Tangled Hearts

by Barbara McMahon

  “I remember you saying that once before, when we had that barbecue.” He hesitated a moment, then murmured, “I remember every word you said.” His eyes searched hers, roaming over her face as if memorizing her features.

  Brianna was struck dumb. He remembered everything she’d said? Then why—

  “And I remember how mouth-watering good your cooking was. So I’m accepting that offer before you change your mind. There’s another fireplace in the bedroom. I’ll build a fire there so the room will be warm when you go to sleep tonight.”

  “I’ll take the sofa,” she said.

  “You’re my guest. You get the bed.” He strode from the room before she could muster any arguments.

  Brianna turned to the counter and began to prepare for dinner. She didn’t really mind sleeping in his bed. It would probably be the only time she'd get the chance.

  She was in the midst of cooking when Jake returned. She put him to work cutting out the biscuits and placing them on the baking sheet. While she kept a careful eye on the gravy, he whipped the potatoes. They worked well together, almost as if they’d worked in harmony for years.

  Moving around each other as they performed their tasks, Brianna felt as if she were participating in an intricate dance. She and Jake passed, reached around each other and sidestepped out of the way, each time drawing closer and closer. Once she stopped dead and he bumped into her, carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses. If her hands hadn’t been full of plates and forks, she would have reached up to touch his cheek. He stood so close his breath caressed her cheeks.

  “You must be warm enough. There’s color in your cheeks and your eyes are bright blue,” he murmured, refusing to move. She had stepped in his way deliberately. If she didn’t want to be there, she could step around him.

  “It’s the heat from the stove. Though the room seems to be warming up.”

  She leaned ever so slightly forward. Deliberately she ran her tongue over her lip and dared him to ignore her.

  “If we do this very carefully, neither one of us will drop anything,” he said, encircling her with his arms, holding the wine bottle so it didn’t spill. The empty wineglasses clinked gently as his arms drew her in and his face lowered to hers.

  His lips were warm and firm, moving across hers in a lover’s caress.

  Brianna sighed as she melted into his embrace, afraid to drop plates yet unwilling to step away. She savored his touch assailed by tremors that consumed her. She'd lived in a desert of emotions for so long. The glorious feelings that shimmered through her were thirst-quenching.

  She'd never known such love before and knew she would never again experience this with another. Jake was the only man for her. She wasn’t sure what had gone wrong between them, but it had nothing to do with this. Nothing could compare. In this they were as compatible as two people could ever be.

  Slowly he raised his head ending the kiss.

  Brianna was pleased to note his breathing was as erratic as hers. At least she wasn’t the only one feeling something. Could she get him to admit as much? Get him to explain why he’d dropped her? Get him to consider some kind of relationship with her now?

  “Is the meat burning?” he asked.

  “Oh!” She whirled and slammed the plates on the counter, then snatched up the pan and pulled it from the stove. Great! Just when she needed to make a good impression, she scorched the steals. Gingerly lifting the edge with a fork, she noted it was only slightly scorched. Salvageable, at least.

  Was her relationship with Jake equally salvageable?

  In short order, they set the table and she served dinner. Jake ate as if he hadn’t eaten in a month, steadily, without talking.

  “Were you that hungry?” she asked at one point. He could put away as much food as either of her brothers.

  “I was hungry, but more for your cooking than anything else. I get tired of eating out or eating my own attempts.”

  She toyed with her wineglass, the deep red burgundy reflecting the flickering firelight.

  “So what have you been doing these past couple of years?” she finally dared to ask. Heart pounding, she hoped he wouldn’t refuse to answer. She longed to know everything he’d done, everyone he’d met, every place he’d gone.

  “Working mostly. Built this place.”

  “But no vacations.”

  He shrugged. “I took time off to build this.” And he’d been glad to have this project. “Though I know it doesn’t look finished. Any ideas about curtains and things?” he asked.

  She glanced around the large, open room. “I could make some suggestions. Don’t you have someone else you would rather have a hand in this?” What of Diane? she wanted to ask. Just who is that woman and what's she to you?

  “Your house is a good example of what I’d like. It’s—welcoming, I guess is the best way to describe it.”

  She smiled, pleased he liked her home. She’d spent a lot of time fixing it up to suit her. She hadn’t had much else to do.

  “A weekend doesn’t offer enough time to do a lot, but I’ll think about it and try to come up with some ideas,” she said.

  “Decide what you think it needs. Next week I can go shopping and bring everything out next time I come,” he said.

  Her heartbeat sped up. He planned to go shopping, maybe she could suggest she go with him. And come back when he did to see how everything looked once curtains were up, rugs laid out and pillows tossed on the sofa.

  “Okay.” She could scarcely contain her excitement at her idea. Now to convince him.

  “I could help with the shopping, too,” she offered.

  He looked at her for a moment, then shrugged. “We'll see.”

  She knew better than to push the issue.

  There was time enough if she was spending the next couple of days here.

  As recently as her drive back from Jase and Shannon’s, she'd never expected to see Jake again. She’d been reminded this past Christmas of all she was missing when in the presence of her older brother and his petite wife. Now that they had a baby on the way, Brianna was even more envious.

