Authors: Kristen James
She wandered around while he fixed sandwiches. When he
didn’t hear her, he stepped to the hallway and saw her looking at the fireplace
- his favorite place in the house.
He liked to sit there with a beer, watch the flames, or read
a magazine. Though, with Missy with him, he’d have different things to do.
Almost laughing at himself, he turned to finish making their
lunch. They needed to hurry so they could have some daylight to enjoy the
beach.
“Ready?” he called as he retrieved their coats from the
closest. He grabbed a ski cap he kept on the closet shelf and pulled it on her
head when she came over.
“You might want that. The wind can give you an ache in your
ears and jaw.”
“Thanks,” she said, fingering the wooly material. It came
down to her brows, framing her face. She didn't seem to know how beautiful she
looked. Or she didn’t until she saw the look on his face. He could tell she
noticed when her cheeks turned pink.
He gave her hair a gentle tug and opened the door. For one second,
he wondered if she could possibly stay here for good, but he ignored the
thought, choosing to enjoy the day. They headed to the pasture where the horses
were grazing.
“I can tell why we separate the stallion from the mares, but
why do you keep the geldings apart?” she asked as they reached the fence.
“They can still try to pull rank. The stallion will fight
the geldings, too.” He paused to open the gate. Several horses came toward
them, including Jeffrey and Speckle. “I like to play it safe since we take on
boarder horses. The last thing our reputation needs is a wounded boarder.”
They led their horses to the stables to saddle them. When
her gaze met his, he felt an immediate physical reaction, right where she could
see it if she looked down. She sure could turn him on, but he didn’t let her
know. No, he wanted her to trust him.
Since it’d reached late afternoon already, he picked up the
pace along the trail. “How does it feel?” he asked.
“Fine. Speckle shows me what to do.”
That was what he wanted to hear. “We keep a slow pace when
we take tourists out, but I don’t want to be too late today. Wouldn’t do for
Speckle to stumble in the dark and pitch you on your head. Just joking!”
Mist came in from the river. It added more moisture to the
air, making it feel thick and heavy. A soft silence enveloped the forest except
for the noise they made.
As they neared the top of the hill, he slowed so they could
see the ocean. Today the mist blocked most of their view.
Brent glanced at Missy as they guided the horses down the
beach trail. She sat comfortably in the saddle, although focused on the trail.
“Nice work,” he told her. “You’ve got it.”
Scotch Broom bushes lined the path until the bottom and then
of the trail and then it opened and they were on the beach. Missy pulled in a
breath at the view. Sand stretched out all around them and waves pounded the
beach ahead.
Pulling up beside him, she said, “It’s loud.”
He liked the wonder in her eyes, and how red her lips were
from the cold air. It took him a minute to see she had turned her gaze to him.
“I’ve been biting my tongue and not telling you how
beautiful you are,” he said with reverence. There wasn’t any change in her
expression, but she didn’t look away, either. “Caught you by surprise?” he
asked.
She laughed. “You do that a lot.” Her breathless voice
stirred his passion.
He’d learned his lesson when he rushed her before, so he’d
take it slow. “Want to ride down the beach a ways?”
Excitement lit up her eyes. She nudged Speckle and they set
off, nice and slow to enjoy the ocean. He’d been around the cold ocean, the
seagulls, the foghorns all his life, but he could tell it was new for her. She
watched the birds as they swooped and darted over the endless banter of water
and sand. They rode a ways down the beach, just enjoying the sound, sights and
feel of nature.
“Here comes a big one,” he said.
“How do you know?”
“It’ll be the seventh. Everything’s got a pattern.” He
paused alongside her horse. The next wave rose up higher, crashed, and came
racing up the sand.
“It’s going to get us!” She backed her horse up. Speckle
flicked an ear, and looked at him as if to say,
She’s a newbie.
The wave
did reach them, but the horses weren’t afraid of the ocean.
A bank of fog hung in the air above them, leaving stillness
underneath. Even while the ocean fought the land, the air stood still.
“Where did the wind go?” she asked him.
