Lori Borrill – One Winter's Night (страница 8)

She wondered what he was doing. What was his project in the barn?

Then she scolded herself and put her focus back on work. John was expecting her briefing Monday morning, and she always provided him with the materials beforehand so he could review them in advance.

But that was Monday, and technically she had plenty of time to put her presentation together. Even probably on the plane ride back to Chicago if she really focused and buckled down.

Biting her lip, she closed her laptop. She’d never made a habit of putting off work, not even back in college. She’d always preferred to get it done first and play later—if there was time left over. But it wasn’t every day that a woman got whisked off in a private jet by a sexy cowboy to spend the weekend at his big sprawling ranch. It might never even happen again. So caution thrown aside, she left her write-up and set off to find him.

Despite several buildings on the property, she headed toward the one that most looked like a barn, pleased when she pulled open the door and found Kit inside. He was standing at a lathe, its motor whirring and sawdust flying as the machine spun what appeared to be a wooden table leg. He held a tool that was either smoothing or shaping the wood as it spun.

With her presence unknown, she stood and watched him work. The man was lethally handsome with his thick brown hair and solid square jaw. Though he shaved daily, his beard grew quickly, giving him a perpetually masculine look that she found deliciously attractive. He’d taken off the flannel shirt he’d worn at breakfast and was now clad in a T-shirt that showed off those muscled biceps she’d already grown so fond of. For several minutes she stood watching, listening to the country music from the radio, and as she took in the scene, she couldn’t help but be amused over this odd situation she’d found herself in.

If someone had told her last week that she’d be standing in a barn outside Austin tapping her toes to honky-tonk music while her wealthy cowboy lover sanded table legs, she would have checked them for drugs. Yet here she was.

And she was enjoying it, too.

He shut off the machine and pulled off his safety glasses, and when he caught sight of her his face lit with a smile that touched her chest.

“Hey, sexy,” he drawled.

KIT SLAPPED THE DUST from his hands and tugged Monica into a sensual kiss as soon as she came within reach. He knew he shouldn’t be so insatiable. He didn’t want her to think he only wanted her body, but he couldn’t help it. He’d found an appetite for the beautiful brunette he couldn’t seem to control.

Pressing his lips to hers, he found the sweet taste of maple sugar and it made him think of candy. He loved kissing her, loved having his hands on her and feeling those long fingers on him. It was a sugary treat he could get used to every day.

A low moan purred from her throat as she slid her hands up his chest, getting him hard and horny in one smooth stroke. And as he pulled her closer and dove in for something serious, he wondered where in his workshop might be the best spot for a quickie.

“You were going to show me your project,” she uttered to his lips.

“Something better just walked in.”

He slipped his hands up under her light cotton blouse and cupped her breasts in his palms, deciding that the workbench could be cleared pretty quickly. But then he remembered that Doug Rawlins, a mechanic, was due any minute to give him an estimate on one of his trucks.

Reluctantly, he pulled away. “You torment me, you know that?” he grumbled.

“I didn’t ask you to stop.”

“No, but I’m expecting company, and give me two more minutes near that sexy body of yours, we’ll end up putting on quite a show.”

“Hmm.” She touched a finger to her lips. “I could do kinky, but I do draw the line at voyeurism.”

His interest piqued. “How kinky?”

“Your project,” she said, straightening her blouse and moving toward his lathe.

Storing that comment for later, he guided her toward another room, where he’d been finishing the desk he was working on. “It’s a Christmas present for my niece.”

Monica gaped as she stepped over and studied the piece. “You made this?”

Shrugging, he tried to brush off his boyish pride in impressing the woman. “I’m working on a matching chair, but I’m running out of time.”

He stepped to the desk. It was pine with a beveled top and three drawers, simple in construction and stained in a light natural finish. What made it special was the carved roses around the drawer pulls, and seeing her reaction confirmed it had been worth the effort.

She ran a finger over the carvings. “You did this by hand?”

He nodded.

“Kit, it’s beautiful. I’m sure she’ll love it.”

He scratched the back of his head. “Well, she might have to wait for it. Christmas is next weekend and I’ve got to be in Chicago and Omaha for half the week. I’m debating between canceling some important meetings or just giving her the desk and promising the chair after New Year’s.”

She balked. “You’ve got to do both.”

Her insistence made him smile. He liked people who didn’t accept limitations. It was one of the first things that had attracted him to her. Not many people could lift his own standards on what he was capable of, but he’d learned pretty quickly that Monica could be one of them.

“What’s left to do?” she asked.

“Cassie, my niece, asked for pink flowers.” He stepped to a table where he’d stored an array of craft paints and brushes. “The table needs one more undercoat then I need to figure how I want to paint the roses. I’ll need a clear gloss over that, then I need to repeat the whole process for the chair.”

“You know what would be pretty—” She stepped to the counter and surveyed his paints, and he watched as she grabbed a brush and a paper bag and began mixing colors.

Like a master, she created an almost identical replica of his roses on paper, using several shades of pink, white and red to add depth to the finished product. It blew away anything he’d been thinking.

“I had no idea you could paint.”

“I minored in art in college. Economics, math and accounting could be grueling, and I needed an escape. And since I’m tone deaf, music was out.” She nudged the paper toward him and spoke casually as though she hadn’t just floored him with her artistry. “What do you think of something like this?”

“It would be beautiful.”

“Then why don’t you get back to work on your chair and let me finish the desk?”

He blinked. “You wouldn’t mind? Sweetheart, I didn’t bring you out here to help me finish my niece’s Christmas present.”

Stepping close, she pressed her palms to his chest and whispered. “It will cost you some serious sexual favors.”

He circled his arms around her and wondered how many more wonderful surprises this intriguing woman had up her sleeve. He’d love to spend a lifetime finding out. But recognizing the need to take this slowly he kept those intentions to himself and instead kissed her gently on the cheek. “I’m going to have a hell of a time repaying you.”

5

MONICA RELAXED ON THE floor of Kit’s great room, enjoying the roaring fire in the fireplace while Kit rubbed her shoulders. It was early Sunday evening and they would be flying back to Chicago tonight, though if she could be granted one Christmas wish, it would be to stay here a few more days.

They’d spent yesterday and this morning finishing the desk for Kit’s niece. Hardly a chore, she’d found the project relaxing and revitalizing. She hadn’t dabbled with anything artistic since college. The moment she’d started her first internship at a New York investment firm, she’d been entirely focused on a career in finance. From that point on, her appreciation for art had been restricted to collecting pieces made by others, and she’d forgotten the joy of creating something herself.

In fact, she’d forgotten a lot of joys before spending these past few days with Kit. When they weren’t busy in the barn, they were enjoying his delicious meals. They’d taken a long walk on his property down to the lake where he sometimes fished. They’d ridden one of his ATVs to the top of the ridge to view the sunset. And, of course, when they weren’t doing those things, they were discovering the many ways they could pleasure each other in bed.

It was the type of weekend she could get used to, escaping the noise of the city for a simple weekend on a ranch, not to mention the wonderful company. And as Kit’s fingers stroked pure luxury through her muscles, she wondered why this peach of a man hadn’t already been snatched up by a deserving woman.

“Why aren’t you taken?” she asked, lolling her head to the side as he dug those talented fingers into the curve of her neck.

“I’ve come close a couple times.”

“You’re a great catch. How could they let you get away?”

He laughed and kissed her bare shoulder. “Sweetheart, whether or not I’m a catch depends on what you’re fishing for. I’ve got businesses in three states, a home in Texas and a sailboat down in Florida. I’m on the go a lot, and at first, women find that exciting. But eventually they want more than I can give.”

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