Only You (7 page)

“If you give me the opportunity, we could sure find out,” he said softly.

“Cole! I got that new level in that you ordered.” Mr. DeFoe from the hardware stood by their picnic blanket, smiling down at them as if he hadn’t just interrupted a sensually charged moment.

Cole’s frustration was telling in the way a muscle ticked in his jaw. Josie had to admit, she felt a little relieved by the interruption. She undid a button on her blouse and fanned herself with the fabric.

“Thanks, Mr. DeFoe,” Cole said, but didn’t stop looking at her as he spoke. “I’ll come by later and pick it up.”

“Fine lookin’ level. I’ve had it out playing with it all mornin’. Yep, it’s as true as true can be.”

Cole just smiled as he ran his fingertips around her kneecap. “Glad to hear it. See you later today, then.”

“Oh!” The short and stocky man took a step back, as if he just realized he
had
interrupted something. “Yes, well, maybe you can have a look at those shelves in the back of my store when you come by. They could use some shoring up.”

Cole sighed. “Be glad to.”

“Well, then.
Ahem
. Yes—Miss Josie.” The older man nodded at Josie.

She brushed Cole’s hand away from her knee. “Mr. DeFoe.”

When the man finally moved on, Josie and Cole laughed. Glad that the atmosphere was slightly less charged, she unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite. “
Mmm
. . . there is nothing better than Dixie’s chicken salad.” She sipped her tea. “Except for maybe her iced tea.” The ultra sweet amber liquid tasted like nectar.

He bit into his sandwich as well. “Dixie’s the best cook around, that’s for sure.”

After they had both eaten most of their sandwiches, Cole said, “You know, Miss Estelee agreed that the angel monument was just the spot for us to have a picnic,” Cole said.

Surprised, Josie asked, “You and Miss Estelee discussed our having lunch together?”

“Well, you see, she called me this mornin’ and insisted I come by and trim her boxwoods. Let’s just say she was in a talkative mood today. She actually suggested that I bring you here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Said that she used to sit on that park bench over there with her only love.”

“I didn’t know she ever married,” Josie said, a little breathless.

“Don’t believe she did, but she says if a fella wants to start things off right with a lady, he should take her to the angel monument early on.” He paused, then said, “You know, it was erected just before the Civil War to watch over and protect the town. Miss Estelee’s family commissioned a sculptor for the angel. My great-great grandfather made the brick pedestal he stands on.”

“I had no idea.” He had her head swimming from his talk of only loves and beginnings. Why did things suddenly feel like they were spinning out of control?

“Miss Estelee also puts in the flowers here every spring.”

“She plants them herself?” Josie asked, surprised.

“Nah. I set ’em out for her. She always chooses something red.”

She smiled. “It must be her favorite color. I remember her wearing a new red dress to Christmas Eve services every year.”

Josie glanced up at the angel monument. The warrior angel stood passive, holding a sword by its hilt, point down, a vigilant look on his handsome face. She suddenly realized that Cole bore a striking resemblance to the winged man the artist had immortalized in bronze.

“Do you look like your great-great grandfather, Cole?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Why?”

She pointed up at the statue. “You look like the angel. I was just wondering if the sculptor maybe used your great-great grandfather as a model.”

He laughed and stared up at the angel. “Who knows?”

“Tell me something, Cole. Do you believe there are angels in Angel Ridge?”

He grinned, “What? You wondering if they’ve appeared to every generation of Craigs since the town was founded?”

“Well, yes,” she admitted.

Cole took her hand and softly said, “I’m looking at the only angel I’ve ever seen in Angel Ridge.”

The foot traffic seemed to die down. The tension between her and Cole was so thick, Josie found it difficult to breathe.

“Maybe we should meet at one o’clock tomorrow,” he suggested, his voice husky.

All of a sudden, she couldn’t focus on anything but Cole’s lips so close to hers. Josie nodded. “Maybe there’d be less people around later in the day.”

He grinned mischievously. “I thought I’d just take you to that clearing up in the tall pines. It’s nice and quiet up there.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen it,” she admitted. Of course, she’d heard of it. It was kind of like Angel Ridge’s version of Lovers’ Lane. All couples went there to make out at least once in the course of their courtship.

