Peppermint Kisses Read online

  “Noel’s right, Claire. It’s not like you’re an insurance agent or an auto body mechanic. You two go on and have fun.” Wade felt his cheeks flush even in the icy wind. Right, he needed to get this beauty to warmth and safety. He edged past them as Rebekah began to shift in his arms. “Excuse me.”

  * * *

  Rebekah huddled in Wade’s down parka in the passenger seat of his F150 pickup. The police hadn’t even allowed her to get her bags from her car’s trunk because of the downed power lines. Talk about stranded.

  Her rescuer slid a glance her way as they drove out of town. This guy better be who he said he was. Sometimes guys put on gentility as an act.

  He must be a good guy, though. He’d snagged a few of those delicious peppermint kisses in the church parking lot as someone carried the platter past to a car and given them to her. So sweet of him.

  In a few minutes, Wade turned into a driveway. A warm welcome poured out of the windowed front framing a brightly lit Christmas tree. People moved around inside and more scurried from parked vehicles. A row of headlights shone behind them as Wade parked the truck. He came around to the passenger side before she could disengage her hands from the parka’s warmth.

  “This is Green Acres?” Rebekah couldn’t keep the wonder out of her voice. In all the darkness of the previous half hour, she hadn’t dared hope anyone really had electricity.

  “It is. They run off solar. Pays off when there are storms like this.”

  “But the sun’s not shining.” In fact, it had been stormy for several days.

  Chuckling, Wade helped her down from the truck. “The power is stored in batteries. Ready?”

  She nodded, grasped his proffered hand, and exchanged the blast from Wade’s truck heater for the icy wind. If that house were half as cozy as it looked, she’d be snug in no time.

  “Come on in!” called Sierra. “Welcome to Green Acres. Kick your boots off in the mudroom. The heated floor will melt off all the snow.” Her gaze fell on Rebekah’s heels and her mouth formed a round ‘o.’ “Your feet must be frozen solid, sweetie. Let me get you some slippers.”

  “Thanks.”

  Wade put his hand on the other woman’s arm as she turned away. “Sierra? I’m not sure if you remember me. I’m Wade, from Noel’s tree planting crew.”

  “Of course I remember. Welcome back.”

  “Rebekah’s car is one that got crushed by the tree at the church. She may need more than a pair of slippers tonight.”

  Sympathy flooded Sierra’s face. “And I don’t suppose you’d dropped your luggage off at the Landing Pad yet.”

  If that were all. “Worse. I’d planned on driving back to my friend’s house in Coeur d’Alene tonight. I don’t have a room or my things.”

  “Well, you’ll have to stay right here. We’ll make space and find you something to wear.” Sierra eyed her. “You’re about Claire’s size, maybe shorter. I’ll find you some of her jammies for tonight. Better call your friend and let her know you won’t be arriving.”

  This was too weird. “I can’t impose like this.”

  “It’s no problem, girl. Besides, what else can you do?” Sierra laughed. “It will be like a slumber party. Come on, let me find you some slippers.”

  Zach and another guy pulled the farmhouse table to its fullest length. All around them, people poured in the door, carrying platters and containers from the church. Talking. Laughing.

  Rebekah followed Sierra through the kitchen to the bedroom wing, bedlam disappearing in their wake. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Really. Relax and be my guest.” Sierra chuckled. “I was going to say, ‘our guest,’ but I suppose I’m the only hostess at the moment with Claire away. Feels strange.” She grinned at Rebekah. “Maybe I’m even thankful I’ll have company a few extra days. You know an insurance adjustor won’t make it out to Galena Landing before Monday.”

  “I can’t—”

  “Where are you from? Do you have a flight you need to change? No, Wade said it was your own car.”

  “I drove up from Boise yesterday and stayed with my friend in Coeur d’Alene. I’m on break from college.”

  Sierra gave her a swift hug before digging out a pair of fuzzy purple slippers. “Do you need a sweater?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. The air will warm up quickly.”

