Three hours later, after getting Sweet Pea settled under the heat lamp with her nine newborns, and sending June home with a promise that he’d check the piglets through the night, Rick entered the living room at the same time Allie came out of the kitchen with a small tray.
He inhaled the savory aroma of fresh brewed coffee. “You read my mind.”
She smiled. “It seemed a safer bet than a drink.”
Rick tuned the stereo to a soft rock station for background noise and sat next to her on the couch. He added cream and sugar to his mug before sitting back. Balancing his drink in his left hand, he slid down a little into the cushions, letting his leg rest against hers. It seemed natural to reach over and thread his fingers with hers where they lay on her thigh, yet his heart still thudded with the action. She didn’t pull away, and his pulse eased up a little.
Their easy, teasing conversation picked up where it had left off over dinner, and he loved that her impressive intelligence from high school had sharpened and matured.
“Please don’t take this the wrong way,” he said halfway through their coffee, “but why are you dog-sitting in Redemption when you have a master’s degree in business?”
“For one thing, no one tells me what to do.”
He couldn’t help a chuckle. “Not even Sugar?”
“Sugar and I get along great. We both love Matthew McConaughey.”
Rick snorted with disgust. “What the hell do women see in that guy? Dude can’t even seem to find a shirt.”
“I believe you’ve answered your own question.”
“So...if I started walking around town half naked…?”
“You’d be a dork.”
He rubbed a hand over his chest and down across his stomach. “But you haven’t seen me without my shirt yet.”
“Oh, please. Put the ego away.” She elbowed his arm and they both laughed.
“Okay, seriously. After all those years in Madison, you don’t feel like you’re missing anything here in this little backwoods town of ours?”
Her laugh faded as she raised her mug for a drink. He wondered if he’d pushed too far when she said, “I love this town and all the backwoods craziness that comes with it. Believe it or not, I make good money dog-sitting and I love the freedom it gives me.”
“I definitely understand the appeal of being your own boss.”
“Exactly. And it’s not like I’m just sitting around my house with dogs. I’ve also been taking classes at the tech college the past couple semesters and am working on a marketing plan for an online business.”
“What kind of business?”
She shrugged. “It’s still in the planning stages.”
“Is it a secret?”
“No secret, but it’s boring really.”
Her words said boring. Her tone told him she was excited about the idea. “Allie, nothing you do could be boring.”
“On the contrary, I scoop dog poop in my yard every day.”
He fought a smile at her unexpected retort. “So do I. Tell me about your plans.”
After one more moment of hesitation, she shifted on the couch to face him with undisguised enthusiasm. “Have you noticed the new photographs Carrie’s got in Coffee to Chai For?”
He stared at her blankly. Carrie added a new coffee flavor last week, but photographs? “Should I have?”
“Ah, yeah. I don’t know how you’d miss them.”
“I just go in for coffee.” He grinned and reached for her hand. “And a date now and then.”
She slapped his hand away. “Next time you’re in there, look at the pictures. They’re great. And Jenny said—”
“I did notice the new books near the counter,” Rick mused. “Then again, they’re hard to miss with that stud muffin preening on the cover.”
“Do not knock romance books,” Allie warned. “Anyway, Jenny said—”
The blush staining Allie’s cheeks gave Rick a flash of insight and he gasped in mock disbelief. “That’s the book you had this morning, isn’t it?”
Allie glared at him. “Can I finish my sentence?”
Rick grinned and kept his mouth shut.
“The photographs are by a local artist and while it’s great that Carrie offers them on consignment, wouldn’t it be nice to reach a larger potential sales base? Plus, there are probably lots of local artists who maybe just treat their stuff as a hobby.”
“My mom goes to tons of craft fairs,” Rick said.
“Right. So I was thinking I’d offer an upscale consignment website so local artists can reach more customers. Kind of like an art eBay.”
Rick saw potential in the idea. “How will you get your artists?”
“I’ll go to craft fairs like your mom does. And I’m sure there are groups and organizations for crafters and artists that I can network with.”
“Probably. But why sell with you?” he asked, playing devil’s advocate. “Why not just pop some pictures up on eBay?”
“One, I’m local, too. Two, the artists can set the prices, not rely on customers to do the bidding. I won’t need much of a cut to cover my costs and make some profit. And instead of having their own dedicated website with just their products, they’ll be on a site that offers a variety of items, which opens up their work to more potential customers.”
“What about marketing and advertising?”
“All me. Plus, I’ll process orders and the money so all they have to do is ship to the customer. Or I might offer that service myself for an additional fee. I certainly have enough room in my house and then I’d have better control over customer service. I kinda like that idea.”
“What’s the zoning in your neighborhood? Can you run a business out of your house?”
“I’m checking into that. I might be okay since I wouldn’t have walk-in customers.”
Rick nodded. “I’m impressed.”
“Thanks. I’m just starting to play with the website. Once I have the design nailed down, I’ll start contacting artists.”
“Sounds like you’ve really thought it through,” he commented.
