Heart of a Texan

by Charlene Sands

  Bella was still wondering what that kiss had meant to Jared.

  For her, it was a gentle release of anxiety, a grasp at something solid and real amid the lies she’d told. It was a way to relieve her fear about her father finding her. But a part of her felt as if she’d been cheating on Paul. She was not all right, but she couldn’t tell Jared that.

  How had her life become so complicated?

  “Sure, I’m good,” she said, nodding, doing her best to convince him.

  He nodded back. A beautiful black-and-white mare strolled over to the fence and Sienna began flapping her arms. “Horsie! Horsie!”

  “I see it.”

  “Say hello to Jubilee, Sienna,” Jared said. “She’s just a little older than you. She’s a sweetheart, just like you. You want to pet her?”

  Before Bella could stop him, Jared lifted Sienna higher and leaned over the fence. Her daredevil daughter didn’t protest at all. Jared’s hand covered Sienna’s as he carefully guided her toward the horse’s flank. “There you go, Sienna. How does that feel? You just have to treat her nice.”

  “Nice,” Sienna parroted as she stroked the horse over and over.

  “That’s it,” Jared said. “Maybe one day you’ll get to ride one of these sweet girls.”

  “Not on your life,” Bella said, her inner mama bear coming out.

  Jared slid her a sideways glance. “Don’t worry, Sienna. Your mama will change her mind.”

  “I don’t think so. She’s too young.”

  “I was one when I took my first ride.”

  “You grew up on a ranch.”

  “What difference does that make?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. It doesn’t, I guess.”

  “Where did Sienna grow up anyway?” he asked. “I don’t think you’ve told me.”

  “Not on a ranch.” Bella reached for Sienna, taking her out of Jared’s arms, rattled by his question. She didn’t want to lie to him. As far as he knew, she’d been living in Dallas.

  Jared flinched.

  And she felt like an uncaring jerk for being abrupt with him. “Did she hurt your ribs?”

  “No, she didn’t.” Jared thought about that a few seconds. “She didn’t hurt my ribs,” he repeated, looking stunned by the revelation. Then he grinned, the smile consuming his entire handsome face. Again, a little jolt of joy streamed through her system at Jared’s healing. Each day he was getting stronger. “I can lift this little peanut without any pain.”

  Bella put her hand on his forearm and squeezed. “That’s good.”

  Jared glanced at her hand on his arm and his eyes shuttered closed as if relishing her touch. She was suddenly self-conscious, her mind instantly flashing back to being in his arms last night, however briefly, and kissing him.

  “It’s not just good, it’s damn near amazing. A few days ago, I was having trouble breathing.”

  The hopeful gleam in his eyes chipped away at all her internal warnings.

  “I’m glad, Jared. That’s wonderful news.”

  “Yeah,” he said, ruffling Sienna’s dark mop of hair. “It is.”

  Six

  Sienna giggled as Marie wrapped shimmery gold garland around her body all the way up to her neck. And Bella plopped a big red bow on top of her head. “You’re just about the cutest Christmas tree I ever did see, little one,” Marie said.

  They were in the middle of the living room surrounded by Christmas boxes. Garland and lights and snowmen, almost life-size reindeer as well as different variations of Santa Claus filled the room. There was a whole shed full of decorations sitting on the living room floor brought in by some of the Stone Ridge crew.

  She and Marie had decided to start in here first, and were both getting a kick out of Sienna’s enthusiasm. Not that she knew much about Christmas yet, but she loved being in the middle of the decorations, or rather, being a part of the decorations.

  “Let’s sort these all out and decide what room to put them in,” Bella said. “And once Sienna goes down for her nap, we’ll be able to decorate.”

  “That sounds like a fine plan,” Marie said. “Maybe Jared will be able to lend a hand, too, that is if he wants to. He’s not been keen on the holidays ever since...”

  Marie buttoned her lips, but the sentence she’d left hanging stirred Bella’s curiosity too much not to ask. “Why doesn’t he like the holidays?”

  “It’s just that...that woman broke his heart right after Thanksgiving. They’d been planning a Christmas wedding.”

  “Really? I had no idea.” She bit her lip, remembering the conversation they’d shared on the patio last night. He’d opened up to her a bit about his love life, but he never mentioned he was to be married.

  “He doesn’t talk much about it, but ever since then, Jared’s been an ole Scrooge about Christmas.”

  “Like he’s going through the motions for family and friends, when he’d rather be anywhere else in the world?”

  Marie sent her a thoughtful look. “I think that’s exactly it.”

  Bella could relate. Ever since Paul’s death, nothing seemed right. No holiday was the same. And his accident had happened right before Thanksgiving, so she really understood the pain and heartbreak he’d gone through at a time when everything was supposed to be jolly and bright.

  “What happened between them?” Bella asked.

  Marie shook her head. “It’s not for me to say, but I will tell you that woman really deceived him and messed with his emotions.”

  Bella squeezed her eyes shut briefly. “That’s awful.” And it was also awful that she’d been lying to Jared since the moment he’d set eyes on her. Bella sat on the parlor sofa, shaken.

  “Dear? Are you all right? You just turned pale as a bowlful of oats.”

