Marry Me at Christmas (Fool's Gold) (14 page)

“You’re not mad?”

“Why would I be mad? Do women generally get mad when you make out with them? Because if they are mad, you’re doing something wrong.” From where she was sitting, he’d been doing everything right.

Something flashed in his eyes. She had no idea what it was, but hoped it was understanding. Or uncontrollable lust. The latter would be her first choice.

He took a step toward her, then paused. “I like you.”

Words to make her quiver. “I like you, too.”

“You’re stuck here because of the storm. I don’t want you to feel pressured. Or obligated. I don’t want you to think this is some kind of movie scene.”

Understanding dawned as she finally got what he’d been unable to say, perhaps even understand himself on anything but the instinctual level. He was a famous movie star. Because of that, women did things, offered things, they never would in their normal life. They didn’t want to be with
him
, they were interested in the star. He was simply a means to an end.

Because of that, he would never want to put anyone in the position of having to perform. Because that was expected of him.

She thought about all the people he’d loved and lost. His mother, his first girlfriend, his father. Then she tried to imagine what it would be like to be so famous that women he’d never met would desperately want to sleep with him so they could say they had. No wonder he was wary of getting involved. No wonder he was fiercely protective of his privacy.

He liked her. He’d said it. They were friends. He saw her as a person and knew she saw him the same way. Even more significant, he was protective of her.

The thoughts flashed through her mind in a single heartbeat, then she was moving toward him. When she stood in front of him, she took both his hands in hers and smiled at him.

“I think the movie thing is really great, and I’ll admit when we first met I was totally starstruck.”

He watched her without speaking.

“But that went away pretty fast,” she continued. “I like how you care about your sister and that you flashed your butt at Eddie and Gladys.”

One corner of his mouth turned up. “Did you really mean to put those in the same sentence?”

“No, but go with it.” She looked into his eyes. “You helped me with Ted. You make toys for kids and you have terrible taste in wedding cakes. I don’t feel trapped or pressured and I know this isn’t a movie scene.”

She wanted to mention the erection, but wasn’t sure he would get how cool that was.

“I want you,” he murmured.

Oh, my. She felt both weak and incredibly strong. Hunger burned, but also an unexpected tenderness.

“Then I think you should have me.”

The smile returned. “Yeah?”

Before she could answer, he’d pulled her close and pressed his mouth to hers.

ELEVEN

M
ADELINE
WOKE
UP
with a warm arm draped around her waist and the glow of a clock telling her it was 5:01. She stared at the small numbers as if studying them would convince her it had all really happened. She’d spent the night with Jonny.

A happy scream built up inside. She did her best to suppress it. The man was probably exhausted. She was, too, but also excited and nervous and confused.

Being with him had been magical. He’d been a caring, considerate lover with more concern for her pleasure than his own. They’d made love, then eaten dinner, then had made love again. When they’d finished the second time, he’d pulled her close, as if he’d expected she would stay in his bed. So she had. Which explained why she found herself there at 5:02 in the morning.

He shifted in his sleep, releasing her. She listened to the sound of his steady breathing before sitting up and reaching for the robe she was borrowing. She pulled it on as she walked out of the master and down the hall to the guest room. Once there, she closed the door and turned on a light.

Her hands were shaking, she thought as she stood there, trying to catch her breath.
She
was shaking. Nerves, maybe. A reaction to what had happened. While she wasn’t a virgin, she hadn’t bounced in and out of bed with a lot of guys. Her relationship with Jonny was complicated. Her fan-girl feelings had given way to genuine emotions. Now they’d become lovers and she wasn’t sure what that meant to her heart. Being around him was easy—too easy. Falling for him would be dangerous. Now that they’d been intimate, she was going to have to start worrying about her heart.

But how was she supposed to resist him? It had been difficult enough before, when she hadn’t known what a temptation he was. But now, she not only had to deal with the fact that he was funny and sweet and caring, she also had to accept that the man was practically a god in bed.

The way he’d touched her, the way he’d kissed every inch of her, over and over again. How he’d caressed her breasts and the rest of her. The feeling of him being inside of her, holding her, breathing her name.

She crossed to the guest bed and sat down. Her mind whirled and images from their night together overwhelmed her. She felt foolish and hopeful and a thousand other emotions she couldn’t begin to name.

Her cell phone chirped. Who would be contacting her at five in the morning? She picked it up and saw the city alert system had sent out a text saying the roads were being plowed. She scrolled through the list and saw the road to Jonny’s ranch had been plowed around midnight. She was free to leave. Only she didn’t really want to, and even if she did, she didn’t have a car.

Knowing she had to keep busy or go crazy, she took a quick shower, then dressed. It was all of 5:25. Now what?

