She chuckled. "Josh is now the town’s number-one catch. Every mother is practically throwing their virginal beauties at his feet."
"Ah, but is he biting?"
"To the great disappointment of every mother—and some very testy daughters—he hasn’t even nibbled."
He lifted his brow, amazed. "Nothing?" He watched Kelli shake her head and eye the picnic basket. "Interesting."
"No, predictable. Did you bring anything else?"
"Of course." He lifted the lid of the hamper. "Why predictable?"
Her mouth watered as she saw the bag of potato chips. "They’re still judging the book by its cover."
"Are you saying he’s not true-blue under that badge?"
She narrowed her eyes. "All I’m saying is he’s the same today as he was nine years ago. Loyal, honest, and the best friend I ever had."
"I seem to be apologizing to you a lot today. I’m sorry. I won’t question your friendship with Josh again." He saw her guarded expression and pulled up a cellophane package of Ding Dongs. "Am I forgiven?"
"Maybe."
"For two chocolate cakes surrounding a heap of delicious cream all covered with dark chocolate, I need a definite answer."
"Yes, providing I get to ask the next question." He smiled graciously and handed her the package and another sarsaparilla. "Sure. I have all my own teeth, stopped believing in Santa Claus by the time I was ten, and flunked my driver’s test the first two times. I’m allergic to asparagus, deplore horror movies, and my favorite color is yellow. I love my job, can’t spell worth a damn, and my checkbook’s never balanced. I’ve never married, but I once lived with a girl during college. I don’t believe in ironing, ESP, or that we will one day balance the national budget. Did any of that answer any of your questions?"
A mischievous smile touched her lips as she shook her head. "No. I was just curious if you always wore such interesting shorts."
Startled, he asked, "My shorts?"
"Yeah, you know, those cute boxers. I especially like the green ones with the light bulbs all over them."
"How in the hell would you know what my shorts look like?"
Her voice was all innocence. "I did the wash this morning."
Logan willed back his embarrassment. He was a thirty-four-year-old man and the subject of his shorts shouldn’t cause him to blush like a schoolboy. "I thought Ruth was the housekeeper."
"She is, but I do all the laundry."
"Why?"
"The machine is very temperamental. It only listens to me. The two times she tried to wash a load catastrophe struck."
"Catastrophe?"
"The first time the water hose snapped and we ended up with a flood in the laundry room. The second time it wouldn’t rinse the suds out of the clothes."
Logan studied Kelli’s serene expression; something wasn’t right. A housekeeper who didn’t do laundry? A living room that magically cleaned itself? In the two days he had been there, Ruth had baked and cooked meals that Kelli usually wasn’t around for. When it was time for the dishes, Henry or Kelli was always there to lend a helping hand. When his aunt had some free time she was either napping or knitting Kelli another red sweater. But he would get to the bottom of the housekeeper who never kept house later; he decided to answer her original question now. "My shorts are a conversation piece."
Kelli looked at Logan’s earnest expression and burst out laughing. The more she thought about it, the more she laughed. An image of Logan standing there in just his outrageous skivvies didn’t inspire conversation. Lust? Maybe. Wanton desires? Probably. A need for a quiet tête-à-tête? Never! She would be lucky if she could breathe in such a situation. As the laughter subsided she barely choked out, "Do you like to hold conversations while you stand around in your B.V.D.’s?"
He grinned. She had a magical laugh. It held the sweetness of youth, a promise of passion, and the silkiness of seduction. Put it all together and she was arousing him with a laugh. He suddenly shifted position and wondered when he had become a masochist. He suddenly had to hear that laugh again. He held up an imaginary cigar while wiggling his eyebrows in his best Groucho Marx fashion. "Anytime you want, I’ll take off my pants and chat up a storm. Just let me know."
She adored his humor. It said a lot about the man. She wasn’t sure how she would have handled a friendly chat about her undies, but he was handling it marvelously.
