A Cold Creek Noel (The Cowboys of Cold Creek)

by Thayne, RaeAnne

  “You must miss her terribly. I can understand why you wanted to make a new start away from the memories.”

  He did miss her. He had adored her when they first married, until the rather willful, spoiled part of her he had overlooked as part of her charm when they were dating began to show itself in difficult ways.

  Brooke had selfishly believed she was stronger than her diabetes. She didn’t deserve to have it, thus she shouldn’t have to worry about taking care of herself. She was cavalier to the point of recklessness about checking her levels and taking her insulin.

  She had been a loving mother, he would never say otherwise, even if he sometimes wondered how a loving mother could risk her own health when she already had so much simply because she wanted more.

  “What about you?” he asked to change the subject. “Ever been married?”

  She was in midsip with her hot cocoa and coughed a little. “Me? No. I date here and there but...nothing serious. The dating pool around Pine Gulch is a little shallow. I’ve known most of the unmarried men around here my whole life.”

  You haven’t known me.

  The dangerous thought whispered through his mind and seemed to move right in. No. He definitely didn’t want to go there. She was a beautiful woman and he was very attracted to her—he only needed to remember that dream if he needed proof—but he would never do anything about that attraction but sneak those tantalizing glimpses at her and wonder.

  He had his children to consider and a new practice he was trying to build. He could see no room for a complicated woman like Caidy Bowman in that picture anywhere.

  Why did she hide herself away here in a small town like Pine Gulch? Why hadn’t she become a veterinarian? He had the same strange thought of earlier in the day when he had seen her standing on the River Bow porch with her brother and her niece. She was lonely. He had no idea why he thought so, but he was suddenly certain of it.

  “So why not dip your feet in other waters? It’s a big world. You could always try internet dating.”

  “Wow. You’re a veterinarian and a relationship coach. Who would have guessed? It seems an odd combination, but, okay.”

  He laughed gruffly, only because that was absolutely not his usual modus operandi. Usually he was completely oblivious to the interpersonal dramas and entanglements of other people, except when it came to their relationships with their pets.

  “That’s me. I’ll fix up your dog and your broken heart, all for one low fee. And I offer monthly installment plans.”

  She smiled, the right side of her mouth just a bit higher than the left to create a sweetly pleasing imbalance. The quiet, companionable silence wrapped around them like the trailing tendrils of a woolen scarf.

  He wanted to kiss her.

  The hunger for a taste—just one little sampling—of chocolate and raspberry and soft, warm woman was intense and bewitching. He needed to get out of there. Now, before he did something completely insane like try to turn his midnight fantasies into reality and received a well-earned slap for it.

  The dog snuffled softly and that was the excuse he needed to leave her side and return to the cozy little warren she had created for Luke.

  Unfortunately, she followed right behind as he crouched down to check the dog’s breathing with his stethoscope.

  “How does he sound?”

  “Good. Breathing is normal now. I think we solved the problem.”

  “Thank you again, for everything. I’m not sure Doc Harris could have done the job as well.”

  Her words seeped inside him. He was inordinately pleased by the compliment. “You’re very welcome.”

  “I hope I don’t need to call you in the middle of the night again.”

  “Please don’t hesitate. I’m just down the lane now.”

  She smiled. “Ridge said it would be like having our own veterinarian-in-residence. Just to put your mind at ease, I promise not to take advantage.”

  Please. Take advantage all you want. He cleared his throat. “For what it’s worth, I think the guys around here are crazy. Even if you did grow up with them.”

  He wasn’t quite sure why he said the words. He was no more a player than he was a relationship coach, for heaven’s sake. She flashed him a startled look, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly parted.

  He might have left things at that, safe and uncomplicated, except her eyes suddenly shifted to his mouth and he didn’t miss the flare of heat in her gaze.

  He swore under his breath, already regretting what he seemed to have no power to resist, and then he reached for her.

  Chapter Six

  As his mouth settled over hers, warm and firm and tasting of cocoa, Caidy couldn’t quite believe this was happening.

  She was being kissed by the sexy new veterinarian just a day after thinking him rude and abrasive. For a long moment, she was shocked into immobility, then heat began to seep through her frozen stupor. Oh. Oh, yes!

  How long had it been since she had enjoyed a kiss and wanted more? She was astounded to realize she couldn’t remember. As his lips played over hers, she shifted her neck slightly for a better angle.

  She splayed her fingers against his chest—that strong, muscled chest she had seen firsthand just that morning—and his heat soaked into her skin, even through the cotton of his shirt.

  Her insides seemed to give a collective shiver. Mmm. This was exactly what two people ought to be doing at 3:00 a.m. on a snowy December day.

  He made a low sound in his throat that danced down her spine and she felt the hard strength of his arms slide around her, pulling her closer. In this moment, nothing else seemed to matter but Ben Caldwell and the wondrous sensations fluttering through her.

