Lindsay McKenna

by High Country Rebel

  Cat wasn’t used to such kindness from a lover, much less having a bath drawn for her. As she dressed in a pair of khakis and a pale pink top, an invisible rapture kept bubbling up through her. She pulled a brush through her black hair and the ends curled naturally across her shoulders. Noticing her eyes, Cat stared into the mirror. There was new life in them. Talon had put it there. She bowed her head, hands on the counter, closing her eyes, feeling her lower body. He’d given her something so rare and exquisite. Cat placed the brush on the counter. What was this feeling? At times like this, Cat wished she had a mother she could talk to. Maybe Casey would know. Whatever it was, she’d never felt happier.

  After brushing her teeth, she went downstairs, relishing the scent of salty bacon frying. Her step felt light, almost as if floating. Looking from the stairs toward the kitchen, she saw Talon working at the stove. A smile came to her mouth as she saw he’d already set the dining room table. All of a sudden, the condo felt like home to her. Was it because Talon was here? Cat descended the stairs and walked into the kitchen.

  “Smells great,” she said. She poured herself a second cup of coffee. “Want some?”

  Talon took the bacon out of the skillet and set it in a bowl with paper towels in the bottom of it. “That would be great,” he said, glancing over at Cat. Her pink tee matched the flush in her cheeks. “Bath feel good?”

  “Mmm, the bath did wonders,” she murmured. “Can I help out here?”

  “No. Just tell me how many eggs you want.”

  “How about two.”

  “Over medium?”

  “Please.”

  The toast popped up. Cat turned and put the slices on a nearby plate. They fell into an easy pattern of working with one another. In no time, Talon had their eggs on two plates next to the stove. She carried the bowl of bacon and the toast to the table.

  Talon pulled out the chair for her.

  “You are truly spoiling me.”

  “And why not?” he teased, sitting down at her elbow.

  Cat shared a warm look with him as she picked three pieces of bacon from the bowl between them. “I’m just not used to it.”

  Talon gave her a dark look, smiled a little but said nothing. “We need to be over at the sheriff’s office at ten-thirty. Cade called and asked if you felt up to the official interview and report on what happened yesterday. Are you?” He held her gaze. Talon could see fear enter her eyes but she quickly hid it.

  “Sure.”

  “Are you having second thoughts about pressing charges against Magee?”

  “No. I don’t want him on the loose, Talon. I’m afraid he’ll come after me again.”

  “Then you need to tell Cade that and you need to write it in your report. The judge will make a decision based upon what you tell Cade. Don’t leave anything out.”

  Some of the happiness she felt dissipated. “Do you have to leave and go to work after breakfast?”

  “No. I’m taking today off. I’d already told Val I’d be there at the ranch tomorrow morning.” He slathered blueberry jam across his toast, watching Cat’s expression. “I thought after we got done at the sheriff’s office, we could pick up a to-go lunch at Mo’s and take it over to my mother’s apartment and share it with her?”

  Heartened, Cat said, “I’d like that. I know you were going to see Sandy at noon yesterday before Magee attacked me.”

  “My mother was fine with me not showing up, Cat. She was more worried about you than missing a lunch with me.” Talon was discovering Cat always put those she loved or cared for before herself. It was just a part of who she was, but he knew he needed to sometimes corral her intentions so she would take adequate care of herself first.

  “I was worried it would impact Sandy. I know she’s rallying, and she is getting much stronger, but…” Cat made a face.

  Talon reached out, his hand covering hers, gently squeezing her fingers. “Right now, the focus is on you. Where it should be, Cat.” Talon could see the swelling along her jaw. And he could see the bruising, a faint purple color along her left cheek and eye. He wanted to kill Magee for touching her. “Today, we do things that are as stress-free as we can make them for you.”

  Cat sighed and finished off her breakfast. She picked up her plate and took it to the sink. Her feelings were bright, happy, and yet, she felt fear. Why? Pouring them more coffee, she sat down at the table. Talon had made himself four eggs, eaten at least half a pound of bacon and four pieces of toast. The man knew how to tuck it away. Yet, he was lean and hard, not an ounce of fat anywhere on his body. She sat with her elbows on the table, coffee between her hands.

