Snowbound Sweetheart
Snowbound Sweetheart
Judy Christenberry
Spending the night with a sexy, bossy cowboy had not been Lindsay Crawford's idea! But when a storm left her snowbound with gruff Gil Daniels, she had to be practical. And though his kisses made her quite warm, nothing happened!Trouble was, Lindsay's big, strong brothers didn't believe them. They recognized the look in Lindsay's eyes–and more important, the one in Gil's! Luckily, they respected him enough to hold off on the shotgun and let him do the right thing.But Lindsay wouldn't marry because it was "right"–she wanted true love. Because then the walls of Jericho might come crashing down….
“Is this your room or mine?” Lindsay asked Gil.
Dead silence. He didn’t even look at her.
“Gil? Is this—”
“Our room.”
It was her turn to be silent.
His gaze met hers. “There was only one room left. We can’t go on, and we can’t stay in the car. I didn’t know what to do but take the room. I promise you you’re in no danger from me.”
She believed him. And she should’ve been grateful. She was grateful, she hurriedly assured herself. But he needn’t make it sound so easy.
All afternoon, closed up in her small car, his male aura had kept her aware, tense…interested, no matter how much she told herself she wasn’t attracted to him.
Now she was going to share a motel room with him?
Dear Reader,
As Silhouette’s yearlong anniversary celebration continues, Romance again delivers six unique stories about the poignant journey from courtship to commitment.
Teresa Southwick invites you back to STORKVILLE, USA, where a wealthy playboy has the gossips stumped with his latest transaction: The Acquired Bride…and her triplet kids! New York Times bestselling author Kasey Michaels contributes the second title in THE CHANDLERS REQUEST…miniseries, Jessie’s Expecting. Judy Christenberry spins off her popular THE CIRCLE K SISTERS with a story involving a blizzard, a roadside motel with one bed left, a gorgeous, honor-bound rancher…and his Snowbound Sweetheart.
New from Donna Clayton is SINGLE DOCTOR DADS! In the premiere story of this wonderful series, a first-time father strikes The Nanny Proposal with a woman whose timely hiring quickly proves less serendipitous and more carefully, lovingly, staged.…Lilian Darcy pens yet another edgy, uplifting story with Raising Baby Jane. And debut author Jackie Braun delivers pure romantic fantasy as a down-on-her-luck waitress receives an intriguing order from the man of her dreams: One Fiancée To Go, Please.
Happy Reading!
Mary-Theresa Hussey
Senior Editor
Snowbound Sweetheart
Judy Christenberry
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
For Finis Christenberry, a good man through and through
Books by Judy Christenberry
Silhouette Romance
The Nine-Month Bride #1324
* (#litres_trial_promo) Marry Me, Kate #1344
* (#litres_trial_promo) Baby in Her Arms #1350
* (#litres_trial_promo) A Ring for Cinderella #1356
† (#litres_trial_promo) Never Let You Go #1453
† (#litres_trial_promo) The Borrowed Groom #1457
† (#litres_trial_promo) Cherish the Boss #1463
† (#litres_trial_promo) Snowbound Sweetheart #1476
JUDY CHRISTENBERRY
has been writing romances for over fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. She’s a bestselling writer for Harlequin American Romance, but she has a long love of traditional romances and is delighted to tell a story that brings those elements to the reader. A former high school French teacher, Judy devotes her time to writing. She hopes readers have as much fun reading her stories as she does writing them. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two adult daughters.
Contents
Chapter One (#u9e2b2647-e96e-5b21-bf12-d44c9a895b1c)
Chapter Two (#u611b989e-56fb-53ff-9fbb-0e295825d9c5)
Chapter Three (#u041a22fe-24c9-58d9-8b52-9e46df19be3f)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One
Lindsay Crawford was going home. True, it was only for the Thanksgiving holiday, but she was looking forward to presenting the new Lindsay to her family. She made the rounds of her apartment, watering her plants one last time, so that her neighbor would only have to water them once while she was gone.
She set her bags out into the hall and pulled the door behind her, locking it. Then she crossed the hall to the opposite door, knocked and waited for Kathy to answer.
Instead of her friend, though, a tall, handsome man opened the door. The biggest surprise of all, however, was his attire. Instead of Chicago chic, or city casual, as most of the men Lindsay met in the city wore, he was dressed in worn jeans, a flannel shirt and boots. Just like her brothers back home.
“Uh, is Kathy here?”
“Yeah. Just a sec.” He turned and called her neighbor’s name over his shoulder. Then he opened the door wider. “Come on in.”
Lindsay stepped inside the door just as Kathy came into the living area.
“Lindsay! You haven’t left yet?”
“No, I thought I’d bring over my key. You said you wouldn’t mind watering my plants. I just—”
“So your flight’s still on?” Kathy interrupted.
Lindsay stared at her. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Well, Gil’s flight was canceled,” Kathy replied. “Oh, I haven’t introduced you. This is my brother, Gil Daniels. Gil, my neighbor Lindsay Crawford.”
Lindsay nodded at the handsome man. “I suppose I should’ve checked on my flight, but the bad weather’s not supposed to hit until tonight, so I didn’t think there’d be a problem.”
“That’s what I thought, too,” the man said, his voice deep and rich. “But the plane I’m on originated in Minneapolis. It’s stuck there.”
Lindsay could sympathize, but she figured he’d just catch the next one out. “Well, I hope you get out before the storm.” She turned to Kathy. “Here’s the key. And I just watered the plants, so probably watering them on Saturday will be enough.”
“Aren’t you going to call and check on your plane?” Kathy asked. “Maybe you and Gil were on the same flight.”
Both she and Gil spoke at once. “I’m sure we’re not.”
Then they stared at each other.
“But aren’t you from Oklahoma?” Kathy asked.
“Yes, but—” Lindsay stopped and stared at the man. “You were flying to Oklahoma?”
“Yeah, the three-thirty flight.”
“Oh, no! No, that can’t—well, I’ll find another flight.” She turned around to head for her apartment and the nearest phone.
“Won’t do you any good,” his laconic voice informed her.
She spun around to stare at him.
Kathy answered her unspoken question. “Gil’s called every airline he could think of. They offered a flight tomorrow morning…if the storm hasn’t closed the airport.”
The weather forecasters were expecting a huge snowstorm this evening, but Lindsay hadn’t really been concerned. After all, they were usually alarmists. And it was early for a snowstorm, even in Chicago.
The panic filling her had no basis. Missing Thanksgiving with her family wasn’t the end of the world.
Except that she was homesick.
Extremely homesick.
She instantly formed a new plan. Nothing was going to stop her from getting home. She smiled at the other two. “Then I’ll drive.”
“I already checked. There aren’t any rental cars available. I guess because of the holiday,” Gil said, watching her.
Aha. She had him there. “I have my own car. I can load up and be out of here in half an hour, long before the storm hits Chicago.” With a smile of triumph, she spun on her heel and was out in the hall when he called to her.
“Could I buy a seat in your car?”
Lindsay turned to stare at him. Her imagination immediately pictured the two of them enclosed in her tiny car, practically on top of each other. Heat pooled in her stomach. Which was ridiculous. He was Kathy’s brother. The way her friend talked about him, he was a saint.
“Uh, my car is small.”
“I could spell you on the driving.”
That offer made her reconsider her decision. After all, she had at least fifteen hours of driving ahead of her. It was after one o’clock now. She’d need to drive straight through to get home by tomorrow morning.
Kathy spoke before Lindsay could, a disturbed look on her face. “Gil, I wish you’d stay. Brad and I would love to have you here for Thanksgiving.”
“Sorry, baby, but I promised Rafe I’d be back tonight.”
His calling his sister baby might have been thought endearing, but not to Lindsay. She’d grown up with five brothers and a father watching her every move, trying to direct every step. The phrase “baby” always grated on her nerves.
The man turned back to Lindsay. “I’ll certainly be willing to pay all the expenses.”
She gave him a long look. He was a stranger. But she’d known Kathy a year and really liked her. And Kathy adored her brother. That should be reference enough. Her family certainly wouldn’t object. They’d probably approve of her having a man to “protect” her. How irritating!
Even so, she made her decision. “All right, Mr. Daniels. But I’m leaving in half an hour.”
“I’m ready. Are you going dressed like that?”
She stiffened. Although she hadn’t really thought about it, she probably would’ve changed.
Now she wouldn’t do so for any amount of money.
Knee-jerk reaction, she knew. But she’d come all the way to Chicago to get away from men who thought they knew better than her.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” She didn’t wait for his response. She crossed the hall, unlocked her door, entered and slammed it behind her.
“Men!” she exclaimed under her breath. She could do without them.
“Oh, dear. I hope she doesn’t go without you, Gil. I think you upset her.”
“Good guess, baby,” he said with a rueful grin. “City girls can be touchy, can’t they?”
“But if she’s from Oklahoma, she can’t really be a city girl.”
“Oklahoma City’s bigger than you think, Kathy. They’ve even got some decent restaurants there. You’ll have to come see me in the spring.”
“Yes, of course, if Brad wants to.”
Gil pressed his lips tightly together. He’d flown up because his sister had called yesterday crying. When he’d arrived this morning, she’d assured him she was just a little blue. Everything was fine.
He didn’t believe her.
“Listen, Kathy, I want you to take this.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He took a plastic card from inside and gave it to her. “Put it away, and don’t mention it to Brad. If you ever need money or…want to get away…for a visit or something, you can use it.” Were his reasons tactful enough?
“Brad and I don’t have secrets,” Kathy assured him, looking at the card doubtfully, her hand creeping across her stomach.
“Are you all right?” he asked, watching her.
“Yes. Lately my stomach’s been a little unsettled. But I’m just not sure about—”
“Just for once, do what I ask. It won’t hurt anything to have a resource Brad doesn’t know about. If you don’t ever use it, it won’t matter. But I’ll feel better. Do it for me.”
He breathed a sigh of relief when she finally took the charge card.
“Do you have a place to hide it?”
“I’ll just put it in my billfold.”
“No! No, let’s find another place.” He took her into her bedroom. “How about taped to the bottom of this mirror thing,” he suggested, pointing to a mirror tray on her dresser.
“Okay.”
She got some tape and did as he requested. Then he asked to borrow a couple of pillows and several blankets. “Just in case we run into bad weather. And maybe a jug of drinking water.”
He hoped distracting her from what she’d just done would make her forget her objections.
Half an hour later, Lindsay rapped on Kathy’s door again. Because she wasn’t an idiot, she’d exchanged her heels for loafers. But she carried her heels with her, in a tote bag, so she could put them on before she got out of the car when she got home.
Her suit, a fashionable teal green with gold buttons, didn’t wrinkle, and though the skirt was narrow, it was short enough for her to maneuver stairs. She’d be fine in it.
The cowboy didn’t know what he was talking about. Just like her brothers.
The door opened and the man in her thoughts stood there, his arms full of pillows, blankets and a thermos as well as a duffel bag. “Ready?”
“Yes.” She’d already loaded everything she was taking into her car. Her trunk space was minimal. She wasn’t even sure his duffel bag would fit.
“Aren’t you taking any luggage?”
She sighed. “I’ve already loaded my things.”
“I would’ve been glad to carry them for you.”
She wanted to go ballistic on him, letting him know that a woman could manage on her own. She didn’t need a Neanderthal following her around, using his muscles on her behalf. But she realized he was just trying to be polite, even if stereotypical, and instead, she simply said, “Not necessary.”
Kathy was just behind her brother. “Gil, be careful, please, and call me after you’ve gotten home.”
“I will.” He hesitated, then said, “Say hello to Brad for me. Sorry I couldn’t stay to visit with him.”
Kathy turned a bright red. “I—I’d rather not say you came. If I do, I’d have to tell him you came because I cried, and he’ll be upset.”
Lindsay watched the interplay between brother and sister with curiosity. Kathy’s words didn’t please Gil, but he didn’t argue with her. “Your decision.”
“Thanks, Gil. Have a happy Thanksgiving.” Kathy hugged her brother’s neck, almost dislodging everything he carried. He kissed her cheek and turned to Lindsay.
