"Wasn't sure you'd remember."
"Oh, I remember. Wish I didn't, but I do."
Trey helped Olivia to her feet. When she would have taken back her hand, he held tight.
"My amusement wasn't aimed at you, Olivia." Trey's lips quirked. "I'm the joke and the punchline, not you."
"I don't understand."
"Been more time than I can count since a woman's kissed me and what's her response? She apologizes. As for a beautiful woman's offer to share her bed? The dry spell is even longer."
Olivia understood Trey's motives. He made light of the situation to make her feel better. If she didn't already have a crush on him, his gallant gesture would have pushed her feelings over the edge. She felt her heart catch in her throat.
"Thank you." Olivia swallowed, but the lump wouldn't ease. "For saving my life. For taking care of me. For sharing your home. And, well, for everything."
"Not every day I get to play the hero." Trey tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. "Besides, looks like we'll be stuck together for some time. I appreciate the company."
Trey led her through a swinging door into the kitchen. Olivia looked around. Or, to be more accurate, she gaped. Like the rest of the house, the room was oversized and, for wont of a better word, luxurious.
"You aren't married?" she asked, taking in the state-of-the-art appliances and gleaming granite countertops.
"Never have been."
"Do you live alone?"
Trey nodded. He held one of the barstools that lined the counter. Once Olivia was seated, he moved to the stainless-steel oven.
"How much do park rangers make?" Rude question, Olivia chided herself. "Forget I asked."
"I don't mind." Trey took a couple of baked potatoes from the oven. "The original cabin was modest in size. When I wanted more room, my bosses agreed, as long as the expansion was on my dime."
Interested, Olivia watched as Trey set two steaks on a smoking-hot, cast-iron skillet. Obviously comfortable in the kitchen, he moved from the stove to a cutting board where he efficiently turned a whole pepper into neat, julienned strips of green.
"Nice knife skills."
"Big fan of the Food Network." He nodded toward the television mounted on the far wall. "Ina Garten taught me everything I know."
"I like Giada De Laurentiis."
"I watch them all. Not much else to do on cold winter nights. But, The Barefoot Contessa was my first love, so to speak. She'll always have a special place in my heart."
Olivia felt herself relax. Awkwardness, especially around strangers, was part of her DNA. Her tongue became tied in knots she couldn't begin to untie. Yet, something about Trey's easy manner made him seem more like an old friend than a new acquaintance.
For the first time in Olivia's life, she could talk to someone without tripping over every word. Borderline miraculous when she factored in how attractive she found Trey. Wonder of wonders, she found herself able to smile, and laugh, and exchange a bit of banter. All without dissolving into a puddle of babbling goo.
"Would you like a glass of wine?"
Olivia hesitated. A lightweight where alcohol was concerned, under normal circumstances, she could handle one drink. However, she wouldn't call what she went through today normal. Her emotions were already heightened. Better safe than sorry.
"I'd prefer something softer if you don't mind."
"Milk? Water? Coke, Pepsi, root beer? Tea, herbal or caffeinated? Coffee?"
"Quite a selection," Olivia chuckled. "What don't you have?"
Trey took her teasing question seriously. He thought for a moment, then shrugged.
"Hard to say. Test me."
"Green tea?"
"Too easy." Trey looked disappointed. "Water's hot. The bags are in the Woody Woodpecker cookie jar. Help yourself."
Glad he didn't plan to treat her like a helpless invalid, Olivia followed Trey's instructions.
"Mugs?"
"Cupboard to your right," he answered without turning from where he tended the food. "Steaks are almost ready. The table's set. If you'll take the bread and your drink through to the dining room, I'll be right behind."
They sat at the end of a long wooden table better suited to a large family than one solitary man. Intrigued, Olivia had a thousand and one questions she wanted to ask. According to her Aunt Gayle, men didn't like overly inquisitive women. Experience taught her to take her aunt's advice with a grain of salt. Still, to be safe, she would begin slowly. Instead of a barrage, she would dole her questions out with care.
