New Year's Quickie Read online

  New Year’s Quickie

  A Holiday Romance Short Story

  Izzy Gomez

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Also by Izzy Gomez

  Chapter One

  New Year's Eve

  She wore the dress he loved. The shimmery black one she wore the first time he saw her perform. The lights on stage made it almost see-thru. The silhouette of her body was enough to make Noah’s blood hum in his veins. He checked his watch again. 11:40. Only ten more minutes left in her set.

  As much as he loved watching Ellie’s hips sway as she performed, hearing her sultry voice, tonight he wanted her show over. All day, he hadn’t been able to think about anything but what she would feel like in his arms. Naked.

  Sweat beaded his upper lip and the back of his neck. Farther down, he was already prepared to make love to her. As hard as he’d been all day, he could probably go all night.

  Afraid he would do something stupid like drag Ellie off stage and into Tess’s office so he could have her that second, Noah turned his attention to his friends Pete and Krissy.

  “Quite the song Ellie played earlier,” he said to Krissy.

  She pointedly ignored him as she scooped ice into a glass. “Which one. She’s been up there for about two hours.”

  He was well aware of how long she’d been on stage. Each minute was made longer by the fact that he hadn’t actually talked to Ellie today. Or seen her for a week. When he got back there had been an emergency with one of the cows giving birth prematurely, and breech nonetheless. When he was finally able to escape, Ellie had been gone, helping out at the bar since Tess was short staffed.

  Would Ellie even have the energy to spend the night with him? Another surge of blood rushed to his groin to remind him that wasn’t an option he liked even a little bit.

  “Yeah, come to think of it, I think that was a new song she played.” Pete looked to Noah for confirmation, nodding. “That one about the cheating rat bastard lawyer. I haven’t heard that one before.”

  Pete had heard Ellie play twice, three times at most.

  Krissy didn’t look at them as she spoke. “No, she’s played that before. Many times.”

  “I’ve never heard it.” Noah knew they were being hard on Krissy, but she was Pete’s little sister. They’d been giving her a hard time since she was in pre-school.

  “I knew this girl once, a lot like the chick in the song,” Pete said, giving Krissy his most evil-big-brother grin. “I think it was a doctor she got involved with, though. Not a lawyer. He really messed with her head. It’s amazing how similar Ellie’s song is.”

  Krissy’s face was pink and pinched. Noah knew the look. She wanted to kill Pete. Or at least pick up his beer and throw it in his face.

  “Hey,” Noah said. He reached across the bar to her but she snatched her arm away. “We’re just teasing. If we’re thinking about you it keeps our minds off other girls.”

  Krissy’s gaze flicked toward the stage, then back to Noah. “I know. I forgive you. He”—she nodded toward Pete without looking at him—“can rot in hell.”

  Krissy picked up the drinks she’d been making and skirted around the bar. “And just wait until you hear the one she wrote about you and Tess.”

  Laughter surged up in Noah’s chest. He bit down on his lips and concentrated on not letting it out. From the look of fury on Pete’s face, Noah could tell Pete wanted to kill Krissy right back. And so it went.

  “Sometimes, I really hate her.”

  “She’s your sister. You love her.”

  “I can love someone and hate them at the same time.”

  Again Noah struggled to keep the grin off his face.

  They sat in silence for a few more minutes. Noah tried to think about the work he had to do in the next few days. Call the vet, see if there was anything they could do for the premature calf. Pay some of the bills in the pile that never seemed to get smaller. Make artichoke dip for Pete’s football party tomorrow. Put Kaye to bed, then sneak over to Ellie’s to make love to her, every night.

  No, bad thought. He was supposed to be distracting himself.

  “She’s good. Really good.”

  It wasn’t exactly keeping his mind off Ellie, but at least it was a more benign topic. Didn’t make him think about all the things he wanted to do to her in just an hour.

