by Vella Munn
He’d been blindsided by this complex and fascinating woman, didn’t know how to back away.
But he had to.
His headlights picked up a pair of glowing eyes near the ground. He slowed even more and leaned over the steering wheel trying to identify the creature. Whatever it was darted into the undergrowth. Easing past where he’d spotted his nighttime companion, he wished Alisha was here because she’d probably know.
Alisha. A lovely, intelligent, and lonely woman.
No. He wouldn’t, couldn’t yet end things between them.
He turned on the brights. Light illuminated a tunnel through the wilderness night, reminding him of countless rides along countless back roads and trails. Whether he was in his truck or on his bike didn’t make much difference as long as he was free to go where he wanted, when he wanted.
Free.
Was that it? Alisha’s impact on his senses was separating him from that all-important sense of freedom? Hemming him in?
Yes. Tomorrow after work needed to be about his bike under him. Recapturing what had long felt good.
Alone.
*
“EITHER THE MAN’S just plain crazy, or he’s crazy about you.”
Alisha looked around to make sure Doc’s grandson wasn’t within earshot but she hadn’t needed to bother because Rance hadn’t left Nate’s side since Nate and three other men had shown up.
In contrast, she’d been careful to keep her distance from Nate and noted that he looked at her only briefly. Thank goodness no one knew what had almost broken loose between them the other night. It was enough to deal with the memories on her own.
“I’m not touching that comment,” Alisha said. “As for why the men committed to the project, maybe it’s a guy thing.”
“Maybe,” Doc muttered. “I’m not much good with machinery or construction, but give me an appliance or tool, or even a watch, and I’m in my element.”
“Sounds like working on small things is an occupational hazard for a dentist.”
“And maybe tinkering with electric razors gave me an excuse for not putting on a new roof.”
Doc and she were in lawn chairs some fifty feet from where four men stood in thigh deep water while using two jacks to lift the dock’s low side. She’d told Doc about meeting Rey and Shaw. Then they’d agreed that working with Echo Rose was easier than before the young ranger had shown up.
Doc mentioned that Echo had come by the other day and asked about her. Alisha made a promise to herself to get in touch with Echo as soon as possible. Her understanding was that Echo was single. It wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility that they would become friends. Talking about people Doc and she knew helped her keep her equilibrium.
She could see almost everything the men were doing and heard much of the conversation. She occasionally contributed a suggestion, comment, or joke. Simple, everyday things. No dangerous undercurrents.
So far.
They’d started by letting two metal plates sink to the lake floor under the dock to serve as a base for the jacks but lifting the dock enough to pull the footings out of the muck was proving difficult. In addition, it was cool today and whitecaps kept splashing the men.
“I think you have a construction worker on your hands.” She observed as Nate showed Rance how to work the jack.
“I want him up here as much as possible this summer,” Doc said. “His dad’s on the road more than he’s home.”
Rance’s father was a long-distance trucker. Other than that, she didn’t know much about the man. Fortunately, Rance had an on-scene grandfather who owned a summer cabin complete with plenty of outdoor activities.
Nate placed his hand on Rance’s shoulder and told him to stop pumping the jack handle. Then Nate leaned over and stared at the bottom of the lake. Teeth clenched, he dropped to his knees. Cold water covered him to his neck as he felt with his hands.
“We’re clear,” he announced. “Alisha, how level do you want this sucker?”
It wasn’t absolutely level but much straighter than before. “Just like it is. Perfect.”
“I like that woman,” one of the other men said. “Good enough for government work, right?”
“Right,” she replied. “Nate, do you have a dry shirt?”
“Unfortunately this isn’t the only time I’ll have to do that. We’re ready to start jockeying the other plates into place.”
She wasn’t sure how long the men had been here, over an hour. Initially, she’d had her doubts that their plan would work, but she no longer did. Her appreciation ran deep, particularly for Nate who now stood with his back to Rance so the boy could wring out Nate’s dripping shirt. When Rance was done, Nate held up his hand in a high five. Rance slapped it.
“Easy young man.” Nate teased. “Don’t cripple your elder.”
“You aren’t old.”
“There’s hope for your grandson,” Nate told Doc. “Don’t throw him away.”
“Let’s see how we feel once he’s a teenager. We might want to lock him up.”
Nate slipped his arm around the boy’s shoulder. “You’re doing fine. What I need you to do now is keep the jack level while we get the plates in place.”
“I won’t let it tilt.”
“Nate’s good for Rance,” Doc softly told her. “He understands the boy needs a man in his life.”
She’d already come to the same conclusion. Maybe Nate’s ability to relate to Rance came from having a younger brother although maybe Nate could see past Rance’s eagerness to his aloneness. Nate would make a good father.
He’d make a fantastic lover.
After leaving Rance, Nate selected another plate, lugged it down the bank, and into the water. Rance watched wide-eyed. She wasn’t far behind him, especially now that she saw Nate’s straining muscles beneath the wet shirt.
Maybe she didn’t want him to change into a dry shirt after all. When the work was finished, she’d strip the drenched one off him. She’d hand him a blanket, take the shirt into the cabin, and hang it near the wood stove. He’d have to stay until the shirt dried.
