by Nancy M Bell
Once everyone finished eating, they moved into the large living room. Michelle slipped out to the kitchen to check on the puppy brood with Storm and lingered over the dishes and washing up. The temperature in the room climbed a hundred degrees as Cale carried the last of the platters in from the table. He closed the door carefully behind him after depositing the china on the sideboard. His long legs brought him to the sink quicker than Michelle anticipated, and he caught her by surprise, taking a wet plate from her hand as she was setting it in the dish drainer. Her gaze flashed to his face, and suddenly Michelle forgot how to breathe. Dark fires of desire kindled in his eyes, bursting into raging flames as he set the plate down and settled his hands on her shoulders. Nothing existed except the heat in her belly and the expression on his face holding her mesmerized. Cale’s head dipped toward her, his breath was sweet with the scent of coffee and maple syrup. What a silly thing to think was her last coherent thought before his lips captured hers. The dish cloth slipped through her fingers and splashed into the soapy water. She remembered how to breathe when Cale’s tongue slid over her lower lip, Michelle clutched his shirt in her hand to keep from landing on the floor. With a fierceness that surprised her, she pulled him closer, catching his lip gently in her teeth. His heart hammered against her fingers fisted in the cloth of his shirt. Kissing Rob was never like this, never so overwhelming and blotting out everything around her. The thought skittered across her mind before fleeing at the touch of his hands in her hair. There was no room for anything beyond the feel of his body against hers.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something?” Stacey’s icy tones dropped heavily into the silence.
Michelle jumped in surprise and pushed away from Cale. He held her loosely in the circle of his arms, resting his forehead against hers for a moment. Michelle smiled slightly at the cuss words he whispered before he raised his head to look at Stacey.
“Nope, not interrupting at all.”
Cale shocked Michelle by pulling her into his chest and fastening his lips on hers. She stared at him in disbelief before her eyes fluttered closed. Michelle felt Cale break the kiss and tuck her comfortably against him, his chin resting on the top of her head. Her pulse hammered in her ears; her brain refused to process any thoughts.
“What just happened?”
“I think I just kissed you.” Cale’s chest vibrated under her cheek.
“Why?” She couldn’t think of a nicer way to phrase her bewilderment.
“Why does any man kiss a woman?”
Cale drew back from her, so he could see her face. Michelle lowered her head; she didn’t want him to see the emotions she was sure were plainly written on her countenance.
“Look at me, Michelle. Stop running away from me.” He commanded gently.
The sound of the door opening startled her, and she pushed free of Cale’s embrace.
“Mary’s looking for you, Chelly.” Rob frowned as he quickly interpreted exactly what it was he interrupted.
“Don’t you ever call me that again.” Michelle flashed angrily at Rob as she pushed by him to get out the door. She turned in the doorway, fixing him with a cold stare that surprised even her at the intensity. “Never. We’re not kids anymore, and I’m not sure I even know you now.” Before Rob could get a word in, she spun on her heel and marched through the door, which snicked closed behind her with a prophetic finality.
Michelle found Mary by the Christmas tree, waiting on her before they started to open the pile of gifts glittering under the green branches. Cale and Rob joined them minutes later, laughing at some shared amusement. Michelle threw them both a dark scowl sure their merriment had something to do with her. Men, cowboys always sticking together, at the moment the sight of both men sickened her. She turned when Mary laid a hand on her arm.
“This is from Doc and me. I hope you like it.” Mary handed her a gaily wrapped package and kissed her cheek.
Michelle peeled the paper back from the box and dug through the tissue paper inside. Her fingers found the treasure, and she pulled it from the wrappings. The morning light fell on the framed painting she held in trembling hands. The oils brought the subject to life—Michelle and Tags, her barrel horse, in full flight rounding the third barrel and heading for home at the CFR in Edmonton the year before. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
“It’s amazing. Thank you. How did you know I wanted something like this to remember him by?” Michelle leaned forward and hugged Mary before she leaned back against Doc’s knees and smiled up at him.
“I was there when you lost him, remember, Chelly? I know how much that horse meant to you.” Doc laid a hand on her hair.
