Page 129 of Snowbound Surrender

They stood there in tableau, staring at one another, until finally he sighed, running his gloved hand through his hair as he turned from her to look out onto the land beyond. He placed hishands on his hips and tipped his head back, as though he were deep in thought. He finally turned back to her.

“Fine, Scarlett,” he said, “We will go visit the tenants and determine if it is as you say.”

“Truly?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Yes,” he said with a shrug. “I should visit them at Christmastide, anyway.”

“And your steward,” she said, stepping toward him once more. “He has to go.”

Hunter scoffed. “I am not getting rid of Stone. He has been with the family for years and is quite capable.”

“Have you looked at the books lately?”

“No, but?—”

“Do you know what he is charging for rents?”

“Of course.”

“Tell me.”

“I don’t need to tell you anything.”

“See, you have no idea. Just look.”

“Fine, Scarlett,” he said, raising his hands in the air. “I do not know the current rents. Are you happy now?”

“Somewhat,” she replied, turning to walk back to her horse, anger still simmering in her belly. She was frustrated in his inability to see what was right in front of his face, while he put his faith in people who had no business in having it. And yet he questionedher!

As she returned to Star, Scarlett noted the way the snow was crunching under her feet. It had become wet and sticky with the warmer air of the morning. A smile crossed her face as she knelt down and gathered some of it in her gloved hands, packing it together.

She took a quick look behind her to see Hunter standing there, looking off in the distance with a thoughtful expression on his face. Ah, so maybe some of her words had actually gottenthrough his thick skull. Well, if they didn’t, then hopefully this would. She turned, and, as quickly as she could, launched the ball of snow through the air, before it came down on its mark, hitting him square in the chest.

He let out a shout as he turned to her, his face aghast as though he couldn’t believe what she had just done.

And she laughed. Oh, it felt good to find that release, to be able to send some of her frustration flying toward him through the snow. But then his mouth settled in a firm line and he narrowed his eyes at her, and she took a long swallow. Had she gone too far?

But then, quicker than she could have imagined, he knelt himself, scooped up the snow and launched a ball of it at her, the snow exploding over her cloak and dress beneath. Pieces of it broke off and began to melt on the exposed skin of the top of her chest and neck above her chemisette.

“You … you … scoundrel!” she finally shrieked, but he just laughed at her words. His laugh was loud and booming, and she realized it was the first time she had heard it. Not that she had given him much opportunity to find anything humorous around her.

“Do not give out what you cannot take back in equal measure, Scarlett!” he called out to her, and then with a shout she was balling up the snow again, as was he. It seemed no sooner did she launch one projectile at him that he was sending one back her way. She threw with all her might, though she knew he was keeping some force back from her. She crowed with exhilaration when she saw he took a direct hit to the face, and he let out a holler.

“Careful, now, wife,” he growled, though he wore a smile to go along with it. “You will get yourself into more trouble than you can take.”

“We shall see about that!” she said, and she bent to pick up another. When she stood, however, he was gone, and she whipped her head one way and the other trying to find him. But where did he— she let out a piercing scream as suddenly her entire back was wet with icy snow, and she turned to find him behind her, satisfaction on his face as he took in her expression.

“I told you to watch yourself,” he said with a wink and a wicked grin.

She didn’t think then, not of how she was trying to keep her distance nor that he was much stronger than she and this could not end well for her. She simply launched herself at him, taking him off guard and the two of them went flying backward into the snow.

Scarlett tackled him with frustration, but with laughter as well. And then she raised herself up from him and caught his gaze — and suddenly, with his twinkling blue-green eyes staring up at her, losing some of their humor and becoming altogether serious, nothing seemed funny any longer.

CHAPTER 5

Hunter swallowed hard.

Scarlett’s face was but inches from his, so close that he could count every freckle covering her pert nose. He knew the moment everything changed, when her eyes widened and she took her plump bottom lip between her crooked front teeth.