Chapter Ten
Rachel didn’t know how to tell Jamie that having sex with him had been a huge—scratch that, colossal—mistake.
All three times.
Closing her eyes, she groaned. What had she been thinking? The truth was, she hadn’t been thinking. She’d had too much to drink. She could blame the wine, the firelight, and Jamie’s proximity on the chaise as the reasons why her good sense had taken a vacation, leaving her with no ability to resist him.
But she’d be lying to herself.
Last night, she had wanted him.
Desperately.
But now, standing on the patio in the cool dampness of early morning with the acrid smell of ashes from last night’s fire lingering in the air, it all seemed like a giant lapse in judgment. She’d come home to Glacier Creek to gain some perspective on her life—and on men in general. Jumping into the sack with the first good-looking guy who crossed her path was so not part of the plan!
But he was so unbelievably gorgeous!
And funny. And smart. And kind.
And hot.
Surely a woman could be forgiven for succumbing to the kind of temptation that was Jamie Colter. Rachel didn’t know whether to despise herself for her lack of willpower, or fist-pump the air because she could still attract a good-looking, younger guy.
Oh, God, he was so much younger!
She definitely despised herself.
She obviously had no morals, and no discrimination, or she would never have allowed what was supposed to be a business relationship cross over the line into intimacy.
She was an idiot.
“Hey, what are you doing out here? I woke up to find you gone, and I had plans for you this morning.”
Rachel turned to see Jamie standing just inside the sliding doors to the kitchen. At least he’d put his clothes on. She didn’t think she could focus if he’d been bare-chested.
Ignoring the suggestion in his voice, she drew in a deep breath. “Jamie, we need to talk.”
His face grew still. “Ah, here it comes. The little speech about last night being a mistake.”
Rachel frowned. Was she that transparent?
“You have to know it was a mistake,” she said, and pushed past him into the kitchen. She rinsed her cup in the sink—anything to avoid having to face him. “Last night was fun, but it can’t happen again.”
She didn’t hear him come up behind her, and when she turned around he was right there. He crowded her against the counter, his expression intent.
“You’re wrong,” he said softly. “If anything, last night just confirms what I’ve suspected all along.”
Looking into his eyes, Rachel was left breathless at what she saw reflected there. “What’s that?”
“You and I are perfect together.”
“Jamie—”
She tried to protest, but hitching his crutches more firmly beneath his arms, he cupped her face and kissed her, long and slow, until Rachel sighed softly into his mouth and leaned in to him. When he finally lifted his head, his blue eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
“Don’t try to tell me that was a mistake,” he murmured.
Rachel tried to clear the fog of desire that was quickly enveloping her. “Jamie,” she persisted, and put her hands against his chest as if that might keep him away. “This isn’t going to work. Yes, the chemistry is great, but I’m not the right woman for you.”
Jamie gave her a tolerant look. “Please don’t say it’s the age difference.”
“I wasn’t, actually, but it’s something you have to consider,” she countered. “I’m thirty-three. Let’s face it, the window on settling down and starting a family is closing.”
Jamie looked at her then, and one eyebrow went up. When he spoke, his tone was dry. “I don’t recall asking you to marry me.”
For just an instant, Rachel was too surprised to reply. Then she gave him a small shove, forcing him to step back. She slid out from between him and the counter and moved to the opposite side of the kitchen, putting the island between them.
“You’re still my client.”
“Technically, my parents are your clients,” Jamie said. “I’m not paying you anything, so don’t even try to use that angle. We’re both adults. We can do whatever we want.”
“So you’re proposing a relationship based on sex?” she asked. She wanted to sound outraged, indignant, but knew her voice sounded more curious than anything else.
“We can start with that, if it makes you feel better.”
“How is that supposed to make me feel better?”
Jamie grinned, unabashed. “Well, you said yourself the chemistry between us is great. I figure we can at least enjoy each other’s company, and you don’t have to feel any pressure that there’s more to it than mutual pleasure.” He shrugged. “If either one of us decides it isn’t working, then we can go our separate ways as friends. No hard feelings.”
Rachel narrowed her eyes at him, trying to decide if he was being sincere. His logic was incredibly tempting. She did enjoy his company, and the sex was off-the-charts incredible. Did she want a repeat of last night?
More than anything.
But Glacier Creek was a small town, and if word got out that they were hooking up, people would talk. Rachel didn’t know if she could handle that. She’d been legally divorced for less than a week. She loved being with Jamie, but she wasn’t naïve enough to think their relationship would last.