  This was crazy. Some tiny voice of self-preservation seemed to whisper through her. What was she doing? She had no business kissing someone she barely knew and wasn’t even sure if she liked yet. If she kept this up, he was going to think she kissed every guy who happened to smile at her.

  Though it took every last ounce of strength, she managed to slide away from all that delicious heat and moved a few inches away from him, trying desperately to catch her breath.

  The distance she created between them seemed to drag Ben back to his senses. He stared at her, his eyes as dazed as she felt. “That was wrong. I don’t know what I was thinking. Your dog is a patient and...I shouldn’t have....”

  She might have been offended by the dismay in his voice if not for the arousal in his eyes and the way he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. Because she was having the same sort of reaction—dismay mixed with lingering arousal and a sudden deep yearning—she couldn’t very well complain.

  His hair was a little rumpled and he had the evening shadow of a beard and all she could think was yum.

  She cleared her throat, compelled to say something in the strained moment. “Relax, Dr. Caldwell. You didn’t do anything wrong, as far as I can see. I didn’t exactly push you out the door, did I?”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “No. No, I guess you didn’t.”

  “It’s late and we’re both tired and not quite thinking straight. I’m sure that’s all this was.”

  A muscle flexed in his jaw. He looked as if he would like to argue with her, but after a moment he only nodded. “I’m sure you’re right.”

  “No harm done. We’ll both just forget the past five minutes ever happened and go back to our regularly scheduled lives.”

  “Great idea.”

&n
bsp; His ready agreement sent a hard kernel of regret to lodge somewhere in her sternum. For a moment, she had felt almost normal, just like any other woman. Someone who could flirt and smile and attract the interest of a sexy male.

  He wanted to forget it ever happened, whereas she was quite certain she would never be able to erase these few moments from her memory.

  “I should, uh, go.”

  “Yes.” Or you could stay and kiss me for a few more hours.

  “Call me if anything changes with the dog.”

  She drew in a breath. “I hope we’re past the worst of it. But I will.”

  That last was a lie. She had absolutely no intention of calling him again in the middle of the night. She would drive Luke to the vet in Idaho Falls before she would drag Ben Caldwell out here again anytime soon.

  “Good night.”

  She nodded, not trusting herself to reply, just wishing he would go already. He gave her a long, searching look before he shrugged back into his ranch coat and left through the side door.

  A blast of cold air curled into the room from that brief moment he had opened the door. Chilled by more than just the winter night, she shivered as it sidled under her T-shirt.

  What in heaven’s name just happened here?

  She wrapped her arms around herself. She had known he would be trouble. Somehow she had known. She never should have suggested he move into the foreman’s house. If she had only used her brain, she might have predicted she would do something stupid around him, like develop a very awkward and embarrassing crush.

  She spent most of her days here on the ranch, surrounded by her brothers and his few ranchhands, most of whom were either fresh-faced kids just out of high school or grizzled veterans who either were already married or held absolutely no appeal to her.

  The ranch was safe. It had always been her haven from the hardness of the world. Now she had messed that up by inviting a tempting man to set up temporary residence smack in the middle of her comfort zone.

  The man certainly knew how to kiss. She couldn’t deny that. She pressed a hand to her stomach, which still seemed to be jumping with nerves. The last time she had been kissed so thoroughly and deliciously had been...well, never.

  She sighed. It wouldn’t happen again. Neither of them wanted this. She had only to remember the stunned dismay in Ben’s eyes in that moment when he had come to his senses. He was likely still grieving for his wife, taken from him far too soon. And she...well, she had told herself she wasn’t interested in a relationship, that she was content here helping Ridge with Destry and training her dogs and the occasional horse.

  For the first time in a long time, she was beginning to wonder what else might be out in the big, scary world, waiting for her.

  * * *

  “I think he’s feeling better, don’t you?”

  Caidy glanced up from the dough she was kneading to see her niece sitting cross-legged beside Luke’s blanket. The dog’s head was in her lap and he was gazing up at the girl with adoration.

  “Yes. I think so. He seems much happier than he was even a few hours ago.”

  “I’m glad. I really thought he was a goner when I saw old Festus go after him.”

  Guilt socked her in the gut again. If she had kept a closer eye on Luke, he wouldn’t be lying there with those bandages and she wouldn’t be so beholden to Ben Caldwell.

  “I hope that’s a good reminder to you about how dangerous the bulls can be. That could just as easily have been you. I don’t ever want you to take a chance with Festus or any of the bulls. They’re usually placid guys most of the time, even Festus, but you never know.”

  “I know. I know. You and Dad have told me that like a thousand times. I’m not a little kid anymore, Aunt Caidy. I’m smart enough to know to keep my distance.”

