Dedicated kindergarten teacher Erin MacDonald isn’t the type to make the first move on a man—especially gorgeous David McCay, her secret crush. But when a crisis involving one of her pupils offers a chance to help the pro baseballer turned local brewery owner, Erin goes way out of her comfort zone. So way out she makes a shocking suggestion!

David moved to the Colorado mountain town to look after his sister and her son. Now he’s a stand-in parent to his nephew, trying to fight his attraction to Erin...who just propositioned him. David is nobody’s hero. So why can’t he convince the sweet, kindhearted beauty that she deserves better than him? Is it because they’re the perfect imperfect match?

“I wanted to check on Rhett.”

He moved closer, crowding her a little. But she didn’t step back. She stood her ground. “That’s not all you want,” he whispered.

There weren’t enough words in the English language to cover all the things she wanted from David. From life. From this moment.

“Ask me again,” he told her, threading his fingers through her hair. The desire she saw in his blue eyes mesmerized her. A longing that matched her own, making her need grow that much more intense. “Ask me to have an affair with you.”

“Kiss me,” she said instead. Those two words were the only ones she could force her mouth to form at the moment.

He lowered his mouth to hers, claiming her lips with a force she felt all the way to her toes. How could the way he touched her feel both infinitely gentle and demanding at the same time? She wound her arms around his neck and gave herself over to the sensation. It was too much and not enough, and she whispered the one word that pounded through her whole body, “More.”

* * *

Crimson, Colorado: Finding home—and forever—in the West

Romancing the Wallflower

Michelle Major

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MICHELLE MAJOR grew up in Ohio but dreamed of living in the mountains. Soon after graduating with a degree in journalism, she pointed her car west and settled in Colorado. Her life and house are filled with one great husband, two beautiful kids, a few furry pets and several well-behaved reptiles. She’s grateful to have found her passion writing stories with happy endings. Michelle loves to hear from her readers at www.michellemajor.com.

To all my favorite Broadmoor Elementary teachers.

Thanks for everything you do for our kids.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Extract

Chapter One

“Stop staring at the hottie brewmaster’s butt.”

Erin MacDonald choked on the gulp of strawberry daiquiri she’d just swallowed. “I’m not staring at anyone’s butt,” she said as she grabbed a wad of napkins and dabbed at her chin and shirtfront. “And don’t talk so loud.”

Melody Cross, one of the second-grade teachers at Crimson Elementary, snorted. “It’s a crowded bar on a busy Thursday night. No one can hear me.”

But Melody had the kind of booming voice that could quiet a room full of squirming eight-year-olds the afternoon before summer break. The tall table they stood at was a good five feet from the bar, but Erin swore she saw the man’s broad shoulders stiffen.

“Want me to take a picture of him?” Suzie Vitale, her fellow kindergarten teacher, offered with a tipsy smile. “It lasts longer.”

Before Erin could stop her, the curvy blonde aimed her phone at the backside of the gorgeous guy who not only worked the bar but also owned Elevation Brewery. The brewpub had opened a little over a year ago and had become a popular hangout for both locals and tourists in the quaint mountain town of Crimson, Colorado.

Erin had noticed David McCay, the brewery’s owner, the first time she’d stepped into the nouveau rustic—and very on-trend for Colorado—space. He was tall and lean, with dark blond hair that curled around the collars of the flannel shirts he favored. David McCay was as handsome as a movie star and built like he spent endless hours tossing huge sacks of barley—or whatever it was beer brewers did.

Erin, who was built like she spent her days sitting cross-legged on a reading rug, had surreptitiously watched him each time she came into the bar with friends or coworkers for a random happy hour or birthday celebration. He was often tending bar or sometimes she’d spot him coming out from the back, wearing the heavy rubber boots and backward ball cap that she’d quickly learned were his uniform when actually brewing beer.

Colorado was known for its craft brews, and the fact that Elevation had made a name for itself so quickly was a testament to his hard work and talent at running a business.

At least that’s what Erin wanted to believe. Her mother liked to remind Erin that she too often assumed the best about people, which allowed them to regularly take advantage of her.

