“Shower?” Sadie asked as he strode by.
“Uh-huh.” Kade walked past, straight for the laundry room.
“He usually won’t say two words after work until he’s had his shower.” Sadie began folding her quilt and packing it away. “At least on days when he’s detained illegals.”
“Why is that?” Kelsey asked.
Kade stepped out of the laundry room, his shirt off, and he was removing a black vest. A tickling sensation rolled over her skin as she realized it was a bulletproof vest. It had never occurred to her that Kade would ever be in that kind of danger.
“I come in contact with hundreds of people from all over the Third World.” He walked to an oak cabinet and opened one of the doors with a key. “Due to the conditions of their trip, who knows what viruses or diseases they could be carrying. I’ve seen HIV, hepatitis, plagues, malaria, typhoid, cholera, TB... you name it.”
Kelsey checked to make sure her phone was still recording, forcing herself to take her eyes off Kade’s muscular chest.
“Diseases and sickness are things that never occurred to me,” she said, her eyes drawn back to him.
He withdrew his handgun from a holster at his side and placed the weapon in the cabinet, followed by a second handgun he had secured at the back of his jeans. “In Douglas, a few agents a year contract TB at work and someone always ends up sick. The last thing I want to do is bring anything home to my family.”
“I see.” Kelsey chanced a glance at his face. “Why aren’t you wearing the green uniform that CPB agents usually wear?”
He gripped the back of a chair and eyed her with that intense blue stare of his. “I work intelligence, so I wear civilian clothing. It’s easier to obtain information when I don’t look like law enforcement.”
“Ah.” She struggled to think of something to say, her brain seeming to have gone on vacation with him standing so close. Half-naked at that. “I—uh, I’ll have to pin you down for an interview.”
He winked. “Darlin’, you can pin me down anytime.”
A hot flush seared Kelsey. With Kade’s mother sitting next to her, she couldn’t think of a suitable reply.
“Time to finish dinner.” Sadie slid her glasses into a case as she stood. She settled her quilting materials into a corner and headed into the kitchen.
Kelsey pushed back her chair. “I’ll help.”
As he returned to the laundry room, Kelsey’s gaze followed Kade while she noticed the powerful lines of his naked back. With a mental shake, she trailed after Sadie into the kitchen, trying not to think about how good Kade looked without his shirt on. Trying not to imagine what it would feel like to run her palms over his chest and down, down the flatness of his hard stomach, down—
Kelsey. She clenched her hands and took a deep breath. Enough of that.
“What can I do to help you?” she asked Sadie.
“Why don’t you peel the potatoes?” Sadie gestured toward several brown-skinned potatoes on the countertop, and then reached up into a cabinet filled with jars of spices. “Now where is the oregano...”
The washing machine hummed as it started, and Kelsey grabbed the potato peeler off the counter. She almost dropped it when Kade walked through the kitchen clad only in black boxers. He winked at her but didn’t pause and went straight to the bathroom.
He had one of the most gorgeous male bodies she’d ever seen.
Hard, muscular thighs and calves. Powerful arms, and definitely a nice backside.
Kelsey blushed, realizing that Kade’s mom was right behind her. If Sadie hadn’t been there, she probably would have stood with her mouth hanging open.
Awhile longer.
Chapter 6
During dinner Kade sat beside Kelsey. The family chattered and laughed, but Kelsey could scarcely think with the hair on Kade’s forearm tickling her arm every time he moved. He pressed his leg to hers beneath the table, and even when she shifted in her seat he still managed to brush up against her. It was almost a relief when dinner was over and she could escape his constant presence.
After they all helped Sadie clean off the table and straighten the kitchen, Trent grabbed Kade’s hand and tugged him toward the back door. “Come on, Dad. Let’s show Kelsey my hideout.”
“You game?” Kade asked, looking at Kelsey in a way that made her heart skip a beat.
She smiled. “Sure. I’d love to see your hideout, Trent.”
“All right.” The boy snatched her hand, too, and pulled her and Kade out the door. .
