“I’m no bluebelly, miss,” he chuckled. “I’m your help you called for and a Cajun brat through and through. I grew up in these here parts.”
“You said ‘Pe-can’ not ‘Puh-cahn’…” she argued, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him.
“My father grew up in Philly but I swear… I was raised here and why are we even discussing this? Do you need help or not?”
“Yes. That’s my car over yonder.”
“The Toyota?”
“Yep. Her name’s Dixie.”
“Of course, you named your car Dixie,” he grinned, shaking his head. Who was this crazy woman? Cade surveyed the area and saw that the massive tree that had blocked the road was pushed slightly sideways now.
The water was creeping slowly along, but the direction it was turned created a break in the flow. That might be enough for him to get to her. He wasn’t sure what he would do once he reached her but if what she said was true about the house groaning… there was a possibility that it would come free from its foundation too. That would be a shame to lose something so old and so beautiful.
“I’m headed your way,” he called out.
“Do be careful!” she called and actually waved a handkerchief towards him.
Cade grinned as he tested the water before him with the stick. The current was yanking it past and he would need to stand firm, making his way towards her.
“I plan on it,” he muttered, still tickled that she was ordering him about and bellyachin’ about how he pronounced the word pecan. He slowly made his way towards the enormous tree that had water splashing up and over the massive trunk. Yes, it was definitely making a break in the water. Progressing forward, he heard her muttering to herself but couldn’t decipher what she was saying.
“Everything all right?”
“Not at all, sir,” she said, sounding perturbed. He glanced up to see her frowning and a splash of adorable freckles across her nose that had obviously been hidden from where he’d been standing before.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t think you’re an officer of the law,” she said, her drawl heavy. “What protector would be out here with a mongrel about his shoulders?”
“Grizzly is no mongrel,” he said with a frown and straightened up. “I can leave if there is no emergency here. I’m sure someone else would appreciate this bluebelly and mongrel helping them out.”
“Wait! Don’t go! I’m sorry!” she called out and the heavy accent was now gone.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t understand your clipped words…” he teased, watching her kneel towards him as he pushed forward through the water. “You sound… almost like a Yankee? No! That couldn’t be, could it?”
“Hush. You shouldn’t say such things.”
“Where are you from?”
“Chicago,” she whispered, her face flushing prettily.
“What’s your name?” he asked, looking up at her where she knelt down before him in an effort to get closer to his eyelevel. The massive amount of fabric to her gown ballooned out around her and puddled beautifully around her in ripples of material.
He couldn’t help the fascination he felt as he stared up at her beautiful eyes. They were a myriad of colors, with bits of brown, green, and blue. Grizzly broke the moment as he jumped off his shoulders. Cade winced as the nails of the dog dug into him through his uniform shirt.
“Caroline Dawson,” she breathed, her hand fluttering nervously to her chest. Cade flushed almost as much as she had when his eyes followed her gloved hand. The swell of cleavage made him swallow hard as he looked away quickly.
There was certainly something to those beautiful southern gowns, he thought wildly.
“What’s your name, officer?”
“Cade Richards,” he answered, looking back up at her. “Officer Richards, ma’am—and my mongrel who’s licking your elbow is Grizzly.”
“I shouldn’t have said that,” she admitted, petting the large K-9 unapologetically just before he could caution her not to touch the dog. K-9 animals bonded with their owners and it was best to have them left alone by others. This strange woman obviously had a gift with animals because Grizzly normally growled, earning his name.
“Apparently he’s not holding it against you.”
“Are you?”
“No.”
“Thank you for that.”
“Are you ready?”
“For what?”
“To get out of here?”
“Oh yes. Very much so.”
“Perfect. Hop down.”
“Excuse me?”
“Hop down. I won’t let you fall.”
“You are standing… in the water,” she said in a confused voice.
“And I’m surrounded by it too. We both are,” he corrected with a smile that he couldn’t hold back. “We are both getting in the water and heading for safety.”
“No.”
“Whaddya mean ‘no’?”
“This gown is a reproduction that cost me a small fortune.”
“Take it off,” he said with a shrug.
“ABSOLUTELY NOT!”
“Then hop on in.”
“I’m not getting in the water. It’s mucky and…”
Cade reached up and grabbed the woman under her arms, pulling her forward bodily against him right off the verandah. He stepped backwards blindly to brace himself as she landed limply against him in stunned surprise. She blinked uncomprehendingly and stared at him.
He stared back, lost in her gaze.
Chapter 4
The officer before her was handsome, but as she watched him fight his way through the water that was rising and preventing her escape, her breath caught. As he neared, she saw him for the first time. Tall, lean, beautiful, with strong features that seemed to be almost stern in appearance.
He looked as stunned to see her as she was in viewing him—and the attraction she felt. She’d never been a sucker for uniforms in the past, but certainly understood the attraction now. Had black polyester blend ever been so darn appealing? His pale green eyes were watching her, and she saw the flicker of something in his gaze.
