. Andi wasn’t. Her relationships were long-term. Before Blaine, there had only been one other serious boyfriend and a series of dates that didn’t lead anywhere. She liked commitment, and she wasn’t ready for that. Besides, Colin had made it quite clear that he had no room for relationships either.
    Saving her from her thoughts, Colin broke the silence. “Remember that I told you I was going to do my best to change your mind about Christmas?”
    Andi nodded and gave him a sidelong glance. “Yes, but be warned. I’m not going to be an easy convert.”
    “I like a challenge.” He ran a hand through his hair but his eyes never left hers. They blazed with intensity and a challenge of their own, and Andi had to look away.
    “So are you going to tell me where we’re going, or what?”
    “I don’t have to,” he said. “We’re here.” Distracted by her thoughts, Andi hadn’t noticed that they’d made their way out of the woods into the main courtyard of the Lodge. In the middle of the clearing was a large frozen pond where ice skaters swirled and glided around the surface. Benches were placed at one end of the ice and there was a hut set up where staff members were handing out skates to guests. Christmas songs, piped from hidden speakers, filled the air.
    To Andi’s horror, Colin took her hand and led her in the direction of the hut. “First on the celebrate Christmas plan is ice skating,” he announced.
    Andi came to an abrupt halt, her boots jamming into the snow. Colin, still with a grip on her hand, continued to walk forward, jarring her.
    “Andi, what’s wrong?”

    “I don’t skate,” Andi said.
    He started to tease her, and was going to tell her she was being ridiculous, but then he saw the look in her eyes. She was scared. It didn’t take a genius to see the way she watched the ice as if it were about to crack open and swallow her. He never considered that she might not know how to skate.
    “It’s okay,” Colin said, keeping his voice gentle. “I promise nothing bad will happen.”
    “The last time I put on skates I was six years old and these older kids convinced me to play this stupid game.”
    “Let me guess,” Colin said, trying not to smile. “Crack the whip?”
    “That’s