Summer in Snow Valley (Snow Valley Romance Anthologies Book 2)

by Cindy Roland Anderson

  “I will. Thank you.”

  “Yeah, thank you,” Jace said. “Tell Tate I said hello.”

  “I will, hon.” She winked at Jace. “You need to take Caytie out dancing so she can show off her new boots.”

  Jace laughed. “I might just do that.”

  Mabel gave him a pointed look, but Jace just waved. “See ya later, Mabel.”

  “Bye now.”

  Caytie and Jace walked outside, both of them silent. Before getting into the truck, Caytie took one last look at the pretty dress in the window. Jace stood beside her, his arm brushing against hers. “We can always stop by the mall to look for a dress, if you want.”

  She glanced over at him and smiled. “A man willing to do more shopping is rare. Some day your wife is really going to love you for that.”

  His eyes darkened. “Love does make men do crazy things.”

  Suddenly breathing became difficult. He was so close, and smelled so good. Love did make you do crazy things. Like wanting to kiss a cowboy.

  Chapter 19

  Jace stared down at her upturned face. He shouldn’t kiss her, especially since she’d announced her desire to move to Italy. How could Snow Valley compare to that? He still knew so little about her, and why she was here in the first place or why she planned to only stick around until September.

  Right now he didn’t want her to leave in September. Maybe kissing her would help change her mind.

  Before he talked himself out of it, he lowered his head. The air crackled with electricity, and his pulse pounded in his ears, anticipation mounting with each beat of his heart. When he was just a breath away, he hesitated a moment, giving her the chance to pull back.

  She made the slightest move forward and he met her the rest of the way, bringing his mouth down on hers. Her lips were incredibly soft. A wild, heated dizziness overloaded his senses as his hands found her waist so he could pull her closer.

  She let out a soft moan, and he heard the thud of her package drop to the sidewalk as her hands slid up around his neck. Her fingers twined in the hair at his nape, and Jace shifted to deepen the kiss. He was pretty sure he’d never kissed a girl that made him feel like this. He was equally sure he didn’t want it to end any time soon.

  A bell jangled, and then someone gasped, “Oh, my.”

  The kiss ended abruptly as Caytie stepped back, forcing him to drop his hands. Feeling dazed and more than a little out of breath, Jace glanced over to see the door to the boot emporium close. As the blissful fog lifted, he caught sight of Mabel’s silvery hair before she disappeared from view.

  He heard Caytie’s irregular breathing and turned back toward her. She looked a little dazed herself.

  “Did you just kiss me?” she asked, raising her fingers to her lips.

  “If you have to ask then I didn’t do a very good job.”

  “It was a rhetorical question.” She gave him a shaky laugh. “And you did a fantastic job. I’m just…shocked.”

  “That I did a good job or that I kissed you?”

  She tilted her head coyly. “Both.”

  Jace narrowed his gaze.

  With a wry smile on her face, she closed the distance between them and smoothed his brow with her fingers. “What have I told you about scowling?”

  Her fingers left a blazing trail of heat, and his heart kicked into overdrive again. “I’m sure it was sage advice, but, to be honest, I can’t really think about much with you standing so close.”

  Her lips curved up. “Should I move away?”

  “No way.” He snagged her by the waist, pinning her against him. “You all but challenged me to kiss you again.”

  “I guess I did.”

  Unlike before, Jace didn’t hesitate and skillfully covered her mouth with his. He took his time, though, kissing her long and slow. He wanted to leave no doubt in her mind about his ability to kiss. At length, he drew back and peered into her eyes.

  “Well?” he asked in a low voice.

  “I only have one thing to say.”

  He lifted a questioning brow.

  “Since I just blew most of my money on a pair of gorgeous boots, you may have to give me a temporary loan for the bachelor’s auction.” She pressed her lips to his and gave him a lingering kiss. “Because,” she said, pulling back just enough to meet his gaze. “When it’s your turn to be auctioned off I’m planning on outbidding every woman who dares to bid against me.”