“I never should have put him on the trailer that night. I should have waited until the snow stopped in the morning.” Rob spoke softly, and Kayla put her hand on his arm.
“It wasn’t anybody’s fault but mine. I could have made you wait, but I wanted to get home to tell everyone about…” Michelle’s voice trailed off, she just couldn’t force out the words. They were in a hurry to get home and tell everyone about the engagement. For a moment, bitterness flooded her mouth, regret curdled in her chest. What ifs didn’t change anything. Couldn’t take back the semi-truck with a pup trailer jack-knifing into Rob’s truck and trailer. Didn’t change the fact Tags was crushed in the trailer. Michelle closed her eyes against the memory of him screaming. Horses should never have cause to scream like that, ever. The only good thing about the night was Doc following them and being there to slide the needle into his vein and stop the pain. Michelle remembered crawling into the mangled wreck to hold him steady while Doc wriggled in to end it. The snow swirled through the wreck of the trailer, the wind howled wildly, driving wickedly across the highway. Tags quieted when he heard her voice and felt her hand on his head. Then he was gone, the light stealing from his eyes as she watched.
“Chelly, don’t think about the bad part. This is supposed to remind you about the good times and what a great team you were.” Mary wiped tears from her eyes.
“I know.” Michelle sniffed and rubbed the tears from her face with her shirt sleeve. She scrambled to her feet, clutching the painting and started for the kitchen. Rob and Cale moved forward to follow her.
“I need a minute alone. I’ll be right back.” She hurried through the door, fresh tears streaming from her eyes.
Storm stuck her nose into Michelle’s hand when she sat down at the table, staring through blurred eyes at the painting. Suddenly, it was all too much. Rob and Kayla, Cale and Stacey, and what the hell was he doing kissing her in the kitchen when his girlfriend was in the next room? What the hell was she doing letting him kiss her in the first place. Thank God Cale’s parents weren’t able to make it for breakfast. Meeting them would have been more than she could take right now. Without stopping to analyse why, she scooped up the puppies, tucked them in the kennel, and headed out the door with Storm on her heels and the painting snugged under her arm. She fished the keys out of her pocket and within seconds had everything inside. She turned the key, waited impatiently for the glow plug, and started the truck. She reversed out of the drive, glancing back at the house before slipping the truck into first gear and driving onto the snow-packed road. From the corner of her eye, she saw Cale, or maybe Rob, coming down the back steps. Michelle turned her gaze resolutely to the narrow road in front of her. She checked her rear view mirror before pulling out on to the highway, breathing a sigh of relief when it remained empty. The last thing she needed right now was to talk to anyone.
Snow spiralled down from the cloudy sky. She grinned at the capriciousness of the Alberta weather. An hour ago, the sky was blue and the sun shining; now it was clouded up and snowing to beat the band. She stroked Storm’s head where it lay on her thigh. Shortly, she turned down her lane and parked by the porch in the lee of the garage.
“Well, pretty dog, what are you and I going to have for Christmas dinner? You think I should have thought about that before we bolted?
”
Storm followed her out of the truck and stood with her tail wagging while Michelle gathered up the kennel and her painting. The black dog hopped up the broad steps and waited by the door.
Once inside, Michelle stirred up the fire in the kitchen stove and then rummaged in her pantry for a suitable Christmas dinner. The phone rang sharply in the stillness of the empty house, startling her into dropping a tinned ham on the floor.
“Oh, for the love of God, just leave me alone.” She raged at no one in particular as she crossed the floor.
“Hello?” Michelle growled into the phone.
“It’s me, Michelle. Are you okay? I just wanted to make sure you got home okay.” Mary’s tone was soothing.
“I’m fine. I’m home.”
“We’re sorry, honey. We both thought the painting was the perfect gift.” Mary sounded on the verge of tears.
