by Vonnie Davis
Storm broke the kiss and slowly lowered her down the length of him. She felt his erection straining. He lowered his forehead to hers. “We can’t keep doing this. As you so rightly reminded me the other night, I’ve only recently broken off an engagement. It hasn’t even been a month, and Pilar hasn’t accepted it. Just because I’m mad as hell over her behavior doesn’t mean I want her hurt. She’s been an important part of my life for over two years.”
“I know and I respect your consideration of her. I broke off an engagement about a month ago. It’s not easy.” Especially when your ex-fiance stalks you with threats and beatings. She stepped away. “I better do my stretches and then run.”
He nodded, and for a minute she thought he was going to say something. Running a hand through his hair, he looked away for a beat. “I just don’t get it. It’s like you’re a magnet and I’m powerless to resist.” He turned and walked toward the stables.
Chapter Nine
Storm stood at his office window, staring out at the trio in the pool. Sawyer’s delighted squeals swept over him. He shook his head a couple of times and grinned. The kid sure knew how to have a good time. The child hadn’t had much fun lately with his momma being so sick. Maybe he’d take him riding later. Give Sunny a chance to rest.
Rachel crawled out of the pool, taking his breath away. Trim, muscular legs, rounded hips, narrow waist and God, those large, firm breasts. He’d barely been able to think of anything else since he’d held her to him that morning, two weeks ago, kissing her with her legs wrapped around his waist. He felt himself harden. Just how long could a man live with a perpetual hard-on?
He turned from the window and slumped into his office chair. Frustrated on many levels, he ran both hands through his hair. The woman was driving him insane. It wasn’t as if she were the prettiest girl he’d ever seen. Pilar was equally as attractive, in her own way. For sure he’d dated his fair share of beautiful women in college and afterward. Tessa O’Dell came to mind. He tapped a pen against his desk. Still, none of them had affected him so instantly and deeply like Rachel Dennison. None of them had invaded his dreams.
The woman had an intriguing layer of defensiveness about her, as if she felt she had to protect herself. She certainly had no problem expressing her opinions or arguing with his. He’d never expected he’d enjoy an argumentative woman, but he took pleasure in seeing her in a pique, her cheeks flushed in anger. Every time she got miffed, he had an irresistible urge to kiss the irritation right out of her. She was also fun to be with, charming and interesting. He felt different when he was around her. On one hand, he was aroused, and on the other he felt at peace. He shook his head once. It was the strangest thing.
The sounds of more laughter and water splashing seeped through the open window, as did the music Rachel was so fond of playing. It was good to hear Sunny giggle again. Maybe that was part of the attraction. Gratitude. Was part of what he felt for Nurse Rachel purely gratitude for her helping Sunny?
With Rachel there, much of the tension that had permeated the house for so long had evaporated. Noella’s claim that Rachel brought hope was correct. It was like they’d all been given a new lease on life, not just Sunny. He tossed the pen down and stepped to the window again.
“Master Storm, I bring you some coffee and two banana nut muffins.” Noella set the plate and steaming mug on his desk.
“Thanks, Momma Noella. You know the way to my heart.” He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at her.
She stepped beside him and looked out the window. Rachel was holding Sawyer’s hands and dancing with him to a song playing on the CD player. The delighted child was giggling. “Sí, I know one way to your heart.” Her head jerked in the direction of Rachel. “Maybe she knows another, huh? But I say nothing.”
“She confuses me. Besides, I’ve only known her a few weeks.” His gaze stayed focused on Rachel.
“Sí.” Noella patted his chest. “But your heart, my child, does your heart know that?” She turned and started to walk out.
“Are you taking Mrs. Ruiz to the hospital this afternoon?”
Noella stopped. “Her neighbor’s taking her. I ordered a basket of fruit for Eduardo’s room.”
“Good. Good. I talked to him a few minutes ago. He was tired from physical therapy. Walking and bending are still painful for him, but he seemed in good spirits. I bet he’d enjoy a call from you, momma.”
“Sí, this I will do. Eduardo is a good man.”
“Yes, he is. The Triple-S takes care of its own. We’ll look after him and his mother until he’s back to work.”
