Snowbound Cinderella. Ruth Ryan Langan

scooped up another handful and managed to stuff it down the neck of his parka. At his surprised look, she gave a roar of laughter. “Looks like my aim just got better.”

      “I’ll have to do something about that.” He caught both her hands in his and locked them over her head. Then, with a wicked smile, he picked up a handful of snow. As he brought it slowly to her neck he taunted, “Now what’re you going to do about it?”

      “Jace.” She was laughing harder as he began to unzip her parka. “Don’t you dare!”

      “Dare? Did I hear you say ‘dare’? Are you daring me, Hollywood? I think I’d better warn you—from the time I was a little kid, I never could turn away from a dare.”

      “Jace.” She saw the glint in his eye, and started wiggling.

      Without warning, he dropped the snow and cupped her face in his hand.

      The look he gave her was hot and fierce, as though he was fighting a war within himself. There was strength in him, she realized. And an undercurrent of violence—or perhaps passion. Whatever it was, it frightened her.

      And then his mouth was on hers. There was nothing soft or gentle or persuasive about the kiss. It was as hot, as hungry as the look in his eyes. And as demanding.

      Jace didn’t even know how this had happened. One minute, it was all good-natured teasing. The next, he’d wanted more than anything in the world to taste those pouting lips.

      And, oh, the taste of her. At the same time sweet and savory, icy cold and hot as sin. And even now, knowing he ought to back off, he couldn’t seem to find the willpower. Instead, he savored the flavor of her and took the kiss deeper. His hand fisted in hair that was even softer than it looked. All silken strands that tangled around his fingers and brushed against his palm, inviting him to take more.

      He hadn’t expected this softness. It was a surprise. She was a surprise. Sweet when he’d expected her to be tough. Vulnerable when he’d anticipated an icy wall of reserve. Everything about her was different from what he’d anticipated.

      Ciara’s head was spinning. She knew she ought to resist. But there had been no warning. And now, with her senses reeling, she couldn’t seem to do more than sigh as she lost herself in the pleasure of his kiss.

      There had been so many fake kisses in so many movie scenes, she’d lost count. But this was no act. This was so real, so soul-stirring that she felt her breath back up in her throat. Felt her heart pounding in her chest. Felt herself melting into the snow.

      This was a man who knew how to kiss, moving his mouth over hers with a thoroughness that had her sighing. He kissed her as though he were tasting the sweetest of confections. Drinking her in. Feasting on her. Against her will, she lost herself in the kiss, forgetting all her promises to herself to hold this man at bay.

      And then, just as her lips softened and opened to him, he abruptly jerked away. She blinked. When her blurred vision cleared, he was already getting to his feet.

      Bad move, he decided, as he reached down and helped her to stand. They might be stuck here for days. He’d better keep his hands to himself. The last thing he needed in his life was one more complication. And a woman like this would definitely prove to be a complication.

      “Time to get back to the cabin. My hands are freezing.” His tone was as flat and unemotional as he could manage over his wildly beating heart. It irritated him to note that his hands were shaking. He stuck them in his pockets and started off at a brisk pace.

      “Yeah.” Ciara brushed snow from her backside, then struggled to keep up with his impatient strides. If he was going to pretend nothing had happened, she’d play along. In fact, it would be a lot better this way. They’d both pretend this had been nothing more than a moment of weakness, that it had already been forgotten.

      “But just so you know, I got closer to the top than you did. So you can make dinner.”

      Three

      Ciara stared around with a look of wonder as they made their way down the hill. “I can’t believe this much snow fell in just one day.”

      “Yeah. These spring storms can be deadly. They’re almost worse than in the wintertime. At least then you know what to expect.” He shot her a knowing grin. “This time of year you could get caught in your bikini. That was a bikini you were wearing last night, wasn’t it?”

      “A thong. And you’re not going to let me forget it, are you?”

      “Why should I? It’s not something I’m liable to forget.”

      He was rewarded by a glimpse of Ciara blushing. Not something he’d ever expected to see, especially since she had been so defiant last night. But then, she’d been fighting nerves. Maybe she’d merely tried to cover them with an act of bravado.

      “Watch out for these drifts.” Jace picked his way through the mounds of snow, breaking a trail for Ciara to follow. In places the snow was so deep that it reached nearly to their waists. Hidden beneath were rocks and stumps and fallen trees just waiting to trip them.

      Jace turned to offer his hand, and saw Ciara standing perfectly still, her head lifted, one hand shielding her eyes from the sun.

      He followed the direction of her gaze and caught sight of a hawk lazily riding air currents overhead. “Majestic, isn’t he?”

      She nodded. “He’s a beauty. I’ve always been fascinated by hawks. Occasionally when I’m driving, I’ll spot one perched on a light post high above the freeway. I always find myself wondering why it doesn’t fly off to the wilderness.”

      “Maybe there’s a girlfriend on a nearby light post. After all, there has to be something keeping him in town.”

      “Maybe so. But why don’t they both fly away? It just seems so much more natural to see one here in the mountains than to see one trying to adapt to life in a crowded, bustling city.”

      “They’re like all creatures.” His tone deepened. “Adapt or die.”

      Ciara nodded. “I guess that’s true. We all have to adapt. But look how much we sacrifice for our urban sprawl. Noise and traffic and people in our faces. It just seems a pity that we pay such a high price for civilization.”

      “Don’t be so quick to knock it. I’ve seen the other side. Primitive life isn’t all that pure and noble.” Jace’s voice hardened. “There’s just as much violence in nature, and in small, developing nations, as there is in any big, cold, impersonal city.”

      Ciara was surprised by the passion in his voice. He was such a contrast in moods. For the most part funny and irreverent. But maybe he used that offbeat humor to mask much deeper feelings. She found herself wondering once more just what he’d seen, and where he’d seen it. Whatever it was, wherever it was, she felt certain it had been filled with violence and tragedy.

      Before she could form a question, a frightened rabbit suddenly dashed across the snow. In a blur of motion the hawk went into a dive and sank its talons deep. The rabbit shrieked in pain, then went eerily silent as the hawk lifted into the air. Within minutes it had flown out of sight with its prey, leaving nothing but drops of blood in the snow to mark its passing.

      Caught up in the drama, Ciara could do nothing more than stare into the distance. In the blink of an eye, everything had changed. The pastoral scene had turned into one of frightening violence.

      Finally finding her voice, she turned. “How could you possibly know that would happen?”

      “I didn’t. At least I didn’t expect to see it happen right here in front of us. But it was a pretty good bet that our hawk was searching for lunch.” Seeing that she was shaken by the incident, he took her hand. It was cold as ice. And the mere touch of her hand in his packed a punch that had him sucking in a breath.

      “Come on. We need to get inside where it’s warm.” He