Maybe too marvelously. This afternoon she had fallen for his charm and had completely forgotten about being enemies. Distrust and sadness replaced the laughter in her eyes. No sense crying for the moon. As a child she had learned that wishing for unattainable things only made the pain linger. With a sigh of regret she brought their camaraderie to an end. "When are you going back?" Logan knew the instant the harmony between them broke. It was written in her eyes. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair and groaned. "I told you last night, I don’t know."
"The company you work for just told you to take as much time as you like? Come back when you’re ready?"
"It’s more complicated than that. My contract was up. Now I can either renegotiate and return to Khartoum or some other overseas field, or I can find another job."
Panic ripped through her. If he didn’t return overseas, that meant he would either be moving away, taking her family with him . . . or becoming a permanent guest at Fairyland. Either way spelled disaster. She tried to keep her voice steady. "What do you want to do?"
"I’m checking into some matters before I make a final decision."
Kelli’s mind screamed for her to think, and fast. "There must be a lot of benefits that come with staying with one company ten years. Pensions, insurance, K-plans, not to mention the travel. I’m sure all that will play a key role in your decision."
"Kelli, I know all the pros and cons. My main concern right now is for my aunt and uncle. What’s best for them."
"Why not just ask them?"
Logan collapsed onto his back and stared up at the fluffy clouds in the sky. How could he explain the atmosphere that surrounded Fairyland? It was beautiful, serene, and enchanted. A place where magical beings roamed. Ruth and Henry had a modest and comfortable home, everything they could need and a sense of being wanted. Why would they leave? But was it the right place for them? "They’re my responsibility."
"They’re old enough to make their own decisions," snapped Kelli.
"Listen, I’m trying to do what’s best for them."
"Best for whom?" she asked pointedly.
Aggravated by the sudden change in her mood, he growled, "They are my family. I will work out something."
Hurt, anger, and fear tightened her chest. She tried to hold back her tears. "Am I supposed to sit back and let you take them away from me?"
He watched her fighting back her sadness, and cursed. He had hurt her. In a swift movement he sat up and knelt beside her. He tenderly placed his hands on her shoulders and gently squeezed. "We’ll work something out."
Kelli looked into his honest, pleading eyes and believed him. A tentative smile touched her lips. "Have any suggestions?"
"Visitation rights."
"Visitation rights! Are you out of your mind? Are you suggesting we alternate weekends with them?" When he just continued to stare at her, she continued, "What about Christmas? Would you get them Christmas Eve, and allow me Christmas morning? Have you given any thought to birthdays and their anniversary? Are you out of your mind?"
He tried to smile. "You’ve already asked me that."
Flabbergasted, she said, "You are out of your mind. Do you realize we are talking about your aunt and uncle? This is your family. I know parents shuffle their kids between each other, but I’ve never heard of grandparent custody." Drawing in a deep breath, she glared at the grin spreading across his face. "Wipe that silly smirk off your face, you idiot. You can’t possibly be serious about this. It must have been the sun. Ten years in the Middle East must have fried your brains. No sane man would make such an asinine suggestion.
; "Kelli?"
"What?"
"Shut up." Gently pulling her pouting mouth closer, he said, "Lord, you’re beautiful when you get riled."
A soft "oh" escaped her parted lips before his seized them.
Chapter Five
Kelli felt the warm gentle pressure of his lips and every thought vanished from her mind. Her arms reached around his neck and with a groan drew him nearer.
Logan heard the sweet sound she made, and was lost. His tongue plunged past her lips as he lovingly lowered her back onto the blanket. Heat coiled low in his body as his chest brushed against her breasts. He broke the kiss and trailed a heated path of kisses down her throat. When he came to the barrier of her sweater he slowly lifted his head and gazed down into her darkened eyes. He had had women before, but Kelli was different. The others had been mutual wanting, this was a desperate need. Resting his weight on his elbows he tenderly cupped her face. "Are you real?" He saw confusion cloud her eyes. "Sometimes I think you’re a fairy and will disappear in a puff of smoke if I touch you."
Kelli tried to catch her breath as she gazed up at him. "Why?"
