“I knew you were scared to death, but you did it anyway. That’s what I like about you.”
“I want to believe you,” she mumbled, chewing on her lower lip.
That luscious mouth is killing me. Slow breaths failed to slow his heartrate. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was. He rubbed his suddenly-sweaty palms on his jeans.
“If you can ride a horse when you’re terrified, surely you can go to my family’s house for Christmas.”
“You make it sound so simple.” She picked at a piece of lint on her jeans. “But I have things I need to take care of… some pretty big decisions to make. I’ve got this contract thing. And Damon… he’s… well, it’s complicated.”
“Let me help you with one of them.” Reaching out to cup her cheek with his hand, he turned her face toward him and leaned closer. He could smell the light scent of her hair. “If you’re deciding between me and Damon… choose me.”
His fingers stroked along her jaw, drawing her eyes halfway closed as if his hands were magnetized.
“Maybe you should convince me,” she murmured, flashing an impudent grin.
“Challenge accepted.”
Her sassy smile disappeared when his lips crashed against her mouth. He slid his arms around her back and pulled her closer as her hands wound around his neck. She tasted of mint and strawberry, and he couldn’t get enough of her. Her lips were as sweet as they looked, but she kissed him back like a tigress. With his heart pounding inside his chest like a bass drum, he trailed his lips under her jaw to the soft fold of her neck.
Wrenching away, he fell back against the couch cushion, panting for air. Her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths as she lifted her fingers to her swollen lips.
“Did I hurt you?” He sprang forward. “I didn’t mean to kiss you so hard. I’m out of practice.”
“No, it didn’t hurt.” Her lips spread into a lazy grin. “I’d say your kiss was… thorough.”
“Thorough, huh?” He wagged his eyebrows. “Does that mean you don’t need any more?”
Her hand rose to rest against his chest, his heart trying to jump into her palm.
“I didn’t say that.” When the tip of her tongue moistened her lips, he almost lost control.
“Daaaad-dyyyy!”
They sprang apart as Cadence skipped into the room. “What’s for breakfast?”
Chapter 10
Laughing, Amy ran down the hall with Cady squealing behind her. “Faster! He’s right behind us.”
“My bed is safe,” Amy yelled, dashing into her room.
As she and Cady scrambled onto the bed in a fit of giggles, Max burst through the door.
“Safe. We’re safe,” Cady shouted.
Max shut the door, leaned against it, and slid to the floor. “That’s fine. I think I’ll take a little nap, right here.” He pretended to close his eyes. “The minute either one of you leaves that bed, it’s not a safe place anymore.”
“Daaad! It’s lunch time.”
Right on cue, Amy’s stomach made a loud gurgling noise. Max’s nostrils flared, his chest shaking with silent laughter.
“Time out for lunch,” Amy declared, standing up.
“No time outs!” shouted Max, as he tackled her onto the bed, wrapping an arm around both shrieking girls.
When they’d caught their breath, Amy’s gaze fell on her phone. She should probably read her texts from Damon. Maybe after lunch, she could explain everything to Max and get his opinion on the contract.
Max stood, hunched over, for Cady to get a piggy-back ride.
“Let’s go eat,” Max said.
“I’ll be right there,” said Amy as she scanned the incoming messages. Her pulse skyrocketed as she read the last one.
DAMON: See you soon. Leaving airport. ETA noon.
Was he coming to Max’s house? How could he find it? Then she remembered that stupid MapMyFriends app. It’s noon already!
“Nooooooo!” She sprinted down the hall and out the door, ignoring the blast of frigid air. The door shut behind her just as a strange white SUV pulled to a stop. Her stomach lurched.
“Abigail!” Damon stepped out, his mouth hanging open as he took in the massive house. “I see you haven’t been suffering since you accidentally got stranded on the McCoy ranch.” His voice was laced with sarcasm.
She didn’t stop to ask how Damon knew Max’s name, as she trotted down the frozen walkway in her stocking feet, intent on pushing him back into the car.
