Why wouldn’t his brother ask Ally about her night and tell her she’d done a great job being there for her friend? Ally deserved some recognition for being a good kid.
Especially considering the obstacles in her path.
He reminded himself not to push and he was about to excuse himself when his phone rang, his cell phone showing Nina’s number.
“It was great of you to be there for Rachel, Ally,” Mack told her, needing to be certain she heard it. “I’ve got to take this, okay?”
“Bye, Uncle Mack.” She gave him a wave and dropped into the seat he’d vacated at the table.
Mack pressed the button to take Nina’s call as he walked outside, envisioning how she’d looked the night before during their video call, her hair sleep-tousled and sexy. He’d wanted to drive out there and slide under her sheets with her.
“Nina.” He spoke her name into the phone as he answered the call, wishing she was there with him right now, or at the very least, wishing they were using FaceTime so he could at least see her. “I’ve been thinking about you.”
“Well.” He could hear the smile in her voice on the other end of the phone. Also, some traffic in the background. “That’s a very attractive way to answer my call.”
“Call more often. I’ll bet I can top it.”
She laughed, a rich, joyful sound that chased away all the dark inside him and made him want to haul her back to his place for a few hours.
“Am I still going to see you tonight?” He had a surprise for her—he was bringing down a cover band from Nashville that had originally been booked to play at Finleys’ for the weekend.
He’d gotten a substitute for the bar and was importing the bigger-name group here for the weekend. The announcement would be in the morning paper. Maybe if he showed Nina a glimpse of the fun life he led away from Heartache, she’d be more inclined to join him. He’d suggested she open her shop in Nashville as a way to keep her closer to him. He wasn’t sure what kind of future they could have, but right now he couldn’t imagine a future without her.
“Absolutely. I’ve got one more property to look at and then I’ll be in the kitchen at the fairgrounds, baking. Why don’t you just meet me there when you’re done with your duties?”
Mack paused in the driveway. “Find anything promising yet?”
He tried to keep his voice light, but the thought of her buying shop front before he had a chance to make his case definitely worried him.
“I’ve got some interesting possibilities, that’s for sure. I’ll tell you about them tonight.” She sounded happy and lighthearted in a way that she hadn’t been when she first arrived in town.
Amazingly, something about Heartache was really agreeing with her. He wished to hell it was him.
“I can’t wait to see you.” He’d never been the kind of guy to wear his heart—or any deep emotions—on his sleeve. But with his departure around the corner, he couldn’t afford to hold anything back. “Hearing your voice last night after that accident...it put a lot into perspective for me, Nina. I realize I’m not the easiest guy to get along with—”
“Don’t even go there.” She lowered her voice, turning serious. “We were friends before everything else, right? No matter what else happened between us this fall, I’m grateful we’ve found that again.”
Friends. Right.
They were. But that lone word didn’t come close to summing up the complexity of emotions churning through him at just the sound of her voice. Nina was...everything.
Hell. He slumped against his car, phone clutched in a tight fist.
What a time to realize his feelings went far deeper than he’d ever fathomed. He was still in love with Nina. Not a teenage kind of love, either. But the love of a man, a man who wasn’t giving up.
He had his work cut out for him this weekend if he was going to convince Nina to be a part of his life. But then, hard work and ambition had never been a problem for a Finley. He would make this the most unforgettable weekend of her life.
“Me, too.” He slid into his car and started making a plan to win her back for good. “I’ll see you tonight.”
* * *
BY TEN O’CLOCK that night, there was no part of the fairgrounds kitchen that Nina hadn’t put to work. The counters were crammed with halved, hollowed-out pumpkins that would hold bowls full of ice for a table display in the dining area. Applesauce and caramel dips simmered on the stove, while separate electric kettles held corn chowder and vats of chili in a range of spiciness. Cupcakes of every kind and in various stages of decoration filled cooling racks, countertops and refrigerators. The convection ovens were filled with loaves of bread from fresh milled grains provided by local farmers.
A low, appreciative whistle sounded from the doorway.
“This place smells incredible.” Mack stood at the edge of the room, looking incredibly delicious for a man who must have been working all day. His white tee was crisp and clean, his hair damp at the edges around his face, as if he’d just washed up.
Nina’s blood warmed pleasantly, simmering right along with all the other things heating up in the kitchen. She thought about that late-night phone call and remembered how easy it would be to let herself be fooled into thinking they had a shot at a future together. And how easily she could be devastated by the fallout.
“Thank you. I’m taking full credit.” She felt pleasantly exhausted after a full day’s work. Her life was changing gears in a way she hadn’t expected but, surprisingly enough, was enjoying. “Although I suppose the farmers who grew the food deserve kudos, too.”
Tossing a cleaning rag into a bin, she washed her hands, more than ready to call it a night. At least as far as work was concerned.
“I have the feeling you’re selling a lot more than funnel cakes and corn dogs this year.” He walked closer, checking out the gourd display that would decorate one of the dining room tables tomorrow. “These are great.”
He pointed to a pair of “totem poles” that she was particularly proud of, with one colorful gourd stacked on another, all in an homage to fall. She’d painted faces on a few of them to add to the effect.
