“True. I would’ve hated missing the birth.”
He dealt them each another two cards, and she felt vindicated when she won three bucks. “Take that,” she said, tossing her cards on the table.
“You were holding a nineteen,” he said.
“So? I still won.”
“I was holding a fourteen. Short of receiving a six or a seven, there wasn’t any way I could beat you.”
“A minor detail,” she said, motioning for more cards. “You going to forget about Katie?”
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Sure. At about the same time you forget about Josh.”
“I’m not holding out any hope where he’s concerned.”
He grinned. “Is that lie meant for me? Or just for you?”
“You think you know everything,” she accused.
“I know Josh could do a lot worse.”
She caught his eye and smiled. “So could Katie.”
“REBECCA’S OUT THERE again,” Mike said, peering through the blinds of the front window.
Josh glanced up from the kitchen table where he’d been busy devouring an entire cookie sheet of nachos and resisted the urge to get up and see for himself. He knew he couldn’t appear too eager or he’d scare her off. He also knew if he wanted a relationship with Rebecca Wells, he had to make her meet his terms.
But he could offer her a small concession. “Turn on the porch light.”
His brother sent him a quizzical look. “Why? You want her to come in?”
Josh felt excitement stir low in his belly and knew there could be no doubt about how badly he wanted just that. Sending her away the night he’d brought her home was the hardest thing he’d ever done. But if he’d given in to his baser yearnings, they’d be enemies again by now. He had to make her open her heart before anything else could happen. “I do.”
Mike scratched his head. “You didn’t get enough of her that night you made me pay for a hotel?”
“Not by a long shot.” Josh was beginning to wonder if he’d ever get enough of Rebecca. Regardless of everything she’d done to him in the past, somehow she belonged to him. He couldn’t understand why or how, exactly, but the fiercely proud girl he’d hated most his life had worked her way so deeply into his heart, he doubted he’d ever get her out.
Still, she had to come to him, had to admit she felt something, too, or there was no hope for a future. “I didn’t sleep with Rebecca that night,” he added. “I’ve never slept with her.”
“In my mind, that’s a good thing,” Mike said. “Why ruin a perfect record?”
Josh considered his brother’s words as he ate another cheese and sour-cream-topped chip, but Mike continued before he could formulate a response.
“You’re not going to listen to me, are you? You want her to come in.”
“Yep.”
“And you want to sleep with her tonight. Is that where you’re going with this?”
Josh washed down his food with the last of the soda he’d bought at the Quick Mart on his way home from his folks’ house, sat back and folded his arms. Right again. But would tonight be his night? Rebecca had been driving out to his place about every other night for the past ten days, which meant she was tempted. Something had to be bringing her here.
But, Lord knew, she was a stubborn woman. Getting her to open herself to him emotionally was proving even more difficult than he’d anticipated. If not for her midnight appearances, he might have believed he’d never reach her. But she wanted to give in, or she wouldn’t keep coming out here.
He smiled at her stubbornness. If she ever gave in, he was going to have his hands full. But he didn’t care, as long as she came to the door with the understanding that she’d belong to him in the morning as much as she belonged to him in the night.
“Josh? Are you even listening to me?” Mike asked.
Josh blinked and realized his brother had been waiting for an answer. “What did you say?”
“I asked if you wanted to sleep with her tonight.”
“I want to sleep with her every night,” he admitted, and grinned as he watched his brother’s jaw hit the floor.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
REBECCA SAT UP STRAIGHT when she saw the porch light come on. It pierced the dark, misty night like the beacon of a lighthouse, beckoning her closer. But she wasn’t sure she could trust it to lead her to a safe harbor. Josh was inside. She’d followed him home when she’d spotted him in town just half an hour ago, being careful to stay at a distance. She’d told herself she just wanted to catch a glimpse of him. But even after he’d gone inside, she’d sat across the street on the shoulder of the road, wanting to go to the door yet refusing to let herself do it. After thirty minutes, she’d been about to head home when that blasted porch light had come on, making her hesitate.
Safe harbor…There were things about Josh that seemed safe. The way she felt when she remembered him saying, “If you can’t care about me, I don’t want anything to do with you,” was one of them. The fact that he expected her to care about him indicated he was willing to care about her, right? He’d talked about risk, said, “I go, you go.” That meant something.
But…she bit her lip. There were definitely things about Josh that were not safe. He was her childhood nemesis, the one who’d stolen her father’s love and attention. She’d have to let go of the grudge she’d held against him all these years, forgive him at last, if they were ever to have a chance. But if she did, the softer feelings she had for him would completely consume her. She already knew that. And then what? There were no guarantees. In a few weeks, she’d probably be nothing more to him than another soul falling to worship at his feet.
She recalled the conversation she’d had with Mary last week in the salon and wondered if Mary could be right. Was Josh simply running from commitment? Would he wise up and go back to her? Mary’s confidence had to come from somewhere. And she had everyone’s support. All of Dundee thought she and Josh went together like apple pie and ice cream. On the other hand, the entire town would shake their heads in stunned disbelief to hear that she and Josh were seeing each other.
She rubbed her nose with her hand for warmth. Now that her birthday had almost arrived, the nights were cold and often wet. She should have brought a heavier jacket.
She should go home….
Turning the key in the ignition, Rebecca started her car, but before she could pull onto the highway, one final glance at Josh’s house told her something had changed. The blinds in the kitchen window had been raised, and Josh was standing there, hands on his hips, watching her. Challenging her.