Hers for the Holidays (16 page)

He didn’t want to go back to Philly, back to his job, back to just being friends with Lydia, even if their friendship would have intimate benefits.

It had all been sneaking up on him, working on his imagination over the last few weeks. He loved this place. He loved the house, the ranch and the town. He loved the snow and the open spaces. The day before he’d found himself looking into the local university degrees in architecture, and he’d even been helping Smitty with the cows and horses all week, now that they were one man down.

He loved Lydia most of all.

They’d had a fantastic week together—the danger and anxiety gone, she was like a new person. Lighter, happier. Their lovemaking had become so much more than sex for him—and he knew she wouldn’t want to hear that.

He hadn’t lied to her, back at the start. He really thought he didn’t want to be tied down; the truth was that he didn’t know what he wanted. Until now.

But Lydia was packing to leave right after Christmas—the day after tomorrow. He’d heard her talking on the phone to Tessa, excited about going home.

Lydia had been right from the start. Ely wasn’t built for temporary. He’d been hers from that first ill-advised night they’d shared to this moment, right now. And he’d be hers for a long time to come, he knew.

And she wouldn’t want that.

Going back to Philly would be impossible. How could he go back and just be her “friend”? How could he watch her take other lovers?

He couldn’t.

Suddenly he knew exactly what he needed to do.

Grabbing his phone, he made the call he’d been thinking about, the one that he’d known he would make weeks ago.

After that, he called Jonas and told him what he was doing. That he was staying. Jonas had been surprised, but supportive, as Ely knew he would be. He’d also been curious about what else had happened—perceptive, his brother—but Ely told him he didn’t want to talk about it. Not now.

He stood, intending to go downstairs, bracing himself to tell Lydia, but then he turned around to find her in the doorway, watching him.

“I just got an offer on the ranch,” she said, still carrying the phone in her hand. “I can’t believe it. The Realtor just called and told me someone put in a bid for the asking price, not even bothering to negotiate lower. And they want it, lock, stock and barrel, the animals, all of it.”

Ely smiled. “That’s wonderful, sweetheart. Listen—”

This was what she wanted, and that made him happy; it also broke his heart, since he knew what was making her happy was going to take her away from him.

He crossed the room to pull her into his arms, and she hugged him back, but felt tense in his hold.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

She broke away, pushing her hands through her hair, the usual sign she was conflicted. Quiet for a moment, she moved in to face him.

“I know this sounds crazy, but I’m not going to sell,” she said.

The news knocked him back a step.

“What? Why?”

She had a stranglehold on the phone with both hands, and he knew she was anxious about something. In fact, the smile she’d had when she announced the news had faded considerably.

“I can’t go back to Philly.”

“Why not? Is it something Tessa said? Was she angry over you not telling her—”

“No. We had a long talk, and she was completely understanding. I’ve underestimated people terribly—Ginny and Tessa—I was so sure they would hate me. But they’ve been nothing but wonderful.”

“That happened because you were so angry with yourself.”

“Well, not anymore. I need a fresh start, I think. And I think, for me and you, it would be better to have a clean break,” she said. “I can’t keep being friends with you, Ely. I’m sorry. I know I said differently when we were in the hotel, in Billings, but I don’t think it would be for the best.”

Realization set in for him. She couldn’t go back because she didn’t want things to be awkward or difficult with him. She wanted to move on.

He straightened his spine. “It’s okay. Seeing me in Philly won’t be a problem. I’m the one who put in the bid,” he said, approaching her.

“What?” she blurted, staring at him in shock.

“On the ranch. I want to stay here. I’ve really come to love this place. I told you I was thinking about going part-time with my brothers, but now my cousin Luke is there, and he can take my place. Though I could go back if they really need me,” he said, shrugging, knowing he was babbling. “But the point is that you don’t have to worry about any awkwardness at home because of me—I’m going to stay here. If you accept the offer.”

Lydia’s shocked expression continued. “You’re staying here?”