But David McCay hadn’t taken advantage of her, even though it was the stuff of her fantasies. Even though his nephew, Rhett, was now in her kindergarten class and David had been with the boy and his mother for back-to-school night. Erin had barely been able to put a sentence together with David towering over the other adults in the back of her classroom, but he hadn’t bothered to acknowledge her. Heck, it was doubtful he even knew she existed.

Except when she blinked and looked up, he was staring straight at her. Sparks of awareness flamed through her body, setting every inch of her skin on fire. He lifted one thick brow as if he could read her thoughts. Which might be impossible since it felt like all of her brain cells had spontaneously combusted under the weight of his stare.

She heard Melody giggle behind her, and Suzie gave her a little shove forward. David now stood at the edge of the bar, only a short distance from her, with movement all around him. Customers in groups laughed and talked. A waitress set her tray on the rich wood bar top. A group of women near the edge of the bar vied for his attention. But his focus remained on Erin.

Then something—someone—suddenly blocked her vision. Cole Bennett, Crimson’s recently elected sheriff, was talking to David. Cole was also tall and broad, and to use one of her mom’s favorite expressions, made a better door than a window.

Erin shifted to the right as she overheard Cole mention Rhett, David’s nephew. David’s gaze hardened and his jaw clenched. Unable to stop herself, she moved forward, sidestepping a couple heading toward the back of the bar and a group of twentysomething guys who looked like they’d just come off a hiking trail, until she stood directly behind the sheriff.

She was five feet four inches tall in the clogs she favored for work, so both men towered over her and were completely unaware she was listening to their conversation. Invisibility was Erin’s unintentional superpower. She knew much more than she should about her coworkers and neighbors, simply because people didn’t notice she was there.

“Rhett is safe,” Cole told David. “But they can’t get him to come out.”

“What the hell was Jenna thinking?” David asked, then scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “No, don’t answer that.”

“She’s in trouble, David. The crowd she’s running with—”

“I’ll handle it.” He pulled a set of keys out of one of the pockets in his tan cargo pants. “I just need to tell Tracie I’m leaving for the night. I’ll be over for Rhett.”

“I have to call Social Services,” Cole said softly, and Erin felt the tension ratchet up a notch.

“Give me some time with him first, okay?”

“Can you—”

“I’ll handle it,” David repeated. He moved behind the bar and spoke to the woman filling two pint glasses from the tap.

The sheriff walked out of the bar, patrons instinctively clearing a path for him although he wasn’t in uniform tonight.

When she looked up, David McCay stood toe-to-toe with her. She realized she’d moved forward to block his path from behind the bar.

In her daydreams, she’d compared his eyes to the brilliant summer sky above the ragged peak of Crimson Mountain or the iridescent cobalt of a tropical lagoon. But now his frosty stare was more like the ice blue of a glacier, so cold a shiver passed through her.

“I don’t have time for this, sweetheart. You and your friends are going to have to play your liquid courage bar games with someone else.”

“It’s not a game,” Erin said.

“Darlin’, you ordered a froofy drink in my bar. It’s either a game or a joke.”

This close to David, the heat and frustration radiating off him made her feel different from the woman she knew herself to be. She was aware of her body in a way that was new and exhilarating. She wanted more. She wanted...something she couldn’t name. Still, the promise of it made her weak with longing.

Also braver than she’d ever been. Or maybe crazy was a better word, because when he moved to step around her, she placed a hand on his arm.

“I can help with your nephew.”

His sleeves were rolled up to the elbow. His skin burned hers, and the rough hair on his forearm tickled her fingers. A current passed through him, the force jolting Erin like she’d been struck by lightning. He stilled and the power it took to rein in all the things she imagined he was feeling right now made an answering strength bubble up inside her.

“Let me help, David.” It was the first time she’d spoken his name out loud. To her friends, he was simply “the hottie brewmaster.”

“You’re drunk,” he said, his gaze focused on where her fingers wrapped around his arm.

“No. I only had one drink. I’m fine now. Promise.” She lifted her hand. “Rhett is in my class,” she said, in case this enormous, angry man truly had no idea who she was.

“I know.” One side of his mouth almost quirked. “I came to back-to-school night.”

