I winked at my Dad and walked out with the pretty blond, my hand tightly wrapped around hers. She tried to tug out of my grasp and I shook my head at her.

"Heck no. You trip on nothingness. There are tools and wires everywhere in here. You should come with your own warning sign." I smiled and ducked as her other hand swung at my chest.

"Hey. Maybe I meant to trip to see if any hot guy would step in and save me." Her cheeks colored and I opened the door to the truck on her side. We could get her SUV later. I wanted to spend as much time in her presence as she would allow.

"Nobody accidentally trips as much as you." I smiled and helped her into the car. "You want to get a cup of coffee at the shop by the slopes?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to ski today. Kills my legs and I promised my little brother I would take him out tomorrow. He's going to teach me to snow board."

I narrowed my eyes playfully and shut the door on her side before jogging over to my side and getting in.

"What was the look for?" She turned on the heater after I started the truck.

"I want to teach you to snowboard." I tugged off my hat and breathed warm air against my hands.

"Come with us. He's supposedly good at it, but I know he's looking to get better."

"I have to work tomorrow, but if you guys can wait until I get off, I'm all for it." I pulled out of the parking lot and glanced back to see my father and Milly standing in the open door, his arm around her shoulders as they watched us leave.

I prayed something would become of them. The old man needed a woman as bad as I did.

"We'll wait for you." She leaned in and pressed her hands to the heaters. "My brother is going to a sleep over tomorrow night and my father's going out of town. You want to maybe snowboard with us and then come over? I'll make dinner and we can watch a movie or something."

Damn things were changing fast.

I glanced over at her as my heart swelled in my chest. She was a vision of beauty, and so much more than I deserved to be around, even as just a friend.

"I'd love to, but that sure sounds like a date. Friends don't date." I chuckled at the look she gave me.

"I said snowboarding, dinner and a movie, not skinny dipping and an all-night fuck-fest."

I growled low in my chest as my body woke up and lust rolled through me. "Watch it."

"What?" She gave me an innocent look and I thought to threaten her with a spanking, but kept it to myself. Just the vision of spanking her caused my mind to wonder down one dark alley after another.

By the time we arrived at the coffee shop I was having trouble breathing.

"You okay?" Chloe reached over and touched my arm.

"Yeah. Just getting a cold, I think. Ignore me." I got out of the truck and pulled my scarf and gloves off. It was freezing outside and yet I was burning up.

She walked around the truck and lifted her hand to press the back of her fingers against my head. "You're sweating, Finn. I think you have a fever for real. We don't have to hang out today. Seriously."

Telling her that I thought I was having withdrawals from sex would sound insanely creepy, which wasn't happening. I pulled her hand down, and intertwined mine with hers.

"It's nothing. Just hot for you."

She chuckled. "Friends don't get hot for each other."

"Tell that to my fever." I walked to the coffee shop and held the door open for her.

She moved past me and I breathed in subtly, wanting to smell the scent that was uniquely hers. Remaining friends was going to be a fun exercise in restraint. As long as we weren't alone, snuggled up and watching a movie - like she wanted to do tomorrow night - we'd be fine.

I rolled my eyes and moved up to the counter, letting out a long breath and glancing up at the menu.

"Finn Warner. How are you?" A cute blond moved up beside me and wrapped her arm around my back, giving me an awkward hug from the side.

"Good, girl. How about you?" I smiled at her and tugged from her hold. The last time an ex-lover approached, Chloe was long gone by the time I could get free.

"I'm great. You were supposed to call me. " She giggled and pawed at my chest.

I tugged Chloe up beside me and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm so rude. This is my fiancé, Chloe. She's from California."

She stiffened in my hold, but extended herself and introduced herself. I chuckled as the other girl rolled her eyes and walked out of the coffee shop.

"Does this happen all the time to you?" Chloe looked up at me and I realized she was still tucked under my arm. I wanted to kiss her so bad it hurt.

"More than I care to discuss." I released her and looked up at the menu. "Black coffee for me and whatever my girl's having."

I moved to the pickup counter, letting her order as I fingered through the chocolate bars, trying to decide if something sweet was in order for so early in the morning.

She moved up beside me and bumped her shoulder against mine. "I'm not your girl, Finn. Stop telling people that."

"Why? You on the market?" I lifted an eyebrow and pushed back against her shoulder.

"No. I'm just looking for a friend, remember?"

"Right, and a good friend would let all these other hungry fools think that you belong to him so that they leave you alone." I moved back and took my coffee as the Batista put it in front of me. "Please don't lie and tell me that no other guys have hit on you while you've been here."

"A few, I guess." She took her coffee and nodded. "I see you're point. I'm good with you calling me yours to spare me more attention and to help you cover the trail for the hookers after your body."

"They are...aren't they?" I smirked.

"They are, what? Hookers?"

"No, baby. After this sexy body. Jeez." I chuckled as she pretended to gag. "You know you want it."

"So bad." She fanned herself and rolled her eyes while walking to a small table near the window.

If only she were telling the truth. I could see her underneath me, lost to passion in a way that only I could give to her. I wanted that moment so bad, and yet I needed to leave it alone. It would consume me if I wasn't careful.

"How long do I get you today and what's on the agenda?" I sat down and leaned over to blow at the top of my coffee.

"As long as you want, but I have to do some research. My father's funding my clothing line in January, as I mentioned."

"You did. I assume your degree is in design?"

"Yes, from UCLA."

"Right, so why the research? Something to do with your old man?"

"Yeah. He wants me to come up with a new wind-breaker by Thursday that's not only functionally better than most that are already available, but is modern, fashionable. On point."

"On point?" I lifted my eyebrow and smirked.

"Never mind." She grinned and played with the top of her drink. "Let's go to a few clothing stores and we'll try on wind-breakers together. I need to figure out a few things about both men's and women's. You're going to be my Guinea pig. That okay?"

"Sure, but I'll need your help later too." I took a drink of my coffee and tried to keep my expression straight.

"Absolutely. Doing what?" Her green eyes searched my face and I tucked my hand under my leg to keep from reaching out and touching the side of her face.

"Research for the fastest way to bring a woman to orgasm." I glanced down and chuckled as she popped my arm and yelped.