Oh So Nice...And Naughty

by Starla Kaye

  Chad caught his attention with another mysterious smile. Between the smiling and the amused looks he kept sending him, Sean wanted to growl at him and ask him what was going on. But he'd controlled his temper and was proud of himself. Yet he wasn't sure how much more of the weird looks and strained conversations he could take.

  "You know, Aimee, the more I think about Kandee's idea, the more I like it." Chad captured everyone's attention as well as his wife's stunned look.

  Don't ask. You don't want to know. In spite of his thoughts, Sean found himself asking, "What idea?"

  Kandee had blinked in surprise at Chad, but was now beaming. "I'm going to open a coffee shop with a bakery here in Cantonville." She focused on Aimee, who looked much like a deer caught in someone's headlights. "With Aimee as my partner and baker. She's amazing."

  He sucked in a breath and ended up choking. Danielle pounded on his back, a little more forcefully than necessary. "You're what?" She couldn't seriously be considering moving back here. He'd be running into her all the time. Hell no!

  "It's just something she's playing with right now. But she won't really pass up the new job offer she's gotten. That would be foolish." Eric looked tolerantly at Kandee, shaking his head.

  Even Sean knew what an idiotic comment the man had just made. Still he latched onto the statement, anything but thinking about her staying here. "New job offer?"

  "I'm not considering it." She sent Eric a killing look. "And I resent you thinking me foolish."

  Now the man did some backtracking. "I meant you're too skilled to open a coffee shop. It would be a complete waste of all your training, your experience."

  "You can't seriously be thinking about giving up your career." Danielle jumped into the conversation. "Cantonville is nice, I'm sure, in its little town way. But I simply can't see why either you or Sean wants to consider living here."

  "Danielle," Sean grumbled under his breath.

  She tipped up her pointy chin and countered, "I can express my opinion. Your little playmate of the moment has clearly spent years earning sufficient degrees to become a chemist. She's worked up in her field until some company has offered her an obviously important position." She drew in a breath. "And you. You've been offered a seven figure plus position with ESPN. But you're barely considering it. Unbelievable. Both of you."

  He heard Kandee's sharp intake of breath, saw the curious looks on the kids' faces, and fury engulfed him. He ignored everything but the 'playmate of the moment' remark. "Apologize," he gritted out.

  "For what?" Danielle looked confused, obviously not even realizing the stinging remark she'd made.

  Aimee leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. "For the 'playmate of the moment' statement."

  Chad's kids were watching and listening avidly now. He shoved back his chair and captured their attention. "You're done eating. I think it would be best if you go play some X-box games now. I'll help you set it up."

  They looked reluctant, but stood and left the room with their father.

  Sean felt bad about spoiling the holiday dinner, worse for bringing Danielle into the midst of this nice, normal family. Now he pushed back his own chair and stood, frowning down at her. "We're leaving."

  He pulled in a breath and glanced at Kandee. She sat rigidly, cheeks pink in embarrassment. He didn't know exactly how he felt about all that had been said, except regret. "I apologize...for everything."

  He looked to Aimee. "I apologize to you for coming here, when I know you didn't really want me to. For bringing Danielle, who has been far less than a gracious guest. And for ruining your special dinner."

  "How dare you..." Danielle started to protest, but stopped when he yanked out her chair and pulled her to her feet.

  "Don't start with me." He nudged her away from the table.

  "Call me later," Kandee said abruptly. He blinked at her in surprise as she added, "We need to talk."

  He wanted to, but he shook his head. "I don't think it's a good idea." He marched out of the room with Danielle, wishing he could have stayed here. Wishing...

  Chapter Six

  A week passed and Kandee fought every day not to go out to Sean's ranch. She wanted to talk to him about so many things, but his words 'I don't think it's a good idea' haunted her. He was probably right. From the heat in his eyes as he'd looked at her before leaving with that feline Danielle, she felt certain talking would lead to more. Nothing for the long term. He wasn't ready to think of a serious relationship with all of the chaos in his life at the moment. She, too, had chaos and decisions to make. But was there really anything wrong with their enjoying some good old lusty moments in bed? No!

