Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
H aving sex with Noelle was a horrible idea.
But if that was the case, then why did Casey wake up feeling so damn happy? He didn’t get upset that Junie and Johnny woke him at the crack of dawn to go outside. He didn’t mind at all freezing his butt off in the icy wind while he waited for them to do their business. In fact, when they were finished, he allowed them to race around the yard and terrorize the barn cats while he sat on the porch and laughed at their antics. Once he put them in their stall and got back inside, he took a long, hot shower and sang “Jingle Bells” at the top of his lungs until Rome knocked on the door and told him to keep it down because they had just gotten Autumn Grace back to sleep.
He switched to whistling and was still whistling when he headed downstairs. He cut off and froze on the stairs when the front door opened and Noelle blew in with the cold December wind.
She wore a puffy white down jacket and tight jeans. Her ebony hair was wind tousled and her cheeks pink . . . and her lips a ruby red that matched the sweater she revealed when she removed her coat and hung it on the coatrack by the door. His gaze took in the sweet curves of her butt before she turned and gasped with surprise.
“Oh!” She placed a hand on those luscious abundant breasts that he’d spent the night dreaming of. “I didn’t see you there, Case.”
He made his way down the rest of the stairs and stopped in front of her. The scent of cinnamon and warm baked bread straight from the oven surrounded him and he wanted nothing more than to press his face into those soft breasts and live forever. But he was the one who had made the rule of no cuddling. And with good reason. It was up to him to make sure the lines of what they planned to do didn’t get blurred. They were meeting tonight at the Holiday Bed and Breakfast. He could do all his inhaling then. And only then.
One night.
Just one night.
He pinned on a smile. “Good mornin’.”
Her face flushed an even darker pink as if she too was thinking of tonight. “Good mornin’.” Her gaze lowered to his mouth for a split second—just long enough to send a shaft of heat through him—before she lifted her eyes and cleared her throat. “I thought I’d come early and bring y’all breakfast.” She held up the plastic container he hadn’t noticed until then. “I hope you like cinnamon rolls.”
His gaze dropped to her ruby lips. “I like all sweets.”
Those lips parted on a puff of air and her tongue swept out and turned the red to glistening cherry. A stupid logical rule suddenly held no value. What would it hurt to take one tiny taste?
He dipped his head, but before his lips met sweetness, the door of his father’s study swung open. Even though they jumped away from each other, Sam looked like he knew exactly what they’d been doing—or about to do. Since they were supposed to be a couple, Casey hooked an arm around her waist and tugged her closer. It was strange how well she fit tucked under his arm.
“Mornin’, Sam. Did you sleep well?” He grinned down at Noelle. “I sure did.”
Sam glanced between them before focusing on Casey. “I’m glad, because while I finish the fences in the south pasture, you need to take some hands and move the herd out of the west pasture. Heavy rain is predicted for tonight and I don’t want to lose any cattle if that ravine fills up. So there’s no time for any . . . shenanigans.”
He sighed dramatically. “Well, shoot. You know how I love shenanigans.”
Sam scowled. “That’s always been your problem.” He grabbed his coat and hat from the rack and headed out the door. Once he was gone, Casey glanced down to see Noelle watching him intently, those green laser eyes looking right through him.
“He loves you, you know.”
He dropped his hand from her waist. “Oh, I don’t doubt it. But he doesn’t like me. Or respect me.”
“Have you given him cause to?” Before he could feel too hurt by the question, she continued. “I get it. The youngest in the family always has to work harder for respect. But I get the feeling you don’t work as hard at gaining your father’s respect as you do at playing the irresponsible younger son.”
“Maybe I’m not playing.”
A soft smile tipped her lips. “I used to think that. I used to think you were all play and no work, but you work just as hard as Sam and Rome do . . . if not harder. Since Autumn Grace’s birth, you’ve taken the lion’s share of the ranch work. So yes, I do think you’ve taken the role of the carefree, irresponsible son just to tick him off. Just like you used to do with me.” Her green-eyed gaze was intent. “But I’m not tricked anymore, Casey Remington.” With that, she turned and sashayed into the kitchen.
The day that had started out so great, quickly turned to crap. Two of the ranch hands Casey was depending on to help him move the herd called in sick. One Casey believed, the other he was sure just didn’t want to spend the day outside in the bad weather. When he hung up from the call, he turned to see Noelle standing in the doorway of the laundry room holding a basket of clothes.
“Problems?”
“Two of the ranch hands that were supposed to help me move the herd called in sick.”
“I can help you.”
He shook his head. “You don’t need to be out in this weather. I’ll get Rome to help me.”
“You can’t do that. Autumn Grace has a cold and kept him and Cloe up all night. They’re sound asleep and we don’t need to wake them. I helped my daddy in worse weather than this.” She shifted the basket to one curvy hip. “Unless you think I can’t do it.”
