A Baby and a Betrothal

by Michelle Major

  “She’s going to be fine, Noah. Your mom is strong.”

  “So was my dad.”

  “Do you two want another round?” The bartender spoke before Katie could answer.

  “Not for me.” She drew her hands away from Noah’s, suddenly aware of how intimate they looked sitting together. She caught the jealous glare of the woman who’d dropped her drink earlier. That woman was Noah’s type, big bust and small waist—a girl who looked as if she knew how to party. Opposite of Katie in every way.

  Noah followed her gaze and the woman smiled.

  “Your next conquest?” Katie couldn’t help asking.

  “Not tonight.” He stood and took his wallet from the back pocket of his faded jeans, tossing a few bills on the bar. “I’ll walk you home.”

  “You don’t have to—”

  “I want to.” He shrugged. “Sitting here drinking is doing me no good. I...I don’t want to be alone right now, you know?”

  She nodded. “Want to watch a movie?”

  “Elf?” he asked, his expression boyishly hopeful.

  “It’s June, Noah,” she said with a laugh. The two of them shared a love for all things Will Ferrell.

  “Never too early for some holiday cheer.”

  “Elf it is, then.”

  He flashed a grateful smile and chucked her on the shoulder. “What would I do without you, Bug?”

  Katie ignored the butterflies that skittered across her stomach at his words. Noah was a friend, and no matter what her heart wanted, she knew he’d never be anything more.

  Chapter Two

  As they walked along the street that led away from downtown, Noah couldn’t think of anyone he would have been happier to see tonight than Katie. His yellow Lab, Tater, clearly felt the same way. The dog stuck close to Katie, nudging her legs every few steps. He’d adopted Tater after some hikers found the tiny puppy sick and shivering near a trailhead outside of Boulder almost five years ago. Katie had been the one to name the dog when Noah had brought the pup to Crimson for Christmas that year, saying she looked like a golden tater tot. She was still his go-to dog sitter when he traveled to DC for meetings or conferences.

  Now Katie laughed as Tater trotted in front of them, flipping the tennis ball she carried out of her mouth then rushing forward to catch it again. He was relieved the tension between them had disappeared. His work for the United States Forest Service kept him busy and normally he was in the Roosevelt National Forest, about two hours east of Crimson near Boulder. He tried to get back to his hometown on a regular basis to visit his mom, but Katie recently made excuses as to why she couldn’t hang out like they used to in high school and college.

  Although he wasn’t in town often, he loved Crimson. Tonight the sky above the mountain was awash in shades of purple and pink, soft clouds drifting over the still-snowcapped peak. At least he’d be able to enjoy the view this summer. It had been too long since he’d spent any time in the forests in this part of the state, so he tried to focus on the only positive in this whole situation with his mom’s illness.

  As if reading his mind, she asked, “What are you doing about your job?”

  “I’ve been transferred temporarily to White River. I’ll be running the division office out of Crimson for the summer.”

  “Oh.” Her step faltered, and he glanced at her. “That will make your mom happy.”

  “But not you?”

  Her smile didn’t meet her eyes. “I’m swamped at the bakery right now and helping to coordinate the bake-off for the Founder’s Day Festival.”

  “Plus you have to make time for dating all the men being offered up.” A horn honked and he waved to one of the guys he’d been friends with in high school as a big black truck drove by.

  “No need to make it sound like they’re lambs being led to the slaughter.”

  “Marriage and fatherhood...” He gave a mock shiver and was rewarded with a hard punch to his shoulder. “I’m joking. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”

  She huffed out a breath and increased her pace, flipping her long dark hair behind her shoulder. Now it was Noah’s step that faltered. The thought of Katie Garrity belonging to another man made a sick pit open in his stomach. He wasn’t lying when he said any guy would be lucky. Katie was the kindest, most nurturing person he knew.

  Now, as he watched her hips sway in her jeans, he realized she was also gorgeous. The pale yellow sweater she wore hugged her curves and its demure V-neck highlighted her creamy skin. For so long she’d been like a sister to him, but the way his body was reacting to her all of a sudden made his thoughts turn in a totally different direction. He shook his head, trying to put brakes on the lust that rocketed through him. This was Katie-bug.

  She wanted more than he was willing to give.

  Deserved more, and he’d do well to remember that.

  “Are you staying at your mom’s farm?” She turned, her brows furrowing as she took in his expression.

  He quickly schooled his features and took a few steps to catch up to her. “No. Tonight I’m using the garage apartment at Logan and Olivia’s place. I have to spend a few days out on the trail starting tomorrow to get caught up on things in this section of the forest. There will be no nights away for me once Mom has the surgery. When I get back from this survey trip, I’ll move out to the farm but...”

  “You haven’t stayed a night at the farm since your father died.”

  There were good and bad things about someone knowing you so well.

  “Every time I’m there it reminds me of how much I failed him when he was sick.”

  “You didn’t—”

  “Don’t make excuses. I couldn’t handle watching him die. I spent as much time away from home as possible our senior year.”

  “You were a kid.” They turned down the tree-lined street where Katie lived. Noah had been to the house only once since she’d inherited it from her grandmother. That spoke poorly of him, he knew. He’d been a lousy son and was quickly realizing he was also a lousy friend.