"Do you entertain often?"
"You mean, why does an unmarried man have a table built to seat a small army?" Trey's smile widened when the inevitable blush stained Olivia's cheeks. "The house started out as a project, something to fill the hours. To say my vision of a little more space got out of hand would be the understatement of the year."
Trey told Olivia how an extra bedroom became four. Naturally, each needed a complementary bathroom. The simple living area became a great room and the kitchen, a gourmet's dream.
"The contractor and builders were six months in before I came up for air and realized my little project was completely out of control. Luckily, I have a big, ever-expanding family. A few times a year, they help fill the rooms."
Olivia felt a wave of envy. She always wanted brothers and sisters. Instead, her father died soon after she was born, and her mother never remarried.
"I'm an only child."
"Me, too."
Had she misheard? Olivia frowned.
"But—"
"How to explain." Trey slowly chewed a bite of steak and swallowed. "The couple who gave me life should never have been parents. I found out what a real family was like the year I turned eighteen. Five brothers. A mother and father. They gave me their name. A home. Love. Stability. I can say unequivocally, without the Stantons, I wouldn't be here."
Olivia could sense an old wound under the surface of Trey's calm demeanor. He wasn't ruled by the pain, but he couldn't forget—not completely. She didn't know the details, but whatever he went through made him strong, caring, and empathetic.
"Ever-expanding family?" Rather than dwell in the shadows, Olivia reached for the light of Trey's story.
"Four of my brothers are married with children."
"And the other?"
"Liam." Trey's lips quirked into a half, almost indulgent smile. "He'll never marry. Lucky bastard."
Sensing an interesting story, Olivia rested her elbows on the table.
"Why is he lucky?"
"If you knew the woman he loves, you'd understand. Destry is…"
"Yes?"
"One of a kind." Trey met Olivia's fascinated gaze. "Then again, all the Benedict women are unique. Destry and her sisters decided I was family, and nothing could change their minds."
Olivia didn't press for details. But she had to ask one more question.
"Did you want to? Change their minds, I mean."
"No. Like the Stanton clan, the Benedict sisters are in my heart."
"Then what—"
"Long story. One I'd rather not get into." Abruptly, Trey rose to his feet. "Have room for dessert?"
Without waiting for her answer, he cleared their empty plates before he disappeared into the kitchen. Grabbing her glass and unused silverware, Olivia followed. He stood by the sink, staring out the window into the dark.
"I asked too many questions. I'm sorry."
With a sigh, he turned.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you there's nothing wrong with an inquisitive mind?"
"No." Olivia blinked in surprise. "Never."
"Fools. Every one of them."
Trey wrapped his arm around her waist. Eyes on her mouth, he threaded his fingers through her hair. Olivia's breath stopped in a silent gasp. He's going to kiss me, she thought. In her bones, she knew he wasn't the kind of man to force himself on a woman.
A single no and Trey would
have backed away. As his head lowered, Olivia held her breath and didn't say a word.
Olivia's brain ran an average of a thousand miles a minute. The second Trey touched his lips to hers, the fast-moving gears came to a screeching halt. She couldn't think or reason. For the first time when a man took her in his arms, she could put aside her insecurities and simply feel.
More. She wanted more. Olivia pressed her body against Trey's. Unfortunately, she only had a second to marvel at the difference between her soft breasts and his firm chest before he ended the kiss.
"Guess it's my turn to apologize."
"Why?" she whispered. Try as she might, Olivia couldn't think of a single reason.
"You're a guest in my home. You have a nasty gash on your head. I promised myself I'd be good." Trey gave her cheek a brief caress before he stepped away. "And I always keep my promises."
"What if I don't want you to?"
"Gratitude is no reason to let a man kiss you."
"You think I'm grateful?" Olivia felt a burst of impatience. "I am. But to think I'd let you touch me as some form of what? Payment? Talk about insulting. To both of us."
"Cake? Baked just this morning." Trey cut two slices. "You're not in any condition to decide, Olivia."
