“Wow. When did you become the voice of reason?” Riley mused. “I think the mountain air is getting to you.”
“I have my moments,” she replied and smiled when Ben winked at her. “So, um…yeah, everything’s good. I’m fine and I’ll let you know when the weather breaks and I’m heading home, okay?”
“Behave yourself. Don’t give Ben any grief. Please,” he teased.
It would have been very easy to get into a debate on her giving people grief, but Darcy was done talking to her brother. What she wanted most was to be off the phone so she could crawl into Ben’s lap and make love in front of the fire.
“No worries,” she said distractedly. “Give Aislynn a kiss for me, and I’ll talk to you soon.”
And with that, she hung up. But she didn’t move right away. Instead, she let herself relax in the oversized chair and look her fill.
Ben’s admission earlier about wanting her from the first moment he saw her was a heady thing. No one had ever admitted to wanting her like that, and Darcy had to admit she liked it. And now that she had a moment, she also had to admit there were a lot of things she liked about Ben.
A. Lot.
How could she have misjudged him so badly?
Maybe misjudged wasn’t the right word, but when she moved beyond those initial concerns about him and Savannah—which she knew would always lurk in the recesses of her mind, no matter what—at the core of it all, Ben was an incredible man.
And an incredible lover.
It didn’t take long for Darcy to realize she’d merely been with immature men, practically boys, up until now. The skill and attention Ben put into making love to her? Her skin was still hot and tingly from it. Sex with a man who knew what he was doing was fan-freaking-tastic.
“What are you smiling about?” Ben asked from across the room.
Why keep it to herself? “Thinking about you.”
His smile grew as he put his book aside and studied her. “Anything in particular about me?”
“A whole lot of particulars,” she replied, rising from her chair. All she was wearing was his flannel shirt, and even though it was big enough to hit her midthigh and be a dress, she still felt sexy in it as she slinked across the room toward him. Playing the seductress was never something she excelled at, but watching Ben’s eyes heat up the closer she got? Um, yeah. She could totally get on board with doing more of this.
Ben shifted on the sofa so Darcy could place her knees on either side of him, and as she rested her hands on his bare shoulders and moved in close, she hummed with pleasure. One of his arms banded around her waist to hold her to him.
“You’re looking pleased with yourself,” he said as his gaze zeroed in on her lips.
“I was enjoying the way you were looking at me.”
He gave a low chuckle as he reached up and unbuttoned the top button of her shirt. “And I was enjoying watching you,” he replied, toying with the next button. “Plus, you look good in my shirt.”
That made her smile. “I have to admit, this is the first time I’ve worn flannel, and so far, I’m enjoying it.”
Ben laughed again. “Sweetheart, I have a whole closet of it, and I think you should wear nothing but this until the snow clears.”
“I thought you mentioned something about an apron and some lace?” she couldn’t help but tease.
“Hmm, I don’t know. I think watching you walk around in my shirt pretty much pushed all those other images aside.”
She tilted her head to the side with a dramatic sigh. “Damn. And I was thinking of making dinner like that.”
“I’ll make you a deal. Tonight we can do flannel, and tomorrow, we’ll reconsider our options.”
A throaty laugh was her immediate response. “Oh, we will, will we?”
The hand that was still in her hair tightened slightly, and Ben’s smile turned a little bit predatory. “Definitely.”
Right then and there, she would have agreed to anything just to hear that deep growl in his voice and to keep that look on his face. Squirming slightly in his lap, Darcy let out a low moan of her own before agreeing with him. “Okay.”
The word was barely out of her mouth when Ben captured her lips with his. God, she loved how he did that—swooped in with no warning and devoured. So damn good. She kissed him with equal need, heat, and hunger. Tongues dueled and tangled. Hands scraped and scratched and soothed. Over and over until Ben lifted her and maneuvered them until Darcy was on her back on the sofa.
She almost wept with gratitude when his body covered hers.
Legs wrapped around his waist as he yanked the flannel open—sending buttons flying in every direction. Darcy cried out as his mouth left hers to latch onto her breast.
So good.
Her head turned to the side as she panted his name, and when she opened her eyes, all she could see was the snow falling. In the darkness with only one light on out on the deck, it was a complete whiteout.
And all she could think was how if she had her way, it would go on snowing forever.
* * *
After lunch the next day, Darcy was in Ben’s office. He had finally cleared a path to the workshop—after they had worked together to make it happen—and Ben was working on one of his sculptures. Not that she minded. Right now, the silence and the time alone felt like a good thing.
She was tired and sore in the most delicious of ways, and she respected the fact that he needed to work. After they’d made love on the sofa the previous day, Ben had made dinner for her and then taken her back to bed.
And she seriously loved his bed.
Besides the incredible amount of detail in that particular piece of furniture, which still amazed her, his bed was beyond comfortable. She’d slept like a baby. When Ben had let her sleep. Just thinking about all the times they’d woken each other up in the night had her feeling all warm and tingly.
