“Yes. I’ll be back.” Kade knew he’d return to his job for a while, until he decided his next move. He still had two open cases requiring his testimony, if they made it to trial.
Kade watched as Nesto drove down the road toward the highway. It had been a good two weeks. They hadn’t spent such a long stretch together, talking and catching up, in a long time. A few drinks a couple times a week didn’t cut it after a lifetime of friendship. He jumped in his truck and started for the ranch. He had work to do. Heath had told him Trey and his family would be flying in late in the afternoon and asked Kade to make sure their horses were ready for a Saturday ride. He was glad for the distraction. It kept his mind off Brooke.
******
Cam poked his head into Heath’s office. “You have a minute?”
“Sure do.” Heath pushed aside the document he’d been reviewing, thankful for a break from the tedious agreement.
“I heard from Chris at RTC. He and Ty put together a list of requested modifications. Here it is.”
Cam slid a copy across the desk and waited while Heath read through it.
“None of these are deal killers.”
“Rafe refused to give his thoughts. Chris said he’s pretty angry about the whole situation, even though the offer requests he stay on as president with a substantial increase in pay. He and Ty believe Rafe never thought it would go this far. Anyway, he took off yesterday and they can’t find him.”
“Did Chris give any indication Rafe discovered who would be buying the company?” Heath asked.
“No. He said it never came up.”
Heath nodded and glanced down at the list once more. “I’ll get in touch with the others, run the requests by them, and ask Colt to prepare an updated offer.”
“And Rafe?” Cam asked.
“It only takes two to agree to the sale—Chris and Ty. We’ll deal with Rafe if the sale goes through.”
Cam stood and walked toward the door.
“Cam? Don’t forget Trey’s coming in tonight. Supper tomorrow at our place.”
“We’ll be here.”
Heath leaned back in his chair, thinking of Rafe and his reaction to the sale. They’d set a course of action and they had to stick to it, even knowing there would be a confrontation at some point. He and Jace planned to fly to Crooked Tree as soon as the deal finalized, meet with Rafe, and hope some type of compromise could be reached—both for the business and for the family.
******
“They’re here,” Annie called as she walked outside to greet Trey, Jesse, and Trevor, picking up her grandson when he ran toward her. “How was the trip?”
“Easy, as always.” Trey, then Jesse, gave her a hug and followed her inside.
Cassie, Brooke, and Eric were already waiting. The rest of the family and a few friends would be there tomorrow night for supper. Tonight, Trey asked it be kept small.
The supper conversation centered on the orders Jesse, Trey, and the others had received. Lots of questions with few answers.
“I wish I could tell you more. We’ve all been activated, which is odd, but not unheard of. I don’t know how long Trevor will need to stay.” Trey sipped his wine and held Jesse’s hand.
“Trevor will be fine with us for as long as you need. Don’t worry about it.” Heath took another bite of pie, then set down his fork. “The problem is, Annie may not want to give him back.”
Trey looked at his stepmom and chuckled. “That’s what Jesse said.”
“When do you fly out?” Eric asked.
“First of the week,” Trey said. “I’m sorry to end this so early, but I’m beat.” He stood and pulled out Jesse’s chair. “We’ll see you in the morning.”
“Trail ride tomorrow, if you’re up for it.” Eric stood to leave.
“Sounds great. We could use some downtime.”
“Guess I’ll be leaving, too,” Brooke said as she grabbed her keys and purse. “Paige and I will be here early.” She walked out to her car and drove toward her cabin. She could see the lights on in Kade’s place and thought for a moment of turning the wheel instead of heading straight home. They’d spoken little since their return from the weekend trip. He’d kept busy all week, almost as if he meant to avoid her. He’d never been rude, just hadn’t gone out of his way to see her.
Brooke came to the turn and stopped. Left toward her place or right toward his. She sat a moment, weighing the merits of one over the other. She turned left.
“Hey. You’re back early.” Paige finished rinsing her plate and set it on the counter. “Did you have a good time?”
