by Amanda Renee
“Let’s begin with a simple macaron.” Joy sat a colorful plate of delicate cookies before them. And they were anything but simple. “The lavender one is crème brûlée flavored, the orange is passion fruit with a dark chocolate center, the green is fresh mint with white chocolate and the gray is black currant.”
Delta carefully sliced each macaron in half so they could each taste one. And they were exquisitely rich yet airy and light on the tongue.
“I’m already at a loss for words,” Garrett said.
All Delta could do was nod. Words couldn’t describe how ethereal they tasted.
“Our next selection is a cream horn.” Joy set a puffed pastry covered in powdered sugar between them. “This is made with one of our flakiest pastries and is filled with apricot jam and whipped cream. We shape the horn by winding overlapping pastry strips around a cone-shaped mold.”
Garrett served half the horn to Delta before sampling his half. “I don’t think I’ve ever had dessert melt in my mouth before.”
“I second that.”
After tasting an éclair, palmier, galette and a slice of Linzer torte, Delta thought she had died and gone to heaven. She also didn’t think she could eat another bite. Three shared slices of cake, two tarts, strudel and a chocolate profiterole later, Delta could no longer move or form sentences. She had officially reached her limit.
“Delta, you have to try this.” Garrett inched his chair closer to hers as he held up a bite-size piece of Paris-Brest. The buttery choux pastry and praline-flavored cream beckoned her to open her mouth as he fed her the delicacy. The intimacy of the gesture sent her thoughts in a much different direction. She didn’t know if it was the seduction of the French pastry or his closeness, but suddenly she wanted more of both.
“That’s sinful and in more than one way.”
“It sure is.” Garrett ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “You had a little something.”
She wanted more than a little something. The man was making her feel warm in places that didn’t need to feel warm. At least not right now. She ached to remove her clothes and quell her increasing desire for the one man she couldn’t have.
* * *
CHECK PLEASE! If only it were that simple. Garrett’s arousal took him off guard. He was human, so an erection wasn’t an unusual thing. But the desire to make love to Delta definitely was. After Rebecca, he had thought that part of his life was over. Meeting Delta had changed all that. Ever since Kacey had announced she thought he and Delta were dating, he’d started to see the potential of a future with another woman. Not just any woman. One woman. And while guilt and fear continued to creep into those thoughts, the fear of never knowing what could have been began to take control. Delta wasn’t going anywhere and there was no rush, but waiting to see where their relationship went bordered on agonizing. He had already convinced her to be friends and she had unknowingly convinced him to give love a second chance, but he didn’t know where to begin.
He had never really asked anyone out on a date. He and Rebecca had just happened. They had gone to school together, they had hung out together and before long, they had been boyfriend and girlfriend. He couldn’t remember ever asking her to be with him. They had been a given. Dating was a foreign concept. He wanted to ask Delta out, but he didn’t know how or if she would accept.
After choosing six different pastries to serve to the ranch’s guests for Valentine’s week, they left the bakery with one hunger sated.
Delta stopped short in front of him. “Okay, ask me.”
He sidestepped her to keep from running into her. “Ask you what?”
“Whatever it was you were going to ask me before we went into Tiers of Joy. You said you would tell me later. Now is later.”
“You really know how to put a guy on the spot, don’t you?”
She gave him an impatient shrug. “You’re stalling.”
“I dreaded this tasting all day.” A wave of mixed emotions surged through him. “I was afraid it would remind me of the cake tasting Rebecca and I had gone to before our wedding.”
“I had the same fear. I immediately thought of my cake tasting, too. But it was different.”
“Exactly.” Garrett leaned against the side of her Jeep. “It was fun and I don’t think I would have enjoyed it with anyone other than you.”
“I feel the same way.”
“The more time I spend around you, the more chances I want to take in life.”
“Okay.” She folded her arms across her chest and stared at him.
Why was this so difficult? “Life is short.”
“Yes, it is.” She closed the distance between them and entwined her fingers in his. “It’s okay to talk about her if that’s what you want.”
“That’s not what I want.” Garrett placed her hands on his chest and covered them. He looked skyward and prayed Rebecca wouldn’t hate him for what he was about to do. “Um, I have never asked a woman out before.”
There. He’d said it. It was out in the open.
“Oh.” Her body stiffened.
Oh? That’s all she had. She could have at least let him know if she was open to the idea.
Delta drew in a breath and released it before speaking. “Well?”
“Well what?” His mind whirled at her curt question.
“You can’t just drop a bomb on someone like that. I get that you’ve never asked someone out based on what you’ve told me about you and Rebecca. But you haven’t told me who you want to ask out.”
Either Delta was blind or he was horrible at asking a woman on a date. “Delta.” He gently squeezed her hands. “I’m asking you...will you go out with me?”
She let out a soft sigh of relief. “For a second there I thought you were going to ask me to help you ask someone else out.”
“No, Delta. There’s no one else but you.” He stared at her in disbelief.
“Are you sure you’re ready to date again?” Delta bit her bottom lip before looking away.
