Daniel stared at the roses in the florist’s window. He’d spent the last two days with Sara sitting firmly in the back of his mind. She joined him for breakfast. She was there when he worked in the fields. She crossed her legs and watched while he talked with his brothers. And she was there in the damned red silk slip when he went to bed.
He’d spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure her out. Unless his ego was talking, it was that old cliché “Your lips say no, no, but your body says yes, yes.” She was susceptible to him. He knew it in his gut. She wanted him. It seemed that all she needed was a gentle shove and she would go right over the edge.
He grinned. And he would catch her.
Her nutty reasoning about why she couldn’t get involved with him came to mind. Impatience sliced through him, and he felt his grin contort into a scowl.
The shopkeeper poked his head out the door. “Are you trying to make my roses wilt?”
Daniel felt self-conscious that he’d been caught. “No. I’m just looking. It’s no crime to look, is it?”
The shopkeeper pushed back a strand of white hair on his balding head. He must have sensed a prospective customer. “It’s no crime to look. It’s no crime to buy either. The roses are on special today.” After he imparted that information, he went back in his shop.
Daniel stewed in his juices for another two minutes, vacillating. After seeing the crack in Sara’s resistance to him, he concluded that he needed to be a little more aggressive. Not a dozen roses, though. That would be overstating his case. One single red rose, he decided and pushed through the florist’s door.
“It’s for you.”
Shaking her head, Sara looked at the single red rose in horror. She’d always hated roses since her affair with the senator. Her throat closed up. Daniel extended it over her desk for her to take. The sweet aroma wrapped around her and squeezed her with memories and all the self-recriminations she’d tried to leave behind years ago.
Sara held up her hand. “No,” she whispered, fighting a dozen overwhelming emotions.
“It’s just a rose, Sara.” Daniel’s eyebrows furrowed together.
But it wasn’t just a rose to her. It reminded her of the danger of wishing for things she wouldn’t get. Not so much things, but people—such as a man who would love her, such as a family, such as children.
“I can’t—” Her voice gave out when she looked at Daniel. If she were foolish enough to wish for a man to love her, she’d wish for Daniel. Appalled at the thought and deeply disturbed by the sight of the rose, Sara felt tears threaten. “Oh, no,” she nearly wailed. Where had her control gone?
Totally confused, Daniel watched Sara stand. He caught sight of her watery eyes. “Are you allergic to them?”
Sara gave a little shake of her head. “No. I—I—” She bit her lip as if composing herself. “Thank you very much for the thought,” she said in a wobbly voice. “But I don’t like roses,” she finished, her words fading into a broken whisper.
He watched her face crumple and felt his gut tie into a knot. He tried to reach for her, but she backed away, shaking her head.
She opened her mouth as if to explain, but the only sound that came out was a sob, then she stumbled out of the room.
That little feminine sob put a lump in his throat.
“What have you done?” Carly entered the room and glared at him. Apparently she had witnessed the last few seconds of the scene. Daniel hadn’t noticed her. His complete attention had been focused on Sara.
Bemused, he shook his head and pointed at the rose. “I just brought her a rose. I swear. She started crying.” He glanced at Carly. “Did you know she hates roses?”
“No. You must have said something.”
“I didn’t even ask her out for dinner.”
Carly frowned. “I’ve never seen Sara close to tears.”
“Yeah, well, she was crying just a minute ago. She looked upset.” He felt helpless, and if there was one thing Daniel Pendleton hated, it was feeling helpless. “Maybe you’d better go check on her.”
He stared at the offending rose. The sweet aroma teased his nostrils, but a bitter taste rose at the back of his throat. He swore under his breath in disgust. “Maybe it’s not the rose she hates. Maybe it’s me.”
After that, Daniel stayed the hell away from Sara Kingston. It shouldn’t have been all that difficult, between taking care of Erin’s horse farm while she and Garth honeymooned, managing his own farm and helping with the little emergencies that always seemed to come up during a major holiday like Christmas.
Just yesterday Daniel had received a call from Elbert Willis’s very pregnant wife, Tina. Elbert had fallen off a ladder and broken a leg while he’d been stringing Christmas lights across the roof of his house.
Daniel fed and watered the livestock while Tina jiggled her one-year-old child on her hip. “This is really nice of you, Daniel. Elbert’s daddy will be able to help us next week, but he’s got a bad case of the flu right now.”
“No problem. Troy, Jarod or I can help you out till then. You okay for Christmas?”
Tina nodded. “I did my shopping through a catalog, and we’re going to my mom’s for Christmas. She lives two counties over.”
