Read Online Christmas Alpha by Carole Mortimer - Free Book Online Page B

him taking a look in there once Eva was asleep.
      Once Eva was asleep...
      Lying beside her all night was going to be a test for his self-control.
      “You seem distracted, Finn.”
      He brought his attention back to the here and now as he focused on Eva sitting across the table from him. “Sure, and it isn’t everyday I find myself stranded in a snowstorm with such a desirable woman.”
      She narrowed her eyes. “I thought we had already established that I’m not letting you ‘fuck’ me?”
      Finn smiled ruefully. “Doesn’t change the fact that you’re desirable.”
      “Flattery will get you nowhere, Finn Devlin.”  
      “Then maybe you should try and distract me by telling me a little more about yourself?” he answered smoothly. Eva was a desirable woman, no doubt about it. And the two of them were stuck here together until the worst of the storm blew itself out. He just wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. “Do you have any other family besides your parents and the uncle who owns the courier company?”
      “Grandparents. Uncles and aunts. Dozens of cousins,” she dismissed ruefully. “Usually we all descend on my maternal grandparents for Christmas Day.” She looked glum.
      “We’ll get you out of here before then.” Finn reached across the table and clasped her hand in his as it rested on the tabletop.  
      There was that connection again, Eva realized with a puzzled frown. That feeling of intimacy as Finn’s fingers closed about her own. Again there was nothing sexual about it, it was more...warm, and somehow comforting, and yet at the same time she was still totally aware of everything about him.
      Finn just was .
      Tall, imposing, there .  
      In your face there .
      Eva couldn’t think of any other way to describe what it was like to be with a man who was so compelling.
      Did Finn feel that connection too?
      A glance beneath her lashes showed that Finn was staring down at their linked hands, a frown between those deep blue eyes.
      Yes, Finn felt it too.
      Then what had that all been about earlier, when he had spoken so crudely of ‘fucking’ her? Had he been intentionally pushing her away?
      And if so, why had he?
      Admittedly they lived very different lives, and ordinarily would never have met at all—he was Finn Devlin, photographer extraordinaire, and she was a history student working during the Christmas holidays as a courier—but… “What’s going on, Finn?” she prompted slowly. “What is it you aren’t telling me?”
      That frown deepened into a scowl. “Isn’t the fact that we’re stuck here in the middle of nowhere in a countrywide blizzard, with no electricity, enough for us to worry about?”
      Too slick. Too mocking. Just too everything, in fact.  
      Eva gave a shake of her head. “You can cut the act, Finn, because I’m not buying it.”
      He released her hand before leaning back in his chair to look across at her, a mocking smile tilting his lips. “Just as well, because I’m not for sale.”
      Nope, still not buying it. “Do me a favor, would you, Finn, and stand up?”
      He tensed warily. “Why?”
      “Because I asked nicely?”
      “I don’t see—”
      “Please. Ah, just as I thought,” she nodded knowingly as he rose noisily to his feet and she could once again see that telling bulge in his denims. “Care to explain why it is you’re deliberately keeping me at arm’s length, Finn, when it’s obviously the last thing you want to do?” She raised questioning eyebrows.  
      “I don’t think it’s my arm you need to worry about.”
      “Stop it, Finn,” Eva snapped her irritation.
      “Maybe I’m acting this way because we’ve known each other a matter of hours?” he bit out exasperatedly as he sat down again. “Because I agree with you, it wouldn’t be a good idea for us to take this any further?”
      “That didn’t seem to bother you earlier.”