by Gina Wilkins
“Sure,” Jeffrey said, trying to look tough. He took two steps, grimacing with discomfort.
Scott promptly swept the boy into his arms. “Why don’t you let me give you a lift this time?”
“I can walk by myself,” Jeffrey insisted, even as he wrapped his arms around Scott’s neck.
“Yeah, I know. But be still, okay? I’m trying to impress your aunt with how strong I am.”
“Okay.” With a sigh, Jeffrey settled into Scott’s solid shoulder.
Blair swallowed an enormous lump in her throat and followed as Scott began to carefully make his way to the cabin.
*
SOMETIME LATER, Jeffrey had bathed and his scraped hands and knees had been treated and bandaged. Dressed in clean clothing, he sat at the kitchen table behind a bowl of freshly cooked oatmeal. Rapidly recovering from his misadventures, the boy ate ravenously while the adults, who were slower to get over the morning’s trauma, sipped coffee and hovered over him.
“Do you want some more orange juice, Jeffrey?” Blair asked.
“No, thank you.”
“Toast?” Scott suggested.
“No, I’m fine. Aren’t you guys going to eat?”
“I’m really not hungry right now,” Blair answered, her stomach still queasy from fear.
“I’ll eat later,” Scott said, refilling his coffee cup.
Jeffrey shrugged and finished his oatmeal. And then he pushed the bowl away, took a deep breath and said, “Okay. You can yell at me now.”
Blair laced her fingers in front of her on the table, leveling a somber look at her nephew. “Is it necessary for me to point out how wrong you were to slip out without permission that way?”
Hanging his head, Jeffrey muttered, “No, ma’am.”
Aware that Scott was watching them closely, Blair cleared her throat. “You frightened me out of my wits,” she said. “You worried Scott, who has been so good to you all weekend. And you could have been seriously injured, if not worse, when you fell. Don’t you think we have a right to be angry with you?”
Jeffrey nodded miserably.
“As it turned out, you were lost and frightened and hurt. I think you realize how wrong you were, and I hope you’ll never do anything that willful and foolish again. Now, apologize to Scott for your behavior and then we’ll let this go.”
“I’m sorry, Scott.” Jeffrey’s voice was barely audible.
Scott nodded. “I’m just glad you’re okay. But I hope you never do anything like this to your aunt again. You made her cry, Jeff. She didn’t deserve that from you.”
Jeffrey’s lip was quivering again, his eyes tear-filled. “I’m really sorry, Aunt Blair.”
“It’s over now,” she said, taking pity on him. He looked so small and vulnerable hunched in the big wooden chair. What he had done was wrong, but she couldn’t bring herself to punish him further this time. Something Scott had said nagged at her. Was Jeffrey really uncertain about her feelings for him?
“I love you, Jeffrey,” she said clearly and firmly. “I would be devastated if anything happened to you. Please don’t do anything like that again.”
His eyes widened, and he looked at her with surprise showing on his face. “I only wanted to go fishing, Aunt Blair,” he said earnestly.
She wasn’t sure he’d quite gotten the point, but she nodded. “Next time, wait until an adult agrees to go with you. Now go brush your teeth and pack your things. We’ll need to be under way soon.”
Jeffrey knew when to obey without question. He nodded, stood and hurried from the room.
“You handled that well,” Scott commented.
Blair lifted her eyebrows in response to the faint hint of surprise in his voice. “You expected me to beat him?”
“No, of course not. I was just... Well, you didn’t overdo it. You know, the preaching and lecturing.”
Was that what Scott’s grandparents had done when he had misbehaved? Preached and lectured? “It wouldn’t have done any good. That’s something I learned making presentations to jurors. A longer speech is more likely to bore them than sway them.”
“You must be very good at your job.”
“I’ve had training at being a lawyer. I don’t have the foggiest idea how to raise a child,” she said ruefully.
“You show definite potential,” Scott assured her, and he seemed sincere behind the smile.
