he strode into the snowy air. His steps were sure and purposeful, and he tried to let the storm calm him as he walked down the driveway toward the gate.
Grace wasn’t going anywhere.
* * * *
Safely in the SUV, Grace stared at the wide metal gate through the windshield as the wipers struggled to keep the snow cleared. She put the headlights on bright. Just wonderful. Okay. Maybe it was only shut and not locked. She pulled on her gloves and stepped into the rapidly increasing storm, struggling against the wind to reach the gate. The cold sliced into her, burning the skin on her face.
There was no latch. No lock. No area where it looked like the gate would split in two and open.
Okay. So the entire thing must swing one way or the other. She grasped two of the prongs and shoved. It didn’t move. So she pulled. Nothing.
“It’s a biometric device that can’t be moved by hand.”
Grace yelped and jumped, hitting her shoulder on the fence. She whirled around to find Adare standing in the snow, a dark figure in a dangerous storm. “You scared me.”
“Good.” In his position by the vehicle, his face was veiled by the darkness.
She set her stance, her left boot slipping in the snow. “We both know you can open this gate.”
“Do we?” His voice was low. Silky. Aggressive.
Her lungs froze. The lump in her throat suddenly kept her from swallowing. “I hadn’t realized there was a gate in place,” she said lamely.
“There are quite a few things you’ve failed to realize.” His low voice carried easily through the blistering wind. “For one thing, we have land mines as well as target missiles protecting the property, in addition to electrical currents that could fry a buffalo.” He strode closer, all casual grace and powerful threat. “Not to mention the fact that you’re intoxicated.”
“Oh, please.” It was too cold to roll her eyes, but she gave it a try. “Every time you filled my glass, I poured the wine into Faith’s when you looked away. She was loaded. Didn’t you see her try to take Ronan’s clothes off as they left the kitchen?”
“Get into the vehicle, Grace.”
She looked around. Running was just foolish, so why the hell was her heart beating so fast and her skin sensitizing? She didn’t like him all growly like this. Did she? Yeah, he was kind of sexy in a demolish-the-world kind of way, and the guy could kiss, but she was trying to save his life. He could at least be a little bit appreciative of that fact. Yeah. He definitely should be thanking her instead of ordering her around.
“Grace.” The edge to his tone sharpened.
Dang. She’d gotten caught in her head again. Must be some kind of defense mechanism. She shook herself out of it. “Open the gate, Adare.”
“I’ll give you the count of two.”
Oh, he did not. She slapped snow off her gloves instead of throwing a snowball at him. “I’m not a wayward toddler, you arrogant jackwad.”
“More like an errant mate,” he retorted. “I’m done with it. Get in the vehicle, now, or I’ll put you in it.”
It had been freaking torture sitting next to him at dinner thinking about having sex, wanting to have sex, and if he put his hands on her right now, she’d probably just give in and take him down to the snow. Or at least try to. He was making it a lot easier for her to forget the risk to him if they finally gave in and had sex, so he should probably lose the attitude.
“That’s it.” He lowered his chin and strode directly at her.
She jumped. “Fine.” Without waiting for him to stop, she tried to run for the passenger side door and slipped on the ice.
He caught her by the arm to keep her from falling. Then he dragged her back toward the driver’s side.
She tried to pull back, but her boots couldn’t find purchase and just slid along where he wanted. He jerked open the door, lifted her inside, and shoved her over with his hip as he sat in the driver’s seat.
Scooting over, she glared at him. Yeah, she could open the door and run, but she’d end up right back here. There was no way she could outrun an immortal hybrid. “Did you say landmines?” Her head jerked as the conversation came back. Landmines and electrical currents? On the fence she’d tried to move?