Natasha’s eyebrow shot up. “Did you say her last name is Lovell?”
“Not anymore, of course,” he amended, wiping at his forehead.
One side of Natasha’s lip quirked up as she studied him.
The moment was so tense Cassie barely noticed that Jade and Gavin had walked in with Luke and the baby. Jade caught Cassie’s attention and tipped her head toward Natasha. “Is that the beast?” she mouthed.
And though Cassie wanted to find humor in Jade’s snide remark, she could barely breathe. She finally nodded in return, eyes widening in surprise as Jade picked that same row to sit in – next to Natasha.
“Mind sliding on down?” Jade asked, slightly nudging her with Kate’s car seat.
“Gavin?” Natasha chimed. “I didn’t think I’d see you in a church house come … you-know-what or high water.”
Jade rolled her eyes. “Hell?”
“And look at you, Jay. Popping out babies left and right.”
“Uh – no. They actually only come out the center. You’ll learn all about it one day, kiddo.”
Natasha spouted off a series of annoying giggles just as the piano stopped. A hush fell over the crowd, and Jade motioned for Natasha to slide down further still, encouraging Luke and Gavin to sit between them. At last Natasha sat behind Betty and Grant.
As Cassie turned her attention to the front, completely unnerved by the woman’s presence, she saw Betty turn around and whisper to Natasha, a wide smile on her face. Cassie felt a sharp gulp slunk past her throat.
Shane looked straight ahead, an unreadable expression on his handsome face. Was it anger? Shock? Or confusion. Oh, please no. Please don’t let him be thinking on what could have been if Natasha had come to his door last night. Was it possible he was plotting out now – ways to escape the horrible trap he’d found himself in at the worst possible time? After all, hadn’t he just said he would not take back the time he’d spent with this woman?
The piano started playing again, and everyone reached for the old, tattered books beneath the benches. As Jade leaned forward, she brought her head to the side of Cassie’s face. “Don’t you worry about Miss Boobs over there,” she said. “Shane can’t stand her, and neither can any body else. Check out Grant’s face.”
Cassie leaned forward, looking beyond Betty. Grant did look unhappy. Repulsed was more like it. As if somebody had just slipped him a dose of sour milk.
“Did you see him?” Jade asked in a hushed voice.
Cassie nodded, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. It was a rare moment when she took part in ugly back-biting or gossip, and Cassie inwardly scolded herself for doing so. Yet as the reverent song played, the voices carrying throughout the chapel, Cassie envisioned the way Jade had nudged Natasha out of the way with the baby carrier. It had caused Natasha to lose balance for a fraction, no doubt due to the bold pair of stilettos she wore; in retrospect it was purely comedic. What if she had tumbled over completely? Cassie could not fight back the laughter as she envisioned it. Her shoulders bounced as she thought also of how the woman was stuck sitting behind Shane’s parents, while Cassie sat right next to Shane – the man Natasha clearly wanted for her own – the man who’d just called Cassie his wife.
Shane leaned into her. “What’d I miss?” he asked. “Did Jade have some sort of joke?”
This caused her to laugh even harder. “No,” she whispered, “it’s just...” Cassie shook her head, hiding her face as the smile refused to quit. “I’m just being dumb. I don’t know what’s so funny. Nothing is, really.” She took a moment to calm down, reminding herself that she was being disrespectful to laugh at such a time and place.
“Look,” Shane murmured, nudging her arm and pointing down the aisle.
It was the twins. They were tossing small scraps of paper into some old lady’s bouffant hair. Blake sat there with his head in his hands, oblivious to the boy’s mischief. The sight made Cassie laugh again. Something about the forbidden act, coupled with Shane’s muffled laughter, made everything much funnier than she assumed it would be.
“You better tell Blake,” Cassie whispered.
Shane stretched his arm out to tap his brother, pointing at the twins once he got Blake’s attention.
Cassie couldn’t keep from gasping as the woman reached her hand up. After lightly tapping at the back of her head, she spun to glare at the twins. Reese looked horrified, and though a huge part of Cassie sympathized, the more dominant part of her found it just as humorous as the rest of it.
