“I appreciate that.”
His hands captured her face. The dimple creased with a lopsided grin right before he kissed her again and flicked the tip of his tongue across the firm crease of her lips. She groaned and kissed him back, angry she had no resistance.
“Was that so hard?” he whispered and slid his hands over her arms to wrap them around his neck.
“Yes. It was,” she said and swayed.
He steadied her by bracketing his hands at her hips. Their lips came together. Warm heat flowed over her as he filled her with the taste of him and the cinnamon disc she had been eating mingled in their mouths.
Her phone rang.
Colton grunted when she slipped from his grasp. “Don’t answer it.”
“It might be my date.” She raised an eyebrow as she made a blind grab for the receiver. “Hello. Oh, hi.” Her gaze darted to Colton who was making himself comfortable on her couch. She swiped the back of her hand over her mouth. “No, no. I was outside and had to run for the phone.”
Colton gestured his lips were sealed. The imaginary key was pitched into the air. She cupped the receiver, stretching the phone cord as far into the kitchen as possible. “No, I can’t. A girlfriend dropped by. We’re going to eat a bite here at the house. Sure. Can’t wait. See you soon.”
“You have a wig?” Colton asked when she hung up.
“A what?”
“Wig. Didn’t you tell your date I was a girlfriend? I’ll need a wig if I’m going to tag along on your date.”
“You are not coming on my date.”
“Just saying. You never know...and I love bluegrass.”
“How do you know that?” She put her hands on her hips.
“I’m thinking Blake Gerard’s your date because I just talked to him in the driveway. Guess you’re busted. Blake knows I’m no girlfriend. It’s probably why he called.”
“You, you, you...uhhhhhh.” Kate balled her fists and stalked toward the door. “Obviously, Blake isn’t intimidated by you so our date is still on. I intend to go with an apology as big as your ego.”
Plunking hard on a bench outside her house, she crossed her arms. Even the fragrant surroundings of the shade garden did little to calm her. Colton joined her and sat close in a casual slouch. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. “This is the lowest thing you’ve ever done to me. And there’ve been a few.”
Her eyes followed his long legs stretched out before him. The worn fabric of his jeans pulled across his muscled thighs. She twisted away and crossed her legs to stare across the garden to Trace’s pool, shimmering in the early evening sun.
He bumped her when he rested an elbow on the back of the bench. “You look good. The writing life agrees with you.” He ran a finger along her neck exposed with her hair up in a ponytail. She twitched. He laughed. “You been practicing your swimming?”
“Why are you here?”
“Because you haven’t been answering my calls. Now I know why my agent was so pissed.”
“You said you were in Bear Creek.”
“I was. Like I said, I went to see my mom and thought I’d drop by and say hello to an old friend.”
“Do you kiss all your old friends like that?”
“Only the ones I like.” He ran his finger along the hem of the sleeve on her T-shirt to stroke the tender skin beneath her arm. He sang in a low, mellow voice, “Over and over you drift across my mind, gentle as a breeze, a moment out of time...”
She placed her hands over her ears. Colton removed them and said in a soft voice, “Losing you was everything. I can relate.”
“You are so full of it. I doubt you’ve had a devastating fire that wiped away everything that ever mattered in the physical world. I thought I made that clear in Chicago.”
He moved his casual slung arm from the back of the bench to around her shoulders and finished singing the line in the song. “Losing you was everything...ah, Kate. Don’t cry.”
“The song was about the fire,” she said around clogged emotions. “Writers feed off such things and turn them into viable commercial pieces. In my case, a ballad I hoped would sell and help me get back on my feet financially.”
“See. It worked. Which is great. You deserve that after waiting so long but I don’t think I’m going out on a limb here when I say I don’t believe the fire was your only motivation for the song. I love you, Kate,” he said with nonchalance. “It might have been love at first sight. I’m not sure.”
Kate jumped off the bench.