  “Where are we going, Talon?”

  He stared over at her. There was uncertainty in her eyes. “I don’t know, Cat. I like what we have. Do you?” He had never lied to a woman and he wasn’t about to lie to her. The word love kept swimming around in his head and he kept pushing it away. Talon didn’t know what love was. And maybe these new, brilliant feelings rummaging around in his heart were love, but he honestly didn’t know. He saw that Cat studied him in the gathering silence.

  “I like it, too,” she admitted, feeling the warmth and care in his gaze. With a little shrug, she added, “I just don’t know what to expect.”

  “Makes two of us. Let’s take it one day at a time.”

  “Yes.” Nodding, Cat thought about her other disastrous relationships. None had lasted long. And it was only about sex. And not about her pleasure at all. Not until last night. Neither of those men ever talked about the future. They came around when they wanted sex with her and that was it. And now, Cat knew it hadn’t been good sex. Not like it could be, which was what Talon had shared with her last night.

  Talon could sense her quandary and he wasn’t sure how Cat was reacting to his statement. She appeared distracted. “Tell me what you want.” He dug into her gaze. He wasn’t one to assume anything, having learned ages ago that straight talk between two people was essential.

  Cat shrugged. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Talon,” she began in a low tone. “I don’t know how to proceed, what to do or what you expect from me.”

  “I want to know what you need from me, Cat. It isn’t my way. Or yours. Two of us are sitting here at this table. Talking it out is the only way to go.”

  She gave him a shy look and swallowed hard. “I don’t have any experience with someone like you.”

  He reached out, covering her hand. Talon sensed her other relationships had all been one-way: what the man wanted and demanded. There was no consideration for Cat or her needs. “That’s okay. Life is always about learning something new every day.” He held her hand a little more firmly. And more than anything, Talon was aware of the fragile trust she’d just built with him. It would be insane to push what he wanted on her and end up destroying it and their relationship. He had to have her input, her needs and what she wanted from him.

  “I want to be with you, Talon. I want to know more about you, what makes you the man you are.” Cat turned her hand over, tangling her fingers between his, seeing the care burning in his eyes toward her. “Last night…” Her voice grew hoarse.

  “Last night was so incredible for me, Talon. I—I’m ashamed to admit this, but I never knew that I could have so much pleasure before it happened.” She avoided his sharpened look. “You made me feel things no man has ever given me.” Cat forced herself to lift her eyes and meet his dark, turbulent gaze. “I liked it. I like you. I’ve always been drawn to you. And right now, I feel happy, like my heart is going to burst. You’ve given me so many new feelings, new experiences….”

  Staggered by her bravery, he lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “I like what we have too, Cat. And I like making love with you.” Talon felt adrift emotionally, afraid to put a name on what he felt for Cat. It was way too soon. They had to have time.

  “I don’t know the rules,” she admitted.

  “Rules?”

  She licked her lower lip, nervous. “Between us.”
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  Talon shook his head and gave her a gentle look. “We’ll make them up as we go along, Cat. Are you okay with that?”

  “Will you stay with me tonight?”

  “Do you want me to?” Talon held her gaze, feeling her sense of inadequacy.

  “Yes, I’d like that.”

  “Then I’ll stay.” Talon released her hand and cupped her cheek. “The rules between a man and a woman are their own, Cat. All you have to do is speak up, tell me what’s on your mind, in your heart. I know this is new to you, but it’s new to me, too.”

  Surprise flared in her eyes. “But…you’re so worldly compared to me.”

  Talon grinned. “In some ways, yes, but in other ways, no, Cat.” And if she knew he was wrestling with all these new, vibrant feelings deep within his crazy heart, it would only serve to confuse her more. Until Talon could understand what was going on within him, he couldn’t give it adequate words. “What we need to do is be patient with one another. And honest.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know how to be otherwise.”

  “One of the many qualities I like about you, babe.”

