Stranded with a Hero (Entangled Bliss)

by Karen Erickson

  She ran her hand across his toned chest. “Merry Christmas.”

  His eyes traveled over her, taking her back to last night, when he’d spent so much time doing the same thing—staring at her like she was beautiful and he wanted to memorize every inch of her skin. He reached out and traced the stars, the way he’d done before and the way she craved for him to do again and again. “How do you decide what to permanently put on your body? That you won’t get sick of it later?”

  “You just know. An idea, an image hits you, and you have to have it. Anyway, that’s how I choose.”

  “I don’t know that I’d ever be sure enough.”

  “Some guys need them to be even semi-interesting, but you’ve got that down already.” She scooted closer and kissed him, feeling as if she were living some magical dream. Things like this didn’t normally happen to her. Happiness bubbled up and spread through every inch of her. She trailed her fingers down to his firm abs. “So, now that I’m sleeping with a cop, what are the benefits? Do I get a pass on speeding tickets?”

  He rolled, pinning her underneath him. “Sleeping with me isn’t benefit enough?”

  She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer. “Yes, but I’d still like a pass on speeding tickets.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.” He kissed her neck and heat started building between them again. “So, the storm’s gone. And I’m sure you’re in a hurry to leave…”

  “Hurry’s the wrong word.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “I want to stay, but I know my mom will be going crazy.” The days of her Christmas vacation were ticking by too fast, not enough time to do all the things she wanted to do between staying here forever and actually spending time with Mom.

  “How about if you go with me to my parents’?” Nate asked. “That’ll give more time for the sun to melt the snow, and then we can figure out what to do with your car. I’ll even let you take my truck if you need to. I just want the roads to be clear. Especially since traffic will be so light and if you get stuck or slide off the road…” He brushed back her hair. “I don’t want you driving until it’s safe.”

  She’d chewed out guys for implying she needed them before, but the tenderness in his eyes made affection radiate through her chest. “Okay. I’ll give it some time to clear, then figure out what I’m gonna do.”

  A triumphant grin spread across his lips. So she didn’t tell him that the thought of going to his parents’ place tied her stomach in knots. It was Christmas, after all. But she figured if she was going to get through that situation, she needed a reminder of why it’d be worth it.

  So she pulled Nate closer and kissed him until he got the message that she was expecting those benefits to kick in immediately.

  …

  Nate pulled the truck up to his parents’ house. The sun was out, turning the roads to slush, and he was glad he’d talked Kelsey into staying until at least the afternoon. He’d thought she was gripping the door handle because she was nervous about the snow, but she kept her iron grip on it now and she was chewing on her bottom lip.

  “What’s wrong, babe?”

  She glanced at him, offering a smile that barely caught hold before it disappeared. “Your mom’s going to be so horrified. She barely tolerated me before. I can only imagine how freaked out she’ll be when I show up with her golden son.”

  He lifted her hand and kissed it. “She liked you. Maybe thought you should drive slower and swear less, but she got used to you.”

  “Well, holy shitballs, that’s a lot of pressure. I have even more tattoos now. My hair’s purple. Maybe I shouldn’t have worn these giant silver hoops. Why didn’t you tell me to take them out and wear something more suitable?”

  He pulled her across the cab to him and wrapped his arms around her. “She’ll like you. And my dad always liked you.”

  She rubbed her forehead and pressed her neon pink fingernails to her temple. “It’s just that they’re your parents, and I like you too much, and now I’m freaking out, caring what they think, and I don’t like it.” Her voice got louder and shakier. “I don’t like it, Nate.”

  He placed his hands on the sides of her face. “You look amazing. I love how you look, and my parents are gonna be happy to see you, I promise. And I know you consider us out in the sticks here, but Marion’s changed. There are plenty of girls with wild colors in their hair.”

  “Oh good, I’ll fit right in, just what I always wanted.”

  He covered her mouth with his, deepening the kiss until he felt her relax. “I like you too much, too, by the way.”

