License to Love: Holiday Box Set (Contemporary Romance)

by Kristen James

  “You’re pretty close to Adam?”

  “He’s more than my cousin. He’s my best friend.”

  She’d always wished for family ties like that. She’d love to have a sister or cousin to confide in and share family memories. “You’re lucky to have him…These other brothers, I don’t think I’ve heard much about them.”

  “No, they don’t like to be in the spotlight like Keith. John’s the middle brother, the only one who doesn’t fully support the things the family does. That’s why he sticks to managing restaurants, but he’ll never say a word to Keith. Michael is the youngest brother. He’s always eager to please.” Nick seemed to lose himself in his thoughts and didn’t share what he was thinking.

  So now she had three other suspects including the two brothers. Adam could possibly be in on it. Right now she’d put her money on either Alexander, the youngest brother Michael, or possibly both of them. She directed the conversation elsewhere so he wouldn’t suspect her thoughts. “So what about you?”

  “I went to private school before going to law school. I needed to get out from under all the pressure my family put on me. Keith, and his brothers, just about disowned me for doing something different, something they felt was against them. Keith was training me to follow him.”

  It felt like the truth, instead of a practiced lie, even though he was a lawyer. Weren’t they famous for lying? The day’s heat got to her, and she braided her hair to cool herself down. She grabbed a hair band out of her pocket for the end. Nick fell silent too, and watched her play with her hair. Maybe he was waiting to hear a response from her, or more about her, but she stared off into the trees and breathed in the forest smell.

  They sat, surrounded by the tall Douglas fir, Coast pine, and underbrush, listening to the soft noise of the wind caressing the treetops. There hadn’t been any suspicious sounds for a while. It was beautiful and relaxing, despite everything. She took a deep breath, glad they weren’t at the cabin or near Alexander, but she felt so guilty for not helping her dad.

  She looked at Nick and pictured him growing up in that environment. Could he be different from the rest of them?

  How could she validate his claims? She wanted so badly to believe him, needed to believe him, but she had been trained not to trust people. She thought of something, and even knowing it was a low blow, she asked, “Where did find out your mother died?”

  Instantly, Nick’s eyes filled with pain.

  “School let out for the summer that day.” His eyes unfocused as his mind drifted back in time. “I saw Uncle John parked by the curb, and Adam and I ran to the truck. He didn’t say anything during the ride home. Dad sat waiting on the porch. We both knew right away, we just knew, but we sat down and let them tell us anyway.”

  Listening to him, her heart beat faster. She knew that day was etched in his memory like a snap shot, waiting to pop up at unexpected moments. She also knew at least that part of his story was the complete truth.

  He asked, “What happened to your mom?”

  She should have seen it coming. In the unguarded moment, however, both her snapshot and overwhelming feelings flooded into her.

  “I’m sorry.” He reached over and touched her leg again. He seemed to be saying sorry for her loss, not sorry for asking.

  Maybe she wasn’t so good at hiding her pain. “No, it’s fair game after I asked about your mom. She died of cancer, too, when I was eight. That’s why my family was so poor.”

  Several moments went by with just the song of the breeze in the tree branches above them.

  “Cora…You didn’t have much to stand on, but you did very well for yourself. You’re successful, and you don’t seem mad at the world that life hasn’t been easy for you.”

  She looked into his eyes, feeling a connection even though she didn’t want to.

  Quietly, he asked her, “Can I ask you one more thing?”

  “Blood type? Credit history?”

  “No.” He bit back his laugh. “Is there a man in your life, waiting for you back in civilization, worried sick about you?”

  Cora tried to cover a small smile while shaking her head. Softly, she said, “Just my dad right now. I’ve been getting my career off the ground, and it actually helps to be single. You know, the whole young, single reporter thing.” She gave him a questioning look. “You’d be in trouble if you had to explain this to a girlfriend.”

  He laughed. “Yeah…I can only imagine, but no, there’s no one right now. I’ve been so busy with work. A bit driven. Maybe we have that in common.”

  The silence that followed was a peaceful one, and they shared a look of understanding. Something clicked, something more than sexual desire or affection.

  Wow, he had gorgeous eyes. In the sun, they looked a rich, reddish brown. They transformed into a warm, fawn brown in the shade. She knew that he wanted to kiss her more. She wanted to touch him again, feel his strong arms hold her.

  Cora didn’t want to become overly emotional with him, not when she needed a clear head. The way he looked at her could break through her defenses unless she did something quick.

  Eight

  “That river doesn’t sound like it’s too far from here. Come on.” Nick stood and helped Cora up off the log.

  As they trampled down a hillside, she said, “Too bad I don’t have a swim suit.”

  He smiled just a bit too sweetly. “Aren’t you funny?”

  It didn’t sound like a question, to tell the truth. She tried to form a comeback as they reached their destination and emerged from the trees into the hot summer sun. Under their feet, the grass gave way to small pebbles at the river’s edge. Nick kept her hand in his as she took in the oasis. To their right, the water rushed and splashed through large boulders and pooled to create a perfect swimming spot. The water ran so clear that they could see the rounded rocks lying at the bottom. Lush, giant leaves grew on the Maple trees that hugged the pebbly beach. Tree roots showed through the rocks.