  His ego swelled with her sweet declaration. Then the rest of her speech registered. “Why did you just spend that kind of money if you don’t have it?”

  If he’d known she was strapped for cash he’d never taken her to Guys and Gals. At least all the years he’d spent in poverty with his mother had taught him to be frugal with his money. You didn’t buy anything unless you could pay for it up front, and then that was only if you needed it.

  Her eyes widened, and she stepped back. “I’ll pay you back every dime in September.” She picked up her package and turned on her heel, clearly irritated with him. “Just forget it,” she said, marching over to the truck.

  He hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings, or tick her off. “Caytie, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just feel guilty for bringing you here when you couldn’t afford the boots.”

  “I can afford them, just not right now.”

  “That’s kind of an oxymoron.”

  She gave him an icy stare and he held up his hands. “I’m not trying to pick a fight.”

  “Really?” She tapped her foot. “Then what exactly are you trying to do?”

  He had no idea. Obviously he’d been out of the relationship field for far too long.

  “Can we just go back to kissing?”

  Desire flashed in those blue eyes as she glanced at his mouth. Then her gaze snapped back up to meet his. “No.”

  “You hesitated,” he teased.

  The corner of her mouth twitched. “I did not.”

  Jace slowly moved toward her. “Yeah, you did.”

  “I’m not kissing you again,” she said, backing up against the truck door.

  Without saying a word, Jace placed both his palms on top of his truck, trapping her in the middle. He waited until she met his gaze before he said, “I’ll loan you all the money you need.”

  “What if I’ve changed my mind?”

  “Did you?”

  Her eyes softened. “Maybe.”

  He leaned down and kissed her again, his lips moving slowly over hers. She didn’t resist, and kissed him back. When he pulled away, she gave him a sweet smile. “I guess I’m going to need that loan after all.”

  He laughed, and opened the truck door for her, helping her inside. Once he was behind the wheel, he put the truck in first gear and eased out onto the road. “So, are you going to tell me what happens in September?” He cut her a quick glance. “Besides the fact that you want to move to Italy.”

  Caytie didn’t answer him right away. Jace didn’t push her for an answer until they were safely on the interstate, headed back to Snow Valley.

  “So?” he said, hoping she’d open up to him.

  “I turn twenty five in September,” she said softly. “And when I do, I’ll finally be free of my father, and my wannabe fiancé.”

  ***

  “You’re engaged?” Jace asked, jerking his head toward her, and nearly swerving off the road.

  “No.” Caytie gripped the seat. “Could you please keep your eyes on the road or pull over.”

  “Sorry.” He focused on driving for at least a minute, but Caytie could tell he wanted to talk. She saw the muscle in his jaw tense, and his knuckles were turning white from holding the steering wheel so tightly.

  “I’m not engaged, Jace. Even if Edward had asked, my answer would’ve been no.”

  “Is Edward who you’re running from?”

  Caytie briefly closed her eyes, knowing she owed him the entire story. “Yes, and my father too.”

  For the next thirty minutes, Caytie told Jace about her father
, Edward, and the trust fund she’d inherit. Jace wasn’t remotely interested in knowing about her inheritance, he was focused on Edward.

  “So you never agreed to marry him?”

  She bit back a smile at the jealous tone of his voice. “Right. I was actually going to break up with him when my dad announced our engagement.”

  “And even though he cheated on you, he still thought you’d marry him? How long did you two date, anyway?”

  “Long enough to know that even if I did believe in marriage, he wouldn’t ever be a possible choice for me.”

  Jace shot her a quick look. “Why don’t you believe in marriage?”

  Caytie could see the muscle in jaw tense again. From what little she knew of his life, she was surprised he appeared to feel the opposite of her about holy matrimony.

  “I haven’t seen very many happy marriages.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “My parents weren’t exactly a shining example of love and fidelity.”

  “Hmmm,” he said, keeping his gaze straight ahead.

