Flirting with Love Read online

  “Wh-why are you sorry?” She couldn’t begin to tell him that he hadn’t forced himself on her or that she’d never wanted a man more than she wanted him. She was too afraid of the way he’d cushioned the statements. Did he regret it? Didn’t he hear everything she’d said last night?

  “Because you just moved into town, and that was our first real date. I never sleep with a woman on the first date. It’s not the way I…” He put an arm around her and kissed her temple. “I can’t even say not the way I operate, because I don’t operate. I’m not a saint by any stretch of the imagination, but I don’t usually do that.”

  “Oh.” She wondered if she could slip from his arm and slither along the wooden planks and inside without him noticing. Maybe she could pour herself down the cellar stairs like liquid and just hide there for a month. Or a lifetime.

  He lifted her chin and turned her face toward his. “Do you regret being with me?” He searched her eyes, and she couldn’t think past the sound of her heart shattering inside her chest.

  “Lis?” A single desperate word.

  “Hm?” she managed.

  “Shit. Did I totally fuck this up?” His brows drew together as he turned away. “I’m an idiot. A fucking idiot.”

  “Wait. I’m confused.” She gripped his thigh, felt the muscles flex beneath his jeans as he whipped his head back around. “Are you telling me that it was a mistake, or are you asking if I thought it was a mistake?”

  “Asking. I’m asking,” he said roughly.

  “No. I might be the idiot. I thought—oh God—” She covered her face with her hands. “This is so embarrassing.” She drew in a deep breath and met his confused stare. “I have never done anything that felt so right in my life, but that doesn’t mean that you have to—”

  His lips met hers in an urgent kiss. He cupped her cheeks and smiled, a sated, thoughtful smile that told her everything she needed to know before he did.

  “I don’t do things because I have to. I follow my gut, and with you, I’m following my heart.” He kissed her again, and Knight pushed his big black head in between them. Ross glared at him, then turned thoughtful eyes back to her again. “You asked me if I believe in fate, and I told you I did. This. Us. It’s fate, Lis. I never thought I’d see the day when I’d think of a woman before my practice, or before my family, and when I got up this morning, my mind went to you—and it never left.”

  She knew in that moment that all those years of wanting to return to Trusty, all the years she’d saved herself for the man she’d always hoped existed, hadn’t been wasted. Ross was everything she’d ever dreamed of, and more.

  Chapter Twelve

  LATER THAT MORNING, while Ross examined Gracie, he thought about the paths he’d chosen in life, or rather, the paths that had chosen him. Trusty was a given. Once his oldest brother Pierce went away to school, Ross made the decision that he’d make Trusty his home. More than loving the town in which he had grown up, he wanted to be near family. Ross wasn’t the glue that held his family together. In the Braden family, each member had his or her own role in doing that. Pierce, though not physically present on a daily basis, still watched over the family from afar. He was there for Luke when he fell for Daisy and had to face the demons of his past, and he’d been there for each of them over the years. And other than Jake, who lived in Los Angeles and visited often, the rest of the siblings lived nearby and were always getting together or texting, pitching in whenever they were needed. Being there for his family was a given for Ross that he’d never questioned, just like becoming a veterinarian. It had been hard work and taken many years, but not once did he waver in what he wanted. And now he felt the same given about Elisabeth.

  He wasn’t swept up in love like a schoolboy. What he felt was much deeper than infatuation. He thought of her throughout the day and night, wondered how she was doing, worried about what trouble she might encounter in town, and today—he worried about no one showing up for free grooming. If that happened, it would cut him to his core. Elisabeth seemed to take it as part of the process in building a business. But for Ross, it was much more than that. The very town he’d given his all to was turning its back on the woman he felt as though he were born to be with. And he did feel that way. It was like their eyes met and his body and mind filled with recognition. Oh, it’s you. I’ve been waiting thirty-five years for you. He hadn’t been looking for a relationship, just as he hadn’t been looking for a career with his veterinary practice. He’d just known it was what he was meant to do. Elisabeth stepped into his arms and into his heart.

