The man set his reading glasses beside the bagged merchandise on the counter. “I follow the major shooting competitions, and this young lady has quite the reputation. Second-youngest woman ever to medal when she was just a teenager. And she did it again at two more games.”
Cabot met her gaze. “Impressive.”
“Thank you.”
Nolan reached over the counter and picked up one of the magazines from the display. “Miss Scott, would you mind signing this for me?”
“It’s Kate, and I’d be happy to, Mr. Daly.”
“Nolan, please. It’s a real honor to meet you.”
She smiled. “The pleasure is mine.”
“Wait until I tell Caroline about this,” he said. “She has no idea who you are. An Olympic medalist here in Blackwater Lake, right under our noses.”
“I’ve really enjoyed the peace and quiet here.”
Cabot heard the regret in her voice and noted her use of past tense. The peace and quiet would be over now that she’d been outed. She was an Olympic medalist, not an Academy Award–winning actress who could manufacture emotions. She was telling the truth. It wasn’t his proudest moment when the realization hit that he’d wanted her to be a stray, someone who needed his help. Someone he’d never compromise with messy complications.
Now he couldn’t hide behind that to resist her. He was his father’s son; wanting Kate was proof that he did possess the Dixon DNA that predisposed him to be attracted to women who would leave.
“Well...” Cabot put the magazine away, then picked up his purchases off the counter. “We better be going.”
“Nice to meet you, Kate.”
Her smile looked a lot like the cover-girl one—it didn’t reach her eyes. “Nice to meet you, too.”
“Come in again.”
Cabot put the bags in the backseat of the truck while Kate climbed inside. When everything was stowed, he got in beside her.
“Want to get a bite to eat before we go back?”
“Why?” It was a tie as to whether her tone or expression was more wary.
“Because you’re hungry?”
“I can eat with the kids. And we have to get the groceries back to Caroline.”
“There’s nothing she needs tonight, and all of it is nonperishable.” He turned the key in the ignition. “I’d like to talk to you.”
Technically he didn’t have to buy her a meal to do that. They’d had a number of conversations, one that had ended with a kiss, and there hadn’t been food involved at all.
“What about Ty?” she asked.
He glanced at his watch. “He’s getting picked up right about now for a sleepover at C.J.’s. So, what do you say?”
“You’re the boss.” At least for now. She didn’t say that out loud, but her tone clearly implied it.
He debated the pros and cons of going to the Grizzly Bear Diner. The two of them together would trigger talk, but that was going to happen anyway, what with this trip to town.
“What’s wrong, Kate?”
“So many things, so little time.” She glanced over at him. “Mostly it’s about the fact that word about me will spread and everything will change. It was nice when I knew that someone liked me for me and not because I have a certain celebrity.”
Cabot couldn’t say that his feelings hadn’t changed at all. He’d been attracted the first moment they’d met and still was. If only the truth had neutralized his interest in her.
After parking in the lot behind the diner, they went inside and were seated right away at a booth in the back. The place, decorated with pictures of bears on the walls, wasn’t crowded yet. It was late for the lunch crowd and early for dinner. A waitress handed them menus, then said she’d give them a few minutes.
Kate’s expression was guarded. “There’s no reason for you to get angry and defensive.”
He pushed the menu aside because he always ordered the same thing. “Who says I am?”
“Like I said before, I never lied to you.”
“If anyone is defensive, it’s you,” he pointed out.
“I’m trying not to get fired.”
“Clearly you really don’t need the money, so why do you care?” He studied her, the bruised look and big eyes. “The cat is out of the bag. The word will be all over Blackwater Lake in a day. Two, tops. What difference does it make if folks know your story?”
“The difference is that the campers have no idea who I am and don’t care. I forgot what it felt like to be judged on my work and not like someone who’s been in the news.” She met his gaze. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining. I’ve been lucky and I’m not one of those people who gripe that the crown is too tight, the jewels too heavy. It took practice, dedication and sacrifice to achieve what I have. Also a lot of hard work. And luck. I’m grateful for everything. It’s just that circumstances presented themselves and along came a chance to be anonymous.”
“Circumstances? Meaning running out on a wedding?” He deliberately brought that up, trying to rekindle resentment and remind himself she was a runner. That should be enough to make him avoid her, but apparently he needed more.
“Yeah, the wedding that didn’t happen.” She opened the menu but didn’t look at it. “He’s a sports agent and contacted me after my repeat medal performance. I was a media darling and he convinced me to sign while I was hot.”
Past tense? To Cabot’s way of thinking, she was still hot, but that wasn’t what she meant. “And?”
“He got me lucrative endorsement deals and magazine shoots. In the outdoor-equipment business I’m a spokesperson, and I’m well paid for it. He got a piece of that, but apparently it wasn’t enough. The marriage would have given him financial security that his percentage didn’t. But, also apparent to everyone but me, he was unwilling to give up the other women.”
“I see.” Creep, he thought. Her expression tugged at him. Was it anger, hurt or both?
