“Tease,” she said with a mock scowl.
“You can tease me back anytime.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“Be careful what you wish for.” When he groaned, she laughed. “So, tell me about the dog you recently acquired.”
“I saw him running past my barn one night, and I thought it was a wolf or coyote, so I followed it around the back of the barn—”
“You thought it was a wolf or coyote, and you…followed it?”
“I had my rifle. I wouldn’t have shot it if it had been one if I didn’t need to. I’d shoot into the air first, but when I got around the barn I saw it was a dog. A Husky. He’s young too. I took him to Doctor Garrett this morning, and she had no records for him, and there wasn’t a chip. So, I’m keeping him.” He shrugged. “I haven’t had a dog in years. Carolyn was allergic, so we didn’t have one. I named him Buddy, since it was how I got his attention.”
“He’s lucky to have you take him in. Do you mind if I ask you how you got that scar?” She pointed to the corresponding spot on her own face where the scar was on his.
Holt laughed. “Nothing heroic about it. I tripped in the barn and fell on a rake.”
“Oh, wow. How old were you?”
“Eight. I caught hell from both my parents about it too. I was always told not to run in the barn but since neither of them were in there, I was running in and out of the empty stalls. I knocked the rake over. But being eight, I decided to jump it the next time around and I tripped and fell on it. I barely know the scar is there after all these years.”
“Well, it’s sexy.”
He chuckled and looked away. “It was clumsiness. It’s hardly sexy. Do you have any scars or tattoos?”
“I do have a scar. It’s in the shape of a crescent.”
“Where is it?” His eyes lifted, met hers then roamed over her as if searching for it.
She grinned and met his gaze. “On my right thigh, at the top.”
“Oh, hell,” he muttered making her laugh. “How did you get it?”
“Like yours, it was nothing heroic. I wrecked my bike when I was twelve.”
“I’d like to see it,” he murmured then grinned when she blushed.
“Any family?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Mother, father, sister, brother-in-law, niece—and my sister is pregnant now.”
“How old is your niece?”
“Six, and Siobhan is a real character.” He grinned.
“You sound like a proud uncle.”
“I love my niece. My sister and her husband have been married for nine years, and Siobhan is excited about having a baby brother or sister.”
“Are you older or younger?”
“Older.”
“Uh, oh. I bet she had trouble with boyfriends.” Sloane grinned.
“Yeah, I guess I was a pain in the ass for her. I didn’t like any guy she dated. Not even Cary, her husband. I really didn’t like him when I met him,” he said with a laugh.
“Why not?” She speared a shrimp and put it in her mouth.
“Because I knew she thought she was in love.”
“Thought she was in love? How old was she then?” she asked after chewing and swallowing her food.
“Twenty-seven,” he muttered.
She burst out laughing. “I would think she’d be old enough to know by then.”
His eyes narrowed as he glared at her. “She’s my baby sister, and I didn’t want her to make a mistake.”
She laughed harder. “You can’t make her decisions for her, Holt.”
“Funny, Liza said the same thing.” He chuckled.
She was really enjoying herself with him. He had a great sense of humor and personality. Throw in those good looks, and he was the total package. Speaking of packages…when he’d picked her up, and his coat was hanging open, she couldn’t help but skim her eyes down his body, and her eyes couldn’t seem to get past the fly of his jeans.
Whew, it was suddenly way too hot in here. She looked across the table to see him staring at her, and their eyes met and held.
“Holt…”
“Do you want to get out of here?” he asked her in a low tone of voice.
“Yes,” she whispered.
She watched as he raised his hand to signal their server over to the table.
“Would you like some dessert?” she asked with a smile.
“Just the check, please,” Holt said.
“Yes, sir.” She picked up their plates and walked off.
Sloane picked up her cloth napkin, dabbed at her lips, and placed it on the table. Anything so she didn’t look at him. She wanted him so much, but she was scared out of her mind. What if she disappointed him? What if he disappointed her? Good Lord! Please don’t let him be another dud between the sheets. She needed a real man. A man who could take her over the edge. A man who could make her scream his name in the throes of passion. She raised her eyes to look at him. This man. Something told her it was this man. She wanted—she needed Holt.
“You’re overthinking this,” he said in a low tone of voice.
“I’m trying not to. I think you should know…I’ve only been with one man. I’m thirty-three years old, and my ex is the only man I’ve ever been with.”
“I’m not going to pressure you into anything, Sloane. If you’re not ready for this—”
She tilted her head. “What if I pressure you?”
He inhaled sharply. “Don’t say shit like that. Let me tell you something, sweetheart. It wouldn’t take much pressure from you. I think I’ve been hard since the first time I saw you.”
“At the accident?”
“Yes. When you raised your head and looked at me, it was like someone kicked me in the gut.”
“Well, even with my head spinning, I thought you were the most handsome man I’d ever seen.”
A grin lifted his lips. “Well, let’s go then. I’ll take you home. We can get to know each other—in any way you choose.”
“I’d like that.” She moved to get up, but Holt pushed his chair back, stood, and walked around the table to hold her seat while she got to her feet.