  He stroked Gracie’s neck and took a moment to gather his wits about him. Even though this was a natural part of the life cycle, and he, Jim, and Kelsey all knew Gracie was on borrowed time, knowing her time had come sucked the air from his lungs.

  Jim sank onto the edge of the futon.

  “It’s your call, Jim.” Ross set a hand on his shoulder to let him know he wasn’t alone.

  “She’s my coffee dog, Ross. Seven mornings a week for twelve years she waited by my side, barking, jumping, and causing the loudest ruckus while I stirred my coffee.” Jim shook his head, smiled at the memory. “Damn dog.” He stroked her head. “All to sit beside my rocking chair on the front porch while I drank the damn coffee.”

  Ross had heard this story so often he could repeat it verbatim. He smiled, allowing Jim to share his love for Gracie.

  “She is a magnificent dog.” Jim wrapped an arm around Gracie’s neck and rested his cheek on her chest.

  Ross waited patiently as Jim made his decision. He turned heavy-lidded eyes toward Ross, and Ross knew that he wasn’t ready. He patted his shoulder.

  “Take your time, Jim. You have my cell number. I can come back anytime.”

  On the way back to his truck with Storm, Ross called Kelsey and filled her in. He knew Jim would be calling later in the day, surely by nightfall. When a person loved their pet as much as Jim did, they didn’t allow them to suffer.

  He stopped at the store and bought an awning and three motion-sensor lights for Elisabeth—one for each porch, front and back, and one for the barn doors. Then he drove over to the diner to pick up lunch for the two of them.

  “One of my favorite Bradens,” Margie said when he sat at the counter.

  “When will I move up the ladder to your favorite?” Ross knew Margie would never designate any of his siblings as the favorite. She was like a favorite aunt for everyone in town, the aunt who spoiled each of them equally. “Settle,” he said to Storm, who sat obediently beside his stool.

  “When you train a man for me as well as you train those adorable puppies, then you’ll be my favorite.” She filled a cup of coffee, added cream, and pushed it across the counter to Ross. “I heard about Jim’s dog. So heartbreaking.”

  “How on earth did you hear that quickly?” He sipped the bitter coffee.

  “Kelsey. She was here when you called. Poor thing. As soon as she hung up, she burst into tears.”

  “Christ. I should have anticipated that. What is it with women and tears these days?”

  “I have a better question for you. What is going on with a particular woman’s niece and one of my favorite Bradens these days?” Margie smiled and patted her hair, like she was all that. She was all that when it came to Trusty gossip.

  “Probably exactly what you think it is,” he answered with a smile. He’d never wanted to do so much for, or felt so protective of, a woman than he did with Elisabeth. She made him feel fulfilled, complete. He couldn’t fathom how his days felt complete before meeting her, because if he were to lose her now, even after such a short period of time, the void in his life would seem insurmountable.

  Margie leaned over the counter and pointed at Ross. “You Braden boys are dropping like flies. Be careful, Ross. If the rumors are true, she’s not going to be sticking around.”

  “If Trusty rumors were true, half this town would be in trouble. Trusty gossip is like water on scarred metal. It finds a weakness and seeps rig
ht in, making beautiful things ugly. Seventy-five percent is drawn from jealousy, twenty percent from a disgruntled past with distant relatives, four percent bullshit, and about one percent truth.”

  “Sounds about right.” She laughed.

  “The only way Elisabeth’s leaving is if she’s run out of town, and I’ll do my damnedest to ensure that doesn’t happen.”

  “Ross Braden, I do believe you are smitten.”

  He sipped his drink without answering. Damn right he was smitten.

  “Well, there was another rumor circulating around, besides the big news about Ross Braden wooing Cora’s niece. I heard about what she did for Gracie.” Her gaze softened. “Just tell me one thing. Did she do it to win you over, or did she do it out of the kindness of her heart?”

  “She won me over long before she met Gracie.”

  By the time he left the diner, he hoped he’d planted enough truth to waylay any rumors, and he counted on Margie to see to it that the rumors were slayed. Only time would tell.

