He walked slowly to her and sat down on the couch beside her. He reached over and took her hand in his and stared down at their laced fingers for a moment before he spoke. “Cheyenne,” he murmured, “I have something to tell you.”
Her heart thudded, and she thought she was going to burst into tears. “All right, Luke.”
He hesitated a moment. “I don’t really know how to say this.”
She could see he was struggling, and she didn’t want to prolong the agony. She squeezed his hand and leaned closer to him. “The best way is just to treat it like a Band-Aid.”
“A Band-Aid?” He stared at her with a puzzled look on his face.
She nodded. “Yes. When you have something to say that’s difficult to say to the other person, you just blurt it out, rip it off like a Band-Aid. It might hurt for a moment, but the pain will be gone soon.”
He furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head to one side. “But I don’t want to blurt it out. I’ve been trying for days to think of the best way to say this.”
She sighed and pulled her hand away. “Luke, just say it. I can handle it.”
He took a deep breath. “A few years ago I was hurt badly by a woman who I thought cared about me. She didn’t. When I found out how she had deceived me, I was devastated. Then I was angry. Ever since, I’ve told myself I would never take a chance on being hurt like that again.”
“I can understand that,” Cheyenne said in a soft voice.
“All my friends have tried to set me up with someone since then, but I’ve never been interested, until now.”
“U-until n-now?”
Luke nodded. “I know we only met a few weeks ago, but we’ve been through more in that time than a lot of people experience in a lifetime. It didn’t take me long to know you were one of a kind, and that I wanted to know you more. I’ve enjoyed every minute we’ve spent together.”
Her heart pounded in her chest. There it was. He’d enjoyed their time together, but now it was over. “Luke, it’s all right. I understand. There’s nothing for you to feel badly about.”
A surprised look flashed across his face. “Feel badly? What do I have to feel badly about? I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life, and it’s all because of you.” He leaned forward and cupped her chin in his hand. “Cheyenne Cassidy, I think we might have something good here, and I’d like to explore it. What do you say? Would you like to see where it leads?”
* * *
Luke felt her body jerk, and then she sat up straight. The wild look in her eyes made him frown, but it was her words that surprised him most. “What? I can’t believe it.”
He shook his head. “Why not? I thought you knew what I was trying to tell you.”
She jumped to her feet and stared down at him. “I thought you were getting ready to tell me you didn’t want to see me anymore, that our relationship was over.”
He rose to his feet and moved just inches from her. “Why would you think that?”
“Because you’re an officer of the law. I thought you were being nice to me because of that. I wasn’t honest with you, and I was the reason you were almost killed. That doesn’t make for a very good relationship.”
He frowned and leaned closer to her. “That doesn’t make any difference to me. I thought you could see the signs that I really liked you.”
She threw up her hands in frustration. “What signs? You’ve never given me any signs about how you feel.”
He gritted his teeth and took another step toward her. “Then maybe you’ll understand this one.”
Before she could answer, he wrapped his arms around her, pulled her to him and pressed his lips against hers. Her body went rigid for a moment, and then it was as if she melted against him as she returned his kiss.
He’d never felt such happiness flowing through him. He didn’t want to release her, but he pulled away a few inches and stared down into her eyes, which held a dreamy look. “How’s that for a sign?”
A slow smile pulled at her lips. “The best one you could give me.”
“Did you really think I wanted to end it with you?”
She gave a slight nod. “Yes. I thought after I told you all about how I met Jesse, you wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me anymore.”
“I thought we had this settled,” he growled. “That we weren’t going to remember those things again.”
“Maybe I’ll be able to do that if I have you there to help me.”
His heart gave a little lurch, and he smiled. “Does that mean what I hope it means?”
She reached up and stroked his cheek with her fingers. “I want to see where this goes, Luke, and I’m so thankful you came into my life.”
“Tomorrow’s going to be the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” Luke whispered as he pulled her closer.
“For me, too,” she whispered. “I’m so glad Ben gave you a shift that allowed you to come here for dinner.”
“I’m off tonight, too. How about if I come back and spend Christmas Eve with you?”
“I’ll look forward to it. Can you come for dinner? Gwen wants to eat at about six o’clock because she has so much to do for Christmas tomorrow.”
He nodded. “I’ll be here. Maybe we can go into town and see all the Christmas lights afterward if you don’t need to help Gwen.”
“That sounds like fun. I think she wants to do some cooking for tomorrow and has some gifts to wrap. She said it was a one-woman job.”
He glanced down at his watch. “I have to go. Our department has collected gifts for children in the hospital, and I’m helping Ben pass them out this afternoon.”
She directed a teasing grin at him. “Are you going to dress up like Santa Claus?”
He couldn’t help but laugh as he reached over and tapped the tip of her nose with his finger. “No, I’m not. I’m the elf.”
Her eyes grew wide, and then she burst out laughing. “An elf? Are you wearing an elf costume?”
He huffed out a breath as if he was offended. “I am, and I have to say it looks good on me.”