Blake forced them to pick out the pieces while an older gentleman spoke at the pulpit. It took Cassie a moment, but she finally gathered control of herself just in time for Reese to step up to the microphone.
She looked beautiful, and Cassie sighed in relief that her laughing spell was over. Reese had chosen to sing with no accompaniment. She didn’t need any; the rich tone of her voice filled the chapel like a high-tech instrument all its own. Chills erupted over Cassie’s body.
“Has she always been able to sing like this?” Cassie asked Shane.
He nodded. “Long as I’ve known her.” Shane kept his eyes pasted on the front, a furrow owning his handsome brow once more.
Once the song ended and other people began to speak, Cassie’s mind wandered. The peace she’d felt only moments ago, dwindling as a sudden fear struck her. What was Natasha doing there? And what if she was trying to get Shane back? What if Shane wanted her too? Really wanted her. He could be sick inside at that very moment, wishing he wasn’t tethered to his phony wife. Wishing he was free to pursue the woman he almost married over a year ago – the one that got away.
Cassie’s heart continued to thump, its pace increasing as the meeting wore on. “How long does this go?” she blurted, fearing it would never end.
“Until the top of the hour,” Shane murmured.
That was only five minutes away. Five minutes. She could do that. But then what? Go home to restless thoughts of losing a guy she never really had to begin with? She was in the way. Again. And though she loved her new place, and the people she was with, Cassie began to realize she might not be as welcome as she once thought. Especially when it came to one person in particular. Perhaps Shane Emerson had more important things to do than care for her. Maybe it was time to see if there was someplace else she could go. She couldn’t handle being somewhere she might not be wanted.
Cassie wasn’t sure how seriously to take the new direction in which her mind had wandered. The idea had come to her. Now it was time to watch and wait. See if things changed now that Natasha was back in town.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The rain fell hard and heavy on the rooftop as Cassie woke the next morning. She sat up swiftly, scurrying over to the window. A rush of steady drops thumped against the dirt road, now a mess of sloshing mud. For a moment, the overcast sky and wet appearance reminded her of Seattle. Cassie cracked the window, breathing in a full dose of the cool, spring air. Nothing smelled better than rain, she mused, until a vision of Shane came to mind. Well – almost nothing.
With a bit of concern, she checked the clock, fearing that perhaps the rain had caused her to miss waking up with Shane. She hurried to the bathroom door and swung it open, hating the idea of not seeing him the entire day.
It wasn’t until she had the door open wide that Cassie realized she’d forgotten to knock. She gasped as she saw Shane standing over the toilet, his back toward her. His shirt was off, but his Levis were on – thank goodness. In the moment of stunned silence came the familiar sound of a zipper. Followed by the swooshing flush of the toilet.
“Oh,” she spun around to face her room. “Sorry. I didn’t see anything,” Cassie promised. She relaxed slightly as she heard the water running at the sink.
“I wouldn’t have minded if you had,” he spoke from behind.
Cassie could feel the heat in her face. She was mortified.
“You can turn around now,” he said, water still running. “I’m decent enough.”
; Only then did Cassie notice she was still covering her eyes. She pulled her hands away from her face and spun around slowly.
Shane leaned over the sink, splashing water onto his face. “Morning,” he said as he shut off the faucet.
Cassie reached for the small hand towel hanging next to the light switch and handed it to him. “Morning.” Her voice sounded weak and wounded.
As he patted his face dry, she took in the magnificent sight of Shane Emerson’s bare chest. The sculpted contours of his muscles glistened from the water that had made its way there while he’d washed up. And those arms – she’d felt the size of his biceps as she’d held onto him there several times, but to look at it – the strength of those massive arms – it was unnerving.
Forcing her eyes away from him, she leaned against the doorframe and spit out the most casual line she could think of. “So, what will you be up to today?” When he took a moment to answer, Cassie looked back at him.
His eyes met hers. “Do you realize you’re not wearing pajamas this morning?”
Cassie gasped as she looked to see the tee shirt she’d slept in. It barely went to her thighs. “No, I didn’t.” With a second dose of heat flooding her face, she slunk back into her room and closed the door. She rushed to the full-length mirror to see just what it was Shane had seen. Lots of leg, but nothing more. She sighed. That had been a close one.
