Harlequin American Romance October 2013 Bundle: Twins Under the Christmas TreeBig Sky ChristmasHer Wyoming HeroA Rancher's Christmas

by Marin Thomas

  “Let’s keep in touch,” Zach said. “Have your walkie-talkie handy in case our cell phones go out. And stay warm.”

  Curly nodded and moved quickly toward his trailer, disappearing in the thick snow.

  Zach turned toward the house. Toward Gina.

  * * *

  NOT LONG AFTER lunch, cupping the landline to her ear, Gina peered out the window and frowned. “Yes, Uncle Redd, it’s coming down hard.” So hard she couldn’t see beyond the back stoop, let alone the barn. She guessed that Zach and Curly were taking care of the cattle—a huge job for only the two of them, made worse by the heavy snow.

  “They’re saying this will be the blizzard of the century,” her uncle said.

  Gina hoped they were wrong. She needed to fly home on Sunday, both to get to the office and to get away from Zach.

  “It goes without saying that your cousins and I won’t be over for dinner,” Uncle Redd went on.

  “I’ll miss you, but I’m glad you’re staying safe at home. Do you have enough to eat?”

  “Plenty. If you need anything, don’t forget that Zach is close by.”

  Forget? The man hadn’t been out of her thoughts since she’d first opened her eyes this morning.

  “Don’t worry about me,” she said. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Well, I better let the dogs out to do their business while they can still get there. Call you later, honey. Or you call me.”

  “Will do. Love you.”

  With no family dinner to look forward to, the rest of Gina’s day loomed heavily ahead. She hoped Zach was still planning to stop by for leftovers.

  At the thought of seeing him tonight, she let out a dreamy sigh. She certainly wouldn’t object to another evening of kissing and more....

  “No,” she firmly told herself. She couldn’t.

  If she were smart, she’d uninvite him to dinner, but that would be rude. She would tell him up front that there would be no kissing or anything else tonight. That made her feel safer.

  If she could just stop thinking about him...

  She needed to keep busy, which wasn’t a problem because she still needed to clean out both of the bathrooms. She decided to start with the smaller one on the main floor.

  Like all the other rooms in the house, the bathroom was cluttered with old magazines. In the linen closet she found enough towels and soap for an army. The packaging on some of the soap looked decades old, and she guessed that years ago, her thrifty Uncle Lucky had bought a case or two on sale—just as he had all those unopened office supplies. Which made her both smile and shake her head.

  She decided to share the supplies with Zach and the other hands. What they didn’t want, she would donate to charity. She was nearly finished, wondering whether Zach was hunkered down in his trailer or outside battling Mother Nature, when she heard a knock at the back door.

  With the weather as bad as it was, it couldn’t be anyone except Zach. Her heart thudding, Gina smoothed her hair, hurried to the kitchen and opened the door.

  The eaves over the stoop provided some shelter, but snow coated Zach’s wool face mask and coat.

  “You look like a yeti,” she teased, beckoning him inside.

  He wiped his boots on the mat. “It’s damn cold.” Instead of moving into the kitchen, he stopped just inside the door. “I should tie a rope between the door and the barn so that I can find my way there later—unless you threw it away.”

  She shook her head. “I’ve been focused mostly on papers and the worthless junk Uncle Lucky saved. Whoever buys the ranch might want it and some of the tools down there. I’ll get the rope.”

  Gina hurried down the wood steps. Moments later, rope in hand, she returned to the kitchen. “When you finish tying it, come back. I’ll make a fresh pot of coffee.”

  He was gone awhile, so long that the coffee finished perking and started to cool. Gina was beginning to worry when he entered the house again, bringing a gust of cold air with him.

  She shivered. “Perfect timing—the coffee’s ready.”

  “Good. I need something hot.”

  Zach met her gaze, and her desire for him flooded back.

  He pulled off his gloves, removed his boots and then shrugged out of his coat. He wore faded jeans and a thick sweater over a plaid flannel shirt.

