Cadence was unaware of anything except Trey and the wonderful feel of his lips on hers. When he pulled back, she looked into his bright turquoise eyes and felt herself pulled into their brilliant depths. The firelight made a golden frame around him and she wished that she and Trey could be the couple skating on the ice, lost in each other.
The feelings he aroused in her were beyond anything she had ever felt, ever dreamed of feeling. Perhaps it helped that it was close to Christmas, that the firelight was warm and inviting, that she’d just sung him what she always thought to be a romantic song. Whatever it was, Cadence knew she had fallen for this tough yet gentle cowboy with a depth and intensity that frightened her senseless.
Yanking a big pillow from the couch, Trey tossed it on the floor and then gently placed Cadence so her head rested on it. Her hair spilled all around, nearly driving him wild. He looked into her eyes, wide and dark with emotion, and kissed her deeply, heedless of where it might lead.
“Cady, darlin’, what are you doing to me?” Trey growled, as he stretched out beside her, trailing hot kisses along her jaw and down her neck. When he reached her neckline, he undid the top button of her blouse and let a kiss linger there.
As much as she enjoyed their interlude, Cadence knew she had to put a stop to things before they went too far. The kiss Trey had just placed on her chest left her skin hot and singed, yet wanting more. Placing a hand on either side of his head, she pulled his face up so she could look in his eyes.
“Trey, this can’t go any farther. Time to stop.”
Trey rolled onto his side and let out a deep breath, then another.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get quite so carried away. Again.” Trey smiled at Cady and her insides fluttered with warmth. Sitting up, he pulled her beside him. “You seem to have that effect on me.”
Cadence smiled and brushed at the hair that fell across Trey’s forehead. He took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, then held it to his heart.
“I don’t want to rush you if you aren’t ready, but would you go out on a date with me Friday?” Trey asked quietly, afraid she would say no.
“A date? You mean like go out to dinner and leave the ranch kind of date?” Cadence asked in disbelief.
Trey laughed and shifted so he could hold her in his arms as they watched the fire burn down.
“Yep, a real date just like that. There’s a nice restaurant in The Dalles right on the river and a movie theater. Will you go out with me Friday?”
“Yes, I’ll go out with you.” Cadence looked forward to a date with Trey. “But what about feeding the crew dinner?”
“They can fend for themselves,” Trey said, fighting the urge to nibble her ear.
“That wouldn’t be right. I’ll think of something I can leave for them.”
“Great, I’ll pick you up at five sharp. Got it?” Trey teased.
“Got it, boss man.”
Trey surrendered to the need to kiss her again. He had just taken her earlobe captive with his teeth when they heard the mudroom door close. Jumping up off the floor, he pulled up Cadence then tossed the pillow back on the couch.
Cadence looked like a deer caught in the headlights as Trent stomped into the kitchen. He turned on the kitchen lights, got down a glass, and poured in some milk before he noticed the two of them standing in the darkened room.
“Everything okay?” he asked, sitting down at the counter as Cadence and Trey walked into the kitchen.
“Just fine.” Cadence hoped the fire in her cheeks would fade. She opened the cupboard where the baking pans were stored and took out a plastic container. Popping the top, she set it in front of Trent, hoping to distract him.
The distraction worked as he smiled and fished out an oatmeal cookie with cranberries, white chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts.
Not to be left out, Trey poured a glass of milk and sat beside his brother, eating his share of the cookies.
“You’ve been holding out on us,” Trey teased as he took another cookie.
“Knowing the two of you have no restraint, I have to hide the goodies,” she said with a jaunty grin. “I’ll trust you not to eat the whole container before morning. Good night.”
Trey wanted so badly to walk Cady to her room and give her just one more kiss, but instead he wished her good night. When she reached the hallway and looked back at him, he winked and she smiled.
Things were going better than he planned, if he could just keep a tight rein on his own runaway feelings.
