by Nancy Radke
“All right.”
“But how? He can’t even stand the sound of your name.”
“He can’t, eh? Then that’s where we’ll start. When you get home, mention my name now and then, particularly around Gramps.”
“Hum.”
“Tell him you saw me this morning. A love-sick girl can’t keep quiet — unless she’s scared silent, like Karen — so start chattering about me, tentatively at first, then more as the days go by.”
“I see....” She nodded as she understood the strategy. For the first time, she felt this crazy idea of Karen’s really had a chance. “It might work. By watching his reaction, I can judge how he’s taking things.”
“Just don’t back down.”
She nodded grimly. “I can see a storm approaching.”
He grinned, the spark in his eyes dancing. “If he’s cantankerous, you could rub it in...about how good-looking I am and how you’d like to date me. I’ll start calling you after a while, once it looks like he accepts the idea. Okay?”
She grinned back at him. “Good-looking? No way,” she teased. “He won’t stand for that.” Especially if I mention the velvet darkness of your eyes.
“Well...passable, then.”
“That’s better. I’ll tell him what happened last night. Gramps loves Paca. It’ll be the perfect lead-in.”
“So it’s a go?”
“As long as we go slowly, Adam. We must give him time to adjust between each step. You must promise me that.”
“I’ll promise to go slowly, if you’ll promise to let me call the shots.”
Hot temper flared. Jo was leery of giving any man an advantage. “Oh, no. I want final say in everything we plan. You may go too fast for Gramps.”
Pride flared his nostrils. “Don’t you trust me?”
She hesitated and lost the opportunity to deny it. She trusted him, and yet she didn’t.
His mouth hardened, his eyes lost their humor. “Huh. I see. Still suspicious. Do you think if Karen and Johnny announce their engagement it will be any easier on him?”
“No. Definitely not.”
“Then we’ll proceed. But I’ll set the pace. You’d waste all summer before we even had one date.”
“Forget it.”
“Then forget Karen’s plan.” He stood up with finality, brushing his hat against his leg as if to be free of her.
Jo took a slow, deep breath. There must be some point of compromise. She needed Adam to make this work. “Wait. Let’s talk this through. What is it you expect? And why?”
“Why? I refuse to be the laughing stock of the neighborhood because you decide to “jilt” me on account of Gramps. You backed out on me once. I won’t have it happen again. I want your promise you won’t quit on me. And I want the final say on what we do.”
“It should be enough if I agree with you on the major points of your plan. Nothing else.”
“Then forget it.”
“Be reasonable. I have no way of knowing what you’d ask me to do. And there are some things I can’t do.”
“Why?” He sat back down beside her. “Aren’t you a modern, liberated woman who can do anything she pleases?”
Jo paused to think things out. They had to have an understanding before things went any further. “Correction then. Some things I won’t do. I have my own standards.”
“Which are...?”
“Considered strict for this day and age, but—”
“Gramps’ standards. Old fashioned.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way. Morality should never be considered obsolete. Anyway I’ve already made a promise that supersedes yours.”
“A promise?” One finger rubbed along the faint scar near his eye as he frowned, puzzled. “Who to?”
“To myself.”
“Aha!” He smiled, head cocked in question. “And what was this very important promise, Joanna?” He stroked her wrist leaving it tingling, running an index finger up the inside of her forearm, shooting sensations of delight all through her. She wished he’d stop. She wished he’d continue. “Come on, tell me, Jo.”
“I...it’s just that I....” she wavered. She wished she could think clearly, without this overwhelming flood of emotion that kept scrambling her senses whenever he touched her.
“Please,” he coaxed, the Irish in his voice a low murmur of persuasion. “Or shall I kiss it out of you?”
That released her speech. “I made a promise...to myself, that...that I...that what I have is for my husband, only. For our wedding night,” she stated in a rush. “It’s much too precious to give to anyone else.” She’d already fought off one man to keep it that way. She wasn’t going to break her vow, period.