So she wasn’t quite invisible to David McCay. A little thrill tickled down her spine. “I’ve connected with him. He responds to me.”

David’s cool blue gaze met hers again, and he gave a brief nod. “Let’s go then.”

Erin swallowed. This was really happening. “I just need to tell my friends I’m leaving.”

“My truck is out front,” he said, his voice a low rumble. Then he turned and walked away. Erin had the distinct impression if she didn’t get her butt in gear, he’d readily leave her behind.

No chance she was letting that happen.

“I’ve got to go,” she said as she rushed to where Melody and Suzie stood gawking. She grabbed her purse from the tabletop.

“With the hottie brewmaster?” Melody asked, her voice a high squeak.

Suzie pumped a fist. “No beating around the bush tonight.”

“It’s not like that.” Erin glanced over her shoulder but David was already out the door. “I can’t explain now. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

Before her friends could respond, she hurried toward the brewpub’s entrance. The young, flawlessly mountain-chic brunette at the hostess stand gave her the once-over and arched a brow, wordlessly communicating that a woman like Erin had no business following David McCay out into the night.

Normally Erin would agree, but this was more than her hidden crush on the man. It was about helping a troubled five-year-old boy. Erin’s students were family to her, and she took her responsibility to heart. She had a Spidey sense for the ones who needed a little extra; whether it was the child or their family circumstances, Erin made it her mission to connect with every student in her care.

From the moment Rhett McCay had slunk into her classroom clutching his beautiful mother’s arm, Erin’s radar had been on high alert. Jenna McCay clearly loved her son, yet the woman seemed high-strung and flighty. Erin had the impression Rhett’s home life was anything but stable.

She might not have the guts to talk to David on her own, but she was fearless when it came to one of her kids.

A huge black Chevy truck idled near the curb, and she knew David was behind the wheel. Not that she was a stalker or anything, but Crimson was a small town and she’d seen him drop off and pick up Rhett at school several times.

“I’m fearless,” she whispered to herself when her legs wanted to stop on the sidewalk. It was late September and the evening air was crisp, the changing season scenting the breeze.

If Erin were an ice cream flavor, she would be straight-up vanilla. Everything about her life was ordinary, ordered and infinitely normal. Somehow she knew getting into David’s truck was going to add a whole slew of strange toppings to the mix. She might long for adventure, but this wasn’t what she had in mind.

She conjured up Rhett’s sweet face, with his shaggy blond bowl cut and mischievous blue eyes. With a calming breath she moved forward, opened the passenger-side door and climbed in.

“You ready?” David asked in that deep, hot-caramel-syrup voice of his.

Absolutely not, Erin thought.

“I’m ready,” she answered.

* * *

David was going to kill his little sister, if she didn’t manage the task on her own first.

He concentrated on navigating the route from the bar to Jenna’s small apartment complex on the outskirts of Crimson as fast as he could without breaking any laws. He took slow breaths in and out to calm himself. Of course any thoughts of doing her harm were a joke, although she seemed hell-bent on getting into as much trouble as she could find.

Which had been one thing when they were teenagers, but Jenna had Rhett now. The constant stream of dead-end jobs, loser boyfriends and wild partying wasn’t only hurting her. The thought that Rhett would end up somehow irreparably scarred kept David up more nights than he cared to admit.

He’d moved to Crimson from Pittsburgh almost two years ago to watch out for them. But between the hours he’d put in opening the brewery and Jenna’s resentment over what she saw as his attempts to control her life, he hadn’t spent nearly as much time with them as he wanted.

His greatest fear was that he would fail his nephew the same way he’d failed Jenna.

“I’m guessing you and your sister are pretty close?”

David blinked and glanced at the woman sitting next to him in the truck’s cab. Lost in his own thoughts, he’d almost forgotten about his uninvited passenger. What the hell had possessed him to allow Rhett’s kindergarten teacher to come along on this mission anyway?

David was a master at keeping everyone in his life at arm’s length, even Jenna and Rhett. How had this tiny woman with the thick ponytail the color of maple syrup and big eyes to match managed to slip through his defenses?

“We’re Irish twins,” he offered as an answer. “Ten months apart.”