She nodded. “Bueno. Your poppa always looked after his men. It pleases me you do the same.” Noella patted his cheek and bustled out.
Storm sat, determined to get the rest of the figures entered on the computer. He bit into the warm muffin, rolling his eyes in appreciation. Keeping computer records was the bane of his existence. He lifted the fresh cup of coffee to his lips, sipped and choked. In half of the entries he’d posted minutes earlier, he’d entered Rachel’s name. Dammit!
****
After Sunny’s time in the pool playing with Sawyer, Storm came out onto the patio. Gone were his relaxed features Rachel had seen earlier at breakfast.
He hunkered in front of Sawyer. “Want to ride with me for a while? We’ll go check on those new mustangs.”
“Yeah! Can I go wif Unkie Storm, Mommy?” The child was doing his happy dance.
“You’ll have to put on dry clothes. Jeans and a T-shirt.” Sunny was breathless as she collapsed onto a chaise lounge. “Whew, I’m tired.”
“You rest. I’ll get him dressed. Come on, partner.” Storm spared Rachel an irritated glance. “I hope you haven’t overextended my sister. She’s out of breath.”
“She just swam two laps across the pool for the first time. Naturally, she’s out of breath.”
He grabbed Rachel’s arm and yanked her to him. “Laps? You have my sick sister swimming laps? Are you nuts?”
She winced at the pain. Her heart was beating like a bass beat on a rap song. She didn’t know if it was anger or fear. Whichever, she didn’t like it. Her gaze went to his calloused hand squeezing her arm and then quickly swept to his hard, black eyes. “Kindly remove your hand.”
When it tightened, she glanced at Sawyer, who had slid from his uncle’s hold to crawl onto his mother’s lap. For his sake, she whispered, “Not in front of the child.”
Storm’s dark eyes blinked twice and his grip loosened. He turned to his nephew. “Are you ready to get dry clothes on, buddy?”
“Is you being damned bossy to Wachel again?” Sawyer’s eyes were big as he cowered against his mommy.
“Sawyer Dalton Abbot!” Sunny shook a finger at her son in admonition.
Storm hunkered down again in front of the boy. “It’s all right, sister. I was being damned bossy. Don’t growl at him.” He reached out to take Sawyer’s hand. The child pulled back. “I’m sorry if Unkie Storm scared you.”
“You haf’ta say ‘sowwy’ to Wachel.” Sawyer crawled off his mother’s lap and ran to Rachel, wrapping his little arms around her knees.
Storm stood and sighed, his hands on his hips. “You’re right, partner. Rachel, I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’ve always protected Sunny and, well, I’m just worried about her.”
“That’s okay.” Her voice held no warmth. When she had him alone, she’d tell him she didn’t like his grabbing her in anger. She’d tell him how she saw it as abuse. Not now in front of the little boy she’d come to love, but soon. She refused to put up with abuse from another man. One trip down that road had been enough.
“Now, kiss and make up.” Sunny beamed a mischievous smile.
Sawyer clapped his hands. “Yeah, Unkie Storm, kiss Wachel. I kissed her before. It was fun. Go ’head. She don’t bite.”
Storm chuckled. “No, but I might.”
A duet of “Kiss her, kiss her,” erupted from Sunny and Sawyer.
Storm rolled his eyes and stepped
closer.
Rachel shook her head. “No.” The last thing she wanted right now was a fake show of affection from him. The jerk.
He cupped her face in his hands, his eyes locked on hers and he lowered his head. Warm lips pressed a kiss to her forehead. She reached up and placed her hands on his forearms, torn between pushing him away and pulling him closer. He laid his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry I was so rough earlier.”
Perhaps now was the time to tell him how she felt, when he seemed open and receptive. “I don’t like abusive men. They frighten me. I avoid them at all costs.”
Storm stilled, a muscle bunched in his cheek. His voice was barely a whisper when he spoke, so sensually tender it spun a web of privacy around them as if they were the only two souls in the vast, beautiful hill country of Texas. “You think I could be abusive?” He stepped closer so their thighs touched. Her stomach fluttered in response.
