CHRISTMAS AT THE CARDWELL RANCH by B.J. Daniels Page A

side of the bed, he was reminded of the wreck and the aching parts of his body. He managed to pull on his jeans before hurrying barefoot out to the kitchen. He was met with the welcoming scent of coffee and the sight of Lily standing silhouetted against the bright clear morning.
    “Hey,” he said, relief in his voice. He’d planned to come up behind her, wrap his arms around her and kiss her on her neck, then do his best to persuade her to come back to bed with him.
    But she turned too quickly, separating them with more than the cup of coffee in her hand. He stopped short and felt his heart drop. This was not the wild woman he remembered from bed last night. Her expression warned him to keep his distance.
    He blinked, confused. Last night had happened, right? He thought of their lovemaking. Was it possible he’d only dreamed making crazy, passionate love with this woman last night?
    Lily’s demeanor told him it had only been a figment of his drug-induced imagination and if he wasn’t careful, he would make a fool out of himself. It wouldn’t be the first time. Or the last, he thought. He had to know.
    “Uh, did something happen between us last night?”
    “Happen?” She took a sip of her coffee, watching him over the rim of her cup. Her hair was still damp from her shower, smelling of jasmine—just as it had last night in his arms. But she was looking at him as if he was crazy.
    He remembered how strong the pain pills had been. Sure, he’d felt groggy, but— “I woke up naked this morning and I thought I remembered you and me...” The look she gave him stopped him from being more specific.
    “Do I seem like the kind of woman who would fall into bed with a man I hardly know?”
    He studied her, considering her words. She wore a turtleneck sweater and jeans. Buttoned up, that was how he would have described her. Nothing like the woman last night.
    “No, you don’t. But last night—” Last night he remembered finding a side of Lily that was as unexpected as the way she was acting this morning. “Sorry. It’s just that I...” He shook his head and warned himself not to get in any deeper.
    “I think you really should see what I found on the thumb drive,” she said, all business, as she moved to the table where she’d left her laptop and the papers she’d been working on.
    He was suddenly more aware of the fact that his body hurt all over and his head felt as if it was filled with lint. He stood looking after her, unable to accept that last night had been nothing more than a dream. He remembered every kiss, every touch. Desire stirred in him.
    “Tag?” Lily glanced back at him, her gaze taking in his bare chest. “Perhaps you’d like to get dressed first.”
    “Yeah.” He touched his scratched shoulder. Was it possible he’d gotten that in the accident? He met her gaze and for just a moment—
    She quickly looked away, busying herself with the calculations she’d made. “We can discuss this when you come back. I’ll pour you a cup of coffee. How do you take it?”
    “Black and strong.” He realized he needed his wits about him. Not only for whatever was going on with his father and this thumb drive, but with this woman.
    * * *
    L ILY WATCHED T AG walk to the bedroom and closed her eyes as she fought the images. She couldn’t believe what had happened last night. That hadn’t been her, she told herself just as she’d told Tag.
    All morning, she’d fretted about what they would say to each other once he woke up. She’d never been like that in her life.
    But when she’d realized that he hadn’t remembered...
    “You took the coward’s way out,” she whispered to herself, and felt her face heat with embarrassment. Better than the desire that had burned through her veins at the sight of him this morning dressed only in jeans.
    She was just glad he didn’t remember. What had possessed her to fall into the cowboy’s arms last night? Lily didn’t delude herself. Seeing Gerald again had