by Nina Crespo
“They’re actually chocolate pecan pies. The one on the left has rum. The other has bourbon. Want to try them?”
“Of course. I like getting paid.” As Scott walked behind her, heading for the stool Darby had vacated, he quelled what felt like a natural urge to wrap his arms around her from behind. It was too easy for him to imagine her looking over her shoulder at him, and then kissing her.
“Great.” Rina walked around to the other side of the counter, putting space between them. She took out a clean plate from below and put a slice of each pie on it. “Hold on. You need water.” When she came back, as she reminded him what he needed to do for the tasting, her hands swept over the pies.
So many times over the past few days, he’d also wanted to reach across the table and hold her hand when they’d shared coffee or a meal or when they walked to the town square and sat by the fountain, but the constraints of their friendship held him back. He didn’t want to lose what they had, but sometimes, not having the freedom to let her know how he truly felt about her was like trying to function on small sips of air when he needed to breathe.
Rina giving him a puzzled look brought him back to the present. “Don’t forget to drink water in between sampling the two pies.”
“Got it.” He took bites from each pie. The nutty chocolate sweet flavor of the filling blended perfectly with the buttery pie crust. “They’re both great. Which one do you like the most?”
“I don’t know. Honestly, I’m not sure about anything anymore.” She walked around the counter and stood beside him. “I’ve tried at least a half dozen different recipes for nut pies, fruit pies even cheesecake, but nothing stands out as special enough for a dessert line.”
“It sounds like you need a diversion.”
“I’m already distracted. That’s my problem.” Her arm brushed his as she unconsciously leaned on him a bit.
He shifted more toward her, pleased that she wasn’t moving away. “A diversion isn’t the same as a distraction. It’s a change. In your case, doing something out of your wheelhouse might actually save you time by jumpstarting your ideas.”
“Why do I get the feeling you really mean jumping off of something?”
“Now that you mention it, that might not be a bad idea.”
“And end up like Nash?” She laughed. “I don’t think so.”
“Nash wasn’t jumping off of anything. He stumbled and fell. Weren’t you the one who said that when you fall, you learn how to face adversity by getting back up? But doesn’t that lesson start with trying something first?” The urge to kiss away the small crumb of dessert on the corner of her mouth was so strong, Scott drank water to stop himself. “What do you have to lose by trying a diversion?”
She tilted her head and looked at him. “I can see it on your face. You’ve already thought of something. What is it?”
As the idea continued to take shape in his mind, Scott couldn’t stop a smile. “It’s a surprise. I promise it will be a good one. Don’t ask questions. Just trust me.”
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning, Rina parked in the lot at the stable. As she got out and shut the door, her gaze drifted to the barn in the middle of the pasture. Scott was expecting her to meet him in a few minutes.
What do you have to lose by trying a diversion?
That’s what he’d said to her last night. When she’d pressed him about what he had in mind, he still wouldn’t tell her. He’d just repeated, Trust me. And with those two little words, he’d circumvented the voice inside of her demanding caution. He’d given her only reasons to trust him from the first moment he’d shown up at the cafe so why say no? Especially when she needed to get past her creative block.
But even though she trusted him, she’d still stayed up half the night wondering. And remembering. Her first time riding on the back of a motorcycle. Feeling the rumble and purr of a powerful sports car through the steering wheel and opening up the engine on a vacant back road. Gambling with a seemingly endless stack of chips at a casino. Riding blindfolded on a rollercoaster. Xavier had given her those experiences. For him, every day had been about pushing past some invisible limit that only he could see. At first, it had been exciting, but later on, it had become frightening.
But Scott was different. Sure he took chances with his profession, but there was a solidness to him. He was dependable, and she felt safe with him. Even knowing that, walking across the pasture, knots of apprehension wound like knots inside of her. As she drew closer to the barn, Scott’s and Owen’s voices filtered out the door. She walked inside.
Both men stood near a metal scaffold off to the side near a rope hanging down that was connected to a cord. The cord ran up to the ceiling and ran along a beam to the middle of the barn.
Maybe they were working and she was interrupting?
Scott looked over at her and smiled. “You’re here.”
“Hi.” She gave a small wave. “If you two are busy, I can wait.”
“No. You’re right on time,” Scott said.
“Are you rehearsing a stunt?”
“No.” Scott’s gaze held Rina’s as he approached her. “But we’re going to do one. Or at least you are.”
“Me? Perform a stunt? Wait. You don’t want me to swing out of the barn like you did the day you ran me over?”
Owen chuckled.
Scott sent him a look. “Almost ran you over. But no. I’m going to teach you how to fly.”
“Seriously?” The part of her that was intrigued outweighed the tiny voice inside of her saying no. “How?”
“I’ll show you.” He took her hand and gently pulled her to the center of the barn where a cord dropped down from the ceiling over an X marked in blue tape on the floor. “Have you ever seen a stage production of Peter Pan?”
“Not on stage but I did see the live show on television.”
