'Tis the Season to Be Tempted Read Online Free Page A

and frustratingly enigmatic.
    “About the Hello Kitty part?” he said, and then his voice shifted lower, making her uncomfortably aware of him as a man. “Or the promise that I could keep them?”
    Screw it. She didn’t want to know anymore. She wasn’t sure which was worse, her vodka-induced words or Wes’s delighted delivery.
    Evie tamped down the surprising attraction and struggled to regain control of the situation. Definitely time for a change in topic. “How long have I been asleep?”
    “Since I plopped you on the bench,” he said. “About five hours.”
    Her voice came out as a squeak. “What?”
    “Five hours,” he repeated matter-of-factly. “Long enough for the second winter storm they’d predicted to close in faster than they’d thought.”
    Oh, crap .
    “Why didn’t you tell me?” she said, frantically bending to gather her bags. “I should try to get out of here while I can.”
    “Won’t do any good,” he said. “All flights have been canceled and the roads are a mess.”
    Evie pushed the hair out of her face and eyed the crowd. For the first time she noticed the chaos went beyond the usual holiday madness. Mixed in with the festive, seasonal music and decorations, the airline passengers looked frazzled, many of them camped around the terminal, settling in for a long wait.
    “I tried to wake you up,” Wes continued. “But you were passed out.”
    She stared at him, dumbfounded. “Why didn’t you just leave me?”
    “I couldn’t abandon you here, unprotected. Vulnerable to any crazed lunatic that wondered by.”
    Of course not, because he always did the right thing. The responsible one who believed in his authority. And after spending years on the road with Chuck’s band, the footloose and not-so-fancy-free existence had slowly worn her down. Because, over time, she’d learned that someone had to be responsible. Someone had to ensure the bookings were made. So she’d assumed the role of manager, assuring that the bills were paid and the bus repaired. And the girl who had bolted from home looking for escape from the impossible expectations of her family had gradually learned that the free-spirited lifestyle came with a cost, too.
    She stared at Wes’s face, the eyes that, at one time, had irritated her with their authoritative, no-nonsense air. Chuck would have left her sleeping, vulnerable, with a note that he’d gone on to their destination.
    Blinking back the surge of gratitude, she held his sexy gaze.
    “We might have made it out if we’d left right away,” he went on. “Unfortunately, we’re stuck here until the weather improves.”
    She blew out a quiet breath. Hadn’t she humiliated herself enough? Was she to endure more?
    “It’s only an hour commute,” she said. “I’ll take my chances on the road.”
    Not that she was in any hurry to face her family.
    “No, you won’t,” he said. “While you were sleeping, I called Dan. He said the roads were impassable. And I promised your brother I wouldn’t let you do anything reckless.” He paused, as if waiting for her to object—to what, she wasn’t sure. To his unilateral decision? His use of the word reckless? Evie worked hard to keep the embarrassment from showing on her face. “As soon as I heard the news,” he said, “I got us the last hotel room within walking distance.”
    If he’d been anyone else Evie would’ve suspected a lead-up to a seduction. With Wes, she was as safe as they came.
    And after a brief moment of reflection, she felt a piercing pain of disappointment.
    Wes stood, towering over her—she’d forgotten how tall he was. “Tomorrow is going to be a busy day at work,” he said. “And now that you’re awake, I’d really like to get to the room.”
    The potentially suggestive words skittered across her senses like a caress. Ignoring the surprising pulse of awareness, she studied him closely. For the first time she noted the fatigue in his eyes. Obviously his New Year’s Eve