Maybe that would take until morning.
Was she ready for that?
Was he?
“Do you mind keeping an eye on Rance?” Doc asked. “I want to check on the stuff in the slow cooker.”
“Stuff?” She smiled. “Seriously, if you weren’t married, I’d go after you. You’re an incredible cook.”
“I’m not sure how a harem works. That might be something we could look into.”
She agreed, feeling a little rueful—her mother probably hadn’t seen her summer neighbor’s fun-loving side… She reminded herself she couldn’t change the past. Fortunately, she didn’t have to cast around for something to put her mind on. As she understood it, Nate had come up with the basic plan for the dock. Bottom line, this man didn’t shy away from hard work.
“Is he your boyfriend?” Rance asked as he sat in the chair his grandfather had vacated.
“No. What gave you that idea?”
“He’s helping you when he doesn’t need to. And the two of you act, I don’t know, like my cousin does around her boyfriend. He’s a dork. Nate isn’t.”
Chuckling, she reminded herself to tell Nate he’d been declared a non-dork. Rance didn’t stay with her long, obviously preferring the company of men. She’d heard one of them talking about his children. Another’s wife was pregnant with their first child. These were men who saw twelve-year-old boys as actual human beings.
After more straining, a couple of intense discussions, and a few swear words, the job was complete. Next winter’s ice couldn’t twist the dock out of position. The men had come in two vehicles and after downing a few of the beers she’d supplied and going through several bags of chips, all but Nate took off. Nate put his arm around Rance and walked him over to the fire pit. They sat on a couple of logs with Nate looking at Rance and the boy seemingly studying the debris she’d been burning.
“You’re pissed at your
dad.” She heard Nate say. “How about you tell me what the problem is?”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Doc coming their way. The older man stopped and, looking at her, frowned. When she held a finger to her lips, Doc nodded and left.
She couldn’t hear Rance’s reply. Apparently neither could Nate because he asked the boy to repeat himself.
“My dad’s gone all the time. And when he’s home all he wants to do is sleep.”
“He never does anything with you?”
“Sometimes.”
“Give me an example.”
Neither of them seemed to care that she could overhear. She concluded Nate had wanted to have a man-to-man conversation with Rance. Fortunately, he could warm up some while doing so.
Rance dug at the log he was sitting on. “He took me to baseball signups but when they asked if he could help coach, he said it wouldn’t work into his schedule.”
“Given how much time he’s on the road, he’s right.”
“He could do something else.” Rance kept digging.
“Maybe. Maybe not. Rance, it isn’t easy being twelve, but it also isn’t easy being the breadwinner. Your dad’s doing the best he can.”
“That’s what Mom says.”
“But you’re not sure.”
Nate wanted to hug the boy. Seeing how he’d positioned his body left her with no doubt. Maybe he hadn’t because he didn’t want to get between Rance and his thoughts. Maybe he didn’t know how.
“There’s other ways he could earn a living. He says he wants to go back to school, maybe learn a trade like you have.” Rance’s shoulders sagged. “He says that but he doesn’t do it.”
For the first time since he’d sat down, Nate glanced back at her. She couldn’t read his expression.
“How much do you think it would cost for him to go to school?”
“I don’t know.”
“Your mom’s pregnant. She could work once the baby’s born but they’d have to pay for child care unless you’re willing to drop out of school and take care of her or him.”
“No way. I can’t do that.”
“So let’s say your mom works while your dad goes to school and they hire a babysitter. What can she do?”
“She’s a dental hygienist.”
“That’s good, but she probably has tuition bills. Do you know what she makes?”
“No. Hey, I get where you’re going. The family needs Dad’s salary.”
“He drives truck because he loves you and your mother and he probably already loves that unborn baby. Do you know whether it’s a boy or a girl?”
“A girl.”
Nate patted Rance’s shoulder. “How does that make you feel?”
“Kinda good. I have little cousins. They’re a lot of fun.”
Nate again glanced at her, winking this time. “And a lot of work.”
Rance muttered something. Whatever it was prompted Nate to nod.
“Everyone’s in a hurry to grow up,” Nate said. “Kids think being an adult means no more having adults telling them what to do, but that isn’t how life is. I wouldn’t be surprised if your dad didn’t think he’d be spending so much time doing something dangerous when he started driving but—”
“Dangerous?” Rance interrupted. “He just drives.”
“In all kinds of weather with all kinds of drivers around him.”
She didn’t want Nate frightening Rance, but this wasn’t her conversation.
“Has he ever talked to you about what he does and doesn’t like about his job?”
“Not really. I went with him last Christmas. He wants me to go with him again but I might make all-stars.”
“What did you think about traveling with him?”
Rance shrugged. “Okay at first but then it got boring.”
“Do you think your dad wishes he could walk away from that big rig?”
“I’m sure he does sometimes.”
“How does that make you feel?”
Rance stood and started walking around the fire pit. He glanced at her then looked away.
“Not good. I wish there was something I could do to make things better for him.”