He stared at her dumbfounded. Things weren’t going quite the way he’d expected. He was sure the “I love you” words would make her melt in his arms. Then again, nothing about Kate went according to plan. Not that he had a plan. Hell, Kate wasn’t even his type. Yet she somehow managed to kick him in the head like a bronco filly and now he couldn’t imagine life without her and Lindsay. He rested his forearms on his knees. “You want to sit back down and talk about it?”
“Talk about what?” Her green eyes flashed his direction.
“Let’s start with the fact I just told you I loved you.”
“We’ve hardly spoken the entire time you’ve been back in Chicago. Then you send Lindsay tickets to the Bullets’ closer, a whirlwind in-and-out weekend at best. A weekend you suggested we jump on the fun wagon and...and...have fun. Then you show up out of the blue and tell me you love me. How does someone respond to that? Not to mention you need to work on your presentation.”
“I was hoping, based on the song, you’d ask what took me so long to figure it out. Then you’d say you loved me back. I’ve been giving you space to get your life on track without interfering. On advice of my lawyer, I might add. You weren’t supposed to start dating.”
“Which lawyer would that be, Sasha?”
“It would.”
“Do you kiss Sasha every time you visit her?”
“Would that make you jealous?”
“No.” She stuck her chin in the air.
“Good. Because you need to know that in my profession women find me irresistible. They kiss me. They stick dirty notes deep in my front pockets. They grab my ass. I couldn’t love a woman who got jealous over those things.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “Oh, please.”
“You don’t believe me? Here. Let’s call Sasha.” He whipped out his cell phone. He knew Kate didn’t believe he would actually dial her number but she was looking at him with challenge in her eye. “Hey, Sasha. I’m here with Kate. Yeah. Your advice to stay away was golden. She’s dating and has welcomed me with open arms. Say, why don’t you tell her about your call with Bennett Field’s lawyer.” He held out the phone to Kate.
“You want to play games? Fine.” She snatched the phone from his hand. “Hello, Sasha. Hope you and Colton are having fun shacking up together in Nashville...uh, oh, Sasha?” Kate turned her back to Colton. “I’m sorry. I thought Colton was playing one of his stupid games. No. He didn’t say you two were, uh...I’m sure you would. ’Bye.” She punched END and handed it back to him.
“Why’d you hang up? She has news that might interest you.” His cell rang. “Hey. No. We were messing around.” He watched Kate gnaw her bottom lip. “No. I’ll tell her.”
“What? That you two are an item,” Kate grumbled.
“I thought you said you weren’t the jealous type. You don’t see me getting bent out of shape over your date tonight. And I just told you I loved you.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You will.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, you will. You wanna hear about Sasha’s conversation with Bennett Field’s lawyer or not?”
“I fired Sasha.”
“But you didn’t hire a new lawyer to replace her. You also didn’t inform Bennett Field’s lawyer you intended to find another lawyer so he contacted her.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Which is why Sasha is more than happy to help out, in spite of the fact you trea
ted her badly.”
Kate’s mouth opened and shut.
Colton resettled his arms on the back of the bench and kept his gaze squared on Kate. He didn’t want to miss her reaction at his news. “Tom Cutter’s bones have been found.” She didn’t flinch. He’d seen this side of Kate before when she tried to hide her emotions. “There’s an unmarked grave next to his wife. The rumor the trapper buried Tom where the bear mauled him to death is folklore.”
“Bobby’s mother saw the young wife’s grave when she was a teenager. If Tom was buried next to her, everyone in Bear Creek would know.”
“Not so fast. The grave is unmarked. It took detection equipment to find Tom’s bones in a shallow grave littered with stones and brush.”
“It could be anyone’s grave.”
“Tom’s rifle was buried alongside him with a digit from the bear’s paw.” There was the wide-eyed reaction he sought! It lit Kate’s green eyes like lanterns.
“It’s him,” she said as if he hadn’t confirmed the fact. “I went to the hardware store shortly after visiting Bobby’s mom to see a picture of the bear skin. Ray told me about the missing digit but you can’t see it in the picture. What I can’t figure out is how you think this is good news? It means Bennett’s daughter burned down my place for naught, thinking she was clearing the way for her father’s interests.”
