She smiled. “Mmm . . . what was that for?”
“Your lips needed warming up.” He grinned at her. When they had decided to go out today, she had asked him for things to be normal. He decided not to tell her about calling Nick just yet. That way she could enjoy today.
“Race you!”
He hadn’t expected that. She was halfway to the stables already, and he couldn’t move as he watched that little bottom of hers.
She turned at the stable entrance and held her hands out in a question.
“Why run when I can watch you?”
“Like my legs, huh?” she asked, trying not to smile.
“And everything else.” He caught up to her and they went back to the tack room together. Once their horses were ready, they rode out into the forest.
“Are you looking forward to Christmas?” Brent asked. He remembered how little excitement she’d shown about Thanksgiving . . . until the actual day. Now out in the forest, they dismounted and walked slowly. She ducked under a wet Douglass fir branch, eyes scanning the smaller trees growing at the edge of the clearing they stepped into.
“I am, I think.” Side by side now, they looked through the trees around them. “I haven’t done much for the holidays in years . . . How about that one over there?”
He ignored her first comment, since she seemed to want to skip over it, and stuck to business— the business of picking out a tree. He sized up the six-foot tree, imagining how he’d trim it into the perfect shape. Thinking of the holidays made him think about family, think about him and Missy that way.
“Brent?”
Oh, no, he’d let his face get too serious. But he had to ask, “You sure you don’t want a tree for your house?”
“I still think of it as Ben’s house.”
He paused because she did, too. “Ever consider staying with me?”
“You? Aren’t you too old for a sleepover?” She giggled with her face turned the other way, cluing him in. She had understood what he meant, but he let that go as well.
With her gloved hand up in a branch, she paused and studied him. “I like this tree, Brent, and I want it in your living room.”
Shaking his head and smiling at the same time, he pulled the saw from behind his saddle. She walked his way again and watched him work.
Feeling her behind him, he asked, “Enjoying the show?”
“Yes, very much, thank you.”
The tree tilted to one side as he sawed through it. “Timber!” Water drops sprang out of the tree as he shook it and threw it into the long wagon they’d towed behind his horse.
“I love that chilly tree smell,” she said, then took a deep breath of it before she smiled at him. Their gazes were on each other as tiny snowflakes fluttered between them.
When she tilted her face up and let the flakes flutter down on her, he couldn’t breathe. He stepped in and wrapped his arms around her. A million sensations exploded inside him, especially when he heard her gleeful moan.
* * * *
Stepping into Missy’s place, Brent still didn’t know how he’d tell her what he’d done. Or that Nick had called him back with news. Too bad he couldn’t put this off, but he wanted to spend the holiday with her without this monster on their backs.
“Smells like heaven in here,” he greeted, trying to keep a light tone.
“Heaven smells like chocolate chip cookies?” She turned to see him staring at the cooling batch of homemade treats. “Some are plain old chocolate . . . And some are white chocolate with macadamia nuts.”
“Winter Wonderland” played from her CD player to set the Christmas mood. A happy scene and he might have to ruin it. Might have to? There wasn’t any way around this.
She slid a glass of milk in front of Brent. “Remember the first day I met you?”
He nodded, thinking of the slick woman who’d shown up in his drive. Smooth on the outside, anyway, but her eyes had given her away. Deep brown and mournful, like a lost puppy.
“You poured me a glass of milk. I thought it was pretty funny after the way you treated me.”
“Mmm, mmm.” He’d bitten into a cookie as she spoke, so he couldn’t answer right away. “Oh . . . you looked so worn and tired.”
“Gee, thanks.” She nibbled on her own cookie.
“You looked hot, I won’t deny that, but you just looked like you needed something.” He decided not to tell her about the puppy comparison. She might not bake him any more treats if he did.
“I wasn’t after your ranch.” Her voice lowered to a husky drawl, teasing him.
Brent sent the rest of his milk down, following his cookies, and stared at the glass while deciding how to tell her.
“Is something bothering you today?” she asked before he could even start.
“That obvious, huh?” He raised his gaze to meet hers. “It’s about you, and what you told me. I talked to Nick about it. ”
“What?”
“I can’t hear something like that and not do anything.” He should have seen this mess coming. Too late to reconsider now.
“Why didn’t you at least ask?” she demanded, holding her hands palms up. She added, “Why Nick?”
Maybe now he could explain. “He’s a lawyer. I didn’t tell him to gossip about you. I wouldn’t do that to anyone. I asked him to look into this Russ thing.”
She looked down with unfocused eyes, her mind elsewhere.
“Don’t close up on me, Missy,” he pleaded, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning his face onto her shoulder. He’d done this to her, and he’d hold her while she worked through it.
She asked, “What am I supposed to think?”
“How about justice? Getting your good reputation back?” he asked, just as his own tunnel vision hit him. If she got this mess cleaned up, she could return to Las Vegas and get another advertising job. Had he just given her the perfect out?
Once again, too late to consider that. He loved her and had to do this for her, no matter what happened between them.