“I love the painting, Mary.” Michelle let out a deep breath. “It’s just….just everything. You know, Rob and Kayla, Stacey. Cale. It’s just too much for me today. I mean last year I was all excited about getting married, and now…well, now Rob’s married but not to me, and I’ve got the ranch to run by myself. I just couldn’t stay, Mary. Please tell Doc how much I love the picture. I’ll run in tomorrow, and we’ll have tea and a visit. I’ve gotta go, Mary. Love you.”
“Love you too, girl. Call me if you need anything. You have something there for dinner, or should I have Doc run out with a care package of turkey and stuffing?” Mary offered.
“I fine, Mary. Really, I just need to be alone.”
Michelle hung up the phone and dropped into a chair by the table. She supported her head on her hands and stared out the window at the swirling snow. A glance at her watch told her it was going on three in the afternoon. She shook her head and stood up reaching for the cup on the table. The curdled cream floating on top of the cold coffee made her grimace. She carried it over to the sink and dumped the contents down the drain. Judging from the snow accumulated on the porch, Michelle had spent far too much time brooding over her cold coffee.
“Time for chores, little dog.” Michelle set a bowl of food down for Storm, laughing as the puppies wriggled their way toward it. “You’re too young yet, puppies; let your momma eat.”
Michelle made short work of the chores, and she stepped out of the shelter of the barn, pulling the door closed behind her. She automatically checked to be sure the latch was caught and turned to head toward the house. The short winter afternoon was deepening into twilight, the wind picking up and sending tall whirlwinds of snow spiralling into the darkening sky. What little light there was leaked out of the sky as she trudged through the deepening snow to the house. She paused on the porch when she spotted two points of light approaching through the blowing curtain of white. A smile crossed her face, trust Mary to send Doc out in a storm to bring her a Christmas care package of food. She felt the smile fade when the truck stopped by the garage. It wasn’t Doc’s truck. It looked like Cale’s. Michelle ground her teeth and pulled the mud room door open with more force than was strictly necessary. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Leaning on it, Michelle used every cuss word she had ever heard. She stayed there in the dark room until boots thumped loudly on the porch. Michelle flicked on the overhead light before opening the door to Cale’s knock.
“Mary asked me to drop this off to you.” Cale stood in the open doorway; snow sparkled in his dark hair and adorned his wide shoulders. “Do you need any help with the stock? Doc was worried about you traipsing around the corrals on your own in the storm.”
“Chores are done.” Michelle said shortly, making no move to take the packages from his arms.
“Can I come in for a minute?”
Cale took a step forward, and Michelle reluctantly moved out of the doorway. She shut the door behind him before following into the kitchen. Mary would have her hide if she refused the care package of food.
A deep breath did nothing to lessen the tension in Michelle’s chest. Storm, you traitor. A sense of betrayal lanced through her at the dog’s display of happiness as she greeted Cale. The animal’s long plumed tail walloped the floor while her tongue lolled out the side of the mutt’s mouth. Cale set the food on the table before getting down on the floor to pet Storm and play with the puppies. Michelle stood stubbornly by the door, refusing to be drawn into the homey tableau playing out on her kitchen floor. Four puppies wormed their way into the vet’s lap while another gnawed on his sock. She hardened her heart against the gentleness of his hands and the warmth of his smile when two puppies braced their sturdy legs on his chest and wiped his face with their tongues.
Tearing her gaze away from Cale and the puppies, she crossed the floor to the counter and started another pot of coffee. Watching the brew trickle into the pot made it easier for Michelle to stay mad. Watching the cute guy on her floor playing with puppies did nothing to fuel the fires of her anger. It was just too cute.
“Damn, you little rat puppy!”
Cale’s exclamation brought Michelle’s attention back to reality. She whirled around; coffee pot in one hand, cup in the other. Hot coffee splashed over her hand and onto the floor. She smothered an oath before setting pot and cup onto the counter. Turning on the cold water in the sink, she plunged her hand under the stream. Cale set the puppies back in their bed and scrambled to his feet. Michelle felt the bulk of his presence at her back even though she had no intention of looking at him. She started in surprise when he gently grasped her wrist, removing it from the cold water to take a look at the burn.
“It’s nothing, just smarts a bit.”
