Snowbound With An Heiress

“I... I’ve done it before.”

He looked at her, then the vehicle and finally at the rise up to the road. He shook his head. “No way. I’ll wait here until the authorities can get me.”

“But—”

“Arff! Arff!”

Gizmo started to wiggle in her arm. “Okay, boy.”

“I think he agrees with me. We should go inside.”

“We can’t.” When the man’s eyebrows rose, she added, “I mean, you need medical attention.”

“I’ll be fine. Unless we get in the vehicle and end up in another accident.”

She worried her lip. She was out of reasons not to take this journalist into her home. She quickly inventoried the cabin’s contents to make sure there wasn’t anything lying about that would give away her true identity. There were the contents of her wallet, but he wouldn’t see that unless she gave him reason to be suspicious of her—like standing here in the snow, making him wonder why she didn’t just take him straight inside.

Serena inwardly groaned.

Stubborn man.

“I know I’m a stranger,” he said. “But I promise you no harm.”

She wasn’t afraid of him. At least, not in the manner that he thought. But at this point, he was either an excellent actor or he hadn’t figured out her true identity. Perhaps the hair dye, Strawberry Temptation, and lack of makeup worked as well as her housekeeper had said.

“Arff! Arff!”

She couldn’t fight them both. “Well, don’t just stand there. Let’s go inside.”

Serena again let Jackson lean on her shoulder. Trying to get him up the snowy, icy steps was quite a challenge. She wasn’t sure her shoulders would ever be the same again. But at last, they made it.

She helped him into the warm cabin and shut the door on the cold. She normally loved snow. But not this much, this fast. And not when it left her snowbound with a member of the press.

She helped him take off his gloves and wool dress coat. He was totally soaked. And ice-cold. His teeth chattered. The only way to warm him up was to strip him down. She started to loosen his tie.

His hand covered hers. “I... I think you’re pretty and all, but...but I don’t move this fast.”

He thought she was coming on to him? She lifted her chin to set him straight when beyond his bluish lips and chattering teeth, she noticed a glint of merriment in his eyes. He was teasing her. That had to be a good sign, right?

“I’m glad to see your sense of humor is still intact, but if you don’t get out of these wet clothes, you’re going to get severe hypothermia.” She attempted to move his hand, but he wouldn’t budge.

“I know how to undress myself.”

“Fine. Take everything off. I’ll get you some blankets.” Seeing him standing there leaning all of his weight on his good leg, she knew he was close to falling over from pain and exhaustion. “Let’s move you closer to the fire.”

She once again lent him her shoulder. Lucky for both of them, the couch was close by. Once he was seated and loosening his tie, she worked on getting a fire started.

A few minutes later, she returned to the great room with her arms piled high with blankets. Jackson sat on the couch in nothing but his blue boxers and socks. Heat immediately rushed to her cheeks. She was being silly. This was an emergency and it wasn’t like she was a virgin.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

She knew she was blushing and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She averted her gaze. “Here you go.”

She set the blankets beside him. One by one, she draped them over him. That was better. But she couldn’t get the image of his very lean, very muscular body out of her mind.

She swallowed hard. “You forgot your socks and they’re soaked. I’ll get them—”

“No. I can do it.” There was obvious weariness in his voice and his eyes drooped closed. “Stop...”

She ignored his protest and set to work. She removed the sock from his good leg. His foot was scary cold. She held it between her hands, trying to get the circulation going. It didn’t work.

She glanced up at her unexpected guest. His eyes were still closed. Next, she worked the sock from his injured leg. His ankle was swollen and an angry mess of red and purple bruises.

“Is something the matter?”

His voice startled her. “Um, no.” She had to tell him something. “It’s just that your feet are so cold.”

“They’ll be fine.”

“It could be frostbite. You weren’t exactly dressed to hike through a blizzard. Can you feel your toes? They are awfully pale.”

“They have that pins-and-needles sensation.”

Holding his feet in her hands wasn’t going to be enough help. She grabbed a basin of lukewarm water for him to soak his feet in. He put up a fuss, but eventually he gave in to her ministrations.

When Jackson’s feet had sufficiently warmed up, he settled back on the couch. “How does it look?”

The horrible purple-and-red bruise was on both sides of his ankle. The inside wasn’t as bad as the outside, but the ankle was a mess. And it was swollen to the point that she couldn’t see his ankle bone.

“I think it’s broken,” she said as though she had any clue about medicine.

“Are you a doctor?” he asked.

“Me? No.” Heat swirled in her chest and rushed up to her face. She knew where this conversation was headed.

He arched a brow as he studied her face. “I have the strangest feeling that we’ve met before. Have we? Met before, that is?”

“No. I don’t believe we have.”