“That must have been fun growing up,” she said, her voice gentle. The exact kind of voice that could lull a classroom of restless kids into sitting in a quiet circle to learn. Most kids anyway. He still had trouble believing Rhett could calm his squirmy body enough to sit still.

“Not for our mom.”

She gave a small laugh. “If Rhett takes after the two of you, your mother had her hands full.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, and felt the knot in his chest loosen slightly at the affection in her voice. David had no problem with his nephew’s rambunctious personality, but he was normally in the minority.

He didn’t say anything more, and Erin didn’t speak for a few minutes. David liked quiet, but other than Tracie at the bar, most women he knew couldn’t tolerate it. The silence that filled his truck now was strangely comforting, like an extra blanket thrown over the bed on a cold winter night. Like all good things, it didn’t last.

“What happened tonight? Is your sister in trouble? Is Rhett okay?”

David sighed. He knew the questions were coming, and he owed the soft-spoken teacher an explanation before they reached the apartment. “How much did you overhear from Cole?”

“No details. Just that there was a problem and Rhett wasn’t cooperating.”

“He’s hiding,” he said, trying in vain to stop the anger and frustration from trickling into his voice. He could feel it seeping through his pores, making his blood run hot and raging. “Apparently he’s wedged under the kitchen sink. Jenna had a party, and things got out of hand. The cops busted it up and found drugs.”

Erin gave a sharp intake of breath, rousing his temper even further, like a backdraft making a fire blaze out of control. “Jenna loves that boy with all her heart, but she’s in a bad way. It’s why I moved to Crimson in the first place.”

“To help your sister?”

To save her, he wanted to answer, but he only nodded. David knew his limitations better than anyone, and he was nobody’s hero.

“She’s been clean for almost two years,” he said without emotion. “It’s been tough, but I thought she had her demons under control. Cole took everyone to the station. They didn’t realize Rhett was there until the place was empty and he made a noise. The deputies tried to get him out, but he freaked and scratched one of the officers. I know Cole so he called me before the social worker.”

He bit the inside of his cheek and waited for the recrimination he deserved. He should have seen the signs that Jenna was teetering on the edge. He knew her better than anyone. Why the hell couldn’t he keep her safe?

He pulled into the parking lot of the shabby apartment complex. There were two buildings, both with faded siding and balconies that looked like they wouldn’t hold the weight of a litter of kittens. He’d begged Jenna to let him help her move to a better place, but his sister was stubborn and resented any time he tried to “take control” of her life.

“We’ll make sure he’s safe,” Erin said as he turned off the truck’s engine.

Safe. The word had haunted him—and tainted every relationship in his life—for over a decade. Now this too-sweet-for-her-own-good woman offered it to his nephew like she had that kind of power. Damn if David didn’t want to believe it was true.

He shifted to face her, the dim light of the parking lot illuminating her face so that her creamy skin looked like something out of a dream. Unable to resist, he ran the pad of his thumb over the ridge of her cheekbone, marveling at how soft her skin felt.

The inherent goodness radiating from her drew him in at the same time he knew he should push her away. Someone like Erin MacDonald had no business knowing the ugly details of his sister’s struggles. She was Rhett’s teacher and nothing more. But he couldn’t let her go quite yet. Tonight she was his talisman. He had to believe having her close would keep the darkness always skirting the edges of his life at bay.

He dropped his hand and they got out of the truck and started toward Jenna’s apartment. Toward the little boy David was determined to keep safe, by any means necessary.

Chapter Two

“Come on, buddy. You’ve got to come out.”

The muscles bunched in David’s broad shoulders as he shifted his weight to one arm and leaned closer, reaching into the open cabinet under the kitchen sink.

A high-pitched scream split the air and several bottles of household cleaners tumbled out onto the scuffed linoleum floor.

David sat back on his knees with a muttered curse. “He bit me,” he said, examining the back of his hand where a semicircle of angry red teeth marks was clearly visible.

“Same thing happened to me,” Cole Bennett whispered. Cole had been waiting at Jenna McCay’s cramped apartment, clearing out the other officers when David and Erin arrived. “I didn’t want to force him out because I was worried he’d get hurt banging his head on the pipes if he struggled.”

