He frowned. “Why? You’ve been working for me for almost three months now and this is the first time I’ve ever seen you sick.”
She made a face. “That and the time when I was trying to get the salt shaker from behind the stove.”
He shrugged. “That was nothing. It happens to all of us now and then.”
She stirred the ice cream until it was soft. “This is good.” She threw him a sideways look. “And thanks for the chocolates, too.”
He nodded absently and fell silent while she finished the ice cream. He reached for the bowl. “I’ll take that back down on my way.” He tucked her under the covers as if she were a child. “Now get some rest.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek lightly and straightened. For a moment he gazed down at her as though something were troubling him, but he finally turned. “Good night,” he said as he snapped off the light. He left the room, pulling the door snugly closed behind him.
Such a strange man. Was he beginning to view her as a ward? Lately his actions were more fatherly than anything else. Maybe he was one of those men who felt they needed to protect and care for all women. Chauvinistic, no doubt, but it was kind of nice to be looked after.
She snuggled down into the covers and yawned. She was warm and Cade was in the house. She felt safe and secure.
The next day Cade worked close to the house - trying to keep an eye on her, no doubt. He was wasting a day because of her. She felt fine. When he came into the house for his fourth cup of coffee before noon she decided to salvage something from the day.
“It’s such a beautiful day. Why don’t I pack a lunch so we can go down to the pond for a picnic?”
He shrugged. “If you’re feeling up to it.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m fine. How many times do I have to tell you?”
He set the coffee mug on the counter. “All right, you pack a lunch and bring a blanket and I’ll go get the weed whip and knock down some of the tall grass.”
By the time she brought lunch and a blanket down, he had a large area cleared under the cottonwood tree. He took the blanket from her and spread it on the ground. There they knelt and ate their lunch in silence.
A meadowlark pierced the silence with its sharp whistling song. She glanced at Cade.
“You know what would be nice?”
His eyes reflected interest, so she continued.
“Geese.”
He snorted. “Geese?”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “Yeah, you know. Honk, honk? Can’t you just picture them swimming around on that pond, ducking their heads gracefully to feed.”
He shook his head. “How about a few chickens instead?”
“On the pond?”
“What’s so great about this pond?” He slapped his arm. “All it does is breed mosquitoes and attract snakes.”
She glanced around nervously. “Snakes?”
He picked up a piece of straw and leaned his back against the tree, picking his teeth. “There are probably a half dozen of them waiting out there in the grass.”
She leaned forward to examine his face, but his expression told her nothing. She sighed and drew her knees up against her chest. “I think you’re trying to scare me.”
He gazed off across the hills. “You like it here, don’t you.”
She nodded. “Yes. It’s a beautiful ranch.”
“You don’t mind the loneliness?”
“Solitude,” she corrected. “And no, I don’t mind. I was raised on a farm, and being an only child, I learned not to depend on others for entertainment.”
He stood and walked to the edge of the pond. “You don’t miss your friends?”
“I see Mary once a week.”
He stooped and selected several rocks. “No boyfriend?” One by one he tossed the rocks into the pond.
She stood and picked up the blanket. “No. I’ve dated some guys, but...” She paused, folding the blanket. How could she explain in a delicate manner, why she had virtually given up dating? He was watching her intently so she shrugged. “I got tired of being pawed.”
He glanced away quickly, his features gaining a rosy color. “You’re a nice looking woman. It’s only natural that men want to touch you.”
She stared at him. Was he including himself in that statement? Was that why he had kissed her that day? No, he said he did it because he was angry. He was merely trying to get her to go out more. Maybe he would like a few evenings to himself and she was always underfoot.
He glanced sharply in the direction of the drive and swore under his breath. Following his gaze, Cynthia saw the little green Ford coming up the drive. Why would he be upset with Mary for paying them a visit? Unless - Maybe he was upset at being caught picnicking with his housekeeper.
In the next few minutes she had reason to believe that wasn’t his only cause for concern. Mary strode down the path toward them, a hand shielding the sun from her eyes. She smiled as she reached them.
“You must be feeling better, Cynthia. Russ said you were sick last night.”
“Oh, it was nothing.”
So Cade had visited Mary last night. Had that been the purpose for his trip to town? Why didn’t he simply say he wanted to go see Mary? Cynthia blushed. Were her feelings for Cade so obvious that he had detected them? Was that what their conversation had been about today? He wanted her to look elsewhere for romantic attention. Now his girlfriend had caught them together. It didn’t look good for him. She laughed nervously.
“I twisted Cade’s arm to get him to come out here with me for a picnic lunch.” She picked up the blanket. “I’d better get this stuff back into the house before it’s crawling with ants.”
With that, she left them alone. Hopefully Mary wouldn’t be too angry with him. Mary had never been the jealous type, but then, where love was concerned, people changed.
She had barely finished putting the things away when Mary knocked on the kitchen door.
“Come in. It’s open,” Cynthia called.
Mary entered the kitchen and frowned. “Why did you go running off like that? Did I interrupt something?”
Cynthia blushed again. “No. We were finished with lunch and having a discussion about the pond.”