“You haven’t herded in a while, Ellie.”
“Then it’s about time I got back in the saddle and honed my ranching skills.”
He had a choice. He could call his daddy for help or take Noelle’s. He knew who he’d rather spend the day with.
By the time the other two ranch hands showed up, the temperature had dropped and dark clouds had moved in. They quickly saddled and loaded the horses into the trailer. When they were finished, Noelle came out of the house with thermal cups of coffee and plastic baggies of cinnamon rolls that she dispensed with a bright smile. She had borrowed leather gloves and a black Stetson. With the puffy white jacket, she looked like a cute little cowboy snowman handing out holiday cheer.
The cheer continued when she got in Casey’s truck. She found a station that played Christmas carols and immediately started singing along, then cajoled Casey to join in. Damned if they didn’t sound half bad on their duet of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
When they arrived at the west pasture, the temperature was even colder. If it did rain, Casey knew it was going to quickly turn into ice. So he wasted no time getting things moving. He made sure to give the gentler horse to Noelle. Once everyone was mounted, he issued instructions.
“Luke, you take point. Danny, you take right flank. I’ll take left flank. Ellie, you’re drag.”
“Thanks. I love eating cattle dust.” She sent him a saucy smile before she impressively wheeled her horse around and took off toward the back of the herd.
Casey spent the rest of the morning worrying more about her than he did the cattle. But as it turned out, there was no need to worry.
He had never seen Noelle ranch. He’d only seen the fussy girlie girl who loved dresses and makeup and painting her nails. While he had always been captivated by that girlie girl, he was even more captivated by this skilled cowgirl who handled a horse as well as any of the ranch hands. She also knew how to handle cattle. She kept the slower animals moving with a swing of her rope and a cute little yip that made him smile every time she used it.
By the time they stopped for lunch, he was thoroughly impressed . . . and thoroughly turned on. There was something about her rope wielding and the way her sweet thighs gripped the saddle that had all kinds of fantasies popping into his head.
While he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off her, Noelle wasn’t paying him any attention. She was too busy handing out the ham-and-cheese sandwiches she’d prepared for everyone, the same way she had passed out the coffee and cinnamon rolls—with a big smile and friendly chatter. Although she moved slower than she had that morning and he figured she was feeling the affects of being in a saddle for hours.
“You okay?” he asked when she came over to give him a sandwich.
“I’m fine.”
This was proven to be a lie when a few minutes later she refused to join him and the other cowboys and sit down on a rock to eat.
Stubborn woman.
The rain didn’t arrive until they had the herd moved and were heading back to the trucks and trailer. Like Casey had feared, it was more ice than rain and stung like hell. He rode as close as he could to Noelle to block it, but she was still soaked through by the time they got back. He had to yell at her to get into the truck when she started to help him and the ranch hands load the horses.
She had the heater blasting when he finally finished and climbed into the truck. An overwhelming feeling of contentment consumed him. He didn’t know if it was the blessed heat that surrounded his shivering body, or the beautiful instrumental version of “Silent Night” coming from the speakers, or the soft smiling woman sitting in the passenger seat. All he knew was everything suddenly felt right. Like all the pieces of his life had come together in this perfect moment.
“You okay?”
Noelle’s question pulled him out of his thoughts and he nodded. “Yeah. I’m good.” He realized it was the truth.
On the way home, they sang carols again. He drove home as slowly as he could, wanting the day to never end. When they finally pulled up in front of the barn, Noelle turned to him.
“I used to hate driving cattle, but that was fun.”
It had been. It had been the most fun he’d had in a long time.
If ever.
Since he’d sent the ranch hands home, Noelle insisted on helping unload and unsaddle the horses. She was in one stall taking care of a horse and he was in another drying off Domino, when Sam and Rome showed up.
Neither one looked happy.
“What were you thinking, Case?” Rome said. “I just found out Jeb and Dale called in sick. You should have woken me up to help instead of taking Cloe’s baby sister out in this weather. Cloe’s been worried sick.”
“That was totally irresponsible, Casey,” Sam snapped.
Since they were right, Casey didn’t argue. He shouldn’t have taken Noelle out in this kind of weather. But before he could agree with his brother and father and apologize, she strode into the stall like a green-eyed avenger.
“Casey didn’t take me out in this weather. I volunteered—or more like forced myself on him. I’m not some baby sister who needs to be protected from a little rain. Nor does Casey need his big brother’s approval to make a decision on his own.” She turned her attention to Sam. “And I don’t think a man who has given his life to this ranch is irresponsible. I think he’s loyal and hardworking and a man any father and brother should be proud of . . . even if they’re both too arrogantly stubborn to see it! Now if y’all will excuse me, I’m going home to change out of these wet clothes.” She glanced at Casey. “Thanks for the fun day, Case.” She whirled and stomped out of the stall.