Daniel thought Tina looked awfully young to have two babies. She couldn’t be more than nineteen. “You just make sure you stay near a hospital.” He glanced over at a litter of six golden-haired puppies playing tag and nipping at each other. “They’re close to being weaned. What are you gonna do with those?”
Tina smiled. “You want them?”
Daniel laughed. “No. I’ve got enough animals at my place.”
“Well, spread the word,” she said, following him out the barn door. “The mom’s sweet-natured, and there’s nothing like having a dog to come home to. If you know anyone who wants an adorable puppy for Christmas, send them over here. I’ll be happy to share.”
During the drive home Daniel’s mind drifted to Sara and what she was doing for the holidays. He wondered if she would be alone. It would be strange to be alone during such a time. Over the years he’d frequently resented his lack of privacy, but never during holidays. There was never a shortage of people at Pendleton family gatherings. Daniel wondered if Carly would invite Sara for Christmas dinner.
Sara probably wouldn’t come. She seemed uncomfortable around his family, almost as if she wanted to join in, but wasn’t sure how. The thought made his gut twist. She probably hated him for that rose. He still felt guilty about it.
A memory flashed through his mind of her sleeping on the sofa with Luke cuddled in her arms. Daniel frowned. There was more than one color to Sara Kingston’s personality. She seemed satisfied with being single and childless, yet she had obviously loved taking care of Luke. A caring woman with no one to care for.
He wouldn’t mind letting her care for him.
But she wasn’t interested, he admitted with a dismissing snort.
Sara stared at the box, then at Troy. “What’s this?”
His mouth lifted in a secretive grin. “Don’t blame me. Check the note. It’s from Daniel.” He swallowed a chuckle and placed the box in her arms. “Merry Christmas.” Then, before she could protest, he made tracks down her sidewalk to his truck.
Something shifted inside the box, and Sara looked at it suspiciously. She heard a little whine and felt trepidation. “He wouldn’t,” she muttered, stepping back inside the house.
Setting the box on the floor, she knelt beside it and tugged at the floppy bright red bow. Sara lifted off the top and stared into a pair of big brown eyes. The puppy let out a yip. Startled, Sara jumped, muffling her own sound of surprise.
“Oh, Daniel, what have you done?” she murmured. She studied the wiggling little animal with the floppy ears, lolling tongue and, to her dismay, huge paws. He cocked his head as if studying her in turn.
The gesture tugged at her heart. Sara sighed, and lifted him—she checked—it was a him. The bottom of the box was suspiciously wet. “What am I going to do with you? I always thought I’d be a cat person.”
She brought him close, relishing the sensation of his soft fur. He gave her nose a quick lick, snuggled against her for a moment, then wiggled free to investigate his surroundings.
Sara glanced at the carpet, wondering how long it would be safe. Looking back at the box, she snatched the envelope and opened it.
Try this on for size. If, after two weeks, it doesn’t fit, I’ll take it back. He needs a tender touch. Thought you’d be the perfect choice.
—Daniel, who’s still waiting for that rain check
She’d had Daniel Pendleton figured all wrong. She’d thought he was the most solid, sensible, upstanding man she’d ever met.
“He’s nuts,” she said to Troy later that night.
Troy laughed lightly. “I could have told you that.”
Sara cradled the phone and looked at the latest puddle on her kitchen floor. “I really need to speak to Daniel, please.”.
“He’s…ah, not available. I’ll give him a message.”
Sara frowned. “You’ve already said that three other times today. What am I supposed to do with this dog? You know, the Humane Society doesn’t approve of surprising people with pets for gifts.”
“Daniel knew you’d like this one.”
“Daniel knew wrong. I have no idea what to do with this puppy.”
“Get a gate for the kitchen. Put a soft blanket in the box—”
“The box is wet.”
Troy snickered. “Get another box. If he won’t go to sleep, try an alarm clock or a hot-water bottle, and call Daniel in two weeks.”
“Troy—” Sara heard the click and knew she was talking to a disconnected line. Hanging up her phone, she admitted to herself that she needed to talk to Daniel for more than one reason. Sara cringed in embarrassment when she remembered how upset she’d gotten over the rose Daniel had tried to give her. He probably thought she was nuts.
He’d brought the rose at a weak moment for her, and it seemed she was having more than her share of those lately. Her feelings for Daniel were getting stronger. Denial wasn’t working. Her mind needed no provocation to drift to thoughts of him.
Over the next few days Sara repeatedly tried to get in touch with Daniel. She simply could not keep the dog. She didn’t have the space. She was gone during the day. And the animal yipped all night.
