“I never went camping like this,” she whispered, as she pushed his shirt off.
He ran his hand down her bare skin, reaching the fastening on her jeans and opening them to run his hand over her abdomen. Lifting to his knees, he straddled her to remove the unwanted clothing, leaving her bikini panties in place as enjoyed the view. Her eyes glittered with anticipation and need, her tongue licking at her lower lip, the simple motion of him heightening his desire. He moved his mouth to hers, wrapped her in his arms, and kissed her deep. One free hand found its way to the soft hair inside her panties.
He pushed the panties down her legs, tossed them to the side, and kissed her inner thighs; moving inside to tease her with his tongue while she moaned with desire. He moved his head to her ear and whispered, “You are so perfect.” he said. He kissed her from her head down to her toes before slipping out of his own clothes and plunging into her magical depths.
Sometime during the night as the embers cooled and the stars shone into the quiet room, the groggy and satisfied lovers made their way to sleep in the four-poster bed.
Chapter Fourteen
Monday morning Robyn worked at the shop, light-hearted but missing Ben. Somehow, he’d convinced Marilee to keep Aidyn another night and drive her to school today. Or maybe it had been Marilee’s idea. Robyn wasn’t sure which but her nipples hardened and she grew wet just remembering the day spent mostly in bed with Ben. She celebrated when he called to say his furnace wouldn’t be fixed for another week or two. There was a chance they might still be at the ranch house for Christmas.
Don’t be a fool. She had a fling but it wasn’t anything more than that. A weekend of sex unlike any she had ever experienced because it involved a man she admired. A man who had taken a special place in her heart; the way he cared for his daughter, and the way he got Robyn all flustered yet made her feel like a sex goddess all at the same time. Was it a fleeting romance? Or was there something more there? She could put a stop to it now, before she was invested. Or was it already too late?
Robyn looked up as the bell tinkled above the door and a new customer entered. Tourists often stopped by to browse through the quilt store during the Christmas season so she wasn’t surprised to see a stranger. This woman looked vaguely familiar though and Robyn couldn’t put her finger on why. Tall and slender with bleached blonde hair and a heavy layer of make-up, she also had some impressive nail art going on. The woman looked more like a fashion model than a seamstress. What was she doing here?
“Can I help you?” Robyn asked, walking politely toward her.
“No.” The blonde replied. Her pursed lips tightened what could be a lovely face. “I’m just curious.”
“Do you sew? We have some fun Christmas projects on sale.” Robyn made the attempt to be friendly, although her gut told her it wouldn’t do any good.
The woman’s nostrils flared. Instead of answering, she walked to the bin holding Christmas fabrics. She lifted the edge of one bolt as though something might be hiding beneath it. “Cute,” she said.
Her tone said she didn’t mean it and Robyn wanted to escort the snobby woman out of her shop. She wouldn’t be good for business with her nose stuck in the air like that. The store’s customers were generally the friendly sort, asking each other for advice and helping pick out fabrics. “Go ahead and look around. Give me a shout if you need anything.”
Ms. Super-Model glanced at the front window and walked that way. “I’ll take that,” she said.
Robyn joined her. “Which one?” There was a multitude of items on display and she had no idea what the woman was after.
“The elves. All of them. And the table.”
“Sorry, the elves aren’t for sale. They’re only for display.”
“Nonsense. Of course, they’re for sale. Everything is for sale.” She snapped open a tiny red purse and pulled out a credit card.
Robyn had no interest in her money. “I made those with my grandmother. They aren’t for sale.” She tried to be pleasant but firm. As a distraction, she pointed to a display rack set against the wall. “We do have a collection of kits and you can make your own elf.”
The woman snorted and gave Robyn a look of disgust, as if she couldn’t believe what she heard. She dropped the card back in her purse, turned on her heel and left without another word.
Anna came from the back to join Robyn at the window. “Who was that? Whatever you said sure made her unhappy.”
“She wanted to buy my Christmas elves, but I wouldn’t part with them for anything.”
