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“Fine.” Lena pretended to be put out. Then she hip checked Carissa. “Now let’s get these horses worked so you can be done on time to get ready for your hot date!”
Lena senther on ahead to the house while she finished the horses’ evening feed. She was coming up the porch steps when Heath came out of the house.
She must’ve startled him, because he took a deep breath before he spoke. “Carissa, hey. Do you have a minute?”
“Of course!” She hadn’t talked to Heath much unless Lena was there too, but she’d seen the way he watched Lena the night before, the way both of them were always tracking where the other was. The connection between them was a palpable thing, the energy that flowed between them somehow real. She didn’t know how to explain it, but she could feel it whenever those two were near each other. And she knew from talking to Lena how hard Heath had worked to be the kind of partner she deserved. He might not have been the type of guy she’d imagined for Lena, but seeing them together had convinced her that he and Lena were perfect together. She’d never say it out loud, but she wanted someone like that, someone who didn’t just meet her expectations, but exceeded them. Someone she could depend on. She’d never had anyone like that in her life, except Lena. And she wanted someone who looked at her the way Heath looked at Lena, like there was no one else in the world who mattered more. To hear Lena tell it, Lachlandidlook at her that way. She had the pictures Lena had taken to prove it, but somehow she couldn’t make herself believe it. It wasn’t just that he’d flirted with Mariah. She could almost convince herself he’d just been polite and kind. But then he’d carried her upstairs and just left her in her room. She was resistible, when what she wanted was a man who thought she was irresistible. Maybe she just expected too much.
Heath cleared his throat, pulling her attention back to him. “There’s uh… I was wondering if you could help me with something, next week.”
“Depends! What is it?”
He glanced quickly to the barn, then lowered his voice even though there was no one else in sight. “I want to surprise Lena with something, at the community picnic. So if you could help keep her busy, and then make sure she gets to a particular location at a particular time? I’m still working out the details, but I thought I should ask you first.”
“Is it a good surprise?” She knew it had to be, but she wanted to hear him say what it was.
“Yeah, it will be, if things are the way I think they are between us.”
It was a cagey answer, but it felt honest. Like he wanted to keep whatever the surprise was between him and Lena, which was the way it should be, if her guess about what he was going to do was right. “Of course I’ll help. Tell me what you need from me, and as long as it doesn’t involve being in an airplane, I’ll do it.”
Heath smiled at that. “I appreciate it.” He continued past her, down the porch steps and she headed for the door. “Oh, and Carissa?”
She turned.
“Lachie’s a great mate, and a good bloke. If you can trust anyone with your life, it’s him. He deserves someone special.”
If that wasn’t an endorsement, she didn’t know what was.
10
TAKE THE ROAD BEFORE US
Stay.That was Lachlan’s first thought when Carissa walked down the stairs. He wanted to stay right where he was and drink her in and he wanted to take her back up the stairs and stay in for the night. The night before, he’d wanted to stay in her room, and it had taken everything he had to leave, to let her sleep… But she’d said she was tired, and if that wasn’t a version of ‘no’ he didn’t know what else it was.
“Will this work?” Her question snapped him out of his thoughts. She’d stopped on the bottom stair. She was wearing jeans and black ankle boots, and her hair was loose around her shoulders, cascading in waves. But what snagged his attention were the black leather chaps she was holding out. “If you’re serious about this leather business, I can put these on—”
“Stay just like that.” His voice came out graveled and rough, like he hadn’t spoken all day. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see her in the chaps, but the weather was sultry. And she was smoking hot. In leather she would be too much for him. “You’re perfect.”
She flushed that pretty pink again, and he wished he could start where he’d left off last night: throw her over his shoulder and toss her on her bed. But she was expecting a real date—dinner and Carols by Candlelight—and he wanted to do better than just meet her expectations: he wanted to show her a good time.
“Thanks.” She stepped off the last stair, leaving the chaps slung over the bannister. “I’m ready if you are.” She came close enough he could smell the clean, floral scent of her, but she didn’t head for the door. Instead, she stopped and tapped a finger on his chest, right over his heart, which took the opportunity to hammer against his ribcage. “I like this look on you, too.”
“I hoped you would.” He had, too. He’d decided to dress to impress her, pairing a slim fit, button-down short sleeve shirt with his jeans. If he was lucky, she’d find out what he had on underneath later. “You okay with a motorcycle ride?”
“Yes.” Her hand was still on his chest. He took it up in his and pressed a kiss to the back of it.
“Good.” He kept her hand in his and led her to the door. Heath and Lena were sitting in the porch swing when they came outside.
“Here’s your candles.” Lena held out two battery operated candles for Carissa to take, but when they didn’t fit in her jeans’ pockets, she handed them to Lachlan. “And your gift certificate.” Lena held out an envelope to Lachlan. “Have a great time, you winners.”
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Heath made everything sound so serious.
“Mate, I wouldn’t have done half the things I’ve done in my life if that was the rule I followed.”
“I know it.” They both laughed.
Then they were off the porch. Just like before, he had a helmet and his old jacket for Carissa. As good as she looked in his leather, the weather was hot and muggy and he wished he had an air conditioned car to take her out in. But when she slid onto the motorcycle behind him and fitted herself against him, her arms coming around him and her palms resting on his pecs, whatever regrets he might’ve had evaporated. “This ride is going to be a little different than last time.” He spoke to her through the helmet intercom, as he rolled on the throttle and pulled away from the house.
“How so?”
