Holiday Heat: The Men of Starlight Bend

by Ashley Jennifer

  “Let’s get home,” he said in a quiet voice. “We’ll warm up and then figure out what to do.”

  “There’s nothing to do,” Haley said. “Except wait.”

  And that was killing her, he could see. Haley was a woman who ran around fixing everything in her path. Kind of like Aunt Jane, though in a different way. Maddox was figuring out that Haley thought she knew what was best for everyone and grew frustrated when she couldn’t make it happen. Aunt Jane also believed she knew what was best for everyone and quietly moved heaven and earth to achieve it.

  The two of them together …

  Maddox suppressed a shudder. If Haley stayed longer, he might have to move out for his own safety.

  Maddox touched another kiss to her lips. He resisted the urge to kiss the hell out of her again, first because she was hurting, second because someone would come down this street and their encounter would provide dinner conversation for the whole town. People were already talking, Maddox knew—a kiss would put the cherry on top.

  Haley looked up at him, her brown eyes full of sorrow, and broke his heart.

  ~~*~~

  Haley was very cold by the time they reached Maddox’s ranch. The house had a name, she discovered, as they rode under the arched gate—Stardust Ranch. Very poetic.

  Her heart warmed in spite of her anguish when she saw the lights in the windows of the yellow house welcoming them in the early twilight. It was definitely a home.

  Aunt Jane listened to Haley’s tribulations without changing expression as Maddox breezed back out to see to his horses.

  Aunt Jane shrugged when Haley finished. “Everything works out for the best,” she said. “If you end up here over Christmas, then it was meant to be.”

  “I’m meant to be with my dad in his house, cooking dinner with him,” Haley said in frustration. “He needs me there.”

  Aunt Jane patted her hand. “There’s a little bit of magic in Starlight Bend every Christmas, honey. It will be fine. You’ll see. Now, you go enjoy yourself a while, and I’ll call you down in time for dinner.”

  Haley was still full from lunch at the diner. She’d thought she’d be going light by ordering the turkey sandwich, until it had arrived—huge slabs of turkey with gravy and potatoes piled, open-faced, on homemade bread, and apple pie for dessert. Enough carbs to choke a bear. The weird thing was, no one here was obese. But if they had to walk, horseback ride, snowshoe, and ski all winter, they’d easily work off heavy meals. It wasn’t a diet for people who sat at a desk all day.

  Haley found books in the living room, juicy murder mysteries interspersed with books of knitting patterns. She was in the rocking chair in her bedroom, deep in a mystery when Aunt Jane announced dinner. Haley blinked, surprised she’d sat for hours absorbed in a story, no thought of going over work things on her laptop.

  Aunt Jane’s dinner, which Maddox returned to the house in time for, was hearty vegetable soup, thick slices of meatloaf, the inevitable potatoes—boiled this time—a salad containing winter lettuce and more veggies, and baked apples for dessert. Lance sat nearby, a hopeful look on his face. He disappeared only when Maddox dropped a chunk meatloaf on the floor. There was a sound of slobber and a clink of tags, then Lance’s head rose to peer over the table again.

  “How do you all move around so fast?” Haley asked when she finished, patting her stomach. “Everyone in town zips from place to place with so much energy. I just want to go to sleep.”

  Maddox grinned at her. His eyes sparkled blue in the light of the candles Aunt Jane had lit around the room. For ambience, she said. The windows were dark now, flakes of snow drifting past.

  “You get used to it,” Maddox said. He’d put away more food than Haley and Aunt Jane together, and he looked full of life. “Horses keep you on your toes. I’m going to have to get them into the ring tomorrow. Snow is lightening up, and they’ve had too much time off.”

  “Does that mean the snowplows will be able to work?” Haley asked, but without the eagerness she’d expressed this morning. She’d already learned that Starlight Bend ran on its own schedule.

  “Maybe,” Aunt Jane said. “There are a lot of roads, and they plow out to people who are the worst off—ones who’d be truly stranded. We’re fine here—we can get in and out to town without too much trouble.”

  “What about the road where my car is?”

  “Who knows?” Aunt Jane said. “As long as the car’s flagged, so the snowplows don’t run over it.”

