even though I don’t really like you driving these back roads by yourself.”
“I’ll be fine. I grew up on these country roads,” she said. “But thank you for being concerned.”
“I’m not just being polite, you know.”
When she nodded ever so slightly Rick dropped his hands from her shoulders so he wouldn’t give in to temptation and pull her in for the kiss he’d been longing to steal all night long. He helped her into her denim jacket and strolled toward the door. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the unsigned paperwork and barely suppressed a grin. He’d just have to head up to her office right about lunchtime with the extended lease agreement.
Rick moved across the yard as slowly as he could without actually stopping, trying to milk every last minute with her. After the sunset the night had turned clear and cooler—perfect weather for snuggling beneath a blanket or building a fire.
Maggie gazed upward and sighed. “Wow, look at those stars and that amazing moon. The night sky is so pretty away from the city lights. Makes you feel small and insignificant.”
“There’s nothing insignificant about you, Maggie.”
She looked at him with an element of surprise and smiled.
“Yeah, it sure is quiet and peaceful out here,” he said when they stopped in front of her SUV. After hearing the beep of keyless entry, Rick reached over and opened the door for her. “I could get used to this.”
“Living here?”
“Spending time with you,” he said. “Tell me you’ll do this again.”
“I’ll do this again.” There was no hesitation in her voice this time.
“Ah . . . Maggie . . .” The need to touch her, to kiss her overcame his reasons for holding back. He dipped his head and captured her lips in a soft, sweet kiss, lingering just long enough to let her know that he wanted much more. He wanted her to feel beautiful and desired because she was both, but also that he was capable of holding back until she was ready. After she drove away, Rick poured the last of the wine into his glass and then came back out onto the porch with his guitar. He played by rote, humming softly while his mind wandered from the past to the present. Sitting on the front porch of a cabin in Cricket Creek, Kentucky was starting to feel a little bit less surreal and more like . . . home?
18
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
“SARA, COME ON . . . SERIOUSLY? WHY IN THE WORLD would I want to spend my Saturday night at the grand opening of a bridal boutique?” Reid hefted the bag of chicken feed from the bed of the truck and then turned to face his sister.
“I don’t know.” She gave him an innocent look. “There will be free food. Cake! Who doesn’t like cake? Plus, you can keep Cody company.”
“Cody would rather be going over to Sully’s to shoot some pool or throw darts. Now, if he wants to do that, I’m down with it. You can join us later.”
“I want Cody to look at some of the bridal stuff with me and do some cake tasting.”
Reid tilted his head to his shoulder to catch some sweat on his sleeve. “See, that’s the difference. Cody is going to be a groom. I’m not, thank God.”
“You know someday when you find the right person, you’ll change your sad, sucky tune.”
He reached for another bag. “Don’t count on it.”
“Seriously, Reid, you need an attitude adjustment. You’ve been a grump all week. I was afraid for you to get anywhere near the kids.”
He shrugged.
Sara paused long enough for Reid to brace himself. Her pauses meant she was gathering up ammunition. “I thought you might want to see Addison.”
“You thought wrong,” Reid answered tightly. Of course, that was a big-ass lie. But after their little agreement, Reid had steered clear of the cute wedding planner. As much as he wanted to be with her, he needed to give her time to think her proposition over before going through with it. He’d spotted her once when she’d come out to the farm to meet with Jason and Sara about the barn renovations, but he’d turned his tractor in the opposite direction. His keeping-his-distance plan had obviously worked. Addison hadn’t contacted him. She’d probably thought better of the whole no-strings-attached scenario that was doomed for an epic fail, anyway.
There was only one problem: Reid couldn’t stop thinking about her. And it was making him a little bit testy.
“Open house only lasts until seven, Reid. Just stop in for a little while, you know, to be polite, and then we can all go to Sully’s afterward.”
“No, thank you.”
“Why are you being so stubborn?”
“Hanging out at Wedding Row isn’t my kind of Saturday night.”
“We’re going into business with Addison Monroe, Reid. It’s polite to show our support.”
“You are going into business with her, Sara. And do I have to remind you that I’m still not convinced that this is a smart venture? Renovations like this are notorious for going way over budget. Instead of avoiding bankruptcy, you just might throw yourself into it.” Reid tossed another bag of feed to the ground, making dust fly. His muscles no longer protested at the manual labor and, in truth, he’d felt healthier working outdoors instead of sitting behind a desk all day long.
“All right.”
Reid looked at Sara’s hands on her hips and jutting chin. He knew that stance all too well. “What do you mean,
“Nothing.” She gave him a slight shrug but the chin stayed in place, meaning this was war. “I’ll make other plans, then.”
Reid propped his boot up against the tailgate of the truck and leaned his forearm on his knee. “What kind of plans?” he asked slowly.
“Cody’s friend will agree to come out with us tonight. He has this . . .
“Thing?”
“Yeah, Zack met Addison at Wine and Diner when she and I went out to dinner a couple of nights ago. Zack has been bugging Cody to get her number from me ever since. I’m sure he’ll come out with us tonight. You remember Zack, right? A couple of years ahead of us in school.”
“Yeah, I do. I remember he was an asshat.”
“Why? Because you wanted his spot on the baseball team?”
“Yeah, well. I took it, remember?”
“After he broke his arm.”
“A minor detail. Come on, really, Sara. Zack Martin?”
She turned on her heel.
She slowly turned around. “Yes?” she asked sweetly.
“You told me that Zack has a different girl on his arm every week. He’s a player. Why would you do that to Addison?”
“I already warned her and she was cool with it. She said that after this week of getting the shop ready she needs a night of fun. And since you aren’t available . . .”
“You know that jackass is going to try to get in her pants.” But wasn’t he also a jackass who wanted to get in her pants?
“Addison is a big girl, Reid. She can handle Zack. And, besides, Cody and I will be there.” She paused for a second. “But if you’re so worried about Addison, you can go out with us instead.”
Reid knew he was being played by his twin sister. She knew him better than anyone, even after years apart.