“One of the ways actors can fly through the air is with a rigging system. This one works by running a rigging wire through two fixed points. The pulley above where Owen is standing by the rope and then the one over our heads.”
She let go of his hand and touched the thin black cord with a clip that was hanging down from the pulley above them. “Is this supposed to hold me?”
“I know it might not look like it but that wire is strong enough to support my weight. It will hold you up easily.” He motioned to Owen who brought over what looked like a series of belts. “You’ll be in this harness clipped to the wire. Owen is going to be over there by the scaffold pulling you up. I’ll be right here teaching you what to do and spotting your every move. Do you want to try it?”
Nervous jitters intertwined with a healthy dose of excitement. In some ways, it was almost like riding a rollercoaster but not blindfolded. And he and Owen were both professionals. Safety and precautions were part of their job, not taking reckless chances. And this was a chance to fly like the free-spirited Peter Pan? How could she pass that up?
She looked to him and nodded. “Yes. I’ll do it.”
Owen took her keys and phone, and Scott helped her step into the harness that fit around and through her legs, around her back and across her chest. “Now I’m going to tighten this to a point that might feel a bit uncomfortable.”
“Do what you have to do.” He could make the harness more than a bit uncomfortable if it meant she wouldn’t fall out of it.
Scott smoothing his hands over the straps raised tingles. By the time he finished, her knees felt a little weak.
Once she was secure, Scott attached the wire to the back of the harness.
Owen stood near the scaffold, gloves on, holding on to the end of the rope. He pulled and the wire grew taut, tugging her from the back and lifting her slightly before settling her back down.
“Whoa.” She held her hands out to her sides as nerves loosed butterflies in her stomach.
Scott held her
by the waist. “Relax. You’re good. I’ve got you.”
His gentle but firm hold alleviated doubts, but his closeness wreaked havoc on her concentration.
As if sensing her mind wanting to drift, he gave her a slight squeeze before letting go. His expression, more serious than she’d ever seen him, snapped her thinking into place. “Slouching will make the harness really uncomfortable. Pretend you’re a ballet dancer. Head up, stand straight, engage your core.”
Rina thought about her riding days. To stay straight in the saddle, she’d often pretended there was a string pulling her up from the top of her head.
“Good. Just like that. We’re going to try a simple lift first. Owen’s going to pull you straight up then set you down, nice and slow. When you land, don’t lock your knees. Keep them soft.” Scott demonstrated, jumping up from the ground and landing with his knees slightly bent.
Rina copied him.
“I think you’re ready. Let’s do it.” He gave Owen a nod.
Using his body weight, Owen pulled down on the rope hand over hand.
As Rina lifted straight into the air, her breath whooshed out of her with a squeal of shock and delight.
“You alright up there?” Scott asked.
The harness cut into her inner thighs a little, but the wonderful weightless feeling made up for it. “Yes. I’m good.”
“Try some small graceful movements. Lift your hands to your sides. Up above your head. Good. Now pretend like you’re running in slow motion.”
Rina did the latter, moving her arms and bicycling her legs. She couldn’t stop a giggle as she imagined what she must look like running on air.
“Perfect,” Scott said. “Let’s try coming down.”
Disappointment that she couldn’t stay up there made her slump, but the harness digging in reminded her to straighten up. Rina descended for a soft but wobbly landing. “Oh my gosh. Can we do it again? That was fun.”
Scott laughed. “You think that was fun?” He pointed her to a corner in the barn. “You’re going to start over there. When you’re lifted up, lean your body toward home. That’s the X.”
What was going to happen dawned on her. This was the flying part! Rina went to the corner and faced the X. “I’m ready.”
She was lifted up, and Rina leaned in as she flew back toward center. “Woooo!” She landed and when Owen lifted her back up, she soared back to the corner.
Again and again, she moved to the different starting places Scott indicated and flew through the air.
Owen had to leave and Scott took over.
As she kept flying, all of her cares and worries about the cafe and what was or wasn’t coming in the future magically slipped away.
* * *
As Scott pulled down on the rope, the muscles in his arms and legs began to burn from repetition, but he endured it, mesmerized by the expression of bliss on Rina’s face as she flew through the air, her braids flowing behind her.
She laughed and the pure rich sound filled him with happiness...and a bit of sadness that this moment would come to an end. It was beautiful. She was beautiful...a force in her own right. Sometimes, he got the feeling she didn’t know how truly amazing she was.
He lowered her slowly over the X.
Firmly on the ground, Rina leaned over from the waist and massaged her thighs. The tight straps were starting to take a toll on her.
“Stay there. I’ll disconnect you.” He secured the rope to the scaffold before walking over to her.
Scott detached her and helped her loosen the harness. When there was enough slack in the straps, she slipped the harness from her shoulders and pushed it past her hips to her feet.
“That was amazing.” She rubbed the sides of her ribcage and winced.
Concern made him drop the harness and lay his hands below hers on her waist. “I kept you up there too long.” Shit. He knew better than that. “Does it hurt when you breathe? How bad is it?”
“I’m fine. That experience was totally worth the pain.”