“Let your dad know how much you love him. Maybe there’s something you can do to help him stay in touch like Skyping.”
“I know how to do that. Look, I gotta go. Are you going to come back? I’ll be here for a week.”
Nate didn’t immediately answer. Then, “I think I can arrange that.”
Chapter Sixteen
“THAT WAS INCREDIBLE,” Alisha told Nate when they were in the cabin eating dinner. She was emotional from listening to him. “You really reached Rance.”
“Did I?”
She put down her fork and stared at him. His clothes were still damp but he’d said he’d be fine as long as they remained inside with the wood stove going.
“Yes. Did you know what you were going to say or did you wing it?”
He too stopped eating and fastened his gaze on her. Just like that she switched from doing what she could to express her appreciation to seeing him for what he’d become to her—important. The last time she’d seen him, she’d worn one of her few dresses. Tonight she was back in standard cabin attire of jeans and baggy T-shirt. Just the same, she felt feminine. Waiting for something to happen.
“I tried to put myself in both Rance’s and his father’s positions. I would have worded it different if I’d been talking to the older man.”
“You did perfectly. Rance looks up to you so he’s going to listen to you.”
“He does?”
Unable to believe Nate hadn’t seen Rance’s hero worship, she reached out and patted his cool arm. “Yes. He’s looking for a father figure and saw some of what he’s been searching for in you. How does that make you feel?”
The kitchen lights provided enough illumination that she saw Nate’s battle to access his emotions. Everything about him fascinated and spoke to her. All afternoon, she’d been keyed into his movements and words. That awareness had banked inside her until she was floating in it.
“Responsible,” he said followed by a shake of his head. “A good kind of responsible. I want Rance to have a positive relationship with his father.”
“I think you made a big step in that direction.” She again stroked his arm. Because he’d driven his truck, he didn’t have to worry about getting across the lake after dark. “You’ve scored on two levels, first with the dock and later, and more importantly, with Rance.”
He hadn’t reacted to her touch, or, if he had, she hadn’t spotted it. However, he hadn’t gone back to eating.
“What kind of relationship did you have with your father?” she asked. “Maybe that’s what made it possible for you to—”
“My old man and I didn’t have one.”
Suddenly she was no longer looking at a competent and compassionate man. In her mind, he’d become a boy without a father. One who didn’t want to talk about it. “I’m sorry. Maybe he wasn’t in your life. That happens a lot.”
He looked over at Bruce who was waiting to lick plates. “He was there, but he wasn’t much of a father.”
A thousand questions pressed at her, but she didn’t voice any of them. Nate would tell her when he was ready.
If that time ever came.
“There are too many men like that, women, too.” She babbled. “There should be a test people have to take before they can procreate.”
“Yeah.”
Determined to turn things in a safer direction, she asked what he thought of her meat loaf. Judging by his excessive reply, he needed a way out of something he hadn’t wanted to enter. Before she’d asked something she had no right to, sensual awareness had filled the cabin’s air. Now, although she was still acutely aware of him, she didn’t want to risk losing him. He was so innately rugged, male down to his core. Becoming more and more important to her. His body speaking to hers.
Danger maybe just around the corner.
After t
hey’d finished eating, he insisted on helping clean up. She was afraid he’d say he had to leave. Instead, he sat on the couch with his legs outstretched and Bruce taking up the rest of the space. Belonging.
“Does Doc have a cell phone? I want to talk to him before involving Rance in the tree project.”’
“What tree project?”
He waited until she’d sat in the recliner opposite him. “The ones down by the lake.”
“Sorry.” She managed. “I don’t know where my mind is.”
“Work problems?” He nodded at the cell phone she’d left on the table.
More like you problems. “Always, but I don’t want to talk about them. Seriously, you’re my knight in a not-quite-white uniform.” She indicated the shirt still hugging his form.
“I should have brought a change of clothes.” He rubbed his hands over his jeans and wiggled his bare toes. Once they’d come inside, she’d suggested he remove his shoes and socks and leave them near the stove. Now he looked domestic, almost domesticated, and alluring.
She said something about hoping he wouldn’t get cold driving home. Tonight was all about taking one moment at a time, basking in his presence, feeling like a woman. Needing it to last.
When he didn’t reply, she struggled to find something to talk about but couldn’t come up with anything worth the effort. She hadn’t been in a romantic relationship for what, going on two years and even then the man and she had simply drifted close followed by drifting apart. Deciding to sleep with him hadn’t been that big a deal, just another chapter in their casual connection.
This was different.
Something she’d never experienced.
Studying Nate, she admitted how much he’d come to mean to her in a short time. He wouldn’t still be here if he didn’t feel the same way, would he? Only one way to find out.
A little shaky, she stood and closed the scant distance between them. When she leaned over him, he gave her a speculative look. She ran her own successful business, darn it. Surely she could make a move on a man.
This man.
Still trembling, she braced her right hand against the couch arm and leaned even closer. She took his uplifted head as approval.
“I’ve been wanting to do this since you showed up,” she said and brushed her lips over his.
