This Just In... (Harlequin Superromance) (25 page)

She’d chosen him.

Noah didn’t stop to think about what he was doing. A floating sensation filled his limbs. For the first time since she’d left he felt light, as though the weight of life wasn’t wearing him down.

He didn’t stop to shake any hands or kiss any babies on his way out. Not that he needed to. Based on the joking comments directed to his back, everyone in the war room knew exactly where he was racing off to. Obviously, they were regular readers of the paper’s online edition.

He made one stop and sped the rest of the way to make up time. The wheels of his car kicked up dust as he peeled into the driveway. He jumped out, not bothering to lock the car door or even close it and hurried up the steps. To Sabrina. To home.

He hammered on the door, then hammered again when she didn’t answer fast enough. Chester yipped a greeting. Noah smiled. She’d gotten a dog. Whose paws were the size of a corn field. She’d never be able to afford an apartment big enough for him in Vancouver. No, Chester would need the wide open space of Wheaton.

Noah heard Sabrina shushing Chester, so he thumped on the door again. Let the dog make some noise. He needed to see her. Now.

“Noah?” Her eyes widened, warmed and then shuttered closed. As if she was afraid. The thought punched him in the gut. He’d done that to her. Well, he’d just have to make it up to her. Starting now.

He walked in, scooping Chester up under one arm when the dog accidentally butted him in the shin in excitement. “I read the article.”

Chester barked happily. Sabrina didn’t. “I see.”

“And the letter.” Noah breathed slowly, reverently. “You’re staying.”

“Which I’ve been telling you for weeks.”

He shut the door behind him, stepped toward her. Her hair looked like silk, felt like it, too, when he smoothed a hand over it. “I was stupid.”

The light reappeared in her eyes. “Really?”

He nodded, slowly pulled her forward until she was pressed up against him and the puppy. Okay, the puppy was not a part of his planned seduction. He carefully placed Chester on the ground and gave him a pat. “Good boy. Go play.”

Chester woofed and scrabbled off to the corner of the room where something new held his attention.

Noah straightened and faced Sabrina. “I need to tell you why.” He gripped her hands. “I know I didn’t listen to you, but I’m asking you to be a bigger person and listen to me.”

“Of course.” Her smile could have lit the entire town.

He pulled her close and hugged her. Just hugged her, long and hard.

Every night when he’d gone to sleep—on those occasions when he wasn’t staring at the wall thinking about her—she’d drifted through his subconscious. Always smiling, laughing, dragging him into the middle of whatever caught her interest. She flitted through his dreams, close enough to touch if only he wasn’t afraid to reach. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t afraid anymore. He was.

Life held no guarantees. Noah was well aware of that and had been from far too young an age, but he was more afraid of losing her forever. Of seeing that bright light focused on someone else. Someone who wasn’t afraid to accept what she offered so generously. Of living the rest of his life on the sidelines because he hadn’t taken the opportunity when it was handed to him.

Hell, not even handed to him. When it hunted him down, waited on his porch steps and bought a dog. He gave her another squeeze. “I’m afraid to leave this town. I’m afraid that if I’m not their mayor or if I leave them, they won’t let me back in.”

Sabrina pulled away to look at him, but didn’t speak. Her arms circled more tightly around his waist.

“My biological mother died when I was a baby. I was too young to remember her and by the time I was old enough to ask, my dad was gone, too.” He gritted his teeth. He didn’t like talking about this, which was why he usually didn’t. “I’m not from here. Not like you. I can’t trace my ancestors back to the town founders. I can’t even trace them back a single generation. But when I needed this town, when I thought they would send me away, they didn’t. They took care of Mom and Kyle and me.”

Sabrina lifted a hand to cup his cheek. The gentleness of her touch, the silent support almost undid him.

Noah swallowed. “I don’t want to lose them.” He couldn’t imagine life without them, but he’d lived it without Sabrina and he knew which was worse. “But I can’t lose you.” He looked down at her, “If you got a job offer somewhere else. Toronto, New York, London. I’d want you to take it. And I’d want to go with you.”

“Noah.”

“I mean it.” He brushed her hair back, letting his fingers slip through the long, silky length. She’d hurt him when she left. He wouldn’t deny that, but she’d also come back. She’d risked everything. For him. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

She pretended offense. “As if you could shake me so easily.”

Noah smiled. God, he was lucky. “I missed you so much.” And he had some time to make up for. He took her by the hand and led her toward the bedroom. Chester tried to follow, but was resoundingly denied. He stopped crying when Noah gave him a chew toy.