He’d rather have skipped that last part for her. “You really enjoyed it?”
“You know I did.” Rina looked up at him. “Thank you. This was exactly what I needed.” Seconds passed as she didn’t step back and he didn’t let her go. Then she moved a little closer.
Friendship. That’s what Rina wanted, and he respected that. But being near her like this chipped away at his resolve. The voice in his head telling him to let go was lost in the sound of his heart beating faster and echoing inside of him.
Rina laid her hands on his chest.
He leaned in a fraction, waiting and hoping she wouldn’t push him way. Scott lowered his mouth to hers and as soon as she opened to him, arousal flared. The control he’d held on to so closely around her for too many long weeks, days and hours weakened to nothing. Rina slid her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms firmly around her. Every stroke and glide of their deepening kiss driving him nearer to pure want.
She pressed closer and her breasts pillowing against his chest short-circuited his brain to just one thought. More. Taking hold of her hips, he brought her against him, letting her feel how much he wanted her. But now wasn’t the time. Still he stroked his hands upward, gliding them under the hem of her shirt. The warmth of her skin seeped into him. He desperately wanted to kiss her there and any place the straps of the harness may have left a temporary mark or a bruise.
Rina eased back from the kiss.
He drew in an unsteady breath and stared into her eyes. “Just so you know, I’m not sorry that happened.”
“Neither am I.”
“So does that mean we might get to do that again outside of the barn?”
Her gaze dropped as she slid her hands to his chest. His hopes sank in the silence. Had that kiss cost him everything?
She looked back up at him and smiled. “There’s more than a possibility that could happen again.”
They were officially out of the friend zone and moving into new territory. Finally. If only he didn’t have to meet Kyle and the rest of the stunt crew. They’d just gotten the word that morning about the new schedule. For the rest of the upcoming week, he and the other stunt performers were rehearsing stunts. The week after that, filming around Nash would take place.
He briefly pressed his lips to hers. “I’m tied up until late this afternoon. What about you?”
“I took the day off. I’m trying out recipes in my apartment.”
“Is it okay if I drop by later to put up the drywall?”
“Sure. I’ll make us dinner.”
Did that soft look in her eyes mean that dinner included more kisses? If he had a say in it, kissing her would be a part of the appetizers, main course and dessert. But right then... “I have to get going.”
She took her arms away. “I should get going, too.”
“Give me a minute to take care of a few things, and I’ll walk you to your car.”
After giving Rina her keys and phone, he locked the harness in a storage trunk near the scaffold and secured the rope and wire. Outside, he padlocked the barn. As they started walking toward the parking lot, Scott took her hand and intertwined their fingers. He was going to hold her hand every chance he got.
Chapter Sixteen
As Rina walked across the pasture with Scott it felt like she was still flying on air. Kissing him hadn’t been part of the plan, it had just happened. And like she’d told him, she wasn’t sorry about it. But what it meant for them going forward, she didn’t know. He was around for only a short time and—Stop. She was overcomplicating things before they’d even gotten a chance to talk about what was going on between them.
Beside her SUV, she faced him and stepped into his loose embrace. “See you later.”
“Can’t wait.”
Scott kissed her and she wrapped her arms around him. Whatever t
his was, she liked the holding and kissing part...a lot.
Tires crunched on rocks in the parking lot.
In her periphery, she saw the dark SUV pull in two spaces down. Tristan.
In a knee-jerk reaction, she took her arms from around Scott and ended the kiss.
A puzzled expression came over his face. He glanced that direction, but didn’t let her go.
Not that he needed to—she was a grown woman and had every right to be with Scott. But this was the first time in years that she’d put her personal life on blast.
Chloe Daniels opened the front passenger door and got out. Her rose-colored blouse, skinny jeans and high-heeled sandals were casual, but from the color and contours of the makeup highlighting her light brown face, she’d just come from the set.
Tristan, walking around the rear of the vehicle from the driver side, also appeared to be off the clock. He had on a pair of clean jeans and instead of a navy shirt with the embroidered Tillbridge logo—a white horse and T with a lasso around it—he had on a white short-sleeved pullover.
Chloe smoothed a strand of long dark wavy hair from her eyes and waved enthusiastically. Her smile was infectious.
“Hi.” Genuinely happy to see her, Rina slipped from Scott’s arms to greet Chloe and share a big hug. They hadn’t seen much of each other since the welcome buffet for the cast and crew almost three weeks ago, and even then, she hadn’t gotten a chance to really talk to her. “It’s so good to see you.”
“You, too.” Chloe squeezed back. As she let go, she glanced over Rina’s shoulder. “Hi, Scott.”
“Hi, Chloe.” As he walked over to them, Tristan did, too.
The two men said “Hey” to each other and exchanged a firm handshake that seemed a tad long.
“What are you guys doing here?” Rina asked.
“I’m finished for the day,” Chloe replied. “We just stopped by so Tristan could grab something from his office and then we’re going to the house. What about you two?” As she looked between Rina and Scott with open curiosity, Tristan slipped an arm around her waist.