  She waited for him to say something more, but he remained quiet and pensive. “I take it you do believe in marriage?”

  “I do.”

  His quick answer surprised her. “Really? That is so sweet.”

  He shrugged. “Both George and Ilene had happy marriages, and I’ve seen plenty other examples of happy couples in Snow Valley. Besides, I want kids, and I think children are better off with both a father and mother.”

  “If you feel this way, then why aren’t you married?” She thought of Victoria Pearson, knowing the woman would marry Jace in a heartbeat.

  “Because…” He glanced over at her. “…I haven’t found the right woman yet.”

  She already knew why he wasn’t dating Victoria, but chemistry wasn’t everything. What other kind of qualifications did he want in a wife, and did Caytie possess any of them? Her thoughts didn’t make any sense. She wanted freedom, not the bondage of marriage.

  “You’re a good guy, Jace McAllister. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

  He gave her an interested sidewise look. “Me too.”

  Chapter 20

  Caytie slipped on a pair of white peep toe wedges just as someone knocked on her bedroom door. “Coming,” she said, crossing the room. She opened the door to find Jace on the other side dressed for church.

  “I was just coming to see if you’re ready to leave,” he said, his eyes skimming appreciatively over the sleeveless pink sheath dress she had on. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you.” She couldn’t help checking him out. He wore black jeans and a white cotton dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. “You look very handsome.”

  “Thanks.” He pointed to her shoes. “Those are sexy, but I’m looking forward to seeing you in your boots again.”

  “I’m dying to wear them, but I just can’t envision them with anything but that beautiful dress Mabel’s granddaughter had in the display window.”

  “Does that mean we’re going shopping again?”

  His pained expression made her laugh. “I thought you enjoyed shopping with me.”

  “I did.” A sly grin crept over his face before he looked down the hallway in both directions. Then he slipped inside her room, closing the door behind him.

  “What are you doing?” Caytie asked, slightly alarmed by the intense look in his brown eyes as he closed the distance between them.

  “Kissing you good morning.” He brought his hands up to cradle her face and gently covered her mouth with his.

  Just like the night before, Caytie melted against him and returned the kiss. The scent of his aftershave enveloped her, and he tasted like fresh mint. His hands slid along her jawline, and he tilted her head, deepening the kiss. The tender command he had over her made her knees feel weak. She had been kissed a few times, but never like this.

  Her cell phone buzzed and vibrated loudly against the dresser. Since there were only a handful of people who had her number, and all of them lived on the ranch, she probably should answer the call.

  “I better get that,” she said, breaking off the kiss, but unable to pull away.

  “Can’t you just let it rollover to voicemail?” Jace asked, trailing kisses across her cheek. “Man, you smell good,” he said, placing a soft kiss just below her ear.

  Caytie forgot all about the phone, and tipped her head to the side, giving him further access to her neck. His lips left a trail of heat as he worked his way back to her mouth. The annoying sound of her phone vibrating against the dresser started up again. The worry something might be wrong made her strong enough to end the kiss and step back.

  “I guess someone really needs to get a hold of me.” Her voice was breathless, and she still felt hot and dizzy.

  She turned toward the dresser, and her hand shook as she picked up her phone to look at the screen.

  “Who is it?” Jace said from behind her.

  He stood close enough so his chest brushed up against her back, rendering her speechless. She held up the phone for him to read Kellen’s name.

  “Figures. Let me talk to him,” Jace said, reaching around her.

  Caytie quickly moved away from him and clutched the phone to her chest. “No. He’ll know you’re in my room.”

  “So?”

  “So, he’ll think we were kissing.”

  “He doesn’t think we were kissing, he knows we were kissing.” Jace snorted a laugh. “The kid’s just being annoying. I told him I was coming up to get you, and he told me not to take too long or he’d come looking for us.”

  “How did he know you were going to kiss me?”

  “He’s a guy.”

