by Cindy Kirk
Of course, even if Adam had been aware of the fact, it might not have made a difference to him. While Lars loved all living creatures, his son had never cared about the animals or the ranch. Seth settled his gaze on the well-kept house. It was difficult knowing that everything Lars had worked so hard to build, everything that he’d cared so much about, would be sold off piece by piece. Seth forced the depressing thought aside. The ranch was Adam’s now, to do with as he wished.
The wind kicked up from the north. Out of the corner of his eye, Seth saw Ivy duck her head and cuddle close to Lauren. Guilt clogged his throat. Worrying about Hoss and Lars’s legacy was no excuse for neglecting his responsibilities.
Seth hopped to the ground. “Let’s get inside where it’s warm.”
“I’d forgotten how cold it gets here.” Adam zipped his coat before moving to the side of the sleigh and smiling at Lauren. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Adam Nordstrom.”
The professor extended his hand and when it closed over Lauren’s bulky mittened one, Seth saw the interest on Adam’s face. For a second Seth was seized with the urge to tell the professor to keep his coffee, that they were heading straight home. Thankfully he reined in his caveman protective instincts just in time.
“Adam, this is Anna’s friend Lauren Van Meveren.” Seth shifted his gaze to Lauren. “Adam and I went to high school together. Nordstroms have owned this land since the 1800s.”
Lauren stepped from the sleigh, her hand still in Adam’s. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Nordstrom.”
“Likewise, Miss Van Meveren.”
“Call me Lauren.” She flashed a smile.
“Only if you call me Adam,” he immediately countered.
“Deal.”
Seth resisted the urge to gag at the sophomoric repartee.
Adam cocked his head and studied Lauren for several seconds. “I know this is a long shot, but are you any relation to Dr. Edmund Van Meveren at Stanford?”
“He’s my father.” Lauren spoke without hesitation, but Seth noticed her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Do you know him personally? Or from his work?”
“Both.” Adam’s expression grew animated. “I was his teaching assistant when I was working on my PhD in Applied Mathematics. The man is absolutely brilliant. I’m now teaching at Brown, but I’ve continued to follow his achievements.”
“You’re a mathematician?”
From her expression, Seth couldn’t tell if Lauren thought that was a good or a bad thing.
The professor raised his hands and laughed. “Guilty as charged.”
“Adam is back to settle his father’s estate,” Seth informed Lauren. “He’ll be leaving soon.”
It couldn’t be soon enough to suit Seth.
“I’ll be here awhile.” Adam may have answered Seth, but he immediately focused his attention back to Lauren. “Tell me, does your father still spend holidays in Paris?”
Lauren’s smile teetered and Seth saw the strain around her eyes.
Adam didn’t appear to notice because he chuckled. “Everyone in the department envied his lifestyle.”
Seth had heard enough. He knew this was a sore spot for Lauren. He wasn’t about to stand here and watch Adam inadvertently pour salt in the wound.
“We should get inside,” he spoke brusquely. “Ivy is getting cold.”
He didn’t give Adam a chance to respond. Instead, Seth lifted his daughter from the sleigh then herded Lauren and Adam to the house.
“I’m sorry to hear about your dad.” Lauren waited for Adam to open the door of the two-story home. “Had he been ill long?”
“Dad had numerous health issues.” The smile that had been on Adam’s mouth since he’d seen Lauren slipped from his lips. “I’d been at him to sell the place and move closer to me. He refused. He insisted on staying out here in the middle of nowhere.”
By the professor’s tone it was apparent his feelings about the Big Sky state hadn’t changed.
“What happened?” Lauren asked softly when Adam didn’t continue.
“Lars had a heart attack while checking cattle.” Adam pushed open the door. “Since he lived alone, it took several days for his body to be discovered.”
Seth followed Lauren inside, Ivy in his arms. He saw no need to mention that he’d been the one who’d found Lars.
