Kitabı oku: «One Winter's Night», sayfa 3

“What are you doing?” she asked. “I thought you wanted to take me to your ranch.”

“In a minute.”

He nudged her down and began ravaging her like he’d done several times this evening. “First, I need to make love to you again.”

Heat spilled through her as flesh connected with flesh and those dark eyes took on the familiar glaze of sultry intent.

“What’s this? Another sudden change in plans?” she asked.

He dipped his mouth to hers and spoke through a kiss. “Yes. You’re incredibly sexy when you act on impulse.”

4

MONICA WOKE UP TO THE smell of coffee, bacon and something deliciously sweet. Pancakes? Blinking her eyes open, she looked around the large room for a clock and found none. Her only clue as to the time was the sunlight peeking through the wood shutters, which didn’t tell her much.

She reminded herself that it didn’t matter. She was on a new quest to be less rigid, and things like hours and minutes on her days off weren’t supposed to matter. Pulling herself from the bed, she padded across Kit’s bedroom and found the overnight bag she’d thrown together. Then she washed up and dressed before venturing out to track down the source of those delectable smells. On the way she gathered her watch and was startled to see it was after nine, but considering how late they’d gotten to bed, she supposed it was reasonable. It was nearly two when they’d finally turned in, later than that when they’d actually gotten to sleep.

A smile curved her lips. A late night indeed, but well worth it.

She stepped out into the large great room. It was bigger than it seemed the night before. The decor was rustic and manly, comfortable and casual. A true reflection of Kit, as she was learning, and it recalled the old saying that everything was bigger in Texas. His house and his ranch—and a few other things—most definitely were.

“I knew the bacon would draw you out,” Kit said from the stove as she stepped up to the stone counter and took a seat at the bar. “Or was it the coffee?”

He stood barefoot at the stove wearing only a pair of worn jeans and a button-down flannel shirt that looked soft to the touch. His dark hair was still damp from a shower and through the heavenly scent of bacon and maple, the fresh odor of soap and aftershave seeped through. He’d left his shirttails out, giving him that rumpled look she found delectably attractive. Why she’d always gone for the polished look she’d never know. This easy, rugged strength was so much sexier.

“It was the smell of maple syrup,” she said. She eyed the feast he was constructing and her stomach growled. “Tell me you’ve got fluffy carbs for me to pour it on.”

“Pancakes are in the warmer.”

She brightened. “If they’re good, I’ll ask you to marry me.”

He smiled and winked. “I’ll say yes.”

She laughed at the joke, even though the look in his eyes said he might be serious. Instead, she focused on the coffee he placed in front of her.

“I’ve set you up in my office,” he said, placing platters in front of them before joining her at the bar for breakfast. Grinning, he added, “I suppose you didn’t get as much work done on the plane as you’d hoped.”

No, she hadn’t. Once they’d settled on his private jet she’d opened her laptop and tried to read through the reports, but she’d underestimated how sexy Kit would be on his phone talking business in that smoky Texas drawl. She’d kept forcing her attention back to her numbers and he’d kept yanking it away, and with one thing leading to another, she ultimately ended up a card-carrying member of the mile-high club.

“I had some trouble concentrating,” she replied, returning his knowing look.

“Well, that won’t be a problem today. The study is quiet and I won’t even be within earshot.”

“What are your plans?”

He talked around a mouthful of scrambled eggs. “I’m working on a project out in the barn. When you want a break, come out and I’ll show it to you.”

She took a bite of pancake—fluffy enough to marry him, it turned out—and replied, “Fair enough.”

UNFORTUNATELY, TWO HOURS later she was no less distracted than she’d been on the plane. She’d gotten through the reports, made some cursory notes, but every time she started her write-up her mind wandered to the glorious time she was having with Kit and how much she really liked him.

They had more in common than she’d assumed that first night. At the time, she’d thought she was only dealing with attraction and sexual desire, but the more she got to know him, the more she began to recognize genuine affection. It was an experience that both excited her and left her a little afraid. Up to now, her life had been simple. She had her job and her travels, neither one interfering with the other. Now a man had come into that world, one who didn’t even live in Chicago, and her boat was starting to rock.

She wondered what he was doing. What was his project in the barn?

Then she scolded herself and put her focus back on work. John was expecting her briefing Monday morning, and she always provided him with the materials beforehand so he could review them in advance.

But that was Monday, and technically she had plenty of time to put her presentation together. Even probably on the plane ride back to Chicago if she really focused and buckled down.

Biting her lip, she closed her laptop. She’d never made a habit of putting off work, not even back in college. She’d always preferred to get it done first and play later—if there was time left over. But it wasn’t every day that a woman got whisked off in a private jet by a sexy cowboy to spend the weekend at his big sprawling ranch. It might never even happen again. So caution thrown aside, she left her write-up and set off to find him.