  Jake and Brianna did the dishes companionably; she washed while he dried and put away. It didn’t take long for the two of them to finish. When he handed her the dishtowel to dry her hands, she grabbed each end and tossed the towel over his head, pulling him toward her. His arms went easily around her as if they had been embracing for years.

  “What do you want?” he asked huskily, backing her against the counter, holding her securely in his arms.

  She opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she wanted, what she had wanted for two years, but nothing came out. Heat stole up into her face, and butterflies danced in her stomach. She swallowed hard and squeaked out, “Coffee?”

  “In front of the fire?” he asked, his voice low and sexy, his eyes dark and intense as he gazed down into her flushed face.

  She nodded, her hands gripping the towel, resting against his solid chest. Held in his arms, she felt the tug of love as before.

  He towered over her, an uncommon event in her life. Except for her brothers and one of the ranch hands on the family spread, Brianna usually met most men eye to eye.

  “Do you still like sugar in it?” she asked, slowly releasing one end of the towel and pulling it from around his neck.

  He nodded, releasing her. Taking one hand, he separated her fingers and held one up. “Just dip this in the cup and it’ll sweeten it enough.” Then he kissed the tip.

  Brianna leaned against the counter, thankful for its support. Her legs felt like jelly, her heart thudded and heat engulfed her. It made the fire in the fireplace superfluous. Tears stung her eyes.

  He’d said that so many times before. She’d forgotten. How could she have forgotten? It had been such a special joke between them.

  “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, one thumb rubbing just beneath her lashes, capturing a tear.

  “Nothing, I just was remembering.” She tried a wobbly smile. “You used to s
ay that a lot.”

  “You were always the sweetest thing I ever knew,” he said so softly she almost didn’t hear him.

  When Jake planted a damp kiss in the center of her palm, she instinctively closed her fingers over the spot, sheltering it. Turning on shaky legs, she reached for the coffee. His mouth grazed against her hair. He gently pushed it aside and she felt his lips brush her neck.

  “You’re making it somewhat difficult to concentrate,” she said, her voice shaky. “Do you want coffee or not?”

  For an endless moment, he didn’t answer. She longed to turn and see his expression, but too afraid of what her own might reveal, she refrained.

  “Yes, I want coffee.” So saying, he straightened and walked into the living room.

  Brianna chanced a glance toward him as she poured the ground coffee into the filter. He added wood to the fire until it blazed. She felt the heat clear across the space. Her eyes moved to the bedroom. Was the fire in there as warm?

  “I need to change the sheets,” Jake said, standing and heading for the bedroom.

  With a glance at the coffeemaker, Brianna headed for the bedroom, as well. It would be several minutes before the coffee finished brewing.

  “I’ll help.”

  The bedroom was almost as large as the living room. The windows reflected back their images of the night. It definitely required curtains.

  Brianna didn’t like feeling so exposed after all that had happened recently. The sooner he got curtains, at least for this room, the better, as far as she was concerned. Funny, before the incidents with the break-ins she hadn’t minded an open window. Would she feel more comfortable once they’d caught the man?

  Together they made the large bed. The headboard held reading lamps. She hoped he had some books. The journals she'd brought weren't the kind of reading she'd like if she slipped beneath the thick pile of covers, to read for a while, before going to sleep.

  “The bathroom's through there. I should have told you earlier,” Jake said, interrupting her thoughts and nodding toward the open door. “The hot water heater is propane. As you know from doing the dishes, we have plenty of hot water. You can take a bath or shower, if you wish.”

  “I’ll wait until morning, if that’s okay with you.” Patting the pillow one last time, she skirted the bed and headed for the kitchen. Safety in distance right now, she thought, hoping she could resist the urge to throw herself into his arms and hold on tight until morning.

  The delicious aroma of fresh coffee filled the cabin. Brianna poured their cups, added cream to hers and sugar to Jake’s. Carrying the cups carefully to the sofa, she placed them within easy reach and sat down. It was cozy before the fire.

  Drowsily she settled back and gazed into the dancing flames. She always liked staring into fires, watching the different images the flames suggested.

  Jake came in and dumped a pile of bedding on one of the chairs. Sitting down beside her, he reached for his cup.

  “This is nice. I don’t have a fireplace in my house. That’s one thing I really regret about it,” she murmured, sipping from her cup.

  “Cutting enough wood to last the winter can be a pain, but I think it’s worth it every time I come,” he said.

  They sat quietly for a while, sipping coffee, watching the fire.

  When Brianna finished hers, she placed the empty cup down on the floor. When she sat back up, Jake reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers, resting their linked hands on his thigh. He continued to sip his coffee silently.

  Brianna leaned back on the sofa, her only anchor to reality was her touch with Jake. Idly she daydreamed. She was full, warm, happy. For the first time in a long long time, she felt totally content.

  “Tell me about your house.” Jake broke the silence. “When did you buy it?”

  “I bought it about eighteen months ago. As I said, I signed up for the part-time job at the air base and had enough money. I can use the tax break.”

  “I used to see you riding your bike sometimes if I was near the campus,” he said lazily.