A feeling that was almost a constant where he was concerned.
Filing away the last stack of paperwork, Darcy looked around with a sense of accomplishment. The office looked amazing. And organized. Before Ben had gone out to the workshop, she had asked him if she could finish what she’d started the day before. He apologized profusely for the way he had reacted, and looking back, she completely understood why he had said the things he’d said. She had overstepped the boundaries, and even though her heart was in the right place, it didn’t mean that others would take it the same way.
Lesson learned.
With all the surface areas cleared along with the floor, Darcy made quick work of dusting and vacuuming. Once that was complete, she sat at the desk and went online to research computer programs to help Ben out, something she had gotten his permission for as well.
An hour later, her eyes were starting to cross from staring at the computer screen for so long. Standing up, she stretched and decided to go upstairs and grab something to drink. The view out the back windows when she got up there showed that it was snowing again. There had been about two hours after breakfast where it had finally stopped, and there was well over two feet of snow already on the ground.
Maybe the thought of more snow should have bothered her, but it didn’t. If anything, it had the complete opposite effect on her. It made her happy. The longer it snowed—the more accumulation there was—the longer she could stay in this amazing little cocoon she and Ben had created. Of course, there was a very real possibility Ben wasn’t feeling quite the same way, but she had a sneaking suspicion he did.
He was intense. In everything he did, and even though she could see it and knew how he sometimes fought it, it made him the man he was. He was interesting and funny and talented and… She sighed.
He was a perfectly flawed man.
That description made her smile, because she knew he wouldn’t appreciate the title, but it was true. He wasn’t perfect—no one was—but the man he was was perfect
in his own way because of those flaws.
“Yikes,” she murmured as she put the kettle on to boil. “I am making no sense whatsoever.”
She moved around the kitchen and grabbed a mug and a tea bag and then went to look out the window as she waited for the water to boil. Her eyes immediately went to the workshop. Should she bring Ben something to drink? Eat? Would he get upset if she disturbed him while he was working? These were things she needed to know. The last thing she wanted to do was upset him, and she knew he was used to being here alone without any disruptions.
But she missed him. Wanted to see him and talk to him.
Behind her, the kettle came to a boil. With a small sigh, she made her tea and then sat at the kitchen table and contemplated her options. She was curious about Ben’s work. Sure, she’d seen pictures, and looking around his house, she saw what he was capable of, but the thought of being in the workshop and seeing him work and watching him create made her feel a little giddy.
“Okay, stop obsessing and just go,” she muttered. It didn’t take long to make a travel mug of coffee for Ben and transfer her tea to one as well. Then she grabbed a small container and put a variety of cookies in it. “Who doesn’t enjoy a good coffee break, right?”
Practically skipping down the stairs, excitement bubbled up in her. She slipped her boots on and then her coat and stepped outside. It was freezing cold. A shiver racked her body, and she made quick work of following the path to the workshop.
She knocked lightly before opening the door and peeking inside. Ben was standing on the far side of the room staring at the sculpture in front of him. Quietly, she came into the room and closed the door behind her, but she didn’t go to him. If anything, she wanted to wait and see if he noticed her and if he would welcome her.
While she waited, Darcy scanned the room. There was a huge variety of tools; some were large machines like saws and sanders, and there was an entire wall of hand tools. The smell of sawdust was a little overwhelming but not unpleasant. On a table, she spotted a sculpture of an eagle. Its wings were spread, and it stood easily three feet tall and equally wide. The details were so true, so spectacular, that she wanted to reach out and touch it, even as she was afraid it would fly away. “Holy crap,” she whispered.
“Was that a good holy crap or a bad one?” Ben said from across the room.
Looking over at him, Darcy couldn’t help but smile. “Holy crap good,” she replied. “That eagle is…it’s breathtaking, Ben.” She wanted to go to him but was still afraid to move around in his space.
Without a word, he gave a nod and then looked at the sculpture in front of him—a ten-point deer bust. She was a little confused—most people who hung those in their homes were hunters. Why would someone want a wood sculpture of a deer rather than one they had killed?
“Come here,” he commanded softly.
Swallowing, Darcy carefully made her way across the room. There was sawdust on the floor, and she was afraid to get too close to the power tools. When she was at his side, she handed him the mug of coffee.
“Thank you,” he said before leaning in and kissing her distractedly, his eyes almost never leaving the deer. “What do you think of this?”
Shit. The last thing she wanted to do was critique his work, even if it was amazing.
“I brought you some cookies too,” she said instead. “You know, in case you were hungry and ready for a break.”
Ben took the tin from her hands and placed it on the workbench beside him.
“Darcy—”
“I know you missed several days of work and might not stop what you’re doing to get something to eat or drink. I didn’t want to bother you though. Kind of agonized over whether I should come out here. But then I thought I could drop off the coffee and cookies and go and leave you be and—”
“Darcy—”
“I’ve got a stew going in the Dutch oven. It’s starting to smell really good in there. Maybe I’ll bake some biscuits or something,” she said and then chanced a look at him. “That will work, right?”