  “You don’t expect her to have a voice like she does,” Pete said. “What’s she doing in nowhere Colorado? Why isn’t she in L.A., or wherever musicians live these days. She should be making records.”

  “I have no idea why she’s here.” He’d asked himself the same question a dozen times. “She moves around a lot, every few years. From what I can tell, though, it’s been all big cities so far. But she’s never said why she suddenly picked such a small town.”

  Pete just nodded, staring into his beer. He’d been quiet all day. Pete wasn’t what could be called a chatterbox, but he’d been even less talkative than usual.

  “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.”

  Noah turned his attention back to the stage. His pulse picked up again, concentrating between his legs. Ellie’s eyes searched the crowd, and when they met his, her smile grew to a grin. His pulse kicked even higher. He was going to explode before he got even one kiss.

  “That’s it for me tonight. Tess will be taking over the midnight festivities.” Ellie lifted her guitar strap over her head as the crowd clapped and cheered.

  Noah had an urge to push his way to the stage, grab her in his arms and kiss her right there, in front of everyone. Stake his claim. He gripped the edge of the bar to keep from giving in to the Neanderthal impulse.

  He waited while she put her guitar in its case, waved at the crowd, and stepped off the stage. Then he got up and took a few steps toward her.

  He lost sight of her for a moment as a guy he knew by face but not name stepped into his line of sight. Noah moved around the guy and his eyes found Ellie again.

  With her hand against Tim’s chest, her lips pressed to his.

  Chapter Two

  Ellie eased away from Tim, panic tightening her throat. Had Noah seen Tim kiss her? Would he get the wrong idea? She’d meant to talk to Tim while Noah was away this past week, but she hadn’t been able to reach him since he was also out of town.

  The man had terrible timing.

  Ellie grabbed his hand and pulled him into a shadowed corner. She would rather have their conversation in private, but this would have to do.

  Tim smiled lazily and stepped closer, sliding his arms around her waist. “I missed you this past week.”

  Ellie felt a flutter of regret in her stomach. She hated hurting such a nice man. But it did neither of them any good for to pretend.

  As Tim moved in for another kiss she wrapped her fingers around his wrists and pushed his hands away, moving him back a few inches. “Tim, don’t.”

  Confusion creased his face. “I don’t…would you rather go someplace else?”

  Ellie closed her eyes, took a deep breath. “No. I’m sorry, but we can’t see each other anymore.” Holding in that breath, she waited for him to reply.

  His confusion deepened, his eyebrows practically vertical. “What? Why?”

  How did she tell him? He was a good guy, she would love to be friends with him, but she just wasn’t attracted to him. It wasn’t him, it was her. But those were the things everyone said. The things that usually were lies.

  “I’m...I’ve sort of...” She rubbed her hand over her face in frustration. “Things have happened. With Noah.”

  The confusion slid from his face, replaced by hurt so deep it almost scared her.

&
nbsp; She reached out to touch his arm. “I’m so sorry, Tim. You’re a great guy, and…Well, I could say a bunch of things that will sound like lies. But they are true. You’re a good guy, and I do like you, but not in a romantic way.”

  He met her gaze. His eyes pleaded with her. “Things like that, they take time.”

  “Tim, don’t.”

  “I know if you just give it a little time, you can grow to feel that way.” He grabbed her hands, squeezed.

  Regret spread from her stomach out to her whole chest. She hated to be the cause of anyone’s pain.

  “I don’t care if you screwed around with Noah. We can forget that.” His face was desperate as he dropped her hands and moved them once again around her waist.

  Once again, Ellie pushed free. “Tim, please. I’m not going to change my mind.”

  “Ellie, come on.” Tim ran his hand over her cheek, brushed back her hair. “We could be good together.” He leaned toward her, close enough she felt his breath on her face. And didn’t feel anything.

  “I’ll treat you the way you deserve to be treated.” His lips brushed her temple. It was pleasant, but it didn’t send a thrill through her like when Noah touched her.

