Page 49 of The Sugar Maple Inn

“Shit!” Reese said. He went to push at the door, but it wouldn’t budge. He peered through a small gap in the broken door. “We’re trapped,” he said. “Looks like the huge oak outside came down and crashed through the corridor wall just outside.”

“Zach! I need to check on him!”

Grace bolted down the stairs but Reese moved fast, blocking the bottom of the stairs with his huge body. One hand came up, palm out.

“Trust me, the door’s blocked,” he said, voice firm. “Plus, if the tree caused more damage, I don’t want the wall falling in on you.”

“But my son is sleeping in the inn. What if he’s—”

“He’ll be fine. Other people are with him, he’s not alone.” His voice was firm. CEO firm.

Grace wanted to argue. Wanted to shove past him and try the door herself to get to Zach because that was what mothers did. They ran toward danger when their kids might be hurt. But Reese was right, damn him.

And also—

Jesus Christ, he was standing so close, those muscled pecs almost at eye level. And his scent, damn. All testosterone and musk.

NO!

This was absolutely not the time to notice her competitor looked like he’d been carved by someone with a very specific appreciation for the male form.

FOCUS!

Grace wrapped the thin cardigan around her nightdress, hyperaware that it wasn’t doing much to cover her. “Great. Fantastic. So we’re trapped in a tower. This is exactly how every horror movie starts.”

“We’re not in a horror movie, Grace.”

“Feels like it,” she couldn’t help mutter under her breath, “being stuck in here with you.”

Almost a smile. “Well, the hot girl always dies first so I guess you’re in trouble.” His eyes dropped then—just for a second—down her body before snapping back up.

Grace wrapped her cardigan even tighter around herself.

Footsteps echoed then from the corridor beyond the blocked door. Then a voice—

“Damn tree.”

It was Abe.

Relief flooded through Grace. “Abe! We’re in here! It’s Grace.”

“And Reese,” Reese called out.

A pause. Long enough that Grace could practically hear Abe’s brain connecting dots that shouldn’t be connected.

“I-I couldn’t sleep!” Grace said. “We didn’t come here together.”

Reese gave her an amused smile.

“Right then,” Abe said. “Well, the tree came down and some of the corridor wall with it. It’s blocking the door completely. Brought Wi-Fi and cell lines down too.”

“Can you move the tree?” Grace asked, even though she already knew the answer. “Wake the others? Try together?”

“Not without proper equipment,” Abe called through. “Fire service will need to come clear it with their gear, and they’re sure as hell not responding to anything but emergency calls until this storm passes.”

“This is an emergency!” Grace said as Reese’s smile got even more bemused.

“Not an emergency in my estimation,” Abe said matter-of-factly. “You ain’t gonna die in there.”