If Nick hadn’t stepped up to pay for that, the kids in town would have been sorely disappointed. Because he had, the children were going to be able to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him their Christmas wishes. Wishes she needed to make come true by saving their parents’ jobs.
An image of Nick’s smiling face impressed itself over the troubling thoughts. Again she wondered where he’d gotten the money and if giving it away had left him in dire straits. He’d been pretty happy when they’d finally finished putting all the wreaths up the night before, even inviting her to come back to his room at the B&B for a little something to warm her up as he’d put it. It had taken considerable willpower to say no.
And he hadn’t pressed the issue.
A frown furrowed her brow. Granted, she hadn’t wanted him to pressure her, but unlike the old Nick, he’d given up without a fuss. Had he really come back to Silver Falls after all this time for her as he’d told Sam? She highly doubted it. Especially since he had given up on getting her into his arms—and in his bed—so readily.
As if conjured from the air by her very thoughts, a knock sounded on the glass planed door and opened before she could tell whoever was on the other side to come in.
It was Nick. To say she was delighted was an understatement.
“Hey, Holly Darling.”
Holly’s eyes blinked. That was new endearment, she thought giddily.
He strode in as though he owned the place, a white paper bag in one hand and cardboard coffee carrier in the other. Even from the other side of the room, she could smell the hot chocolate.
“I thought you might be in need of a snack after all those meetings this morning.”
“I am.” She took the cup he handed her, almost groaning aloud at the delightful smell. Her brow crinkled. “How did you know I was in meetings all morning?”
“I asked your assistant earlier.” He set his drink down and opened the bag he was carrying.
“You came by to see me before?” Her frown deepened.
“Yep,” he nodded, “as soon as I got up, I came here.” His gaze caught hers and held it for a moment. “I miss you, Holly.”
“I, um, miss you too.” Her response sounded lame to her own ears. But how should she respond? Was she supposed to have said it as if she’d missed him like an old friend or an old flame? Before he’d left town, their relationship had moved from best friends to lovers. A move Holly had been reluctant to make, knowing how it was going to end. Boys like Nick did not stay with girls like Holly. Not only was she a curvy chunk of woman, but she was also an old-fashioned girl. Wanting—needing—her roots to keep her strong. Not the carefree tumbleweed Nick had appeared to be. She cocked her head, studying him. Was he still a rolling stone or had he changed? Was he ready for the type of life she longed for? She doubted it.
She placed her mouth on the lid of her cup and took a deep sip, groaning at the sweet chocolate taste. Perfection.
“I take it you like the hot chocolate?” Nick threw her a grin that heated up her insides faster than the warm, winter drink ever could.
“Yeah.” She returned his grin and took another sip. Deliberately, drawing out the groan she’d inadvertently made before.
“Damn it, woman, don’t do that.”
“Do what?” She blinked her eyes lashes at him, a smug, innocent expression on her face. She’d miss this light hearted flirting.
“Make my pants too damn tight.”
“Nick!” Holly felt the color flood her cheeks even as her gaze dropped to the front of his jeans. Sure enough, he was…
“Here, have a donut, you look hungry.”
Holly took the pastry, biting into it before she said something that got herself in trouble—deep trouble. As her thoughts slowed, she let out a tiny groan at the wonderful flavor of the pastry mixed with the tart raspberry filling.
“Damn it, Holly, I’m warning you.”
His deep voice had her glancing up and almost got choked on the buttery crust as she forgot to swallow. Oh, donkey doo, she thought. He was just as handsome and tempting as he’d ever been. More so. For now, he was a mature, adult man with bad boy written all over him.
She put down her pastry to take a drink. Had he remembered she didn’t like coffee? Not that she couldn’t have developed a taste for it after all these years. After all, she was now a mature, adult woman as well.
A woman with needs, she thought suddenly. Needs that he could satisfy, oh so nicely.
As she watched, he finished his breakfast treat, eating his donut with slow, deliberate movements of his kissable mouth.
She swallowed tightly again. “You’ve, um, got a little something right there.” She made a gesture at the corner of her mouth, holding tight to the cup of hot chocolate with her other hand.
“I do?” Instead of picking up a napkin, he licked away the cream filling from his lower lip with a kind of sensuous grace that made her mouth water. Their gazes locked and she wondered what would happen if she leaned over the desk and allowed her tongue to trace the same path as his had taken, her mouth taking his.
Images of them together that summer before he left flooded through her. That same red-hot, reckless desire flashed through her, starting way down in her toes and washing upwards through her body, so her thighs and breasts and cheeks all burned with it.
“Holly.” He leaned forward, her name a husky whisper on his lips. The thought of kissing him rose in her mind again. But she shook it away. Too irresponsible she reminded herself. She wasn’t that star-struck, dreamy-eyed girl of yesteryear that would have followed him to the ends of the earth and back.
No. She was a weary, jaded-eyed woman whose heart had been broken. By him.
She sat her cup down and leaned back in her chair away from him. “What are you doing here, Nick? What do you want?”
Nick and leaned back in his chair, mimicking her actions. “What do you think I want, Holly?”