“What about you?” she finally asked.
“What about me?” He frowned.
“If we do this, and then I decide I want to move on, will you be able to accept my decision?”
He made a face as if to say that was a no-brainer. “Absolutely. Besides, I’m not going to be in Glacier Creek forever. As soon as I’m fit for duty, I’m heading back to California to rejoin my unit. I’ll probably deploy again, which means I’m not going to be around for long myself.”
Rachel considered him for a long moment. She wasn’t sure she believed him, but suddenly she didn’t care. Jamie made her feel sexy and uninhibited in a way she’d never felt with Deke. Maybe Jamie was just what she needed to restore her confidence.
“I do have one condition,” Jamie said, before she could respond. She watched as he came around the island. Setting one crutch aside, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, until her breasts flattened against his hard chest. “You are not allowed to talk about our age difference, because it’s a non-issue. Agreed?”
She hadn’t even agreed to his initial proposal, but found herself nodding.
“Agreed,” she breathed.
“Good.”
Dipping his head, he fused his mouth to hers. The kiss was designed to tempt and arouse, and it worked. Within minutes, much to her chagrin, Rachel was arching against him, pushing her fingers through his hair and demanding more. He smiled against her mouth before he dragged his lips along the length of her neck to nuzzle the sensitive spot just beneath her ear.
She shivered.
Jamie took her earlobe between his teeth and bit down gently. “I told you I had plans for you this morning,” he said, his voice a husky promise in her ear.
Rachel gasped as he lifted the hem of the T-shirt she wore, and pushed her shorts and panties down around her thighs. Then his hand was there, exploring her damp heat until she moaned softly.
Before she realized what he was doing, he’d lifted her onto the island so the cool granite was beneath her bare bottom, and her legs dangled over the edge.
“Jamie! You’re going to hurt yourself,” she managed.
But it wasn’t until he pulled up a chair, and eased himself onto it that Rachel understood his intent.
“Oh, no,” she protested, her heart beginning to slam in her chest. “Not here.”
“Oh, yes,” he said, and slid her shorts and underwear completely off, as he slanted a wicked grin at her. “Here, and anywhere else we like, as often as we like.”
Rachel knew she should jump down. She’d done some crazy things in her life, but sex on her mother’s kitchen counter had never been one of them.
“Ohh…” she moaned in distress, seconds before Jamie’s mouth touched her center. And when he positioned her legs over his shoulders and began to lave her with his hot, talented tongue, her moans turned to something altogether different, and any thought of denying him disappeared completely.
*
The sun was dipping behind the distant mountains, streaking the western skies with orange and pink, and taking the warm temperature of the day with it. Jamie sprawled in a lounge chair by the pool and watched Rachel as she dozed on the chair beside him. She wore a bikini top and a pair of shorts, and he watched the rise and fall of her smooth chest, recalling how her breasts had heaved with her agitated breathing earlier that morning, in the kitchen.
He’d lied when he’d told her they could have a no-strings-attached relationship. He’d been so worried she might end things right then and there, he would have said anything to persuade her to keep him around. The truth was, he was head over heels in love with her, and he had no intention of letting her go. In the few days they’d spent together, he’d rediscovered all the reasons why he’d been crazy about her. She was smart, funny, and easy to talk to. He’d even had tantalizing glimpses of the brashly confident girl she’d once been. He wanted that girl. She was in there, somewhere.
He loved watching her laugh, and thought he could easily spend the rest of his life coaxing that smile from her. Making love to her last night had just cemented the deal. It might take time before she finally realized he was the right guy for her—the only guy for her—but he had nothing but time on his hands right now. However long it took, he’d wait for her. Did he want to marry her? Oh, yeah.
He saw goose bumps rise on Rachel’s skin, and squinted at the setting sun, which was almost completely gone now. The air was quickly growing chilly. Reaching out, he gently shook her awake.
“Hey, it’s getting cold out here,” he said, when she opened her eyes and looked at him in bemusement. “Let’s go inside before you catch a cold.”
She sat up and rubbed her hands over her arms. “You’re right; I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
Jamie couldn’t help feeling a little smug. “Well, you didn’t get much sleep last night.”
She actually blushed. “What time is it?”
“Almost seven. Getting hungry?”
“A little. What about you?”
“I’m always hungry.” He laughed. “What if we head into town and grab a bite to eat at Red’s? I could go for some home cooking.”