She laughed and looked over Trent’s head at Kade. “You have quite the dynamo here.”
“You have no idea.” Kade’s dimple appeared when he smiled, and her stomach flip-flopped.
The boy’s hand felt small and warm in Kelsey’s as he dragged them through Sadie’s orchard and into the windbreak. The late-afternoon sun hung just above the mountains and the air smelled of cut grass and marigolds. A breeze cooled her cheeks and twigs snapped underfoot as they walked through cottonwood, eucalyptus, and juniper trees.
When they reached a grassy area, Trent pointed to a muddy pool of water. “That’s Grandma’s duck pond.” It smelled of moss and algae, and the sounds of quacking filled the clearing. “Don’t they sound like they’re telling secrets? That’s what Grandma always says. And look, there’s Momma duck and her babies.”
Kelsey smiled. “I bet Momma duck is chatting about how adorable her babies are.”
They halted as the duck family waddled in front of them, about a dozen fuzzy ducklings trailing the mother.
“Come on.” Trent pulled Kelsey’s hand and led her farther into the windbreak. “Here it is,” he announced when they came upon a playhouse painted in cheerful primary colors. “My dad made it for me when I was five and he painted it in my favorite colors. It’s on the ground ‘cause the trees around here aren’t big enough to build it up high, so it’s not a tree house, it’s a ground house, but I call it my hideout.”
The yellow house stood about five feet tall, had a green chimney, scarlet door, and bright blue trim around the windows and eaves. It was perfect for a kid to have loads of adventures in.
“The craftsmanship is beautiful.” Kelsey glanced at Kade. “Your father must be talented with his hands.”
The second she said it, a hot flush swept over her, and it was all she could do not to clap her hand over her mouth. Instead she studied the playhouse, trying to regain her composure.
Kade’s laugh was soft, sensual as he leaned close. “Thank you, darlin’.”
“Come inside.” Trent dodged through the door. “I want to show you all my stuff.”
Kelsey followed, doing her best to ignore Kade. No easy feat considering the effect his presence had on her erratic pulse.
The playhouse was snug, but the three of them managed to squeeze inside and sit on the green floor. She scooted beside the child-sized table and chairs, and she was sure Kade made a point to press as close to her as possible.
The warmth of his skin seared her as his arm rubbed against hers, and his jeans were rough against her bare thigh. His masculine scent surrounded her. She considered telling him to move away, but she was afraid her voice would betray the desire he stirred inside her.
“This is a great place to hide, so that’s why I call it my hideout.” Trent pushed open blue shutters and pointed out the window. “You can see the driveway from here and the front door, but no one can see us. So if I want to be a spy, I can check out things from here.”
He dug in a toy chest under the window, tossing out toys left and right. An orange ball bounced across the room and action figures clattered to the floor. “I have these old binoc—binoco—How do you say it, Dad?”
“Binoculars.”
“Oh, yeah, binoculars.” Trent didn’t miss a beat resuming his chatter. “Anyway, I can see really far with these. Grandpa gave them to me. I’ve got all kinds of spy stuff. Dad said that if something ever happens and I need to find a hiding place, I should come here and he’ll kn
ow where I am.”
Kelsey captured the orange ball with one hand as it rolled across the floor. “Do you play out here a lot?”
Trent nodded, his brown hair flopping into his eyes. He swiped the hair away with his grubby hand. “Mostly when Grandma says her ears need a break.”
Kelsey giggled and Kade grinned. He said, “Why don’t we show Kelsey around the ranch?”
“Sure.” Trent started to head out the door.
“Hold on,” Kade said. “Forgetting something, Trent?”
Trent turned back. “What?”
“Your toys.”
The boy scrunched up his face, wrinkling his nose. “Do I have tooooo?”
“Yes.” Kade gave Trent a look that said, right now.
Trent scooped up all his toys and tossed them into the box, the crash loud enough to bring down the roof. After they were all picked up, he whirled and scampered out the door and vanished into the windbreak.
