The Christmas Token

by Shanna Hatfield

  “Genevieve,” he said in a raspy whisper, brushing his work-roughened hand across her cheek, absorbing the feel of her satiny-smooth skin.

  Bending his head, he pressed his lips, moist and warm, to her neck. Shivers wracked through her in response as she leaned against him and he drew her closer to his chest. Kissing his way along her jaw, he thought he heard a quiet moan and couldn’t decide if it came from her or him.

  Gazing once more in her eyes, her lashes fluttered against her cheeks appealingly and he gave in to the need to lay claim to her mouth, pressing his lips to hers lightly at first. When her lips moved beneath his, he deepened the kiss and felt consumed by a raging flame, beginning from where his mouth caressed hers to the top of his head and all the way down to his toes.

  Rubbing his fingers along her back, her hands slid up his arms and wrapped around the back of his neck, pulling him nearer.

  Blake realized he’d done a good job of kidding himself the last ten years, convincing his mind and heart he was over this girl, that he no longer wanted or needed her in his life.

  One taste of those divinely sweet lips just proved otherwise. Now that he’d savored a sip of her wonderful nectar, he knew he’d never be satisfied until he could drink of it freely, frequently.

  Without a doubt, Blake wanted Ginny. Needed her. Loved her.

  His concern was that she wouldn’t ever feel the same. How could she when she never wrote him a single letter and sent his all back unopened?

  Attempting to let rational thought calm his fevered brain, Blake instead lost himself in the wondrous sensations stirring from his midsection and met Ginny’s seeking lips with another ardent kiss.

  As she pressed against him, pressed into him, all ability to think rationally fled.

  “Genevieve.” His husky voice further addled her thoughts while he delivered rapturous kisses along her jaw before returning his attention to her mouth.

  Picking her up in his arms, he kept his lips locked on hers as he started toward the door, not even aware of what he was doing.

  “Blake, stop,” Ginny said, wriggling in his embrace. “Please, stop.”

  Looking down at her with a confused glance, Ginny kissed his chin and pushed against him until he set her on her feet.

  “What’s wrong? I was under the distinct impression you weren’t averse to my attentions,” Blake said, dropping his hands and taking a step back, away from temptation.

  “I’m not… I wasn’t…” Ginny said, flustered. One moment she’d been sitting in the wonderful rocking chair admiring Blake’s handiwork and the next she was being kissed more thoroughly and passionately than she’d ever dreamed possible.

  Entranced by the fervent interlude, she didn’t want to think about anything except how right it felt to be held in Blake’s strong arms. His masculine scent teased her senses every bit as much as his mouth teased her lips.

  When he swept her into his embrace, Ginny didn’t think she’d ever felt so secure, so cherished, so loved.

  Oblivious to anything but the man she loved and the way he made her feel, when Blake bent to open the door to the workshop she realized things could quickly get out of hand. Although part of her wanted him to keep right on kissing her, another part knew they had to stop.

  As he stepped away from her, she felt chilled and so oddly alone. Looking at her hesitantly when she reached a hand out to him, he finally captured it between both of his.

  “Blake, I most certainly was enjoying your attentions but I was concerned things were about to get… that is, to say…” Ginny searched for the right words and found herself at a loss. The tantalizing pattern Blake’s finger traced across her palm made her thoughts scatter again while her jellied knees threatened to give way beneath her.

  “It’s okay, love,” Blake said, pulling her to his chest and kissing her cheek, giving her a grin that was all male flirtation. “You’re correct, of course. Had you not put a stop to my amorous intentions, we’d be in the house and I’d be ravaging more than just those scrumptious lips of yours.”

  Although his words pleased, rather than shocked her, she felt obliged to smack his arm and give him a disapproving stare. “Mr. Stratton, that is no way for a gentleman to speak, think, or behave.”

  “No, ma’am, it isn’t, but no one ever said you’re dealing with a gentleman.”

  Before she could reply, Blake spun her around and wrapped his arms around her, engulfing her from behind while he placed wet, sloppy kisses all over both sides of her neck, making her squeal with laughter.

