License to Love: Holiday Box Set (Contemporary Romance) Read online

  “Relaxed might be a better word. Thank you.” Her neck and shoulders still felt warm and loose. “Dinner was great,” she conceded.

  Stopping by the front closet, they wrapped up before he opened the door. “So no more teasing about the banjo or crock pot?”

  She burst out laughing. “Oh, no. I’ve got a buzz.”

  He shut the door behind her. “From one glass of wine?”

  One glass? He was right, so why did she feel so light and carefree? Once they were down the steps, he walked next to her and put his arm across her shoulders. She shivered from the cold and leaned into him.

  “I’m sorry I teased you before,” she said. He smelled so good, she wanted to turn her face into his chest and take a deep breath. They were quiet on the walk. She wasn’t sure why he was quiet, but she felt so relaxed, she couldn’t think.

  He walked her up to the door and opened it for her. She searched for a way to tell him she wasn’t ready to invite him in. While she thought about it, his other arm slid around her.

  Her body willingly relaxed in his arms, but her mind screamed. What was she doing?

  He kissed the top of her head and stepped back. She met his gaze and then wished she hadn’t.

  “You’re something else, Missy.”

  She managed a confused expression.

  “You can trust me. Promise.” He turned and went down the steps, waving on his way back on the road.

  You can trust me. How could he promise that? And how did he even know she was afraid to?

  * * * *

  The next morning, Brent awoke and moved, turning onto his side in bed before jolting up. His side felt great! He was back in the game. He didn’t hear rain coming down outside, so maybe it’d be clear today.

  Even though he’d been back on his feet the last few days, Dale and Ivan hadn’t allowed him to help with anything. He didn’t pull rank and tell them it was his ranch, because he knew they meant well. Doctor’s orders and all. But, darn it, it’d been hard to see Missy when he couldn’t work.

  He’d known if he allowed himself to get involved with her, she’d break his heart. The thought still tormented him, but now he knew he wouldn’t fight it. He’d work through it. He’d never get his work done if he didn’t get her in his bed soon. That would clear his head…and maybe fix this itch so he could stop thinking about her so much.

  With that decision made, he threw back the covers, his mission clear in his head.

  He’d been using hot showers to help his injured muscles relax. After another one, he didn’t bother with coffee or breakfast in his haste to get outside. In the pasture, he spotted Missy and Dale in the soup-like fog. He’d almost reached them before they heard him coming.

  “Hi.” Missy watched the way he walked, just like a worried mother would. “How’s the side?”

  “Great. I don’t think I can take another day of resting.” He waved as Dale started off. Her coat, he saw now, wasn’t red but burgundy. He wouldn’t normally notice a thing like that, but the color went perfectly with her skin tone. “I appreciate the way you’ve helped out around here.”

  “That’s why I’m here.” She nudged his arm. “Remember?”

  “You’ve certainly proved yourself.”

  She gave him her beautiful smile, making him notice even more her full, deep red lips. Her hair hung loose and wild, framing her face in a way that made her cheekbones gracefully noticeable.

  “Really? You think I’m ranch material now?”

  “You can pull your own, that’s all I’m saying.” He tried to hide his grin, but couldn’t help it anymore. And he didn’t care. She’d done more than prove herself.

  She glanced up and caught him watching her. Her smile wavered before she looked away. Skittish as a colt, but he’d win her over.

  Jeffrey trotted up and bumped Brent with his nose while making horse murmurs and pawing at the ground. “Itching for a ride? Me, too.”

  Missy raised her eyebrows at him.

  “I’m fine.” He wanted to go on a ride with her and enjoy the morning as the sun burned off the fog. Though the ground was soggy, Brent thought they could stick to the gravel road. Once he’d talked her into it, he added, “Besides, I’ll have to go slow so you can keep up.”

  He turned and started for the stables to get their tack. He’d seen her eyes narrow, and he didn’t need another injury now, right when he was up to full speed. Jeffrey came behind him, and he thought he heard Missy huff a sigh and follow suit. Whistling, he got both saddles and readied their horses.

