by Amelia Shea
“It’s big, but it’ll keep you warm. The barn is drafty.”
“Thanks.” She zipped up the jacket, and the collar brushed against her chin. The minty, wood fire scent wafted her senses. Jasper.
She looked down at the boots lined up in a row. On the end were her shoes. Her feet wouldn’t stand a chance. She bit her lip. Maybe if she walked real fast, hypothermia wouldn’t set in. Her only other option was to back out. No way. She was contemplating her situation when a pair of black snow boots were placed at her feet. They looked small enough to possibly fit. They also looked feminine.
“They’re Britt’s.”
“Oh.” She hoped her voice didn’t betray her and reveal the relief she felt in knowing they weren’t some random girl’s boots left behind after a night with Jasper. Or worse, they could have been Abby’s. She peeked up at Jasper putting on his gloves. Had he seen her since she’d come back? It wasn’t something she could ask. Or could she?
No, I can’t.
Jasper opened the door, and she sucked in a breath as she passed through the doorway. A shot of cold, bitter air hit her face. Spring can’t come soon enough. The air was brisk, and a faint flurry of snow cast over the mountains in the distance. The view was amazing. She usually took an extra minute or two when leaving Britt and Grey’s to take in the view. Endless miles of untouched land. This was why she never thought to leave Montana, because no other state could rival its beauty.
She hurried to keep up with Jasper. Most men she’d spent time with never let the silence linger long, but Jasper hadn’t said a word since they left the house. Quiet was good. He slid open the door and gestured her through the barn doors. The bulky arm of her coat brushed against his chest as she squeezed through the small opening.
He flicked on the lights and illuminated the barn. She’d been in barns before, but nothing this big. It was triple the size of Britt’s. Jasper pulled out some things from the closet as she wandered down, peeking in at the animals.
“What can I do to help?”
“Well, I have to feed the horses, check on two down at the end, feed the baby goats, rake the…”
She rudely interrupted but couldn’t help herself. “I’ll feed the goats.”
Jasper smiled. “The babies need to be bottle fed.”
“I know, Britt let me do it a couple times, I love it.”
Jasper snickered, reaching back into the closet and pulling out a travel rack with readymade bottles. He walked past her with a glint of humor in his eyes. Her excitement over feeding the baby goats seemed to amuse him. He opened the pen, and she followed behind. Along the outer wall was a contraption reminding her of a single level wine rack. One by one, Jasper set the bottles upside down into the holders, and the stampede of goats came running. She chuckled watching them all race for the bottles. While most of them had found their own bottle, two little brown goats were vying for the same one.
Kellie stepped over the babies and gripped one of the goats under her belly and moved her to the open bottle. She patted her on the backside. “Good girl, now ya got your own.” Kellie straightened and caught Jasper’s stare, along with the corner of his mouth curling. Damn, those eyes had her heart pounding. She averted her gaze to the boot-sized goats nipping at her laces.
Jasper leaned down to grab the case and started to the doorway.
“Did you name them yet?”
Jasper turned to look over his shoulder. His eyebrow lifted, and his cheek twitched. Her guess from his reaction would be no. Apparently naming goats was not a ranch thing, it was a Britt thing.
“Britt named hers.”
Jasper snorted. “I’m not surprised. You can call them whatever you like.”
There were about ten in the pen in total, but it was the three small, fluffy ones at her feet who had her bouncing on her toes with excitement.
“You sure you can handle this?” He teased her as the little goats charged at her feet.
Kellie laughed. “I deal with drunks at the bar all the time. I think I can handle some hungry goats.” It was meant to be funny, but from Jasper’s face, he didn’t find the humor. His jaw clenched, and his temple pulsed. Realizing she was referring to drunks from the bar, and it being the reason she was now feeding his goats, she felt like a complete idiot.
She shuffled in the pen. “I didn’t mean you, Jasper.”
He nodded and turned his back. “I know you didn’t.”
Yes, he did. She bit her lip trying to come up with something to say, but it was too late. He walked out of the stall. “Holler if you need me.”