“Lars loved this land.” Seth lowered Ivy to a standing position on the floor. When he was sure she was steady, he unzipped her coat. “Dying on the range was how he’d have wanted to go.”
“It doesn’t make it any easier.” Adam cleared his throat. “I keep imagining him out there alone.”
A look of sympathy crossed Lauren’s face. She rested a hand on his arm. “I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you.”
“I try not to think about it. I just want to get this place sold so I can get back to civilization.” Adam shifted his gaze to Seth. “The attorney said you might be interested in buying the land.”
“Might be.” Seth took Lauren’s coat from her and hung it next to Ivy’s on the coat tree. “This isn’t the time to talk business.”
“That’s right, it’s Christmas.” Lauren removed her stocking cap and her blonde hair spilled out, tumbling to her shoulders.
Seth had to admit she made a fetching sight. Adam apparently agreed because a look of pure masculine appreciation filled his gaze.
“I’ll get your daughter and Lauren settled while you tend to the sleigh.” Adam may have mentioned Ivy but his eyes remained firmly fixed on Lauren.
The man’s arrogant manner grated on Seth. But when Adam smiled down at Ivy and asked about her accident, some of his irritation eased as his little girl blossomed.
“I broke my arm and my leg and I hit my head.” Ivy smiled up at him, enjoying her time in the spotlight.
“I bet it’s hard for you to get around,” Adam said to Ivy while sharing a smile with Lauren.
“That’s why Daddy wanted Miss Lauren to move in,” Ivy told Adam. “So she can take care of us.”
Adam straightened slowly. He turned to Lauren, his eyes wide with shock. “You live with Anderssen?”
Seth gritted his teeth. The man made it sound as if she were shacked up with a barbarian.
“Temporarily.” If Lauren noticed, it didn’t show in her matter-of-fact response. “Until Ivy is better.”
Adam opened his mouth as if to comment, but shut it without saying a word. He gestured to an arched doorway. “We’ll have our coffee and dessert in there.”
Seth scooped up Ivy and carried her to the living room. A fire crackled in the hearth, and an open book lay on the side table. He set Ivy down on a green floral sofa that had once been Barbara Nordstrom’s pride and joy. Her death in a car accident was something Lars had never gotten over.
“I’ll get the coffee,” Adam announced. “And plates for the pastry.”
The pastry.
Seth stifled a groan. His gaze met Lauren’s and just like that, he found himself drowning in their emerald depths.
“By the way...” Adam turned back on his way to the kitchen. “Where is the Kringle?”
“I left it in the sleigh.” Seth yanked his attention from Lauren. “I’ll get everything settled outside and bring it in with me.”
“Hurry, Daddy.” Ivy rubbed her midsection with her left hand. “My tummy is hungry for Kringle.”
“I won’t be long.” Seth hesitated. He needed to get the horse out of the weather and grab the pastry, but he found himself strangely reluctant to leave Lauren.
“Don’t worry, Anderssen,” Adam shot him a wink. “I’ll take good care of both of them.”
Lauren took a sip of wine and shot a sideways glance at Seth. They’d returned from the Nordstrom ranch a little over an hour ago. While Seth put the horse and sleigh away, she’d gotten Ivy ready for bed.
It had been obvious Seth had been surprised—but pleased—when he’d come in and found his daughter already in her PJs with her eyelids drooping. By the time Seth tu
cked her in and opened a book to read to her, the little girl was already asleep.
Normally Lauren would be ready for bed, too, but the afternoon nap she’d taken earlier had stuck with her. The way she felt right now, she could stay up all night. Thanks to Seth it had been the best Christmas she could remember. She’d been ready to head upstairs when he’d suggested a glass of wine to cap off the evening.
While he was in the kitchen uncorking a new bottle, Lauren switched off the lamps and proceeded to light candles scattered throughout the room. The glow from the flames mingled with the light emanating from the dying embers in the hearth to give the area a warm, cozy feel.
