Page 50 of Taking What's Ours

“That was close, huh?” Baja asks. “You okay, girl?” He pats Rosie’s head, and she calms down.

I look out the window. The drizzle quickly becomes a downpour, water trailing down the glass. There’s a chill in the air, and I pull a throw from the back of the sofa over myself.

“I’ll have this fire going soon.”

There’s something about watching a man build a fire with his hands that really does something to a girl. Baja adds some kindling and twisted paper, then lights it, and soon flames lick up the logs and crackle to life. I watch the pretty colors dance and inhale the scent.

He leans a hand on the mantle, watching the flames, the glow reflecting on his face. “I’ve always preferred a wood burning fireplace. I never got the appeal of gas logs. There’s nothing that can compare to the smell of cedar wood burning.”

“It does smell good,” I agree. “And you’re right. Real fires are lovely. I love the snap and pop of the wood.”

His head turns to me, and he takes me in with a sweep of his gaze. “You look real pretty in the glow of the fire.”

“I was thinking the same thing about you.”

The lines around his eyes crinkle. “Would you like a coffee? I don’t have any pumpkin spice, but I do have a bottle of Bailey’s.”

“Sounds perfect.”

It’s not long before he returns with two steaming mugs and holds one out to me.

I cup it in my hands and inhale the fragrant Irish creme.

He moves to an old stereo on a bookcase and flips it on. Mellow music plays quietly, and he joins me on the sofa.

I sip my drink. “This is good.”

“You sound surprised.”

“I’ve never had it before.”

“Really? Well, you missed out, didn’t you?”

“I think I did.”

He drinks his, then leans forward and sets his mug on the coffee table. He puts a hand on my leg. “Have you thought anymore about what you’ll do?”

“I don’t want to go back to Elliott.”

“Good.”

“But I haven’t figured out where I go from here. It’s a lot.”

“It is, but there’s no rush. Take as long as you need. I assume you must be good at what you do, or Elliott wouldn’t have kept you at the company for long. There are other jobs. You seem to like Durango. You could look for something right here.”

“It’s a big decision.”

“I’m not trying to push you. You get that, right?”

“I do. You’ve been so good to me.”

“I only want the best for you, Elaina.”

I stare into his eyes and find only warmth and sincerity. He takes the mug from my hand and sets it on the table, then cups my face and pulls my mouth to his, covering my lips. He’s gentle, and I like that. I know if I pull away, he’ll release me in an instant. But I don’t want to pull away. And maybe that realization hits me like a ton of bricks or maybe it’s been lurking in the shadows of my brain since we met.

Baja is everything Elliott is not. He’s concerned about my feelings and interested in what I think. I know he’d never do anything to hurt me. But he’s also a man who could have any woman he wants. The fact that he seems to want me is thrilling, but I’m not sure he wants the same things I do. Commitment, children, to build a real family.

He’s a biker, and that means he walks on the wild side of life. How can he possibly be a fit for me? My common sense tells me he can’t, and not to waste my time on what can only be another dead-end relationship. But my heart tells me I’m wrong. It tells me he’s a good man and to give him a chance.

---