  Cora kicked off her shoes and stepped ankle deep into the cold water while Nick pulled off his hiking boots.

  From behind her he said, “You don’t need a swim suit around here.”

  She screamed when he picked her up and threw her in. When she came up, gasping from the cold shock, she found him in the water beside her, laughing.

  He wasn’t wearing a shirt, just glorious tan skin over taut muscles. Was he wearing his shorts?

  “I don’t think that helped my affection for you.” She tried to glare at him but knew that she didn’t pull it off.

  “Alright.” He sighed and dunked, coming up with water dripping from his dark hair and running down his face. He smoothed it back and looked at her, his skin glistening in the sun.

  She leaned back, dipping her hair while pulling it away from her face.

  He slowly swam to her, his smile growing wider as he inched closer. He didn’t stop his advancement so she swam back, away from him, but he came after her.

  “Don’t dunk me,” she warned.

  “I just want to catch you.” His eyes looked very mischievous as one eyebrow slowly raised, daring her to make a swim for it. She dove under and swam the other way.

  She came up, wiped the water from her face, and found herself almost nose to nose with him. She took off in a different direction, but she didn’t have endless room to evade him. Soon her laughing slowed her down, and he lurched and caught her in his arms. Now all that skin was touching hers.

  She fell silent when he stared into her eyes. His expression was soft, solemn almost.

  She wanted to kiss him more than anything, to feel those full lips on hers, and see if she could drive him past the breaking point.

  This could be dangerous. She broke away from Nick’s intense look and scanned the trees around them. “We’re not safe here.”

  “These mountains are huge. It’d take a miracle to find us.” He ran his finger down her jaw line and backtracked to trace just under her lip. “I’m certain they headed back by now, thinking
they’re behind us or missed us.”

  While speaking, he looked into her eyes like she was the only thing in the universe. His brown eyes reflected the greens and blues around them while showing a wild display of primal desire and promise. She saw it coming this time, but didn’t swim away. Their lips met in urgency and picked up where they had left off before.

  She felt lost, and there wasn’t anything but Nick, his arms around her, his hands melding to the curves of her body, his kiss awakening her feminine side. His hands ran down her hips and shock waves washed through her. For several blissful minutes, she didn’t have a care in the world. She only wanted more and more of him.

  Then, she remembered her dad. The money. Alexander.

  She pulled away from their kiss, but didn’t pull her hands from his bare chest as she shivered. The water chilled her but she felt heat radiating from him. It would be so easy to let nature take its course out here, in the woods, miles and miles away from anyone. The idea was actually…very nice.

  She sighed, almost whimpered, in her want. She just couldn’t let her guard down, not when Nick could be using her. At the very least, he was keeping her away from Eugene and finding her dad. They also had Alexander to worry about.

  “I’m not out here to make a move on you, Cora. I didn’t plan to fall this hard.”

  Fall?

  His eyes looked concerned, like he didn’t want to worry her or hurt her in any way. I didn’t plan to fall this hard. He just about had her wrapped around his pinky. It was painfully clear that she couldn’t tell if he was playing a game or... Or what?

  She stretched up and kissed him on the mouth, a lingering and remorseful kiss, and trudged out of the water onto the sand.

  ***

  That one soft kiss was the most intimate, sensual kiss of his life. It made him want so much more, but it also felt like a last kiss. That scared him.

  It also scared him that he wanted her not only physically, but emotionally and mentally.

  He watched her from the water, not feeling the coldness through his burning desire, before he slowly made his own way out and joined her. She was drying on the grass with the sun shining down on her. She lay on her stomach with her head resting in the crook of her arm, hiding her face.

  “I’m sorry I got your clothes all wet.”

  She mumbled something about clothes in her bag. Nick leaned against a large boulder and watched her ignore him, although she might have just been tired or enjoying the warm sun. Her long hair curled a little as it dried, as if it didn’t want to conform. She was like that, too: stubborn, but in a graceful way. For some reason, the smallness of her arms and legs struck him, just how fragile and petite her frame looked stretched out next to his.

  Had he been a fool to want to spend time with her? Even if he never got to kiss her again, he knew he’d dream about it till the day he died. How could he forget the way her mouth fit perfectly to his, how soft her lips had been, how electrifying her touch felt? Nick grabbed up two fistfuls of small rocks and clenched them as hard as he could, but it didn’t relieve the awful energy eating away at him.

  It wasn’t just about how gorgeous she was. Cora had a tough spirit. She didn’t back down.

  That’s how he normally felt. He stood up for what was right and helped his clients.

  ***

  She awoke to nick gently shaking her arm. She let him lead the way back up the hillside. The debate still waged in her mind and Cora didn’t know whether to trust or distrust him. Her heart wanted to listen to him, but her mind held out for further proof that he truly was on her side. He could be honestly trying to help her . . . or laughing at her behind those gorgeous eyes.

  One thing was for sure: she needed to get some distance and cool things between them. She wanted him too much.