“I get the idea I may have interrupted something,” Trent said, finishing his milk, but not showing any interest in moving from his spot at the counter.
“Nope.”
“You’re not going to start that again. Did you suck it up and ask her out?” Trent felt like he was on a fishing expedition and the big mouth bass was not biting.
“I may have gotten around to it.”
“And judging by her red cheeks and redder face, she must have said yes.”
“Yep.”
“And?”
“We’re going to The Dalles Friday for dinner and a movie. You yahoos are on your own for the evening.”
“I think we can handle it.” Trent slapped Trey’s back and grinned broadly. “Now where are you taking her? What have you got planned? Did you order some flowers for her?”
Trey looked at his brother and shook his head. “Why don’t you apply some of this match-making effort to getting Miss Lindsay to go out on a date with you? You don’t seem to have a problem dating every other female in a thirty-mile radius. Just ask the school teacher out.”
Trent clammed up and glared at Trey. “I was just trying to help. No need to get personal.”
Trey laughed and stood. “Right, bro. No need at all.”
><><
Cadence hustled through her house cleaning, laundry and chores Friday morning. After eating a quick lunch, she got out the big slow cooker and put in dinner, made dessert, and changed her mind for the eighteenth time on what she was going to wear for her date with Trey.
She finally called Denni to ask her about the restaurant. Denni assured her it was the nicest place in town and she should wear her new teal dress. Cadence wasn’t sure about the wisdom of over-dressing, but decided she was in the mood to dress up.
After a long, hot shower, she gave herself ample time to style her hair, apply a little extra makeup and get dressed. The satin dress glided over her curves and elongated her figure with simple, elegant lines. She slipped on her highest pair of black heels, added the string of pearls that had belonged to her grandmother, and decided she looked as good as she possibly could.
She picked up a small black handbag and her black dress coat, and carried them to the kitchen, leaving them on a barstool at the counter. She had ten minutes before Trey said he’d be ready to go.
Cadence called Tommy on his cell phone. He answered and ran in from where he worked in the barn.
He whistled at her when he strode into the kitchen. “Wow, Cady, you look amazing. You’ll make Trey’s eyes pop right out of his head.”
Cadence laughed. “I seriously doubt that, but thank you for the compliment.”
“Is everything ready?” Tommy asked, looking around the kitchen.
“Yes, and I appreciate you helping me out.”
Tommy’s request for a meal had been homemade chicken and noodles with hot rolls, creamed corn, and peach pie. He was getting everything he wanted for dinner that night since he agreed to serve the men in her absence.
“The chicken and noodles will be ready at six. You can serve right out of the pot if you want. And remember to share with the others. If you like the dinner, I promise to make it again.” Cadence smiled at him and patted his arm.
“Okay,” Tommy said, his stomach already growling in anticipation of the meal ahead. “What else?”
“The rolls are ready to go in the oven. Just put them in for about ten minutes to get them hot. The butter dish and some jam are already on the tab
le. The corn is in a dish in the fridge. Just nuke it for a couple minutes, stir, then nuke it for another minute.”
“That sounds simple enough,” Tommy said, noticing the table was already set.
Cadence pointed toward two dishtowel-covered mounds in the corner. “There is your peach pie, but remember you really do have to share. And there’s some vanilla ice cream in the freezer to go with it.”
“Ah, come on, Cady,” Tommy said with a grin. “I could eat them both before dinner and no one would even know the difference.”
“You’d know, I’d know, and Trent saw me making the pies earlier. Your evil plan won’t work.”
“A man’s got to try, doesn’t he?”
Cadence laughed and took a foil-covered paper plate out of the pantry and handed it to Tommy.
“This is for helping out this evening.”
Tommy peeled back the foil to find an assortment of fudge, toffee, and rocky road candy, all for him.
Laughing at his look of surprise, she gave his back a pat. “Those, Tommy boy, you don’t have to share.”
Tommy kissed her cheek then popped a piece of fudge into his mouth.