“Let’s go.”
Like he was in charge.
“Bye, Kathy. Thanks for taking care of my plants.”
“I’ll see you in a few days,” Kathy agreed with a smile, but the others noted the tears in her eyes.
Lindsay pressed the elevator button, hoping one would arrive quickly. Prolonged goodbyes were difficult, and Kathy seemed to be having problems with this one.
“Go on back in and get some rest, baby. We’re on our way,” Gil insisted.
“No, I—”
The dinging of a bell signifying the arrival of an elevator stopped her. Lindsay waved and quickly stepped on, followed by Gil.
“Aren’t you taking a coat? That jacket doesn’t look heavy enough to keep you warm.”
Lindsay waited until they reached the lobby. Once she was out of the elevator, out of the confined space with the man, she turned around and faced him. “Let’s get something straight before we start. I am not your sister. Nor do I need a keeper. This is my car, my trip. You can come along, as long as you understand I’m in charge! Got it?”
Gil squared his jaw and considered walking away from this stubborn woman. He could take a hotel room and wait out the storm.
But he really wanted to get home.
Before he made up his mind, she spoke again. “I’m sorry if that sounded rude, but I don’t like someone hovering over me. If we’re going to be in a car together for fifteen hours, I thought it would be better to clear the air now.”
In even tones, hiding his irritation, he said, “Fair enough.” Then he stood there, waiting for her to lead the way.
It seemed to take a minute for her to realize he was waiting on her. Snapping her chin into the air, she turned and headed through the door that led to the parking garage.
Again he reconsidered his decision when he saw her car. A Miata. He was going to be trapped in a small car for fifteen hours with a feminist—a touchy feminist—which was like a cowboy being cornered by a bull with a hatred for humans. Unmanageable.
“The trunk is full,” she muttered. “But I think all your things can go in the back seat.”
What back seat? There was a narrow ledge behind the front two seats. But he wasn’t about to argue. He stuffed everything where she said. Then he pulled off his denim, fleece-lined coat and laid it on top. It occurred to him again to ask where her coat was, and whether she shouldn’t put it inside the car, too. But there was no way he was risking another pithy lecture.
Then he squeezed himself into the passenger seat. Damn, he was going to feel like a pretzel by the time they reached Oklahoma.
“Please fasten your seat belt,” she reminded him.
Oh, yeah, he didn’t want to forget that little thing. A woman driver who had taken an instant dislike to him? No, he didn’t want to take any more chances.
The minute they pulled out of the parking garage into city traffic, Gil knew the trip was going to take longer than expected. The roads were jammed, filled with impatient drivers using their horns to indicate their frustration.
“Crowded today,” he said, casually watching Lindsay out of the corner of his eye.
She was frowning, but as far as he could tell, she was in control. “I’ve never seen it this crowded.”
“Well, with the snowstorm and the holiday, I suppose we should’ve expected it.”
“If it’s too much for you, Mr. Daniels, you can get out now. It’s only a short walk back to the apartment.” She made her statement without heat, as if it didn’t matter to her either way.
“Hey, I wasn’t trying to complain. I was only making a comment. An inoffensive comment.”
He watched her fingers tighten on the steering wheel before she released them. “My apology. I guess I’m a little stressed today.”
“Understandable. A change of plans at the last minute can be hard to handle.”
She gave a hint of a smile that vanished quickly, and she concentrated on her driving.
Gil studied her. She was beautiful enough to satisfy any man. Her blond hair was swept up into some kind of twist, leaving him to wonder how long it was. Her makeup was discreet, enhancing her smooth features. Her hazel eyes were complemented by the color of her suit.
And she had killer legs.
He’d noticed them beneath the short skirt when he was following her to her car.
The rest of her seemed well-proportioned, too, though he couldn’t tell much with the long, boxy jacket she wore.
Just the kind of woman he avoided.
Grimly, he pictured his ex-wife. She’d always been on the best-dressed list. Every hair had been in place. Nothing would do but the most expensive for her. Fashion was the most important thing in her life and came before everything else.
Including him. It was demoralizing to come in second to a cashmere sweater set. Ultimately, he just hadn’t lived up to Amanda’s expectations for a husband.
“Damn!” his companion muttered, catching him by surprise.
“What’s wrong?”
They’d been edging their way along Lakeshore Drive. Now even edging had been eliminated. Long lines of traffic had come to a complete halt.
“I’d hoped we could reach Interstate 55 before it got this bad. Surely once we get on that highway, things will move faster.”
“Interstate 55. That goes to St. Louis, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. From there, we’ll take Interstate 44. It goes to Oklahoma City.”
“You got a map?” he asked.
Her head snapped around. “I know where I’m going!”
He heaved a sigh. Yep, an angry bull. “I thought I might see if there was another way to get to 55. Lakeshore Drive is pretty famous.”
Her cheeks flushed. “Sorry. I’m a little tense about—There’s a map of Chicago in the glove compartment.”
Was she nervous about being alone with him? She wasn’t fainthearted, like his sister, that was for sure. Without comment, he pulled out the map. He noted she had a map of the Midwest in there, also. She was well prepared.
After studying the map, he checked their location. “Have we passed Madison Avenue yet?”
“Not yet. It’s coming up.”
“We could exit on it. Then just about any road that crosses it will take us to 55.”
“You’re sure? I’ve never—”
“We’re not moving. Look for yourself.” He didn’t point out that her doubting his word was as insulting as his telling her what to do.
She took the map from him and studied it. Then, with an apologetic smile, she said, “You’re right. Now, if the traffic will only move a little bit, we can get out of this maze.”
“Just don’t be surprised if half of these drivers have the same idea,” he warned her.
“If half of them had the same idea, we’d at least be moving. I’m afraid the snowstorm will catch us before we can get out of town. Look at those clouds.”
She gestured over her shoulder and he realized she’d been watching the weather in the rearview mirror.
“Pretty ominous,” he agreed, “but maybe it’s lake effect clouds. I’ve heard it can increase the amount of snow. By the time it hits though, we should be out of Chicago.”
“I hope so. I think I’ll try to catch the latest weather report.”
She fiddled with the radio for several minutes, finally settling on one playing music. “I think this station gives a weather report on the hour.”
He checked his watch. They’d left at one-thirty and it was already almost two. They’d only gone a few blocks.
The weather report wasn’t good. It seemed the storm predicted for that evening had strengthened even more and was picking up speed. Now its estimated time of arrival was three o’clock.
Lindsay moaned.
Gil’s stomach clenched. He hadn’t been with a woman in a long time, but his wife had made little moans in bed when they’d first married, when making love had been important to her.
He didn’t want to be reminded.
“What’s making you tense?” he said.
She turned startled eyes on him. “I—what are you asking?”
“When I asked for a map, you said you were tense about something, but you stopped before you finished your sentence.”
“I really don’t think that’s any of your business,” she said stiffly.
“I guess not. But it made me curious.”
“I didn’t offer to satisfy your curiosity. Just to drive you to Oklahoma.” She stared straight ahead.
“Fine.” He crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t need to listen to her problems anyway. He had some of his own.
“Where in Oklahoma do you live? Is it close to Interstate 44?”
“Yeah, pretty close, but if you get me to any major city, I can catch a flight out.”
“With the holiday traffic, that might not be true. What town do you live in?”
“You won’t have heard of it. It’s a little town south of Oklahoma City. Apache.”
“That explains it,” she said, a disgusted look on her face.
“Explains what?”
“You wanted to know what was making me tense? It’s going home to my brothers.”
“You don’t like your brothers?” he asked, even as he wondered why they were back on this subject.
“I love my brothers. But they’re always bossing me around. Just like you. That’s why I’m tense. And we live near Duncan, a few miles from Apache. I guess that’s why you remind me of them.”
“Then we’re even,” he replied, his voice tight. “Because you remind me of my ex-wife, Amanda.”
She turned to gape at him, her eyes wide, just as the driver behind them sat down on his horn.
The traffic had begun to move.
Gil sighed. It was going to be a long ride home.
Chapter Two
Lindsay glared in her rearview mirror at the impatient driver behind her. Not that she could blame him, but she didn’t like his rude reminder.
It made her think of the man sitting next to her.
She inched the car forward. “Why did you say that?”
“Because it’s the truth.”
“I didn’t know you’d been married before. Kathy never mentioned it.” She reviewed their conversations about Gil. Kathy had raved about her wonderful brother, but a sister-in-law had never been mentioned.
“You and Kathy discuss me?” His question was abrupt, clipped, as if the idea of her discussing him offended him.
“No, I don’t discuss you, but Kathy talks about you a lot.”
“Maybe the subject didn’t come up because Kathy hated my ex. Especially after the divorce.” He stared out the window. “Madison is just ahead.”
His reminder irritated her even more. “I haven’t forgotten.”
Nothing more was said until after she, along with a number of other cars, made the turn onto Madison, but their speed did pick up from a standstill to a slow crawl.
“Why do I remind you of your ex? Kathy and I get along just fine,” Lindsay said.
“You remind me of my ex because you’re wearing a dressy suit to make a fifteen hour drive in less-than-pleasant circumstances.”
Lindsay stared at him. “Your ex-wife made a lot of long drives in suits?”
“You can go now,” he said, nodding to the road in front of them, not answering her question.
Lindsay kept her gaze on the road, determined not to be caught lagging again.
She was startled when he actually answered her question. She hadn’t expected him to.
“My wife didn’t make long drives. But she always insisted on being fashionably dressed no matter what the circumstances.”
Lindsay thought the man was being rather hard on his ex-wife. After all, there was nothing wrong with wanting to look one’s best. But she wasn’t going to argue with him about it.
“Look at the map and figure out which road it would be best to take to get to the highway,” she suggested, keeping her gaze on the traffic. “The sooner we get on the interstate, the better off we’ll be.”
“And you’re willing to take my word for it?” She ignored the temptation to glare at him. If she did, she’d get honked at again. Or barked at by her companion.
“Yes.”
He studied the map and suggested she take the next crossroad, Central Avenue. It only took a couple of minutes to reach the intersection and make the turn, but she gasped as she swung the car into the appropriate lane.
“What?” he asked sharply, staring at her.
“The snow’s here,” she muttered, watching a large flake settle against the windshield.
After a moment of silence, he asked, “Want to turn back? Have you changed your mind?”
“No! I’m going on, but you can change your mind, if you want.”
“Not me. I want to get home.”
“Why did you come to Chicago if you hate it here so much?” It wasn’t that she didn’t understand his attitude toward big cities. Her brothers all reacted the same way, even to Oklahoma City, which couldn’t compare to Chicago for traffic jams and hordes of people.
Even she—But she shut that thought away. She couldn’t afford to admit her annoyance of Chicago, even to herself.
“Do you know Brad, Kathy’s husband?”
The non sequitur surprised her. “Of course I do.”
“What do you think of him?”
She studied him out of the corner of her eye even as she paid attention to the traffic. “Why?”
“It’s a simple question.”
“Don’t you know Brad?”
“Barely. I’ve met him a couple of times. Once at the wedding, and a couple of hours last Christmas.”
“And you don’t like him.” She wasn’t asking a question. The man’s attitude toward his brother-in-law was evident.
“I don’t know him.”
“And that’s why you asked my opinion? A woman who reminds you of your ex?”
“Forget it.” He turned to stare out his window again.
But she couldn’t. “He seems nice enough. Devoted to Kathy.”
“Yeah?” he asked with a big frown. “He hasn’t—hit on you?”
“Me? You think he’d hit on me, living across from his wife?” She was astounded. Even if Brad had been the type to mess around, she wasn’t. “Even if he had, I would never—”
“Kathy called me yesterday. Crying.”
“And you thought—”
“I didn’t know what to think. She wouldn’t tell me what was wrong. I flew up this morning to see if there was anything I could do. She still wouldn’t tell me. But you heard her. She didn’t want to tell Brad I’d come.”
She should’ve known. He’d already reminded her of her brothers by his dress. Now he reminded her of her brothers with his protectiveness, his smothering of his sister.
