For Keeps Read online

  FOR KEEPS

  A Gemstone Sweet & Steamy Short Romance

  Cara Scott

  Scott Books

  Copyright © 2020 Cara Scott

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Cover design by: Cara Scott

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  Discover my Gemstone Series. Small town love set in the beautiful mountains of Wyoming. Follow the loves and lives of the men and women of Garnet Junction, Jade Creek and the glamorous Diamond Springs Resort.

  Contents

  FOR KEEPS

  Copyright © 2020 Cara Scott

  Join Me!

  Contents

  Cora

  Brett

  Cora

  Brett

  Cora

  Brett

  Brett

  Cora

  Cora

  Brett

  Cora

  Brett

  Cora

  Epilogue

  Cora

  Brett

  About the Author

  Cora

  “Oh no! How did this happen? I was sure I put that pot away.”

  I look up into the olive eyes of the volunteer firefighter standing in the garden of my little bungalow. Way, way up. He’s 6′2″ or more and dwarfs me by at least a foot. I’m in my shorty pajamas and bunny slippers. They’re my comfiest pajamas. I’m pretty certain they also make my ass look even wider than it is.

  Great! Here I am in front of the one man I’ve spent the last three weeks crushing on, and not only do I look a sight, but I’m deeply ashamed of my careless behavior. He’s holding my blackened, charred pot, the culprit of the fire that quickly spread throughout my small kitchen. Shivering more from embarrassment than cold, I do my best to present him with a contrite look.

  He smiles and shrugs “Hell, don’t worry, Cora. The fire inspector will figure it out,” Putting the pot down, he moves closer to me. “Right now, I’m more worried about you. Let’s get you inside. You’re shivering.” He wraps a blanket around me. “You could be going into shock.”

  I’m in shock all right, but not from the fright of my mini kitchen fire.

  He knows my name. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Gorgeous knows my name!

  How does he? We’ve exchanged not one single word. In fact, he’s hardly even looked at me in the ten or twelve times he’s dropped by my lovingly tended herb, vegetable, and flower nursery. Okay, who do I think I’m fooling? The exactly eleven times he’s come by my new venture in this small Wyoming town. I know precisely how many times. I mark my calendar by it. His presence makes my day.

  He always comes in with someone else, I assume are friends or family. He’s there to help, choose, or carry, but he never consults me or comes into the wooden, vine-entwined gazebo that serves as my store. His companions make small talk and act friendly, curious about the new girl in town. He hangs back in the nursery. I thought he hardly registered my existence, never mind knew my name.

  I should tell him I’m fine, but I’m enjoying his attentions. He hunkers down to my height so we’re eye to eye. His closeness makes me a little dizzy and I sway towards him. I try to gather my thoughts together to let him know I’m okay.

  Seems patience isn’t his strong point because the next thing I know, he scoops me up in his arms and carries me into my living room. I put my arms around his neck and bury my face in his chest. I have to. It’s just too tempting not to. He murmurs reassurances in my hair before calling over to the female medic who’s talking to Deputy Sheriff Wes Johnson. I remember her as one of the companions who came into the nursery with him a few times.

  Shit, maybe they’re a couple.

  “Cassie, get over here, I think she might be going into shock.”

  The apple-cheeked, young woman grabs her kit and follows behind us, blonde ponytail bouncing. Mr. TD&G (he might know my name but I still have no idea of his) strides into my living room that suddenly seems a whole lot smaller with him in it. He heads for the couch and sits us down with me real close beside him. His solid thighs are touching mine and I’m engulfed by his tangy masculine scent mixed with the woodsy smell of fire smoke. Despite the effect his closeness has on me, I manage to find my voice.

  “I’m fine, really.”

  “Best for Cassie to check you out. You were as white as a sheet out there and you swayed a bit. I don’t want you passing out on us. Shock can creep up on you.”