  She heaved a frustrated sigh and ate a slice of toast, burnt toast. A toaster was an easy machine to operate for most people. But Aimee was right; she couldn't even make a decent piece of toast. Was this idea of a coffee shop and bakery really foolish? Should she really toss aside all the years of college and work experience--and now a potentially huge promotion in her field--to move back to Cantonville and try out her small business idea? Her parents would support her, but they would think it foolish. Just like Eric did.

  Her cell phone vibrated and buzzed on the counter nearby. It wouldn't be Sean, she could count on that. Darn him, anyway. He was so stubborn. Reluctantly she picked up the phone and groaned when she saw Eric's name. She seriously considered not answering. He kept calling her, trying to get her to come visit him in Colorado Springs. And he kept going on and on about what a great opportunity she was passing up. 'London would a wonderful place to live.' Thousands of miles from her friends here. A great, historically interesting place, yes, but not home, at least not to her. She needed to stop this budding relationship with him. They didn't see eye-to-eye on hardly anything. He might be handsome and maybe good in bed--not that she knew or would ever know--but he just didn't appeal to her the way Sean did.

  Resigned, she accepted the call. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

  "I am, but I had a few minutes between appointments. So, what did you decide about this weekend?" She heard the sounds of other people around him. He sensed that he was in a hurry.

  "I'm sorry but I'm not coming there." She pulled in a breath and pushed forward. "Actually, I don't think we can ever be more than just friends. I..." She wanted to end this, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings. He really was a decent man, just not for her.

  "It's that cowboy, isn't it? That washed up quarterback."

  She bristled. "He's not washed up. Sean was injured enough that he can't play anymore."

  "Whatever." Eric blew out a breath of clear annoyance. "You don't belong with him. Maybe not me either. And you certainly don't belong in Cantonville."

  It was easy to sense where the conversation was headed. "Don't even go there."

  Of course he ignored her warning. "How you can pass up such an opportunity? It's just nuts, this idea of opening a coffee shop. Giving up a potentially prestigious position and all that goes with it. Come on, Kandee, think realistically."

  "Eric, we're done." She hung up on him, something she'd never done to anybody before. But she didn't want to continue talking about a subject they would never agree on. Besides, it was her life and her decision, not his.

  She set the phone down and ignored the immediate return call. He would be upset with her for hanging up on him. Tough.

  Disgusted, she slid the rest of the burnt toast into the trash. Life decisions were making her stressed. She had twelve days until she had to respond to the headhunter one way or the other. The time off from her current employer was rapidly disappearing. She had thirty days until she was due back in Houston. If she was going to stay here in Cantonville, she needed to be seriously working on convincing Aimee to take a chance with her in business. She needed to talk to a real estate agent and start finding a location for the coffee shop. A time clock seemed to be pounding in her head.

  Besides all of that, men were driving her crazy. One wouldn't leave her alone; one avoided her like she had the plague
or something. The former she felt relieved at finally having ended whatever had been starting between them. The other she wanted to see in spite of how he'd been treating her.

  What was she going to do about Sean? At least she'd heard from Aimee that Danielle had gone back to New York City. Evidently she continued to call him nearly every day with more pressures about becoming a football analyst or a sports announcer. He could probably do either of those jobs. His football reputation would be a strong draw for viewers. He was sinfully good-looking and would probably even draw female viewers, especially when he knocked that chip off his shoulder and let his magnetic personality out. But she didn't think that was the life he needed anymore. And she was sure Sean didn't need the money being dangled at him. What he needed was a place to settle in, instead of a series of hotel rooms for most of the year. She'd seen in his eyes the growing pride he felt for the ranch when he talked about it. But he still lacked confidence in his abilities to run the ranch. Mostly, she figured, he was wary about such a big change in his life. He could do it, she knew he could. And he had friends here--real friends--who would support him however they could. She would support him, if he'd give her the chance. Darn stubborn cowboy.

