She tapped her forefinger against the face of the groom. Though Evan didn’t want to, he took a closer look at the blond man dressed in a dark tuxedo.
“That was Phillip. We met when he came to work for my father. At that time, I worked in the family business, too, as a secretary for one of the building contractors. Phillip had been hired as more of an assistant, someone to take care of the boring details of the business. He was the cheery, charming sort, and we hit it off almost immediately. When he asked me to marry him, I believed he truly loved me. That he wanted us to have children and a real marriage. And for ten months he pretended to be a loving husband.”
“Pretended?”
“That’s what I said. I discovered quite by accident that he’d married me to work his way up the ladder in my father’s company. He never loved me at all.”
“I probably have no right to ask, but how did you find out?”
Shaking her head, she let out a weary sigh. “Believe me, Evan, it wasn’t like I had a private investigator digging up ugly secrets and reporting them back to me. I didn’t have a clue that my husband was hiding anything from me. One evening I came in from a trip to the grocery store. When I walked by the den, I could hear Phillip talking with Reggie, one of his work friends. I started to enter the room and say hello when Phillip chuckled in a smug way. Something about the sound made me pause outside the door and listen.”
“I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying about eavesdropping,” Evan commented. “You usually hear something you’re not going to like.”
Rising from the couch, she snapped the photo album shut, then tossed it onto the cushion next to Evan. A part of him wanted to pick it up and flip through the pages. Seeing glimpses of her past life would tell him a great deal about the woman standing before him now. But then, like eavesdropping, he might see things about her that he didn’t like. And he didn’t want that to happen. Spending time with her was becoming special to him. He wanted it to stay special.
She walked across the small room and began to straighten a stack of mail lying on the end of a rolltop desk. “That’s an understatement,” she said sourly. “He told Reggie that he would’ve never married a woman so coarse and plain if it hadn’t been for my old man’s money.”
Her voice was cool and level, as though she was talking about something as mundane as carrying out the garbage. But Evan had learned to read people’s voices even more than their facial expressions. He sensed she was doing her best to cover up years of pain. The idea bothered him.
“I know this is going to sound stupid,” he said after a moment, “but what did you do? Hell, I’ve encountered women who would’ve gone after a man like Phillip with a gun or knife and never blinked an eye.”
She looked around at him and he noticed her lips had taken on a wry slant.
“I probably should have felt violent, but I was actually more frozen than anything. I kept standing there listening and trying to figure out how I’d married such a monster. And then, just when I thought it might be best to walk in and let my presence be known, he began to talk about my dad and the company. So I stood there hidden out of sight behind the doorjamb, like a voyeur in my own home.”
Sensing that she’d yet to get to the crux of the matter, he asked, “What kind of company does your dad own?”
Returning to the couch, she eased back down beside him. “Dad is a land developer. He takes a piece of property and turns it into a strip mall or something that will eventually make money. You see, making money is what Dad is all about. And believe me, Evan, over the years he’s made lots of it.”
Suddenly a few pieces of the puzzle were fitting together. Like all the wealth Evan could see in the wedding photos. But for the most part, her revelation simply filled him with more questions. He gestured to the room around them.
“I don’t understand, Noelle. You’re not living in wealth.”
Her short burst of laughter was nothing but harsh as she picked up the photo album. “Let me show you just one more picture. That’s all it will take to explain the sort of life I used to lead.”
She opened the album and rested the right half on his knee. Evan reluctantly leaned forward to look at the glossy image.
“That was taken at the wedding reception. As you can see, hundreds of people were there.” She pointed to a couple, somewhere in their late forties, standing side by side, drinking from long-stemmed glasses. “Here are my parents. They insisted that everything for their daughter’s wedding be done in grand style.”
The sarcasm in her voice had him looking at her with confusion. “There are plenty of young women who dream of having this kind of wedding, Noelle. You didn’t like it?”
“I hated it. But I didn’t have a say in the matter. I never had much of a say about anything. Back then, I was more of a submissive person. I wanted them to be proud of me, and more than anything, I wanted their love. So I’d go along and let them run my life. That’s one of the reasons I ended up marrying Phillip in the first place. Dad kept insisting that he was a great catch and I could do no better. At the time, I didn’t have a clue that my father had been making dishonest business deals for years and that he’d promised to bring Phillip in on the profits as an incentive to marry me.”
Not bothering to ask permission, Evan closed the album and placed it on the end table sitting next to him. “So that’s what you heard the day outside the den?”
Nodding, she dropped her gaze away from him. “After I promptly told Phillip I was divorcing him, I confronted my parents. They laughed at my outrage and insinuated that I was ungrateful and even a little weird for having morals. The next day, I had every penny in my bank account transferred to my dad’s business account. I wanted nothing to do with his dirty deals. And nothing more to do with my parents.”
Evan squared around on the cushion so he was facing her. “I recall you saying that your aunt and uncle willed you this place. When did that happen?”
