AspenTrilogy (Boxed Set)

by Cindy Stark

  "I understand." He remained quiet for a moment. "Maybe after some time has passed, you'll see things in a different light."

  He touched his lips against hers in a whisper soft kiss that made her want to beg for more. "Good night, beautiful Lily. Sweet dreams."

  He left her at her front door, and she watched as he moved through the dark, his shadow a little blacker than the night. She missed him the moment he walked away. The interior lights from his truck provided a little illumination, but she couldn't see his face as he climbed inside.

  He started the engine, his headlights glaring into the night. Gravel crunched as he turned his truck around. When he reached the main road, his tires squealed as they gripped the pavement, and he sped off into the night leaving her in utter darkness and silence.

  She released the breath she'd been holding. Oh, wow. That hadn't gone at all as planned. She closed her eyes, touching her lips again, trying to picture him still there. Damn. She couldn't help it. He just didn't seem to be the jerk that Hannah had painted him to be. She liked Luke, like the sparks that flared between them.

  His kiss would remain seared in her memory for a long time.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The next afternoon Lily traveled back down the graveled drive and drove the few short miles into town. Things already seemed familiar, which was good. Traffic had picked up since the previous day. She actually had to wait for a car to pass before she could turn into the grocery store parking lot.

  Lily's gaze immediately flicked to where the big black truck had been parked the day before. It was gone. Of course it would be.

  She straightened her blouse, grabbed the envelope that held her resume, and headed into the real estate office.

  Betty Johnson was a hardened older woman with silver cropped hair and a wiry build. "You must be Lily," she said as she rose from behind a wooden desk.

  "I am, Mrs. Johnson." Lily extended her hand, and Betty shook it with a firm grip. "I came to apply for your part-time position."

  "Yes, Sondra told me. Sit down." She indicated a wooden chair with a faded blue cushion that rested on the opposite side of the desk. "What are your qualifications?"

  Lily slipped her resume from a manila envelope and handed it to the woman. Betty studied it for all of a half-second before she looked up. "Can you answer a phone and take down correct information?"

  "Uh…sure. Absolutely." She supposed it was a pertinent question, but couldn't most people handle those duties?

  "How are you on reliability? The last gal I hired never showed up on time on Saturdays because she stayed out too late partying the night before."

  "I'll be here unless I’m on my deathbed."

  The older woman laughed. "I don't know if you need to go that far."

  "I really need this job, Mrs. Johnson. I promise I won't disappoint you."

  "Then it's yours. Can you start now? Today is my anniversary, and my husband's taking me to dinner tonight in Roosevelt. I'd like to get a head start if I could."

  "Sure." Lily tried to hide her surprise as the woman gathered her purse.

  She slipped a key off her ring and handed it to Lily. "You can lock up at five. Until I can train you a little better, all I want you to do is answer the phone and take a message."

  Then Mrs. Johnson was gone.

  The small office was eerily quiet. Lily walked to the front of the building and peered out at the parking lot. It held exactly five vehicles, and she couldn't see many people. Quiet was an understatement.

  It appeared the hardest part of this job would be finding a way to occupy her time. With a sigh, she opened up the browser on the computer and started searching for jobs. Sitting still and doing nothing was not in her nature.

  * * *

  Lily spent the past week settling in and unpacking. She'd steered clear of hanging out in town unless she was working, hoping to avoid an encounter with the sexy cowboy she'd been unable to forget. It wasn't that she didn't want to see Luke. Quite the opposite. But she'd lived long enough to recognize trouble when she saw it, and that man was a mountain-sized, testosterone-fueled bucket of trouble.

  With today's workday behind her, Lily closed up the shop and headed across the parking lot to the grocery store. There was a new recipe she'd found for a tomato basil soup that sounded interesting, and she needed a few ingredients in order to create it. It would be soup for one, though. Hannah was in Roosevelt with friends. Her trips there had become a regular occurrence.

