Be Mine at Christmas(65)
Author: Brenda Novak

Ken had reminded her of that lawman from the beginning. Perhaps she’d never have another chance to be with someone she found even more handsome than Gary Cooper. She’d soon leave this place and, she hoped, get work until she could secure another husband via the website. Who knew how old the next guy would be?

But everyone she met in America was temporary—white faces that would soon pass out of her life. Someday, she’d be able to go home. And she didn’t plan on taking an illegitimate baby back with her.

The floor in the hall creaked. She could tell that Ken was as restless as she was. At first she thought he might come to her room like Charlie used to. Although she’d allowed him into her bed, she’d insisted on having her own room until the wedding. But then she remembered the moment she’d been standing on the ladder with Ken, when he’d made the decision not to touch her, and how determined and resolute he’d acted since. He’d laughed and teased her, shown her a romantic movie and given her a T-shirt to wear to bed, but he’d kept his hands to himself.

“How did I end up here?” she whispered into the silence. She could never have imagined a place like Dundee, or a man like Ken, while living in Todos Santos. Maybe she should be grateful to have shelter, but it was torture being in the same house with him. She craved the pleasure Charlie’s fumbling hands had on rare occasions hinted was possible, knew Ken could deliver what Charlie had been unable to. But she doubted they’d be having this problem if Brent had stayed at the cabin. Without him, they had too much privacy to explore what they were feeling.

Earlier, Ken had offered to let her use the Jacuzzi. He’d said it would help her sleep. She hadn’t taken him up on it because she didn’t have a swimsuit. But she was interested now.

She waited until she was almost certain he’d gone back to bed, then found her way to the gym mostly by touch. The Jacuzzi was located to one side of it, enclosed in glass. Except for patches of moonlight that filtered through the pine trees outside, the room remained cloaked in darkness that felt as thick as the steam rising from the water.

She liked this place, with its smell of chlorine, its wooden pegs draped with fluffy white towels and the moon and stars reflecting off the snow outside. Wondering what the people of her village would make of a glass room that looked out on a snowy mountain, she smiled wistfully as she dipped her foot in the water.

Hot. Just as she’d hoped…

She pulled off Ken’s T-shirt as well as her panties, since they were the only pair she owned, and stepped into the water. The inky blackness made her feel safe despite her lack of clothing—until she came up against a man’s leg. She could feel swim trunks, but it still surprised her. She gasped and might’ve screamed if Ken hadn’t spoken when he did.

“It’s only me.”

Only? “I—I did not realize you were here. I am sorry to interrupt you…your Jacuzzi bath. I will leave.”

He caught her wrist. He didn’t tug her toward him, but he didn’t release her, either. She got the impression he was waiting to see how she’d react.

“Ken?”

“Are you sure you want to go?”

“I should.” That didn’t really explain what she was thinking and feeling, but he seemed to understand.

“Yes, you should.” He dropped her wrist, but still she couldn’t bring herself to get out.

“Cierra?”

“Yes?”

“You’re still here.”

“Sí.”

“Why?”

“I do not know.”

She heard the water sluice off him as he stood.

“My heart, it’s pounding,” she whispered.

“So is mine. See?” Taking her hand, he placed it on his chest.

She wasn’t sure she could feel his heartbeat, but she felt warm skin covering hard sinew. Mesmerized, she let her fingers slide curiously over it, then up his neck to hold his face between her palms. Just touching him made her feel as if she was being consumed by liquid fire.

“Kiss me,” he murmured.

Don’t think. Let go. Just once. Rising up on tiptoe, she touched her lips to his and heard him growl deep in his throat. He liked the contact—and so did she. She felt him coaxing her to deepen the kiss and was soon thrusting her tongue as eagerly into his mouth as he was hers.

She wasn’t sure if he realized she was naked. He hadn’t touched her except to lightly settle his hands at her waist, which meant it wasn’t too late to slip away so that he’d never learn. As far as he knew, she could be in her bra and underwear, right? But she didn’t want to go. She allowed him to guide her between his legs as he sat down. Then he held her in place as his mouth moved to her breast.

He knew she was naked, all right. Despite the darkness, he must’ve seen her undress. Or maybe he’d heard the soft plop of her clothes when they hit the cement.

Instinctively, her hands moved to his head. She intended to push him away, to put an end to this before it went too far. But she’d overestimated her willpower. Instead of insisting he stop, she moaned at the sensations he brought to life and anchored him against her.

His mouth traveled up, licking the water from her neck along the way. Then he eased her down on his lap and, although it was covered by fabric, she could feel the part of a man that had no longer worked for Charlie.

Obviously, Ken didn’t have the same problem.

KEN WAS DOING EVERYTHING he could to hold himself in check. He’d thought he could pleasure Cierra without getting too carried away. What was the harm in some skinny-dipping? Kissing? Maybe even a little exploring? None—except he couldn’t seem to stop.

“Maybe we should think about this,” he said.

“No!” she gasped.

Laughing at her emphatic response, he lowered his head to look at her face. He had condoms in his room. Should he bring her there to finish what they’d started?

He was still trying to decide if his conscience would agree to it when she kissed him again. It wasn’t the most artful kiss he’d ever received but the simple sweetness of it seared him to the bone. With kisses like that, he doubted they’d make it to the bedroom. He already had one hand on her breast while the other searched for even more sensitive territory.

He’d just reached his goal when someone called his name. Cierra heard it, too, and went rigid. “Brent!”

“I’ll take care of it.” Setting her away from him, he whispered that she should stay there. Then he got out of the Jacuzzi and wrapped a towel around his waist before his brother could come looking for him.