She picked up her coat. He took it from her and held it behind her for her to put her arms in. When he lifted her hair from the collar, she shivered.
“Cold?” he asked her near her ear.
“No,” she said as she glanced over her shoulder at him to see him grinning.
The server returned, Holt handed her his credit card, and in a few minutes, she was back with it. He added a tip to the receipt then he took Sloane’s elbow in his hand and turned to go.
“Holt,” a male voice said as they started toward the front door.
“Jake, how are you?”
Sloane watched as Holt shook hands with the man.
“Good. You?”
“Great. Hey, Becca. This is Sloane Gates. She’s the Gates girls’ cousin. Sloane, this is Jake and Becca Stone. Jake is Trent’s brother.”
“Hi, Sloane, I can see your resemblance to your cousins,” Becca, a beautiful redhead said as she smiled at her.
“It’s nice to meet you both.” Sloane shook their hands. “I thought you looked familiar, Jake. Now I know why.”
“Sloane bought Celeste’s bakery,” Holt said.
“Are you keeping it a bakery?” Becca asked her.
“Yes. I used to own one in Albuquerque. I can’t wait to get started.”
“That’s great. I miss that place,” Jake said with a grin. He was a very good-looking man with black hair and dark chocolate-colored eyes.
“We’ll be sure to stop by once you open. Come on, Stone, let’s get to our booth. We’ll see you soon, Sloane. See you, Holt.” They walked off.
Sloane frowned. “Did she just call him Stone?”
Holt laughed. “Yeah, she has since she met him. Becca moved here from Maryland—I think. Her grandmother left her the horse ranch that she owned at the time of her death. Jake’s ranch butts up to it. I think Hattie, Becca’s gran
dmother, was hoping that what happened, did. Becca and Jake fell in love. They have two kids, Will and Hattie. They’re a great couple.” He shrugged. “She rarely calls him Jake, just like he rarely calls her Becca. He calls her Red.”
Sloane laughed. “He probably loves it.”
“He does, just like he loves her.”
“He’s very good-looking.” She looked up at Holt. “What’s in the water around here? A lot of gorgeous men live here. Including you, and please don’t let that go to your head.”
“I won’t. Let’s go.” He jerked his chin for her to go, and he followed behind her with his hand placed in the small of her back.
All kinds of thoughts started racing through her mind. Was he going to stay with her tonight? Shouldn’t they go to his house instead? Maybe he didn’t want her in the home he’d shared with his wife. Oh, for God’s sake! Just stop. She was going to drive herself insane or make herself sick with worry over this.
They stepped outside, and she took a deep breath then blew it out. Holt took her hand in his and they walked to the truck. He opened the passenger door for her, and when she stepped onto the running board, he grasped her arm in his hand and had her turn to look at him. He stared into her eyes then smiled.
“This running board is the right height.”
She chuckled. “I think so too.”
He cupped her face in his hands, leaned close, and hovered his lips above hers.
“I want you, Sloane but as I said, I’m not going to pressure you. Can I kiss you?”
“You never asked before,” she whispered.
“I know, but I want you to understand that it’s all up to you.”
“Then please, kiss me,” she said, then moaned when his lips settled over hers, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
His tongue moved into her mouth, and when she sucked on it, he groaned, slid his hands down her sides, and around her back then he pulled her tight against him. He slowly raised his lips from hers, making them cling together.
“Damn coats,” he muttered as he moved his lips across her cheek and down to her neck.
Sloane removed her arms from around his neck and slid them over his broad shoulders.
“Let’s go,” she said and hissed in a breath when he nipped her neck with his teeth.
“Your place or mine?” he asked when he raised his head and gazed into her eyes.
“Wherever. Either. I don’t care.”
He grinned then nodded for her to get in. Once she did, he shoved the door closed, and Sloane watched him through the windshield as he made his way around the truck to the driver’s side. When he got in, he looked over at her, started the truck, then tore out of the parking lot.
****
Holt needed to get his emotions under control. He wrapped his hands tight around the steering wheel and kept his eyes on the road because if he looked over at her, he’d pull the truck onto the berm and take her right here on the front seat. Shit. He shifted in his seat. He was so hard, it surprised him his zipper hadn’t busted open.
Had he ever wanted a woman more? God! He hated even thinking that. He had loved Carolyn and if she hadn’t died, this wouldn’t even be happening but damn, he wanted Sloane so much. So. Fucking. Much. He hadn’t lied when he said he’d probably been hard since he first saw her. She was all he seemed to think about lately. He’d even hoped when he went into the diner that she’d be there. If she hadn’t been, he would have asked one of the Gates girls about her. Just to make sure she was all right was what he had told himself. He shook his head. What a crock that was. Oh, he did want to make sure she was all right, but he wanted to see her again more than anything else. When he saw her getting ready to go into the old bakery, he had to run across the street to get there in time before she disappeared inside. Yeah, he was that guy. He’d been so glad she’d invited him in.
A deer ran out, making him slam on the brakes and he instinctively put his arm across in front of her. The deer disappeared into the woods. He sat there for a few seconds.
“You okay?” he asked, after taking a deep breath to calm his breathing.
“Yes, are you?”