By the end of the week she’d bought a license tag, leash, an assortment of dog toys and named him Pavi. She installed a gate in the kitchen doorway and sneaked home during lunch to take him for a walk. Whenever the cute little fellow greeted her, he wagged his tail so hard, he nearly lost his balance.
Sara faced the truth. She was now the owner of a dog.
Three days before Christmas, when everyone was finishing their last-minute shopping and doing their baking, the temperature shot up into the fifties, and Beulah County got twenty inches of rain within two hours.
Emergency volunteers were called in, and Carly and Sara closed the office to help at the community center. People brought in food and blankets. Medical personnel volunteered their services.
In the northern part of the county a few families had been trapped by the sudden deluge. Daniel and some other men worked late into the night to bring them to safety.
Sara was getting ready to leave the community center when Daniel finally showed up around midnight. Just seeing him kicked her nerve endings into overdrive. She watched him strip off the yellow rain poncho and push back the drenched hair from his head. Even from a distance she could see the weariness on his face. He must have felt her staring at him, because he looked up and held her gaze for several moments.
Her breath stopped. His face and body said he was tired, but the expression in his eyes said he wanted her. Badly. And Sara felt a tightening inside her. Her breasts felt heavy, her face went flushed and her upper thighs tingled.
He gave a quick nod and looked away. Sara swallowed hard. She’d spent so much energy denying, avoiding and rejecting her unwanted feelings for Daniel that she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed him, just seeing him.
She felt uncomfortable about approaching him. What could she say that wouldn’t sound idiotic? Especially since the last time she’d seen him, she’d burst into tears. Sara felt a flush of remorse and embarrassment creep up her cheeks. At a loss, she went to the food table where she’d been working with Carly most of the night.
“I see Daniel just walked in,” Carly said.
Sara nodded as she filled a plate for the man in front of her. “Yes. I noticed.”
“Bet he’s hungry.”
She stopped and looked at Carly. Her friend had just provided the solution to her dilemma. Sara felt a slow smile grow from the inside out. “I’m sure he is.” She filled another plate, grabbed a canned drink and made her way across the room.
Daniel sat talking to a couple of men about the flood. Sara thought about turning around and letting them finish, then shook off her cowardice. She took a deep breath and stepped forward. “Excuse me. I thought you might be hungry.”
Daniel turned to look at her. Surprise flashed in his eyes. “Thanks. I am.”
He continued to look at her but said nothing else. The two men silently watched. Sara couldn’t think of a single intelligent thing to say. She felt ridiculous. Clearing her throat, she took a step back. “Well, I—”
Daniel quickly stood, his gaze nailing her feet to the floor. “Don’t go.”
Sara bit her lip, her gaze sliding to the onlookers.
Daniel narrowed his eyes. There was something different about her tonight. If he wasn’t mistaken, he’d say she was a little more open to him, maybe a little softer, a little less guarded. If he wasn’t mistaken. Sensing her self-consciousness, Daniel casually turned to the other men. “You guys are as hungry as I am. Go on and get your food, and we’ll get together tomorrow morning.”
The men muttered their agreement and ambled off.
“I hope I didn’t interrupt something important.”
“Nah. They just wanted to rehash a little.” He pulled out a folding chair for her and waited for her to sit. He was also waiting for a stronger sign of what she wanted from him. Since that blasted rose incident, he felt as though he’d spent his last nickel at the fair and was thumbing his way home.
“Is everyone okay?”
He nodded and sat down. “We had a couple of close calls with some elderly people. They’re in the hospital now but I think they’ll be okay. The property damage is the problem.” He shook his head. “You heard anything about Russ’s place?”
Russ Bradford, Carly’s husband, owned a catfish farm. “Carly says one pond flooded. But you know, he’s got insurance so he should be okay. He made her stay here, and she’s ticked at him right now.”
Amusement lit Daniel’s eyes. “If I know Russ, he’ll find a way to get back in her good graces.” He dug into the meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and hot rolls.
“Long day?” she asked sympathetically.
He swallowed a bite and nodded. “Yeah. I probably look like hell.”
His jeans and flannel shirt were wet and they clung to his muscular frame, emphasizing his broad chest, flat belly and powerful thighs. Perhaps someone else would find that unappealing. That someone certainly wouldn’t be female. Besides being affected by his impressive physique, Sara also admired his concern for other people. It weakened her already skimpy reservations about him.
“Sara, this is when you’re supposed to lie and say, ‘No, you don’t look like hell. You look fine.’”