“Don’t I know it. You are the most sentimental person in town. And the most predictable. You need to learn how to let go and have some fun.”
“Thanks for the advice. Now get back to work.”
She shoo’d her best employee away with a laugh. If only Anna had seen her yesterday. She blushed from the memory. Robyn understood Anna was trying to tell her that she worked too hard. Anna loved the shop nearly as much as Robyn and she had ideas for change but Robyn had balked. She had difficulty changing things up. She liked her routine, and her predictable life. Even as she thought it, Ben’s face flashed in her mind.
Her and grandma had dreamed of owning a quilt shop together since she was a teenager, and she loved the store. But was it holding her back? Anna had some great ideas to improve the shop and Robyn valued the woman’s opinion and her work ethic. If Robyn loosened her grip on the reins and let Anna run with her ideas, what was the worst that could happen? Was Robyn too stuck in her ways and too afraid of losing control to take chances in her life? To allow someone else to come in and shake things up for the better?
Robyn mulled over the past few days with Ben. They had been as unpredictable as any in her life. Unpredictable and amazing. With Aidyn in the house, they had to be discreet. Ben had promised to sneak into Robyn’s room at night for play dates, as he’d taken to calling them. Oh, and that man sure did know how to play. Robyn sighed just thinking of it. She imagined running her hands over those broad shoulders, and his…
The bell above the door sounded, and Aidyn came running in. Robyn checked her watch not realizing it had gotten so late. She gave Aidyn a hug. “How was school today?” she asked.
“It was good, but we ran out of ribbon. My teacher asked if I could get more.”
“Of course.” Robyn often donated materials for craft projects to the school. Somehow Aidyn’s teacher must have found out where Aidyn was staying. Robyn’s ears burned. What were they saying about her and the town’s newest deputy sheriff? They always said news travels fast in a small town, but come on already…
Aidyn dug into her backpack and pulled out the ornament she made in class; a Christmas tree made from folded ribbons and an assortment of beads.
“That’s perfect. I love it,” Robyn said. She looked up to see Ben enter the store. He was dressed in his full deputy’s uniform and looked yummy. His expression caused her to frown. “Is something wrong?” she asked.
“I have to return to the city to take care of some things.”
Robyn straightened. If it wasn’t for the grim look on his face, she’d be fine with him leaving. Something was off though. He would barely look at her. What was it? “Do you want to leave Aidyn with me? I’ll be glad to look after her.”
“Thanks, but Aidyn needs to go with me.”
She wanted to know what he needed to take care of, but didn’t dare. If he wanted to share, he would. “When will you be back?”
“I’m not sure.”
“In time for Christmas?”
“I can’t make any promises.” He placed a hand on Aidyn’s head. “Your suitcase is in the truck. We have to get going.”
Before Robyn recovered from her surprise, Ben bent down and gave her a brotherly peck on the cheek. “Thanks for letting us stay with you.” This time he did look at her, but his eyes were sad. He touched a finger to her face. “I won’t ever forget it.”
Robyn gave Aidyn a good-bye hug.
“Daddy, I don’t want t
o go. I want to stay with Robyn.” Her amber eyes flashed with anger.
“Sorry, shortcake, but we have to leave.” He took Aidyn by the hand and led her away.
Robyn stood at the display window and watched them get in the car. Her heart had never felt so heavy. Why was he leaving? Why wouldn’t he talk to her? When they pulled out of the parking space, another vehicle pulled out after them, a fancy BMW. The driver turned to look at the display window as she drove off. Sunlight glinted off her blonde hair. Ms. Super Model. Was she following Ben?
Remembering the woman’s amber eyes, Robyn raised a hand to her mouth. No wonder she looked so familiar; she was Aidyn’s mom. What was going on? Was Ben going back to his ex-wife? Robyn closed her eyes. There was a hollowness in her heart she’d never felt before. Was what they had going to end before it ever really began? A tear rolled down her cheek.
