Pastor's Prize (Culpepper Cowboys Book 15) Read online

  “Wouldn’t have worked! The moms and kids would have been breaking down the door of the church waiting for you.”

  “Probably, which is why I didn’t. I wish I was driving you home, though.”

  She smiled, reaching out and putting her palm flat on his chest. “I wish you were too, but I’ll be fine. I’ll call my sister as I leave, and she’ll talk to me the whole way home.”

  “I hope you have hands-free.”

  “I do. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

  He leaned down and brushed her lips with his. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow night?”

  “Seven. My place.” She stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Your kisses are lots better than Josh Williamson’s.”

  “You need to quit comparing me to your first love. I’ll have to hunt him down.”

  She laughed. “I doubt if he even remembers my name.”

  “Oh, trust me. He does. I’m sure he’s been pining away for you since your time together in that closet. No more time in closets with anyone but me!”

  “I don’t spend time in closets even alone anymore. Too scary.”

  He sighed. “I’m sorry I made you remember it.”

  “Actually, the more time I spend with you, the more distant it all seems. I’m doing okay.”

  “I’m glad.” He pressed his lips to hers, his hand going under her hair in the back, stroking her neck.

  Rikki shuddered, her lips parting for his.

  He raised his head. “Did I scare you?”

  She shook her head. It had been exactly the opposite. She’d shuddered because what he’d done to her had felt so deliciously good. After living in an emotional vacuum for eight months, it felt good to be touched and to enjoy it for a change. “I like it when you kiss me.”

  “You keep thinking that. I’ll be dragging you off to the altar before too terribly long, you know. We’ve been dating for two whole days. In Culpepper that’s equivalent to eight years somewhere else.”

  “I don’t know about the altar yet, but I sure enjoy being with you. Thanks for reminding me that I can smile and laugh.”

  With one last kiss, he opened her car door for her. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.” As she drove off, he stared after the car. He’d never felt so much after such a short time dating a girl. She was his future. He knew it with everything inside him. Now he just had to convince her.

  Ben surprised Rikki at work the next day with a bouquet of flowers. “Do you want to have lunch with me?”

  Rikki smiled and nodded. She turned to the three women who were watching her so intently. “Any objections to me having lunch with Ben?”

  Grace shook her head, the spokeswoman for the three of them as usual. “Not at all. Enjoy yourselves.”

  Rikki picked out a few things for the two of them from the display, making a note to pay later. “Lunch is on me today,” she told him.

  “You can’t buy me lunch!”

  “Why not? You’ve bought me lunch. And dinner. Why can’t I buy for you?”

  “I don’t know! It’s just supposed to be the man buying lunch. Not the drop-dead gorgeous woman he’s dating.”

  She rolled her eyes, grabbing a coffee for him and a bottle of water for herself, before putting everything on a tray. “I’m not that old-fashioned.”

  He picked up the tray, carrying it toward the dining area. “I am. This may cause problems. How do you feel about men opening doors for you and buying engagement rings?”

  It was the second time he’d mentioned marriage in a couple of days, and she was getting a bit nervous. “I think it’s fine if men do both things if they want to. But if they feel obligated to do it, then it’s not nearly as much fun!”

  He grinned. “Fine. I’ll do my best not to feel obligated to do anything.” He set the tray on the table and took a seat. “Thanks for lunch.”

  “You’re very welcome.” Rikki dug through the bag, finding kolaches for both of them. It was the only think they served that had a decent amount of protein in it. “So, what brings you out to the Culpepper Ranch today?” she asked.

  “What else? The most beautiful woman in all of Wyoming.”

  “Only because my sister’s in Texas.”

  “When will she be back? Isn’t it about time?”

  She shook her head. “She’s too far along to fly, so she’s staying in Texas until after the baby is born. I hate it, but she doesn’t really have a choice.”

  “When is she due?”

