A Second Chance at Crimson Ranch

by Michelle Major

  He should mind his own business. That had become second nature to him in the past few years. But he couldn’t stop worrying about her. Twice he’d put on his boots, ready to knock on her door just to check if things were okay. Stupid, he told himself. He’d never met Diana, but could imagine that he was not the sort of man she’d want consorting with her daughter at a time like this.

  He’d just put a tray of brownie batter in the oven when something propelled him to the window once more. His breath caught as he noticed Olivia standing in the middle of the driveway, halfway between the house and the garage. It had begun to snow, big heavy flakes that settled on her hair and shoulders. She wore a long parka and in the dim light that came from the house, he could see that her eyes were closed and her lips moving.

  He opened the door. “Are you trying to catch pneumonia?” he called out, aware that he sounded like someone’s grandma.

  Her eyes snapped open and she glanced back over her shoulder before walking to the bottom of the stairs that led to the apartment. Her mouth was drawn in a tight line, her skin rosy from the air and snow.

  She gazed up at him. “I didn’t want to bother you.”

  “You’re not.” He gestured past him to the apartment. “Come inside, Olivia.”

  She didn’t move for at least a minute, as if weighing something bigger than whether to walk up the few steps.

  Finally she took the first step. Logan felt the pressure in his chest release.

  He closed the door behind her and took her coat. She wore flannel pajamas with a tiny floral pattern across them. They were demure, cozy and sexy as hell. Her hair and face glimmered with wetness as the snowflakes melted from the heat in his apartment.

  “I don’t know what I’m doing here. I’m sor—” She stopped herself with a wry grin. “My mom went to bed early and I didn’t want to be by myself in the house.” Her fingers worked at one of the small buttons on the front of her pajama shirt.

  He nodded. “I saw Millie as she was leaving.”

  Her eyes drifted shut. “She hadn’t been here long, but we were finally starting to move past all the stuff with our father and get to know each other. I expected to have more time with her. Now she probably hates me.”

  “You’re the least hate-able person I’ve ever met.”

  “Thank you,” she said, looking at him again. “I actually do know why I’m here.” She continued to worry the button as she spoke. “You make me feel okay about myself. Like I don’t have to pretend to have it all together or work to meet anyone else’s needs. Like it’s enough just to be me.”

  She was so beautiful and vulnerable standing in front of him it almost brought him to his knees.

  “You’re more than enough,” he said, his voice ragged with the emotion he tried to tamp down.

  Her mouth curved into a small smile and some of the shadows lifted from her gaze.

  I did that, Logan thought. He was prouder of this moment than anything else he’d done in his life.

  But he didn’t move. As much as he wanted to cross the room and sweep her into his arms, he stood where he was. She needed him to show her whatever tiny sliver of goodness he had left in his soul. She was desperate for a friend and if it killed him, he was going to be that for her.

  She watched him for several more seconds, then turned her attention to the counter. “You’re baking.” Her smile widened.

  “Brownies.”

  “From scratch?”

  “You wound me, Olivia.” He clamped one hand to his chest, grateful to lighten the mood. “Of course they’re from scratch.”

  She giggled and came forward slowly. “I’ve never met anyone who made brownies from scratch. You’d better not let it get out that you’ve got...” She waved her hand up and down in front of him. “All that going on and you bake, too. The ladies of Crimson will be beating down your door.”

  “All that?”

  “Don’t pretend like you don’t know what you look like.”

  “I look like a guy.”

  “A movie star kind of guy.” She shook her head. “Your brothers have it, too. You three must have wreaked havoc on the girls in high school.”

  He shrugged. “They were older, but I guess I had some big footsteps to follow in when I discovered women.” He folded his arms across his chest. “When I wasn’t busy with all my juvenile delinquent fun.”

  “I’d love to hear more stories of your troublemaking days, especially since you’re turning into such an honorable twenty-something Boy Scout.”

  “Boy Scout?” he interrupted.

  One of her eyebrows lifted. “At least where I’m concerned.” She motioned to the bowl sitting next to the sink. “But now I’m more interested in the fact that there’s leftover batter.” She opened a drawer and pulled out a spoon, dragging it along the side of the bowl.

  She was playing with him, he knew. Getting her revenge for the fact that he’d ended the kiss earlier. She knew he wanted her. How could she not realize how much he wanted her? Clearly her goal was to torture him, to drive him to the limit of his willpower and then right over the edge.

  What she didn’t know was that he’d already been teetering on the brink for weeks. Almost since the first moment he’d laid eyes on her.

  As she lifted the spoon to her mouth he took it from her, his hand covering hers. He bent his head forward and licked her knuckle where a bit of batter had dripped, sucking the sweetness from her skin. He tossed the spoon in the sink and ran one finger along the rim of the bowl. His eyes never leaving hers, he brought his finger to her lips. Her tongue darted out, tasting the chocolate and then pulling his fingertip into her mouth. The warmth and wetness and slight suction were too much for him and he pulled away, wiping his hand on a dish towel.

