What She Wants for Christmas by Janice Kay Johnson

Author:Janice Kay Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1996-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

TERESA SLOWED her car and peered at the large black mailbox: 2963. Bingo.

A gravel driveway curved into a thick stand of cedar and fir. In the late-afternoon light the woods were dark, but an understory of ferns, salal and huckleberry crept out to edge the drive.

With startling suddenness, her car emerged into a clearing. Ahead was a magnificent modern home with a high peaked roof, river-rock chimney and gleaming windows reaching from floor level to beams. To one side of the driveway, Joe’s chestnut quarter horse grazed in a fenced pasture; he lifted his head to gaze disinterestedly at her passing car. She reached a Y. One direction led on to the house, the other to a huge metal building set inconspicuously at the edge of the woods.

Teresa parked in front of the house and sat gaping. Joe lived here? The extent of her surprise made her think about her perception of him. It was easy to stereotype anyone; maybe, on one level, she had dismissed him as a local yokel.

But she didn’t think so. It was more that this house was so big for a man who’d never been married. What did he do with so much square footage? Had he maybe intended to get married when he built it? He hadn’t mentioned a near miss, but then she hadn’t asked. And she was beginning to realize how uncommunicative he really was.

She shook her head. Was she going to sit here until bedtime? Then she grimaced at the double meaning. There wouldn’t be any bedtime with Joe Hughes until he did some explaining. And maybe not afterward.

Especially, a small voice whispered in her ear, if he’s not interested anymore.

His pickup was here, but if he was home, it seemed funny he hadn’t come out to see who’d driven in. Maybe, in a house this size, he hadn’t heard her arrive.

She left her keys and purse in the car. All the better for a quick getaway. Going up to the front door and ringing the bell, Teresa wished she’d been here before, so she didn’t feel quite so much like a trespasser. She couldn’t help thinking that if he’d wanted her here, he would have invited her. She squeezed her eyes shut, summoning up a snapshot of his face, tender and exultant, as he made love to her. He had no business looking at a woman that way if she wasn’t welcome in his house.

She’d heard the doorbell ring, but no one answered it. She turned and surveyed his domain. If he was in the barn, he’d have heard her. She supposed she ought to try the big metal building, since she’d come this far.

The sound of the door opening brought her around sharply.

“Yes?” Joe said curtly. Then he saw who was there, and a muscle jerked in his cheek. “Teresa.”

The way he’d said her name told her nothing, not even whether she’d really surprised him.

Her heart was suddenly pounding so hard it sounded like a war drum to her.

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