“I guess more than I realized. And listen to you—you sound more like a business major than a vet.”
He shrugged. “I knew I wanted my own clinic some day and figured it’d be a good idea to get some business courses under my belt.”
“Was returning to Redemption always the plan?”
“Laura preferred the city, but after the accident, I couldn’t imagine raising Lukas anywhere but here,” he said.
“Funny how things work out, hey?” Staring into her coffee mug, Allie gave a quick smile. “I couldn’t wait to leave after high school. Then I couldn’t wait to get back.”
They had a lot in common, proving his gut instincts about liking her had never been wrong, despite the nearly impossible feat of breaching her defenses. Still, he had questions that needed answers. With how well the evening had gone, he hesitated to turn the conversation to the doubts lingering in the back of his mind.
Common sense said better now than later. For him and Lukas. His son brought Allie up every day in some way or another.
Allie leaned forward to set her mug on the tray, then took his when he would’ve sat up to face the inevitable. She settled right back onto the couch against his side and the radio filled the silence that fell between them. He was trying to figure out how to voice his first question when he heard and felt Allie’s soft sigh.
“I hate to do this,” she said toward her hands. “But I have to ask you a serious question.”
It wasn’t the first time that night their thoughts had run parallel. Yet another sign the two of them together was as right as it felt. He shifted to put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. “Shoot.”
“I was pretty rude to you the past couple years.”
“That seems more like a confession than a question.”
“Kind of, I guess. So, why’d you even ask me to dinner?”
He hesitated before deciding life wa
s too short, and now that they’d made progress, he didn’t want to play games. “I like you, Allie. I always have. And I hoped, if you had a chance to get to know me again, that you’d see I’m not so bad. Of course, I didn’t realize I was paying for what I’d done in high school the past two years,” he teased.
Her smile was sheepish as she looked up at him. “You want to hear another confession?”
“Only if it’s a good one.”
“I’ve liked you since the fifth grade.”
He smiled even as a frown drew his eyebrows together. “But you don’t want to.”
“Didn’t want to is more like it.” Her hazel gaze remained locked with his. “I’ve changed my mind.”
Bending his head to close the inches separating their lips, he whispered, “I’m glad.”
She met his kiss without reservation, linking her hands behind his head for leverage while sliding up against him, chest to chest. He wanted to lose himself in her and just enjoy the moment, but with major effort, he forced himself to pull back and meet her gaze.
There was still one question on the edge of his consciousness too important to ignore.
Chapter 12
Ready for the part of the evening she’d been anticipating since he picked her up for dinner, Allie felt her stomach give an uneasy lurch at the look on Rick’s face.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “but I have to ask, why?”
Trying to switch the mood again, she quipped, “Don’t you know? You’re irresistible.”
She restarted the kiss, only to have him gently twist free with the first touch of her tongue. “I’m serious, Allie. There’s something going on that I just can’t put my finger on.”
She shifted her gaze. Damn. Why did she have to go and get serious in the first place? The apology could’ve waited for another time.
“Where we are right now is a far cry from a week ago—which is great, don’t get me wrong,” he assured her with a cute little grin. “It’s just…well, it’s seems like it’s more than high school. You say you’ve changed your mind, but this morning at the coffee shop, for a split second when you first saw me, you looked like you still wanted to bolt in the opposite direction.”
Head bent, she pushed up to put some distance between them, unsure of what to say. She wasn’t ready to tell him what she hadn’t even been able to reveal to her parents when they’d had lunch. Sure, she’d decided to quit running, and she’d acknowledged that Rick and Lukas might just be the brand new day in her barren life picture, but it had only been that morning. She still needed some time to get used to the whole idea.
If only they could go back to the kissing. Although, that hadn’t been enough to distract him, stubborn as he was. And hadn’t she experienced his persistence since he’d returned to Redemption?
Rick shifted to face her on the couch, grasping both her hands and holding them on his knees. “Help me out here. I’m just trying to understand because I want this to work between us. You said it wasn’t Lukas—”
“It isn’t.” She lifted her head to face him, needing him to know that was the truth.
“But somehow it’s connected to him. I saw it in your face the other night; I saw the tears in your eyes.”
They pricked her lids now and she had a hard time swallowing. She hadn’t expected this conversation with him tonight. Reminding herself of what she could have, she took a deep breath and tried to be as honest as possible.
“I know I’ve done a complete one-eighty, and it must seem pretty strange, but believe me when I say it’s not Lukas. He’s an amazing kid. As far as the rest of it…you’re right, it’s more than high school, but it’s me, not you.”
She held up a hand when he started to speak. “I have a few things to work through, but I have to do it myself. All I can say is, if you can be patient with me, I promise it’ll be worth the wait.”
He seemed hesitant, even though a smile tugged at his lips. “I don’t doubt that for a second.” And then he captured her hand and lifted it to his mouth. “I’ve waited this long, Allie, I can wait as long as you need me to. And the good thing is, I’ve perfected patience. How do you think I handle being a single parent?”
