Isabella proved him wrong.

When she refused to walk away from her tree, Aidan knew he needed to know this woman.

He tried not to let his impatience show as the hour slipped by. The party could have been his opportunity to know her better. He heard her blind date was a dentist. His gut twisted. Was she a woman who’d never involve herself with a man who worked on a tree farm? Perhaps, the idea of dating a stable, moneymaking dentist would trump their attraction? The thought depressed him.

The crowd began oohing and aahing and made their way out to the large deck. The snow had begun and a storm threatened. Aidan watched the couple finish their plates from the buffet, and then Robert disappeared.

Aidan hadn’t made his fortune by standing around waiting for opportunity. He learned to go out and take it. He put down his drink and strode to Isabella, determined not to lose his lady to a local dentist.

Her eyes lit up; she seemed clearly glad to see him. An answering warmth pumped through his blood at the sight of her smile. “Hi again,” he said. “How’s your date going?”

Her face fell and he was sorry he made her uncomfortable. In just two conversations, he felt more connected to this woman than he ever had to anyone else. “Aidan, my girlfriend set me up on this blind date and I—”

“No, don’t apologize. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” He looked around and offered his hand to her. “Do you think your date would mind if I stole some time with you? There’s a blizzard outside. Want to take a look?”

“Yes.” She took his hand. Her fingers slid around his with a natural ease that caused a strange emotion to grab him in a chokehold.

Home.

He pushed the ridiculous thought away and led her outside. The crowd had thinned and they settled in the corner by a large wooden beam. A quiet hush blanketed the sloping lawns set high off the mountain road. The high cliffs dominated the skyline with godlike power. Thick pieces of snow fell down and covered the majestic trees with a veil of white. The air rushed cold and fresh, and their breath caused puffs of smoke as they breathed deep and watched the scene in companionable silence.

“I love it here,” she said quietly. “When I was young, I craved city life. More excitement, more opportunities. Then I ended up right back where I started and realized it’s home.”

“What do you do?” he asked.

“I teach third grade at the local elementary school.” When he laughed, she looked up in question. “Why are you laughing?”

“Because I pegged you as a teacher from the gate. The way you looked at me on the tree farm gave me goosebumps. Reminded me of my own third grade teacher.”

Isabella laughed with him. “Try running a brigade of eight year olds that outnumber you by 25 to 1. You learn fast.”

“No wonder I was scared.”

“And you? What do you do when you’re not working on a tree farm?”

Aidan took a moment before answering. He wasn’t ready to tell her yet. Admitting to being the king of chain restaurants across the country distorted a woman’s perspective. In his experience, the women he dated changed. Right now, with her hand in his, and the delicious scent of strawberry shampoo from her hair, and the warmth in her face, he wanted nothing to change. He decided to buy himself a bit more time. “I’m sort of a handy man,” he said. “Odd jobs here and there. Tree farms in the winter. Landscaping in the summer. I make my way.”

She nodded. “I respect that. I think too many people are scared to find their true niche in life, so they settle for some limiting job that pays well, but find themselves miserable in a mid-life crisis. Nothing’s worth regret.”

And in that moment, after a few hours in her company, Aidan fell in love with Isabella Summers.

The sudden, shocking realization was cut short when Liz appeared beside them. “Izzy, Robert’s looking for you. I’m sorry, I don’t think we met?” Isabella quickly made introductions, while Liz gazed at him curiously.

Isabella spoke up in the awkward silence. “Liz, I’m sorry, but I have to get home. My car will never make the drive.”

“Just stay over. A lot of people are. Plenty of space.”

Izzy shook her head. “No, I really want to get home. I have a long list of things to do tomorrow and I’m exhausted.”

“Iz, your car is old as dirt. It’s not safe.” Liz bit down on her bottom lip, her dark eyes worried. “I’ll take you home. I can crash at your place tonight—it’ll be like a slumber party.”

“No way!” Isabella leaned over and hissed near her friend’s ear. “You’ve been staking out Nick Parker for months and he’s bunking down for the night. This is your perfect opportunity. I will not let you ruin it to babysit me.”

Aidan became fascinated by the push and pull of female conversation. Lots of stubbornness. Emotion. And heat. His presence didn’t even disarm them, as if they were past such boundaries within their perfect circle of friendship.