Capturing her wrist, he trapped her against him. “Darling. I missed you.”
“Stop it.” She struggled, yanking at his iron grasp and pushing at his chest.
“No,” he growled in her ear. “Shut up and listen, or I’ll blow your cover.”
Ice ripped down her spine. “What?”
“Clever to choose Wyoming for your next book, so you could bag the country’s most eligible bachelor,” he rasped, his left hand shoving a crumpled magazine at her face. “You sneaky little vermin. Acting all sweet and innocent.”
“What are you talking about?” The cold air stung her face, wet with tears.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t read it.” He shook the magazine in the air, his face distorted with rage. “Your stories are in the same issue, and his picture is on the cover. Now you’re all cozy with the billionaire, and suddenly you won’t sign the NetShows contract. Quite a coincidence, isn’t it?”
“I’ve never seen this magazine,” she said, as the melting snow soaked into her socks and sent shivers up her spine. “I really didn’t know.”
He stared at her, so close she could feel his breath on her face. Then his brows lifted, eyes widening. “You really didn’t, did you?” He shook his head as if to clear it. “If that wasn’t it, why are you backing out on the deal?”
“Who’s that?” Cady’s voice came from the porch.
Jerking out of Damon’s grasp, Amy swirled to face her. “Go back inside, Cady. This man is just leaving.”
“We’re both leaving,” said Damon, with a wide fake smile. “We’re engaged.”
Cady ran back inside before Amy could protest or explain.
Damon’s hand gripped her arm, squeezing so hard she cried out. “Go along with whatever I say,” he whispered in her ear, “Or I’ll show him this magazine. Do you really think he’ll believe you didn’t read it? He’ll think you’re the worst con woman on the planet.”
“Why are you doing this to me?”
He looked at her like she was an alien.
“I’m not doing anything to you. I’m protecting you from the biggest mistake of your life. I’m saving your career. If you bail on NetShows now, you’ll have to pay a penalty. And you’ll be blackballed. You’ll never get an offer in Hollywood again.”
The heavy wood door slammed open. “What’s going on here?” Max stepped outside, his hands balled into tight fists. The two men locked eyes.
Her heart swelled. Max was ready to defend her. And Damon was no match for his well-muscled physique. Surely he would back down.
“We’re having a private conversation.” He released her arm, jamming his hand into his pocket.
Oh my gosh… his pistol! Her throat constricted. Would he really pull a gun on Max?
“Amy, are you okay?” Max descended the steps slowly, like a stalking lion.
With Damon’s glare burning her skin, she didn’t dare attempt to warn Max about the gun.
“I’m fine.” She couldn’t quite meet Max’s eyes. “Damon’s giving me a ride to the airport.” Then an idea took seed. “Would you help me carry my suitcase?”
“I’ll help you.” Damon’s hand came out of his pocket and hooked under her arm, propelling her past Max and up the steps.
“I don’t want your help,” she murmured, clomping up the steps on feet that felt like blocks of ice.
Damon lifted the magazine into her line of sight. “Would you rather I stay here? With Max?”
From the corner of her eye, she saw a blur as Max dashe
d ahead of them. Arms crossed, he leaned against the door, blocking their way. “Why don’t you go pack, Amy? Damon and I can have a little man-talk.”
“I don’t think so.” Damon’s vice-grip on her arm released, as his hand slid back into his pocket.
He’s gone off the deep end! He’s going to shoot Max! Amy could only think of one thing that might placate him. “I’ll sign the contract.”
His head whipped toward her. “Now?”
“On the way to the airport… if you’re nice while I pack.”
“Make it quick.” Damon spoke between clenched teeth.
Max waited until Amy was safely inside before he confronted Damon.
“I won’t let you take Amy.”
“It was her decision to go.” With a smirk on his face, Damon leaned against the railing, crossing his feet.
“Because you’re somehow forcing her. I saw you grab her arm.”
