by Mia Carson
“You know, that’s not why I invited you back here,” he confided.
“No?”
“No.” He rested his hands on her hips. “I just wanted an excuse to spend more time with you. You’re not like any other woman I’ve met.”
“Good,” she said and poked him in the chest. “But I think it’d be a good idea if I called it a night, for both our sakes.”
He helped her find her feet, but their touches lingered on one another, neither of them wanting to leave. For now, however, it was the best option. Kris fought the urge to tackle him to the couch and kiss him until they were breathless again, but she didn’t want to break all the rules instilled in her since she was a kid until she was sure of what she was getting herself into. She picked up her boots but didn’t put them on.
“You sure you don’t want the bed?” he said. “I can sleep on the couch.”
She eyed it and his tall frame. “You won’t fit, and really, it’s fine. I’ve slept there before.”
“Will I be able to see you tomorrow?”
“I don’t see why not.” She stretched up on her toes to kiss his scarred cheek. “Night, Edmund. Sweet dreams.”
His hand held hers lightly as she pulled the door open and slipped out into the hall. “They will be,” he promised. “They’ll be about you.”
Blushing, she walked backwards down the hall, her eyes unwilling to look away until she ran into the corner of the wall. “Shit! Damn. Alright, then,” she said through her laughter as he grinned. She turned around and hurried out of the inn before she convinced herself to turn around and stay the night with the man she was quickly falling for.
She walked into the garage and locked the door tightly behind her, leaving the lowlights on. She dropped her boots by the door and strolled to the fridge, humming under her breath as she pulled out a beer, popped it open, and sipped it. Edmund’s touch on her body lingered, and she imagined him striding through the door to finish what they had started, but he was too much of a gentleman to risk pushing her away. He would wait until she let him in.
Kris ran her hands over the Judge and ticked off the parts she still needed to finish her baby, trying to distract herself from thoughts of Edmund. Five minutes later, he still occupied her mind.
Edmund had been truthful with her, which she hadn’t expected, but now that he’d told her the truth about what had happened in Louisville, there were no more doubts in her mind about what type of man he was. Jenny might not have respected him, but she would, and she would make the most of the few weeks he was in town.
And when he leaves? What happens when he leaves and takes your heart with him?
Kris set her beer down hard but ignored the nagging voice in her mind that told her she was getting herself in too deep. She dragged over a stool, and unable to stop thinking about Edmund’s touch, she worked on the Judge until her eyelids drooped and she finally slumped over on the couch, drifting off into dreams of a handsome man holding her close.
Chapter 9
“I’m telling you, man, I’m in trouble here,” Edmund muttered as he paced around his room.
“What are you talking about?” his friend asked through a yawn. “Yesterday, you said you were quite happy in that quiet little town. What changed?”
Edmund peeked out the curtain at the garage and sighed. “I met someone.”
“A woman, or are you finally coming clean and admitting you’re gay?” Tommy teased.
“She’s the mechanic who towed me into town,” he said and puffed out his cheeks. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, man. I can’t stop thinking about her, and tonight, I’m pretty sure we almost had sex.”
Tommy whistled through the line. “That’s my boy! See what you’ve been missing?”
“I said almost,” he repeated. “What do I do?”
“What do you mean, what do you do? A hot woman wants to have sex with you,” he said in disbelief. “You do what any normal, red-blooded male would. You said she’s the mechanic?”
Edmund nodded, and his chest swelled with a strange sense of pride. “She knows her shit, too. She’s rebuilding a Judge in her garage from parts. Tommy, I think I’m in love here.” The second the words left his mouth, a sense of complete calm fell over his body, and he chuckled at the ceiling. “I just said that, didn’t I?”
Silence met his words, and he worried he’d lost the call. Tommy cursed. “I knew this would happen to you right off the bat. You’re rebounding.”
“What? No way, that can’t be what this is,” he argued. “I don’t just want to have sex with her. When we’re together, we talk, like really talk about shit that matters. She’s the bluntest woman I’ve ever met, but she’s got heart. Reminds me of someone else I know.”
“Yeah, you,” Tommy stated. “You just met this woman.”
“You’re telling me it’s not possible to have deep feelings for someone I just met?”
“Yes… no, I don’t know, Edmund. I’ve never experienced anything beyond lust,” he admitted. “Whatever you think you’re feeling, you’re on your own figuring out what it means.”
Edmund closed his eyes and imagined his hands running over Kris’s curves again until his jeans grew uncomfortably tight. “That’s a big help, thanks.”
“This is out of my league. Do what you do best. You’re the gentleman and sweet-talker,” he assured his friend. “I’m sure you’ll come up with something. Isn’t that why you read all those damn romance novels?”
Edmund sat up as the gears turned in his mind and a smile spread across his face. “You know, I think you might be onto something.”
“Good, can I go back to bed now?”
“It’s not even that late,” he muttered, staring at the clock, and frowned. “Shit, never mind. Why didn’t you say something?”
“When your best bud who was just stood up at the altar calls you at three in the morning, you answer your phone,” Tommy said with a laugh. “Keep me posted. Night, Edmund.”
Edmund smirked. “Just Ed.”
