“Did he hurt you?” he asked, holding her out to search every part of her face.
She shook her head and blew out a long breath. “I’m fine.” Her eyes narrowed in disgust as she turned to look at Kurt. “Mostly just angry that he came back.”
Owen pulled her close, cradling her against him. “I won’t let him near you again. I promise.” She held on to him and he put his hand behind her head, touching his chin to her forehead. He had to focus on quieting the anger that still spiked his blood, or he would do something to Kurt he’d regret.
“What happened?”
Both of them turned to see Ben running through the doors, his eyes going wide as he took in Kurt’s still form.
“Hope was attacked,” Owen answered, reluctantly letting go of Hope to face Ben. “We need to tie him up until the police get here.”
Before Ben could respond, the door on the opposite end crashed open and Phil rushed into the stable, trailed by a string of security guards. Phil’s face was lined with exertion but he wasted no time kneeling to roll Kurt onto his back, placing handcuffs on his wrists. Owen put his arm across Hope, relief pouring through him at the sound of the metal snapping shut.
One of the guards approached. “We saw what happened on the cameras, and got here as soon as we could,” he explained, his unsteady breathing confirming the point. “We’ve already called the police. He’s going to face jail time for this.”
Hope turned to Owen, her eyes tight. He pulled her a little closer and she buried her face into his shoulder.
“Let’s get him out of here,” Phil said, standing. “We’ll take him outside to wait for the police. These two don’t need to deal with him anymore.”
Owen gave a curt nod. “Thanks, Phil.”
Phil turned to Hope, his face twisted. “I can’t believe he came back. We were doing everything in our power to keep you safe, and we failed.”
She shook her head. “It’s okay. No one could have anticipated that he would hack into the security cameras.” She turned to Owen, her lips turning up in a weak smile. “Besides, I had my boyfriend bodyguard here to protect me.”
Owen’s heart lifted as she looked up at him, her eyes brimming with their shared secret. He felt his muscles relax. If she could tease, she was going to be okay.
They watched as Kurt was hauled outside, his head hanging low as the security team dragged him out the door. Ben, who had watched the whole scene in fascination, finally cleared his throat.
“That must have been some punch.” He turned to Owen with raised eyebrows. “I’m sorry I missed it.”
Owen grimaced. “It was over pretty quick.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Hope, wanting to change the subject. “How are you doing? Can I get you anything?”
She chewed her bottom lip and then met his eyes. “Yes. You can take me on our date.”
He blinked in surprise. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”
She gave an emphatic nod. “Definitely. I’m not going to let Kurt ruin our date.” She put her hands on her hips, tilting her head to the side. “Besides, you still haven’t told me what we’re doing, and patience isn’t my greatest virtue.”
He gazed at her in wonder. She was an even stronger woman than he’d realized, which only made her more attractive. His heart turned over as his earlier resolve to confess his feelings grew. The words filled his chest until he was sure they would burst out of him at any moment. But the timing had to be right. A slow smile worked across his lips as he looked down at her upturned face, taking her hand in his.
“Well then, what are we waiting for?”
Chapter 28
Hope and Owen followed Ben out of the stable, opposite the door where Kurt had been taken. She inhaled deeply, expelling the horrible experience on an exhale and inhaling this moment with Owen. This was their last night together, and she wasn’t about to let anything or anyone spoil it for her.
She chose to be grateful that Owen had come when he did, and that the experience had taught her a lesson on security. Owen glanced at her sideways, lifting an eyebrow as if to ask if she was all right. She squeezed his hand to reassure him. She was shaken, but okay. She’d been through some rough patches before, and they’d made her stronger.
I’m a fighter. The words came to her without effort and she acknowledged the truthfulness of them, the affirmation flooding her with a sense of deep-rooted strength.
