by Leanne Banks
His mouth lifted in a secretive grin. “Don’t blame me. Check the note. It’s from Daniel.” He swallowed a chuckle and placed the box in her arms. “Merry Christmas.” Then, before she could protest, he made tracks down her sidewalk to his truck.
Something shifted inside the box, and Sara looked at it suspiciously. She heard a little whine and felt trepidation. “He wouldn’t,” she muttered, stepping back inside the house.
Setting the box on the floor, she knelt beside it and tugged at the floppy bright red bow. Sara lifted off the top and stared into a pair of big brown eyes. The puppy let out a yip. Startled, Sara jumped, muffling her own sound of surprise.
“Oh, Daniel, what have you done?” she murmured. She studied the wiggling little animal with the floppy ears, lolling tongue and, to her dismay, huge paws. He cocked his head as if studying her in turn.
The gesture tugged at her heart. Sara sighed, and lifted him—she checked—it was a him. The bottom of the box was suspiciously wet. “What am I going to do with you? I always thought I’d be a cat person.”
She brought him close, relishing the sensation of his soft fur. He gave her nose a quick lick, snuggled against her for a moment, then wiggled free to investigate his surroundings.
Sara glanced at the carpet, wondering how long it would be safe. Looking back at the box, she snatched the envelope and opened it.
Try this on for size. If, after two weeks, it doesn’t fit, I’ll take it back. He needs a tender touch. Thought you’d be the perfect choice.
—Daniel, who’s still waiting for that rain check
She’d had Daniel Pendleton figured all wrong. She’d thought he was the most solid, sensible, upstanding man she’d ever met.
“He’s nuts,” she said to Troy later that night.
Troy laughed lightly. “I could have told you that.”
Sara cradled the phone and looked at the latest puddle on her kitchen floor. “I really need to speak to Daniel, please.”.
“He’s…ah, not available. I’ll give him a message.”
Sara frowned. “You’ve already said that three other times today. What am I supposed to do with this dog? You know, the Humane Society doesn’t approve of surprising people with pets for gifts.”
“Daniel knew you’d like this one.”
“Daniel knew wrong. I have no idea what to do with this puppy.”
“Get a gate for the kitchen. Put a soft blanket in the box—”
“The box is wet.”
Troy snickered. “Get another box. If he won’t go to sleep, try an alarm clock or a hot-water bottle, and call Daniel in two weeks.”
“Troy—” Sara heard the click and knew she was talking to a disconnected line. Hanging up her phone, she admitted to herself that she needed to talk to Daniel for more than one reason. Sara cringed in embarrassment when she remembered how upset she’d gotten over the rose Daniel had tried to give her. He probably thought she was nuts.
He’d brought the rose at a weak moment for her, and it seemed she was having more than her share of those lately. Her feelings for Daniel were getting stronger. Denial wasn’t working. Her mind needed no provocation to drift to thoughts of him.
Over the next few days Sara repeatedly tried to get in touch with Daniel. She simply could not keep the dog. She didn’t have the space. She was gone during the day. And the animal yipped all night.
By the end of the week she’d bought a license tag, leash, an assortment of dog toys and named him Pavi. She installed a gate in the kitchen doorway and sneaked home during lunch to take him for a walk. Whenever the cute little fellow greeted her, he wagged his tail so hard, he nearly lost his balance.
Sara faced the truth. She was now the owner of a dog.
Three days before Christmas, when everyone was finishing their last-minute shopping and doing their baking, the temperature shot up into the fifties, and Beulah County got twenty inches of rain within two hours.
Emergency volunteers were called in, and Carly and Sara closed the office to help at the community center. People brought in food and blankets. Medical personnel volunteered their services.
In the northern part of the county a few families had been trapped by the sudden deluge. Daniel and some other men worked late into the night to bring them to safety.
Sara was getting ready to leave the community center when Daniel finally showed up around midnight. Just seeing him kicked her nerve endings into overdrive. She watched him strip off the yellow rain poncho and push back the drenched hair from his head. Even from a distance she could see the weariness on his face. He must have felt her staring at him, because he looked up and held her gaze for several moments.