She shrugged, attempting normalcy even as her heart beat a heavy rhythm against her ribs. “I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking?”
“And when you ask so nicely, do you always get everything you want, Holly Berry?”
Her heart sped up at his joking endearment. It was one he hadn’t used that often. The one that she loved—and hated—the most.
“Nick.”
“Alright, alright. I remember that tone.”
“I do not have a tone.” Holly’s spine stiffened. Yeah, she might have a little bit of a tone, but who could blame her. What did the man expect? That he could waltz back into her life and find their relationship to be as easy-breezy as it had been ten years ago? As if.
There had been far too much water under that bridge to go back. What Holly wanted to know was if they could—should—go forward? Before she could say more, Clara knocked on the door, opening it slowly.
“Sorry to interrupt, Mayor, but the guys wanted to know if you needed them to work late again today.”
An ache started in the back of Holly’s head. She knew the men needed the money but she also knew the town couldn’t afford any more unexpected expenses. “I don’t think so, Clara. I think we’re done decorating for Christmas.”
“Fine, dear, I’ll let them know.” She backed out of the room as quietly as she’d come in.
As she’d been speaking with Clara, Nick had picked up the report that had been giving Holly fits. It included the town’s budget, the factory’s tax contribution and other glaringly pitiful totals that told the hard, cold truth. Without the factory, the town was going under.
“Have you tried to recruit a new business to replace the factory?”
“Yes, I have, Nick. I know how to do my job.”
“I know you do, Holly.”
He seemed to hesitate, as if he wanted to say something else. Instead, he rose from his chair and gathered up the empty wrappers. “I thought we could spend the day together. Maybe take a ride.”
For a moment, she wanted nothing more than to shout yes. That was exactly what
she wanted to do. But then her eyes fell on the report again. There was a town hall meeting tonight. A representative from the factory was supposed to be there to give them an update on the closing. “I’m sorry, Nick, I can’t. I have a meeting I need to prepare for.”
“Ah, the busy life of an over-worked mayor.”
Surprisingly, his words weren’t filled with disdain. In fact, they held a note of regret. Did he really want to spend time with her? To hide her nervousness she straightened the papers on her desk, putting the latest budget report on top. Was there really any need for her to stay here and worry about the fact and figures? Unless a Christmas miracle occurred, come the New Year, the little town of Silver Falls was going to suffer a swift and ugly downturn in the economy. Giving herself a migraine going over the numbers again wasn’t going to change a thing.
“I’ve changed my mind,” she stood resolutely. “I’d love to go for a ride with you.”
Nick waited impatiently as Holly went upstairs to her bedroom to change clothes. He looked around at the homey setting, thinking this could have been his—theirs. If he hadn’t been so set on leaving Silver Falls in a cloud of dust. Not even his feelings for Holly had been strong enough to keep him here.
Not then. But now, well, that was a duck of a different color.
He’d made his mark on the world and discovered success was a relative term. He didn’t regret the last ten years. He regretted that there were times in life when, no matter what a person’s heart wanted, other elements sometimes dictated what you did and when. If Holly had left with him, there was no guarantee they’d still be together now.
And, if there was one thing he wanted, that was forever with her.
Nick’s heart—and other parts of his body—had jumped at Holly’s unexpected acceptance of his invitation. He’d had every intention of coming in this morning and laying on the charm to make her throw aside her responsibilities and play hooky with him. The serious expression that had crossed her face at the mention of the town hall meeting had made him change his mind. What right did he have to come in and disrupt her life?
Every right, his heart reminded him.
They’d left her office, the smile on her face almost making him say to hell with everything and just pick her up and carry her to the nearest bed. Instead, he’d driven her to her house so she could change clothes. He’d left to make a quick trip to the grocery and was back before she’d even known he’d been gone. Inside the bike’s carryall compartment was a bottle of wine, grapes, cheese and chocolate. He’d managed to grab a quilt from her couch and stuff it inside the worn leather carrier as well. If it was some kind of family heirloom and she didn’t want to get it dirty, he would carry her off to the nearest bed.
He wanted—no needed—to touch and taste his Holly darling. It had been too long since he’d held her. Too long since he’d felt the warmth that only she could bring to his weary heart.
Too long since he’d felt loved.
“Ready,” he said, smiling as she came back into the living room, none the wiser for his brief absence.
“Yep. Is this okay?” She held out her arms, showing him her outfit. His gaze raked over her. She’d changed from the black pantsuit she’d worn to the office into a pair of blue jeans that clung to every dip and curve of her body, her lower legs encased in black leather boots. Her other half was a delight in a red sweater embroidered with a brown reindeer across the front. A sweater that lovingly cupped her full, heavy breasts. His body stirred as it always did whenever he thought of her. To say he was hungry to uncover all those lusty curves was an understatement.
“Perfect Holly. As always.”
She gave an indelicate snort. “Yeah, right.”
Suddenly, he remembered how difficult it had always been to give her a compliment. “Whoa there.” He reached out and stopped her forward movement towards the door. “What did that mean?”