She made a wry face at him. “Thanks. I suppose I’m to assume you’re an expert at it.” And then she sagged weakly against the counter as the day’s events caught up with her. “Oh, God.”
Scott rested a hand on her shoulder. “You okay?”
“I’ll let you know when I decide.”
“Harrowing morning, wasn’t it?”
“I hope I never have to live through another like it.”
“I’m sorry, Blair. I should have heard him slip out. I don’t usually sleep so heavily—or so late.”
“It wasn’t your fault. I’m the one who should apologize because we’ve taken such advantage of your hospitality. I’ll reimburse you for the broken fishing rod, of course.”
“Not necessary.”
She shook her head. “I insist. Jeffrey had no right to take your property. It’s my responsibility to see that it’s replaced.”
He stroked her lower lip with his fingertip, a gleam of amusement in his eyes. “Ms. Dependability again. You’re just so darned cute when you get that way.”
“Scott...”
He lowered his head to brush a light kiss across the tip of her nose. “On you, responsibility is incredibly sexy. It makes me go crazy.”
She forced herself to respond in the same light, teasing tone. “Oh, is that what does it?”
“Really cute,” he murmured, then pressed his lips to hers. She knew she should pull away, but maybe she just needed the contact then. Needed a way to vent the emotions that had been building in her all morning. She rested her hands on his chest and leaned into the kiss, letting his warmth soak into her.
This kiss was different from the ones they’d shared last night. The passion was still there, simmering in the background. But there was a new tenderness this time. A new layer of meaning that Blair found even more unsettling than the physical hunger she’d been aware of before. She didn’t want to get involved with this man. Didn’t want to fall in love with him. And yet...
He lifted his head, ending the embrace slowly, reluctantly. “Oh, yeah,” he said, his voice not quite steady. “On you, it is definitely sexy.”
He pulled her closer and lowered his head again. Blair spread her fingers on his chest and held him away. “No. That’s enough, Scott. I’m really not up to this right now.”
He sighed faintly. “All right. But remember where we left off.”
She gave him a quelling look. “Don’t make any assumptions based on what just happened. You caught me at a vulnerable moment.”
His grin had a wicked edge to it. “Then I’ll be watching for the next one.”
“Behave yourself.”
“That’s never been something I was very good at.”
“Learn.” She stepped away from him. “I’m going up to pack.”
He didn’t try to detain her when she walked out of the kitchen without looking back at him.
CHAPTER EIGHT
AFTER THEY’D CLEANED the cabin and packed, there was still time for a card game before lunch. The hike Scott had suggested the night before was out, of course; they’d all had enough of trekking through the woods that morning. The fast-paced card game—Scott’s idea—gave them a chance to relax, laugh, put the morning’s fright behind them and get comfortable with each other again. By the time it ended, things were back to normal, much to everyone’s relief.
They had lunch before leaving—canned soup again. No one complained about the very plain fare, but they ate without much enthusiasm. Their departure time loomed near, and Blair suspected Jeffrey and Scott were no more excited about leaving than she was. It had been such a pleasant w
eekend—at least until Jeffrey had pulled his stunt that morning.
She glanced through her lashes at her nephew, who was talking with Scott. Jeffrey responded so well to Scott, who seemed to understand how the boy’s mind worked. Would the lessons Jeffrey had learned during the past few days stay with him after they returned home?
Would either of them ever see Scott again?
After lunch, they cleaned the kitchen, then loaded their things into the Jeep. “I don’t want to go,” Jeffrey muttered. “I like it here.”
“You can come back another time,” Scott assured him. “We’ll go fishing again—with your aunt’s permission, of course.”
Jeffrey’s grim expression didn’t alter. Blair knew her nephew had heard too many empty promises from his father to trust Scott’s easy assurances. Like Jeffrey, she tended to be skeptical that they would ever be back. It was easy enough for Scott to make promises now, but real life had a way of interfering with even the most well-intentioned plans.