“I see,” he drawled the words out slowly. “I understand.” Adam stroked her ring finger thoughtfully.
“It would be my gift to him. But if I...if I....” Jo stopped, running out of words.
“A precious gift,” he acknowledged, “from a princess.”
Made bolder by this encouragement, she added firmly, “There is only so far I will go.”
“I’m glad you feel like that, Jo. I wouldn’t have you any other way.”
She took a deep breath...he hadn’t challenged her.
“What if we draw a line? I won’t step over it, or ask you to. You can keep your promise. And you’ll feel more comfortable knowing you won’t have to worry about me, whatever we’re doing.”
“I won’t?” Did any man have that much control? Jo doubted it. She’d make sure they stopped things before his control got tested.
“Of course. My word in exchange for yours. You’ll be able to give your gift, my dear, on your wedding night.” He chuckled low in his throat at her doubtful look. “Don’t worry, Joanna. I’ll help you keep it, just in case you have difficulty.” His voice came gently, amused and confident.
I have difficulty? What nerve. Mike said Adam could be trusted, but can he be trusted in this? Jo wanted to go ahead, wanted to go on with Karen’s plan just to be with Adam, to get to know him better. “Then it’s a deal. I hope this works,” she sighed.
“A deal,” he agreed, and put his lips to her palm. Like a bolt of lighting striking her at that point, her senses were jolted from hand to heel.
Caught off guard, she flinched, jerking away.
“Whoa, there,” he said, reclaiming her hand with an explosive sound of disgust. “That’s not going to work!”
“You just...I wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.” She certainly hadn’t been expecting the shock that accompanied it. Had it been fear — or something else?
“I guess Mike’s right,” he muttered. “We need practice.”
“Why?” she asked, increasingly disturbed. She suddenly wondered how she was going to date him all summer and stay emotionally intact? He was doing this solely for Karen and Johnny. It was all a game to him. But her vulnerable heart reacted to his touch, as susceptible as a dry forest to wildfire.
“Oh, let’s say I kissed you in public. I’d want you to relax, even respond. I don’t want you shying away like that.”
“I wouldn’t.” A kiss in public would be much easier to handle than one in private, where things were more apt to get out of control. It would be like watching a hurricane. One stayed out of danger, if wise.
“You just did.” His voice was gently insistent. “We can’t let that happen.”
“You took me by surprise.”
“Huh! You’ve been kissed before. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Except her body tended to overreact. How was he to know about all those kisses he’d given her in her dreams? Now that he was no longer the enemy, how was she to maintain a safe distance? And what if his goal actually was to get revenge on her grandfather? She couldn’t allow Adam to gain an emotional hold on her.
His eyes sparked with speculation. “Let’s try again.”
“Now?”
He nodded, sprang to his feet and pulled her up facing him. “Now’s as good a time as any.”
Removing her hat, he trailed his fingers through her hair, tucking the long strands behind her ear, watching as the curls fell across his fingers like coils of spun silk. “If we’re to get Gramps to believe in us, you can’t flinch every time I take your hand.”
“I won’t!” she declared, angry at Mike for suggesting it, doubly angry at Adam for pursuing it.
“Not if we practice.” He let his fingers slide lightly across the nape of her neck, looking as if he enjoyed the effect he was having as she strove to control breathing become suddenly erratic. The grin spread even wider across his face. “I’m looking forward to this summer — yes, ma’am.”
Drat the man! He hadn’t even kissed her yet and already her heart was racing. Her hands half-lifted to push him away, but she forced them down again, biting her lip in consternation. After all, she was no longer an impressionable child. Clenching her hands, she set her teeth, grimly. She might be mad, but she wasn’t slapping.
“That won’t do,” he complained, viewing her set lips.
“Too bad. I think it’d be more natural if we worked up to it gradually,” Jo asserted. “We have all summer.”
