Winter's Embrace Read Online Free PDF

business to take
care of or maybe he owned the ranch but lived in Texas.
    The long walk from the elevator to her cabin seemed to
have lengthened considerably. The ugly, blue carpet with fish on it irritated
her more than usual and she couldn’t wait to get back to her cabin. She needed
to read the information about Stone.
    Emma Stout opened her door as Winter walked by. “Dinner in two hours?”
    “Yes, would you like me to knock on your door when I
go?”
    Emma’s face crinkled into a smile. “That would be
wonderful, dear. It is formal night, Oliver can escort us both.”
    “Sounds like a plan. See you in a bit.” She turned,
continued down the hall and into her room.
    Finally alone, she leaned against the door and sighed.
She felt weary and cursed Mimi. Being terrified took a lot of energy. Why did
Mimi have to be nasty? If she wanted Stone that badly, she was welcome to him.
It was a coincidence that they were on the same cruise. He could have just
contacted her if he’d wanted to see her.
    Heck, she still lived in the same town, just not on
the ranch anymore. Times had been hard. Her parents died not long after she
quit college, and there was more debt than assets. The fact that Stone was her
best friend made the situation worse. She’d longed for Stone and hated him at
the same time. He never came back after college and the rumor was that he’d
married.
    Closing her eyes, she remembered the loneliness. The all-consuming loneliness of that time. Winter pushed
away from the door. She stood on her own two feet then and she would stand
strong now. She lived in Texas and he lived in Montana. There was no reason to
see his file. It didn’t matter.
    The formal dress she planned to wear was emerald green
to match her eyes. This dress was one of the few items she owned that showed
off her figure. Most of her outfits tended to be a bit boxy on her since she
never wanted the type of attention from men that sexy clothing attracted.
    She quickly took a shower, dried off, and put her
blonde hair up with wisps of curls peeking out. Scrutinizing the mirror, she
smiled. She didn’t need makeup—she’d been blessed with a peaches and cream
completion. A light coat of mascara and just a hint of color on her lips and
she was done.
    Now for her dress, her Cinderella dress. She really
did feel like a princess in it. A princess that turned into
an ordinary person at the stroke of midnight. The satin fabric flowed to
the floor, and fit like a dream. Her bare shoulders looked good. Gazing in the
mirror again, she smiled.
    She didn’t own any jewelry except for her practical,
chunky watch, which she threw into her black handbag before leaving.
Re-energized, she made her way to the Stout’s door and knocked.
    “You both look wonderful!” Winter gave them a warm
smile.
    “You, my dear, look like the cat’s meow.” Oliver
winked and took Emma’s hand.
    They were the last of their group to arrive. Spying
Mimi in a pale pink, frilly confection, Winter felt
confident. The appreciation she found in each of the men’s expressions lifted
her spirits. Unfortunately, after getting the Stouts settled, the only seat
left was between Beck and Mimi. Taking a deep breath, she gave Mimi a quick
smile.
    “You look good in pink.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Mimi’s eyes narrowed.
    Beck took Winter’s hand and
kissed it. “Darling, you look good enough to eat. You should be showered with
jewels. Yet, the lack of jewelry turns you into the jewel.”
    Before she could respond, she heard Mimi comment.
“What did I tell you? Loose morals. It’s just one more
thing I’m going to put in my letter of complaint about her.”
    Winter extracted her hand from Beck’s, and turned
toward the rest of the group. Their eyes were wide, but they were staring at
Mimi, not her. A wave of relief washed over her. It seemed that no one shared
Mimi’s opinion.
    “Everyone looks so nice. After we eat let’s get a
group photo. I keep a photo of