his neck, whatever she could reach.
“I don’t want you to worry about me,” he said, his voice muffled. “I know I have to forgive myself, that I can’t let guilt and regret rule me. I’m working on it.”
They held each other, and she thought of all the terrible things that had happened to him. He didn’t have any kind of life in Valentine Valley—only dreadful memories of parents who treated him like unwanted garbage, and a grandma who couldn’t save him. Had he been too young to understand why not? Had he lain awake wondering why no one wanted him?
She wanted to protest that he had her, but maybe he didn’t want to hear that. Maybe he never wanted to hear that. She gave a little shiver, and he suddenly straightened from their embrace. She saw a flash of his tired smile in the darkness.
He had so much courage, she realized in wonder. He’d left their small town and braved war and danger, and now he was trying to summon up a new courage, to go on when it seemed the worst had happened. Somehow, she had to follow his example, to find whatever she needed in her life and make it happen.
“It’s cold out here,” he said, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “We should get you back inside.”
She nodded, preceding him into the little hall with its two doors.
“Where’s that one go?” he asked.
“Emily’s old apartment. It’s pretty cute. Right in the heart of town.”
“You sound . . . wistful. Do you wish you lived in town?”
“Oh, no, of course not. I have my family.”
“That was a very quick denial.” One side of his mouth turned up. “We wouldn’t have to sneak around anymore. There’d be no one to care that I spent the night in your bed.” Then he put his arms around her in that little hallway.
“Well, making you happy is all that matters,” she answered.
She got a chuckle out of him and was so relieved. For just a moment, she rested her head against his strong shoulder and closed her eyes.
“Someone could see us,” she murmured, not moving. He smelled good—she felt so good.
His hands moved up and down her back, and even through her jacket, she absorbed the strength of them, the steadiness. She remembered every moan those hands had elicited from her. He kissed the side of her head, and she snuggled beneath his chin. When he looked down at her, she couldn’t resist, but kissed him slowly, gently, searching for something, but she didn’t know what. His tongue parted her lips, and she let it happen, knew if anyone came looking for them, they’d see—
She tilted her head back. “Okay, okay, we can have kisses another time.”
“When we’re alone and hidden,” he whispered, kissing her forehead, her nose, her chin.
“But that’s how we want it.”
Why wasn’t he agreeing? She was the one who risked the most—her family’s respect, her ability to do her job. Yet she was teetering here, finding it so difficult not to touch him in public.
She stepped back, and his arms fell to his sides, and he looked almost resolute as he stared at the door to the Sugar and Spice kitchen. But he didn’t hesitate to go back inside.
Chapter Eighteen
“Lunch at Monica’s Flowers and Gifts,” Emily said with a sigh. “It’s been a while.”
They sat behind the showroom counter, crowded together shoulder to shoulder. Monica needed to be available to her customers, and Brooke and Emily were used to the interruptions.
Brooke smiled at her friend—her future sister-in-law. “Well, we’ve been in the midst of the holidays for over a month, now, and it’s almost Christmas. I’m amazed either one of you has time for me what with the tourists breaking down your doors.” She took a big bite of her chicken drumstick.
Emily exchanged a grin with Monica, and said, “It has been a good Christmas season. I’ve been open less than three months, and I already have more business than I can handle. I’ll hire some more seasonal help, but in the meantime, I’ll be looking for another full-time employee to go along with the part-time widows.”
“Good for you!” Monica cried. “I might have to hire another part-timer, too. Josh’s work is so popular, I’m getting worried he won’t be able to keep up.”
“I think he solved that,” Brooke said. “This morning he discussed hiring Adam to help him prepare the leather. There’s a lot of work, but you don’t have to be an artist to