Her heart and her body wanted her to crawl back in bed with Jonny and go for round three. Her head was more wary. Had it been just a one-night thing? Were they now in a relationship? What happened when she stopped being able to hide behind the star-power excuse and had to face the fact that the tingles and zings were all about the man?

She was her mother’s daughter and Loretta often talked about the lightning bolt that meant falling in love. Tingles and zips were not the same thing...right?

Madeline flopped back on the bed and closed her eyes. Now what? What was she supposed to say over breakfast? On the ride back to town? They still had a wedding to plan together. She was pretty sure she could keep it together if she just had a couple of hours to herself.

She sat up and reached for her phone. There was only one person she knew who would be awake at this hour. Awake and willing to help out a friend. She dialed.

“Hello?” Shelby Gilmore said a second later.

“It’s Madeline.”

Shelby laughed. “What on earth are you doing up at five-thirty in the morning?”

“It’s a long story. I need a ride home.”

There was a pause. “From somewhere other than home?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Where would that be?”

Madeline bit on her lower lip.

“If you don’t tell me, it’s going to make picking you up more challenging. I’m sorry to say my telepathic directional abilities are not what they should be.”

An excellent point. Madeline sighed. “The old Konopka Ranch,” she said quickly, then braced herself for the reaction.

“The old what?”

Crap. Shelby hadn’t lived in Fool’s Gold very long. She would only know it as... “I’m at Jonny Blaze’s house.”

Silence.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said quickly. “I know, believe me. It’s just... I don’t know. I need to get home. Please.”

“It’s fine. Stop talking. You don’t have to explain.” Shelby’s voice was gentle. “I’m picking up my keys as we speak. I’ll be there in about thirty minutes.”

“Thank you.”

Madeline hung up, then collected her things. There wasn’t much beyond the clothes she was wearing and her handbag. She retreated to the kitchen where she spent fifteen minutes writing a note. On her third try, she knew she wasn’t going to possibly get it right, mostly because she didn’t know what to say. In the end, she settled on
“The roads are open and I caught a ride back to town. Thanks for everything.”

She wanted to say more. She wanted to mention how happy he’d made her as he’d held her in his arms. How his combination of gentleness and passion had helped her feel treasured and special. That usually the first time she was with a guy she couldn’t slip over the edge, but with him she’d been able to relax. That she’d liked how he’d held her after, and that they’d laughed over dinner and, well, everything.

Tingles, she told herself firmly. She was experiencing tingles. Not love. She refused to fall for a guy who was so afraid of losing yet again that he never offered his heart.

She walked to the living room and watched out the front window. When a familiar Subaru pulled into the circular driveway, Madeline let herself out of the house.

She hurried to the car and got in. Shelby, a petite blonde with the delicate bone structure of a fairy princess, looked at her.

“Should I be worried?” her friend asked.

“Not yet.”

Shelby nodded and drove around to the main road. When they reached it, she turned left, back toward town.

“You know I love you,” Shelby said a couple of minutes later.

“You closed the bakery and drove out here at five-thirty in the morning without asking why,” Madeline said. “Yes, I know you love me.”

“You like the guy?”

“I’m not sure.”

That earned her an eye roll.

Madeline sighed. “Yes, I like him.”

“Thank you for admitting it. You’re not the type to sleep with someone without liking him first.”

“How do you know we slept together?”

Shelby groaned. “Seriously? You expect an answer to that?”

Madeline sighed again. “I’m confused.”

“You’re running.”

“No. I’m getting back to town so I can...” As she refused to sigh a third time in ten seconds, she was forced to hang her head. “I ran.”

“You ran out on someone you care about. After being snowed in at his house. At Christmastime.”

“I’m a horrible person.”

“I still love you. But you might want to be thinking of a way to explain it all. If you want to see him again.”

Oh, no! Madeline hadn’t thought that part through. For a second she considered asking Shelby to turn around, but changed her mind. She needed to think. She needed a little space and she really needed to change her clothes.

“I’ll send him a text,” she said.

“That’s romantic.”

“Hey, what about being on my side?”

Shelby drove into Fool’s Gold. “You don’t get to have attitude this morning, missy. I closed the bakery and drove up a mountain for you. Remember that.”

Madeline smiled at her. “I will. Forever.”

* * *

Jonny read the text again. It was simple and to the point.
I freaked. I’m sorry. Can we talk later?

He supposed he could be pissed, but in truth, he appreciated the honesty in the message. Last night had been unexpected—for both of them.

He’d already showered and had breakfast. Now he wandered through his house and tried to figure out how it could feel so empty. Madeline had been with him less than forty-eight hours. There was no way she could have had such an impact on him or the place. Yet here he was, walking around as if he were a lost puppy.

