Christmas in Pine Ridge: Clean Contemporary Romance (A Pine Ridge Romance)

by Holly Stevenson

  Owen turned, scanning her for any sign of harm. “Are you okay?”

  Before she could answer, Kurt grabbed Owen around the neck, attempting a headlock. Hope screamed and watched horrified as Owen bent down and threw Kurt over his shoulder, crashing him into a nearby console table. Kurt snarled and rolled back onto his feet like an alley cat. Blood dripped from his lip as he lunged for Owen again. Owen was ready for him, sidestepping Kurt’s frenzied attack with ease.

  “Kurt, Stop!” Hope yelled, fumbling to find Phil’s number on her phone. She couldn’t think; couldn’t focus.

  “You don’t deserve her!” Kurt screeched, throwing a punch to Owen’s face which Owen easily blocked. Kurt’s failed attempts added fuel to his rage. “She belongs with me!” he spat. “I’m the one who memorized every move, every word out of her mouth. You don’t even appreciate yoga. She and I belong together!” He turned crazed eyes to Hope and she shrank back, her stomach pooling with dread.

  “Hey,” Owen forced Kurt’s attention away from her, his chest heaving with barely controlled fury as he pointed at him. “Don’t you dare look at her,” he growled. “Don’t so much as speak her name. You’re going to rue the day you laid a hand on her, I’ll see to that.”

  Kurt snarled, but before he could attack again, security guards poured from the nearby stairwell and grabbed him by the arms. Hope trembled all over as she watched them handcuff his hands behind his back. Owen went to her, pulling her to his chest in a tight hug. She buried her face in his shoulder, clinging to him.

  “This isn’t over!” Kurt yelled. “We belong together, Hope—you’ll see!”

  Hope squeezed her eyes shut, feeling sick.

  Owen’s body tensed and he tightened his arms around her. “Ignore him,” he said into her hair. “I’m going to get you out of here.” He lifted his head. “If I don’t leave now I’m going to do something I’ll regret,” he growled.

  Kurt made a scoffing sound as he entered the elevator. “I’d like to see you try.”

  Hope felt Owen’s entire body go rigid and she could practically feel the fury raging in his veins. She put a hand on his chest, forcing him to look at her. When he did, her breath caught. Fire blazed in his eyes and suddenly she pitied any opponent he might meet on the battlefield. “It’s okay,” she said. “We’ll both ignore him.”

  Kurt continued to rant and the guards told him to be quiet as the elevator doors closed behind him.

  Phil came over to Hope and Owen, his face contorted in apology. “I’m so sorry. We saw what happened on the security cameras and got here as soon as we could. Are you all right?”

  Hope swallowed several times, trying to find her voice. “I-I’ll be fine.”

  “What are you going to do with him?” Owen asked.

  “We’ve called the authorities. They’ll probably need to speak with both of you, but you can be certain that he will not be returning to this hotel.”

  “I’d like to take Hope to her room so she can calm down a bit before speaking with them,” Owen said, gently running his hand up and down her arm in a soothing motion.

  She nodded. She felt like she could fall apart at any moment and needed quiet.

  “Of course,” Phil said. “You should have some time before they need you. It’s a good idea to take a few minutes. I’ll be in touch.”

  “Thanks.” Owen kept his arm around Hope. His touch was the only thing holding her together as he led her down the hallway back toward her room. She moved one foot in front of the other, feeling numb.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I should have gone to your class. I shouldn’t have left you alone.” He squinted. “When you didn’t show up on time, I started to worry.”

  She turned at the pain of regret in his voice, meeting his eyes. “It isn’t your fault. Phil offered to walk with me, but I told him it wasn’t necessary. I’m just glad you came when you did. I didn’t expect—” her voice trailed off and Owen gave her shoulder a squeeze.

  “It’s okay. He’s gone now. They’re taking him in and he won’t bother you anymore.” His jaw hardened. “I’ll make sure of that.”

  She nodded, her hands shaky as she reached for her room key.

