Love Storm Page 2

  She couldn’t even imagine what Ryan must think of her. The last time she’d seen him she’d tried to seduce him, and now she’d just walked in on him naked. He probably thought she was some kind of stalker or something, that she had purposefully come to the cabin knowing that he would be here. She briefly wondered if carbon monoxide poisoning was a relatively painless way to die, but only for a moment, she wasn’t the suicidal type. No, like it or not, she was just going to have to tough it out. Eventually, after heaving one last long drawn-out sigh, she raised her head from the steering wheel, moved her hand to the door handle and got out.

  Grabbing her large duffle bag bearing the University of Colorado logo from the backseat, she slung the wide nylon strap over her shoulder and then reached for the three fully-laden plastic grocery bags that were resting on the floorboard. After pushing the door shut with the toe of her boot, she turned and headed back into the house, knowing full-well that she couldn’t put off the inevitable any longer, as much as she wanted to.

  Once inside, she dropped the duffle bag onto the floor of the mudroom and then carried the groceries into the kitchen, setting the bags down on the countertop next to the refrigerator. Unfortunately, Ryan was standing just a few feet away, his hip resting casually against the massive island that took up a large portion of the room, looking far too good in a simple t-shirt and jeans to be believed. Damn, he was still as mouth-wateringly gorgeous as ever. Sometimes life just wasn’t fair.

  “Need any help?” he offered, eyeing the grocery bags.

  “No thanks, I’ve got it,” she murmured, and then immediately busied herself with taking the items from the bags and putting them away. Opening the refrigerator, she saw that it was fully stocked. Clearly he’d come prepared. Well, they certainly weren’t going to starve, she thought, as she added her items to the contents of the huge commercial-sized, stainless-steel appliance.

  As Ryan watched her move about the kitchen, he couldn’t help but notice that Brooklyn was even more attractive than he remembered. With her long blonde hair pulled up into a casual ponytail, he had an unobstructed view of her face, and what a face it was. Wow, he’d forgotten just how pretty she was. With those wide blue eyes, long dark lashes and full pouty lips, the term knockout was definitely fitting. Then again, and oddly enough, so was the term girl-next-door, for she had a kind of natural, unaffected look about her as well. Unable to help himself, he allowed his eyes to move downward, his gaze lingering for a moment on the outline of her full breasts, then dropping to her slender waist and finally to the gently rounded curve of her derriere. How old was she now he wondered, twenty-one, twenty-two? Old enough, he realized. Unfortunately, the fact that she was still Kate’s little sister made it irrelevant, and he quickly forced his gaze back upward. Hell, he needed a distraction. “You hungry?” he asked, as Brooklyn put the last of her groceries into the cupboard and then turned toward him.

  She wasn’t, but at least making dinner would give her something to do. “Starving,” she lied.

  “There are steaks in the fridge,” Ryan said, pushing himself away from the counter. “I could throw a couple on the grill out back.”

  “Sure, that sounds great,” she said, stepping out of the way as Ryan moved toward the refrigerator. “I can put a salad together and fix a couple of baked potatoes if you’d like,” she offered.

  “Perfect,” Ryan said, as he pulled out the steaks and set them on the counter.

  “I’d better give Kate a quick call and let her know that I’m here,” Brooklyn began, “and then I’ll get the salad and potatoes started.”

  Ryan nodded, then immediately left the kitchen in search of his coat and snow boots.

  “Wade’s going to kill me,” Kate moaned on the other end of the line.

  “It’s no big deal Kate, really. This house is definitely big enough for the two of us, and I’m sure Ryan and I can manage to stay out of each other’s way until this storm lets up and I can head back to Denver.” She tried to sound upbeat.

  “Yeah, I suppose you’re right, it’s just…” Her voice trailed off.

  “It’s just what?”

  “Oh, never mind, it’s nothing.”

  “Kate?”

  “Well, it’s just that…,” she sighed, “you know Wade. He’s always been so protective of you.”