She continued to smile as she stared at him, then she suddenly threw her arms around his neck and pulled his head down until their lips almost touched. “You’re one of a kind, Luke Conrad”
She pressed her lips to his, and he felt as if he was soaring on a cloud. When he pulled back from her, he whispered against her lips. “If you like the idea of me as an elf so much, I just may wear it to dinner tomorrow.”
She giggled. “Maggie would love it.”
He planted a soft kiss on her lips and released his hold on her. “I really have to go. I’ll see you later.”
She slipped her arm through his and smiled. “I’ll see you to the door.”
Together they strolled into the hallway and were almost to the door when a knock sounded on the outside. Cheyenne released Luke’s arm and opened the door to see Trace Johnson standing on the front porch.
“Trace,” she said, “how good to see you. Come on in.”
He frowned as he glanced at Luke. “I hope I’m not disturbing you, but I wanted to come check on you.”
Luke shook his head and stepped onto the porch. “I was just leaving. I have some Christmas errands to run.” He stuck out his hand to Trace. “I hope you and your dad have a good Christmas.”
Trace smiled as he shook Luke’s hand. “Thanks, Luke. I think this is going to be the best Christmas I’ve ever had. I’ve got big plans.”
For some reason the tone of Trace’s words made a chill run down his back. He let his gaze drift over him, but he didn’t seem any different than usual. Perhaps he’d read something in to the statement that was wrong. “That’s good,” Luke said as he glanced back at Cheyenne. “I’ll see you later.”
She lifted her hand and waved to him. “Later.”
Luke hopped down the steps and started toward his truck, but he stopped and turned back to stare at the house. Cheyenne was holding the door open for Trace to enter. He smiled down at her before he stepped through the door, and then it closed.
Trace’s words echoed in his mind once more. His voice had had almost a sinister sound to it. Big plans. What did he mean by that?
Luke glanced at the house once more and then shook his head. Trace was Cheyenne’s friend. There was nothing to be concerned about.
Right?
THIRTEEN
“This is a nice surprise,” Cheyenne said to Trace as she closed the front door. “I’m glad you came by to wish me a merry Christmas. I had intended to get over to your dad’s house to see both of you, but I’ve been busy helping Gwen get ready for tomorrow. She and Dean want to make this a special Christmas for Maggie.”
“Christmas is always exciting when there’s a child to share it with,” he said.
She chuckled. “Yes, it is, and Maggie can hardly wait for it. I think she’s picked up every gift under the tree and shaken it, but I want her to enjoy it. I remember how special it was for me as a child. So what are you and your dad doing tomorrow?”
“Not much. Dad always buys a Christmas dinner from Joanne’s diner, and we’ll eat that. Maybe watch some TV. I thought I might come by tomorrow afternoon and we could hang out for a while. We haven’t gotten to do that much since you’ve been here.”
“Oh, Trace, I’m sorry. I can’t. Luke is working the morning shift so he can spend the afternoon here. I’ll be with him, but it’s sweet of you to ask. Maybe we can go for coffee or something next week when the Christmas rush is over.”
He sighed. “Maybe so. Anyway, there’s something else I wanted to talk with you about.”
“All right. Let’s go in the den and have a seat.”
She’d no sooner said the words that she saw Maggie stick her head out from the dining room door and then jerk it back inside. Cheyenne smiled but didn’t let on like she’d seen her. The little detective was on the prowl again trying to find out Christmas secrets.
She stopped at the den door and watched as Trace took off his coat and draped it over a chair before he walked to the sofa. “Have a seat, Trace. I need to check on something in the kitchen, but I’ll be right back.”
He slumped down on the couch. “No problem. Go ahead.”
She turned and walked into the dining room, where she found Maggie plastered against the side of the wall. The little girl looked up when she entered. Cheyenne almost laughed out loud at the innocent expression Maggie directed at her. Her mouth pulled into the winning smile she always directed at someone when she was trying to get her way. Cheyenne tried to control her twitching lips as she stared down at the gap where Maggie had lost her two front teeth.
“Hi, Cheyenne,” she murmured.
Cheyenne squatted down so that she was at eye level with her. “Hi, Maggie. Where’s your mom and dad?”
“Mommy had to run to the grocery store, and I’ve been helping Daddy water the horses at the barn.”
“Then why are you in the house?”
“He told me I could come get a snack. I was going back when I heard Luke leaving. I wanted to say ’bye to him, but that other man came before I could.”
Cheyenne nodded. “I see. That other man is Trace. He and his father own the Wild West show. He’s a friend of mine, and he’s here to wish me a merry Christmas.”
Maggie’s eyes grew large. “Does he have a present for you?”
Cheyenne laughed. “I don’t think so. I didn’t see one in his hands.”
Maggie tilted her head to one side. “Maybe it’s small, and he has it in his pocket.”
“There’s no present, Maggie. Now you need to go back to the barn with your dad. Trace wants to talk to me.”
“About what?” Maggie asked.
“I don’t know. Now scoot. I’ll see you later.”