His heart squeezed in an ache. He might have been in Bear Creek to see what was up with his mom, but most of all, he wanted to see Kate’s property before driving up to Nashville. The sight grieved him to the bone. “You could rebuild.”
She shook her head. “I’m in Nashville to stay. Obviously, I can’t live at Trace’s forever. But I’m comfortable for now.”
“Which brings us back to us. I’d like to hear what you’re thinking.”
“I’m thinking I’m not ready to say the words you’re able to recite with little emotion.”
“Okeydokey.” He slapped his hands against his thighs and stood. “You can’t fault a guy for trying after he spent the most memorable night of his sober life with a woman he can’t forget. A night so great that the woman wrote a song she claims was inspired by a fire. Guess I mistook that fire to mean me.” Eyes straight ahead, he strolled off toward the pool.
“By the way,” he tossed a look over his shoulder. “We’ll be neighbors for a time. Trace invited me to heal up at his place while they go on tour. Have fun tonight.”
Colton bit down a smile. He imagined Kate’s jaw hanging slack.
This was going to be downright fun.
Was that his ego talking? Damned if he knew.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Too stunned to move or speak, Kate let her gaze follow Colton’s swagger and narrow hips. His limbs swung easy at his sides, stepping with grace on the stones that led through the wooded area. He dipped down to test the pool water with his fingers and shook away the drops. He didn’t look back. Just disappeared into Trace’s house as if he owned the place, whistling “Losing You was Everything.”
“What just happened?” Part of her believed Colton’s words of love. The cautious part wasn’t sure. Confusion and excitement made her rush to her door and stop with her hand upon the handle. The entrance did look like it belonged to elves. She smiled. Next time Colton came to visit, she would be sure the place smelled of cookies baking in the oven.
Careful to make her hair and makeup perfect, Kate put on her favorite jeans and boots along with a green silk western shirt with glitzy scrolls decorating the front. Her hair was loosely curled and bounced below her shoulders.
A light rap at the door suggested Blake’s arrival. Colton knocked like a bull pounding his back hooves against a fence. She opened the door to see Blake smiling and smelling of spice. His fresh short haircut made his blue eyes and nice features stand out. Guilt made her lower her eyes. How strange to think the outspoken, outrageous Colton Gray held her heart hostage. She had always preferred quiet men. Then that hadn’t worked out, had it!
Another time and place and Blake Gerard would be the kind of soft-spoken man she might find interesting. She had to be honest with him and not lead him on.
“Did you know Colton Gray is staying at Trace’s?” she asked as they walked to his truck.
“I saw him in the driveway when I left earlier. Nice guy. I told him he should stop out at the Cubby Hole tonight and see the bluegrass band. How was dinner with your girlfriend?”
Kate groaned and came to a stop. “Colton showed up out of the blue. But you know that, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I’m seeing the proverbial writing on the wall and in the lyrics of your song. On some level I knew. Just thought if I didn’t push you, I don’t know, you’d come around. I like you, Kate. I was hoping in time you’d think the same of me.”
“You’re a great guy, Blake. Really. I didn’t want to hurt you so I fibbed about a girlfriend.” There, now she had hurt him. She saw it in his soft eyes turned dark and guarded.
“Story of my life. Thank goodness there’s one pretty lady in my life who digs me. Come on. Let’s go and enjoy some bluegrass.”
The terms of their relationship now clear, she and Blake were able to talk easily. She felt genuine friendship toward him and knew they would be able to work together in the future. He began to talk about his daughter. It seemed impossible they never discussed her. Didn’t she listen to a thing he said, like now? The knowledge Colton might show up at the Cubby Hole distracted every thought.
“Looks like half of Nashville’s bluegrass fans showed up.” Blake slowed the truck in search of a parking spot. “Good for the band. There’s one. Over by the Mustang.” She pointed the way.
