Home For Christmas (A Copper Mountain Christmas) (12 page)

She entered the barn. Empty.

"Hello?" A peek into Ty's office showed a desk and chair covered with barn cats, making the most of the heated room. "Where is everyone?"

"Define everyone." Nate walked toward her, no trace of a limp now that his ankle had healed, and a black cat at his feet. He stretched his arms wide. "Will I do?"

A wool cap pulled low hid his hair, but the shoved-down gaiter around his neck showed his smiling, handsome face. With his thick jacket, insulated pants and heavy boots, he looked rugged, a total hottie who'd stepped out of a glossy Carhartt ad.

Staring at him was like plunging herself into a hot tub. The chill disappeared in a flash. "You'll do."

"Something smells good." He eyed the container. "You come bearing gifts."

"Scones."

His smile widened, spreading across his face to his eyes. "You remembered."

Her heart stumbled, head over heels, until dropping at his booted feet. The man had no idea how he twisted her into knots. Rachel smiled tentatively, glancing up at him. "Told ya. Mind like an elephant. They're still warm. I brought jelly and butter. Thought you all might want a break and a snack."

"Thanks, but the guys aren't here."

Rachel had made the scones as an excuse to see Nate, but she'd made plenty for everyone. "Where are they?"

"Down at one of the cabin clusters, clearing snow from rooftops." A more intense smile replaced the sexy Carhartt model grin.

Alone. Just like she wanted.

Until an avalanche of second thoughts buried her with a vengeance.

The way Nate looked at her would melt the snow on those roofs in a flash.

This was not a holiday fling. This was not diving off a cliff into a pool of cool, deep water. This was jumping off the ledge of a burning building, flames licking at her heels, and trusting the guy with his arms out would catch you.

And trust was
so
not her thing. Not anymore.

She stood firmly on her ledge and her fingers clawing into the wall.

"Let's go," Rachel said. "Nothing beats a warm scone."

The intensity in his face ratcheted down. "Sure, I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

His words blanketed her like the goose down duvet on her bed in the ranch house. "It's time I saw some of the Bar V5 beyond the main house, barn and meadow in back. It'll be a nice walk."

"There's no shoveled path."

"I don't mind a little snow."

"There's a lot of snow. You could get lost. Fall. Drop the scones." He met her gaze. "I'll drive you over on the snowmobile."

"Sounds like fun."

He grabbed a backpack off a hook and held it open. "Put your stuff inside."

She did.

He put the pack on her back then handed her a helmet.

"Put this on and follow me." Outside the barn, Nate climbed onto a black snowmobile. "Get on the back."

Excitement buzzed through her. She'd never been on a snowmobile before. Or so close to Nate. She straddled the seat.

"Scoot closer to me," he said.

Rachel did, her thighs pressed against Nate, her arms wrapped around his waist. Her pulse skittered. The thick outerwear they wore provided a layer of cushion between them, but that didn't change the intimacy of the seating arrangement.

The engine roared to life, the snowmobile vibrating beneath her, making her want to clench her legs tight around Nate's hips, to get as close as possible. If only all these clothes weren't in the way… She swallowed.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Hold on."

No worries there. She wasn't about to let go.

Rachel had proved she was a chicken, sending them off into the cold when they could have stayed at the barn and kept each other warm, because she was afraid.

Afraid of Nate. Afraid of falling in love. Afraid of being hurt again.

Pathetic.

CHAPTER SEVEN

With Rachel on the back of the snowmobile, pressed up against Nate like his shadow, making his body buzz, he decided he had a new favorite way to get around the ranch. Arrow wouldn't be happy.

Thanks to the thoughtful and tasty scones Rachel had baked and given to everyone at the cabins, well, today was the closest to heaven Nate had been in a while. A brief escape from his self-imposed friend purgatory.

Not that Nate minded much.

He enjoyed hanging out with Rachel. He hadn't needed to milk his ankle as an excuse with the storm keeping them inside. She liked to talk, ask questions, talk some more. One more day of snow and he'd thought she would pull out a bottle of sparkly polish and paint their fingernails.

Okay, not really.

But pretty damn close, and he wouldn't have minded painting her toenails. She treated him like a girlfriend, and he was taking her lead, being her friend, supporting her, being a decent guy. Something Ty needed to see him be.

Being Rachel's friend didn't suck.

Sure, Nate wanted to get physical. Wanted it more than his next breath on some days. But talking was underrated.

Still, being her bud wasn't easy. He felt closer to Rachel in two weeks than he had to Marissa in two years. Marissa would talk about work or a call from her mother, a dress she loved, or a friend who was dating a jerk. Nate was expected to listen—and he did, kind of—until she was finished and moved on to the next topic. She never asked him for more than to stop by her place on the way home from work so she could change before dinner.

Not that he'd offered more. He hadn't included her in his Montana past until he'd had to return to the ranch.

Maybe that was why Marissa couldn't understand the importance of the Bar V5, of keeping his family legacy, of making sure his parents could live out their final days in their house, the only home his dad had ever known. And why had Nate been so surprised to tell Rachel how he felt when he lost his first horse and when he learned of his father's dementia.

She'd asked, and he answered. It wasn't hard.

Cue the chick flick.

Nate drove the snowmobile over a slight rise, to take the scenic way back to the house. Rachel would get a mini tour of the Bar V5 and he'd enjoy having her arms around him for a few more minutes before stepping back into friend mode. If not for the riot that would ensue if she didn't cook lunch, he would keep her out here all day, wind on their faces, her body spooning his.