  “It will, at that.” Sierra studied her for a second. “Here, let me show you where I’ll put you for the night. Noel’s mom has the room next to mine, but you can have Claire’s. I know she won’t mind.”

  Sierra swept open the door at the other end of the hallway. How could anyone packing for a honeymoon leave a room so tidy? But Rebekah felt herself backing out of the space. “Oh, no, I couldn’t.” First Claire’s clothes, and now her bedroom?

  Sierra opened a bureau drawer and dug around inside. “It’s not like she needs her room for the next two weeks. Really, it’s no problem.”

  Rebekah closed her eyes. This could not be happening, but what were her options? “Thanks.”

  * * *

  Great as it was to swap stories with the guys from Enterprising Reforestation, the company Noel had recently sold to Jess and Simon, Wade couldn’t keep his gaze from straying to the spot where Rebekah had disappeared.

  James’s elbow caught his ribs. “There she is.”

  Wade’s cheeks flushed. He’d been that obvious, huh? But he couldn’t help glancing over even as his buddy guffawed. “You’re just jealous,” Wade muttered as he stood then wended his way through the crowd toward her. “Everything okay?”

  Her startled gaze flew up and a dainty flush spread across her cheeks. “Yes, I think so. Thanks for bringing me out here.”

  “Hey, everybody!” Zach hollered from up on a chair. “We just heard that The Landing Pad had to cancel all your reservations. The fire marshal won’t allow them to be open without power.” He shook his head. “Can’t say I blame them. Anyway, if you’ve already checked in, you’ll be allowed in, accompanied by a staff member with a lantern, to get your bags.

  Man, Wade hadn’t even thought that far. He’d planned to get a room, or maybe share with James. Should’ve booked in advance, but that wouldn’t have ensured him a place anyway.

  “Now, a lot of you in this room are locals. Please come over here to my mom—” he pointed to a gray-haired woman who waved from the peninsula “—if you can take in some stranded guests tonight. Then we’ll get the out-of-towners who need a place and hook you guys up together. Okay?”

  A cheer lifted.

  “Were you staying at the hotel?” asked Rebekah. “What will you do?”

  Wade shrugged. “Any old corner is good enough for me. I sleep in a tent all summer long.” Hmm, true as it was, it mightn’t be the best thing to tell a girl he’d like to get to know better. “Though I’ll be looking for a permanent position when I graduate in spring, so my tree-planting days are probably over.”

  Looking at Rebekah made Wade realize he was ready to take on full adulthood. With a degree and hopefully a job, he’d be in a position to think about marriage. Family. He shook his head. Weird, those words hadn’t really lodged in his mind before.

  She looked up at him. “I still have another full year to go.”

  That’d give him time to settle into his career. Whoa! He’d only just met this girl. Way too early to be thinking these thoughts. But still. It wouldn’t hurt to get to know her and see where things led, right? They lived in the same city. If they really clicked, things would progress naturally. If not… no need to think about that yet.

  “Hey, Roper!” James hollered. “You good with crashing on the floor here after the party? Sierra offered.”

  A burble of glee welled up. “Sounds great, dude. No problem for me.” He’d get to see a little more of Rebekah after all.

  * * *

  Could you call it a wedding reception if the groom and bride were long gone? It was still the best party Rebekah had been to in ages. With the gu
ests of honor absent, she could stop thinking about Noel. And with Wade Roper at her side, forgetting Noel would be downright easy. Why had she gotten so hung up on an older guy she’d only met a few times and who’d never shown a glimmer of interest in her?

  She cast a glance at Wade and he caught it, smiling back at her. See, this was much better. And he was closer to her age, too. Did she dare relax into friendship with him, knowing he lived in Boise, too? What if it turned out he really did like her? Was she ready for a real relationship?

  But what if something messed it up? That thought was never far from the surface, but she’d keep pushing it down. No need to scare the poor guy away yet.

