Vivian Arend: Rocky Mountain Haven

Daniel coughed. Last thing he wanted was to tell the truth. “No.” His father raised a brow. “Sir.”

Mike didn’t say a word, just lifted his pipe to his lips. He smoked in silence, and Daniel tapped his fingers against his leg.

Damn it . His father did it to him every blessed time.

“I met her in Calgary when we took in a shipment of furniture in July. I hoped to see her again, but we…lost touch.”

Silence reigned. The fall noises were subtler than the spring. The crickets fell silent earlier as the temperature dropped quicker in the evening. The soft sounds of the animals in the coop and the barns carried on the air occasionally, but it was a calm night. Peace filled his soul, the motions of his father rocking, even and slow, like a familiar balm. In the distance, the sound of the guest cabin door closing rang out.

“That’ll be Blake saying good night to Jaxi. He’ll be here soon.” Mike pointed the mouthpiece of his pipe at Daniel. “I don’t know it all, but that lady in the Peter’s house needs some caring for.” Daniel moved to speak but his father held up a hand. “If you’re interested in her, you treat her nice. Understand, son?”

“I always treat ladies nice.”

The firm command in his father’s eyes made him hesitate. It was outrageous how he could be in his midtwenties and still reduced to a schoolchild by the man.

Blake wandered around the corner, his expression so dreamy Daniel couldn’t hold in his chuckle. His father joined in and Blake grinned sheepishly.

“I look like a love-struck fool, don’t I?”

The three of them laughed together, sitting on the porch in the full dark, and Daniel relaxed into the peace offered by his family. Finding Beth had turned all his previous plans to dust. Which was just fine—tomorrow was another day.

He could hardly wait.

Beth wandered the house after the boys finally settled. She wished it was as easy for her to put aside the excitement of the day and fade into sleep. The water boiled, and she made a cup of tea and carried it onto the porch to sip while she stared into the dark September sky.

Tell the truth, Beth. She sighed into her cup. Yeah, what she really wished for was someone to tuck her into bed.

And not just any someone—Daniel.

There was a part inside her that was scared to death of getting involved with a man again, but as her sister and parents had pointed out, not all men were like Samuel. Not everyone had the desire to control every facet of her life until she couldn’t breathe.

But her late husband hadn’t started that way either.

The next days passed in the usual blur of activity, getting the boys to the bus on time and rushing to her own teaching position. Arranging play dates and settling further into the community. She saw the Coleman boys around town occasionally, once Travis and once Blake, and both times her mind shot back to Daniel. No matter how full she made her to-do list, the damn man preoccupied her mind. After asking a few casual questions of her co-workers and other people she’d gotten to know, Daniel had come through with a squeaky-clean report.

Would getting involved with him really be so terrible?

By Friday, after a week’s worth of crappy sleep where she tossed and turned all night, she’d come to a conclusion. She could wear out the battery-operated boyfriend she’d finally had the courage to purchase, or she could find another way to deal with the lust driving her. She didn’t need a man in her life full time, but she sure could use one part time.

He’d offered. He was attracted to her. Maybe he’d even be willing to show her something other than sex in the missionary position.

As long as she was the one who got to call the shots, this could work out well for them both.

The house was quiet, the boys all off at a birthday party. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, tucking her T-shirt in a little more, buttoning and unbuttoning her sweater. It was one thing to decide she was ready for some casual sex, another to inform Daniel of his role in that decision. Beth plopped down on her bed and sighed, her reflection taunting her. Yeah, the sleepless nights really added to her appeal as a sex symbol, dark shadows under her eyes. It took a rush of sheer willpower to force herself out the door and across the small bridge before she could change her mind, again. She’d never know if she didn’t take the chance.

The barns and outbuildings on the other side of the trees were brightly lit, and she hesitated. She wasn’t sure if she’d even find him at home on a Friday night, but there was no way she was going to phone. If nothing else, she’d walk to the main ranch house, say hello to Marion and Mike then retreat to the Peter’s house to wait until it was time to pick up the kids.

She found him in the barn. Her throat and mouth flashed dry as she watched him rake something straw-like from a stall. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, and his biceps rocked with every pull of his arms. Tight muscles showed under the jeans, under his shirt—damn, he was just so good looking from boots all the way up to his slightly mussed hair. A throb hit between her legs and she bit her lip. There was nothing wrong with her physical response.

She took a deep breath. “Hey.”

The delight in his eyes stirred more fluttering in her belly. “Beth. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

She glanced around. None of the rest of the Colemans seemed to be near. “You got a minute? My boys are at a birthday party and I…” Holy cow, this was harder than she thought it would be. She forced her head up and met his gaze. “We need to talk.”

Daniel grinned, a panty-twisting expression that made her knees weak. He propped his rake against the wooden wall and tilted his head toward the door. “Come, we can talk while we walk.”

“No.” Her fingers were tangled together, and she dragged them apart, not sure where to put her hands. She felt about twelve years old with a first crush. “We’re private here—that would be better.”

He gestured to a bale. “Have a seat.”

She’d practiced this so it didn’t sound too desperate or sluttish. She hoped. “I was thinking about what you said the other day—”

“About us seeing each other?”

He sat beside her, their thighs touching as he faced the opposite direction. The scent of his skin rolled over her, the earthy fragrance of a man who’d done physical labour—raw and powerful. She barely stopped herself from leaning into him and offering her lips.

Instead, she nodded.

Daniel chuckled. “You’re getting all tongue-tied again, Miss Beth.”

“I’m interested in you, but I’m not looking for a long-term relationship.” The words burst out exactly how she’d rehearsed them. She twisted to face him, determined to finish. “I think we should just have some fun together.”

There. She’d said it. Maintaining eye contact was impossible, and she stared down at her fingers twisted together in her lap. He covered her hands with his, pulling one free.

“Now why did I think you were going to go and say something like that?”

He did? “I mean, you’re very attractive, but I don’t think I should get involved with anyone. It’s too soon and I don’t want—”

“The boys, right?”

Exactly . She relaxed a little. “I don’t think it’s fair for them to see me with another man.” Oh Lord, he was kissing her knuckles, his tongue teasing the seam between her fingers. The pulse between her legs quickened, and she had to force herself to stay motionless.

“Hmm. Makes sense, I guess.” He opened her palm and kissed it. “So, you’re interested in me sexually, but we can’t see each other in public. Is that what you’re saying?”