Despite several buildings on the property, she headed toward the one that most looked like a barn, pleased when she pulled open the door and found Kit inside. He was standing at a lathe, its motor whirring and sawdust flying as the machine spun what appeared to be a wooden table leg. He held a tool that was either smoothing or shaping the wood as it spun.

With her presence unknown, she stood and watched him work. The man was lethally handsome with his thick brown hair and solid square jaw. Though he shaved daily, his beard grew quickly, giving him a perpetually masculine look that she found deliciously attractive. He’d taken off the flannel shirt he’d worn at breakfast and was now clad in a T-shirt that showed off those muscled biceps she’d already grown so fond of. For several minutes she stood watching, listening to the country music from the radio, and as she took in the scene, she couldn’t help but be amused over this odd situation she’d found herself in.

If someone had told her last week that she’d be standing in a barn outside Austin tapping her toes to honky-tonk music while her wealthy cowboy lover sanded table legs, she would have checked them for drugs. Yet here she was.

And she was enjoying it, too.

He shut off the machine and pulled off his safety glasses, and when he caught sight of her his face lit with a smile that touched her chest.

“Hey, sexy,” he drawled.

KIT SLAPPED THE DUST from his hands and tugged Monica into a sensual kiss as soon as she came within reach. He knew he shouldn’t be so insatiable. He didn’t want her to think he only wanted her body, but he couldn’t help it. He’d found an appetite for the beautiful brunette he couldn’t seem to control.

Pressing his lips to hers, he found the sweet taste of maple sugar and it made him think of candy. He loved kissing her, loved having his hands on her and feeling those long fingers on him. It was a sugary treat he could get used to every day.

A low moan purred from her throat as she slid her hands up his chest, getting him hard and horny in one smooth stroke. And as he pulled her closer and dove in for something serious, he wondered where in his workshop might be the best spot for a quickie.

“You were going to show me your project,” she uttered to his lips.

“Something better just walked in.”

He slipped his hands up under her light cotton blouse and cupped her breasts in his palms, deciding that the workbench could be cleared pretty quickly. But then he remembered that Doug Rawlins, a mechanic, was due any minute to give him an estimate on one of his trucks.

Reluctantly, he pulled away. “You torment me, you know that?” he grumbled.

“I didn’t ask you to stop.”

“No, but I’m expecting company, and give me two more minutes near that sexy body of yours, we’ll end up putting on quite a show.”

“Hmm.” She touched a finger to her lips. “I could do kinky, but I do draw the line at voyeurism.”

His interest piqued. “How kinky?”

“Your project,” she said, straightening her blouse and moving toward his lathe.

Storing that comment for later, he guided her toward another room, where he’d been finishing the desk he was working on. “It’s a Christmas present for my niece.”

Monica gaped as she stepped over and studied the piece. “You made this?”

Shrugging, he tried to brush off his boyish pride in impressing the woman. “I’m working on a matching chair, but I’m running out of time.”

He stepped to the desk. It was pine with a beveled top and three drawers, simple in construction and stained in a light natural finish. What made it special was the carved roses around the drawer pulls, and seeing her reaction confirmed it had been worth the effort.

She ran a finger over the carvings. “You did this by hand?”

He nodded.

“Kit, it’s beautiful. I’m sure she’ll love it.”

He scratched the back of his head. “Well, she might have to wait for it. Christmas is next weekend and I’ve got to be in Chicago and Omaha for half the week. I’m debating between canceling some important meetings or just giving her the desk and promising the chair after New Year’s.”

She balked. “You’ve got to do both.”

Her insistence made him smile. He liked people who didn’t accept limitations. It was one of the first things that had attracted him to her. Not many people could lift his own standards on what he was capable of, but he’d learned pretty quickly that Monica could be one of them.

“What’s left to do?” she asked.

“Cassie, my niece, asked for pink flowers.” He stepped to a table where he’d stored an array of craft paints and brushes. “The table needs one more undercoat then I need to figure how I want to paint the roses. I’ll need a clear gloss over that, then I need to repeat the whole process for the chair.”

“You know what would be pretty—” She stepped to the counter and surveyed his paints, and he watched as she grabbed a brush and a paper bag and began mixing colors.

Like a master, she created an almost identical replica of his roses on paper, using several shades of pink, white and red to add depth to the finished product. It blew away anything he’d been thinking.

“I had no idea you could paint.”

“I minored in art in college. Economics, math and accounting could be grueling, and I needed an escape. And since I’m tone deaf, music was out.” She nudged the paper toward him and spoke casually as though she hadn’t just floored him with her artistry. “What do you think of something like this?”

“It would be beautiful.”