  “Why are you doing this?” he asked through clenched teeth. He held the towel so tight he thought it might rip in half.

  “Because I don’t care.” She took a step closer to him. “It doesn’t matter to me that you’re only in Crimson for a few more weeks. Or that you think we don’t fit or that I’m too old for you.” She placed her hand on his. “Or that my divorce isn’t final.”

  “You aren’t too old, and I didn’t say we wouldn’t fit.” He loosened his grip on the towel and entwined his fingers in hers, his thumb tracing small circles on the inside of her palm. “I said you deserve someone better. There’s a big difference.”

  He heard her small sigh. “That’s not your decision to make, Logan. A lot of things happen in life we don’t deserve. My father choosing his second family over my mom and me, my husband cheating and then stealing all of my money. Your sister’s death. But we do deserve some happiness now. To feel good and real and wanted. You make me feel that way. I don’t care about any of the rest of it. I need to feel more than hollow again. Does that make sense?”

  He continued to run his thumb across her soft skin. It did make sense, and it scared the hell out of him. He’d gotten so used to feeling hollow that it had become the norm. Normal and safe. He’d locked away his pain, in part so it wouldn’t control him.

  All of the stupid things he’d done in life had been a result of lashing out from emotional pain he couldn’t manage. The truth was, he was afraid to let Olivia in because being with her might open a floodgate of feelings he couldn’t control.

  When he turned toward her, to the need and nervousness in her expression, all of his worry seemed to fade away. Maybe he couldn’t be the man she deserved, but he could damn sure try to make her happy. To erase some of the pain she worked so hard to hide. If he could fill her empty places without letting down his own walls, that would be enough.

  He wasn’t sure if his logic made sense, but he had to come up with a reason why it was okay for him to kiss her right now. He couldn’t stop himself from taking her in his arms and was sick of trying to fight his des
ire for her.

  He cupped her face between his hands and lowered his mouth to hers, tasting a sweetness that went far beyond the lingering flavor of chocolate on her lips. She was sweet as sin to him, and Logan had never been good at resisting a chance to sin.

  He nipped the corners of her mouth and trailed his lips down her jaw to the pale skin of her throat. Her head tipped back to give him better access, and he felt, more than heard, her soft moan as he licked his way down to the collar of her pajama top. He felt her sway against him and he lifted his head again, claiming her mouth as he picked her up in his arms.

  Her hands laced through his hair and her legs wrapped around his hips. Her response drove him crazy with need. The apartment wasn’t large and it took him only a few steps to reach the bedroom. He yanked back the covers and lowered her to the sheet. He reached for her top button, but her hand covered his.

  “You first,” she whispered even as a trail of pink swept across her face.

  “Whatever you want,” he told her and, grabbing his shirt by the collar, pulled it over his head.

  He followed Olivia’s widened gaze to the tattoo inked above his heart. “My sister’s initials,” he explained.

  She nodded, then swallowed. “All that,” she said, motioning to his body. “And all this.” She pointed to herself. “It may not be a fit after all.”

  * * *

  For several minutes, Logan watched her. His brows furrowed and Olivia wanted to groan. Leave it to her to throw a big wet blanket of insecurity over the most exciting moment of her life.

  “What do you mean, fit?” he asked slowly. “You’re not a...you and Craig did have sex, right?”

  A nervous laugh burst from her throat and she clapped a hand over her mouth. “Of course we...well it wasn’t often but...I’m not a...” She scooted back against the headboard and tried to explain. “It’s just that you’re young and you look the way you do.” She bit down on her bottom lip as she took in the wide expanse of his chest once more. “And I’m only this...” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “I don’t know what you’re used to, but I’m not sure I can compete. At all.”

  He edged closer to her. “There is no competition. No comparison.” His hand reached out to flick open one button. “I swear to you, just imagining this makes me forgot everything else in my life, Olivia. There is only you.”

  Another button opened and she looked down as more of her skin was exposed. “I’m not wearing a bra,” she said.

  His eyes went dark although he smiled. “That’s helpful.” He trailed one finger along her flesh, above and around her breast, circling the nipple until her breath caught. It produced a feeling like nothing she’d ever known and her whole body went hot.

  He could do that to her with one finger. She was in big trouble.

  “I don’t usually wear one to bed,” she mumbled, hoping she could retain a tiny bit of control if she kept talking. “Not that Craig took much notice, but it’s just not comfortable.”

  “I sleep naked,” he told her and her mouth went dry.

  “Thanks for sharing. I think.”

  His grin turned wolfish. “You don’t have to be nervous.”

  “Oh, but I do.”

  “Nothing’s going to happen that you don’t want.” He opened the rest of her shirt and peeled it back from her shoulders, his gaze tracking all across her body.

  The way he looked at her gave her courage. “I want it all,” she whispered and he captured her mouth again, tugging her flat onto the mattress as he balanced his elbows on either side of her. He kissed her until she forgot her insecurities, her past and any other doubt about herself. Her world was this moment, this tiny sliver of need, desire and so much more.

