She glanced at Sam to see if he would take care of Dallas, or whoever had come from the Diamondback Ranch. She was in no mood to face anyone named McCade today. Sam's dark eyes gleamed as he started in the direction of the pumps. Jessie leaned around, curious to see who had sparked his interest, gasping when she realized it was Tori McCade.
Tori seemed a little young for Sam, a little too lively for such a serious man. Jessie turned back to work on the carburetor. Didn't she have enough to worry about? Tori was a big girl and could take care of herself.
After a few minutes, Jessie felt a tap on her shoulder. Tori stood at the front of the truck, peering with disgust at the greasy engine.
"How can you stand to work in all that muck?"
Jessie straightened and wiped her hands. "It's all I've ever known. Besides, I like engines."
Tori wrinkled her nose. "Why did you leave the party early without saying goodbye?"
"I had a headache, thanks to you and your punch."
"Was it the punch, or something else? Or someone? Maybe someone who's six-foot-three, has dark brown hair and blue eyes?"
Jessie stared at Tori. How much did she know? Was it only speculation? Or had Cameron told her something? "I don't know what you mean."
"Oh, please." Tori rolled her eyes. "Cameron spent a lot of time with you while he was home, or tried to. And I saw him practically drag you to the barn the other night. You were gone a good while. He came back alone and in a foul mood. I can put two and two together. You chickened out again, didn't you?"
Jessie leaned her elbows on the edge of the truck and hung her head. Maybe Cameron had the right idea about living in a large impersonal city. Tori wasn't going to shut up until she had her say. "So what if I did? I told you, it's complicated."
Tori squatted on her haunches and looked up at Jessie's face. "Only because you're making it that way."
"It doesn't matter," Jessie said. "He's gone and won't be back."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Tori said.
"Why not?"
"Yesterday, at breakfast, I mentioned the homecoming celebration next month. Cameron gave me this weird kind of look. He said he'd never been back for homecoming." Tori snorted. "Yeah, like that's a surprise."
"It doesn't mean anything. Him saying that." Jessie couldn't stop the leap in her pulse at the possibility of Cameron returning.
Tori smiled. "I think he'll come back in a couple of weeks, and I don't think it's because of homecoming."
Jessie's pulse slowed down; a heavy sensation gripped the back of her neck. If Cameron returned, it would just prolong the agony.
"What's wrong?" Tori asked. "Aren't you glad Cameron's coming back? You still like him, don't you?"
Just then, Sam walked up, saving Jessie from having to reply.
"The truck's full," he told Tori. "I put it on the account."
Tori looked helplessly at Jessie. "I have to go."
Jessie watched her run to the truck, then eyed Sam with suspicion. "What have you done to that girl?"
Sam started adjusting the jets on the carburetor. "If you don't want me asking questions about your personal life, don't ask about mine."
"That certainly puts me in my place, doesn't it?"
Sam looked up, his dark eyes somber. "I know something's going on between you and McCade. A person would have to be blind not to see. Listen, Jessie. I admire how you've dealt with all the bumps thrown your way. McCade is just another bump. Don't worry so much. You'll deal with it, if you have to, just like you've dealt with all the rest. Hand me that screwdriver, will you?"
Jessie helped Sam finish the repair on the carburetor. His words rebounded in her mind, but he had it all wrong. Cameron wasn't a bump in her life; he was more like a mountain. And she didn't know how she was going to deal with him, or even if she'd get the chance.
****
By the middle of the next week, Jessie didn't have much time to think about Cameron and whether he would come back. Her financial situation had gone from bad to worse. She had fallen behind with the payments to the hospital and they were demanding settlement. Plus, her property taxes were due and she was already in arrears with them.
She had no other choice but to make that phone call to her lawyer and lease the mineral rights she held on the McCade property, so she could get her hands on some ready cash.
After talking to Mr. Bennett, Jessie called Ruth and asked to meet with her. An hour later, she and Cameron's mother were sitting in a booth at Sarah Sue's Café.
"Oh, Jessie, I wanted to thank you for the lovely yarns you gave me for my birthday. I'm going to crochet you an afghan with them."