One perfect brow arched. “It means that I know I am far from perfect Nick Stephens, and you of all people should know that too.”
“Okay,” Nick shook his head, “now I’m totally confused. Shouldn’t I, above all people, know just exactly how perfect you are, Holly? His arms closed around her, holding her loosely, but firmly. The look he cast sent shivers down her spine. “We spent almost two years together doing everything under the sun and then some.”
“Exactly.” She gave a sharp nod and tried to slip from his grasp. He didn’t let her go. Instead, he gave a gentle pull, making her stumble and fall against him. He barely contained his tortured moan as her soft curves sank into the hard planes of his body. Damn, she felt good. She felt absolutely, freaking perfect. His arm tightened at her waist, holding her in place.
It was like coming home.
With his free hand, he tunneled through the long dark strands of her hair, tilting her head back until she was forced to look up at him. She met his gaze with a defiant one of her own. “Now tell me what you mean by that?”
“I meant that you, of all people, should know every imperfection I have,” she huffed, her face flushing in spite of the control she was trying to exert over her wayward hormones.
“Such as?”
“Are you being deliberately obtuse?” She managed to get her hands between their bodies and shove against his chest. Not that her action mattered. He wasn’t going anywhere.
“Apparently so.”
She deflated like a lost balloon on a warm summer night. “You’ve seen every one of my flaws, Nick.” She shrugged. “Understand now?”
Suddenly, Nick realized exactly what she was talking about her. Her body. Her delicious, heart-racing, curvy body. And yeah, he’d seen every inch of her. Those few weeks before he’d left town had been hot to the point of lewdness. They’d explored each other, tasted and touched until he thought they’d simply merge together until they were one. Leaving her had been like leaving part of himself behind.
And it was the reason he’d had to return.
He lowered his head until their mouths were almost touching, their breaths warming each other’s lips. “Holly, you are the most perfect woman I have ever seen.”
Before she could dispute his words—and he knew that was coming by the stormy look in her beautiful green eyes—his mouth took her hers, groaning as the taste of her flooded his senses.
“Oh, Holly, how I’ve missed you. How I missed this.” He drew his hand down her torso to cup her breasts and run his thumbs roughly over the thick texture of her sweater. Her nipples hardened instantly.
Holly felt Nick smile against her lips before he pulled away slightly to whisper, “Tell me darlin’, how could this be anything but perfection?” He slanted his mouth across hers again, this time his lips were as rough and demanding as his hands on her breasts.
She gave herself over to him—how could she not? This was the man she had loved all her life. The bad biker boy who had stolen her heart all those years ago. The tough teenager who had taken her virginity with a tenderness that had left her with absolutely no regrets.
No regrets? That inner voice inside her screamed warningly, darkening the romantic mood he’d set so carefully. He’d always been able to do that to her. To make her forget her own dreams, her sense of right and wrong. She’d always followed his lead.
So, yes, there had been regrets after he’d left. Still, in all the years since, she’d never gotten over him. She’d managed to go on with her life, doing the things adults did. Working, filling up her home with items she chose, making new friends and enjoying old ones. Still, when Nick had left, the spark inside her had gone out.
If she let him into the life she’d so meticulously constructed in his absence, how would she survive when he left again? The breach in the world she’d so painstakingly built without him would be irreparable.
“Nick, we can’t.” She pulled away and instantly felt the loss of his touch, missed the spicy flavor of his taste. Sweet jingle bells, her heart was starting to break already.
He didn’t push the is
sue, and she was grateful. He had every right to. She’d been more than a willing participant. He stood for a moment, looking down at her, his eyes shadowed by the frown marring his face once more. “I’m not going to argue with you, Holly. Not now. He released her slowly, sliding his hands down her arms until his fingers tangled with hers. “I still want to spend the day with you. Will you do that for me?”
“Of course. I…I want that too.” She bit her lip, knowing she wanted so much more than he did.
“Good.” He leaned down, losing his head one more time, and kissed her before pulling away with a wicked look that told her he wasn’t through with her yet. A shiver of excitement ran through her. Was she a fool for not taking what he offered now, even if it meant heartbreak later?
At least she’d have the memories to look back on.
Chapter Three
Holly smiled to herself despite the icy wind blowing in her face. She was back where she belonged, she thought, tightening her arms around Nick’s waist as they raced down the two-lane highway to the outskirts of town. She had no idea where they were going, and she didn’t care. What would he do if she told him to just keep going? That she was ready to kick off the dust of small-town living and follow him anywhere he wanted to go?
Laugh at her? Tell her he’d just come back to town for a good time?
No, that wasn’t right. Nick could have any woman he wanted, any time he wanted, anywhere he wanted. As the possible reasons for his sudden return to town played through her mind, the bike beneath her slowed down. She turned her attention to the road and realized they were near the edge of town, near Cutter’s, the town’s only Christmas tree farm that had managed to stay in business through the years.
He pulled beneath the arched entryway into the graveled parking lot and turned off the engine. Without being told, Holly got off the bike and stood waiting for him. He took off his helmet before helping to remove hers. “Just like old times,” he grinned down at her.
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