by Jody Holford
“Meg, look, it’s a copy of Origami Yoda,” Charlie said behind her.
Megan was standing beside Stella, a solid presence who understood just how much she disliked this woman.
“Do you have that one, bud?” Adam asked behind them. It felt like she was in a circle where she could see out, but no one could see in. No one could see the way her heart kicked her in the ribs as Lydia teasingly flashed a twenty-dollar bill.
“I think he needs to make this one worth it, don’t you guys?” Lydia turned her body and waved the crisp bill. The lineup hooted and hollered, some of them laughing, a few of them chanting “make it worth it.”
“You okay?” Megan whispered into her ear, breaking Stella’s trance.
Zach’s eyes trapped hers like a vice—maybe even the same one that squeezed her heart painfully. Your heart has no rights here.
Stella shook her head and looked at her friend. “I need to get back to the pet booth. Come see me when you guys are done, okay?”
She didn’t wait for an answer, but instead pushed through the crowd, making sure she didn’t have to watch Lydia’s bitchy lips touch any part of Zach.
Nearly back to her table, Stella ran into a brick wall, or what felt like one. Strong hands gripped her shoulders, and when she tipped her head back, she was staring up at Declan James’s handsome face.
“Hey, Stell. How’s it going?”
Pasting a smile so wide it hurt her face, she said, “Great. Good. I should have figured you’d be here, too.”
Dropping his hands, but not moving back, he looked out at the crowd. “It’s about the easiest day of advertising ever. I sit back and drink beer with people. Can’t beat that.” He looked around, not picking up on her mood thankfully. Maybe she had an ounce of professionalism left in her blood despite all the jealousy zipping through it.
Looking back at her, he asked, “You getting lots of drop-ins? There’s a lot of new faces in the crowd,” Declan said. He wore a T-shirt and jeans, his hair the kind of messy that always looked good. Unfortunately, the thought of him kissing someone—and if rumors were true, he did a lot of that and more—didn’t bug her at all.
“It’s been steady. I was just grabbing a drink,” she said, holding up her cola as proof.
“You should drop by for a beer later. On the house.”
A beer sounded good. A lot better than whiskey. She didn’t get to tell him, though, because Zach walked up beside her and looked at Declan. They were about the same height and similarly built. Looking back and forth between them, she wondered if the two of them behind the kissing booth might cause heart attacks or swoon overload in the women of Brockton Point.
“You keep giving your beer away, you’re going to lose money,” Zach said. His tone sounded friendly enough, but he sidled up to Stella so their arms were touching.
Declan, unbothered even if he did notice Zach’s territorial stance, stuck out his hand. “Hey, man. Good to see you.”
Zach shook his hand and Stella avoided looking at him as she asked, “You two know each other?”
“Zach came into the bar last night. Haven’t seen you there in a while. Not since Meg’s graduation. All work and no play kinda sucks.”
The heat coming off Zach’s body took the chill out of her own. “Been a little busy.”
People milled around them, and she realized they were standing in the middle of what was supposed to be an aisle. All she really wanted to do was get back to the table, away from Zach and Declan and the tumble of feelings assaulting her heart. Again, with the heart.
“You need to get some help, Stella. You can’t keep running on empty.” Declan’s voice went all big brothery, but Zach must not have recognized the tone because he put a hand on the small of her back and moved even closer.
“She has it. I’m working with her now. She won’t have to push herself so hard anymore.”
Declan’s surprise was evident. “You’re a vet?”
Word was going to travel anyway. Might as well help it along. “Yes. He is.” She stopped, thought for a second. “He’s actually an Army vet as well as an animal doctor. He’s working with me temporarily. Speaking of which, I need to get back to my table. Nice to see you, Dec.” Finally, she looked up at Zach. The usual smile and casual expression he wore was nowhere to be found. “You should get back to the booth. Wouldn’t want to disappoint all of those women.”