Not exactly friend-like motives.

So sue him.

He might not have this chance again. Ty hadn't seemed to mind. The guy had thanked Nate for bringing Rachel and her scones to the cabin and keeping his sister entertained. Nate would make the most of this opportunity.

Rachel pointed to the herd of horses in the pasture, coats thick from the cold and the breeze in their manes.

He stopped near the fence then turned off the ignition.

She climbed off, removed her helmet and made her way to the fence. The horses ran toward them, kicking up snow. "They look like they're having so much fun out there."

"With no guests at the ranch, winter is their season to play."

"So carefree." She sighed. "They don't worry, do they? Must be nice."

The wistful tone in Rachel's voice didn't surprise him. She'd told him more details about what happened in Phoenix with Pamela Darby and the television cook's husband. Nate wasn't big on using violence to solve problems, but if he ever game across Grayson Darby in person, the crook was going down. "They only worry if we're late bringing dinner. Like we'd forget them with all their clomping and whinnying."

"But they don't worry about their work."

"No, they love it."

She leaned against the fence, resting her arms on the top rail. "The way you love the Bar V5, the animals and the people here. Worries, hard work and all."

It wasn't a question, but he decided to answer anyway. "I love everything about this place, from the twisted iron sign hanging on the gate to the Bar V5 brand on the animals. There's no place like the ranch anywhere. Totally worth every gray hair she's given me."

Rachel peeked under his hat, brushing her fingers through his hair. "I don't see any."

Her touch was light and playful, but a pulsing electric current rippled down his body. "They're…uh…"

"Oh, I see one."

"
Really
?"

She looked up with a gotcha-grin. "No, but I see how vain you are."

He had no comeback, but wanted to kiss the smile off her pretty face. Not fair he couldn't use the weapons in his arsenal to get even.

Two horses chased each other.

Rachel jumped onto the lowest rail of the fence and laughed, a sweet sound that lingered on the air. Dressed in casual clothes, she looked gorgeous splayed over the fence, arms waving at the horses to call them over.

The rapt delight on her face hit Nate like a horse's hoof to the gut.

She loved the outdoors. She could love the ranch.

She could love…

Idiot. He shook his head.

Rachel was on vacation, having a great time. Everyone did at the Bar V5. That was why they returned each year. To visit. Not to fall in love with the guy who couldn't leave the ranch for more than a few days without getting homesick.

If Ty was right, the best Nate could hope for was Rachel settling in Bozeman or Billings or Butte. Cities a hundred miles or so away, plenty close for Ty. He'd probably like having a place to crash in a bigger city.

Not nearly close enough for Nate.

He needed Rachel spooning him on his snowmobile at the Bar V5 every day. For the rest of their lives.

Nate blew out a puff of air. "We should get back to the house."

"You must have work to do."

"You do," he said. "Zack wanted me to make sure I got you back in time so you could make lunch."

She shook her head. "At least my cooking's appreciated here."

"No one wants to see you leave." Nate, especially.

"Their stomachs will miss me."

"I'll miss you."

Crap. Had he really said the words out loud? He rubbed his face.

"You'll miss my oatmeal raisin cookies."

"And a bunch of other stuff." A part of him wanted to cut through the friendship crap. To find out if she really thought baked goods were what mattered to him and if she knew that he was into her, as more than a friend. But he'd rather stay where he was than hear her say she only saw him as a friend. "I have a feeling Zack will cry when it comes time to say goodbye."

"I shouldn't laugh. You may be right. Poor guy. I'd better get busy with lunch so we don't have any former soldiers falling to pieces."

Nate motioned to the snowmobile. "Let's go."

She took a step away from the fence, her foot sank into the snow, causing her to stumble forward.

Nate grabbed onto her, one hand on her arm, the other around her waist. "Careful."

He lifted her so she could pull her leg out of the snow. He set Rachel on the ground, not letting go, and stared into her eyes. "You okay?"

She nodded, her face so close to his he could see her individual eyelashes. Man, she had beautiful eyes. They changed colors again, more green than brown, with shades of gold.

Let her go. Step back. Get on the sled and go home.

The voice of reason shouted. Common sense screamed.

Nate didn't want to do either of those things, even if he knew he should.

Rachel's gaze didn't waver.

Her lips parted, soft and inviting. He wanted to skip the RSVP and join the party now. The tip of her pink tongue darted out, wet her lower lip then disappeared back into her mouth.

His insides clenched, twisted.

Damn, she was making this difficult.

But this was his land. He wouldn't leave the Bar V5 because a woman he liked found it too remote. He needed to find a woman who loved this land as much as he did. Nothing Rachel had told him in all their days of sharing had come close. She'd admitted her heart would always be in Phoenix because of her parents. He removed his hands from around her waist. "Let's go."

Rachel rose up on her tiptoes, her lips coming toward him.

He leaned in closer, meeting her halfway.

She brushed her mouth across his.

Soft, warm, sweet…

And then gone.

Before he could process what was happening, before he could enjoy the kiss.

But his lips tingled, wanting more.

"Now we can go." Rachel didn't look up at him. She walked toward the sled, her steps careful, but quick over the snow.

He took off after her, lengthening his stride to catch up with her. "What was that?"

She shrugged, still not meeting his eyes.

He touched her shoulder. "Why did you want to kiss?"