He touched her face. “I’d love to be the one to show it to you.”

Without thinking, she leaned into his touch. She couldn’t deny that she’d like to find out what it would be like to be kissed. Really kissed. She was sure it would be nothing like the kisses she’s shared with the men she’d dated in the past. Those kisses had been nothing special. And she had to admit that being kissed by someone like Cole made the prospect much more exciting. She’d worry about the consequences later.

He slowly leaned forward.
This is it. It’s going to happen. He’s going to kiss me.
But instead of her mouth, his lips brushed warmly across her cheek.

She sighed, disappointed. Covering his hand with hers, she pressed it against her cheek. She’d like nothing better than to kiss him, but she was old-fashioned enough to want him to make the first move. Still, they needed more privacy than the Town Square provided.

So, she suggested, “Maybe you could show me that clearing up in the tall pines . . . now.”

Chapter Four

Josie stared up at Cole. Desire had darkened her golden eyes to a beguiling shade of hot amber. He shifted. Taking Josie up to the lovers’ clearing would be a dream come true. But Josie wasn’t the kind of woman who did things on impulse. Not without regretting it later. Still, he didn’t want her to feel rejected.

“What about work?” he asked. Maybe if he steered her attention back to business . . . .

“I could call Teresa and tell her I’m taking the rest of the afternoon off,” she offered.

She wasn’t helping at all. She turned her head and pressed her warm, soft lips against his palm. He wanted to kiss her so badly he couldn’t see straight. He grabbed a fist full of the blanket. The wool scratched his palm. Dear Lord. He needed a cold shower. Now.

Josie looked up at him with a dreamy look in her eyes that he claimed all for his own. Energy seemed to crackle all around them. He inched forward, slowly. Their noses touched and they angled their heads in anticipation of the kiss. But just as his lips would have touched hers, a loud noise exploded inside his head. The earth vibrated beneath them.

God must have heard his earlier prayer, because the heavens opened and a cold, drenching rain shocked them apart.

“Oh!” Josie exclaimed, jerking her head back. “It’s raining!”

Cole looked up at the darkened sky, laughing as icy needles of rain stung his face. “Imagine that. We didn’t even notice those thunderheads rolling in.”

“No wonder the streets were deserted all of the sudden.”

“Let’s get out of this downpour.” He had to shout to be heard above the pounding rain. It seemed to come down harder by the second.

They stood, and he folded everything up in the blanket. Then they ran for cover under the blue awning outside the bank. Everyone inside stared at them curiously. Cole noticed that Josie’s white blouse had become quite transparent. He stared as well—for a second. Then he got hold of himself.
I have to get her out of here.

“My truck’s parked right over there. Why don’t I take you home so you can get changed?”

Josie opened her mouth to respond, but fell silent as an old blue Buick pulled up alongside the sidewalk near where they stood.

The town’s retired high school history teacher, Mrs. Church, rolled down the window. She had to nearly shout to be heard above the pouring rain. “Hello, Josie. I saw you standing over here and thought you might like a ride back to the library. You know, the Historical Society meeting begins in five minutes.” The little gray-haired lady pursed her lips, and after looking Josie over from head to toe observed, “Josephine, you are all wet.”

“Yes,” Josie finally found her voice. Looking down at herself, her eyes widened and she crossed her arms over her chest.

The old woman’s eyes narrowed. “Who is that there with you? Is that the Craig boy?”

Before he could speak, Josie said, “Yes, ma’am. Cole was just about to help me get out of these wet clothes.”

“
Humph!
”

Cole couldn’t keep from chuckling.

Josie stammered. “I—I mean change. Take me home so I can
change
out of these wet clothes.”

“I would think that you should,” Mrs. Church said.

“I’ll join you and the other ladies in just a few minutes, Mrs. Church.”

“I shall inform Mrs. McKay that you will be tardy,” Mrs. Church said in the stern, clipped voice of a schoolteacher. “I’m very disappointed in you Josephine.” She rolled up her window and continued down the street at a restrained five miles per hour, her head barely visible above the steering wheel.