“Cabot, there was bound to be media hype after I walked out on the wedding. I’d just seen him kissing someone I considered a friend. I was emotionally raw and just plain tired. Instinct made me run, but eventually it turned into an opportunity for the story to cool off and for me to get out of the fast lane for a while.” Sincerity was all over her face. “Now I just want to finish what I started. Make it to the end of the summer with the kids. I love working with them.”
“Okay.” He believed her. “For the record, I never planned to fire you.”
“Then why did you bring me here?” she asked, looking around the diner.
“So I can say that I’m the guy who bought you your first Grizzly Bear burger.” He shrugged. “Claim to fame.”
She laughed and nodded. “Okay, then.”
It wasn’t okay, but it was the best he could do. She was right. He didn’t have to bring her here. After that kiss he’d been doing his best to avoid her and was at a loss as to why he’d invited her to dinner.
If he was being honest with himself, part of the reason was that he wanted to postpone taking her back to her cabin, then going into his empty house alone. The other part was a risk, pure and simple.
He couldn’t shake his inconvenient and unwelcome attraction to her, and the avoidance strategy wasn’t working. Maybe it would be better to confront the situation, go with it and get her out of his system once and for all.
* * *
After two glasses of wine at the Grizzly Bear Diner, Kate was rocking a little buzz as she rode back to the ranch in the passenger seat of Cabot’s truck. She’d had a really nice time with him, which she hadn’t expected. She’d figured he’d be tense and disapproving after finding out she wasn’t a stray he needed to take under his wing, at least not financially. Emotionally was a different story.
He’d taken her in and given her refuge, a quiet place t
o nurse the bruises of public humiliation. She would always be grateful to him for that.
Word would spread in Blackwater Lake about who she was, and she didn’t mind too much, proving that she was strong enough now to deal with the mess she’d left behind. When the summer was over, she would take care of that. For now, she was enjoying the heck out of being here and working with the kids. She wasn’t looking forward to this pause coming to an end.
“So,” she said, glancing over at him. “I had a much better time at the diner today than the day I first walked in.”
“That was an interesting moment for Blackwater Lake.” Just enough moon shone in the truck windows for her to make out his grin.
Desire hit her—sudden and irresistible. Without the chip on his shoulder, he’d been funny and charming, different from the guarded man she was accustomed to seeing. And she’d been attracted to that man with the chronic brooding expression, maybe because of it. But this guy who smiled and laughed, the one who spread around charm like butter on toast, really cranked up the fascination factor.
“It must be nice to go out and know everyone and they know you.”
“It has pros and cons.”
“Like what?” she asked.
“You don’t always appreciate folks knowing your business, but if you ever need a hand, it’s usually not necessary to ask for it.”
“I like that.” Cozy and calm, she leaned her head against the high seat back. “Bad stuff happens, but it’s probably a comfort to not feel alone when it does.”
“Did you run because you felt alone?” She heard a rasp in his voice, just a hint that he might be a little irritated about what had happened to her.
“I didn’t mean to sound pathetic. And my family is supportive, but sometimes protecting them means going it alone. Without anyone to share the burden.”
“What did you think of the Mama Bear Burger?”
His question lightened the mood, as if he knew she was going to a pensive place and made a deliberate effort to pull her back from the edge. That was so nice. And sensitive.
“Please don’t tell Caroline because she does amazing things with a ground-beef patty—”
“I hear a ‘but.’”
She laughed. “But I’ve been to some gourmet hamburger places in L.A. and Las Vegas that were good. But that Mama Bear has to be one of the best I’ve ever had.”
“I know you told Michelle that, but you can be honest with me. We’re alone now.”
Yes, they were, and it was best not to dwell on that too much.
Michelle had stopped by their booth tonight. She’d said it was customer service, to make sure everything was okay, but Kate was pretty sure the move had been motivated by curiosity. The woman hadn’t laid eyes on her since the day Kate had walked in wearing a wedding gown and Cabot had hired her on the spot. Now they’d come in together for dinner. Who wouldn’t want more information?
“This is the honest truth—it was a straight-up juicy, thick patty without sauces and distractions that mask the flavor. I loved it. And those big, fat fries are my favorite. Trust me on this—I know my potatoes. I’m a connoisseur.”
“Ty likes the fries, too. And the Bear Cub chicken fingers.”
“It’s a very cute place. Great atmosphere. And quite a nice wine selection.”
“It will be a while before he’ll be able to have an opinion on that.”
There was that devastating smile for the second time, and again she felt the difference in him. He was more relaxed, not pushing back against the natural give-and-take between them. Maybe she should have given him details about herself sooner. But he probably wouldn’t have believed her.
Maybe he didn’t care enough to look her name up on Google. Or maybe he cared too much.
Tingles danced through her, and she was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the wine. The sooner she got out of this truck, the better. He’d made it clear that there was a line between boss and employee that shouldn’t be crossed. She didn’t want to slip up and jeopardize this budding friendship.
“He’s a great kid,” she said. “You’ve done a wonderful job with him.”
