“I think you know.”
“Nathan.” A flat statement of fact.
“That’s right.” Salem’s tone was harsh. “You took my only son away from me.”
“I didn’t have a choice, and you know that. He broke the law.”
“You had him committed, for God’s sake, to that house of horrors.”
“The place wasn’t my call, Salem. It was the judge’s, and you know that, too.”
“But you prosecuted him, damn you. Need I remind you of that?”
“He was using and dealing.”
“You could’ve cut a deal.”
“Don’t you mean another deal?” Cutler asked, his voice sharper than he intended. But he’d just had the rug jerked out from under him, and it went against his nature not to defend himself. “As it was, I went so far out on that limb, it nearly broke off.”
“You’re simply making excuses, Cutler. Covering your own ass. You could’ve kept Nathan out of that place, only you chose not to.”
“So you’re punishing me by withdrawing your support?”
“That’s about the size of it. You might as well know this, too. I’m going to see that Gilmore whips your ass.”
“I bet he’s jumping over the moon.” Cutler’s voice now dripped with unsuppressed sarcasm.
“He doesn’t know yet.”
Cutler stood. “Well, he’s one lucky man.”
“Is that all you have to say?”
“What else is there?”
“You could say you’re sorry for shitting on me then rubbing it in.”
“You know me better than that, Salem. I did Nathan a favor. I might even have saved his life. I thought you of all people would understand that.”
“Well, you thought wrong. My son is all I have. You ruined his life and mine.”
“It’s too bad you feel that way.”
“Get out of my house, Cutler. You’re no longer welcome here.”
Cutler stared at his old friend long and hard and then said, “Have a nice life, Salem.”
Kaylee rubbed her leg, feeling the effects of the pruning she’d given her flowers on the patio. Weatherwise it had been a glorious Saturday afternoon. It had rained during the wee hours of the morning, and all the greenery smelled and looked lush. She’d been outside all morning, opting not to go into the office.
She had just sat down and taken a sip of lemonade when the first tweak of pain hit. Grimacing, she massaged the sore spot with more vigor and determination. She should go inside and take something to relax the muscle, but she didn’t want to move. She’d just endure until she had to get up.
Thank goodness she’d been pain free while her dad was there. It upset him terribly to see her suffer. No matter how much she hurt around him, she never let on. Besides, the discipline was good for her, as well. Her leg would never get any better. Hence she had to ignore the pain or give in to it. She chose the former.
Even so, she wasn’t sure she’d pulled the wool over Edgar’s eyes. When it came to her and her needs, he was much too intuitive.
This morning had been a good example of that when he’d asked with blunt intent if she’d seen Cutler McFarland since the party.
Clearly taken aback, she had taken several seconds before answering. “What makes you ask that?”
He shrugged as though his question was no big deal. She knew better.
“I was just curious, that’s all. So, have you?”
“Don’t you know that curiosity often killed the cat?” she said in a teasing voice, hoping he’d get the message.
He didn’t.
“You two seemed to have hit it off.”
“Were you spying on me, Dad?” She kept that teasing tone, though she was miffed that he’d even mentioned Cutler.
Edgar flushed. “Of course not. I just happened to see you talking to him.”
“And that’s all it was, a conversation,” she said with emphasis. She had no idea where his mind was headed, but just in case it wasn’t in her best interests, she’d nip things in the bud right now.
“He seemed to like you.”
“I like him, too. In fact, I’ve seen him a few times, but—”
“Hey, that’s great.” Edgar’s eyes and face glowed. “That means there’s a relationship in the making, because you don’t see men. He seemed to like you.”
She laughed without humor. “Oh, please, Dad, stop trying to play the matchmaker.”
His flush deepened. “You know—”
She held up her hand, shushing him. “We’ve been down this road before. I’m not interested in traveling it again. Let’s change the subject, okay?”
He grinned sheepishly. “You win.”
Edgar hadn’t stayed long after that, and Kaylee had thought he seemed agitated. Something was bothering him, but since she didn’t allow him to pry into her business, she had to respect his privacy, as well. When he was ready to confide in her, he would. Not only was he her father, he was also her best friend.
She didn’t know when she realized she was no longer alone. Maybe it was the scent—his scent. When she turned her head, her brown eyes met his blue ones.
Following several beats of shocked silence, she asked, “What are you doing here?”
Thirteen
“Isn’t that obvious?”
His words sounded husky as he regarded her with intense, unreadable eyes.
“No, it’s not obvious.” She tried to override the quarrelsome note in her voice but failed.
A smile tugged at his lips. “Okay. I came to see you. How’s that?”
“You frightened me.” He hadn’t, not in the way she had intimated, but it was something to say until she could collect herself. She knew she was not at her best. She wore an apricot tank top and white capri pants that clung to her skin due to the high humidity. Her hair was damp and pulled back in a ponytail, and she had on very little makeup.
While the temperature itself was low, the moisture in the air made breathing close to impossible.
Or was it Cutler’s presence that affected her breathing?
“Are you pissed off?” he asked, a glint of humor in his eyes as he leaned his head to one side.