“Is the help getting fresh with you, Miss Greer?” Trey asked as he strolled into the kitchen, looking like he had stepped out of the fashion pages of a western magazine.
Cadence grasped the counter to keep her weakened knees from completely giving out on her.
Trey wore new Wranglers, freshly pressed, with a turquoise blue button-down shirt, a western-cut black sports coat and shiny black boots. His spicy aftershave drifted around her in an enticing cloud. She longed to reach out and run her hand down his just-shaved jaw.
“I was helping Cady with dinner. She put me in charge of the kitchen tonight,” Tommy tried to explain around the piece of chocolate in his mouth.
Trey nudged him in the ribs and smiled.
“I know, Tommy. Enjoy your treat and make sure everyone tows the line while we’re gone.”
Breathing a sigh of relief at his boss’s teasing, Tommy nodded his head.
“Are you ready to go?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said, slipping her arms into her coat sleeves while Trey held it for her. She picked up her handbag, wrapped a black chenille scarf around her neck, and fished black leather gloves out of her pockets.
“Enjoy your dinner, Tommy,” she called as Trey ushered her out the back door, setting his black Stetson on his head as they passed through the mudroom.
It snowed the day before and the ground still had a light covering. Trey looked from her to his truck and back at her high heels. He shook his head, picked her up, and carried her to the passenger door, which she pulled open. Gently setting her inside, he waited until she buckled herself in before closing the door and running around to the other side.
“That was quite chivalrous of you,” Cadence said with a warm smile. She didn’t think she could have been more surprised if Trey had thrown down his coat for her to walk on.
“Anything for you, milady. You look quite ravishing this evening.”
Cadence blushed as he drove down the long driveway toward the highway.
Trey thought Cadence always looked pretty, but tonight she looked positively beautiful. With her hair loosely piled at the back of her head, curls escaped down her neck and surrounded her face. Her skin glowed with a rosy blush on the apple of each cheek and her lips were so inviting he felt the need to clamp his own together to keep from stealing a kiss.
He itched to feel the cool satin of her dress beneath his hands. It brought out a green sparkle in her eyes while skimming flawlessly over her curves, making her look tall and voluptuous.
Then there were her shoes.
The heels Cady wore were probably going to drive him into some fatal form of distraction before the evening was through. Taking a deep breath, he inhaled her luscious scent.
He still couldn’t believe they were going out on a date.
They drove in companionable silence for a while, listening to a holiday station, then Cadence asked him about some of the small town history of the area and they chatted like old friends all the way to the restaurant.
Although Trey said it was on the river, Cadence was not prepared for the breathtaking view from their table as it looked out at the water through a large window. White lights and a smattering of snow highlighted the grounds around the restaurant, making everything seem lovely and magical, especially as they looked out at the water. The dinner was superb and Cadence enjoyed eating someone else’s cooking for a change.
After dinner, they went to the theater to see what movies were playing and what time they started. The one they decided to see didn’t start for forty-five minutes, so Cadence suggested running by Denni’s house for a minute.
Trey thought it was a terrible idea, but agreed without argument. Five minutes later, he held open Cady’s door and led her up the steps to his mother’s home.
Trey gave a perfunctory wrap at the door then stuck his head inside. “Mom, you home?”
“Trey?” Denni called. “I’m in the kitchen, come on back.”
Trey held Cadence’s hand as they walked through the living room and back to the small kitchen. Denni busily stirred a batch of hot syrup that would soon become peanut brittle.
“Well, hello you two,” Denni said with a beaming smile as they stepped near the stove. “Out for a night on the town?”
Trey took Cadence’s coat and left it over a kitchen chair along with his sports coat.
“We went out for dinner and are planning to go to the movies, but had a little time to kill. What are you going to do with the peanut brittle?”
“Nana wanted some and I thought it would be nice for her to be able to share it with some of her friends at the center,” Denni said, stirring vigorously.