“Yeah, just waiting to see if any more come out. They’re rarely alone.” He looked to his right. “See?” He pointed as two more ran across the road.
“Well, I wouldn’t have known that. I would have just gone on.”
“You have to be careful out here. They can come out at any time of the day, but at night it can be worse.” He couldn’t believe they were sitting here talking about deer when his dick was so hard. He was sure he’d be permanently stuck in these jeans. He looked over at her to see her trying not to laugh. He chuckled, and she burst out laughing.
“Sorry, I’m nervous,” she said.
“Don’t be. I told you, baby, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. I’ve never forced a woman in my life, and I’m not going to start now. We’ll go to my house, watch some TV, and just relax. Sound good?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He nodded then drove along the road. He didn’t go fast because any animal could jump out in front of a car on a dark road.
“I believe you copped a feel with that arm across me move, James,” she said with laughter in her voice.
“Guilty.” He chuckled.
He took it slow and easy as he drove along Copper Ridge and out of the corner of his eye, he saw her sit up and glance around.
“Isn’t this where I had my accident?”
“Yes, ma’am. Right about here. It’s a bad road, and even worse at night. Sam Garrett, the sheriff in Clifton, has been trying for years to get the county to take part of the hill out along the ditch and straighten the road, but they won’t do it. They say they don’t have the funds for it. Even Sheriff Beckett has tried on the Hartland side.”
“Deidra told me that too. It was scary enough in the daylight. It’s even scarier now.”
“Just relax, I’ll get us there.”
“I think it was Deidra who said people had been killed on this road. I can see why.”
“It’s a very dangerous road. A lot of accidents happen on it.”
He was glad when they reached his home. He glanced over at her.
Sloane sat there, staring back at him. He gave her a small smile, and he saw her blow out a breath. Throwing his door open, he strode around the front, and to her side. He opened the door for her. She turned in the seat to face him and cupped his face in her hands.
“Thank you for dinner.”
“You’re welcome—” He stopped when he heard Buddy barking from inside.
“Sounds like a big dog,” she said with wide eyes.
“Don’t worry. He’s a pussycat. Been mistreated, but he’s getting better. Nothing pisses me off more than someone who abuses animals or children.”
“Same here. Both need love, not fear.”
He gave a short nod. “Come on, let’s get inside. It’s getting colder.”
“Welcome to Montana,” she said with a laugh, making him laugh with her.
Holt took her hand, helped her down, pushed the door closed, and led her to the steps of the farmhouse. The porch light came on as they got closer. They walked up onto the porch, and he reached for the doorknob then looked back at her.
“I’m not sure how he’s going to react to strangers, so stay with me, all right?”
“Yes.”
He could feel her hand shaking. “He won’t bite you. I think it’s more of him being excited over someone new. He did snap at me the first night I found him when I tried to take his bowl to refill it, but he’s out of that now. Just stay behind me.”
“All right.”
Holt opened the door, reached inside, flipped on the light, and stepped inside. Sloane stepped in behind him. Buddy stood there with his tail wagging, seeming happy to see his master.
“Sit, Buddy,” Holt said and watched as the dog sat.
He let go of Sloane’s hand, removed his hat, and coat and placed them on the
back of the kitchen chair then turned to help her out of hers. She took her coat off and handed it to him then peered around him. With those heels on those boots, the top of her head came to his chin.
“How tall are you?”
“Five two,” she whispered, making him chuckle.
“You don’t have to whisper. I’m sure he knows there’s someone here other than me.”
“Don’t make fun of me.”
Leaning down, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips then turned back around to face the dog and almost burst out laughing. Buddy had his head tilted, trying to look around him, as Sloane had just done. Holt tossed the coat on the back of a chair then squatted down.
“Come here, Buddy.” He put his hand out, and the dog walked to him.
Holt rubbed his ears, then Buddy looked up at Sloane and licked her hand when she held it out to him. Holt shook his head. “A man must have abused him.”
“Yes.”
She squatted down, and Buddy almost knocked her over trying to get closer to her. Holt grabbed her arm to steady her. She looked up at him, laughing, and his heart skipped a beat. He helped her up, but she leaned down to pet Buddy again. “His eyes are so pretty. Hi, Buddy.”
Holt picked up the coats along with his hat then hung them on pegs by the back door. He turned to look at Sloane and his dog, and he had a feeling he’d just been replaced as he watched her lower herself to the floor. He was sure his jaw dropped open. Few women would sit on the floor, in a dress, with a dog. She seemed to love it though. Buddy plopped down and put his head in her lap, and Holt wanted to push the dog away so he could do the same thing.
“You’re a goofball, Buddy,” she said as the dog tried to get closer yet.
“You’re going to get dog fur all over you.”
“I don’t care. I love dogs but never had one.” She leaned down and kissed Buddy’s snout.
Holt put his hand out to help her up. Then he held onto her hand as he opened the door for Buddy to go out, but the dog hesitated.
“Go,” he told him, and after a longing look at Sloane, he ran out the door. Holt looked down at her. “I think you have a fan.”
She put her arms around his waist and looked up at him. “You?”
Holt Men of Clifton, Montana Book 12 Page 6