“Look, all married couples go through some rough patches. They have to work things out themselves. You can’t fix everything just because she’s your little sister.” She tried to keep her voice calm, but she heard it tightening as she finished speaking.
“Thank you, Dr. Joyce Brothers.”
His sarcastic reply only irritated her more. If it had been left to her brothers, she would’ve sat upon a silken pillow all her days and never even learned to walk, much less fend for herself. That’s why she’d been forced to leave home. She hadn’t realized she and Kathy had that much in common.
Time to concentrate on her driving. This cowboy wouldn’t appreciate her opinion any more than her brothers had.
“Have you ever heard them fighting?”
“No.” In fact, she’d been a little envious of Kathy. Not that she was attracted to Brad, but she was attracted to the devotion the two shared, the closeness. Since she’d moved away from home, she’d sometimes longed for a relationship that could lead to marriage.
As long as the man understood she wouldn’t be smothered.
She was glad she was concentrating on her driving when they got up on the interstate. As she increased her speed, her tires began to spin and the back end of the car skidded a little. She immediately eased up on the gas.
“Better keep your speed down,” her companion advised.
“Really? Are you sure I shouldn’t go faster?”
His head snapped around to stare at her.
“I was being sarcastic,” she pointed out, as if speaking to a slow learner.
“Oh. Thanks for explaining.”
She shrugged her shoulders. Okay, so two could be sarcastic. Maybe she’d deserved that kind of answer. She turned her windshield wipers up to high speed as the snow began coming down faster. She’d be glad when the highway turned farther south. It was their only hope of outrunning the storm.
Gil didn’t make any more attempts at conversation. It had been foolish to try to soothe his concerns about Kathy by asking Lindsay questions. Like he’d trust her evaluation anyway. A woman who dressed in a designer suit to drive in a snowstorm.
His ex-wife had been impressed with anyone with money. Their morals, or intelligence or even their warmth had no value compared to their bank account.
He knew Brad made a good living. But he wanted his sister to be happy, not well dressed. He wanted her husband to love her, not buy her things. Well, he wanted him to buy her things, too, but that wasn’t the most important. He didn’t want Kathy to wind up in the same kind of loveless marriage that he had.
As Lindsay carefully steered the car, Gil studied her hands. They looked smooth, soft, but he was surprised by her nails. While well tended, they weren’t long, and the polish was clear. She only wore one ring, an opal with diamonds.
“Nice ring. A gift?”
“Yes.”
Aha. So she had some man on a string, willing to buy her expensive things. He remembered when he’d first fallen for Amanda. He’d prided himself on buying her what she wanted. Until he realized that was all she wanted. Real emotions—even love—meant nothing to her.
When Lindsay gasped again, he brought his attention back to the road. A car that had just passed by them went into a spin. It narrowly missed going over the side as it came to rest against the railing.
“You okay?” he asked, studying her to determine whether she would be able to continue driving.
“Yes,” she said with a sigh. “Should we stop to help them?”
“There’s not a lot we could do. Unless you want to call 911 for them.”
“My cell phone is in my purse. Could you call for me? I want to concentrate on my driving.”
He found the phone and called in the near accident. After hanging up, he said, “They promised to send a cop to check on them.”
“Thank you.”
“They were going too fast,” he added.
She sent him a look that told him she got his less than subtle message. But, in truth, she was keeping her speed down. In fact, she was doing a good job with her driving, though he hated to admit it.
He checked his watch. It was already after three. They’d been driving almost two hours and hadn’t gotten out of Chicago yet.
She must’ve caught his movement out of the corner of her eye because she asked, “What time is it?”
“Almost three-thirty.”
Though she frowned, she didn’t say anything.
He settled more comfortably in his seat. “If you get tired of driving, I can spell you.”
She didn’t answer for a minute. Then she said, “They don’t get much snow in Oklahoma.”
So she doubted his skills? “I lived in New York for almost ten years.”
“In New York City? I didn’t think many people drove in the city.”
“We had a house in upstate New York, spent weekends there, particularly in the winter because of the skiing.” He’d enjoyed the skiing. But he hadn’t enjoyed the collection of people his wife invited to join them. They’d been her friends, not his.
“I guess you don’t get much skiing in Apache.”
“Nope. But I’ve made several trips to Colorado since I moved back.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“Ranching.”
“In New York City?” she asked, her voice rising in surprise.
“No, not in New York City. I was a stockbroker there.” And he’d been one of the best. Which had made it possible for him to come back to Oklahoma and buy his ranch, even after the divorce.
“Do you miss being a stockbroker?”
“Nope.” Which was the truth, but he didn’t mention that he still bought and sold stocks, managing his personal fortune. He was also doing some investing for Rafe, his ranch manager, who had become a good friend and a mentor. Gil wanted to make it possible for Rafe to achieve his own dream.
Staring out the window, he realized the snow was getting thicker. “Can you still see well enough to keep going? Maybe we should stop while we can still find a hotel and wait until morning.” He didn’t want to do that, but he also didn’t want to become a frozen Popsicle on the side of the road.
“No, I want to keep going. I have snow tires on my car.” She leaned forward to concentrate on her driving, and Gil figured she’d be sore before too long. The tension would make her ache.
He said nothing. She’d probably offer to dump him out on the closest sidewalk if he protested. And he had to admit they could still maneuver fairly well. But he wasn’t sure how long that would be true.
An hour later, they were still struggling along, the snow several inches deep. He’d pulled his sheepskin-lined jacket into the front seat and draped it over himself. Lindsay, though occasionally shivering, said nothing.
He felt like a cur, sitting back and warm while she shivered and drove through the storm, but he’d offered to drive. And he’d asked her about her coat. And she’d responded to both those questions with a snarl.
So he kept quiet.
“I’m sure we’ll be clear of the snow if we can just get to St. Louis,” she said suddenly.
“I won’t argue with that,” he agreed, but he had his doubts about making it that far.
“Or even Springfield,” she added, sending him a hopeful look.
He stared straight ahead. Then they passed a sign showing an exit for a town named Pontiac. “How far is Pontiac from Springfield?”
“I’m—I’m not sure.”
He opened the glove compartment and took out the larger map covering the Midwest. After a brief calculation, he looked at her. “I believe it’s over eighty miles.”
She pressed her lips tightly together and said nothing.
Neither did he, but he didn’t think they’d make it eighty miles before midnight. Not when they were only going about fifteen miles an hour.
Finally, he said, “I’m willing to pull over and find a place to stay to wait this out, whenever you’re ready. You know we’re not going to be able to drive straight through at this rate.”
She shook her head. “We’ll be able to go a lot faster as soon as we outrun the snowstorm.”
Stubborn woman. He couldn’t argue with her statement. In fact, he totally agreed with her. The disagreement came in exactly when they’d outrun the snowstorm.
“Mind if I turn on the radio?” he asked. “We might get some weather news.”
“No, of course not. That’s a good idea.” She reached for the radio herself.
“I’ll handle the radio, since you’re driving.” He thought he’d put that tactfully, and her hand returned to the steering wheel, leaving it to him to find a station.
“This is a weather bulletin,” the announcer said. “Forecasters say the storm will still intensify for the next few hours. However, the snow should taper off by morning.”
“By morning!” Lindsay exclaimed.
Gil said nothing. He didn’t think urging Lindsay to give up would be effective. The hardheaded woman would probably refuse to do so because she didn’t want to give in to a man’s advice. He understood a woman’s resistance to male domination, but not in the face of common sense.
“Lindsay, the snow’s almost half a foot deep now. We’re not going to be able to go much farther. Don’t you want to look for shelter while we can?” he finally asked.
She said nothing, leaning farther over the steering wheel, her gaze glued to the road in front of them.
Gil sighed.
Abruptly, she put on her blinker light, taking him by surprise. “You’re stopping?” he asked.
Though her face remained grim, she nodded. “There’s a small town here, according to that sign. I guess we’d better stop while we can.”
“Good thinking,” he agreed, as if it had been her idea. He didn’t care who got credit for stopping, as long as they did so.
The exit road was downhill and they skidded several times negotiating it. When they reached the bottom, they discovered another sign, pointing out that the small town they’d sought was another four miles down the road.
“Rats!” Lindsay exclaimed, frowning fiercely.
“We can make it,” Gil assured her. Four miles on level road would be a hell of a lot better than trying to go uphill to get back on the freeway.
“We don’t have much choice,” she muttered, not looking at him.
“Want me to drive?”
She glared at him. “No.”
He drew a deep breath and leaned back, trying to give the impression of complete relaxation.
Half an hour later, they reached the city limits of Witherspoon.
“Where is it?” Lindsay demanded in frustration.
“I think I see a few buildings. Keep going.”
He was right. They discovered a filling station, obviously shut down, a Dairy Queen, no lights on, a couple of houses and finally the red fluorescent light appeared through the snow, flashing OTEL.
“I think we can assume that should say motel,” he said with a chuckle.
“I hope you’re right.” She turned off the road into the parking lot.
Gil studied as much as he could see of the motel and figured they’d be lucky to get a room. The parking lot was almost full.
“There’s the office,” he said, pointing to their right.
She eased the car through the crunchy snow and stopped as close to the office door as she could.
“If you’d like, I’ll go see what they’ve got available. I’ve already got my coat out,” he offered, careful to couch his idea as a suggestion.
“Thank you. I’d appreciate it.”
Surprised by her acquiescence without argument, he hurriedly got out into the storm before she could change her mind.
The cold sting of the snow attacked his exposed skin as he hurried toward the door, trying not to slip.
As soon as he got inside, closing the door behind him, he shook off the snow that covered him and stepped to the counter.
No one appeared to be on duty, but there was a button to push for assistance. After he’d followed directions, he heard footsteps. Then, a door behind the counter opened and an elderly man appeared.
“Evening. Didn’t hear anyone arrive. Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said, a genial smile on his face. “We don’t usually do this much business.”
Gil would guess not. So far he hadn’t seen anything in Witherspoon that would attract travelers. Of course, he hadn’t seen much in the snowstorm, so he could be wrong.
“You’re in luck,” the man said. “I’ve got one room left. You want it?”
Gil frowned. “Only one room? We need two.”
“Sorry, young man. But one’s all I got. If you don’t want it, someone else will probably come along.”
Gil felt sure he was right. “Is there another motel in town?”
“Nope. This is it.”
The sound of another vehicle on the road just barely penetrated the room above the sound of the wind. Gil didn’t want to do any more driving in the storm. He hurriedly agreed to the one room, pulling out his credit card.
“We, uh, had to up the price a little, because of the storm, you know. Had to hire extra help to get all the rooms ready.” The man avoided Gil’s cynical gaze.
He wasn’t surprised to discover price-gouging. It happened all the time. In fact, he figured the man had a hard time making a living wage most days.
He waited for the man to run his credit card, thinking about the reaction he was bound to receive when he announced to Lindsay Crawford that they were going to share a motel room.
The man handed over an old-fashioned key. None of those fancy plastic cards that the hotels used these days. Gil almost smiled as he pocketed the key. Just as he put his hand on the door to venture out into the storm, he looked over his shoulder. “This room does have two beds, doesn’t it?”
The man stared at him, and Gil got a sinking feeling in his stomach.
Chapter Three
Lindsay shivered as the wind swirled around the car, making visibility impossible. She was glad they’d stopped, but she wished they could continue on. She wished she had her coat out of the trunk. She wished…A blur of movement stopped her thoughts.
Suddenly the passenger door opened and Gil slid into the car, bringing with him snow and wind. She shivered again.
“Okay,” he said, not looking at her. “We need to turn right. Room number nine.”
Without speaking, she followed his directions, forcing her car to push its way through the snow. They could barely make out the numbers on the doors of the single story structure. There was a parking space in front of number nine and she pulled her car into it.
Then it occurred to her that he’d only given her the number of one room.
“Is this your room or mine?”
Dead silence. He didn’t even look at her.
“Gil? Is this—”
“Our room.”
It was her turn to be silent.
His gaze met hers. “He only had one room left. We can’t go on, and we can’t stay in the car. I didn’t know what to do but take the room. I promise you you’re in no danger from me.”
