"I'd be happy to explain," I say. "But it's a long story, so you might want to get settled in first."
"Okay. I'll let you wriggle out of it for now."
"Thank you, Cameron."
"Everybody calls me Cam. Guess you might as well too."
I've only just realized something about their names, and I have to speak up. "You're Cam and Sam? I have mates called Rick and Nick, who are brothers, but they're twins."
"Sam and I aren't twins. Our parents liked the rhyming first syllables in our names, that's all. I'm five years older than my sister." Cameron squints at me the way Chuck likes to do. "Not sure I like my sister shacking up with a foreigner who's cagey about where he comes from."
"It's none of your business," Sam says. She makes a shooing motion with her hands. "Stop harassing Ben and go get settled in, like he said."
Cameron glances around the room. "Uh, I am settled. We're sleeping in here, right? That's what Mom and Dad said."
"Oh, right. I forgot."
Maybe she's a little anxious too.
Not that I am or ever was anxious. Bloody hell. Of course I was.
Sam grabs my arm and drags me toward the hallway. "We'll be back in a minute. Go ahead and find someplace to put your stuff. Anywhere is good."
Either she's desperate for a shag, or she wants to give me instructions on how to behave around her family. It's probably the latter. I have no illusions I'm so good in bed that she can't go a few hours without sex. It's been more like days without sex, though. Hard to find a private moment with her parents on the premises, and now her brother and his family are here too. We may never shag again. But oddly, that doesn't bother me. I like spending time with Sam even if we don't do anything other than talk.
Once we're inside the bedroom with the door closed, she releases my arm. "How are you doing with all this Lockhart family craziness?"
"Fine. What about you?"
"They're my family. I've dealt with them all my life, so I'm used to it." She studies me while biting her lip. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"
"Your family? Yes. If I can handle a parade of greedy aristocratic girls, I can handle you lot." I lean against the wall beside the door. "Did you drag me in here just to make sure I'm coping with your family?"
"Not entirely. I needed a bit of a break too."
"Maybe we could go out on a date sometime, in the evening like a proper couple. That would be a nice break, wouldn't you say?"
Her lips curve into a sweet smile that swiftly becomes a grin. "That sounds perfect. You're a genius, Ben."
"Thank you," I say with a laugh. "But I'm not that amazing. Hold off on the 'genius' bit until after you see what I plan for our big date."
"Ooh, abigdate. I like the sound of that."
Maybe I should've considered the ramifications before I announced I want to take her on a "big" date like a "proper" couple. She might be expecting something lavish, but I have no ruddy idea how to impress a girl on a date. I've never been that good at crafting romantic gestures. For Sam, I will make the effort and hopefully come up with something she'll love. She did rescue me from a snowy death, so I owe her a special night out.
Now, I just have to plan the event. No problem. I might be getting slightly nauseous again, but that will pass.
Sam takes my face in her hands and kisses me. "You're wonderful, Ben. I've never met a man like you before. You know, the kind who doesn't treat women like blow-up sex dolls or a free maid service."
"What sort of arseholes have you dated?"
"Every sort there is."
"No wonder you moved out here to the back of beyond." I pull her into my arms and brush my lips across hers. "I would never treat any woman that way, not even the ones who treat me like their ticket to the high life."
"Guess we've both had a bad time with dating."
"Not anymore. Getting stranded in a blizzard was the best thing that ever happened to me."