AspenTrilogy (Boxed Set)

by Cindy Stark

  He knocked on the door and waited. A minute went by, and she didn't answer. He couldn't imagine what would keep her.

  He repeated his knock, a little louder this time.

  She opened the door with a flourish. Her eyes sparkled with energy, and he was certain he'd never seen anything so beautiful in his life. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I'm not quite ready. Please come in." She hopped away from the door, one foot stuck in an unlaced suede hiking boot, the other only sheathed in a thick, gray sock.

  He laughed at the sight. Her frantic disposition charmed him. "Need some help?" His gaze traveled upward, and he studied the way the little jewels on the pocket of her jeans flashed as she moved. He'd have a hard time keeping his hands off her.

  "Just give me a minute. These boots are always so darn hard to get on." She sank onto a slightly worn brown couch and leaned forward to tie her boot.

  He glanced around the small but tidy living room. "Nice place."

  She looked up and grinned, her blond hair looking disheveled from her hurrying. "Thanks. It was my grandma's. I inherited it a few years back when she passed. I like to think she's happy that I'm here."

  "I'm sure she is." He walked forward as she struggled to get her socked foot into the other boot.

  He knelt down in front of her and pushed her hands out of the way.

  "Ugh." She leaned back against the cushion. "I hate these boots, but they're the only warm ones I have."

  He pushed up her pant leg and tugged on her sock. "You have to make sure your socks are snug to reduce the bulkiness."

  "Is that all?" She rolled her eyes and snorted.

  "I'm serious." He tugged her sock again, pretending to accidentally brush her calves with his fingers. Her skin was as soft as it looked. What he wouldn't give to kiss his way up her legs.

  He stifled his lusty thoughts before he embarrassed himself, and he slipped her boot over her dainty foot with little trouble at all and tied both laces.

  She sat up, looking amazed. "How did you do that?"

  "I told you. Snug socks." He laced her boot and stood, holding a hand out to her.

  She took it and stood. He didn't release her, but pulled her closer instead, needing her next to him. "I'm glad you decided to let me take you out. You won't regret it."

  Her laugh reached deep into the heart of him. "Like I had a choice."

  "You have a choice. You can always say no. I'm just hoping you won't."

  "Okay, fine. After my disastrous attempt to live it up last night, I'm willing to try things your way."

  "Good. I promise I'll bring you home in much better condition tonight." He gripped the belt loops on her jeans and tugged her to him. "I'm sorry…" He buried his nose in her soft tresses. "But you smell damn good."

  "Thank you. It's..." She blinked as though she'd lost her train of thought. "Never mind. I'm glad you like it." She grabbed a turquoise ski coat from the back of the couch. "I guess I'm ready. Sorry I made us late."

  "It's okay, Angel. There's no one where we're going that will mind if we're late."

  "Why do you call me that? Angel?"

  He straightened a piece of her hair that had gotten caught up in the masses. "Because you are. You remind me of everything that's good and right in this world."

  She widened her eyes. "Okay, then. That's a little deep for a first date, isn't it?"

  "Probably." He helped her with her coat. "I'll wait until we've gone out for a month before I call you Angel again."

  She shook her head. "That's okay. I kind of like it."

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Katy locked the door behind her as she and Scott left her house before turning toward his vehicle. Parked behind her tormented Rio sat an SUV similar to the one that had passed her that fateful morning. "It was you."

  "What was me?"

  "You're the crazy driver who went flying past me last Monday on my way to work. The roads were snow-packed, and you just flew right by me."

  He shrugged. "Possibly. But there was never a moment I wasn't in control."

  "How could you be? The roads were slippery. Just look at the front end of my car. I was driving super slow."

  He grinned as he opened the passenger door of his SUV and waited for her to get in. "Oh, yeah. Now I remember. You were chugging along about five miles an hour. I'm surprised you made it to work before noon that day."

  She gasped. "I hope you don't think I'm getting in your truck now that I know how you drive."

  That earned her a deep, rich chuckle. "Don't worry, honey. I'll bring you home safe and sound. Besides, we're only going to be in my truck for a short drive."

  He had her there. If she didn't go, she'd never know what kind of wild thing he had in store for her. "This better be good. The anticipation alone is driving me crazy."

  "Really?" He seemed to like that. "I promise you won't be disappointed."

  He drove at a respectful speed through Aspen and onto the main highway leading toward Pinecone.

  "Are we heading into town?"

  "Nope." He grinned, but kept his eyes on the road.

  She loved it when he smiled. With his dark hair, eyes and goatee, he'd always intimidated her when he'd worn a serious look. But when he smiled, and his eyes turned all sexy, she melted. "Is it somewhere close to Aspen?"

  "Kinda."

  His sense of adventure was irresistible. "Who's going to be there?"

  "Us and a few other souls."

  "Anyone I know?"

  "Doubt it."

  The suspense was killing her, but she loved every second of it. "Come on. Give me a hint."

  He gave her a sideways glance, his gaze traveling the length of her as though he was undressing her with his eyes. "You'll have to wait and see."

  She broke eye contact with him, not wanting to give away how much he excited her.

