The Last-Chance Maverick

by Christyne Butler

  “Hell, yeah, I said yes.” He returned Jonah’s grin. “I might’ve been dumb back then, but I wasn’t stupid.”

  No, he wasn’t that.

  “The point to this story is I may not know all the details, but I do know that girl hurt you bad when she ended your marriage.” His father’s tone was serious now. “And you’ve been running from your home, your family and this town ever since. Your work on that resort has finally brought you back and a special lady is making you happier than you’ve been in a long time. Maybe it’s time for you to think about what it is you really want out of life.”

  Jonah remained silent, letting his father’s words sink into his head. It was spooky how much they matched his own thoughts over the past few nights as he’d laid alone in his bed in Denver.

  Missing Vanessa.

  “Are you saying this is my last chance?” he finally asked.

  The old man stepped back from the railing. “Last chance, second chance. Who knows? Maybe it’s just time for a little honesty.”

  With that his father gave him a quick clap on the back, turned and headed for the main house. Jonah watched him go.

  He made a lot of sense, and not just because Jonah had been doing a bit of self-examination lately, being back here in town.

  Exploring the past, thinking about his future.

  Especially since the first time he’d made love to Vanessa and felt something deep inside that he’d never felt before with anyone, not even Lisette.

  Maybe it was enough that he was finally concentrating on something besides what had consumed his life for the past eight years, his work.

  Unable to wait a moment longer, Jonah dug into his pocket for his cell phone.

  Chapter Twelve

  Vanessa barely heard the special ringtone she’d given to Jonah’s phone number over the sound of rushing water. She hurried to turn off the tub’s faucets. Gallons of hot water awaited her with enough bubbles to last for the hour she planned to soak, along with a glass or two of wine.

  All to be enjoyed in anticipation of seeing Jonah again for the first time in three days.

  And yeah, that was her fault.

  She could’ve gone to Denver with him, but it was harder to keep things simple and casual between them. It had taken daily self-talks and a bit of distance—emotional and physical—even though they had spent the night together three more times in the past week—to keep up the appearance.

  Spotting the reminder on her phone’s calendar that her best friend’s birthday was fast approaching, and the fact she’d completely forgotten about it in the midst of “living for the moment,” helped to remind her that nothing in life was certain.

  Catching a glimpse of his life in Denver would’ve only been a reminder of that uncertainty because Jonah had made it clear he was heading back there when his stay in Rust Creek Falls ended.

  Yes, staying behind had been the right decision.

  Still, her heart pounded in her chest when she grabbed her phone from the dresser in the bedroom. She swiped her thumb across the screen and forced a lighter tone to her voice when she said, “Hey there, cowboy.”

  “What are you doing?”

  Hmmm, short and to the point. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, taking the silk bathrobe she wore and her curls, pinned up and out of the way. Should she tell him?

  Live for the moment. “I’m about to ease into a steaming hot bubble bath. You?”

  His sharp intake of breath could be heard clearly through the phone. She waited, wondering what he’d say now.

  “Need someone to wash your back?”

  Vanessa smiled. Just what she’d hoped for.

  Because she missed him.

  Missed seeing him, talking with him, kissing him. She could at least admit that much if to no one else but herself. “Come on down.”

  “I need to grab a shower first.”

  She laughed. “Doesn’t that negate the hot soapy water available at my place?”

  “I’ve been working on the ranch all day, darling. I smell like dirt, sweat and horse.”

  Okay, she’d been in Montana too long because all of that sounded wonderful. At least it did on him.

  “Okay, do what you need to,” she said instead. “I’ll leave the front door unlocked, but don’t take too long. I could be asleep by the time you get here.”

  “I’m sure I can come up with some way to wake you.”

  She was sure he could, too.

  They ended the call and she stood there, the phone pressed to her chest, the happiness inside of her warring with the truth.

  She loved Jonah. No matter how she’d tried to talk her heart out of it, the truth was there. And that love scared her.

  Even more than thinking about how it would feel when he moved on with his life. The real fear came from planning for a future she wasn’t sure she should have, deserved to have.

  She had no idea what was coming down the road and wasn’t that for the best?

  Take life as it comes.

  If the events of her life had taught her anything it was that nothing was certain. It was better not to make any hard and fast plans. Life could change in a heartbeat.

  Or end just as quickly.

  Putting the phone down, her gaze caught on the folded sheet of paper tucked into the corner of the mirror.

  Her and Adele’s bucket list. She opened it and read it again, even though she knew it by heart.

  Number twenty-one: take a bubble bath...with a man.

  She grabbed a pen, placed a check mark next to the item and again wrote Jonah’s name on the paper.

  Just like she’d done five times before.

  So far she’d completed nine of the remaining sixteen goals since her friend’s death almost a year ago. Jonah had played a part in six of them.

  Was it a good thing or not to see so many of her goals were connected to one man? He’d made it clear from the beginning he was only in town for a short while.

