by Candis Terry
“It is now.”
Chapter Five
THE FOLLOWING NIGHT, Faith realized she hadn’t been very good at keeping her distance from the paying guest. She hadn’t been very good at keeping her eyes off him. And she hadn’t been very good at keeping her imagination from wandering like a cat in heat down a back alley.
True to his word, yesterday afternoon, he’d followed her into the barn and helped her work on the decorations for the charity barn dance. Although his choices of helping and his methods of doing so had left her more than a little flustered.
When she’d climbed the ladder to hang the strings of twinkling lights and the shimmery gold and silver stars, he held her by the waist instead of holding the ladder. When she went to arrange the decorated garlands along the tops of the stalls, he held her up so she “didn’t have to bother” getting the stepstool. He used every reason possible to touch her.
And she’d let him.
God, she was pathetic.
Sure, she’d been grateful for the help. But along with the help came a heavy dose of becoming more familiar with the man. The only thing she hadn’t gotten to know was where he’d been for three days. The curiosity was killing her. Maybe he’d gone to see a woman. He did seem a little more relaxed when he’d come back. Maybe Faith was making a total fool of herself. Maybe she should just knock him on his very attractive behind and tell him to keep his hands to himself.
Only one thing she knew for certain.
These days, a whole lot of maybes floated into her head that had no place being there.
“I can’t help but notice how y’all know your way around a horse pretty well,” Faith said as they rode toward the patch of evergreens where she planned to snip some fresh bundles for the barn decorations.
Over breakfast, he’d talked her into letting him come along, then he followed her into the stables. She’d expected him to stand in the doorway and watch her saddle the horses. Instead, he’d strolled past the stalls, checking out each animal as though he were looking to purchase a thoroughbred fit to win the Kentucky Derby. When she went to saddle Rainbow for him, one of their gentlest quarter horse mares, Chase shook his head and pointed toward Zip, the orneriest gelding on the ranch. Usually, Faith or Bull rode the sleek buckskin. But Chase insisted.
Imagining a lawsuit that would pitch her headfirst into the red zone of her financial spreadsheets, she reluctantly gave in to the man’s wishes. Surprise filled every pore in her body when he’d lifted the pad and saddle off the stand, easily slung it over Zip’s back, then proceeded to pull up the cinch strap and put on the bridle just as though he’d done it every day of his life. He even cleaned Zip’s hooves like a pro.
Faith had watched him with her arms folded and her suspicion increasing by the minute.
“I might have ridden a horse a time or two in my day,” he said, tucking the bill of the New York Rangers cap lower over his expressive green eyes.
“Just like you might have worn stacked Wranglers and boots before?”
A smirk tilted those sizzling man lips. “Maybe.”
Since they’d kissed, she’d tried to ignore that funny little flutter in her heart that said Chase Morgan wasn’t just your average high-dollar-earning executive or just a great kisser.
Well, he was that.
On second thought, she’d take that back.
The man wasn’t just a great kisser; he kissed like he meant it. Like she was the only woman in the world, and he wanted to focus on all the details that would make her moan, scream out loud, and beg for more.
She’d surprised herself by walking right into that kiss. It had been a long time since she’d been held in a man’s arms. A long time since she’d felt the sensuous pressure of a man’s mouth on hers. A long time since she’d had that uncontrollable urge to rip off her clothes and jump his incredibly hot body right there in the middle of the kitchen, where anyone could have walked in and caught them.
“Mmmhmm.” She tore her gaze from the way he sat a saddle like he’d been born to it and focused across the field toward their destination. “Well, you might have walking that horse down to an art. But let’s see how good you can really ride.”
With a “Ha!” she kicked Rainbow into a full gallop. Chase not only followed and kept up, he handled Zip with a level of expertise that proved he was full of baloney with his big-city-boy game.
She beat him by a split second and only because she knew the hidden pitfalls to avoid while flying across that field. Rainbow had barely come to a halt before she was off the saddle and charging toward Chase.