  Haley looked up in alarm, but Maddox’s eyes danced. “Don’t worry,” he said. “Buddy took care of it. They’ll see the flag before the car’s a pile of fiberglass.”

  Haley knew he was teasing her, but she gave him a glare. “Doesn’t anyone in Starlight Bend take care of anything? That’s an expensive car, and my phone is now scrap. It’s wasteful to be so careless.”

  Maddox shook his head as though she didn’t understand, but Aunt Jane answered. “Of course we’re not wasteful, sweetie. It’s just that we value different things. A car’s only good if it gets you around when you need it to. Any car or truck can do that. A phone’s useful if you can’t talk to someone face-to-face. But any phone will do in that case. Things can be replaced. People can’t, no matter what anyone thinks.”

  Maddox’s amusement had disappeared. Haley remembered that his parents had been killed when he’d been small—how horrible that must have been. No, people definitely couldn’t be replaced. Each was unique, like her dad, and Aunt Jane, and Maddox. Lance too. Haley reached down and gave Lance’s head a pat. He looked disappointed her hand didn’t contain meatloaf, but he enjoyed the petting as well.

  “I can’t keep dogs at my apartment,” Haley said wistfully. “No pets allowed.”

  Aunt Jane rose and began collecting dishes. “I can’t imagine living like that. For people who are allergic, I can understand, but to banish all pets, period? Nope. Never living in a city if I have to do that.”

  Maddox winked at Haley as he started gathering dishes. Haley jumped up to help. “Inhuman,” Maddox said. “Lance agrees, don’t you, boy?”

  Lance’s tail thumped hard. Maddox grinned again and disappeared into the kitchen with his plates.

  He could be such a shit. At least, he pretended to be. But he helped his aunt, looked after his animals, was kind to kids and good to his friends, like Andy, no matter how odd they were. Maddox took people as they were—didn’t expect them to be anything other than themselves.

  Refreshing.

  He also kissed with hot skill and had a body to make a goddess weep. Haley stacked dishes with more energy than necessary and charged into the kitchen with them. Maddox took them from her, his strength coming through the plates she handed him.

  What the hell was she going to do?

  ~~*~~

  No party tonight. Maddox knew Haley was bored out of her mind, but that was life in the sticks. The television was out because of the storm, the Internet now out too.

  Maddox usually went into town nights the roads were good, to hang out with friends at the bar, the town’s gathering place. He didn’t like to leave Aunt Jane on her own out here in the snow though, and Haley would never make another ride, especially in the cold and dark.

  She was dozing while Aunt Jane knitted and Maddox caught up on newspaper reading. Lance lay on the carpet an exact distance between all three of them.

  He liked this, Maddox realized. Haley warming the room with her presence, relaxing into the quiet. Maybe that’s what she needed—a place to simply stop.

  There was a lot going on inside her head, though. She was too upset at the wrong things, which meant something was bothering her more than simply being stuck at Maddox’s ranch. Maddox was going to pry what she was holding in out of her. He’d learned a long time ago that hurting couldn’t heal unless you ripped off the bandage.

  Aunt Jane, on the dot of ten, set aside her knitting, went to the kitchen to top up Lance’s food and water bowls for the night, came back out, and kissed Maddox
on the cheek.

  “I’m turning in,” she said. “Good night, Haley.”

  Haley came awake. “Good night, Aunt Jane.” She made no move to rise and make her way upstairs with her.

  “Night, Aunt Jane,” Maddox said, returning the peck on Aunt Jane’s thin cheek. “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

  Aunt Jane tousled his hair, as she’d done every night since he was ten, and climbed the stairs. The sound of Lance eating came through the kitchen door as Aunt Jane’s footsteps faded.

  “Now then, young lady,” Maddox said to Haley. “You and me are going to talk.”

  “We are?” Haley blinked her brown-gold eyes at him. “I thought men didn’t like to have heart-to-heart talks with women.”

  “Well, this man does. You were upset about your phone more than you were about your very expensive car being buried in a snow bank. What’s up with you?”