  “Protective of me? What’s that supposed to mean?” Brooklyn asked a touch defensively.

  “Well,” Kate hesitated for a moment. “We all know what a huge crush you used to have on Ryan.”

  Brooklyn felt her cheeks grow warm. “Seriously?” She tried to sound blasé. “Come on Kate, that was four years ago.” Thankfully her sister and brother-in-law had never discovered just how far her “crush” had taken her, for if they had ever learned about the night she’d snuck into Ryan’s room she never would have heard the end of it.

  “I know, I know,” Kate said with a little laugh. “I’m being silly, aren’t I?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact you are. I was eighteen for goodness sake,” Brooklyn replied with an exaggerated sigh.

  “You’re right. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. Besides, Ryan is a great guy. It’s not like he’s still wild and reckless like he was in his rookie days. I mean, I know that he would never try to take advantage of the situation or anything. That’s not to say that he ever would have before, oh, you know what I mean,” she said, sounding flustered.

  Yeah, no kidding! She knew exactly what she meant. “Honestly Kate, I am well-over my infatuation with Ryan Landry, and I can assure you that I have absolutely no intention of throwing myself at him,” she added drolly, keeping her voice low. “And, I can pretty much guarantee you that he still has no interest in me whatsoever.” That was certainly true. Despite all that she’d done, Ryan Landry had never been the slightest bit interested in her, and it was pretty clear that nothing had changed in that regard.

  “Okay, Okay, you’ve made your point.”

  “Good. So you’ll stop worrying?”

  “I promise,” Kate answered. “Oh hang on a second, Allison wants to say hello.”

  “Hi Auntie Brook,” her three-year-old niece said into the phone a few seconds later.

  “Hey Alli-bear, what cha doin’?”

  “Eatin’ animal crackers.”

  “Mmm, sounds yummy.”

  “You should see Mommy’s belly. It’s gettin’ real big.”

  “Oh yeah?” Brooklyn chuckled. “Are you getting excited to meet your baby brother?”

  “Uh huh. Daddy says he’s almost done in there, and when he comes out I get to hold him,” she said, the words slightly muffled as she continued to munch on her animal crackers. “Do you wanna hold him too?”

  “You bet I do.”

  “Okay, bye.”

  Brooklyn grinned as she pictured her blonde-haired, blue-eyed niece. She was short and sweet, just like her telephone conversations. “Bye sweetie pie.”

  “Alli, take those to the table please,” she heard Kate say as she got back on the line.

  “So Mommy’s tummy is getting real big huh?”

  “Ugg, I swear this kid is going to weigh at least twelve pounds when he’s born,” Kate lamented.

  “Hang in there Katie. You’ve only got five more weeks to go.”

  “Humph, that’s easy for you to say.”

  “Listen, I’d better get going. Ryan is grilling some steaks for dinner and I’m supposed to be making a salad.”

  After she’d hung up with her sister, Brooklyn quickly finished off the simple garden salad and then stuck a couple of potatoes in the microwave, knowing they’d take too long to cook if she put them into the oven. Pulling a package of dinner rolls from the cupboard and a tub of butter from the fridge, she figured they had enough to make for a decent meal.

  When Ryan entered the kitchen several minutes later, Brooklyn looked on as he sat the large covered plate onto the center of the island and then shrugged out of his coat, tossing it onto a nearby kitchen chair. She�
��d laid out a place setting for each of them on opposite sides of the granite-topped island, rather than the kitchen table, making for what she hoped was a more casual dining atmosphere.

  “Looks good,” Ryan said, smiling as he eyed the spread. Lifting the cover from the steaks, he then grabbed a fork and speared one, setting it onto her plate, and then did the same for himself, as Brooklyn settled onto one of the leather-covered barstools.

  “Umm, the steaks look delicious,” she said appreciatively, as Ryan sat down upon the other barstool. “Oh, I forgot drinks,” she then realized, and started to rise.

  “That’s alright, I’ve got it.” Ryan motioned for her to sit as he rose from his stool. “Red wine okay?” he asked, as he moved toward the cupboard.

