Storm's Refuge

by Nancy M Bell

  “Penny for your thoughts.” Rob blocked the light from the kitchen door. He stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind him before coming to stand beside her.

  “Where’s Kayla?”

  He waved vaguely toward the house. “In there somewhere, talkin’ to Mom. Forget her, it’s you I want to talk to.”

  Michelle took a step back and studied his face. “You’re pissed, Rob. Go back in the house and find your wife.” When he didn’t move, she started to push past him, stopping abruptly when he grabbed her arm.

  “Let me go, Rob.” Her voice was dangerously quiet.

  “I’m sorry, Chelly. I made a mistake. I love you. I know you love me, too. You always have, ever since we were kids.” The words were slurred and he swayed on his feet, his eyes slightly unfocussed.

  “Let me go, Rob. You’re drunker than a skunk. You married Kayla, remember? I’m going back in the house now, you should find Kayla and go home to sleep it off.” His grip loosened for a second and Michelle tried to pull free. Rob cursed and yanked her against him. Rough whiskers scraped her cheek as he kissed her possessively. Michelle shoved at his shoulders, but then was forced to hang on to him as the idiot staggered and almost fell. His hands gripped her face, holding her lips to his. His tongue probed her taut mouth seeking entrance.

  “C’mon, Chelly. You know you want me. This used to turn you on, remember?” He twisted his hand in her hair to hold her head steady and grabbed her other hand and pressed it against his erection. “See how much I want you, darlin’? Kayla doesn’t have to know…one more time for old time’s sake…you know you want it…”

  “What the hell…” Cale stood in the doorway, his face a thundercloud as he met her startled gaze. His eyes swept over her, from her kiss swollen lips to her hand on Rob’s bulging jeans. “Let me know when you’re finished, it’s almost midnight.” He turned on his heel and stomped away before Michelle could utter a word.

  “Let me go!” She ground her teeth and wrenched her hand away from his grip. When Rob was drunk he didn’t have the sense of a gopher in the middle of the road. He shoved his mouth down on hers again and palmed her breast.

  “God damn it, Rob. Leave off!” Michelle dug her fingers into his wrist to loosen the grip on her hair and brought her knee up hard between his spread legs. He dropped to the floor boards with a curse, clutching his groin. Michelle stepped over him and opened the kitchen door. She paused on the threshold to look back. “Don’t you ever touch me again. Do you hear me?” Without waiting for a response she stormed into the house.

  Cries of Happy New Year rang in her ears. A glance at the clock showed the two hands upright on the twelve. Great, just great. Where is Cale? She ventured into the living room where Mary was at the piano leading the singing of Auld Lang Syne. Doc caught Michelle up in huge hug and planted a kiss on her forehead.

  “You smell like cigarette smoke and booze, what have you been up to?” Doc held her at arm’s length and studied her face.

  “Fending off Rob, the jack ass. Kayla needs to get that idiot home before he does more damage.”

  “What did he do? Do I need to kick his ass?” Doc glanced around the room.

  “He decided he needed a little bit of what he threw away. He’s drunker than a skunk and started pawing me, Cale came out and saw us. Heaven only knows what he thought was going on and he didn’t wait around to find out.” Her breath caught in her throat as tears threatened. “I left Rob rolling around on the floor of the porch. It’s gonna hurt to ride for a while.” An evil grin crossed her face.

  “Michelle, what happened?” Peggy stood at her elbow. “Cale come through here like the devil was at his heels. Said he was going back to the ranch.”

  “We came together, how’s he getting home?” Michelle looked about wildly, trying to find his dark head above the crowd.

  “George lent him his truck. Said something about understanding how a man needed to get away from you at times. Cale grabbed the keys and left without saying good bye. What the hell happened?”

  “Rob happened.” Michelle sighed. “He decided it was time for a reunion and wouldn’t take no for an answer until I practically gelded him. Cale walked in on it and didn’t wait around for an explanation. I need to find him.”