She believed him. And she should’ve been grateful. She was grateful, she hurriedly assured herself. But he needn’t make it sound so easy.
All afternoon, closed up in her small car, his male aura had kept her aware, tense…interested, no matter how much she told herself she wasn’t attracted to him.
Now she was going to share a motel room with him?
And he assured her that wouldn’t be a problem.
What could she say? He was right. They couldn’t go any farther. And neither of them could stay in the car. He’d done the only practical thing. After drawing a deep breath, she said, “Thanks, I appreciate your assurance.”
He stared at her, as if her reaction differed from what he’d expected. “You mean you’re not going to insist I sleep in the car?”
“And have your death on my hands? Of course not. I can share a room with you for the night.” So he’d be sleeping a few feet away. Maybe she’d have trouble getting to sleep, but she was tired. She’d manage.
“Great. We’d better take these blankets I borrowed from Kathy. We might need them.”
Normal, practical words. So why was he avoiding her gaze? Why was she waiting for the other shoe to drop? Something wasn’t right, but for the life of her, she couldn’t imagine what it could be.
“Okay. Did the clerk mention anything about where we could get supper?”
“He’s got a small grocery attached to the office. Not a lot of selection, but I’ll go back and find something as soon as we get settled in the room. And there’s a microwave we can use, too.”
“In the room?” she asked, surprised by a modern convenience like a microwave in a 1950s motel.
He grinned. “Nope. In the office. The food will probably be cold before I can get it to the room, but hopefully it won’t be frozen. There is a coffee machine in the room, though.”
“I’ll start a pot at once,” she promised. “Can you get the blankets and your bag? I need to get my bag and coat out of the trunk.”
“Sure. Need some help?”
“No, thank you.”
By the time she’d struggled through the wind and snow, retrieved her belongings and made it to the door of their room, she wished she hadn’t been quite so fiercely independent. She could admit to herself, if not to her companion, that it would’ve been really nice to run for the door and leave the carrying to Gil’s strong shoulders.
He was waiting for her and immediately closed the door behind her, shutting out the storm.
She covered her face with her hands, grateful to feel the warmth against her chilled cheeks. “Thanks,” she muttered, leaning against the wall.
“It’s brutal out there. And you didn’t get your coat on.”
“It seemed easier just to gather it up and run,” she said, raising her head and smiling wearily at Gil.
Over his shoulder, she took in the room.
“I see our room is as out of date as—”
When her gaze focused on the major piece of furniture in the small room, she couldn’t continue. She just stared at it instead.
Then she stared at Gil.
“You’re not surprised,” she accused.
He turned to look at the double bed. As if to remind himself of what she’d discovered. “No, I’m not. The clerk told me there was only one bed. But I was hoping for king-size.”
“What are we going to do?” Sudden visions of sharing the bed with Gil, a large man, and sexy as could be, left her mouth dry.
“We’re going to get some sleep. And I promise that’s all we’re going to do, so don’t give me any virginal protests. You’re safe.”
Of course she was. The dratted man had made it more than clear he had no interest in her. But was she safe from herself?
“You could sleep on the floor,” she suggested, finding the air suddenly thin.
“So could you. I thought you were a feminist, wanting to prove you’re as strong as any guy. Want to draw for the bed?”
The immediate outrage that filled her had her reconsider her reaction. He was right. She’d fought for being equal to her brothers, but when things got difficult she wanted special treatment?
“No. There’s no point in either of us being uncomfortable. We’ll share.” If he could control himself, she was sure she could do the same. She hoped. It wasn’t as if she had an uncontrollable libido. In fact, she’d never understood others’ fascination with sex.
But the itchiness she’d been feeling all afternoon in the car, because of this man, had her reevaluating her previous experience.
“The bathroom is, uh, pretty small, too,” Gil said, as if giving her the rest of the bad news now that she’d remained calm about the bed.
She moved to the door just past the bed and peeked into the bath. Gil had understated its size. Postage stamp might be more accurate. No tub. Only a small shower, sink and toilet. So much for the thought of a hot, soaking bath.
More shivers brought her attention to another disappointment. The room wasn’t warm.
“Is the heater on? Can we turn it up? I’m still cold,” she said, looking around the room.
“It’s a lot warmer than outside, but definitely not toasty,” Gil agreed. He crossed the room to the small controls on the wall by the door. Sighing, he turned to face her. “I’m afraid it’s on high.”
Lindsay moaned in disappointment.
Damn, she had to stop making that noise. It made Gil think of long nights of mindless sex. Which warmed him up a little in spite of the inadequacies of the furnace.
He turned his mind to food, a safer subject than sex. Especially since he’d given his word that he’d keep his hands off of her. He hoped he hadn’t been overly optimistic. After all, she was a beauty.
She’d surprised him with her calm acceptance not only of the one room but also the one bed. He’d expected a tantrum, like Amanda had been capable of. She’d demanded luxury no matter what the circumstances.
“Want to give me some idea of what you want for dinner?” he asked, waiting for a long list of preferences.
She actually grinned at him. “I don’t eat liver. I’m not fond of fish—or spinach. Anything else is fine. And I wouldn’t say no to a candy bar. Stress makes me crave chocolate.”
He couldn’t resist tracing her slim form with his gaze. She must normally live a stress-free life. Otherwise she’d be several sizes larger. Which made her agreeableness even more amazing. He’d been attracted to her beauty from the beginning. Now, he was drawn to that grin, that twinkle in her hazel eyes.
“I’ll see what I can find.”
“Wait!” she called out as he turned to the door.
Before he knew what she intended, she’d looped a red cashmere scarf around his neck. “I noticed you didn’t have a muffler. This will keep your face warm,” she assured him as she tied it.
Her arms were around his neck, securing the scarf and he froze, aware that it wouldn’t take much movement to pull her into his embrace, to warm her body with his. But he didn’t move. He’d promised.
Against the soft cloth, he muttered, “I’ll be right back.”
He stepped out into the storm, scarcely noting the frigid conditions. It reminded him of that song, “Let It Snow,” with the words that said the singer would stay warm if he got a hug before he left.
He’d always laughed at that silliness, but even the thought of an embrace from Lindsay had him steaming.
He returned a few minutes later with a variety of food, none of it gourmet. He’d nuked several pre-packaged hamburgers in the microwave, picked up the last two egg salad sandwiches wrapped in cellophane, grabbed a couple of bags of chips and selected several chocolate candy bars.
Lindsay deserved any treat he could find.
When he burst into the motel room, slamming the door behind him, he was immediately assailed by the aroma of hot coffee. “You made the coffee!” he exclaimed.
“I said I would,” she replied. “I figured it might be the only way we’ll get warm tonight. In fact, I might even soak my feet in coffee later on. They feel like blocks of ice.”
He swallowed his “told you so” thought about the shoes she’d chosen to wear. No point in starting an argument when they had an entire night to get through together. “Want to see what’s for dinner?”
“Yes,” she said, coming around the bed.
He pulled the two hamburgers from inside his coat. “These are still warm, but we’d better eat them fast. These sandwiches are the second course. Chips to accompany either or both. And, ta-da,” he called, as if presenting the pièce de résistance, “chocolate for dessert.”
“Bless you,” she said, taking her share of his offerings.
Gil hadn’t believed she’d be pleased with his selections. Pleased? Hell, he’d expected her to turn her nose up at all of it.
She surprised him even more when she put her food down and returned to the other side of the bed to pour both of them a cup of coffee before starting to eat.
“Warm is more than I expected. With the coffee, they might even taste hot.” She set his cup on the lamp table, then moved down the length of the bed and sat down.
Neither bothered with conversation while they ate. By the time Gil took the last bite of his hamburger, it was cold, but the coffee was still warm. And the egg salad sandwich helped satisfy his hunger.
Lindsay handed him the second half of hers. “I’m saving room for the chocolate. You finish mine off.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” he said with a grin. Before he ate any of it, however, he added, “Thanks for being such a good sport about all this, Lindsay.”
She looked surprised. “Why not be a good sport? None of it is your fault. In fact, if I’d stopped when you first suggested it, our accommodations might be a little more…spacious.” She shrugged her shoulders. “You’re the one who should be complaining.”
Rather than argue about who was responsible for their situation, he smiled and finished off her sandwich.
“Do you think we’ll be able to get any reception on the television?” she asked, eyeing the set against the wall.
“Maybe. It looks remarkably new compared to everything else in the room.” He set down his coffee cup and crossed over to the television. When he turned it on, Lindsay cheered as a clear picture filled the screen.
“All right! My favorite show comes on tonight,” she said.
Gil changed the channel, only to discover that only one station got reception. “Then I hope it’s on this channel.”
“Me, too. If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a turn in the bathroom.”
With a nod, he watched her grab her suitcase and open it, extracting several articles. Then she tucked it away and disappeared into the bath.
All he could think about was Lindsay emerging in something from Victoria Secret. A man could dream, couldn’t he?
When Lindsay finally opened the door, she was completely dressed in a velour warm-up suit, with thick socks on her feet. She sent him a nervous grin. “Not the latest style in pj’s, but this is the warmest I have.”
“I think you look very stylish,” he assured her. When she frowned at him, he asked, “What?”
“Is that a slam?”
“Why would you think that?”
“You said your ex-wife always had to be in style.”
Gil was at a loss at what to say. His first reaction was to tell her his wife wouldn’t have been caught dead in a sweat suit—unless she was modeling it in a fashion show. But that response wouldn’t do. The alternative was to tell her that he thought she’d look stylish in a trash bag, because all he’d be able to think about was what was underneath.
That definitely wouldn’t do.
“Uh, I was teasing you. Being warm is a lot more important than being stylish.”
She smiled and picked up two of the candy bars. Then she returned to the side of the bed closest to the bathroom and pulled down the covers. “I’m getting under the covers to watch television.”
He stood and moved his candy bars to the lamp table. “Good idea. Want a refill on the coffee? I think there’s just enough for both of us.”
“Sure, thanks.”
After filling their cups, he gathered his duffel bag and, with a nod of his head in the direction of the bathroom, he walked past her, closing the door behind him.
Lindsay drew a deep breath when she was finally alone. The man, with his sexy grin, was tough to resist. She couldn’t even suggest he sleep in the tub tonight, because there wasn’t one.
Oh, well. She could share the bed with him. After all, he’d brought her chocolate. She unwrapped the candy and took a big bite. Then she turned her pillow on end and sank into it, focusing her gaze on the television.
If there had been more covers, so she could really get warm, Lindsay thought she might’ve even drifted off to sleep, though it was barely eight o’clock. But the two thin blankets on the bed didn’t provide much warmth.
When the bathroom door swung open and Gil came back into her view, she felt the room get suddenly a little warmer. He was still dressed in jeans, but he’d changed his cotton shirt to a flannel one, left open over a white T-shirt.
“You’re going to sleep in jeans?” she asked, frowning.
He cocked one eyebrow at her. “I only brought jeans.”
She thought about his words as he pulled back the covers on his side of the bed. She knew he’d be uncomfortable, but he could sleep if he was really tired. She’d done it before when she’d been camping out with the family.
“You’ll probably need them. These blankets aren’t much help.”
He snapped his fingers. “I forgot about the ones I borrowed from Kathy.” He reached for the blankets that he’d dumped in a corner of the room and spread them out over the bed.
Lindsay immediately felt the difference. “Oh, thank you for thinking of them. That helps a lot.”
Even more effective at raising her temperature was Gil’s entry into the bed. His body heat was like a personal furnace, even though he maintained the foot of distance that the size of the bed allowed.
Twelve inches. And those twelve inches were possible only because she’d scooted to the edge of the bed. Gil’s broad shoulders took up more than his half of the bed. The temptation to press her body against his, resting her head on his shoulder, was almost overpowering.
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Judy Christenberry
Spending the night with a sexy, bossy cowboy had not been Lindsay Crawford's idea! But when a storm left her snowbound with gruff Gil Daniels, she had to be practical. And though his kisses made her quite warm, nothing happened!Trouble was, Lindsay's big, strong brothers didn't believe them. They recognized the look in Lindsay's eyes–and more important, the one in Gil's! Luckily, they respected him enough to hold off on the shotgun and let him do the right thing.But Lindsay wouldn't marry because it was "right"–she wanted true love. Because then the walls of Jericho might come crashing down….