  Turning her head on the back of the cushion, she looked at him. “When?” She hadn’t seen him in two years. Yet he’d seen her?

  “In the spring. One time during the summer.”

  “That’s one advantage of the town house, its location. I can ride my bike to the college in nice weather. Even walk if I want to. I didn’t see you.”

  “Unmarked car. I thought you’d be married by now.”

  Startled, she sat up and shook her head.

  “Why would you think such a thing?” She pulled her hand away from his and sat on the edge of the sofa, looking at him.

  Had her feelings for him been so nebulous to him that he thought she’d gone on to another man as soon as he was out of the picture? Had she seemed too intent for marriage? Was that the reason he’d pulled back?

  He shrugged. “Just did.”

  Brianna tried to remember if she’d ever done anything to give him the feeling she was desperate for marriage. Two years ago, she’d only been twenty-four. Granted, she'd talked a lot about some of her friends who were getting married. Surely Jake hadn’t thought she was trying to pin him down to popping the question.

  Although if he’d asked her, she’d have accepted in a New York minute.

  “I have no plans to marry,” she said.

  He put his cup on the floor, and turned to face her.

  “That’s not the way I heard it.” Even now he could feel the anger rise. Josh had been blunt and frank. Jake had known even then that Josh was right. But it still hurt.

  “I might marry one day. But I have no plans at the present. No prospects. I'm building my career.” She didn’t want to talk about marriage when the only one she had ever considered marrying didn’t want her.

  “You had plans two years ago,” he persisted.

  Now she thought she'd die of embarrassment. How had he learned of her foolish daydreams? Had she given herself away? For weeks she had dreamed of making a life with Jake. Had he known all along?

  Rising, she scooped up the two cups and headed for the kitchen. “A lot of things have changed since then. I don’t think my future plans concern you. Don’t worry that I’ll pester you once you find whoever's breaking into my place. I’ve managed fine on my own and will continue to do so.”

  She stormed into the kitchen, placing the cups in the sink with exaggerated care, afraid she might turn and smash them against the wall, so great was her embarrassment and frustration.

  She should have called Sandy and insisted on staying with her. She knew she was playing with fire in coming with Jake, but she hadn’t been able to resist. She hadn't expected him to bring up her foolish daydreams about marriage. She thought she had been the only one to know.

  “Brie…” He followed her into the kitchen.

  Glancing over her shoulder, she stepped to one side, giving him as wide a berth as she could.

  “My name is Brianna. Only my family and close friends call me Brie,” she lashed out, hurt and humiliated.

  “Friends is what I thought we were. Until…”

  Until you wanted more. If he had shouted the words, she could not have heard them more plainly.

  “I’m tired. I’m going to bed. I’ll be finished in the bathroom in a few minutes if you want to use it then,” she said stiffly, heading for the bedroom.

  She went straight into the bathroom, gritting her teeth to keep from crying. Be careful what you asked for, she repeated silently. You might get it and have it totally backfire. She couldn't wait to leave and return home—even if some crook was trying to break into her house. At the moment it seemed a better solution than staying here.

  Jake leaned against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes still on the closed bedroom door. What had happened? Obviously she was still hurting from the man who had deserted her.

  He smiled mirthlessly. Hadn’t her brother Josh been able to salvage the relationship once Jake had stepped out of
the picture? That must have been frustrating for Josh. Josh had nothing on him in the frustration department!

  She was as pretty as he remembered, maybe even prettier. He loved listening to her voice. How many nights had he laid in bed thinking about her? Even now, two years later, if he let himself, he'd storm in there and demand they try again.

  Except, it wouldn't work any more now than before.

  He turned and clicked off the lights. Sprawling out on the sofa, he watched the fire as it dwindled. He'd add some logs to last through the night before he went to sleep. But for now he listened to the quiet sounds from the bedroom and wished things had been different.

  Chapter Five

  By the time Brianna was ready to face Jake the next morning, she had herself firmly in hand. She hadn't slept well, but that was becoming a habit since she’d started seeing Jake again. Trying to live down her behavior of the previous day would prove a challenge. She decided as soon as she awoke that she wouldn't let herself forget for a single moment that she was here only because the police thought it safer than staying home.

  There would be no more tossing a towel around Jake’s neck and pulling his face down for a kiss. No more suggestive remarks leading to comments about her fingers being sweet as sugar. If he wanted coffee, he could get it himself. She'd focus on the real reason for her presence in his house and behave accordingly.

  Brianna believed all the admonitions she’d given herself until she walked into the kitchen and saw Jake. Instantly, every thought flew from her head.

  He wore only jeans.

  She swallowed hard.

  It wasn’t fair. She'd had the best intentions in the world when she left the bedroom, but that was before she saw all that expanse of bare skin. His shoulders had always been broad. They gleamed, muscular and enticing, in the early sunlight that shone through the uncovered windows. The light dusting of dark hair on his chest looked silky. She longed to brush her fingers through it to ascertain exactly how soft it really was. The sleek muscles in his back bunched and flexed beneath his taut skin as he scooped coffee into the filter, stretched to fill the carafe with water.