The plane was waiting in the small hangar where they’d left it. Scott pushed it out, transferred their belongings, then drove the Jeep into the hangar and secured the heavy padlock. Again, Blair let Jeffrey take the copilot’s seat, strapping herself into the back.
“Do you need help with your seat belt, Jeffrey?” she asked, leaning slightly forward.
“No, I’ve got it.” She heard the buckle snap into place.
Scott slid his aviator glasses onto his nose. “At least I’ve got someone to talk to during this flight. I usually have Cooper with me in the copilot’s seat, and he’s not much of a conversationalist.”
“Who’s Cooper?” Jeffrey wanted to know.
“My dog. Smart as a whip, but I can’t teach him to carry on a decent conversation.”
“What kind of dog is he?”
“Yellow Lab.”
“Have you had him long?”
“Since he was a pup. He’s five now.”
“You bring him to the cabin with you?”
“Yeah, he loves to fly. He keeps me company when I need a break from people.”
“I’ve never had a pet,” Jeffrey said with just a hint of wistfulness.
“You’ve never had a pet?” Scott sounded surprised. “Of any kind?”
“No. I tried to tame a stray cat once when I lived with my grandmother. I fed it every day and talked to it and stuff. He got to where he would let me pet him sometimes, but then he just disappeared. Grandma said he probably got hit by a car or something. I like cats, but Grandma said they don’t make good pets.”
Blair raised her eyebrows. She’d had a cat when she was growing up. It had been a wonderful pet, and a treasured friend. She hadn’t thought of getting a pet for Jeffrey. Had it been suggested a few days earlier, she might have argued that her busy schedule would make it too difficult to give the animal the proper attention. But this weekend with Jeffrey and Scott had made her start to see things in a different light. She’d been so concerned with Jeffrey’s physical well-being and his performance at school that she’d overlooked some of the emotional needs of a young boy. It hadn’t been that she didn’t care, she assured her stinging conscience; she had just been overwhelmed by the sudden responsibility of having to raise her nephew herself.
The conversation in the front seat turned to the operation of the plane, and Blair sat back, letting their words be drowned out by the roar of the engine. She made no effort to read during the flight this time. She simply watched Scott and Jeffrey, trying to analyze her complex emotions toward both of them.
*
“IS THAT EVERYTHING?” Scott asked when they’d transferred all the bags from the Cessna to the trunk of Blair’s white sedan.
Blair closed the trunk. “Yes, that’s all. Jeffrey, you have your backpack?”
He seemed almost surprised by the question, which made her realize that she’d hardly seen the battered backpack all weekend. Usually he kept it close to him, never letting it out of his sight. She’d respected his privacy about its contents, assuming he kept his most cherished possessions in the bag. As uncertain as his life had been, she didn’t blame him for wanting to keep his personal belongings close by.
“I put it in the back seat,” he said.
“Good. Then I guess there’s nothing left for us to do except thank Scott for the weekend and get on our way.”
Jeffrey’s lower lip jutted in his usual pout. He didn’t want to say goodbye to Scott, didn’t want the weekend to end.
For once she knew exactly how he felt.
“How would you like to visit my ranch soon?” Scott asked the boy.
A glimmer of interest lit Jeffrey’s face. “I’ve never been to a ranch.”
“Then it’s high time you visit one. You can’t live in Wyoming and never set foot on a ranch.”
“That would be cool,” Jeffrey said with a hopeful look at Blair.
Knowing Jeffrey would be bitterly disappointed if Scott was making suggestions he didn’t intend to follow through on, Blair looked at Scott. “You don’t owe us anything more,” she reminded him in a low voice. “This weekend was all you volunteered for the auction.”
He gave her a quick frown. “This invitation has nothing to do with the auction. I would like you and Jeff to visit the ranch when you have time.”
She had the odd sensation that she’d unintentionally offended him. She spoke quickly to assure him she appreciated the offer. “In that case, we would love to come. I’m sure Jeffrey will find it fascinating.”
Scott nodded, looking appeased. “You just might find something to interest you there, as well,” he murmured.