  Stopping so she could catch her breath, Ginny looked at him over her shoulder. “I stand corrected. You, sir, are not a gentleman. Not in the least.”

  “I’m positively thrilled we’ve got that straightened out. I wouldn’t want you to hold any mistaken beliefs about my character.” Blake swept her back in his arms and kissed her as he spun around a few times.

  Dizzy, both from his kisses and his playful antics, Ginny clung to him when he finally set her back on her unsteady feet.

  Holding onto her arms until he could see she’d regained her balance, Blake led Ginny to a chair then hunkered down beside her.

  “Now, I know for a fact you didn’t come out here just to test my ability to keep my lips to myself, although you’ve sorely needed my attentions for a while,” Blake teased, unable to keep from touching her. He ran a finger along the fine line of her jaw and trailed it across her puffy, pink lips. Taking a deep breath, he inhaled her soft fragrance, letting it soak into his soul.

  Distracted by Blake’s attention, Ginny searched her scrambled thoughts to recall why she did need, in fact, to see Blake. Recalling Mr. Daily’s request for an article about the new church pews, Ginny attempted to return her focus to her job.

  “Mr. Daily asked me to write an article about the new church pews you’re making,” she said, waving a hand to the finished pews lined up against one wall.

  “So it wasn’t my charming personality or dashing good looks that brought you out here today?” Blake asked, his tone teasing although he had hoped something more personal than a story for the newspaper prompted her visit.

  “No,” Ginny said, getting to her feet and retrieving her notepad and pencil from the rocking chair where she’d dropped them. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask a few questions.”

  “Go ahead,” Blake said, motioning to a set of chairs and a small table. With his thoughts entangled in the passionate kisses they’d just shared, he struggled to remember his full name, let alone any other pertinent details.

  How could Ginny sit there, all prim and proper, acting for all the world like his kisses meant nothing to her? Like they hadn’t left her heart pounding, her head swimming, and an unquenchable desire stirring inside her?

  Answering her questions, he showed her the pews while she began drawing a simple sketch. His patience stretched thinner and thinner with each passing minute.

  She talked to him as though he was a perfect stranger instead of the man who’d come unbelievably close to carrying her off to some amorous interlude just a few minutes ago. Consumed with her, he still wanted her, still desperately wanted to drink repeatedly from those wonderfully sweet lips.

  All business, she maintained her cool façade while firing off questions, taking notes, and drawing a sketch of the pews.

  Irritated tremendously, Blake, who rarely lost his temper, wanted to ram his fist through something. Her detached, calm demeanor would push him beyond the edge of reason in short order.

  Finishing her sketch, she began gathering her things. He held her coat while she slipped it on and her fragrance ensnared his senses once more. Incapable of stopping himself, his fingers brushed lightly across the skin of her neck before she wrapped a scarf around her throat and pinned her hat in place.

  Yanking on her gloves, she bid him good day and hurried toward the entrance to his workshop.

  “I’ll see you home,” Blake said, taking her arm and pulling her to a stop before she opened the door. />
  “I’m perfectly capable of seeing myself home,” Ginny said, not making eye contact with Blake. If she did, the urge to kiss him again might completely overtake her. Her longing to be with him was irrational and unacceptable.

  “No one said you weren’t capable. However, it’s getting late so I’ll see you home,” Blake said, shrugging into his coat and slapping his hat on his head. “Wait here while I hitch the wagon.”

  Glaring at the door he closed in her face, she waited just long enough for him to enter the barn before she jerked it open and took off in the direction of town at a brisk pace. She couldn’t trust herself to spend five more minutes with Blake let alone a trip to town. For self-preservation, she had to leave as quickly as possible.

  “Ginny, you get back here!” Blake yelled as he glanced out the barn door and witnessed her hasty retreat in the direction of the road.

  Picking up her skirts with both hands, she broke into a most unladylike run. She hadn’t gone far when a stitch in her side made her stop, bend over, and attempt to suck air into her deprived lungs. The thundering of hooves behind her let her know Blake approached.