They stepped into the clear moonlit night and she gasped. A red horse-drawn sleigh stood waiting. Pine boughs adorned the sides and two bay Clydesdales were harnessed to the front. They tossed their heads, causing the sleigh bells to jingle as their breaths sent puffs of steam into the night air. Hope gave a tiny squeal and turned, wide-eyed, to Owen. “Is this for us?”
He dipped his head, his blue eyes dancing. “Are you up for a sleigh ride?”
She clasped her hands and bounced up and down on her heels. “Yes!”
He laughed and guided her toward Ben, who was waiting to help her into the sleigh.
“Watch your step, now,” he said.
She took Ben’s gloved hand and stepped up into the sleigh, unable to keep the grin from her face. There was a thick blanket on the padded seat in front of her and the thought of cozying up next to Owen beneath it got her heart galloping. She watched as he climbed in.
“Do you want some blanket?” she asked, lifting up the edge.
“Yes, thanks. You look nice and toasty.” He sat beside her, taking her hand beneath the blanket.
She nodded. “Between my winter gear and this blanket, I’ll stay nice and warm.”
“Dang.” He leaned closer, a roguish gleam in his eyes as he lowered his voice. “I was hoping that could be my job.”
Hope swallowed, her pulse racing at the intoxicating scent of his cologne. His eyes met hers, and her breath caught. His eyes were clear and filled with happiness, without even a trace of turmoil. For the first time, she could see Owen—the real Owen. And in that instant, she knew she’d lost her heart.
“You two comfortable back there?” Ben asked as he climbed up onto the driver’s seat.
“I’m great,” Hope called. The sleigh was big enough that she had to raise her voice a bit to carry to him.
“Yep. All good,” Owen added in agreement.
“Okay, then.” Ben twisted to look at them over his shoulder. “I’ll take you along some of my favorite trails. If you need anything or have questions, holler. Otherwise, just sit back and enjoy the ride.”
“Thanks, Ben,” Owen said.
He winked and turned toward the team, flicking the reins. The large draft horses pulled forward, the bells on their harnesses trilling a festive sound.
Hope beamed at Owen. “This is so amazing! I can’t believe we’re taking an actual sleigh ride.”
“When I saw it in the lodge brochure, I thought it would be a fun way to end the week. Nothing makes it feel like Christmas the way a sleigh ride does.”
She arched a brow. “You’ve been on a sleigh ride before?”
He nodded. “My cousins in Montana have a sleigh they take their guests on. I’ve driven it a time or two.”
She squinted at him. “Is there anything you haven’t done?”
He shrugged. “When it comes to horses, probably not. But that’s not unusual when you grow up on a ranch.”
“Makes sense.” She smiled and turned her attention to the perfectly smooth snow. “It’s so peaceful.” White twinkling Christmas lights lined the fence beside the trail. She pulled in a deep breath, the air was sharp with the scent of snow and the faintest hint of pine. It livened her senses and chased away the last of her anxiety from before. She sighed and snuggled closer to Owen, ready for conversation. “Does your family have any traditions for Christmas?”
He adjusted the blanket over their entwined hands. “Yes. As you can imagine, my mom likes to go all out.”
Hope grinned. “I love her enthusiasm.”
“She keeps the place running, that’s f
or sure.” He leaned his head back in thought. “We like to get the whole family together on Christmas Eve, so either we visit my family in Montana or they come visit us. With only me and Cody, it makes things more fun to have aunts, uncles, and cousins around during the holidays.” His eyes took on a faraway look. “We exchange a few gifts on Christmas Eve and then go for a traditional midnight ride.”
“On horseback?”
He nodded. “Or in a sleigh, if we’re in Montana. Then we get home and usually stay up talking into the wee hours. I have a few younger cousins who are still excited about presents on Christmas morning, so that makes it fun. Then we have a big Christmas dinner with the family, and that’s pretty much it.”
She smiled, imagining Owen surrounded by his family on Christmas, but her heart pinched with longing. She didn’t want to just imagine it—she wanted to be there. To share it with him. It was an impractical wish, so she tucked it away with a sigh and leaned her head on his shoulder. “It sounds magical.”