His lips on her palm, coupled with his husky words, sent heat spiraling through Allie. “Very impressively.”
“Well, I do have a lot of help from my mom.”
“I saw her at the park with Lukas a few times this fall, and she enjoys every minute.” A soft smile accompanied the memory.
His head tilted slightly to the side as he lowered their hands. “So you’re really okay with me and Lukas being a package deal?”
Still smiling, she nodded, though a slight unsteadiness in the movement made it less convincing. It wasn’t on purpose, just a knee-jerk reaction she couldn’t control yet. One of those things she’d have to work on.
Rick’s jaw tightened and doubt crept into his eyes, darkening them to almost black. Panic gripped her. Only instead of being scared to face him, she was suddenly afraid of him turning away and shattering the fragile, frost-laden branches of her newfound hope before they could completely thaw and strengthen. She needed his warmth.
Pretending she didn’t notice his expression, she rose up and swung her leg over to straddle his lap. His hands lifted in surprise, then dropped to rest on her thighs.
“If we’re done being serious…” She crisscrossed her arms to grasp the hem of her black sweater and took a deep breath. “How about you show me how you handle this.”
Allie stripped her sweater over her head and dropped it on the floor. Rick stared, pupils dilated. His fingers splayed on her legs before tightening ever so slightly. He blinked, swallowed, and raised his smoldering gaze. The look in his eyes made her so very glad she’d searched for her sheer, black lace bra.
“What—” he cleared his throat “—happened to patience? And worth the wait?”
“I wasn’t talking about sex.”
His chest expanded as his gaze followed her hand to the front clasp of her bra. “Then what were you…ah…referring to?”
One twist of her fingers and the clasp came undone. She held onto the edges of the lace and asked, “You really want to get into that now?”
The light skim of his fingers over her ribcage made her suck in a breath of her own. His thumbs eased beneath the edges of her bra to brush the undersides of her breasts. He smiled and pulled her forward. “Later’s good, too.”
She let go of her bra as he captured her mouth with his. Sensation rocked through her with the passion of his mouth and the heat of his hands as he cupped her breasts. When she pressed down onto his lap, he groaned, tearing his lips from hers.
“God, Allie, we’re moving a little fast here.”
“Are you complaining?”
“No, but…I meant it when I said you deserve better than this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“At Rowdy’s? The easy lay comment that came out all wrong?” he reminded with a grimace.
“Oh, yeah, that’s right.” She put some space between them, sitting on his thighs. “I could’ve smacked you for that.”
He leaned his head back against the couch, his gaze fixed on her breasts. “I told you why I said it. And I apologized.”
“I still wanted to smack you.”
His gaze rose. He tilted his chin and his head to offer his cheek. She leaned forward to kiss the stubble shadowing his jaw before angling her head to cover his mouth with hers again. His arms closed around her, his large, warm hands caressing the bare skin of her back.
A couple minutes later, he moaned against her mouth. “Damn it. I’m not prepared.”
She slid a hand down his chest, skimmed the taught muscles of his stomach, and started across the worn fabric of his jeans. “I’m sure we can fix that.”
Rick caught her hand before she could accurately judge just how unprepared he was.
“I meant, I didn’t plan for this. At all.”
Allie paused, then couldn’t he
lp a low laugh. For the first time ever, her curse was a blessing. “First of all, you were right the other night, I did deserve better. And second, the fact that you didn’t plan this is exactly what’s going to score you a touchdown tonight.”
“But—”
“I won’t get pregnant.” Can’t was more accurate, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. “And I’m healthy. Um, it’s actually been a couple years. You?”
“There’s been no one since Laura.”
Allie laid a hand on either side of his face and kissed him softly, offering herself for whatever he wanted. He didn’t rush, didn’t even deepen the kiss for almost a full minute. And then he looked long and hard into her eyes.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes,” she answered without hesitation.
“In that case, hang on.”
Rick rose to his feet, lifting her at the same time. She wrapped her legs around his hips as he carried her down the hall to his room.
Kneeling on the king-sized bed as he stood before her, she stripped off his shirt and leaned back to run her hands over his bare chest. Yeah, she acknowledged silently with a smile, a certain shirtless movie star would have major competition on the streets of Redemption.
“What?” Rick asked.
She looked up as she slid her hands down to the waistband of his jeans. “Don’t ever walk around town half naked.”
“That bad?”
“That good.” Button undone, Allie eased his zipper past his erection.
Rick sucked in a breath and leaned in for a kiss. Her world became a series of sensations strung together as he laid her back on the bed and trailed his lips along her neck down to her breasts. His mouth closed over her sensitive skin. The flick of his tongue against her nipple tugged an invisible link to her core, then he sucked hard as his hand gently squeezed her other breast.
Allie arched off the bed with an involuntary moan of pleasure. When he switched sides, she threaded her fingers through his hair, not sure if she intended to hold him there or drag him back up for another kiss. Before she could decide, he skimmed a hand down across her stomach and unfastened her jeans.
Welcome To Redemption: Series Collection (Books 1-6) Page 53