She was quite sure the most interesting feature of Scott’s ranch for her would be the owner, but she had no intention of sharing that tidbit with him. She merely nodded and turned to Jeffrey. “Tell Scott thank-you,” she prodded.
Jeffrey shuffled his feet and looked a bit shyly at Scott. “Thanks for taking us to your cabin and taking me fishing and everything. And, uh, I’m really sorry about getting lost and breaking your rod.”
“You’re forgiven,” Scott assured him.
“So...we’ll see you around?” Jeffrey looked torn between doubt and optimism.
Scott grinned and swept the boy into a warm, near-bruising hug. “You can count on it.”
Flushed with embarrassed pleasure, Jeffrey returned the hug a bit tentatively. “Don’t forget about taking me to your ranch,” he begged.
“Not a chance.” He set the boy on his feet, then turned to Blair, who was watching with a lump in her throat. “I’ll be calling you about that visit.”
She nodded. “We’ll look forward to it.” She held out her hand and added crisply, “Thank you for providing us with such a pleasant vacation, Scott.”
He took her hand, but instead of shaking it, he held it in both of his. “You’re being prissy and proper again,” he said, his grin suddenly wicked. “You know what that does to me.”
Her cheeks flamed as she mentally replayed the kisses they’d shared during the past few days. She shot a quick glance at her nephew, who was watching them with interest, and gave a small tug at her hand. “Goodbye.”
He didn’t release her. “Hey, Jeff. Would you mind very much if I give your aunt a kiss?”
“Scott!”
Jeffrey drowned out Blair’s embarrassed squeak of protest with a cheerful, “Nope. Go ahead.”
“Thanks.” Before Blair could pull away, Scott swooped down on her and planted a firm, warm kiss on her mouth. He didn’t linger long, but she was still thoroughly rattled by the time he drew back.
“Next time,” she grumbled when she could speak coherently, “ask my permission.”
Scott laughed, dimples flashing. “At least you realize there will be a next time.”
Neatly caught by her own imprudent words, Blair could only scowl at him as he stepped out of reach. “So long, you two,” he said cheerfully. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”
Promise...or warning? Blair couldn’t help w
ondering as she and Jeffrey climbed into her car and fastened their seat belts. She was aware that Jeffrey looked longingly through the rear window as they left the airport behind. She was all too tempted to do the same.
*
BLAIR HAD a few calls to make when they got home, and Jeffrey settled in front of a video game while she did so. They were back to their normal routine, she thought with a sigh. She hoped that some things, at least, had changed between them.
She made pizza for dinner, remembering that Jeffrey had told Scott it was his favorite. “It’s good, Aunt Blair,” he said, which was in itself a change from his usual silence.
“I’m glad you like it. There’s ice cream in the freezer, if you want dessert.”
“Okay. Can I watch TV tonight?”
“For a little while. But first I want to quiz you on your spelling words to make sure you’re ready for your test tomorrow.”
He sighed, but nodded. “All right. But I know all the words.”
“Then the quiz won’t take long, will it?” she asked equably.
The quiz didn’t take long at all. Jeffrey spelled every word correctly the first time.
“Very good,” Blair said approvingly. “You should ace the test.”
Jeffery broke into a sudden grin that was so much like one of Scott’s, Blair’s chest contracted. “Working the system, right?” he quipped.
“Doing well because it’s the right thing to do,” she corrected dryly.
“Whatever. It all comes out the same.”
Blair mused again that Scott’s advice had the right results but questionable rationale. “Go watch TV,” she said. “But only for a little while.”
“Thanks, Aunt Blair.” He headed for the other room, leaving her shaking her head in bemusement.
Jeffrey had just gone to bed when Blair tapped on his door. “Jeffrey? I wanted to make sure you’re okay,” she said, walking toward his bed when he called to her to come in. “Your knees aren’t hurting too badly?”
“They’re fine, Aunt Blair. I hardly even feel them now.”
She reached out to smooth his hair, pleased that he didn’t draw away this time. “Let me know if you need anything.”