  Wade’s fingers twined around hers as he leaned closer, his clean scent making her want to keep inhaling. “Want to play Uno? My friends are setting up at the card table in the corner.”

  “That sounds fun.”

  And it was. She caught a few of them looking her over and sending Wade a wink. Did that mean they approved? Her skin, so cold half an hour earlier, was definitely warm here with a blaze in the fireplace and so many people in the same space. Hopefully no one could tell that some of her flush was from self-consciousness. She wore the most lavish dress in the room and was spending her time with the denim gang. But they were friendly.

  Wade’s sleeve brushed her arm, causing her skin to tingle. His blue eyes met hers and something — who knew what? — passed between them.

  Reality was a whole lot better than daydreaming about Noel Kenzie.

  * * *

  Someone had hung a sprig of mistletoe from the beam that marked the definition between the dining room and the great room. Wade watched that thing from the corner of his eyes with a churning gut and clammy hands. It would never have occurred to him to kiss a girl he’d just met. Well, okay. It would never have occurred to him before today. But he’d had a hard time for the past few hours not looking at Rebekah’s pretty pink lips and wondering what they’d taste like pressed against his while he held her in his arms. Carrying her into the church didn’t count. She’d been out cold.

  How could he get her under the mistletoe without looking like he’d engineered it? Either way, his friends would make a big deal of it. Whatever. He’d only get one chance, but he was determined to get at least that. How?

  “Roper, your turn.” James elbowed him. “Where’s your brain at?”

  Wade focused on the cards in his hands, aware his knee and elbow were pressed against Rebekah’s… and that every eye in the group was watching him. He couldn’t think. This card? That one? He tossed one onto the center of the table, just missing the plate of peppermint kisses.

  James chuckled.

  It hadn’t been that bad a play, had it?

  “Pick up two, dude. You don’t get to play this time.”

  “Oh.” His face heated like a flask on a Bunsen burner as he pulled back the card and, with it, two more. This game was going to last forever.

  Moments later James announced, “Uno,” and in no time, he’d won.

  Jess gathered the cards and began to reshuffle.

  Wade lurched to his feet. “Count me out this round.”

  Rebekah looked up at him, eyes shining and smiling prettily. “Me, too,” she said to Jess. “Thanks, though. That was fun.”

  As Rebekah turned away, Wade caught Jess’s smirk. Oh, man, he was in for it now. He’d better make it worthwhile.

  He angled his line of vision to take in that mistletoe. Small groups lingered all around the space, glasses of punch and plates of appetizers and Christmas goodies in hand as they chatted and laughed together. The Carol of the Bells seeped from the sound system. Aromas of gingerbread and peppermint filled the air... and whatever the floral essence was that Rebekah wore. He leaned a little closer, brushing her shoulder.

  She smiled up at him. “Hungry?”

  Oh, yes. Were the signs that obvious? He splayed his hand on the small of her back to guide her through the throng ahead of him. And, not by accident, toward that mistletoe. He only hoped he had the nerve to follow through when he got her there.

  * * *

  Wade’s hand warmed her lower back as they worked their way toward the food table. Warmed more than her back. Warmed places inside herself she hadn’t thought could be thawed before today.

  Could he be unaware of the mistletoe hanging not far in front of them, a little vacant spot where no one stood? She’d seen Zach swoop Jo under there for a quick kiss a few minutes ago, like they needed an excuse.

  But Wade? They’d only just met, but everything in her knew he was a solid guy, a real man, not someone who flirted like this at every opportunity, content to break hearts or worse. Not someone who would demand more than she was ready to give. That didn’t mean what had budded in the last few hours was destined to blossom and flourish, though.

  She glanced at him over her shoulder, feeling the warmth from his body all down her back as he leaned close. He nudged her forward just a step or two more, then grinned at her, his eyebrows raised.

  He couldn’t mean—

  Wade pointed up, and her gaze followed his hand, not that it needed to. The mistletoe hung right above her head.