  His life wasn’t in this place that Vanessa had come to love in the past few months. But hers was, and it was so different from what she’d known in Philadelphia. The only thing that city held for her anymore was a distant father and unhappy memories. Even Adele’s mother had moved on, following her husband to Florida before Vanessa had even made the decision to head out west.

  She felt at home here, enjoyed her new friends, and the new direction in her art had her excited in ways she hadn’t been in years.

  Again, thanks to Jonah.

  Yes, she’d accomplished a lot in the past few months, but did any of that matter? What right did she have to pursue these dreams when her best friend never had the chance?

  “No, not going to think about that now.” She shook off the sadness before it could take hold. “Enjoy today.”

  Minutes later, with music playing and candles lit, Vanessa climbed into the tub, oohing at how delicious the silky, hot water felt on her skin as it rose almost to her shoulders.

  Lying back, she tried to picture Jonah in here with her and although the tub was certainly big enough for two people, that would probably mean some of the water had to go.

  Did he really plan on stripping down and climbing in?

  She wasn’t sure—maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to make that check mark—but she adjusted the water level, anyway. Now, there was nothing to do but wait. Less than fifteen minutes went by—she’d been watching the clock—when the faint click of the front door told her he was here. Listening to his boot heels on the hardwood floor, he came toward the bedroom.

  “Vanessa?”

  Okay, how silly was it his voice caused her to jump, sending bubbles flying?

  Where else would she be? Did he not believe her when she’d told him her plans for this afternoon?r />
  “In h-here.”

  He entered the bathroom and the first thing she saw was his beautiful smile. Then she noticed the single yellow rose he held in his hand.

  Darn, her heart just gave itself to this wonderful man all over again. How many times could that happen before it belonged to him forever?

  She blinked hard, hoping it would be enough to hold back the tears. Cupping a handful of soapy froth, she blew them in his direction. “Hi.”

  “Boy, you look good in bubbles.”

  He walked to the tub, bent down and covered her mouth in a kiss before handing her the rose. He smelled fresh and clean, his familiar cologne tickling her nose. He’d showered after all.

  “I’ve missed you,” he whispered.

  “Me, too.” The words slipped out before she could catch them. She lifted the rose to her face, inhaling its sweet fragrance. “I mean, I missed you, too.”

  He smiled and straightened, his hands already tugging the ends of his Henley-style shirt from the waistband of his jeans. “Want some company?”

  She nodded, unable to speak as he reached back behind his head and easily pulled his shirt off his body. Hmmm, same wide shoulders, lean hips and flat stomach she’d seen many times since their private party last week, but her body still responded in a rush of heat at the sight of him.

  Next came balancing on one foot, then the other, as he removed his boots, then his socks. Finally, his hands went to the button on his jeans, but he only undid the top one before his smile turned into a suggestive grin. “Is this where I should start dancing?”

  She laughed. “You don’t hear me complaining, do you?”

  Jonah chuckled, but it faded as he undid the next few buttons. Even with the overhead light dimmed, the half dozen candles gave off plenty of light that played across the perfection of his body.

  By the time he got to the last button her fingers had tightened on the stem of the rose so much she almost broke it in half. She tore her gaze away and looked around, wondering what she was going to do with—

  “Here, let me take that.”

  Jonah lifted the rose from her hand and walked out of the bathroom. He returned a few minutes later with the bloom safely tucked into a tall, half-filled drinking glass. Setting it on the bathroom counter, he then proceeded to quickly strip down to nothing.

  Vanessa’s breath disappeared.

  He walked to the tub and she had enough brain power left to scoot forward so he could climb in behind her. The heat from his body as he sat, his legs stretched out on either side of her, enveloped her as the water rose up over her breasts.

  For reasons she couldn’t explain—probably because her brain had stopped working—she remained sitting forward while cradled between his powerful thighs.

  He leaned in close, one large hand coming around to rest against her belly and she jumped again.

  “Hey, you okay? It’s just me.”

  His whispered words flowed over one shoulder before he placed a slow kiss on her neck.

  She closed her eyes, loving the way his fingers gently spread out over her skin. “I know. It’s just that I’ve...well, I’ve never...”

  * * *

  Jonah waited as her voice trailed off, a bit surprised at her admission.

  Her fresh, citrusy and sexy scent had filled his head from the moment he’d walked into her bedroom. He’d called out, wanting her to know he was close by and the slight hesitation in her voice now made him pause.

  Then he reminded himself she’d accepted his offer for help washing her back. He just hoped that meant he’d be doing it while in the tub with her.

  The delight in her eyes at his simple gift made him glad he’d snagged one of the roses from the bouquet his sister Kayla had brought home. The way that emotion changed into pure desire as she watched him undress had his body responding before he’d gotten anywhere close to her.

  Now that she was in his arms, but still kept her distance from him, despite his kiss and his arm wrapped around her had him finishing her sentence. “You’ve never taken a bubble bath with anyone.”