Her brown eyes were suddenly shadowed with sorrow and Evan very much wanted to reach over and draw her into his arms. He wanted to tell her that she was one of the bravest women he’d ever met. He wanted to assure her that she wasn’t alone. But she wouldn’t understand such a reaction from him. How could she? Even he didn’t understand the feelings she was stirring inside him.
“The traffic accident that took Aunt Geneva and Uncle Rob had occurred only about three weeks before the blowup with my husband and parents. At that time, I was unaware they’d willed me this land. Later, I was in the process of finding a place to move when I got a call from their lawyer about this land in Nevada. He thought I wouldn’t be interested and was offering to find a Realtor to put it on the market. You see, my aunt and uncle left a stipulation in the will that I had to live on the land and work it. Otherwise, it would be sold and the money given to charity. Even before everything that happened with Phillip and my parents, they understood I wasn’t living the kind of life I needed and wanted. Getting this ranch was—well, it was like a gift straight from heaven.”
“So you knew immediately that you wanted to come here?”
Nodding, she said, “I had no idea what it looked like, but I didn’t care. Along with the land, Geneva and Rob left me a small amount of money—enough to make the move and buy a few cattle. So here I am.”
Yes, here she was, Evan thought. Eking out a meager living after being raised in a life of luxury. It was incredible, and yet her whole journey to get to this patch of desert land inspired him and drew him even closer to her.
“When you talked about Bianca wanting you to give up your career, I understood, Evan. My parents argued and insisted that taking care of a bunch of dirty cows wouldn’t make me happy. They vowed I would want to come back to Phoenix someday, whenever I got tired and broke and hungry. But I promise you, that day will never come.”
The conviction in her voice had him searching her face. “And w
hat about Phillip? Does he expect you to come back to him someday?”
A grimace marred her lovely features. “At first, he didn’t want to let me go. And I’m not sure why. He never loved me, and he certainly didn’t respect me. I suppose he thought that if he hung on to me, he could hang on to his job with Dad. But that would’ve never happened. Dad was furious with him for shooting his mouth off so recklessly and fired him. And I was leaving for Nevada for good. I suppose, in the end, Phillip got what he deserved.”
Evan couldn’t stop himself from reaching over and clasping her hand in his. “I’m glad you shared this with me, Noelle. What I went through with Bianca was nothing compared with your ordeal.”
Rather than look at him, she gazed at their coupled hands. “Don’t feel bad for me, Evan. I’m better off for it. I’m smarter. Stronger. Happier.”
His thumb spread across the back of her hand and gently rubbed the soft skin. “Since you moved here, you’ve not wanted to get back into dating? You haven’t thought about marrying again?”
Her gaze lifted to his, and Evan could see that his question had surprised her.
“No. Why would I want to?”
Why indeed? he thought. He got the same questions about dating and marriage from his family, and he resented their prying into his private feelings. No one seemed to understand that Bianca had ruined his trust in women and himself.
“Yeah,” he said. “Well, I think it’s different for a woman. You need things in your life that a man can do without.”
There was something soft and seeking about her gaze as it gently roamed his face. He felt desire stir deep within him.
“You mean like babies and love?” she asked.
Evan felt ridiculous. What was he doing having such a conversation with this woman? These weren’t topics he discussed with anyone, so why was he doing it now?
Because something about her makes you think of family and home and all the soft things a man couldn’t make for himself. Because for the first time in a long time, you’ve met a woman who doesn’t bore you. One who stirs every masculine cell in you.
The bold challenge in her eyes, coupled with the voice going off in his head, was enough to send a rush of heat to his face.
“Well, it’s natural for a woman to want those things, isn’t it?” he countered.
A faint smile tilted the corners of her lips. “I thought it was natural for a man to want those things, too.”
“You’re right. They do. Two of my brothers wanted love and babies enough to get married. But I—I’m not sure those things are for me.”
Sighing, she eased away from him and rose to her feet. “I’m not sure those things are for me, either,” she said, then smiled at him. “I’d better go finish the dishes before the water goes cold.”
She could be lounging around in a mansion, he thought, with a cook, plenty of maids and any luxury she wanted. Instead, she was taking care of livestock and living in an old, tiny stucco with only the barest necessities.
Leaving the couch, he placed a hand on her arm to detain her. Her reaction was to arch a questioning brow at him.
“Before you do that, I—” He made the mistake of letting his gaze settle on her lips, and his thoughts suddenly went haywire. One kiss, he thought, and that was all it had taken to make him desperate for another.
“You what?” she prompted him.
Feeling like a randy teenager, he mentally shook himself. “I just wanted to say how much I admire your courage. You reached out for what you wanted and didn’t let anyone or anything sway you. I’d like to think I was that brave. But I’m not.”
“You’re giving me too much credit. Besides, you’re a law officer. I’m sure you’ve put yourself in all sorts of dangerous situations before. You have to be brave to do the job you do.”
He grimaced. “Yeah, I’ve faced a few weapon-wielding criminals before. Knife blades, baseball bats. I’ve even had someone come at me with a hay hook. But that’s not the kind of bravery I was talking about. You left a comfortable life, the only kind you’d ever known, to strike out on your own. I haven’t been able to do that.”