She knew for a fact that they’d never crossed paths. For the most part, her life was limited to Los Angeles while she knew his work kept him based in New York City. And if they had met, she wouldn’t have forgotten. The man was drop-dead gorgeous, and he had the sexiest deep voice. He was the only reason she tuned into the morning news show.

And now he was here, in her cabin, in nothing but his underwear. But it couldn’t be further from a romantic interlude. He was a member of the press and she was a Hollywood star in hiding. Once he figured out who she was, he’d broadcast it to the world. The thought made her stomach roil, especially after the mess she’d left behind in California.

“Hmm... I don’t know where I’ve seen you, but I’m good with faces. It’ll come to me.”

Not if she could help it.

She retrieved a towel that she’d grabbed while gathering the blankets for Jackson. She called Gizmo over and dried him off. Then she situated him on a chair near the fire with an extra blanket. The puppy immediately settled down. With one eye closed and one partially open, he looked at her as though to make sure she didn’t go anywhere.

“I won’t leave you.” She petted him and then kissed the top of his fuzzy head.

She got to her feet and turned to Jackson. “I’ll call emergency services. They’ll be out in no time to take you to the hospital and deal with your car.”

“I’m sorry to be such a bother.”

“It was my fault, or rather my dog’s. Anyway, everything turned out okay. Except for your ankle...and your car.” She moved to the phone on the desk.

When she’d checked in at the leasing office, they’d warned her that cell service was spotty in the mountains so they’d installed a landline. She picked it up and held the cordless phone to her ear. There was no sound. She pressed the power button on and off a few times, but there was still no dial tone. Great!

She could only hope she’d get a signal with her cell phone. She hadn’t in the couple of days she’d been here, so why would today be any different? But she refused to give up hope.

With her cell phone in hand, she headed for the door. She paused to slip on her boots.

“Where are you going without a coat?” Jackson asked.

“Out on the porch. The phone lines must be down due to the storm, so I’m going to see if I can get a cell signal outside.”

He didn’t say anything more. She noticed this was the first time she’d headed for the door without Gizmo hot on her heels. Today’s adventure had wiped him out. He hadn’t budged from the chair. In fact, at one point she’d heard Gizmo snoring. He was so sweet and she felt so blessed that he was safe.

She paced from end to end of the large porch. There was no signal at all. She held it above her head and craned her neck to see if that helped. It didn’t.

She lifted on her tiptoes and waved it around. Nothing. She leaned out over the large wooden banister. Snow fell on her phone and her arm, but there was still no signal. There had to be something she could do.

Her gaze moved to her rented all-terrain vehicle. Maybe she could go get help. But then she noticed how the snow was piled up around the tires. She glanced into the distance and she couldn’t even see the line of trees at the end of the smallish yard. Who was she kidding? She’d never even get out of the driveway.

With a heavy sigh, she turned back toward the door. Chilled to the bone, she rushed back inside. She brushed the snow from her arm.

“Well?” Jackson’s weary voice greeted her.

“Do you want the bad news? Or the bad news?”

He arched a dark brow. “Is that a trick question?”

“Not at all. So which shall it be?”

Was that the beginning of a smile pulling at his lips? Serena couldn’t quite be sure. And then she conjured up the image of him smiling like he did each morning on television when he greeted the viewers. He was so devastatingly sexy when he smiled—

“Did you hear me?” Jackson sent her a funny look.

She’d lost track of the conversation, but she knew that he was waiting on her news. “The bad news is that there’s no phone service whatsoever.”

“And the other bad news?”

“We’re stuck here. Together.”

His handsome face creased with frown lines. “And exactly how long do you think we’ll be snowbound?”

She shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. They did warn me when I rented this place that should there be a snowstorm, it would be quite a while until they dug me out considering I’m off the beaten path.”

“Just great.” He raked his fingers through his thick brown hair. “I can’t be stuck here. I have a job to do.”

Did he mean reporting that he’d found her? Serena didn’t want to believe he was like the paparazzi. She wanted to believe that Jackson Bennett had integrity and honor. But she couldn’t trust him. She couldn’t trust anyone—including her own judgment. She always wanted to see the best in people. And that had gotten her into trouble more times than she cared to admit.

Still, she didn’t want him to worry. “I promise you that as soon as possible, I’ll get you medical attention. And I’m sure soon people will be looking for you.”

His eyes widened. “Do you know who I am?”

What was the point in keeping it a secret? “You are Jackson Bennett. You’re the face of Hello America.”

A pleased look came over his face. “And I’m here on assignment. I have a camera crew flying in to help me film some Christmas segments.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him if she was to be included in one of those segments, but she caught herself just in time. If he could be believed, he didn’t recognize her. “I can promise you, they aren’t getting through the storm.”

“Is it getting worse?”

She nodded.

He muttered under his breath. “I can’t just sit here.”

He went to stand up. As soon as his injured foot touched the ground, his face reflected the pain he felt.