  “Mid-January. I’m so ready for her to be back to her normal self. And I’m ready to have a little nephew to love.”

  “It’s a boy? Is that public information?”

  “Nope. They didn’t think anyone should know it but them.”

  “Do they have a name yet?”

  Rikki shook her head. “They’re waiting to make that announcement. The girl who plays Valerie’s sister on Lazy Love thinks they should name the baby after her. She’s determined that Amber is a fine name for a boy.”

  He laughed. “They’re not going to go for that, are they?”

  “Nope. Jesse will make sure they name him something manly.” She eyed him as she took a gulp of water from her bottle. “You don’t have to drive out here for lunch every day, you know.”

  “I know. I just like to spend time with you.”

  “I like it too. It just seems odd that we went from casual acquaintances to seeing each other twice a day so quickly.” Not that she was complaining. At all. She loved every moment she got to spend with him.

  “You’ve heard how quickly everyone marries in Culpepper, haven’t you? It’s like this strange phenomenon.”

  “I’ve seen some of it happen, so yes, I know about it. I just don’t think it would work for me. How can I trust a man enough to marry him on a short acquaintance? Why, I’m sure I’d need to know a man for at least a week,” she said with a wink.

  He laughed. “Well, technically we met in August so we’ve known each other for a few months. We should get married quickly, before Brother Anthony finds out!”

  She shook her head, laughing. “I think maybe we should wait a little longer. Like at least a week or two.”

  “I’m not so sure about that. Maybe another twenty-four hours or so.”

  “I’m not going to let you rush me into doing something I don’t want to do, Pastor Benjamin!”

  “You know you only call me that when you’re scolding me about something? I’m not sure I like it.”

  She shrugged. “It’s your name!”

  “I like the way you say Ben better. It sounds nice on your lips. Almost as nice as my lips feel on them.”

  “You’re really in a mood today!”

  “I woke up and you were my first thought. I couldn’t wait to see you. I almost called you this morning just so I could hear your voice. I’m falling in love with you, Rikki Dobson, and I’m going to make sure you know it every minute of every day.”

  Her eyes grew wide as she stared at him. “What do they put in the water around here to make everyone’s feelings so accelerated?”

  “Everyone’s? Does that mean you’re starting to have feelings too?”

  She blushed. “I wouldn’t be dating you if I didn’t. I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel comfortable with a man again, and in a situation where I was already frightened, you calmed me down. How weird is that? Yes, I’m starting to have feelings for you. Strong feelings.”

  “You should think about marrying me then. What do we have to lose?”

  “Our minds?”

  He grinned at that. “I’m not going to touch you without being married to you. Not really. Quick kisses are one thing, but not only am I a pastor with a reputation to uphold, but I’m also a man who believes in purity until marriage. So…you should marry me. Then we don’t have to worry about any of that nonsense.”

  She sighed. “You need to be sure of what you feel before I can agree to marry you. We’ll spend more time together. We’ll see whether or not we’re a good t
eam as we work on this pageant together. Speaking of which, do you have any idea who you want to cast as the two main singers?” The pageant had three things going on at once, so most every child got a part. Some would play in the living nativity. Some would sing. And some would act out the play. In the past, the best singers had also been the stars of the play, but they’d decided it would be better to have more children with bigger roles. It would keep everyone happy.

  “I know who is going to dance while the others sing. I haven’t gotten a lot further than that.”

  “I really liked little Sara Samuels voice for the female lead singer. And maybe Byron Lane as the male voice.”

  He thought about it for a moment. “They’re both so young, but they do have the best voices. If all they have to learn are the songs, I think they could handle it.”

  “That’s settled then. Didn’t you say you have CDs of the songs they need to learn?”

  “I do. I’ll send one home with each child on Friday. I’m sure Mrs. Peot, Noah and Hailey’s mother will be furious with us, but things need to be shaken up around here.”