  Gina glanced out the window. “It’s snowing so hard. How can you even see out there?”

  “That’s why I wanted the rope. I’d guess a good two feet and counting have accumulated so far. With the wind, some drifts are twice that size. And it’s only been a few hours since the storm began. It’s a good thing Curly and I got the cattle moved and fed.”

  She knew that cattle ate and drank a great deal and had to be fed and watered daily. “How will you feed them tomorrow?” she asked as she filled two mugs.

  Cupping his hands around the warm ceramic, Zach carried his coffee to the table and sat down. “We’ll use the plow and tractor to deliver the feed.” He tasted his coffee. “While I was out there, I did some thinking. This house is much closer to the barn than my trailer. Curly’s trailer is close, which is good, but he doesn’t have room for me. For the sake of the cattle, I should bunk here tonight—if that’s okay with you.”

  Zach here, all night? The very thought was unnerving, but he was right about the barn. “With two empty bedrooms upstairs and one down here, there’s plenty of room, so why not?” She sat down across from him. “But no more kissing or anything else.”

  “I’ve been thinking the same thing,” he said, but the heat in his gaze didn’t match his words.

  Her anxiety must’ve shown, for his mouth quirked. “Don’t worry, I’ll behave.”

  Part of her was relieved. At the same time, she also wanted him to ignore her hands-off rule. Feeling as if the devil sat on one shoulder and an angel on the other, she gave a jerky nod.

  “I’ll take the bedroom down here tonight.”

  That they would sleep on different floors felt somehow safer. Gina let out a breath. “Great.”

  “Great,” he repeated. “Have you spoken with Redd today?”

  She nodded. “A little while ago. He’s fine, but with the storm, he won’t be here for dinner tonight. Neither will Sophie and Gloria, and we have so many leftovers. I wish I’d given them each a plate to take home last night, but I assumed they’d be here.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll help you get rid of the extra food.” His eyes twinkling, Zach licked his lips, making her laugh.

  Then she sobered. “It’s a good thing the storm held off until today. Otherwise, Uncle Redd would never have gotten to the hospital and we’d all be worried sick about him.” The thought made her shudder.

  “He’s fine,” Zach said. “That’s what matters.”

  Gina bit her lip. “I worry, though. Both my dad and Uncle Lucky had heart attacks that killed them. Uncle Redd could be next, and I’m not ready to lose him.”

  “Don’t court trouble. If it were me, I’d schedule a physical and get him checked out.”

  “I’ll nag Uncle Redd about that. Not that he’ll listen to me.”

  “I’ll back you up.”

  They lapsed into comfortable silence, like longtime friends. Or an old married couple.

  Married? Gina frowned. They weren’t even dating. Even if she lived here, they would never go out. They wanted different things.

  She glanced out the window over the sink, where snow was rapidly accumulating on the windowsill. “How long is this storm supposed to last?”

  “Days. The people on the radio are calling this the blizzard of the century.”

  “Well, I’m going to hope for the best,” Gina said, crossing her fingers. “Big winter storms in eastern Montana aren’t exactly rare, and it’s a sure bet that as soon as the snow stops, the transportatio
n people will clear the roads. By Sunday, everything should be fine.”

  “I wouldn’t count on it.”

  She couldn’t be stuck here! She needed to prove herself at work. “This is a really crucial time of year for my clients, Zach. I have to get home.”

  “Fine, but you can’t control Mother Nature. Your boss knows that. He’ll understand.”

  Under normal circumstances, maybe, but with her recent screwups and Kevin already upset, Gina had her doubts. She didn’t even want to think about Evelyn Grant.

  The storm had to stop, and soon. She closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle.

  * * *

  “LOOK WHAT WE did tonight,” Zach said, gesturing at what was left of the turkey and trimmings. “We made a huge dent in the leftovers. Sophie, Gloria and Redd would be proud.”

