Chapter 1
“The man makes me crazy!” Amber Evans said from the back of the plush limousine, refusing to drink the complementary top-of-the-line chilled champagne or eat the ridiculously-expensive caviar. She tossed her pin-straight, super long brown hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms over her athletic frame, feeling like the elephant in the room as usual next to her friends.
Her best assets were her whisky colored, almond-shaped eyes and ultra-long lashes. Or so she’d been told. She was fine with her looks, and had even embraced her tall-girl stature; she’d just given up on men not being intimidated by her. And forget about a man ever swooning over her, especially in the presence of Miss Adorable and soon to be Mrs. Gorgeous.
“What man doesn’t make you crazy?” Her best friend Elfish Ellen Patterson—who was an adorable petite short-haired, red-headed, green-eyed pixie—snorted. She sat on one side of the limo, digging into the food with gusto.
A groan came from her other best friend Samantha Darling—a blond-haired, blue-eyed, gorgeous Barbie Doll with curves in all the right places. Samantha leaned back against the opposite seat, sipping her drink and rubbing her temple.
They had known each other forever and had been the three amigos for years, working together at a Boston advertising firm, but now Sam was about to get married and change everything. Amber couldn’t help feeling like the wicked step sister, except she loved her Cinderella. She just wished for a fairy tale of her own.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m really happy for you, sweetie,” Amber quickly amended, reaching out to squeeze Sam’s hand.
She adored both of her friends and had known Sam since high school. Ellen had come along during college and the rest was history. Blissfully ending up at the same firm was like spreading the icing on the proverbial cake. But now that Samantha had reformed business tycoon McScroogy Nathan Snow, life as they knew it would never be the same. Amber had known it would change eventually, but she still hadn’t quite accepted it. And Caveman Kip Covington wasn’t making matters any easier.
“I just can’t stand your fiancé’s best man. He literally has to take control of everything,” she added.
“You haven’t even met him, Amber,” Ellen said after taking a sip of her bubbly and wrinkling her nose while wearing a grin over the fizz. “Give the guy a shot. He could be hot.” She wagged her brows. “He sure has good taste, which tells me the man can’t be all bad.”
“Trust me. You can have him.” Amber scoffed.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Have you seen his picture? He has sexy playboy looks, but he’s literally like a seven-foot-giant, and I’m a mere five-feet-tall.” Ellen sighed dramatically. “Sadly, it would never work. Besides, you’re the maid of honor. He’s all yours, babe.” She winked.
“He’s not my anything, and the only reason you don’t want him is because you know he’s not man enough to handle you and all your wild ways. Besides, I heard he doesn’t date. No one is ever good enough for his highness. I will walk down the aisle with him, and that’s it,” Amber grumbled. “He could have handled Nathan’s bachelor party and left the bachelorette party to me, but no. He had to try to outdo me like he has in everything else all year long.”
“He means well,” Sam said. “You would see that if you would ever let yourself get to know him. For my sake as well as Nate’s, can’t you at least try to get along?” Sam asked, wearing a pleading look in her eyes.
Amber felt a twinge of guilt for complaining about the former NBA star who thought he was God’s gift to women and had the cocky attitude to go along with it. She’d be damned if she’d give him the chance to shoot her down like he did countless other women. She read the tabloids. She knew exactly what he was like because she’d been burned by enough male athletes back in her college volleyball days, just because they couldn’t handle that she was as athletic and tough as them. Frankly, she’d had enough of men in general and certainly didn’t need one to be happy.
“I can’t help it the man has too much time on his hands and not nearly enough to do other than mess with my life on a daily basis,” Amber said, then took a deep breath and counted to ten before adding, “but I’m sorry for upsetting you. I will try to get along with him for you, but I’m still not drinking his stupid champagne or eating his nasty caviar.” She sat back stubbornly, knowing she sounded like a child, but she couldn’t help it. The man brought out the worst in her. She stared at the matching limo in front of them as she added, “In fact, I hope he chokes on them. It would serve him right for showing off. All I can say is that if he tries to mess with me here, then all bets are off and he’s going down.”
***
“The woman seriously drives me nuts,” Kip Covington growled from the back of the limo the guys were riding in, his head lightly touching the ceiling.
His large frame barely fit in any vehicle, but he’d grown accustomed to that over the years. He shook back his shoulder-length, pale-blond curly hair, having opted to leave it loose instead of tying it back in his standard ponytail.
His ex-wife had liked his light gray eyes but preferred his hair short, so he’d defiantly refused to cut it since the day she’d screwed him over by cheating on him with another player. Much to his surprise most other women preferred his hair long, but he didn’t trust any of them. He’d learned the hard way that women only wanted him for his fame and money, so other than satisfying an occasional need, he wanted nothing to do with them. Women were a fickle bunch and not worth the drama that accompanied them, especially the woman riding in the car behind them. She was the biggest drama queen he’d ever met.