“Listen, Mack… I promised her I wouldn’t tell you, but you deserve to know the truth.”
He held out a crumpled magazine with Max’s picture on the cover.
Max folded his arms. “Yeah. I’ve read it.”
“A lot of people read it.” Damon opened it, flipping through the pages. “Including Amy.”
“No.” His gut roiled. “She never read it. She didn’t even know who I was.”
“Wow, she had you fooled!” Handing him the magazine, Damon jabbed his finger at the page. “This story comes right after yours. That’s Amy’s pen name. The photo is small, but you can recognize her.”
As he scanned the story, the bits and pieces fell into place. She’d told Cady she was visiting all fifty states—because she was writing a book about each state. But if this article was about Amy, she’d lied the entire time about knowing him. A knife slowly gouged into his heart.
“I’ll take that.” Damon snatched the magazine back, tucking it inside his coat. “I’d rather she didn’t find out I told you.”
Memories of the past week with Amy swirled through his mind. None of it made any sense. Then, he had an epiphany.
So what if she lied… I’m still in love with her.
The door opened, and Amy emerged, rolling her suitcase behind her. She handed it to Damon. “Thank you for everything, Max,” she said, without meeting his eyes. “Sorry I have to rush off.”
The knife in his heart twisted. “Don’t go.”
She stiffened, her head jerking toward Damon. He expected Damon to grab her arm again, but instead, he stuffed it into his coat pocket. She was free to choose, and Damon didn’t look too confident.
“You’re a good man, Max,” she choked, still facing away from him. “And Cady is amazing. But I’m marrying Damon.”
Inside, Max screamed no, but outside, he held it together. Barely.
“Good decision!” Sneering, Dirt-bag Damon rubbed his hands together. “It’s freezing. Let’s get out of here.”
The slam of her car door was the thump of Max’s coffin lid. Eyes watering, he backed blindly against the wall and slid down to the porch floor. With his face in his hands, he listened to the car drive away, as helpless as a corpse.
“Daddy!” The door opened, and Cady stuck her tear-streaked face outside. “Are they gone?”
How am I going to explain it to her?
He climbed to his feet, wiping his face on his sleeve. “Cady, let’s sit by the fire and talk.”
“No, Dad. We need to call 911.” Sniffing, she tugged at his hand. “Hurry! He’s got a gun!”
“Who? What are you taking about?”
“I told Amy I was gonna stand behind the car so she couldn’t leave. But she said, ‘No! Stay inside. He has a gun.’ She said I couldn’t call 911, because he has a permit, so it’s not against the law. But I think we should do it, anyway. Right, Dad?”
His dead heart started beating again—fast and hard.
“I know who to call.”
Chapter 11
Amy’s chest cramped as the car barreled past the still-snow-buried place where it all began—where her car ran off the road and Max came to the rescue. She rubbed the fog off the inside of her window.
At least Cady and Max are safe. Will he ever forgive me for racing off without an explanation? Already, she felt empty without him, even though a week ago, she didn’t know he existed.
“Are you going to give me the silent treatment all the way to the airport?” Damon asked, with a scowl.
“I hate you,” she said, in a flat tone. “Is that better?”
“Don’t be mad. It was for your own good.” He used his sincere-sounding-but-actually-fake voice. “I’ve been in this business for ten years. Opportunities like this are one in a million. One day you’ll thank me.”
He won’t shoot me, no matter how mad he gets. He needs me to make more money.
“I’m not signing that contract until my attorney looks at it.”
When an irritated sigh erupted from his throat, she was too angry to care.
“Fred checked the contract weeks ago,” Damon said.
“Fred is your attorney. I hired my own.”
“Don’t you understand?” He pounded his hand on the steering wheel. “NetShows is tired of waiting.”
“If you wanted me to sign right away, you should’ve negotiated a contract to protect my creative oversight.”
“Compton wouldn’t budge.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “I wish I could talk to Max about it.”
“I wouldn’t recommend it. I showed him the magazine article, so he’s pretty upset.”