Seth walked into the room with two glasses in hand just as Lauren lit the last candle. He glanced around. His lips quirked upward. “Did I forget to pay the electric bill?”
Lauren returned his smile and dropped back on the sofa, folding one leg beneath her. She held out a hand, feeling lighthearted and flirtatious. “Give me my glass of wine and shut up.”
He handed her the goblet and took a seat on the other end of the sofa. “Ivy isn’t allowed to say ‘shut up.’”
Lauren leaned back in the overstuffed sofa and shifted in her seat, gazing at Seth through lowered lashes. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not Ivy.”
“Oh, I’ve noticed.” Seth’s blue eyes glittered in the dim light.
Her heart pounded a provocative Latin beat against her ribs. Still, Lauren kept a tight hold on her rising excitement as she traced the rim of her glass with one finger. “You want to hear something funny?”
Seth smiled encouragingly.
The darkness surrounding them made it easy for her to speak freely. “When you were in the stable, Adam asked if we were dating.”
Lauren hadn’t been surprised by the question. Only that he hadn’t asked sooner. She’d sensed Adam’s interest from the moment he’d discovered she was related to his mentor.
“I wonder what gave him that impression?”
Lauren lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. “When Ivy mentioned we’ll all be living under the same roof, I’m sure that made him curious about our relationship.”
Though that was the obvious answer, Lauren had a feeling Adam had picked up on the sexual tension between her and Seth. Every time Seth’s hand brushed her, every time he sent a smile her way, she’d turned into a blithering idiot. When he’d sat beside her on the sofa in the Nordstrom living room, she’d had difficulty concentrating on the conversation. They’d been thigh-to-thigh, arm-to-arm, and all she could think was how good it would feel if there were no clothes between them.
“I’m sure Adam understands that you’re simply Ivy’s nanny. Not my girlfriend or my—” his voice faltered, and he took a gulp of wine “—lover.”
“You’re right,” Lauren agreed. “Just because we’ll be living under the same roof doesn’t automatically make us lovers.”
Lauren rather liked the way the word rolled off her tongue. It conjured up visions of muscular arms holding her close, calloused cowboy hands caressing her bare skin and warm lips covering hers. The vivid image brought with it an ache of wanting.
From the way Seth’s eyes darkened, he appeared to be doing some visualizing—and aching—of his own.
The realization buoyed her flagging spirits. A couple times at the Nordstrom ranch, she’d gotten the feeling Seth was trying to foist her off on Adam. It was confusing considering the pull between them. Still the feeling persisted.
“I was surprised he had to ask.” Lauren forced a chuckle. “Considering your behavior.”
“What about my behavior?”
“You were like a yenta determined to make a match.”
Seth’s brows pulled together; his expression clearly puzzled. “Beg pardon?”
Lauren swirled the wine in her glass. “You played up the fact that Adam and I are both academicians. You told him I was a big-city girl at least three times.”
He grimaced. “Did I really?”
Lauren nodded.
“You’re right. He probably didn’t know what to think.” Seth’s gaze searched hers. “Did he ask you out?”
“Not yet.”
“Think he will?”
“Probably.” Actually, there was no doubt in her mind. The way he’d looked at her, coupled with his question about her relationship with Seth, told her the mathematician would be picking up the phone.
“Will you go?”
“I doubt it,” Lauren answered honestly. Though Adam seemed to be a nice-enough guy, he reminded her too much of her father. She didn’t tell Seth that part. “Between finishing up my dissertation, meeting with clients and taking care of Ivy, I won’t have much free time. I’d rather spend what time I do have with Anna or Stacie.”
“Do you ever feel the need for male-female interaction?” he asked.
Lauren straightened in her seat. Her heart, which had finally settled back into a nice easy rhythm, sped up. Was he asking the question on behalf of Adam? Or himself? Had he felt the pull between them but wasn’t going to act on it until he knew where she stood?
She had two options—play coy or be honest.
She’d never been good at playing games.