“Is this your room or mine?” Lindsay asked Gil.
Dead silence. He didn’t even look at her.
“Gil? Is this—”
“Our room.”
It was her turn to be silent.
His gaze met hers. “There was only one room left. We can’t go on, and we can’t stay in the car. I didn’t know what to do but take the room. I promise you you’re in no danger from me.”
She believed him. And she should’ve been grateful. She was grateful, she hurriedly assured herself. But he needn’t make it sound so easy.
All afternoon, closed up in her small car, his male aura had kept her aware, tense…interested, no matter how much she told herself she wasn’t attracted to him.
Now she was going to share a motel room with him?
Dear Reader,
As Silhouette’s yearlong anniversary celebration continues, Romance again delivers six unique stories about the poignant journey from courtship to commitment.
Teresa Southwick invites you back to STORKVILLE, USA, where a wealthy playboy has the gossips stumped with his latest transaction: The Acquired Bride…and her triplet kids! New York Times bestselling author Kasey Michaels contributes the second title in THE CHANDLERS REQUEST…miniseries, Jessie’s Expecting. Judy Christenberry spins off her popular THE CIRCLE K SISTERS with a story involving a blizzard, a roadside motel with one bed left, a gorgeous, honor-bound rancher…and his Snowbound Sweetheart.
New from Donna Clayton is SINGLE DOCTOR DADS! In the premiere story of this wonderful series, a first-time father strikes The Nanny Proposal with a woman whose timely hiring quickly proves less serendipitous and more carefully, lovingly, staged.…Lilian Darcy pens yet another edgy, uplifting story with Raising Baby Jane. And debut author Jackie Braun delivers pure romantic fantasy as a down-on-her-luck waitress receives an intriguing order from the man of her dreams: One Fiancée To Go, Please.
Happy Reading!
Mary-Theresa Hussey
Senior Editor
Snowbound Sweetheart
Judy Christenberry
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
For Finis Christenberry, a good man through and through
Books by Judy Christenberry
Silhouette Romance
The Nine-Month Bride #1324
* (#litres_trial_promo) Marry Me, Kate #1344
* (#litres_trial_promo) Baby in Her Arms #1350
* (#litres_trial_promo) A Ring for Cinderella #1356
† (#litres_trial_promo) Never Let You Go #1453
† (#litres_trial_promo) The Borrowed Groom #1457
† (#litres_trial_promo) Cherish the Boss #1463
† (#litres_trial_promo) Snowbound Sweetheart #1476
JUDY CHRISTENBERRY
has been writing romances for over fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. She’s a bestselling writer for Harlequin American Romance, but she has a long love of traditional romances and is delighted to tell a story that brings those elements to the reader. A former high school French teacher, Judy devotes her time to writing. She hopes readers have as much fun reading her stories as she does writing them. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two adult daughters.
Contents
Chapter One (#u9e2b2647-e96e-5b21-bf12-d44c9a895b1c)
Chapter Two (#u611b989e-56fb-53ff-9fbb-0e295825d9c5)
Chapter Three (#u041a22fe-24c9-58d9-8b52-9e46df19be3f)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One
Lindsay Crawford was going home. True, it was only for the Thanksgiving holiday, but she was looking forward to presenting the new Lindsay to her family. She made the rounds of her apartment, watering her plants one last time, so that her neighbor would only have to water them once while she was gone.
She set her bags out into the hall and pulled the door behind her, locking it. Then she crossed the hall to the opposite door, knocked and waited for Kathy to answer.
Instead of her friend, though, a tall, handsome man opened the door. The biggest surprise of all, however, was his attire. Instead of Chicago chic, or city casual, as most of the men Lindsay met in the city wore, he was dressed in worn jeans, a flannel shirt and boots. Just like her brothers back home.
“Uh, is Kathy here?”
“Yeah. Just a sec.” He turned and called her neighbor’s name over his shoulder. Then he opened the door wider. “Come on in.”
Lindsay stepped inside the door just as Kathy came into the living area.
“Lindsay! You haven’t left yet?”
“No, I thought I’d bring over my key. You said you wouldn’t mind watering my plants. I just—”
“So your flight’s still on?” Kathy interrupted.
Lindsay stared at her. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Well, Gil’s flight was canceled,” Kathy replied. “Oh, I haven’t introduced you. This is my brother, Gil Daniels. Gil, my neighbor Lindsay Crawford.”
Lindsay nodded at the handsome man. “I suppose I should’ve checked on my flight, but the bad weather’s not supposed to hit until tonight, so I didn’t think there’d be a problem.”
“That’s what I thought, too,” the man said, his voice deep and rich. “But the plane I’m on originated in Minneapolis. It’s stuck there.”
Lindsay could sympathize, but she figured he’d just catch the next one out. “Well, I hope you get out before the storm.” She turned to Kathy. “Here’s the key. And I just watered the plants, so probably watering them on Saturday will be enough.”
“Aren’t you going to call and check on your plane?” Kathy asked. “Maybe you and Gil were on the same flight.”
Both she and Gil spoke at once. “I’m sure we’re not.”
Then they stared at each other.
“But aren’t you from Oklahoma?” Kathy asked.
“Yes, but—” Lindsay stopped and stared at the man. “You were flying to Oklahoma?”
“Yeah, the three-thirty flight.”
“Oh, no! No, that can’t—well, I’ll find another flight.” She turned around to head for her apartment and the nearest phone.
“Won’t do you any good,” his laconic voice informed her.
She spun around to stare at him.
Kathy answered her unspoken question. “Gil’s called every airline he could think of. They offered a flight tomorrow morning…if the storm hasn’t closed the airport.”
The weather forecasters were expecting a huge snowstorm this evening, but Lindsay hadn’t really been concerned. After all, they were usually alarmists. And it was early for a snowstorm, even in Chicago.
The panic filling her had no basis. Missing Thanksgiving with her family wasn’t the end of the world.
Except that she was homesick.
Extremely homesick.
She instantly formed a new plan. Nothing was going to stop her from getting home. She smiled at the other two. “Then I’ll drive.”
“I already checked. There aren’t any rental cars available. I guess because of the holiday,” Gil said, watching her.
Aha. She had him there. “I have my own car. I can load up and be out of here in half an hour, long before the storm hits Chicago.” With a smile of triumph, she spun on her heel and was out in the hall when he called to her.
“Could I buy a seat in your car?”
Lindsay turned to stare at him. Her imagination immediately pictured the two of them enclosed in her tiny car, practically on top of each other. Heat pooled in her stomach. Which was ridiculous. He was Kathy’s brother. The way her friend talked about him, he was a saint.
“Uh, my car is small.”
“I could spell you on the driving.”
That offer made her reconsider her decision. After all, she had at least fifteen hours of driving ahead of her. It was after one o’clock now. She’d need to drive straight through to get home by tomorrow morning.
Kathy spoke before Lindsay could, a disturbed look on her face. “Gil, I wish you’d stay. Brad and I would love to have you here for Thanksgiving.”
“Sorry, baby, but I promised Rafe I’d be back tonight.”
His calling his sister baby might have been thought endearing, but not to Lindsay. She’d grown up with five brothers and a father watching her every move, trying to direct every step. The phrase “baby” always grated on her nerves.
The man turned back to Lindsay. “I’ll certainly be willing to pay all the expenses.”
She gave him a long look. He was a stranger. But she’d known Kathy a year and really liked her. And Kathy adored her brother. That should be reference enough. Her family certainly wouldn’t object. They’d probably approve of her having a man to “protect” her. How irritating!
Even so, she made her decision. “All right, Mr. Daniels. But I’m leaving in half an hour.”
“I’m ready. Are you going dressed like that?”
She stiffened. Although she hadn’t really thought about it, she probably would’ve changed.
Now she wouldn’t do so for any amount of money.
Knee-jerk reaction, she knew. But she’d come all the way to Chicago to get away from men who thought they knew better than her.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” She didn’t wait for his response. She crossed the hall, unlocked her door, entered and slammed it behind her.
“Men!” she exclaimed under her breath. She could do without them.
“Oh, dear. I hope she doesn’t go without you, Gil. I think you upset her.”
“Good guess, baby,” he said with a rueful grin. “City girls can be touchy, can’t they?”
“But if she’s from Oklahoma, she can’t really be a city girl.”
“Oklahoma City’s bigger than you think, Kathy. They’ve even got some decent restaurants there. You’ll have to come see me in the spring.”
“Yes, of course, if Brad wants to.”
Gil pressed his lips tightly together. He’d flown up because his sister had called yesterday crying. When he’d arrived this morning, she’d assured him she was just a little blue. Everything was fine.
He didn’t believe her.
“Listen, Kathy, I want you to take this.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He took a plastic card from inside and gave it to her. “Put it away, and don’t mention it to Brad. If you ever need money or…want to get away…for a visit or something, you can use it.” Were his reasons tactful enough?
“Brad and I don’t have secrets,” Kathy assured him, looking at the card doubtfully, her hand creeping across her stomach.
“Are you all right?” he asked, watching her.
“Yes. Lately my stomach’s been a little unsettled. But I’m just not sure about—”
“Just for once, do what I ask. It won’t hurt anything to have a resource Brad doesn’t know about. If you don’t ever use it, it won’t matter. But I’ll feel better. Do it for me.”
He breathed a sigh of relief when she finally took the charge card.
“Do you have a place to hide it?”
“I’ll just put it in my billfold.”
“No! No, let’s find another place.” He took her into her bedroom. “How about taped to the bottom of this mirror thing,” he suggested, pointing to a mirror tray on her dresser.
“Okay.”
She got some tape and did as he requested. Then he asked to borrow a couple of pillows and several blankets. “Just in case we run into bad weather. And maybe a jug of drinking water.”
He hoped distracting her from what she’d just done would make her forget her objections.
Half an hour later, Lindsay rapped on Kathy’s door again. Because she wasn’t an idiot, she’d exchanged her heels for loafers. But she carried her heels with her, in a tote bag, so she could put them on before she got out of the car when she got home.
Her suit, a fashionable teal green with gold buttons, didn’t wrinkle, and though the skirt was narrow, it was short enough for her to maneuver stairs. She’d be fine in it.
The cowboy didn’t know what he was talking about. Just like her brothers.
The door opened and the man in her thoughts stood there, his arms full of pillows, blankets and a thermos as well as a duffel bag. “Ready?”
“Yes.” She’d already loaded everything she was taking into her car. Her trunk space was minimal. She wasn’t even sure his duffel bag would fit.
“Aren’t you taking any luggage?”
She sighed. “I’ve already loaded my things.”
“I would’ve been glad to carry them for you.”
She wanted to go ballistic on him, letting him know that a woman could manage on her own. She didn’t need a Neanderthal following her around, using his muscles on her behalf. But she realized he was just trying to be polite, even if stereotypical, and instead, she simply said, “Not necessary.”
Kathy was just behind her brother. “Gil, be careful, please, and call me after you’ve gotten home.”
“I will.” He hesitated, then said, “Say hello to Brad for me. Sorry I couldn’t stay to visit with him.”
Kathy turned a bright red. “I—I’d rather not say you came. If I do, I’d have to tell him you came because I cried, and he’ll be upset.”
Lindsay watched the interplay between brother and sister with curiosity. Kathy’s words didn’t please Gil, but he didn’t argue with her. “Your decision.”
“Thanks, Gil. Have a happy Thanksgiving.” Kathy hugged her brother’s neck, almost dislodging everything he carried. He kissed her cheek and turned to Lindsay.
“Let’s go.”
Like he was in charge.
“Bye, Kathy. Thanks for taking care of my plants.”
“I’ll see you in a few days,” Kathy agreed with a smile, but the others noted the tears in her eyes.
Lindsay pressed the elevator button, hoping one would arrive quickly. Prolonged goodbyes were difficult, and Kathy seemed to be having problems with this one.
