“Anything I can do for the kids.” Zane shrugged. “I’m thinking about starting a foundation in Ashley’s memory. Figuring to donate the profits from the song and then a percentage of profits from the CD to get it off the ground.”
“That’s awfully generous of you,” Rose said.
“It’s the least I can do. Make something positive out of what happened.”
“Definitely.” She looked distracted for a moment. “You know, Mr. Gunther—”
“Please call me Zane.”
“All right, Zane. I just got a really crazy idea.”
Austin looked at her. “Sometimes those can be good. Maybe. What are you thinking?”
“If you really want to get the foundation up and running with sales from a CD you need advance publicity.”
“The look on your face says you’ve got a suggestion for that,” Austin said.
“I do.” Her blue eyes sparkled with excitement. “What about a concert?”
“First off, there needs to be a venue,” Zane pointed out.
“What about the fairgrounds?” Austin said. “It’s an indoor arena. It’s not being used Christmas Day. I bet we could get them to donate it for the good PR alone.”
“What a great idea.” Rose looked at him as if he’d hung the moon.
“That’s a tall order in a short time.” Zane looked from one to the other.
“It can be done.” Enthusiasm brimmed in Rose’s eyes. “I can help with the publicity. There’s no doubt in my mind that Mayor Clifton will get behind it. With his connections and endorsement, I’ll have the green light to use contacts through his office to get the word out. Mobilize volunteers to sell tickets. Advertise on the radio. Get a story out to the local TV affiliate.”
“We can help, too,” Emma said. “Christmas vacation starts soon and we’ll have time to get fliers out all over town.”
“Before school gets out,” Cal interjected, “we can spread the word. Lori, you’re teacher’s pet, right?”
“You’re such a toad.” The brown-eyed brunette huffed out a breath. “I’m involved with student council. And I can see where he’s going with this. If we make an announcement at school, we can let a lot of people know.”
Zane looked at the kids and grinned. “You guys are awesome. I like it.”
“Okay,” Rose said. “We need to get the okay from the venue and go from there.”
Austin looked at the man who’d been to hell and back. If the love of a good woman had lifted the weight, the generous heart of another woman was heaving it clear of him. Rose Traub was something else. Enthusiastic. Smart. Funny. Straightforward, and yes, stubborn. Definitely the total package, inside and out.
It had been a long time since he’d felt this kind of pull. The strength of the attraction made him put on the brakes and really think about this. Maybe it was just as well she wasn’t into him. He was all for fun; anything more was a risk. But she’d said straight out that she wanted it all. Past humiliation made him cautious of giving it all. Besides, she’d made no bones about being hung up on the age thing.
There was no harm that he could see in enjoying her company. Getting the redhead going was more fun than he’d had in a long time. She didn’t know it yet, but he planned to get her going as much as possible.
In Austin’s opinion she was thinking too much. If he could get her to let her guard down, they could have a good time together.
No strings attached.
Chapter Five
Rose couldn’t believe she’d just met Zane Gunther. He was one of her favorite singers and she was going to help him with a Christmas concert. These teens were amazing, she thought, looking at the five remarkable young people she’d just met. They’d enthusiastically jumped right in to help. The warm feeling stealing over her was convincing proof, yet again, that she’d made the right decision in moving to Thunder Canyon, even if her love life wasn’t as successful as she’d hoped.
Watching Zane play guitar while the kids sang along, she stood shoulder to shoulder with Austin. The manly, spicy scent of him fanned the flames of that warm feeling into something else. Something off limits.
It was way past time to get the heck out of here.
Rose touched his arm and angled her thumb toward the door behind her. “I have to go. Work to do before heading home. I wasn’t kidding about the mayor’s Christmas cards.”
“I’ll walk you back. What?” he said at her look. “I wasn’t kidding about helping you with them. Besides, it’s dark outside.”
“Oh, please. This is Thunder Canyon. The town hall is only a couple of blocks. What could happen?”
“Famous last words.” His dark eyes were teasing. “Just before the serial killer grabs the unsuspecting plucky heroine off the street.”
“So I’m being stalked by a deranged lunatic and that’s why you have to walk with me?” She shook her head. “You can do better than that.”
He thought for a moment. “No, I really can’t. And I don’t need an excuse. I’m not letting you walk by yourself, so get over it.”
“But you’ve got all these kids here.”
He glanced at the group, gathered around Zane. “They’ve got a superstar singer. Do you really think they’re going to care? They wouldn’t notice me unless I was bleeding or on fire. Maybe not even then. Give me a sec.”
Rose watched him speak quietly to the singer who grinned and nodded.
“You kids tired of me yet?” Zane asked.
When the teens answered “never” and “no way,” Cal put two fingers to his mouth and whistled loud enough to shatter glass. Austin looked at her and his expression was somewhere between I-told-you-so and you’re-stuck-with-me.
Stuck. Right. Maybe if he was Harvey French. She shuddered and Austin noticed.
“Are you cold?” he asked. “I can drive you back to your office—”
“I’m fine. It’s a nice night.”
A night for huddling and snuggling and sharing body heat if… Sometimes she really hated “if.”