  Her beautiful lips curved up and he felt like the luckiest man in the world. As he got out of the truck and pulled Kelsey out on his side, he found himself suddenly nervous as well. He knew his parents would be happy that he was happy, but it was a big moment, and at the back of his mind, there was that nagging truth that she’d leave soon. When it was just the two of them, it felt like nothing could come between them. But time, distance, all those things would be working against them soon, and he was afraid if he let her go she’d never come back.

  Kelsey slid her hands into the back pockets of his jeans and kissed him, putting her entire body into it. His heart pounded in his chest, and he pushed his hand into her hair, desire flooding his veins once more. Addictive—that was the right word for being with Kelsey. Never enough, always wanting more.

  She brushed her lips against his. “Just wanted to do that before we had an audience.”

  “Hate to break it to you, but we’ve probably had an audience since we pulled up.”

  Her cheeks colored and she glanced at the house. Then she shrugged. “Well, then let’s do this,” she said, and smacked his butt.

  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her up to the house. The door swung open two seconds after he knocked, leading him to believe Mom had been watching.

  “Merry Christmas!” Mom leaned forward and hugged him, then glanced at Kelsey.

  “You remember Kelsey Cooper,” Nate said, even though he had called to let Mom know he’d be bringing her—the surprise method wasn’t his style. But he hadn’t expanded on how much he liked her, and that if he had his way, she’d be moving here. Seemed like a conversation he should have with Kelsey first, but right now, he was just going to focus on getting through this meeting with his parents.

  “My goodness, look at you!” Mom threw her arms around Kelsey and hugged her. “I hear you wrecked your car,” she said, and Nate cringed. Of course Mom opened with that—she’d asked him if she was speeding, the way she used to in high school. He shot Kelsey an apologetic glance, but she took it in stride.

  “Yeah, that snowstorm was crazy. And then that deer darted right in front of me and the roads were so slick…” Kelsey put her hand on his arm. “Luckily, Nathaniel happened by to help me out of the car and give me a place to stay.”

  He covered the hand she had on his arm with his, thinking he was the lucky one. Dad wandered in, wearing his typical camouflage shirt and blue jeans. “Hey, Kelsey.” He squinted at her. “I knew the water in Charlotte was a problem, but I didn’t know it made hair turn purple,” he joked.

  Kelsey smiled at him, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Well, it looks like the water here makes your hair fall out, so I guess I’ll stick with Charlotte’s.”

  Dad laughed and squeezed her shoulder. “You always were a firecracker. Good to see you again.”

  “Thanks. You, too.”

  Mom asked about her mother, and Kelsey gave them the update about her marriage and new shop location. Nate could see that flicker of her missing her mom when she talked about her. This morning he could tell she was conflicted, wanting to stay, yet wanting to go. He understood, especially since it was Christmas.

  “So, how about some eggnog?” Dad asked, and Kelsey’s nose wrinkled in that adorable way. “I got the expensive rum, too.”

  Nate ran his fingers up and down Kelsey’s back. “She’s not a big eggnog fan.”

  “No eggno
g?” Dad asked. She shook her head. He tilted his head toward the kitchen. “Follow me and we’ll see what other holiday spirits we’ve got.”

  Kelsey followed after him and Nate couldn’t help watching her, the way her smile lit her face as they easily fell into conversation. When he glanced back at Mom, her lips were pursed together.

  “Are you and Kelsey a couple now?”

  He almost said no, because they hadn’t talked about exactly what they were yet. Right then, though, he knew he wanted to figure out a way to make Kelsey a permanent part of his life, no matter what it took. So he decided to be bold and hope it’d soon be the truth.

  “Yes, we are. Don’t worry, I even cleared it with Derek.” As much as he reassured Kelsey his parents would love her, he knew Mom would be the hard sell. She was more traditional, and most of his life he hadn’t fought it—not like Derek, who was the one who came home drunk or snuck out at night. But he was an adult now, and he now knew he didn’t want traditional. He wanted the girl who’d force him to decorate a tree with whatever they could find, constantly disagree with his choice of vacations and Christmas movies, and ask him to be her cop with benefits.