He checked his email, then flipped through the script Madeline had read the previous day. It would be a departure for him. Something no one expected. He told himself that stretching was good, and if he failed, he could always make
Amish Revenge 3
.

By noon he couldn’t stand his own company. He drove into town and parked by Paper Moon. He walked toward the store, reached the door, then turned away. Madeline was working. They had nothing to say to each other that couldn’t wait. He wasn’t some sixteen-year-old kid after his first date.

All of which sounded logical, but didn’t take away the need to see her. Finally he turned in the other direction and began walking.

Snow was piled up high everywhere. The streets and sidewalks were cleared and the temperature had climbed high enough that the sound of music, car engines and conversation was accompanied by the steady drip-drip of melting snow. Figured a blizzard would be followed by a warm-up.

He headed for the lake, then walked by Morgan’s Books before stopping at Plants for the Planet. Knowing he was fifteen kinds of an idiot, he walked inside.

Ten minutes later he was going back the way he came, but this time with two dozen red roses. Talk about a cliché. Worse, he knew he was grinning like a fool and he couldn’t stop. Nor did he seem to care.

He pulled open the door to Paper Moon. Madeline was with a client and the first thing he heard was the sound of her laughter. She and a bride were trying on different shoes with a fitted dress that flared out at the bottom. The bride, a pretty brunette, teetered in four-inch heels while Madeline offered her arm for support.

“I want to be taller,” the bride said with a laugh.

Madeline grinned. “I get that, but how much do you want to be able to walk?”

“You’re saying I have to pick?”

“It’s that or move the wedding to Happily, Inc., and have the Cleopatra wedding where you’re carried in on a palanquin.”

“A what?”

“The seat with the four guys carrying it on poles.” Madeline dimpled. “Sometimes it’s a crossword clue.”

The bride wobbled and started to go down. Jonny rushed for her and caught her just as she slipped. He was careful to keep hold of the roses with his other arm.

Both Madeline and the bride stared at him.

“Wow,” the bride said. “You look a lot like some actor... I can’t think of his name.”

Jonny winked. “I get that all the time.” He helped the other woman back on her feet. “Mind if I steal Madeline for a second?”

“Go ahead. I’m going to stand here and will myself to grow two inches taller.”

Madeline hesitated, then nodded. “I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time. I’m going to try on all the shoes again and pick my favorites.”

Madeline looked at him. “Give me one second.”

She hurried into the room that held the bridesmaids’ dresses, then returned with a straight-back chair. She set it next to the other woman.

“Hang on to this. I don’t want you falling.”

“You’re so sweet. Thank you.”

Madeline smiled at her, then turned to him. “My office?” she asked.

He followed her down the hallway. They stepped into her office. He closed the door and faced her, even as he realized he had no idea what he was going to say. Not that it mattered because, at that moment, speaking was highly overrated.

He put the roses on her desk and pulled her close, then kissed her. He was relieved when her arms came around him and she hung on as if she had no plans to let go. His mouth settled on hers and he felt the familiar heat and desire pouring through him.

There was something about being with Madeline, he thought, his blood pooling in his groin and his mind shifting from why he was here to what they could do on her desk. Some sexy combination of how she turned him on and how he liked being with her, regardless of what they were doing.

But this was her office and she had a client waiting, so he reluctantly drew back.

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, her blue eyes searching his face. “For what happened this morning.”

“You freaked,” he murmured, remembering her text.

“Yes. I woke up and we were naked and I didn’t know what to think. Being with you was great.” She bit her lower lip. “But confusing.”

Because she’d been scared, he thought, her actions suddenly clear. They were friends and she was helping him with his sister’s wedding. But there hadn’t been any definition of what they meant to each other. They weren’t dating, so this wasn’t the next logical step.

“I’m not seeing anyone else,” he told her firmly. “I’d like to be seeing you.”

Her mouth curved into a smile and color stained her cheeks. She looked at him as if he’d just defeated an entire galaxy of invaders.

“Really?”

He kissed her again. “Yes, really.”

“I’d like that, too,” she whispered.

His chest tightened a little. It had been a long time since having someone want to be with him had mattered. Since he’d cared this much. He liked knowing that part of his heart wasn’t completely dead.

“I brought you roses,” he said, motioning to the flowers. “I went traditional.”

She picked them up and breathed in the scent. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.” Her expression turned wistful. “I’d love to talk but I have to get these in water and I have a client.”

“I know. I’ll see you later?”

“Yes, please.”

He started for the door, then turned back. “We’re dating. Exclusively.”

The smile returned. “I got that.”

“I’m confirming. I don’t want some tourist coming in here and sweeping you off your feet.”

“I don’t get a lot single guys coming into the store.”

“That’s not the only reason I worry.”