Stunned silence ruled before Rome spoke.
“It would appear that all Holiday sisters know how to put a man in his place.” He looked at Casey, his eyes contrite. “She’s right. I’m sorry for doubting you, little brother. I was just worried about you both being out in this weather.” He placed a hand on Casey’s shoulder. “But you’re a grown man. You can handle a little bad weather and any job on this ranch as well as I can. Sometimes I—” He glanced at Sam. “We . . . forget that. Don’t we, Daddy?”
Sam hesitated for a moment as if he was going to say something. But all he did was grunt before he turned and walked out of the stall.
Rome looked at Casey. “I’m pretty sure that was a grunt of agreement. He really was worried when the storm hit. It’s just hard for him to say it.”
But Casey wasn’t concerned about Sam being Sam. His entire thoughts were wrapped up in Noelle defending him with such a vengeance. There was a moment when Casey thought she was going to pop his daddy right in the nose. That made him feel like . . . maybe he wasn’t the screwup of the family. Maybe he was worth something.
That feeling stuck with him as he finished with the horses and headed to the house where Cloe had dinner waiting. Cloe didn’t mention a word about Casey taking Noelle out in the weather so he figured Noelle had given her sister hell too. After eating, he headed up stairs to take a long, hot shower. When he stepped out, his phone pinged with a text from Noelle.
I’m at the Holiday Bed and Breakfast. Door’s open. Noelle Room.
A few hours ago, he was ready to spend one night of passion in her arms. But that was before he had spent the day with her. Before he’d herded cattle with her. Before he’d sung carols with her. Before she’d stood up for him.
Before she had become something more than just a one-night stand.
He didn’t know what that something was, but he did know that he couldn’t take advantage of her. And that’s what spending the night with Noelle would be—him taking advantage of her innocence.
Now all he had to do was explain that to Noelle. Somehow he didn’t think she was going to take it well.
All the way to the Holiday Bed and Breakfast, he went over what he was going to say. He had the words memorized by the time he pulled up in front of the two-story mansion that had once been Mrs. Fields Boardinghouse, one of the most notorious whorehouses in central Texas. Which was why it was so ironic that Noelle had chosen it as the place she wanted Casey to teach her all about sex.
It had been years since he’d been to the mansion. Back then, it had been a falling-down old house he and his friends had brought girls to in order to scare them. Scared girls had a tendency to cling to the boy closest to them. Now the mansion had been completely renovated by Jesse Cates. The foyer looked like something that belonged in a swanky hotel. A swanky hotel from the 1800s. Jesse had brought the huge chandelier hanging over the foyer, the marble floors, and Gone With the Wind curved staircase back to life.
Casey might have taken a moment to look in some of the other rooms on the main floor if a huge, mangy mutt hadn’t come charging toward him, almost knocking him over in his enthusiasm.
“Hey, Gilley!” He was giving the huge beast ear scratches when he heard whines coming from the back of the house. He followed the sound to the kitchen where Buck stood behind a gate with his curly-tailed butt wiggling with excitement. As Casey leaned over to greet the fat pug, Gilley jumped the gate to be with his friend.
Casey laughed. “Obviously, this gate is no match for your long legs, Gilley man.” After giving both dogs some more attention, he left them and headed upstairs to find Noelle.
Cloe had told him about the rooms being named after each of the Holiday sisters. As he walked down the hallway, he read the brass plates by each door. The Sweetheart Room , The Clover Room , The Liberty Room , The Belle Room , The Halloween Room . . . and The Noelle Room .
The door was open. He hesitated for only a moment before he stepped inside.
The room was decorated like a Christmas card. The walls were a deep ruby, the curtains were a velvet pine green, and the settee was upholstered in a holly print that mixed both colors. There was a framed print of a Santa cowboy driving a sleigh filled with presents and a cut tree through thick snow. Another of a big red barn, similar to the Holidays’, decorated with lights and a huge wreath. There were snowman pillows and Santa knickknacks and a tiny little lit tree sat on a table in front of the window.
The light from the tree was the only light in the room.
Which was why it took Casey a moment to find Noelle.
His daddy had never read him fairytales or gotten him Disney movies. But Casey had watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at a friend’s house. He had thought Snow White had just been a cartoon character, but as he moved over to the bed, he realized he’d been wrong.
She did exist.
The real version was even more breathtakingly beautiful.
Noelle’s black hair looked even blacker against the white pillowcase. Her complexion even creamier. Dark lashes rested just above cheeks that were tinted a soft pink. But the feature that held his attention the most were her lips. Lips painted the same color as the walls and the holly berries and the Santas. Lips that drew him like no other lips had ever drawn.
His resolve to resist her melted like the icy rain that had fallen earlier.
If he only had one night with a princess, he wasn’t about to refuse it.
Even it didn’t make him a prince.