  “And we’re just the people to do it!” She loved that she already felt like they were a team, working on the same side. If he could deal with her when she had her panic attacks, then she was sure they would be a match made in heaven. So far, he hadn’t disappointed her at all.

  5

  When she rushed in the door after work, Rikki realized she hadn’t really talked to Linda in a couple of days which was odd for her. Usually they would sit and talk for at least a few minutes every day, but she’d been so busy lately.

  Linda was in nice slacks and a pretty blouse when Rikki hurried into the kitchen to start dinner. “Are you going out tonight?”

  “Yeah. Roy needs to make sure the Christmas lights are ready for the celebration Saturday night, and he promised me dinner and dancing after. It’ll probably be dinner at the diner and dancing at the Culpepper Watering Hole, but I’ll take it. It’s more about spending time with him than anything.”

  “So, you’re going with him to check on the Christmas lights? It sounds like things are getting serious!”

  Linda shrugged, her face turning red. “Maybe a little. Roy’s a good man.”

  “He is!” Rikki pulled some ground beef out of the freezer to thaw in the microwave. “Speaking of good men…Ben is coming over for supper, and we’re going to talk about casting for the Christmas pageant at church.”

  “I love the church’s Christmas pageant. The kids do the funniest things. Last year little Robbie Becker stood in the middle of the stage for a solo, and he picked his nose instead.”

  Rikki laughed while making a mental note to remind the children that picking their noses on stage was not acceptable. “I hope we don’t have any nose pickers this year!”

  “There’s always something! One year one of the children fell off the stage. Another one of the kids forgot the words to Away in a Manger, so he sang Baby Got Back instead. You should have seen Brother Anthony’s face with that one!”

  Rikki shook her head, laughing as she pictured the scene. “I’ll have to warn Ben to expect those things. I’m not sure he knows they’re in the realm of possibilities.”

  “The thing you need to know about working with children—and especially little boys—is to expect the unexpected. If they don’t do something silly, you won’t know it’s real.”

  “I like that. I’ll tell Ben you said so.” Rikki got the meat out of the microwave and pulled out a pan to brown it in.

  “I’m really glad you gave Pastor Benjamin a chance. You’ve smiled and laughed more in the past ten minutes than I’ve seen since you moved in here. I think he’s good for you.” The doorbell rang, and Linda pulled on her coat. “I’ll see you soon. I hope.” She hugged Rikki and hurried to the door.

  After Linda left, Rikki mulled over what she’d said. She really was smiling and laughing more, though she hadn’t realized it. For months she’d been so focused on just getting by that she’d missed out. It was almost like she was waking up from a foggy nightmare.

  While she chopped tomatoes for a salad, she decided it was time she took control of her life. Yes, she’d had something terrible happen to her, but she didn’t need to dwell on it forever. She could live her life to the fullest, and be happy, no matter what had happened.

  Sure, she’d still be afraid of some things that others saw as normal, but she didn’t have to live in her nightmare world forever. It was time for her to spread her wings, and if that meant giving the sweet man who was dating her a chance, then that’s exactly what she’d do!

  While the casserole was in the oven, she hurried to her room and changed into something clean. She’d never thought about just how messy it would be to work around flour and sugar all day, but though she did little of the baking, she did do her share of the frosting when the other ladies’ hands got sore. She always seemed to be covered in something white.

  She was just coming out of her bedroom in a pair of jeans and a pink sweater when the doorbell rang, and she hurried to open the door. Ben was leaning against the doorjamb, looking more adorable than ever. It was snowing, and he was wearing a cowboy hat. Just one look at him had her knees turning to mush. “Come in! Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I have salad ready now if you’re starving, or I could just serve it with the meal.” She was nervous, which surprised her. They’d spent a lot of time together lately, and she hadn’t expected the skittish feeling.

  Ben stepped into the house and shut the door behind him, looking around. “Where’s Mrs. Culpepper?”

  “She’s out with Roy. Something about making sure the Christmas lights were in working order for the lighting ceremony on Saturday, and then dinner and dancing.”

