Melody Anne - Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Kate nodded. “Okay, thanks. Girls’ night Friday at Mugs?”

“Absolutely.”

She watched Arilyn retreat and swiveled back her computer screen. She’d set up the date and hope for the best. Her instincts hummed, as if something big was about to happen. Unfortunately, it could be a premonition of either great circumstance or complete disaster.

Kate prayed for the former and reached for her phone.

Riley Fox was late.

She despised tardiness.

Trying not to freak out and get all OCD before she went on her first official matchmaking date, she dragged in a breath for calm, and methodically clicked down her list of items to take. Purse. iPhone. Charger. Water. Check, check, check, check.

The snow was steadily falling so she tugged on her leather gloves, buttoned her coat to the neck, and locked the door. Her sleek silver Infiniti was already warmed, and she sighed when her rear slid into the heated seat. Hmm, she knew the general direction, but never made the trek up the mountain. Better get Google Maps ready. The GPS in the car sucked and usually gave her the wrong directions. She clicked on the app, tapped in the address, and buckled her seat belt. Easing the car onto the snow-covered road, Riley headed for her ice-skating date.

Deciding to forgo music for her thoughts, she ignored the slight twinge of nerves in her stomach and wondered if she’d been crazy to agree to this. Riley expected photos, full name, date of birth, social security number, and a checklist of traits her date copped to. Instead, Kate informed her it was a total blind encounter. Meaning she knew his first name was Ryan, he would meet her at exactly 7 p.m. by the gate of Rinker’s Park, and he was safe, sane, and cute.

Kate refused to give her anything else.

Normally, that would challenge Riley’s competitive instincts to shine and compel Kate to give her more information, but Arilyn backed Kate up by gently reminding her of her inability to take risks in her love life, and how going in without any prior information would open her mind.

Finally, she agreed. But if the man exhibited any violations of her rules she was outta there.

Riley drove through Verily, relaxing slightly as the cheerful lights and festive atmosphere on a cold December night made her feel alive. She’d fallen in love with the upstate river town’s artsy appeal and quiet demeanor. Working in Manhattan was amazing—there wasn’t a city in the world as vibrant and fast paced, and she thrived on a career level. But personally, she gravitated toward a quirky, calmer type of atmosphere, where she could sip a coffee, window-shop, talk to her neighbors, and pretend she wasn’t living for sales reports, auctions, and networking.

Pathetic.

Normally, she wouldn’t have cared. Her drive for achievement was something she now lived with and never questioned. Valedictorian in college, a coveted internship in Manhattan at graduation, and years of learning from the best in the business. Finally, she’d been ready to take the leap to create her own publishing business focused on women.

Everyone called her crazy. Laughed. Refused to take her seriously.

Now that same line of rotten men lined up to kiss her ass.

Score.

Riley held back a giggle and took the next turn slow. Her rear wheels slid, adjusted, and pushed on. Damn, this was gonna be a bitch of a snowstorm. The initial reports had called for a dusting, but already huge flakes hit her windshield in kamikaze form, and the faint sound of tinkling ice warned her of the road conditions.

Crap. She was still fifteen minutes late.

Knowing her car could handle it, she calmly pressed the accelerator to make up for some time, keeping her senses sharp to the surroundings around her. She was an excellent driver and had never gotten into an accident. She drove like she did everything else in her life: with a firm capability and a goal toward one thing.

Success.

Men said she had issues. Who didn’t? She’d plunged ahead, and except for the occasional sexual affair she carefully plotted out to meet her bodily needs, she never felt lonely. Until recently. Stupid female clock screwed everything up. She was going along quite happily when she’d caught sight of a pregnant woman stroking her belly.

She’d stopped in the middle of a crowded street. The hit of emotion drained her breath and an ache in her heart made her want to wail like a toddler. From that moment, everything changed. Riley looked at couples around her, baby strollers, flashing diamond rings, and she wanted. Wanted with her heart, soul, and gut, like she’d never wanted anything before.

She’d called Kate and decided to do something about it.