  “Kayla, darlin’. You been lookin’ fer me?” Rob reeled into the room, bouncing off the door frame. “Wanna go get ridden hard and put away wet? Shake theme pretty boobies for me…”

  The sudden silence in the room was deafening. Kayla stalked across to her husband and stopped in front of him. The sharp crack of her hand on his face halted his tirade. “Don’t you ever speak to me like that again, do you hear me?” she hissed. “Do you think I don’t know you were out there hitting on your ex?”

  As amusing as it was to see Rob getting his comeuppance, Michelle turned to Doc. “Can I borrow your truck? I need to talk to Cale, it can’t wait.”

  “Sure Chelly.” He dug in his pocket and pressed the keys into her hand. “Make sure you say goodbye to Mary, though or she’ll have my head.”

  “Thanks, Doc.” She kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll make it right with Cale, Peggy. I promise.” She slipped through the crowd to Mary’s side. Giving her a hug, she whispered in her ear. “I’m gonna go find Cale and straighten this out. Damn Rob, the idiot should never touch a drop.”

  “You go, girl. Don’t let that boy get away. He’s the real deal.”

  “I know, Mary. I know.”

  She ran lightly down the back steps and jumped in Doc’s old truck. Tapping her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel she waited for the glow plug to go out. Finally, it winked out and she slid the truck into gear. Damn Rob to hell and back. What was wrong with the man? You’d think he’d learn by now he couldn’t have his cake and eat it, too. The back end of the truck slewed sideways as she turned onto the main road. Sweat gathered on her brow, curling her hair into tendrils. Michelle rolled the window down, faint sounds of revelry sounded in the night. How far ahead of her was he? Pressing harder on the accelerator, she sent the vehicle down the deserted stretch of highway. Frost glimmered on the pavement and the stars shone overhead. It was a beautiful night, how did things go so wrong? Damn Rob, damn his ass all the way to hell.

  Michelle gulped in deep breaths of the frigid air blowing in the window. It did nothing to calm her rising panic. What if he doesn’t believe me? What if he thinks I wanted that ass wipe to kiss me? For once, she was too angry to cry. Rob was not going to ruin the best thing that ever happened to her, just because he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants once he had a few drinks in him. The turn for the ranch road flashed by, cursing she jammed on the brakes and reversed down the highway. Punching the throttle, she raised rooster tails of snow as the truck careened down the dirt road. Red tail lights glimmered ahead of her, she was almost on the vehicle before she realized it was pulled over to the shoulder. Yanking the wheel, she skidded by.

  Damn, that’s George’s truck! Michelle stomped on the brake sending the truck into a three-sixty skid. Grimly, she wrestled the wheel, fighting for control. Doc would kill her dead if she hurt his old truck. Finally it lurched to a stop skewed sideways on the road. Michelle dropped her head against her hands still clutching the wheel. Her breathing hadn’t steadied before the cab door was wrenched open.

  “What the hell are you trying to do, kill yourself?” Cale glared at her, his breathing as ragged as her own. “Michelle? What are you doing here?” His expression became wary as he realized who it was.

  “Looking for you. What are you doing parked in the middle of the road, for heaven’s sake?”

  “It’s not the middle of the road, you were going way too fast. I’m way off on the shoulder. Whose truck did you steal?”

  “Doc lent it to me so I could find you and explain.” She stopped talking as a closed shuttered look froze his features.

  “Nothing to explain. It was pretty obvious what was going on. If you aren’t hurt, I’ll just head back to the house.” H
e turned and walked back toward his truck.

  “Cale, it isn’t like that,” she called after him. When he didn’t stop, she jumped out of the cab and ran after him. Catching up with him, she grabbed his arm and spun him toward her. “Listen to me, won’t you. I wasn’t kissing him—”

  “And your hand wasn’t down his pants? Give me a break, Michelle.” He pulled free and got into the truck, slamming the door in her face.

  “Cale…” she paused at the thunderous look on his face.

  “Move Doc’s truck so I can get by, or so help me I’ll ram it,” he ordered.

  “Cale, please —” she began again.

  “Now! Move it!” He put his vehicle in gear and left her standing in the gravel.