"What's to decide? You kissed me. Hardly quantum mechanics. I should know, I have a Ph.D. in physics."
"Dr. Olivia? Impressive, especially at your age."
Dr. Olivia? Sounded like she was a television personality.
"Dr. Shore. And don't change the subject. I'm old enough to kiss a man. And smart enough to figure out when my motivation is lust, not gratitude."
"Lust? Really?"
Olivia wanted to stare Trey down as the mature, confident woman she willed herself to be. If only she were blessed with skin that didn't glow a bright red every time she had the slightest risqué thought. Lust wasn't a dirty word or an emotion she should shy away from.
"Yes, lust." Determined to soldier through, blush or no blush, Olivia squared her shoulders. "I'm twenty-five years old. I've kissed a few men in my day. I'm not a virgin—in thought or body."
"Olivia…" Trey groaned.
"What's the problem?"
"Give me a break." He rubbed a hand over his face. "I'm thirty-two years old. I've done a hell of a lot more than kiss a hell of a lot of women. But, I'm not an animal. I know how to control my baser instincts. And, I know right from wrong."
Trey's words were like a knife to Olivia's heart. Every ounce of righteous indignation left her body, doused by a flood of self-doubt.
"Kissing me felt wrong?"
"Just the opposite." Trey plated the cake. "Grab a couple of forks from the drawer by the dishwasher."
Mouth agape, Olivia watched him shoulder his way through the door and into the living room. The man had a frustrating way with an exit line. On the other hand, he brought out something in her she longed for—the will to stand up for herself and what she wanted. And, the strength not to back down when faced with opposition.
Right now, Olivia wanted Trey to explain his comment. If kissing her wasn't wrong, only one option remained. Right? Right!
CHAPTER FOUR
~~~~
OLIVIA GRABBED THE forks, plus a couple of napkins. She found Trey on the sofa, the cake on the table, and Carmichael at his feet. The way the dog perked up when he saw her brought a smile to her lips. She might get a pet of her own. If, no when, she moved into her own place.
"Trey—"
"Strawberry cream cake is Carmichael's favorite. Better sit and eat before he forgets his manners and tries to steal the dessert for himself."
"Trey—"
"Been known to happen. I've tried to break him of the habit, but where food is concerned, Carmichael has a mind of his own.
"Trey!"
Olivia rarely raised her voice. Louder than she expected, she decided the sound wasn't unpleasant. She deserved to be heard and the realization felt powerful, especially when Trey stopped going on about dessert and gave her his full attention. With a nod of satisfaction, she took a seat.
"I wanted you to kiss me." She held up a hand when he would have spoken. "Please, let me finish. I was appalled by my earlier behavior. Grabbing you. Forcing myself on you. A knock on the head is no excuse."
"Kind of is."
"Partly," she conceded, answering his half smile with one of her own. "Our history began a few hours ago. Yet, for reasons I can't explain, I want to confide in you."
"Can be easier to tell a stranger your problems than the person closest to you."
Except Olivia didn't have anyone close. No one she could share her deepest thoughts, fears, and dreams. The last fifteen years had consisted of two things. School and taking care of her cousins.
What little free time she found was spent pouring over books in the library or devoted to online classes. The plus side, she finished her Ph.D. before any of her contemporaries. The downside, she woefully lacked basic social skills. Lovers, she could find. Friends, not so much.
"I was never outgoing. Talk about your understatements," Olivia humphed. "My mother pushed me to come out of my shell, but when she died, my aunt—"
Angry with herself, Olivia closed her eyes and counted to ten.
"What?" Trey urged. The kindness in his gaze helped to steady her nerves.
"I have to stop blaming other people for my faults. I'm an adult. Time to step up and take responsibility."
Something flashed in Trey's eyes. A flicker of admiration.
"The world would be a better place if all the so-called adults took a good, hard look at themselves in the mirror. Problem is, they're afraid of what they might see."
