Читать книгу The Winner Takes It All: Winning Back His Wife / In Her Rival's Arms / Royally Seduced - Melissa McClone - Страница 11

GET SARAH HOME. Get her well. Get her back where she belonged.

Driving to Hood Hamlet on Highway 26, Cullen focused on the road and tried to ignore the woman seated next to him. Not an easy thing to do with the scent of her sweet, floral shampoo tickling his nostrils. He grasped the leather-covered steering wheel with his hands in the ten and two o’clock positions, exactly as he’d been taught in driver’s ed.

He’d rarely driven this way as a teenager. “Hell on Wheels” best described his brother’s and his driving styles back then. But after Blaine had overdosed, Cullen prided himself on doing things, including driving, the right way, the correct way, to make things easier on his grieving parents. He’d made some stupid mistakes in the past, but he hoped he wouldn’t make any more where Sarah was involved.

As he pressed harder on the accelerator to pass a semitruck, he fought the urge to sneak a peek at her. He’d done that too many times since leaving Seattle. Concentrating on the road in front of him was better. Safer. He flicked on the blinker to return to his own lane.

“You haven’t touched your milk shake,” Sarah said.

The meaningless, polite conversation of the past four hours made him wish for a high-tech transporter beam that could carry them to the cabin in less than a nanosecond. He’d settle for silence, even the uncomfortable kind of quiet that made you squirm while you struggled to think of something to say. He stretched his neck to one side, then the other. “I’m not that thirsty.”

Cullen hadn’t had much of an appetite since last night. He hadn’t slept much, either, tossing and turning until the sheets strangled him like a boa constrictor. He rolled his shoulders to loosen the bunched muscles.

“You’re missing out. My chocolate milk shake is delicious.”

Sarah sounded as though she was smiling. A quick glance her way—he couldn’t help himself—showed she wasn’t. Her lips were tight.

She stirred her drink with the straw. “Thanks for suggesting we stop.”

Making stops along the way had allowed her to walk around and change positions, but had added time to the drive. “You needed to stretch your legs.”

Their final stop hadn’t been all about Sarah. The truck had felt cramped. Confined. He’d needed some fresh air and space.

“If you’d rather have chocolate, we can trade.” She held out her cup to him. “I like vanilla.”

Memories of other road trips to rock climb flashed through his mind. Stopping to buy two different kinds of milk shakes had become the routine. Sharing them during the drive had been the norm. Pulling over to have sex had been his favorite break. Hers, too.

Whoa. Don’t go there. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Thanks, but I’m good.”

“Suit yourself, but I’m willing to share.”

Her lips closed over the end of the straw sticking out of the cup. She sipped. Swallowed.

His groin twinged. Blood boiled. Sweat coated his palms.

Damn. He needed to cool off. Quickly. “I’m happy with mine.”

Cullen snagged his milk shake from the cup holder and sucked a mouthful through the straw. The cold vanilla drink hit the spot. A few more sips and his temperature might return to normal.

He was much too aware of her—from the way she glanced sideward at him to the crooked part in her hair. Things he shouldn’t notice or care about.

And he didn’t. Care, that is.

But now that she was an arm’s distance away, her feminine warmth and softness called to him like a PLB, personal locator beacon, beckoning in the night. Only, no one was lost. Nothing was lost except the impulsive, reckless side of who he used to be. The side Sarah brought out in him. The side he had buried alongside his brother.

Sure, Cullen missed the sex. What man wouldn’t? But he’d been surviving without it. Without her. Celibacy was the better choice for now. Blaine had lost himself in drugs. Cullen had seen what losing control did to a man, to his brother. He wouldn’t lose himself in Sarah.

He returned his drink to the cup holder. Maybe if he didn’t say anything to her, she wouldn’t talk to him.

“Is Hood Hamlet much farther?” Sarah asked.

So much for that tactic. He gritted his teeth. “Twenty-five minutes if we don’t hit any traffic.”

“That sounds pretty exact.”

He’d been checking the clock on the dashboard every five minutes for the past two hours. “I drive this way to the hospital.”

“You work in Portland, right?” she asked.

Great, more small talk. “Gresham. Northeast of the city.”

“A long commute.”

“Twelve-hour shifts help.”

“Still a lot of driving,” she said. “Why do you live so far away?”

He tapped his left foot. “I like Hood Hamlet.”

“There have to be closer places.”

“Yes, but I prefer the mountain.”

“Why?”

“It’s…”

“What?”

“Charming.”