Slipping past both of them, she hurried back to the table and was beyond grateful that there was a woman browsing through her pamphlets. The black-and-white shih-zhu she held on a leash danced at the sight of Stella.
“Doctor Lane, there you are. Mitsy and I were wondering when you’d be back.”
Stella flipped over the sign she’d left, grateful she had a distraction. “How are you, Mrs. Hardy?” Kneeling, she clicked her tongue, then smiled at the dog. “Hey, girl. How are you?”
“She’s doing so well. Those dental chews you recommended have been working wonders on her teeth.”
Pushing up the dog’s lips to check for herself, Stella nodded with approval. “Very little plaque. How about a treat?”
Grabbing one from the bowl on the table, she made Mitsy sit and then gave her the treat along with encouragement and rubs.
Stella brushed off her jeans when she stood up. “Sorry I don’t have cookies to offer the humans.”
She felt Zach’s presence before he rounded the table. Mrs. Hardy straightened and gave Zach a smile. He, in turn, crouched down to greet the dog.
“Who is this handsome man?” No one spent a lot of time beating around bushes in their town.
Once he’d greeted the pup, Zach stood, glancing at Stella before extending his hand. “Doctor Zach Mason. I’m working with Doctor Lane now.”
Mrs. Hardy beamed. “That’s wonderful. I always wondered why your father didn’t bring on anyone else. Some people thought he just liked being on his own,” she said, shaking Zach’s hand.
They chatted back and forth for a few minutes, but Stella lost the thread of the conversation. When Mrs. Hardy walked off with Mitsy, she busied herself rearranging the pamphlets.
“Temporary?” Zach bit out the word.
She grabbed the dog treats and filled up the bowl. “We haven’t made anything official.”
He stepped into her path. “I’d say my money transferring into your account shores things up a little. What the hell was that?”
Looking up at him now, she was surprised by the frustrated set of his brows and his mouth. No calm there now. “What are you talking about?”
He leaned closer. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. The snooty bank woman started flashing her money around making sure everyone was watching. The only person I’m looking at is you and your face looks like I just punched you right in the stomach.”
Dammit. He was entirely too observant. She tried to step around him as she avoided his gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re free to kiss whomever you want. And I don’t care what you charge them.”
Way to go. You even sound like you mean it. Zach put his hands on her arms and unlike when Declan had done the same, her heart tripled its pace.
“Good to know, Doc. Just so we’re clear, there’s no charge for this,” he said.
Before she could even process the words, he’d tipped her chin up and his mouth was on hers in a hard, demanding kiss that stole her breath. His lips were soft, and after the initial touch, he gentled, his hands smoothing up her arms and finding their way into her hair, tangling there and anchoring her to him. Stella put her hands on his wrists. They didn’t even wrap all the way around. She was losing herself, finding herself, in the feel of his lips moving against her own. She sighed and would have sunk into him, given up fighting the attraction she’d felt from the second she’d laid eyes on him, if a little voice hadn’t interrupted.
“Ew. Now they’re doing it. I thought there was only one kissing booth,” Charlie said.
Zach pulled back slowly, and his e
yes burned so bright she was surprised her skin wasn’t on fire. Flustered and turned on, she stepped back, short of breath. Megan and Adam stared with amused grins and Charlie looked like he’d just eaten a bouquet of lemons.
Yes. Word would travel quickly, she thought. And now, they’d given the gossips something to say. With her lips still tingling—yes, actually tingling—from the heat of his, she couldn’t bring herself to regret it just yet.
But she was almost positive she would.