“Who the hell are you?” she demanded. “No suit-wearing ad exec from Manhattan rides like that!”
“Damn that was exhilarating.” He came off Zip’s back with ease, then towered over her with a grin. “Watch where you’re pointing that finger, sweet thing.”
She retracted her pointer, then slammed her hands down on her hips. “No more BS, Chase. Who the hell are you?”
He took a step toward her. Then another. Stubborn from the day she was born, she stayed planted. Even as the seductive look in his eyes kicked her heart into overdrive.
“I . . .” His big hands slid gently over the slope of her shoulders. “Am the man who’s going to kiss you. Right now. Not just because I’ve got too much exhilaration racing through me. But because every time I look at you, I just feel like smiling. And doing this.”
Before she could protest–which hadn’t even entered her mind–Chase pulled her into his arms and pressed his mouth to hers like she was the most important thing in his world, and he hadn’t seen her in forever.
His tongue slicked across the seam of her lips, teased, and urged her to let him in. Since her mama didn’t raise no fools, she gave in and let the firestorm of sensation rushing through her veins roar over reason.
IN THE GRAND scheme of things, Chase hadn’t planned to kiss her. But now that his lips were on hers, and she was warm and supple in his arms, he was glad for the impulsive act. As he ended the kiss, lifted his head, and looked into her inquisitive eyes, reality slammed down.
The trip home to Stephenville had given him the first inkling that he was on some kind of path toward his future. He didn’t know yet what that might be, but the kiss he’d just shared with Faith confirmed that there was something leading him. He had a strong feeling that something was his heart–an organ in his body he’d ignored physically and emotionally until just a few weeks ago.
“Not going to apologize for that,” he said. “If you didn’t like it, slap me, belt me, or do something, so I don’t do it again.”
Those pretty lips of hers pursed like she was trying to disconnect her mouth from her brain. Or her heart.
“I never said I didn’t like it.”
Lucky for him, Faith was the kind of woman who always said what she was thinking.
Her lashes swept down in a long blink. “I just want to know who I’m kissing.”
“How about we go cut those evergreens you came here for?”
“How about you cut the crap and tell me who you are? Why is it such a big secret? Are you hiding out from the FBI or something? Maybe you’re a serial killer. Should I be getting on my horse and riding away from you as fast as I can go?”
“Probably.” He chuckled. Not only was she honest, she jumped to big conclusions. “Don’t worry. I’m not dangerous.”
“Says who?”
He kissed her again just because he had to. “Does that taste like danger to you?”
“Yes.” She pushed him away and headed toward her horse. “A kiss tells me nothing. Women fall in love with mass murderers behind bars all the time. While they might be certifiably crazy, I am not.”
He caught up to her just before she set her foot in the stirrup and took her by the arm. “I promise. I’m not Charles Manson or anything like him.”
“Then why won’t you tell me who you are?” The concern pulling her delicately arched brows together tugged at his heart.
How did he t
ell this woman, who in just a few short days had come to mean something to him, about all the things that had happened in the past few weeks? How did he explain the series of events that had changed his life and how now he didn’t have any idea in which direction he was headed? How did he wash away the deep-seated fear that if he told her he had a heart condition, she might run?
He didn’t want Faith to run anywhere except straight into his arms.
“Let’s get out of the sun. And I’ll explain.” He took her by the arm and led her beneath the thick canopy of oaks. Even in the winter, the Texas sun could get hotter than hell.
She followed him, boots scuffing in the dry earth. When they got beneath the trees, she sat down on one of the large mounds of tree roots, folded her hands in her lap, and waited.
Pacing, he rubbed his chin.
Where to start?
“A couple of weeks ago, I made the decision to leave my position at the advertising agency I’ve worked at for almost ten years.”
“Why?”
Truth?
Yes.
