One Hot Christmas. Katherine Garbera

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СКАЧАТЬ be gone.” His voice dropped to a sexy murmur. “But it’ll go well.”

      Her heart beat faster. “You’re sure about that?”

      “Yes.” And he kissed her again.

      The second his mouth covered hers, he proved that he knew what he was talking about. A man who could kiss like this, who could use his tongue with such devastating effect, a man who knew exactly the right angle for maximum pleasure—that man would bring the same originality and expertise to lovemaking. She’d be a fool to miss out on even one night of sharing his bed.

      When he released her, he didn’t let go right away, which was a good thing because she might have collapsed onto the cement floor. She was just that unsteady. Mentally, though, she was extremely focused on returning to the house. So much so that she forgot both the uncovered saddle and her dropped phone. “Let’s go.”

      Laughter rippled in his voice. “First I have to cover the saddle.”

      “Oh. Right.”

      He turned on his flashlight app and aimed it at the floor. “And there’s your phone.”

      “Thanks.” She leaned down and picked it up. The screen was cracked, but the phone itself might be operational. She activated it. “Everything looks fine. I just need a new screen.”

      “Good.” He took his hat off the saddle horn and put it on. “Would you please hold the light for me?”

      “Sure.” She tucked away her phone and took his. “It really is beautiful. Now I wish I’d had a chance to contribute to the fund, but my trip up here was kind of a last-minute decision. I’m sure Jack had it handled long before I arrived.”

      “He did.” Ben arranged the blanket so the saddle was completely concealed. “He took up a collection back in October and gave me half my fee then.” He turned back to her. “You mean you almost didn’t make it here?”

      “Almost. Christmas is special at Mom and Dad’s house, and I usually spend the first part of my Christmas break helping cook and decorate. Plus the weather’s dicey this time of year. Originally I planned to wait until summer.”

      “Then we wouldn’t have met.”

      “Probably not.”

      “What made you change your mind and come before Christmas?”

      “Aunt Sarah’s birthday party tomorrow, for one thing, but then she told me about this set of diaries that her mother-in-law, Nelsie Chance, had kept for years. I was very eager to read them, which I have, and they’re wonderful. I even found mention of me in there. But I could have put that off until next summer, too. I just had this hunch that I should come up here now, for some reason.”

      “Hmm.” He adjusted the fit of his Stetson. “Listen, do you think...” Then he shook his head. “Never mind. I don’t believe in that stuff.”

      “What stuff?”

      “Fate, kismet, that kind of thing.”

      She didn’t say anything because she did believe in it and was beginning to wonder if her hunch had been about him. But she wasn’t ready to announce that thought. She might never admit it to him. So much depended on how the next few days went for them. Or the next few hours.

      But apparently he was over there interpreting her silence. “You believe in it, don’t you?”

      “A little.”

      “Well, I don’t.”

      That made her smile. He was the one who’d brought it up in the first place, but she wouldn’t point that out to him. The instant attraction between them excited him, but it probably made him nervous, too.

      Not surprising. It made her nervous. Going to bed with him tonight was so far out of her comfort zone it was in the next zip code. But that didn’t mean she’d decided not to. She was still thinking.

       7

      AS THEY HURRIED from the tractor barn back to the house, Ben still wasn’t clear on whether Molly wanted to have sex with him or not. She hadn’t specifically said she would, but her kiss certainly tasted like yes.

      Yet he should probably give her a little more information before they took that step. Her dreams had to include a family of her own, but all he could share would be this brief time with her. Then he’d bow out of her life.

      She didn’t realize that, and he should be straight with her before anything happened between them. Someday she’d settle down with a man who wanted a family, but in the meantime, here they were, crazy for each other. If she was willing to share her warmth for a long weekend, he’d take it.

      On the porch they quietly brushed off the snow that clung to their jackets. The porch stretched the length of the house, and according to Jack, rockers lined it during the summer. If Ben came back this summer for Calamity Sam, he’d make a point to enjoy some time in a rocker and take in the view of the Tetons.

      Molly wouldn’t be here, though. A tug at his heart told him that he’d miss her cheerful presence. He’d have to get over that, because she was most definitely not for him, not for the long haul, anyway.

      But now, as he carefully opened the door hung with a giant pine wreath, he thought maybe she could be his for a little while. While they wordlessly removed their boots and set them on a mat by the front door, he thought about what he wanted to say to her. He didn’t relish giving a full explanation, but he had to tell her this wasn’t a lead-in to something more.

      That was assuming she would consider sharing his bed. As they climbed the stairs to the second floor, he unbuttoned his coat. Then he grabbed her by the hand before she could start back to her room. “Molly.”

      She turned toward him, her eyes bright and her skin flushed.

      “You know I want you.”

      “Yes.” She swallowed. “And I—”

      “There’s something you need to know about me.” He took a deep breath. “Saying this might seem weird, except...you’re so into family, and I’m...not.”

      Her expression grew thoughtful. “Okay.”

      “I never plan to have kids. I’m not even sure if I’ll ever get married.” He wondered if she’d laugh and say the topic was premature. Or maybe she’d ask him why he felt that way.

      Instead, her gaze softened. “Thank you for telling me.”

      “Seemed like the right thing.” And he’d probably ruined his chances, but at least he’d be able to live with himself. “I guess that’s that, then.” But he didn’t let go of her hand, just in case he hadn’t blown it with her.

      A smile touched the corners of her mouth. “Giving up?”

      His heart kicked into high gear. “I thought maybe, under the circumstances, you’d rather—”

      “You thought wrong.”

      “Thank СКАЧАТЬ