“Go on back in and get some rest, baby. We’re on our way,” Gil insisted.
“No, I—”
The dinging of a bell signifying the arrival of an elevator stopped her. Lindsay waved and quickly stepped on, followed by Gil.
“Aren’t you taking a coat? That jacket doesn’t look heavy enough to keep you warm.”
Lindsay waited until they reached the lobby. Once she was out of the elevator, out of the confined space with the man, she turned around and faced him. “Let’s get something straight before we start. I am not your sister. Nor do I need a keeper. This is my car, my trip. You can come along, as long as you understand I’m in charge! Got it?”
Gil squared his jaw and considered walking away from this stubborn woman. He could take a hotel room and wait out the storm.
But he really wanted to get home.
Before he made up his mind, she spoke again. “I’m sorry if that sounded rude, but I don’t like someone hovering over me. If we’re going to be in a car together for fifteen hours, I thought it would be better to clear the air now.”
In even tones, hiding his irritation, he said, “Fair enough.” Then he stood there, waiting for her to lead the way.
It seemed to take a minute for her to realize he was waiting on her. Snapping her chin into the air, she turned and headed through the door that led to the parking garage.
Again he reconsidered his decision when he saw her car. A Miata. He was going to be trapped in a small car for fifteen hours with a feminist—a touchy feminist—which was like a cowboy being cornered by a bull with a hatred for humans. Unmanageable.
“The trunk is full,” she muttered. “But I think all your things can go in the back seat.”
What back seat? There was a narrow ledge behind the front two seats. But he wasn’t about to argue. He stuffed everything where she said. Then he pulled off his denim, fleece-lined coat and laid it on top. It occurred to him again to ask where her coat was, and whether she shouldn’t put it inside the car, too. But there was no way he was risking another pithy lecture.
Then he squeezed himself into the passenger seat. Damn, he was going to feel like a pretzel by the time they reached Oklahoma.
“Please fasten your seat belt,” she reminded him.
Oh, yeah, he didn’t want to forget that little thing. A woman driver who had taken an instant dislike to him? No, he didn’t want to take any more chances.
The minute they pulled out of the parking garage into city traffic, Gil knew the trip was going to take longer than expected. The roads were jammed, filled with impatient drivers using their horns to indicate their frustration.
“Crowded today,” he said, casually watching Lindsay out of the corner of his eye.
She was frowning, but as far as he could tell, she was in control. “I’ve never seen it this crowded.”
“Well, with the snowstorm and the holiday, I suppose we should’ve expected it.”
“If it’s too much for you, Mr. Daniels, you can get out now. It’s only a short walk back to the apartment.” She made her statement without heat, as if it didn’t matter to her either way.
“Hey, I wasn’t trying to complain. I was only making a comment. An inoffensive comment.”
He watched her fingers tighten on the steering wheel before she released them. “My apology. I guess I’m a little stressed today.”
“Understandable. A change of plans at the last minute can be hard to handle.”
She gave a hint of a smile that vanished quickly, and she concentrated on her driving.
Gil studied her. She was beautiful enough to satisfy any man. Her blond hair was swept up into some kind of twist, leaving him to wonder how long it was. Her makeup was discreet, enhancing her smooth features. Her hazel eyes were complemented by the color of her suit.
And she had killer legs.
He’d noticed them beneath the short skirt when he was following her to her car.
The rest of her seemed well-proportioned, too, though he couldn’t tell much with the long, boxy jacket she wore.
Just the kind of woman he avoided.
Grimly, he pictured his ex-wife. She’d always been on the best-dressed list. Every hair had been in place. Nothing would do but the most expensive for her. Fashion was the most important thing in her life and came before everything else.
Including him. It was demoralizing to come in second to a cashmere sweater set. Ultimately, he just hadn’t lived up to Amanda’s expectations for a husband.
“Damn!” his companion muttered, catching him by surprise.
“What’s wrong?”
They’d been edging their way along Lakeshore Drive. Now even edging had been eliminated. Long lines of traffic had come to a complete halt.
“I’d hoped we could reach Interstate 55 before it got this bad. Surely once we get on that highway, things will move faster.”
“Interstate 55. That goes to St. Louis, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. From there, we’ll take Interstate 44. It goes to Oklahoma City.”
“You got a map?” he asked.
Her head snapped around. “I know where I’m going!”
He heaved a sigh. Yep, an angry bull. “I thought I might see if there was another way to get to 55. Lakeshore Drive is pretty famous.”
Her cheeks flushed. “Sorry. I’m a little tense about—There’s a map of Chicago in the glove compartment.”
Was she nervous about being alone with him? She wasn’t fainthearted, like his sister, that was for sure. Without comment, he pulled out the map. He noted she had a map of the Midwest in there, also. She was well prepared.
After studying the map, he checked their location. “Have we passed Madison Avenue yet?”
“Not yet. It’s coming up.”
“We could exit on it. Then just about any road that crosses it will take us to 55.”
“You’re sure? I’ve never—”
“We’re not moving. Look for yourself.” He didn’t point out that her doubting his word was as insulting as his telling her what to do.
She took the map from him and studied it. Then, with an apologetic smile, she said, “You’re right. Now, if the traffic will only move a little bit, we can get out of this maze.”
“Just don’t be surprised if half of these drivers have the same idea,” he warned her.
“If half of them had the same idea, we’d at least be moving. I’m afraid the snowstorm will catch us before we can get out of town. Look at those clouds.”
She gestured over her shoulder and he realized she’d been watching the weather in the rearview mirror.
“Pretty ominous,” he agreed, “but maybe it’s lake effect clouds. I’ve heard it can increase the amount of snow. By the time it hits though, we should be out of Chicago.”
“I hope so. I think I’ll try to catch the latest weather report.”
She fiddled with the radio for several minutes, finally settling on one playing music. “I think this station gives a weather report on the hour.”
He checked his watch. They’d left at one-thirty and it was already almost two. They’d only gone a few blocks.
The weather report wasn’t good. It seemed the storm predicted for that evening had strengthened even more and was picking up speed. Now its estimated time of arrival was three o’clock.
Lindsay moaned.
Gil’s stomach clenched. He hadn’t been with a woman in a long time, but his wife had made little moans in bed when they’d first married, when making love had been important to her.
He didn’t want to be reminded.
“What’s making you tense?” he said.
She turned startled eyes on him. “I—what are you asking?”
“When I asked for a map, you said you were tense about something, but you stopped before you finished your sentence.”
“I really don’t think that’s any of your business,” she said stiffly.
“I guess not. But it made me curious.”
“I didn’t offer to satisfy your curiosity. Just to drive you to Oklahoma.” She stared straight ahead.
“Fine.” He crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t need to listen to her problems anyway. He had some of his own.
“Where in Oklahoma do you live? Is it close to Interstate 44?”
“Yeah, pretty close, but if you get me to any major city, I can catch a flight out.”
“With the holiday traffic, that might not be true. What town do you live in?”
“You won’t have heard of it. It’s a little town south of Oklahoma City. Apache.”
“That explains it,” she said, a disgusted look on her face.
“Explains what?”
“You wanted to know what was making me tense? It’s going home to my brothers.”
“You don’t like your brothers?” he asked, even as he wondered why they were back on this subject.
“I love my brothers. But they’re always bossing me around. Just like you. That’s why I’m tense. And we live near Duncan, a few miles from Apache. I guess that’s why you remind me of them.”
“Then we’re even,” he replied, his voice tight. “Because you remind me of my ex-wife, Amanda.”
She turned to gape at him, her eyes wide, just as the driver behind them sat down on his horn.
The traffic had begun to move.
Gil sighed. It was going to be a long ride home.
Chapter Two
Lindsay glared in her rearview mirror at the impatient driver behind her. Not that she could blame him, but she didn’t like his rude reminder.
It made her think of the man sitting next to her.
She inched the car forward. “Why did you say that?”
“Because it’s the truth.”
“I didn’t know you’d been married before. Kathy never mentioned it.” She reviewed their conversations about Gil. Kathy had raved about her wonderful brother, but a sister-in-law had never been mentioned.
“You and Kathy discuss me?” His question was abrupt, clipped, as if the idea of her discussing him offended him.
“No, I don’t discuss you, but Kathy talks about you a lot.”
“Maybe the subject didn’t come up because Kathy hated my ex. Especially after the divorce.” He stared out the window. “Madison is just ahead.”
His reminder irritated her even more. “I haven’t forgotten.”
Nothing more was said until after she, along with a number of other cars, made the turn onto Madison, but their speed did pick up from a standstill to a slow crawl.
“Why do I remind you of your ex? Kathy and I get along just fine,” Lindsay said.
“You remind me of my ex because you’re wearing a dressy suit to make a fifteen hour drive in less-than-pleasant circumstances.”
Lindsay stared at him. “Your ex-wife made a lot of long drives in suits?”
“You can go now,” he said, nodding to the road in front of them, not answering her question.
Lindsay kept her gaze on the road, determined not to be caught lagging again.
She was startled when he actually answered her question. She hadn’t expected him to.
“My wife didn’t make long drives. But she always insisted on being fashionably dressed no matter what the circumstances.”
Lindsay thought the man was being rather hard on his ex-wife. After all, there was nothing wrong with wanting to look one’s best. But she wasn’t going to argue with him about it.
“Look at the map and figure out which road it would be best to take to get to the highway,” she suggested, keeping her gaze on the traffic. “The sooner we get on the interstate, the better off we’ll be.”
“And you’re willing to take my word for it?” She ignored the temptation to glare at him. If she did, she’d get honked at again. Or barked at by her companion.
“Yes.”
He studied the map and suggested she take the next crossroad, Central Avenue. It only took a couple of minutes to reach the intersection and make the turn, but she gasped as she swung the car into the appropriate lane.
“What?” he asked sharply, staring at her.
“The snow’s here,” she muttered, watching a large flake settle against the windshield.
After a moment of silence, he asked, “Want to turn back? Have you changed your mind?”
“No! I’m going on, but you can change your mind, if you want.”
“Not me. I want to get home.”
“Why did you come to Chicago if you hate it here so much?” It wasn’t that she didn’t understand his attitude toward big cities. Her brothers all reacted the same way, even to Oklahoma City, which couldn’t compare to Chicago for traffic jams and hordes of people.
Even she—But she shut that thought away. She couldn’t afford to admit her annoyance of Chicago, even to herself.
“Do you know Brad, Kathy’s husband?”
The non sequitur surprised her. “Of course I do.”
“What do you think of him?”
She studied him out of the corner of her eye even as she paid attention to the traffic. “Why?”
“It’s a simple question.”
“Don’t you know Brad?”
“Barely. I’ve met him a couple of times. Once at the wedding, and a couple of hours last Christmas.”
“And you don’t like him.” She wasn’t asking a question. The man’s attitude toward his brother-in-law was evident.
“I don’t know him.”
“And that’s why you asked my opinion? A woman who reminds you of your ex?”
“Forget it.” He turned to stare out his window again.
But she couldn’t. “He seems nice enough. Devoted to Kathy.”
“Yeah?” he asked with a big frown. “He hasn’t—hit on you?”
“Me? You think he’d hit on me, living across from his wife?” She was astounded. Even if Brad had been the type to mess around, she wasn’t. “Even if he had, I would never—”
“Kathy called me yesterday. Crying.”
“And you thought—”
“I didn’t know what to think. She wouldn’t tell me what was wrong. I flew up this morning to see if there was anything I could do. She still wouldn’t tell me. But you heard her. She didn’t want to tell Brad I’d come.”
She should’ve known. He’d already reminded her of her brothers by his dress. Now he reminded her of her brothers with his protectiveness, his smothering of his sister.
“Look, all married couples go through some rough patches. They have to work things out themselves. You can’t fix everything just because she’s your little sister.” She tried to keep her voice calm, but she heard it tightening as she finished speaking.
“Thank you, Dr. Joyce Brothers.”
His sarcastic reply only irritated her more. If it had been left to her brothers, she would’ve sat upon a silken pillow all her days and never even learned to walk, much less fend for herself. That’s why she’d been forced to leave home. She hadn’t realized she and Kathy had that much in common.