“Shouldn’t I be?”
“Depends.”
He looked good, dressed in worn, faded jeans and a white shirt that earlier might have been crispy, but was now wrinkled and clinging to his body. His hair was slightly unkempt, lending him an air of masculine primitiveness that produced a coil of heat inside her.
Kaylee intentionally averted her gaze before he could read her thoughts.
“Do you want me to go?”
His blunt question drew her eyes back to him, making her once again conscious of his height and the broadness of his shoulders. What was so special about this man?
Chemistry.
She couldn’t continue to deny it. The treacherous intimacy that hummed like an undercurrent beneath all their conversations was alive and real. She felt it and knew he did, too.
“Kaylee?”
“Now that you’re here, you might as well stay.”
Another smile tugged at his mouth. “I’ll watch you work.”
“Work?”
“Yeah. Weren’t you playing in the dirt?”
Her hands were stained black from the soil and she felt the sweat run between her breasts. Thank goodness she’d put on a bra. Some Saturdays she didn’t. Still, she sensed her nipples were erect in reaction to him. She figured she looked as messy as she felt.
“As a matter of fact, I was.”
“Then don’t let me stop you.”
“You know better than that,” she said in a snappy tone.
He shrugged with a grin.
“Would you care for a glass of lemonade? Fresh squeezed.”
“Would I ever.”
Kaylee gestured toward a wrought-iron chair. “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”
“Need any help?”
She didn’t bother to answer or turn around, tho
ugh she was conscious of his eyes following her. She couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking as he watched her drag her leg. Suddenly she felt like bursting into tears, which made her furious at herself. Collecting herself, she decided she would serve him his lemonade, find out what he really wanted, then send him on his way.
End of story.
She added several cranberry-iced tea cakes from her favorite bakery beside the pitcher of lemonade. Not so much for him as for herself. Realizing she had skipped lunch, she felt hunger gnaw at her.
“Thanks,” he said, having sat down with his long legs stretched out in front him. “Ah, cookies, too.”
“I’m hungry,” she said by way of explanation.
As though she was as transparent as glass, he chuckled. “You really are pissed off.”
“Stop saying that. I let you stay, didn’t I?”
“Begrudgingly.”
“All right,” she said with a reluctant grin. “I’ll admit you surprised me.”
“Surprised myself, actually.”
Kaylee raised her eyebrows.
“I just got sucker punched in the gut and while I was nursing my wounds, I found myself in your driveway. Go figure.” He took a drink of his lemonade and stared at her over the rim.
When he looked at her with those deep blue eyes, her pulse leaped with excitement. “Is what happened something you want to talk about?”
“Are you in a listening mood?”
Careful, Kaylee, you’re getting in over your head. Keep your distance and you’ll survive. Otherwise… “Sure. Go ahead and vent.”
In order to maintain her nonchalant attitude, she reached for a tea cake and began munching on it. For some reason it tasted like sawdust. She was tempted to spit it out; instead, she chased it down with a drink of lemonade.
“A good friend—you might even say mentor—told me he was backing my opponent.”
Kaylee’s eyes widened. “No wonder you feel sucker punched.”
She listened as he filled her in on the details about Salem and his son. When he finished, she asked, “At the time you had no idea he harbored such bitterness toward you?”
“Not really. Oh, we definitely had words after Nathan was picked up. But in the end, I thought Salem finally realized that I had done the boy a favor. If he hadn’t gotten locked up, he’d be dead by now.”
“I’m sorry, Cutler,” she said for lack of anything else to say.
“Me, too. Besides having the rug pulled out from under me jobwise, I hate losing a good friend whose ear I bent more than once during controversial cases. He never failed to steer me in the right direction. In fact, today I had planned to talk to him about a couple of pending cases.”
“Would one of them be the woman who killed her kids?”
“Yep. The other one is that abortion-clinic shooting masterminded by an ex-priest.”
“I’m not familiar with that one.”
“Both have the potential to sink my ship if they’re not handled properly.”
“You’ll just have to trust yourself and go with your gut.”
“Suppose my gut’s wrong?”
“Why not cross that bridge when you get to it?”
“Good idea.”
There was a long period of silence.
Cutler stood and peered down at her. “Are you game to take a ride?”
She frowned. “Where to?”
“I can’t surprise you?”
“I don’t think so.”
“I have a ranch outside the city. When I’m uptight, bonding with nature usually works out the kinks.”
Although he smiled, his eyes were now sober and his face strained. Losing his friend’s support had really been a blow. She felt for him on that score, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to get more personal with Cutler. She did and she didn’t. Thinking about being alone with him in the woods was more tempting than she cared to admit. And more dangerous.
“So what’s it going to be?”
“I shouldn’t go.”
“Do you have plans for the rest of the day?”
“No.”
“Then I’d really like the company.”
“You drive a hard bargain.”
“So I’m told.”
Trying to slow her hammering pulse, Kaylee forced herself not to look at him. “Should I change clothes?”
“Absolutely not. And don’t worry, I have bug repellent.”