  “Sure, that’ll be fine.” She had to admit that she was a little surprised that he was willing to trust her with alcohol, considering what had happened the last time they’d seen each other, but she wisely kept the observation to herself.

  Returning with two wineglasses and a large bottle of Merlot, Ryan regained his seat and then poured them each a hefty serving of the dark, fragrant liquid.

  “Thank you,” she said politely.

  “So, were you able to get ahold of Kate?” Ryan asked as they filled their plates.

  “Yes, and she asked me to apologize for her, about the mix up. She feels terrible about it.”

  Ryan shook his head. “She doesn’t need to apologize. It’s no big deal, really.”

  “Well, in any event, I’ll head back to Denver just as soon as the storm clears,” she assured him.

  “Brooklyn, you can stay as long as you want. I don’t mind the company, honestly,” Ryan said with sincerity.

  “Um, okay, thanks. I was originally planning on leaving next Saturday, but we can just see how it goes I guess.”

  Seven nights, yikes. Stranded on a mountain top for seven nights with one of the best-looking women he’d ever laid eyes on, who also happened to be a close relative of one of his very best-friends, terrific. It might not have seemed quite so daunting if it weren’t for the fact that he had been celibate for the past two months, but after amicably ending a one year relationship with his former girlfriend Michelle Reese, he’d decided to remove himself from the dating scene for a while, a decision he very much regretted at the moment. Although he’d enjoyed the company of a fair number of women early on in his career, one of the many perks of being a professional athlete, he’d mellowed over the past few years and now preferred more serious, longer-lasting relationships. Shoving a bite of steak into his mouth, Ryan simply nodded. Suddenly he had the feeling that it was going to be a very long week.

  “Wow, this is really good?” Brooklyn said after taking her second bite of the juicy T-bone.

  “Yeah, I’m a master griller,” Ryan said with a lighthearted grin.

  She smiled back. “How’s your head by the way?’

  “My head?”

  “Kate mentioned that you got a mild concussion in your last game.” Of course she’d actually known about it long before her sister had mentioned it, as had every other football-loving Colorado resident. It had been big news in the Denver sports pages, as Ryan Landry was the team’s star wide receiver, and his being temporarily knocked out of commission was going to be a significant blow as they headed toward playoff season. She didn’t let on though, for the last thing she needed was for Ryan to think that she was still obsessed with him and followed his career like some groupie.

  “Oh right,” he said, tapping his index finger against the side of his head. “I get the occasional headache, but otherwise it’s not too bad. A few more weeks and I should be back on the field.”

  “That’s good.” She poked her fork into her baked potato and tried to think of something else to say as she lifted the bite to her mouth, but her mind was blank. Suddenly she was immensely glad for the wine, because it looked like she was going to need a little liquid fortitude to get through the night. She was still a bundle of nerves. After swallowing the potato, she lifted her glass and took a healthy sip. Fortunately however, she now knew her limits, and she wasn’t about to make a fool of herself like she had four years ago.

  “So tell me about yourself,” Ryan said, not only to break the sudden silence, but because he was genuinely interested. “Are you still in school?”

  “Not currently. I graduated last spring with a BA in Art History and I’ve been interning at the Denver Museum of Art for the past several months,” she began. “I’ll be entering into a master’s program in the upcoming semester.”

  “Really, hey that’s great.” Beauty and brains, why wasn’t he surprised? Reaching for his glass, he quickly tossed down the remaining wine and then reached for the bottle and refilled the empty goblet.

  “Thanks.”

  “Believe it or not, I started out as an art major myself, but then I switched to finance in my sophomore year.”

  “You’re kidding.” She’d had no idea that he had an interest in art.

  “Nope, I’m totally serious. My mom was a high-school art teacher. She still is actually,” he said. “She’s had her own art studio set up in the house for years, and she used to take me and my sister to art museums all the time when we were kids.”

  “So why did you switch to finance?”