“It is.” He pulled their entwined hands up and kissed her knuckles, sending shivers down her spine. “What about you? Does your family have any traditions?”
“Yes, but I don’t know if they can top yours.” She gave him a playful look, wrapping her arm through his to get closer. “Max, Emily, my Dad, and I like to get together on Christmas Eve and make yummy food and play games. We stay up late laughing and talking and listening to Christmas music.”
She paused and swallowed. “We put a picture of my mom at the table and share memories of Christmases with her. It makes it feel like she’s there with us.” Her heart pinched. She wasn’t sure why she’d brought it up when they’d only been sharing happy memories. But sometimes grief was odd that way. Words and memories of her mom would suddenly burst out, surprising her like unexpected guests who had been waiting for the right moment to make an appearance.
Owen gave her hand a squeeze, and she glanced at him. His blue eyes were soft and understanding, giving her permission to feel. They were eyes she could trust.
She took a breath and squeezed back, ready to go on. “On Christmas morning we open presents, and later in the day we have a nice dinner, so that part is the same.”
“Those sound like nice traditions.”
“It’s not the same without her, but each year gets a little easier.”
He nodded but didn’t say anything. They sat in contemplative silence, listening to the sound of the jingling bells. Finally, Owen spoke. “Hope?”
“Yes?” She turned to look at him, her breath catching at his turmoiled expression. He ran a restless hand through his hair and her pulse quickened. Whatever he was about to say, it was clearly making him nervous. She bit her lip, waiting.
He searched her eyes for a moment and then his brows furrowed and he glanced down. “I know we joked about me being your pretend boyfriend, but …” He chewed his bottom lip and she held her breath. Was he ending things? Did he not want to keep up the charade anymore? After a few torturous heartbeats he finally met her eyes, holding them fast. “I don’t want to pretend anymore.”
Her throat tightened and she looked down, swallowing hard. “Okay.”
He placed a finger under her chin, tilting her face up to meet his. “Hope.”
She glanced at him, willing her tears to stay in check.
“I’m asking to be your boyfriend.”
Her heart stopped. Her mind flew in a thousand directions as she struggled to process what he was saying. “Y-you are?”
His mouth curved up in a slow smile and he held her gaze, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles in slow circles. The sensation sent electric sparks coursing through her. He tipped his head to the side, his eyes tight. “I don’t want this to be goodbye.”
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her heart pumping impossibly fast. Was this really happening? She opened her eyes again. The sincerity in his face promised it was. She swallowed a few times, forcing back emotion. “Neither do I,” she whispered.
He went perfectly still, holding her gaze as the space between them thickened with expectancy. “Can I come see you in California?”
Her breathing shallowed, and suddenly everything else faded away until it was just the two of them. “Only if I can come visit you in Texas,” she answered softly.
His eyes ignited and he toyed with the ends of her hair. “Deal.” He studied her for a moment, giving her a warm look that made her stomach flutter.
Hope’s pulse beat erratically as she breathed in the musky scent of his cologne. Owen wanted to be with her. He wanted to be her boyfriend. The thought coursed through her like warm liquid pumping through her veins.
He placed his hands to the sides of her face, his eyes glowing with this new thing between them. A declaration that for now, only the two of them shared. She swallowed and licked her lips. His gaze dropped to her mouth and then back to her eyes. There was a hunger in his look as his face drew slowly closer, a faint smile curving his mouth.
The ache of wanting him made her breathless. She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling him shiver as she toyed with his hair. His eyes never left hers until his lips were only a whisper away from hers. He paused there, both of them breathing the same air. She could smell his cinnamon gum and her mouth watered for his kiss. Her heart hammered in expectation and she held her breath until slowly—ever so slowly, he pressed his lips to hers.