Work had been the element to drive her forward, but now she was ready to attack her personal life. Finally at the stage she always dreamed to be in her career, she realized lately she was lonely. An empty ache pulsed in her gut. She craved cooking in her gourmet kitchen for someone other than herself. Her three-hundred-count Egyptian cotton sheets were cold with no one to snuggle with. Wasn’t it time she finally focused on finding love? Wasn’t it finally her turn?

Her past dates had been bitterly disappointing. Always lacking in certain qualities, exhibiting characteristics she refused to bend on. Too lazy, or arrogant, or needy. Not father material. Not husband material. Lacking character or humor or intelligence.

She yearned for a companion to share her life with. Raise a family. Grow old together. Riley knew the exact type of man who’d complement her lifestyle. A man who was serious, hardworking, family oriented. Perhaps a bit conservative, with an ability to be calm and even tempered. She despised fighting or disagreements. She pictured living in harmony with a man who was also her friend.

He needed to fit.

Kinnections was the right choice for her. The detailed questionnaire she filled out confirmed the match would be based entirely on her checklist and requirements. Science, not the fickle dream of fate where lust was mistaken for love and sex for commitment.

She reached the foot of the mountain. The car fishtailed, then straightened. Riley clenched and unclenched her fingers around the wheel. Call and cancel? Was he running late, too, from the weather? She peered through the whipping windshield wipers and judged how much farther up the rink was. Probably not far. Her car was topnotch in bad weather, and maybe it was going to stop soon.

This date could be the one. Kinnections was successful, and boasted an extremely high percentage of marriages. Her husband could be waiting on top of that mountain and a bit of snow was not going to stop her from finally meeting him.

She inched her way up and came to a fork in the road. Where was the sign? Why was her iPhone suddenly silent? With a disgusted mutter, Riley grabbed her phone.

No signal.

Crap. Okay, the rink couldn’t be far. She mentally recited eeney meeney miney moe and took the right. The road emptied and twisted before her, flanked by thick woods. Huge, gnarled trees bent over and shook in the wind. Icicles dripped from branches and pelted ice drops at her windshield. Why did she suddenly feel like she’d dropped into Narnia? Riley downshifted, curving around another bend, and almost hit the brake at the sight before her.

Massive wrought-iron gates rivaling those in King Kong towered before her. Wicked spikes lined the top and blocked a row of ice-encrusted privacy bushes. She caught a glimpse of a towering, multitiered brick fortress as she reached the top of the road, and gently pumped the brake.

The tires caught, spun, and slid to the right. She pulled the wheel in the opposite direction but it was too late.

The rear end fishtailed and dropped her backward over the side incline.

The last thought Riley had was how pissed off she was that she’d miss meeting her future husband.

Then everything went black.

Dylan McCray stared at the unconscious woman on his couch and wondered if someone was playing a joke on him. After all, he’d just been hand delivered the woman he hadn’t been able to get off his mind or his dick for the past decade.

He swore softly and lay a damp washcloth over her forehead. He had no idea if it was the right thing to do, but he’d seen the move in enough films to figure it worked. Thank God she’d been lucky. Other than the bruise on her cheek, she didn’t have any bumps or breaks. The car was banged up, but her seat belt and the open ditch filled with snow had softened the blow. He shuddered to think of the circumstances if she’d hit the trees.

Her breathing was deep and even. Her heart rate steady. What the hell was she doing here? He’d decided to close the park once the snow began, so he hadn’t expected anyone. He assumed his blind date was canceled. The cell lines were down so he couldn’t call Kate, and in some weird type of power move Kate refused to give him a last name, so it wasn’t like he could even try and track down the mysterious woman.

He was getting ready to close up the gates when he caught the crash on his security camera. Thank God he’d seen it or Riley could’ve been trapped overnight. He hoped she didn’t have a concussion. He figured worst-case scenario he’d get the snowplow and drive her to the hospital. First, he’d try to wake her up and work from there.

What was the woman doing out in a blizzard? Anger twisted with fear and burned through his system, though he kept his touch gentle. For God’s sake, no one was out in this weather. The radio blasted the quick movement of the storm heading their way, and warned everyone to stay home. Of course, if Riley Fox was the same stubborn, frustrating woman she’d always been, no wonder she hadn’t listened. She had a God complex. It both fascinated and irritated him.