radio.
“Sorry, Jess, we can’t. Come over here and sit by the wood stove where it’s warmer.”
Jessica struggled to her feet, cradling her large abdomen with her hands as she moved to the rocking chair sitting nearby. Groaning, she lowered herself into the chair before she sighed.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah—other than grumpy and wanting this baby to finally get here, I’m fine.”
Carrie laughed. “You still have a month to go.”
“I know and I don’t know how I will survive. My feet are swollen, my back hurts, and I just want this over with. This baby is going to weigh a ton before he finally makes his appearance.”
“I tell you what, after we close in an hour, I’ll rub your back for you.”
“Would you? That would be heavenly.”
“Of course I will. I know you are uncomfortable.”
“Can’t we just close now? I mean, we’ve hardly had a customer all day.”
“No, we can’t. The sign says we are open until five and that’s what time we’ll close.”
“I know, but only an idiot would be out in this snow.”
The bell over the door tinkled. “Well, obviously there is an idiot out today. I’ll go see what it is. You stay here and keep warm.”
“You won’t hear an argument out of me. Let me know if you need help, though.”
“I will.”
Carrie headed for the front of the store. Jessica’s observation was correct. There weren’t many people out today, and only those desperate for feed for their livestock or those that hadn’t already stocked their supplies were adventurous enough to be out in this weather.
She moved behind the counter but couldn’t see who came in except a black Stetson over the shelving down one aisle. The hat made her heart clench before she beat it down with a stern talking to.
Forget him. He obviously didn’t care enough to even keep in contact. It was almost six months to the day when he left Silver Ridge with a kiss and a quick goodbye.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she moved in the direction of the customer.
Turning the corner of the aisle she started to say, “Can I help…”
He turned around, and her heart skipped a beat when his blue eyes crinkled at the corners as his lips lifted in a smile.
“Cole?” She took two steps forward before she stopped. “Oh my God, Cole,” she whispered before her feet flew across the few feet separating them and launching herself into his arms.
Chapter Ten
He wrapped his arms around the beautiful woman who had thrown herself in his arms while his heart sighed.
God, it feels good to hold her.
It had been a hellacious twelve-hour trip from Laramie to Silver Ridge. He had almost put himself in the ditch on several occasions, but he finally made it to her house only to find it empty. Getting back in his truck, he made the short trek to the store, not at all surprised to find the store open.
She pushed against his shoulders, and he released her a little, but he wasn’t going to let her go anytime soon. He wanted to feel her lips under his so badly he ached with need. His eyes met hers and, with a tortured growl, he swooped down and took her mouth with his. She wrapped her hands in the hair at the nape of his neck as she moaned softly. Letting himself deepen the kiss when she opened for him, his tongue swept inside her mouth, dueling with hers while heat spread through him. His hand found the underside of her breast, sliding along her nipple, exciting him further when he felt it harden to his touch. She groaned into his mouth and pushed her breast further into his palm.
God, I want her.
He was stunned at how much he missed her and how good she felt in his arms.
“Carrie?”
Jessica’s panicked voice brought him out of his passion-filled fog. He pulled his mouth from Carrie’s, and they stepped apart.
“Carrie!”
Without a word, she whipped around and raced for the back of the store. He was hot on her heels as all kinds of thoughts raced through his mind.
He reached the back where
“Sorry, Jess, we can’t. Come over here and sit by the wood stove where it’s warmer.”
Jessica struggled to her feet, cradling her large abdomen with her hands as she moved to the rocking chair sitting nearby. Groaning, she lowered herself into the chair before she sighed.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah—other than grumpy and wanting this baby to finally get here, I’m fine.”
Carrie laughed. “You still have a month to go.”
“I know and I don’t know how I will survive. My feet are swollen, my back hurts, and I just want this over with. This baby is going to weigh a ton before he finally makes his appearance.”
“I tell you what, after we close in an hour, I’ll rub your back for you.”
“Would you? That would be heavenly.”
“Of course I will. I know you are uncomfortable.”
“Can’t we just close now? I mean, we’ve hardly had a customer all day.”
“No, we can’t. The sign says we are open until five and that’s what time we’ll close.”
“I know, but only an idiot would be out in this snow.”
The bell over the door tinkled. “Well, obviously there is an idiot out today. I’ll go see what it is. You stay here and keep warm.”
“You won’t hear an argument out of me. Let me know if you need help, though.”
“I will.”
Carrie headed for the front of the store. Jessica’s observation was correct. There weren’t many people out today, and only those desperate for feed for their livestock or those that hadn’t already stocked their supplies were adventurous enough to be out in this weather.
She moved behind the counter but couldn’t see who came in except a black Stetson over the shelving down one aisle. The hat made her heart clench before she beat it down with a stern talking to.
Forget him. He obviously didn’t care enough to even keep in contact. It was almost six months to the day when he left Silver Ridge with a kiss and a quick goodbye.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she moved in the direction of the customer.
Turning the corner of the aisle she started to say, “Can I help…”
He turned around, and her heart skipped a beat when his blue eyes crinkled at the corners as his lips lifted in a smile.
“Cole?” She took two steps forward before she stopped. “Oh my God, Cole,” she whispered before her feet flew across the few feet separating them and launching herself into his arms.
Chapter Ten
He wrapped his arms around the beautiful woman who had thrown herself in his arms while his heart sighed.
God, it feels good to hold her.
It had been a hellacious twelve-hour trip from Laramie to Silver Ridge. He had almost put himself in the ditch on several occasions, but he finally made it to her house only to find it empty. Getting back in his truck, he made the short trek to the store, not at all surprised to find the store open.
She pushed against his shoulders, and he released her a little, but he wasn’t going to let her go anytime soon. He wanted to feel her lips under his so badly he ached with need. His eyes met hers and, with a tortured growl, he swooped down and took her mouth with his. She wrapped her hands in the hair at the nape of his neck as she moaned softly. Letting himself deepen the kiss when she opened for him, his tongue swept inside her mouth, dueling with hers while heat spread through him. His hand found the underside of her breast, sliding along her nipple, exciting him further when he felt it harden to his touch. She groaned into his mouth and pushed her breast further into his palm.
God, I want her.
He was stunned at how much he missed her and how good she felt in his arms.
“Carrie?”
Jessica’s panicked voice brought him out of his passion-filled fog. He pulled his mouth from Carrie’s, and they stepped apart.
“Carrie!”
Without a word, she whipped around and raced for the back of the store. He was hot on her heels as all kinds of thoughts raced through his mind.
He reached the back where
Similar Books