She hadn’t answered, so he said, “Missy?”
“What do you want? Do you want me to press charges? Pull my humiliation out again for everyone to see? He lied, I have nothing to stand on. Especially since I ran.”
“You do!” He twirled her around and brought their faces close. “He’s been indicted for sexual harassment. You can add your say in with the other women who are pressing charges.”
Her mouth fell open and tears sprang into her eyes.
“Yeah, sweetie, the truth’s out. Everyone knows what a scumbag he is. And he’ll pay for hurting you and others.” He pulled her into his arms.
The strength of her sobs and her body shaking took him by surprise. He saw that he hadn’t fully understood what this had done to her.
Even if she left his life, this would always be there. He’d hold onto the fact that he’d helped her. He’d given her something.
“It’s all right now. Everything will get fixed,” he murmured into her hair. Holding her felt so good, he pushed away the urge to ask her if she still planned to stay.
* * * *
A fire blazed in the fireplace as Brent paced in front of it, waiting for Missy. Weren’t they done yet? He should have stayed with her while she talked to Nick and the detective, but the detective felt that would make her uncomfortable about sharing.
The phone rang. Would she call from her place and tell him to come over?
“Hello?”
“Is Miss Nelson available?”
Nerves prickling, he asked, “Who’s calling?”
When he learned it was the firm Missy had worked for in Las Vegas, his nerves settled. But something else awakened. “Can I also tell her the reason for the call?”
“That depends upon who you are.”
“I’m dating her,” he declared without a thought about it. They were doing something, even if they’d never defined it. “I know what’s going on, and I don’t want you harassing her.”
“Of course
not. After we learned what happened with Russ Faraway, we’d like to make things right. We’re offering her a job, with a raise, of course.”
Well, there you go. He would lose her for sure now. After the phone call, he couldn’t pace around his living room, waiting for them to finish. He grabbed his coat and slid his arms inside of it on his way down his front steps.
At her house, he rapped on the door and opened it. Inside, he found Missy sitting at her kitchen table with both Nick and the detective.
Nick stood. “Hey, Brent. This is Detective Anderson.”
“Hey,” he said while all three looked at him. “Missy, he said, “Your old firm called . . . to offer you a job.”
“Oh.”
He could tell she didn’t know how to react. Nick and Anderson watched her, waiting. At least Missy knew why he’d come right over. This meant leaving the stables, leaving him.
Missy knew he’d been afraid of this very thing happening.
After glancing at the men sitting at the table, she asked, “Did the person offer to call back? Or am I supposed to call them?”
Call them? Now he had a delayed reaction. Staring at her, he didn’t want to believe what he’d heard. “I gave him your number.”
Even with his gaze trained on Missy, he could tell the other two men were looking between the two of them. The room felt too small.
While he gazed at her, wondering about her decision, she simply stared back at him with a slight frown. She seemed to be searching his eyes for some kind of answer. Didn't she want to stay with him?
Life without her would be like days without sunshine... a sky without stars... he’d live his life without any life in it.
She wanted the job. He'd feared this, but he didn’t expect it.
His world didn’t feel right. And to think, he’d handed this right to her by calling in his lawyer. Everyone still stared at him. After he nodded at them, he turned and left, walking down to the stables.
Dale was headed that way, leading a horse back inside. “Hey, what’s up?”
His tone of voice asked what was going on, why Brent was dashing down there like God himself had sent him. Without breaking stride, he said, “I need something to do.”
“Got plenty of that.” Dale muttered after him.
He worked a good two hours before saddling Jeffrey. It was mid-December and biting cold, but he didn’t care. Hardly felt it as they cut through the fields and took off up into the hills.
He didn’t want to think about the stables without Missy around. Maybe she’d come back to visit, but that would be more heartache.
He felt out of control once again. He couldn’t make her stay. He wouldn't want to make up her mind for her.
But he sure as hell wasn’t going to sit back and not fight for her.
* * * *
The man mystified her. Didn’t he decide to dig into this? Didn’t he call Nick and ask him to check up on Russ?
She walked along the main road, her hands stuffed deep in her coat pockets, while a cold wind pushed at her back. Why did Brent go to all the trouble he did, then avoid her? Did he want her to accept the position in Las Vegas and leave the stables?
Before she learned about the job, she’d already decided she wouldn’t stay unless he wanted her there. If he loved her.
When had that become the issue? She kicked a rock and turned toward the path to her front door. Inside, she picked up the phone.
He didn’t sound happy when he answered.
“Hey . . . do you still want me to decorate your tree with you?”
“What are you waiting for? You don’t have to call,” he said, his voice sounding more like him. She hung up a minute later, her heart hurting. She loved him. Didn’t he know that?
She walked to his house. When he opened the door, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, but it felt like he held back.
During the last three days, she’d had trouble finding him. Maybe he thought they were over and this was a goodbye for him.
No, she couldn’t think like that. With his arms around her, she nuzzled into the soft shirt he wore and breathed in his smell.