  He turned in to Elisabeth’s driveway a few minutes later. Balloons hung from the mailbox, and a big sign announced, Free Grooming & Pawdicures Today! That would surely get people’s attention. His heart sank at the sight of the empty driveway. Balloons hung from the grooming table and chair. Ross cut the engine and watched Elisabeth. She had her back to the truck and was in the pen with the Wynchels’ dogs. Each of the three dogs had bows tied to their collars. Their fur was fluffy and clean. She tossed sticks and they retrieved them. He and Storm stepped from the truck, and when he closed the door, she finally turned, with a wide smile on her lips. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and it caught the sunlight. She lifted a hand over her head and waved.

  “Free dog,” Ross said to Storm.

  Storm looked at him, then dashed for Elisabeth. Ross wanted to run to her, too, but he needed a second to diffuse his irritation. Why the hell wasn’t anyone there? She was giving away her services for free. He hoped to hell that he’d just missed the crowds.

  “How’s it going?” He leaned over the dog pen and kissed her.

  “I’m having so much fun. Look how happy the dogs are.” She reached over the fence and loved up Storm. “Can I groom him?”

  “You can do whatever you’d like, but you don’t have to. How many people showed up?”

  “None.” She opened the pen and led Storm over to the grooming station. “But that’s okay. It’s my first day. I’m sure it’ll take some time. I have to take the dogs back soon, and I think Wren was pleased with how the other three dogs looked when I dropped them off and picked up these guys. Aren’t they gorgeous?”

  “Not as gorgeous as you.” He pulled her close and kissed her. “I’m really sorry no one showed up. I think what you’re doing is great.”

  “Thanks.” She ran her finger down the center of his chest. “I’ve missed doing this so much that today was rejuvenating.”

  “I’m glad. I bought you an awning, but I have a great idea. Since no one is here, why don’t we grab our swimsuits and spend the afternoon at the lake? We’ll take the boys, have a little lunch, and relax.”

  “You spoil me.” She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him, then sat down to brush Storm.

  “I brought lunch from the diner. I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got you a California chicken salad. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with California in the name.”

  “I’m easy. I’ll eat just about anything.”

  He felt his mouth quirk up at that.

  She laughed. “Who’s the dirty one now?”

  “Hey, you said it.” He put the awning in the shed, then showed her the motion-sensor lights he’d bought and promised to install them soon.

  “I can’t believe you bought all this. I’ll repay you.”

  He leaned over her as she brushed Storm. “Okay, but I don’t accept money as a form of payment.”

  THEY ARRIVED AT Wynchels’ Farm an hour later. Elisabeth carried a peach pie she’d made using their homegrown peaches. The three pups followed her into the barn as if she were the Pied Piper. She had that way about her. Animals connected with her instantly. Maybe I’m part animal. He smiled at the thought. Wren was running the register and helping a line of customers.

  Ross walked around the barn with Storm, watching Elisabeth as she waited patiently for Wren to finish with her customers. She’d changed into a sundress and sandals, the straps of an aqua bikini tied around her neck. She looked relaxed and happy. She touched the edge of her hair and twisted it around her finger, then drew in a breath and pushed her hair away, as if someone had tapped her on the shoulder and whispered, Honey, don’t play with your hair. She’d done that a number of times, and each time there was a millisecond of awareness just before dropping her hand. He wondered why.

  “Thanks, Marlene. I’ll see you next week,” Wren said to her last customer. She closed the cash register and turned her attention to the dogs standing beside Elisabeth.

  “Hi, Wren. Thank you for letting me take care of your dogs today. I think they really enjoyed themselves, and I know I did.” Two of the dogs stood beside Elisabeth at the counter.

  “They’re wearing bows.” She frowned.

  Elisabeth smiled and waved her hand at the dog. “I always do that. It makes them feel special. Oh, and I brought you this.” She held the peach pie out for Wren.

  Wren’s eyes ran between the pie and Elisabeth before she reached tentatively for it.

  “It’s made with your peaches. I hope you like it.”

  “You made me a pie after picking up my dogs and grooming them?” Wren set the pie on the counter and crossed her arms over her thick body. “What’s your angle?”