  Ellie placed her hands on his chest and pushed him back for a third time. “Please don’t do this. I can’t be with you.”

  His jaw tightened. “Yeah, OK. I get it.” His eyes narrowed as he shot a look across the room to where Noah was talking with Pete.

  She couldn’t stop herself from reaching out to touch his arm one more time. “I’m so sorry, Tim. You’re a good man, and you deserve a woman who is focused only on you. I just can’t do that. I wish I could.”

  He looked down at her, his eyes roaming her face. “I wish you could too.” Once again he brushed his hand over her cheek, but this time it was a gesture of affection, not of longing. “Don’t let him hurt you. OK?”

  Ellie smiled sadly. “I’ll do my best.”

  “And if—“

  He was cut off by the trill of his cell phone. Panic flashed across his face. “I’m sorry, this is probably about my sister. I need to take it.”

  “Of course.”

  Ellie watched him as he flipped open the phone, feeling awkward. This was his private world and she didn’t want to be part of it. She wanted to move away from him, wanted to go talk to Tess, or Krissy, or anyone else. But she stayed where she was. His sister was at the end of a losing battle with cancer, and she couldn’t leave him all alone if this was bad news.

  Beside her, Tim slumped heavily on the wall. “Oh, god.” His face twisted in pain, his eyes shut. He pressed a hand to his forehead. “OK, yeah. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  Oh no. Something awful must have happened if he was going to drive to Fort Collins at nearly midnight on New Year’s Eve. Ellie’s heart thumped and again she reached out to touch his arm. She did care about him, after all. He covered her hand with his and squeezed.

  A few minutes later he shut his phone and slid it in his jeans pocket. When he looked at her, his face was creased in pain. His eyes were damp.

  “I have to go.” His voice was flat.

  Ellie nodded. “Be careful. I know you have to go, but you really shouldn’t drive when you’re this upset. So please be careful.”

  “She’s dying,” he said as if he hadn’t heard her. “Now. Right now. The doctor said it’s a matter of hours. I have to go.” Instead he slumped deeper into the wall. “My baby sister is going to die.”

  Ellie put her hands on his shoulders and nudged him upright. “Then you should be with her.”

  Tim looked down at her as if just realizing she was there. “Yeah.” He paused, then said, “Do you think...is there any way you would come with me?”

  Ellie’s stomach squeezed, her throat closed up. “Oh, Tim. I’m so sorry, but I can’t. It wouldn’t be right. You need to be with your family and I don’t belong there.”

  Impulsively, she reached up and pulled him in for a hug. A hug of friendship, of support. She prayed that his anguished mind wouldn’t think it anything more. Pulling back, she said, “Go. Go be with your sister.”

  Tim squeezed her hand. “Thank you. You’re a good friend.”

  He turned and walked toward the coatrack near the door. Leaving Ellie alone.

  She looked over to where Noah and Pete had been a minute ago. They were gone and Krissy was collecting their empty glasses. Ellie stepped away from the corner to go talk to her friend and get a drink.

  She took two steps, then a firm hand gripped her upper arm and pulled her around. She looked up to find Noah looking down at her, his face tight, his eyes flashing.

  “Not going with him?”

  Ellie felt irritation flare up in her chest. Sure they had plans for tonight, but that didn’t give him a right to manhandle her. Not when he was pissed. She tried to shake her arm free. His grip didn’t loosen one bit.

  “He’s going to Fort Collins. His sister is dying. Tonight.” She glared up at him. She had to get away from him before she did something foolish like letting him kiss her right here in the bar. Before she let him touch her with those soft lips and his powerful—

  “Please let go of my arm.”

  Noah’s face relaxed as he released his grasp. “Really? That...sucks.”

  They stood in silence, each avoiding the other’s gaze. Finally Noah said, “Why didn’t you go with him?”

  Ellie swallowed hard, trying to find some moisture in her mouth. He was standing too close. She could smell his woodsy scent above all the other smells in the bar. “That’s not the sort of thing a friend you’ve only known a few weeks does.”