"I'm glad you like them, but you don't have to make me an afghan. Although, I would love to have one, one of these days."
Ruth reached across the table and patted Jessie's hand. "I want to, dear. Your mother was one of my best friends. And you have a special place in my heart, you know that."
Jessie swallowed a lump in her throat. How would Ruth feel after her confession?
Ruth sat back and stirred her coffee. "Now, what was so all fired important that you had to see me ASAP?" She dropped the spoon and clapped her hands. "Is this about Cameron? Has he asked you to marry him?"
"What?" Jessie said, her stomach clenching at the thought. "Why would you think that?"
"He spent quite a bit of time with you while he was at the ranch. And he said he's coming back for homecoming." Ruth shook her gray curls. "But of course, he wouldn't propose over the phone. Never mind, dear. Why did you want to see me?"
Jessie couldn't concentrate for a minute. Her thoughts were tumbling inside her head like juggler's balls gone all awry. What in the world had Cameron said to his mother and his sister? She couldn't deal with that at the moment; she had to tell Ruth what she'd done.
Taking a deep breath, Jessie took the plunge. "I have a confession to make."
Ruth frowned. "What kind of confession?"
"I'm so sorry, but I had to break the promise I made to you. And I'm afraid you're going to hate me when I tell you."
"I could never hate you, dear. Is this about the mineral rights?"
Jessie nodded. "I was forced to lease them to Copper River Oil. I didn't have a choice. I had to have the money, or I'd lose the garage."
"Well, you certainly couldn't do that, could you?"
Jessie sniffed back a tear. "No. It's my last link to my father."
Ruth shoved a napkin at Jessie. "Don't cry, dear. Just because you leased the land, doesn't mean they'll drill. At least, not right away."
"But with the oil situation like it is, they might," Jessie said. "You don't know how sorry I am. I hate breaking my promise."
"I understand, but Dallas will be furious. So will Austin. They both like to be in control of every facet concerning the ranching and agricultural aspects of the Diamondback." Ruth sipped her coffee. "Tyler and Cameron won't mind, too much. Neither will Tori. But Dallas . . ."
"Will you tell him for me?" Jessie blurted out. She usually wasn't a coward, but the thought of confessing to the big rancher made her more than a little queasy.
Ruth stared at her out of the same blue eyes she'd passed on to Cameron. Jessie couldn't tell what she was thinking, but she was obviously thinking hard about something.
Suddenly, Ruth smiled and nodded. "I'll tell him for you, dear. Don't you worry about a thing."
****
The night before the homecoming bonfire, Jessie found herself back at the garage after rushing home for a quick shower and bite to eat. The house had seemed too empty, her thoughts too restless and chaotic. Catching up on paperwork at the office had won out over spending another interminable evening at home.
Working the accounts was a breeze now that the money from the lease had been deposited into the bank. She was operating in the black once again, at least for a while. Ruth had taken the news remarkably well. Jessie wondered how Dallas had taken it.
After she'd settled her most pressing obligations,
Jessie had begun thinking about Cameron again. She'd been on pins and needles these past couple of weeks, wondering if he would really come back. And what if he did? Everything was still the same between them. Even though she was afraid he'd stolen her heart again, she knew Cameron wanted nothing more than a roll in the hay. Or cottonseed, she thought with a blush.
All he wanted was a physical relationship. Sharing kisses with him and being left behind was bad enough. God help her, if she gave in to the raging passion between them. If Cameron returned, she hoped she would be strong enough to resist him.
The suspense was killing her. Jessie hadn't seen hide nor hair of a McCade since she'd spoken to Ruth. Surely, Cameron wouldn't come back so soon. He was a busy man. Why would he suddenly want to celebrate homecoming after all these years? She was flattering herself to think she was the lure to draw him home, no matter what Tori or Ruth said.
Just in case, Jessie thought maybe she should leave town, take some time off, avoid seeing him. But she couldn't do that. Not really. Besides, she enjoyed homecoming. Every year, she wrote a piece for the paper, outlining the events, including as many names of folks as she could cram into one article. People loved to see their names in print. It was a challenge to write the article year after year, to make it as interesting as possible. She couldn't let her feelings for Cameron interfere with that.