Michelle snatched her hand back and turned to glare at him. Laughter burst from her mouth instead. Blood trickled down the sides of Cale’s nose from the tiny puncture wounds of the puppy’s sharp teeth. A frown creased his forehead at the blood dripping onto his white shirt sleeve. Michelle picked up a clean dish towel from the counter and handed it to him. Cale wiped up the worst of the mess before applying a cold, wet towel to the wound.
“You forgot to mention the little beasts are part vampire.”
“I don’t recall you asking.”
“Fair enough.”
Cale grinned at her over the cloth held to his injured nose. Michelle reached up and pulled the cloth from his face, her fingers lingering on his. Involuntarily, she took a step closer when Cale tipped his head down toward her. The dish towel fell to the floor as Michelle closed her hands tightly on the fabric of his shirt. A shudder ran through her when Cale’s arms tightened around her. For a moment, she forgot she was mad at him, forgot she didn’t like him. Michelle’s gaze was drawn to his mouth. She tipped her head back to see his eyes. The passion smouldering there jumpstarted her pulse. Her mouth opened, and she ran her tongue over suddenly dry lips. All the breath rushed from her lungs as Cale crushed her to his chest and captured her mouth with his. Shock held her immobile for a second, the next, she returned his kiss with a fervour that matched his. Michelle grabbed hold of her libido before it ran off with her. The man has a girlfriend, you idiot. Her sensible side spoke to the wanton part of her that was urging her to rip off his clothes. Forcing an elbow into his chest, Michelle broke free and scooted away from him.
“Isn’t Stacey going to be annoyed waiting in the truck? I’m surprised she hasn’t come knocking at the door looking for you.” Michelle couldn’t keep the tremor from her voice or stop the breathless hitch at the end of her sentence.
Emotion still darkened his gaze, tempered with a smidge of annoyance as Cale crossed the floor to grip her upper arms. Michelle stubbornly buried her hands in her pockets and stared at the buttons on his shirt. Briefly, she considered kicking him in the shins and locking herself in the bathroom until he left, or maybe kicking him somewhere a little higher than his shin. A tiny smile quirked the corners of her mouth before she could stop it.
“Whatever you’re thinking, it doesn’t bode well for me, I’m sure.” His breath tickled her cheek. “Listen t
o me, Michelle. I’m not going to say it again. Stacey is not my girlfriend, understand, not my girlfriend. We went to high school together. She came to Longview to visit an old friend who just bought a house here. She’s had a rough go of it lately. Her fiancé cheated on her and emptied her bank account. She’s my friend, nothing else.”
“Didn’t look like a friend to me,” Michelle muttered obstinately.
“Stacey likes to tease. Sometimes what she finds amusing, I fail to appreciate.”
Michelle wrapped her arms around herself when Cale dropped his hands from her shoulders and stepped back. Warily, she looked up at his face.
“You either believe me, or you don’t. I’m done defending myself to you.”
“I’m so confused, Cale. Rob and Kayla were the last thing I needed today. I thought I knew Rob and look where that landed me. We grew up together, for God’s sake.” Tears welled in her eyes.
“I’m not Rob. I will never be Rob. If you can’t let him go, I’m wasting your time, and mine.” Cale’s words fell flatly into the space separating them.
Michelle tried to find the words to explain. Thoughts and phrases chased themselves around in her head, but she couldn’t force anything to come out of her mouth. She watched numbly while Cale gathered his coat and hat before opening the mud room door. He paused and turned back to her. Michelle’s heart jumped into her throat. The power of the joy his actions caused surprised her with its intensity.
“I forgot to tell you, George is home. He stopped at Doc’s figuring you’d be there. I left him and Stacey with their heads together, yakking like long lost friends.”
Cale jammed his hat on his head and yanked the porch door open. Quicker than a crippled dog should be able to move, Storm flashed across the kitchen through the open mud room door. She dashed between Cale’s legs and disappeared into the blowing snow. Cale picked himself up from where he landed in the snow bank on the porch at the same moment Michelle arrived at the door in hot pursuit of Storm. She slammed into his chest and sent both of them back into the drift Cale just extricated himself from.