“It’s always good to see them. We’re set for a ride tomorrow morning and supper with everyone tomorrow night.” She tossed her keys on a table and plopped onto the sofa. “Did you speak with Nesto?”
“Yeah. He called right after you left.”
Brooke didn’t respond, slumping further into the sofa.
“Why don’t you drive over and see him?” Paige asked.
Brooke’s head swung to Paige. “You know why. He’s barely spoken to me all week, and has gone out of his way to avoid me sometimes. It’s as if last weekend never happened.”
Paige sat next to her. “Go. You know you want to and nothing will get resolved until you get it all out in the open.” Paige leaned back in the sofa, resting a book in her lap.
“He could slam the door in my face.”
“He won’t.”
******
Kade paced the living room, walking between the sofa, fireplace, and front window, holding a glass of ice water in his hand. He’d just finished five hundred sit-ups and a hundred push-ups, trying to purge Brooke from his mind. It had been a wasted effort. He stopped and gazed outside, taking a long swallow of water, hoping it would cool him off.
For the last hour, he’d thought of nothing except calling Brooke. He’d followed a schedule all week to keep himself too busy to spend time with her. She hadn’t approached him or said anything, even when he’d caught her staring at him, confusion on her face. The time had come to tell her everything or let her go. He walked to the counter, then turned at the sound of a car engine.
Brooke cut the engine and stared at Kade’s cabin. The lights were on, his truck and motorcycle were in the carport, and her heart pounded in a bold staccato. She pulled the key from the ignition, opened the door, and stepped outside, taking a deep breath and forcing her legs to move forward.
She stopped a few inches from the front door. Brooke raised a hand to knock, then wiped her damp hands down her jeans. She swallowed the lump in her throat, took a steadying breath, and tapped on his door.
Kade knew who stood outside, he could feel it. He set down his drink, covered the short distance across the room in a few long strides, and pulled the door open. His eyes wandered over her. She wore jeans, yellow top, and sandals, and was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
“I…uh, hope I’m not—”
He reached out, grabbed her hand, and pulled her inside, kicking the door closed, before pushing her against it and covering her mouth with his.
Brooke’s initial apprehension gave way to an all-consuming desire. She wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the feel of his hard body aligned with hers, his mouth hot and searching. She felt his hands grab hers, pulling them from around his neck and raising them above her head as his lips broke contact with her mouth to move down her neck to her shoulder.
His warm, moist lips set her aflame. He moved up to her mouth, exploring it thoroughly before pulling back, dropping her hands, and resting his forehead against hers.
“Make love to me, Kade,” Brooke whispered as her eyes locked with his.
“Brooke, you don’t know—”
She didn’t let him finish, pulling him back down, her mouth devouring his.
Blood thrummed in Kade’s temples as he felt the heat of her burning through him.
“Please, Kade…”
He swept her into his arms, his mouth fused to hers, and walked t
he few feet to his bedroom, kicking the door open before stopping at the edge of the bed. He lowered her gently and followed her down, aligning his body alongside hers. He rested a hand on her stomach, staring down at her with heated eyes.
“Are you sure?” Kade asked, his voice husky with desire.
She reached up and clasped her hands behind his head, drawing him down, “Yes, quite sure.”
Chapter Fifteen
Brooke stretched, arching her body in a lazy movement, causing Kade’s blood to heat all over again. They’d made love until the early morning, fell asleep, then woke up to make love once more. Still, he wanted her again and ran his knuckles down her cheek, then fingered strands of her long blonde hair. He bent down and pressed his lips to hers, inhaling the coconut vanilla scent he’d come to recognize as hers.
Her eyes, feeling heavy, fluttered open. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, beautiful.”
“Hmmm…I feel good.” Her voice purred and was met by a soft chuckle from Kade.