  *

  CAT FINISHED WRITING up her report and handed it to Cade Garner. They sat in his office at the sheriff’s department. She felt better because Talon was there beside her.

  “Just so you know,” Cade told her, taking her signed report, “someone hired an expensive attorney out of San Francisco for Magee.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Cade grimaced. “The guy is already making noises about getting him released until the trial.”

  “No way,” Talon growled. “He’d start stalking Cat again.”

  “You and I know that,” Cade said. “Cat’s statement will help the judge decide.”

  Fear bolted through Cat. “But…he can’t be freed.”

  Talon reached out, gripping her hand for a moment. “Let’s take this a day at a time, Cat. Cade doesn’t know what the judge will decide.”

  Cade stood. “Yeah, I’m hoping the judge assigned to Magee’s case will slam the bastard’s ass in jail and set the bail so damned high no one will pay it.”

  Frowning, Cat stood. “Okay, but you’ll let us know?”

  Cade held her worried gaze. “I’ll give you a call as soon as I know, Cat. In the meantime, just relax. It’s sunny outside. Go enjoy your day.”

  “Okay,” she said. “Thank you for everything, Cade.”

  As she walked with Talon out to her truck, she was glad he held her hand. The morning sky was a medium blue, the sun bright, and she slid on her sunglasses. “This thing with Magee scares me,” she confided to Talon.

  He nodded and opened the truck door for Cat. “Let it go. There’s no way a judge will let that bastard loose before trial.”

  Cat grimaced and said nothing. She fished the keys out of her vest pocket. Once Talon climbed in, they left for Mo’s to pick up lunch for the three of them, although Cat had lost her appetite.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CAT WANTED TO visit Gus and the McPhersons after they left Sandy’s apartment. She wanted to at least let them know she was all right. Talon had nodded and given her a look of pride over her decision but said nothing. Gus was in the kitchen preparing dinner for the evening when they walked in.

  “Well, look who the cat dragged in,” Gus crowed, grinning.

  Cat couldn’t help but smile and walked over and carefully hugged the small woman. “I just wanted to show you that I’m alive and well,” she joked.

  Talon walked to the counter and pulled down three cups and filled them with coffee. While the two women hugged and talked, he placed the mugs on the table and sat down. Pretty soon, they came over. Gus was looking spiffy in a pair of bright red slacks and a white blouse. The dark green apron reminded Talon of Christmas, not spring. Her silver hair looked like a halo beneath the lamps suspended above the table.

  Gus rubbed her pointed chin. “I was over at your old homestead last week.” She gave him a one-eyebrow raised look.

  “Oh?” And then Talon remembered that the place was up for sale and Gus had been interested in buying it, according to his mother.

  “Yep. Still got that white picket fence around the house, Talon. Needs a coat of paint, for sure, but it’s still there. Sandy says, from the pictures I took with my cell phone, it’s pretty much what it looked like when you were there as a family. Just more run-down.”

  A lump started to form in his throat. He couldn’t even speak. Talon could only imagine how much hurt, the memories, had been plowed up by seeing them.

  Gus continued, “I told her the place was up for sale. You know, your ranch has gone through about five buyers since you left for the Navy?”

  “No, I didn’t know it.”

  “Anyone who bought the Triple H was an Easterner thinking they were gonna play Westerner.” She snorted. “None of them had a clue how to run a ranch or take care of it. I watched it being bought and sold over and over again. Every once in a while, I’d drive over and see what was happening.”

  His heart wrung with pain. Talon remembered riding fence line with his father so many times. Gardner Holt had shown him how to repair downed barbed wire. He’d taught him everything he could up until the day before he died of the massive heart attack out in the barn. He missed his father. Wished many times he’d stayed alive. Gardner was an easy man to talk with, never judged anyone, always was a good listener and always had a smile for everyone. How his mother must have missed him. Glancing over at Cat, knowing how he felt about her, Talon now could understand the depth of devastation his mother suffered when his father had suddenly died. He couldn’t even begin to imagine if Cat was suddenly torn out of his life. The loss was unimaginable to Talon.