“You’ve never been one for charming,” she said. “You thought Leavenworth was, and I quote, ‘a Bavarian-inspired tourist trap on steroids.’”

He had said that of the small town on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains. “I liked climbing there.”

“Nothing else.”

He’d liked spending time with her in Leavenworth. A glance at the speedometer made him ease up on the gas pedal. “Hood Hamlet is different.”

“Different, how?”

“There’s something special about it.”

“Special?”

He nodded. “Almost…magical.”

She half laughed as if the joke was on him. “When did you start believing in magic?”

He understood her incredulous tone. A year ago he would have laughed at such a thought himself. After Blaine died, Cullen’s belief in any kind of “magic” had died, too. He hadn’t believed in anything that wasn’t quantifiable—whether it was a diagnosis or a cure. Everything had to have an explanation. The one thing in his life that defied reason—his relationship with Sarah—had blown up in his face. “It’s hard not to believe when you’re there. A lot of people feel the same way.”

“Must be something in the water,” she joked.

A trained scientist like Sarah wouldn’t understand. He’d been the same way until three things had changed his mind—the rescue of two climbers trapped in a snow cave last November, the town pulling off its Christmas Magic celebration in mid-December and Leanne Thomas getting engaged on Christmas Day. The three events had defied logic, but had happened anyway. “Maybe.”

“The mountain air, perhaps,” she teased.

“You never know.” But he knew it was neither of those things.

“Whatever it is, I hope it’s not contagious.”

“I have no doubt you’re immune as long as Mount Hood remains dormant.”

He expected her to contradict him, if only to argue with him. She didn’t.

“What else does the town have beside magic?” Sarah asked.

“The people. It’s a great community.” He’d realized how supportive they truly were with the numerous offers of help following Sarah’s accident. “Very welcoming to strangers. That’s how I ended up moving there. I’d driven up to Mount Hood on a day off. I had lunch at the local brewpub and met the owner, Jake Porter. When he found out I was involved with mountain rescue in Seattle, he told me about their local unit, OMSAR. He invited me to go climbing, and we did. I met a few more people. One told me about a cabin for rent. Next thing I knew, I was signing my name on a year lease.”

“That’s serendipity, not magic.”

“Semantics,” he countered.

“A year lease is a commitment.”

“It’s worked out fine.”

“That’s great, but I prefer a month-to-month lease.”

Of course she would. A month-to-month marriage would have been her first choice if that had been allowed. “You’ve always liked to give yourself an out with everything you do.”

Sarah stiffened. “I know better than to back myself into a corner.”

She’d always been independent, but she sounded defensive, as if the world were against her. He hadn’t meant to attack her. “Someone might be there to help you escape.”

“I’d rather not deal with the consequences if they’re not.”

So jaded. He hoped their separation hadn’t done this to her. “People can surprise you.”

“They usually do, but not in the way I expect.”

Cullen wasn’t sure what she meant, but the tip of a knife seemed to be pressing against his heart. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer, but curiosity compelled him to ask the question. “Does that include me?”

“Yes.”

The knife pierced his heart. Her answer shouldn’t have surprised him. She was impulsive and impatient with a tendency to erupt like the volcanoes she loved so much. He’d tried to take care of her when they were married, but she’d pushed him away. He’d tried to make her happy, but she never seemed happy enough. A lot like Blaine. Cullen’s jaw tightened to the point of aching. “Care to elaborate?”

“You’ve been great about my accident.” Gratitude shone in her eyes. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

He felt the tension in his jaw ease. “Couples in our situation can be friendly to each other.”

She nodded. “Especially when divorce is what we both want.”

The knife dug a little deeper into his heart. “It is.”

A cheery love song played on the radio. The upbeat tempo was the antithesis of how he felt. He fought the urge to press the power switch so the music would stop.

“I’m glad you found the place you belong,” Sarah said.

“Hood Hamlet is the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time.” He remembered the list he’d put together of places they could live after he finished his residency. Portland had been near the top because of the Cascades Volcano Observatory in nearby Vancouver, Washington, but he’d never considered Mount Hood. And wouldn’t have if they’d stayed together. “The only drawback is everyone wants to know everybody’s business.”

She clucked her tongue. “Typical small town.”

“I sometimes forget how small.”

“Does that mean people are going to be talking about us?” He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “They already are.”

“Why is that?”

Cullen shouldn’t have said anything. His stomach roiled.

“Why?” Her voice rose.

His palms sweated. He wiped one on his jeans. “No one in Hood Hamlet knew I was married until your accident.”