“Yeah.”

“Because you love the ranch?”

“I do. I hope that gives you some comfort, to know that I’ll have it. I’ll take good care of it, and Smitty can stay on, too, of course.”

“I don’t understand...why? You can’t make a huge decision like that out of thin air—”

“I can’t go on being friends, either, Lydia. I know it was supposed to stay casual, but you were right. I didn’t really change. I love this place, the land, the house, and I want to settle down. I love you, too.”

She stared at him, speechless, and he knew it was probably the last thing she wanted to hear.

“It’s okay. I know you need to go. And the sale from the place will help you open a new shop, like you wanted, so I hope you will accept.”

“You love me?” she asked, staring into his face as if trying to see if it was true.

“I do. So much that I can’t go back and just be your friend with benefits, and I know I can’t watch you—”

He was cut off as she jumped into his arms. Wrapping her whole body around him as she kissed him, shutting him up, he was nearly thrown off of his feet.

Gaining his balance, he kissed her back for as long as she wanted to kiss him—he could never stop kissing Lydia—but then she broke the kiss and looked at him.

“I can’t sell you the ranch, Ely,” she said, shaking her head. His heart plummeted.

“Why not?”

“I thought instead I might put your name on the deed. It could belong to both of us. We could live here, and go back to Philly often, since I still have the shop there, which I want to keep. But I can find someone to run that one. I was thinking about taking over Dot’s shop in Billings, and turning it into a Body Inc. here. And I’d have to be here for that,” she said, her cheeks flushed, eyes bright.

Ely blinked, unsure he could trust what he was hearing.

“Wait.
We?
You want to stay here, too, with me?” The words were tight as Ely held his breath. “I thought you said you didn’t want to be friends anymore?”

“I don’t. I want to be more. Way, way more,” she said, diving in for another kiss, but this time he stopped her.

“How much more?”

Several heartbeats passed between them before she looked him in the eye and said what he needed to hear.

“All of it. Everything. Whatever you want. House, kids, white picket fences. Well, maybe not those, but you know what I mean. I love you, too. That’s why I couldn’t go back. I couldn’t stand just being friends, either. Not when I love you like crazy. I thought I had set the rules, and you didn’t want more. So I couldn’t just change my mind.”

“Oh,” he said, sounding shell-shocked.

“Yeah.”

“I guess if we’re going to share ownership of the house, we should probably share other things. You know, like my last name, maybe,” he said tentatively, going for it.

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” she said, nibbling at his neck, arrows of heat darting through him with every touch of her mouth.

Carrying her over to the bed, Ely laid her down there, but stayed standing, undressing her and then himself as he looked at her, taking her in.

“So, you won’t sell me the ranch, but you’ll marry me, stay here with me, share everything with me, and build a life with me?”

“Absolutely,” she said, then bit her lip as a tear escaped, and she cursed, swiping at it and making him chuckle.

That was his Lydia.

His.

All his.

Lowering down, he covered her and connected them as deeply as he could as the room darkened, more snow moving in. It was plenty warm inside, Ely thought as he lowered for another kiss.

“This is the best Christmas ever,” Lydia whispered against his mouth.

Ely couldn’t agree more.

Epilogue

C
HANCE
B
ERRINGER
stretched in the
big bed, rolling over to
stare out at the snowy mountains outside his lodge window. A rustling of the
sheets behind him reminded him that he had company.

He hadn't forgotten, exactly, but after a day of skiing, and
then almost twenty-four hours straight at the hospital with his friend Logan
after a serious accident, he was exhausted inside and out. When the pretty nurse
on Logan's floor had been leaving for the night at the same time Chance was,
he'd found he didn't want to be alone. Not after nearly losing one of his best
friends.

Jenna—he still didn't know her last name—had been more than
sympathetic, and happy to take care of him.

“Hey, you. Awake?” she asked, taking his attention away from
the mountains as her hands traveled over his back, loosening any tension.