  Jared came into the room and glanced around, smiled at silly Sienna and then studied Bella from head to toe. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” she said, sitting straighter in her seat.

  “All of a sudden the color drained from her face,” Marie said. “Jared, maybe you should take her outside. I think she needs some fresh air.”

  “Will do,” he said.

  “No, don’t be silly. I’m...fine.”

  Marie shook her head adamantly. “You need air, Bella. You two go on. And while you’re outside, Jared, please take a look in the shed for the nativity scene. I don’t see it here. I’ll take Sienna into the kitchen for a snack. Come on, little one,” Marie said gently, unraveling the garland surrounding her and taking her hand. “I think I found some animal crackers just for you.” Sienna followed Marie out of the room.

  Bella stood to face Jared. “This is not necessary.”

  “Marie says it is and I learned a long time ago not to argue with a force of nature. C’mon, I need your help anyway. The nativity scene is the one decoration that must go up. It’s a Stone family tradition.”

  “Okay, Jared. But only to help you search because there’s nothing wrong with me.”

  Jared grinned and led the way, saying over his shoulder, “I’ve noticed.”

  His compliment went straight to her head.

  She sighed and exited the house. They walked side by side, Jared commenting on the cooler weather to come. She was used to San Francisco fog and clouds and cold winter nights. It was nothing new to her. But Jared believed she lived in Dallas with Amy, so she wasn’t going to say too much. “So what do you do when you’re not working with your brother?” she asked.

  “I have a few other enterprises and an office in Dallas, which I’ve been neglecting lately. But I have a good team that’s covering for me while I’m out. I tend to get restless just being on the ranch, so I became a novice entrepreneur.”

  “Must keep you really busy.”

  “I like the challenge.”

  “You’re not a homebody?”
/>   “Me? No. That would be Coop. He’s happy on Stone Ridge.”

  “And what makes Jared Stone happy?” she asked.

  “Let me show you,” he said, leading her into a five-car garage attached to the house. It was dark inside until Jared flipped on the overhead lights. Squinting at first, she focused her eyes. They were standing in a showroom of expensive cars and motorcycles. “I guess you could call this my hobby.”

  “Wow. This is amazing.” She turned to face him and smiled. “So, you’re in the new car business.”

  His eyes lit up. “Funny girl.”

  She smiled again and strolled around the garage, taking in a white Corvette convertible, a jet-black Jaguar, a souped-up Jeep and two motorcycles. One she recognized as a Harley-Davidson. Everything represented speed and danger. That’s what made Jared Stone tick.

  Jared followed directly behind her and she was keenly aware of his presence. There was something incredibly intimate being in here with him, as if he was revealing his true self to her. As she turned to him, she found pride in his eyes and a boyish eagerness. Her nerves began to tingle.

  “It’s all really nice,” she said, holding back her reservations about the danger these cars represented. Jared was a grown man and she couldn’t very well lecture him when she’d married a man who’d flown helicopters for a living, sometimes under extreme conditions. “Do you have a favorite?”

  He stood close, very close. “That would be the pile of ashes I left on the road.”

  “Oh...sorry.” But a car could be replaced. Jared had been lucky to walk away from that accident without any permanent damage to his body. The memory of that night still made her queasy. The bond she had with him was growing stronger every day.

  “I’m getting over it,” he said, taking a strand of her hair in his hand. She swallowed hard, seeing this man so close up under the bright lights and noticing not one flaw on his handsome face. “I wouldn’t have met you otherwise.”

  “Jared,” she said on a breath.

  “You’re my angel, Bella. And I can’t stop thinking about kissing you again.”

  “We shouldn’t,” she whispered without too much resolve because inside she was melting. Inside, her heart ached for a bit of tenderness to help her forget her terrible grief. Inside, she wanted the comfort and, yes, the excitement of being in Jared’s arms once again.

  He cupped her face in his hands. “I know you’re still hurting, Bella. Tell me to back off and I will. I promise.” His reverent tone tugged at her heart. “But I need to hear you say it.”

  She stared at him and no words formed on her lips. No refusals. She couldn’t tell him to back off. She couldn’t walk out of there and turn her back on him.

  “Bella.”

  She heard desperate desire in his voice and a vulnerability that washed away her doubts.

  His hands wrapped around her waist, his fingers inching her closer. She put up no resistance as he bent his head. The first brush of his firm lips on hers sent her flying and she moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was tall and she stood on tippy toes to reach his mouth more solidly.

  His kiss was more demanding than last night, more powerful, and her heart fluttered wildly in her chest now, her body melding to his with less hesitancy. Their tongues did a mating dance amid her moans and his groans. Jared woke her body from its doldrums, making her feel free and alive and vital.

  His hands slid underneath her butt, his fingertips pressing into the soft cheeks as he lifted her up and set her gently onto the hood of his Jaguar. Thrills raced through her belly and she became instantly aware of where this could lead as Jared’s dizzying kisses kept coming.

  He pulled away to stroke a finger down her cheekbone, his eyes blazing blue heat. “Angel,” he said and then smiled and kissed her again.

  She lay back against the hood of the car, taking him with her. “Jared,” she whispered.

