Troping Through the Snow by Alexa Riley

That’s enough to get me started, and although I’d love to get her number, I’m not about to reach into Vanessa’s pocket to take her phone. I’ve been here long enough, and now I’ve got a new mission.

Without another word, I walk out of Vanessa’s place, but I hear her running after me.

“You tell her to call her mother when you find her,” she calls out, but I ignore her as I get in my truck.

She promised me she would wait, but she didn’t. Fuck, what I felt for her was special and real. She said she felt it too, but the longer I was gone, the more I could feel her pulling away from me. I don’t know how I knew, but I could feel it even thousands of miles from her.

I run special ops for the government that sends me into hiding for long stretches of time. The last time I was sent undercover, I became part of a cartel in South America. It was only supposed to be for a couple of weeks, but it ended up being two years. If they knew who I was, they would have killed anyone I’d ever spoken to, and I couldn’t put Luna in that kind of danger by trying to contact her. I had to stay silent, but I tried to tell her when I left that I would always come for her.

The deeper I got with the cartel, the longer my mission extended. Everything about my return home went to shit when the leader of the cartel took a liking to me. This was the only way to take him down from the inside, and I had to bide my time. Meanwhile, Luna slipped through my fingers.

Now that I’m back, I’m out for good. I did my time and was paid handsomely for it. The only thing I want is to find her and make her remember what she felt for me because I know, at least for me, not a damn thing changed.

When I get back to the highway, I pull over and begin to search. It doesn’t take me long to find Troping on a map, but I can’t imagine how a place so small and remote could entice my Luna to live there.

I drive all night through the mountains and snow until I can see the sign for Troping in the distance. It’s late, but there are still a few places open like the diner on Main Street. If I’ve learned anything during all my years of service, it’s that a local diner is the hot spot for all the town gossip. With the right questions, even a stranger like me can make fast friends.

It’s not overly crowded when I walk in, but that’s probably because of the time. I take a seat, and the lady behind the counter gives me a smile. “What will it be?”

“Anything as sweet as you on the menu?” I say to the older lady, and she smiles and shakes her head.

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” she teases, turning around to grab a glass. “How about a strawberry shake while you look at the specials?”

“Yes, ma’am.” I let my Southern drawl come through as she hands me the shake and I take a drink. “Damn, that’s good,” I say, more to myself, but she laughs.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“How about you just order for me, because if this milkshake is any indication, it’s all good.”

“You got it,” she says as she scribbles something down on her notepad and passes it back to the kitchen. “Are you visiting family?” she asks, and I’m happy for the opening.

“Actually I am, but it’s a surprise.”

“Anybody I know?” She props her elbow on the counter, and I shrug.

“Don’t think so, she’s new in town,” I say, letting the challenge of her not knowing everyone in town dangle in front of her. Another thing I’ve learned about small town diners is they pride themselves on knowing everyone.

“Try me.” She takes the bait, and I grin back.

“Her name is Luna, she—”

“At the bakery?” The waitress waves her hand like that was an easy one. “Of course we all know Luna. She's a sweetheart. Don’t worry, I won’t tell her you’re here, but the bakery’s already closed. If I were you, I would just go on around back to the apartment and knock. She's bound to be in for the night.”

“I think I might just do that.” I take a long drink of my milkshake and think about how I got everything I needed to know in a matter of seconds. If only Vanessa had been this agreeable.

“Order up,” the cook calls, and I check my watch. Might as well enjoy my dinner before I go get my girl.





CHAPTER 3





LUNA





“Don’t make yourself sick,” I laugh as Kane shoves the rest of the cupcake into his mouth.

He’d already eaten two by the time he and Parker picked up the cake. After watching the two of them easily move it, I joked that I could use one of them to help me move a few things in my apartment. I’d only been teasing, but Kane quickly offered to come back after they got the cake to the inn.

I tried to insist that it was no big deal, but Kane said if I gave him a few more cupcakes we’d call it even. Then he smiled so big his dimples popped out, and I’m guessing it works on most girls his age. Wait, I am his age. It must be because I have a thing for older men, or one older man in particular. Still I agreed because I really did need some crap moved around in the apartment, and I’m about as mighty as a mouse when it comes to strength.

“I could eat a dozen of these.” Kane licks the leftover icing off his finger. “Don’t tell Frostie I said this, but I think yours are better.” He smirks, giving me that dimple again. Is he flirting with me?