“A chance to what?” he demanded. “To hurt you and mess you over?”
“No. A chance to make you see that there’s more to him than your old ideas about him. All you have to do is ask around town and you’ll learn a thing or two about everything he’s done for Rust Creek Falls since the flood. He saved my life, Gage. He’s been at the front line of the rescue efforts and the cleanup. He’s a natural leader and he’s right there when he’s needed—and no, I can’t say if what’s happening with Collin and me is going to last forever. But I do know that, however it ends up with us, I will never regret being with him.”
Gage gave her a long, dark look. And then he grabbed a pencil, pulled open his pencil drawer and tossed it in. He shut the drawer good and hard. “I’m not happy about this.”
“That’s your prerogative.”
“But what can I say?”
She gazed at him coaxingly. “That you’ll give Collin a chance.”
He blew out a breath. “Fine. I’ll stay out of it. For now. I’ll just knock myself out being open-minded about Collin Traub.”
She beamed him her fondest smile. “Thank you.”
“But if that wild man breaks your heart, you can be damn sure I’ll be first in line to break his face.”
* * *
Willa spent the day taking care of personal business.
She used the cell Gage had loaned her to call her insurance agent and the FEMA flood insurance number. The clerks she talked to took her number and promised she’d get calls back from adjusters within twenty-four hours—for the car and for the house and for her separate government-run flood insurance policy. Next, she made calls about her credit cards. That took a while, since she no longer had the cards, she was calling from someone else’s phone and her records had been turned to mush in the flood. But in the end, she gave the ranch as a temporary address and was promised that new cards would arrive there within the week. After that, she decided to go ahead and drive to Kalispell to visit her bank and her cell phone provider, and to get a new driver’s license.
As soon as she got her new phone in her hand, she called everyone back and told them she had her own phone now. Then she called her mom in Livingston.
“You got your phone back,” her mother said when she answered. “Oh, honey. We miss you....”
“I miss you, too, Mom.”
“I talked to Gage just today...”
“Yeah. He finally made it back. He loaned me his truck.”
“Good. There are still a lot of problems with the roads, so we thought we’d just stay here in Livingston a little longer.”
“That sounds wise, Mom.”
“Gage says they’re giving him a trailer so he can stay in town.”
“Yes. You know him. He needs to be where the action is.”
“Honey, I’ve been meaning to ask. You are staying at the ranch, aren’t you?”
“Uh, no.”
“But why not?”
Willa didn’t want to go into her relationship with Collin. Not now. Not on the phone—and not after last night and the awkwardness of that morning. It was all too new and exciting and scary. Not to mention, up in the air. And evidently, Gage had stayed out of it and said nothing to their parents about where she’d slept last night.
Thank you, big brother.
“Willa? Are you there?”
“Right here. And I’ve been staying in the town hall.” It was true. She had been. Until last night. “They have cots set up for people whose homes were flooded.”
“But surely you should be out at the ranch. Even with the power out, it seems to me that you would be so much more comfortable there than sleeping on a hard, narrow cot in a public building....”
“Mom. I’m managing. It’s working out fine.”
“Just think about it, won’t you? Consider it.”
“I’ll manage, Mom.”
Her mother muttered something under her breath. “Always so independent.”
“I love you, Mom. Give my love to Daddy. I have to go....”
“And we love you. You’re eating right, aren’t you? Taking care of yourself...?”
“I’m perfectly healthy and I’m getting plenty to eat. And I do have to go.”
With a sigh, her mother said goodbye.
* * *
Willa and Buster got back to Rust Creek Falls at a little past three in the afternoon. She stopped in at Gage’s office and returned his cell phone. Then she visited the town hall and the Community Church in hopes that Collin might be at one or the other.
He wasn’t. She tried not to feel too disappointed. The man could be back up on the mountain working in his shop, or out on flood cleanup—or just about anywhere.
She considered calling him, but decided to wait. Tonight, one way or another, she would track him down.
Summer school was out by then, so she went to Paige’s house. Shelby was there with her little girl, Caitlin, who would be in Willa’s class next year. Willa got a full report on the day’s activities at the park. Shelby said the day had gone well and volunteered to fill in again for Willa whenever she needed a hand.
Willa thanked her. She really liked Shelby, who was a wonderful mother and a talented teacher. Shelby wasn’t having an easy time of it raising her little girl alone. A blonde, blue-eyed beauty who had once been the most popular girl at Rust Creek Falls High, now Shelby made ends meet tending bar at the Ace in the Hole. Willa had been encouraging her to apply for a full-time teaching position with the district.
When Shelby and Caitlin left, Willa stayed to brainstorm with Paige on new projects for their summer school kids—projects that would lend themselves to an outdoor classroom setting.
At five-thirty, Willa put Buster on his leash and Paige walked with them to the church for dinner. The gas had never stopped working on the north side of town, but the power was still out. Paige had no generator, which meant she couldn’t keep food refrigerated. The church, with the help of donations from a number of sources, would continue to provide meals for the community as long as people needed them. Refrigerated trucks brought in food daily.