She looked at the ironic expression on his face, the dark shadow of his unshaven jaw and the circles under his eyes. Leaning forward, she touched that rough jaw fleetingly. “No. You don’t look like hell. You look like Beulah County’s hero.”
Daniel felt a rush of embarrassment. He cleared his throat, torn between rubbing his face against Sara’s soft hand and pulling away. He liked having her admiration, but his feelings for Sara weren’t particularly heroic. They were basic and selfish. He wanted her hot and naked beneath him.
She saved him from embarrassing himself further by asking him something else about the flood, then she carried the conversation while he ate. “I didn’t realize this was such a busy time of the year for you. You’ve had a heavy workload lately, haven’t you?”
Daniel shrugged. “It hasn’t been that bad.”
Sara’s eyes widened. “Oh, really? That’s not what Troy said.”
“Troy has a bad habit of exaggerating. He—” Catching the skeptical expression on Sara’s face, Daniel stopped. Realization trickled in. She’d caught him. He cleared his throat.
“Unavailable is the word he used. Repeatedly.” Sara smiled sweetly. “I should know. I’ve heard him use that word ten times during the last week. When you didn’t return my calls, I wondered if you’d left the county.”
Daniel grimaced. Not answering Sara’s calls had been his greatest exercise in self-control. He’d wanted to badly. Just to hear her voice, even if she fussed at him about the dog, even if she said no. He set down his biscuit. “I knew that if you told me you didn’t want the pup, I’d have to take him back and you wouldn’t give him a chance to see how it would work out.”
“Instead I suffered through seven nights of listening to him howl at the top of his lungs.”
Daniel winced. “Could you put him outside?”
Sara looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “So the neighbors could complain? It’s been cold, Daniel. I don’t know anything about puppies, but it can’t be good for them to be outside in the cold.”
“You want me to take him back?” he asked in resignation.
“No. Pavi and—”
“Pavi?”
“His name.” Her lips twitched. “I named him after Pavarotti, the opera star. We’ve come to a meeting of the minds.” She thought of the puddles on her kitchen floor. “Sort of. I’m going to keep him.”
Daniel was enormously pleased. “You like him.”
Sara smiled. “How could I not?”
“I was right.”
Sara nodded, and her expression became thoughtful. “About a lot of things.”
Daniel felt the punch of her gaze clear to his gut.
“If you’re not too busy…” she began and looked down. The way she twisted her hands was clear evidence of her edginess.
“I’m not.” Daniel covered her hands with one of his own. The twisting stopped, and her gaze met his. Her eyes were full of emotion that changed like the weather, but the need he read was blatant. In his gut he felt the familiar, relentless rise of heat that no cold shower could ease. A wise man would sense the danger and would approach with caution. But he’d gone way past wisdom. There were layers of secrets enveloping Sara, and he wanted to peel them all off.
She turned her hand over and twined her fingers through his. “I was wondering if you’d like to take me up on that rain check for dinner.” Her voice was soft and warm, as he imagined her body would be. “That is, if you’re available.”
“I’m available, honey,” he growled without the slightest hesitation. He tightened his hand around hers. “Just name the time.”
Sara tried to think. The sensible part of her knew she was headed straight for the frying pan by getting involved with Daniel Pendleton. The sensual part just didn’t give a damn anymore. “The day after tomorrow is Christmas Eve,” she managed. “The next day is Christmas.” She lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know.”
Daniel had spent the last six months deciding what to do about Sara Kingston. He wasn’t interested in waiting any longer. “Tomorrow night. I’ll take you out.”
Sara shook her head. “No,” she said firmly. “You wanted a rain check for a meal. I’m fixing a meal for you.”
Nearly groaning, he tossed back the rest of his soda. The only meal he wanted was her. The thought made his loins ache. Standing, he pulled her to her feet. “Come on.”
Sara’s gaze widened. “Where?”
“To my truck. To your car.” He couldn’t begin to explain the sheer necessity to feel her mouth beneath his. He nudged her toward the door. “Anywhere I can be alone with you.”
“But—”
“Three minutes, Sara.” He shoved the door open and led her outside. The cool mist hit his face, but didn’t dampen his ardor. “All I’m asking for is three minutes. Where’s your car?”
She pointed toward a Toyota three rows away. As they headed toward it, their shoes made crunching sounds in the gravel parking lot.
“It’s not locked,” she said breathlessly when they reached it.
Daniel opened the passenger door, slid in and pulled her onto his lap. He slammed the car door shut. At her sound of surprise he took her face into his hands. “Three minutes.”