“Thanks.” Drying her hands, she hung the towel to dry on one of the stove handles. “I’ve had an incredibly productive day.”
“Productive enough you can call it quits for the night?” His eyes lingered on the pots on the stove then slid toward her.
Her pulse quickened.
“Yes. Thankfully, I have reinforcements to take over.” She just wished she’d had a chance to comb her hair. Her hand went to the messy knot at the top of her head. No doubt she looked...like she’d worked all day. “Let me just tell the girls I’m leaving.”
Some volunteers from the planning committee had promised to shut down the kitchen for the night. Actually, they had connections to the fairgrounds’ maintenance staff, so they probably knew more about securing the building for the night than she did. She’d already given detailed instructions about storing the sauces and the breads.
Stepping into the back room, she let her replacement know she was leaving and took a quick peek in the break room mirror. She tugged the clip out of her hair and ran her fingers through it. When that didn’t help, she burrowed in her purse for a hairbrush and took a few swipes. Popped a mint.
It wasn’t much in the way of damage control, but it helped her feel calmer, ironic since her life had been full tilt since Mack had strutted back into her life—and her heart. She grabbed her jean jacket from a hook on the wall and slid it on.
“Ready,” she called out.
She had no idea what Mack had in mind, but her heart beat faster as she walked toward him. Something had shifted between them the day before.
They’d slept together and it had been incredible, the years giving depth to their connection. Then they’d argued and it had hurt mo
re than she ever could have predicted, but at least they’d cleared up the last bit of leftover baggage from their past. Or so she hoped. And somehow, they’d bonded all over again during the phone call in the middle of the night.
It was going to be so damn hard when he left town after the festival, but she didn’t have a clue how to put up any kind of defensive walls against him. Instead she just kept handing him a little more of her heart every time they were together, knowing damn well it was going to hurt twice as much when he broke it.
“I’ve got a surprise for you.” Mack held an arm out for her as if they were going on a real date, the same way he’d escorted her to their first Harvest Festival Dance so long ago.
“I love surprises.” Her heart fluttered just as it had when she’d been a teenager.
“Lucky me, I knew that about you.” He laid a hand at the small of her back as they walked out of the kitchen and through the dining area where the lights were dim. Most everyone else had gone home for the night.
“I’m dying to see it.” Her skin tingled where he touched her and spread from that spot to the rest of her.
“Not much farther.” He held the door open for her, clearing her path out onto the central fairway.
Most of the lights were off, but the main gravel path was still illuminated by street lamps on a low setting that emitted a pink glow. Up ahead, she glimpsed the second pavilion constructed for the festival. It featured a covered area for performers, but didn’t have the seating of the big grandstand.
“It seems one of your acts is testing out the new space.” She could see a movement on the stage. Hear guitars tuning up and masculine laughter.
“Seems so,” he agreed as they passed the stations for ring toss, balloon darts and Frisbee tic-tac-toe, all dark and vacant.
“Which doesn’t surprise you even though it’s past ten,” she observed, growing suspicious. Especially since a small dance floor was lit by tiki torches, which surely would never be allowed during fair hours. “Is this part of your surprise?”
His step slowed as they closed in on the dance floor in front of the pavilion. The musicians—five of them—quieted their instruments at Mack’s arrival.
“I want this to be a special weekend for you, Nina.” He turned to face her, taking her hand. “So I thought I’d make sure I got the first dance.”
He pointed to the band, but never took his eyes off her. On cue, the music started for an old song that she’d always loved, “Sea of Love.” The strains of the music—with that uncanny power music always had—cut right to her heart along with Mack’s over-the-top gesture. Coming from a man not given to demonstrative displays, the gesture touched her deeply.
Speechless, she stepped toward him, allowing him to turn her into his arms. The warmth of his hand on her back anchored her swirling emotions. He guided her through familiar steps, reminding her she’d learned to dance with him. For him.
The lyrics talked about love and her breath caught. Had he chosen the song on purpose, or just because it was a favorite?
Before she could ask, Mack’s mouth found hers. He covered her lips with a kiss that made her forget the steps until she shuffled in helpless harmony with him. Locked in the moment of torchlight and music, the cool night air making her lean into his warmth, Nina felt a timeless connection to him. Her heart cracked wide-open and she prayed they could find a future together.
They were still kissing when the music faded to an end. And instead of them clapping for the musicians, the musicians clapped for them. And wolf-whistled.
Shaking off the spell while Mack smiled against her lips, she stepped away from him.
“Thanks, guys,” Mack called, tucking her under his arm and turning her away from the band. “Great job. You can set up any time after four tomorrow, okay?”
“Gotcha. See you then,” someone shouted back.
“Sorry,” Mack murmured in her ear. “I didn’t mean to let that kiss get so carried away.”
“You do have a way with a surprise.” She dragged in deep breaths of cool air as she followed him deeper into the fairgrounds.
“There’s more.” He spoke into her ear through the veil of her hair, his lips catching on the strands.
A shiver snaked up her spine. Her skin was alive with sensual awareness.