His words hit her in the chest like a sledgehammer. Tears stung her eyes.
“Why? Why turn him against me?”
“Because you’re supposed to marry me. I know what’s best for you. I have our whole future planned out.”
His hand moved toward her, and she leaned out of his reach.
“Marry me, and I’ll leave the agency,” he said. “All the profits will be ours.”
“You don’t love me, Damon.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Love is a feeling. It changes like the weather. You and me… we’re a team. We could make this partnership work because we complement each other. Think where you were two years ago, before we met.”
I was alone, just like I am now.
“What’s this?” he said, as the car slowed. “Why’s the gate closed?”
She shrugged, staring out her window. “Max said he was having a gate installed. Guess they did it.”
“Hope it’s not locked.”
She hardly noticed when he left the car to open the gate. As she gazed at the snow-blanketed landscape with white mountains in the distance, her eyes shimmered in unshed tears. She’d never lived where there was snow—never even considered it. But this morning, Max had dangled before her eyes the tantalizing offer of a new life. Now she wanted snow and mountains, horses and cows. She wanted Christmas with family. She wanted Cady. And most of all… she wanted Max.
The sound of slamming car doors and yelling voices drew her attention. As she wiped her damp face with her fingers, her door jerked open.
“Max? What are you do—”
“Amy! Thank God, you’re okay! I was afraid they wouldn’t lock the gate in time.”
“You’re not mad at me?”
“For putting your life in danger? I might be a little mad.”
He reached down to unlatch her seatbelt, but stopped with his hand on the release, his face only inches away from hers. A slow smile stole onto his face. “I don’t think I can wait any longer.”
“For what?”
In answer, his mouth lowered to hers, his lips moving in a slow caress, almost worshipful. With a teasing nibble on her lower lip, he pulled away, leaving her wanting more.
“I need to hold you.” He pulled her out of the car and into his arms. When she shuddered in the icy wind, he unzipped his coat to wrap her against him. “I was so afraid he’d hurt you.”
“I could get used to this.” She
rested her head on his shoulder, luxuriating in his radiant heat. “I’m sorry for how you found out about me… the best-selling author thing. But I promise I didn’t know who you were until this morning.”
“Shhhhh.” He murmured, bending to nuzzle the side of her neck. “We’ll talk about it later.”
From the warmth of her cocoon she spotted Damon with his hands high in the air.
She gasped, “Gracious! That guy’s pointing a shotgun at Damon. Are they going to kill him?”
“No. Although I’m tempted,” Max said. “They’re getting that gun away from him. He could’ve killed you, Amy! Why did you get in the car with him, when he’d already threatened you?” He softened his scolding with a kiss on her forehead.
“I had to get him away from the house. What if he’d shot Cady? Or you?”
Just then, Damon’s hands came down, and he turned shocked eyes toward Amy. He marched to the car and confronted her, holding his head between his hands. “You told Max I had a gun in my coat pocket?”
She twisted to face him. “Didn’t you have one? You kept sticking your hand in there and giving me a menacing look.”
“My gun was safe in the glovebox.” He locked gazes with her, his brows bent in injury. “But even if I had it with me, you don’t think I’d ever shoot someone, do you? Don’t you know me better than that?”
“I thought I knew you,” she said, rubbing her temples. “But ever since this NetShows deal, you’ve been acting crazy. You even lied to Max about that magazine article. Tell him the truth.”
“No need.” Max’s lips split in a crooked smile, giving her the urge to kiss him again. “I figured it out on my own,” he said. “It took about ten minutes, but my thick skull finally remembered what a terrible actress you were.”
“Let’s go, Abigail.” Damon held out his hand. “We’re going to miss our flight.”
“I’m not going,” she replied, jutting her jaw forward.
“But the contract…” He sagged, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re not going to sign it, are you? A million dollar deal, flushed down the toilet.”
“My attorney said he’d have it done before the end of the year,” she offered.
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