A Second Chance at Crimson Ranch

by Michelle Major

  She swallowed hard as he closed the door and the truck’s interior went dark. Her mind switched to overdrive as he got in and pulled onto the street. It was too bad, she thought, that he couldn’t just have taken her there on the sidewalk. These minutes to think about what was coming were doing her nerves no good. She might want adventure but that didn’t mean she wasn’t scared out of her mind.

  “Don’t,” he whispered, as if he could read her thoughts. “This is what you want.”

  She nodded dumbly, then shivered as her body finally registered the night’s crisp chill.

  Logan cursed under his breath and fiddled with the controls for the heat, turning the vents her way. They fishtailed slightly as he took a corner too quickly. The streets were empty but still she gripped the passenger door handle like a lifeline, needing to be grounded by something in this moment.

  By the time they reached her house, Olivia was shaking in earnest. The melting snow had seeped through her coat and sweater. Her skin felt icy and her teeth chattered. She knew it was as much from nerves as the cold but she couldn’t stop her reaction.

  She’d only had one boyfriend before Craig and she was a traditionalist at her core. When she’d married, she’d never again expected to have sex with a man other than her husband. Now here she was, single again and about to embark on an encounter with a man who was so different from her ex it was almost comical. She’d felt self-conscious enough with Craig, but what Logan might expect and how she was certain to fail him had her wanting to run.

  Suddenly a part of her longed for her usual boring evening with cookies, milk and whatever chick flick she could find on TV. She was a lot less likely to make a fool of herself if she didn’t try.

  It took her a moment to open the door after Logan parked next to the garage. By the time she swung out her legs, he was waiting. She tried to shoo him away. “I can make it to the house,” she muttered, then all but tripped out of the truck. He gathered her in his arms, taking her back steps two at a time.

  “I’m fine,” she said again, the words a little garbled, as her teeth were chattering so hard she could barely make a coherent sound.

  “You’re a human popsicle.” He opened the door to the kitchen, kicked off his boots without putting her down and headed to the stairs. “Which one is yours?” he asked as he came to the top.

  “All the way at the end.” She buried her nose into the skin at the base of his throat.

  She felt him twitch. “You really are freezing,” he said on a heavy exhale.

  “Y-yes,” was her only answer because she didn’t want to embarrass herself any more by trying to speak through her chattering teeth.

  He set her on the edge of the bed and stripped off her coat before kneeling in front of her. He reached out and flipped on the small lamp on her nightstand. He sat back and unzipped one of her boots, his movements as quick and efficient as a mother might be when her child returned from playing in the snow. She closed her arms over her chest, moving her hands up and down to get the circulation going again.

  “Lean back,” he told her and she did so without thinking only to try to bolt up again as she felt his fingers on the button of her jeans. He placed a hand on her chest, gently pushed her down.

  As he tugged her jeans down over her hips, she squeezed her eyes shut, then peeked out of one. Logan was on his feet, staring down at her, his blue eyes dark as his gaze raked over her body.

  “I’ve changed my mind.” His voice was a husky whisper. “The lingerie is worth it.”

  Olivia cracked open her other eye. “Worth riding up my back end all night?”

  His mouth quirked. “It’s a small price to pay.”

  She huffed out a small laugh. “Maybe for you.”

  “Only for me,” he answered and bent forward to cover her mouth with his. As his hand trailed up her bare leg, she shivered again, more from his touch than the lingering cold.

  He felt the movement and lifted off her, bringing her up into a sitting position and stripping her shirt over her head, tossing it aside with a jerk of his hand. Before she knew what was happening, he pulled back the comforter and shifted her so she was lying on the bed, head on the pillow. He turned her on her side and climbed in behind her, bringing the comforter back over both of them as he snuggled her into his chest.

  She sighed as the warmth of his body began to seep into her. “What are you doing?” she asked after a moment.

  “Reheating you.” He pushed aside her hair and dropped tiny kisses from the edge of her shoulder to her neck.

  “You’re still dressed.”

  “You’re still freezing.”

  It was true. Her body continued to tremble from the cold, but she also wanted...more. She squirmed in his arms; the fabric of his jeans chafed her bare skin. “I bet I’d warm up quicker if you didn’t have so many clothes on.” She grimaced as she said the words, hoping she didn’t sound too desperate. Even though she felt pretty darn desperate at the moment.

  “Stop making faces,” he whispered against her ear. “There is nothing you can say that’s going to shock me, Olivia. Anything you want, all you have to do is ask.”

  She turned her head to glance at him over her shoulder. “I want you naked.”

  The smile that lit up his face was both blinding and wolfish. “Your wish is my command.”

  He slipped out of the covers and she turned, drawing the comforter up to her chin. In one fluid movement, he shucked the shirt over his head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a condom, tossing it on the nightstand before unbuttoning his pants and letting them drop to the floor, pulling his boxers down with them.