“I appreciate you saying so. It hasn’t been easy—no two ways about that. But he is, without a doubt, the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Kate wondered yet again how a woman could turn her back on her own baby. And walk away from a good man like Cabot Dixon. He was honest, hardworking and capable of deep feeling—not like anyone she’d ever met, and she figured it was doubtful she would run across his like again.
Just in the nick of time, before any of that could come out of her mouth, Cabot drove underneath the sign that said Dixon Ranch and Summer Camp.
The headlights picked out puddles still scattered over the dirt road from the earlier rainstorm. He pulled to a stop by the big house and turned off the engine. A lot had happened since her soaking earlier that day, and things felt different, a sign that she needed to get back to her cabin ASAP.
“Thanks for taking me into town and helping deal with my truck.”
“Anytime.”
“I’ll grab those groceries and drop them by the kitchen on the way to my cabin.”
But before she could open the truck’s rear passenger door, Cabot was beside her. “Leave them.”
“But Caroline needs the stuff for breakfast.”
“I’ll make sure she gets it.” He moved close and his breath stirred wisps of hair around her face.
“Cabot, we shouldn’t— You said—”
He touched a finger to her mouth, instantly stopping the flow of words. “I was wrong.”
The softness of his voice did nothing to diminish the intensity of his tone. And then he kissed her.
Kate sighed and, in spite of her protest, relaxed against him. With his arms around her to cushion her, he backed her against the truck, making the contact of their bodies closer. They were a surprisingly good fit; it would only be better if they were horizontal.
He proceeded to kiss the breath out of her and didn’t stop the resistance-shattering assault even as she moaned against his mouth. He traced her lips with his tongue, and she opened to him without hesitation. Boldly, he dipped inside and showed her what he would do if he made love to her.
Finally he came up for air, the sound of his heavy breathing harsh in the clear night air. “Kate, I want to take you upstairs to my bed—”
And she wanted badly to say yes, but...
Cupping her hand to his cheek, she felt the scrape of stubble on his jaw. Absurdly she thought how fast his beard had grown in the hours since he’d shaved that morning. It was sexy and stoked the heat of desire building inside her.
“Cabot,” she finally managed to say, “this isn’t smart.”
“Probably not. But then, no one has ever accused me of being too smart.” As he turned his mouth into her palm, the words caressed the sensitive skin.
She sucked in a breath. “I’m trying to be strong.”
“It’s not that I don’t appreciate what you’re saying, but right this minute I’d rather not talk.”
“Are you sure you want to start something?”
“I’ll tell you what I’m sure about. We’re just a man and woman who want each other. Nothing more.”
“Nothing less,” she whispered. “Safe.”
“Yes.” He regarded her with impatience and heat swirling in his eyes, but he said nothing else to sway her one way or the other. No pressure.
And there didn’t need to be. She wanted him, too. “I wish I could say you’re wrong.”
His smile was full of satisfaction and he simply held out his hand. She put her fingers into his palm and let him lead her up the front steps and into the house.
Cabot turned on a light just inside the entryway, revealing the need
in his eyes. Without letting go of her hand, he guided her up the stairs to the second door on the left—his bedroom. He flipped the wall switch and the room lit up.
A four-poster pine bed was straight ahead with a matching dresser and armoire on adjacent walls. A doorway to the left was probably the bathroom, and French doors opened to a balcony that from this orientation would have a spectacular view of the lake and towering mountains. It was a big room and definitely a man’s space.
“This suits you,” she said.
“You suit me.” His voice was hoarse with desire.
A woman wasn’t living here now, but his wife must have once upon a time. And no doubt after her abandonment he’d brought women here, on those nights his son was having a sleepover at a friend’s house. But Kate couldn’t deal with any of that. Didn’t want to. For so long she’d done everything by the book, followed the rules, thought all decisions to death. Her life had been structured every minute of every day.
All she wanted now was something spontaneous and just for her. She had to believe that sometimes it was all right to be selfish.
“Earth to Kate...” Cabot leaned over and gently kissed her with no other parts of their bodies touching.
It was so sweet and provocative at the same time that she ached to be as close as a man and woman could get. She stood on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck, and the movement was like tossing a match on dry leaves. She was ready to ignite, and tension in his body was a clear indication that he felt the same.
Cabot tugged at her shirt as she undid the snaps on his. She toed off her sneakers, and he yanked his boots, then tossed them aside. The harsh sound of their mingled breathing filled the room as the rest of their clothes joined the growing pile.
He tugged her to the side of the bed and tossed back the comforter, blanket and sheet in a single, powerful move. Then he grabbed her to him and turned his body so that she fell on top of him when they tumbled together onto the mattress. The power position lasted all of a nanosecond as he rolled her onto her back and nestled beside her.
The feel of his bare skin was intoxicating and the dusting of hair on his chest teased her breasts. He kissed her mouth, cheek, jaw and neck as his hand slid past the curve of her waist, over her hip and down her leg.
The Rancher Who Took Her In (The Bachelors of Blackwater Lake) Page 11