  “Here, let me.” Owen took the key from her and slid it across the reader. Once they entered the room and the door closed behind them, she threw herself into his arms. He held her tight, rubbing her back in slow circles as she finally allowed the tears to fall.

  Chapter 17

  “Thanks for your help, Officer,” Owen said, shaking the policeman’s hand. They were in Hope’s hotel room, where she’d given her report about the assault. Phil and Nolan were there too.

  The officer turned to Hope. “We’re taking the assailant in for questioning, and then we’ll file the restraining order. He shouldn’t be bothering you again.”

  “Thank you,” Hope said, her face drawn and pale.

  Owen stepped over and put his arm around her for support. He hated that she was going through this. Guilt stabbed his insides. He should have gone to her class, and arranged to meet her at her room instead of having her meet him at the café. He should have been there for her.

  “Rest assured Kurt won’t be back at this hotel,” Nolan added, his face darkening. “The hotel staff are collecting his things and I’m adding additional security for the rest of the week. We’ll make sure nothing like this happens again.”

  The policeman nodded. “Sounds like you have things under control for now. I’ll need to take a look at your security footage. You said there’s a camera in the hallway where the assault happened?”

  “Yes, I’ll take you to the surveillance room.” Nolan turned to Hope. “Would you like me to have Phil on watch outside your room tonight?”

  She shook her head. “Thank you, but I don’t think it will be necessary now that Kurt’s in custody.” She looked to Phil. “But I still want to have you outside my classes.”

  “Absolutely,” Phil answered. “And I’ll notify the security team to make rounds tonight as an extra precaution. You have my direct line, so use it anytime. It’s never an inconvenience.”

  Nolan nodded. “That’s right. Your safety is our first concern, so don’t hesitate.”

  “Thank you.” She managed a smile and they left the room, promising to check in first thing the next morning.

  As soon as the door closed, Owen turned to Hope and his heart fell. Her eyes were tight and her lip trembled. He reached for her again and she clung to him in a tight hug. He stroked her hair, wishing he could erase her memory of the last hour. “I’m so sorry,” he said.

  She pulled back, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy. The tears had made her eyes a lighter shade of brown. “I’m just glad it’s over now.” She sniffed and gave a half-hearted shrug. “I should call Emily and tell her what happened—but I don’t feel up to talking about it right now, you know?”

  He nodded. “You’ve been through a lot. What you need is a good night’s sleep. You can talk to her in the morning.”

  “Yes, sleep always helps.” She twisted her hands together. “It’s probably silly, but do you mind staying with me for a little while? We could order hot chocolate and watch a movie. I just need something to take my mind off of what happened.”

  “That sounds great,” he answered a little too quickly. He didn’t want to leave her, so he was glad she’d made the suggestion. “How about I order the drinks while you find us a show?”

  She smiled, and for the first time that night her smile hinted at the real thing. “Okay. But if I pick, it will be a Christmas movie. Are you okay with that?”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “Isn’t it mandatory this time of year?”

  Her smile deepened, and she grabbed the remote before making her way to the couch. Owen picked up the phone and dialed the extension for room service.

  After their hot chocolate arrived, they watched White Christmas. Normally Owen was more of an action movie kind of guy, but they could have watched paint dry and he would have been con
tent. Sitting on the couch with his arm around Hope, he felt like he was home.

  She fell asleep a little over halfway through the movie. He turned the TV off and carefully put his arms beneath her, lifting her from the couch and gently placing her on her bed. She barely even stirred as he pulled the blankets up over her. He tilted his head, envying that she could sleep so soundly.

  After she was comfortably arranged, he found the hotel stationery and left Hope a note saying he’d meet her for class the next morning. He took one last look at her sleeping form, and his heart skipped a beat. Even asleep, she was captivating.

  Too captivating.

  He tightened his jaw, angry that she’d been through the ordeal with Kurt. When he’d stepped off the elevator and seen her trying to wriggle free from Kurt’s grasp, something inside of him had snapped. Kurt was lucky Owen had held back, because he’d been one step away from knocking his lights out. Watching her innocent, peaceful form, he felt more protective of her than ever. She was like a delicate flower that he wanted to shelter from life’s ugliness.