  “It’s the kind of thing a girlfriend does. And you two didn’t exactly look like you’d told him it was over.” He took a step closer so that only a breath separated their bodies. As a matter of fact, she could feel his hot breath on her face.

  She took a step backward. “I’m not his girlfriend. You know that.”

  Taking another step forward, Noah looked mildly surprised. “I do?”

  Ellie’s pulse hammered in every part of her body. Her toes throbbed, her ears throbbed. Most of all, she throbbed between her legs. Why was he doing this to her? Why was he being stupid and jealous when he should be taking her home? Couldn’t he see that her ability to resist him was evaporating by the second?

  She took another step back and bumped up against the wall. “I told you I was going to talk to him. I haven’t been able to get in touch with him all week. So I was telling him now that I don’t want to date him anymore.”

  Continuing their dance, Noah stepped forward. His body brushed hers and her skeleton melted. Thank god for the wall at her back.

  “So it’s over with him?” His voice no longer held an edge of anger. His fingertips played over the back of her hand and she couldn’t stop herself from shivering. Her whole arm tingled, all the way up and across her shoulders.

  “Yes. Considering everything that’s...” She gestured vaguely between the two of them. “It’s not fair to him.”

  “And what about me? What about you?” His hand trailed up her arm, leaving goosebumps in its wake. Their corner was dark but she could still see a glint of humor now in his eyes. “What’s fair to us?”

  She could barely take a breath. Certainly the way he was touching her wasn’t fair. It felt so good, too good. Her already melted insides melted a little more. “I can’t be what you want, Noah. We both know I’ll leave one day, and we’ll both get hurt. And so will Kaye.”

  “Kaye will be hurt anyway. She already adores you.” He dragged his hand back down her arm, slid it to her hip, around to her back, and pulled her closer to him.

  She could feel the urgency of his desire pressing against her belly. The belly that was doing dizzying figure eights. She couldn’t stop herself from pressing against him, a small noise catching in the back of her throat as her whole body ignited.

  Noah gave a soft groan. “Don’t do that unless you mean it. I know we talked last w
eek, but if you want to change your mind, do it now.”

  She couldn’t answer him. She did mean it, but she still didn’t want to. The way he made her feel was terrifying. More than the way he made her weak with hunger, he made her want a life she could never have. She wasn’t the settling down type. She’d been drifting all her adult life and when she was done with this town she would continue to drift.

  But he made her think just maybe...

  His free hand cupped the back of her head and tilted her face up to his. His eyes were glazed with desire as he stared down at her. “Look me in the eyes and tell me you’re having second thoughts. Tell me right now that you don’t want us to be together for however long it lasts, to see where it can go. I’ll walk away and never bother you again.”

  Ellie felt weak as she looked up at him. He was asking her to look him in the face and lie. And she should. She was already half in love with him, and if they gave in and started something she knew it would rapidly turn from half to full-blown love.

  She gathered all the strength she had inside and looked up at him. Into those beautiful, intense grey eyes. She wanted every promise in them.

  “I...I don...” Her throat closed. She tried to force the words out but she couldn’t. Of all the times for her voice to fail her.

  Defeated, she laid her cheek against his chest. It was so rare for someone to hold her like this and for a moment she let herself enjoy the simple warmth of a hug, no matter how sexually charged.

  With a sigh she said, “You know I can’t.” She’d told enough lies. This was one she just couldn’t handle.

  Noah tilted her face up. “What?”

  Ellie gripped the front of his flannel shirt. “I can’t. You know I can’t look you in the eyes and tell you I don’t want you. I should. But I can’t. I’m going to go crazy if I don’t have you soon.”

  For a long moment he just looked at her. She was about to try to think of something to say when he leaned down and kissed her. Like their previous kisses there was nothing gentle about this one. This was about hunger, about passion. About devouring.