“Oh, that feels great,” he groaned, pushing fully over onto his
stomach and letting her massage every inch of his back. Except that his cock was
getting hard against the mattress.

“Let me turn over and maybe you can do the front,” he
suggested. Jenna giggled, more than willing, allowing him to turn.

He approved when she leaned over to grab a condom and applied
it with expert hands before lowering back over him.

This was what it was all about,
he
thought, watching her ride him, her mussed blond hair sliding forward over her
shoulders as those perfect, ripe breasts pointed right at him, begging for a
taste.

“You were just what the doctor ordered,” he said, rising up to
take a firm peach-toned nipple in between his teeth and biting lightly as he had
discovered she enjoyed. That made her ride him harder, which he enjoyed, very
much.

Just as she tightened around him, on the edge of climax and
spilling over, the phone rang. Jenna pushed her hand hard against his chest as
he reached for it, stopping him as she saw out her orgasm and then smiled down
at him, breathless.

“Okay, you can answer it now,” she said, laughing as she slid
from the bed and walked to the shower. He shook his head, chuckling and admiring
her brashness. She had a great walk, he noted as she crossed the room, and an
ass a man could sink his teeth into, among other things.

Then he saw the name on his cell and his smile faded:
Jillian.

Logan's wife. Chance's stomach sank. Had something happened to
his friend?

“Jill, is everything okay?”

“Yeah, that's what I wanted to tell you. They took him off the
life support this morning, and he's doing a lot better. He even talked to me a
little. But he was really tired, and on the drugs, you know?”

Chance swung his legs over the side of the bed, staring back
out at the mountain, at the ridge that had nearly killed his buddy.

“That's great news,” he said, trying to sound cheerful, for
Jillian's sake. “What can I do? Do you need me there?” he asked, standing and
checking his watch, willing to do whatever his friends wanted.

“No, I'm fine, really. My parents and Logan's mom will be here
today. Thanks for being there for us, Chance. I can't tell you what it means to
me that you were with him, just in case, well, you know, but I think he's going
to be okay. A long road ahead, but it will be okay. I hope you'll come see us
once he's home again. The doctors said it might be a month or so, and then he'll
have outpatient rehab. He'll need his friends around to get through it, I think.
Me, too,” she said, sounding on the verge of tears. Jill was one of the
strongest women he knew, but this had wrecked her.

Chance swallowed hard, unable to stop the flashes of memory.
Logan plummeting over the ridge. Logan lying in the snow like a broken
children's toy. Logan in the hospital bed, hooked up to so many machines he
didn't even look like himself.

“You won't be able to keep me away,” he said warmly, and he
meant it. He'd be there for them in any way that they needed him.

Hanging up, he listened to the shower running, but his previous
ardor had evaporated. It had been good to work off some steam, and Jenna had
helped him keep the recent memories of Logan's fall at bay so he could
sleep.

Sudden restlessness gripped him; a need to get out. He
recognized the feeling.

He'd paid for the room for two more days, but it was time to
leave. He wrote Jenna a note, letting her know she could use the room if she
wanted—she'd mentioned having a few days off—and ordered some flowers to be
delivered later. Meanwhile, he packed. She was a great girl, and he hoped she'd
appreciate his gesture, because he wasn't stopping to say goodbye.

Ten minutes later, he was out the door, heading to the airport.
He needed to get home, and he needed to get to work. His brothers had to have
some jobs waiting, especially as they were short-handed now with Ely quitting to
stay in Montana. To run a ranch, get married and study architecture. They had
Luke on now, but he was more of a white-collar kind of guy. Chance was looking
forward to seeing him, and now couldn't wait to get home.

Chance shook his head as he looked out the window of the cab.
Well, to each their own. If anyone had earned a chance to live their dreams, it
was Ely.

His brothers were all settling down, but he was just the
opposite. He was young, healthy and ripe for his next adventure—and that was
what he was going to find.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt of
Just One
Night
by Nancy Warren.