  “Here, you lead her out.” He handed her Speckle's reins. “Did you ride much this week? I hardly saw you around here.”

  “Some.” She swung up into her saddle, as though she'd been riding for years.

  He mounted and they started off together. “Missy, I’m sorry for the cold way I acted when you came here.”

  Her eyes went wide and her brows rose.

  “Never heard an apology before?” he teased. They rode side by side out toward the main road, and he didn’t press her to say anything. He could see her relax as they rode and he enjoyed just having her beside him, doing something they both loved. “Look at you, a natural already.”

  “A natural?” She patted her horse. “I guess I do enjoy riding. Sure wasn’t easy that first day!” He joined in her laughing, mostly because he loved the light and carefree sound she made. Enchanted, he couldn’t help but be encouraged.

  “So, have you worked things out with your boyfriend?” Now that thought had popped into his mind and out his mouth. During the last week, he’d spent far too much time wondering if she still talked to the man she’d left, if she thought about him, and if she planned to go back to him.

  Her quick cutting look proved he’d been a real jerk to ask. “What boyfriend would that be?”

  “Your boss. Sounded like you had a fight before you came out here.”

  “It was over before I came out here, and I don’t plan on ever speaking with him again.” She nudged the horse ahead, leaving him to watch her hair shimmer in the weak sunlight that made it through the morning fog.

  The light vanished and he looked up. The fog was dissipating, but a front of dark clouds followed behind. He usually saw a storm coming, so he wasn’t happy that she’d distracted him.

  “It’s about to break loose,” he told her just as a brisk wind flipped her hair around. She followed his lead and turned her horse to head back.

  * * * *

  In the stables, Brent moved the brush across Jeffrey’s back with long, sweeping stokes. “I shouldn’t have asked.” Actually, he wasn’t sorry but he knew he needed to say something about it.

  “It’s fine.” She shrugged without looking at him. “But if we’re going to be friends, we can’t do that.”

  “Do what?” And why did they need to stick to friendship? How could they deny what they felt?

  “Ask questions.”

  “Why not?” His hand paused as he looked at her. “Friends ask questions and talk about themselves.” Not that he wanted to stay friends.

  “Ok, fine, but my past is off limits. I’m sure by now you understand it’s too hard for me to talk about.” When she pulled in a deep breath, he noticed her hands tremble on the horse.

  That was exactly why he needed to learn more about it.

  Speckle made a loving noise as if she felt Missy’s fear, and Brent felt awful for causing it.

  He stepped closer so that when she turned, she was inches from him. They stood close enough for him to smell her lavender shampoo.

  Confusion washed across her face before understanding.

  “You change gears awful fast.” Her try at lightness failed and her voice came out heavy, husky.

  “Think so?” His voice grew as quiet as it could without becoming a whisper. “If you don’t want to kiss me, you’d better run. Now.”

  Chapter Five

  She had to be imagining the care in his eyes. This hadn’t been her goal. So when had these feelings s
nuck in?

  He hovered, obviously waiting for her to either make a move or run.

  He wasn’t her boss this time, but close enough. Wasn’t she here to prove she could make it on a ranch? She wanted to turn away, but leaned closer instead.

  Weren’t his eyes magnificent? She thought of a clear winter sky, so freshly light blue. His eyes searched hers, searched her face as if to memorize, and settled on her mouth. Oh, no, her mouth was open, her lip trembling.

  Get a grip, Missy! Get a grip and run! No, no, no, why was she leaning forward? Her heart hammered as his head tilted, leaned, and then it happened. Their lips met.

  Something sharp and sweet washed through her, starting at her mouth and running down to her feet. His lips moved against hers and she nearly jumped. She would have, if she could move.

  She was timid and he seemed to feel it. Though their tongues touched lightly, he kept space between their bodies. He rested one hand on her arm and nothing more.