“Then why don’t you get back to work on your chair and let me finish the desk?”

He blinked. “You wouldn’t mind? Sweetheart, I didn’t bring you out here to help me finish my niece’s Christmas present.”

Stepping close, she pressed her palms to his chest and whispered. “It will cost you some serious sexual favors.”

He circled his arms around her and wondered how many more wonderful surprises this intriguing woman had up her sleeve. He’d love to spend a lifetime finding out. But recognizing the need to take this slowly he kept those intentions to himself and instead kissed her gently on the cheek. “I’m going to have a hell of a time repaying you.”

5

MONICA RELAXED ON THE floor of Kit’s great room, enjoying the roaring fire in the fireplace while Kit rubbed her shoulders. It was early Sunday evening and they would be flying back to Chicago tonight, though if she could be granted one Christmas wish, it would be to stay here a few more days.

They’d spent yesterday and this morning finishing the desk for Kit’s niece. Hardly a chore, she’d found the project relaxing and revitalizing. She hadn’t dabbled with anything artistic since college. The moment she’d started her first internship at a New York investment firm, she’d been entirely focused on a career in finance. From that point on, her appreciation for art had been restricted to collecting pieces made by others, and she’d forgotten the joy of creating something herself.

In fact, she’d forgotten a lot of joys before spending these past few days with Kit. When they weren’t busy in the barn, they were enjoying his delicious meals. They’d taken a long walk on his property down to the lake where he sometimes fished. They’d ridden one of his ATVs to the top of the ridge to view the sunset. And, of course, when they weren’t doing those things, they were discovering the many ways they could pleasure each other in bed.

It was the type of weekend she could get used to, escaping the noise of the city for a simple weekend on a ranch, not to mention the wonderful company. And as Kit’s fingers stroked pure luxury through her muscles, she wondered why this peach of a man hadn’t already been snatched up by a deserving woman.

“Why aren’t you taken?” she asked, lolling her head to the side as he dug those talented fingers into the curve of her neck.

“I’ve come close a couple times.”

“You’re a great catch. How could they let you get away?”

He laughed and kissed her bare shoulder. “Sweetheart, whether or not I’m a catch depends on what you’re fishing for. I’ve got businesses in three states, a home in Texas and a sailboat down in Florida. I’m on the go a lot, and at first, women find that exciting. But eventually they want more than I can give.”

He shifted behind her so that his legs straddled either side of her waist, and she leaned closer to him, using his thighs as armrests.

“Don’t get me wrong,” he went on. “I’m not a playboy. I’d love to find a life partner, someone to grow old with. But a woman who’s looking for kids and peewee football and a man who’s home every weekend ends up mighty frustrated. I can’t do that kind of routine. I’ve got a brood of nieces and nephews from my two sisters, and I treat them as my own. But more than that, my lifestyle isn’t suited to having children, and I don’t really care to change it.”

Monica understood completely. And she knew firsthand that most people didn’t. She loved her family, adored spoiling her nieces and nephews, but she’d never wanted kids of her own. She knew what a sacrifice raising a child was, and hadn’t wanted to give up so much of her independence. Some people called that selfish, but in her opinion, the selfless act was accepting her limitations and leaving the parenting to people who could truly devote themselves to the task.

“I’m afraid I broke a few hearts before realizing I was hooking up with the wrong type of women,” he said.

“What type would you consider right?”

He leaned close and spoke low to her ear. “I’ve got a fetish for short-haired brunettes with pretty green eyes.”

She smiled and sipped her wine.

“I do better with women who enjoy their independence,” he went on. “I’d love to be a part of her life, don’t mistake me. But I need to be an equal, not the focal point. I could just as well be the spouse at her corporate functions as her being the spouse at mine. I’m career-minded, one of my passions is my business, and while I like to take time off to relax, I can never fully step away from it. My ideal partner is one who understands that and can maybe even share in it.”

She sighed and shook her head. “We really are perfect together,” she muttered, not even realizing she’d said it out loud until Kit replied, “That’s exactly what I think.”

He circled his arms around her and she relaxed against his broad chest, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder as she contemplated this fast relationship growing between them. From the moment he first approached her in that airport lounge, she’d been smitten with the man, finding him both sexually alluring and devastatingly handsome. Now she was becoming more and more intrigued by what was inside. But what did that mean? Would it even be possible maintaining a long-distance affair? Would it be enough to have a man who popped in and out of her life when their schedules happened to mesh? Or could they manage more?

And then there was the pesky issue of his business relationship with Stryker. If she’d ever placed one thing high on her priority list, it was never to mix business with pleasure. This didn’t just mix it, it emulsified it.

Unfortunately, she had more questions than answers. Ironic, considering that she’d hoped spending the weekend with Kit would help get him out of her system. Instead, he’d only managed to sink in further.

