Stephanie Fowers’s Reviews > Snowed in at Silver Lake > Status Update

“Barron!” He kissed her neck and she couldn’t help melting into him as the music swept over them. He knew her every weakness. She circled and slid her arms around his neck. He lifted her off her feet. Hound leaped out from under the table, barking. Barron kept him down with his free hand. “Hound, back! Stop trying to ruin the moment!”
Nothing could.

“Barron Hart, don’t touch my daughter.”
“Yes, sir.” He couldn’t imagine what they looked like after getting tugged out of the freezing depths, but Barron was finding it hard to obey. Gracie needed his warmth; he needed hers. She trembled, meeting his eyes. She was shaking horribly.

“Gracie May!” Her father put out his hand to them as they fought to stay upright in the freezing water. She let out a shuddering breath. Her fingers didn’t move from Barron’s shoulder, her movements slow. She looked half out of her mind from the chill. Grimacing against the pain in his bleeding arm, Barron moved his shoulder to take the brunt of those pounding fists from that madman.

He ran his hand down her cold arms, feeling the goosebumps under his fingers. Oh, his girl was freezing. Poor thing—he should’ve been warming her up, not kissing her. He pulled off his green camo coat and threw it around her shaking shoulders. “We should still leave here tonight,” he said.

He groaned. Jaime had forgiven them all, why couldn’t he? Giving up his hatred was the first step, just like letting go of the darkness that weighed him down with his own regrets. He’d choose light. The sun played with the highlights of Gracie’s hair and shone off her soft skin. Barron touched her cheek, watching that same beam of light reflect off his own fingers. Yes, I choose light.

He closed his eyes, trying to clear his head of those expressive brown eyes and concentrate on what she was saying. Jaime’s death made him want to die with him, but Gracie made him want… to live. His eyes ripped open and he met her concerned gaze. She was right. He’d lost his mind, hadn’t he?

Gracie wouldn’t hide in the hay, would she? “Gracie,” he said. “That’s the worst place to hide. You forget that I’m a country boy. If I find you in there, we probably won’t leave this place for a while.”
Her fist punched through the straw and he saw her beautiful glaring eyes next. “You’re the absolute worst, Barron!”
He couldn’t help it—laughter burst from his throat, and he reached over to her.

“Ah, Gracie.” He brushed back her hair, his fingertips gently cradling her jaw as he bent down to kiss her. So now he’d touch her! He’d kiss her when he was trying to get her to leave him. She wouldn’t have it… except she felt the urgency behind his touch, his fear for her, and an iron will that matched her own. Well, she’d turn the tables on him… as soon as she could use her legs again.

Her heart felt heavy with sympathy. She'd never seen such bleakness and it killed her to see it on Barron's face. He’d throw his life away without a second thought. What had happened in his childhood to make him feel like he was so worthless? And yet, he’d become so precious to her—the way his smile set her soul on fire, or how his touch calmed her sore nerves like a soothing balm. His past still haunted him.

Breathing in deeply, he gathered Gracie’s hair behind her head and studied her face. I don’t deserve her, do I? The thought intruded on the sweetness of this moment, as unwelcome as his callused hands should be on her soft skin. The helplessness and fury he felt when his brother died in his arms still ate him alive. Her eyes sparkled up at him with goodness, and she reached up to touch his cheek.