Tires crunching the pavement outside jolted Jessie from her thoughts. For a moment, she was afraid . . .
Afraid of what? Geez, Jess. You can't conjure Cameron out of thin air. She glanced out the window in the door and sighed in relief. Not a Jaguar, but the sheriff's black and white patrol car. Pasting a smile on her face, she went to greet him.
The sheriff touched his fingers to his Stetson. "Evening, Jessie."
"Hey, Roland. Something going on I should know about?"
She watched as he traced the toe of one shiny boot in the loose gravel on the pavement. Jessie's heart sank. She knew what was coming. Roland Burton had been asking her out for over a year. She liked him, but the chemistry wasn't right, at least not on her part.
The blustery November wind blew through her sweat suit. She shivered. "It's awfully cold out here. Why don't we go inside? We can talk over a hot cup of coffee."
"Sounds like a winner to me," he said, following her into the office.
Jessie handed Roland his cup and poured one for herself. She wrapped her cold fingers around the warm ceramic, hoping he'd get to the point soon. She knew it was difficult for him to gather the courage to ask her out and always felt like a heel when she refused his invitations.
The sheriff cleared his throat a couple of times, started to speak, then hurriedly sipped his coffee again. His cheeks were red, whether from embarrassment or the cold weather, Jessie couldn't tell.
Finally, he set his cup down and took a deep breath. "Tomorrow night's the big bonfire," he said in a rush. "I thought that maybe, that is--if you don't have other plans--maybe, you'd like to . . ."
Outside, a car pulled into the station, the tires squealing to a stop. Jessie's stomach plummeted to her feet. She knew who it was before the door opened. Her heart tumbled over when Cameron McCade filled the doorway, his eyes narrowed at the scene he'd interrupted.
An insane desire to hide behind Roland flashed through Jessie's mind. It was a sheriff's sworn duty to protect people, wasn't it? The look on Cameron's face was enough to scare anyone. On second thought, maybe she should try to protect Roland.
The sheriff stepped forward, hand outstretched. "Hello, Cameron. What brings you to town? Didn't think you'd be back so soon."
"I can see that." Cameron shook his hand, but his attention was focused on Jessie.
She hoped he wouldn't crush Roland's hand to a pulp. The menacing tone of his voice was unmistakable. She saw the confusion on Roland's face. The sheriff looked from Cameron to Jessie, then back again. It wasn't long before realization dawned. Snatching his Stetson from the desk, he said goodnight and fled.
The blood pounding in Cameron's head slowed down, and the red before his eyes faded away. He broke out in a cold sweat. Jealousy and possessiveness. They were new feelings, strange feelings. If he had any sense, he'd turn and run and never look back. Just like the sheriff.
The atmosphere sizzled in the small office. Jessie stood like a statue, her eyes opened wide. "Why did you come back?" Her raspy voice held a note of accusation.
Cameron also heard anguish in her words. Was he causing Jessie pain? When all he wanted was to hold her in his arms, take her to bed and make love to her until the passion between them was spent?
In two long strides, he was beside her. She backed against the file cabinet. He stepped closer.
"You know why I'm back. We need to finish what we started seventeen years ago." He touched a finger to her cheek, traced the smooth line of her jaw, eased his hand behind her neck and pulled her to him. Her trembling intensified and she put her hands on his chest as if to ward him off.
He caught her hands and moved them over his heart. "Feel my heartbeat, Jess. It's beating for you." He pressed his body against hers. "Feel how much I want you. I tried to stay away, but God help me, I couldn't."
His mouth claimed hers in fierce desire. Jessie moaned, holding back only for a second, knowing deep down that resistance was hopeless. She couldn't help it. She kissed him back, allowing the molten pleasure to seep through her veins. Her arms crept around his neck. For one long moment, she gave in to the encircling warmth and strength of his embrace.
Cameron's hands became more insistent. He was going mad with the need to feel her bare body against his, her silky skin touching him, shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh. He grasped Jessie's bottom and lifted her against him, thrusting his arousal between her thighs. He felt her heat and wanted inside her.
