by Leslie North
“I see.” Julia set half of a sandwich in front of the child with some grapes.
“The father isn’t in the picture anymore?” he asked quietly while he gazed at the little girl. She had light blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes, much darker than her mothers, but he could definitely see Kristy in her.
Julia made a popping sound with her mouth. “That really isn’t my story to tell,” she finally said.
“Of course. I apologize. This food is delicious, thank you.”
“I’m supposed to be retired, but I like to help out from time-to-time. Plus, my husband can’t seem to stay away from the farm, and it irks Kristy. They don’t get along so well, so I do my best to intervene.”
“Why don’t they get along?”
“When my brother retired, there were two cousins plus Darren that wanted to take over the farm, but Wyatt trusted Kristy, and rightfully so. Darren and I have no business running a farm at our age, but Darren loves this place. He tries to help out, but Kristy is protective over it. I think she’s worried that he’s trying to muscle her out. It’s nonsense. I’d never let anyone take anything away from her. I love that girl like she was my own.”
There was something pointed about the way that she looked at him, but he didn’t get the message. “I offered to help out but she told me, no. I fell in love with this place the last time I was here, and I can’t help but notice that there are no other guests around.”
“We’re struggling, but it has nothing to do with Kristy. There’s a new fancy tourist attraction that dares to call itself a farm, closer to the city. They built a dog-racing track and luxury lodging. It’s taken most of our dog-racing clients away. These days, we mostly rely on the money the riding lessons bring in. It makes me sad, but with global warming, everything is different. We still get a few blizzards like the one we got last weekend, but the snow doesn’t stick around for long. I’m not even sure the Iditarod is even going to host a race this year. There is no snow forecasted for the next two weeks.”
“Damn,” Kashif whispered.
“Damn,” Arella echoed cheerfully, and he looked up at Julia in horror.
“I am so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Julia laughed. “She’s said much worse repeating things her momma said. Luckily, she has no idea what it means. We’re just trying to watch what we say around her. It’s hard. She’s like a little ninja. She’ll sneak up on you and spy!”
“My kind of girl,” Kashif laughed. “So, Christmas is a big deal around here? I saw Kristy putting up the decorations.”
“Unfortunately, it’s not,” Julia sighed. “Kristy’s father is spending his days in warmer climates, and Darren and I travel to Ohio of all places to visit his children. I think this is the first time Kristy has even put up decorations. She wants to start some new traditions for her daughter now that she’s old enough to remember them.”
“Why doesn’t she go to Ohio with you?”
“And leave the farm for more than a few days? Never. I tried to stay last year, but Kristy wouldn’t hear of it. I’ll try again this year, but I have a feeling that I’ll be wasting my breath. Even though the farm shuts down for two weeks to give the employees some time off, she’ll stick around to pick up the slack. I’ll offer to help her, and she’ll tell me that she enjoys the alone time. The woman is as stubborn as they come.”
Kashif contemplated that while he polished off his lunch. Full and satisfied, he leaned back in the chair. Arella had made a mess of things and was already aiming a grape at him when Julia caught her tiny fist.
“Sorry,” Julia apologized. “She’s been sick for the past couple of days, and now she’s looking to get into some trouble.”
“I don’t mind. Maybe she can come with me to check out the dogs?”
Arella immediately smiled. “Pups?” she asked excitedly.
Julia laughed. “You’re more than welcome to try, but I’m afraid you won’t really get to test their abilities. They love that little girl and will dote on her.”
“That’s all right,” Kashif said with a smile. “I don’t need to see them run today. What do you say, Arella? Want to play with the puppies with me?”
“Yes! I want puppies!”
There was an unreadable expression on Julia’s face when she bent over and picked up their plates. “I know you didn’t come back to this farm just to race. Don’t give up on her yet.”
“I tried to come back and see her before.”
“I know,” Julia said sadly. “Wyatt told me. You’re lucky her father didn’t shoot you on the spot. He’s so protective over Kristy. He’d be here now if Kristy hadn’t pushed him out. It had always been his dream to travel when he retired, but he wanted to stay for Arella. Kristy wouldn’t hear of it.”
“He lied to her, though. She spent this whole time thinking that I didn’t care.”
“Can you blame us? Your bodyguard didn’t have any nice things to say about Kristy. We wanted to spare her any more pain that you might cause her.” Julia leaned forward and wiped Arella’s mouth. He couldn’t help but notice that the toddler got more food on her than in her.
Kashif handed her another napkin and mulled over the information. He could imagine how Kristy felt. Abandoned and betrayed. He knew because he’d felt the same. Still, the past was the past. “I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. She obviously found someone else. I only want her to be happy.”
“He’s not, you know.”
“What?”
“Arella’s father. He’s not around at all. And she’s not seeing anyone. If that’s what you wanted to know.”
Smiling gratefully at Julia, he unbuckled Arella from her booster seat and lifted her down. “I get the feeling that it won’t be easy.”
“No, but it will be worth it.”
Arella kept a tight hold on his hand while she tugged him away from the kitchen.