  “Good. The ranch can be a dangerous place. You can’t ever let your guard down. Even one of the cows could trample you if you lost your footing.”

  “It’s a miracle I ever survived to be eleven years old, isn’t it?”

  Caidy made a face. “Smarty. You can’t blame your dad and me for worrying about you. We just want you to be safe.”

  And happy, she added silently. She wanted to think her presence here at the ranch had contributed in that department. If Ridge had been left on his own after Melinda left, forced to employ a string of nannies and babysitters, she wasn’t sure Destry would have come through childhood with the same cheerful personality.

  “What’s going to happen to Luke? You can’t train him to be a real cow dog now, can you?”

  Even without his injuries, she suspected Luke would always be nervous around the cattle. How could she blame him, especially when she could relate, in a sense? Not to fearing cattle. She had no problem with the big animals. Her fears were a little closer to home. This time of year, her heartbeat always kicked up a bit when the doorbell rang, even when they were expecting company.

  The memory of that fateful night was as much a part of her as the sprinkle of freckles on her nose and the tiny scar she had at the outside edge of her left eyebrow from an unfortunate encounter with the business end of a pitchfork when she was eight.

  “I’m not really sure yet about Luke,” she finally answered Destry as she formed a small ball of dough and set it into the prepared pan. “I’m guessing from this point on, he’ll just be a pet.”

  “Here at the River Bow?”

  “Sure. Why not?” They had plenty of dogs and didn’t really need another one that was just a pet. Sadie, too old to work, sort of filled that role, but she supposed they would make room for one more.

  “Good,” Destry said, cuddling the dog close. “It’s not his fault he got hurt. Not really. He was only being curious. It doesn’t seem fair to get rid of him for an accident.”

  Destry was a sweet girl, compassionate and loving. Maybe too compassionate sometimes. Caidy smiled, remembering the previous Christmas when she had claimed she didn’t want any presents that year. Instead she only wanted cash.

  They all learned later she and some of her schoolmates were being scammed out of money and belongings...by none other than Gabi, the youngest sister of Trace’s new wife.

  She hadn’t been part of their family then, of course. She had only been a troubled, lost young girl abandoned by her heartless witch of a mother and trying to find her way.

  Trace had given both Becca and Gabi the loving family they all deserved—and Gabi and Destry had moved on and become best friends. That wasn’t always a good thing. Trouble seemed to find the two of them like a pack of bloodhounds on the scent.

  With the dog sleeping soundly now, Destry carefully set his head back down on the blankets, then rose and wandered over to the work island. “Need help rolling out the dough?”

  “Sure. I’m doing cloverleaf rolls for dinner this afternoon. You remember, you roll three small balls and stick them together. Wash your hands first.”

  Destry complied quickly and the two of them worked together in mostly silence for a few moments. Caidy savored these small moments with her niece, who was growing up far too quickly.

  She loved making dinner for her family on Sundays, when everyone gathered together to laugh and talk and catch up. Having all these new children—Alex, Maya, Gabi—only made family time together more fun.

  She would never be a gourmet chef, but she enjoyed creating meals her family enjoyed. Warm rolls slathered in her homemade jam were her specialty. She still used the recipe her moth
er had taught her in this very kitchen when she was about Destry’s age.

  Her life was pretty darn good, she thought as she worked the elastic dough in a kitchen that was warm and comfortable and already smelled delicious from the roast beef that was cooking. She had family and friends, a couple of jobs she enjoyed, a home she loved, a dog who was on the mend.

  She didn’t need Ben Caldwell blowing into her world, bringing that sweet, rare smile and those stunning kisses, making her feel as if something vital was missing.

  “Can I turn on the radio?” Destry asked after a few more minutes.

  “Sure. Something we can dance to,” she said, pushing away thoughts of Ben with a smile. A moment later, the kitchen filled with music—upbeat Christmas songs. Not really what she had in mind, but what could she do?

  Destry was singing “Winter Wonderland” at the top of her lungs and jigging from side to side when the door opened and Ridge came in, stomping snow off his boots.

  “It’s coming down pretty hard out there. You might be in for a chilly sleigh ride, kiddo.”

  Destry grinned. “Snow is perfect. What could be more fun? Aunt Caidy already said she would make some of her good hot cocoa and we’re going to mix up dough for oatmeal raisin cookies so we can put them in the oven right before we go. That way they’ll still be hot on the wagon.”

  “Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.”

  “It’s going to be great! Thanks so much for agreeing to take us. You’re awesome, Dad.”

  “You’re welcome, kid.”

  He smiled at his daughter for a moment then turned to Caidy. She noticed with no small degree of apprehension the deceptively casual expression on her brother’s rugged features. “Hey, how would you feel if we added a few more at dinner?”

  It wasn’t a completely unusual request. Ridge had a habit of inviting in strays. She took care of the four-legged kind, and he often focused on the human variety.