"You could, but I wouldn't believe you."
"Come on, Nat. We may not be living together anymore but we don't have to be enemies, do we?"
It seemed to take forever before she shook her head. "I guess not. But you should have called first."
"If I had, would you have invited me up?"
Natalie sighed. "No," she admitted, "I wouldn't."
"See?" Gage offered his most charming smile. "That's why I invited myself."
He said it as if it made perfect sense. Well, she thought, maybe it did. It was hard to understand anything right now. Her pulse had leaped at the sight of her husband-her soon to-be ex-husband-Lounging in her doorway, but why wouldn't it? Gage had caught her by surprise. Surely, that was the only reason her heart was racing.
"Come on, Nat. Pour me a cup of coffee. Talk to me. You can't blame me for wanting to know how you're doing."
She considered his request. What harm could come of being polite? Not that she was going to go out of her way to be too gracious.
"Nat?"
Natalie shrugged her shoulders. "I only have instant." "Instant's fine," he said before she could change her mind. He tried not to grimace as he followed her into a kitchen that had probably once been white but was faded now to a sad yellow. The cabinets that lined one wall were fashionably door less though not by design, considering the hinges that still hung from some of them. The stove and refrigerator might have garnered points at an antique show, assuming you were into chipped enamel and uneven legs.
Natalie looked at him. There was a defiant glint in her eyes, as if this were some kind of test.
"Uh, it's." cosy," he said with a quick smile, but he knew, right away, that he'd said the wrong thing.
"Don't patronize me," she said sharply. "I wasn't-"
"Yes, you were. I know what this place looks like." She turned her back to him, filled a kettle with water and set it on the burner. "This place needs." work."
What it needed was a miracle, but he knew better than to say so. Instead, he kept his silence as Natalie took a jar of coffee from one of the door less cabinets and a spoon from a drawer that didn't quite close, but he lost it when she reached for a box of safety matches.
What are you doing? Doesn't that thing have a light?
"What light?' ' "Of course it does. But it doesn't-"
"Dammit!" He snatched the box from her hand. "What are you trying to do? Blow yourself to kingdom come?"
"I am perfectly capable of lighting a stove."
"And it's perfectly capable of blowing up in your face."
Gage lit the burner, blew out the match and tossed it into the sink. "Did you tell your landlord this thing needs to be fixed?"
"Sit down, Gage. Do you still take your coffee black?" Did he still ...? She'd only been gone a week. Did she really think he'd have changed his habits in so short a time? Or was he supposed to assume she'd forgotten? The possibility ticked him off.
"Yes," he said curtly. "And answer my question. Does your landlord know about the stove?"
Natalie slapped a mug on the table in front of him. "That's none of your business. This is my apartment, my stove, my life. "
"Take it easy, lady. When I ask you a civil question, I'm entitled to a civil answer."
"Ha!"
"Ha? What in hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means," she said coldly, "that you didn't come here to be civil, or to pay a friendly visit."
"The woman's turned into a mind reader," Gage said to the walls.
"You came to criticize. To belittle. To make it clear that my living arrangements don't suit you."
Don't say anything, he told himself. Don't get sidetracked into an argument.
"Well, let me assure you, Mr. Baron. They suit me just fine."
Gage snorted. "Come off it, babe. These 'living arrangements,' as you call them, wouldn't suit a cockroach! This place is-"
"Mine." Natalie's chin lifted. "All mine. And if you don't like it, that's just too bad."
"So much for civility."
"You don't have the right to tell me what to do."
"God, I don't believe this! Are you drawing up a list of grievances for your lawyer?" A muscle knotted in his cheek. "You know damn well I never bossed you around."
A flush rose in Natalie's cheeks. "I was simply reminding you that you're not my husband anymore."
"That's the second time you've made that point," he said softly.
"Well, it's the truth."
Something dark and dangerous flared in his eyes. "Would you like me to prove that you and I are still man and wife, babe?"
Natalie's heart bumped against her ribs as Gage kicked back his chair, rose from the table and came towards her. Her gaze flew over him, taking in the faint stubble on his jaw, the T-shirt that clung to his wide shoulders, the faded, snug jeans. A slow, liquid warmth spread through her blood.
"Don't," she said. "Gage ... "
"Don't, what?" He stepped closer, until only a breath separated them. His eyes dropped to her mouth. "You're still my wife, Natalie."
"No. I'm not. I..." She caught her breath as he put his hand against her cheek, stroked back her hair, and curled his fingers around the nape of her neck.
His smile was lazy, sexy, and completely masculine. "If you don't believe me," he said softly, "I'll show you." And he lowered his head and kissed her.
She told herself it was only a kiss, nothing more. A woman could withstand a kiss, even from a man like Gage ...