Dammit. She looked back to where he exited. She was tempted to go after him and apologize. However, with her being the bearer of their milk, she didn’t think the goats would let her out, even if she tried. She settled down on the hay, and a baby cuddled into her lap. She chuckled. “I guess you’re first.”
The feeding took longer than she expected. By the last goat, she was leaning with her head against the wall, shivering from the cold. She closed her eyes, holding the bottle in one hand, digging her other into the warmth of the brown goat next to her. The tugging at the nipple of the bottle was the only thing keeping her awake.
“Hey.” The soft whisper in her ear tickled, and she curled her neck closer to the voice. “Kellie, wake up, darlin’.” Her eyes shot open to see Jasper an inch away. She shifted and stirred on the cold floor. The hay did nothing. Her ass was officially frozen. She moved to get up, but Jasper reached out, picking her up and setting her on her feet.
“I’m sorry, I must have dozed.”
“It’s okay. I got everything done faster without having to feed them, so thank you.” He clasped her hand and pulled her out of the stall. The lights had been low and they exited the barn. The second the cold air hit her face, it was like a blast. She heaved in a breath, and her eyes popped.
Jasper grabbed her hand again as they trekked up the hill. She was holding his hand and wanted nothing more than to memorize the feeling, but her brain seemed frozen. Her focus was solely on getting to the warm house.
“You like helping Britt with the animals, huh?”
She burrowed into the jacket. “Yeah, the baby goats, and feeding the chickens isn’t bad. And uh…she’s teaching me how to ride.” The cool air was streaming to her bones. Her teeth started to chatter.
“Britt’s teaching you, huh?” The humor in his tone was light. “How’s a girl who’s lived in Montana all her life not know how to ride?”
“Not all of us grew up with horses at our disposal.” Her tone came out sharper than she intended. She hadn’t meant for it to come out snarky. It was hard for people like Jasper to understand, she figured. She drew in a breath. “The first time I ever rode a horse was here actually.”
The statement got his attention, and his head jerked toward her. His eyebrows scrunched together, giving him a dense line between his brows.
She smirked. “Yep, second grade. It was Tripp’s birthday party. The whole class was invited.”
Jasper tilted his head. “He had more parties than Grey and I combined. Not sure I remember that one. I’m sure I was there though.” The corner of his mouth curled. “Wrangling up pesky eight-year-olds.”
Kellie laughed. “Pesky is a fair assessment. You and Grey were there helping the kids on the horses, holding the reins while they circled the ring. You had a little more patience than Grey as I recall.”
“I bet.” They were close to the house, and she was starting to feel the numbness set in on her nose. Please don’t let my nose be running and I don’t even know it.
“So, did I take you on the horse, or was it Grey?”
Kellie smiled and cocked her head to look up at Jasper. “Neither. I was so scared I kept letting kids go in front of me in line. By the time it was my turn, I was the last one, then your mom called everyone in for cake.”
“I thought you said you rode though.”
Kellie chuckled and breathed in a deep breath, remembering the memory. “Well, I tried
to get out of it. In fact, you had taken your horse back in the barn, and Grey was following when someone gripped my shoulder and shouted over my head, ‘We got one more.’ I looked up to see your dad. I told him it was okay, I didn’t want a ride, but he insisted. He said, ‘You can’t come to a ranch and not ride, it’s the best part.’”
Jasper’s lip spread into a smile.
“Grey came back out and your dad took my hand and led me over. I think I actually started shaking as we got closer. I was so damn scared.” Kellie chuckled.
“But you got on?”
“Yes, I did. Your dad showed me how to get on. It took me three tries, but I was finally able to pull myself up.” She grinned back at Jasper. “It was awesome.”
“Was that the last time you were on a horse?”
“First and last, until Britt insisted I learn. She’s giving me lessons on Lilac.”
Jasper stared down at her. She would have given anything to pop inside his head. She couldn’t place the look to figure out what he was thinking. He wasn’t exactly smiling, but his face was easy and serene, almost thoughtful. The conversation ended as they picked up the pace.