Swoon-worthy.
Officer Richards was witty with a streak of stubbornness that showed he was used to getting his way. Caroline wasn’t one to argue or debate, but something in her flared up as she found herself wanting to challenge him. She wanted to talk more, to know more about him, and it was the craziest moment… the most insane situation to be in right now. The water that had once been at the gorgeous officer’s knees as he trudged over was now nearing his hips.
Oh landsakes… don’t think of his hips and how the belt sits low on them, she mused silently, laying a hand on her chest to slow her rampant heartbeat. What was it about this officer that was making her perfectly nutty right now?
What was he saying now? His beautiful lips were moving, but her brain wasn’t clicking right now. She saw that faint smile touch his lips and clenched her gloved hand tightly to keep from reaching forward to trace the outline of them.
Focus, Caroline! He’s talking to you and you are practically a drooling idiot right now!
“Whaddya mean ‘no’?” he asked with a slight frown.
Had frowns ever been so magical?
My goodness, that little crease between his eyebrows needs a sweet brief kiss to smooth it away—and by golly—she could be the girl to do it! What would it be like… wait! What? Officer Richards wants her to get in the water?
Caroline blinked at him in disgust and affront.
She was not getting in that water. It was swirling about his rugged lean hips and there were sticks, leaves, and who-knows-what was floating in there. It looked like filthy bathwater and weren’t there fish, snakes, and reptiles in this neck of the woods?
On top of that, this ballgown was the best one she owned! If she got in there… ugh!… Caroline shivered.
“This gown is a reproduction that cost me a small fortune.”
“Take it off,
” he said with a shrug.
“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” she bit out in mock horror and fought the flare of desire that set her pulse from thrumming to rampant-heart-attack-mode. He wanted her to strip out of her gown? Right now? Even her earlobes were hot, and she knew she was blushing from top to bottom at the very scandalous idea of it!
“Then hop on in.”
“I’m not getting in the water. It’s mucky and…”
Officer Richards moved quickly and she couldn’t dart away fast enough from where she was kneeling down on the porch of the antebellum mansion because of her stays, hoops, and yards of fabric. Before she could move, his hands grasped her under her arms, yanking her right off her perch. She felt his heated hands through the material and bit her tongue painfully. Before she could even utter a word, she was standing there in the water, pressed up against the gorgeous officer.
She blinked uncomprehendingly and stared at him as he looked at her, just as stunned. Her hands were resting on his shoulders, clinging, as she realized he was nearly a foot taller than her. She could see a faint blond shadow on his chin showing a slight bit of scruff. His lips parted wordlessly. They stood there awkwardly for a moment as she felt the water soak into her many layers of her gown. It was quite ruined, but might be worth it, for this interlude to be indelibly etched on her mind forever.
“It’s warm,” she whispered in surprise.
“It’s very warm.”
Caroline caught her breath as she detected a note to his voice. Was he just as intrigued as her? She noticed that he hadn’t released her yet, in fact, his hands were resting on her waist just below the waterline. As long as he didn’t let go, she felt safe right here in his arms—and it was a stunning realization.
“You shouldn’t take such liberties, sir.”
“I haven’t even started yet.”
“Shameful,” she said coyly as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she tried flirting with him. She never did this! She focused on absorbing every bit of history out there, studying it to a fault, and now wondered about the present-day world around her as she saw him smile softly to her.
“Blatantly so,” he agreed.
Caroline couldn’t help the sigh of contentment that escaped her as she met his smile. He glanced away and looked past her, giving a quick nod.
“We need to get moving.”
“I’m good,” she quipped without thinking, lacing her fingers behind his neck. She felt her heart falter as he chuckled lightly, smiling directly at her.
“Sweet Caroline, we are leaving the ‘mucky’ waters and heading for the high ground.”
She floundered for a moment and yanked her hands away in embarrassment as she realized that she’d read the moment incorrectly. He wasn’t interested in her and she was obviously fantasizing about him being the lead in one of her trashy novels. This was not the case.
“Sorry officer.”
“Hey. Watch your footing,” he instructed, grasping her upper arm as she felt a strange sucking sensation around her legs that nearly knocked her down.
“I keep sliding forward but I’m not slipping.”
“It’s the current,” he informed and glanced down. “I’m betting you are waterlogged right about now and it’s probably causing more drag too. Take off your skirts.”
“Seriously? Are we back at that?”
“Caroline,” he said with a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes. “Trust me, hon. My first job is to get us all to safety. I have a raft in a package on my person but it will never hold you, Grizzly, and a hundred pounds of water-logged material safely.”
“What about you?”
“I plan on being with you both.”
“But not on the raft?”
“Caroline,” he interrupted, “your skirts.”
“They are sewn on.”
“I’m betting they are period accurate,” he countered with a knowing smile. “If so, then they aren’t sewn on. They are tied about the waist under the overskirt.”
Caroline gaped at him in shock.
“How d'you know that?”