  I look past his concerned expression over at Cassie. “I’m fine, I really am. I was just a bit upset and a little cold.”

  She looks at me with an amused, even-eyed stare. “I’d sit tight if I were you. It’ll be easier.” Fishing various items out of her EMT kit, she continues in a wry tone, “Listen. How about I save you a whole heap of time and give you the lowdown on the realities of being a woman in Garnet Junction, Wyoming - population 673. You’re out West now and small town Western men like to protect their women.” After her wry speech, she leans in and puts a blood pressure cuff on me.

  “Cassie just gave you some real good advice. Garnet Junction men do like to protect their women.” his low, honeyed drawl in my ear is too seductive to resist. I melt against him, my heart thumping.

  Their women. Just what is he saying? He thinks I’m his woman?

  “Brett, lighten up on her. Her blood pressure is way up and her pulse is racing. Judging by her color, I doubt its shock. Typical.” Cassie shakes her head. “Now you rustle up the balls to hit on her.”

  Unrepentant, he murmurs sexily, “Good to know she’s hot-blooded.”

  “I’m right here!” I grumble. I can feel my face color up, but I can’t hide a grin when Cassie winks at me. My pulse races. Cassie’s words and that wink confirm the hot chemistry in the air. I’m not imagining his interest.

  Just then I notice the engagement ring on the other woman’s finger. What with the banter between him and Cassie over his flirting with me, I’m pretty sure the ring isn’t from him. Cassie removes the blood pressure cuff and sits back. “She’s fine. Flustered, but like I said, I reckon that’s more to do with you, Brett, than shock.”

  She looks around, sniffs and then directs her comments at me. “Doesn’t smell like too much of the smoke got in here, so not much danger of smoke inhalation, but you should get that checked out.”

  I nod over at her, pointing at the thick wooden door. “Yeah, I was asleep in here with the door closed. I didn’t even smell the smoke or feel the fire until you guys woke me up.”

  “I’m real glad I kept Gram’s solid doors, then.” My rescuer turns my chin up toward him and captures my wide eyes. “They kept you safe in here for me to find.” I shiver at the molten look he fires at me. “Glad you’re okay. Except that means I have to let you go now, darlin’. Pity.”

  The drawled endearment makes me feel all weak-kneed again. I agree with him. It is a pity. Despite my earlier shyness, I don’t want him to leave. I’m plenty comfy settled on the couch cozied up to Mr. TD&G.

  I shake my head. I have to stop thinking of him as Mr. TD&G. What was it Cassie called him? Brett? Brett Johnson. I’ve heard his name around town and his name’s on my lease, but I never put them all together. Holy shit! I’d no idea the guy I’ve been crushing on is my landlord and a member of the premier family of Garnet Junction!


  Brett

  Typical. Now you rustle up the balls to hit on her.

  I’m glad Cora doesn’t get Cassie’s mouthy comment about my choice of time to hit on her. I’ve been trying to say the right thing to get to know the voluptuous redhead since the day she moved into town. Garnet Junction is a small, friendly place and I usually have no trouble talking to women. Only I’ve never been quite so floored by the sight of a woman as when I caught sight of Cora on my gram’s old porch.

  I inherited the property when my grandma died. When my attorney advised me to rent it to Cora Marie Anderson along with the small lot behind it to create an herb, vegetable, and flower nursery, I imagined a sweet old woman. I reckoned Grandma Anne would’ve liked that use of her property, so I approved the tenancy without checking any further details. Clay West Attorneys have looked after the affairs of my family for as far back as our great, great-grandparents, so I just trusted the current Clay to get on with it.

  When Cora moved in, my mother asked me to stop round with some of her award-winning peach pie. Jumping down from my pickup, I took one look at the young, curvy sweetheart and knew my single days were over. She was singing happily away, her iPod earphones trailing out from underneath her braided, flame-colored hair as she enthusiastically aired out my grandmother’s old home. Dressed in the cutest set of dungaree shorts, her face was smudged with dirt across her peaches-and-cream complexion. I wasn’t close enough to see her eyes, but I imagined they were a sapphire blue.

