She smiled tightly at Anna. A few minutes later, the agent pushed the printed boarding pass and Anna’s ID across the counter. “Safe travels.”

Anna bit her lip. Safe travels. Ha! How about just “travels”?

She needed to be more optimistic. The flight wasn’t cancelled … yet.

Boarding ticket in hand, she’d head to the security line and then her gate, where she’d wait and flip through her Instagram feed until her plane arrived. Turning on her heels, she bumped face first into a wall of solid muscle. A clean, outdoorsy scent swathed her and immediately made her lightheaded. She stared for a moment at a tan quilted vest jacket lying unzipped over a hard chest, exposing planes of chiseled muscle under the navy-blue long sleeve t-shirt that read Dog Tired Brewery in white script. The picture of a dog lying on its side asleep with its tongue hanging out completed the logo—one she recognized, as they made her favorite seasonal stout.

She clutched his t-shirt, trying to keep her balance. His hard abs flexed under her hands. Heat radiated from him and warmed her frozen fingers, which had been numb for the last several hours.

Lifting her head, her breath caught when her gaze fell on an angular jaw, full lips, and beautiful green eyes. He gripped her arms firmly above the elbows to keep her from falling backward. His warmth seeped through the arms of her peacoat.

“Shit! Are you all right?” His deep, rich voice washed over her.

Heat rushed her cheeks and her body churned with a warmth she’d been missing ever since stepping off the plane in Michigan.

“Uh. Yeah! I… I’m fine.” Yikes. Her hands were plastered against his ripped abdomen. She let them slide down. It wasn’t just the impact of running into him that knocked her off balance. He was the most beautiful creature she’d laid eyes on.

“Are you sure?” The intensity of his stare almost melted her into a puddle at his feet. His eyes, irises flecked with gold, narrowed. “You hit me pretty hard.”

“Yes. I’m so sorry. Sorry for running into you.” She gained control over her wavering voice and unsteady legs.

He released her arms and stepped back.

“I should have been watching where I was going.”

His powerful gaze trailed down her without shame and a warmth followed as if he caressed her bare skin. Her cheeks had never been so on fire.

“No need to apologize.” He grinned. “I’d say it’s my lucky day.” His eyes twinkled.

This stranger was flirting with her.

She cleared her throat. It’s not that men didn’t flirt with her. They did. It was a hazard in her line of business. Insurance was a man’s world, for the most part. She shrugged off the flirtatious advances from the men she worked with. Mixing business with pleasure was a no-no. But this guy … she’d mix just about anything with him. If she were that kind of girl.

“If by lucky, you mean this flight is going to leave on time, then you’re fresh out of luck.” She frowned. “The plane is late coming in, and we’re already on a delay, which I fear will be infinite.” She pointed toward the windows that revealed grey clouds ready to burst with a trillion different snowflakes.

“Blasted!” The deep baritone of his voice sent her hormones into overdrive, but his choice of words made her think of Mike Meyers in an Austin Powers movie, and she couldn’t help but giggle. “What’s so funny?” Though he tried to look offended by her laughter, the smirk on his lips told her he was not.

“Nothing.” Bubbles of laughter still escaped her.

“Well, it seems like something is funny since you keep bursting out in fits of giggles, apparently at my expense.” He ran a hand through his dirty blonde, spiky hair, causing it to stand on end even more.

“Fit of giggles. I’m sorry.” She drew her lips into a thin line to prevent her laughter, but she wasn’t successful and a round of snickers erupted.

“Quit apologizing.” A breathtaking smile appeared, showing off beautiful, straight teeth with a slight gap between his two front teeth. “You must be Catholic or something.”

“Recovering Catholic, actually.” She laughed and gave up on tamping down her mirth. This guy made her smile. His voice. His quick wit. His looks. Good God—his looks. If she were going to be stuck in the airport for any length of time, she might have hit the jackpot.