Red’s Diner had been a fixture in Glacier Creek for as long as Jamie could remember, and he had a sudden hankering for their meat loaf and gravy. Rachel was fishing under the chair for her sandals and deliberately not looking at him.
“It’s dinner, Rachel,” he said, “not a marriage proposal. We both have to eat, and if I didn’t have this goddamned cast on my leg, I’d drive myself into town. But I can’t.”
Rachel did look at him then, and he saw the apology in her eyes. “Right. Sorry. Red’s sounds great.”
“Why don’t you go change into something warmer, and I’ll do the same and meet you back here in fifteen minutes?”
“Do you, uh, need any help?”
Jamie grinned. “Sweetheart, I will never turn down an offer like that, but I should warn you—if you come anywhere near my bedroom, I guarantee we will not be heading into town for dinner.”
Even in the fading light, Jamie didn’t miss the warm color that crept into her face. She stood up reluctantly.
“In that case, I’ll see you in a few minutes,” she said.
Jamie watched her leave. She had regrets about sleeping with him, but he couldn’t bring himself to sympathize. He had a short window of opportunity to prove to her just how perfect they were together, and he wasn’t going to blow it.
*
Red’s Diner was comfortably busy, but they were seated at a booth near the windows right away. Rachel hadn’t eaten at the diner in years, but it seemed nothing had changed in the time she’d been gone, except some of the wait staff were different. From where they sat, Rachel could see the length of Main Street all the way to the pier that extended out over the lake. Lights from the nearby homes and businesses reflected on the surface of the dark water. The shops on Main Street were still open, and the lights from the windows spilled onto the sidewalks as people strolled past. The scene was so different from New York City—with its congestion and overload of brilliant lights—that Rachel might have been on a different planet. She’d actually forgotten how beautiful Glacier Creek was at night, when she could see billions of stars glittering against the black velvet of the sky.
Everything was exactly the same as she remembered, and yet everything was completely different. Rachel turned her attention to the man who sat across the table, disconcerted to find him watching her over his menu.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“That Glacier Creek is more beautiful than I remembered,” she replied. “Growing up, I couldn’t wait to leave, and now I can’t recall why.”
“I get it.” He peered out the window at the street. “There were times when I was over in Afghanistan or Syria, when thinking about Glacier Creek was what kept me going. When it was so freaking hot that your dog tags burned your skin, and the air inside the compound smelled like rotten onions, I’d think about the cool waters of the lake, and the snow on the mountains.”
“If your leg prevents you from rejoining your unit, will you stay here?” she asked.
“Will you?” he countered.
She was prevented from answering by the approach of a waitress, and then the moment was gone. Jamie ordered a beer and a plate of meat loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, while Rachel opted for a glass of white wine, and fresh lake trout with a green salad.
She sipped her wine and watched the other patrons in the diner, recognizing several of the faces, but not recalling their names.
“We could take a stroll onto the pier after dinner,” Jamie suggested, pulling her out of her thoughts.
“That sounds nice,” Rachel agreed. “Your chair is in the back of the van.”
Jamie made a groaning sound and tipped back in his chair. “I can’t wait to get this damned cast off. At least get one that lets me bend my leg.”
“That’s happening next week, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, at my appointment with the surgeon at the VA in Kalispell.” He gave her a lopsided smile. “You still going to drive me there?”
“Of course! That’s what I’m getting paid for.”
There was an uncomfortable silence as Jamie regarded her quizzically, and Rachel realized how insensitive her words sounded. “I mean, I would drive you regardless,” she amended.
“Sure.” Jamie sounded unconvinced, and then their food arrived.
Rachel watched as he dug into his meal, but he didn’t seem to relish his food, and there were none of the usual sounds of appreciation as he ate. Feeling as if someone had just stepped on her heart, Rachel picked at her trout, her appetite gone.
“Ms. Narducci?”
Rachel looked up to see a man standing by their table. He wore the uniform of a Glacier Creek firefighter, and her heart did a quick double-beat.
“Yes?”
“Uh, hello ma’am. I’m Scott Ross, and I work over at the Glacier Creek firefighting base.” He was young, probably no older than Rachel, with dark hair and eyes, but she didn’t recognize him. He looked both uncomfortable and distressed. “I’m sorry to disturb your dinner, but I thought you’d want to know—”
“Is it Dylan? Is he okay?”