The two men, both so strong, looked absolutely baffled at how to lure the young boy from his hiding spot. Erin glanced around the apartment and suppressed a shudder. On every surface, abandoned beer bottles and red plastic cups competed for space with fast-food wrappers and empty chip bags. It looked like a college fraternity house the morning after a huge party. The colorful drawings stuck to the front of the refrigerator were the only hint that a kindergartner lived here.

One of the crayoned pieces of art gave Erin an idea. She moved toward the narrow hallway, stepping over trash until she got to a half-open bedroom door. The space was neat and clean, untouched by the mess in the rest of the apartment. Toys lined one wall and the small bed was covered with a football-themed comforter. She grabbed the stuffed blue dog sitting on top of the pillow and hurried back to the kitchen.

David was once again on all fours in front of the cabinet, speaking so softly she couldn’t make out his words, only the rough yet surprisingly gentle timbre of his voice.

She crouched low next to him and tilted her head until she could see Rhett’s eyes, wide and still terrified. “Rhett,” she said, “It’s Ms. MacDonald. I found your stuffed dog and wanted to let you know he’s okay.”

A faint whimper came from the cabinet. “Ruffie,” the boy whispered.

“Ruffie is safe,” Erin said, using the same tone she would when soothing a child scared of letting go of his mother’s leg on the first day of school. “You’re safe, too. Your uncle David is going to take care of you. But we need you to come out now.”

The boy wedged himself farther into the corner, as if he could make himself invisible. God, Erin did not want this child to feel like he needed to be invisible. David’s large hand settled on the small of her back, and the steady pressure and warmth of his skin were more of a comfort than she would have guessed.

“Ruffie needs you.” She placed the small dog in front of her, just on the edge of the cabinet. “He’s scared and needs a hug. Can you do that for him?”

She held her breath for what felt like an eternity, then released it as the boy slowly unfolded his body and climbed out. Her fingers remained wrapped around the stuffed animal’s back leg to make sure Rhett wouldn’t try to grab it and retreat again.

Once he was in the light, she could see the smudge of dirt on his chin and the tearstains on his ruddy cheeks. Her heart broke for what this young boy had already seen in his life. David made a sound low in his throat and scooped up his nephew and the raggedy blue dog. It was as if a dam broke in Rhett and his whole body began to shake as he burrowed into David’s embrace.

She straightened and stepped away, closer to the sheriff. Somehow it felt wrong to bear witness to the moment between David and Rhett, both tender and raw. It was obvious David was trying to keep his emotions hidden, but pain and guilt were bright on his handsome features, like a stoplight in the dark.

“Nice work,” Cole Bennett said and put a hand on her elbow to lead her to the apartment door. “You’re like a kindergartner whisperer.” She started to turn but stopped at the sound of David’s voice.

“Stay.”

One word, but the intensity of it rocked her to her core.

She glanced up at Cole, who arched a brow.

“I’ll stay,” she told him.

He nodded. “Someone from Social Services will be here soon. I can let them in. They’ll want to talk to David and the boy.”

“We’ll be ready,” she said with more confidence than she felt.

She turned back and followed David to the couch, quickly cleaning off the coffee table and dumping everything into the trash before lowering herself next to him.

Rhett still clung to him, chubby fingers holding fistfuls of flannel shirt in a death grip. “Where’s Mommy?” he asked in a tiny voice.

“She’s...” David paused and his gaze slammed into hers. The pain in his eyes made her want to wrap her arms around both him and Rhett and make this whole night go away. “She’s safe. Sheriff Bennett is taking care of her.”

Erin wondered exactly how Jenna McCay was being cared for, and she hoped that whatever was happening Jenna was coherent enough to feel horrible about the situation she’d created for her son.

“It was loud,” Rhett said. “Mommy’s friends woke me up. I came out to tell her, but there were so many grown-ups and I couldn’t find her. Then everyone started yelling and I got scared and hid under the sink.”

“That was real smart of you,” David told the boy, his hand smoothing Rhett’s sleep-tousled hair.

After a moment Rhett tipped up his head to look at David. “When is Mommy coming home?”