“Because I almost died. I’m only thirty-four, and when I realized the stress of the job would most likely kill me, I thought of all the things I’d be missing.”
“You almost died?” Her eyes widened and he waited for her to run. “How?”
“Stress-related heart attack.”
In his head, he counted the tense silent seconds that passed between them. In the next breath, she was off that tree root and enveloping him in her arms. Her warmth filled something in his soul he hadn’t even realized he’d been missing.
“Oh, Chase. I’m so sorry. I had no idea.” She looked up at him, apology burning in the depth of her eyes. “I’m sorry I pushed you. It’s really none of my business.”
“It’s just not easy to tell a woman you’re interested in that for the first time in your life, you’re wandering aimlessly without a plan for your future. I thought I had it all figured out from the time I was a kid pushing longhorns on my daddy’s ranch in Stephenville.”
“Stephenville! That’s the Cowboy Capital of the World.” She smiled. “So you do know a thing or two about horses.”
“And cattle. The other day, I went to see my brother and sister, who run the ranch. I haven’t been back for years. After our father died, we all bought the ranch as a partnership so our remarried mother could move on with her life. It was just too hard to let all my daddy’s dreams be sold off.”
“So that’s where you went when you disappeared? You went home?”
He nodded, loving the way she stayed in his arms as they talked. “When I was eighteen, my dad died of a heart attack on Christmas morning. I haven’t been back since.”
“Christmas!” She hugged him again. “Oh, Chase, I’m so sorry. That must have been so hard for you.”
“Still is.” He stroked his hands up and down her back. “I’ll admit I haven’t been overly fond of the holiday since then.”
Sadness darkened her eyes. “And here I’ve had you putting up decorations and practically forcing you to find your holiday cheer.”
He shrugged. “I’ve been happy to help.”
“Liar.” Her smile took the sting off the accusation. “Tell me about your dad.”
“He was only forty-two and a hardworking man who loved his family. He taught me everything I know about ranching. But after he died, I didn’t want to end up like him, in an early grave. So I chose a different path. Ironic, right?”
“And scary.”
He decided to leave out the part about the ex-girlfriend running out on him. Not because he had any less fear about a repeat but because he could hardly compare an honorable woman like Faith to someone like her.
“When Abby found out about my heart attack, she called me and talked me into coming here for a much-needed break. But it’s been more like facing my demons.”
“What’s your prognosis?”
He shrugged. “No damage. No lasting effects. Doctors couldn’t even pinpoint why it had happened except that it was most likely stress-related. I decided the path I’d chosen for my life probably wasn’t the right one for me anymore.”
“What is?”
“I’m not sure.” He pulled her in closer. “But right now I’m pretty glad Abby made that call.”
“Me too.” Her smile lit him up inside as she lifted to the toes of her boots, curled her arms around his neck, and pressed her sweet lips to his.
Stolen kisses were one thing.
But a kiss freely given by someone you’d just dared to trust with your heart meant everything.
Chapter Six
IT WAS A no-brainer for Chase to extend his stay at the Magic Box Guest Ranch. And the extension had nothing to do with having nowhere to go. He could find someplace easy enough. He just didn’t want to leave. There was one thing keeping his boots firmly in place.
And her name was Faith.
Two weeks passed, with more projects on the ranch than he’d had ever seen on his desk in New York. When it came to planning the Christmas holiday and her charity event, Faith was an F5 Texas tornado. For the first time in his life, he had an opportunity to see the other side of life, like making lists and checking them twice, excusing the naughty and making sure the nice were rewarded, and shopping, and decorating, and meeting the good folks of Sweet, who couldn’t seem to lend a helping hand fast enough. Minute by minute, he began to see the Christmas celebration through different eyes. Hers.
This time of year meant something to her. It was special. And as much as he tried to fight her infectious enthusiasm, he found he could not.
When he’d escorted Faith on the trips into the charming little town of Sweet to buy supplies, he noticed how much people liked her. He had to admit he fell into that category too.