Their gazes locked. Their breaths mingled. One of his hands lightly stroked her neck, and warmth rushed through her. “Never, honey. Especially, never with you. I don’t abuse my animals and I don’t abuse women. God treasures both, and so do I.” He cupped her face. “I’m finding I treasure you.” His gaze swept to her open mouth. “Treasure you more than I have a right to, my sweet mouse.” He brought his mouth to hers and showed her how sweetly gentle and tender he could be.
Her jelly-boned legs showed her how vulnerable she could be with him.
“Wow, Unkie Storm, you kissed her a weally long time. You must be weally, weally sowwy.”
After thirty minutes of sunning themselves, Rachel took Sunny upstairs for a massage.
Strains of Marc Anthony crooning “You Sang to Me” filled Sunny’s apricot and aqua bedroom. The drapes were opened wide to let in the sunlight. Rachel was determined to erase the tomb image from Sunny’s mind.
“This morning was wonderful,” Sunny cooed, lying on her stomach on the massage table, waiting for Rachel to begin the massage.
Rachel rubbed a special lotion onto her hands to warm it before applying it to her patient’s sun-warmed skin. “I was so proud of how well you did in the pool today. Your endurance is increasing. Two whole laps across the width of the pool. That deserves some chocolate. I hope you’re not too tired?” She used her thumbs in rotating movements over Sunny’s neck.
“A little. Oh, that feels so good.”
“Sawyer loves the water, doesn’t he?” She wanted to keep her patient’s mind off herself and her illness. She suspected too much time had been relegated to that. To help Sunny fight, she had to change her patient’s mental outlook and help her focus on the joys of living.
“He’s like a fish. Just like Storm and I were at that age.”
“You and your brother are very close.” She moved down to Sunny’s shoulders, finding some kinks and applying pressure to work them out. “He’s very protective.”
“Twins usually are.” Sunny groaned. “I’ll give you two hours to stop that.”
Rachel chuckled. “Who’s the oldest?” She applied more lotion and moved further down her patient’s back, applying pressure in special spots.
“God, that feels fantastic.” Sunny cooed. “To answer your question, I’m the oldest by two minutes. Daddy used to say I came out beaming like the sun ’cause I’d beaten my brother in the race to be born. Storm was so mad I’d gotten here first he was born scowling and howling, raging like a storm.”
Rachel smiled at the image, nodding. “Thus, the names?”
“Yup. Our parents had Christopher and Caroline picked out, but we didn’t fit them.”
“No, I guess not.” She poured more lotion in her hands and massaged Sunny’s arm, thinking about Storm for the umpteenth time that day. Who would have believed the arrogantly sexual man she’d found on that road, weeks ago, would be her new patient’s brother? “I can’t imagine anyone calling your brother Christopher.” No, the name Storm most definitely suited this man with his mercurial, passionate moods.
“Are you still angry with him for the way he acted earlier by the pool?”
Rachel walked around the massage table so she could do Sunny’s other arm. “Your brother was just being protective. Even so, I don’t like his manhandling me.”
“Seemed like more than that. I mean, sparks were coming off you two.” Sunny turned her head and aimed her dark eyes on Rachel, eyes identical to her brother’s. “You know, it’s almost as if you two knew each other before you came here.”
“If I told you, he’d kill me.”
Sunny rose on one elbow, her face animated. “Well, then you must tell.”
The nurse, who was pleased to see her patient show an interest in life, warred with the woman who wanted to keep a chance meeting with a hunky magnetic male a secret. Still, it wasn’t exactly a secret. She’d e-mailed Grace all about it.
Sunny’s eyebrow shot up. “Well?”
She sighed. “Your brother and I met on my way here, on Longhorn Road.”
“Really? Why hasn’t either one of you mentioned it?”
“If I share the details, you have to promise not to tell him. Storm would be angry if I told.” She bit her lower lip. His only mention of their run-in had been in the kitchen the morning her sugar levels dropped. He’d thrown it in her face then. As though she’d instigated everything that moonlit night. As if she made it a habit of enticing men, and that’s what she’d been doing with Ben. Heck, she couldn’t even remember what they’d talked about.