“She’s not so bad once you get to know her,” Nathan Snow said, still wearing his black suit with his black gelled hair slicked back and black eyes as sharp as ever. He was clean shaven, but his beard was so heavy, he still sported a five o’clock shadow—something Kip had never had to worry about.
Having come straight from work Nate still donned his ruthless businessman personality, but the minute he was in his fiancé’s presence, he transformed into someone Kip barely recognized. Dressing in color, wearing his hair loose and wavy, and doting on the gorgeous Samantha Darling like a lovesick puppy. It somehow made him seem human, instead of just the cold machine he was known to be. Kip appreciated and had first-hand experience with Nate’s savvy business sense. After Kip retired from basketball, Nate helped him open his very successful and profitable romantic getaway ski lodge in Vermont called Snuggler’s Nook. Yes, he had to admit he enjoyed this new side to Nate’s personality as well. Romance certainly agreed with him.
The only thing Kip didn’t envy was Nate’s getting engaged, no matter how great Samantha seemed to be. More power to him, but that was something Kip never planned to do again. Too bad Sam’s sweetness hadn’t rubbed off on her maid of honor, Amazon Amber Evans.
“The stubborn woman doesn’t appreciate anything,” Kip replied in frustration. “I closed down my lodge so all of us could have it to ourselves for a whole weekend. That’s risky business this time of year, but it’s something I wanted to do because you and Sam deserve it. The wedding plans are finalized, and there’s nothing left to do. This long weekend is exactly what we all need before the big day next week. Why can’t Amber just accept it instead of getting all bent out of shape? I wasn’t trying to step on her enormous feet that she keeps putting in her mouth with all her childish text messages and emails. I was just trying to help.”
“Come on, man, you know women,” Jason Moore—of Moore and Griswald Attorneys at Law—said, helping himself to another Manhattan. “They have to be in control of everything, or at least feel like they are, in order for them to be happy. Your problem is you’ve just never learned how to play the game.”
He looked like a normal average guy in his standard brown suit with an average build and average light brown hair and eyes, but that was his strength. People had no clue he was a powerful defense attorney who represented big-name athletes and usually won. That’s how Kip had met him. Nate had met him through Kip, and they’d hit it off instantly. Shark recognized shark, and the two had become fast friends. Nate had several powerful friends, just not many he trusted to be his best man and groomsman.
“Oh, I know how to play the game,” Kip ground out. “I just don’t like games. Never have, never will. Unless they’re of the athletic kind and not the mind. My ex certainly played enough mind games to last me a lifetime.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Nate held up his scotch, and Kip raised his beer.
“To new beginnings and fresh starts,” Jason added, raising his own glass.
“Amen.” Kip grunted, and they all clinked glasses.
“I don’t have to tell you how much this weekend means to Samantha.” Nate rested his elbows on his knees across from Kip. “Do whatever you have to do to slap on that charm of yours and play nice.”
But something told Kip getting through this weekend in one piece would never be as easy as that.
***
The limos pulled up in front of a small but quaint and rustic ski lodge, fully decorated for the holiday season. It was set in a remote area of Vermont, sporting an intimate feel that would cater to young couples in love, or singles looking for love, rather than the massive ski resorts the area was known for. Probably a smart business decision to come up with a niche that nobody else had, but still. Amber stared at the sign, Snuggler’s Nook, and rolled her eyes.
The man was something else.
“Okay, ladies, let’s hit it,” she said at last, dreading finally meeting Caveman Kip face to face. They’d dealt with each other several times over the past year, but had never met in person. The sooner they started this awful weekend, the sooner it would be over with, then they would never have to see each other again after the wedding. “It’s showtime,” she added, her determination ringing out loud and clear.
“Remember,” Sam said with a warning tone in her voice, “play nice.”
“To heck with that,” Ellen chimed in. “I plan to play dirty. Go big or go home, chicas.” She laughed as she bounced out of the limo first in her wrinkled green dress.
Amber could have sworn she heard bells. Sam smiled and shook her head, stepping out of the limo in a much more ladylike fashion in her sharp blue suit, her naughty days long gone as her eyes fixed on her husband-to-be. Amber inhaled slowly, trying to calm the knots in her stomach as she smoothed her fawn colored pant suit. For some reason she was nervous to meet Kip, which was so unlike her. She was used to being the one to make people nervous, not the other way around. Giving herself a mental order to suck it up and put on her game face, she slid out of the limo with confidence that was short lived.