“Where did you get that?” Sabrina wanted to know.

He ushered her into the bedroom, locked the door and stripped off her white button-down shirt. “I stopped at the grocery store on my way over.”

“What?” Her hair brushed across his forearm. “You mean you didn’t just come straight here when you realized the error of your ways?”

Noah nudged her onto the bed and slipped off her boots. He’d missed these boots. He wondered if she’d wear them with nothing else one day. He’d have to ask. But not today. Today was about her. Not him. Loving her, showing her everything he’d kept bottled up inside, too afraid to tell her how he felt.

He rose from his crouch and undid her jeans, working them over her hips. Her bra and underwear were the same shade of fiery red. He toyed with the lacy edges and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “I thought a gift might be required.”

“For the dog.”

Noah pressed a kiss to Sabrina’s other shoulder, then trailed his tongue across her collarbone. “That was just the start.” She shivered in his arms. “Let me show you the rest.”

Her only response was a smile.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

S
ABRINA
COULDN
’
T
STOP
smiling as she and Noah walked into the dealership. He’d have been happy to stay in bed all night, but she insisted. This was the first time she’d be in town when he won and she wanted to see it firsthand. Chester was with them.

“The puppy!” Daisy’s scream drew the attention of anyone who hadn’t already seen the two of them enter.

“Daisy.” Marissa snagged her daughter’s shoulder just before she launched herself at Chester, who took one look at the screeching Daisy and promptly peed.

Daisy stopped, then jerked back making sure the pee didn’t touch her red boots. “Ew. He needs a diaper. Like Timmy and Scotty.”

“He was scared.” Sabrina crouched down so she was eye level with Daisy. “Remember how we talked about gentle voices and pats.”

Daisy nodded and stroked Chester’s soft fur. “He’s a nice puppy.” Chester tried to crawl up her.

Noah bent down holding a roll of paper towel someone had handed him. When Sabrina attempted to take it from him, he shook her off. “He’s my dog now, too.” Since she didn’t really want to clean up puppy pee, she let him.

He looked so handsome, mopping up the mess, gently chiding Chester, who clearly did not understand he was in trouble and kept trying to lick Noah’s face. Sabrina smiled as he balled up the paper towels and walked over to a nearby garbage can. He looked pretty hot in his suit, too. She thought about how she’d get him out of it later.

“Why are you smiling?” Daisy asked.

“Yeah, why?” Marissa chimed in with a knowing grin.

“I’m happy.” She shot a glare at Marissa who only laughed.

Daisy laughed, too, as though she was in on the joke. “I’m glad you’re here.” She put her arms around Sabrina’s neck and hugged. “Where are your boots?”

Sabrina had decided on a simple gray dress and sleek black heels. The fitted skirt and straps around her ankles were very film noir chic. Appropriate for the mayor’s partner. But she’d had to promise Noah to wear the boots for him later. Apparently he had some fantasy about her and boots and nothing else.

She hugged Daisy back and then stood, still carrying the little girl. Daisy responded by wrapping her arms and legs around her.

“Nothing for me, Daisy?” Noah asked, coming back over. “This is my party, you know.”

Daisy frowned at him and clung to Sabrina more tightly.

“Your niece knows how to hang on to a good thing when she finds it,” Sabrina informed him. “You could take lessons.” Of course, if Daisy wanted to ease up on the hugging just a smidge, Sabrina wouldn’t be upset.

Noah’s fingers curled across her hip, sending a bolt of pleasure up her spine. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Already have.”

“No whispering,” Marissa said. “Daisy, let go of Aunt Sabrina.”

“No.” Daisy had staked her claim and wasn’t giving up without a fight. “You said she was my aunt and we had to show her how much we loved her because Uncle Noah might not.” She turned her miniscowl on her uncle. “You love Aunt Sabrina don’t you?”

“Daisy.” Marissa’s eyes were enormous. Embarrassment warred with laughter on her face.

Sabrina felt her own cheeks heat. Noah looked like he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to hug his niece or pretend she didn’t exist. Sabrina’s lips twitched. She tried to turn her laugh into a cough. Marissa did the same, then the two of them were laughing hysterically as if it was eleventh grade all over again and they’d just driven off with Ed’s parking sign. Who needed a personalized street sign anyway?

Noah sighed. “You’re supposed to let me mention that in my own time, Daisy.”