Her mouth gaped. She closed it. “Why didn’t you tell them?”

He didn’t want to admit he’d been nursing a wound so deep when he arrived in town he wasn’t sure he would recover. But he had. And he was doing fine until she’d crashed back into his world. “You were no longer a part of my life. I could start over in Hood Hamlet with a clean slate once the divorce was finalized.”

The color drained from her face. Hurt clouded her eyes. “You pretended to be single.”

Her tone and stiff posture put him on the defensive. “Not intentionally.”

She turned toward the window.

“Hey, I’m not the bad guy here.” He lowered his voice. “Don’t forget you’re the one who brought up a divorce.”

“True, but you agreed,” she countered. “And I didn’t move to a new town and act like I was single.”

“I didn’t act that way, either,” he explained.

She stared at her cast with a downtrodden gaze. “Sure you didn’t.”

“I didn’t.” Her reaction surprised him. They’d been separated and hadn’t seen each other for almost a year. Divorce was a mere formality. “What were people supposed to think? I moved to Hood Hamlet alone. I wasn’t wearing a wedding band. No one asked if I’d been married, so I saw no a reason to tell them.”

Sarah had grasped her milk shake so hard she’d put a dent in the cup. “If they had asked?”

Not carrying around the baggage of a failed marriage had helped him move on. He’d never expected anyone, including Sarah, to find out. But by trying to make things easier on himself over this past year, he’d made them harder now. For Sarah, too. “I would have told the truth.”

She bit her lower lip. “No wonder people are talking.”

“Friends were with me when you were in ICU. They had questions.”

She lifted her chin. “What do your friends know about our situation?”

“Not much.”

“Cullen…”

She sounded more annoyed than hurt. But he wouldn’t call that progress. “They know we’ve been separated for almost a year but are together now.”

She drew back with alarm. “Together?”

“For now.”

Her mouth twisted.

“While you recover,” he clarified.

“Well, I hope it won’t take me long to get better so you can make your fresh start in Hood Hamlet and I can get back to Mount Baker.”

At least they agreed on something. “Me, too. Except you can’t rush through your recovery. If you focus on one day at a time, you’ll get to where you’re supposed to be.”

And so would he.

Then they could both get on with their lives separately.

Cullen couldn’t wait for that to happen.

Sarah couldn’t wait to arrive in Hood Hamlet. The drive had been uncomfortable and painful to her injuries, but also to her heart. She couldn’t change what had happened with Cullen. She could only learn from her mistakes and move forward with her life. That was what she needed to do. He already seemed to have done that. She hated that knowing he’d moved on twisted up her insides.

She stared out the truck’s window. The highway snaked up Mount Hood, giving panoramic views of the tree-covered mountainside. The dark green of the pines contrasted with the cornflower-blue sky. Breathtaking. She couldn’t get Cullen’s image out of her head.

He’d shaved, removing the sexy stubble from his face. But he still looked totally hot, with the strong profile she knew by heart, warm blue eyes fringed by thick dark lashes that danced with laughter and lush lips perfect for kisses.

Had been perfect. Past tense.

A ballad played on the radio. The lyrics spoke of heartbreak and loneliness, two things she was familiar with.

But Sarah knew she and Cullen were better off apart. He’d found the place he belonged—Hood Hamlet. She’d never had that, not even when they’d lived together. Once she finished her postdoc she would keep looking until she found the haven she’d been searching for her whole life.

After a childhood of being shuttled between parents and stepparents as if she were a smelly dog no one wanted, she didn’t need much. Nothing big and fancy, just a place where she belonged and mattered. Where she was loved.

She’d thought she found that with Cullen, but she’d been wrong. After a few months of marriage she’d seen the familiar signs. But she was older and wiser and knew what was going to happen. Only, this time she didn’t have to wait to be shuffled off and abandoned. She could be the one to leave before that happened.

Cullen touched her forearm. “Sarah…”

She jumped. The seat belt kept her in place, but her cast hit the door with a thud.

“You okay?” he asked.

Anxiety rose like the pressure building inside Yellowstone’s Old Faithful. But Sarah couldn’t afford to erupt. She swallowed around the caldera-size lump in her throat. The stronger she appeared, the more in control, the sooner she could return to Bellingham and work. She nodded, afraid her voice might quiver like her insides.

“We’re coming into Hood Hamlet,” he said.

He flicked on the left-hand blinker. The traffic heading west slowed. He turned onto a wide street. A gas station and convenience store sat on one corner, and trees lined the left side of the road, the treetops glistening in the sun. A short distance away she saw the peaks of roofs.

