Wicked Wonderland Read Online Free

her?
    “Well, I like to cook, so you’re in luck. But, hey,” he said in his best reassuring tone, and his earlier thoughts of intimidating her flew out the window.“I know I have dark circles under my eyes, I’m unshaven, and my hair is a mess, but I’m a decent guy and won’t let any harm come to you. My cabin is clean and warm and I just got finished grocery shopping with all of the other crazy people fighting for the last loaf of bread.” He shook his head and then chuckled. “I got caught up in the moment and bought stuff I normally don’t even look at, but I felt compelled to fill my cart.You’d think we were going to be snowed in for the winter instead of for a few days.”
    “A few days?” Her face fell.
    Jesse could have bitten his tongue. “At least, I’m afraid.”
    She looked down at her folded hands. “I’m not getting home for Christmas, am I?”
    “Possibly.” Jesse slowed down to turn onto the road leading up to his home and then looked over at her.“But, Claire, I’ll be honest. It’s not likely.”
    “If I didn’t have this stupid fear of flying, I’d already be home.”
    “So that’s why you were on the train?”
    She nodded glumly. “I’ve never been away from my family on Christmas Day.” She brushed at a tear but then swallowed hard. “I’m sorry.”
    “It’s okay. Believe me, I understand.”
    She gave him a trembling smile. “Well, you know what they say?”
    “I have a feeling you’re going to tell me.”
    “When life gives you lemons,” she said, and then lifted her chin, “add vodka.”
    “Now you’re talking!” Jesse laughed so hard at her unexpected comment that he lost his concentration and fishtailed on the slick road.
    “Whoa!” Claire’s eyes widened, but then she laughed.“That was fun. Do it again!”
    “Really?” He shot her a glance to be sure.
    “Yes!” she shouted, looking so cute all bundled up in his big coat.
    “Hang on, girl!”
    “Okay!”
    Jesse gave the truck some gas and then jerked the steering wheel, sending them into a donut. While clinging to the armrest, Claire braced her other hand against the ceiling and squealed with delight.When he sent them sliding the opposite direction, she shrieked but then laughed harder, making Jesse laugh right along with her. He hadn’t done anything this spontaneous in a long time and it felt amazing.
    When he came to a stop, Claire leaned back against the headrest with her hands to her chest and then turned to him with a smile. “That was crazy fun.”
    “Yeah, it was.” She had a warm smile and pretty eyes that drew him in.
    “I have a snowmobile, and I could take you on a wild ride if you’re interested.”
    “You know what? Why the hell not?” She shot him a grin that made him laugh again . . . something he normally didn’t do this time of year.
    “Your attitude keeps getting better and better,” he told her, and then thought with surprise, So does mine . This morning he’d been ready to bite the head off anyone who came near him, and now he was laughing. Amazing. At first glance, Claire Collins might appear to have big-city sophistication, to be the type of woman he would never approach . . . and yet he felt drawn to her in more ways than one.
    “So, what do you do for a living?”
    “I’m a hairstylist at Sweet Indulgence Salon and Day Spa.”
    He glanced her way. “Sounds fancy.”
    “It is. I was at a conference in Denver for hair extensions.”
    “Okay, what are hair extensions?”
    “Human hair that is weaved into your own.It can be very damaging, and this company has a new process that’s state-of-the-art.”
    He raised his eyebrows, then pointed to his head. “Wait, someone else’s real hair? People really do that?”
    “Yep.”
    He looked at her beautiful auburn hair with a frown.
    “It’s mine,” she assured him with a chuckle.“Wow, it’s really coming down. How can you even see?”
    “I know the area like the back of my hand. But the good news is