  That made her want more of him.

  Brent tasted like the outdoors, sweet like autumn sunshine and country air. The smell of his leather coat and his aftershave raked through her. She’d never smelled anything like it.

  Or felt anything like his lips on hers, so tender and asking. She reached up and found his shoulders with her hands and leaned closer. She’d lost control. His arms came around her, encircling the dip of her waist. She ached for him, wanted his hands to tease lightly all over her bare skin, but she knew better. She could lose everything again. What was she doing?

  Sanity raised its troubling head and she pushed out of Brent’s hold. She shouldn’t have kissed him.

  She’d vowed to never again get involved with someone she worked with. Not after the struggle to get past the humiliation and the rumors.

  “Brent… this will change things. We can’t go there.” She turned and ran clear to her house.

  * * * *

  “Missy!”

  She didn’t hear. She was gone.

  His body felt on fire. For a minute, he’d been lost in the most moving experience of his life. His lips felt cold now that hers weren’t there.

  Was he losing it, or had she leaned toward him first? The woman had no idea of what she wanted. Her reaction sent a chill through him, though he couldn’t tell if she’d been shocked or disgusted. Both were disheartening.

  He breathed deeply and debated for a minute, and then started walking. Maybe it wouldn’t be as simple as getting her into bed. He had tried to tell himself that would fix these feelings for both of them so they could get on with their work. It wouldn’t though, would it? She was afraid of something, and he felt a lot more than plain old lust.

  If only he knew what to do about it. For the moment, he needed to make sure she was okay. He knocked five times before she opened the door. The words he wanted to say just didn’t work. Not when he saw the pain in her big brown eyes.

  She’d removed her red coat, revealing the white long sleeve shirt she wore underneath. It stretched across her breasts, making him wish they were here to continue what they’d started, not discuss why they wouldn’t be.

  Something big stood in the way of her trusting him. He could see it in her expression. Her frightened face made her eyes larger, darker. He wanted to hold her and kiss her again to make it all right, but not after what just happened.

  “Missy, don’t you trust me?”

  Taking several steps back, she nodded. At the very least, she said she did. Maybe she’d been upset with herself for breaking a personal rule. Could it be that simple?

  “Then did I read you wrong?” he asked, stepping inside and shutting the door.

  “No.” Her hunched shoulders kept him close to the door, watching her as she took a deep breath. When she motioned to the couch, he came in and sat, leaving space between them.

  Suddenly he noticed the pile of folded blankets next to the couch. “You’re sleeping out here?”

  Shrugging, she tried to say something, but just ran her fingers through her hair. He didn’t understand for a minute, but it didn’t take long. From where he sat, he could see down the hallway, to the bedroom door. It was shut. He doubted she’d gone into Ben’s old room.

  Brent felt so lousy about himself he didn’t know what to say.

  She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry.”

  Even if she’d kissed him first, which he doubted now, it wasn’t her fault. “You don’t have to be sorry for it.”

  She looked up to his face again. He saw regret in her eyes and braced for the words. “I have to be, and I can’t do that again.”

  “You didn’t like it?” His question went over the line, but he had to know. He wasn’t sure how he’d walk away from someone so mysterious, so beautiful.

  “I did like kissing you, Brent.” The way she spoke slowly had him bracing for the ‘but’. “I’m just not ready for a relationship.”

  “I wasn’t either. There’s no way to prepare for that.” She’d about knocked him over, sent him into moans.

  “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for that.” She stood back up as she spoke, and he jumped to his feet after her.

  “If you’re not attracted to me, tell me, but please don’t turn away if it’s something else.”

  She folded her arms. “I don’t have to explain this to you, or anybody. I told you my problems are just that, remember? My problems.” Anger simmered under her quick words. She took three long strides to the door and grabbed the handle.