“I can’t imagine what sorts of surprises you could be hiding back here.” She peered around in the dark as they left the soft glow of light from the fairway. “The pond is that way,” she pointed to her right when they were heading toward the left. “The straw maze?”
“I’ve got something a little more private in mind than the pond.” His arm tightened around her waist.
Her imagination started running wild at the word private. The possibilities got very interesting.
“I hope it’s close.” She needed another kiss. Wanted to show him how much she appreciated his thoughtfulness. For arranging something special just for her.
She hadn’t gotten a lot of that in her life.
“Watch your step,” he warned as the gravel ended and the dark grew deeper. “It’s over here.”
They were behind the straw maze, the walls huge in the shadows. As Nina’s eyes adjusted, she could see the Eldorado parked nearby. And three hay wagons from Spencer Farm.
“I don’t know, Mack.” She slid her arm around his waist, her fingers grazing hard abs just above the waistband of his jeans. “It’ll be tough to top the last surprise.”
When he steered her between the wagons, she could see the middle one was open. A side panel had been removed for easier access and was now acting as a ramp of sorts. From within the hay—the wagons were still full of leftover bales—Nina could see a glow of light.
“Go on,” he urged. “Climb up, unless you want me to carry you.”
“In there?” she clarified, peering around at how isolated they really were back here. She couldn’t even see the fairgrounds.
“Only if you want your surprise.”
Securing her purse under one arm, she gripped the wooden slats of one wall on the wagon and pulled herself up. She had to climb a couple of hay “steps” before she could look down into the wagon and discover what Mack was talking about.
One layer of hay bales covered the wagon floor, but other than that, stacks of the bales made privacy walls six feet high the whole way around. Down in the center of the straw room, there was a big quilt spread out like a picnic blanket. A few stray pillows and blankets had been tossed to one side, and a small cast-iron lantern set on the low setting. A strand of small white lights rimmed the hay bales and they glowed with a softness that suggested they were solar powered. A champagne bucket rested beside the blanket with what looked like a bottle of sparkling water inside.
“I hope it’s not too cold for you out here.” Mack stood behind her, staring down at the blanket with her. “I figured the hay would cut the wind.”
“I trust you to keep me warm.” She shivered again, but not from the cold. Carefully, she climbed down into the clean, sweet-smelling hay, her nerve endings hyper aware of him as he followed.
There was so much she wanted to say to him. So much she wanted to ask. But right now, with the memory of their dance playing in her mind, his body grazing hers as they moved, she found she couldn’t hold a thought in her head long enough to have a conversation. She wanted Mack with a fierceness that surprised her.
“I adore it,” she said simply, setting aside her purse and sliding out of her jean jacket. For a moment, she stared up at the stars where more white lights winked at her. Then, she met Mack’s gaze again as he joined her near the blanket. “From the song and the dance to this...incredible place. I love everything about tonight.”
Arching up on her toes, she slid her arms around Mack. Gently, she kissed the thin scratches still on his face from the night before.
She watched in the soft light as his eyes closed for a moment, his lashes surprisingly long. So she kissed his eyelids, too, and dragged him down to the blanket with her. He cushioned their fall with strong arms, making sure he fell first. He dragged pillows closer and tucked one under her head. They stared at each other, breathing one another’s air. The hay bales blocked the sound from outside, all except for an occasional rustle of tree branches overhead as the breeze blew. A yellow poplar leaf drifted down onto Mack’s shoulder and she brushed it aside, taking an appreciative feel of his muscles as she did.
He smoothed her hair off her cheek and away from her neck. Then, leaning closer, his mouth brushed a spot just under her chin. She closed her eyes, her fingers digging into his upper arm while he kissed her. Licked her. Nipped at her ear.
The cool breeze hit her skin, driving her closer to him. He gave off heat like a furnace, his whole body hot, hard and ready for her. Desire for him curled through her with a needy edge, and she tugged at the hem of his shirt, hardly understanding why her hand moved so low. She kissed his chest through his shirt, savoring the warmth and the male scent of him.
She hoped this night would be the first of many. But if it wasn’t, she planned to store up every delectable memory and tease out each touch to imprint it on her brain for the rest of time.
His kisses dipped lower on her collarbone while his hands found the hem of her blouse and lifted it higher. Off. He skimmed away one strap of her bra and traced a path over the swell of her breast. Before his tongue reached the crest, she flung her thigh over his, her body already hungry for more of him. He gripped her hips and sealed her to the stark ridge pressing against the fly of his jeans.
A wave of want made her moan aloud. She needed him. Needed the completion only he could bring her.
She arched against his kiss, his mouth curving to the tight, aching nipple and feasting there. Already, an orgasm shimmered close to the surface for her. She squeezed her thighs tight against it, wanting the moment to last. Her breath grew short and she tensed.
“Let go.” The words were a hum of vibration against her, the rumble of it traveling over her skin and landing between her legs in a phantom touch. “I’ve got you.”
Harlequin Superromance September 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: This Good ManPromises Under the Peach TreeHusband by Choice Page 51
