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She lifted up on her tip-toes and kissed him.
“Do you really think that's wise?” He lifted strands of dark hair off her shoulder in a playful manner. After tugging gently, he let the hair go. “I am very, very tempted. You have no idea how much, but I don't want to encourage feelings to grow into something we can't handle.”
He was talking about her, of course. She could have sex with Jared every night for ten years and he wouldn't grow any feelings for her other than lust. No. He was worried about her becoming a stalker. He probably thought she would text him day and night, perhaps follow him back to Boston. Egotistical jerk! What was wrong with her that she wanted to jump into bed with someone who thought that way?
His good points slowly swam into focus. Compassionate, generous, and gentle when needed. He was also a good listener. She loved to watch him work with the horses. A man that tender with animals couldn't be a bad person. As Delta often said, Jared just needed a good woman in his life to smooth out his rough edges. He needed someone he could open up to, and they were already halfway down that path. Hadn't he talked to her about the most tragic event in his life last night? His mother's death?
“Think of it this way,” she said, pressing on cautiously. “We are taking a break from the real world. This is our fantasy. A moment out of time. Our moment. We're making a beautiful memory here. That's all. Let's enjoy it, however long it lasts, and then walk away. No strings.”
He squinted, looking skeptical. “And what if you fall in love with me again?”
“I won't.”
“Are you sure?” He made a face. “I can be pretty charming.”
They both laughed at that, breaking the tension. Without knowing which of them moved first, she found herself in his arms. They kissed until lack of oxygen became an issue. She tore her mouth from his, but she stayed in his loving embrace. She rested her head on his chest just below his chin. They fit so perfectly together. Why couldn’t he see it? Her stomach churned at the thought of losing him. She was playing with fire. How could she survive life without him after exploring a life with him?
Chapter Nineteen
Jared sat behind his father's desk in the den for most of the following day. He went over every business paper he could find for the ranch to fend off boredom. As far as he knew, Beth was in the kitchen, trying to keep busy. She told him she couldn't cook very many things, but she needed to do something to keep from going stir crazy. At least she had promised not to venture out into the blizzard again. He was willing to eat burnt food if it meant keeping her safely indoors.
His cell rang, and he answered it without glancing at the screen. The important people in his life all had distinctive ring tones, so he knew Alice was calling. “What can I do for you?” he asked.
“That's what I was going to say,” she complained.
“I know.” He leaned back in his father's chair and grinned. “You've become predictable in your old age.”
“Who are you calling old?” she asked in a teasing tone. Then she got serious. “The hospital wants to know when you're coming back to work. Your bosses are losing their patience. No pun intended.”
He gazed out the window at the pristine landscape. “Everything here is covered with at least three feet of snow, and it's still coming down. Tell them I'll be back when I get back, and remind them I have a ton of saved up vacation days. I didn't even take time off when my father died. They owe me this.”
“I will do that, dear. Anything else?”
“Just the usual.” He slowly turned his chair in a circle with one foot while tapping a pen against the desk. “Water the plants. Pick up my mail. You know the routine.”
A sneaky lilt entered Alice's voice. “How are you and your wife getting along? Has she tried dipping herself in whipped cream yet?”
The naughty visual that came to mind sent his heart racing. They would have to try that at some point. However, he was not going to tell his nosy PA that he had consummated his marriage to Beth. It was bad enough he would have to deal with Delta's wrath if she found out they were sleeping together with no intention of making it a permanent thing.
He didn't need two women wanting to kill him.
“Goodbye, Alice.”
∞∞∞
When the snow stopped falling two days later, Beth was the first one out the door with Jared trailing behind her. She lifted her face and closed her eyes, enjoying the warm sunshine on her skin. Although she was anxious to check on the horses, she took a moment to breathe. Being locked up with Jared had been bittersweet. Time for a reality check. As soon as he could, he would fly back to Boston and probably never return.
A cold, hard object hit her square in the chest. Startled, her eyes popped open. Jared was grinning from ear to ear while forming another snowball between his gloved hands. She connected the dots and returned his smile. He was in a playful mood.
“Want to have a snowball fight?” he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
“I do now,” she said.
She grabbed handfuls of snow and packed it together, rounding it between her palms to form a ball. Stepping to the side, she dodged the second one he threw at her. When he bent over to get more snow, she clobbered him on the top of his head with a firmly packed snowball. It didn't even slow him down. He returned fire, two in quick succession. The first missed, but the second one got her in the back while she was trying to run away.
He showed her a large snowball while grinning like a madman. “I am going to put this one down your pants.”
“Don't you dare.”