Chapter Fifteen
How the hell did she find him? Ben pulled out of the parking spot on main street, angry at himself for making a mess of things. What happened with Robyn…damn it…it shouldn’t have happened. Not until he’d fixed things with Joyce. He glanced in the rear-view mirror. Aidyn was watching him, and he needed to calm down.
“Where are we going?” Aidyn asked. Her innocent face showed signs of anxiety and stress, the last things he wanted his daughter to experience. That’s why he’d left the city in the first place.
“We’re going to stay with Uncle Timothy in Denver for a few days. You liked it there, didn’t you?”
“I loved Scout. He was fun.”
“Scout won’t be a puppy anymore. He’ll be a full-grown dog by now.”
“That’s okay. He’s still my friend.”
Just listening to Aidyn’s chatter helped Ben relax. He hated pulling her out of school but they were about to shut down for the holiday season anyway. He’d find a way to make up for the missing days. He cursed as he watched Joyce’s BMW catch up to them. Not that her lack of trust was any big surprise after he’d skipped out on her once without a forwarding address. He hadn’t done anything illegal by getting a new job in the country, but not leaving her a forwarding address wasn’t exactly playing fair and he knew it.
When she tracked him down at the station this morning, angry that she’d had to pay someone to find him, he agreed to go back to Denver and discuss a custody arrangement. He wasn’t about to hand over his daughter unless the courts made him. He smirked. Payback was a bitch. Joyce had gotten a taste of her own medicine and he refused to feel sorry for her. He was worried though. What price would he pay for crossing his ex-wife? And how much of an ass had he been to drag Robyn into his family drama? She didn’t deserve to be caught up in his mess and he wanted to leave her out of it. How would she take it when she found out he’d tried to keep his daughter away from her own mother? How would any woman take it? Would they consider what a piss-poor mother Joyce had been? That she’d abandoned them once she found herself a rich boyfriend? He should have handled the custody arrangement the correct way and gone through the courts. Now he was worried that he’d come across as the bad guy.
As the miles sped by, he turned the radio to Christmas music and tried to forget his problems as he sang along with Aidyn. They’d always travelled well together. Joyce had never appreciated his singing, but his daughter loved it and they could go for hours. When Blue Christmas came on the radio, Ben turned the volume down. The song made him think of Robyn and he didn’t want to go there. He should tell her the truth...he’d made a bad decision leaving before going through the courts. The other truth was…he might do the same thing again. Robyn would only complicate things.
“Daddy,” Aidyn said.
Ben glanced in the rear-view mirror to listen.
“Can I get a puppy like Scout for Christmas?”
“Honey, your mom wants you to visit her for Christmas. And you know she doesn’t like dogs.”
“Maybe Robyn could keep it for me? She lives on a farm and she likes dogs. She even laughed when Bruno kissed her.”
Ben smiled at the memory. Sledding with Robyn and her friends had been more fun than he’d had in a long time. His smile turned into a frown as he glanced at Joyce in the rear view mirror. Sledding down a hill was one of the many things his ex-wife had no interest in doing, not even to please her daughter. Joyce enjoyed skiing because that’s where her kind hung out, allowing them a chance to show off over-priced ski outfits and brag about their exotic vacations. Ben ran a hand along his face to wipe away the stress, thinking of the last time they took Aidyn skiing as a family. Joyce insisted on putting her in a class instead of teaching her themselves. The class was great and all, but he’d wanted to spend time with his daughter. He caved, as he usually did, to prevent their ski vacation from turning into another argument. That last trip to the slopes had pushed him too far. Joyce took off after that, or he might’ve done it himself. The only difference was, he would’ve taken Aidyn with him.
None of it made what he’d done right and guilt consumed him. Guilt for having moved with no forwarding address, and now for what he’d done to Robyn. Love ‘em and leave ‘em was not his way. Trying to explain though—he was too angry for one thing. And too worried for another. What if he lost his daughter? His heart broke at the thought.