A chill tingled her spine at the gentleness of the kiss. It was soft and caressing and full of longing. She opened one eye and peeked at Ben, but he had his back to them, intentionally giving them privacy. She closed her eyes again and basked in the feeling of being in Owen’s arms. His kisses ignited all of her senses as he took his time, exploring her mouth as he continued to kiss her softly, and then he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.
Hope couldn’t seem to get enough of his touch. Her heart pounded against her rib cage as his kisses moved down to her neck. She ran her fingers through his dark hair, and he let out a small groan, returning to her lips with renewed hunger. They kissed for several more minutes until the sleigh began slowing down to turn around. Hope pulled back, her breathing fast and uneven.
Owen met her gaze, his eyes smoldering. “Looks like we’re headed back,” he said, his voice low and husky. He glanced at Ben and leaned closer to Hope. “I’ll have to give him a good tip.”
She giggled and bit her lip, knowing what he meant. His gaze landed on her mouth and then flicked back to her eyes. She leaned forward, ready to accept his kiss, when suddenly his phone buzzed in his pocket.
He leaned back with a frown. “Sorry. I meant to silence this.” He pulled it from his pocket and froze when he saw the screen.
Hope noticed the change in his expression. “Is everything all right?” she asked.
He hesitated, his eyes scanning the text. “Yeah.” He put the phone back in his pocket, his face going pale.
She put her hand on his arm. “Owen, what is it? You look like you’ve just received some bad news.”
“It’s nothing. Sorry about that.”
Her heart stung. Why wouldn’t he tell her? Thoughts of Nathan and his constant secrets crept into her mind like hovering phantoms. Nathan had always been vague about the texts he received, and she’d been an idiot not to suspect why.
Owen draped his arm over her shoulder, but she could feel the tenseness in his biceps. He didn’t lean in for another kiss and clearly wasn’t going to offer any more information. She didn’t want to pry, but the change in him was obvious. It hurt that he wouldn’t confide in her. She bit the inside of her cheek and looked out over the snowy landscape, the warm feelings between them suddenly colder than the icicles hanging from the fence.
It wasn’t any of her business who the text was from, but she’d glanced at the screen before he’d put the phone away. There had been a picture of a pretty brunette. Her name was Ava.
Hope’s stomach turned, protesting against the poisonous doubts that seeped in. Owen was different than Nath
an. He wasn’t a cheater. Ava was probably only a friend. She squeezed her eyes shut and hugged her arms across herself as if the gesture could shield her heart against Owen’s sudden coldness.
She couldn’t do this. Not again.
Chapter 29
Owen’s heart wrenched with every beat of the horses’ hooves. Ava’s text had cut him to the core.
Owen, it’s me. I’m missing Eli so much I almost can’t function. You know how he loved the holidays. I need to talk to someone. Call me when you can.
She was missing Eli, hurting more than ever, and here he was, on a date, having fun as if nothing had happened. He didn’t want to be rude and reply to the text while with Hope, but the guilt seared his insides. It was his fault Ava was alone. He had caused her this pain, and for that, he would never be able to forgive himself.
He winced and rubbed a hand over his eyes. Hope noticed, but didn’t ask him any more questions. His heart begged him to open up to her, to explain the text and everything he was feeling. But his head wouldn’t let him. What was he doing? He didn’t have anything to offer her. He was a broken man. Haunted by a past that would never leave him alone. Hope deserved to be with someone as amazing as she was—someone who didn’t carry around body-sized baggage from the past. He kicked himself for letting his emotions take over and rushing selfishly into something that only he would benefit from.
They sat in strained silence for the rest of the ride. When they arrived back at the stable, Ben helped them out of the sleigh. Owen and Hope thanked him, and Owen slipped him a generous tip before they made their way back toward the lodge. There was no sign of Kurt or the police anywhere, but he noticed fresh tire tracks in the otherwise deserted parking lot outside the stables. They must have taken care of things quickly. He was grateful—Hope didn’t deserve any more hurt than she already had.
Christmas In Pine Ridge (Pine Ridge Romance Book 4) Page 11