Snow Bound
By: Dani Wade
This book is dedicated with my abundant love and appreciation to my twin sister. Your encouragement and belief in me has made all the difference in my life’s journey. I couldn’t
have done this without you.
About the Book
The last thing Damon West wants is a trip to his bookish neighbor’s house in the midst of the worst snowstorm Cadence, TN, has seen in a decade. Still, his military instincts warn him that Miss Priss could use a little help. His arrival is met with an attack by an unknown assailant and the sight of Miss Priss in a sexy wisp of nothing-much, confidently wielding a double-barreled shotgun.
Tori Anderson carefully portrays herself as a responsible bookstore owner and capable young woman to anyone willing to look twice. But two men grappling in her backyard called for speed more than decorum. That’s how the guy she’d been secretly lusting after since he’d bought the house next door sees her in a silky robe and panties—with nothing in between. Damon’s sudden interest thrills her, but she can’t help worrying about the unknown threat scared off by her shotgun blast.
Trapped in her house, snow blocking the roads and no way to reach the outside world, Tori finally has the chance to indulge her wildest fantasies. But she isn’t sure which is more daunting—the abusive boyfriend back to punish her for helping convict him of murder or her desire to have more than one night with the town’s most unavailable bachelor.
.
Chapter One
With a sudden snap, the room went dark.
The transition from softly lit home office to the pitch-black that can only occur living in the back of beyond took a little adjustment for Damon, but before his eyes cleared of squiggles and colored lights, he had his oversized flashlight palmed and on. Like his eyes, he let the rest of his body adjust to the new circumstances, which he’d been anticipating since heavy snow started coming down a couple of hours ago.
Now instead of the croon of Toby Keith, he was left with utter stillness and the sound of the wind rushing against the eaves outside. The kick of his heartbeat after the surprise had automatically slowed, just as he’d done all the years he’d served his country in combat situations that required steady hands and complete focus.
Though a strong snowstorm in the middle of February might not be a big deal for most parts of the country, the southern Tennessee valley was looking at complete and total shutdown for the next few days if they received the five inches the weatherman had been predicting since the day before. People here simply weren’t equipped or experienced with this kind of weather, which led to scary driving scenarios and a mad rush on the local Piggly Wiggly. Luckily Damon had managed to grab enough beer and chips to get him through, despite the little white-haired lady that had stared him down over the last bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos. Like a true Texas gentleman, he’d conceded and settled for Cool Ranch instead.
With a chuckle over the memory, he flicked on the flashlight and made his way across the landing to his bedroom. No more work tonight. Though he had a small generator for emergencies, he didn’t want to waste any more gas than he had to since there was no telling how long it would take the county to restore power this far from town. At the best of times it could be a day. If half the town was snowed bound until roads could be cleared, well, a week was the least he could hope for.
He pulled out some heavier socks and a pair of loose sweatpants to add to his current cotton pajama pants and long-sleeved T-shirt. No sense freezing. He already had the kerosene heater filled and waiting in the corner. This room was ideal to close up and heat for the night. Too bad he didn’t have something more feminine to keep him warm instead. A twinge of regret surfaced. He could have swung by Rebel’s, the local honky-tonk, and found a willing armful to pass the time with, but he’d opted for winter-weather preparations instead.
Damn shame.
His eyes beginning to adjust, he switched off the flashlight and laid it on the bed so he could dress. Yep, he was all set, if not working or watching television didn’t bore him out of his skull before too long. Good thing he had the latest thriller on his bedside, not to mention that software programming manual he needed to study for his computer repair and security business.