Kelsey pitched the orange ball into the toy box, wondering where Trent had disappeared to.
As she went through the little doorway on her hands and knees, she felt Kade’s gaze on her backside. She didn’t know what got into her, but she paused for a moment. She imagined Kade’s palm on her bottom, a slow rub that made Kelsey want to moan. Heat burned her and she scrambled out into the trees.
After Kade crawled out, he shut the door and stretched his limbs. His muscles rippled beneath his snug T-shirt, and she couldn’t help remember how good he had looked earlier, clad only in boxers. Trent came crashing through the windbreak and grabbed Kelsey’s hand, bringing her attention back to the boy. “Dad, let’s show her the plane.”
Kelsey’s voice pitched a little higher as she glanced at Kade. “Plane?”
He shrugged. “I told you, I’m a pilot. I have a twin-engine Cessna.”
“And it’s really, really cool.” Trent pulled her hand.
Goose bumps broke out up and down her arms as she forced herself to go with him through the trees until she saw the small craft sitting on the dirt landing strip.
Kelsey stopped abruptly and Trent almost fell backward. “It’s, uh, nice.” As she grabbed the boy’s shoulders and steadied him, her heart pounded and she felt blood drain from her face. She swallowed, trying to force the lump out of her throat. “Ah... anything else you want to show me? Your grandma’s garden?”
Trent pulled her hand. “I’ll show you the inside of the plane.” Panic gripped her and she couldn’t get out a word.
“Trent!” Sadie’s cry came from the house. The woman had a mild easygoing manner about her, but could she ever yell.
Kade watched Kelsey with a thoughtful expression as he patted his son’s shoulder. “Better see what Grandma wants.”
Trent frowned and put his hands on his hips. “But, Dad, I wanna show Kelsey the plane.”
“Go.” Kade’s stern tone obviously meant he didn’t expect any further argument. “You know your grandma doesn’t like it when you don’t answer right away.”
“Trent!” Sadie called again.
“But, Daaaaad.”
“Now.”
“All right,” the boy grumbled, and took off for the house, disappearing through the trees.
Kade studied Kelsey for a moment before he said, “You like small planes less than commercial airlines.”
“Far less.” She smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear and tried to stop her hands from trembling. She turned her back to the plane and gestured toward the house. “Why don’t you show me something else?”
“Want to talk about it?” His voice was calm. Grounding.
She almost wished she could tell him, but the pain was too great for her to get the words out.
She shook her head and started walking through the windbreak.
“No.”
When she glanced at him, his eyes were dark, concerned. “All right.”
Gradually, her tense muscles relaxed as he took her on a tour of the ranch. The farther she got from the plane, the better she felt. He showed her Sadie’s greenhouse and garden, then the henhouse and corrals. Kelsey laughed when she saw Trent’s family of potbellied pigs, and at the antics of Sadie’s baby Alpine goats.
When it was dusk, they strolled back toward the house. Kade came up short and studied her. “Enjoying your stay?”
“Very much.” She smiled and nodded. “It’s wonderful here.”
“Have dinner with me one night.” His voice was low and husky, sending shivers down her spine. “We’ll head into town to a nice little restaurant I know. Just you and me.”
A fluttering sensation gathered in her belly and she struggled to calm it. She took a deep breath of clean evening air and said, “I—I don’t know.”
They stood in front of the house, just outside the porch. Light poured through the windows and teased the gold in Kade’s chestnut hair. An overwhelming urge came over her to run her fingers within that thick hair, to press close against his hard body and kiss him like the world was on fire. Like there was no tomorrow, only today. Only the two of them.
Kade trailed his finger down her arm and she gasped at the sensual contact. “It’s just dinner, Kelsey.”
She stepped back, away from his disturbing touch. “I’ll think about it.” She forced herself to turn from him, and hurried into the house.
Even as she left him outside, she wondered why she couldn’t just let go and spend some time with this man.
What’s wrong with me?
Why don’t I just go for it?
And the answer came to her as clear as day.