  “Bull. Emily had just turned sixteen when he was diagnosed. She was there, helping Mom with his care every step of the way.”

  “You’re here now.” Katie turned down the front walk of a cute wood-shingled bungalow and Noah stopped. He barely recognized her grandmother’s old house.

  Katie glanced back at him over her shoulder and seemed pleased by his surprise. “I made some changes so it would feel more like mine.”

  The house was painted a soft gray, with dark red shutters and a new covered front porch that held a grouping of Adirondack chairs and a porch swing painted to match the maroon trim. “I like it. It fits you.”

  A blush rose on her cheeks. “Thanks. I hope Gram would approve.”

  “In her eyes you could do no wrong.” He followed her up the steps and waited as she unlocked the front door.

  “I miss her,” she said on a sigh then crossed the threshold into the house. She pointed toward the cozy family room off the front hall. “The DVDs are in the TV cabinet. Will you set it up while I get snacks together?”

  Noah felt his remaining tension melt away. There was something about this house and this woman that put him at ease. Always had.

  She made hot chocolate to go with the Christmas theme of the movie and brought in a plate of the bakery’s famous chocolate-chip cookies. They watched the movie in companionable silence. It was nice to forget about his life for a couple of hours. “I can’t even count the number of your grandma’s cookies I ate that last year of high school.” On the screen, Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf was working his magic in the movie’s department-store Santa display.

  Katie gave a small laugh. “Every time you and Tori had a fight, you’d end up here or at the bakery.”

  Noah flinched at the name of his high school girlfri
end. The girl he’d expected to spend the rest of his life with until she broke his heart the weekend before graduation. “It made her even madder. Since the two of you were such good friends, she felt like you belonged to her.”

  “I’d get in trouble for taking your side. Tori and I lost touch after she left for college.” Katie used her finger to dunk a marshmallow in her mug of hot chocolate. “I’ve heard her interior-design business is successful. Someone said she was working on a project in Aspen this summer.”

  “Huh.” That was all Noah could think to answer. He’d purposely put his ex-girlfriend as far out of his mind as possible for the past decade. Now, watching Katie lick the tip of her finger, he could barely even remember his own name. He concentrated on the television, where Santa’s sleigh was flying over the rooftops of New York City.

  When the movie ended, Katie flipped off the television. His whole body was humming with desire, inappropriately directed at the woman next to him, but he couldn’t seem to stop it. He didn’t move, continued to watch the dark screen that hung on the wall above the antique pine cabinet where the DVD player sat. Clearly misunderstanding his stillness—maybe believing it had something to do with memories of Tori or thoughts of his mother—Katie scooted closer and placed her fingers on his arm. That simple touch set him on fire.

  “If there’s anything you need, Noah,” she said into the quiet, “I’m here for you.”

  He turned, studying her face as though he was seeing her for the first time. The smooth skin, pert nose and big melted-chocolate eyes. Her bottom lip was fuller than the top, and there was a faint, faded scar at one edge from where she’d fallen out of bed as a girl. That was what she’d told him when he’d asked about it years ago, but now he wanted to know more. He wanted to explore every inch of her body and discover each mark that made her unique.

  As if sensing his thoughts, she inhaled sharply. His gaze crashed into hers, and her eyes reflected the same flame of desire he felt. Had it always been there and he’d been too blind to notice it? Now he couldn’t see anything else.

  But this was Katie, and her friendship meant something to him. More than any of his casual flings. She mattered, and despite his raging need for her, Noah didn’t want to mess this up. Which was how it worked with him—as soon as a woman wanted more than he was capable of giving, he bailed.

  He couldn’t do that with Katie, but would he be able to offer her anything more?

  He lifted his hand, tracing his thumb across her bottom lip. “Katie,” he whispered, “I want to kiss you right now.”

  Her eyes widened a fraction and he expected her to jump up or slap away his hand. To be the voice of reason when he couldn’t.

  Instead she leaned forward, her eyes drifting shut as he moved his hand over her face then wound his fingers through her mass of thick hair. His own eyes closed, anticipating the softness of her lips on his. They flew open again when she nipped at the corner of his mouth then traced her tongue along the seam of his lips.

  Although he didn’t think it was possible, his need for her skyrocketed even more. Where the hell had Katie Garrity, who claimed not to have time for a social life, learned to kiss like this? He pulled her against him, deepened the kiss further and fell back against the couch, taking her with him.

  His hands ran down her sweater before hiking up the hem so he could touch her skin. He smoothed his callused palms up her back until he felt the clasp of her bra strap under his fingers. With one quick movement, he unhooked the clasp.

  He felt Katie giggle against his mouth. His hands stilled as she lifted herself on her elbows, amusement mingling with the desire in her eyes. “Somehow, I knew you’d be good at that.”

  “At unhooking a bra?”

  She nodded, her tone teasing. “Loads of experience, I imagine.”