Josie dropped her head into her hands and said, “Can this get any more humiliating?”

“Come on. I’ll drive you home.” Cole grasped her elbow, and they sprinted through the rain to his truck.

After they’d settled themselves inside, he tossed the wet picnic blanket containing the remains of their lunch behind the seat. Everything had been going so well, but now, it seemed things couldn’t get any worse.

He grabbed his denim jacket and settled it around Josie’s shoulders. She looked thoroughly embarrassed and withdrawn. He’d be lucky if she would agree to ever see him again.

She’d been right. Taking her to such a public spot had been a bad idea. He’d only wanted to test the waters to see if she’d mind being seen with him in public. He should have noticed the storm clouds rolling in, but when he got around Josie, he blocked out everything but her. Being dog tired from a late night didn’t help either.

He started the truck. They completed the short drive to her house in silence. The rain hadn’t let up at all when he pulled into her drive and shut off the engine. He rested his arm along the back of the bench seat and studied her.

Her hair frizzed around her face. One fat curl had pulled away from that knot she’d twisted her hair into at the back of her head and now hung enticingly against her cheek, down along her neck, finally resting on the front of his jacket. He remembered the way she’d looked at him earlier, her eyes begging him to kiss her. Watching her now in the seclusion of his truck cab with the windows steaming up, the desire to kiss her intensified.

He reached out and touched her cheek. “Josie…” His voice sounded hoarse, even to his own ears.

She glanced up at him, then turned away, but not before he saw the closed look in her eyes.

“Don’t.” Cole squeezed her shoulder. He couldn’t bear the thought of her shutting herself off from him for any reason. Not now.

She closed her eyes. “I forgot the Historical Society was meeting this afternoon. I have to change and get back to work.”

He grasped her hand before she could leave. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

“I don’t know, Cole. I’m really behind at work.”

He wasn’t about to give up on her. Not because of a little embarrassment. There was definitely something between them. Today had proven it. “How ’bout I call you later?”

She sighed, but didn’t answer. Cole reached out and turned her face toward him with a finger at her chin. When her eyes met his, he said, “I wish I knew what to say to take us back to fifteen minutes ago.”

She chewed on her lower lip, but hadn’t gotten out of the truck yet. That encouraged him to continue.

He teased a stray curl at her temple. “You look real pretty wet, Josie Lee.”

She tried to tuck the hair that had fallen out of that knot behind her ears. “I’m sure I’m a mess.”

“A beautiful mess.”

Cole smoothed his hand from her cheek to the back of her neck. He very much wanted to take the pins out of her hair and watch it fall across her shoulders and down her back. He shifted closer to her. Josie shivered.

“You’re freezing,” he whispered. He slipped his hands inside the jacket he’d settled loosely around her shoulders earlier and rubbed her arms through her wet shirt.

“Cole…”

“
Mmm
?” She smelled like some kind of wildflower growing in the meadow on his farm. He inhaled deeply, then pressed his lips against the pounding pulse at the side of her neck. So, the town librarian wasn’t completely unaffected by his touch.

“I should go…” she said as she edged closer to the door, effectively breaking the contact.

Cole settled his hands on her waist, stalling her retreat. “Would you like me to wait while you change? I could drive you back to work.”

“No. I have my car in the garage.”

He pulled her a little closer until their thighs aligned. “You’re sure?”

Her gaze skidded from his face to the wet shirt stretched across his chest and back again just before she pushed away from him, sucked in a ragged breath, and said, “I’m sure I have to go. Now.”

She may have mixed feelings on the matter, but duty called. Her work came first. Had to come first. He wanted her back in his arms, but the timing was all wrong. Factor in that she was still reluctant to let him get too close. She’d have to come to him in her own time. This much was becoming clear.

“Okay. I’ll call you later?” He held his breath while he waited for her response.

“Cole?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I be honest with you?”

“Sure,” he said cautiously.

“I know that I’ve probably given you the impression that I—well, that I may want us to be more than friends.”

“That don’t bother me a bit.” His heart pounded at the thought of them being much more than friends.