Her Ideal Man Read Online Free

the cabin, and if there were any other niceties of modern life—like electricity or gas—but she didn’t. She simply settled on a stool at a high counter and folded her hands as if she were in Sunday school.
    As she watched him, admiring the shine of his hair and the breadth of his shoulders below blue corduroy, the full scope of the situation sank in. She was stuck, alone, with a man she’d been having fantasies about for months, and just sitting in his kitchen, looking at him, made her thighs tingle. The whole cabin smelled of him, too, although she had not known before what gave him that earthy scent. He smelled of wood smoke from his fires, and pine from his mountains, and herbs from the fragrant tea he gave her.
    â€œThere’s sugar in the dish over there. A spoon in the drawer.”
    â€œIt smells heavenly.”
    â€œRamona makes it—she told me what it was, but I don’t remember. Lemon something. Maybe some chamomile.”
    Ramona was his sister-in-law, the town doctor, who had the biggest herb garden in the county. Anna nodded. “Thank you.” She added sugar and drank the tea gratefully, letting it warm her frozen insides. Her hands ached and her nose tingled as feeling came back to them, but her toes were still little blocks of ice. “Do you mind if I sit by the fire to drink this? My feet are frozen.”
    A trace of concern broke through his stoic expression. “Do you think you might have been frostbitten? Maybe I should see your toes.”
    â€œNo, I didn’t mean literally frozen, you know.”
    â€œHow about your hands?”
    â€œTyler, I’m fine. I swear.”
    But Tyler took her free hand and examined the tips of her fingers carefully. “It wouldn’t have taken much longer. Didn’t anyone tell you leather doesn’t keep you dry?”
    A flush of heat rose in her cheeks. Stiffly she pulled her hand back. “They have rabbit-fur lining.”
    â€œWhich also gets wet.”
    â€œI didn’t really intend to be cross-country hiking today.”
    â€œWell, you should know you have to be prepared for anything up here.”
    Anna, stung, lowered her eyes. “I do try.”
    â€œDamn, I’m being an idiot,” he said suddenly. “I’m sorry. But you really might have been killed in this storm, and it would have been my fault for letting you leave here by yourself. I knew better.”
    â€œBut I did fine!” She’d been so proud of herself for getting back here, for making the right decision. “Except my gloves, maybe. I would even have been okay if I’d had to build a snow fort.”
    The faintest gleam of amusement lit those gray eyes. “Is that right?”
    â€œYes. I learned how at a winter survival class last fall. You have to find a sheltered place, and build the cave with the door facing away from the wind, and you can sleep on pine boughs.”
    This time, he almost smiled. She saw the quirk of his lips before he caught them, and the knowledge warmed her.
    â€œYou’re right, Miss Anna. I’m very impressed. Will you still let me look at your toes to make sure they aren’t frostbitten?”
    She sighed and put her tea on the counter beside her. What would it hurt, after all? “Fine,” she said, and stripped off her sock before she remembered her nail polish.
    He grabbed her foot. “Interesting color choice,” he commented mildly.
    Anna blushed. It was purple, with gold glitter. Way too obnoxious for everyday wear on her nails, but the garishness pleased the little girl inside. “My mother always said I have gypsy blood.”
    â€œAnd do you?”
    He still held her foot, and when he raised his eyes, Anna was a little overwhelmed by his nearness. For a moment, she thought she saw something like heat, way back in the depths of those crystal-colored irises, and against her arch, his hand tightened the faintest bit. It was oddly