“Did you just say to call you Ed?” Tommy exclaimed.
“Night,” Edmund talked over him and hung up, tossing his cell to the bed. “Romance. We need a night of romance.” He gazed around the room and ideas sprang to life in his mind as he mentally laid out the plan. In the morning, he’d get up and gather what he needed for the perfect night alone with Kris. He could take her out, but it was either the diner or the bar, and neither of those were what he had in mind for a special night with this woman he could not stop thinking about.
He wanted to hear her laugh, have her smile all to himself, and when she kissed him, he wanted to be the only witness in the room. After all these years, those romance novels would finally pay off. And maybe he’d find out if Kris was falling for him as hard as he was for her. After making sure he had his list written out, he turned off the lamp, fell face-first onto the bed, and curled his arms around the pillow, imagining Kris’s body pressed against his.
For the first time in years, he missed the sunrise, but the few extra hours of sleep was worth it so he could focus on the day ahead. He took a quick shower to freshen up, grabbed a fresh t-shirt, and strolled out the door, whistling as he walked past the front desk and Grams.
“Morning, ma’am,” he said politely, smiling at her.
“Yes, it is,” she said, eyeing him suspiciously. “What are you in such a good mood about?”
“I woke up this morning and realized things are not as bad as they could be,” he said, and risking a chance this could blow up in his face, Edmund rested his hands on the desk. “Can I ask you a favor?”
“Depends. Does it have anything to do with my granddaughter and you?”
He debated lying, but that wouldn’t get him anywhere with this woman. “I would like you to know that I am declaring my intentions to date Kris. I can tell she means a lot to you, and the last thing I want to do is hurt her, but I would very much like your help in trying to impress her tonight.”
Gram
s tapped the counter with her nails as she stared him down. Granted, she was a short woman, but the weight of her stare had Edmund believing he was in for a scolding by his own grandmother. “I like you,” she said finally. “I can tell you care about my girl—more than her parents seem to, at any rate. She needs someone who didn’t grow up knowing every dark secret about her life.”
“I would be more than happy to have that opportunity,” Edmund said sincerely.
“What did you have in mind?” she asked.
“I need access to the roof again,” he said. “And do you have a table and chairs set you’re not using?”
Grams nodded slowly. “Think I have what you’re looking for.”
“Good. I’ll come back to get it all set up as soon as I get everything else figured out.”
“A romantic,” Grams said, amused. “Maybe you came to town just in time.”
Edmund paused as he turned to go. “In time for what?”
“In time to prove to my girl there’s some good people in this world who care about more than taking from her,” Grams said sadly. “You’re a good man, aren’t you, Edmund Eastwood?”
He straightened and bobbed his head once. “I try every day to be one.”
“That’s all I ask for,” she said, and for the first time since he met the old woman, she smiled briefly. “Get what you need, and I’ll see to things here.”
Edmund thanked her again and left the inn, pulling the list from his pocket. His first stop would be the drugstore to pick up candles, a tablecloth, and whatever else he could find to help enhance the mood. From there, he’d stop at the diner and order whatever was Kris’s favorite dish, and after that, he planned on hitting up the bar to see if they could loan him a dartboard for the evening. The only part of his plan he hadn’t figured out yet was how to get a message to Kris. He didn’t want to just text her. No, that was too easy. It had to be different, unique…
“Hey, Edmund!” Molly said as she strolled past him.
“Molly.” He stopped her as another idea popped into his head. “Could you possibly do me a favor?”
“Depends, I guess, on what you’re up to,” she questioned.
“Will you deliver a letter, with a rose, to Kris at the garage?” he asked her, and she squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I’m going to take that as a yes.”
“Of course I will! Oh, if only there were two of you,” she sighed. “You don’t have a brother, do you? Cousin? Someone else who is a romantic at heart?”
He straightened and scratched his nose. “How did you know I was a romantic?”
“A man who reads romance novels? You really think Kris could keep that tidbit to herself?” she questioned and patted his shoulder. “Oh, honey, you’re really one-of-a-kind.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He beamed at her. “I’ll have a letter for you soon enough. You going to be at work?”
“Yep, all afternoon, but I can take a short break to run over to the garage.”
Edmund told her it’d be there in a couple hours, and she said she’d be ready for it. He finished his walk to the drugstore, his spirits lifted to a place they’d never been with Jenny. He was headed into the store when he stopped and pulled out his cell. He found Jenny’s number and sent her a quick message, something he should have done Saturday when she left him at the altar, but he’d let his embarrassment cloud his mind. His fingers typed out a thank you, hit send, and walked into the drugstore.
When he was ready to check out half an hour later, his cell chirped, and he knew things were going to turn out alright when he read Jenny’s reply: You’re so welcome. We’re going to live now, Edmund, really live.
“This looks like you’re planning a fun-filled night,” the balding clerk said as he scanned Edmund’s items. “No books today?”
“No need,” he said, watching the older man bag his items. “I found my own story.”
“Sometimes, it just takes the right situation, the right happy accident,” the man agreed and Edmund spotted the wedding band on his finger, worn from age. “I hope your happy accident works out.”