His eyes blazed, fueled by a deep hurt — pride or anger. Jo couldn’t tell, but the lighter mood of the moment was shattered.
His square jaw set, firm, unyielding. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”
“Yes. But we need to get to know each other better.”
“That’s an understatement. You act like I’ve got leprosy.”
Couldn’t he guess why she didn’t want to touch him romantically? Her heart was knocking itself to pieces just in anticipation. She wasn’t ready yet. She had to keep control. “Remember,” she said coolly, “I’m just doing this for Karen.”
“Yeah, for Karen!” He scowled, brooding for a minute, then sighed, relaxing with an effort. “Like you say, we have all summer.” He plopped her hat back on crookedly, then took hold of her shoulders, his hands firm against her slender frame. “Karen said you had no boy friend to complicate things.”
“Right.”
“Good. We’ll ad-lib as we go along.” Turning abruptly, he walked over to tighten his cinch, leaving Jo feeling forsaken. She had to fight the desire to run to him. Instead, she straightened her hat, marshaled her thoughts, and clamped down on her emotions, then walked over to untie Paca.
She felt like she’d stepped into the edge of a tornado and been briefly hurtled out of control. To regain her equilibrium, she took several deep breaths. Looking again at Adam, she found him watching her, a look of determination on his deeply tanned face. Did he have some secret plan he wasn’t telling her about?
He slid back the bars of the corral and sent Murray in to bring out the cattle. “Ride up to the fork and head them toward your gate.”
There were about ninety head left, reluctant to turn away from the lush pasture and go down the trail. They kept Adam, Jo and Murray constantly moving, turning them back, until they settled down to be driven where Adam wanted them to go.
Just like me, thought Jo. Adam directs, and willy-nilly I go. What’s worse...I want to go.
At the fence corner Adam edged slowly around the cattle and opened the gate, while Jo and Murray herded them through. Once in their own pasture, they scattered like school children let out for recess, kicking up their heels in a show of spirit, seeming to know this was where they belonged.
The Hereford bull moved slower because of his great weight and dignity, pausing to look backward.
“Yes, take a good look,” said Adam. “I’m closing this gate, so don’t go tearing it up again.”
“He’s sizing it up.”
“I hope not.” Adam laughed as the bull shook its massive head and trotted off into the timber. “He’s had himself a fine romp. That should last him a spell.”
She looked at Adam, standing at ease in the open gateway looking over the results of their morning’s work, with his horse and Murray by his side. His far-seeing eyes swept over to include Jo in his assessment, appearing to her wary mind to be a man supremely confident — like the bull, a conquering male.
He stood relaxed, competent, checking out the area, making sure everything that needed to be done had been done. A man’s stance, legs shoulder-width apart, hands on hips, head up.
A hint of a smile crossed his face along with a touch of mischief as he continued his leisurely contemplation of her. An extra warmth in her cheeks warned her she was blushing, however faintly, acutely conscious of herself under his exploratory gaze.
She felt the warmth from her face suffuse her body and dropped her eyes before his. A job well done and a woman lined up for summer...and both before breakfast. The man should be satisfied.
“Here’s your jacket back. Keep wearing those T-shirts. I like ‘em.” He untied it from his saddle and held it out. Riding over, she accepted it with a murmur of thanks, avoiding his perusal. As she turned around to tie it on behind her, his hand rested lightly upon her sensitive thigh, compelling her to meet his eyes which were now dark and compassionate.
“One more thing, Joanna. Call me if things get rough or if you need anything, especially encouragement.” The deep timbre of his voice stressed his concern for her and offered support. “You understand?”
His hand was gripping her leg more tightly now, all business, serious, intent on getting his message across. “Anything. Don’t hesitate. No matter how minor.”
“Yes...and thanks.” Although, if he’d thought about it, she never had hesitated to call on him for help, ever since she was a child. He should know that by now.