Even if he didn’t remember the way to the dog runs, it wouldn’t have mattered. Arella knew exactly where she was going. Although they called it the dog run and the dog kennel, Kashif knew that the dogs didn’t stay there. Kristy always had a soft spot for the huskies and let them sleep inside the laundry room.
A young man waited for him by the fence where about a dozen or so dogs ran around inside. He eyed Kashif and Arella and grunted. “They won’t want to run when they see her.”
“That’s all right,” Kashif said with a smile. “I’m just observing them today.”
As if on cue, the dogs immediately rushed to the gate and tried to lick the little girl through the fence. Kashif was surprised when Henry opened the gate to let her in. “Is she safe in there?” he asked instantly.
“Absolutely. The two alphas, Dusty and Jane, wouldn’t let anything happen to that girl, but the rest of the pack loves her. It’s almost crazy when you watch them play. They’re usually hyper, but with her, they’re so gentle.”
The dog handler wasn’t wrong. As soon as she was in the gate, the atmosphere changed. They jumped around her, licked her, and chased her, but they never did anything to hurt her, and if she accidentally fell, they all surrounded her to make sure that she was okay.
“Does Kristy still train them?” he asked curiously.
“She trains the new pups, but she doesn’t have time to look after them like she used to. I do most of the conditioning, but she checks up on me, and I’m very good at what I do.”
Henry clearly thought Kashif was concerned about the dogs, but really, he was concerned about Kristy. She used to love training the dogs. It was important to him that she be happy.
“Dusty and Jane are retired, and Punkin is still too young to race, but you’ve got some great choices here.”
“Punkin?” Kashif asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Kristy let Arella pick the name. First it was Doody, so I figured Punkin’s not so bad.”
Kashif laughed, and shook his head. As he leaned over the fence, he heard Arella talking seriously to the dogs. “I’m a Princess. You haft
a curtsy to me.” She then demonstrated an awkward curtsy before she promptly started to topple over. Before she hit the ground, one of the dogs gently righted her with his nose, and she continued on her Princess tirade.
“Henry!” Kristy said sharply as she marched up the path. “What is Arella doing here? She’s supposed to be inside!”
Henry shrugged, and Kashif frowned. “I brought her out here. She said she wanted to play with the puppies, and Julia said that it was okay.” He watched her closely. She looked more than just frustrated. Was that fear he saw in her eyes?
“Well, it’s not okay,” she snapped. “Arella. Go inside. You can take Dusty and Jane with you.”
The girl pouted and immediately burst into tears, but Kristy didn’t sway. She simply crossed her arms and stared. When she realized that pouting wouldn’t get her anywhere, Arella stopped crying and called to Dusty and Jane. The faithful older dogs dutifully followed her out, and the rest of the lot immediately started grappling with each other.
He searched her face for a clue to what she was thinking, but she was completely closed off now. “I can always run the dogs tomorrow,” he said softly.
“Well, now you’ll have to,” she said crossly. She caught his puzzlement and straightened. “Arella has been sick. I don’t want her to catch another cold. I’m sorry if I snapped. Henry, you’re welcome to grab your lunch now.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The young man grinned as if he knew what was going on and walked inside.
Without saying anything else to him, Kristy grabbed an empty basket and stomped away. She moved away from the farm, and, his interest piqued, he followed her.
“Thought it would be a good day for a walk in the forest?” he asked teasingly as his long strides caught up to her rapid pace with ease.
“Are you following me?”
“I am. We didn’t get to finish our conversation from earlier.”
“There’s nothing else to discuss.”
“Sure there is. You hate me, and I’m trying to resolve that.” He caught up to her easily and slowed down to match her steps. When she bent down to pick up a pine cone, he watched as she inspected it before discarding it. “What are you doing?”
“Arella said she wanted to make a Christmas wreath,” Kristy said shortly. “I don’t have time to run all the way into town to get her some supplies, so I figured I’d grab some stuff out here, and she could make a natural one.”
“You’re a good mother,” he said softly.
Her initial anger deflated, and she sighed. “I don’t understand what you’re doing here. Why didn’t you go stay at the other fancy lodge?”
“I’m here for the race,” he said evenly. “That other lodge doesn’t have the best dogs. You do. More importantly, that other lodge doesn’t have you.”
Before she could respond, he bent down and captured her mouth. She was as soft and sweet as he remembered. When her lips parted in surprise, he took advantage and swept his tongue inside. For a moment, she leaned against him, and he got carried away by her touch and the memories.
She’d been so sweet and innocent four years ago. It’s what drew him to her. At home, he was always surrounded by gorgeous, sophisticated women, but none of them were real. They simply said whatever they thought that he wanted to hear.
Kristy Cohen was real, and the kiss reminded him of that. Urgency rose in him, and he knew that he needed more of her. Just as he deepened the kiss, she stepped back and gasped.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she whispered.
“I’m reminding you of what we had,” he said softly. “I’m reminding you of what we lost. Something has been keeping us apart, and I mean to remedy that, Kristy.”
“Maybe I’m seeing someone.”
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I do not believe you. Julia told me that you weren’t. She said that Arella’s father wasn’t around anymore.”
