Claiming the Rancher's Heart (14 page)

“This is just so cool,” Anna said for the tenth—or was it the hundredth?—time. “And to think you almost didn’t enter.”

“I’m glad we pushed you.” A self-satisfied smile tipped the corners of Lauren’s lips.

Stacie didn’t bother to correct her friends, but she knew it was
Josh’s
encouragement that had made the difference. It was as if he knew winning the contest would give her a much-needed boost in self-confidence. And the money, well, she already had a plan for it…

“Time for a toast,” Anna declared, uncorking the bottle of champagne Lauren had picked up on their way back into town.

Lauren grabbed three crystal wineglasses from the antique china cabinet. She’d just finished filling the glasses when the doorbell rang.

“I wonder who that is?” Stacie asked.

Lauren and Anna exchanged glances.

“Surely you didn’t think we were going to have a celebration of this magnitude with just the three of us?” Anna asked with a smile.

Lauren pulled two more glasses from the cabinet.

Stacie gave her friend an assessing look. “Who did you invite?”

Lauren filled the extra glasses, a tiny smile hovering on the edge of her lips. “I called Seth on my way home and asked him over. Josh was with him, so he’s coming, too. I told them we had some celebrating to do.”

Disappointment sluiced through Stacie. She knew Lauren meant well, but she’d wanted to tell Josh the news herself. “Oh.”

“I didn’t tell him
what
we were celebrating,” Lauren hurriedly added. “That’s your news to share.”

“Anybody home?” Seth’s voice rang through the old house followed immediately by the clatter of boots on hardwood.

“Back here,” Lauren called out.

Josh stopped next to Seth at the dining-room entrance. His gaze skipped over Anna and Lauren to settle on Stacie.

Even with her hair pulled back in a ponytail and a patch of dirt on one knee, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“Hey.” Josh returned Stacie’s smile, and then crossed the room to drape an arm around her shoulders. He found it increasingly hard to be near her and
not
touch her.

She lifted her face and Josh brushed a kiss across her lips, resisting the urge to linger. There’d be time for that later. “I didn’t think I’d be seeing you until this evening.”

“This is a special occasion.” Lauren picked up two of the champagne glasses, handing one to Josh and another to Seth.

“It better be.” Seth sounded gruff, but Josh knew his friend hadn’t hesitated when Lauren had asked him over. “We were in the middle of branding when you called.”

“Hold your spurs, cowboy,” Anna said. “We wouldn’t have asked you to come if it wasn’t important.”

Seth turned to Lauren. “Did you get all your survey participants? Is that what this is about?”

“Actually this is about me.” When Stacie met Josh’s gaze, it was as if she were speaking to him alone. “I won the contest.”

“Congratulations,” Seth said. “I knew that recipe was good.”

Josh heard the pride in her voice, felt the excited tremble in her shoulders. The bliss she’d searched for all these years was now in reach, and he was happy for her. But the thought of losing her now filled him with regret and pain. He somehow managed to smile. “That’s wonderful.”

“This doesn’t change anything,” Stacie said in a low tone obviously meant to reassure him.

“I know that.” He gave her shoulders a squeeze.

“This calls for a party,” Seth said.

“My thoughts exactly.” Lauren’s eyes snapped with excitement.

“We’ll have it here at the house,” Anna mused aloud, and Josh could almost see her mind kick into high gear.

“It’ll be a send-off the likes of which this town has never seen.” Lauren lifted her glass.

“But I’m not—” Stacie began.

“To Stacie.” Seth raised his glass. “To continued success.”

Josh joined in the toast. If he was honest with himself he’d admit this was the worst news he’d ever received, far uglier than Kristin’s request for a divorce. But he kept his thoughts to himself and managed to talk and laugh as if this were the best news he’d ever heard.

It was funny. He’d never known he had a talent for acting…until now.

She’d wanted to reassure him that this changed nothing between them, but he left with Seth before she had the chance. He hadn’t even kissed her goodbye.

“This party is going to be fabulous.” Lauren glanced up from the list of names she and Anna had been compiling since the men left.

“I’m so glad you’ll be back in Denver before us.” Anna added another name to the list before looking up. “That way we’ll have a place to live once Lauren’s work here is done.”