  She finished off her coffee and put the cup in the dishwasher, thinking more about the man who'd been in her thoughts for too many years. Maybe Eric was right that she and Sean didn't belong together. Not that she wanted a future with him or any other man. She was capable of living by herself, of raising children alone. That didn't mean she wouldn't mind experiencing more sex...especially with Sean. The small taste she'd had had only wetted her appetite. She wasn't turning into a sex addict, but she wasn't ready to go completely celibate.

  Darn stubborn man. That seemed to be her quote of the day. She sighed heavily. She'd been dreaming of all kinds of wicked things she'd like to try with him. He had such a nice body to play with. Truthfully, she spent too much time thinking of those naughty thoughts and not enough time on figuring out her future. This was unacceptable. She needed to see him. Maybe after one more seriously lusty session she would be satisfied and could move on with her life.

  Her heart raced at the thought of seeing him naked again, of lying all nice and naked against him. Heat curled low in her body. Longing filled her. Okay, she was going to see him, take that first step. Second step, actually. He'd come to see her and taken the first step, which he seemed to now regret. She didn't. But she'd seen the heat in his eyes when he'd told her it wouldn't be a good idea to see each other again.

  Focus on that. Do it. Call him.

  Before she could change her mind, she picked up the cell phone. Her index finger shook a second and then she punched in Sean's number. She fidgeted, shifted from foot to foot as she leaned against the counter. Pick up! Come on. Pick up.

  It rang six times before he finally answered, sounding out of breath and annoyed. "Sean Masters."

  Relief poured through her. "We need to see each other and don't even try to give me another excuse. We need to do this." She blurted it out with grim determination. Now she held her breath waiting to be shot down.

  He didn't disappoint her. "No."

  "Just 'no'?" She pinched her lips in annoyance.

  "You said you didn't want an excuse. So there it is: just no." He sounded strained. "I'm busy. I need to go."

  All of her focus on wanting to see him, wanting more time spent heating up the sheets, disappeared. She sensed there was more to his tenseness than just about her calling him. "What's wrong?"

  He was silent a few seconds and she could hear his deep breaths, sense the frustration thrumming through him. Finally he said, "Anything and everything."

  He sounded so defeated. It tore at her. She realized she honestly cared about him. "Tell me."

  "Let's just go with I'm a failure. As a quarterback. As a rancher." He grumbled a colorful curse. "I've got to go. Really."

  "No, wait..." But he'd already disconnected.

  * * *

  Sean sat in his truck outside of Chad's office, watching the meager amount of traffic on Main Street. A cold wind blew around his pickup. Even inside the warm cab, a shiver went through him. It wasn't even winter yet but everyone already knew this could be a bad one. His ranch hands had been working hard in preparation for it, stocking up on supplies, making sure fences were mended, moving cattle to the closer ranges. and bringing the expensive breeding mares into the special barns. Everyone was working from sunup to sundown. Especially with Christmas a little over two weeks away. Many of the men would take time off to be with their families. He'd be alone for the first time in as long as he could remember. Maybe he should go see some of his old football buddies. They'd asked him to join them on a special trip to New York City for the holiday and for New Year's Eve. Or he could give in and go see Danielle.

  He didn't want to do either of those things. But he didn't look forward to being alone either. Kandee would be alone as well.

  The thought disconcerted him, as much as her phone call had. He'd tried hard to avoid her, to not listen when Chad attempted to talk about her. Yet she'd been in his thoughts nearly every damn minute since he'd left her at Chad's house a week ago.

