Page 24 of A Match Made in Montana

“Because of one idiot who was stupid enough to let you go?”

“Well, yes and because…” She threw up her hands. “I’m not interested in climbing the corporate ladder, or office parties, or networking and whatever else professional women do these days. My kitchen is my happy place. I want to stay home and cook for the people I love. I don’t care how antifeminist that sounds. I was told men don’t like their women like that anymore.”

“That is simply not true. Any man would be lucky to have you, Annie Miller. You’re smart and beautiful and so sexy you make me ache for you.”

She stared at him. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t touched her, but the whole kitchen was alive with all sorts of strange vibes and electrical currents.

Sighing, she rubbed her temple. “You know my reason for not wanting to get married, what’s yours? You also had your heart broken by some woman?”

The one corner of his mouth lifted in a crooked smile. “Nope. I’ve never been serious enough about anyone to let that happen. Probably had to do with the fact my parents sent me to live with my dad’s brother and his wife—Aiden and Riley’s parents—when I was ten. My mom and dad are doctors and, I was told, doing important work in underprivileged countries. They joined Doctors Without Borders and have been working overseas since that time. Don’t get me wrong, Aunt Cara and Uncle Sean didn’t treat me any different to how they did Riley and Aiden. I had a good life with them. Then they both passed away. The three of us were… are fine, we have each other.”

“But they weren’t your parents,” Annie got out, her heart breaking for the ten-year-old little boy who had to adjust to a new set of grown-ups only to also lose them. She crossed her arms, making sure she didn’t reach out and touch him. “I’m so sorry, you must have been devastated. Is that the reason you don’t want to commit? Worried someone else would leave you? Well, let me tell you, Craig O’Sullivan, you’re a great guy. You’re successful and you’re really nice. Any woman would be lucky to have you.”

Rubbing his face, he grimaced. “We’re all left with scars of some sort from our childhood. Compared to many others, my life has been great. Giving your heart to someone…” He shrugged. “At some point, you’ll lose them, it’s just a fact. I’m not doing that again.”

Annie threw her hands up. “Well, there you have it—the reason we shouldn’t kiss. We’re both scared of falling in love because we might get hurt.”

He picked up one of her hands and absentmindedly played with it. “Up until now, my strategy was to never date just one person at a time.”

“Classy.” She didn’t even try to hide the sarcasm in her voice.

“I mention it up front.”

“And that makes it okay? If nobody has told you before, that’s a terrible thing to do. Shame on you.” Shaking her head, she pulled her hand out of his. “I think we’ve just established why jumping into bed would be a very bad idea.”

He slipped a hand under her hair. “Problem is, I want you.”

“You’re leaving.”

“I know. I still want you, though.” He pulled her closer to him. “You feel what you do to me.”

A soft moan slipped over her lips.

He lifted her face up to him. “I have a proposition. If you don’t want to do it, it’ll probably kill me, but I’ll back off and I won’t touch you again.”

“What kind of proposition?”

“There is something between us.”

Rolling her eyes, Annie looked up at him. “The beading and throbbing body parts? I don’t know if I’ll call that something. That’s just lust. It happens…”

“Has it happened with the guy you were with last night?”

“No, but…”

“When I’m near you, I have no control over my body. Neither, it would seem…” Without taking his eyes off of her, he flicked the back of a finger over of those freaking beading nipples of hers. “Have you. I’ve dated a lot of women, it never happens this way with anyone else.”

“A lot?”

“I never date one at a time, remember? My proposition is this—I’m here until the wedding which is in exactly two weeks. Let’s spend that time together, dating and whatever else you’re comfortable with. Hopefully, this craziness between us will have run its course by the end of that time. We’ll be able to agree the beading and the throbbing have been merely lust and move on with our lives. I’ll continue helping you with marketing your B and B—which, by the way, I’ll do regardless of what you decide.”

“And what do we do afterward? My sister is marrying your cousin. We’re bound to see one another again. I don’t want awkward birthdays and Christmases.”

“We’ll always be friends, Annie. No matter what you decide to do. And remember, by the time I leave, this—whatever it is between us—would have run its course. Our bodies should be back to behaving.”

“Yeah? And what if that doesn’t happen?”

“It’ll happen, feelings this intense never last.”

---