Mary smiled knowingly. “The pond? Is that all?”
Cynthia shrugged. “No, if you must know, he was trying to encourage me to get out and date. I think he wants me out of the house so he can bring someone home.”
Mary quirked a brow. “And that doesn’t bother you?”
“No, why should it?”
Mary threw her hands in the air. “Oh yes. I forgot for a minute. There’s nothing going on here.”
Cynthia frowned. “That’s right - nothing but honest work.”
Mary shrugged. “Whatever. I came out here to enjoy your company, not argue with you. So, how’s scruffy doing?”
Cynthia grabbed the opportunity to change the subject.
“He’s a regular pet now. And he’s getting as fat as a hog on all the table scraps.”
They talked for several hours and when Mary left, Cade was nowhere in sight. Had Mary accused him as well? He came in for supper and ate in silence. After supper he went to his room with a book. The evening was young and she had ruined his chance to spend it with Mary. She had to get out some so he could have a life.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Over the next couple of weeks, Cynthia made a few visits to town, once taking in a movie before she returned. But if Mary and Cade met, there was no indication. Maybe they were having a fight.
One beautiful day followed another and she gradually wandered farther from the house exploring the ranch - sometimes on horseback, sometimes on foot. It was on one of these occasions that she wandered farther than she realized. A low rumble brought her attention to the horizon. The clouds were low and moving fast. In the distance they were dark and threatening. She turned to go back to the house and realized she wouldn’t be able to make it before the storm caught up with her. Her heart in her throat, she raced dow
n the hill. She turned at the drum of hooves behind her and watched Cade plunge his horse down a steep embankment and turn toward her. He rode as if he were part of the horse, his lean body swaying with the stride of the graceful animal. He drew his mount to a halt beside her and kicked one foot free of the stirrup, offering a hand up.
Wasting no time, she jabbed her left foot in the stirrup and lifted her hand to be swallowed in his. He pulled as she lunged up, and as soon as she was settled behind him, he urged the horse into a lope. The storm kicked up dust behind them, but they managed to beat it to the corral. Tiny drops of rain spattered their faces as she took his hand again and dismounted.
She glanced up at him in surprise. Was she imagining things, or did his fingertips actually linger to caress her palm? His solemn features gave no clue.
“Thanks,” she said breathlessly, and stepped away from the horse. He touched his hat and turned the horse toward the barn.
Wind and rain slashed at her as she reached the kitchen doorway and she hurried into the house. The chicken was done. She had set it in the oven to stay warm before she left the house. The salad was in the refrigerator and coffee was ready on the stove. She prepared the table and was putting the food on when Cade opened the door. Even his hat was sagging with moisture. His boots sloshed as he tiptoed across the kitchen floor.
“Hold that food while I change.”
He returned to the kitchen after a few minutes in dry clothes, his hair freshly combed. She poured him a cup of coffee and sat down at the table.
The storm moved over them as they ate, rumbling and flashing angrily. Cade ignored the uproar and gave proper attention to his meal. Was he going to say something about the fact that she wandered too far from the house? Was he going to wait until later? Finally she could bear the suspense no longer.
“I didn’t notice how far I was wandering this evening.”
“It can happen to anyone.”
He continued to eat, ignoring her presence, and she squirmed in her chair.
“You’re not going to lecture me about it?”
He glanced up at her and frowned. “Lecture you? Why? Everything turned out fine and you learned a lesson. What more could I say?”
She smiled at him gratefully. “Behind that facade of indifference, there’s a very nice person.”
His brows lifted in genuine surprise. “Me?”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “You.”
He shrugged nonchalantly, but his gaze rested on her thoughtfully for a few moments before he finished his meal.
The storm passed quickly, but the night remained warm. There was probably another one brewing. It was that time of year. When she crawled into bed and turned off the light, the night sky performed a fireworks display in the distance. She stretched and tried to relax, but her mind kept returning to Cade - thinking of his warm touch on the palm of her hand. Funny how little things like that could stay in a person’s thoughts for hours. He was clumsy at expressing verbal emotion and physical emotion was beyond him, but his eyes. She shook her head. It was all wishful thinking. Gradually her eyelids drooped and then she was dreaming again.
She was riding behind Cade, her hands clinging to his lean hips. Lightning flashed around them and thunder rumbled. He leaned forward as he helped her dismount at the barn, rain rolling off the brim of his hat in a stream. His fingers caressed her palm warmly. He brushed the hair away from her cheek. She stood on her toes and stretched upward to kiss his lips. He was leaning down to meet her, but they couldn’t seem to touch.
She came awake with a start as thunder rattled the entire house. A stream of rain was splattering on the patio. A bolt of lightning lit up the bedroom. She threw the pillow over her head, drawing the light blanket up against her chin. Her heart was pounding and the storm wasn't the only reason. She shivered in her light cotton nightgown and curled up into a ball. How could it be so cold during an electrical storm? A brilliant flash of lightning was immediately followed by thunder so loud that it rattled the windowpane. A rumble began and it took her a moment to realize the sound was hail pounding on the roof.