  “That’s not what I’m worried about. I understood Derek dating her, but you? Don’t you want someone more—”

  “Nope,” he said, before she could say something that’d make him angry. “Fact is, I liked her when she lived here. Back then being a few years older seemed like a big deal, but it’s not anymore, and I’m happy with her.”

  The lines in Mom’s forehead deepened and then she patted his arm. “You do look happy. And I want you to be. But what about the fact that she lives in Charlotte? I don’t think she’s the kind of girl who’d be happy in Marion.”

  “I haven’t figured it all out yet, but I don’t need to. Just let me enjoy this.”

  Mom looked like she wanted to argue, but she let out a sigh and slowly nodded. “Okay, okay, I get the message. But be careful. She doesn’t strike me as the settling down type, and I’d hate to see you hurt.”

  Taking a risk with Kelsey and getting hurt would be better than the past year of boredom and hollowness. It was like she’d come into his life and filled the void that was missing, and he’d be a fool not to try to hold onto her. He even thought she just might be the settling down type, maybe not in the conventional way, but in the way that’d make him happy for the rest of his life.

  …

  “We have fruity wine coolers,” Mr. Walsh said, frowning at the bottles, “Or, I can throw together a rum and Coke.”

  Kelsey leaned back against the kitchen island. “I’ve never been much for the fruity drinks.”

  Mr. Walsh gave her an appreciative nod and mixed her a drink, probably heavier on the rum than she needed, but her nerves could use it.

  “So you and Nate, huh?”

  Kelsey licked the sweetness off her lips. “Yep. I’m surprised, too, but in a lot of ways it makes more sense than anything in my life ever has.”

  Mr. Walsh smiled at that, and she was glad that he at least seemed to approve. Yesterday she’d thought an actual relationship with Nate was impossible, but today she couldn’t stop thinking about how amazing last night and this morning had been. How happy she’d been ever since she’d crashed back into his life. When she’d admitted she liked him too much, he’d said the same back. Hope tugged at her chest, making her want to risk the kind of attachment she usually didn’t.

  “If only your wife still didn’t remember me as the girl she found puking on her prize-winning azaleas.” As a woman who attended the annual azalea festival in Wilmington every year, that was an unforgivable offense. She’d actually seemed angrier about that than the fact she’d been sneaking out of Derek’s window.

  Mr. Walsh laughed and raised his glass of eggnog. “Happens to the best of us.” He glanced in the other room. “Okay, maybe not to her. But she’ll get used to you again.”

  Not the most hopeful statement, but I suppose I’ll take it.

  “Are you moving back, then?” Mr. Walsh asked.

  Kelsey shrugged. The impulsive side of her wanted to say yes, but that annoying logical side she’d developed after astronomical credit card statements and hard knocks the past few years chimed in to say she couldn’t just quit her job and move here, expecting Nate to take care of her—even if he did say he would. Forever.

  Her heart knotted and suddenly she felt like crying. The tug of hope morphed into a stab of despair. Logic was such a bitch. She swirled the ice around in her drink. “I know Nate feels like he has to stay here, run the farm.”

  She found that she wanted to take care of him, too, and that maybe she could if she found a way not to be a burden to him at the same time.

  “He can choose that if he wants,” Mr. Walsh said. “If he’d rather go pursue a bigger police career in Charlotte, I’d understand.”

  Kelsey could tell he meant it, but she could also tell it’d be hard for him, just like she knew Nate would never stop worrying he should be back here, running things.

  “Are you about done with those drinks, dear?” Mrs. Walsh called. “It looks like Derek’s here, and he’s got Angela with him.”

  The wave of awkwardness hit again and Kelsey was glad for her drink. She took another sip and then grabbed the glass of eggnog Mr. Walsh had poured for Nate. Then they all stood in the entryway, waiting for Derek to come in, which hello, was pretty freaking weird, but whatever.

  As if he sensed she needed it, Nate took her hand.

  The next few minutes were filled with greetings and introductions and an awkward beat where she didn’t know if she should go for a handshake or hug with Derek. He hugged her, so she went with it.