His hand brushed a wisp of hair off her flushed face. "I think you’ve cast a spell over me. I’ve never felt like this before. I want you, but I can’t have you. When I leave here, I’m going to hurt you enough by taking my aunt and uncle. I don’t want to hurt you more by throwing in other emotions."
Kelli closed her eyes, trying to block the pain his words caused. He was taking her family and he didn’t want any emotions to get in the way. Fine! She could play by those rules. When she reopened her eyes, a glint of anger shone in her gaze. "Are you finished?"
He stopped caressing her lower lip with his thumb, and nodded.
"Then do you mind letting me up? I’ve got a park to get ready for its opening."
Logan felt her anger and quickly rolled off her. He frowned as she stood up and casually smoothed her sweater down. She bent over, pulled her muddy boots back on, and ran her fingers through her hair. "Thanks for the lunch, Logan. It was interesting."
He sat transfixed for a silent minute as she turned and started to walk away. "Is that all you’re going to say?" he asked, incredulous.
Without breaking her stride, she turned and said, "No. You’re a horse’s patoot."
Logan sat and watched as she faded into the woods. She was right; he was a horse’s patoot. Not because he believed he was the one responsible for Ruth and Henry, but because he was letting her walk away.
#
Half an hour later he found Henry surrounded by a group of adoring teenagers who were following his every command. "What’s up, Uncle Henry?"
"Hello, son, I was wondering when you’d show up." He gestured toward the group of youths. "This is the drama club Kelli’s always talking about. They came here to clean up the theater area. The tech school is sending over the carpentry class Monday morning to start work on some of these benches and to make some minor repairs to the stage."
Logan glanced around the area and counted at least twelve kids and one other adult. No Kelli. The older gentleman walked up to him, stuck out his hand, and said, "Hi, you must be Logan. I’m Dan Teeterman, the head of the drama club."
The men shook hands. "Logan Sinclair. You seem to have everything under control. Do you need any help?" "Not right now. Josh just took down a humdinger of a tree for us."
"Josh is here?"
"He and Kelli just left for the creek. There seems to be a jam somewhere."
"Well, since you can’t use me," said Logan, "I think I’ll go lend Josh a hand." With a general farewell to everyone he headed in the direction of the creek.
He heard them before he actually saw them. Josh’s booming voice came from ahead. "Get your butt over here, woman."
"I don’t think I have these on right," Kelli replied. "They’re bagging around the thighs."
Logan stopped in his tracks. What was going on? Unsure if he should round the last clump of bushes, he listened as Josh bellowed, "That’s because you’ve got skinny legs. Now get over here, I need you, now!"
He had heard enough. The way Josh was shouting, Logan didn’t want Kelli anywhere near him. With three powerful strides, he passed the last obstacle and blinked at the sight greeting him. Josh was thigh-deep in the middle of the creek, holding on to a massive log. Kelli was timidly stepping into the stream, cursing. She was wearing thigh-high fisherman boots held by thick black suspenders.
From the look on Josh’s face, he was about to lose his grip on the log and his patience. "Damn, woman, move it. I know this isn’t your favorite pastime, but it is your creek and your jam."
Kelli slowly inched her way into the deeper water. "Are you sure there’re no snakes?"
A colorful curse exploded in the air. "Kelli, the water still has ice in it. I have never heard of polar snakes. So get your tush over here and help me get this log out of your creek before it breaks free and does some major damage."
Kelli felt her feet sink deeper into the soft bottom of the creek and grimaced. She forced herself to grab hold of the freezing log, determined to overcome her fear of snakes. She smiled hesitantly. "Now what?"
"On the count of three, we’ll slowly push it toward the bank. One, two . . ."
Kelli spotted a sinister movement across the surface of the creek. "Snake!" she screamed. Panic stricken she turned toward the bank. But her feet were stuck in mud and the sudden movement threw her off balance. She tipped backward with a large splash.
Josh made a grab for Kelli, and lost his grip on the log. The wood broke free of its mooring and crashed into his chest. He went under with a thud just as Kelli came up sputtering water and choking.