“Ouch! Must not be a good memory the way your touch has roughened.”
“Oh, Sunny, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” See how that man made her? He made her nuts. More than likely Storm hadn’t given that first kiss another thought, while she hadn’t been able to get it out of her mind. Perhaps, for him, it had just been an amusing moment in time. An interlude he’d quickly forgotten.
“Are you going to share?”
She bit her bottom lip. “It would have to be kept between you and me. A confidence.”
Sunny smiled; her chin quivered, and huge twin tears threatened to spill. “Do you know how long it’s been since a friend shared a secret with me? It’s as if a person with cancer can’t handle a secret or is no longer worthy of confidences.”
Rachel took a deep breath, absorbing what her patient said, knowing she would have to share a confidence to gain the intimacy of Sunny’s trust. She scrutinized Sunny’s eyes. “Promise you won’t tell him?”
“Cross my heart.” Sunny crossed the right side of her chest.
She placed her forehead against Sunny’s. “Your heart is on the other side, dummy.” They laughed like teenaged school girls.
“Okay, I’ll tell you, but first lie down while I massage your legs.” She walked to the other end of the massage table and pushed up the sheet. Squeezing lotion onto her hand, she began her story. “Well, I was driving here that first night, minding my own business when a naked man…”
“Naked?” Sunny’s head whipped around. “You don’t mean...”
“Yup.” The corners of her mouth curled up, and she winked. She massaged Sunny’s legs while she shared every detail about meeting Storm.
“My brother kissed you? So, the kiss he gave you down by the pool wasn’t his first?”
Rachel shook her head. “Nor was it the second.” Drats, she shouldn’t have said that.
Sunny’s eyes were alight with surprise and excitement when she rose on her elbows to look over her shoulder at Rachel. “How many times have you two kissed?” Rachel kept her head down, her hands massaging her legs. “Rachel?”
“Once on the road that night.” She sighed audibly. “When we went for a ride the day you saw your oncologist, and again one morning when we watched a sunrise together. Neither time meant anything to him, I’m sure.”
“He’s kissed you several times then? Interesting. I can’t get over his kissing you before he knew who you were.” She shook her head. “I really can’t imagine his doing that. He’s always so in control.” Her eyebro
ws furrowed. “If only he weren’t still being harassed by Pilar. The spoiled bitch takes his ‘no’s’ as a challenge.”
“He’s told me he hates hurting Pilar’s feelings. To me, it’s a strong indication he’s not completely over her. Given enough time, I think they might get back together.” Through long, restless nights of reliving every shared kiss, every shared word, she’d focused on that fact—he still cared for this other woman.
She could not, would not become a man’s rebound fling. Besides, until Kyle Benson lost interest in her, her personal life remained in turmoil, which was why she needed to remain perfectly entrenched in her professional life. Plus, she had to keep her whereabouts a secret.
“Rachel...Rachel?”
“I’m sorry. Did you ask me something?” She pulled the sheet over Sunny’s legs and patted her shoulder. “All done.”
“Thanks. That was great. I asked if you were attracted to my brother.” Sunny sat up and hung her slender legs over the side of the massage table, her eyebrows arched as if waiting for an answer.
Rachel walked to a window and wrapped her arms around her waist. “What woman wouldn’t be attracted to Storm? But then, Storm’s not emotionally free, is he?”
Sunny stood behind her, laying a hand on Rachel’s shoulder. “I don’t want to see you hurt. But I do need to warn you Pilar is used to getting what she wants. She knows how to pout and cry until she gets her way with her indulgent Daddy, or any man. And she’s not above using trickery.”
Rachel turned, blinking away the tears. “And I’ve never been one to play games. I’m out of my element with that kind of conniving feminine behavior. I’m just plain old me.” Her hands rose and fell.
“Oh, honey. Sometimes I could kick my brother.”
Rachel wrapped her arm around Sunny’s shoulders. “Thanks for the loyalty. Luckily, Storm spends most of his days on the range or working in the stables. We only see each other at mealtimes. Some days we’re like old friends, engaging in gentle conversation. On others, we’re like gasoline and a match.”