Glancing over at Cadence, Denni smiled warmly. “You look absolutely lovely, Cady. That dress is fabulous.”
“Thanks, Denni,” Cadence said with a grin. “You may have mentioned it before.”
“Well, it was simply made for you.” Denni winked at Trey. “Don’t you think so, Trey? Wouldn’t you say it is the perfect dress for Cady?”
“M-o-t-h-e-r,” Trey ground out in warning under his breath, drawing out every letter to sound like a six-syllable word. He wouldn’t admit that he had all he could do to keep his hands off the dress and Cady. The satin was even smoother than he imagined, although not as cool as he expected. Her body heat warmed both the fabric and Trey each time he touched her.
Taking the hint, Denni asked Trey to fetch the pan she had in the freezer while Cadence dumped peanuts into the skillet at Denni’s request. The syrupy concoction quickly turned from pale tan to brown. Cady and Trey stood back when Denni dumped the candy in the pan and smoothed it out with a spoon.
“Whew! I’m always glad when it is in the pan and not burnt. It can go south pretty quickly.”
“I’m impressed,” Cadence said. “I can’t make peanut brittle to save my life.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Trey asked. He was convinced there wasn’t anything under the sun Cadence couldn’t make.
“Nope. I can’t make peanut brittle, cheese soufflé, or an edible tuna casserole.”
Denni laughed. “Well, since the men could care less about soufflé or tuna casserole, I think your job is secure. Anytime you want peanut brittle, I’m more than happy to make a batch. Or I could teach you how.”
“I think the ability to make peanut brittle is a missing link in my DNA. Both my grandmothers tried to teach me, as well as my mom, Aunt Viv and two of my friends,” Cadence said. “I am a peanut brittle making failure.”
“Be that as it may, you should have tasted the fudge she made the other day, Mom. It was so good it literally melted in your mouth,” Trey said, wishing the peanut brittle would cool fast enough he could snag a piece.
“If I knew we were coming to see you, I could have brought you and Nana some treats.” Cadence studied Trey as he watched th
e peanut brittle. For a thirty-year-old man who successfully managed a large ranch, he could sure behave like a naughty little boy sometimes.
“That’s okay, honey. We’ll be out there one of these Sundays and get a sample then.”
After a quick glance at his watch, Trey held out Cadence’s coat for her to slip on, signaling it was time to get going. He shrugged into his sports coat, kissed Denni’s cheek and guided Cadence toward the door.
They made it to the movie in plenty of time. Trey ordered a large tub of popcorn and a Dr. Pepper. Cadence ordered a bottle of water and they settled in to watch the movie.
The comedy was a great diversion from the tension that had been building between them since Wednesday when the out-of-control kisses they shared took their emotional and physical attraction to a completely new level. While she snitched his popcorn and stole sips of his pop, Trey kept one eye on the movie and one on her.
Driving home, they chatted about ranch work, the hands, when Trey thought Travis might be home, and memories of past holiday seasons. Cadence could tell Trey still missed his father immensely. Even though she hadn’t been really close to her parents, she at least knew if she needed them, they were available.
With all her grandparents gone, her parents in Mexico, and no siblings or family except for Aunt Viv and Uncle Joe, Cadence was glad to be part of the sometimes-rowdy Thompson household. It made her feel connected and part of a family.
“Have you ever had a white Christmas, Cady?” Trey asked as they neared home.
“No, can’t say that I have. They were usually gray, quite often raining.”
“That sounds miserable and depressing. How do you expect Santa to bring presents in that?”
Cadence laughed. “Since I never woke up Christmas morning stiffed, I assume he made it through our coastal weather just fine.”
“What about reindeer? Have you ever seen reindeer?”
“No, silly man. Where would I see reindeer? I may have lived north of here, but it wasn’t exactly at the North Pole.”
Trey grinned. “No malls ever had reindeer with their fake Santas?”
The Cowboy's Christmas Plan Page 15