  Haley gave him a cautious look. “Nothing’s up. I’m just unhappy that I’m snowbound, and that I can’t help either myself or get the kids their gifts. That’s all.”

  So she said, but Maddox knew there was plenty more. He wanted to know everything about Haley McKee, not just her name or her daddy’s company, but about her. And he was running out of time. The snow would stop, Christmas would come, and his world would start again. Without Haley.

  “Anyway,” Haley said. “What’s up with you? Why does a grown man live with his aunt when you could move out your own, or leave town altogether? You have a degree in engineering, you said. You could take a job anywhere, in any city. Lots of opportunity in Seattle, where you could make a lot of money. Yet you hang out here and train horses.”

  “Not everything’s about money,” Maddox said. The words came out more harshly than he’d intended, and he closed his mouth with a snap.

  “See? That’s why I’m intrigued. What makes you tick, Maddox Campbell?”

  Maddox held up his hand. “Tell you what. Since we’re both so fired-up curious about each other, how about we make this interesting?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Interesting how?”

  Maddox rose, went to the hutch where his aunt kept her best china, and rummaged in a drawer. He came out with a deck of cards.

  “I told you we played checkers to while away the winter nights,” he said. “I was making that up. What we really play is poker. You up to it?”

  “Depends.” More caution. “What do you play for?”

  “Tonight, for answers. We lose a hand, we have to answer a question.”

  Haley was on her feet, her eyes sparkling as she answered his challenge. “And what if we really don’t want to answer that question?”

  “Then you have to take something off.” Maddox fixed his gaze on her, daring her to refuse. “Truth or strip poker. Your choice.”

  Chapter Seven

  Haley’s heart thumped but at the same time, she tasted triumph. She was good at poker, very good at it. If she could rescue a company from its death throes and bring it back piece by piece until it made billions, she could win at poker against Maddox Campbell. There was a series of careful decisions in pulling a business back from bankruptcy, same as in poker.

  Haley would pry all this man’s secrets from him and maybe have a look at his nice body too. They both wore layers of clothes against the cold, but all those layers wouldn’t help him in the long run.

  “What about Aunt Jane?” Haley asked, glancing up the stairs. “I don’t think she’ll approve.”

  “Aunt Jane sleeps hard,” Maddox said. He ran his thumb over the edges of the cards, snapping them together. “We can do this in my room if you want more privacy.”

  “My room,” Haley said quickly. “You’re a bachelor. I’m sure mine’s neater.”

  “Huh. You never grew up with Aunt Jane.” Maddox slapped the cards to his other hand. “But okay.”

  He started up the stairs, not waiting for her. Lance woke up, snorted, and followed.

  Haley scrambled to her feet, jogging to keep up with them both. Maddox walked calmly down the hall and into her room, which overlooked the front yard. Aunt Jane’s bedroom was in the back, Maddox’s and another spare room in between hers and Haleys’.

  Lance hurried in, tail moving. Haley didn’t object—if they shut Lance out, he’d only scratch and whine until they let him in. Maddox shut the door all but a crack behind them, so Lance could paw his way out when he wished.

  Maddox dragged the chair from the desk and turned it around to face the bed. He sat down, divided the deck in two, and began to shuffle the cards expertly on the bedspread.

  Haley climbed onto the bed, sitting with her back to the headboard. She started to slide off her shoes, then thought better of it. Better to leave as many items on as possible.

  Maddox continued to shuffle. “Five-card stud? Or Texas Hold-’Em?”

  “Five-card is faster,” Haley said. “And more risky.”

  “All right.” Maddox’s blue eyes glinted as though she’d sealed her fate. He dealt out the cards then slapped the pack facedown on the bedspread. Lance sank to the floor with a huff of breath and lowered his head to the carpet.

  They didn’t bother with the usual betting rules or wild cards. What they had at the end of each hand would decide who won.

  The first deal gave Haley a lousy pair of twos. She ditched the other three cards, took the replacements Maddox dealt her, and ended up with an ace to go with her twos, but nothing more.

  “Call,” Maddox said, watching her carefully.

  Haley sighed and laid down her cards. Her heart beat faster until Maddox dropped his hand. He had five unmatched cards, nothing at all.

