“You are a great skier,” she said.
“I’ve been doing it since I was Nina’s age, so I’ve had lots of practice.”
“You want to come into the café, because I’ve ordered us two hot chocolates with whipped cream?”
He removed his gloves and stepped out of the skis.
“That sounds too hard to resist.”
In fact, a bit like you.
****
If only she had a guy like Cole around the inn. She watched as he lit the logs in the main fireplace on the first attempt.
“The key is to get the kindling fired up nicely before you put a large log on top,” he said.
Both of them put their palms toward the flames.
“Nothing more welcoming than a roaring fire,” said Cole.
“Yeah, even if I only have the one guest who’s had to light it.”
“You mind if I sit and read my book here instead of up in the room?” asked Cole.
“You’re the paying guest, so treat it like your home.”
Hayley straightened up the travel brochures at reception as Cole returned and sat in the armchair, crossed his leg so his ankle was resting on his knee, and dived into his book.
“Can I get you anything to drink or even some popcorn?”
“Only if you’ll join me.”
Ten minutes later, Hayley had returned with a bowl of buttered popcorn and two sodas.
She sat down on the chair opposite Cole, loving the warmth of the fire on her cheeks.
“So how far do you have to drive to work?” she asked him.
“It’ll be about forty minutes from here.”
She nodded, scooping up a handful of popcorn and popping a piece into her mouth. “Have you always been a cowboy?”
“Cowboy…I like the sound of that. Yeah, I guess I have. My father and grandfather before me. I thought about buying a ranch but Amanda, that’s my late wife, wasn’t really the ranch sort of girl.”
“Seems like you’ve done a wonderful job for with your children.”
He nodded. “They’re great kids and I have three sisters who have been a big help to me. You have siblings?”
She nodded. “One older brother and a younger sister.”
“And you never thought of going home after you and your fiancé parted company?”
“I did but I guess I like it here now. I’ve told myself I’ll give it to Valentine’s Day and then I’ll have to think about selling it or trying to get a new partner.”
“Things will work out.”
She nodded.
“Well, I’m feeling heavy eyed and I have to be up around six, so I think I’ll head up to bed.”
They both stood at the same time and knocked the bowl of popcorn over, spilling the remaining kernels on the carpet.
They both dived down, hitting one another’s heads in the process.
They rubbed them and laughed. She could smell the popcorn he’d eaten on his breath, he was that close. They looked at one another in the same way as they had on the slope earlier that day.
He kissed her again. This time letting his lips linger on hers. They put their arms around one another and pulled their bodies close together. He had an erection, which made her pussy pull in a way it hadn’t in a very long time. Was this it? Had they crossed a hurdle?
Chapter Twelve
That had been stupid.
Not the kissing Hayley again part. But kissing her and then knowing you were heading up to bed to catch some shuteye because you had to be up at the crack of dawn to earn your living.
His libido was in overdrive. His cock so hard, it hurt. Cole eased the zipper down on his jeans, sucking in his breath with each tiny movement.
Shit, it made his eyes water.
He tugged the pants down his hips and kicked them off his feet. Good thing he’d worn boxers, because they gave his dick some room. It throbbed and ached as he slid the underwear from his body.
A bubble of pre-cum clung to his head.
“Yeah, it’s been a long time since you got any use.”
He stroked his shaft, hoping the room didn’t have hidden cameras and he’d been caught talking to his penis. He’d never done that before. Well, not since he was a teenager and had his first hard-on.
A shower was what he needed. He took off his socks and headed into the bathroom, each step becoming a little more uncomfortable. The erection wasn’t going away anytime soon. Maybe standing under running cold water might help.
Cole slid the curtain back and ran the water for a few minutes before getting into the shower. He let the water splash on his face as he pushed his hair back and then turned around and allowed it to play on his back. For one crazy moment he wondered what it would be like to shower with Hayley by his side.
Yeah, like that’s going to help get rid of your erection.
He imagined that her breasts were full, would feel heavy in his hands, their nipples pink and hard in his mouth.
Without realizing it he was stroking his cock. Not that he hadn’t masturbated since he’d become a widower. Yes, he’d done that a lot, but tonight the image he saw wasn’t of his late wife, but the woman he’d left sitting downstairs.
His hand moved faster over his shaft. He remembered what it felt like to be inside a woman. What would it be like to be deep within the walls of Hayley’s pussy?
He was being a bad boy, but a man could only be good for so long. Every male had his breaking point, and he guessed Hayley was his.
Putting his free hand on the wall of the shower, he moved the other one faster up and down his dick.
Mmm, felt so good, especially when he was thinking about Hayley naked, legs wide apart…
Oh man, that’s all it took for him to find release. He rested his forehead on the cool tiles lining the bath. Phew, that had been good, but he couldn’t do that sort of thing for very much longer. Sooner or later he was going to want the real thing.
****
Hayley was frustrated.
Cole was sending her mixed signals yet again. Why did men always seem to do that?