Time to concentrate on her driving. This cowboy wouldn’t appreciate her opinion any more than her brothers had.
“Have you ever heard them fighting?”
“No.” In fact, she’d been a little envious of Kathy. Not that she was attracted to Brad, but she was attracted to the devotion the two shared, the closeness. Since she’d moved away from home, she’d sometimes longed for a relationship that could lead to marriage.
As long as the man understood she wouldn’t be smothered.
She was glad she was concentrating on her driving when they got up on the interstate. As she increased her speed, her tires began to spin and the back end of the car skidded a little. She immediately eased up on the gas.
“Better keep your speed down,” her companion advised.
“Really? Are you sure I shouldn’t go faster?”
His head snapped around to stare at her.
“I was being sarcastic,” she pointed out, as if speaking to a slow learner.
“Oh. Thanks for explaining.”
She shrugged her shoulders. Okay, so two could be sarcastic. Maybe she’d deserved that kind of answer. She turned her windshield wipers up to high speed as the snow began coming down faster. She’d be glad when the highway turned farther south. It was their only hope of outrunning the storm.
Gil didn’t make any more attempts at conversation. It had been foolish to try to soothe his concerns about Kathy by asking Lindsay questions. Like he’d trust her evaluation anyway. A woman who dressed in a designer suit to drive in a snowstorm.
His ex-wife had been impressed with anyone with money. Their morals, or intelligence or even their warmth had no value compared to their bank account.
He knew Brad made a good living. But he wanted his sister to be happy, not well dressed. He wanted her husband to love her, not buy her things. Well, he wanted him to buy her things, too, but that wasn’t the most important. He didn’t want Kathy to wind up in the same kind of loveless marriage that he had.
As Lindsay carefully steered the car, Gil studied her hands. They looked smooth, soft, but he was surprised by her nails. While well tended, they weren’t long, and the polish was clear. She only wore one ring, an opal with diamonds.
“Nice ring. A gift?”
“Yes.”
Aha. So she had some man on a string, willing to buy her expensive things. He remembered when he’d first fallen for Amanda. He’d prided himself on buying her what she wanted. Until he realized that was all she wanted. Real emotions—even love—meant nothing to her.
When Lindsay gasped again, he brought his attention back to the road. A car that had just passed by them went into a spin. It narrowly missed going over the side as it came to rest against the railing.
“You okay?” he asked, studying her to determine whether she would be able to continue driving.
“Yes,” she said with a sigh. “Should we stop to help them?”
“There’s not a lot we could do. Unless you want to call 911 for them.”
“My cell phone is in my purse. Could you call for me? I want to concentrate on my driving.”
He found the phone and called in the near accident. After hanging up, he said, “They promised to send a cop to check on them.”
“Thank you.”
“They were going too fast,” he added.
She sent him a look that told him she got his less than subtle message. But, in truth, she was keeping her speed down. In fact, she was doing a good job with her driving, though he hated to admit it.
He checked his watch. It was already after three. They’d been driving almost two hours and hadn’t gotten out of Chicago yet.
She must’ve caught his movement out of the corner of her eye because she asked, “What time is it?”
“Almost three-thirty.”
Though she frowned, she didn’t say anything.
He settled more comfortably in his seat. “If you get tired of driving, I can spell you.”
She didn’t answer for a minute. Then she said, “They don’t get much snow in Oklahoma.”
So she doubted his skills? “I lived in New York for almost ten years.”
“In New York City? I didn’t think many people drove in the city.”
“We had a house in upstate New York, spent weekends there, particularly in the winter because of the skiing.” He’d enjoyed the skiing. But he hadn’t enjoyed the collection of people his wife invited to join them. They’d been her friends, not his.
“I guess you don’t get much skiing in Apache.”
“Nope. But I’ve made several trips to Colorado since I moved back.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“Ranching.”
“In New York City?” she asked, her voice rising in surprise.
“No, not in New York City. I was a stockbroker there.” And he’d been one of the best. Which had made it possible for him to come back to Oklahoma and buy his ranch, even after the divorce.
“Do you miss being a stockbroker?”
“Nope.” Which was the truth, but he didn’t mention that he still bought and sold stocks, managing his personal fortune. He was also doing some investing for Rafe, his ranch manager, who had become a good friend and a mentor. Gil wanted to make it possible for Rafe to achieve his own dream.
Staring out the window, he realized the snow was getting thicker. “Can you still see well enough to keep going? Maybe we should stop while we can still find a hotel and wait until morning.” He didn’t want to do that, but he also didn’t want to become a frozen Popsicle on the side of the road.
“No, I want to keep going. I have snow tires on my car.” She leaned forward to concentrate on her driving, and Gil figured she’d be sore before too long. The tension would make her ache.
He said nothing. She’d probably offer to dump him out on the closest sidewalk if he protested. And he had to admit they could still maneuver fairly well. But he wasn’t sure how long that would be true.
An hour later, they were still struggling along, the snow several inches deep. He’d pulled his sheepskin-lined jacket into the front seat and draped it over himself. Lindsay, though occasionally shivering, said nothing.
He felt like a cur, sitting back and warm while she shivered and drove through the storm, but he’d offered to drive. And he’d asked her about her coat. And she’d responded to both those questions with a snarl.
So he kept quiet.
“I’m sure we’ll be clear of the snow if we can just get to St. Louis,” she said suddenly.
“I won’t argue with that,” he agreed, but he had his doubts about making it that far.
“Or even Springfield,” she added, sending him a hopeful look.
He stared straight ahead. Then they passed a sign showing an exit for a town named Pontiac. “How far is Pontiac from Springfield?”
“I’m—I’m not sure.”
He opened the glove compartment and took out the larger map covering the Midwest. After a brief calculation, he looked at her. “I believe it’s over eighty miles.”
She pressed her lips tightly together and said nothing.
Neither did he, but he didn’t think they’d make it eighty miles before midnight. Not when they were only going about fifteen miles an hour.
Finally, he said, “I’m willing to pull over and find a place to stay to wait this out, whenever you’re ready. You know we’re not going to be able to drive straight through at this rate.”
She shook her head. “We’ll be able to go a lot faster as soon as we outrun the snowstorm.”
Stubborn woman. He couldn’t argue with her statement. In fact, he totally agreed with her. The disagreement came in exactly when they’d outrun the snowstorm.
“Mind if I turn on the radio?” he asked. “We might get some weather news.”
“No, of course not. That’s a good idea.” She reached for the radio herself.
“I’ll handle the radio, since you’re driving.” He thought he’d put that tactfully, and her hand returned to the steering wheel, leaving it to him to find a station.
“This is a weather bulletin,” the announcer said. “Forecasters say the storm will still intensify for the next few hours. However, the snow should taper off by morning.”
“By morning!” Lindsay exclaimed.
Gil said nothing. He didn’t think urging Lindsay to give up would be effective. The hardheaded woman would probably refuse to do so because she didn’t want to give in to a man’s advice. He understood a woman’s resistance to male domination, but not in the face of common sense.
“Lindsay, the snow’s almost half a foot deep now. We’re not going to be able to go much farther. Don’t you want to look for shelter while we can?” he finally asked.
She said nothing, leaning farther over the steering wheel, her gaze glued to the road in front of them.
Gil sighed.
Abruptly, she put on her blinker light, taking him by surprise. “You’re stopping?” he asked.
Though her face remained grim, she nodded. “There’s a small town here, according to that sign. I guess we’d better stop while we can.”
“Good thinking,” he agreed, as if it had been her idea. He didn’t care who got credit for stopping, as long as they did so.
The exit road was downhill and they skidded several times negotiating it. When they reached the bottom, they discovered another sign, pointing out that the small town they’d sought was another four miles down the road.
“Rats!” Lindsay exclaimed, frowning fiercely.
“We can make it,” Gil assured her. Four miles on level road would be a hell of a lot better than trying to go uphill to get back on the freeway.
“We don’t have much choice,” she muttered, not looking at him.
“Want me to drive?”
She glared at him. “No.”
He drew a deep breath and leaned back, trying to give the impression of complete relaxation.
Half an hour later, they reached the city limits of Witherspoon.
“Where is it?” Lindsay demanded in frustration.
“I think I see a few buildings. Keep going.”
He was right. They discovered a filling station, obviously shut down, a Dairy Queen, no lights on, a couple of houses and finally the red fluorescent light appeared through the snow, flashing OTEL.
“I think we can assume that should say motel,” he said with a chuckle.
“I hope you’re right.” She turned off the road into the parking lot.
Gil studied as much as he could see of the motel and figured they’d be lucky to get a room. The parking lot was almost full.
“There’s the office,” he said, pointing to their right.
She eased the car through the crunchy snow and stopped as close to the office door as she could.
“If you’d like, I’ll go see what they’ve got available. I’ve already got my coat out,” he offered, careful to couch his idea as a suggestion.
“Thank you. I’d appreciate it.”
Surprised by her acquiescence without argument, he hurriedly got out into the storm before she could change her mind.
The cold sting of the snow attacked his exposed skin as he hurried toward the door, trying not to slip.
As soon as he got inside, closing the door behind him, he shook off the snow that covered him and stepped to the counter.
No one appeared to be on duty, but there was a button to push for assistance. After he’d followed directions, he heard footsteps. Then, a door behind the counter opened and an elderly man appeared.
“Evening. Didn’t hear anyone arrive. Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said, a genial smile on his face. “We don’t usually do this much business.”
Gil would guess not. So far he hadn’t seen anything in Witherspoon that would attract travelers. Of course, he hadn’t seen much in the snowstorm, so he could be wrong.
“You’re in luck,” the man said. “I’ve got one room left. You want it?”
Gil frowned. “Only one room? We need two.”
“Sorry, young man. But one’s all I got. If you don’t want it, someone else will probably come along.”
Gil felt sure he was right. “Is there another motel in town?”
“Nope. This is it.”
The sound of another vehicle on the road just barely penetrated the room above the sound of the wind. Gil didn’t want to do any more driving in the storm. He hurriedly agreed to the one room, pulling out his credit card.
“We, uh, had to up the price a little, because of the storm, you know. Had to hire extra help to get all the rooms ready.” The man avoided Gil’s cynical gaze.
He wasn’t surprised to discover price-gouging. It happened all the time. In fact, he figured the man had a hard time making a living wage most days.
He waited for the man to run his credit card, thinking about the reaction he was bound to receive when he announced to Lindsay Crawford that they were going to share a motel room.
The man handed over an old-fashioned key. None of those fancy plastic cards that the hotels used these days. Gil almost smiled as he pocketed the key. Just as he put his hand on the door to venture out into the storm, he looked over his shoulder. “This room does have two beds, doesn’t it?”
The man stared at him, and Gil got a sinking feeling in his stomach.
Chapter Three
Lindsay shivered as the wind swirled around the car, making visibility impossible. She was glad they’d stopped, but she wished they could continue on. She wished she had her coat out of the trunk. She wished…A blur of movement stopped her thoughts.
Suddenly the passenger door opened and Gil slid into the car, bringing with him snow and wind. She shivered again.
“Okay,” he said, not looking at her. “We need to turn right. Room number nine.”
Without speaking, she followed his directions, forcing her car to push its way through the snow. They could barely make out the numbers on the doors of the single story structure. There was a parking space in front of number nine and she pulled her car into it.
Then it occurred to her that he’d only given her the number of one room.
“Is this your room or mine?”
Dead silence. He didn’t even look at her.
“Gil? Is this—”
“Our room.”
It was her turn to be silent.
His gaze met hers. “He only had one room left. We can’t go on, and we can’t stay in the car. I didn’t know what to do but take the room. I promise you you’re in no danger from me.”
She believed him. And she should’ve been grateful. She was grateful, she hurriedly assured herself. But he needn’t make it sound so easy.
All afternoon, closed up in her small car, his male aura had kept her aware, tense…interested, no matter how much she told herself she wasn’t attracted to him.
Now she was going to share a motel room with him?
And he assured her that wouldn’t be a problem.