She didn’t believe in magic, but anticipation built over seeing this town Cullen called home.

The truck rounded a curve. Hood Hamlet came into view. Surprise washed over her. It was lovely. Picture-book perfect. Sarah could almost imagine herself in the Swiss Alps, not the Cascades, due to the architecture of the buildings.

“Welcome to Hood Hamlet.” Cullen’s voice held a note of reverence she understood now. No wonder he wanted to live here.

An Alpine-looking inn resembled a life-size four-story gingerbread house. A vacancy sign out front swayed from a wood post. Flowers bloomed in planters hung beneath each of the wood-framed windows and from baskets fastened on wood rafters. “It’s so quaint.”

They approached a busier part of the street. He slowed down. “This is Main Street.”

A row of shops and restaurants had a covered wooden sidewalk. People popped in and out of stores. A woman with three children waved at Cullen.

He returned the gesture with a smile. “That’s Hannah Willingham with her kids, Kendall, Austin and Tyler. Her husband, Garrett, is a CPA and OMSAR’s treasurer.”

A feeling of warmth settled at the center of Sarah’s chest. “Charming is the perfect way to describe Hood Hamlet.”

“You should see the place at Christmastime. The town goes all out.”

Hood Hamlet was made for Christmas, with its mountain setting, ample snow and pine trees. She would love to see it in person. Too bad she would be long gone by then. “It must be wonderful.”

“A winter wonderland.” His eyes brightened. “There’s an annual tree-lighting ceremony after Thanksgiving. The entire town turns out no matter the weather. Wreaths and garland are hung across Main Street. Every streetlight is strung with red and white lights to look like candy canes.”

It sounded so inviting and special. Her Christmases had never been like that. No holiday had been. “Is Easter a big deal in Hood Hamlet, too?”

“The town holds an annual egg hunt. It’s pretty low-key. Nothing like the shindig my mom and sisters put on. They could teach the Easter Bunny a thing or two,” he joked.

She’d found nothing humorous about it. Her hands balled. “Easter at your parents’ house was like stepping into the middle of a magazine spread or home-decorating show.”

“Holidays are big deals to my family.”

No kidding. “Your mom and sisters put Martha Stewart to shame. It was exhausting watching them do so much.” Easter with Cullen and his family had shown Sarah how different their childhoods and lives had been. Her parents didn’t do much for the holidays. Meals, special occasion or not, were eaten in front of the television or in the car, or they were skipped. She’d planned a wedding that had never happened, but she didn’t know how to cook for a huge crowd or be a proper hostess. No way could she be the kind of wife Cullen and his family expected. “I tried to help, but I only slowed them down.”

“Yeah, they go all out,” he agreed. “I love it.”

Cullen’s words confirmed what Sarah had realized back then. She would never be able to pass muster with the Grays. Her shoulders sagged. The pain shooting down her right arm matched the hurt in her heart. She forced herself to sit straight.

“Holidays are more down-to-earth in Hood Hamlet, but nice, too. Lots of town traditions,” he continued. “Santa and the Easter Bunny have been known to show up on Main Street to have their picture taken with kids and pets.”

Pets? He’d never talked about animals before. “Do you have a pet?”

“No, but if I wasn’t gone for so long when I work, I might consider getting one.”

“I thought you didn’t like dogs and cats.”

“I like them, but my mom’s allergic,” he said. “One of the guys on the rescue unit has a Siberian husky named Denali. She’s a cool dog.”

“Get a cat. They’re independent. A good pet for someone who is away a lot. Especially if you have two. That’s what my boss Tucker says.”

“I don’t know if I’m a cat person. I’d like to know a pet cares if I’m around or not.”

She knew the feeling. “Cats care, but they don’t show it.”

“Then what’s the use of having one?”

Sarah could have asked him the same question about having a husband. His serious nature and stability had appealed to her when they’d first met. He’d been the exact opposite of the other men in her life, the same men who had disappointed and hurt her. But after they’d married she realized the traits that initially appealed to her kept him from being spontaneous or showing a lot of emotion, leaving her feeling isolated and alone, like when she’d been a kid.

The one emotion he’d had no difficulty expressing was desire. No issues in that department. A heated flush rushed through her, along with more memories she’d rather forget. “You’re better off without a pet.”

Cullen made a left-hand turn onto a narrow street that wound its way through trees. Homes and cabins were interspersed among the pines.