Her breath stopped. His face and body said he was tired, but the expression in his eyes said he wanted her. Badly. And Sara felt a tightening inside her. Her breasts felt heavy, her face went flushed and her upper thighs tingled.
He gave a quick nod and looked away. Sara swallowed hard. She’d spent so much energy denying, avoiding and rejecting her unwanted feelings for Daniel that she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed him, just seeing him.
She felt uncomfortable about approaching him. What could she say that wouldn’t sound idiotic? Especially since the last time she’d seen him, she’d burst into tears. Sara felt a flush of remorse and embarrassment creep up her cheeks. At a loss, she went to the food table where she’d been working with Carly most of the night.
“I see Daniel just walked in,” Carly said.
Sara nodded as she filled a plate for the man in front of her. “Yes. I noticed.”
“Bet he’s hungry.”
She stopped and looked at Carly. Her friend had just provided the solution to her dilemma. Sara felt a slow smile grow from the inside out. “I’m sure he is.” She filled another plate, grabbed a canned drink and made her way across the room.
Daniel sat talking to a couple of men about the flood. Sara thought about turning around and letting them finish, then shook off her cowardice. She took a deep breath and stepped forward. “Excuse me. I thought you might be hungry.”
Daniel turned to look at her. Surprise flashed in his eyes. “Thanks. I am.”
He continued to look at her but said nothing else. The two men silently watched. Sara couldn’t think of a single intelligent thing to say. She felt ridiculous. Clearing her throat, she took a step back. “Well, I—”
Daniel quickly stood, his gaze nailing her feet to the floor. “Don’t go.”
Sara bit her lip, her gaze sliding to the onlookers.
Daniel narrowed his eyes. There was something different about her tonight. If he wasn’t mistaken, he’d say she was a little more open to him, maybe a little softer, a little less guarded. If he wasn’t mistaken. Sensing her self-consciousness, Daniel casually turned to the other men. “You guys are as hungry as I am. Go on and get your food, and we’ll get together tomorrow morning.”
The men muttered their agreement and ambled off.
“I hope I didn’t interrupt something important.”
“Nah. They just wanted to rehash a little.” He pulled out a folding chair for her and waited for her to sit. He was also waiting for a stronger sign of what she wanted from him. Since that blasted rose incident, he felt as though he’d spent his last nickel at the fair and was thumbing his way home.
“Is everyone okay?”
He nodded and sat down. “We had a couple of close calls with some elderly people. They’re in the hospital now but I think they’ll be okay. The property damage is the problem.” He shook his head. “You heard anything about Russ’s place?”
Russ Bradford, Carly’s husband, owned a catfish farm. “Carly says one pond flooded. But you know, he’s got insurance so he should be okay. He made her stay here, and she’s ticked at him right now.”
Amusement lit Daniel’s eyes. “If I know Russ, he’ll find a way to get back in her good graces.” He dug into the meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and hot rolls.
“Long day?” she asked sympathetic
ally.
He swallowed a bite and nodded. “Yeah. I probably look like hell.”
His jeans and flannel shirt were wet and they clung to his muscular frame, emphasizing his broad chest, flat belly and powerful thighs. Perhaps someone else would find that unappealing. That someone certainly wouldn’t be female. Besides being affected by his impressive physique, Sara also admired his concern for other people. It weakened her already skimpy reservations about him.
“Sara, this is when you’re supposed to lie and say, ‘No, you don’t look like hell. You look fine.’”
She looked at the ironic expression on his face, the dark shadow of his unshaven jaw and the circles under his eyes. Leaning forward, she touched that rough jaw fleetingly. “No. You don’t look like hell. You look like Beulah County’s hero.”
Daniel felt a rush of embarrassment. He cleared his throat, torn between rubbing his face against Sara’s soft hand and pulling away. He liked having her admiration, but his feelings for Sara weren’t particularly heroic. They were basic and selfish. He wanted her hot and naked beneath him.