  “Ass wipe,” she muttered. Stomping back to Doc’s truck, she passed Cale’s window without glancing his way. She got in the pickup and maneuvered it in the loose gravel until it was pointed in the right direction again. Cale flashed by her, rocks and stones pinging off her fenders as he did. Jamming the truck into gear, she followed him back to the house. He was going to listen to her if she had to hogtie him. With any luck, his parents wouldn’t come home before they had hashed this nonsense out. Damn Rob, egotistical ass wipe. What did I ever see in him?

  Chapter Nineteen

  Michelle pulled up and parked beside Cale. He slammed his door and stalked toward the house without looking at her. She hurried after him, catching up with him by the back door. He glared at her over his shoulder.

  “Go away, Michelle. I don’t want you here.”

  “Where am I supposed to go?”

  “Go stay at Rob’s, eat crow and beg George to take you in. I don’t care.”

  “I’m not going anywhere until you listen to me.” She pushed her way into the house behind him.

  “Honestly Michelle, I’ve had enough. I’m too tired to talk about this right now. I’m tired of wondering if you really want a life with me or you’re just rebounding from Rob. If he crooked his finger would you go running back to him…I guess I got my answer tonight. Didn’t I?” His voice was bitter and defeated. “Just go away.” He moved across the dark kitchen without turning on a light and disappeared down the hall.

  “Cale, why won’t you listen to me? I need to explain what happened. It’s not what you think…” Her voice failed her at the sight of him storming back down the hall toward her, barely suppressed anger in every line of his body.

  “It wasn’t you with his tongue down your throat, it wasn’t you with your hand down his pants, it wasn’t his hand pawing at you? What wasn’t it, Michelle. Go on, tell me.” Cale challenged her.

  Michelle gulped and wet her lips. “I went outside to get some air. Rob came out and he was pissed to the gills. I told him to screw off and tried to back in the house and look for you. He grabbed me and started kissing me. I didn’t kiss him back, I didn’t…” She paused at the unyielding expression on his face. “I didn’t, he had me by the hair and grabbed my hand, he forced me to touch him. Right after you left, I kneed him in the balls and left him rolling on the porch. Ask Doc. I ran in the house looking for you, Doc said you left in hurry, borrowed George’s truck. I came after you…I love you, Cale. Not Rob. I don’t know what I ever saw in that ass wipe. You’ve got to believe me…”

  “Why should I believe you? Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve been mooning after that bastard. Even though he’s married now you can’t keep your hands off him. What kind of person are you?” Disgust laced his tones.

  “I’m so done with him. You have to see that. He was drunk, when he’s liquored up he thinks anything female will lie down and spread her legs for him. It’s you I want, Cale. Now and forever…”

  Annoyance flared across his face at the buzz of his cell phone. He dug in the pocket of his shirt and answered it, his gaze never leaving her.

  “Dr. Benjamin.” His brows drew together as he listened to the caller in silence. “Fine, Dad. See you in the morning.” He ended the call. “Mom and Dad are staying in town for the night. Mom thinks Dad’s had too much to drink and she doesn’t like to drive in the dark.” He turned back to the hall. “You should go,” he said over his shoulder.

  Michelle sank down on a chair at the table. “Why won’t you believe me? You said you loved me, but you obviously don’t trust me. Love is nothing without trust, I know that now.”

  Cale stood stock still in the hallway, his back still turned to her. When he didn’t speak or move, she got to her feet. “Okay, I’m leaving. If you can’t trust me, you can’t really love me. I’m glad I found out now before I got in any deeper. Good bye, Cale. I’ll come and get the horses and chickens once I figure out where I’m staying. I’ll get Storm and the puppies into the truck.”

  Defeated, she got to her feet and bent to collect the sleeping puppies. Storm whined deep in her throat, her body trembling. Michelle dropped to her knees and hugged her. “It’s okay, dog. We’ll be fine, you’ll see.” Placing the last puppy in the kennel she closed the door and straightened up.

  Cale still stood in the hallway with his back to her. Michelle gave him one last look and picked up the kennel. Storm hopped along at her side as she left the kitchen. Tears blurred her vision and it was a chore to get the heavy kennel into the truck. A final heave set it in place. She closed the door and opened the passenger door for Storm. Michelle put a hand under her bum to assist her into the cab. She stumbled around the front of the truck and got in the driver side. She shoved the key in the ignition but didn’t turn it. Laying her head down on the steering wheel she let the tears come as they would.