"I didn't like what I saw." Olivia didn't have to peer too close to see the words weak and easily intimidated were etched into her forehead. "Though I haven't figured out who exactly Olivia Shore is, I'm working to be a better me."
As if he sensed she wasn't finished, Trey gave her hand an encouraging squeeze.
"After a roundabout journey, we're back to the kiss. Our first kiss."
"Please don't apologize again. I told you—"
"I'm not sorry." Olivia's let the words burst from her lips before she could change her mind. "I should be, but, I'm not. Six months ago, bump or no bump, I would have suppressed the impulse to kiss you. A minor shakeup of my brain gave me the extra impetus to do what I wanted. To follow my heart's desire, so to speak."
Trey took a moment to let what Olivia said sink in. Then, he smiled.
"Complete honesty?"
"Why not?" Defiant, she lifted her chin. "What do we have to lose?"
"Every situation is unique," Trey said. "Right here? Now? Blocked off from the rest of the world, we're in a safe zone. We should tell each other the truth."
Olivia waited, breath trapped in her lungs, to find out if Trey's truth matched her own.
"I liked our first kiss. A lot. I wanted to find out if what I felt was a fluke, or real."
"And?"
"Real."
Olivia let out a sigh of relief.
"Good. I—"
"However," Trey continued. "We should stop and consider the consequences before taking the next step."
"Fair enough." Olivia forced herself to look Trey straight in the eye. "Before we step back, can we define next step? Just so we're on the same page."
"I want you, Olivia."
Her logical, linear mind needed clarification.
"Sex?"
"Sex would be great," Trey admitted to her delight. "If we knew each other better."
"You've never slept with a woman on the first date?"
"I have." Trey raised an eyebrow. "Have you?"
"No." Olivia didn't see the problem. "Not because I have a problem with the idea. If the right man asked, I would have jumped."
"Trust me, I'm not the right man."
What was the saying? Better to regret something you did than regret something you didn
't. Olivia trusted Trey—after everything he'd done, why shouldn't she? But how often would she find herself alone with a man, isolated from the world, who she wanted, and, right out of her deepest fantasies, wanted her in return?
If she didn't try, she would kick herself for the rest of her life.
Rather than try to tease and seduce—even if she wanted to, she had no idea where to begin—Olivia took the track she knew best. She told the truth.
"You're exactly the right man. Handsome, sexy. Plus, I like you. Give me one good reason we shouldn't enjoy whatever time we have together?"
"Olivia—"
"I don't want a husband," she rushed to assure him. "Or a boyfriend. I just want…"
"What, Olivia?" Trey's voice deepened as his eyes darkened to a rich coffee brown. "What do you want?"
The truth, Olivia reminded herself. Tell the truth. She took a deep, steadying breath.
"I want you."
"Oh, boy." Running a hand through his short, blond hair, he let out a hefty sigh. "You, Dr. Olivia Shore, are a dangerous woman."
"Me?" The idea sent a shiver of delight through her body. "Really?"
"Eat your dessert." With a shake of his head, Trey handed her the cake.
"Okay."
"Now she does as I ask," he muttered.
Trey sounded annoyed, but his smile told Olivia a different story. She curled her legs under her and settled back on the sofa. The question made perfect sense, but she forgot he didn't know. Forgot they knew nothing but the barest minimum about each other.
"You aren't from around here." Trey continued when Olivia didn't answer. "Not used to driving in the snow?"
"Foolish, I know," Olivia nodded. "I live with my aunt and cousins in a small town in southern Oregon. All we get is rain. Slush, occasionally. But never snow. We flew in yesterday to spend the holidays with Aunt Gayle's sister June."
"Did you borrow the car?"
"Rented."
Normally, June's husband would have picked them up at the airport. The man worked long hours at his small appliance repair shop. To save him the trouble, Olivia decided to rent a car. When Aunt Gayle objected—a waste of money—she dug in her heels.
"No one argues with my aunt and wins. No one." Olivia smiled when she remembered the look of shock on Gayle's face. "Felt good to shake things up a bit."
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