A small series of taps sounded at her door, and Cassie scrambled to find a pair of sweats. “Yes?” she asked, stepping into them one foot at a time.
“I didn’t answer your question yet,” he said.
She opened the door, forcing herself to look at his eyes. Only they were just as alluring as his muscular form.
“It’s too wet to do much on the ranch,” Shane said. “Wondered if you’d like to spend the day with me.”
Cassie fought back a shriek of delight. “Yes. That sounds nice.” A moment passed while she took in his handsome smile. “What should we do?”
“Whatever you’d like,” he returned. “But let’s start with a nice breakfast. And since you didn’t get to eat what I fixed you the other morning, I’d like to have another go at it.”
“Sounds good to me.” Cassie started closing the door, pausing as she saw the puzzled look on Shane’s face.
“What are you doin’?” he asked.
It would be uncomfortable for her to explain she was simply getting on a bra, so she averted his question instead. “I’ll be out in one sec.”
“Then I’ll get started on breakfast.”
With a few moments to herself, Cassie decided to keep on the sweats but change the tee shirt for a fresh one. At the sink, she brushed her teeth, pulled her hair back, and smothered her hands and arms in her favorite citrus lotion.
When she entered the kitchen, Cassie noticed Shane had put on a white tee shirt. Though he seemed to be fighting with the thing as he gave it a tug at the neck, yanking it as if he were choking. She’d seen him doing that before, and wondered if he didn’t like shirts much. Perhaps he wore them around the house for her sake – assuming it was more respectful. She was tempted to tell him that wasn’t necessary, but found herself blushing at the mere thought of it.
“Grab a barstool,” he urged. “Your turn to relax.”
An egg carton sat on the counter, along with a loaf of bread, some bacon, and a bottle of OJ. Shane slid a glass across the counter as she took a seat. “Juice?”
“Sure. Thanks,” Cassie said, grabbing the cup and pouring herself a drink. She planned to bring up some pleasant conversation but recalled something a little more pressing. “So uh, the ex girlfriend. Did that shock you yesterday?” The big Easter get-together at Betty and Grant’s had lasted well into the evening. And though Cassie had thoroughly enjoyed herself, she’d been dying to bring it up – see where Shane’s head was concerning the beautiful woman from his past.
Shane nodded. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t surprise me.”
A hot sting of jealousy jabbed at Cassie’s chest. “You talked to her for a minute after the session,” she said. “What did she say? Is she staying for a while, or…”
The adamant shake of his head silenced her. “No. At least, I’d be surprised if she did.” He pulled a frying pan from the cupboard. “Although, with her you never know, I guess.”
The stinging pain sunk a bit deeper. “Did she say why she was here?”
“Not really. To see family over Easter break, I guess.”
That made sense. To normal people. Only Cassie didn’t feel very normal right then. All she could think was that Shane’s ex was there to take him back. And the thought made her want to fight and run all at once. “She sure is pretty,” Cassie said.
Shane had been whisking a bowl of eggs with a fork, but at her comment, he stopped. “She’s alright. A little over done for my taste.”
His taste – yeah right. He was the one who had chosen Natasha to begin with. But she wouldn’t dwell on it. He’d answered her question, so she found more pleasant things to talk about while he cooked. And throughout breakfast as well. Cassie had Shane all to herself today – a rare gift – and she wasn’t about to spoil it.
~+~
“So, who uses that hot tub?” Cassie asked. “Is it just for the ranch hands?”
Shane scooted his chair away from the table to look out the sliding glass door behind him, predicting where the question was leading. He wondered, only briefly, if he could be in the hot tub with Cassie and remain a gentleman.
“The ranch hands use it a lot,” he said. “But I get in too, sometimes. Trey’s the one who takes care of it. Keeps the chemicals where they should be and all that.”
Cassie sighed. “Hmm.”
When he met her glance, she raised her brows and flashed that alluring smile. “Let’s get in,” she said.
