Chapter Twelve #2
“I guess the idea of getting a dig in before the ground freezes wasn’t exactly realistic,” said Seth. “But I still want to move forward.”
Andrea considered it, the snow crunching as they clomped along an unmade path.
“What do you think about me hosting a luncheon? At the ranch. For town stakeholders. Or anyone else you can think of who might be interested in being involved in some way.” Hosting a large meal like that would be a lot of work.
But seeing her place come together, and the idea of spending time with a group of people she was starting to like more and more as she got to know them, was kind of exciting.
“I think that’s a great idea,” said Seth. “Your place is—” He paused for a moment. “It’s like walking into a Christmas snow globe. It’s homey. And cozy. It’ll make people open their hearts and their wallets.”
Hearing Seth’s description of her home gave her a warm feeling inside. When she’d packed up her condo, it had been hard to believe she’d ever find a space that felt so much like a perfect home for her, and what she had now was even better than she’d allowed herself to hope for.
“I can make lasagna. That’s good for a big group. Or do you think I should do a roast or something? I can—”
Seth reached over and took her gloved hand in his, interrupting her.
“Look,” he murmured. She followed his gaze to a crest of a small hill in the distance, dotted with short, squat evergreen trees, their branches weighed down in snow.
Andrea squinted and scanned the horizon until she saw what Seth was pointing to, then pulled her sunglasses down from her nose. “Is that…”
Just over a hundred meters away, a herd of over a dozen elk was moving across the plain with purposeful and deliberate grace. Their thick coats were puffed out against the cold as they followed a large bull with a branching crown of antlers. Andrea took a sharp breath in.
“Elk,” said Seth. He looked at Andrea and grinned, then squeezed her hand in his. “They don’t often come this far east. What a treat.”
Andrea watched in awe as the tan-and-brown creatures moved in rhythm together against the backdrop of white snow.
She’d seen elk before in the wild, on hiking trips to Crested Butte and digs in the McInnis Canyons, but the idea that such a majestic creature was right in her very own backyard was incredibly thrilling.
Seth slipped his arm around her waist, then leaned over and kissed her on the top of her head. They stood for a few minutes, quietly watching as the herd continued west across the snow, and soon they were dots on the horizon.
Andrea took a moment to soak in the quiet majesty of the moment, and how good it felt to share it with Seth. “Want to head back?” she asked. “You said something about breakfast.”
Seth nodded. “Let’s go.”
* * *
When they approached the ranch, a snowplow was visible in the distance, carving out a passage on the county road.
“There you go,” said Seth. “You’re not trapped anymore.”
“You’re the one who was trapped.” Andrea grinned.
“Well, I must have Stockholm syndrome or something,” he said. “Because this prisoner has no interest in going anywhere.”
The fire was still going when they reentered the space. Seth handed her his snowshoes. “Where’s your shovel?” he asked.
“No way,” said Andrea. “I’m not letting you—”
“Your shovel?” he asked again. “It’s the least I can do for letting me stay last night.”
Andrea paused. She could easily shovel on her own, but she sensed he wasn’t going to back down. “Alright,” she said. “It’s in the garage. But I’m making breakfast.”
“Deal,” said Seth. “Give me twenty minutes.”
In the kitchen, Andrea took out a carton of eggs, some cream, and a block of Gruyère out of the fridge. She sliced a shallot and warmed a generous pat of butter in a cast-iron pan, then sautéed the shallots while grating the cheese.
After whisking the eggs and adding some salt and pepper, she poured the rest of the ingredients into the pan, then slid it into the oven and set a timer. The sourdough loaf was a couple of days old, but it would toast up perfectly, and there was a full carton of orange juice.
While she waited for the frittata to bake, she moved to the living room and watched from the front window as Seth heaved big shovelfuls of snow onto banks lining the driveway.
He’d removed his thick coat, allowing Andrea to fully appreciate the strong arms that were making the challenging task look effortless.
The same arms that were around her only hours earlier, that had picked her up and laid her gently on her back.
She took a sharp breath in and closed her eyes.
She’d promised herself not to get involved with Seth, and not only had she slept with him, but now they were acting all domestic, doing chores and making breakfast. She shook her head.
Was it a mistake? Then again, she told herself, Seth was proving himself to be an honest man.
A respectful one. And the chemistry between them was no lie.