“I hadn’t even thought about that,” she said with a spontaneous smile.
She heard his breath catch and felt his eyes on her, drawing hers like a magnet. For the longest time they stared at each other. It was only after she saw the raw desire jump into his eyes that she turned away.
“Are you ready?” he asked in a hoarse tone.
Without looking at him she said, “I need a minute.”
“Take your time. I’ll just help myself to another glass of lemonade. By the way, it’s delicious.”
She gave him a semblance of a smile. “Thanks. I won’t be long.”
“No problem,” he responded, reaching for the pitcher.
She watched him a moment longer and then fled to her bedroom. Refusing to think about what she was about to do and the possible consequences, she refreshed her makeup, grabbed her purse and made her way back to the patio.
Cutler rose, his gaze roaming over her. Then he said in a husky voice, “Have I ever told you that you’re beautiful?”
“No,” she whispered around a suddenly dry mouth.
“Well, I’m telling you now,” he said, his eyes delving deeper.
Take cover, Kaylee, she warned herself, while you still have the strength to do so. Yet she didn’t make a move. Instead she stood there and gave in to the blood thundering through her veins with excitement and alarm.
She licked her lips. “I think we should go.”
“I think you’re right,” he said, his voice still hoarse. “Come on.”
The ranch was a spectacular spread. She hadn’t known what to expect, but she hadn’t thought it would be this large or grand. They had spoken very little on the way, though it hadn’t been an uncomfortable silence despite the fact that she knew he remained troubled.
She’d let him set the agenda. If he’d wanted to talk, she’d been willing to listen. So far, he’d held his tongue.
After nearly two hours of driving, they arrived around six—a perfect time of the day. As they got out of his vehicle the air seemed cooler, or maybe it was because the wind had picked up, chasing the humidity away. Whatever the case, being outside was more than tolerable.
Cutler gestured toward the house, which appeared to be more like a cabin. Leaning heavily on her cane, she made her way up the steps, then inside.
“Are you okay?”
Her lips tightened. “I’m fine.”
“Just checking,” he said lightly, making his way ahead of her into a large area that was both a living and dining room.
Its high-beamed ceiling made it appear larger than it probably was, Kaylee noted, yet it didn’t have a barnlike feel. Actually, it had its own brand of cozy charm with the dark green leather furniture softened by plump, colorful pillows and a couple of chenille throws. Bookcases filled with books and other memorabilia lined both sides of the fireplace.
“You like?” he asked, walking to the glass door that opened onto a screened porch that she guessed ran the length of the house.
“What’s not to like? It’s wonderful.”
“I have about five hundred acres in all with a full-time foreman who takes care of it, mainly working the cattle.”
“When your job gets to you, you head here.”
“As fast as I can.”
She smiled. “And what a place to unwind. The view’s awesome.”
And it was. Rolling green hills dotted with huge trees filled her vision. In the distance she could see a lake, its water sparkling like diamonds wherever the sun touched. Beyond that, cattle grazed, adding fuel to their already fat bellies.
>
“The view’s what sold me on the place. And the fact that I can get here without too much hassle.”
“I’d like to take a walk,” Kaylee said once they were on the porch.
“Are you sure?”
“At least to that first fence. Beyond that might be too much.”
“It’s your call.”
By the time they reached the split-rail fence, her leg was throbbing. Yet she had no intention of complaining, nor did she regret the venture. The beauty surrounding her was worth the sacrifice.
If only Cutler wasn’t standing so close. Out of the corner of her eye she stared at his profile. The wind had mussed his hair and his jaw was dark with end-of-the-day stubble. As much as she wanted to dismiss the potent attraction between them, she couldn’t.
He turned suddenly and held her gaze. “Kaylee.”
An unnamed fear lumped in her stomach as his cool fingers slid around her neck. But there was nothing cool about his mouth when it sank onto hers. It was hot with yearning.
She melted into him.
Fourteen
Cutler’s hands pressed into her back as the kiss deepened. Kaylee wanted to jerk away, but she couldn’t bear to sever the contact between them, especially when his tongue lashed against hers time after time.
If his first kiss had sparked a fire inside her, this one set it roaring. Yet it was sweet, and he tasted so good.
“God, you taste good,” he whispered against her lips.
“I was thinking the same thing about you.”
He sank his mouth back onto hers, nibbling, then sucking on her lower lip before deepening the kiss even further.
Passion. She didn’t want to feel that. She didn’t want to feel anything. It was easier that way. But she had no will-power where he was concerned, and she returned his kisses with a feverish hunger that shocked her.
“Kaylee,” he murmured, his voice thick, his breath hot.
“What?”
“Just Kaylee.” His lips meshed with hers again—slow, intimate, unhurried.
The rational side of her continued to fight, to cling to all the values she knew were so critical in holding on to her life’s equilibrium. Yet another side of her was as hungry for him as he seemed to be for her. She felt her muscles contract deep inside as her hands wandered down and over the hard cheeks of his buttocks. So perfect, so satisfying to her touch.
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