  He checked the balcony door, making sure it was locked, then turned on the bathroom light so Hope wouldn’t be startled if she woke in the dark. He stepped into the hall, making sure the door locked securely behind him.

  A security guard rounded the corner, walking toward him. “Everything all right?” the guard asked, nodding toward Hope’s room.

  “For now,” Owen said, straightening. “Thanks for keeping an eye out, though. She’s still pretty shaken up.”

  “I bet. I watched the footage on the security camera. I don’t know what the guy was thinking, but I bet he regrets it now.”

  Owen clenched his fists. “He’d better,” he said under his breath.

  The guard tipped his head. “At least I can tell you one thing—he won’t be back here. We’ll keep an eye on her room tonight. I hope the two of you can enjoy the rest of your vacation.”

  “Thanks. I’m sure we will,” Owen said, giving a casual salute as he turned and walked down the hall. He liked the way the guard had talked about him and Hope as if they were an actual couple. He pressed the button for the elevator and then stretched his arms up, placing his hands behind his head.

  He liked it a lot.

  Chapter 18

  “I cannot believe you didn’t call me last night,” Emily said, her face pinched.

  Hope had waited until after her morning class to fill Emily in on the details of the night before. She, Owen, and Emily stood in the empty exercise room, and Emily’s eyes had grown bigger with every detail.

  Hope shifted her weight. “I’m sorry, Em. I just couldn’t bring myself to talk about it last night. But I’m fine now.”

  “Thanks to Owen,” Emily said, turning to face him. “I’m so grateful you came when you did.” She shook her head. “I guess that explains Kurt’s absence this morning.” She turned and squinted at Hope. “Does this affect the way you feel about doing live events?”

  Hope bit her lip. She’d been having those same thoughts all morning. “Yes. I have to admit, it spooked me. I love doing live events, but if we decide to continue doing them, we’ll have to ramp up security.”

  Emily nodded and nudged Owen. “Any chance you’re in interested in hiring on as Hope’s security staff when we travel?”

  “Like a real bodyguard, not just pretend?” he said, giving Hope a sideways smile.

  She swallowed. The look in his eyes warmed her clear down to her toes before she blinked and turned to Emily. “He has a cattle ranch to take care of. He doesn’t have time to babysit me.”

  “It would only be a few times a year,” Emily persisted, facing Owen. “The cows could spare you, couldn’t they?”

  “Emily!” Hope gave her a look, embarrassed she was pressing Owen like this. “He’s done enough for us already. Leave the poor guy alone.”

  Owen turned to her, his blue eyes offering a playful challenge. “Are you saying you don’t want me to take the job?”

  “W-what?” She shook her head. “That’s not what I meant.” He grinned and she covered her face with her hands, trying to collect her thoughts. She did want him to take it. That was the problem. She lowered her hands and cleared her throat, fighting a blush. She knew Emily and Owen were teasing, but her feelings for him were all too real.

  She turned to Emily. “We can talk about it later, okay? I don’t want to think about security right now. What I want to do is enjoy the day and have some fun.” She looked at both of them. “Who wants to go sledding?”

  Owen bobbed his head, his eyes still smiling. “Sounds great.”

  “I think I’ll pass.” Emily pointed at her stomach, and Hope made the connection, instantly feeling bad.

  “Of course, I’m sorry. We can find something that’s better suited for pregnancy.”

  Emily shook her head. “Max and I were curious about exploring more of the town, so you two should go have fun.”

  “Are you sure? Maybe we could join you instead,” Hope offered.

  “It’s fine. You’ll have more fun sledding.” Emily put a hand on her arm. “Just stay with Owen, okay? I don’t want you to be alone.”

  “I’ll watch out for her,” Owen said.

  Emily lifted her hands. “See? That’s why you’d make the perfect bodyguard. Are you sure you don’t want the job? We’ll even throw in a Mindful Mornings T-shirt to sweeten the deal.”