“That’s not the point,” she said looking away. “Maybe your people did lie to me, and maybe my father lied to you, but that doesn’t change the fact that it happened. I was hurt, and obsessed about what happened, Kashif. Things changed. I’m not the same woman I was four years ago. I’m more realistic now. The circumstances surrounding our relationship then haven’t changed. Your family, your people, obviously didn’t want me around, and I’m not the same infatuated girl.”
“If I had known, I would have put a stop to it. My family and my people don’t control me, Kristy. What if it’s more than infatuation?”
“It’s not,” she said firmly. “Now, you can either join me on this walk as a guest, or you can go back to the lodge.”
“You’re not even going to give us a chance?”
“I did, Kashif. Look what happened.” Without bothering to wait for an answer, she gripped her basket and walked away.
Her words said one thing, but her eyes and that kiss said something entirely different. He wasn’t going to give up without a fight.
Besides, Kashif liked a challenge.
Whistling softly to himself, he followed behind her, more determined than ever to break through her resolve and reach her heart again.
8
Kristy could still taste him, and it stirred up feelings that she wished remained buried. How did he expect her to react? Did he seriously think that he could tell her that he still cared and expect her to fall back into his arms? She’d spent four years protecting herself. Even if she did want to let him in, she didn’t know how to do it. If she were honest with herself, he was the reason why she hadn’t been interested in dating anyone since. She told herself it was because of Arella, but she knew better. No one would compare.
The kiss complicated things. It was bad enough that her body still reacted to him, but the touch of his lips had made her weak in the knees. She wanted nothing more than to cling to him while he erased four years of hurt and loneliness, but she couldn’t.
“I think we owe it to ourselves to at least talk about it,” he said quietly as he dropped a few items in her basket. His tone of voice had her dropping her gaze rather than risk looking him in the eyes. When she looked down at the basket, she saw four perfectly shaped pine cones.
Clearly, he wasn’t going to let it go. “Kashif, you’re still chasing an adventure, but there isn’t one here for you. I’m not the same young girl. I’m a single mother running a farm a million miles away from your country. A country that you are going to be running very soon. We had our moment, and it didn’t work out, but if we were being honest with each other, we would admit that it wouldn’t have worked out anyway.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Kristy. If you think that it’s not going to work, then you’re going to have to prove it to me, because I’m not convinced.”
“What?” she snorted. “You think we can simply pick up where we left off?”
“Why not?” he asked seductively. “Think of it as an experiment. If you truly think there’s nothing between us than lust and infatuation, what do you have to lose?”
Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at him, slack-jawed. Was he seriously proposing what she thought he was proposing?
“You think that I’m going to sleep with you again?”
“I want to be able to talk to you without arguing. I want to touch you without you moving away. I want to kiss you, Kristy.”
“I know what that will lead to,” she whispered.
“Then, you don’t deny that the attraction is there?”
Oh, boy. Suddenly, the air around them grew heavy. She fiddled with her basket and tried to remember how to walk. One foot in front of the other. “It’s not like you got uglier while you were gone,” she muttered dryly. “A fact, I take great offense to.”
Kashif grinned. “Sorry not to make it easy for you. Give us a try, Kristy. If you still don’t think that it’s going to work, I’ll walk away and never bother you again.”
He clearly thought the challenge was going to work out in his favor, but she saw something com
pletely different.
Since the birth of her daughter, she’d been on a few dates and kissed a few men, but none of them sparked the same fire in her that Kashif did. She hadn’t been in another man’s bed since Kashif, and it showed. Her mind might be screaming no, but her traitorous body wanted desperately to take him up on his offer.
Why shouldn’t she have a little fun? It wasn’t like she was going into this blind. She already knew what it would be like when he walked away, and this time, she’d be prepared for it. Why not enjoy him this time the same way that he’d enjoyed her?
“Okay.”
The word was out of her mouth before she could stop it, and Kashif turned to her in surprise. “Really?” He eyed her suspiciously. “Am I missing something?”
“You’re very persuasive,” she said with a shrug. “That’s an important quality to have, Prince Kashif. There is one condition.”
“And what’s that?”
“You stay away from Arella. She trusts too easily, and I don’t want her heart broken when you leave. Do you understand me?”
“She’s kind of hard to ignore,” he said wryly.
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t bother you. I’m serious about this. Arella is everything to me, and if I think for one second that she’ll be hurt, it’s over.”
He stared at her, and she feared that he wouldn’t agree. Finally, he nodded, and she bit her bottom lip. She wasn’t quite sure how she felt. On one hand, she’d managed it so that Kashif spent as little time as possible with Arella, but on the other, she’d opened herself up to him.
Again.
She couldn’t help but feel like she’d made a deal with the devil himself.
“Do you own the forest?” he asked suddenly.
The change in conversation threw her, and she blinked. “Uh, yeah. It’s part of Mistywood. When my great grandfather bought the land to build the farm, he thought the forest was too beautiful to cut down.”
“He’s right,” Kashif said as he looked around. “It’s gorgeous, and I think you can use it to your advantage.”