  Standing there dumbstruck, I gradually became aware of the entertainment I was providing for the ladies of the cribbage club. They meet almost every day at Widow Jessop’s next door. They were delighted to see me captivated by the curvy little bundle dancing about ten feet in front of me.

  She, on the other hand, was totally oblivious to my presence. I swallowed and had to adjust my jeans as she wiggled that gorgeous ample ass of hers and swayed it in time to music audible only to her. She danced on shapely, tanned legs that seemed enticingly long for such a tiny woman. My feelings overpowered me. I turned round, got back in my pickup, and drove to our central ranch house. I was back there before I realized I still had the peach pie.

  My mother knew something was up. “Brett, hon, is Cora not home? Why didn’t you leave the pie on the porch?”

  “Huh? Sorry, Mom. I guess she wasn’t what I expected. I had it in my head she was Gram’s age.”

  I looked at my mother’s knowing smile. “You knew she was young.” The look on her face confirmed my suspicions. “As well as the sweetest thing I’d ever see.” I looked at her sideways. “That’s why you sent me to deliver the pie!”

  She laughed. “Yup! My instincts are never wrong. I just knew that sweet, plump little redhead would bowl over my handsome son.”

  After that, I was all set to ask Cora out, but I had to leave on ranch business for a few days. By the time I came back, claiming her had taken on disproportionate difficulty in my head. I hadn’t bargained on being shy and tongue-tied around her.

  I didn’t know why or how her presence affected me that way. No one was more surprised than me every time I headed over to her little nursery to get to know her and failed to work up the gumption to even look her in the eye, never mind talk to her. What the hell was the matter with me! I’m two years shy of thirty, not a damn teenager. A sentiment shared by family and friends.

  “What the hell, Brett! Why don’t you just walk in with me and plaster her with all that charm of yours?” Cassie yelled at me, losing patience after the third time she ended up buying yet another set of herbs she’d plenty of in her own garden.

  Can’t blame her. I reckon I’m single-handedly keeping Cora’s nursery in business with all that I’m shelling out to family and friends to buy something, just so I can go in there and stupidly ignore her.

  “I’ll get round to it. I’m workin’ up to it.”

  It help if she’d at least act as if I existed, but she’s as good as at ignoring me as I am at ignoring her. She doesn’t even ask after me. Hell, I’m willing to bet she doesn’t even know my name.

  “Look, why don’t we just invite her to a casual dinner at the ranch house,” offered my sister-in-law, Steph.

  “Uh-uh!” My answer was vehement. “Too obvious.”

  The ladies of the cribbage club offered to invite her for coffee and pie and just tell her, but I decided that’d take too much of the romance out of things.

  Plus make me look like an idiot.

  I’m downright embarrassed that practically the whole town knows how I feel. In fact, the only one who doesn’t is the woman in question! I can hardly believe I’m sitting here near on glad that Cora got careless and almost burned down a home that’s been in my family for almost a century and a half.

  I look at Cora’s hot cheeks and wide eyes, marveling at how all my reserve melted away when it meant her safety. I stand up. The absence of her warm presence against my body makes me swallow with disappointment. She’s disappointed too. Her eyes are downcast as she settles herself into the old, worn, leather couch, a comfortable seat I remember from my teenage years.

  I don’t want to leave her but I need to touch base with the crew and finish up. It won’t be for long anyhow. Cassie said she should get checked out for smoke inhalation. I intend to take care of that personally. I reach over without thinking and shift her hair from her face, curling it around her shell-shaped ear. Looking up at me, her sapphire blues peek out from lashes far darker than her flame-colored tresses. It makes me wonder about the color of the hair elsewhere on her body. Are they dark curls or flame ones?