At night, when they finished marking off each chore on her list, they sat together at the kitchen table and ate the delicious dinners Shelby had prepared for them. They laughed, talked, and got to know each other. They’d fallen into a routine of sharing coffee in the morning, a trail ride in the afternoons, and once Faith locked the doors to the business, they sat on the sofa with the lights twinkling on the tree, a fire crackling in the fireplace, and traditional Christmas tunes creating the spirit of the holiday Chase hadn’t dared enjoy since that fateful holiday so long ago.
He thought back to all the beautiful wintry sights he’d seen in Manhattan. Central Park was gorgeous in the snow. The window displays at Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdale’s were elegant and inspiring. But not a single one of them compared to the warm Texas days he’d been sharing with Faith.
He’d never cuddled with anyone in his entire adult life.
Cuddling with Faith was like a zen experience. An addiction. He couldn’t get enough. Yet for the first time since he’d first noticed the opposite sex all those adolescent years ago, he didn’t feel like pushing to hurry up and get to the reward. He was willing to sit back and let things fall in place like a jigsaw puzzle that, once all the individual pieces fit together, would become a beautiful picture.
Maybe the whole near-death experience had ripped away his man card and turned him into a big pansy-ass. But he didn’t think so. The power of these newfound feelings had the ability to reach out and show him the things that were truly important in life.
Family.
Friends.
A woman to love and cherish.
Which was why, as he and Faith cuddled on the sofa, he’d occasionally tear his gaze off her beautiful face and look way up at that big damn Christmas tree he’d helped her decorate. Against anything he ever believed he’d do, he’d find himself wishing on that shiny tin star at the very top. The one she’d been trying to position all alone, then fallen into his arms.
What would have happened had he not been here that night? The thought shuddered through him.
He’d been given the opportunity for a second chance. A new life. He didn’t need a big red bow or fancy wrappings to recognize a gift when he found o
ne.
Tonight, with her charity Christmas barn dance in full swing, the evergreen twinkling, the stars shining, and the mood glittering, he glanced across the barn to where Faith stood talking to a couple of elderly ladies he’d been introduced to earlier. On the surface, Gladys Lewis and Arlene Potter appeared to be your typical Golden Girl types—sweet, a little gossipy, with wholesome hearts. They’d blown that image to smithereens a few minutes ago when they’d trapped him near the punch bowl. He was pretty sure they’d passed the cougar stage, but apparently that wasn’t going to stop them from putting on the big flirt.
“So how do you like our Faith?” Aiden Marshall, Faith’s brother-in-law, extended his hand. They’d met a few days before, and Chase instantly appreciated the former Army Ranger’s integrity, heart, and honor. He was watching out for Faith, and Chase couldn’t blame him.
“I like her quite well.”
“You’ve been watching her all night.” Aiden’s eyes flashed. “Giving her looks that say there’s something more than quite well.”
Chase shrugged. “Might be.”
“She’s special,” Aiden said. “Just like her sister. You keep that in mind.”
“Absolutely.”
With a nod, Aiden walked off and joined his pretty wife at the silent-auction table. Seconds later, Chase was joined by a small woman with big blond hair.
“I’m Jana Wilder.” Instead of extending her hand, she pulled him in for a hug. “You probably don’t remember me, sugarplum, but we met when you were here visiting Abby and her family one summer. I think you might have been around eight years old.”
“I apologize. I don’t remember.”
“Oh.” Jana waved her hand. “Doesn’t really matter. But you sure were a cute little thing back in the day. Looks like you’ve grown up in a good way.”
He laughed. Nothing like good old honesty. No wonder Faith excelled in that area. She surrounded herself with the same down-to-earth type of people.
“You know, your cousin Abby is about to become my daughter-in-law,” Jana said.
“So I heard. And after meeting you, I have trust your son will treat her well.”