  She grabbed her bag and hid in the bushes to change. Nick went the other way. When she came back, he was laying down on the sleeping bag over a grassy spot. Really? She wasn’t sure if he felt exhausted like she did, or if he had other things in mind.

  “Aren’t we headed back to Eugene now?” She knelt down next to him.

  “Hmm, mmm.” He slid a hand up onto her leg. His peaceful face rested on his arm as he slept. He had a few days’ growth darkening his jaw. She wanted to touch him, to feel his face and the stubble, to trace his lips, but why hurt herself more?

  While still watching him, she rose to her feet and took little, careful steps backward. She wanted to trust him, but he had drugged her. He’d kidnapped her twice now!

  He didn’t move. She watched him, her heart tearing in two. At some point, while lying next to the water, it occurred to her that the river would lead her out of the mountains. It had to meet a road or town eventually. That’s what she needed. Thinking about it was just slowing her down, so she turned and hurried back down to the river. It wasn’t the same spot they had just swam in, but that didn’t matter. She stood at the edge of a giant boulder, watching a trout suspended in his world of water before darting out of view.

  She was losing her determination by standing here too long. Her palms broke out in sweat. Just then a wide piece of lumber bumped its way through the rapids and floated out into the pool before her.

  That would work. She dove in.

  Coldness washed over her and relieved the heart stopping tension. She reached the lumber and grabbed on. The water’s surface was smooth, almost tranquil. The depth of the water hid the current, but she realized the river was growing more shallow as she floated downstream.

  The current picked up and carried her along at a good pace. With the wood wedged under her arms, she kicked and paddled to speed herself up. She had no way of telling how long she had before Nick woke up and saw that she wasn’t there.

  His name brought on regret and sickening guilt. What she just did was horrible, even if it was necessary. She almost wished she had let down her guard long enough for one passionate night with him. She wanted to confide in him, really confide in him, but some things are too good to be true, and Nick had to be one of them. Just like her father’s job for Keith.

  Her teeth were chattering already. Her wet clothes rubbed against her while she swam, but she kept going. She held onto the log with one arm while stroking with the other and kicking her legs. She stopped every so often to listen, but only heard normal forest noises. She took one break to stop by a salmon berry bush, loaded with almost ripe berries. She was too hungry to care about how sour they were.

  Insects flew above the water, but that was the only sign of life. There weren’t any bridges to pass under or any roads beside the river. She pressed on, knowing that once out of the mountains, the river had to meet a town of some sort.

  And she kept telling herself she did the right thing by running away from Nick.

  Nine

  There’s nothing out here! The cold river didn’t numb her panic. Her endless shivering told her that she needed to get onto dry land, but she also knew she’d lose a lot of time if she had to hike around the wilderness looking for a road. Cora scanned ahead for a clear spot beside the river.

  A shadow caught her attention - a bridge. A road! Maybe there was a gas station, a town, and people. She started kicking again until she reached the bottom of the bridge, where she pulled herself slowly out onto the brown sandy beach. Her arms and legs ached from the cold. Her throat felt sore.

  She crawled to the grass in the sun and threw herself down on her back, closed her eyes, and waited for her plain tank top and running shorts to dry enough to walk in. She fell right to sleep and was jarred awake just as quickly. Maybe some time had passed, she couldn’t tell.

  Although there wasn’t anyone around at the moment, the spot had the marks of people visiting often to swim in the shade of the bridge. She eyed the path up to the road but wasn’t ready to move yet. Although… she could hear what sounded like faint voices.

  She sat up. Three teenage boys were walking along the river, laughing and joking around. They wore fairly nice clothes and sported h
igh maintenance boy band hair styles with their bangs hanging down.

  Before they noticed her, she tried to pull her hair back and wipe off any dirt. One of them must have spotted her then because they grew quiet.

  She smiled. “Hey.”

  She got three “heys” in return as they walked by.

  “Are you guys headed into Eugene?” She had to guess the river had brought her back to town. All three stared at her.

  “Yeah.” The middle one answered with a smile. “Do you need lift?” He looked like a sports jock – basketball probably – from a well to do family.

  She pulled herself to her feet. “I’d love one. My friends took off on me.” Maybe they wouldn’t notice her wet shoes.

  “Alright, sure. I’m Jace.”

  “Cora. Thanks.”

  He introduced his friends as they walked up the hill. Normally she practiced good manners, but today the names went right through her ears. She wasn’t practicing good personal safety either, but today wasn’t a normal day.

  He unlocked his car at the top of the path. “Here, you can have shotgun.”

  His friends didn’t complain. They all got in and he launched into a conversation with ease. Even though he curiously glanced at her, he didn’t pry. When he dropped her off at a convenience store in her father’s neighborhood, he finally did ask, “Is everything okay?”

  She smiled, throwing all her charm into it. “Yes, it is. And I’m already planning my revenge on my friends.” That story seemed to work. “Thank you so much!” She shut the door and headed off.

  She had a headache and a sticky mouth, probably from dehydration, but tried to ignore it for now. Instead of going straight to Jerry’s house, she walked around the block and looked to see if anyone was watching the place. The police had put up tape, she noticed from across the street. She slipped through the back fence and found Jerry’s hidden key under a rock in the flowerbed.