Suddenly, she stiffened. Cameron knew she was remembering. Remembering the reasons why she couldn't do this or thought she couldn't. Inwardly groaning, he leaned his forehead against hers. She tried to wriggle away, but he tightened his arms around her. "Don't run from me, Jess."
"I can't do this . . . I promised . . ." Jessie squeezed her eyes shut. A tear trickled down her cheek.
Cameron kissed it away. He pulled her face into his shoulder and kissed the top of her head. "You're right, sweetheart. We can't do this. Not yet." He handed her a large white handkerchief. "Dry your tears. We need to talk."
Jessie dabbed at her eyes. Cameron's spicy scent clung to the handkerchief, assailing her senses, enticing her back into his arms. She had dreaded his return, but now that he was here, her feelings and emotions were jumbled. Again. She folded the snowy white linen and gave it back. "Okay . . . I'm okay. Let's talk."
Capturing her wrists, Cameron kissed the delicate undersides. He sat on the edge of the desk and drew her between his legs. Jessie felt her cheeks burn and swallowed hard. "I think I'll sit down," she said, diving for the swivel chair.
Cameron squatted beside her and placed his hand on her knee. Jessie gripped the arms of the chair.
"There's something between us, Jess. You feel it; I feel it. You want to ignore it, but I can't. Not anymore. I don't think either of us can ignore it."
"There's nothing between us. There can never be anything between us," Jessie declared vehemently. "Oh God, why did you have to come back? I don't need this."
"Maybe you do need this. I know I do. I went back to Houston and tried to push you out of my mind. I can't sleep, Jess. I'm a bear at work. I can't concentrate. All I can think about is you. Hell, it's as bad or worse than when we were kids. That night, after the prom, as soon as I kissed you, I wanted more."
Jessie hung her head. "You must not have wanted me very much. You left town without saying goodbye."
"I said goodbye up on Lover's Point."
And took my heart with you. Why was he telling her this? It only made it worse. It didn't matter that she loved Cameron, had always loved him. He didn't love her. He only wanted her in bed.
Jessie sighed. "We s
aid our goodbyes on Lover's Point and you never looked back. No calls, no letters. A few times you stopped for gas, but even then . . . seventeen years is a long time, Cameron. I tried to forget this thing between us. You made it perfectly clear that I had no place in your life or your plans. I married TR and tried to be a good wife." Tried, but failed, she thought miserably. "Why did you come back? Yes, there's an extraordinary chemistry between us, but what then? I would have thought there were plenty of women in Houston you could . . . you know."
Cameron swore silently. She wasn't making this easy for him. Hell, he wasn't sure why he'd come back.
Seeing her sitting there, chin held high, and knowing that below the surface a fire burned for him, ready to ignite if only she would let him fan it, Cameron was suddenly unsure of everything. Would one night, one week in bed with Jessie be enough? He had a sinking suspicion that he was in over his head and powerless to stop it.
Easing out of the crouch, Cameron leaned both hands on the arms of the chair, effectively trapping Jessie. God, she smelled good. He took her chin in his palm and brushed her lips with his thumb, tightening his grip when she tried to pull away. "We're good together, Jess. You said I make you forget. Let me help you forget. You can't keep living in the past."
"I'm not living in the past."
"Aren't you?" He pulled her to stand in front of him. "I want you so much." He kissed the sensitive spot just below her ear. "I turned my back on you when we were kids. I don't think I can turn back now."
Jessie tilted her head. Cameron's warm lips nibbled her earlobe, then nuzzled the length of her neck to her collarbone. He dipped his tongue into the silky hollow, then started back up again.
Why couldn't she just relax and enjoy this? Cameron's words reverberated in her mind. Was she living in the past? TR was dead. Nothing could bring him back. Nothing could change what she'd done. She'd married TR, but hadn't loved him. Cameron was her first love, her only love. Her true love. But oh, the guilt weighed her down.
The Doctor Wears A Stetson (Contemporary Western Romance) Page 9