Ben sighed and took a sip of his coffee, and she couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or amused with her ramblings.
“Maybe I’ll see if you have the makings for some bread. I can make bread bowls! Ooh, those are great with stew. I should have thought of that sooner. Bread can take a while and—”
“So you’re not going to answer my question,” he stated, effectively interrupting her.
Her shoulders sagged with defeat. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Why?” he asked. There was no accusation or condemnation in his tone; he seemed genuinely curious.
She shrugged.
Putting his mug down, Ben faced her, tucked a finger under her chin, and gently forced her to look at him. “What do you think of this deer?”
She looked at him for a moment and then at the bust. “Can I ask you something first?”
He nodded.
“Why would someone want a bust of a deer made of wood? Don’t hunters usually want these things to be the actual ones they’ve killed?”
He nodded again. “Normally? Yes. This particular client is married to a woman who refuses to allow it. She does not want dead animals hanging in the house. Personally, I don’t blame her. So they’ve compromised. He can have a trophy room, but the trophies need to be sculpted. I’ve done several pieces for them already. He doesn’t hunt anymore, but he liked the idea of adding exotic animals to the collection just for the beauty of them. I thought it would be ridiculous, but when I saw the room put together with the first few busts, I got the vision and understood what he was doing.”
“That sounds kind of cool.”
“I have pictures I could show you.”
Her eyes lit up. “I would love that!”
“After you answer the question.”
Well, damn.
Stepping away from his touch, she faced the sculpture. He wanted her opinion? He wanted to know what she thought? Then so be it. She studied it and moved from side to side to take it all in and then turned to him.
“It’s scary.”
Ben’s brows furrowed. “Scary?”
She nodded. “I look at this, and like the eagle, it seems real. I mean, I can tell it’s wood, but the amount of detail you’ve put into it just makes it feel like it’s a living thing. I almost feel like I can count the hairs on it or that I can see it breathing. It’s incredible.” She looked at him and smiled. “I’ve seen pictures of your work, but none did them justice. There is no way anyone could appreciate the amount of work you put into your pieces unless they see them in person.”
Silence.
Uh-oh.
Reaching out, she touched the deer. “I never appreciated the texture of wood. Back up at the house, I find myself walking around and touching all the furniture because it feels so amazing. Right now, as I’m touching this piece? I don’t feel wood. I feel an animal’s coat. I mean, how do you do that? How does a person learn to create something that is so lifelike?” Her smile faded slightly. “That’s such a gift. I have met a lot of talented people—talented artists—but this, Ben? This is just…” She paused. “Seriously, I have no words. I’m in awe of what you can do and—”
She didn’t get to say another word, because Ben hauled her to him and silenced her with a kiss.
He took the cup of tea from her hands without breaking contact with her and put it next to his coffee. The second her hands were free, she raked them up into his hair. On and on and on, he kissed her until she almost couldn’t breathe. When he finally lifted his head, she was dazed.
“Wow.”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?”
Resting his forehead against hers, he took a minute to catch his breath. “For years, I’ve listened to people talk about my work. I’ve listened to
the praise and the critiques, and most of the time, I let it all roll off me. Mainly because their opinions didn’t matter. But standing here watching you and listening to you? I wanted to know what you thought, and I was even a little nervous that you wouldn’t like it.”
“Are you serious? How could I not like it?” she asked incredulously. “Look at this!”
He chuckled softly and then shrugged. “It felt good to hear such honesty from someone I respect.”
A lump formed in her throat that almost choked her. He respected her? That was…it was…
“No one’s ever said that to me before,” she admitted softly, and she hated the slight tremble in her voice. “People let me talk or ask for my opinion, but most of the time, it doesn’t seem to matter.”
Caressing her cheek, he said, “It matters to me.”
His admission felt better to her than it probably should—it made her heart skip a beat, and her entire being felt lighter. “Thank you.”
Darcy was more than happy to stay like that—close—for as long as Ben wanted to hold her. In the past, she tended to fall hard and fast for the wrong guy. But this felt different.
It felt deeper. Serious. And more mature. Ben wasn’t a frat boy; he was a man.
And what a man.
That almost had her sighing giddily, but she didn’t want to ruin the moment. Which was still going on, and they were both still quiet.
“So,” she said softly.
“So,” he repeated.
“I should probably let you get to work. Or at least have your coffee break.”
Lifting his head, Ben gave her a mischievous smile. “I have a better idea.”
She knew that look.
She loved that look.
“I’m listening.”
A delicious little shiver went along her spine as Ben’s hands cupped her bottom and lifted her. He placed her on the workbench and stepped between her legs. She didn’t think a workshop could be sexy, and yet somehow, he managed to make that work too.
“The smell of sawdust turn you on?” she teased.
“You turn me on.”
Yeah, she was pretty much a goner.
Holiday Spice Page 13
