coming."
She glanced out the window. The sky darkened rapidly, and the snow came down heavier. “You've got four-wheel drive."
He walked to the couch and sat. “There's a last-minute opening for a fiction writer teaching graduate students. And I can help you secure it."
"Hmm.” Her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed. Did she trust this man? Teaching college students was her ultimate aspiration, and he knew that. “Does your wife know you're here?"
He sat back and spread an arm across the top of the couch. “Yes, she does. We can get her on speaker phone if you'd like."
"She trusts you?” She let out a humorless laugh. “Foolish woman."
"Yes, she trusts me.” He breathed slowly and loudly a few times.
Reno remembered him doing that when they fought. Which was a lot. Two writers trying to build a relationship, jealousy and competitiveness were high hurdles to overcome.
"What if I...” She nodded to the bear rug and big pillows on the floor in front of the fireplace, and whispered, “...seduced you, Drake."
His eyes widened.
She sashayed across the floor.
He laughed. “You wouldn't even attempt it. Reno Linden, seducing a married man? Ha! You're far too conservative to even contemplate it.” He laughed again, his guffaws sounding genuine.
Reno smiled, startled by her impetuous behavior. Yeah, he was right. She'd never go in that direction. Even as revenge. She sat on the opposite end of the couch. “All right, tell me about this teaching job, so you can get out of here before you're snowed in."
They talked for three hours, and by the time he was ready to leave, the roads were closed and they were officially snowed in. She let him sleep in her guest bedroom, and in the morning, called her brother to drive his tractor over and plow them out.
At the front door, Drake kissed her on the cheek before she could move out of his reach. “Think about what I said.” His face sobered. “About Chase Tanner."
She opened her mouth to speak.
Holding up a hand, he cut her off. “Just think about it, okay?” He walked away.
She closed the door and went to the window. Drake stood in the driveway in the blinding morning sun chatting with her brother, then the two men shook hands and left, Drake in his SUV, Cody on a tractor with a snow blower attachment.
Reno was surprised and overwhelmed by Drake's offer to help her acquire a teaching position. It was something she desperately wanted to do, but it would only mean more time away from Chase.
She got a pot of coffee started then unplugged her cell phone from the charger. No calls. She sat at the table with a bowl of cereal and the tabloid, recapturing the emotion that ran through her when the photo was taken. She picked up her phone to call him then set it down. “No.” She needed to let him lead. But three days and not a word from him? Maybe she needn't worry about Chase Tanner. It could very well be over.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Nine
"Reno, get on a plane,” Chase demanded through her phone.
Joy clogged her throat and her laugh came out shaky. “Just any plane?” She pushed her chair back from the kitchen table, stood, and set her cereal bowl in the sink.
"No. Get your butt to Texas!"
The animation in his voice sent chills skittering across her skin. How had three days waiting for his call felt like three months? With each passing hour, more doubt had crept in. But here he was, pushy as always. And she loved every demanding word he spoke.
"Nice invitation, cowboy.” Turning back to the table, she ran her finger over Chase's profile on the magazine cover. She'd begun to convince herself he didn't care. “What about your retakes?"
"I worked the crew overtime and finished. Start packing, woman. I want you here. Now."
She walked across the room and snuggled into a chair by the window, looking at the snow. “Is it warm there?"
"Hell, yeah! And if you're not warm enough,” his voiced dropped low and sexy. “I'll warm you up myself."
Her
She glanced out the window. The sky darkened rapidly, and the snow came down heavier. “You've got four-wheel drive."
He walked to the couch and sat. “There's a last-minute opening for a fiction writer teaching graduate students. And I can help you secure it."
"Hmm.” Her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed. Did she trust this man? Teaching college students was her ultimate aspiration, and he knew that. “Does your wife know you're here?"
He sat back and spread an arm across the top of the couch. “Yes, she does. We can get her on speaker phone if you'd like."
"She trusts you?” She let out a humorless laugh. “Foolish woman."
"Yes, she trusts me.” He breathed slowly and loudly a few times.
Reno remembered him doing that when they fought. Which was a lot. Two writers trying to build a relationship, jealousy and competitiveness were high hurdles to overcome.
"What if I...” She nodded to the bear rug and big pillows on the floor in front of the fireplace, and whispered, “...seduced you, Drake."
His eyes widened.
She sashayed across the floor.
He laughed. “You wouldn't even attempt it. Reno Linden, seducing a married man? Ha! You're far too conservative to even contemplate it.” He laughed again, his guffaws sounding genuine.
Reno smiled, startled by her impetuous behavior. Yeah, he was right. She'd never go in that direction. Even as revenge. She sat on the opposite end of the couch. “All right, tell me about this teaching job, so you can get out of here before you're snowed in."
They talked for three hours, and by the time he was ready to leave, the roads were closed and they were officially snowed in. She let him sleep in her guest bedroom, and in the morning, called her brother to drive his tractor over and plow them out.
At the front door, Drake kissed her on the cheek before she could move out of his reach. “Think about what I said.” His face sobered. “About Chase Tanner."
She opened her mouth to speak.
Holding up a hand, he cut her off. “Just think about it, okay?” He walked away.
She closed the door and went to the window. Drake stood in the driveway in the blinding morning sun chatting with her brother, then the two men shook hands and left, Drake in his SUV, Cody on a tractor with a snow blower attachment.
Reno was surprised and overwhelmed by Drake's offer to help her acquire a teaching position. It was something she desperately wanted to do, but it would only mean more time away from Chase.
She got a pot of coffee started then unplugged her cell phone from the charger. No calls. She sat at the table with a bowl of cereal and the tabloid, recapturing the emotion that ran through her when the photo was taken. She picked up her phone to call him then set it down. “No.” She needed to let him lead. But three days and not a word from him? Maybe she needn't worry about Chase Tanner. It could very well be over.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Nine
"Reno, get on a plane,” Chase demanded through her phone.
Joy clogged her throat and her laugh came out shaky. “Just any plane?” She pushed her chair back from the kitchen table, stood, and set her cereal bowl in the sink.
"No. Get your butt to Texas!"
The animation in his voice sent chills skittering across her skin. How had three days waiting for his call felt like three months? With each passing hour, more doubt had crept in. But here he was, pushy as always. And she loved every demanding word he spoke.
"Nice invitation, cowboy.” Turning back to the table, she ran her finger over Chase's profile on the magazine cover. She'd begun to convince herself he didn't care. “What about your retakes?"
"I worked the crew overtime and finished. Start packing, woman. I want you here. Now."
She walked across the room and snuggled into a chair by the window, looking at the snow. “Is it warm there?"
"Hell, yeah! And if you're not warm enough,” his voiced dropped low and sexy. “I'll warm you up myself."
Her
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