He looked up and saw her standing at the window, then flashed her the most melting of grins. She gave him a quick wave.
The timer of the oven sounded. Andrea returned to the kitchen and pulled the cast-iron pan out to inspect the frittata, which had risen beautifully and was lightly golden on top.
She heard Seth come back inside, and the sound of his voice. It was clear he wasn’t talking to her but to someone on the phone. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
He appeared at the entrance of the kitchen, and pocketed his phone, then looked at Andrea with an expression of regret in his eyes.
“I’m really sorry, but I’ve got to go,” he said.
“Almost half the weekend ranch hands can’t make it in today.
The roads west of the Triple T are much worse, apparently, and there are a bunch of power outages. I need to get back and fill in.”
“Of course,” said Andrea, trying to mask the flicker of disappointment that her time with Seth was being cut short.
He approached where she was standing near the stove, and peered at the cast-iron pan, which was cooling on the stovetop, and let out a low whistle.
“You made that just now?” he said. He moved a little closer, and the musky scent of outdoor work in the cold entered her space.
Mixed with the earthy aroma of Seth’s cologne, it was delicious.
She drew in a deep breath, trying her best to commit it to memory. Who knew when she’d see him again next.
“Just a simple recipe,” she said, her voice low and breathy. “I can cut you a piece to go.”
Seth’s eyes were flashing with wanting, and it was obvious that if he didn’t have to leave, the pan might be left to cool for longer than she’d planned.
“I’d like that,” he said. He dipped his chin, then reached out and intertwined his fingers with Andrea’s.
She took the invitation and closed her eyes slightly as she met Seth’s lips in a slow, luxurious kiss.
His skin was still cool from being outside.
A low murmur of pleasure escaped his mouth, as he deepened the kiss.
Andrea instinctively slid her arms around his waist, pulling him toward her and reveling once again in the feeling of no space between their bodies.
She almost moaned in frustration when he slowly pulled away, a slow sexy grin creeping across his now-warm lips.
“You’re not making it easy to leave,” he said, just as his phone dinged from his pocket.
He raised her hand up and kissed it. “If only the animals could feed themselves. Why don’t I drive you back to town for your car? ”
It was frustrating as hell that he was leaving, but the admirable sense of duty he had toward his work tempered her disappointment. “I’ll call the Tenacity Shuttler this afternoon. You get back to the ranch. Let me pack something up for you.”
Seth gathered his things in the other room while Andrea put some of the frittata into a container, then poured another coffee into an insulated mug and tightened the lid. She returned to the front foyer to find Seth pulling on his boots.
“Here you go,” she said, and passed him the containers.
“Thank you,” said Seth, a funny look in his eyes.
“And thank you for last night.” He paused and fixed her in a gaze that told her he didn’t want it to be the only one.
And what about her? Was this something she wanted again?
How on earth was she supposed to know what to say as a farewell, when her mind and body were making two very different and very polarizing appeals?
Seth was so handsome. Maybe, if it was possible, even too handsome.
How would she ever trust a man so perfect, so magnetic, to want to commit to one woman?
And then there was his wealth. With his level of wealth came a certain degree of power.
Would she ever be able to really assert herself when at the snap of a finger, Seth could just make things happen?
She glanced at the wall beside her, the very wall that Seth made happen when she was struggling. That level of access was appealing, but the dynamic it presented still came with some serious caution signs.
Her hesitation hung in the air between them. “Alright,” Seth said. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Later? When was later? And was she really going to sit around wondering?
“Drive safe,” she said. “And good luck at the ranch.”
Seth made a move to leave, then paused, placed a hand on her arm, then kissed her softly.
“I’d love it if you came to Thanksgiving dinner with my family,” he said, and she felt herself nodding.
“You’re an incredible woman, Andrea,” he said, then slipped on his sunglasses and moved out the door before she could respond.
She stood in the doorway watching as he got in his truck, then waved as he made a three-point-turn and drove down the lane toward the newly plowed road.
When his SUV disappeared in the distance, she closed and locked the door, then approached the Christmas tree, and took the crystal star ornament Seth had given her off its branch.
She examined the little trinket, and how it caught the light, casting a miniature rainbow on the hall near the fireplace.
It’s just an ornament, she told herself, but the lump in her throat said otherwise.
Maybe this is how it starts, she thought. Something small. Something fragile. Something worth holding on to.