It had taken all sorts of will power to be a gentleman earlier, to keep his eyes on her face when she’d walked in on him half dressed. Now he’d be sitting next to her while she wore a swimsuit? It sounded like the most tempting form of torture he could fathom. “Okay,” he blurted.
“Sweet,” she said. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at that hot tub, thinking of how wonderful it’d be to have one on a deck in Seattle. You know – the misty air, the falling rain. Sounds like heaven.” Cassie stacked Shane’s empty plate on top of hers and headed for the sink.
Shane worked to drag out their time doing the dishes, afraid of how weakened he felt in her presence, yet all too soon they were parting ways at their bedrooms to change into their swimsuits.
“I’ll be out there,” Shane hollered through her bedroom door once he was ready. He grabbed a couple of towels and headed down the hall, thoughts of Cassie running through his mind. He thought of the way she’d cracked up during church the day before. Her contagious laughter. He was impressed by her confidence where Natasha was concerned. A lesser woman would have crumpled at the witch’s feet, but not Cassie. And even when she’d questioned him that morning Cassie seemed unaffected for the most part. A little jealous maybe, but not too ruffled. Perhaps Cassie Lovell knew she had Shane wrapped around any one of those little fingers of hers.
Still, he’d been tempted to tell Cassie why he wouldn’t take back the days he’d spent with Natasha – as he’d revealed at the fire pit – but it would have come across as forward. In truth, being in a relationship with someone so selfish had helped him recognize what a gem Cassie really was; Shane wouldn’t take that back for anything.
He couldn’t help but smile as he recalled eating breakfast with her – the way Cassie had stuck her fork into Shane’s eggs in order to taste them with the Tabasco sauce. He liked it. The fact that she was so comfortable with him. At times it felt as if they were actually married.
Shane shook his head as he slid open the patio door, realizing he’d met her only a month ago. Yet the chemistry between them was like nothing he’d ever felt. Her eyes alone pulled him into places he yearned to get lost in. And those
lips – Cassie’s mouth never failed to hypnotized him, from the words it framed to the way she kissed him.
The clean smell of chlorine wafted through the air as he lifted the cover off the hot tub. And while he climbed inside, the hot water caressing every inch of his skin, Shane prepared himself for what would come. Sure, seeing Cassie in a swimsuit would be nice – more than nice – but when it came to Cassie there was so much more. She’d apologized for not being some bitter hag after what she’d been through in life. Shane wished he could go back to that conversation, praise her for that very thing. She was a mystery to him. He’d never known a woman so open, trusting, and kind. And yet Cassie had no good reason to trust another soul as long as she lived. Not after the way she’d been hurt.
Shane saw her through the glass before she slid open the door. He was surprised to see she wore a one-piece suit. It was black. Simple. And added another notch into one of those mind-teases he was just thinking of.
She inhaled a mighty breath after stepping onto the patio. “That’s even better than I imagined it would be,” she said. “I love the way hot tubs smell. And almost nothing smells better than the rain…” She paused there, glancing at him. “But the two together – heaven.”
Shane pulled in a deep breath and nodded. He liked it too. But even more, he liked the way Cassie enjoyed the simple pleasures in life. He stood and held an arm out, offering her his hand as she stepped over the edge and climbed in. Once Cassie was settled, Shane slid a few spaces away from her and propped his arms along the edge, watching as she closed her eyes to take in the heat. Steam danced around her face, clung to her flawless skin. Already her cheeks flushed a warm shade of red, matching her tempting lips. Shane caught himself remembering what it felt like to kiss those lips and groaned inwardly.
“You mentioned that you did gymnastics when you were young,” he said, searching for a distraction. “Does that mean you did the beam and bars and all that? Like in the Olympics?”
Cassie glanced at him, a glint of excitement flashing in the blue depths of her eyes. “Yes. The bars were my favorite. I loved flinging from one bar up to the next. When I first started I just did floor tricks and the beam. I was terrified at the idea of even trying the bars. In fact, I begged my grandma to take me out when it was time to learn them.”
Cassie's Cowboy Crave: Witness Protection - Rancher Style (Sweet Montana Bride Series) Page 17