  “Well,” he said, shrugging his shoulders, “the truth is, although I did inherit her love of art, unfortunately, I didn’t inherit nearly enough of her artistic talent to make a career out of it,” he admitted ruefully. “I guess finance just seemed like a smarter decision at the time.”

  Oh man. If possible, Ryan Landry just got even sexier. Tearing her gaze from his glorious green eyes, she eyed her nearly-empty glass, mentally cautioning herself once again not to overindulge, for fear that she would literally start drooling over him like the love-struck teenager she’d been four years ago. Unfortunately Ryan noticed the direction of her gaze, and misinterpreting it, immediately refilled her glass. “Thank you,” she murmured, and then took another small sip of the delicious red wine. He had good taste too.

  They ate in silence for another couple of minutes; both of them enjoying the simple but tasty meal, and then her cell phone rang, breaking into the quiet. Grabbing it from the end of the counter, she glanced at Ryan apologetically. “Sorry,” she said as she looked at the number, and then sent the call to voicemail.

  “Boyfriend?” Ryan asked, his brow rising inquisitively.

  Brooklyn blinked in surprise. “What, er…no.” A friend of mine,” she said shaking her head. “I’ll call her back later.” Hopefully Julia wasn’t on the verge of another bout of hysterics and could get by until she had a chance to call her back.

  “So, do you have one?” Ryan asked a few seconds later, despite the tiny warning bell that sounded in his head.

  “Have one?”

  “A boyfriend,” he clarified.

  “Oh, um…no, no boyfriend.”

  Uh oh. He reached for his wineglass, downed the contents and then emptied the rest of the bottle into it. He had a feeling he was going to need a little mind-numbing to get through the night, not to mention the rest of the week. “Me neither,” he said, ignoring the little voice in his head that told him to change the subject, and fast. “I mean no girlfriend that is.”

  “Oh?” She couldn’t imagine why he was talking about boyfriends and girlfriends, with her? She tried to look only passively interested, but it wasn’t easy, so she quickly turned her attention to the remains of her baked potato. Truth was, she was well-aware of his recent breakup with actress Michelle Reese, as no doubt virtually every other living, breathing female under the age of fifty was as well, for it had been a major headline in all of the celebrity news magazines just a couple of months ago. Just another reminder that Ryan Landry was way out of her league.

  Somewhat surprisingly, after a few more minutes and a few more sips from her wineglass, she slowly began to relax and the conversation between them soon began to flow much more smoothly. Ryan’s e
asy-going manner was quickly putting her at ease, and astonishingly, she found him very easy to talk to, unlike before, when she’d been little more than a stammering, love-struck teen. Although his celebrity persona might lead one to believe otherwise, Ryan seemed extremely laidback and very down to earth.

  Throughout the course of the meal, she and Ryan discussed a wide variety of topics ranging from current events to more intimate matters, such as family, friends and personal interests. Discovering that he had a passion for travel and adventure, she peppered him with question after question about all of the amazing places he’d visited over the years, while he, seeming genuinely interested, asked her all about her years at college, her current position at the museum, and her future aspirations. All in all, it was an interesting and remarkably pleasant conversation.

  Once they had finished eating, Ryan graciously offered to clean up and take care of the dishes so that she could return her missed phone call. “We’ll take turns,” he said when she insisted on helping. “You can do the cleanup tomorrow night,” he continued, as he waved her out of the kitchen.

  “Alright, you’ve got yourself a deal.”

  Grabbing her duffle bag from the mudroom, she then made her way upstairs to the second-floor guest bedrooms. Choosing the largest one, she tossed her bag onto the floor and then quietly pushed the door closed behind her. Moving over to the bed, she sat down onto the plush comforter and then scooted up against the pile of pillows resting against the headboard. Cell phone in hand, she dialed Julia’s number.

  “Hey Jules, how are you doing?” she asked, her tone sympathetic. She was anticipating the worst, but knowing Julia, she was prepared for anything. They’d gone through this before.

  “Guess what?” Julia replied, her voice sounding anything but distraught.