  He slowed and turned down a long road still covered in snow. He continued at the normal speed limit, and she bit her lip to keep from telling him to slow down.

  He reached over and squeezed her hand as though he'd sensed her shift in mood. "Don't worry. My truck is great in the snow."

  She dropped her shoulders and forced herself to relax. She'd wanted to live more dangerously. If the tempo of her pulse was any indication, she was well out of her comfort zone now.

  At least she wasn't bored out of her mind.

  Scott pulled through an open gate and up to a large white barn.

  "You're taking me here?" For what? Showing her livestock wasn't wild and certainly wouldn't impress her.

  "Gonna have to wait." He shut off his engine, his face alight with excitement. "Stay here."

  Katy caught his enthusiasm as he exited the truck and headed toward the barn. What could he possibly have in mind? She supposed it didn't really matter what they did. She was spending the evening with a man who exemplified the word sexy. And hot. And irresistible.

  This was not a good thing. But how could she resist? When he looked at her with that engaging smile, she was lost.

  Maybe tomorrow she'd spend some time figuring out exactly what she wanted. For today, she belonged to him.

  Two wide doors on the barn swung open. A moment later, two horses emerged, followed by Scott sitting in a sleigh.

  Her heart took notice, and she climbed out of the truck, not caring that her boots sunk to her ankles in snow. "A sleigh ride? Are you kidding?" she called as she approached him. She couldn't bury her smile if she wanted to.

  He halted the team of horses next to his truck. "Climb in and hold the reins while I close the barn."

  He held out a hand to her. She grasped his gloved hand, grateful she'd stuffed her gloves in her pocket before she'd left. He'd said to wear something warm, so she'd tried to be as prepared as she could.

  "It's gorgeous." Shiny gold adorned the sleek black sleigh that housed soft-looking, red seats. "Is it yours?"

  He shook his head. "Nah. The horses are, but the sleigh belongs to Luke Winchester. I don't know if you remember him."

>   "Tall guy. Pretty well built. He was involved in some sort of relationship with Hannah Martin. I thought he got her pregnant or something."

  Scott shook his head. "There were a ton of rumors going around back then, but none of them were true. Hannah made the whole thing up. But that's another story. Right now, we need to get going, or we won't make it there in time."

  "Seriously? There's more?"

  "There's far more than this. We haven't even started getting wild yet."

  Her breath hitched in her throat, and she wondered if that was some kind of sexual innuendo. Maybe. Maybe not. If she considered his reputation, she was sure it had been. But he'd been nothing but kind and sweet to her. A true gentleman. So, was he teasing her with sexual comments or not?

  He returned a few moments later to retrieve some blankets and a bag from his SUV before climbing up next to her. "Here, let's put this on the other side of you."

  He leaned across her, arranging the bag between her and the side of the sleigh, forcing her to scoot closer to his side. Not that she minded. He settled a heavy quilt across her lap and looked down into her eyes. His warm gaze sparkled with excitement, and she couldn't help but return the gesture. He seemed too good to be true, and she wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Maybe she'd knocked her head a little too hard during her accident and had been dreaming ever since. Perhaps the temporary promotion and Scott were both just figments of her imagination. Wrapped in her warm clothing, she couldn't find any bare skin to pinch. She bit her tongue instead, and a sharp pain spread over the surface.

  Nope. All real.

  "I think we're about ready." He sat beside her, his strong thigh nestled snug against hers. "Warm enough?"

  Definitely. With the hottest guy in town sitting right next to her, how could she not be? "I'm good. Thanks."

  He took the reins from her hands, and she slid the quilt so it covered both of their laps, her fingers tingling as they brushed across his jeans.

  He smiled his appreciation and sent the horses on their way.

  A cool breeze caressed her face as they traveled across the snow-covered field toward a rising ridge in the distance. Katy pulled up her hood to stay warm.

  "Getting cold?" Scott tugged the quilt higher on her lap.

  "Just a little."

  He held the reins with one hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Instant heat radiated through her.

  "It's beautiful out here," she said. The evening sun shone across the white field reflecting off each snow crystal. "It's like we're flying across a field of diamonds. Thank you for bringing me."

  "You're welcome, but I'm hoping this isn't the end of your surprises."

  "Always the cryptic one, aren't you?"

  "I like to keep people guessing."

  "You do a good job of that. Never in a million years would I have thought you owned the construction company that was working on our building."

  "Why not? Because I was such a screw off in school? People can change, you know."

  Had her original thoughts about him been that transparent? "You're right." She shouldn't judge without knowing someone. "I admit I was a little surprised you'd turned your life around. A lot of people don't."

  "Okay, I'll give you that. Some people aren't willing to put forth the effort to reach their achievements, whether they had a good upbringing or not. They accept whatever status quo they've been given and stay there."

  She'd hit a sore point and done a fine job of botching their serene atmosphere. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come across as judgmental. You've done this wonderful thing for me, and I'm making it awkward."

  "No, you're not." He shook his head. "I'm glad you're here. Obviously, you don't believe everything people say, or you wouldn't be."

  She hoped that was true. She'd originally said yes because she'd developed a sudden thirst for flirting with danger, but she was getting to know the man behind the reputation and starting to like what she found.