“I grew up here and my family loves the history of the area. I moved from drummer to infantrymen as I grew up. I play a part in the 3rd Regiment in the reenactments during the fall here.”
“You do?”
“I certainly do,” he said with a nod. “Now, back to your under-skirting before you lose your balance and we end up in deeper water?”
“Look away, please,” she said nervously, knowing she would have to yank up the heavy material that actually was pulling at her legs terribly. Her period slippers were awfully slick in the grass too, so it would be a blessing to lose the heavy skirting.
“How about I just stand here, holding your arm to steady you, and close my eyes?”
Caroline nodded, mortified, but realized he was right. She yanked at the material and felt almost trapped as the water made horrific sucking sounds as she tried desperately to pull the overskirt up enough to reach the ties at her back. Every time she pulled it upwards and had to adjust her hands, it was getting pulled back down and the water was getting higher. Panic was making her hands shake, and she was trying not to get hysterical as she realized suddenly that she might drown in the very getup she treasured.
“Officer Richards?” she squeaked and heard the panic in her voice.
“Shhh. I’ve got you. Call me Cade,” he mumbled gently. “Look at me, Caroline.”
She glanced up and saw the firm look of certainty in his eyes.
“I will not let anything happen to you. I promise. Do you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Now I will help you and this won’t take but a moment. Okay?”
Caroline nodded and ignored the flush of embarrassment as he moved behind her, blocking some water flow that was pressing at the back of her heavy gown. She felt him grasp her waist to steady her and ignored the feeling of her skirts being yanked upwards.
This was for her safety and nothing else.
NOTHING ELSE, she repeated over and over again silently.
She felt the ties suddenly loosen and slink down into the water around her legs as Cade pulled her upwards out of the water. Stunned, she felt the layers of under-skirting rip off her legs with force and weight, taking one of her slippers off her foot with it.
The power of the water was stunning and frightening at the same time. Cade set her down in the water and she shivered as her toes on her right foot smushed indelicately in the wet grass.
“Better?”
“Much,” she nodded. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome,” he said politely with a smile. “Now let’s get going, polka dots.”
“What?”
“Let’s get going.”
“Why d'you… ohhh my gosh…” she said faintly as she saw his knowing grin. “You lecherous buffoon!”
“What?” he grinned, and she saw his cheeks were bright pink with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help it. The fabric of your pantaloons was thin and the red polka dots caught my eye. I wasn’t trying to look; they were just there.”
“You didn’t have to say anything either!” she said hotly.
“I’m trying to keep you preoccupied so you don’t panic.”
“Well, it's certainly working because I’m wondering if I could wallop you upside the head and blame it on the flooding,” she snarled hotly, not that she was mad, but because if she had known he would get a glimpse of her most comfortable granny-panties, she might have bought something racy at the store just for this moment. At least she didn’t have her period-panties on!
Thank God for small favors, she thought, mortified.
“That would be assaulting an officer… and right now that could be construed as threatening one,” he chuckled, before reaching out to steady her.
“And you looking at my panties could be sexual harassment!”
“Touché, ma petite fille,” he drawled, and she practically purred at the husky timbre of his drawl. “What do yo
u say that we get to safety? Then if you still want to wallop me, I might let you, and call it even.”
“Either that or… never mind.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Let’s get you out of here,” he replied gently. “Maybe we can talk over dinner or coffee?”
“Are you asking me out?”
“I’ve already been to third base,” he teased as she glanced up at him in shock and disbelief only to see his apologetic smile. “It wasn’t deliberate either, Caroline, but rather to help. I would rather get to know you over dinner and maybe see what first base is like.”
“So far you are striking out, officer.”
“I realize that—that is why I want to apologize the right way.”
“Do you ask out all your rescues?”
“Just the ones that call me a bluebelly in a lovely southern drawl,” he admitted and fished a small yellow packet out of his buttoned shirt pocket. “Would milady like a raft for her chariot?”
“Very much so… since I lost a shoe.”
“Let’s get out of here then,” he said with a nod as it started raining heavier. He glanced upwards at the sky and let out a little curse. “Let’s definitely get to higher ground. I have no desire to hang on to both you and Grizzly in this water.”
“I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
“Me neither and I will be needed elsewhere too,” he said distractedly, opening the packet. “Although, this is my favorite rescue, ever.”
“Probably the weirdest.”
“The very best,” he corrected with a shy smile.
Chapter 5
Caroline was swept up into Cade’s arms before being deposited into the tiny yellow raft. She clung to his neck for a second as he’s picked her up just like the heroes in romance books before the moment had passed. She got a whiff of his cologne and felt the brush of his whiskers against her cheek. She couldn’t help the sigh of delight that escaped her and frankly couldn’t care if he heard it at that very moment.
Sitting up in the raft, Cade waded forward towards the mansion, pushing the raft ahead of him. She realized he had been so right in getting rid of the massive amount of material because it would make it impossible for him to get in the tiny raft.
The Rising River Rescue Page 2
