Scent of Cedar, page 7
part #1 of The Friendly Beasts of Faraday Series
As disappointed as she was by the fact he’d pulled away and let her go, she had to admit that soft, subtle touch of his lips to hers was more tantalizing than any other kiss she’d ever had. And if his intention was to make her desperate for another kiss, he’d succeeded in his evil plans.
When she met his gaze, though, he merely smiled and held out his hand to her. “I still need to find my tree. Are you up for more hunting?”
“Sure,” she said, taking his hand and walking with him a hundred yards further along the expanse of trees.
“This one, I think.” Rhett set down his bag and walked around another fir tree. It wasn’t as tall or as bushy as the one he’d cut for her, but the shape was holiday perfection.
“It’s lovely.”
He grinned and picked up the saw then scooted beneath the tree to cut it down. He pushed the saw in and out of the trunk a few times before he glanced at her over his shoulder. “You want to try cutting?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t…” Cedar realized she may never again have the opportunity to cut down a tree and decided to give it a whirl. “Why not?”
Rhett’s grin broadened and he motioned for her to join him in the snow. “Come over here.” He left the saw in the trunk and moved back so she could grasp it. Her movements were jerky as she struggled to find a rhythm.
“Like this,” Rhett said, sliding behind her, so his body was pressed close to her back. His arms encircled her then his hands settled on hers. He worked the saw back and forth a few times. “Do you have the hang of it now?”
“Not quite,” she said, willing him to stay right where he was.
“Okay,” he whispered and his breath grazed her cheek as he leaned in. “We’ll do it together.”
Cedar nodded, unable to speak with a wealth of sensations swirling through her at Rhett’s proximity and the notion that if she turned her head, his lips would be so temptingly close to hers.
The tree cracked and whooshed as the saw bit through the last of the trunk. It fell with a thud and snow showered them like powdered confetti. Cedar couldn’t hold back a squeal when cold snow snaked down her neck and melted in a frigid trickle along her spine. She shivered as Rhett hopped up and pulled her to her feet.
The heat in his eyes and the alluring set of his lips made a second shiver roll over her that had nothing to do with the cold.
“You afraid of a little snow?” he asked. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he backed away from her and filled his glove with snow.
“Rhett! Don’t you dare,” she warned before he tossed snow in her face. She spluttered and grabbed a handful of snow, trying to form it into a ball as she attempted to run through the knee-deep drifts.
She glanced over her shoulder to see Rhett laughing as he quickly formed several snowballs. He lobbed them at her as fast as he could throw them.
With a zigzag pattern that would have made a military fighter proud, she leaped behind a bushy pine tree for cover.
“You can’t hide there all day,” Rhett teased. His boots crunched on the snow as he neared her location.
She remained silent as she frantically packed snow into balls, preparing to launch a defense. Quietly, she peered around the tree, arm raised, ready to pelt him with a snowball.
What she wasn’t prepared for was Rhett to sneak around the other side of the tree and take her by surprise. He reached out to grab her, but she squirmed beyond his grasp.
“Not fair!” she yelled as she attempted to run away from him. Between their laughter and the snow hampering her movements, it only took him a few steps to catch her.
Rather than the frozen ball she anticipated landing in her face or down her neck, he gently tackled her, bringing her down softly in the snow.
Laughter spilled out of her as she rolled over to face him. He poised above her, propped up on his arms as he stared down at her. She immediately sobered when he lowered his head toward hers.
“Cedar,” he whispered in a husky tone.
She couldn’t tell if it was a question, asking permission, or a statement of surrender. At that point, she didn’t care. All she wanted was for Rhett to kiss her.
His eyes held hers for a sweet, lingering moment before his lips brushed against hers. The kiss was tender, tentative, an exchange of greeting. Then her hands wound around his neck and she heard him groan.
One moment she was on her back in the snow. The next, he’d rolled with her on top of him. His hands burrowed into her hair. He pulled her face down to his again and kissed her with such abandon and passion, Cedar marveled they didn’t melt the snow and end up floating in an icy lake.