“This is a dream come true.” Lauren heaved a happy sigh. “I remember you talking about working for Jivebread and now it’s happening. When do you start?”

“Anytime during this next month,” Stacie said automatically, recalling the instructions in the letter. “It’s up to me. Assuming I want to work for Jivebread.”

“Of course you do,” Anna said.

“Actually, I don’t.” Stacie pulled a chair back from the table and took a seat opposite her friends. “I’m not moving back to Denver. I’m staying here in Sweet River with Josh.”

Anna’s pencil paused midword. Lauren opened her mouth then shut it. Finally Anna leaned forward, resting her forearms on the table.

“This is what you’ve been searching for your entire life.” Anna took a deep breath then slowly released it. “I adore Josh, but opportunities like this only come around once. If you walk away now, it’s gone. How can you think of giving up your dream for a guy who hasn’t even told you he loves you?”

Lauren raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“He does love me.” Stacie shoved back her chair and stood. She’d thought her friends would understand. “Just because he hasn’t said it doesn’t mean—”

“You want that job,” Lauren said. “I can see it in your eyes.”

“Of course I want it,” Stacie explained. “I just want Josh more.”

“I realize you’ve fallen in love with this area and with Josh—” Anna spoke slowly and deliberately “—but how are you going to feel when Lauren and I are back in Denver, the snow is piled high and ranch life isn’t quite what you envisioned?”

“I love Josh,” Stacie repeated, more forcefully this time. “And I love it here.”

“Would you stay if he didn’t love you back?” Lauren asked.

The very suggestion that Josh might not return her feelings tore at Stacie’s heartstrings. Could she stay in Sweet River loving him, knowing he didn’t love her back?

She shook her head. “I think it would be too hard.”

“You know what you have to do.” Lauren’s eyes were clear and very green.

Stacie met Lauren’s gaze, but couldn’t make herself speak.

“Before you make your final decision, before you throw away something you won’t be able to get back,” Lauren said, her gaze as pointed as her words, “you need to find out how he feels about you.”

What a difference a few hours could make. This morning he’d jumped out of bed, anticipation fueling his steps. After he helped Seth, he’d looked forward to the evening with Stacie. Instead, one piece of mail had changed her life and his…forever. Stacie would soon be gone and he doubted he’d ever see her again.

Unless I tell her I love her,
he said to himself.

Part of him wanted to hop into his truck, head straight back to Anna’s house and tell Stacie he loved her more than he’d ever thought possible. But the other part refused to let him act on that impulse. If Stacie stayed in Sweet River, it had to be
her
decision, not one he influenced with three little words.

Josh took a long sip of beer, wishing it were strong enough to stifle the pain in his heart. But then again, there wasn’t enough alcohol in the world to accomplish that impossible task.

The bottle found its way to his lips once again when the sound of a truck engine blended with Bert’s barking. Josh glanced at the clock. Ten o’clock. Late for company to stop by.

Moving to the front window, Josh pushed back the curtain with one finger. His shoulders tensed at the sight of the Jeep.

By the time the bell rang he was in the foyer. He pulled open the door. “What a surprise.”

“I don’t see why.” Stacie’s chin tilted upward. “We had plans.”

The wind lifted her hair from her shoulders. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Droplets of rain splattered the porch.

Josh opened the door wider and motioned her inside. When he touched her arm to move her aside so he could shut the door, her trembling caught him off guard.

“Are you okay?” He glanced out the front door but didn’t see anything unusual. “Did something happen?”

“Hold me, Josh,” she said. “I need to feel your arms around me.”

If she’d asked him if he loved her, he had a noncommittal response ready. If she pressed, he’d end up telling her the truth. And then he’d insist she pursue her dream before committing to him. But her simple request caught him off guard. Before he could consider the full ramifications of his actions, he’d already wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

They fit together perfectly.

Like we were made to be together,
he thought. Josh shoved the fanciful thought aside but couldn’t keep from reveling in the feel of her body against his. The scent of jasmine filled his nostrils and he knew he’d never be able to smell that scent without thinking of her.

He wasn’t sure how long they stood there, the house silent except for their hearts beating in perfect rhythm. The light from the living room cast a warm glow. It was as if they were alone in their own world.

Stacie rested her head against his chest. “Tonight I want us to play a game of ‘Let’s Pretend.’”