Chapter Thirteen
Zach wasn’t a risk taker by nature. Even after enlisting, he’d done what he had his whole life—measured the odds and outcomes and made choices using his gut. There was a difference between that and laying things on the line…taking a chance. As he pulled away from Stella, her taste still on his lips and his tongue, he wondered if, this time, the reward was worth the risk. Jesus. He’d never felt that much over a simple kiss in his life. Not that it had been simple. No. Because, one, it was Stella and there was nothing fucking simple about this woman. Two, because they had an avid audience, and three, because this town traded gossip like currency and he knew she wouldn’t want to be part of that. And four, you work for her, you idiot. This was the exact thing you were supposed to avoid. If you could avoid it last night while she was looking at you with those gorgeous fucking eyes and delectable fucking lips, you should have been able to walk away this time.
But he didn’t regret it. Couldn’t when the fire was still burning in his gut and her gaze. Definitely not when sealing his mouth against hers had felt like he was finally where he was meant to be. He wasn’t some dreamy-eyed sap who attached meaning to every little thing, but there was no way he could write that kiss off as nothing. Even though he had a feeling she would. And that they both should.
“Is that your boyfriend, Stella?” the little kid standing in front of the table asked. Zach presumed this was the infamous Charlie. He turned, giving both him and Stella the physical space they needed. Holding out his hand, he shook the little guy’s hand first.
“You must be Charlie. I’m Zach. I work with Stella.” Charlie beamed a cute grin at him, easing some of the tension out of his body. He held out a hand to the man standing beside Megan.
“Zach Mason.”
Eyes a little cool, definitely assessing, he offered his hand. “Adam Klein.”
“The fiancé,” Zach said.
Adam looked down at Megan, who looked as adorable today as she had the other day when she’d shown up at the clinic, and ran a hand down her hair with so much affection that Zach’s stomach tightened. He wanted that. He wanted the familiarity, the closeness, the certainty that there was a person made for him. Preferably, one who could rock his world with just a kiss. Not Stella. Not Stella. Not Stella. That’s right. Keep telling yourself that.
Glancing over at her, he wondered what she was thinking. Had he embarrassed her in front of her friends? He’d booked it out of the kissing booth when he saw her face go paler than vanilla ice cream, and when he’d found her, she’d been standing too damn close to a guy he thought he could be friends with. But seeing Declan so close to Stella hadn’t made him feel friendly. Instead, it made him feel possessive as fuck and he didn’t like the feeling. Apparently, it made him lose his mind and kiss the woman he was trying to build a long-term business relationship with. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She was already looking for any excuse to throw her walls up.
“Adam, you and Zach went to school at the same time. He’s old, like you,” Megan said, grinning up at her guy.
He tapped her nose with his index finger and muttered, “Good thing you’re cute.” He looked at Zach. “You went to Brockton High?”
Not wanting to talk about his school days or his past, Zach nodded and looked at the time. He cut off any further conversation by announcing, “I have to go do an hour in the dunk tank. Remind me to say no next year.”
Stella looked at him, her gaze unreadable. “I’m sure it wasn’t all that bad.”
Shoving his hands into his pockets so he didn’t reach out and pull her close, he shook his head. On his way around the table, he leaned down to speak to Charlie.
“I hear you like horses.”
The perma-grin the kid wore widened. “I love them. My dad doesn’t, but he’s getting better around them now.”
Zach grinned up at Adam, then back at his kid. “We’re going to be getting a couple more at the farm.”
“Really?” This was said in unison by Adam, Megan, and Charlie.
“We’re looking into the possibility. I think you’re going to be late,” Stella said.
“We’ll be looking for someone to help us brush them and feed them if you know anyone,” he said to Charlie.
As expected, the kid’s eyes went huge. “I could do that. I help with C.C. when I’m there. Right, Stella? I help a lot.”
Stella’s frown finally faded, and she gave Charlie a warm smile. “You do, bud. You’re a great help. We’ll talk about it more after we get the other horses, okay?”
Zach was happy to leave on a better note than he’d shown up on. The last two days had been a freaking see-saw where Stella was concerned, and he knew it was going to be even harder to keep his distance. She got to him on every level without even trying. Maybe getting dunked in a bucket of cold water was exactly what he needed.