  To his embarrassment, Katie didn’t have to imagine. Noah made no secret of the fact that he loved women. He’d had more than his share of no-commitment flings and one-night stands, many of which Katie had witnessed, at least from a distance. Now he felt a niggling sense of shame that he traded quantity for quality in his relationships with the opposite sex. Once again, the thought that Katie deserved better than him filled his mind.

  He shifted and she sat up, straddling his hips in a way that made it hard to do the right thing. “Maybe we shouldn’t—”

  She pressed her hand over his mouth. “I want to know what else you’re good at, Noah.” Her voice caught on his name, and the fingertips touching his lips trembled.

  Before he had time to form another halfhearted protest, Katie yanked up her sweater and whipped it over her head, taking her unfastened bra along with it. She held her arms over her breasts.

  “You are beautiful,” he said softly, amazed that he hadn’t noticed it before. “Drop your hands, Katie.”

  She did as he asked, revealing herself to him. He covered her with his hands, running his thumbs across her nipples and hearing her sharp intake of breath as he did.

  He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to her puckered skin as she pulled off his T-shirt. He shucked it off and drew her to him once again, flipping her onto her back then easing his weight onto her. “The bedroom,” he managed on a ragged breath.

  “Here, Noah,” she said against his mouth. “Now.”

  * * *

  Katie watched as Noah dropped to his knees next to the couch and tugged on the waistband of her jeans, undoing the button and pulling the fabric, along with her underpants, down her hips. She wasn’t sure where she’d got her courage in the past several minutes. Stripping off her sweater as Noah watched? That was totally unlike her.

  But when Noah had said he wanted to kiss her, something in Katie’s world shifted. It was all she could ever remember wanting, and there was no way she was going to let this moment pass her by, no matter how out of her element she felt. She knew if she revealed her doubts and insecurities, Noah would stop. The women she’d watched him choose throughout the years were experienced and worldly, able to keep up with him and his desires. Katie found that what she lacked in experience, she made up for in the magnitude of wanting him. It made her bold, and she wasn’t about to let this night end now.

  She bit down on her bottom lip as his jeans and boxers dropped to the floor. She hadn’t seen his bare chest since the summer after college and Noah had filled out every bit of the promise his younger body had held. He was solid muscle, broad shoulders tapering to a lean waist and strong legs. She tried to avoid looking too closely at certain parts of him—big parts of him—afraid she’d lose her nerve after all.

  A tiny voice inside her head warned her this was a mistake. Noah had been drinking and he was an emotional wreck between worry over his mother and memories of his father. The thought that she might be taking advantage of him slid through her mind and she fervently pushed it away. If anyone was destined to be hurt in this situation, it was Katie. Yet she couldn’t stop.

  He pulled a wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and took out a condom before tossing the wallet onto her coffee table. He sheathed himself as he bent toward her again. “You’re going to hurt that lip biting it so hard,” he said, drawing her attention back to his face.

  “Give me something better to do with my mouth,” she told him, amazed at her own brazenness.

  His answering smile was wicked and he kissed her again, his hand sliding along her hip then across her thighs. She loved his hands on her, warm and rough. He seemed to know exactly how much pressure she wanted, how to make her body respond as though she’d been made for him. His fingers brushed her core and she squirmed then let herself sink into the sensation he evoked. She moaned, gasped then shifted, arching off the sofa as his rhythm increased.

  “Not enough room,” she said on a gasp, flinging her hand toward the edge of the sofa.

  “You’re so ready, Katie.” Noah kicked at the coffee table with o
ne leg, shoving it out of the way then rolling off the couch, pulling her with him onto the soft wool rug as he went. They fell in a tangle of limbs and he eased her onto her back once more, cradling her face in his big hands as he whispered her name. “I want you so much.”

  “Yes, Noah. Now.” She grabbed on tight to his back, loving the feel of his smooth skin and muscles under her hands. He slid into her and for a moment it was uncomfortable. It had been an embarrassingly long time since she’d been with a man. Then it felt good and right. Perfect like nothing she could have ever imagined. Noah groaned, kissed her again then took her nipple between his fingers. It was enough to send her over the edge. She broke apart, crying out his name as he shuddered and buried his face into the crook of her neck.

  A long time later, when their breathing had slowed and she could feel the sweat between them cooling, he placed a gentle kiss against her pulse point then lifted his head.

  Katie was suddenly—nakedly—aware of what they’d done, what she’d instigated. How this could change their friendship. How this changed everything.

  “I guess practice does make perfect,” she said softly, trying to show with humor that she was casual and cool.

  “You make it perfect,” Noah answered, smoothing her hair away from her face.

  Her eyes filled with tears before she blinked them away. How was she supposed to keep cool when he said things like that? When he looked at her with something more than desire, deeper than friendship in his gaze? He might as well just open up the journal she’d kept for years and read all her secret thoughts.

  He reached up and grabbed the light throw that hung over the back of the couch. He wrapped it around them both, turning on his side and pulling her in close. “But the floor? I should be ashamed of myself taking you like this. You should be worshipped—”

  “I feel pretty worshipped right now,” she said, running her mouth across his collarbone. “I like being with you on the floor.”

  “Then you’ll love being with me in bed,” he answered. He stood, lifting her into his arms as he did, and carried her down the hall to her bedroom.