“I miss sex,” Lauren admitted, staring into the burgundy liquid. “While I may not have time to date, I could be persuaded to fit a purely physical affair into my schedule.”
Lauren looked up at the strangled sound coming from Seth’s throat. She lifted a brow. “You okay?”
“Are you saying you’d be interested in a relationship based solely on sex?”
“That’s the only kind I’ve ever known,” Lauren confessed. The confines of the darkened room allowed her to speak honestly.
“Ever?”
“Ever.”
“How many of these relationships have you had?” Curiosity, rather than judgment, underscored the question.
“Not many.” Lauren hated to admit how few. For a thirty-one-year-old modern female, her experience was extremely limited.
“How did you meet these guys?”
“I met Ruis at a symposium on global warming. There was an instant spark between us.” Lauren’s lips lifted in a slight smile, remembering the Spaniard. “I was twenty-two at the time. I’d never had a boyfriend before him. We became intimate almost immediately. I thought he was in love with me. After a while he made me see that the great fire between us existed only in bed. I should have known. We were very different people. On the positive side, Ruis taught me a relationship based on sex could be workable.”
Seth muttered something she couldn’t understand then met her gaze. “What about the others?”
“There was only one other.” Lauren twisted the stem of her wineglass between her fingers. “About five years ago.”
“How did you meet him?”
“His father taught at the community college with me. Dirk worked on oil rigs in the Gulf. We both loved to hike and ski. He’d be out on a platform for six months at a time so whenever he came home he had a lot of pent-up passion. Sometimes we’d go to the mountains but most of the time... we didn’t.”
Seth’s gaze narrowed.
“That worked fine for me,” Lauren hastened to add. “Because I was busy, too.”
Seth met her gaze. “You deserve better than you got from either of those men.”
“Like I said.” Lauren tried to smile but her lips were stiff and refused to move. “It worked out for everyone.”
“If you say so.”
A cold feeling of dread coursed through Lauren’s veins. She shifted uneasily in her seat. Her two best friends had never understood her past relationships. What had made her think Seth would?
Because he’s alone, a tiny voice whispered. Because his needs aren’t being met. Because you thought he wanted you in that way, too.
“Forget what I said.” Lauren brushed her hair back from her face with a hand that trembled slightly. “I thought you’d understand.”
Seth’s gaze turned curious.
/> “Anna told me you promised Jan you wouldn’t marry until Ivy is out of high school.”
“It’s a promise I intend to keep.”
“Physically it has to be hard,” Lauren chose her words carefully. “Especially when you have options.”
“I won’t lead a woman on just so I can sleep with her.” A muscle in his jaw jumped. “That’s not me.”
“I realize you’re not that kind of man,” Lauren agreed. “There’s another alternative.”
Seth raised a brow.
“Find a woman who can be content with no-strings- attached sex.”
“Someone like you?” he asked in a low voice, the dim light blanketing his face in shadows.
She couldn’t see his eyes, but the electricity was back, stronger than ever, sizzling and popping.
“Yes.” Lauren took a breath and plunged ahead. “Someone like me.”
Chapter Seven
Seth thanked God he was sitting because otherwise the wave of longing that washed over him would have knocked him off his feet. Having such a lovely woman offer to have no-strings-attached sex was a beautiful dream. And his worst nightmare. Because no matter how much—physically—he wanted to say yes, what she was suggesting was not an option.
“I’m flattered.” Seth gentled his tone and chose his next words carefully. “You’re a beautiful woman, both inside and out. There’s this chemistry between us that I can’t explain, but...”
“But?” The smile on Lauren’s lips froze.
“I can’t do it.”
“I don’t understand the problem.” Even as she pressed the issue, her voice turned cool, almost detached. The expression on her face gave nothing away.
“The problem is me.” Seth placed his glass on the end table but kept his hands at his sides, resisting the urge to touch her. “I’m a father, a role model for my daughter. I want her to grow up believing that making love is something special that happens between a man and a woman who love each other, who’ve made a commitment to each other.”