“You’ll need my cell number,” she said, and gave it to him. He entered it into his phone. “Let me have yours.” She needed to be able to call him if their plans changed.
He told her and she put it in, memorizing it as she did so.
Nodding assent, he led Rocket through the gate and closed it. “See you soon, love. Remember to think of me.”
“So long, Adam.” She wheeled Paca around and galloped through the woods.
Think of him! How could she do anything but? How was she ever going to stay emotionally uninvolved? He was doing this solely for Karen and Johnny. She had to remember that. It wouldn’t be wise for her to lose her heart to this charmer. If she got involved with Adam, she’d never recover. He had too strong an influence upon her. Hopefully, once she spent more time with him — got used to him — her emotions would be more controllable.
Her agitated thoughts telegraphed themselves to Paca, and the little mare broke into a nervous run, too fast for the rough terrain. It forced Jo to fight her own feelings to regain self-control, at the same time pulling Paca down to a steady gallop.
“Karen, dear sister, you’d better marry Johnny after all this,” she said aloud. Paca’s ears flicked back to catch the words.
It felt like she had a raw spot on the inside of each shinbone, just above her boot tops. She eased the mare into a fast walk, and kicking one leg over the horn, rode sideways, protecting the sores.
Glancing at the position of the sun, Jo reckoned the time to be about eight a.m. Fifteen minutes more and she’d be home. Hunger gnawed at her, overwhelming her with tiredness, making her almost faint. Maybe after she ate breakfast, she could gather her thoughts.
The wonderful thing was that the burden of helping Karen and Johnny was no longer hers alone. Adam had shifted the responsibility to his broad shoulders when he took charge.
His idea had a good chance of working. She had talked to Gramps about Adam yesterday. All she had to do was continue to keep his name to the fore. The first thing she’d do was mention how Adam freed Paca from the barbed wire. How would Gramps react?
A meadowlark sat on the fence line adding its own personal music to brighten the morning when she reached the gate that would put Paca and her onto the road home. The gate was open.
She was certain she had closed it behind her last night. Ranch kids always closed gates behind them, and she hadn’t been away
that long. It was a good thing the cows were in Adam’s pasture and not this one, or they’d be out in the road. She closed it behind her, looking at the tire tracks in the dirt. Someone had driven in and not closed it.
The sun rapidly burnt off any remaining cool air and by the time they reached the barn, Paca was sweating liberally.
Her mother was already to leave for Pendleton, so Jo gave her a quick hug. “Take care of Jenny and the baby, Mom. And tell Tom and her ‘Hello’ for me.”
“I will. Take care of your Grampa. I left a list of his medicines. You’ll need to count them out for him each day, or he’ll forget if he did it or not. Doctor doesn’t want him taking double one day and none the next.”
“I will, Mom.”
Her mother left and Jo showered and changed and ate. She had the housework finished by the time Karen came home from work. Gramps came in with a bucket of fresh peas to shell for supper.
“What did Adam say?” Karen whispered eagerly, as the elderly man stepped into the laundry room to wash his hands.
“He thinks I should start by just talking about him. I guess now is as good a time as any,” Jo whispered.
They resumed their natural volume as Gramps re-entered the room and sat down next to them at the table to help shell.
“These peas taste super,” Karen said.
“Thanks, young’un. Although if you two keep eating ‘em like that I’ll have to go pick some more,” he complained good-naturedly.
“I don’t know why we bother cooking them,” Jo claimed. “They’re delicious this way.” She popped a pod-full in her mouth. “How does Mom manage to stay so trim?”
Their grandfather shook his head. “I imagine it’s because she puts it on the table for the rest of us to eat.”
“Last night, Gramps, when I came in from my ride—”
“Before I forget,” he interrupted, “I’m supposed to tell you Saturday night is fine with Peter. Seven p.m.”
“Huh?” Jo’s mind was centered on Adam, so she missed her grandfather’s meaning.