  “I’ve never been over to the Triple H,” Cat admitted quietly, seeing the emotions in Talon’s eyes. He was gripping the mug a little more tightly than usual. Judging from the look on Talon’s face, the grief registering in his eyes, he must have had a wonderful relationship with his father. And she ached for his loss.

  “Well, I make it my business to always be a good neighbor,” Gus told them. “Every time it changed hands, I’d go over and introduce myself, tell them the Bar H butted up against their property. I’d always offer help or advice if they needed it. That way, I got to see what shape the ranch is in.”

  “How is it now?” Talon asked, almost afraid to hear her answer.

  Gus grumbled, “It has fallen into a state of terrible disrepair, Talon. And of course all the previous owners thought they knew how to run a ranch.” Gus snorted. “Not one of ’em called me and asked for advice or help. You can’t just walk in, buy a ranch and expect it to run itself. You have to invest your heart and soul in it.”

  Pain rifled through Talon’s heart. He frowned and stared down at his coffee cup, wrestling with dark emotions. “Does my mom know this?”

  “She knows some from the pictures,” Gus said. “But she had her album of photos when the place looked beautiful. I think she wanted to keep those dreams. I encouraged her to remember the property as it used to be.”

  Relief tunneled through Talon. “Thank you.”

  She patted his arm. “I wouldn’t ever do anything to hurt Sandy. She needs every reason she can grasp hold of to fight and stay alive.”

  Cat thought she saw moisture in Talon’s eyes for a split second. And then the look was gone. His mouth tightened up. She could tell he was holding back a lot of feelings he couldn’t express. “Sandy told us the Triple H was up for sale and that you were looking at it?”

  “Yep,” Gus said. She sipped her coffee and grinned. “I was over there with the Realtor yesterday. The last owners have already run back East and the place is sittin’ empty.”

  “Any cattle on it?” Talon asked.

  “Nah, nothin’ on it, son. Pretty much abandoned.”

  “Sandy said you were considering buying it?” Cat asked.

  “I am.” Gus took a deep breath and studied Talon. “I’ve been w
aitin’ to see if the Triple H would come back on the market. And I was hoping like the devil it would, because your mother was really goin’ downhill after her cancer came back. I wanted to buy the Triple H and give her something to hold on to, Talon. But the ranch didn’t come up for sale when I wished it had and she was already slipping away from us with this second battle with cancer. And you were gone and no one knew where you were.” She shrugged and stared off in the distance for a moment, the kitchen growing silent.

  “Miss Gus, I couldn’t tell anyone my whereabouts when I was deployed.” Talon felt the gnawing pain grow wider in his heart. When his mother, who had lost two men she loved, was falling ill a second time, he was over in Afghanistan. Again. Always.

  Gus patted his arm. “It’s okay, son. I understand. So did Sandy. That’s why I was holdin’ my breath hopin’ like the dickens that the ranch would come up for sale. But it never did, and she slid far and fast.” She gave Talon a gentle look. “Call it what you want, but you getting wounded and sent back here to us was a godsend for Sandy. You fed her hope. Just by being near, you did that for her. I’m not wishing you got wounded, mind you, but in another way, you are giving your mother hope again. And she’s respondin’.”

  Talon avoided her gaze. He didn’t want to remember anything about his wounding, but it was impossible. Turning the mug around in his hands, he muttered, “At least something good came out of it.”

  Cat felt Talon withdraw. Felt his agony even though he wasn’t showing it physically. There was an invisible tie between them, something profoundly beautiful and it made her grateful that she could pick up on it, because Talon rarely gave words to his feelings. Except in bed, loving her. And her body glowed warmly in the memory of last night.

  “Listen, son, I’ve lived eighty-five years and seen it all. I can tell you that most often, the darkest night of our soul is a blessing in disguise. But it will take you a decade or longer to realize it.” She gave him a kind look. “You and your mother have been through many rough times. And now you’re on an upswing. She’s gettin’ better and so are you.”