  “You know what that’s for, Rebekah, don’t you?” His breath was just a whisper from her face. “May I kiss you?”

  A flash of panic blasted through her. Her vision darkened as the impulse to flee nearly overwhelmed.

  No, wait. She’d decided he was safe. He asked. He didn’t take advantage without warning. She blinked him back into focus.

  A rueful grin pulled his mouth to one side. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push you.”

  He was one of the good ones.

  She turned toward him, grasped both his hands, and lifted a tremulous smile. “What’re you waiting for, buddy?”

  His blue eyes softened. “Are you sure?” he whispered. He’d read her all too accurately and still had patience.

  “I’m sure.” She raised herself on tiptoe as his arms came around her, holding her securely. His lips met hers gently for just a few seconds, not demanding, not pushing. Sweet as a peppermint kiss.

  Her hands slid around his back, clutching him closer, deepening the kiss, but he pulled back all too quickly.

  “Rebekah,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers for a second, eyes searching hers. “I think we should go get some food.”

  Probably a good idea. But maybe they could find this mistletoe again soon.

  * * *

  Wade lay awake, staring at the distant ceiling. All around him, his friends from Enterprising Reforestation lay sound asleep, little snores and even breathing keeping the silence from being complete. Embers glowed in the fireplace. Through the window, the storm had played out and the half-moon danced between shifting clouds.

  In the same way, his mind flitted between the bliss of kissing Rebekah — not once, but three different times — and the flare of panic he’d seen on her face for that brief instant. She’d screamed when the lights went out in the church basement, too, but he hadn’t thought anything of it at the time, though he’d been aware of the death-grip she kept on his hand.

  Rebekah had been hurt.

  She wasn’t someone to trifle with. Someone to flirt with when romance was in the air after a wedding. Someone he could casually walk away from. But was he up for whatever happened in her past? Was he ready to go the distance with her, through thick and thin?

  Sure, not everyone who began dating wound up married with two-point-three kids and a house in the suburbs. It was way too early to know if this was the real thing, but not too early to know if it was a positive direction. If not, he’d be doing everyone a favor by getting up right now, at three-thirty in the morning, and heading for Boise.

  He didn’t twitch a muscle.

  No, he wasn’t running. She wouldn’t be driving anywhere, but he could hang around until Monday when the adjustor had looked at her car and then give her a ride home. At least two more days in her company.

 
Hopefully he wouldn’t mess this up.

  * * *

  Sierra tapped on Rebekah’s bedroom door in the morning. “The electric company moved the power lines overnight. Would you like to pass me your car keys? I’ll send someone to town for your luggage. I’m sure you’ll feel more comfortable with your own things.”

  Heavenly. Rebekah handed the keys out to her hostess. With the number of people in the house, she couldn’t hog the bathroom, but did take a few minutes to wash her face and brush out her hair. She hardly dared go out to the kitchen in borrowed pajamas and no makeup, but the aroma of coffee lured her. She wasn’t the only stranded visitor overnighting at Green Acres.

  Wade. He’d been so attentive yesterday, but she didn’t see him anywhere in the great room when she emerged with a steaming cup of coffee. Some of the tree-planting crew rolled up sleeping bags and stuffed clothes into backpacks. No Wade.

  No doubt she’d scared him off last night, being so needy. It was probably better if he’d left early this morning. This time at least she’d have a positive memory. Maybe some day she’d meet her knight in shining armor, a guy with a sword to push back the darkness.

  Rebekah wandered back to the kitchen, and Sierra looked up from the butcher-block island. “Want to help? I’m doing scrambled eggs with ham.”

  “Sure.” Rebekah set down her mug and tightened the sash on the bathrobe. ‘What can I do?”

  “Slice the kale, maybe?” Sierra scooped up the ham she’d been chopping and dropped it on the range’s large griddle.

  “Wade said—” Rebekah felt the flush creeping up her face. Had he really left without saying goodbye? “He said that a lot of the food at the reception was from this farm.”