Austin grabbed his sheepskin-lined jacket from the back room, then joined her by the door. He took her coat and held it while she slid her arms into the sleeves. The courtly gesture set off the best kind of shivers and when he settled his big hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently, she wanted to sigh and close her eyes. But she had to keep them wide open and free of stars.
“Ready?” he asked.
Not even close, but she said, “All set.”
When Rose and Austin walked outside, strains of the song “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” filled the room behind them, then grew fainter as they turned up Main Street. Austin moved around her and made sure he walked on the outside of the wooden sidewalk, closest to the street. Be still my heart, she thought. And she was begging here.
Rose zipped her jacket up against the cold because there wasn’t going to be any snuggling or cuddling to keep her warm. Then she slid her hands into her pockets and gripped the mittens stashed there. If her arm brushed Austin’s, it would be tempting to link her fingers with his, and hard to believe she was that comfortable with a man she’d known only a short time.
They strolled down Main Street without touching, but at Nugget Way he put his palm at the small of her back, guiding her across the street. She swore the warmth of his touch burned through every layer of clothing she had on.
Say something, she thought. Break the spell.
“I really like that the town has kept the Western flavor.” Better a stupid statement than the charged silence arcing between them. She glanced up. “This cover over the wooden sidewalk makes me want to play gunslinger and the schoolmarm.”
When Austin laughed, the cold turned his breath into a cloud. “I’d be pleased to audition for the gunslinger role.”
She wasn’t taking the bait. “Seriously, can’t you just picture this place over a hundred years ago? Wagons rolling up and down. The creak of leather from saddles. People on horseback.”
“Animal waste in t
he street,” he said drily.
“You have no romance in your soul, Austin.” She was pretty sure just the opposite was true.
“I’m just practical,” he defended. “It’s an engineer thing. Take the town hall, for instance.” They were approaching the building. “The stone facade is original, but the other three walls are made of brick to replace the wooden part that burned in a fire. Practical.”
“Yes, but the front was preserved and keeps the feel of those days gone by. Inside, too.”
She fit her key into the main door as it was after hours and everyone with an actual life had gone home. In addition to the mayor and his staff, the building housed the DMV and court. In the reception room the floor was made of old, well-polished wood. A desk sat in the center for Rhonda Culpepper who answered questions and directed people where to go. To the left, just inside the double-door entry, there was a stairway with wooden spindles, tread and handrail leading up to the second floor. On the opposite side of the foyer there was an elevator for general accessibility.
“I always take the stairs up to my office,” she said.
“It shows. You’re in good shape.”
She turned and found him looking at her legs. His shrug told her he didn’t mind at all that she’d caught him staring. And she didn’t mind that he liked what he was staring at. She was so going to hell.
On the second floor there was a landing that opened to a wood floor, walls and a big open ballroom with built-in wooden benches along the sides. In the middle of the floor there were stacks of boxes marked “X-mas.”
“The housekeeping staff pulled that stuff out of storage. We’ve got volunteers scheduled to come in all week to put up the holiday decorations for the annual children’s party on Saturday. Santa will be here,” she explained. “My office is down this hall, next to my boss’s.”
She led the way and their footsteps echoed on the floor. Just beyond the door marked Mayor Bo Clifton, Rose turned the brass knob and opened the door to her work area.
“Here it is.”
Austin looked around and she tried to see it through his eyes. The walls held framed black-and-white photos of Thunder Canyon from fledgling frontier town to current day. She’d hung Traub family pictures around, too, even one of the father she’d never known. It was obvious where her brothers had come by their good looks.
Her desk and computer were in the center of the room with filing cabinets behind it. On the flat surface was a stack of cards and envelopes that she’d arranged before going to ROOTS to deliver the good news. Maybe part of her had hoped Austin would be there and another part had been procrastinating. She’d offered to do this for the mayor, but it was going to be a tedious job. She sneaked a look at Austin and thought, maybe not as tedious now. At least the view was good.
“Let’s get started.” Austin shrugged out of his jacket and put it on one of the wooden chairs in front of the desk. “So what do you want me to do?”
Oh, boy, was that a loaded question. She swallowed once, then said, “Do you want to stuff or lick?”
He didn’t comment on the suggestive wording, but his wide grin said he hadn’t missed it.
“What I meant to say… The cards are all personally signed by the mayor and the envelopes are addressed. We just have to put them inside and seal the flap.”
“I actually knew what you meant. I’m an engineer,” he said again.
“Oh, good. So I don’t have to show you a diagram, schematic or use visual aids.”
“No, but you’re pretty funny. I like that.”
The compliment started her glowing like the star on top of a Christmas tree. “You’re pretty funny, too. But the real question is, are you all flash and no substance? Do you know your way around Christmas card preparation?”
“I think I can handle it. Let’s get this job done.”
Her sentiments exactly because the more time she spent with him, the harder it was to think straight. “You really don’t need to help. It’s way beneath your pay grade.”
“Yours, too. But if you can do it, so can I. We’ll get it done in half the time.” He walked to the desk and picked up a card and envelope. “I’ll stuff.”
“By process of elimination, I’ll seal.”