Maggie stared at her for a moment, and then a mischievous grin crossed her face. “If he has one, can I help you open it?”
From the first day since she’d come to Little Pigeon Ranch she and Maggie had shared a special bond, and all the child could think about was that Christmas was tomorrow. She hoped Maggie never lost her love for the holiday. So she needed to be patient with a little girl who was filled with excitement.
She leaned closer to Maggie and patted her hand. “I promise I’ll let you help me open all my presents, but right now I need to talk to Trace. You need to go back to the barn before your dad starts worrying about you.”
Maggie stared at her for a moment, then grinned and threw her arms around Cheyenne’s neck. “I love you, Cheyenne. I’m glad you came to live with us.”
“I am, too, and I love you.” Cheyenne rose to her feet and watched as Maggie turned and ran from the dining room. She waited until she heard the back door slam before she went back into the den. Trace was still sitting on the couch where she’d left him, and he looked up as she walked into the room. His face didn’t hold the friendly look he’d had minutes ago. Now he directed a somber stare at her, and an uneasy feeling rippled through her.
“Are you okay, Trace?”
He nodded. “I’ve been better. I’ve just had some tough decisions to make lately, and they’ve caused me a lot of anxiety.”
She dropped down on the sofa beside him and reached for his hand. “I hope there aren’t any problems at the show. I know it was never your desire to be a part of it, but your dad was so insistent. I’m sure he’s very proud of how hard you’ve worked to make it a success.”
He stared at her for a moment. “You know me well. We’ve shared a lot of good times, haven’t we?”
She smiled. “Yes. You’ve been my friend ever since I was in high school and you joined my father’s rodeo team. And now you’ve given me a job at your show. I want you to know that I will be back at work as soon as Patches is ready.”
He waved his hand in dismissal. “It doesn’t matter.”
His reply and the way it was spoken concerned her, and she leaned forward. “Trace, there’s something wrong. Do you want to tell me what it is?”
He stared at her for a moment. “I always get this way at Christmas. I thought maybe this year I could spend some time with you, but I guess Luke Conrad got here first.”
She released his hand and swiveled to face him. “I thought you knew Luke and I had been seeing each other. He’s also a friend of Dean and Gwen’s, so it’s not unusual that he’d spend Christmas with us.”
His gaze raked her face. “Yeah, I knew, but I didn’t think it would get serious. I thought he was just protecting you from your stalker, but I guess things are different now. Virgil Adkins is in jail, and you’re ready to get on with your life. You have a new man in your life, and the future looks rosy for you.”
She tilted her head to one side. “I wouldn’t say that exactly. I’m relieved that I finally know who my stalker was. He’d kept his identity hidden for three years. I feel like I’m finally free to explore it.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment, as if he was pondering what she had just said. “I think that’s a good idea to explore your options,” Trace said. “There may be a lot that you haven’t even discovered yet, but they may be there if you’d just reach out and take them. Have you thought about what you want to do? Of course, Dad and I want you to stay here and work for us. You have a job as long as you want one, but I didn’t know if you wanted to move on somewhere else. Or even if Luke factored into what you want.”
She thought about the things that she and Luke had said to each other just minutes ago, and she knew she didn’t want to leave. She couldn’t. She had to continue the journey that she and Luke had begun and see where it led them.
“I’m not going anywhere, Trace. I like it he
re, and I’m thankful I can keep my job with the show. I promise you I’ll have Patches back up to par. It’ll just take some time after he’s recovered enough to continue training. I can’t really know when that will be.”
Trace nodded and smiled. “We understand, and we don’t want to rush you. It’s very important that you don’t come back before he’s ready. We wouldn’t want him to injure himself again.”
“You’re very understanding. Although I will admit, I’m going to miss having a paycheck.”
Trace sat up straighter and stared at her. “That’s no problem. I can help you out with that.”
She waved her hand in dismissal. “No, I couldn’t let you do that. I have money from the sale of our ranch in Wyoming. I just meant not having a regular paycheck makes me feel restless. Even when I was on the circuit, I was getting paid. But really, there’s no need to worry about me.”
He reached over and clasped her hand in his and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “I can’t help it. I do worry about you. I don’t want you dipping into your savings from the ranch when I can help you out.”
“That’s very sweet of you, Trace, but I’ll be okay.”
His hand tightened on hers. “So you don’t want to take money from me?”
She shook her head. “It’s not like that. I don’t want to take advantage of you. We’ve been friends for too long.”
He was silent for a moment as he continued to stare at their fingers intertwined. Then he spoke softly. “Would you take money from Luke Conrad if he offered it to you?”
The question shocked her, and she tried to pull her hand away. He tightened his grip and directed a stormy look at her. “What does Luke have to do with anything?” she asked.
“Because,” Trace hissed. “I don’t like the fact that you’ve gotten so friendly with him. He’s not the man for you, and you need to end your relationship with him.”
Cheyenne’s mouth dropped open and she stared in disbelief at Trace. “What are you talking about? What gives you the right to judge who I can and who I can’t have in my life?”
Stalking Season Page 14