Halfway there, Paige asked gingerly, “Are things okay with you and Collin?”
Willa sent her a sideways glance. “Ask me in a day or two.”
“I’m here and ready to listen anytime you need me.”
Willa hooked an arm around her friend’s slim shoulders. “I know. It’s just another reason why I’m so glad you’re my friend.”
At the church, Willa spotted Jerry Dobbs sitting at a table with three other members of Collin’s cleanup team. Collin wasn’t with them.
Willa told Paige she’d join her in a moment. She got a bowl of dog food from one of the church ladies and took it outside to Buster. As the dog wolfed down his dinner, she gave Collin a call.
He didn’t answer.
She left a message. “Hey. It’s Willa. Note this number. It’s mine. I went to Kalispell and replaced my cell phone today, along with my driver’s license. I also dealt with replacing my credit cards, insurance adjusters and with my bank...” And really, did he need a blow-by-blow? She realized she was nervous because he hadn’t picked up when she called. She tried again. “Right now, I’m down at the church for dinner. No sign of you. Give me a call....” She couldn’t think of anything else to say, so she left it at that.
Back inside, she went through the serving line and sat down with Paige. Throughout the meal, she kept waiting for the phone to ring.
Didn’t happen.
She couldn’t help but feel a little bit dumped. Which was ridiculous, and she knew it. How could she be dumped? To be dumped implied that you’d shared some sort of at least semi-committed relationship with a guy. She and Collin? They were friends who’d slept together. One time.
So then,
did that make her just another of Collin Traub’s one-night stands?
Oh, dear Lord. She did hope not. Collin couldn’t be that disappointing and hurtful. Could he?
She wished she could stop remembering her argument with Gage that morning.
Was Collin going to go and prove her big brother right?
No.
She needed to stop this. She was not going to think like this. If she kept on in this vein, she’d be right back where she started before the flood: racing out of rooms just because Collin Traub entered them.
That morning, she’d argued fervently with Gage on Collin’s behalf. She’d said how Collin had grown and changed from the no-strings wild boy he used to be. And she had absolutely believed what she’d said.
Collin had changed. And if he could do it, so could she.
The friendship they’d found since the flood meant a lot to her. And last night had been beautiful—no matter what happened next. One way or another, she was working this out with him. If he didn’t want to be with her in a man-woman way, well, that would hurt.
A lot.
But she would get over it.
Right now, what she needed to do was talk this out with him. And to do that, she had to find him.
Jerry Dobbs had finished his meal. He was busy putting his tray away, tossing his trash and separating his dishes from his flatware.
Willa told Paige she’d see her tomorrow, picked up her tray and went to ask Jerry if he might know where Collin had gone.
* * *
Collin tried to concentrate on the intricate pattern of leaves and vines, on the good, clean smell of veg tan top-grain leather, on the slow, exacting process of stamping the custom design with his stylus and mallet.
But his mind was not cooperating. His mind was on a certain brown-eyed woman. On the scent of lemons, on the way it had felt to have her tucked up against him naked all night long.
She had called over an hour ago. He hadn’t answered and he hadn’t called her back, though he had played her message. Three times. So far.
Yeah, he was being a real jerk and he knew it.
Still, he kept thinking it was better this way. Let her be completely disappointed in him, start avoiding him again.
Better for everyone.
Being her friend was one thing. But taking it further...
Bad idea. He’d blown it and he knew it. He shouldn’t have given in to that thing he’d always had for her. He’d seriously stepped over the line and he wasn’t going to let it happen again.
The sound from upstairs stopped his thoughts in midramble and his mallet in midair.
Someone was knocking on his front door.
He dropped the mallet and stylus and headed for the stairs as fast as his boots would carry him.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re avoiding me?” she asked when he pulled open the door. She stood there in old jeans and a frayed T-shirt, her hair loose on her shoulders, Buster at her feet. He’d never in his life seen a sight quite so beautiful. She tapped her booted foot. “Do I get to come in or not?”
Chapter Twelve
Collin glanced past her shoulder, saw her brother’s pickup parked next to his. Of course, Gage would have seen to it that she had transportation.
He accused, “The road up here is still dangerous.”
“You’ll be happy to know that Buster and I made it just fine.” She stuck out her chin at him. “Ahem. May I come in?”
It was a bad idea. And he was way too crazy happy to see her.
“Collin. Hello?”
He stepped back automatically. She moved forward, the dog right behind her. He edged around her, shut the door and turned to her. “What?”
She squared her shoulders, kind of bracing herself. “Look. If you regret last night, that’s fine. I can deal with that. I would rather you didn’t regret it. I would rather be, um...” She paused, swallowed. He watched the warm color flood upward over her sweet, soft cheeks. “I would rather be your lover. But if you don’t want that, well, okay. If you think it was a big mistake, what we did last night, okay. I won’t like it and it...hurts me. But I will get over it. Because what I really want, most of all, Collin Traub, is to still be your friend.”