  The phone stopped buzzing in her hand. “Are you okay if he knows?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  Jace sounded exasperated, but Caytie still felt reluctant about the change in their relationship. She wasn’t sure what she and Jace were. Did kissing him like this mean they were a couple now?

  “I don’t know. If he knows then Uncle George and Ilene will know.”

  “And?” he asked, his voice tinged with frustration.

  “Then they’ll think we’re a couple.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “Aren’t we?”

  Caytie felt a mixture of panic and happiness with his question. Jace was a good guy, and didn’t seem to be affected by her potential wealth like other men she’d dated. Besides, it’s not like he’d asked her to marry him.

  “Caytie, I like you,” Jace said, his features softening. “And I think you like me too.”

  A tiny smile emerged on her lips. “I do like you.”

  Her heart fluttered as she watched the slow curve of his mouth lift into a sexy grin. He crossed the floor until he stood in front of her. With one hand, he cupped her chin and leaned in to give her a sweet kiss. He edged back so he could look into her eyes. “Let’s not worry about what people think, okay?”

  “Okay,” she said softly.

  The phone dinged an incoming text. They both glance down at the screen and read the message from Kellen.

  Should you and Jace be making out right before church?

  She blushed, and Jace laughed, taking the phone from her.

  “What are you going to say to him?”

  Jace held the button down, turning off her phone. “Nothing.” He winked at her. “It will kill him not knowing anything for sure.”

  He was right. Kellen was completely annoyed with them when they came downstairs a few minutes later.

  “I tried calling you,” Kellen said. “How come you didn’t answer?”

  “You did?” She pulled her phone out of her purse. “Oh, sorry, my phone is off.”

  Kellen rolled his eyes as Uncle George walked into the foyer. Caytie smiled at how handsome he looked in his western cut suit. “You kids about ready to go? We’re gonna be late.”

  “Yes,” Caytie answered.

  “You sure look pretty, sweetie.” Uncle George kissed her on the forehead. “The
boys are gonna be swarming you like bees at a honey farm.”

  Jace stepped next to her and took her hand, threading their fingers together. “Not if I’m around, they won’t.”

  Everything went silent as Uncle George stared at their joined hands. Caytie felt Jace stiffen at her side. What if her uncle didn’t approve?

  Seconds ticked by. At last, he raised his eyes and then grinned widely. “Well I’ll be. Ilene was right about you two.” He pulled them both into a group hug. “I couldn’t be happier.”

  Uncle George released them, and stepped back so he could look them over. “And here I thought you two didn’t like each other.”

  “We didn’t,” Caytie and Jace said at the same time.

  Kellen grunted a laugh. “It’s called romantic tension.”

  “What is everyone doing?” Ilene said, coming into the foyer.

  “Congratulating the happy couple!” Uncle George said.

  Ilene looked at Caytie and Jace. “You’re engaged?”

  “No!” Caytie said. “Who gets engaged after only one kiss?”

  “Actually, we’ve had more than one kiss,” Jace said dryly.

  Ilene’s face lit up with delight, while frown lines appeared on Uncle George’s face as his eyebrows bunched together.

  “Just how many times have you kissed her?”

  Caytie felt her cheeks heat up. She and Jace should’ve kept their budding relationship a secret a little longer. Now, would Uncle George want an accounting for future kisses they might share?

  “For crying in a bucket, George,” Ilene said with a huff. “Leave the poor kids alone. It’s none of our business how many times they’ve kissed.”

  Uncle George was about to say something when Jace spoke up. “George, you know I would never do anything to disrespect you, or Caytie.” He squeezed Caytie’s fingers. “I give you my word.”

  The lines on George’s face disappeared. He nodded his head. “That’s good enough for me.” He strode toward the front door. “We better get going before we’re late.”

  ***

  Caytie sat close to Jace, loving the feel of her hand in his. She only wished that they weren’t receiving so many stares from the rest of the congregation. They’d arrived at church a few minutes before Pastor John started his sermon, and took the only available pew available, which happened to be at the front of the church.