“I’d hope so.” A crooked smile twisted his lips. He bent and took her mouth with his again before pulling back and sliding out of bed. “I’m starving.” He grabbed his jeans, slipped into them, then turned back toward the bed, throwing his t-shirt at her. “Come on. You can help.”
Brooke watched him walk from the room, admiring his powerful body and the way his jeans hugged every delicious curve. She thought it odd how comfortable she felt waking up in his bed, Kade beside her, his eyes filled with desire. She stood, pulled on his t-shirt, splashed water on her face before dragging a brush through her hair, and followed him to the kitchen, already smelling the enticing scent of fresh-brewed coffee.
“Here you go.” He handed her a cup filled with coffee and pointed to the cream and sugar. She breathed in the aroma, then took a sip.
“Mmm. This is good.” Brooke flashed him a dazzling smile.
“You sound surprised. I’ll have you know I’m considered a damn fine cook.”
“By whom?”
He fell silent, his sheepish expression told all she needed to know about who had found his cooking so fabulous in the past.
“Well, there’s a new sheriff in town and it appears you’ll have to prove yourself all over again.”
“Sheriff, huh?” Amusement flickered in his eyes.
She met his gaze, not responding as she continued to sip her hot coffee. “What can I do to help?”
Kade set some fruit on the counter with a cutting board and knife. “Have at it.” He turned back to the bacon and eggs, and once again Brooke felt her face heat at the sight he made.
She’d just finished cutting the fruit and scooping it into a bowl when he piled the hot food on two plates and walked to the dining table.
“More coffee?” he asked.
“Not yet.” She eyed breakfast, her mouth watering, and placed hand over her stomach at the spontaneous growl.
Kade laughed. “Guess the food came just in time.”
They dug in without another word, both ravenous after their night of passion. It wasn’t long before Kade took his last bite and pushed his plate away. Brooke finished a couple of minutes later, sipping her coffee and leaning forward.
“Is now a good time for you to tell me everything about why we can’t be together?”
The relaxed humor she’d seen in his face a few moments before disappeared, replaced by a look of resignation. He pushed back his chair and stood, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking toward the front window, his back to her.
“Are you certain you want to know? Once it’s out, there will be no taking it back.” His voice had turned hard and apprehensive.
She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his back. “Don’t you think it’s time I know what’s tearing you apart?” She could feel his chest expand and contract as he took a deep breath.
He turned toward Brooke, pulling her to him. “Yes, it’s time. Let’s sit down.” They walked to the sofa when both of their phones started to ring. “I guess we’d better answer.”
Brooke glanced at caller ID. “Hi, Paige. What’s up?”
“Where are you two? Everyone is waiting.” Paige paused a moment, realizing Brooke had no idea what she referred to. “The ride, remember? Your family, horses, picnic?”
“Oh my God.” She looked to Kade who’d just hung up his call. “The ride.”
“I know. That was Heath. Let’s get out of here.”
She dashed to his room, dressed, then grabbed her boots, hat, and gloves from her car and threw them into Kade’s truck. He tore down the dirt road toward the main house.
“Are you all right?” he asked when he noticed her biting her lower lip and gripping her hands tight in her lap.
She looked at him then back at the road. “Sure. Fine.”
“It’ll be okay.” He reached over and placed a hand on her arm. “Stick with me.”
Brooke wasn’t sure what he meant, but nodded as they pulled to a stop next to the barn and jumped from the truck.
As Paige had said, everyone stood around, horses ready, waiting for her and Kade. Brooke did her best to ignore the knowing glances as she felt heat creep up her neck. She turned at the sound of Kade’s voice.
“My apologies, Heath. I blew it. None of this is Brooke’s fault.”
Heath looked between Kade and Brooke, his face impassive. “You’re here now. Let’s get going.”
A bit of good natured ribbing occurred for the first few miles. To Brooke’s surprise, no one seemed shocked at seeing her and Kade drive up together.
“How are you doing?”
Brooke looked over to see Kade reined in alongside her. He’d been riding near the front with Eric, Trey, and Cam, and she could hear their laughter echo to the back where she rode with Paige and Cassie.