Logan reached the bank in four huge steps and dove into the shallow stream. He reached Kelli the same instant Josh’s head emerged from the freezing grimy water. With more force than finesse Logan quickly whacked Kelli on her back.
The force of his slap nearly sent her under the icy water again. She cleared her throat and choked, "Logan, I’m okay."
Josh had recovered quickly. He was already smiling. But Kelli still looked shaken. As Kelli regained her breath, Logan gently tried to lift her into his arms. He cursed as he realized her hip boots were weighing her down. He held her with one arm as he worked the suspenders off her shoulders.
"Logan, put me down."
Her body was still trembling, and the way she bravely tried to smile tore at his heart. His arms tightened their hold. "No," he said. He looked over at Josh. The other man was shaking frigid water from his hair. "Are you okay?"Josh brushed at a clump of brown weeds stuck to his soaking flannel shirt and groaned. "Sure, I’m fine." He glared at Kelli and said, "I feel like I was just run over by a truck while being forced to drink five gallons of swamp water."
Kelli reached over Logan’s shoulder and tenderly brushed at Josh’s dripping hair. "I’m sorry, Josh. I thought I saw a snake."
"I know. I heard your scream." He shook his head smiling, his good humor intact.
"Let’s get Kelli home," Josh said.
Kelli glared up at the man carrying her. "Put me down, Logan," she demanded. "I am perfectly capable of walking."
Without a downward glance, Logan said, "Shhhh. Your body had just received a shock." A mischievous gleam shone in his eyes. "Even with the weight of your wet clothes, I guess I can manage to carry you back to the house."
Kelli gave Josh a deadly glare when he laughed.
Logan had taken two steps toward the bank when a frantically barking Tinkerbell dashed from the woods and flew down the embankment. With a huge spray of water, Tinkerbell headed right for Kelli. Logan took a protective step backward as Josh tackled the distraught dog. While Josh wrestled Tinkerbell, Logan safely made it to the bank with his precious burden.
Kelli craned her neck and shouted, "Down, girl." She watched as Josh fell backward into the stream again. When his head reemerged she reached for the dog whistle around her neck and softly blew. Tinkerbell was obedient immediately. "Come
, girl."
Josh spit out another mouthful of foul water and glared at the dog. With a powerful yank he pulled Kelli’s boots free of the mud, drained the water from them, and carried them to the bank. While Logan waited impatiently, Josh tugged off his own water-filled boots, and joined them for the long, cold walk back to the house.
"Why is she scared to death of snakes? And why in the hell was she in the water to begin with?"
Kelli stiffened in his arms. "She can answer for herself. You don’t have to talk like I’m not here. I’m not scared to death of snakes, I just don’t like them."
"Why were you in the water then?" he asked.
"Josh needed someone to help him."
"Why didn’t you ask me?"
"This is my property. I’ve been clearing that creek for years before you showed up, and I’ll be doing it for years after you’re gone."
Logan stopped and stared down at the woman in his arms. "You’re a stubborn, pigheaded fool. Do you have any idea what that log could of done to you, if it hit you instead of Josh?"
Kelli’s chin rose and managed to stare down her nose at Logan. "It didn’t. You can put me down, now."
Logan muttered an oath. "I should put you down. Right back where I found you, in the middle of the creek."
She shot a murderous glare at Josh, who was laughing. "What do you think is so funny?"
Josh couldn’t appear serious. "You two," he said, chuckling.
They had almost reached the house when Logan suddenly demanded, "Why in the hell did you allow her to help you?"
"How in the blazes did you expect me to stop her?" Josh replied indignantly. "When she makes up her mind, it’s final. There’s no way I, or anyone else, could have stopped her."
Logan suddenly smiled. "I could have," he said. Josh studied Logan and the woman snuggled in his arms. "I believe you could have," he said quietly.
Kelli groaned as the house came into sight. "Will you two stop playing cave man and put me down!"
When Logan threw open the kitchen door and rushed across the room Ruth dropped a mixing bowl. "Bring up a bottle of brandy and two glasses," he said.
Satin Sheets and Strawberries Page 6