Christmas Tempest (Holiday Heartwarmers #12)

Chapter Nine

Once he kissed her, Dex knew he’d never be the same man again. Every nerve in his body jumped to attention, warning him to remember the moment. In his heart, he understood… what was happening would begin a change that would make him different, his goals and his future. Because now they included this wonderful, dog-saving, foot-rubbing, big-hearted, beautiful woman.

Here in the warming car, a blizzard of snow blowing all around them, he’d grasped all the possibilities he’d never before imagined in any serious way. Like the possibility of spending a lifetime with this gorgeous creature who made him feel like a king. And the possibility of his dreams of a home, a wife and numerous children to fill his world coming true.

Once they finally parted, he kept her face close so he could gaze into her sultry, passion-filled eyes. “Don’t look at me like that, Jasmin. I can’t do anything about your invitation, lady. And there’s nothing more I want to do than reach for you right now.” He growled the words in a passion-filled voice that had her smiling through her blushes.

She looked around them and giggled softly. “Not sure I’m up for romping in the front seat of the car anyway. And you certainly aren’t in any shape. Besides, we just met – remember?”

Teasingly, she kissed him on the nose and pulled away only to have her cheek washed by Pretty Girl who’d sat up as soon as she heard them moving. “Besides, I think your dog is looking a bit anxious for some attention.”

Sighing in defeat, hating for the previous loving moments to pass, Dex, followed her finger that pointed at the dog. He knew by the signs that his big white princess had the need for an outside break. “Oh-oh, nature calls. I can tell the signs; she wants to go do her business.”

“I kinda thought so. Not sure how were going to handle this. My door is totally blocked with snow, so we have to use your door unless I can climb over to the back and use the passenger door. Here give me a hand.”

Nimble from all the yoga she practiced most nights, Jasmin slid over the center console and got stuck halfway. “Help, Dex. Pretty Girl, move over, baby. I need to, umph… no don’t lick my face, ahh… good girl. Give me a little help, Dex.”

Glancing back, she saw his face and laughed. “Quit ogling my behind and push it instead.”

“Okay, but no slapping me for feeling up your butt.” His hands, gentle and strong, formed around her hips to give her the necessary shove to get her all the way in the back seat.

“Phew, made it. Can you hand me my jacket? I’ll take her outside and maybe do a bit of snow clearing. It’s gotta be mid afternoon by now. Hopefully, the snow plows will be around soon.”

“I wouldn’t depend on that. I bet there’s four feet of snow now and it’s still falling.”

Dex had trouble seeing out of the side window but when he set the windshield wipers to clear away some of the buildup, he knew he hadn’t been far off. Struggling to get his boot back on, an impossible feat, he fumed at not being able to help Jasmin. Opening the window, he yelled to her. “Can you go to my trunk and get my other pair of boots. They’re the lace-up kind that I might be able to put on. I want to help you.”

“Okay.” A few minutes later, Jasmin handed him the right boot. “I just brought the one, okay?”

“Sure, good thinking.” He opened the door and with his feet outside, he struggled to put on the boot only to have it taken from his hands. On her knees in front of him, head bowed, Jasmin opened the laces as far as possible and helped fit his foot inside, careful not to cause too much pain.

Once he had his foot encased, he sat and watched while the laughing woman romped with the happy dog, rolling in the snow, making snow angels and having a blast. Pretty Girl bounded this way and that in her teasing playfulness, happy with all the attention. Wishing he could join in, he hesitated.

Knowing there would be a limited amount of time he’d be able to stand, he limped forward and took the large shovel from where she’d left it stuck upright in the bank. Though his ankle hurt like the dickens, he ignored the pain and got to work.

He wanted to be as ready as possible when they got assistance from the road crews. So, for the next hour, he kept digging out the vehicle as much as he could. His own four-wheel-drive SUV Jeep was angled in such a way he figured he’d need a tow to get it free, whereas Jasmin’s vehicle could be driven once they cleared the road.

Of course, he shouldn’t take for granted that she would agree to head back to the city in order for him to pick up Dillon, but somehow he knew in his heart she’d be willing.

Just then, she came towards him, “Dex, it’s enough. You’ve done as much as you can. You’re limping. I can see it.” Looking around the area, her shock came through clearly. “Holy moly, you’ve cleared the snow from this whole side of the car. What were you thinking, working so hard? I really think you should rest now. I’ve put Pretty Girl in the back. Please, there’s enough charge to my phone if you want to call Dillon.”