  “You are the most intractable female I’ve ever encountered, Miss Granger,” Blake said, glaring down at her from the back of his big stallion, Romeo. Already annoyed by her obvious disinterest in him or exchanging more kisses, her running off fanned the sparks of his already kindled anger. “Since you won’t wait while I hitch the wagon, you can just ride with me.”

  “No thank you, Mr. Stratton. I appreciate the offer, but I must respectfully decline.” Ginny struggled to stand upright, and pressed a hand to her side as she began walking in the direction of Hardman. “Have a lovely evening.”

  Blake took off his hat and ran his hand over his head while drawing in a few calming breaths. What he really wanted to do was paddle Ginny’s all-too-attractive backside. He had a notion she’d received all too few spankings in her lifetime. Slapping his hat back on his head, he urged Romeo forward.

  Walking as fast as she could with the stitch in her side, Ginny had gone about twenty feet when she felt hands grasp her upper arms and pull her onto the horse.

  “My stars! I’ve never been manhandled like this in my entire life. I insist…” Ginny spluttered, struggling against Blake’s strong arms.

  “Maybe it’s about time you were, then,” Blake said, pressing his mouth to hers, effectively silencing her. Kissing her without a hint of softness, she returned his ardor and pressed closer to him.

  Realization finally penetrated the fog in her head and she pulled back. She would have slapped the devilish grin off his handsome face if she hadn’t been afraid of falling off the horse. Perched across Blake’s legs, safe in his arms, she didn’t want to take any chances. Clinging to him with a death grip on the front of his coat, she closed her eyes and tried not to panic.

  “I won’t let you fall,” he said quietly, noticing her discomfort when he finally lifted his eyes from her just-kissed lips.

  “I didn’t assume you would,” she said, connecting with his probing gaze. That was a big mistake. His hazel eyes called to her, drawing her to him. She always thought if she looked close enough, deep enough, she could see what was in his heart and soul through his expressive eyes. Right now, the anger mixed with desire and longing both frightened and excited her.

  Forcing herself to look away from his eyes, her gaze traveled across his face, briefly noting the familiar mole on his cheek before resting on his lips. The temptation they presented was overpowering.

  Fighting the urge to feel their warmth against hers once more, she tried unsuccessfully to capture her wayward thoughts. Turning her focus from the attraction snapping between them, she instead looked ahead toward Hardman.

  “You can leave me here, Blake. No need to make a scene riding down Main Street,” Ginny stated, as they neared the edge of town.

  “Make a scene riding through town? Well, if that’s what you want…” Blake kicked the horse in the sides and yelled, “Yah!”

  Romeo reared once before bolting down the street at a breakneck speed. Ginny clapped one hand on top of her head to hold on her hat while the other continued grasping Blake’s coat lapel for dear life. She could feel one of his strong arms wrapped around her waist, holding her securely against his chest.

  Reaching Granger House, he reined the horse to a stop and hopped to the ground, still holding her close. Her chest heaved against him from their wild ride down the street. Blake thought he would be completely undone when her lips parted and she tilted back her head to look at him.

  “Let’s just make sure to create as grand a spectacle as possible,” Blake said, taking her lips in a kiss every bit as sizzling as the first one they shared that afternoon.

  Roughly pulling back, he set her down at the end of the walk and stepped away.

  “Have a lovely evening yourself, Miss Granger,” Blake said, mounting the horse and racing back through town.

  Chapter Seven

  “Oh! I hate that man!” Ginny stamped her foot and raised a clenched fist at Blake’s back as he rode away from her before spinning on her heel and marching around the house to the kitchen door. The chilly air did little to cool her hot cheeks and smoldering thoughts.

  Flustered by the direction her mind continued to wander, she felt irritable and energized all at the same time.

  What had she been thinking to allow him to kiss her so feverishly and return his eagerness?

  It was nothing short of insane to fall for the man when he obviously didn’t care for her. His wild, rough melding of their lips confirmed her thoughts that he despised her.

  For a moment - a blissful, wonderful moment - she thought she saw something flicker in his eyes that looked like love.