He hooked her chin with his finger and angled her face toward his. “Only if it’s with you. I’m tired of this permanent sorrow weighing me down. I want to feel alive again, Delta. And I want to feel it with you.”
She regarded him carefully, making him even more nervous. “But you’ve been extremely closed off to the idea, so please understand my hesitation.”
“Last night was an eye-opener. My daughter had automatically assumed we were together and she was all right with it. When I saw you with my kids and in my house, everything clicked. It felt right. For the first time in three years, I felt good and that was because I was there with you and the kids. We were this complete package and after you left last night, I missed you.”
“And the guilt?” Her voice softened.
“I’m not going to lie and say it’s not there, but it’s not as strong as I thought it would be. I’m beginning to see things differently. I know you have a rule about not dating customers and I’m not asking you to make any commitment past one date.”
“What if it doesn’t work out?” Concern etched across her face.
“Then we go back to being friends. It won’t change our business relationship. I’d like to think I’m mature enough to separate that from my personal life. I would hope you’d do the same.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“Oh, no you don’t.” Garrett shook his head. “You’re not getting any details until you give me an answer. This is the last time I’m asking... Delta Grace, will you go out with me?”
Heat visibly rose to her cheeks. “Yes, I will.”
“Then let me take you horseback riding this afternoon, before the ranch opens for business tomorrow. There’s something special about riding when no one else is around. I know it’s still chilly out, but it’s warmer than it’s been all week.” He smiled gently. “And if we’re both still comfortab
le with the idea afterwards, maybe we can get a drink. I’d offer you dinner but I’m not sure either one of us will be hungry tonight after eating pastries for the last hour.” Delta laughed at that. “Think of it as baby steps for both of us. You’re uncertain about bending your rules and I’m uncertain about opening my heart.”
The more Garrett tried to convince her to say yes, the more things he wanted to share with her. Not just around the ranch. Parts of his life and his family. And for the first time, he was thinking about removing his wedding ring.
“Don’t you have to work, especially with the ranch reopening tomorrow?”
“I’m the boss. They can do without me for a few hours, plus if there’s an emergency I’ll have my phone on me.”
“I’d love to.” Delta stood on her toes and kissed him softly on the cheek. And somehow that one sweet kiss meant more to him than any make-out session ever would. There was hope, happiness and the chance of a future all rolled in that one tender gesture. And already his heart felt fuller than it had in years. He could only imagine what their next kiss would bring.
Chapter Ten
Delta’s hands shook as she followed Garrett back to Silver Bells. Why was she so nervous? It wasn’t like they had never been alone together. It just hadn’t been anything beyond friendship. A date meant there was a kiss or something more intimate to come. Although Delta had always considered kissing quite intimate. And while she had initiated the peck on the cheek, she couldn’t help but wonder what a full-on kiss would feel like. It wasn’t the first time she’d wondered that either.
She giggled, filling the interior of her Jeep with girlish laughter. Garrett made her feel more feminine than any man ever had. And that included Eddie. Garrett had an innocent soul. His heart may be jaded, as was hers, but there was a raw pureness about him she’d never experienced before.
“Welcome to our first date,” Garrett said later as he led her through the stables to Lucy’s and Desi’s stalls.
“We’re riding the Belgians?” She squelched a tiny shriek of joy. When Garrett asked Delta to go riding with him on the ranch, she’d never expected to ride one of the Belgians. She had admired the breed her entire life, but hadn’t had the opportunity to sit astride the magnificent animal. She knew their strength firsthand from working on them, but riding would be an entirely new experience.
She waited eagerly as Garrett saddled the horses. Weighing in at a ton each, they were almost double the weight of her quarter horses back in Missoula and eight inches taller.
“Would you like a leg up?” Garrett offered his hand and she appreciated the boost into the saddle. After eating all those pastries, she didn’t think she’d manage to mount without it.
They rode silently across Silver Bells, until they reached the far edge of the property, a ridge overlooking the entire town. “It’s stunning here.” Delta reined her horse alongside Garrett. “I didn’t realize the ranch had this kind of view. And there’s my house!” She pointed in the distance. Although it looked more like a dot compared to the newer and larger homes being built on the land behind it.
“Come with me,” Garrett said as he eased down from his saddle. He took her hand and led her over the hard-packed snow. “Once the ground thaws, we’ll start building a gazebo here. Dylan designed it as a wedding present for Emma. They’ll be the first of many to recite their vows and begin their lives together on this very spot.”
“What a beautiful place for a wedding.” Delta spun around, taking in the Swan Range and Mission Mountains off in the distance. As the sun began to dip lower in the Montana sky, she snaked both of her arms around Garrett’s arm and gave it a squeeze. “Despite what you said the other day, you really are a romantic.”
“I like to think I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.” Garrett slid his arm out from under hers and wrapped it around her shoulders. “See, taking a ride with me wasn’t so bad.”
“I didn’t think it would be bad, I just had to be sure this is what you wanted.”
“What do you want, Delta?” His deep voice whispered against her ear, sending a delightful shiver down her spine.