  He waited for Gina to laugh or at least crack a smile, but the corners of her lips barely lifted. Come to think of it, she hadn’t eaten all that much. She seemed nervous, really uptight.

  Zach looked her straight in the eyes. “I said I wouldn’t make a pass at you tonight, and I won’t.”

  “I know.” The smile she attempted fell short.

  “Well, something sure has you bothered.”

  Resting her chin on her fist, she gave a glum sigh. “I told my boss I’d be in the office Monday morning. I want to be there, need to be there, but I’ll probably be stuck here.”

  With those words, Zach knew with a sick certainty that she would never change her mind. No matter what he did or said—and because of the promise to Lucky, he wasn’t about to give up—she wasn’t going to hold on to the ranch.

  “You really hate being here,” he said.

  “It’s not that bad. But there’s so much to do at work, and without Wi-Fi, working from here is difficult at best. I have to get to the office, where I have easy access to the internet and can run over and see my clients at any time.”

  Been there, done that. Only after quitting the rat race had Zach realized that most of what he’d once considered important was meaningless busywork. He doubted Gina wanted to hear that, but he could change her perspective.

  “What’s the worst that could happen if you stay here a few extra days?” he asked.

  “Probably nothing.” She toyed with her fork. “I just... There’s a lot on my plate right now.”

  “Which your capable assistant can handle. Tell her to shape up and get it done.”

  Gina gave an uncertain nod. “If I can ever reach her.”

  “Hey.” Zach tipped up her chin. “You can’t do anything about it tonight, so you may as well relax.”

  “I’ll try.” She took a deep breath, exhaled and then rolled her shoulders.

  “Feel better now?”

  “A little. I talk to you about my worries, Zach. Why don’t you talk to me?”

  He frowned. “About what?”

  “Anything. Your family, your past.”

  This was why he avoided relationships. “I told you about my family—we don’t get along. As for the past, it’s over and done with, so why rehash it?”

  “Because it’s interesting. I want to know where you used to work and what you did for a living. Why are you so closemouthed about it?”

  “Because it’s none of your damn business.” Zach crossed his arms and set his jaw.

  “All right.” Gina threw up her hands. “Forget I asked.”

  Ready to do exactly that, he stood. “Let’s get this mess cleaned up. You clear the table and I’ll wash the dishes.”

  They worked well together and finished in no time.

  Now what?

  With hours left before bedtime and no fooling around on the agenda, the rest of the evening stretched out like an empty highway.

  Zach thought of something to do that was both fun and safe. “Now and then, Lucky and I used to play board games,” he said. “How about a game of Scrabble and a couple beers in front of the fire? We can set up the card table.”

  Gina perked right up. “I used to play with Uncle Lucky, too. I haven’t played a board game for ages. I put those games in the giveaway pile and was going to take them to the charity box at the church. I’m glad I haven’t had time.”

  Ten minutes later, Zach was sitting across the folding table from Gina, with two bottles of beer and the Scrabble board between them and a dictionary and score pad within easy reach.

  They chose letters, and then drew to see who went first. Gina won that. Without hesitation she spelled the word socks.

  “That’s a double score for me—twenty-two points,” she said, looking pleased with herself.

  Zach was impressed by her speed. As the game progressed, she grew more animated, and at last the tension that had been with her for hours faded.

  Her vocabulary, competitive spirit and wit dazzled him. With the sparkle in her eyes and the flush of excitement on her cheeks, she was stunning.

  Beauty, brains and a great sense of humor—talk about a lethal combination. Zach wanted her more than ever. He wanted to kiss the smug look right off her face and make her forget all about their word competition, but he’d promised not to go there.

  He narrowed his eyes. “You never said you were an ace Scrabble player. You’re beating the pants off me.”

  “That I am,” she crowed. “I love to win.”

  “Who doesn’t?” He spelled out a thirty-pointer.