“Are you trying to tempt me with a phone call, so I’ll listen to your commands, your royal highness?” Bowing in a foolish parody, he saw her grin at his teasing tone.

“Is it working, knave?” Her choice of words let him know she’d play along and that lightened his heart and made him chuckle. Her decision to coax rather than order won him over and made him think just how well they already knew each other.

With his hand free from the glove, he brushed her nose in a cute kind of way. “Yeah. I’m a sucker for a pretty woman wanting to get me alone… okay, milady, I’ll behave.” Of course, the thought of talking to the kid had already clinched the deal.

Once they were back inside with the car running again to warm it up, they both slipped out of their heavy clothes. While Dex rang through to Dillon, Jasmin gathered the food stuff she had to share with Dex and his pet. Saving most of the salami meats for the dog, she lined up pieces of smoked salmon, fancy biscuits, wine, and shortbread cookies for her and Dex.

“Hello, Margot, is Dillon there?”

***

“No, he is not. The brat took off.” Dex heard the older woman’s hoarse, smoke-scratchy voice filled with anger but also fear.

“Wait, what happened? What do you mean he ran away? What are you saying?” Dex put the phone on speaker to let Jasmin hear the conversation.

“He left, probably because I told him you weren’t coming for him. After hearing that, he became horribly rude to me, so I locked him in his room last night without any supper. I unlatched the door before I went to bed in case he needed to use the potty. Today, I went to wake him up, and he wasn’t anywhere in this house.”

“Christ, woman, he’s only eight years old. Why couldn’t you cut him some slack?”

“He’s a brat, is why. Someone needed to teach him the way real life works.”

Hearing those words, Dex knew she was a lost cause. Seeing Jasmin’s signaling him to be calmer, he slowed his breathing. Instead of condemning her more, he questioned her in a quieter voice. “Do you have any idea where he could have gone?”

Sarcasm wove into the older woman’s trembling voice. “Obviously not. He didn’t tell me, or I would know where to find him now, wouldn’t I?”

Anger again blistering his tone, Dex’s answer came out louder than he meant it to. “Look, Margot, I’m stuck in a freaking snowstorm here and have no idea how long it’ll take to get free. And that city is no place for a little kid wandering the streets on his own. At the very least, did you call the police?”

“It’s only snowing a bit here so calm yourself. And no, I didn’t call the police because I just found him missing a few hours ago. I’m expecting him to return anytime. He has nowhere to go. He’ll figure it out and come back.”

“God, no. I mean, no, don’t wait. Call the police right away. I can’t get there anytime soon. There’ve been no snow plows out this way at all. Please, Margot, please. We can’t have Dillon wandering around alone. It isn’t safe.”

“He’ll come back. The kid doesn’t know many people at this end of town. I know he’s just trying to scare me. He’ll come back I tell you.”

“Fine, if you don’t call them, I will.” Hanging up to save his battery life, Dex’s hands shook so much after the call, he dropped his phone.

Jasmin, halfway across the console, reached for it and held it out. “That woman is a spiteful cow. I seriously dislike her, and I haven’t even met her.” Leaning back to look him in the face, she added, “Look, your phone has been charging. I think you can make the call to the police.”

Nodding, Dex took his phone and punched in 911. By the time he’d given the police the information and asked them to please call on Margot to get more details, his frustration levels had climbed.

Jasmin urged him to eat. “You must be starving. Please have something. Keep up your strength.” While he picked away, she called her father. “Dad, we’re stuck on the road about twenty miles from town, and we need to get back to the city right away. My passenger has a situation in Seattle he has to attend to.”

Unable to listen to her father’s questions, she cut in. “I know. I was headed home and got stuck in the snowstorm. Long story but the shorter version is my fellow stranded motorist is here with me because his car ran off the road. Right, there’s still three days before Christmas so I’ll be there. Yep, tell Mom. Look, Dad, there’s no other choice for us but to go back to Seattle first. The man I was telling you about, Dextor Hall, was on his way there to pick up his eight-year-old nephew. Oh, good, you know Dex. Okay then. Seems the boy got discouraged by his uncle not getting there as promised, and he’s run away from his grandmother’s place. I know, it is terrible. See, no one knows where the boy is, and Dex is frantic. Can you inform the highway patrol to get us some help?” Suddenly, she heard a beeping sound and knew the call was disconnected.

That’s when Jasmin also noticed the questioning look on Dex’s face, which prompted her to explain her reasoning in calling on her father. “My dad is the Mayor of Carlton Grove.”