  That one word gave him permission to take what she offered, and Jared only hesitated for a brief, maybe surprised, moment before he brought his hand to the dip in her blouse. His fingertips scraped the top rim of her breast and shock waves erupted from the sheer pleasure of his touch. If she reacted like this from one touch, she could only imagine what making love to him would be like. Suddenly, awfully, she wasn’t as opposed to that notion as she should be.

  He was unbuttoning the first button on her blouse when his phone buzzed.

  Their eyes met.

  “I don’t have to get that,” he said, sighing.

  “You do. It could be about Sienna.”

  He squeezed his eyes closed briefly, acknowledging that fact. He moved away to reach into his pocket and pull out his phone. “Yeah, hi, Marie.”

  Bella sat up and then jumped down from the Jaguar’s hood, her heart racing for another reason now. She listened to Jared’s conversation.

  “Yeah, you’re probably right. Okay, I’ll go get it from Coop’s house.”

  “Ask her how Sienna is,” Bella chimed in.

  “How’s Sienna?”

  Jared listened and nodded. “Okay, I’ll tell Bella. No problem. Thanks.”

  She waited patiently for Jared to hang up. “What?”

  “Sienna’s fine. She actually conked out after her snack and Marie put her down for a nap. She’s staying with her.”

  “Okay, good. Jared listen...uh, about—”

  He folded her into his arms. “Shush,” he said, kissing the top of her forehead. And she felt so safe, so cherished, in his arms, she didn’t say the silly platitudes she was going to say about not knowing her own heart, about not reading too much into this, about how this wasn’t a good idea. Honestly, right now she didn’t know if she truly believed any of it anyway.

  “Marie remembered that the nativity scene is at Coop’s house,” Jared said softly. “Come with me to pick it up?”

  “I don’t know. Sienna—”

  “Is sleeping. Marie’s watching her and it’s only gonna take twenty minutes. I promise.”

  Bella blinked, debating. Jared grabbed her hand and tugged her toward his Corvette. “C’mon, Bella. I want to take my first ride with you by my side.”

  “You can’t drive, Jared.” She pulled him to an abrupt stop, hardly realizing her own strength. “Tell me you didn’t mean that.”

  “I’m not going to drive. You are.”

  She blinked, catching his meaning after a second or two. “I certainly am not!”

  “Why not?”

  “Because...because...”

  “See...you can’t come up with a reason.”

  “I don’t want to,” she said. Wasn’t that reason enough?

  “Okay...then you leave me no choice. I’m gonna have to get behind the wheel.” Jared made a move toward the driver’s side of the car.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake. Move over,” she said, angling her body between him and the car. “I’ll drive.”

  Jared grinned. “That’a girl.”

  It wasn’t as if she hadn’t driven a sports car before. She’d been given an Alfa Romeo on her seventeenth birthday. It was a beautiful car, but she’d hated driving it. She wasn’t showy or status-conscious and she didn’t have a need for speed. The car had been impractical and made no sense for a college student. After a year and some arguing with her father, she’d traded it in for a much more sensible sedan. It was just another way she’d disappointed Marco.

  “I’m only doing this to keep you from reinjuring yourself. You haven’t gotten permission to drive from your doctor yet, have you?”

  “That’ll happen soon enough. It’s just a formality now.” He put out his arms. “I’m fit.”

  Glancing over his solid body, she couldn’t argue that point. “You sure are.”

  He grinned and opened the Corvette’s door for her. “I like you, Bella Reid. A lot.”

&
nbsp; “Call me crazy, but I like you, too.” A lot.

  Just minutes later Bella’s hair was blowing in the breeze, the car kicking up all kinds of dust behind them. It was a short drive on Stone property to Cooper’s place. Gosh, he looked totally at home in this car, and happy. She smiled. She’d kept Jared from driving and breaking all kinds of speed laws.

  She, on the other hand, was breaking all sorts of laws of her own making.

  And Jared Stone was at the heart of it all.

  * * *

  Jared was definitely sleeping better, his wounds healing and his sore ribs not so restrictive anymore. Yet his internal clock still woke him anyway at precisely half past one. As he lay in bed a couple days later, his first thoughts were of Bella, her soft lips under his, her body meshing against him as he’d kissed her. It was no use pretending he could wish these feelings away. The more time he spent with Bella, the more he wanted her. Kissing her filled all the voids in his body, corking up his heartache over Helene and filling the emptiness in his life.

  She was preparing a meal in his kitchen right now and was careful not to make much noise, but he’d heard her come downstairs ten minutes ago because he’d been listening for her. Now he was in bed battling his conscience and warring with the lust he had for her. She was his employee, a woman whose heart had been broken just one year ago. He admired her, liked her, cared for her. She was the whole package of beauty, talent and sweetness all rolled up into one.

  Something was happening between them and it was stronger than his willpower to just let it be. It was stronger than his internal warnings not to get involved with her. She was just steps away and it was killing him to hold back, to keep his distance.

  Who knew what would’ve happened the other day if Marie’s phone call hadn’t interrupted them.

  The digital clock flashed. Another minute had gone by. Eleven minutes. Was that all his willpower could afford?