“What do you mean? You’ve already told me how you went against your family’s wishes and became a law officer. You bucked tradition.”
“Yeah. But I’m still living on the ranch to appease my grandfather. I’m still driving seventy miles round-trip to work every day in order to keep him and my dad happy. I don’t have the courage to move away and disappoint either of them.”
“Or the comfortable life you have there,” she added with a knowing smile. “But that’s where your family is, Evan. Your loved ones. That’s where the difference between our situations lies. Back in Phoenix, I didn’t have anyone who really loved me. I was a possession, a decoration of sorts for my parents. And little more than a stepping stone for Phillip. When I moved here, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
She was making too much sense. And being this close to her was definitely feeling too good. When Evan first started talking, he should’ve dropped his hold on her arm, but touching her for any reason was a pleasure he couldn’t pass up.
“Maybe you’re right,” he told her. “Anyway, it’s getting late, and I have to be at work early in the morning. I’ll help you finish those dishes, and then I’d better go.”
She let out a short chuckle. “Two plates, two cups and forks? I think I can manage those on my own.”
Not wanting to leave, but knowing it was inevitable, he said, “I’ll get my jacket and hat from the kitchen.”
Dropping his hold on her arm, he went to the other room to fetch the items. When he returned to the living area, Noelle was gone, and so was the photo album he’d placed on the end table.
Apparently she’d wanted to put the images away and out of sight. But the memories—where did she put them? he wondered. Did she still think of her ex-husband and wish that he could have loved her?
Stop thinking about it, Evan. Noelle isn’t looking for a man. Especially a lawman. And you aren’t looking for a woman. Not on a permanent basis.
The sound of her footsteps pushed the mocking voice from his mind, and he turned to see her reentering the room. To his surprise, she walked straight over to him and linked her arm through his.
“I’ll walk you to the door,” she said impishly.
He chuckled in the same way she had when he’d offered to wash the handful of dishes. “It’s less than five feet away. I think I can make it.”
The smile on her face faded, and Evan felt his heartbeat kick into a faster gear.
“When you gave me that kiss in the truck, you implied that our outing today was a date. So as your date, I should walk with you to the door,” she murmured. “Cowgirls are tough, but we do have manners, you know.”
Without even realizing how it happened, Evan suddenly found the two of them at the door with his back pressed against the wooden panel and her face tilted invitingly up to his.
“Good night, Evan. Thank you again for today. Your grandparents were such a treat. I’m very glad that you gave me the chance to meet them.”
“They enjoyed you, too. And so did I.”
Her head bent downward. “Evan, about that kiss…I…”
When her words awkwardly trailed away, he wrapped his thumb and forefinger around her chin and lifted her face up to his. “Noelle, I can’t quit thinking about that kiss,” he whispered. “And you must be thinking about it, too.”
Doubt suddenly shadowed her brown eyes. “Yes. And I’ve been thinking it was— Well, I just wanted you to know that I don’t go around kissing a man that way. I mean, I don’t go around kissing any man. And I’m not sure why I—” She broke off abruptly and turned her back to him. “I think I’ve given you the wrong impression.”
Resting his hands gently on her shoulders, he
said, “I wasn’t exactly resisting. I probably gave you the wrong impression, too. But I don’t care. I feel something special with you. And it has nothing to do with you saving my life.”
She groaned. “Saving your life,” she repeated. “That whole notion is ridiculous.”
Gently, he turned her around to him, only to find a torn expression on her face.
“What’s ridiculous is how much I want to kiss you again,” he murmured.
Her eyes widened and her lips parted, but Evan didn’t wait to see if she was going to reply. He was finished with waiting. Instead, he swiftly bent his head and fastened his lips over hers.
This time the console of the truck wasn’t separating them, and Evan took advantage by wrapping his arms around her and drawing her tightly against him.
The feel of her soft, womanly curves melting into him and yielding to his searching hands sent Evan’s senses into heated overdrive. Before he knew it, his mouth was rocking hungrily over hers, his tongue seeking the warmth beyond her lips.
He wanted this woman. So much so that he forgot where he was. Forgot the long, reckless minutes ticking by. Until she suddenly pulled herself out of his arms. Then reality came sweeping in, jerking him out of the clouds and back to the modest living room.
With her hand against her lips, she stepped away and stared at him for long seconds before she finally turned and raced out of the room.
Evan’s first instinct was to run after her and force her to talk about what had just occurred between them. But as he heard a door slam in another part of the house, he realized that she needed to be alone. They both needed space and time to cool off, and then maybe they could figure out what exactly they meant to each other.
But a few moments later, as Evan climbed into his truck and drove away from Noelle’s lonely little house, he realized that neither time nor space would be enough to wipe her from his mind.
Chapter Seven
Three days later, Noelle walked into the Grubstake Café and took a seat at the long bar. Since the Tuesday morning was growing late and lunch-hour traffic hadn’t yet arrived, the diner was quiet except for the Christmas music playing on a radio behind the bar. The few customers scattered around the room were more interested in eating than talking.
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