She dusted the same spot on the desk for the third time. She was emotionally spent, and sexually frustrated too. When he’d kissed her, her pussy experienced that oh so familiar pull that said sex now, please. She wanted him, and only him. She thought he’d carry her upstairs and make love to her.
Okay the carrying her up the stairs had been a little wild, but his erection gave him away. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.
She’d heard the shower running about ten minutes ago. His room was directly above the reception area. She should think about taking a cold shower, too.
Picking up the duster again, she realized she’d polished the same spot again. The veneer would disappear if she kept this up. She tapped the desk instead. She’d known plenty of women who’d think nothing of marching straight up to his room, knocking on the door, pushing him back until he fell on the bed, and then proceeding to seduce him.
She wasn’t that sort of woman.
Damn.
Maybe she’d go bake some cookies. Sadie had e-mailed her the recipe from the ex-client she’d mentioned while she’d be staying here.
Hayley went to her e-mail and hit print. She carried the recipe into kitchen and sat it down. Gen’s Famous Chocolate Chip cookies. Flour, brown sugar, butter, chocolate chip cookies, preferably 60 percent cocoa, walnuts, eggs, and add lots of loving as you mix the batter.
These goodies are the true way to a man’s heart, Sadie had added at the bottom.
Well we’ll see about that.
****
Cole didn’t need an alarm clock to wake him the following morning. He could smell breakfast cooking again. He hoped that Hayley hadn’t gone to any trouble to get up early or prepare something just for him. Still he wouldn’t complain, because a guy could get use to this sort of thing.
He got out of bed and stretched his arms in the air. He walked to the window and looked out. By the look of the ice and
frost on the trees he was guessing it was cold out there and the sort of day when you’d rather be curled up in bed for a few more hours.
Once he’d shaved, showered, and put on his work clothes, he headed downstairs. The smell of sausages got stronger with each step he took. He turned the corner to see Hayley setting the table.
“Good morning,” he said.
“Morning. Did you sleep okay?”
“One of the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time.”
Probably jerking off helped big time.
“I hope you didn’t go to any trouble with breakfast on my account,” he said.
“You’re a paying guest.”
“Yeah, but I’m probably up earlier than people who are simply vacationing here.”
“It doesn’t matter because I get up early. Now if you want to sit down I have eggs, sausage, and hash browns for you.”
His mouth watered just thinking about it. He pulled out the chair and sat while Hayley went into the kitchen and came out with a plate overflowing with food.
“This should chase away the cold from your day. I take it you work outside a lot,” she said, placing it in front of him.
He nodded. “Today I’m moving cattle from one pasture to another.”
“Wow, do you have to rope them too?”
“Not usually but you can get the odd one not wanting to move to new land.”
“I baked some chocolate chip cookies last night. You want to take some for a snack?”
“You baked cookies last night? After I went to bed?”
Hayley nodded. “A recipe from a friend of someone who recently stayed here.”
“Okay, Betty Crocker, if you have some spare, I’d love some.”
Hayley smiled as he took his first bite. A great combination to start the work week.
****
She should really lock these cookies in the safe. She hadn’t been able to stop eating them, and was glad she’d given half a dozen of them to Cole. Hayley looked at the plate again. Only two remaining. Okay, eat them and don’t make another batch until right before Christmas.
Biting into one, she let the chocolate melt on her tongue. Maybe this was a poor substitution for sex. Sex didn’t make you gain weight, these goodies surely did.
Whoever Gen was she should think about marketing these babies. Maybe she’d get her phone number and tell her.
Not giving it another thought, Hayley picked up the last of the cookies. A moment on the lips; forever on the hips.
Shit, these were almost orgasmic. And no, they weren’t a substitute. For some reason they were making her want sex even more. Not just sex with anyone, but only Cole.
She wondered what time he got home from work. If the effects of these baked goods hadn’t worn off by then, she was going to grab him and make love to him on the reception floor.
****
He’d always had a sweet tooth, but nothing this bad. The last of the chocolate chip cookies sat staring back at him. He sipped more of his coffee and finally gave in, nibbled at the edge of a cookie, and then quickly devoured the rest of it.
Wiping his mouth with the back of his hands, he felt somewhat guilty. But like Hayley they’d been hard to resist. Maybe it was because they’d been made by her.
Strange thing was he wanted her more than ever. A way to man’s heart…
He sipped more coffee, knowing his mid-afternoon break would soon be over. He wanted her to spend the night in his bed. Well, technically it would be hers as she owned the inn. He laughed at himself for overthinking everything. He could sleep with her without them dating, but he wasn’t that sort of guy. But could he date again? He’d vowed never to.
Thumping the wood beam where he was standing, he noticed a few stray chocolate chips sitting at the bottom of the bag Hayley had wrapped the cookies in.
He reached in and then popped them into his mouth, letting them melt over his tongue. Even the chocolate tasted like it had been made in heaven.
“You okay?”
He hadn’t seen another one of the ranch hands walking up beside him.
“Yes, why?”