What could she say? He was right. They couldn’t go any farther. And neither of them could stay in the car. He’d done the only practical thing. After drawing a deep breath, she said, “Thanks, I appreciate your assurance.”
He stared at her, as if her reaction differed from what he’d expected. “You mean you’re not going to insist I sleep in the car?”
“And have your death on my hands? Of course not. I can share a room with you for the night.” So he’d be sleeping a few feet away. Maybe she’d have trouble getting to sleep, but she was tired. She’d manage.
“Great. We’d better take these blankets I borrowed from Kathy. We might need them.”
Normal, practical words. So why was he avoiding her gaze? Why was she waiting for the other shoe to drop? Something wasn’t right, but for the life of her, she couldn’t imagine what it could be.
“Okay. Did the clerk mention anything about where we could get supper?”
“He’s got a small grocery attached to the office. Not a lot of selection, but I’ll go back and find something as soon as we get settled in the room. And there’s a microwave we can use, too.”
“In the room?” she asked, surprised by a modern convenience like a microwave in a 1950s motel.
He grinned. “Nope. In the office. The food will probably be cold before I can get it to the room, but hopefully it won’t be frozen. There is a coffee machine in the room, though.”
“I’ll start a pot at once,” she promised. “Can you get the blankets and your bag? I need to get my bag and coat out of the trunk.”
“Sure. Need some help?”
“No, thank you.”
By the time she’d struggled through the wind and snow, retrieved her belongings and made it to the door of their room, she wished she hadn’t been quite so fiercely independent. She could admit to herself, if not to her companion, that it would’ve been really nice to run for the door and leave the carrying to Gil’s strong shoulders.
He was waiting for her and immediately closed the door behind her, shutting out the storm.
She covered her face with her hands, grateful to feel the warmth against her chilled cheeks. “Thanks,” she muttered, leaning against the wall.
“It’s brutal out there. And you didn’t get your coat on.”
“It seemed easier just to gather it up and run,” she said, raising her head and smiling wearily at Gil.
Over his shoulder, she took in the room.
“I see our room is as out of date as—”
When her gaze focused on the major piece of furniture in the small room, she couldn’t continue. She just stared at it instead.
Then she stared at Gil.
“You’re not surprised,” she accused.
He turned to look at the double bed. As if to remind himself of what she’d discovered. “No, I’m not. The clerk told me there was only one bed. But I was hoping for king-size.”
“What are we going to do?” Sudden visions of sharing the bed with Gil, a large man, and sexy as could be, left her mouth dry.
“We’re going to get some sleep. And I promise that’s all we’re going to do, so don’t give me any virginal protests. You’re safe.”
Of course she was. The dratted man had made it more than clear he had no interest in her. But was she safe from herself?
“You could sleep on the floor,” she suggested, finding the air suddenly thin.
“So could you. I thought you were a feminist, wanting to prove you’re as strong as any guy. Want to draw for the bed?”
The immediate outrage that filled her had her reconsider her reaction. He was right. She’d fought for being equal to her brothers, but when things got difficult she wanted special treatment?
“No. There’s no point in either of us being uncomfortable. We’ll share.” If he could control himself, she was sure she could do the same. She hoped. It wasn’t as if she had an uncontrollable libido. In fact, she’d never understood others’ fascination with sex.
But the itchiness she’d been feeling all afternoon in the car, because of this man, had her reevaluating her previous experience.
“The bathroom is, uh, pretty small, too,” Gil said, as if giving her the rest of the bad news now that she’d remained calm about the bed.
She moved to the door just past the bed and peeked into the bath. Gil had understated its size. Postage stamp might be more accurate. No tub. Only a small shower, sink and toilet. So much for the thought of a hot, soaking bath.
More shivers brought her attention to another disappointment. The room wasn’t warm.
“Is the heater on? Can we turn it up? I’m still cold,” she said, looking around the room.
“It’s a lot warmer than outside, but definitely not toasty,” Gil agreed. He crossed the room to the small controls on the wall by the door. Sighing, he turned to face her. “I’m afraid it’s on high.”
Lindsay moaned in disappointment.
Damn, she had to stop making that noise. It made Gil think of long nights of mindless sex. Which warmed him up a little in spite of the inadequacies of the furnace.
He turned his mind to food, a safer subject than sex. Especially since he’d given his word that he’d keep his hands off of her. He hoped he hadn’t been overly optimistic. After all, she was a beauty.
She’d surprised him with her calm acceptance not only of the one room but also the one bed. He’d expected a tantrum, like Amanda had been capable of. She’d demanded luxury no matter what the circumstances.
“Want to give me some idea of what you want for dinner?” he asked, waiting for a long list of preferences.
She actually grinned at him. “I don’t eat liver. I’m not fond of fish—or spinach. Anything else is fine. And I wouldn’t say no to a candy bar. Stress makes me crave chocolate.”
He couldn’t resist tracing her slim form with his gaze. She must normally live a stress-free life. Otherwise she’d be several sizes larger. Which made her agreeableness even more amazing. He’d been attracted to her beauty from the beginning. Now, he was drawn to that grin, that twinkle in her hazel eyes.
“I’ll see what I can find.”
“Wait!” she called out as he turned to the door.
Before he knew what she intended, she’d looped a red cashmere scarf around his neck. “I noticed you didn’t have a muffler. This will keep your face warm,” she assured him as she tied it.
Her arms were around his neck, securing the scarf and he froze, aware that it wouldn’t take much movement to pull her into his embrace, to warm her body with his. But he didn’t move. He’d promised.
Against the soft cloth, he muttered, “I’ll be right back.”
He stepped out into the storm, scarcely noting the frigid conditions. It reminded him of that song, “Let It Snow,” with the words that said the singer would stay warm if he got a hug before he left.
He’d always laughed at that silliness, but even the thought of an embrace from Lindsay had him steaming.
He returned a few minutes later with a variety of food, none of it gourmet. He’d nuked several pre-packaged hamburgers in the microwave, picked up the last two egg salad sandwiches wrapped in cellophane, grabbed a couple of bags of chips and selected several chocolate candy bars.
Lindsay deserved any treat he could find.
When he burst into the motel room, slamming the door behind him, he was immediately assailed by the aroma of hot coffee. “You made the coffee!” he exclaimed.
“I said I would,” she replied. “I figured it might be the only way we’ll get warm tonight. In fact, I might even soak my feet in coffee later on. They feel like blocks of ice.”
He swallowed his “told you so” thought about the shoes she’d chosen to wear. No point in starting an argument when they had an entire night to get through together. “Want to see what’s for dinner?”
“Yes,” she said, coming around the bed.
He pulled the two hamburgers from inside his coat. “These are still warm, but we’d better eat them fast. These sandwiches are the second course. Chips to accompany either or both. And, ta-da,” he called, as if presenting the pièce de résistance, “chocolate for dessert.”
“Bless you,” she said, taking her share of his offerings.
Gil hadn’t believed she’d be pleased with his selections. Pleased? Hell, he’d expected her to turn her nose up at all of it.
She surprised him even more when she put her food down and returned to the other side of the bed to pour both of them a cup of coffee before starting to eat.
“Warm is more than I expected. With the coffee, they might even taste hot.” She set his cup on the lamp table, then moved down the length of the bed and sat down.
Neither bothered with conversation while they ate. By the time Gil took the last bite of his hamburger, it was cold, but the coffee was still warm. And the egg salad sandwich helped satisfy his hunger.
Lindsay handed him the second half of hers. “I’m saving room for the chocolate. You finish mine off.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” he said with a grin. Before he ate any of it, however, he added, “Thanks for being such a good sport about all this, Lindsay.”
She looked surprised. “Why not be a good sport? None of it is your fault. In fact, if I’d stopped when you first suggested it, our accommodations might be a little more…spacious.” She shrugged her shoulders. “You’re the one who should be complaining.”
Rather than argue about who was responsible for their situation, he smiled and finished off her sandwich.
“Do you think we’ll be able to get any reception on the television?” she asked, eyeing the set against the wall.
“Maybe. It looks remarkably new compared to everything else in the room.” He set down his coffee cup and crossed over to the television. When he turned it on, Lindsay cheered as a clear picture filled the screen.
“All right! My favorite show comes on tonight,” she said.
Gil changed the channel, only to discover that only one station got reception. “Then I hope it’s on this channel.”
“Me, too. If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a turn in the bathroom.”
With a nod, he watched her grab her suitcase and open it, extracting several articles. Then she tucked it away and disappeared into the bath.
All he could think about was Lindsay emerging in something from Victoria Secret. A man could dream, couldn’t he?
When Lindsay finally opened the door, she was completely dressed in a velour warm-up suit, with thick socks on her feet. She sent him a nervous grin. “Not the latest style in pj’s, but this is the warmest I have.”
“I think you look very stylish,” he assured her. When she frowned at him, he asked, “What?”
“Is that a slam?”
“Why would you think that?”
“You said your ex-wife always had to be in style.”
Gil was at a loss at what to say. His first reaction was to tell her his wife wouldn’t have been caught dead in a sweat suit—unless she was modeling it in a fashion show. But that response wouldn’t do. The alternative was to tell her that he thought she’d look stylish in a trash bag, because all he’d be able to think about was what was underneath.
That definitely wouldn’t do.
“Uh, I was teasing you. Being warm is a lot more important than being stylish.”
She smiled and picked up two of the candy bars. Then she returned to the side of the bed closest to the bathroom and pulled down the covers. “I’m getting under the covers to watch television.”
He stood and moved his candy bars to the lamp table. “Good idea. Want a refill on the coffee? I think there’s just enough for both of us.”
“Sure, thanks.”
After filling their cups, he gathered his duffel bag and, with a nod of his head in the direction of the bathroom, he walked past her, closing the door behind him.
Lindsay drew a deep breath when she was finally alone. The man, with his sexy grin, was tough to resist. She couldn’t even suggest he sleep in the tub tonight, because there wasn’t one.
Oh, well. She could share the bed with him. After all, he’d brought her chocolate. She unwrapped the candy and took a big bite. Then she turned her pillow on end and sank into it, focusing her gaze on the television.
If there had been more covers, so she could really get warm, Lindsay thought she might’ve even drifted off to sleep, though it was barely eight o’clock. But the two thin blankets on the bed didn’t provide much warmth.
When the bathroom door swung open and Gil came back into her view, she felt the room get suddenly a little warmer. He was still dressed in jeans, but he’d changed his cotton shirt to a flannel one, left open over a white T-shirt.
“You’re going to sleep in jeans?” she asked, frowning.
He cocked one eyebrow at her. “I only brought jeans.”
She thought about his words as he pulled back the covers on his side of the bed. She knew he’d be uncomfortable, but he could sleep if he was really tired. She’d done it before when she’d been camping out with the family.
“You’ll probably need them. These blankets aren’t much help.”
He snapped his fingers. “I forgot about the ones I borrowed from Kathy.” He reached for the blankets that he’d dumped in a corner of the room and spread them out over the bed.
Lindsay immediately felt the difference. “Oh, thank you for thinking of them. That helps a lot.”
Even more effective at raising her temperature was Gil’s entry into the bed. His body heat was like a personal furnace, even though he maintained the foot of distance that the size of the bed allowed.
Twelve inches. And those twelve inches were possible only because she’d scooted to the edge of the bed. Gil’s broad shoulders took up more than his half of the bed. The temptation to press her body against his, resting her head on his shoulder, was almost overpowering.
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Judy Christenberry
Тип: электронная книга
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
Язык: на английском языке
Издательство: HarperCollins
Дата публикации: 16.04.2024
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О книге: Spending the night with a sexy, bossy cowboy had not been Lindsay Crawford′s idea! But when a storm left her snowbound with gruff Gil Daniels, she had to be practical. And though his kisses made her quite warm, nothing happened!Trouble was, Lindsay′s big, strong brothers didn′t believe them. They recognized the look in Lindsay′s eyes–and more important, the one in Gil′s! Luckily, they respected him enough to hold off on the shotgun and let him do the right thing.But Lindsay wouldn′t marry because it was «right»–she wanted true love. Because then the walls of Jericho might come crashing down….