With another hot, demanding kiss, she lost the ability to think of anything beyond how much she wanted Rhett to keep on kissing her. Her only thought was how right it felt to be in his arms.
He tasted of cinnamon from the gum he favored, and something she couldn’t define, something dark and wild, and entirely exciting. Something unique to Rhett Riggs.
She’d never experienced anything as wonderful, frightening, fabulous, or unsettling as those kisses. Surprised by her own ardent response, she could have lingered there in the snow until they both froze.
However, Rhett seemed to still have a few wits about him as he gave her one last kiss then let her go.
“Cedar, I’m sorry. That was…”
“Nice,” she said, smiling at him in wonder, still shocked by the fact he’d kissed her in the woods while they were hunting for Christmas trees. Or perhaps it was the shock that he’d kissed her more thoroughly than she’d ever been kissed. It may have even been the fact she didn’t want him to stop.
Emotions and feelings she’d long ago locked away flooded through her. It was ludicrous to be this interested in a man she just met and barely knew anything about.
Then again, she’d enjoyed spending time with Rhett more than she had any other man she’d dated. There was something about him, something that intrigued her, mystified her, and captivated her.
He kissed the tip of her nose and brushed a lock of hair from her face before he rolled onto his side, and hastily rose to his feet. He pulled Cedar up beside him and brushed the snow from her back then lifted his gloves from where he’d dropped them and shook snow from the fingers before pulling them on.
“We should probably head back.”
Unable to speak with her wits as scattered as her thoughts, she nodded her head.
Rhett tied ropes to the trunks of both trees then tipped his head toward his bag. “Would you mind carrying that for me?”
“It’s the least I can do,” Cedar said, lifting the bag. It was heavier than she expected, but she slid the strap over her head and carried the weight of it across her body with the bag balanced against her back. “I can drag one of the trees.”
Rhett shook his head and started forward. “I don’t think so, Cedar. What kind of gentleman would I be if I let a beautiful lady like you do the grunt labor?”
She smiled as she hurried to step around one of the trees and move beside him. “What kind, indeed?”
They kept their words to a minimum on the way back to Rhett’s pickup. The trek down the hill was much easier than going up. Even with the heavy bag bouncing against her back, Cedar didn’t feel as winded as she had climbing up.
When they reached the pickup, Rhett took two bright strips of paper from a pocket and fastened them to a limb on each tree.
“What are those?” Cedar asked as he hefted the trees into the back of his pickup with ease. She was so impressed by his display of brawn, she almost missed his answer.
“Tree permits.”
Confused, she lifted a rope and walked to the other side of the pickup as he tied down the trees. “Permits? For what?”
“You have to purchase a permit to cut down the trees.” He shrugged and tied off the rope. “These shouldn’t blow out, but the rope will make sure they stay put.”
“Wait,” she said as he stowed the bag in the back. “You purchased a permit for me? I’ll pay you back. I’ve got money in my purse.” She took a step toward the pickup door, but Rhett grabbed her hand, stopping her.
“It was five bucks, Cedar. No big deal. Don’t worry about it. I was buying one for me, anyway, and before you offer gas money and insult me, don’t. I would have driven out here regardless, so just enjoy the gift and the day. Okay?”
She nodded, although she fully intended to pay him back. If not in cash for the permit and his gas, then in a gift he had to accept. She just needed to figure out what Rhett liked.
Rhett opened the back door to his pickup and lifted out what looked like a picnic basket. He held it up and grinned at her. “Hungry?”
“I am.” Cedar realized she was starving. She’d barely touched her yogurt that morning, too nervous to eat. Between the fresh air, the hike, and cutting down her first Christmas tree, she’d worked up an appetite.
“Did you think of everything?” she asked as Rhett led the way across the meadow to a stream. He seemed to know exactly where he was going because he handed her the basket then used his coat sleeve to brush the snow off a picnic table and bench.