“Come on, I’ve been waiting.” He led the way to the tree, which stood in front of the window in the living room. It stood in the stand, but without any decorations on it.
He kissed her cheek and said, “I’ll get the decorations.”
She went to the fire while waiting for him. She loved this house, and would miss it if she had to leave. But not anything like how she’d miss Brent.
Music came on and she turned. He carried a huge box over and set it on the floor in front of the tree.
Joining him, she sat while he opened it. She expected him to ask about the job offer or how the trial was progressing. A date had been set and she had a rough idea of when she’d need to fly to Las Vegas to testify. Brent, however, didn’t seem interested. Not enough, anyway, to ask about it.
Or was he afraid? He didn’t look at her like he normally did, and remained quiet as they hung ornaments together. Most were plain globes of red or green, but a few were unique and he told her about them.
Other than that, they didn’t talk. The daylight faded by the time they finished.
“It’s beautiful. Just needs the lights turned on.”
Walking behind the tree, Brent plugged it in and light sparkled forth. It sent colors across the carpet that blended with the glow from the fireplace.
Standing still before it, she stared at the picture it made. She wanted to see his face, to know what he was feeling, but he’d moved back. When she turned, he was laying a blanket out on the carpet.
“Would you like a glass of wine?” he asked.
Taken back by the blanket and his question, she mumbled, “Sure. That’d be nice.”
Wine? A blanket? She’d missed something. Maybe he wasn’t mad at all. Maybe he didn’t want her to leave. Or maybe he wanted to make love one last time before she did.
He returned and set their glasses on an old chest before sitting down. “Join me?”
They sipped wine and looked at the tree. The fire warmed her and so did sitting next to him. Longing filled her... for something more. She’d come to the stables and found a home, but suddenly felt something lacking, especially as she thought about the holidays.
He lay down and gave her arm a small tug.
“Do you think it’s silly?” she asked, leaning back into the crook under his arm. He’d spread the blanket almost under the Christmas tree, so she could look up into the lights.
“Laying here with you? What’s silly about that?”
“I meant the tree, the season.”
“Silly? Celebrating family and being together? No.”
Leaning on his elbow, he looked at her with such love. He showed her everything inside him and looked all the more manly because of it. His strong mouth was so tempting . . . she brushed her hand down his narrow face, the face she dreamed of at night and thought about during the day.
“I love you, Brent.” She’d caught him off guard and watched his face grow soft, his brows lift.
“Missy, I love you so much it wakes me up at night. I think your name in the shower and have to suck in a breath. I’ll never get you out of my system.”
Tears came to her eyes. She loved him so much, it felt like it’d always been there. She pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him deeply.
He pulled his mouth an inch back from hers. “I have to give you one present early.”
“You have no choice?”
“No, ma’am. The law says so.” He rose and reached for her hand, pulling her to her feet and a step closer to the tree. Still holding her hand, he guided it under a branch near the top to a small box.
How had he hidden it there? The film of liquid in her eyes grew into round tears and rolled over her lashes. Once he’d settled it into her open hand, she studied it for a long minute.
“Open it.”
She slipped the delicate ribbon off and pulled the top open. L
ittle flares of color reflected off the solitaire.
“My word, Brent. Did you sell all the horses to buy this?”
He choked back a laugh, dropping down to one knee. “Missy, I love you and I want to marry you and spend my life with you.”
The tears in her eyes turned the light reflecting off the diamond into streaks. Wiping her eyes, she nodded.
“Is that a yes?”
“Did you ask a question?” She teased him right back, but didn’t laugh.
“Will you stay here? Don’t go back to Las Vegas. Stay with me, be my wife.”
“I’d like that. I never planned on going back, not since I set foot on this place.”
* * * *
If the couple in front of the Christmas tree noticed the lights and the people around them, it didn’t show. Missy stared into Brent’s warm and loving eyes as the preacher led them through their vows.
“I do,” he whispered, never looking away. She loved his blue eyes, his face, his lips. And now she could look at him every day for the rest of her life.
When her turn came, she said, “I do.”
His lips touched hers, and shivers of joy ran through her. The kiss deepened and her heart quivered. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him like she couldn’t live without him.
Cheers went up. Both Brent and Missy smiled at their guests. She felt so happy seeing the people she cared about around her to share this moment. Through the toasts and laughing, her heart swelled as she watched her new husband. And her body ached for him. When their gazes met, the blaze in his eyes said that he felt the same.
And it showed when the last guest left and Brent swept her into his arms, kissed her neck, and carried her to the bedroom.
“Aren’t you supposed to carry me across the threshold?” she teased, murmuring the words against his mouth, against their kiss.
“You look like you want the bedroom right now!”
“I do, I do!”
Each kiss held tenderness and forever love. “You’re my wife - you’re staying!” he exclaimed with his arms wrapped around her. Brent laid her softly on the bed and kissed her left hand. She looked down at her wedding ring as he kissed up her arm. Slowly, he undressed her, kissing her body all over until she lay naked.
License to Love: Holiday Box Set (Contemporary Romance) Page 13