  Lily didn't mind Hannah taking off, though. Her friend hadn't been the same since she'd returned home. Besides, Lily was quite fine being alone, enjoyed it actually. She could make dinner, and afterwards, go for a run. The quiet road in front of her house made the perfect jogging path. Very little traffic passed and being in the fresh open air lifted her spirits, reminding her that life was full of possibilities, and the little bump she'd experienced recently would soon be a faded memory.

  She pushed through the doors of the market, still amazed at how tiny a country store could be. It carried the essentials and pretty much one brand of everything. It lacked the polished gleam of the superstores she'd visited in L.A. and Salt Lake, but she didn't miss the crowds.

  "Hey, Lily." The friendly blond cashier greeted her with a wave.

  "Hi, Ashley." Lily loved that people knew her name even though she'd only been in town a short time. She enjoyed feeling like she was part of a small, caring community. The residents always asked after her and Hannah's family, and they seemed genuinely interested in her response.

  Lily removed her shopping list from her purse and headed down the first aisle, snagging a canister of oatmeal that would provide breakfast for the next couple of weeks. Next was basil. She'd probably have to use dried instead of fresh, but that was okay.

  As she reached the end of the aisle, the sound of a little child squealing with laughter caught her by surprise. She looked up as a small brown-haired girl barreled around the corner from the opposite direction and plowed directly into her legs.

  The collision knocked Lily back. Luckily, she righted herself before she tipped over. The little girl didn't fare so well. She crashed backward into a display of cereal boxes, the colorful tower tumbling down on top of her.

  The little girl with a mass of wild curls had to be close to three, she guessed. She looked up at Lily, her big brown eyes wide. "Uh-oh."

  Her mother rounded the corner. "Emma? What have you done?" The woman hugged a newborn baby to her as she quickly surveyed the disaster. She glanced at Lily. "I'm so sorry." Then turned to Emma. "You are in big trouble, young lady. You clean up this cereal right now."

  Emma scrambled to her feet and started picking up boxes.

  "It's okay." Lily smiled at the dark-haired mom sporting a ponytail and very little makeup. "I can help her."

  "She's such a handful sometimes. Thanks for helping. I'm Caroline, by the way."

  Lily introduced herself before kneeling down next to Emma. The little girl gave her a conspiratorial look that melted her heart.

  They'd managed to stack two levels of boxes when a pair of cowboy boots stepped into Lily's peripheral vision. She glanced up to find Luke hovering. She swore he was checking out her rear end. He flicked his attention to Caroline.

  "Need some help?"

  Lily prayed interest and excitement didn't show on her face. He was sweet temptation all wrapped up in ripped jeans, a blue cotton shirt and a khaki ballcap. She had to withhold a sigh of appreciation.

  "Luke!" Emma squealed and abandoned her boxes in order to throw her arms around his legs.

  He laughed and scooped her up. "What have you done now, squirt?"

  Caroline groaned as her daughter laughed and hugged Luke. "Don't ask."

  Luke tucked a wild curl behind the girl's ear, reminding Lily of the day they'd met and he'd done a similar thing for her. "Emma, you've gotta quit giving your momma such a hard time. She needs you to be a big girl and help her now."

  Emma put her chubby little hands on
the sides of his face. "Okay. I will 'cause you asked nice," she answered with all seriousness. "Can I have a sucker?"

  He laughed and set her down. "If you do a good job cleaning up these boxes and if your momma says so, I'll buy you a sucker."

  Her cheeks pushed out as she grinned. "Okay." She started gathering the cereal boxes with renewed fervor, and Lily had a hard time keeping them straight.

  Luke knelt down and relieved the stress of her trying to keep up with the haphazard stacking of a little three-year-old. "Hey Lily." He nodded.

  She tried to force a normal breath and pretend he hadn't been her fantasy every night since she'd met him, but she caught the scent of leather and spice, and her resistance slipped a notch. "Hi Luke. How have you been?"

  "I'm good." He shifted his gaze to Emma's mom. "You doing okay, Caroline? I stopped by to check on you earlier, but you weren't home."

  "Oh, sure." The mom shifted her baby to her shoulder. "You know it's been a little crazy without Richard, but I've had a lot of help, and he'll be home tomorrow."