But when he cupped her face in his hands, brushed his lips against her, then took her mouth again, she was lost.
"Gage," she whispered, and opened her mouth to his. With a groan, he gathered her into his arms and kissed her hungrily. Her hands rose, pressed against his chest. She could feel the gallop of his heart, feel the heat of his flesh through his thin cotton shirt. She turned her face into his neck, inhaling his familiar scent, tasting the saltiness of his skin. Her hand dropped to his waist, then lower, and he groaned again.
Oh, how she had missed him. Gage. Her husband. The only man she'd ever loved.
Gage shut his eyes as Natalie bit lightly at his throat. God, how he'd missed her. His wife. The only woman he'd ever loved.
This was right. So right. Holding her, kissing her, inhaling her wildflower scent and, now, the intoxicating scent of her passion.
He whispered her name as he cupped her bottom, lifted her into him, moved against her so she could feel the urgency of his need. She had to remember how it used to be between them, how it could be again ...
A wild shriek pierced the silence. Natalie jumped like a startled rabbit. Her eyes flew open.
Gage muttered an oath. "It's just the kettle." He reached back, fumbled for the control knob on the stove. "Easy, babe. It's okay-"
"It isn't." Natalie slammed her hands against his chest and pushed free of his embrace. "Is that why you came here?" Her voice trembled with anger; her cheeks were bright pink. "To seduce me?"
Was that what she thought had just happened between them? Seduction? Gage's eyes narrowed.
"I thought we were making love."
She'd thought so, too ... but admitting that, to him or to herself, would be crazy.
"It was sex," she said. "That's all it was. Sex. And it was a mistake. Am I making myself clear?"
His mouth thinned. She certainly was. Sex was all the last few minutes had been for her. His wife-his onetime wife-had turned into a stranger. And he didn't much like the stranger she'd become.
"Perfectly clear," he said. "But you've got it wrong, babe.
I wouldn't try to seduce you if you turned up at my door naked, gift-wrapped and with a bow around your neck."
The colour drained from Natalie's face. "Get out."
"Trust me." Gage strode from the kitchen. "I'm going." "Good." Natalie elbowed past him. "And," she said as she yanked the door open, "don't bother coming-" "Natalie?"
Gage swung towards the door, and the man standing in it.
&
nbsp; Man, hell. A mountain was more like it. A giant, with flowing blond hair, a neck the size of a tree trunk, with biceps and thighs to match. And, from the look of rage on the giant's face, Gage figured the guy was about to turn him into mincemeat.
"Hans," Natalie said. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just unlocking my door." The giant jerked his head towards the apartment across the hall, though his eyes never left Gage's face. "And I heard voices." His hands knotted at his sides. "Is this punk giving you trouble, Natalie?"
"No. No, Hans, you don't understand ... "
''I'm not a punk," Gage said with a feral smile. "I'm her husband."
"Ex-husband." Hans's eyes narrowed. "Natalie is divorced."
"Separated, " Natalie said quick] y.
"Neither," Gage said just as quickly. "Anyway, what's it to you?"
The giant took a step forward. "Natalie is my friend. If she needs help, I am here to offer it."
"Hans. Really. I don't-"
"That's right, Hans." Gage smiled. He could feel his adrenaline pumping. So what if the guy outweighed him by a ton? So what if he looked like King Kong on steroids? Gage felt pumped enough to take him. And hell, if he couldn't, that was okay, too. A couple of rounds with Hans the Watchdog sounded like fun right about now.
Gage took a step forward. "You heard the lady. She doesn't need you. Not for anything. You got that, or do you want me to spell it out?"
"Stop it!" Natalie pushed between the two men and looked from one angry face to the other. "This is ridiculous."
Hans folded his massive arms against his chest. "You say the word, Natalie, and I will throw him out."
"Yeah, babe." Gage grinned, bounced lightly on his toes.
"Say the word and I'll put old Hans into his apartment without bothering to open the door."
Natalie put a hand on each man's chest. "Hans," she said firmly, "go home. My ex-"
"Her husband," Gage said, the maniacal smile still plastered to his face.
"The man I no longer live with," Natalie said coldly, "is an idiot, but he's harmless."
"You are positive?" "Yes."
"Okay." Hans puffed out his breath. "But if you need me ... "
"I'll call you."
"Good. And Natalie ... That movie we talked about is on later. If you want to watch it with me-"
"Great." Natalie smiled brightly. "I'll make some popcorn."
The giant flashed one last look at Gage. Gage gave him a smile that showed all his teeth.
"Auf weidersein, pal," he said, and slammed the door in his face.
"Your humour was wasted," Natalie snapped. "Hans is Dutch."
"I don't care if he's Martian. Movies? Popcorn? In case you've forgotten, babe, you're still a married woman."