  Elisabeth’s smile faded. “No angle. I enjoyed my time today and wanted to thank you.”

  “Hm.”

  Ross walked behind Elisabeth and set his hand on her shoulder. Storm stood by his side. “Hi, Wren. Looks like you’re busy today.”

  “Ross.” Wren glanced at Elisabeth, then up at Ross again, and her gaze softened. “I heard about Gracie. Poor Jim. Is he holding up okay?”

  “About as well as to be expected.”

  “I suppose that’s all we can hope for. How’s your mother doing?”

  “She’s well. Thanks for asking.” Ross gathered Elisabeth’s hair and set it over her right shoulder, then leaned down and kissed her cheek. Planting the truth, for both Wren and Elisabeth. “Ready, Lis?”

  “Yeah, sure. Thanks again, Wren. Would you mind if I groomed them again next weekend? I can pick them up.”

  “You want to…?”

  “If you don’t mind.”

  Wren slid a curious gaze to Ross. “Okay.”

  Elisabeth’s voice escalated with her excitement. “Super. Thank you. Enjoy the pie.”

  After picking up Ross’s boys, they drove out to the lake and walked hand in hand through a path in the woods to a secluded area where the lake pooled in between two forests of trees. There was a narrow strip of grass and about twenty feet of waterfront. Years earlier Ross had found the spot when he was taking Knight for a walk. He’d taken the boys there several times since, and he’d never run into anyone else there. Ross stripped off his shirt and spread out the blanket; then they ate lunch and talked while the dogs played.

  He caught Elisabeth staring at the tattoo on his arm. “It’s a palm tree.”

  “I know. I’m wondering what it signifies for you.”

  “What do you think it means?” He watched her cheeks pink up.

  “Well, the erect, towering trunk representing the phallus, and the palms are like an explosion, representing the creation of offspring.”

  “I guess that’s not so far off from my reasons, although I like what your description conjures up.” Ross looked at his tattoo and remembered when he’d gotten it with Pierce when he was in college. Pierce had teased the hell out of him, but he’d stuck to his guns. “It’s a dream symbol, and it symbolizes our ability to rise above conflict and rise above disillusionment.
To me, it symbolizes my belief in fate.”

  “Fate?” Her eyes softened. “I like that, Ross. I have one.” She turned halfway around and showed him the tattoo on her lower back. Two delicate flowers whose stems were intertwined. “Me and my future husband. This symbolizes destiny to me.”

  “Destiny?” He smiled at the likeness in the meanings of their tattoos.

  “Yeah. Destiny. Ross, today has been like a dream come true, even though no one showed up for the free grooming. I did get a few new pie orders today. It makes no sense at all for me to feel so hopeful, but I feel really good about everything and just have a feeling things will come together. Or at least I hope they will. Thank you.” She sighed and put the trash from her lunch back in the basket, then stood and pulled her dress over her head.

  Ross had no idea what she did or said after that. He was mesmerized by the woman who had stolen his heart wearing a crocheted bikini that left nothing to the imagination. Her bathing suit bottom rode low on her hips, the fabric barely covering the sweet part of her he’d tasted in the bed of his truck. He’d loved her body, felt those luscious curves beneath him. It had been his name coming off her lips in the throes of passion, and it should have been enough to hold him over, at least for a few days, but he was already throbbing with need. She came down on her knees beside him, the darkness around her nipples visible through the knitted fabric. Two taut peaks vying to be set free from the restraint of the thin strings. He shifted his eyes away, trying his best to behave, until her warm hand stroked his thigh. Losing the battle, his eyes found hers and his body heated. He had to wrap an arm around her and pull her into a sensual, needful kiss. Her sun-drenched skin was hot against his bare chest. She kissed him eagerly as she climbed onto his lap and straddled him.

  “Does anyone ever come here?” she asked in an urgent breath.

  “You will, if I have anything to do with it.”

  She sealed her mouth over his again with a moan of pleasure and leaned forward, pushing him onto his back as she slithered down his body, kissing his collarbone, along the ridge of his pecs, and down the ripples of his abs. Ross gripped her upper arms, intending to take control and shift her beneath him.