She threw the covers back and dashed to the patio doors, staring outside. Hail meant turbulence, and turbulence meant there could be a tornado close. She took a quick step back. If it was a tornado, standing next to glass doors wasn’t the smartest thing to do. What was? She wracked her mind for tornado safety rules. Get to the lowest story, in a central location away from hallways and windows. She grabbed her blanket and hurried down stairs. Where was Cade? Was it possible for him to sleep through this weather? As she entered the family room, a warm glow beckoned from the fireplace. A dark form hunkered before the fire, feeding small twigs to the flames.
Her bare feet made no noise as she moved across the room toward him, so when she reached his side he glanced up sharply. He let his breath out slowly.
“You startled me.”
“I’m sorry. I was just... well, the storm was so violent, and it was so cold.”
He glanced at the blanket. “Make sure you don’t get any sparks on that thing.” He turned his attention to the fire and tucked another piece of bark into the bright coals. His bare shoulders glistened in the flickering firelight. He wore only pajama bottoms, his feet bare as well.
She clutched the blanket under her chin and shivered. That was when she noticed the chill bumps on his arm. He wasn’t about to let on that he was also cold. She scooted closer to him, shifting the blanket so that she could drape the excess around his shoulders.
He glanced at her and declined the blanket. “I’m fine. Why don’t you curl up on the couch and get your bare feet off this cold floor?”
Feeling rejected, she nodded and moved to the couch. She sat on her feet and huddled under the blanket, watching the flames grow. Maybe the stories were true. Maybe she and Mary were merely his friends. Maybe that was why Mary seemed so concerned that she would become romantically involved with Cade. It would certainly explain Cade’s actions. Was he confused – alone and fighting a desire he detested?
Cade finally left the fire and sat down beside her on the couch. He rubbed his arms, unable to completely suppress a shudder.
“Here,” she said, draping the blanket around his shoulders again. “There’s no point in being uncomfortable just so you can prove what a macho man you are.”
He accepted the blanket with a sour look. “I wasn’t trying to play macho man.”
She snuggled close, letting his body draw warmth from hers. The storm raged on around them and finally began to abate. Thunder rumbled in the distance and Cade’s chin slumped to his chest. Leaning forward, she relinquished the blanket and urged him to lie down on the couch. His fingers gripped her wrist as she started to move away.
“Don’t go,” he muttered sleepily.
She hesitated. It was a risky thing, lying down on the couch with a man, but this was Cade - half asleep and asking her to stay - Cade, who never asked for anything. Cade who felt no desire for a woman? A few minutes wouldn’t hurt, and then he would be sound asleep. She could leave and he would never know the difference. He probably wasn’t even awake enough to know who she was.
She stretched out on the couch beside him; resting her head on his chest and he draped the blanket across her shoulders, his arm falling loosely on her waist. Almost immediately his breathing changed and she knew he was asleep. She'd give him a few more minutes to get completely relaxed before she left.
Cynthia was dreaming again. Cade was beside her; resting on one elbow as he stared down at her. He smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. Only in a dream, she thought sluggishly and reached out to touch his cheek. He turned his head and kissed her fingers. She smiled languidly. He leaned down and kissed her cheek softly and she rolled her head, finally touching his lips briefly with hers.
He drew back, gazing down at her with a perplexed expression. Hesitantly he leaned forward again, softly brushing her lips with his. His lips were warm. She gazed up at him, her heart beginning t
o flutter. A queasy feeling began in her stomach. Again he bent his head and his lips questioned hers gently at first, and then with more emotion when she responded.
With a start she realized that this was no dream. Cade was actually kissing her - and very well. For a moment she lay still, afraid any movement would frighten him away like a wild cat in the daylight. But they shouldn’t be doing this. Not here alone on the couch. She put her hand on his chest with the intention of pushing him away, but the warmth of his muscular chest on her palm was exciting. Instead, her fingers slid across the smooth muscles and up to his neck, drawing his mouth down harder on hers.
He finally drew away. “Cindy?” His voice was husky and bewildered as he gazed down at her.
Now was the time to stop this. She should tell him to let her up. That was simple enough. But no words came from her mouth as she lay there, mesmerized by his ardent expression.
Again he stroked her cheek and bent his head. This time his lips left hers and wandered to her neck, sending her heartbeat into frenzy. His hand moved down her side to her waist and then down to her leg, caressing the back of her knee in a delightful way. He was so gentle, so sweet. Could this actually be Cade? And then he moved over her, his fingers sliding up her arm as it lay beside her head. Lacing his fingers through hers, his palms touched hers – so warm and exciting. His lips became more urgent as they found hers again.
For a moment she had the shocking realization that the situation was out of control. She squirmed to get out from under him, but the movement was misinterpreted. She caught her breath in a startled gasp of pain.
“Russ?”
“Darling,” He spoke in a husky whisper. His warm breath quickened against her throat. His lips found hers in an ardent kiss.
In the fog of desire she knew one thing - it was too late to protest. All desire to push him away vanished and she clung to him, lost in the ecstasy of his urgent lovemaking.
Courtship of the Recluse Page 8