“I’m not sure, buddy. But I’ll stay with you until she does, okay?”

Rhett chewed on his bottom lip for a few seconds, then nodded. After a knock at the door, Cole let in a gray-haired woman who appeared to be in her midfifties. She wore a plain white button-down shirt and dark pants and looked about as no-nonsense as they came.

The woman spoke to Cole in hushed tones for a few minutes, then they both approached.

“This is Becky Cramer from the county Human Services department,” Cole said.

Becky gave David a small nod, then bent to look at Rhett. “You’ve had quite a night,” she said gently.

“It was loud,” Rhett said, turning in David’s lap but not releasing his shirtfront.

“I’m David McCay.” David offered the woman his hand. “Rhett’s uncle. He’ll stay with me while we sort out things with Jenna.”

Becky shook his hand, then glanced at Erin.

“I’m Rhett’s kindergarten teacher, Erin MacDonald.” She saw a flash of surprise pass over Becky’s sharp features.

Right. How was she supposed to explain why she’d ended up on the couch with David and Rhett, caught up in the middle of family drama that had started long past regular school hours?

“Erin is a friend of mine,” David answered. Becky seemed to have no issue with that response, whereas Erin had trouble keeping her jaw from hitting the floor. Friends with David McCay? In what lifetime?

Men like David didn’t have boring kindergarten teachers as friends. Before he came to Crimson, he’d been a major-league baseball pitcher. He must be used to drop-dead gorgeous women who were exciting and sexy.

Erin knew she was boring. And ordinary. Not at all David’s type. She’d had a boyfriend last year—an accountant at a firm in town. He was quiet, average and exactly her type. Greg had broken up with her to date someone who was better than average, but that didn’t mean Erin could change the person she was on the inside. No matter how much she wanted to try.

David had been her unrequited crush since the moment she’d first seen him. It was a harmless fantasy with no chance of rejection. Never had she expected to get to know him, let alone be part of his life in this kind of personal way.

Her mind drifted to that moment in the car when he’d traced his thumb over her cheekbone. The simple touch had sent shock waves rippling through her and ignited a kind of flash-point desire Erin hadn’t realized she was capable of feeling.

“It’s important the school and the family work together,” Becky said, bringing Erin back to the current conversation with a jolt, “to keep the boy’s life as stable as possible during this time.”

She looked at Rhett, who had fallen asleep in David’s arms. “Let me put him to bed,” she whispered, “while you two finish talking.”

David relaxed his grip, allowing her to lift the boy into her arms. She made sure to take the stuffed dog, too. Rhett remained asleep as she tucked him back into bed, sighing when his head hit the pillow. Erin sat on the mattress for several minutes, rubbing the boy’s back to make sure he didn’t wake again. She couldn’t imagine how scared he must have been earlier, unable to find his mother and with the wild party in full swing.

She made a silent vow. She would keep him safe, no matter how far out of her comfort zone—and tangled up with David McCay—that led her.

* * *

It was almost two in the morning before David let himself into the apartment, exhausted and emotionally drained. Erin had agreed to stay while he went to see Jenna. Cole was keeping her overnight on possession charges but had agreed to drop them if she entered a rehab program.

David had helped his sister get clean once before, and it was a rough road. She swore that tonight’s tumble off the wagon was a onetime occurrence. David wanted to believe her, yet he’d heard so many excuses over the years. All he knew was he had to protect his nephew. There could be no repeats of what Rhett had gone through tonight.

It never should have happened in the first place, and he couldn’t stop blaming himself.

The apartment was quiet when he entered, and he found Erin asleep on the couch, curled on her side as if she didn’t want to take up too much space. It blew his mind that the buttoned-up schoolteacher had so willingly pitched in to help with his hot mess of a life. He understood that Rhett was her student. But David had never encountered a teacher like her.

Hell, he would have paid a lot more attention in school if he’d had someone like Erin MacDonald in his corner.

If possible, she looked more luminously beautiful asleep than she did awake. She was like a damn fairy-tale princess with her creamy skin, straight nose, rosy cheeks and the long, dark hair that fell over her face. It was easier to study her now than when those too-knowing bourbon-colored eyes were staring back at him.

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