  "I'm happy to hear that." Luke stacked the final box and stood, holding out a hand for Lily. She placed her fingers in his, unable to resist noting how warm and strong he felt. She caught his gaze, his green eyes probing hers. Interest? Desire? She wasn't quite sure what she'd found smoldering there, but he broke the connection as soon as she was on her feet.

  "You let me know if you need anything else, okay?" He directed his conversation at Caroline.

  "Thanks, Luke. You know you've been a lifesaver."

  "No problem. Come on, Emma. Let's go get that sucker." He took hold of little Emma's hand and walked away without another word, leaving an uncertain and unfulfilled void inside Lily.

  She wanted to call foul, but she had been the one who'd turned him away the other night. Somehow, though, she'd expected him to come after her like the relentless predator Hannah had made him out to be. Not only expected it from him, but maybe wanted it, too.

  "He seems like a nice guy," she said to Caroline, trying to pretend she hadn't noticed that he hadn't said goodbye to her.

  "He's a treasure. My husband's been gone for a couple of weeks, training with the military reserve. Luke has taken turns with some of the guys in town, and one of them has come by every day to help with chores. They've really watched out for me."

  "Wow, that's so nice." How was she supposed to keep hating on this guy? He really did seem like a treasure.

  "Whoever marries him will be a lucky girl." Caroline turned a curious eye to Lily. "I noticed him checking you out. I don't suppose you're single."

  She'd noticed? Lily's cheeks heated from Caroline's comment, but her heart took flight to know that he hadn't been able to ignore her. "Actually, I am."

  An interested look played across the mom's features. "If I were a single gal, I'd definitely be looking in his direction." She smiled. "Just sayin'." She stuck out a hand for her to shake. "It was nice to meet you, Lily. I'm sure I'll see you soon."

  With that, Caroline was gone. By the time Lily gathered the rest of her ingredients and headed to the register, there was no sign of Luke, Caroline, or little Emma.

  "Did Caroline already leave?" Lily asked the cashier. Really, she wanted to know if Luke had, but she didn't want to voice her interest.

  "Sure did. Walked out with her cute little girl and Luke Winchester about two minutes ago."

  "Oh." She'd hoped to have another opportunity to talk to Luke. Not that she had any idea what she would have said to him.

  "Not sure why Caroline would keep his company, though. Especially with her husband out of town." Ashley took Lily's money and started counting change.

  "Why is that?" Finally, someone who might give her some information.

  "That Luke is a wild man. Rumor is he can sweet talk a lady out of her boots in no time flat. Then he moves on to the next without even a thank-you-ma'am. Definitely one to steer clear of if you have any brains. He's a walking heartbreak. Probably has STDs."

  "I see." She nodded her understanding as she tucked her wallet away. That was not what she wanted to hear. "Good information to know. Who told you this?"

  Ashley grinned. "Your friend, Hannah. She's told like everyone. Girls gotta watch out for each other, you know?"

  Lily walked with her bag of groceries to the car feeling more than a little torn…and definitely frustrated. She'd heard two sides of the story while shopping and didn't know what to believe. Luke didn't seem like a bad guy to her, but maybe that was because she didn't want him to be. Hannah hated him. The guys liked him. Caroline and Emma adored him. She wanted to believe him and like him, too.

  Of course, maybe that was how he played the game. Maybe the rest of the women had felt exactly like she had. Hannah had mentioned she'd thought she'd be the one to tame him, and now here she was experiencing similar feelings.

  To make matters worse, she missed the hot and sexy Luke. This tempered version of him left her wanting more. She wanted the easy friendship he had with Caroline. Wished he'd hug her like he'd hugged Emma. She ached to see his face light up when he looked at her, too.

  If she were smart, she'd forget him that instant. She needed to use her brain like Ashley said and accept the fact that Luke Winchester would never be a part of her life. It didn't matter if it was because he had a reputation or because she intended to be loyal to her friend.

  Hannah was right. This town and the people living here did have a way of messing with a person's mind.

