Maia was happy to see the inside of the house. It was warm and felt welcoming with the fire in the fireplace and Jase’s mother’s quilt along the back of the couch. She’d put cider on the stove to simmer, and the fragrance wafted through the rooms. “Much better,” she said and smiled at the teenager.
He was too busy struggling to get the tree inside the house, maneuvering it with Cole giving orders and both staggering and tripping until Maia nearly fell over laughing. “I wish I had a camera. You two are not very good at this.”
Cole glared at her. “I don’t see you helping, and this was your idea.”
“I’m suffering the effects of my scalp wound from yesterday,” Maia said.
“You were able to wrestle yesterday.” He walked his end of the tree around, keeping away from the windows, always conscious of the watcher on the ridge. He glanced outside. The snow was relentless, falling steadily in a soft, silent monotonous way that packed on feet rather than inches. Cole seriously doubted if anyone could be out in the whiteout. The tension immediately drained from his body.
“Fine,” Maia said. She took the toolbox Cole had insisted on carrying along with the tree. “I’ll find the perfect position for you. The two of you just hold on to it while I study the situation.”
“Study the situation?” Jase yelped in protest. “This is heavy.”
“Yes, well,” Maia waved a dismissing hand and settled herself on the couch, the toolbox at her feet while she examined every angle of the room.
“Oh, for God’s sake,” Cole said, exasperated. He shoved on his end until Jase went with him, standing the tree dead center in front of the window. “Right here. The damned thing is going right here, and we’re not moving it.”
In the end they moved it four times, Maia going from one end of the room to the other to study the positioning from every angle. Jase threw himself on the floor twice, laughing at his older brother’s expression and pointing to him until Cole threatened to throw him out in the storm.
“That’s perfect. Now we need wire and those pincher cutter things,” Maia said. “We’ll make a wreath.”
“I thought we were going to eat, woman,” Cole objected. “You have to feed men if you want them cooperative.”
“You just ate,” Maia protested.
“That was hours ago,” Jase said. “Sorry, Doc, but I’m with Cole on this. I’m on empty.”
“You two are bottomless pits! Fine, I need to make popcorn anyway.”
“I love popcorn. Make the buttery kind,” Jase said.
“Not to eat.” Maia put her hands on her hips. “We string it and make a garland to wrap around the tree.”
Jase and Cole exchanged a long look. “I think that knock on the head did more damage than we suspected,” Cole told his younger brother. “We’re not wasting the popcorn on the tree, Doc.”
Jase shook his head. “What part of starving don’t you understand?”
“Oh for heaven’s sake. We’ll make sandwiches, and you can eat them and leave the decorations alone,” Maia said.
“I like the part about the sandwiches,” Jase said, and took off for the kitchen.
As soon as she and Cole were alone, Maia caught Cole’s arm. “What is going on? I know something is, so don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean.”
“I’m not sure what’s going on, other than I want us all to stick together,” Cole said. “When I figure it out, I promise, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Is there something I can do to help?”
He framed her face. “You’re doing enough already. There’s no way to make it up to you, the things you’re doing for Jase.”
Her heart did a silly flutter as the pad of his thumb slid back and forth over her lower lip. She was beginning to think of various ways he could repay her if he really insisted on it. Maia knew she was incredibly susceptible to him. Jase was her savior, whether he was aware of it or not. She would never be able to hold out against Cole if the boy wasn’t with them almost constantly, and once she gave herself to him, she knew it would be forever. It was a terrible realization that she’d fallen so deeply for a man she had known for only a few days.
She couldn’t look into his eyes. There was need there and hunger and something so compelling she would never be able to resist. He was doing all the things he knew would cause him nightmares in order to give his younger brother a chance at a normal life. She was hurting him. She ached inside knowing she was the cause. Yet because he was a willing participant, she was falling deeper and deeper in love with him.
“I’m enjoying myself, Cole. This has been fun.” Her voice was so husky with her awareness of him she was embarrassed. If his thumb touched her lower lip another minute, she was going to bite him.
“Maia.” He bent his head.