Her jaw fell open and she nearly swallowed her tongue as she looked up. Way up, and that had never happened before. Kip Covington was enormous. The setting sun streamed down out of a cloudless sky, sparkling off the pristine white snow and spotlighting the man, making his hair look like a glowing halo. He stood a foot above her six-foot-frame, sporting impossibly wide shoulders and the longest arms and biggest hands she’d ever seen.
The magazine pictures didn’t hold a candle to what it was like to see him in person. From the top of his pale blond curly hair—which truly was playgirl centerfold sexy as hell—past his big and tall mouthwatering silver warm-up suit, clear down to his size twenty-two high tops. The man could seriously give Shaq a run for his money.
For the first time in her life, Amber felt small and feminine standing before him. He looked like the God of Thunder, Thor. An image of him locking his striking pale gray eyes on hers, then wrapping his muscular arms around her and pulling her in to lower his head and press his full lips against hers rendered her speechless. She stood there slack-jawed and mute. But then he had to go and speak, which pretty much ruined her moment-of-Kipsanity fantasy.
Thank God! What the hell had she been thinking lusting after a caveman?
“Amazon Amber in the flesh.” His knowing gaze ran over her, making her cheeks flush hot and her spine snap straight. Had she seen a halo? Not a chance with this Neanderthal. Devil horns would be much more accurate, she thought, as he finished with, “Nice to finally meet you, I hope.” He held out his enormous hand.
“Charmed I’m sure I’m not, Caveman Kip. And I’ll let you know if it’s nice by the end of the weekend.” She grasped his hand, squeezed tight and shook firmly, which only made his cocky grin spread wider. The rat.
“Holy crap, I barely clear your belt buckle,” Ellen blurted. “Hmm. Could come in handy.” She tipped her head to the side, studying him, then blinked over Sam’s gasp. Ellen looked up, not blushing in the least as she grinned wide and said, “Whoops. Was that out loud?”
Kip laughed a big hearty deep boom, then carefully shook Ellen’s tiny hand. “Now, you, I can honestly say it’s very nice to meet.”
“Likewise, Jolly Blonde Giant.” Ellen’s gaze blatantly ran over every impressive inch of him. “Something tells me getting too close to you could be dangerous to a person’s health. You seriously need a warning label, dude.”
“And something tells me getting too close to dynamite could seriously burn a person.” A wide grin remained on his chiseled face.
“I have been known to be a bit explosive.” She wagged her brows.
“I don’t doubt that at all. I’ve heard that big things come in small packages.” He chuckled.
Amber rolled her eyes. Good Lord in Heaven.
“This is going to be a fun weekend.” Ellen turned her gaze on the much shorter man standing beside him. “You must be Jason,” she said in a flirty voice, then bit her lip.
He looked up from his smart phone and blinked. “Pardon me? Oh, yes. I’m Jason Moore of Moore and Griswald Attorneys at Law. And you must be Ellen Patterson.”
“Why, yes. Yes I am,” she said in a serious James Bond voice. “Ellen Patterson of Patterson, Evans and Darling Advertising Executives at Large.”
She laughed … he did not.
“Okey dokey, then,” she continued, the teasing note long gone. “Methinks I spoke too soon.” She dropped her hand after he refused to shake it, staring at her with an expressionless face. Her sparkle faded as she finished with, “Peachy.”
Nathan Snow’s forehead formed a deep menacing V, clearly not amused, as he stared at the four of them. After they all squirmed a bit, he turned his attention to Samantha, and everything about him softened. “What do you say we get this party started, Darling?” He held out his arm.
She looped hers through his. “Sounds wonderful to me. I for one am more than ready to have a nice, relaxing, fun weekend with the people Nathan and I hold most dear.” She looked them each in the eye with a no-nonsense expression, her warning abundantly clear. “And I’m sure everyone is as well, since this weekend is supposed to be about Nathan and me, right?”
They each nodded sheepishly. Kip finally stepped forward, giving instructions for his limo drivers to bring everyone’s bags inside and then telling them they were free to go. He turned to Nate and Sam.
“Just so you know, we have this place completely to ourselves. I’ve even given the lodge staff the weekend off. Rest assured they prepared full meals to get us through, so no one will have to cook, but I thought it might be nice for it to truly be just the six of us. No press, no guests, no staff, just total rest and relaxation, and yes, fun.” His gaze shot to Amber briefly, then he said, “If you’ll all follow me, I’ll lead the way inside.”
Of course he would, Amber thought but didn’t dare say anything. Just like with everything else, he’d already started by completely taking over once again. He might have provided the place, but she’d be damned if she’d let him control the whole weekend. Little did he know she had a few plans of her own. She’d show him how fun she could be. Fun with a capital F, but he wouldn’t be laughing by the time she got done with him.
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