Page 31 of The Bargain Bride

“G-good morning.”

“You okay?” he asked. “After what we did, I mean. No regrets?”

“None,” she lied.

There was one regret growing in her heart. Although she had dreamed someday he would make love to her, there was one important piece missing. In her dreams, Jared was in love with her when they took their relationship to a physical place.

“The power is back on,” he said. “I called Bill first thing this morning and asked him about resetting the generator. Once I knew what I was doing, it didn’t take long. The house hasn't had time to warm up yet. I'll keep the fire going until it gets above freezing.”

He jumped up and got dressed. She watched from beneath the blanket while searching for a safe subject. The ranch? Since finding out she wasn't pregnant, he hadn't said another word about giving her the property. She wanted to ask him to sell it to her, but she didn't want to start a fight. That definitely wasn't something safe to talk about.

His family? Not a good idea. The mere mention of his father or brother seemed to make his blood pressure shoot up.

In the end, he chose the subject.

After feeding the fire another log, he stood in front of the hearth with his hands on his jean-clad hips. “I need to get more wood off the porch. I'll be back in a second.”

He put on his boots, gloves, and coat before venturing outside. She watched him leave with her heart in her throat. Being in a room with him now that they had made love was even more awkward than usual. She didn't know what to say to him, and he obviously had the same problem.

While she pondered the dilemma, she pulled her clothes under the blanket and put them back on. She hurried because he wouldn't be gone for long. They kept their logs in a storage bin on the porch.

He returned in a flash with six logs in his arms and raised an eyebrow at her modesty. He didn't say a word. As soon as she had all of her clothes on, she stood. The chilly air made her rethink that decision. She wished they could stay under the blanket together all day.

“The snow is still coming down,” he said.

“Breakfast?” she asked. “I can whip us up something.”

“I wouldn't say no to coffee. Strong and black.”

She nodded and headed for the kitchen. At least she had something to keep her busy for a few minutes. It would give her time to think about last night and what she wanted for her future. Part of her wished he was back in Boston. If he went back to his life and stayed there, that would be the easiest solution for them both.

Jared entered the kitchen a few minutes later, looking grim like he was about to deliver bad news to a patient. Instead, he said, “Last night was incredible.”

“I agree,” she said with stomach muscles clenched.

He shifted his body weight from one leg to the other. “It's just... I don't want you to get the wrong idea.”

She pasted a smile on her face and prayed it looked genuine. “Wrong idea?”

“Last night was a one-time deal.”

“I feel the same way.”

“You do?”

“Why so surprised?” She rolled her eyes and forced a laugh. “I told you. I'm over my childhood crush, and I'm not desperate for a man. I have a very full life here on the ranch.”

Relief overtook his features, and he seemed to relax. The problem was, she already missed him. She yearned to be in his arms again, and her heart ached to recapture the intimacy they had shared last night. How could she try to make the one-time deal into something more without completely driving him away?

“Don't worry about it,” she said. “I know your life is in Boston and mine is here.”

He nodded. “Exactly. That's all I'm saying.”

“However.” She went to him and slid her arms around his waist, no longer fearing the sting of rejection. “We're snowed in right now. You can't fly out to Boston, and we won't be getting any visitors for the foreseeable future. It's like we're the only two people left in the world. I say we enjoy it.”

His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by enjoy it?”

“Let's make our one-time deal last a little longer.”

---