Josh opened his mouth to turn her down, but those words wouldn’t come. “What do you want to pretend?”

“That for now,
for right now,
there’s only you and me.” Stacie met his gaze. “I need to be close to you.”

The desperation in her eyes told him that she knew that tonight could be their last time. Making love would be a way of saying goodbye. For him, it would also be his way of showing his love.

His feelings were strong and deep and true. Whatever he’d felt for Kristin had been a pale imitation of what he felt for the woman standing before him.

“Okay.” He lifted his hands and tilted her head back, brushing tears from her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. “Okay.”

She smiled tremulously as he captured her hand and led her to the bedroom.

“Oh, Josh.” Stacie breathed the words.

For a second, he wasn’t sure what had made her eyes shine until he saw the bed. This morning, in anticipation of the evening ahead, he’d scattered red rose petals across the sheets. While he’d never been a romantic guy, lately he’d found himself looking for out-of-the-ordinary ways to make Stacie happy.

She touched his arm. “You are so sweet.”

“And you are so beautiful.” Josh’s lips moved lightly across her mouth then trailed down her cheek to bury in the warm fragrance of her neck.

Though he was starved for her, he forced himself to take his time. He sipped from her lips, rather than gulped. He moved his hands gently over her curves, asking rather than demanding.

Slow and easy, he told himself. Memories of this night would have to last a lifetime.

The moon cast a golden glow through the open window. As they kissed, her sighs of pleasure mingled with his.

“You have on way too many clothes,” he muttered.

Stacie laughed and quickly rid herself of her jeans and shirt. Seconds later she stood naked before him, hands on hips. “Now who’s the one who’s overdressed?”

Josh winked. “Not for long.”

He jerked his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. His jeans and boxers had barely hit the floor when he gently pushed her down on the bed and lay beside her.

Stacie ran her hands over his biceps then trailed them over his chest. They’d made love numerous times before, but somehow this felt new. “So strong, so—”

“Soft.” He cupped her breasts in his palms, his fingers brushing the tips. Her nipple puckered and tingled as he continued his exploration, skipping his hands over intimate dips and hollows.

Stacie sighed. His touch was gentle and caring. The silky thickness of his hair brushed against her breast. Stacie slid her hands across his shoulders, up through his hair. It had never been clearer. A lifetime with this wonderful man wouldn’t be nearly long enough.

“Joshua.” She put everything she felt, all the love and longing in her heart, into that single word.

His lips closed over hers once more, his tongue plunging into her mouth with a hunger at odds with the gentle pressure of his hand between her legs.

She responded fully, without reservation. Her passion, her need for him, grew with each kiss, each tender caress. Finally she couldn’t stand it anymore. She needed to have him fill her so completely that nothing could come between them. “I want you. Now.”

A second later he thrust inside her, and Stacie groaned with pleasure. His strokes lengthened, quickened. Wrapping her arms around him she moved her body in an age-old rhythm. She loved the way he felt inside her, rubbing her intimately, filling her.

Stacie rode the building pressure until their bodies were damp and sweaty. Still she clung to him. He was the sexiest man in the world to her, and he was all hers. And when the combination of emotion and physical sensation sent her crashing over the edge, it was right that she was in his arms when the world exploded.

When Stacie returned to earth, a smile of pure pleasure lifted her lips. “That was incredible.”

Without taking his eyes off her, Josh lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss in the palm. “
You
are incredible.”

She leaned her head against his hand. The raw emotion rising inside her refused to be contained. “I love you, Josh. I love you so very much.”

Josh froze. His smile disappeared and his eyes grew shuttered. The awkward silence she’d envisioned never occurred because he jumped up so quickly you’d have thought the barn was on fire.

“I’ll make us something to eat.” Snatching his clothes from the floor, Josh exited the bedroom without a backward glance.

For several seconds, Stacie lay motionless, stunned. He didn’t love her. A fling, that’s all she was to him. She blinked back the tears that flooded her eyes. She would not cry. She. Would. Not. Cry.

Though her chest was so tight she could barely breathe, Stacie dressed quickly. She stopped only to swipe at tears that seemed determined to fall.

She could hear Josh clanging pans in the kitchen when she reached the front door. She thought about saying goodbye. But she was too busy for meaningless conversation with her summer fling. She had a move to Denver to arrange.