  Ben caught her by the waist and pulled her to him. “Good. Then I don’t have to worry about anyone walking in on us when I kiss you.”

  Rikki grinned up at him, before wrapping her arms around his neck. “Show me what you’ve got.”

  He chuckled, lowering his lips to hers. “It’s hard to kiss you when I’m laughing, you know.”

  “So, stop laughing and get serious about the kissing!” She pressed her lips to his, stroking his shoulders through his thick jacket. When it occurred to her she wanted his clothes off, she took a step back. “On second thought, maybe I should set the table.”

  He grabbed her hand, a concerned look on his face. “What’s wrong? I didn’t scare you, did I?”

  She shook her head. “Not scared at all.”

  “Then tell me what’s wrong!” he insisted. It was hard to know how to handle her with her history, but he wanted to understand what she needed at all times.

  “I was just thinking about how much I’d like it if we could get your clothes off, and I could feel bare skin. I didn’t think that was an appropriate thought to have with the pastor I’m dating, so I thought I should step away for a bit instead.”

  His eyes widened, and a grin slowly formed. “I don’t think it’s an appropriate thought, but I like that you had it.”

  She made a face, turned on her heel, and returned to the kitchen. She wasn’t going to discuss it with him any more than she already had. He was pleased with her thinking carnal thoughts, and that just wasn’t right.

  Ben removed his coat and threw it over the back of the couch before joining her in the kitchen. “How can I help?”

  She took some glasses out of the cabinet. “Get us drinks.”

  “What should I get?”

  Rikki shrugged. “I don’t know. Dig through the fridge and figure it out.”

  She got down plates and salad bowls, hurrying around the counter and away from him. The kitchen was too small for her to share it with him. Linda was always calling it a one-butt kitchen.

  Once they were sitting down to eat, she brought up the topic he was there to discuss. “I forgot my notes in the car. We can talk about it after dinner.”

  Rikki frowned. “I don’t know that you should stay after dinne
r. I’m starting to think I can’t be trusted alone with you.”

  He laughed. “Sure, you can. I’m strong. I’ll fend you off.”

  “Whatever.” She forked up a bite of her food.

  “For what it’s worth, I’m glad I’m not the only one having those kinds of thoughts.”

  Her eyes met his. “You are too?”

  “I’m a pastor, but I’m still a man, and you’re a very beautiful woman. That’s why we should get married.”

  “Married, huh? If I agreed, you’d run screaming into the night.”

  “Try me.” His eyes met hers steadily. There was nothing he wanted more at that moment than her agreement.

  “I can’t marry you! I don’t even know where you live!”

  “I have a small apartment in town. Next question.”

  Rikki shook her head. “No. It’s too soon.”

  “Why is it too soon? Is it too soon because you’re afraid of me? Or because you’re afraid of your feelings for me?”

  She didn’t answer him, but they both knew what her problem was. She felt too much for him, and after spending so much time with her feelings put on hold, she wasn’t sure how to handle them. “I think we should change the subject.”

  He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “Promise me you’ll think about it. I feel so much for you. I don’t want to go on this way.”

  She sighed. “I’ll think about it. I don’t want to rush into anything though. I feel like I’m waking up from a really long nightmare, and it would be easy to jump into something I’m not ready for right now, and I don’t want that to happen.”

  He nodded. “I don’t want to force you into anything, but I do think we’d be really good together.”

  After supper, he ran to his car to get the notes he’d taken while she loaded the dishwasher, her mind on nothing but what he was asking her. Constantly he brought up the subject of marriage, and deep inside her, she knew it was what she wanted. But what if it was just a gut reaction? What if she just wanted to be with someone who would protect her? She had to be sure.

  They sat together on the couch, with him reading the notes he’d made on each of the children, while she wrote down what part they’d assigned each of them. It was a long process given that over forty children had auditioned.