  Then he made the announcement that he and Angela were engaged. Only the tiniest bit of jealousy went through her when she saw how genuinely thrilled Mrs. Walsh was at the news.

  Okay, maybe more than a tiny bit, because that so wouldn’t be the reaction she and Nate would get if they announced they were planning on being together forever.

  Together forever. Her throat tightened. Things were moving too fast. She and Nate had only really gotten to know each other recently. Suddenly she was thinking of moving back to Marion? Planning her life around him?

  At least this time she’d been herself from the beginning, but now her brain was concocting dream scenarios with him that were only setting her up for failure. Why did she think she could actually fit into Nate’s life? That he’d want her when he saw how much baggage she really had, between her debt and her trouble fully committing to a career, much less a relationship? Reality was seeping in, and it was cold and ugly. She wished it would’ve waited. Would’ve let her enjoy Christmas at least.

  But it dug its claws in deeper, and she saw the future. Phone calls that faded. Visits that never happened. Nate working in Marion, at the police station, and on the farm.

  Her alone in Charlotte, crying.

  Chapter Seven

  The car Kelsey had often begrudged was a little lopsided now, one wheel too high, hood crumpled, with a heavy dusting of snow, both inside and outside. Nate unhooked it from his truck, leaving it right in front of Dr. Joe’s Auto Repair. Kelsey had a feeling Dr. Joe was going to call it DOA the second he saw it. But surely with a little hammering to undent it, and some love on the engine, it’d run again, right?

  As much as she’d sworn and cursed the thing, they’d been through a lot together, and the thought of never driving it again sent a pang through her chest.

  Nate transferred her metal sculptures to the backseat of his truck. He carried them with such care that tears pushed into her eyes, trying to escape, though she gritted her teeth and held them back.

  Everything was ripping at the seams, slowly coming undone. It’d been fun to pretend she could live another life for a few days, one where she got to be with a guy she was crazy about and live in a picturesque little town, where the past was the past, and the future included making sculptures in Nate’s shed, baking in his kitchen, and
sleeping in his bed.

  She should’ve known leaving their little bubble of thrown-together Christmas awesomeness would screw it all up. I should’ve never gone with him to visit his family.

  It wasn’t really Mrs. Walsh’s fault, just like it wasn’t Nate’s. It would’ve helped if Derek hadn’t decided to detail every time they’d gotten detention. Or told the story about how she’d “borrowed” one of the principal’s dresses off her clothesline and made a Mrs. Ballard scarecrow to put in the middle of the football field before the homecoming game.

  Nate had cringed through every story, and she could tell he was seeing her for who she really was, confirming her fears that she’d never be good enough for a guy like him. Yes, she’d matured, but she couldn’t change the past, and she’d never be the girl who fit into the role of a cop’s wife. Especially when that cop was perfect in every way, always making the right decision.

  Nate was the kind of guy who towed girls’ cars on Christmas and carried their sculptures like they were more than junk.

  Kelsey glanced around at the town, a hundred memories of warm summer days and parades and the daily walk from school. Dolly’s bakery was still in the same spot, marked by the blue-striped awning with cute pictures of smiling cupcakes and cookies. When Mom’s shop was slow and the bakery would get backed up, Kelsey would go in and help work the counter. Dolly often brought over baked goods, so she was happy to have some way to pay her back. And whenever Kelsey would go to leave, Dolly, who was a total sweet-grandma-looking type, would hug her and say, “Give ’em hell, darlin’.”

  Something between a laugh and a sob escaped Kelsey’s lips. Then her gaze went to the next building, where she and Mom used to sell jewelry—or attempted to anyway. There was a floral shop in its place now, and while it was probably nice, bitterness churned in her gut. It felt like she’d gotten a glimpse of her dream life, only to have it taken away.

  Unlike Cinderella, she didn’t get till the stroke of midnight. She’d had a couple of fairy-tale days here, so she couldn’t complain. Not when they were more perfect than anything she could’ve dreamed of.