Rachel saw by the expression in the man’s eyes she was right, and he confirmed it when he gave a curt nod of his head.
“Yes, ma’am. He was injured during a jump, and was airlifted to a trauma center in Bozeman this afternoon. We tried to call your parents, but there was no answer so we left a voicemail message.”
“What are his injuries?” This from Jamie, whose entire demeanor had undergone a drastic change when Scott Ross began to talk. He was on full alert and looked more serious than Rachel had ever seen him. Just seeing his somber expression made her aware of the severity of the situation.
“I don’t have the details on his condition,” Scott replied. “I only know he’s busted up pretty good.” He handed Rachel a slip of paper. “Here’s the name and address of the hospital where they brought him, and that’s the name and number of our captain. He’s still on the front line of the blaze, but I think he’s planning to get over to the hospital as soon as he can.”
A wave of fear washed over her. She hadn’t seen Dylan in over a year, but she loved her brother and dreaded the thought of anything happening to him.
“How did you find me?” she asked.
Now the firefighter looked embarrassed, and his gaze flicked uncomfortably between her and Jamie. “Some folks have seen you out together, and—well, it’s a small town. I saw the van parked in the handicapped spot outside, so I figured you might be in here.”
“Yes, well,” Rachel didn’t look at Jamie, “Mrs. Colter hired me to help Jamie—drive him around and do errands for him—while she and her husband are on a cruise with my parents.”
Rachel knew she sounded prudish, but she suddenly couldn’t bear the thought of the townspeople thinking she and Jamie were an item, not when most people didn’t know about the divorce and likely thought she was cheating on her husband. Sleeping with Jamie was one thing, but she hadn’t counted on their relationship becoming public knowledge. They’d only come into town together once, yet that had been enough for people to take notice and draw assumptions. Never mind they had been correct. The last thing she wanted was for people to think she’d found herself a boy-toy.
“Ah.” Scott Ross rocked back on his heels and looked thoughtful. “That must be why we couldn’t reach your folks. Sometimes those cruise ships don’t get good wireless reception.”
Rachel focused on the slip of paper he’d handed her. “Thank you. I’ll call the hospital now and find out what’s going on.” She rose to her feet and glanced at Jamie, whose expression was inscrutable. “I’ll be right back.”
When she returned ten minutes later, the table had been cleared and Jamie had paid the bill.
“How is he?”
“He’s in surgery right now. He shattered a kneecap and he has a ruptured spleen.”
“But he’ll be okay?”
Rachel nodded. “Yes, thank goodness.”
“That’s good news,” he said. “He’s in good hands, and there isn’t anything you can do for him right now, so try not to worry. Why don’t we go home and pack a bag?”
Rachel nodded. “Yes, okay.”
In the van, on the way home, Rachel risked a glance at him in the rearview mirror, unsettled by his silence.
“Are you okay?” she ventured.
“Oh, are you talking to me?” he asked, and she heard the mild sarcasm in his voice. “I mean, I’m surprised, since you’re only here to drive me around and run errands for me.”
Rachel gave him a tolerant look. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it. But I was hardly going to let him assume we’re—that we’re dating or something. I mean, how would that look?”
Jamie didn’t answer.
“You have to admit if people knew we were hooking up, they would look at us with raised eyebrows,” she persisted. “Most people have no idea Deke and I are divorced. There would be talk.”
Jamie made a scoffing sound. “Those would be your own insecurities talking. I doubt anyone thinks long enough about either of us to even give it a second thought.”
Rachel had her doubts, but she didn’t want to argue with him. “I have to get a call through to my parents,” she said, changing the subject. “I have an emergency number my mother gave me, then I’ll head down to Bozeman. If I leave within the next hour, I can probably be there by midnight.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Rachel glanced at him in the mirror, surprised. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Dylan is my best friend,” Jamie reminded her. “You don’t think I’m going to let you go down there alone, do you?”
Rachel had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts and fears that for a moment she’d completely forgotten Jamie and Dylan were buds. Of course he would want to go down to Bozeman with her.
“But your leg—”
“I’ll be fine. The van is comfortable, and I’d feel better if I went with you.” He snorted. “At least then I won’t lie awake wondering if you’re okay, or if you fell asleep and drove off the road.”
“I will not drive off the road.”
“No, you won’t, because I’ll be with you to keep you awake.”
Rachel refocused her attention on the road, refusing to admit even to herself how much she liked the sound of that.