He took the basket from her, set it on a bench, and then opened the lid. He took out a red-checked cloth and spread it on the table with a rascally grin, then proceeded to set out the food. Ham and turkey sandwiches, crisp pickles, and potato salad made for a filling meal, especially when he produced a thermos of hot chocolate. When Cedar finished, he took out a tin of cookies and handed it to her. She bit into the buttery goodness of a sugar cookie and closed her eyes, trying to think of the last time she’d eaten anything homemade and half that delicious. “Did you make these?” she asked, helping herself to another cookie.
Rhett chuckled. “No. My friends’ parents own the café in town where we ate the other night. The Millers are great folks and Barbara is a fabulous cook. She makes all the desserts herself. When I mentioned I was tree hunting today, she offered to put together a picnic lunch for me.”
“I’ll be sure to stop in soon to let her know it was wonderful.” Cedar finished her cookie and sipped the hot chocolate. “This was so kind of you, Rhett. I’ve never had a day like this before. It isn’t one I’ll soon forget.”
“You’re welcome, Cedar. Everyone should have at least one Christmas tree hunting adventure in a lifetime.”
“Thank you for giving me one.” She held up her cup of chocolate and he toasted hers before popping another cookie in his mouth.
“Do you cook?” she asked, trying to picture Rhett standing at a stove wearing an apron. The image made her bite back a giggle.
He gave her an odd look, before he shook his head. “Not really. I can make a mean pot of chili and a few other things in the slow cooker. My best friend’s grandpa taught me how to grill a good steak and I don’t do too shabby making eggs and bacon. That’s about it. How about you?”
“Your culinary talents far surpass mine. My parents always had a chef and Juniper and I never learned to cook.”
“Anything? You can’t cook anything?” He sounded slightly disappointed. “What do you eat?”
“Salads and yogurt, mostly.”
Rhett rolled his eyes. “No wonder you don’t weigh anything.”
Uncertain if that was a compliment or an insult, Cedar decided to let it go and instead focused on the stream where a doe and fawn had stopped to get a drink on the opposite bank. The scene looked like something from an ornate Christmas card. Cedar had never seen anything so glorious in her life.
“Look, Rhett,” she whispered, pointing toward the water.
He nodded and quietly pulled his phone from inside his coat pocket and snapped a few photos.
“They’re so beautiful,” Cedar said when the deer wandered away. She rested her chin on her upraised hand and released a contented sigh.
“Beautiful,” Rhett murmured.
She turned to find him staring not at the retreating wildlife, but at her. Disconcerted by the intensity of his gaze, she rose and began packing up their lunch. “I suppose we better get back.”
“Probably.” He didn’t seem in a rush as he helped her place the leftovers in the picnic basket then accepted her help in folding the tablecloth. His hand closed around hers as he picked up the basket with his other and they made their way to his pickup.
He set the basket inside and started the truck while Cedar removed the snow bib he’d given her to wear. Rhett stripped out of his and tossed them in the backseat, along with his coat. He gave Cedar a hand in, although she certainly didn’t need it, then ran around and slid behind the wheel.
On the way back to Faraday, they talked about the town and the businesses there, as well as some of the more colorful residents.
“Do you happen to know my neighbor?” she asked as they neared her home.
“Which one?” Rhett asked as he turned off the highway and drove up her lane.
“That one.” Cedar pointed across the pasture where the camel stood in the sunshine watching their arrival. “It seems odd he’s never returned my calls or responded to the notes I left about Lolly. Not that she’s a problem, now, but I heard Mr. Bolton was rather eccentric. I suppose one would have to be to own a camel.”
“Camels are rather hard to come by,” Rhett answered in a cryptic tone then gave her a wary look as he parked the pickup close to the front walk.
Chapter Seven
Rhett felt like squirming in his seat as Cedar continued to look at him in question. He couldn’t outright lie to her about her neighbor’s identity, but after the awesome day he’d just spent with her, he sure didn’t want to admit that he was the kooky curmudgeon who lived across the fence.
Rather than answer her, he’d uttered some nonsense about the availability of camels. Hopefully, he could get her so interested in decorating her tree, she’d forget all about her neighbor.