  Her head came up with a jerk at a tap on the window. Wiping her eyes, she rolled the window down. “What do you want?”

  “You forgot the puppy food.” Cale handed her a bag but seemed reluctant to leave.

  “Thanks,” she mumbled taking the bag of food. She set it on the seat and turned the key in the ignition.

  “Michelle, wait…” He reached into the truck and touched her cheek.

  She twisted away and refused to look at him. Her hand twitched on the gear shift but somehow she couldn’t bring herself to slide it into reverse.

  “Don’t go. Come back in the house…”

  “And do what, Cale? You don’t trust me, no matter how often you say you love me, you don’t trust me. There’s nothing else to say.” Her voice came out thin and strangled. She swallowed past the huge lump in her throat.

  The pickup door flew open and he hauled her bodily out of the seat. His grip was strong on her shoulders and if she was honest with herself, she didn’t really want to break free.

  “Look at me, Chelly,” he commanded gently.

  Unwillingly, she raised her eyes from their contemplation of his shirt buttons. Starlight gleamed on his seal black hair and reflected bright pin points in his dark eyes. Michelle blinked and looked closer at his face, his cheeks were shiny with tear tracks.

  “Hell, Michelle. I don’t know what to think. Can you blame me for jumping to conclusions? Just about everyone in town has warned me about your obsession with Rob, warned me not to get too close. And then I walk out the door and find you in his arms…”

  “It wasn’t like that,” she defended herself. “I was trying to get away, but he was so drunk if I hadn’t held him up we’d both have ended up in Mary’s rose bushes. I don’t love him anymore. I’m not sure what we had was ever love in the first place. I didn’t ask him to follow me out onto the porch for God’s sake.”

  Cale pulled her roughly against him, his shoulders shook and tremors ran through his chest under her fingers. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, I guess maybe I don’t think I can be the man you want. I’m not wild and carefree like Rob, I’ve got a demanding job and sometimes it seems like it comes before anything else. I thought you were bored with me already and went looking for some excitement. I’m sorry, Michelle. I should have listened to your explanation.” His voice was muffled in her hair.

  Her chest hurt so bad she wondered if she was
having a heart attack. Of their own accord, her arms came up around his waist. “If it was Rob or anyone else I was after why would I high tail it after you? I love you, but sometimes love isn’t enough. If you don’t trust me…”

  Cale stopped her words by covering her mouth with his. With a shuddering sigh of surrender, Michelle leaned into his embrace.

  “Will you come back in the house now? I’m freezing to death out here.” He lifted his head and a tiny smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

  Dropping her head against his chest, Michelle wrestled with her pride. She hated he had jumped to conclusions about Rob, but was it a deal breaker? Was she willing to live her life without him in it? Gramma’s advice rang in her ears: Ain’t nothing that can’t be fixed if you love each other enough. Like magic, all the pieces fell into place. What she felt for Cale deserved a chance to grow. “You get the puppy crate and I’ll get Storm.”

  Cale hugged her so tight she squeaked a bit. He released her and went to fetch the crate from the back seat of the crew cab. Michelle lifted Storm down and followed him into the house. She stood awkwardly in the doorway as the black dog brushed past her and flopped down on her bed by the stove. Cale set the crate down and opened the door for the babies, they slept on in a bundle of black fur, oblivious to the drama playing out over their heads.

  He crossed the floor and took her hands, drawing Michelle into the room. “I don’t know what to say. How do we go forward from here?” She searched his face.

  Cale surprised her by letting go of her hand and digging in the pocket of his jeans. “How’s this?” He held out a small red organza pouch. When Michelle didn’t respond, he turned her hand over and dropped it in her palm. She fumbled with the satin ribbons holding it closed. A diamond ring fell into her hand. “Will you marry me, Michelle? Maybe I should have asked Doc’s permission seeing as your dad is gone, but it’s kinda like closing the barn door after the horse is free…” His voice trailed off. “Michelle?”