…
He didn’t want tension simmering between them like a boiling pot. Stella had given him the keys at the end of the day, after they’d loaded the Cherokee, and crawled into the passenger side. The wordless gesture got to him nearly as much as the kiss. She wasn’t a woman who gave up control or asked for anything. She was tired, possibly hung over, and he wasn’t even sure that they weren’t both mad at each other. If they were, he wasn’t entirely sure why. He knew why he was mad at himself. So much for discipline and long-term planning. It had been more than a little while since he’d gotten close to a woman. He’d dated in the last couple of years, but nothing more than casual hook ups and having a good time. Neither of those involved reading into every little thing. You’re going to drive yourself nuts. But, she’d needed something—even if it was only something as small as a reprieve from driving home—and she’d counted on him. She’d asked him for help. Sort of. You’re kind of making a big deal of her tossing her keys at you. But since she had, he was taking charge.
She didn’t notice until he passed the exit for her place.
“Where are we going?” She sat up straighter and turned her head to look at him. He glanced over. God, he liked the way she looked at him. Always a little on guard, like there was never a simple answer. He wanted to break down that guard and be the one who made her sure.
“Home.” He smiled and looked back at the road. Only a few cars shared the space with them and she stayed quiet until he took the next exit, rounding the corner that would lead them back to Stella’s.
She poked him in the shoulder with her index finger. “You forget to take the exit, Rookie?”
He laughed, happy she was relaxed. He took the road he knew would lead to an area of her property that had untapped potential. The sky was growing dark with the stars beginning to peek out. He’d missed that when he lived in the city. Today had been a long day, but there was enough light for them to get where they were going.
“You think I’m lost?” His chest tightened, a quick, hard spasm as he thought he hadn’t felt more at home—more found— anywhere than he did beside this woman when he’d chipped away at that hard, gorgeous outer shell.
“You took the wrong exit,” she said.
“On purpose, and this goes to your property.”
She was quiet while he drove, the road getting bumpier as he turned down a path that wasn’t used by anyone. Hopefully, he wouldn’t get them stuck. He’d come out this far on one of her ATVs the other night while she’d been pouring over bills. Zach hated seeing the worry that furrowed her brow every time she did that activity.
“This is the edge of your land,” he said, pulling to
a stop in the middle of nowhere. Trees surrounded them, the path barely wide enough for her jeep.
“I know.” There was no hiding the curiosity in her tone.
Zach turned off the vehicle and got out. He planned on opening her door, but she was out before he could. He stood at the front of her Jeep and crooked his finger. “Come here.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and stood her ground, making him smile.
Taking a deep breath, he saw that crease in her forehead that meant she was overthinking things. “Zach. What happened earlier can’t happen again,” she said. Her voice was clear and calm, like crystal in the quiet of the forest.
He knew that. They worked together and though he didn’t know her story, he knew enough about life to know mixing business and pleasure, especially a very tiny business where they’d be glued at the hip, had the potential to end poorly. He tried to joke his way out of having a conversation he didn’t want to have. “You mean you getting jealous of my kissing another woman?”
Her mouth dropped open like she couldn’t believe he’d said that. Then she rolled her eyes and huffed out a half laugh, half breath. “The kissing in general.”
Zach nodded. She was right. Didn’t mean he had to like it.
“I know. I get it. I didn’t mean for it to happen today. I’d like to think I’m not the only one who’s been fighting whatever this is between us. But I also know that we want different things. My main priority is making you see what we could have together. Professionally.”
She continued to stare at him, and he wasn’t sure what to make of her expression. Would she admit that she was pushing down her own feelings?
“What are we doing here, Zach?”
Of course not. Stella Lane, admit weakness? “I’ll tell you if you come here and trust me for five seconds.” He didn’t want to be pissed that the only thing she had to say about the kiss that had rocked his world, was “never again.” He didn’t think either of them believed it, but he’d leave it alone for now. This is what you want. Stop being a jackass. You don’t want this complication.