She didn’t want to lose her heart, and with Kade, that was something that would be only too easy to do.
Kelsey tucked her glasses into their case, then rubbed the bridge of her nose. Her temples throbbed from spending the afternoon transcribing notes from her interview with Chuck. Since her deadline was a couple of weeks off, she had time yet to start writing the feature.
She closed her eyes and relaxed in the study’s leather chair. Against her will, her thoughts wandered to yesterday evening, when Kade had suggested they go to dinner. Alone.
No matter how much she tried to tell herself it would be a mistake, she couldn’t help wonder what it would be like to be with him. That one kiss she’d shared with Kade had unraveled her more than any amount of intimacy she’d ever shared with Davis.
With Davis it hadn’t been making love, it had just been sex, and she’d never enjoyed it. He’d called her a cold fish. Told her she was terrible in bed. She’d never known what to do, and with him it was over before it started. No foreplay. No cuddling. Just Davis relieving his needs.
She’d thought that was all there was to sex until Theresa and her friend Calinda had started in on the topic one day at lunch. Kelsey started wondering if she’d been missing something. Perhaps Davis had been not only a sorry excuse for a husband, but a poor sexual partner as well.
Why did she believe it would be any different with Kade?
Well, let’s see. The way he’d kissed her, as though he wanted to taste her everywhere. The way he touched her, and how careful and protective he was with her. The way that he looked at her, like she was the only woman on earth. The way he made her feel, like a fire burned deep within her soul—an ache, a need that only he could fill...
And she could imagine him filling her in every possible way.
With a shiver and a sigh, Kelsey opened her eyes and looked out the window. It was a beautiful day, and she was tired of being cooped up. She stood and stretched her stiff limbs, then wandered out of the study and into the kitchen. Delicious smells came from a pan of ground beef simmering on the stovetop, next to a pot of bubbling red sauce.
“Need help?” Kelsey asked when she saw Kade’s mom at the counter shredding a head of lettuce.
“You can grate the cheese.” Sadie pointed to a block of cheese on the counter as she scooped lettuce into a colander. “I’m making a batch of enchiladas for the Frontier Homemakers’ dance and potluck tonight
.”
After Kelsey washed and dried her hands, she started grating cheese onto the plate Sadie provided. “Sounds like fun.”
Sadie took a bunch of green onions and chopped them into small pieces on a wooden cutting board. “I was hoping you might like to join us.”
Kelsey glanced up from the growing mound of cheese. “I don’t know how to dance to country-western.”
“Nothing to it.” Sadie shrugged and scraped onions into a small bowl. “If Kade’s not too tired after work, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind showing you how to two-step.”
Heat warmed Kelsey’s face at the thought of dancing with Kade. “I wouldn’t want to impose.” She finished her task and set down the grater. “What else can I do to help?”
“Would you mind chopping these?” Sadie handed Kelsey two plump tomatoes. “And nonsense about imposing. I’m sure Kade would enjoy it. He’s quite good.”
“I’m sure he is,” Kelsey murmured as she took the knife and cutting board Sadie handed her.
Sadie scooted an enormous baking dish onto the counter. “Besides, you’ll have a chance to meet some folks you’ll be interviewing.”
“True.” Kelsey nodded as she sliced one of the tomatoes. Who knew, she might enjoy herself. An image of Kade holding her close flashed in her mind, and her hands trembled. The knife slipped and she barely avoided cutting her thumb.
She needed to get her mind off Kade or she’d end up slicing off a finger.
Before she could think better of it, Kelsey asked, “Does Kade usually go?”
“When I can convince him.” Sadie began filling and rolling tortillas and placing them into the pan. “He tends to shy away from these things.”
Kelsey gave an inward sigh, mentally shaking herself. She couldn’t allow herself to trust so easily and to want so much so soon. Especially a man who continually invaded her thoughts and made her feel as if she were melting inside every time he looked at her. She was only there for three weeks and then she would be gone.
Kade would be out of her life forever.
Kade: Armed and Dangerous Page 6