The anticipation of warmth was her focus until they stepped inside his house. The heat felt too good, but she had a feeling the chills would last longer. He did a few things in the mudroom, and she headed to the bedroom. She got changed in the bathroom and brushed her teeth and then flicked off the light and walked into the bedroom. She had no doubt she’d be able to sleep now.
She stopped in the doorway and gasped. His upper body was on the bed while his feet were on the floor. She giggled at the sight. He must have passed out. This made for an awkward situation. She couldn’t wake him and tell him to move to the couch. After all, it was his bed. She tip-toed over and lifted his legs on the bed. He rolled onto his back.
Here was her dilemma. The right thing to do would be to march straight out of the room and sleep on the couch. Of course, it was the only sensible option. Crawling in bed with him is not an option. Her gaze traveled over his body. His shirt pulled up from his jeans, showing a sliver of his tanned stomach. She bit her bottom lip as her glance shot south to his zipper. The bulge in his pants had her darting her eyes back to a safe zone. His face. She sighed, inching a foot closer.
“God, you’re even handsome when you sleep,” she muttered, staring at Jasper in peace. Without realizing she was doing it, her fingers slid on his hand, caressing up his arm. You’re being creepy.
“Shut up,” she whispered, scolding her inner self.
Maybe she could just lie next to him for a minute. There’d be no harm in it. She would keep her hands to herself. He’d never know. Then she would have something to bank away at night. The sight of Jasper Fords horizontal. It was too enticing to pass up. Creepy and pathetic? Yes, but it was the only opportunity she’d get. She strolled around the bed, lifting one knee slowly and hopping on the bed, all the while keeping her eyes on Jasper.
She lay next to him on her side, nestling her hands under the pillow. So, this is what it would be like? He was so still lying on his back, his lips parted slightly as he slept. She inched just a bit closer and smiled. She pulled one hand from the pillow and gently touched his arm.
This was…creepy as fuck. She was lying in his bed without invitation and touching him without permission. This was illegal in all fifty states. She drew in a heavy breath and rolled to her back. Go to the couch.
“I’m going,” she mumbled but didn’t move.
Jasper let out a low grunt and her eyes bulged. Was he waking? Oh God, no, please don’t do this. She slowly turned her head, but before she could see his face, he turned toward her, his arm twisting and landing across her breasts. Her jaw fell open, and she gasped.
Her heart sped up. She peeked over to find him still asleep. If he woke up to her in bed with him, it would be mortifying. How desperate could she be? Very. She swallowed the knot in her throat and drew in a breath. She would just lift his arm up and slide out. No problem.
Kellie curled her hand gently over his wrist and lifted. Her body barely shifted when his arm clamped down on her again, tugging at her ribcage. She had no choice but to allow him to roll her on her side. He was strong, and his grip melted against her body, pulling her into him.
She was now face to face with a sleeping Jasper. His hand slid down her back, landing on the curve of her ass. His even breath blew in her face.
Now, what?
»»•««
The light barely breached the dark room through the curtains. It gave just enough to illuminate the small figure next to him. Kellie.
She was curved into his chest, her fingers resting over his heart. He was a bastard, a goddamn bastard. Any man who’d take advantage of kindness would be, and Jasper was no different. Last night when she had gone into the bathroom, exhaustion had come over him like a ton of bricks. He rested back on the bed and shut his eyes. When he heard her feet pad on the floor he was just about to get up, but he paused.
He could feel her presence. She was standing by the edge of his bed. He was a second too late to open his eyes when he felt her hands grip his ankles and lift them onto the bed. A small hitch in her breath, and then she whispered, “God, you’re even handsome when you sleep.”
He should have opened his eyes and gotten up. Clearly, she wouldn’t have said those words had she realized he wasn’t sleeping. It was no secret to him or anyone else, Kellie had a crush on him. The only secret was he returned that crush.