"Only temporarily. Besides, Hans is just a friend." "A friend, huh?"
"I know the concept of a man and woman having a relationship based on anything but sex is impossible for you to imagine, but it happens."
"That guy has only one thing on his mind. He wants to get into your pants."
"You are so crude!" "I'm honest."
"Well, you're wrong. Besides, it's none of your-"
"But it is." Gage's jaw shot forward. Enough was enough.
Whether she liked it or not, he was still her husband. And it was time she knew it.
"Get your things," he growled.
"Give it up, Gage. I'm not taking orders from you." "Pack enough for the weekend. And make it quick." "Oh, I just love this," Natalie said pleasantly. "Am I supposed to click my heels? Because if I am-'
"It's my father," Gage said, lying easily, mercilessly, and creatively through his clenched teeth.
The smirk fell from Natalie's face. "Jonas?"
Gage nodded. "That's what I came here to tell you." Well, it wasn't a lie. Something had happened. After all, a man didn't turn eighty-five every day. "I've spoken with my brothers. We're all flying to Espada."
"Oh." Natalie bit her bottom lip. "I'm so sorry. But-" "I figured you'd be willing to set our personal problems aside, go with me, so that the old man can see you one more time."
Well, that wasn't a lie, either. One more time than Jonas had already seen her was one more time, wasn't it? Besides, there wasn't a way in hell he was going to leave Natalie here. Not in this hellhole. Not with Hans across the hall.
"Why didn't you tell me this right away?"
Gage met his wife's suspicious look with a bland smile. "We got sidetracked, babe. Remember?"
She blushed, but only a little. "Gage, I swear, if you're lying to me ... "
"Cross my heart," he said, wide-eyed.
Natalie folded her arms, rocked back on her heels and looked at him. He'd almost given up hope when she puffed out her breath.
"Okay. Give me a few minutes to pack."
It was hard not to grin but Gage controlled himself until Natalie had left the room. Then he mouthed a silent "yes" and pumped his fist into the air.
CHAPER FIVE
NATALIE disappeared into her bedroom and emerged ten minutes later carrying a small suitcase. She'd changed from paint-smeared jeans and a T-shirt to a sombre linen suit.
'I'm ready," she said. .
Gage nodded and took the overnight case from her. The suit, he suspected, offered a clue as to what she'd packed. Sickroom stuff. Hospital stuff. Maybe even funeral parlour stuff.
She was going to be furious when she realized she'd been had.
Maybe he ought to tell her the truth. Maybe he ought to give her the option of going to this party or of staying behind. Maybe ...
But there was no "maybe" here. A woman in the process of divorce wasn't about to say, certainly, she'd love to go away with her almost-ex for the weekend. Given a choice, Natalie would stay right where she was, with entertainment provided courtesy of Hans and a bowl of popcorn.
"Gage? Are we going or aren't we?"
The decision was a no-brainer. "Of course we're going," he said.
How much of a fuss could Natalie make once they reached Espada?
He kept waiting for the questions to start on the way to the airport.
What, exactly, was wrong with Jonas? Had he been hospitalised? What did the doctors say? How much time did they have?
He waited, but Natalie didn't say a word. Not one single, solitary word.
Either she was angry about how he'd behaved in that hovel she called an apartment or she figured that the protocol for people on the brink of divorce was silence.
Gage didn't care. He was just glad she wasn't pressing him for details about his father's imminent demise because he sure as hell didn't have any.
The Cessna was ready and waiting. Natalie climbed in, put on her headset and fastened her seat belt, then froze him with a look when he reached over to check the belt, the way he'd done a thousand times before.
"I am perfectly capable of buckling my belt," she said coldly.
Dh-huh. Okay. So, it was going to be that kind of a flight, was it? And it was only going to get worse once they reached Espada and she realized he'd lied to her.
No. Not lied. He'd, uh, he'd just left out a few pertinent details. And for a very good reason.
Gage's jaw tightened as he taxied the plane onto the runway.
What sort of man would leave a woman in a hellhole like that apartment? What sort would leave her to the tender mercies of Hans, who was coming on to her with all the delicacy of a waltzing hippopotamus? Not one who understood his responsibilities, that was certain. Natalie would probably never understand that, but she didn't have to. It was enough that he understood, and that he'd taken action.
But, man, all hell was going to break loose when they reached the ranch and she found out that the only thing wrong with Jonas was that he was still the same opinionated, intransigent old bastard he'd always been. And there wasn't a darned thing new about that.
"Gage?"
Natalie's voice sounded clearly over the microphone. "Yes?"
"What's wrong with Jonas?"
Okay, he thought, here we go. "I'm not sure."
"Haven't the doctors been able to diagnose it yet?"
"No. No, they haven't."
"Did he collapse? Have some kind of attack? Surely, they must suspect something."
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