“It does this once in a while, fall or springtime.” He’d
walked it all his life, but today was new for him. Today was with her.
She glanced at him and smiled.
“Hungry?” he asked. At her nod, he led the way back toward
the brush near the hill. Staying by the horses, they sat on the sand with the
sandwiches.
“Thanks for today,” she said before taking a bite. After
chewing for a minute she added, “For the furniture, and all this.”
“My pleasure.” He meant that, too, in a big way. Watching
her ride, watching her watch him back. It was all his pleasure.
A desperate need filled him. He wanted to kiss her, but he’d
been unable to gauge if that’s what she wanted.
While they ate, she turned her gaze toward the waves and
sky. Hardly a soul had ventured out today. That could have something to do with
the fading daylight and falling temperatures.
The fog made it seem later, darker, and he knew they should
head back. He didn’t want her riding up the hill for the first time in the
dark.
She turned to him as if she’d read his thoughts. “It’s
almost dark.”
“Yeah, time to go,” he agreed and stood, offering his hand.
Hers felt cold, another reason to leave.
When she stood, her body nearly brushed his. At first, she
looked at his chin. He knew she could sense the mood, sense how he wanted her.
She raised her gaze to meet his. After a searching, thoughtful
look, she rose on her toes and softly kissed his cheek.
The woman was killing him.
She mounted her horse and waited for him. Yeah, he’d follow
her anywhere. But would she let him? Did she want to stay with him?
He let her lead the way back up the hill and through the
forest. They didn’t speak. How could they?
He felt something like respect for the time, for that kiss,
and for the feelings that must be boiling inside her. He wanted to take it
slow, for her.
After they brushed the horses, he walked her home. Her mind
seemed to be turning something over, and he hoped it was him. She glanced at
him several times, but didn’t say much.
At her door, he leaned in and brushed his lips across hers.
If lightning could touch lightly, it did.
The look in her eyes asked for more. Instead, he touched his
hat and headed back to the stables. The horses needed their blankets since the
temperature was already flirting with freezing.
He smiled on his way there because he’d tricked her into
taking an evening off. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving, and he planned to take full
advantage of having her in his house all day. She’d need her rest tonight.
* * * *
Missy rolled over onto her back, rubbed her hair out of her
face, and stretched. The alarm clock clicked on and Alan Jackson’s smooth,
sweet voice filled the room.
“Good morning to you, too.” She was so happy she was
speaking to the radio. “And happy Thanksgiving!”
She sat up on the edge of the bed - the new one Brent had
brought back for her - to listen to the rest of the song before turning if off.
She’d changed everything about herself when she moved to Las Vegas, everything
except her love of country music, which she’d hidden.
She hadn’t sung in the shower in a while. She did today
while lathering on coconut body wash and extra conditioner in her hair. When
she dressed, she pulled on an olive green sweater that Brent hadn’t seen yet.
Since coming to the ranch, she hadn’t been applying as much
makeup, but today she went all the way. She was about to leave the bathroom
when she decided to pull her hair up.
Daylight met her outside, soft and innocent as she walked
through the thin mist. Promising. A fuzzy yellow spot indicated where the sun
was above the tree line. Maybe the mist would burn off to a nice day.
Had Brent meant what she’d read in his eyes? Did she trust
him? She couldn’t imagine him using her feelings against her, but she couldn’t
let go of that fear, either. Why did she have to have such a hard time trusting
people? Her father had been loving, but somehow she still felt like he lied to
her by keeping Ben a secret. She knew a big part of her problem was due to her
old boss, but naming the source hadn’t helped so far. Today was a day to
celebrate, though, and she took a deep, cleansing breath and moved on.
She wore new leather boots and Levis. It didn't compare to
how she'd dressed for her old job, but this fit in with Brent and his friends.
She knocked and wrapped her arms around herself while she
waited. The door swung open and Brent’s cologne kicked her in the stomach with
a sensation she . . . might like.
“What are you knocking for?” he asked, his blue eyes full of
teasing and desire at the same time. The look put her mind into sex mode before
she could stop it.