“What does that mean?” Daisy peered at him and then at Sabrina and Marissa who were still laughing. “What’s so funny?”

The question set Sabrina off again with Marissa right behind her. “Daisy,” Marissa finally choked out. “We need to go.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere.” She took her daughter’s hand when Sabrina set her on the ground. “We’ll come chat later.”

“Later when?” Daisy asked as she was dragged away.

Noah ran a hand through his hair. “My niece knows how to ruin a moment.”

“No.” Sabrina looked up at him. He looked so adorable, slightly confused, a little rumpled, but all hers. “It was perfect.”

She saw someone coming toward them, waving a sheaf of papers. No doubt the polls on how Noah was doing and what the likely outcome of the election was. But Noah seemed uninterested. He turned to face her, ignoring the rustle of news. “When did she start calling you her aunt?”

“A couple of months ago.” Right around the time she’d left, foolishly believing that her place was in the city.

“I see. My family has been going behind my back for a while then.”

Sabrina nodded. “It was for your own good.” She peeked at the young man who remained stationed a few feet away, shifting from one foot to the other. Kent someone. He’d been a few years behind her in school so they hadn’t run in the same circles. “I think people are waiting to talk to you.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Noah’s eyes stayed on hers. They made her feel hot and cold at the same time. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so insistent that they leave her bed. They could have watched the coverage on TV tomorrow morning. “They can wait.”

He lowered his mouth to hers and Sabrina forgot about the election. About the man with the sheaf of papers. About her niece who was probably watching somewhere.

“I love you, Sabrina Ryan.” She could only clutch his shoulders and hang on for dear life.

She didn’t get a chance to respond before Kent interrupted by clearing his throat. Noah’s mayoral face dropped into place as he turned to listen.

God, that was sexy. The authoritative way he took charge. She shivered, remembering the way he’d done so in bed only an hour ago. She’d have to get him to show her again later.

But first she had to answer to Trish who was heading over with a not-so-happy look on her face. Clearly, she’d seen the online article.

The rest of the evening passed in a whirlwind of conversations about scrutineers, a mobile poll and how long Sabrina planned to stay in town. Her preferred answer of forever got some lengthy laughs. Trish forgave her the online article, but told her not to pull a stunt like that again.

Her parents, Ellen, even George had all come out in support of Noah. And the only time the excited chatter quieted down was whenever the news channel broadcasting the province-wide election results flashed Wheaton across the screen. Then there was a collective intake of breath and silence as everyone read the latest numbers. All except for Daisy who could be heard asking for more juice or singing about puppies.

Each update showed Noah further and further in the lead. Any tension eased as it became apparent that Noah would be elected to his third term by a considerable margin. Kyle continued to show the room the wonders of his election app. Sabrina noticed a number of other people put the app on their own phones.

When the results were finally called by the pundit sitting on a panel, a wild cheer filled the room and a waterfall of balloons rained down on them. Noah turned and kissed her amidst the celebration. “Thank you.”

Then he was tugged away to give his victory speech. She watched along with everyone else, so full of love and pride that she was amazed she didn’t float up to the rafters. Chester barked happily and tried to chew a balloon. Then scared himself when he succeeded in popping one. This time she convinced Daisy to clean up the pee by telling her it would be good practice if she wanted to get her own puppy.

“First the red boots and now a puppy?” Marissa asked as she oversaw her daughter’s cleaning attempt. “Remind me why I wanted you to come back?”

Sabrina simply laughed and hugged her best friend.

The crowd was in the mood to party, but lucky for Sabrina, that meant everyone was gone by eleven instead of nine. She helped Noah sweep up some of the mess while Chester roared around the room.

There were still a few stray streamers and some balloons that had gotten wedged in the rafters when Noah walked over, carrying Chester under one arm and plucked the broom from her hands. “I think we’ve cleaned up enough. We’re done for now.”

The night was clear and cold. Sabrina snuggled into Noah’s free arm as they walked through the empty lot to his car. He’d already laid a blanket in the backseat for Chester. Sabrina had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before Chester, who’d already gone from her dog to their dog, would soon be his dog. She hoped Noah knew that meant he was on early-morning walking duty.

“Well, now that you’re mayor again, what’s next?”

He draped his arm more securely around her, protecting her from the gust of wind that blew past them as they walked around to the passenger side. “Let’s go home.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder and smiled. “I’m already there.”

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from RODEO DREAMS by Sarah Anderson.