“Good. A little sore.” She cast him a teasing smile and got one from him in return.
“No doubt.” He fell silent a moment, as if deciding what to say. “How do you feel about coming over after supper tonight? We still need to have our talk.”
“As I recall, I believe it’s you who’ll be doing most of the talking.”
“You’re right. Afterwards, once I’ve explained everything, we can talk about a future—if we have one.”
She looked over at him and nodded, her sense of happiness fading at his words. Perhaps her expectations after their night together were more unrealistic than she thought. Well, she was a big girl. Whatever happened, she’d deal with it as she had everything else.
“By the way. You should know Eric, Cam, and Trey came over to my place last night. They saw your car, noticed the lights were out, and didn’t stop.”
He smiled at the groan she made.
“Nothing we can do about it now. Guess I’ll check with Heath, see if he needs me to ride point.” Kade tapped his heel into the horse he rode today, a beautiful bay gelding with black mane, tail, and lower legs. Picasso had belonged to Brooke’s father, Kit, and her mother had never been able to part with him. She had to admit the horse and rider made a stunning pair.
“What was that about?” Paige asked as she and Cassie rode up on either side.
“He wants me to come over after supper tonight so we can talk.”
“Talk?” Cassie asked.
“He wants to clear the air, explain some things to me.” She glanced over at Cassie and shrugged. “Whatever happens…happens.”
******
“Are you ready, Paige?” Brooke had finished her shower, dressed, and was sorting through the mail she’d received at the main house. Nothing too exciting, with one exception. A letter came from the university, officially congratulating her on obtaining her degree and Ph.D. designation.
“All set.” Paige grabbed a lightweight jacket and headed for the front door. “Is there anything we need to take?”
“Nope. Mom has it covered.”
They climbed into Brooke’s car, driving past Kade’s cabin. His tru
ck still sat out front but the chopper was gone. She pulled to a stop in front of the ranch house and climbed out, noticing both Eric’s and Kade’s motorcycles parked together. She’d heard the guys talk when they stopped for lunch today, encouraging Cam and Trey to get bikes so they could all ride. The conversation surprised her given the fact Trey couldn’t visit often and Kade would be leaving in a few weeks. She ignored the gripping pain slicing through her at the thought.
They walked through the front door and were immediately assaulted with the noise level from having all the MacLarens and Sinclairs in one place. No matter how uncertain her future with Kade, she knew she’d always be able to count on her family.
“Brooke, Paige, come on into the kitchen and I’ll put you to work.” Annie smiled at them as she set down a tray loaded with chips, salsa, and guacamole.
They greeted everyone as each grabbed a drink and walked into the kitchen. Brooke noticed Kade speaking with Jace, and smiled at him when he glanced her way, receiving a brief nod in return. Her stomach sank. Something seemed off and she began to prepare herself for a night of disappointment.
“Brooke, please take the potatoes to the table. Paige, you can grab the bowls of vegetables. The salads are just about ready.”
“Where are Heath and Cam?” Brooke asked her mom.
“Out back manning the barbeque. They insisted on steaks and ribs, so I told them they were in charge of the meat.”
They turned at the sound of the men coming in from the back.
“Here you are, ladies. Three plates of meat as ordered,” Cam said as they walked toward the large dining table.
“I guess we’re ready. Brooke, do you and Paige want to get everyone to the table?”
“Sure, Mom. I doubt it will take much persuading with this group.”
Within minutes everyone took seats. Brooke held a place for Kade, hoping he’d decide to join her. She looked behind her to see him walk in from the patio with Eric, each holding a beer. To her relief, he broke away and came toward her.
“Did you save this seat for me?”
“I did, unless you’ve got a better offer.”
He sat down, leaned over, and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Never.” His gaze held hers for a moment, causing her heart to trip.
All Your Nights (MacLarens of Fire Mountain Contemporary series Book 4) Page 16