  Her hair is tumbled around her face and shoulders, freed from the braid she usually wears in the daytime. Her breath is ragged, her lip trembles, and I can see the shape of her rounded breasts under the too-tight pull of her pajama top.

  It’s all I can do not to pick her up and spend a whole passel of sweet time mussing up that hair a lot more, while I do all kinds of forbidden things to her plump lips and play around with that in-held breath. Maybe even find out the color of those curls. Hell, it’s my fantasy, after all.

  I shake my head to clear it, trying to focus on what she’s saying.

  Biting her lip, she lets out her breath in a low, soft rush. “Ummm. So. Thanks. I… I guess you need to get going.”

  I smile at her, but my tone’s serious. “I’ll finish up with my crew pretty quick. After, I’m taking you to hospital. You heard Cassie. We need to get you checked out. Smoke inhalation can be nasty and its best caught early.”

  She gives me that bitten lip and tremulous smile. “Really? I feel okay.”

  “Can’t take the risk. Jade Creek hospital is only a short drive away. I’ll take you over myself. Best be safe.”

  She looks down at her bunny slippers and blushes. “I’ll get dressed.” Looking up, she meets my gaze sideways and gives me a cheeky little grin. Both our gazes drop to the worn, but still bright, pink ears pointing up from her footwear.

  I give a teasing growl. “Kinda like you just as you are, sweetheart. You look all soft and comfy.”

  She giggles. “Yeah, I’m real comfy, but not comfy enough to wear this in public!” She tosses me a warm smile, stands up and turns to go. I can’t resist following the sight of her gorgeous ass as she disappears down the hallway.

  Cora

  I walk down the hall to my bedroom, my breath and chest tight, but I know the culprit isn’t smoke inhalation. No, the culprit is over six feet of green-eyed gorgeousness. His dancing olive eyes show definite interest. I dive into my room, pleased with the thought of his warm gaze.

  Until I catch sight of myself in the mirror.

  I groan and gape at the sight I present. My hair is a tousled mess, my face is streaked with smoke and dirt, and my pajamas are way too tight across my breasts and butt. My stupid bunny slippers finish off the whole debacle of an outfit. How on earth can a guy as gorgeous as him not be totally grossed out by me, never mind attracted? Maybe I imagined it. Maybe he’s just bein
g kind. Taking pity on the messy, negligent, fat girl.

  I remember glowering at my brother Mike and cousin Colin as they tossed my concern back at me and hooted in laughter at my complaint that I’d gained another ten pounds.

  “When are you women going to get it into your heads that men like tits and ass? We like something to hold on to.”

  Whatever. I’m determined to try to look my best around Brett Johnson. Crossing over to my closet, I look for an outfit that will cancel out the humiliating sight I now present. I have to be careful. Be subtle. If I go overboard, it’ll look like I’m trying too hard. In the end, I decide on my low-slung, tight jeans that make my ass look curvy rather than humongous. Even though I found them in my favorite secondhand designer store, I still spent a shitload of money on them. So much, that I choose my moments to wear them. This is definitely the moment!

  I add a floaty peasant blouse, another secondhand designer purchase. It accentuates my cleavage without looking slutty. The cheesecloth material and deep teal color with little red roses around the bodice is my go-to top. In addition to the swell of my breasts, the color makes my hair and eyes pop. The design is romantic and delicate, a look that’s how I want to go with Brett. I want to arouse his desire, but in a subtle protective way, not a down and dirty take-me-now way.

  At least, not yet.

  I put on pumps with kitten heels. I want the slight height to give me some of that high-heeled, sexy woman look. But not too high-heeled. Tall men like to tower over their women. With only two more inches added to my 5′1″ height, I know Brett will have plenty of opportunity to feel like the big, tall, strong alpha male around me. One last look in the mirror and I nod, convinced I’m putting my best foot forward.

  He’s in the kitchen when I come down the hall. The smell of smoke is overpowering. He walks out and closes the door as I reach him.