At some point, he knew he’d have to tell her the truth — that Lolly belonged to him. But today wasn’t that day. Not when he’d enjoyed her company so much.
And those kisses… man, alive! For a prim and proper girl, she sure knew how to kiss. In truth, kissing her was different from any kiss he’d ever experienced before, and that had been a considerable number over the years.
Cedar set his blood on fire, yet it was more than that. When their lips connected, when he held her in his arms, he’d felt like he’d finally come home. The very notion of it was pure ridiculousness, but there it was just the same.
Disturbed by his thoughts, he grinned at Cedar and opened his door. “Are you ready to deck the halls?”
“Well, I, um…” She appeared hesitant to say more as they both got out of the pickup.
“What’s wrong, Cedar?” he asked as he loosened the rope and hefted her tree from his pickup. He set it on the sidewalk and gave it a few good taps to loosen the snow still clinging to the branches. “If you get your tree stand, I’ll set this up for you.”
“That’s the thing,” she said, looking up at him with those gorgeous blue eyes that made his heart do back flips. “I don’t have a tree stand. I ordered some ornaments, but they aren’t, um…”
Rhett leaned the tree against his pickup, brushed off his hands and smiled. “Let’s see what you’ve got. We can run to the hardware store for a tree stand and whatever else you need.”
“Okay,” she said, leading the way down the sidewalk and inside her home. Rhett loved the hardwood floors and the character of the big, old house. He liked that she hadn’t turned it into a modern, sleek place full of glass and chrome. Instead, the furniture, though new, fit the period of the house while appearing comfortable and welcoming. The house, like its owner, radiated warmth and elegance.
“I really like what you’ve done with this old place,” Rhett said, running his hand over the polished banister of the stairs as they walked past it and down the hall to the kitchen. He’d brought over pizza the other evening, so he’d seen her kitchen, but not much of the rest of the house.
Cedar pointed to a large box sitting on the floor by a sofa in the family room. “That’s all I have.”
“What’s in there?” Rhett watched as she pulled out four packages of garland with fake holly berries, two foot-high trees made of bark and dusted with glitter, and a fat, jolly Father Christmas figurine dressed in dark green velvet standing next to a burgundy bag full of wrapped presents. She had two strings of white twinkle lights and a package of glittery snowflakes. It was obvious everything was brand new. He’d never seen anyone in as desperate need of a Christmas intervention than this beguiling woman.
She sank down on the edge of the sofa and gave him a hopeful look. “Will any of this work?”
“Sure, we’ll just need to pick up a few things. I’ll run my tree home then come back and pick you up. We can find what you need here in town.” Rhett moved toward the hallway.
Cedar followed him, appearing relieved. “Great! I’ll come with you then you won’t have to come back for me.”
“No,” he barked, unwilling for her to discover he lived on the other side of the pasture. At her deflated look, he scrambled to reassure her. “I just meant that you’ve been out in the cold for longer than you’re used to. Why don’t you take a few minutes to warm up while I run home? It won’t take me long then we can get what you need for your tree.”
“Oh, okay,” she said, following him to the door.
He turned the knob, prepared to escape, when she placed a hand on his arm. He looked down at her, saw tears glistening in her eyes, and felt acute pain stab his heart. “Thank you for helping me find a tree, Rhett. I think it might be the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
Without a moment of hesitation, he pulled her into his arms. The voice in his head shouting at him to race out the door and never look back warred with the whispers from his heart encouraging him to never let Cedar go.
“It was my pleasure, Cedar.” Rhett stepped away from her and opened the door. “Stay in here and warm up. I’ll be back before you know it.”
Before he left, he carried her tree up on the porch and leaned it against the wall near the door, then jogged back to his pickup. Rather than drive straight home, in fear she might be watching, he drove back toward town, took a side road, and wound his way back around to his place. He placed his tree in a stand, carried it inside, and set it on a plastic tablecloth to keep water and snow off the floor. He filled the tree stand with water then rushed outside. After checking on Rover and Murray, and warning Lolly to stay out of trouble, he sent a text to his three closest friends and hurried back to Cedar’s place.