He met her gaze and she swore his settled on her mouth and somehow she knew he was thinking about licking. She ignored the tingles dancing through her and moved beside him. They went to work and quickly got a rhythm going. It wasn’t long before she wished for an alternative source to moisten the glue on the envelope flaps. Taking a breather, she arranged the cards ready to go in the lid to a box of computer paper.
“You’re falling behind,” he challenged.
“It’s called a break. I’m running out of spit.”
The words hung in the air between them. Their arms were a millimeter apart and she could almost feel him go completely still. Austin looked down at her and she looked up at him. It seemed like time stopped. Then suddenly he moved and his mouth was on hers.
His lips were soft, seeking and he smelled so good. The voice in her head said back away now and no one will get hurt. It was good advice, but there was one problem. Her hormones were having too good a time to listen. Before the thought completely formed in her mind, her hands were sliding up over his chest and around his neck. And he kept kissing her while pulling her snugly against him.
The touch of his mouth, the width of his shoulders, the feel of his hard body to her softer one was so good. Pressing as close as she could get with clothes on, she immersed herself in the spicy, crisp scent of him that was comforting in its masculinity. Why did he have to smell so darn good? She had the strangest feeling that she belonged right here.
She opened her mouth and he instantly accepted the invitation and slipped inside. Their tongues darted and danced, a tempting duel that whirled and tumbled her already-spinning senses. The contact fired up friction in every nerve ending in her body. He nipped her bottom lip, then sucked, producing a sensation that was pure pleasure and handfuls of heaven.
Then he pulled back and whispered, “You taste like a Christmas card.”
The ragged tone sent her breathing from zero to sixty in half a heartbeat and she cupped his cheek in her hand. The skin was scratchy from his five o’clock shadow and her palm tingled. She’d tried so hard to tell herself that he was hardly more than a boy, but this kiss was all man.
And she wanted him.
It was tempting to ignore the voice inside saying this was fifty kinds of wrong, but now she did listen. Breathing hard, she backed away.
Say something, she thought. Something to let him know she hadn’t meant it even though she had.
She swallowed hard. “Break is over. I need to finish up these cards. Gotta get home. Don’t want anyone to see us and mistake this for a date.”
How stupid did that sound? He’d kissed her, for Pete’s sake and she’d kissed him back. Technically she hadn’t violated the terms of the bet, but at the very least what she’d done breached it in spirit.
“Right, and I have to get back to ROOTS.” Austin blew out a breath and ran a shaking hand through his hair. “So are you going to DJ’s tomorrow to help with the Holiday Presents for Patriots project, the gift boxes going to military personnel overseas?”
She licked an envelope but couldn’t look at him. “I signed the volunteer list.”
“Then I’ll see you there,” he said, eyes twinkling. “But it’s not a date.”
Maybe not, but he’d seemed very interested in her answer. She couldn’t believe how worried she’d been about touching him on the walk over here. A kiss had not been on her radar. She hadn’t seen it coming and now couldn’t make the memory go away. Once you’d been ohmigod kissed by Austin Anderson, there was no way to un-kiss him.
Even more troubling, there was no way to not want more.
Rose left work at five-thirty the next evening and drove to the Thunder Canyon Resort where DJ’s Rib Shack was located. No matter how hard she tried not to, she
was anticipating this volunteer event more than the Thanksgiving one and that was all about Austin. She knew him much better now. Kissing had a way of doing that. Her lips tingled just thinking about him because it had been a spectacular kiss. Award-winning.
She pulled into the parking lot and knew it was time to get her focus back where it belonged. That resolve only slipped slightly when she parked beside his truck and permitted herself one last little flutter of excitement. Now it was time to make sure the media she’d arranged was in place. This was a holiday effort for soldiers serving their country, a noble undertaking. But sometimes they also served who stayed behind and DJ was doing that.
After getting out of the car, she spotted the van with the logo for the local television affiliate and a banner for the radio station. The producer she’d talked to said they would broadcast live inside. Both would give her cousin’s restaurant some positive publicity for a change. With all the wonky rivalry stuff between the Rib Shack and Lipsmackin’ Ribs, DJ could use some good press.
She walked in the back door and checked out what was going on. Her cousin had closed the restaurant for the evening and she’d made it clear to both media producers what a big gesture that was. The wooden chairs that normally held customers were pushed against the walls beneath sepia-toned pictures of cowboys, ranches and a hand-painted mural showcasing the town’s history. Long wooden tables, where families normally sat, were pushed together.
Volunteers—male, female, old and young—were wrapping and packing food, toiletries, gifts and books. All the items and packing supplies had been donated by Thunder Canyon businesses. Radio personality Drew Casey was sitting with a microphone at a table set up in the corner and it looked like he was interviewing DJ. The film crew was moving around to the different work stations, getting lots of footage and sound bites for the six and eleven o’clock news. Everything was going as planned. Holiday Presents for Patriots was rocking the Christmas spirit.
Rose spotted Austin across the crowded room just as the reporter—Kimberly Roman—gestured to the cameraman to cut filming. When the bright lights went off, she reached up to hug him. A warm hug. Really, really friendly.
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