“Come spend Christmas with me,” he said.

She laughed dismissively. “That’s impossible.”

“Why? You did such a beautiful job on my niece’s present I’d love for you to be there when she sees it. Besides,” he said, kissing the base of her neck, “I can’t think of a better present than you in my bed.”

She shook her head and sat upright, turning to face him. “I couldn’t possibly spend the holidays with you. I’m due in Connecticut Wednesday night. My mother has plans that can’t be changed.”

He shrugged as though this were a simple discussion about where to meet for lunch. “So spend the days up until Christmas Eve with your family and I’ll fly you down to Austin in time for Christmas dinner.”

She backed up, feeling the need to make some space as the moment of truth she’d been avoiding swept up to greet her. “It’s out of the question,” she said, recognizing by the look in his eyes that this was a conversation about more than just the upcoming holiday.

He wanted to talk about tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, to establish where this relationship was going and how they could make it work. But she didn’t have answers to any of that. She was only just absorbing the idea of a real relationship here. She wasn’t at all ready to start making plans—especially ones that interfered with her holiday traditions.

Tomorrow morning she’d be back at work in her old environment and her familiar life. It would be her opportunity to think clearly and get a better perspective on all this. Until that happened she couldn’t begin to entertain thoughts of anything beyond this weekend.

“My mother would have a heart attack if I cut my visit short, especially at this late date.”

“That control thing. I remember.” The man lay sprawled across the rug, propped up on one elbow and sipping his bottled water as if this whole conversation was no big deal. And she supposed that for him it wasn’t. He owned his own business that allowed him to do whatever he pleased. He wasn’t a woman trying to make a name for herself in an old-school corporate world. She doubted he could even fathom a life that required putting up appearances and maintaining a level of professionalism over and above her male counterparts.

“It’s not just that,” she said. “You’re a client of my company. As much as I enjoy what we’ve found here, I’m still not comfortable with that relationship.”

“That’s an easy one to resolve. If I have to choose between you and Stryker I’ll move my business to another firm tomorrow.”

“You can’t!” Her heart began to pound. This was exactly the type of thing she feared and precisely why she avoided entanglements like this. Losing Kit’s account because of her would be unconscionable. She’d be humiliated in the face of John and the other board members.

She set down her wine. “If you pull your account it will be my fault. How could you do that to me?”

He smiled and tugged her back toward him, closing the space between them and running a calming finger across her chin. “I’ll never do anything to jeopardize your career or your image with the company. I’m only saying that you’re more important to me than my business dealings with Stryker. If the connection makes you uncomfortable, we’ll figure a way to get around it.”

He kissed her, leveling his gaze with hers to express the sincerity in his words, and though it eased her slightly, she still couldn’t get past the fear that they were playing with fire. Up to now, her career had always been her top priority, her comfort zone even. She didn’t dabble with anything that might interfere with it. But now she was feeling the real pull to try to blend a relationship into the mix. It made her feel unsteady, uncertain even. Kit’s connection with her company only complicated things. This wasn’t something she could absorb in a two-day weekend.

“It’s too much, too fast,” she admitted.

His response was that casual calm that both infuriated and reassured her. “Then we’ll slow down.”

Easy, just like that. But why did she feel as though none of it would work out quite so simply?

“If you need more time, we’ll take more time. I’m not going anywhere.” He tugged her down on the rug then kissed her gently, soothing her fraying nerves under the warmth of the crackling fire. “I’ll be in Chicago until Tuesday morning. Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?”

“Tomorrow night?”

She tried to think about her schedule, but that got difficult when he nudged her tank top up and began circling his tongue around her navel. This was exactly what got her into this predicament in the first place. Every time Kit wanted something from her, all he had to do was scramble her thoughts with those talented lips and she lost her ability to think straight.

“Tomorrow night,” he said, dipping his hand down under her sweats and cupping the heat between her thighs.

He slipped a finger between her folds and all the worry on her brow drained away to pure pleasure. It wasn’t fair, his ability to win a discussion through this sinful distraction, but heck if she could work up the argument to stop him. He was too good and her body was too willing.

Propped on his elbow, he wrapped his lips around her breast and sucked while his finger began circling her most sensitive spot. “Ohhhh, tomorrow,” she groaned, parting her legs and offering him access.

He replied with a gentle bite to her nipple.

Threading her fingers through his hair, she closed her eyes and listened to his sensual moans as he worked her body to another peak. They shed their clothes, pulled pillows from the couch to craft a bed on the floor in front of the big stone fireplace. Then he filled her, using his hard length and soft touches to take them both to the edge and over.

And with her thoughts now vacant of anything other than the luxury of his naked body over hers, he bent close to her ear and said, “I’ll take that as a yes.”