  Olivia’s mouth went dry as he straightened and she had to concentrate to take a breath. A body couldn’t get any closer to perfection than Logan’s. She’d known he was all ripped, powerful muscle, but seeing him—all of him—overwhelmed every one of her senses with desire she barely understood. His skin was smooth and taut with a dusting of golden hair across his chest and down his sculpted abs to... Her eyes flew back up to his face.

  One side of his mouth curved into a smile. “I hope you’re convinced that I want you.”

  She glanced down and then back up, covering her eyes with one hand. Yes, it was clear he wanted her, but she still couldn’t quite understand why. He was perfectly built, way more experienced than she was despite their age difference and...

  Oh, yeah, the age difference.

  Olivia suddenly felt those six years as if they were a span of centuries.

  As Logan climbed back into bed, she tried to scoot to the other side. He grabbed her waist and flipped her on top of him, their bodies touching from chest to toe. “Stay with me,” he said, tapping one finger against her temple. “Don’t overthink this, Olivia. Not now.”

  His hands slid down her bare skin and she felt his fingers flicking open her bra strap. “Tell me,” he said as his calloused palms made circles on her back. “What next?”

  She met his gaze and realized that he was holding his need in check for her, allowing her to take control. The gesture made her feel humble and powerful at the same time.

  “Kiss me,” she told him and he brought his lips to hers, plundering her mouth with a kiss that stole her breath.

  Her desire took over, quieting the doubts in her mind. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he turned her onto her back. His mouth moved down to her throat, her breasts and belly and then lower. He found her center and she arched off the bed, moaning his name as pleasure overtook her. He took her to the brink, but before she crashed on to the other side, he grabbed the condom wrapper from the nightstand. She opened herself for him and he slid into her, her body stretching to accommodate him.

  He whispered her name over and over, telling her she was beautiful and all the ways he planned on making her his.

  They moved together,
their bodies a perfect fit and Olivia felt the pressure build inside her. Just as it broke over, he claimed her mouth yet again and she cried her release into him as he did the same. His arms tightened around her and he tucked his face into the crook of her neck, kissing her softly as her body calmed.

  “You’re not cold anymore,” he said after a few minutes. Although his words were teasing, she heard the tremble in his voice and knew that he’d been as affected by this moment as she was.

  “I’m absolutely perfect,” she whispered and he hugged her closer, shifting so that she fit against him, her head resting on his chest, their legs and arms entangled. She fell asleep feeling the steady rhythm of his heart against her cheek.

  Chapter Eleven

  When Olivia blinked awake hours later she was still warm and cozy, but it was the down comforter cocooned around her instead of Logan’s arms. She sighed and told herself it was a sound of contentment, not disappointment over being left alone in the bed.

  She’d had a mighty fine divorce celebration, better than she could have dreamed. Logan didn’t owe her anything, certainly not a morning-after snuggle or whatever she wanted to call it.

  Her hand splayed out across the sheets, smoothing the empty side of the bed. When she’d been married to Craig, Olivia had always tried to keep to her side, making herself small and still so as not to disturb him. The story of her life, trying not to bother the people around her.

  A noise from the hallway caught her attention. As her head turned to the door, Logan walked through. A tiny chorus chimed a resounding Hallelujah in her head.

  His brows furrowed as he came toward her. “You thought I’d gone.”

  “Maybe.” She drew the covers up to her chin, embarrassed that she’d been ruminating on just that, and then feeling silly for being in bed still when he was up, dressed and showered, his hair wet on the ends.

  He bent over her, one knee on the edge of the bed as he planted his hands on either side of her head. “I’m here,” he whispered against her lips, his kiss minty, reminding her that she was still naked and rumpled and probably smelling a bit like the morning after.

  She squirmed but he nuzzled his face against the base of her throat. “I love the way you smell,” he said, with his uncanny ability to read her mind. “And I want nothing more than to strip down and join you, but...” His voice hummed against her skin.

  “But...” she repeated, her brain feeling fuzzy.

  “I have to drive down to Telluride this morning.” He nipped at her skin where her pulse beat and she wriggled again. Lifting himself off the bed, he ran his hands through his hair and gave a quick laugh. “You have no idea what you do to me.” His gaze swept over her and she tugged the covers down an inch, her ego rewarded by his soft groan.

  “Sorry,” she whispered.

  He held up one finger. “No apologies.”

  Her smile widened. “Good, because I’m not really sorry.”

  He looked at her for several long moments, then said, “Come with me.”

  “To Telluride?”

  “My meeting won’t take long. It’s just finalizing dates on a house project with one of the architects. We can spend the rest of the day together.”

  She had a few calls to make for the upcoming open house, but nothing she couldn’t handle remotely. “I’d like that. If you’re sure I won’t be too much trouble.”

  He bent to kiss her long and thoroughly, a kiss that had her heating from the inside out. When he finally pulled away he rested his forehead on hers, his breath coming out in ragged puffs. “You’re a lot of things to me, Olivia. Trouble would never be one of them.”

  Her toes curled at the emotion in his voice. “I just need to shower and get dressed.”

  He took a step back but didn’t leave the room.

  She sat up, taking the sheet with her and swung her legs off the bed. When he didn’t move she shook her head. “I can’t get up until you go.”