She saved him from embarrassing himself further by asking him something else about the flood, then she carried the conversation while he ate. “I didn’t realize this was such a busy time of the year for you. You’ve had a heavy workload lately, haven’t you?”
Daniel shrugged. “It hasn’t been that bad.”
Sara’s eyes widened. “Oh, really? That’s not what Troy said.”
“Troy has a bad habit of exaggerating. He—” Catching the skeptical expression on Sara’s face, Daniel stopped. Realization trickled in. She’d caught him. He cleared his throat.
“Unavailable is the word he used. Repeatedly.” Sara smiled sweetly. “I should know. I’ve heard him use that word ten times during the last week. When you didn’t return my calls, I wondered if you’d left the county.”
Daniel grimaced. Not answering Sara’s calls had been his greatest exercise in self-control. He’d wanted to badly. Just to hear her voice, even if she fussed at him about the dog, even if she said no. He set down his biscuit. “I knew that if you told me you didn’t want the pup, I’d have to take him back and you wouldn’t give him a chance to see how it would work out.”
“Instead I suffered through seven nights of listening to him howl at the top of his lungs.”
Daniel winced. “Could you put him outside?”
Sara looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “So the neighbors could complain? It’s been cold, Daniel. I don’t know anything about puppies, but it can’t be good for them to be outside in the cold.”
“You want me to take him back?” he asked in resignation.
“No. Pavi and—”
“Pavi?”
“His name.” Her lips twitched. “I named him after Pavarotti, the opera star. We’ve come to a meeting of the minds.” She thought of the puddles on her kitchen floor. “Sort of. I’m going to keep him.”
Daniel was enormously pleased. “You like him.”
Sara smiled. “How could I not?”
“I was right.”
Sara nodded, and her expression became thoughtful. “About a lot of things.”
Daniel felt the punch of her gaze clear to his gut.
“If you’re not too busy…” she began and looked down. The way she twisted her hands was clear evidence of her edginess.
“I’m not.” Daniel covered her hands with one of his own. The twisting stopped, and her gaze met his. Her eyes were full of emotion that changed like the weather, but the need he read was blatant. In his gut he felt the familiar, relentless rise of heat that no cold shower could ease. A wise man would sense the danger and would approach with caution. But he’d gone way past wisdom. There were layers of secrets enveloping Sara, and he wanted to peel them all off.
She turned her hand over and twined her fingers through his. “I was wondering if you’d like to take me up on that rain check for dinner.” Her voice was soft and warm, as he imagined her body would be. “That is, if you’re available.”
“I’m available, honey,” he growled without the slightest hesitation. He tightened his hand around hers. “Just name the time.”
Sara tried to think. The sensible part of her knew she was headed straight for the frying pan by getting involved with Daniel Pendleton. The sensual part just didn’t give a damn anymore. “The day after tomorrow is Christmas Eve,” she managed. “The next day is Christmas.” She lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know.”
Daniel had spent the last six months deciding what to do about Sara Kingston. He wasn’t interested in waiting any longer. “Tomorrow night. I’ll take you out.”
Sara shook her head. “No,” she said firmly. “You wanted a rain check for a meal. I’m fixing a meal for you.”
Nearly groaning, he tossed back the rest of his soda. The only meal he wanted was her. The thought made his loins ache. Standing, he pulled her to her feet. “Come on.”
Sara’s gaze widened. “Where?”
“To my truck. To your car.” He couldn’t begin to explain the sheer necessity to feel her mouth beneath his. He nudged her toward the door. “Anywhere I can be alone with you.”
“But—”
“Three minutes, Sara.” He shoved the door open and led her outside. The cool mist hit his face, but didn’t dampen his ardor. “All I’m asking for is three minutes. Where’s your car?”
She pointed toward a Toyota three rows away. As they headed toward it, their shoes made crunching sounds in the gravel parking lot.
“It’s not locked,” she said breathlessly when they reached it.
