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Reed pulled a package of wipes from the depths of his bag and moved toward her. His blue eyes held admiration... and something she recognized as appreciation for more than her foal-delivering abilities. He’d noted the camisole clinging to her small breasts, and something ignited in the cerulean depths. “I think you’re pretty damned spectacular,” he said, extending the package.
“Sure you do,” she said with a forced chuckle designed to offset the sudden sexual flares launching in her body. “I just did your job for you.”
He took a damp wipe and swiped it across her cheek.
“I don’t have anything up there,” she said in the quiet.
His gaze dropped to her lips. “I know.”
She sucked in a deep breath, trying not to lean toward him, telling herself the only reason she wanted to kiss him was the poignancy of the moment. But it wasn’t about the moment. Wasn’t about how they’d worked together to bring a new life into the world. She wouldn’t have wanted to kiss Paul, would she?
But shedidwant to kiss Reed McCormick... and that was a problem.
No cowboys.
No entanglements.
No falling back in love with Texas.
Those were the rules for the next few weeks... but still she didn’t step back from Reed. Like an addict, she leaned toward him, inhaling the alluring scent of sweat mixed with a woodsy cologne.
The excited chatter of high-pitched girly voices broke the spell. Reed looked up as a pair of squealing girls tumbled into the barn. Leading the charge was a slim girl of eleven or twelve years old, ponytail swinging, eyes alight with excitement.
“Whoa, there, Riley,” Reed said, throwing out a hand to stop the girl from charging into the stall. “Daisy needs some time with her baby. You can watch, but that’s it.”
Riley skidded to a stop, her Ropers nearly coming out from under her. Georgia hadn’t seen the girl since she’d been a baby. She had shiny, brown hair and looked like her mother. “I wanna see her colt.”
“You’ll see it soon enough, but nature has to take its course,” Reed said, sliding a glance toward Georgia, his words laden with something more than what it seemed.
Georgia held his gaze for a few more seconds, weighing his words.
He arched his brow, acknowledgment of the truth between them, and turned toward Paul and Kiera, who entered the barn. The next thirty minutes were spent admiring the new colt and cleaning up from the adventure while Reed did whatever else a vet did in the barn. By the time she saw him again, the magic of the moment had faded into the reality of a rain shower and an urgent phone message from her friend Claire.
Time to get her ass in gear.
As Georgia swung herself back into the cab of Reed’s truck, she renewed her vow to protect herself from the past and show the town she’d half hated for years the woman she’d become. She had two weeks to endure Texas, Christmas and being trussed up in a no doubt elegant bridesmaid dress.
If she could survive a dozen years living hand to mouth, a wrecked knee ending her career and a breakup with an insufferable prick, Georgia could survive another Holly Hills Christmas.
She hoped.
* * *
Reed pulledinto the small town of Holly Hills, bumping down the old bricks of Main Street toward the historic hotel sitting at the end of the street. Surrounding him was the reminder that Christmas loomed. Wreaths of green hung on each business door, and red ribbon striped the old-fashioned lanterns lining the street. Strings of lights crisscrossed overhead.
“I don’t remember the town ever looking this festive,” Georgia remarked, craning her head back and forth.
“The mayor has a new vision. Wants to bring the charm of a country Christmas to visitors.” Reed looked back over at the woman who’d fearlessly donned gloves and pulled a foal into position. If someone would have told him something like that would happen after picking up the polished East Coast gal, he would have punched them in the mouth and called them a liar. But she’d shucked that jacket and not even blinked at the task.
And she’d looked right as rain in that skimpy camisole, jeans, and boots. Her breasts were small and since she’d worn no bra, he’d seen the hint of dusky areolas. Standing there in that barn, sheened in sweat with nipples peaked, she’d looked hotter than any magazine centerfold he’d ever seen.
The sexual awareness had crackled, and he’d damn near kissed her right there, covered in horse afterbirth and stink.
Obviously, he’d lost his ever-lovin’ mind.
“Here we are,” he said, pulling up in front of the Imperial Hotel, a remnant of years past with curlicue scrollwork and a wide wraparound porch strewn with rockers. The historic hotel housed a large ballroom, a decent grill, and the best rooms in town.
“Thank you for giving me a lift,” she said, opening the passenger door, glancing back at him with a sincere smile. The sparks that had disappeared earlier zipped back, and suddenly wanting to kiss her didn’t seem so stupid.