She lifted her eyes to his. She had a fervent need to kiss him. To feel his mouth upon hers, but she refused to make the first move for fear he wasn’t ready. The back of his fingers lightly grazed her cheek as her heart thudded in excitement, his gaze equally as soft as his caress. Her fingers ached to touch him, to hold him closer and explore what lay beneath the warm flannel of his shirt.
“You’ve affected me in a way I never thought possible.” He lightly swept the hair away from her neck and kissed it ever so gently. Just one kiss that left her longing for more. “Is it okay that I touch you?”
“Yes.” His nearness gave her comfort and made her body ache with desire at the same time.
“Is it okay if I kiss you?” His breath was hot against her cheek.
“Please,” she whispered as his mouth covered hers. His lips gently caressed hers, sending spirals of desire coursing through her veins. “Garrett.” Delta’s voice was barely audible above her ragged breathing. “I’ve never been kissed like that before.”
“You deserve to be kissed thoroughly every day, all day.” He sighed and rested his forehead against hers. “I don’t know where this will lead, but I want to find out. Are you willing to take a chance with me?”
“Yes, are you?”
“Yes.” Garrett shifted, allowing the length of her body to press against his. His desire was evident both in his eyes and physically. “I want this, Delta. I want you.”
She knocked his hat to the ground and buried her hands in his hair, fighting every urge to wrap her legs around his waist. She’d felt passion before, but nowhere near this intense. And never this strong. He enveloped her in strength, melting any resolve she once had.
He unzipped her jacket and slid his hands beneath her shirt, exploring the hollows of her back before settling on her waist. She yearned for them to caress every inch of her body. She arched against him, silently begging.
“I want you,” he whispered against her mouth. “I want to make love to you until the sun comes up.”
And she wanted him, too. She wanted to feel the length of him inside her. She wanted him to touch the very core of her soul. And as much as she didn’t want to stop, she knew it was too soon. For both of them.
“Garrett, we can’t. Not yet.” His wounded gaze implored hers for an explanation. “When you make love to me, I want you to be a hundred percent certain. I want us both to be. Twenty-four hours ago, we both said this was impossible. I don’t want to rush anything. And I don’t want to ruin anything.”
“Oh, I definitely plan on taking my time with you.”
Delta’s knees began to weaken. One arm wrapped around her for support while his fingers continued to explore under her clothes. They seared against her flesh despite the cool air around them. As he reached the band of her bra, he searched for a clasp, pleased when he found one in the front. With a flick of his thumb, he freed her breasts. Her breath caught in her throat as he lifted her shirt, exposing her to him. The Montana breeze hovered just above freezing as it danced across her nipples, hardening them further. His rough hands claimed her breasts, covering them completely with his palms. Sliding her sweater up, he bent forward and allowed his tongue to caress them, slowly taking each one into his mouth as he teased her to the very edge of desire.
“Garrett, if you keep this up, you’re going to make me—”
“I know.” He returned his attention to her mouth, his lips more persuasive as his tongue parted her lips. His fingers trailed down her abdomen, seeking the button of her jeans. She knew she should stop him, but she was powerless against the anticipation. He slowly eased her zipper down. Breaking their kiss, his eyes met hers as his fingers slid between her folds. He watched her as she rode the first wave of release, exciting her further. His rhythm powerful and fi
rm, he sent her over the edge a second time, as his eyes raked every exposed inch of her body. She felt electrified, giving herself to him so freely out in the open. “And that’s just the beginning of what’s to come once I do make love to you. And we will make love, Delta.”
* * *
“ARE YOU SURE you can’t stay for dinner?” Garrett asked as he unsaddled Lucy and Desi. “Dylan and Emma would love to have you join us.”
“Thanks for the invite, but I need to pick up Jake and stop by my friend Liv’s house.” Delta slid the saddle blankets off the Belgians’ backs and followed Garrett into the tack room. “She’s expecting triplets and is having a difficult time with her pregnancy.”
“Liv Scott?”
“Yes, you know her?”
“I know her and her sister Jade. Wes is good friends with Liv.” He removed two polar fleece coolers from the wall and started to laugh. “He moved to Texas shortly after she announced her pregnancy. You don’t think?”
“Good heavens, no.” Delta grabbed a hoof pick and a curry comb from the shelf and walked back to the horses. “Liv used an anonymous sperm and egg donor. Your brother’s off the hook.”
“I’m relieved, but in a way, I wish we had triplets running around the ranch.” Garrett draped Lucy in a cooler-coat to help wick the moisture away from her skin. “Babies liven up a place. Oh, Delta. I’m sorry. I completely forgot.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m fine.” She began brushing the snow from both horses’ legs. “Liv was in a similar position. She couldn’t conceive either. Through donors, she found a way to have the children and the family she wanted without a husband or complications, for the most part. She’s in the middle of her second trimester and despite the all-day nausea, she and the babies are healthy.” Delta attempted to lift one of Lucy’s front hooves. “Come on girl, we’ve been working on this for a year. Lift for me.” Reluctantly the horse obliged so Delta could clean the snow out of her winter shoes, and Garrett noticed how much she leaned on her, reconfirming he’d made the right decision purchasing the Amish shoeing stall. “In two years, it will be my turn.”