Of course, he’d never acted on it. A grown man of twenty-eight years old, not scared of much, yet this woman scared the hell out of him. She wasn’t like other women. She flaunted her sexuality and made no excuses. No shame should be had for a woman who enjoyed sex. He had the feeling, confirmed by Kellie herself, not all the rumors were true.
Still, Kellie hadn’t had any committed relationships that he could remember. Sex and a good time was it. Exactly the opposite of what Jasper was interested in.
He was surprised he didn’t move when he felt her hand slide over his arm. There weren’t many women who could get his heart started by a simple caress, but obviously, Kellie wasn’t just another woman.
“Shut up.” She cursed so low he almost didn’t make out the words. His lip twitched, holding back a laugh. She seemed to be cursing herself. He kept his eyes closed, prepared to “wake up” until he felt the mattress shift. She’s getting into bed with me?
Without being able to see, he would have to use his imagination to see her crawl into his bed. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d been in his bed with him, in his mind. Kellie, he found, was a hard woman to block from his thoughts when he was alone at night.
He kept his body steady as his blood rushed through his veins when she touched his arm. So soft and gentle, as if she was afraid to wake him but couldn’t stop herself from touching him. It’s what his mind wanted to believe. Her fingers dragged over his skin, heating a line over his flesh. His cock twitched with every stroke of her fingers over his arm. He’d let her touch him anywhere she wanted, and his filthy mind was currently willing her hand to drop lower.
“I’m going,” she said in a disappointed mumble. The mattress shifted, and without thought, he let out a grunt in protest and shot out his arm over her breast. He felt the curve under his hand.
She froze, and he could sense her stare. What the hell am I doing? Playing opossum to keep some poor unsuspecting girl in my bed? This was an all-time low. This was something he imagined Tripp would do. So why couldn’t he open his eyes or simply roll over to his side and let her go? Her hand curled around his wrist and lifted. Let her go? No!
He curled her waist under his hand and hugged her body close to his. She rolled into his chest as his hand slid down, landing on the curve of her ass. She felt perfect against him. She molded into him as if she was made just for him.
But she’s not made for me, and I’m currently forcing a woman to stay in my bed when she’s obviously trying to get out. Shame,
pure shame was what he felt. This had gone too far.
Kellie’s breath was warm against his neck and then she sighed, her entire body relaxing into his. He waited for her to wiggle away, promising himself this time he’d let her leave, but she never did. If anything, she cuddled closer into him.
She had fallen asleep first, then he followed.
Now what?
He hadn’t thought about the awkwardness of waking up together when he’d been so damn hardheaded about keeping her in his bed. He needed to get up. The warmth and softness of her curves were making it an impossible feat. He drew in a breath, rolling slowly to the edge of the bed. Her hands slid over his chest and then his arm as he sat up. His feet hit the floor, and he dropped his chin to his chest.
“Jasper?” Her voice was raspy and dreamy as if she were half asleep. The sound trailed to his cock. He turned back to see her eyes half shut, her hair messy and disheveled. The sexiest sight he’d ever seen. It was a good thing he hadn’t seen her this way before he got out of bed. He might not have tried.
He swallowed the knot in his throat and whispered, “Go back to bed, sweetheart, it’s early.”
“Where are you going?”
Jasper smiled. He wasn’t sure if she even realized what she was saying, being half asleep. It was a conversation he’d imagine if they were together and he was leaving their bed early.
“Chores.”
She rubbed her eyes. “You want me to come help?” The last word trailed off, and she settled into her pillow.
He snickered. “No, just want you to go back to sleep.”
Her eyes were closed, and her head gave a slow, short nod. “Okay.”
God, she was beautiful. Most people missed that when they looked at Kellie. All her makeup and her clothes took away from how beautiful she truly was. Her body served as a distraction. Even now for him, his borrowed T-shirt hugging her breasts as she lay in his bed. The collar dipped low, her ample cleavage on display. He tore his gaze away from her. “Son of a bitch,” he muttered. The last thing he wanted to do was leave his room right now. Shaking his head, he got up and walked to the closet to change.