  “Why is that?”

  She made a face “Because I’m naked.”

  “I know.” His voice was a soft purr.

  “It’s broad daylight.”

  He wiggled his eyebrows.

  Feeling heat rise to her face, she pointed to the door. “I’ll be ready in twenty minutes.

  He laughed but left, closing the door behind him.

  Olivia hopped off the bed and raced to the bathroom. She barely recognized the woman who looked back at her from the mirror. Her dark hair was wild, tousled around her head. Her face still held a flush and there was a tiny love bite on the top of one breast. She should have been horrified but she felt delighted. She looked well-loved, satisfied, a little wild and...alive.

  Alive in a way she’d never felt before.

  She glanced around the bathroom at the morning light that slanted through the window. Everything looked clearer, in sharper focus. She could almost see the vibrations in the air. Logan hadn’t abandoned her after their night together. That had to count for something.

  She ignored the fact that a meeting in Telluride meant he’d be leaving after he finished the community-center renovations. She’d known that from the start, so there was no use pretending it was anything different.

  From the way her heart kicked against her rib cage, it was clear she was going to hurt when he was gone. For now the pain felt like it might be a better alternative to the searing numbness she’d experienced for years.

  She felt like Sleeping Beauty, waking after years of sleep. She laughed at how well the cliché, It’s the first day of the rest of your life, fit her mood this morning.

  If today was her first, she was going to do her best to make the most of it.

  She showered quickly and then put on jeans, a fitted flannel shirt and snow boots. She picked up one of the bands she usually used to pull back her hair but let it drop to the sink. Instead, she finger-combed the wet strands, applied mascara and lip gloss, and hurried for the stairs.

  She found Logan pouring a cup of coffee at the counter.

  “I’m ready,” she said, skidding to a stop next to him.

  “You’re quick.” His gaze roamed from her head to her boots. “And very cute.”

  She didn’t want to admit that she’d rushed so he wouldn’t be tempted to leave without her. “I don’t want you to be late.”

  “I grabbed muffins from the bakery.”

  Her stomach grumbled in response. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until he mentioned food.

  “I got you pumpkin spice.”

  “That’s my favorite,” she said, glancing up at him.

  “I asked the girl working the counter.” He dropped a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. “The sun’s out this morning.” He picked up the bag and handed her the coffee. “Most of the snow will have melted off the highway. It should be a nice drive.”

  She grabbed her down coat off the rack and followed him out the door. She looked toward the garage. “What about Jim?”

  “He left earlier. Told me to say thank-you and he hopes to see you again.”

  “I really did enjoy meeting him, Logan, even if he did do something bad.” She opened the door to the truck, then gasped as he turned her around and kissed her deeply.

  “You’re an amazing woman, Olivia.”

  She didn’t know how to answer that, how to speak past the wellspring of emotion clogging her throat. She climbed into the truck silently, busying herself with the muffin and coffee instead.

  The roads were almost empty as they started, although they began to see more cars as the morning wore on. The drive to Telluride was beautiful with the snow on the trees sparkling like diamonds in the daylight.

  Olivia thought she’d never get tired of the beauty that surrounded her in Colorado. It was different than anything she’d known before she’d come
here, but somehow it felt familiar and so much like home. They talked of everything and nothing, and the few hours from one mountain town to the other passed in the blink of an eye.

  Logan pulled to a stop in front of a cute Victorian-style house near the center of town. As she climbed out of the truck, she shaded her eyes to look up at the ski mountain that loomed behind them. Although the temperature was warming quickly, snow still covered the peaks and a handful of skiers were making their way down the mountain.

  “Do you ski?” Logan asked, meeting her on the sidewalk.

  She shook her head. “Craig took me to Aspen Mountain the first winter we moved to Colorado. It was a total bust. He said I had no coordination and too much fear.”

  Logan draped an arm over her shoulder and bent to press a kiss to her hair. “If last night is any indication,” he whispered teasingly, “you’re both fearless and extremely coordinated.”

  “Oh, I was plenty scared.”

  He stopped, turned her to look at him, his concerned gaze raking over her face. “Of me?”

  She bit down on her lower lip, wishing she hadn’t said a word. But he clearly expected an answer so she said, “Of me. Of not being able to...well...be what you needed me to.” She tried to step back but he laced his fingers through hers. “My husband was a serial cheater who left me for his mistress.” She laughed, although it sounded more like a squeak. “It’s not exactly a confidence booster.”

  His thumb rubbed against the soft flesh of her palm. She kept her stare firmly planted at the buttons of his corduroy jacket, unwilling to look up. All she could think was that he was trying to come up with something kind to let her down easy. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t...well, he’d seemed to enjoy last night. But sex was straightforward for a guy.

  For her, being with Logan had been a revelation. Her body had responded to him in ways she hadn’t expected. In her wildest dreams she couldn’t have imagined how she’d want to touch him and be touched in return.

  “Last night was better than anything I’ve ever known,” he said softly. With one finger, he tipped up her chin. “You are amazing.”