  She was tall, but he was taller and took two steps to catch her. He planted a hand on top of hers. “That’s not how it works with people who care about you.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, I care about you.” Without warning, he planted his mouth on hers again. She made a noise that started like an hmm and ended with an ahh! She leaned into him, going soft, her hands relaxing on his shoulders, but it ended quickly. With a shove, she separated them.

  Eyes dancing with fury and heat, she declared, “I don’t have to kiss you, and I don’t have to explain!”

  Taking her gently by the chin, he held her so she looked straight into his eyes. “Of course you don’t have to kiss me. But since you did back there, you should tell me why you don’t want to do it again.”

  “No!” She shook, trying not to cry. “I can’t.”

  “Why, Missy? What happened that made you this way? Because your boss lied about you, or because he did something else?”

  She stared at him with icy eyes.

  “He hurt you?” Sure, he was blunt. He’d always been that way. But he regretted this instance of it because the emotion slid off her face. He’d lost her.

  Instead of responding, she passed him and walked down the hall and into the bathroom. Man, he needed to learn how to talk to people. He went to the door where she’d locked herself in.

  “I’m sorry, Missy.”

  “I just need some time alone.”

  He knew she had some fears and hurts but he wanted to help. It probably didn’t help that he was so cold when he first met her, but couldn’t he make up for that now?

  He knew what betrayal felt like, and how hard it was to trust again. Despite that, he wanted to try.

  “I’m too curious for my own good.” He resigned himself to talking to the door. “I’ve grown to care about you. It happened when we met, but I didn’t want to like you. I can’t fight it now. So I’m sorry about whatever happened that hurt you.”

  Wow, his longest speech ever. He thought he heard quiet crying.

  “I hold on too tight, I know.” Confession time now, he guessed. “I don’t want to push you away. I don’t want to lose you, too.”

  She didn’t answer and he was out of words. Now what? Sure, he could sit and wait. Or he could remember his place, or more specifically that this was her place now, her home.

  “Okay, I’m leaving, but I won’t give up on you.” His legs felt stiff on his way out, like he had to push through river water to get outside.

  He gulp
ed down a cool breath of sweet Oregon air. This complicated the hell out of things, but there was no turning back.

  * * * *

  “Has there been a flash flood warning or something?” Dale asked as he met Brent at the stable entrance in the early morning. “You’re moving fast.”

  “I feel something coming. Let’s get the rest of the horses in.” He’d brought in two already, but he needed help to calm down the horses remaining in the pasture.

  They were excited about something, and it just might be the heavy rain they’d had for days now.

  The horses couldn’t seem to make up their minds once they were inside for the day. They settled down, then panicked again.

  “It’s just rain,” he muttered to himself before the truth hit him. His mood, not the weather, was spooking them.

  He trudged back to the pasture. How was he supposed to act normal? He wanted to help Missy through this, whatever it was. Plus, they couldn’t work together with things the way they were.

  With the horses in their stalls, he felt better.

  “Brent?” That one quiet word behind him made him jump. He turned around to find Missy bundled in a thick brown jacket, her arms crossed and pulled close.

  He stood, staring, a full minute at her lips, red from the cold, and her weepy eyes. They were wide, driving him crazy, and reminding him he should answer.

  “Missy.” He stepped closer, gauging her reaction, but she didn’t move.

  “I’m sorry I shut you out like that.” She dropped her gaze.

  This felt like a second chance to talk things out, but he knew to step lightly. He wondered if he could at least offer a hand of support on her shoulder.

  She was trying not to cry and needed something. So he took the last step, but stopped in front of her, not touching, just waiting. “Well, if we’re both sorry, let’s just move on. If you want to, that is.”

  When she nodded, he moved his arm across her back and drew her closer. That sweet lavender smell reached him right before she relaxed into him. Her head leaned and rested on his shoulder.

  “Can we be friends again?” she asked. Feeling her in his arms stirred protective feelings. She felt like a fragile fawn, too wobbly to stand on its new legs. Her lavender and spice scent stirred other things, but he ignored them.