  “Not bad, Horton.” She clamped a pen between her teeth, reminding him of a gambler with his stogie. “Would you care to bet on the winner of this game?”

  Chuckling, he shrugged. “You’re on. If I beat you, you have to make me breakfast when I get back from my chores in the morning. If I lose, I’ll cook for you.”

  “Deal—and FYI, I like my eggs over easy.” She reached across the table and they shook on it.

  Things got serious then, both of them concentrating. By the time they were down to four tiles each, Gina was ahead by eight points.

  After studying the board, she sighed. “All I can do is use my t and h to make the. That’s four more points, giving me a twelve-point lead, minus two points for my last two tiles. Which means I win. Yes!” She pumped her fist in the air.

  “Not so fast. I still have a few usable tiles left.” Zach went for a triple word score. “Kiss,” he said with glee. “That’s twenty-four points, minus two points for my last tile. I’m the winner.”

  “By twelve points. Darn you.” Gina attempted a forbidding frown, but her laughing eyes ruined the effect.

  The urge to pull her close grabbed Zach hard, and it was all he could do to stay in his seat. He scooped up the tiles and returned them to the letter bag.

  Oblivious, Gina settled the lid on the box. “What time will you be back for breakfast, and what do you want to eat?”

  What he wanted had nothing to do with food. “Surprise me. I don’t know how long I’ll be. That depends on what Curly and I find once we’re out there.” He stood, went to the window and looked through the drapes. “It’s still coming down fast and hard.”

  His own words had him thinking about hard, fast sex. If he didn’t get away from Gina soon, he’d break his promise for sure. He turned from the window. “I’d best get some rest.”

  Though as restless as he was, he’d be lucky to fall asleep anytime soon.

  “I’ll get you some sheets and blankets.”

  Gina disappeared down the hall. Zach folded up the table and chairs and pulled himself together.

  When she returned, he took the bedding from her. “Tonight was fun.”

  “Yeah.”

  For a few long moments they simply stared at each other.

  By the soft look in her eyes, Zach swore she wanted him to kiss her. But she glanced away, cleared her throat and headed to her room. “Well, go
od night.”

  “Night.” His unwitting gaze settled on her lush behind until she disappeared at the top of the stairs.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Gina awoke to an utterly silent house, courtesy of the snow insulating the world from normal sounds. Had it finally stopped?

  She hurried out of bed and peered through the blinds. The thick curtain of falling snow gave her the answer.

  The storm was still raging.

  Wonderful. It was after seven and Zach was probably out with the animals. Gina didn’t envy him that job.

  Standing under a hot shower, she thought about last night. Zach had kept her laughing. He was smart and funny and a competitive player, and she’d enjoyed spending the evening with him. A little too much.

  She was starting to care about Zach—a lot more than was smart.

  She wanted a man with drive and ambition, she reminded herself. And though she knew a fair amount about him now, he wouldn’t answer her questions about his past. What was he hiding? Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.

  Her heart didn’t seem to care.

  Dressed in jeans and a warm pullover, she headed downstairs.

  Zach had already made coffee. Grateful, she poured herself a cup and then peered out the kitchen window, hoping to catch sight of him. Gina saw only the driving snow.

  Even with the rope connecting the barn and back door, navigating through the deep snow wouldn’t be easy. How would Zach ever find the cattle, let alone make his way back? She began to worry.

  To keep herself occupied, she wandered to the living room and flipped on the TV. Newscasters predicted record snowfall and warned people to stay inside.

  In the kitchen again, she rummaged through the refrigerator and considered what to make for breakfast. Then she thumbed through the phonebook and found the number for the airport. A recording announced that it was closed and all flights were canceled until further notice. The bus station had shut down, too.

  With a heavy sigh, she sat down at the table and called her family.

  After brief conversations with each of them and assurances that she would check in later, she hung up. Her next call was to Kevin. She hated bothering him on a Saturday morning, but this couldn’t be helped.