“You seem miles away.”
“Just thinking about something important.”
****
Hayley was in the office working on the flyers for the Christmas afternoon tea event when she heard the bell over the front sound. She walked out to see Cole coming in.
While she was disappointed it wasn’t a potential guest, she was more than pleased to see him. He looked like the perfect cowboy in his jacket, hat, and boots.
“So what have you been up to today?” he asked.
“I’m trying to arrange a Christmas themed afternoon tea for the inn.”
“I’ve got a tip, serve those cookies. They were the best thing I’ve ever tasted, and I ate them all.”
So she hadn’t been the only one.
“Great idea. Now all I need to do is advertise and find someone to play Santa.”
“I can do it.”
“You can?”
He nodded. “The fire department will probably let me borrow the outfit they use for fundraisers.”
“Are you sure?”
“You’ve been a gracious host to me and my kids, so it’s the least I could do.”
“Thank you.”
“Now I’m going upstairs to change out of these messy work clothes, take a shower, and then…” He stopped for a few seconds before asking, “You want to go out to get something to eat with me?”
He’d done this before with the skiing and she wanted to get it straight what was happening here.
“Is this going to be a date?”
“Do you want it to be?”
She nodded.
“Guess that’s what it’s going to be then.”
Chapter Thirteen
Once they were inside and eating, Cole knew he’d done the wrong thing. He’d brought her to the Outlaw Grill and Bar. Not that it didn’t have the best burgers in town, but it had been his and Amanda’s hangout. Their own sanctuary when they’d wanted some us time away from the kids.
He’d also forgotten that Monday night featured live music and dancing. Not the best of places to take a date so you could have a nice leisurely chat.
“How’s your burger?” he asked.
“It’s cooked to perfection. And I love these fries.”
She picked one up and whirled it around in the BBQ sauce. They and the sauce had been Amanda’s craving both times she’d been pregnant. Happy days and happy times. He swallowed the sudden lump forming in his throat.
Don’t go there.
“So you grew up in Casper?” she asked him, her voice getting louder to compete with the guitar player who was doing his solo piece now.
He nodded. “Fourth generation.”
After Amanda’s death, he’d thought about moving, taking the kids and getting as far away from Wyoming as they could, but he knew that would be wrong. This was home, and it was where he and Amanda had planned to raise their children and grow old together.
Don’t go there.
“You want to dance once we’re done eating? I mean that is if you like dancing.”
“One of my favorite things to do.”
It had been Amanda’s, too.
****
Hayley hadn’t had this much fun since… It had been such a long time that she couldn’t even remember. Her former fiancé had hated to dance. She’d only just realized that. Maybe they hadn’t been as compatible as she’d once imagined.
Cole spun her around to the music. She wasn’t sure of the steps, but she watched everyone else and simply copied them.
They hadn’t left the dance floor for three songs and now the beat slowed down and couples were moving together, their arms wrapped tightly around one another. At first she thought Cole would suggest they sit this one out by diplomatically saying they needed to get their breath back, but he didn’t.
He held out his hands to her, and Hayley took three steps tow
ard him. He slipped his arms around her waist while she put hers around his neck. Their bodies met. His was warm and welcoming. He smelled good. Spicy aftershave clung to both his skin and the collar of his denim shirt. Hayley took a deep breath so she could take in more of it. Almost intoxicating. They moved slowly around the floor.
He had an erection, and it pressed against her belly, causing her panties to grow a tad damp, and her pussy pulled like it had the night before. She rested her head on his shoulder, almost forgetting there were other people milling around them. Cole hugged her closer, brushing his lips against the one piece of exposed skin by the edge of her turtle neck sweater.
She wanted to suggest they leave now. She couldn’t take much more of this foreplay that had been going on between them since he arrived at the inn. It was clear they both wanted the same thing.
The music stopped and the band announced it was going on a ten minute break.
“You want to continue dancing back at the inn?” he asked.
****
For some reason the ride back seemed to take twice as long as the journey to the bar. When they got to the front door of the inn, it was snowing again. Hayley said goodnight to Mrs. Davies, who filled in for her whenever she needed some time away from the inn. Cole hovered by the reception desk.
Once Mrs. Davies was gone, neither of them said anything, but Cole pulled Hayley in close and kissed her. He held her face between his hands.
“I have to be perfectly honest with you. I haven’t been with a woman since my wife died, so my lovemaking skills might be rusty.”
She smiled. So they were going to have sex.
“And I haven’t had sex since I kicked my fiancé out that door,” she added, hoping that would put him more at ease.
He rubbed his nose against hers.
“Guess we’ll be like a couple of virgins,” he said.
He got hold of her hand and led her up the stairs, but then stopped. “I just remembered I don’t have condoms,”
“I have some,” said Hayley.
He winked at her and then they continued up the stairs, along the hallway, and into his room.
He flipped on the light by the bedside table. Both of them removed their coats and shoes and then met in the middle of the floor.
Promises to Keep Page 7