  "We need to talk." There had been more than just wanting to talk to him in her expressive eyes. She desired him...as he still desired her. But he couldn't give in to his baser needs. Eric was right about one thing: she didn't belong in Cantonville. Certainly not running a coffee shop. She had an amazing brain, was capable of so much more. He'd been hoping she'd just get through whatever life crisis phase had brought this crazy idea on and realize her mistake, and accept the job in London.

  His hands tightened on the steering wheel. He ground his jaw. London! Shit! Okay, his head told him she didn't belong here, but the rest of him didn't want her to leave. Fool that he was. And now she'd gone and called him about wanting to see him. She wanted more than just seeing him; he'd heard that in her voice. Worse than dealing with the sensual tone, he'd been nearly done in when she sounded truly concerned about whatever was bothering him. He couldn't believe that he'd told her what a failure he was.

  Dammit! It had nearly killed him to accept that he couldn't play football anymore. It wasn't a real failure, but it sure as hell felt like it to him. Now here he was trying to be a rancher, stumbling around because he didn't know what he was doing. If he didn't have such a good crew... His parents were crazy to even think about having him take over the ranch they'd spent years building up. He'd worried every day since he'd come here that he would make a poor decision, which is why he relied so heavily on Todd, his foreman.

  He squeezed his eyes shut and thought about the decision he'd made yesterday that had cost the ranch around twenty thousand dollars. A local rancher had all but begged him to send Horatio, their pride and joy stud bull, to his ranch for breeding. Todd hadn't been for it, something in his gut warned him against it. Sean saw only the potential stud fee and sent his bull off for the day.

  His stomach tightened. Todd had been right and never again would Sean ignore the man's instincts. If he stuck around here, that is. If he didn't just pack it in and accept that he sucked at being a rancher. Maybe Danielle was right in that he should go back to his condo in New York City and talk to the ESPN boys about their job offer.

  He shoved open his truck door. First, though, he needed to vent his frustrations. He needed to talk to someone who didn't work for him, his oldest friend.

  "I killed our stud bull." Sean walked into Chad's office and threw out the words a few minutes later. He didn't have an appointment, had barely paid any attention at all to Chad's receptionist when she'd made a meager attempt to stop him.

  Chad looked up from his monitor, his expression confused. "What?"

  Sean didn't want to go through it again, but he said grimly, "I agreed to send our stud bull, Horatio, out for breeding yesterday. He never made it to the other ranch." He blew out a breath so deep his body shuddered. "They hit a patch of ice and the trailer and truck rolled over. The bull died
instantly, I'm told. The rig was totaled. But at least the two ranch hands only had minor injuries."

  He'd seen the wreck and felt so responsible for it all. Horatio had cost his dad eight thousand dollars almost ten years ago. He was worth a lot more now. Plus replacing the truck and cattle trailer wouldn't be cheap.

  "God, I made such a stupid decision." He fisted his hands at his sides.

  Chad's brow furrowed. "Accidents happen. It wasn't your fault."

  Sean wasn't in the mood to be given forgiveness so easily. He still needed to call his dad and let him know. He didn't look forward to hearing the disappointment he was sure would be in his father's voice. "My decision. Todd was against it. All I thought about were the stud fees."

  He slumped down into one of the chairs in front of Chad's desk. He felt sick about the whole situation. "I have no business being a rancher." He shook his head, grimacing. "Most of the time I don't have a clue about what I'm doing. If I didn't have good men working for me..."

  "But you do," Chad countered, scowling. "You're no different from any of them. Not one of them could step onto a football field and know what to do, other than attempt to play football. They'd have to learn the sport, gain the skills, and figure it all out. Same as you're doing on the ranch."

  Sean hadn't looked at it that way, but he still felt inadequate. "True enough, I suppose. But maybe I'm just not cut out for this. I've spent too many years away from here. And I didn't pay that much attention to ranching growing up. There was always football to play or to train for."

  Chad looked disappointed. "So you're thinking about giving up? Quitting before you really even gave yourself a chance?"