Liz shrugged with fake nonchalance “Big deal. They’ll be other times. I rather watch old movies with you.”

“Bull. You’re staying.”

“I’m driving you home. I have four wheel drive.”

“Liz, there’s no way on the face of this earth I’m letting you out of this house tonight.”

“I’ll drive you home,” he interrupted.

The words fell onto sharp silence. Isabella turned and looked at him questioningly. “What about you? Maybe you shouldn’t be driving in this either.”

Aidan pointed to the line of cars in the winding driveway and off the side of the road. “I have a Hummer. Can cut through anything.”

Liz’s mouth dropped open. Isabella looked surprised that a man who did odd jobs for a living had a Hummer, but she didn’t pause. “Okay, if it wouldn’t be any trouble.”

Liz shot out her hand and grabbed her friend’s arm. “Umm, Iz, I don’t feel comfortable with this. Maybe Robert can drive you home?” she suggested. “I know he’s safe.”

Aidan gave Liz a reassuring smile. “I swear I’m not a serial killer. I’ll give you my cell phone number so you have it. You can write down my license plate number too. And my friend is here who can vouch for me.”

“But—”

Isabella squeezed her friend’s arm in reassurance. “He’s okay, Liz. I’ll speak with Robert in a minute and say good-bye.”

Liz turned to him with the fierceness of a lioness protecting her cub. “If you do anything funny, I promise to find you.”

Aidan laughed. He respected Liz as much as Izzy in that moment, noticing the strong bond of friendship. “I’ll keep her safe. Come on, let me introduce you to my friend, who can vouch for my honor. Then I’ll give you my actual cell phone so you can confirm my number.”

They spent the last minutes saying good-byes and making sure Liz felt comfortable. Aidan fought back laughter when she dragged over her other girlfriend and he faced more threats on retribution if he touched Izzy out of her comfortable boundaries. The heat on Izzy’s cheeks at the overprotectiveness warmed him. This was a woman who was obviously well loved. Then Aidan finally settled Izzy into the passenger seat, cranked up the heat, and pulled carefully away from the house.

“How did Robert take it?” he asked.

Izzy shrugged. “Wasn’t thrilled but I explained you were an old friend. Took the sting out of it. He’s a lovely man.”

“Hmmm. A dentist, huh?”

She swung her head around to look at him in surprise. Her silky blonde curls slid over her shoulder. “How did you know?”

“Word travels.”

Isabella looked amused. “Yes, a local dentist.”

“Sounds like a great guy. Stable. Nice. Solid career.” He paused. “So, why are you with me and not him?

He gave her credit. She took the jab nicely and thrust right back. “Well, that’s right to the point. I’m not crazy about dentists.”

“They make good money.”

“Hmm, you seem to be obsessed over the money part. I’m not looking for a man with money. Most rich men I know are too arrogant. I want a man who knows who he is and doesn’t apologize for it. And I don’t like anyone examining my teeth.”

Aidan burst out laughing. “Looks like you have perfect teeth to me.”

“I have a junk food habit. He wouldn’t approve.”

“I knew you were the perfect woman for me.”

They rode in comfortable silence, easing through snow banks and slick country roads. Her home was located on a small residential block, with a postage stamp lawn and pretty colored yellow shingles. He pulled in her driveway and turned to her. “I can pick you up tomorrow, if you’d like, so you can get your car.”

“That’d be nice.” The silence grew with an unnamed finely tuned sexual tension, spinning its way around them in a tight web. Aidan tried like hell not to focus on the edge of those thigh high leather boots. Tried not to think of how snug they wrapped around her legs, and how she’d look if he knelt before her to peel the boots off one by one. Would her naked skin quiver against his tongue? Would she taste like strawberries and be as sweet? The erotic image hit him square in the face. He hardened immediately and prayed she wouldn’t notice.

“Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee? And see Charlie Brown?”

The invitation caused his heart to pound like a teenager with his first woman. “I’d love to.”

* * *

Maybe she was crazy.

Isabella busied herself with brewing coffee and peeked through the kitchen to study the man prowling through her living room. She’d just met him a few days ago. They’d had one previous conversation, which ended in her certainty she didn’t like him. Now he was in her house, had held her hand, and called her the perfect woman.