“Right. I still need to catch you in the shower.”
Or climbing
out, skin damp with a towel around your waist.
His pupils widened. Then,
leaning close, he kissed her cheek. Rather, he kissed her right next to her
mouth and that was worse than kissing her lips, because now she itched all over
to touch him.
“You look nice.” He held the door open.
“Nice?” she teased with a small smile.
“You always look nice. I was being polite, but I could have
said you look good enough to eat. Or lick, whichever.”
She blushed at that one and could tell that’s what he
wanted. Their eyes met, and his were full of playfulness. He looked pretty
yummy himself, but she lost her nerve and didn’t say so. His snug jeans and
fitted black T-shirt were driving her crazy, but she didn’t plan on telling him
what she wanted to do.
When she followed him into the kitchen, she saw brown
grocery bags all over his counter. “I got everything on your list and then
some,” he said.
“I can see that.” She had to look away from the sexy grin he
flashed her. He started to pull things from the freezer and refrigerator.
Looking inside the bags, she saw they contained all the nonperishable items she
could ever want for a feast. She set out ingredients for the stuffing and
started chopping. Soon Brent had the turkey ready to go in the oven and worked
on mashed potatoes.
She mixed chopped celery and onion in a bowl with the dried
bread and seasoning. When she turned her back to chop mushrooms, she felt his
lips touch her neck. Moist and warm, his kiss sent pleasure rocketing through
her body.
“I’m trying to work here,” she murmured, trying not to smile
too much.
“And I’m trying to seduce you.” His soft voice tickled her
ear, so she laughed instead of responding. Then a funny thing happened. His arm
came around her middle in a gentle hug. She nestled back into him and closed
her eyes, leaning her head back into the crook of his neck. She heard him
breath in slowly, inhaling her scent, as he wrapped his other arm around her.
This wasn’t about seduction but a comforting and intimate hold. She lingered,
feeling secure and happy.
A timer went off and he stepped back and grabbed a pot
holder. “Don’t want to burn anything.”
The stuffing was ready to bake so she turned her attention
on the side dishes, only sneaking a few glances at him. There were several
baked pies cooling on a different counter and eggnog in the refrigerator. Brent
had been up early working on everything.
They both heard loud, feminine laughter from outside, and
Brent smiled. “That’d be Alice, Dale’s girlfriend.”
She followed him to the door, realizing something was
happening. Maybe it had been happening for a while, but she wasn’t fighting as
fiercely as she usually did. Being on the ranch at first had been one thing,
but to feel welcome was another.
“Dale, Alice.” Brent greeted them as he opened the door.
“Alice, this is Missy.”
“Well, well. Now I see why Brent let that horse kick him.”
Missy shot Brent a confused look. Did
she
have
something to do with that? Dale and Alice both hooted while she narrowed her
eyes at Brent.
Alice headed to the kitchen with the pies they brought.
“We saw Ivan coming down the road,” Dale said, most likely
to change the subject for Brent’s sake, then went to the door to open it. They
talked and laughed over the football game while the house filled with the smell
of baking Thanksgiving turkey. Brent delivered on the beer and snacks too.
When he wasn’t checking on the turkey, Brent was often
sitting next to her. That saved her from his heated looks but not from feeling
his warmth next to her or smelling his scent. Despite the tension, or maybe
even with the tension, she couldn’t believe how much she enjoyed visiting with
all of them.
Brent left the living room where everyone chatted but
returned a moment later with his violin. “I promised the lady a song or two,
for taking care of me while my side healed up.”
He held her gaze while he warmed up. Next he eased into a
soulful piece, with beautiful soaring passages. His hands moved expertly,
showing years of practice, and his love of the instrument came through in his
playing. She had never heard a violin played in person and the music filled her
whole being. Tears sprang into her eyes.
With his intense gaze on her, she couldn’t look away from
him. Even while she knew everyone looked between her and him.
She no longer knew what to expect from his man - except that
she had a lot more to learn.