  She’d been mistaken, though. After he shattered her heart ten years ago, she’d be stupid and crazy to hand it to him to break again.

  Fingering the symbol of his love she kept in her pocket, she further annoyed herself by realizing she had once again reached for it. She found herself touching it often since she’d returned to Hardman. Almost as if by having the smooth wood against her skin, she was touching Blake.

  Thinking of the way their bodies brushed when he held her so close, how their lips connected so intensely, how the entire world seemed to spin off kilter when he kissed her, she felt heat flame into her face and pool in her midsection.

  Rebuffing him as she attempted to sail out the door after the interview, Ginny thought she caught a glimpse of regret or confusion on Blake’s face. But that couldn’t be. He was just toying with her and she knew better than to let it happen again.

  Especially after the way he rode through town like a wild hooligan on that beast of a horse.

  Stomping up the back steps, she slammed the door. Removing her outerwear without saying a word, she turned to find Filly and Mrs. Kellogg studying her. Walking to the sink, she busied herself washing her hands.

  “Is everything okay, Ginny?” Filly asked, wondering what had her sister-in-law all worked up. The look on the girl’s face was enough to let anyone know to give her a wide berth or be prepared for the consequences.

  “No, I don’t believe it is.” Ginny’s hands shook from her frustration and anger. How dare Blake parade her through town like a wanton woman on the back of his horse?

  “Here, dearie, sit yourself down,” Mrs. Kellogg said, motioning her to the table while Filly brought her a steaming cup of tea.

  Breathing in the minty fragrance, Ginny took a sip of the slightly sweet brew and closed her eyes. No wonder Luke loved the woman to distraction. Who wouldn’t? She always seemed to know just what a body needed to feel better.

  “What on earth is wrong?” Filly asked, sitting beside her and holding Ginny’s chilled hand in her warm one.

  “Blake Stratton. That, or who, is what’s wrong. The man is… he’s…” Ginny tried not to let her temper boil over on Filly. “He’s despicable, on a good day!”

  “And what despicable thing has
the boy done now?” Mrs. Kellogg asked, winking at Filly from across the table.

  “Mr. Daily asked me to write an article about the new church pews he’s building, so I walked to Blake’s workshop to see them for myself and ask a few questions. He… he…” Ginny couldn’t quite find the words to describe what he did. She couldn’t possibly tell Mrs. Kellogg and Filly that his kisses caused something inside her to blossom, that his embrace melted the icy fortress she kept around her heart, and his eyes seared into her soul.

  “What did he do?” Filly asked, knowing Blake would never behave inappropriately or in an untoward fashion. The man radiated kindness and a humble gentleness.

  “He kissed me!” Ginny said, covering her face with her hands, thinking she might die right there in the kitchen. Recalling how much she’d welcomed, and participated in each and every kiss Blake lavished on her, heat flamed into her cheeks.

  “No! Say it isn’t so,” Filly teased, trying not to grin too broadly at Ginny’s distressed face.

  “On top of that, he insisted on bringing me back to town and practically abducted me, making me ride across his lap on that horrid beast he calls a horse, racing like a madman right down the main street of town for any and all to see.” Ginny could only imagine the sight they made with her skirts blowing up and her mouth gaping open in shocked surprise.

  “Well, I’m sorry I missed that,” Mrs. Kellogg said, smiling as she gathered her things. Kissing both girls on their cheeks, she breezed out the door.

  “I realize you find this amusing, but his behavior was completely unacceptable and uncivilized,” Ginny said, wanting to beat her fists on the table or throw one of the plates across the room. Blake was so infuriating and so… so… handsome and strong and masculine.

  “Ginny, before you work yourself into a…” Luke’s abrupt arrival interrupted Filly’s statement.

  “Did I see you ride through town across Blake’s lap like the hounds of Hades were chasing you?” Luke asked, tossing his hat and coat onto the pegs by the door as he stood grinning at his sister. He took in the disheveled state of her hair, red cheeks, and the anger snapping from her eyes as he waited for her response.