Edmund handed over his card. “So do I.”
“Damn it!” Kris yelled as she smashed her third finger of the day. Yanking her hand out of the car, she glared at the offending appendage. The tip was red, and a blood blister formed where she’d hurt it. “That’s it, I quit. I officially suck at being a mechanic today.”
“Oh, quit your whining, you baby,” Charlie said, his voice muffled under the car he worked on. “You’ve had worse.”
“Yeah, well, today’s still shitty,” she grumbled as she went to the mini fridge and pulled a beer from it, placing the cold glass on her finger. She could say she had no idea where her mind was, but that’d be a lie. Her mind was in a room with a man holding her close as he kissed her passionately until they were both breathless. His soft lips loving her as she clutched at his soft hair and breathed him in.
“Hey, did you hear me?” Charlie called as he rolled out from under the car.
“Uh? No, can’t hear you when you’re under a car,” she said. Charlie smirked her, and she knew he was aware of where her mind had drifted. “Shut up.”
He held up his hands as he grabbed a fresh rag and pan. “I didn’t say a word.”
“You didn’t have to.” She sighed and kicked the wheel of the truck. “I’ve never been this distracted.”
“No, and if I was the jealous type, I’d be ready to deck him for stealing your heart so easily.”
Kris frowned as she studied the set to Charlie’s shoulders. “Are you the jealous type?” she asked quietly, hoping she wasn’t inadvertently hurting him by dating Edmund. It was true about him stealing her heart so easily, but she and Charlie did not fit well together as a couple, which was why they had only dated for a few months. “Charlie?”
He turned around and smiled reassuringly. “I’m not, but that doesn’t mean your other exes aren’t.” His smile fell. “Just be careful with how you are with him, alright? The last thing I want to see is you or him get dragged into a fight because you put out for Edmund but no one in this town.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked sharply. “We haven’t slept together.”
“That’s not the rumor going around town,” he told her. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but a couple of guys were talking at the bar last night. They saw you leaving the inn pretty late and looking a bit ruffled.”
Kris’s mouth fell open as her hands curled at her sides, gripping the bottle of beer tightly. “We didn’t do anything last night.”
“Hey, I believe you. I’m just telling you what the rumor is.”
“What exactly are they saying?” she demanded, but his shoulders sagged and he rubbed a hand down his face. “Charlie? Just tell me.”
“They said you clearly think no one in this town is good enough for you,” he muttered. “We’re all just trash, and the second some rich boy comes to town, you’re ready to fuck him like there’s no tomorrow.”
Kris chewed her tongue hard as she turned away from him, her face burning because of what people were saying about her and Edmund. She paced around the garage, forgetting the pain in her finger for the moment as she fought the urge to pick up one of the wrenches and chuck it across the garage, most likely damaging something she couldn’t afford to replace. Those bitter assholes. Every guy she’d dated in this town, except Charlie, had broken up with her when she wasn’t ready to put out after the first week together. They’d hated her for it, called her a prude. She did nearly everything else, fooled around a good part with Charlie, but never went past that line. Grams told her as soon as she was old enough to understand what sex was that giving her body to someone was special and there was no turning back. If she was going to have sex with someone, she needed to wait until marriage, or at least as close to marriage as she could.
Did she want to have sex with Edmund? God, yes, she did, but it had nothing to do with his damn money. It wasn�
��t her fault none of the assholes in this town had a romantic bone in their body, or a kind-hearted one, or were able to deal with her family politely instead of mocking her about her drunk parents and mistake of a brother. Edmund was different, and when she met him, she’d assumed he would flash his money in her face and rave about how terrible this place was, how dirty and low-life compared to where he came from. Instead, he treated everyone in this town with respect and only talked about his work when someone asked him directly about it.
But if you sleep with him and he leaves, you’ll be stuck in this town forever with them leering at you behind your back. The warning was true, and Kris hung her head, debating if it was worth it to see where this new relationship with Edmund could take her.
“Kris? You in there?” Molly called out as she stepped cheerily into the garage.
“Yeah, right here,” Kris called and plastered a smile on her face. “What’s up?”
Charlie eyed her warily, but she played it cool as Molly bounded over with a rose in one hand and a letter in the other. “Message for you.”
Kris smiled softly at the long-stemmed, red rose. She held it to her nose, closing her eyes as the sweet scent calmed her, and took the letter. “What is this?”
“Just read the damn letter,” Molly ordered urgently.
Kris unfolded the heavy paper and laughed at the private invitation to a rooftop, candlelight dinner at the inn, seven o’clock on the dot. “It doesn’t say who it’s from,” she murmured, staring at the words.
“Really? You don’t know who it’s from?” Molly groaned. “You’re terrible. So you’re going, right? He’s been working on this all day, and he even got Grams involved in the planning.”
“Grams? She’s part of this?” she asked, surprised. “I guess he did impress her last night.”
“I have to take him a reply,” Molly urged. “Yes? You’re saying yes, right?”
“Yes, I’m saying yes,” Kris burst out. “How could I say no?”
Molly shrugged. “No idea, but I have to get back to him with your answer. Details, woman, I want details tomorrow!”