Aidyn was asleep when Ben pulled into Tim’s driveway, but Scout’s barking woke her before Ben had time to get her out of the car. The dog was a Boston Terrier with a big voice. “Scout,” Aidyn shouted, hopping out of the car and hugging on the little animal. Timothy was a bachelor with sparse Christmas decorations around his small house, which was fine with Ben. He was in no mood for the holiday. Would he even have Aidyn over Christmas, or would some judge send her home with Joyce? He’d find out one way or another other soon enough.
Timothy came out in his pajamas and picked up Aidyn to give her a hug. He saw Joyce’s car and carried her inside the house before she could see her mother. Joyce parked, blocking the drive, and Ben went out to speak to her. She was on her phone, so he waited.
As soon as she hung up, he stepped closer and said, “If you want to see Aidyn, she’s too tired. You’ll have to wait until morning.” He was tired too and had no desire to listen to one of Joyce’s rants tirades. Once she got started there was no stopping the woman. If he tried to go into the house, she’d just follow him and disturb Aidyn; so he listened as she gave him an earful for disappearing out of the city. When she finally slowed down, he asked, “What is it you want, Joyce? You left us, remember.”
She grew quiet, an unusual circumstance for his ex. It made him nervous. “I’m moving to New York,” she said.
The blood drained from Ben’s face. Joyce couldn’t take Aidyn to New York. His daughter was his life. How could he see her if she lived in New York?
“Don’t look so broken up over it,” Joyce said. “I’m not taking Aidyn with me.”
His eyes rose to meet hers. Had he heard that correctly? “You aren’t fighting for custody?” His relief was palpable and he felt a load lift from his shoulders. How would Aidyn feel about it? Her mother didn’t want her and Aidyn was being abandoned again. Should he even tell her? She’d been heartbroken the first time Joyce left. Maybe they weren’t close, but Joyce was the only mother Aidyn had.
Joyce sighed. “If you’d loved me half as much as you loved our daughter…”
Ben rubbed at the spot between his eyes. Even now, Joyce knew how to push his buttons. There was too much at stake and he couldn’t let his ex-wife get to him. He dropped his hand. “I tried. You know I did.”
“I suppose you did. We were just too different, you and I.”
That was new. In the past, everything had been his fault. He’d done some serious reflecting on his failings, maybe she had on her own as well.
Joyce gave him a sad smile, seeming to read his mind but she left it alone and changed the subject. “I’m getting married again. And I’d like to spend time with Aidyn before I leave. I know I haven’t been much of a mother and she belongs with yo
u, but I do love her. When I get settled…maybe we can arrange for visits.” She saw the worry on Ben’s face. “I mean, when she’s older. I’d like to show her New York and try to make it up to her for leaving the way I did.”
Ben thought it over. “You can spend time with her, but only if I’m around to supervise. I’m not sure I trust you.”
“Fair enough. I’ll call you in the morning and we’ll work out the details.”
Joyce drove off, leaving Ben to scratch his head. How could he hang out with his ex without fighting? That’d be challenging enough, but he also didn’t know what to do about Robyn. Should he call and tell her that he was spending time with his ex-wife. He wasn’t in any sort of committed relationship with Robyn, but he didn’t want to jinx what they had.
He went into Tim’s house, putting off any decisions to focus solely on his daughter. Aidyn and Joyce spending time together made his head pound with a brewing tension headache. What kind of a disaster could that turn into? And what sort of emotional baggage would her mother leave behind this time? Whatever happened, he would be there to comfort his only child and to make things right. Maybe Joyce had matured since their divorce. It was only fair to give her a chance to prove it.
Chapter Sixteen
Robyn placed a vase of yellow roses in her grandparents’ room. In the time since Ben left, she’d promoted Anna to manager of the quilt shop, leaving her with time to work on her website, and more importantly to consider buying a horse to bring life back to the ranch. She closed the door on her grandparents’ room, which was now hers. She’d painted the walls a sandy shade of brown and moved out Grandma’s antiques, all except for the four-poster bed. She’d spent the best night of her life in that bed and it wasn’t going anywhere. The room looked fresh, clean, and modern, and was no longer a remnant of her past.
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