As Blake pulled into the spot, Kate’s eyes widened. COL-TRAIN filled the back license plate. Heat spread so quick over her entire body that she bolted from the truck before Blake could get the keys from the ignition.
“Colton took up your invite,” she said breathless. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Why? You don’t want to see him?”
“I’m not sure.”
He took her hand. “Come on. You’re my date tonight, even if we both know different. There’s nothing like competition to float the winner to the top.”
Colton was the first person she saw once inside the noisy bar. Three women were hanging on his every word. Her stomach dipped in disappointment. Blake squeezed her hand. She welcomed his comfort, seeing Colton bend his tall frame low to hear what the women said over the set the band was playing.
“Be brave.” Blake steered her near them.
“Right. Hey, Colton,” Kate said as unaffected as she was able to muster. Her spirits lifted seeing Colton make note of her hand in Blake’s. She smiled brightly. “Ladies.”
Colton stuck out his hand to Blake. “Thanks for the invite.”
“Glad you could drop by.” Blake gave Kate a mischievous smile and made as much an exaggeration of reweaving his fingers through Kate’s as Colton did to break them apart. “I think you’ll like this band.”
“And the ladies,” Kate mumbled, a step out of the girls’ line of sight. She studied the ceiling and rocked on her heels. A swift kick to his ankle would have been more than satisfying except she claimed she wasn’t a jealous woman.
Colton bent his head Kate’s direction. “What’s that? You’d like to meet the ladies?” He pointed his beer bottle at each beauty. “Marley, Jasmine, and Trish. This is Kate.” Each smiled at the mention of their name. Colton waved a hand overhead for a waitress. Tammy, a server Colton seemed to know, appeared at his elbow. Beers soon appeared.
Kate was amazed to see Colton’s ability of gather a buzz of attention without a stitch of effort other than standing in one spot. As a songwriter with a hit, she loved being anonymous. Blake was another story. How could Colton keep their attention to the point they didn’t recognize him? His face was as well known in these parts, and more so than Colton. Even Blake seemed in awe of Colton, who energized the space around them.
The three wome
n twittered with shy glances and leading questions about Colton’s lounging form plastered across a billboard outside of downtown Nashville. The ad featured him in nothing but a pair of knit boxers. Kate tipped the beer to her lips to keep from telling the trio she had seen Colton in the flesh without his briefs. Another sip of cool beer was like throwing a thimble of water on a bonfire.
The band took a break about the time she and Blake were on their third beers. Two more than Kate’s usual limit. The jukebox kicked in with a slow song. He took her by the hand and led her out onto the dance floor. She leaned heavily on him.
Blake stared into her eyes. “How about we shake up Colton and head out to somewhere quiet and talk? I’ve seen enough of the band, if you have.”
“Actually, I’m starved. And a little drunk. I need food.”
“Let’s go.” He wove through the crowd.
Colton was soon on their heels. “Whoa, wait up, Blake buddy. You guys leaving already?” The muscle in his cheek was twitching.
Kate tried not to sway. “We saw what we came for.” Her tongue wasn’t working right. Blake put his arm around her, she let him keep her steady. “Have fun with your girlies.” Kate winked. She never winked. In fact, she might have used both eyes. Colton didn’t look amused.
“You know what makes me a damn good ballplayer, Kate?”
“Ego?” she said, wide-eyed.
“Patience. Have a good tour, Blake. I hear you and the boys take off tomorrow.” He administered a hard stare and headed back to the waiting trio.
****
Colton had a nice view of Kate’s elf door from his bedroom, if he used the telephoto lens he unscrewed from Trace’s Nikon. Midnight and she was still out with Blake. He straightened upon seeing movement in the shadows and put the lens to his eye. He stood, grateful to be out of the chair in which he sat glued for the last three hours, and strained to see through the lens. Just in time to see Blake follow Kate inside. “Dammit, Kate.”
Cutter Mountain Rendezvous Page 23