  "You might not believe this, but those of us with supposed stellar reputations also get shunned sometimes."

  He snorted. "Right."

  "It's true." She nudged him with her shoulder. "Just because a person got good grades doesn't mean they didn't like to have fun. Doesn't mean they didn't want to be invited to the parties, too."

  "Who would have thought?" He nodded. "I guess I can see how that might be true. I guess we're both a couple of misfits."

  He reached the top of a ridge and stopped the horses. They stood on a hill, a small valley spreading out in front of them before it rose again a good mile away. A small frozen pond sat squat in the center of the basin with pines and aspens growing in clumps around the edges. Dusk had forced away the harsh light of day, leaving the valley in shadow.

  "We're here."

  Katy glanced around, her breath clouding in front of her. "Where's here?"

  "Good question." Scott looked around, nodding with satisfaction. "I guess you could say in the middle of nowhere, but if you're patient and keep your eyes trained down below, you might see something really wild."

  Scott tied the reins to a hook on the side of the sleigh and settled back to watch the valley. Katy pulled the quilt higher up her chest.

  "There's a thermos of coffee in the bag."

  Katy shifted and found the thermos along one edge of the sack. "Good call." She poured a cup for both of them.

  "Don't worry. I won't let you get too cold." He held his steaming coffee in one hand and wrapped the other around her shoulders again.

  She had no doubt about that. She was pretty certain cold would never be a problem for her with him around. She settled against him, wanting to know more about how he'd gotten to where he was now. "What made you decide to go into construction?"

  He tilted his head to the side and shrugged. "I was dumb and dropped out of high school. I ended up completely on my own. Then I picked up a job working for a guy framing houses. Joe Rogers. I never met a harder working man in my life. Or a smarter one. He more or less took me under his wing, taught me a few things, and convinced me life would be easier if I went back to school. So I did. I worked days and studied construction engineering at night. Socked away most of the money I earned. I started doing side jobs in addition to working for Joe. Bought me a few pieces of equipment. When Joe retired, I struck out on my own. I'm in my second year of business. My company's now in the black, and things are looking up."

  "Winning the medical center bid had to be a huge boost. To your bottom line and to your reputation."

  "You can say that again." He blew on his coffee and took a drink before continuing. "How about you? What made you go into accounting?"

  She snorted and rolled her eyes. "It was a safe major. A versatile degree. Guaranteed to find a job. Besides, I'm kind of good with numbers."

  "I think that's sexy."

  "Numbers?" He thought she was sexy.

  "Yeah. I like a woman with a brain in her head. Someone who can handle numbers and money is attractive. Maybe you could help me with my books sometime. I do most of the accounting myself, although I do hire a bookkeeper from time to time. But my records are a disaster. I'm sure the guy who does my taxes charges me triple because everything is a mess."

  "Okay. Sure. There are lots of good computer programs out there that can really help. I'd be happy to help you get set up."

  "Wait…there they are."

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The hushed tone in Scott's voice brought Katy up straight in her seat, and she tried to follow the direction of his finger. "Who? Where?"

  "Wolves. There's a pack of grays that frequent this basin during the winter. Right down by the base of those trees."

  A shiver skittered through her, knowing the predators were so close. "I still can't see them. Which trees do you mean?"

  Scott pulled her closer to him, leaning behind her, holding her to his chest. His warm breath brushed across her ear, sending another more potent tremble through her. He lifted his arm and pointed a
gain. "Follow my finger." The sound of his voice mesmerized her. "See those three pines clustered together near the right edge of the lake?"

  She nodded and leaned her head against his under the pretense of following his direction.

  "There's another lone pine just to the left of them."

  "I see it."

  "Okay. Look down in the shadows at the base of the trees, and you can see them. Two adults and one smaller one. Possibly a half-grown pup."

  One of the shadows moved, and she realized it was a wolf. Two similar forms stood close by. "I see them." Excitement pumped through her veins. "Friends of mine have said they've seen wolves in these hills before, but I've never had the opportunity to get into the back country. This is unbelievably cool. Do they know we're here?"

  "Wind's blowing in our face, so probably not, but I doubt they'd approach us anyway. They'll wait for weaker prey, a young deer or an old one who's been left behind. They like to snack on deer that come to the river to drink. I brought a couple pair of binoculars, too, if you want a closer look."

  Nice. "I'd love to see them up closer." She handed her cup of coffee to him and dug through the bag, her hand hitting a solid object. She lifted it, shock rippling through her at the discovery. "There's a gun in here."

  "Sorry. Should have warned you. It's locked so there's no fear of it going off."

  That was a relief. He didn't seem too concerned about the pistol, but she'd never touched a weapon like that before in her life and the experience was a little unnerving.

  "The binoculars should be down on the left side of the sack in two smaller bags."

  He tossed the contents of their cups into the snow and leaned across her, pulling the binoculars from the canvas sack. The feel of his hard body over hers was comforting and exciting at the same time. She hadn't realized how much she enjoyed having him so close. Will had never sent her heart racing just by brushing against her.

  "Do you think we'll need the gun?"