  Tomorrow, she'd expand her job search. Denver may be her next destination. As much as she didn't like it, she wondered if her parents' gypsy blood also ran through her veins, and she would never be destined to settle down.

  * * *

  Lily stood in the doorway of the real estate office, taking in the afternoon sun. Several more days had passed in the quiet little town, and Lily hadn't caught one glimpse of Luke or his truck. Not that she wanted to. But she'd decided it would be a good idea to keep him on the radar so she could avoid him.

  She returned to her desk and printed the marketing proposal she'd written for Betty. She'd completed it late that afternoon, and she couldn't wait to show it to her boss when she returned.

  The door to the office opened, and Lily looked up, expecting to see Betty. Luke widened his eyes, seeming as surprised to see her sitting there as she was to see him. Day-old scruff and a tan cowboy hat left him looking dangerous, in an untamed, restless kind of way.

  He gave the office a quick glance. "Is Betty around?"

  Lily stood, shaking her head, her heartbeat kicking up a notch. She feasted on the sight of him. She didn't want to admit it, but five days had been too long to go without a glimpse of her forbidden eye candy and the addictive way his compelling gaze renewed her interest in life. "She's out with a client."

  He nodded. "I didn't know you worked for Betty."

  "I've only been here a couple of weeks."

  "I see." His gaze flicked across the desk. "She didn't happen to leave a set of keys for me, did she?"

  "No. I'm sorry." Betty hadn't mentioned him at all. If she had, Lily certainly would have checked her hair and slicked on some lip gloss. Not that she wanted to attract him, just that she wanted to look her best when he was around. There was a difference.

  "Okay." He adjusted his hat and turned for the door. "Will you tell Betty to call me when she gets in? Maybe I can meet up with her later."

  No. She didn't want him to go so soon. "I will."

  He paused in the doorway, studying her with a serious gaze before settling on her lips. "Just so you know, I still think about that kiss. I can't get the taste of you out of my head."

  A whip of desire tore through her, tripping her heart and flooding her with sensation.

  Then he was gone.

  Lily stared at the empty doorway, stunned, breathless. She fell back into her chair.

  What the hell was she supposed to do with that?

  She still sat there twenty minutes later when Betty flew th
rough the door, tossing her briefcase on the desk in front of Lily. The sight of her boss looking rushed and haggard dragged Lily from the multitude of what-if scenarios she'd had running through her head.

  "Busy day?"

  "You could say." She flipped open her briefcase and started rummaging through the papers.

  "Luke Winchester was just here, looking for you."

  Betty groaned and closed her eyes. "Shoot. I forgot he would be dropping by." She glanced at the clock. "He needs keys for one of his rental properties. He misplaced his set and needs to make a duplicate." She glanced at Lily, looking completely frazzled. "I don't have time to run them by before Miranda and Bob come in to sign papers."

  "I could take them." She shouldn't be looking for an excuse to see Luke again, not after what he'd just told her…but she was. She didn't know what she'd do or what she'd say when she saw him, but she didn't like the awkwardness between them. She didn't have to date him, but she didn't have to hate him, either. He hadn't done anything to her.

  Relief relaxed Betty's features. "Are you sure you don't mind? You won't be able to get there and back before quitting time."

  She shrugged, pretending it was no big deal. "It's not like I have a hot date waiting for me." Besides, Hannah was spending a few days in Roosevelt again, and she was pretty sure she wouldn't see her until tomorrow. If Lily could keep her resolve intact, she should be able to make amends with Luke and not cause any further damage.

  "That would be so perfect, Lily." Her boss removed keys from a packet inside the filing cabinet and handed them to her. "I'll draw you a map so you don't get lost."

  CHAPTER SIX

  Bright sunshine cast a cheerful glow to the afternoon, and Lily rolled down her windows in response. She was so far from anywhere that the radio only picked up a country station, but the singer belted out something about chillin' on a dirt road and drinking beer. It seemed appropriate, so she cranked it up.

  Lily was certain she'd missed a turn somewhere as she continued down the narrow road, but she wasn't sure she minded. The warm air blowing in her window, tousling her hair and teasing her skin energized her spirit.