“Sit back down. First, I think I should bandage your ankle and then you can sleep. When you wake up, help should be here.” She sincerely hoped so, for both of their sakes.

This luxury cabin may come with a fully stocked pantry and fridge, but something told her it would be lacking on first-aid items. She’d have to be inventive.

CHAPTER FIVE

JACKSON BLINKED.

It took him a moment to gain his bearings. That hike had taken more out of him than he’d expected. After Mae had bandaged his ankle, she’d helped him into a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved T-shirt he’d packed in his bag, her cheeks pinking prettily all the while, and settled him on the couch with pillows and blankets. She’d then insisted that he get some rest.

As time went by, there were very few spots on his body that didn’t hurt. He didn’t want to think of what would have happened to him if it wasn’t for Mae. The mental image of his car going up in flames sent cold fingers of apprehension trailing down his spine.

Mae tried to act tough, but he’d watched how she fussed over her dog. She was a softy on the inside. In fact, he was willing to bet there was a whole lot more to Mae than being an angel of mercy. So what exactly was her story?

And what was she doing in this isolated cabin?

Jackson’s gaze followed the stone chimney of the fireplace up, up and up until he reached the impressive cathedral ceiling. He took in the balcony and could only imagine what the second story must be like. Okay, this place was much more than a cabin. It was a luxury log home at the least and more like a mansion.

Was Mae staying here all by herself?

The place was much too big for just one person. Oh, and her dog. How could he forget Gizmo? She’d be lucky if the dog didn’t get lost in here.

He gave himself a mental shake to clear his thoughts. He had a lot more important things to worry about than this woman’s extravagance. He had to find a way to salvage his career—his stagnant career.

Ever since his wife passed away, his job was what got him up in the morning and helped him through the days. The nights were a different matter. He was left with nothing but memories of the only woman that he would ever love. When she’d died, he didn’t know how he’d go on. In the beginning, breathing had taken effort. His existence had been an hour-to-hour proposition. And then he’d progressed to day by day. That was when he’d sought refuge in his work—going above and beyond for a good story.

His work was the sole reason he was in Austria. It was the second Christmas since he’d lost his wife, and he couldn’t stay in New York City. He didn’t want to be invited to friends’ holiday celebrations. He didn’t want tickets to Christmas programs in theatres. He wanted to be alone, but no one seemed to understand.

He may not be able to totally escape the holiday, but at least in Austria it would be on his terms. Jackson took in the towering pine tree in front of the two-story windows. And when his gaze landed on the boxes of decorations, he realized that he’d been taken in by a Christmas zealot. He sighed. This was just his luck. The sooner he got out of there, the better.

Speaking of his beautiful hostess, where had she gone? He paused and listened. Nothing. Was she napping? If so, he couldn’t blame her. The afternoon had been horrific and stressful, not to mention the hike over mountainous terrain with him hanging on her shoulder. He’d tried not to lean on her too much, but at times, she was the only thing keeping him from falling face-first in the mounting snow.

He glanced to the spot where the dog had been lying on a blanket. Even he was gone. That was strange. He was just there a moment ago—right before Jackson had closed his eyes to rest them.

Jackson decided it was best that he go check on things. He saw his makeshift cane close by and grabbed it. His gaze moved to his bandaged ankle. He’d be lucky if it wasn’t broken, but he wasn’t going to think about that now.

With a firm grip on the cane, he lifted himself up on his good leg. What he wouldn’t give now for a set of crutches. He turned himself around, finding the cabin even larger than he’d originally imagined. This place could easily fit three or four families.

Just then Mae appeared with her arms full of clothes. “What are you doing up?”

“I was wondering where you’d slipped off to.”

“Well, when you fell asleep, I decided I should move my things out of the master suite to one of the upstairs rooms.”

“Upstairs? But why? I’ll be out of here in no time.”

Mae moved to an armchair and laid her clothes across the back of it. “About that, I don’t think either of us is going anywhere anytime soon.”

“What? But why?”

“The snow hasn’t stopped.”

He half hopped, half limped his way to the door and looked out. The sun was setting, not that it was visible with the snow clouds blanketing the sky. But evening was definitely settling in. And Mae was right. The snow, if anything, had gotten worse. There were several new inches out there since they’d arrived at the cabin.

“It doesn’t look good,” he grudgingly conceded.

“Don’t worry. I have plenty of food.”

She might be sure of that fact, but he wasn’t. It wasn’t like they were in a cabin in a highly populated ski resort. This place was miles from the closest village, and from what he could tell, there were no neighbors close by.

He settled on the edge of the couch. “Um, thanks.” He wasn’t sure what else to say. “But I don’t want to put you out. I can take the room upstairs.”

From across the room, she sent him an I-don’t-believe-you look. “On that leg? I don’t think so.” She started to pick up the clothes again. “I have dinner under control.”

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