Daniel opened the passenger door, slid in and pulled her onto his lap. He slammed the car door shut. At her sound of surprise he took her face into his hands. “Three minutes.”
Chapter Six
It was a sexual kiss. No frills, little patience, full of need, and all-consuming. Sara’s heart hammered in a staccato rhythm. She felt the press of his hard thighs beneath hers and his muscular chest beneath her hands. But for that moment the overriding focus of her existence was Daniel’s mouth telling her without words that he wanted her more than anything in the world.
The intimacy of his tongue sliding past her lips and teeth to tangle with hers made her chest tighten. Tilting her head for better access, he was more aggressive than smooth. The blatant honesty in his every movement shook her to her core. She instinctively closed her lips around his tongue in a sucking motion. He gave a rough groan and nipped at her bottom lip.
He seemed to want to taste every corner of her mouth, her soft inner lips, her teeth and tongue. His wanting made blood roar in her head and her nether regions pulse. She shifted and moaned, sliding her mouth first one way, then another against his. His arousal, pressed against her thigh, promised pleasure and fulfillment, making the achy, empty feeling between her legs almost unbearable.
Without hesitation she slipped her hand between their bodies and rubbed the hard ridge of flesh straining his jeans.
Daniel’s hips moved convulsively, and suddenly she couldn’t get close enough. She tugged at the button and zipper, all the while letting his open mouth consume hers. Her fingers found him, and he was like velvet-wrapped steel. When she closed her hand around him, he ripped his mouth from hers with a searing oath.
Sara’s chest hurt with the effort to breathe. Through a haze of arousal she saw Daniel close his eyes as if he were in pain. “Don’t. For Christ’s sake, don’t.”
She couldn’t stop, not with her body thrumming with his heady scent and the feel of him in her palm. Her thumb glanced the tip of his arousal.
Daniel jerked and swore again. Shuddering, he grabbed her hand and pulled it away.
His gesture jerked her back to reality. Her head abruptly cleared, and guilt surged through her. Her mouth had been so hungry, her hands had been sinfully curious and her mind had abandoned her without a prayer. Appalled at her lack of control, she closed her eyes and tried to gather her wits.
“S
ara,” Daniel began.
Not wanting to hear whatever he had to say, she shook her head and swallowed. “No. Just give me a minute. I don’t know—”
“Sara—”
Panic sliced through her. “Please!” Unable to face him, she bit her lip and stared at the steamed-up window. “Less than three minutes and I’m in your pants. I don’t—”
Daniel gave her hand a quick jerk that stopped her desperate monologue and made her look at him. His eyes were black with passion. With exquisite deliberation he lifted her sinfully curious hand to his hot mouth and kissed it.
“You weren’t doing anything I didn’t want you to do.” He kissed her hand again and gave a rough sigh. “But you know and I know that it wouldn’t have taken much more and it would have been all over.” His voice lowered. “I want to be inside you the first time.”
Sara sucked in a deep breath. She cleared her throat. “I’m trying to get back some sort of control, and you’re not making it easy for me.”
‘“Honey, we passed control a long time ago.” Twining his hands in her hair, he tugged her closer for a quick, possessive kiss. Shaking his head at his instantly renewed arousal, he set her into the driver’s seat. “My three minutes are up.” He gingerly eased up his zipper, fastened his jeans and pushed open the car door. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.” Sara’s head was still spinning. “What time?” He wrote six-thirty in the condensation on the windows and gave her one last heated glance. “Earlier if I can manage it.”
Sara checked the beef tips one more time. Not overdone. Not underdone. Just right, she thought, stirring the meat while she set the burner on the lowest temperature. Rolls were warming in the oven. She’d uncorked the rose wine to allow it to breathe. She’d hedged her bets by putting a couple of beers in the refrigerator just in case Daniel didn’t like wine.
The table was set with her fine china and cloth napkins. She’d decided against candles because she didn’t want the atmosphere too forced or staged.
She’d dressed in a carefully casual attire—a pink angora sweater and winter-white trousers. It was a good hair day. Everything should be perfect.