  Vanessa nodded, still not looking back at him.

  “Me neither.”

  “Really?”

  He smiled at her amazement. He kissed her again, same spot, but his lips lingered a bit longer. “I’m glad my first is with you.”

  His admission was enough for her to relax and she eased back against his chest. The length of the tub was no match for his long legs so his knees rose a bit above the water line. A perfect resting spot for her hands.

  She followed when he leaned back and he waited until she laid her head at his shoulder before he gently turned her face to his, a soapy hand at her chin, and kissed her.

  She welcomed him, twisting in his arms to allow both of them to deepen the connection between them.

  “Hmmm, have I mentioned how much I’ve missed doing that?”

  He spoke the words against her lips, even though they weren’t needed. She probably guessed that much with the hard evidence of his arousal pressed against her hip.

  “No, you haven’t,” she said, then she turned to face front again and gave a little wiggle as she got comfortable. “Not in so many words.”

  He groaned. She giggled.

  He fell in love.

  As simple and as complicated as that, Jonah finally allowed his heart and his mind to accept what had been obvious from the moment he met this amazing woman.

  He loved Vanessa.

  For the second time in his life and for the first time as a grown man, he was in love. Vanessa’s passion for life, and all the wonder and excitement it held, had awakened him from the lifeless existence he’d been staggering around in for the past eight years.

  Yeah, he had a kick-ass career that was getting better by the day, but he’d poured so much of himself into his work, there’d been nothing left for anyone or anything else.

  Until now.

  He wanted to shout it from the rooftops, whisper it against her skin. Was this the right moment to tell her? He hadn’t said the words in such a long time.

  Dropping his head, he again kissed the back of her neck, making his way up to her ear.

  “So, you’ve never bathed with a woman before?”

  Her question surprised him, but it was the perfect lead into what he hoped wasn’t going to be a difficult story to tell. She deserved to know about his past before they could talk about the future. “A shower, but not in a bubble bath, and that was after my divorce.”

  She went still for a moment, then continued to trail her fingers back and forth across the tops of his thighs. “You and your wife never... I mean, not even showered together?”

  “We were so young, just kids when we got married. Of course, you couldn’t tell us that back then. Eighteen and so sure we were ready.”

  The memories of that time, both the good and the bad, came flooding back. He rarely thought about his ex, but he needed to tell Vanessa how his marriage had ended.

  “Lisette was such an innocent. So was I, actually. We were each other’s first loves, first lovers. We dated over two years before we had sex for the first time.”

  “Let me guess. Prom night?”

  “Cliché, but true. Our junior year. I proposed six months later, to both our parents’ dismay. I already told you we were married the day after we graduated from high school.”

  Vanessa nodded, but remained silent.

  “We lived in a house owned by her family and went to college while working. Thankfully both her folks and mine had money set aside that they didn’t hold back despite their feelings about our marriage. When Lisette got her degree in paralegal studies, she went to work for a law firm in Kalispell while I worked at the lumber mill and continued my classes. We were happy. At least, I thought we were.”


  “So what changed?”

  “I was a few months from graduating, knowing I needed more schooling in order to be an architect. Seattle or Denver would’ve worked,” he paused, the memories returning as fresh as the day it happened.

  “We’d always talked about starting a family after I got my degree, but Lisette had been dismissing the subject whenever I brought it up those last few months. I knew how much she wanted out of this town and I thought if I could just get us away, she’d be happy. Well, I came home early one day, excited about a job opportunity in Denver. Lisette wasn’t home and I still can’t remember how it happened, but I found a home pregnancy test in the kitchen trash.

  “I was so excited, thinking all our plans were coming together. All that changed when she got home. She told me she’d been seeing one of the lawyers at the firm where she worked. She wasn’t sure who her baby’s father was.”

  Vanessa gasped. Her hands dug into his knees as she held tight to him. He welcomed the pressure, liking the grounding it gave him, especially for what he still had to share with her.

  “As you can probably guess, her announcement didn’t go over very well. There was a lot of yelling about getting tested and filing for divorce. Then I did a real mature thing, took off for a camping trip in the mountains with my brothers. They were smart enough to leave me alone, but it gave me a lot of time to think and make some decisions.

  “I returned home and told Lisette I wanted to make our marriage work. For the sake of the child. I knew there was a chance the baby wasn’t mine, but in the eyes of the law I’d be the child’s father.”

  “Obviously things didn’t work out that way.”

  He shook his head. This part of the story still stung, but not as strong as it had in the past. Maybe the woman listening was the reason?

  “She had divorce papers waiting. I signed them and moved back home with the understanding she’d get tested to find out who’s child she was carrying. Shortly after that, Lisette lost the baby. I never found out if the child was mine or not.”

  “But you mourned the loss just the same.”

  Yeah, he had. Except for confiding in his cousin and best friend, Jonah had never told anyone the real reason behind his divorce.