He drank in the sight of her. It occurred to him that he would never get tired of seeing her pretty, clean-scrubbed, earnest face. “My friend.” It came out low and kind of threatening, though he didn’t really mean it that way. “You want to be my friend.”
She hitched her chin higher. “Yes. I do. I want to remain your friend, above all.”
“What about that guy you’re going to marry?”
“Collin. I’m not marrying Dane. And I will tell him that as soon as I get a chance to talk to him.”
He wasn’t sure he believed her. “Why keep the guy hanging if you’re only going to say no?”
“I’m not keeping him hanging. He asked me to think it over. I said I would. I have thought it over and I’m not going to marry him.”
Collin still wasn’t really buying it, still had that feeling that this thing between them was only temporary, something born out of the chaos caused by the flood. Not the kind of thing that lasted.
Which should have been fine with him. He’d never been a guy who worried about whether or not what he had with a woman was going to last.
Because for him, it never did.
Three steps separated them. He took the first one. Couldn’t help himself. Looking at her was like drowning in a whirlpool, the spinning current dizzying, sucking him down.
And then, when he was only two steps away, well, he had to get even closer. He took the second step.
And the scent of her came to him: sweet and tart and way too womanly.
That did it.
To hell with trying to do the right thing here. She wanted him and he wanted her and why shouldn’t they both have what they wanted?
He snaked out a hand and caught her wrist.
She gasped. “Collin! What...?”
He pulled her to him, wrapped an arm around her. How could she be so perfect, so slim and soft and way too exciting, bringing the scent of lemons and Ivory soap to drive him wild? She stared up at him, her eyes so wide. Heat flared in his groin. “Right now, Willa, I’m not really thinking about being your friend.”
That full mouth formed a round O. “Well.” Breathless. Hopeful. “It’s all...workable. Don’t you think?”
“Thinking,” he said roughly. “Who’s thinking?”
And then she lifted a hand and cradled the side of his face. “Don’t be afraid....”
Another wave of heat blasted through him. He put on a scowl. “I’m not afraid.”
“Right.” Soft. Indulgent. Way too knowing. Her eyes had that gleam in them now.
He still couldn’t really believe she was here, in his house. In his arms. “You shouldn’t have come up here.”
“Yes. Yes, I should have.”
“Your brother warned you about me, right?”
“Gage is willing to be open-minded.”
“You mean he warned you and you argued with him.”
“And now he’s willing to be open-minded.”
“I know how you are, Willa. So damn determined.”
She smiled then, dimples flashing. “I am, yes. It’s one of my most sterling qualities.”
He bent his head closer, nuzzled her hair, breathed her in. Nothing. No one. Ever. Not like her. “Willa...” It came out harsh, low. Hungry.
She clung to him. She felt like heaven. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his throat. “Yes.” She kissed the word into his skin, once. And then again. “Yes.”
He put a finger under that stubborn chin of hers. With a sigh, she opened her eyes. He advised, “I should send
you back down the mountain right now.”
“Oh, but you won’t.” She clucked her tongue. Softly. “It’s much too dangerous, remember?”
He pulled her even closer. “This is what’s dangerous.” There were a thousand reasons they should stop right now. He tried to remember at least a few of them, but it wasn’t happening. “I’m not the right guy for you.”
“That’s for me to decide. All you have to figure out is whether I’m the right girl for you.”
“I don’t—”
“Shh.” She put two fingers against his mouth. It took all his will not to close his teeth around them and suck them inside. “We don’t have to decide anything now,” she whispered. “We can just...be together, you and me. Just enjoy every minute we have, for now. Just kind of wing it and see where it takes us.”
“It’s not a good idea, Willa.” He formed the words against the soft pads of her fingers.
“Your mouth says one thing, but the rest of you is sending another message altogether.” She pressed herself against him, snugger. Tighter.
He caught her fingers, touched his lips to them. Somehow, he couldn’t help it—couldn’t help holding her, touching her. Wanting her. “You’re getting pretty bold lately....”
She lifted her mouth higher, offering it to him. “Must be the company I’m keeping.”
That did it. He dipped his head and settled his lips on hers.
She sighed in welcome.
He wrapped his arms tighter around her and kissed her slowly. With care and attention and longing and heat.
She responded by sliding her hands up his chest to his shoulders, by sifting those soft fingers up into his hair. By sighing her willingness against his parted lips.
And by then, he’d pretty much forgotten all the reasons they shouldn’t be doing this.
If she wanted to be with him, he could only put up so much resistance. After all, he wanted to be with her.
He burned to be with her.
And now, tonight, again, at last, he would be with her.
He started undressing her, right there in the entryway.
She didn’t object—on the contrary, she started undressing him. He got rid of her T-shirt and she returned the favor. He unhooked her bra. She undid his jeans.
Marooned with the Maverick Page 15