  His head moved lower, and he took her breast in his mouth. She arched into him, unable to believe the mass of sensation swirling through every inch of her. He shifted, tugging at her pajama bottoms, pulling those and her underpants down off her legs, leaving her exposed in every sense of the word.

  Before she could gather her wits enough to be embarrassed, his hands moved up her thighs. Her eyes flew open as his fingers found her center, then his mouth followed. This couldn’t be happening...she didn’t—

  All thought was lost as his tongue followed, and she nearly came off the bed.

  “Let go, Olivia.” His breath was cool against the heat of her. “Right now. You can trust me.”

  She ignored the words “right now” and focused on “trust me.” As he continued to touch her, she did let go, allowing herself to revel in his intimate caress. Within moments her body went up in flames and she cried out, finally understanding how much she’d been missing in life.

  She was still trying to catch her breath as Logan shifted up until he was next to her. Her limbs felt heavy with satisfaction as he turned her on her side and pulled her back against him. His arm came around her, curling her in tight as his fingers traced a pattern on her belly.

  “I love the feel of your skin,” he murmured against her neck, dropping kisses along her shoulders.

  She tried to keep her voice steady as she spoke. “I don’t think we’re finished. You didn’t—”

  He nipped gently at the back of her neck. “I wasn’t kidding when I said you deserve better than me, Olivia. But I’m going to give you as much as I can. And that’s more than a roll in the sheets to burn off energy from a fight with your mother.”

  She stilled, shocked at how true his words were. She’d wanted a release tonight. A break from the expectations her mother couldn’t help but put on Olivia’s shoulders. She hadn’t even realized it until Logan said the words out loud.

  He whispered against her ear, “And not until your divorce is final.”

  That made her temper flare and she struggled to free herself from his embrace. He only held her tighter. “When we’re truly together and I make you mine, I want to know you’re not thinking of him or that you’re now the one cheating. I want you to be free.”

  “Oh.” Oh.

  Her mind couldn’t seem to put together a coherent thought or even another syllable. Because Logan Travers understood her, perhaps better than she did herself. It might be true that she didn’t love Craig, but she still felt the weight of her marriage. Until the divorce decree came, she wouldn’t be completely free. And she wanted that as much as she wanted the community center to be a success. She wanted to revel in her freedom, to know that she was in charge of her own life and her future. Her mother hadn’t understood that when Olivia had tried to explain it. But Logan did. Without her saying a word, he understood exactly what was in her heart.

  The thought both exhilarated and terrified her.

  “It will be soon,” she said, more to herself than him.

  She felt him smile into her hair. “It can’t come soon enough. When it does, I’m going to take you on a real date.”

  “We don’t have to go out,” she protested, thinking about how the local gossips would have a field day thinking Olivia was making a play for a man like Logan.

  “I want the whole damn town to see you on my arm.” He smoothed her hair to the side and nuzzled the nape of her neck. “I’m going to ply you with food and drink, then bring you home and do every wicked thing I’ve been imagining for the past few weeks.”

  “Oh,” she repeated.

  “I should warn you,” he said softly, “I have one hell of an imagination.”

  * * *

  The sun shone bright against the windshield of his truck as Logan drove out to Crimson Ranch, the guest ranch Josh owned. He rolled down the window a crack, breathing in the fresh, cool mountain air.

  Spring came to the Rockies in fits and spurts. A day such as this made him feel as if winter was loosening its hold on the mountains, but weather at this altitude could change in an instant. April could be one of the snowiest months of
the year, the heavy wet storms that rolled in like a banshee melting away within days. Logan didn’t bother much with weather forecasts, but he liked varying temperatures and the anticipation of what each morning would bring.

  A sense of anticipation had settled on his shoulders since his evening with Olivia two nights ago. He knew it would be at least another week until her divorce was final, but already he couldn’t wait for it. Which was what had led to this unexpected call on his brother. He’d been out to the ranch last night for dinner with his niece, Claire, and Sara’s friend, April Sommers, who was watching the property and Claire while Josh and Sara were on their honeymoon. Claire had gotten a text from her father just before Logan left saying they’d be landing in Denver this morning.

  Logan should have given Josh more time to settle in, especially after a red-eye flight, but he couldn’t take the chance of Olivia talking to Sara before he spoke with his brother.

  He took it slow down the long driveway and parked near the barn. If he knew his brother, Josh wouldn’t waste any time getting back to his horses and the business of running the ranch. Josh’s precision focus and dedication had led to his success as a champion bull rider before an injury ended his career and brought him back to Crimson.

  Although Josh’s black Ford truck was parked in front, he wasn’t there or anywhere on the property that Logan could see. He walked the short distance to the main house and knocked on the door.

  Sara answered, pulling him into a hug before he could speak. “Logan, it’s good to see you. Claire said you helped her with her homework last night.”

  “I was happy to help. You look even lovelier after the honeymoon.”

  She smiled. “Marriage to your brother agrees with me.” He followed her into the house, closing the door behind him. “It was hard for Josh to leave from the wedding after only getting a couple of days with you.”