studio project, I can at least buy you dinner.”
“Thanks, Bruce. We’d better get going. Buck Ridge is expecting even heavier snowfall tonight.”
“Are you sure you two don’t want a nightcap? If you’re going to become a wine snob, you’ll have to drink more than two glasses, J.D.”
“Another time—not when I have to drive down the mountain.” J.D. snatched the coats from the hook and helped Noelle into hers.
He’d tried to keep his wits sharp, but Pierpont didn’t have the same goal. He’d consumed another bottle of wine, mostly on his own, and the hard questioning attitude he’d brought to the table had disappeared in direct proportion to the wine.
J.D. planned to avoid these little get-togethers in the future. Pierpont would get nothing from him. Not until J.D. was ready to come clean to Noelle on his own.
Pierpont walked them out as far as the lobby and then retreated to the lounge for that nightcap.
The icy wind slapped J.D. in the face, and his eyes watered. He drew the brim of his hat lower over his forehead.
“Ooh.” Noelle’s word formed in the air. “It’s cold.”
“Better pull that Russian getup of yours over your ears.” He turned toward her and tugged the bottom of her hat toward her chin.
Then he kissed her, cold lips against cold lips, but it lit a fire in his belly. He could always blame it on the Shiraz.
Still gripping her hat, he pulled her even closer, his mouth warming to the task. The tip of her freezing nose jabbed his cheek. Then her elbow jabbed his midsection—and the fire went out.
“Whoa. Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”
Seemed like a great idea one minute ago. “Sorry. Two glasses of wine and I turn into a slut.”
She giggled, which stoked the embers again. He’d never heard her giggle before.
“Let’s get out of this miserable weather.” He put his arm around her waist to guide her to the truck, and she didn’t jab him with anything else.
With Noelle snug beside him, J.D. started the engine and got down to the business of getting them safely back to the ranch.
The road down the mountain had a few twists and turns, but his four-wheel-drive vehicle hugged the icy asphalt. Their dinner with Pierpont had run late, and they had to share the road with only a few other cars.
A pair of headlights glared behind him, and he adjusted his rearview mirror. “Must be some idiot who doesn’t realize you don’t use your brights in the snow.”
Noelle yawned. “There are a lot of idiots like that out here during ski season.”
The headlights pressed on. Bigger. Brighter.
J.D. licked his lips and glanced at the speedometer. Nope. Not going any faster.
On the next straightaway, J.D. pulled the truck to the right, flirting with the shoulder. If this maniac wanted to pass him, he could give it a try.
The car stuck with him and followed him into the curve. J.D.’s tires fishtailed a little on the ice, and he eased off the accelerator.
“Whoa.” Noelle grabbed the edge of her seat. “I think the plows better get out here.”
The car loomed behind them, but J.D. kept his speed steady. Maybe the driver had been drinking at the lodge—even more reason for him to slow down.
The snow flurries created a white sheet over the windshield, so J.D. took the next turn even slower. He could see the headlights of the other car closing in, but he couldn’t even make out the car itself.
The truck jolted and skidded toward the edge of the mountain road.
Noelle yelped. “What was that?”
Before J.D. could respond, the car behind them smashed into their bumper again.
“What’s going on?”
“A car ran into us—twice, but we can’t pull off here. I can’t even see where the road ends and the drop-off begins.”
The headlights behind them disappeared. J.D. said, “Did he go off the road?”
The next assault came from the driver’s side, as the rogue car bashed into the truck’s side bumper. The force of the hit sent the truck into a spin on the icy road.
Noelle screamed.
J.D. fought to control the wheel, steering into the skid. Metal on metal screeched as the passenger side of the truck raked the guardrail.
The truck lurched forward and plowed into something solid. The air bags deployed with a thump, and the truck screamed to a halt.
“Are you okay, Noelle?” He cranked his head to the side, his cheek scraping the air bag. “Noelle?”
The air bag had Noelle pinned to the seat, but her body was slumped to the side, her