  He glanced at Hope, his eyes dancing. “Well, how can I refuse an offer like that?”

  Hope shook her head as Emily grinned and waved to both of them before leaving the room.

  Hope gave him an apologetic shrug. “I’m sorry about her teasing. Please don’t feel like you have to babysit me today. If you have plans with your mom, I totally understand.”

  Owen folded his arms. “It’s not babysitting.” His expression grew serious. “I want to spend time with you.”

  Her knees went weak at his earnest expression. “You do?”

  He nodded. “My mom plans to spend the morning at the spa.” One corner of his mouth lifted. “Besides, what kind of pretend boyfriend would I be if I let you go sledding alone?”

  She sucked in a breath, her heart hammering under the playfulness of his gaze. She loved when he brought up the pretend boyfriend thing, but at the same time it filled her with an aching longing. How much of this was “pretend” for him? Was the time they spent together just an amusing game that would abruptly come to an end in a few days? The thought was painful to contemplate, so she brushed it aside, choosing a positive focus for the day.

  She met his gaze with a coy smile. “True. There is your reputation to consider—no self-respecting fake boyfriend would do a thing like that, so I guess you’d better come along.”

  His face turned thoughtful as he took her hand. “I mean, I’m not worried about my reputation, but we wouldn’t want your fans to think you’re flaky when it comes to relationships, would we?”

  She swallowed, thrilling that he was coming up with an excuse to be her pretend boyfriend even after the threat of Kurt was over. “No.” She smiled. “We wouldn’t want that.”

  They spent the next few hours sledding on the hillside behind the resort. The slopes were crowded with people out enjoying the clear day, but Hope didn’t mind. She loved how Owen urged her to take her tube down steeper and steeper hills, and she laughed at the way he whooped whenever his tube hit a bump. By the time they turned their tubes back in at the resort, her cheeks hurt from smiling.

  “I need to get out and do stuff like this more often,” she said. “I love the peace of my studio, but there’s something about the thrill of an adrenaline rush that livens the soul.”

  Owen took her gloved hand in his. “Amen to that. Too bad there aren’t good sledding hills where we’re from.”

  She laughed. “No, but there’s always the ocean. Maybe I’ll take up scuba diving or surfing.”

  “I’ve done both. I bet you’d like it.” He gave her hand a squeeze.

  S
he nodded, her smile turning to a frown when she noticed that he was limping slightly. “Is your leg okay?”

  He stiffened, his mouth forming a line. “I’m fine.”

  She wanted to ask about his injury again, but his tone made it clear he wasn’t ready to expound, so she changed tactics. “Are you all done with active military service, or will you be going back to Afghanistan?”

  He shook his head. “Thanks to this limp, I’m officially retired. Makes me sound like an old man, doesn’t it?”

  She smiled. “I’ve never met anyone who looked less like an old man. And I’ve never known anyone who was retired at twenty-eight. That makes you extra unique.”

  He gave her a wry smile, and she was glad she hadn’t offended him with her questions.

  “So, what do you plan to do with the rest of your life? Now that you’re retired, I mean.” She winked. “Will you work at the ranch?”

  He nodded. “My dad isn’t able to do as much as he used to, so Cody and I have been slowly helping more and more. Once Dad is officially retired, we’ll split the ranch fifty-fifty.”

  “It’s nice that it’s big enough for you to do that.”

  “We’ve got a few thousand acres, so even after splitting it will keep us plenty busy.”

  Her eyes widened. “A few thousand? I can’t imagine all that land. It sounds so peaceful.”

  “It is. There’s lots of work to be done, but there’s nothing else I’d rather do.”

  She smiled, loving the passion in his voice. She’d always dreamed about living on a farm or a ranch—to be around the animals and grow a huge garden. There was something so wholesome and heartwarming about the idea.

  They reached the back entrance to the resort, and he checked his watch. “Looks like we finished just in time to get ready for your class. Can I walk you to your room?”

  “That would be great, unless—” She hesitated, not wanting to bring up his leg again, but also not wanting to push him if he was in pain. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”