  Haley grinned in victory. “Ha. Okay, first question,” she said as Maddox gathered the cards and stacked them together. “Why is a handsome cowboy like you not married? You take too long in the shower in the mornings? Do you criticize your girlfriends’ cooking? What? Either answer or lose a garment.”

  Maddox scowled. He pressed his lips together, reached down, drew off one boot, and dropped it to the floor with a clunk.

  He lifted the cards and held them out to Haley. “Your deal,” he growled.

  Haley only smiled at him. This would be more fun than she’d thought.

  She dealt herself a pair of queens. She laid them down with gusto at the end of the hand, then gave a groan of dismay when Maddox dropped a pair of jacks and a pair of kings on top of them.

  “My question,” Maddox said without pausing to gloat. “You were upset when you saw what Danny’s wish was. I mean, really angry, like it was personal. Why?” He leaned a little toward her, his blue eyes dark in the bedroom’s weak light.

  Haley considered the question then slid off one shoe, showed it to him, and dropped it to the floor.

  Maddox only picked up the cards in silence. He won the next hand as well with three of a kind. “Same question,” he said.

  For answer, Haley dropped another shoe. Lance raised his head and studied it, then lowered his chin back down, his eyes drifting closed.

  “All right,” Maddox said warningly. “If you want to play it that way.”

  Half an hour later, Haley had lost her sweater and both stockings, and now sat in her slacks and the tank top she’d worn under the sweater. Maddox had only his jeans and a white tank, his sweatshirt, belt, and socks on the floor. His muscles stretched the tank, curls of dark hair showing at the neckline.

  “Now it will get interesting,” Haley said, shuffling the cards for her deal.

  Maddox lost to Haley’s four of a kind. Before she could ask her question, he growled and pulled the tank top off over his head.

  A finely honed chest came into view, along with tight abs, his pecs dusted with very black hair. Haley ran an appreciative gaze over him, not pretending not to look.

  “Don’t get too cold like that,” she said, handing him the deck.

  “The heater works,” Maddox said. “Get ready to answer some questions, sweetheart.”

  Haley picked up the five cards he t
ossed out, then hid her disquiet when she had nothing that matched—but she did have the ace of hearts. She dumped four cards, keeping the ace and at least picked up a couple more hearts. Nothing that would make a flush, a straight, or even a pair, damn it.

  “Tell you what,” Maddox said. “I only have two pieces of clothing left. I’m guessing you have four. I’m willing to stake all I have on this hand. Are you?”

  He was bluffing—he must be. He wanted to get her naked, or at least make her desperate enough to tell him her life story.

  Then again, he might be sitting on a royal or straight flush. The odds of those were low, Haley knew. That’s why they beat everything else.

  Hell, even a pair would win over what Haley had right now. Her only safety was the ace—if Maddox had nothing, she would at least win the hand.

  “My counteroffer,” she said, studying her cards calmly, as though she had a royal flush. “I’ll give you two to one. My shirt and pants for your jeans. And hope we don’t freeze.”

  “I told you, it’s plenty warm in here. You’re just not used to actual winter. But okay. I’ll take you up on that.”

  “Good,” Haley said lightly. “I call.”

  Maddox’s eyes sparkled in sudden mirth. “Full house.”

  “Shit,” Haley said, her heart banging. She threw her cards down on top of his pair of tens and triple eights.

  “You don’t have to strip off,” Maddox said. “You can talk to me instead.”

  Haley gave him a cool look. They’d drawn closer together as they’d played, Maddox leaning over the bed, Haley more in the middle, no longer against the headboard. She sat cross-legged, the cards near her bare feet. Maddox rested his elbows on the bed, his head close enough that she could stroke his hair if she wanted to. Beyond them, Lance stretched across the carpet, snoring.

  Haley no longer felt tight and restricted. Maybe because she’d lost some binding clothes, maybe because tension had lessened between her and Maddox. Games and undressing could do that.

  She could tell him about her mom ditching her dad when Haley was little, running off with the photographer Dad had hired to do their portraits. Haley had been furious with her mother for years—still was. Dad had gone to pieces, and Haley had been only ten.