He cut me off. "Well, you don't. Eat your breakfast before it gets cold and have some new windbreakers designed for me by later this week. That's your first test to get this very large sum of money you're after. I love you, but I'm not willing to set you up to fail and lose money in this venture at the very same time. That would be stupid as a business man and as a Dad."

"I hate the cold."

"Exactly." He tapped my plate with his fork to remind me to eat. "Let that drive you to create the warmest, most comfy, light-weight jacket known to man."

I turned my eyes down and started to eat, hoping that the large syrupy pancakes would shove the thick ball of hate building in my chest back down.

"I know you don't like my request, but I'm holding the checkbook. Be smart about this. I know you have it in you."

Him patronizing me only caused my appetite to plummet.

I stood and picked up my plate, having barely touched my pancakes. I dumped it in the sink, picked up my sketch pad and my coffee and walked to my room without another word.

Was it asinine? Absolutely.

Did I care? Hell no.

He was a jerk and had been tearing me down for years. I didn't need his money and I wasn't willing to play his game, at least I didn't think I was.

* * * *

I laid around in my room for the next two hours until I thought my head might explode from counting ceiling tiles. Maybe I was being childish, but it was namely due to the fact that I felt like a child around my father. He made sure of it.

Grabbing the handle to the door, I pulled hard and stormed down the hall, ready to give him a piece of my mind. I would design the best damn wind-breaker ever known to man and would outsell everything in his store ten times over.

"Dad?" I called out with angst in my voice.

Nothing.

I walked out to the garage to find the SUV gone.

"Great." I walked back into the kitchen to see a short note from him. It was a reminder that people who wanted to win the game were willing to play it.

I rolled my eyes and hated just how accurate his statement was. There were a few jackets in the hall closet that were his, which would start my experiment. Designing for functionality was completely different than just letting my mind go. I had to test out what was wrong with the other jackets and move on from there, discerning how to make them better, more effective."

I tugged on a large grey jacket and zipped it up, moving around and liking the feel of it.

"Let's see how you do in the cold." I grabbed my notepad and slipped my feet into a pair of furry house shoes by the front door before walking out on the porch and sitting down on the swing at the far end. I hadn't realized there was someone shoveling snow, but seeing him left me feeling badly for him.

It was far colder than it had been a week back when I arrived. Why would my father have some poor guy working like that in the freezing cold temperatures?

He must have needed money.

I got up and walked back into the warmth of the house to make him something warm to drink. I mixed up a mug of hot chocolate and debated far too long over whether to put marshmallows on the top or not. I changed into a big pink winter coat and zipped it up tight before slipping on mittens and trying to get back out of the house without spilling the hot chocolate.

Walking quickly down the pathway, I slowed as I approached him and called out, not wanting to scare him and get a shovel to the side of the face.

"Hi! I just realized you were out here. I figure you might like something to..." I stopped as my breath caught in my chest. "You have to be kidding me."

Finn.

His smile was beautiful, but the bright red on his cheeks and over his nose was concerning.

"That for me?" He nodded toward the mug and laid his shovel down.

There was a split second that I visualized myself tossing it on him, but I couldn't do it.

"No. It's for me." I took a sip and stifled a scream as it burnt my tongue.

"Oh." His eyes adverted from me and he turned, picking up his shovel and starting to work again. "I'll be done soon. I'll leave the invoice in the mailbox as not to bother you again."

I let out a long sigh as indecision tore up my insides. "The drink is for you."

"Just set it on the porch and I'll come get it in a minute. I'm almost done." He continued to work, ignoring me, which I somewhat deserved. The sound of him panting softly melted my heart and left me concerned for him. It was too cold to be sweating outside. He shook slightly and I was sure it was from the freezing cold temperatures.

"I'll have it waiting inside for you. Just knock and I'll let you in." I turned and walked back to the house, not wanting to keep him out there much longer. I was angry at him, but it was for selfish reasons. I pushed Cindy onto him and had no reason to be angry with him for doing what was natural.

I was the idiot.

Chapter 12

Finn

The look on her beautiful face was priceless, but I kept my emotions locked away. She was angry and I was at fault. She had played a part in it, but ultimately, I'd been a dick. I had gone over my apology at least thirty times by the time she walked out with the hot chocolate.

Her face was so pretty all snuggled into her jacket and furry hat. She was feminine and petite, yet feisty as hell. I closed my eyes and continued to shovel faster as the remembrance of having my hands on her while we dance filled my mind. She fit against me in a way that made me want to keep her there, pressed to me and in my arms forever.

I was falling for her in a way that made little to no sense, and yet I couldn't help it. It wasn't about sex, though some part of me wanted to push it there. It was safe to think that I was physically attracted to her and nothing else. I was beyond attracted to her, but there was so much more bubbling up inside of me.

The last push was the hardest, but it always was. I finished up and put the shovels up and dusted the snow from my hands and jacket before walking up to the house. I knocked twice on the door and moved back.

Chloe opened the door, her jacket gone and a pretty cream-colored sweater in its place. Her hair was down and a little messy, which drew me in fast.

I extended the invoice to her and smiled. "I'll get something to drink at home. Thanks for the thought, though."

"Did you know this was my house?" She lifted her eyebrow and opened the door a little farther. "And get in here. I'm not letting you drive home without knowing that you've warmed up a little while. I hope your Dad has good worker's comp insurance. You're lucky you didn't get frost bite out there."

I chuckled and walked in, working to take my jacket off before leaning over and getting my shoes off. Everything was soaked in sweat and I started to shiver, which seemed to piss her off even more.

"Get over here." She tugged at my arm and pulled me toward the fireplace before turning it on. "Let me heat up your drink. Take off your shirt and I'll throw it in the dryer."

"This your way to see me half-naked?" I teased her, unable to help myself.

"I could have done that ten times already, playboy. Do what I told you to do." She disappeared into the kitchen and I worked to get my socks and t-shirt off. My jeans were soaked too, but I didn't think she would appreciate me being naked in her living room.

"Does your Dad or brother have a pair of sweats I can use?" I called out to her and followed her path into the kitchen, stopping at the edge of it and taking time to simply watch her.