“This is convenient to Main Street,” she said.

“Especially to the brewpub.”

Cullen’s former mountain-rescue unit in Seattle went out for beers after missions, but call outs hadn’t been weekly occurrences. She couldn’t imagine rescues were that frequent on Mount Hood. He must like to go out with his friends.

No doubt women were involved. Her left hand balled into a fist. She flexed her fingers. “That must come in handy on Friday and Saturday nights.”

“Very handy.”

The thought of Cullen with another woman sent a shudder through Sarah. “Who do you go to the brewpub with?”

“Mostly OMSAR members and a few firefighters.”

“Nice guys?”

“Yes, but not all are men.”

Her shoulders tensed. This was none of her business. Some people dated before a divorce was finalized. She shouldn’t care or be upset over what Cullen did.

A quarter mile down the road, he turned the truck onto a short driveway and parked in front of a small, single-story cabin. “This is it.”

Sarah stared in disbelief. She’d been expecting an A-frame, not something that belonged in a storybook. The log cabin was delightful, with wood beams and small-paned windows. A planter containing colorful flowers sat next to the front door. “It’s adorable. I half expect to see Snow White walk out the front door, followed by the seven dwarfs.”

He stopped the truck and set the parking brake. “It was used as a vacation rental so has curb appeal, but I wouldn’t go that far.”

“You have to admit it’s cute.”

He pulled the keys out of the ignition. “It suits my purpose.”

She opened the passenger door. “I can’t wait to see the inside.”

“Stay there.” Cullen exited, crossed in front of the truck and stood next to her. He extended his arm. “I’ll help you inside.”

She’d noticed his manners the first time they met. She’d appreciated the gentlemanly behavior. It wasn’t something she was used to and it made her feel special. Too bad she hadn’t felt as special after they married. Ignoring her soreness, she reached for his hand. “Thanks.”

“Go slowly.” He wrapped his hand around her waist. “I’ll get the luggage once you’re settled.”

She wasn’t about to argue. Not when the warmth of his skin sent heat rushing through her veins. All she had to do was make it to the front door and inside the cabin. Then she could let go and catch her breath.

Cullen escorted her toward the cabin as if she was as delicate as a snowflake. She took cautious steps, fighting the urge to hurry so she could let go of him. The scent of him embraced her. Every point of contact was sweet torture. Relief nearly knocked her over when she reached the porch step.

He squeezed her hand. “Careful.”

Yes, she needed to be careful around Cullen. Reactions to him could bring disaster down on her already hurting head.

Reaching around her with his other hand, he unlocked the door. A feeling of déjà vu washed over her. When they’d arrived in Seattle after eloping, Cullen had taken her to his apartment. He’d swept her up into his arms and carried her over the threshold. The romantic gesture had sent her heart singing and told her she hadn’t made a mistake eloping.

“It’s a good thing Snow White and her crew aren’t here, or this place would be too crowded.” He pushed open the door with his foot. “Go on in.”

No romance today. Sarah hated the twinge of disappointment arcing through her. She released his hand and stepped through the doorway.

The decor was comfortable and inviting. The kitchen was small but functional, with stainless-steel appliances and a tiled island with a breakfast bar. The bar stools matched the pine table and six chairs in the dining room that separated the kitchen from the living room. “Nice place.”

A river-rock fireplace with a wood mantel on the far wall drew her attention. She imagined a crackling fire would be nice when the temperature dropped. A large television was tucked into the space above the fireplace. A three-cushion, overstuffed leather couch was positioned in front of the fireplace/TV to the left. The perfect place to relax after a long day. Log-pole coffee- and end tables, as well as photographs and artwork, added a touch of the outdoors to the rustic yet welcoming decor. “You got new furniture.”

He closed the door behind him. “I rented this place furnished.”

“Did you put your stuff in storage?”

“I sold it.”

She glanced around. Nothing looked familiar. “Everything?”

“Most of it was castoffs from friends and family anyway. No sense dragging all that old stuff here with me.”

Sarah ignored a flash of hurt. She’d given him a framed photograph from Red Rocks on their first wedding anniversary. And then she remembered. “A fresh start.”

“Yes.”

“Nice cabin.” Much nicer than any place she’d ever lived, including the apartment they’d shared. “I can see why you signed a year lease.”

“I’m comfortable here.”

If she’d ever wondered if Cullen needed her, Sarah had her answer today. He didn’t need her. He had a nice place to live, friends and a good job. His life was complete without her.

Too bad she couldn’t say the same thing about her life without him.