His Plain-Jane Cinderella

by Jennie Adams

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ‘I GOT a change of clothes and scraped enough of the mud off this lot so I wouldn’t track it through your place.’ Troy barely registered his own words.

  All he could see was Stacie, fresh from her shower, hair still wet against her shoulders in a slick fall. All he could think of was holding her in his arms in the mud, kissing her with nothing but the elements surrounding them.

  ‘It wouldn’t have mattered. The living room’s the only one with carpet in it, and having Fang around means I mop the house pretty much every day anyway. At least, I do in this weather.’ Stacie stopped and bit her lip as though she felt she might be babbling. ‘I do hope that creek doesn’t get us stuck out here. We need to be able to move around.’

  So they could avoid being aware of each other. Did she really think it would be that simple? The thought wasn’t helpful but it came to Troy anyway.

  Resistance, Rushton. You have the self-control for this. Use it.

  Yeah. He’d used it really well while he’d kissed Stacie in the mud.

  They’d finished the ditch. Stacie had obviously taken care of Fang while he had been gone as well, because the larger dog had been waiting in front of the fire in the living room when Troy walked inside with Houdini tucked under his arm, sniffing him madly trying to work out why Troy smelled and felt the way he did.

  At least Troy had broken Stacie’s fall so she didn’t hurt herself. He tried to convince himself that was the highlight of that event.

  He failed. Failed even more as he looked at her in yet another pair of form-fitting jeans and a fluffy sweater. His glance dropped to her feet and it was his turn to smirk. ‘Nice slippers.’

  She followed his glance downwards, and pink stole into her cheeks. ‘I was going to change those before you got here.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t know. Bunny slippers as big as small boats are probably all the rage at the moment.’ It showed Fang’s good training if the dog resisted the temptation to chew on those, Troy thought. Whereas Troy just wanted to take them off her…

  One-track mind, Troy.

  ‘I’ll go shower.’ Announce it, match action to words. Get some distance and forget how good she felt and how sweet her lips were, even in a setting of muddy ground. In any circumstances.

  ‘There’s a clean towel for you on the railing in the bathroom. I figured you’d bring anything else you needed.’ Stacie’s glance shifted to the toiletries bag in his right hand. ‘And of course you have, because you’d be very good at being prepared.’ She snapped her teeth together before prising them apart enough to add, ‘I’ll sort out dinner for us both. I have stew in the slow cooker, so I’ll thicken it, and it will be ready by the time you’ve had your shower.’

  Sitting across a table from her, sharing a meal again: insanity. ‘Thank you. That’d be nice.’

  Troy made his way to the bathroom.

  ‘Troy, I was just—’

  Trying to get to her cordless phone, ringing from wherever she’d left it—her bedroom, by the sounds of it.

  ‘Do you want me to get—?’ The rest of Troy’s question went unasked. He just tugged the bathroom door open and stepped out—shirtless and wearing clean jeans.

  A fact Stacie discovered when she rushed straight into him and her hands came to rest on his warm, damp chest. His skin smelled of something male and appealing that he’d dabbed on there or washed with. Stacie drew a sharp breath and fought the urge to swoon.

  Swoon, for crying out loud. Just like a woman of yesteryear.

  She got no further than that thought before his gaze locked with hers and he drew a sharp breath. In the back of her thoughts, she noted that her phone had stopped ringing.

  Somehow his hands were in her hair and her head was tipped back. He didn’t bend her to his will; Stacie gave herself to his hold with a trust that she didn’t fully understand.

  It wasn’t like their previous kisses. With those there had been awareness that they were testing new ground, even as they believed that ground should not be tested.

  Now Stacie met Troy’s mouth with hers and kissed him with everything inside her that she’d held back, with parts of her she hadn’t even known needed expression. Let alone that Troy was the one to bring out that expression.

  Why? Why was he the one? What did that mean?

  How could she hope to find answers when all she could do was experience his touch? His taste? Kissing him to a depth that she had never looked for in such an exchange before—not with any man she’d known.

  Out in the mud, she’d thought there couldn’t be more than that experience, those kisses. Now there was, and she was out of her depth with no capacity to run or hide. Yet, even as she thought it, she knew she wouldn’t choose to do that anyway. She wanted this.

  ‘Stacie.’ Troy’s mouth opened over hers. Their tongues touched, tasted.

  Her fingers spread across his chest.

  His hands sifted through her wet hair as though he’d never touched anything so appealing, so enticing. As though he wanted to hold on for ever, kiss her for ever, and never stop this.

  Could they keep going?

  Should they?

  Before the questions fully formed, Stacie pressed closer and his arms tightened about her.

  Which came first—her move to be closer to him? Or his to hold her closer? It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except his touch, and her touch, the sharing of this and how much it ministered to a welling of need inside her that covered so much more than simply a need for closeness.

  Stacie needed to be close with Troy, to be kissed by Troy, to kiss him in return and feel the press of their bodies against each other. To learn each angle and plane and store the knowledge into a memory bank inside her, but that was only the start.

  She needed to know him, everything about him. His hopes, dreams, opinions, thoughts and feelings.

  Towards her? It was a question that she didn’t want to acknowledge because to do that was to say she cared deeply for him, and hoped for the same in return—she couldn’t, and he wouldn’t.

  ‘Kiss me again, Troy.’ She whispered the words against his lips, an abandonment to the moment and a yielding of herself that moved beyond any decisions she had made or any questions in her head.

  He looked into her eyes. Maybe he searched for answers. Maybe, like her, he was looking for something that came from within himself that he had to understand and currently didn’t. Whatever it was, his gaze deepened and his hand cupped her cheek, her chin, before he lowered his lips and ravished her with rich, sweet kisses.

  Those kisses led to more kisses, the press of bodies to more closeness until she could no longer define herself. She was part of him and he was part of her. She wanted to make that closeness a completion in the most intimate way there was.

  That thought, that urge within Stacie, was so strong and came so deeply from her emotions that her eyes widened and she felt as though something inside her had changed and realigned. She wasn’t the same any more and it was because of Troy. Because of how he made her feel.

  ‘It’s all right, Stace.’ His hand brushed over her hair, soothing now rather than caressing. Giving rather than taking and exchanging.

  ‘It’s never been like this for me.’ The words were a whisper. She wasn’t sure even if she had said them out loud.

  But Troy said the words out loud. Earlier, when they had talked about all of this and they had agreed that neither of them wanted the complication, neither had been looking for a bond, a relationship. Not that sort.

  Neighbours and work colleagues didn’t equate to intimate kisses that could have taken them straight to the bedroom. ‘I’m—’

  ‘Don’t.’ He said the single word and released her as he did. Held her at arm’s length and then dropped his hands completel
y. ‘Don’t apologise for something that we did together. I don’t know why it’s like this for me with you. I know my boundaries, my choices, and yet…’

  Yet when it came to this his self-control slipped. Somehow, acknowledging that gave Stacie the control that she needed. She drew a deep breath, pasted on the most normal expression she could muster and pushed aside what they’d just shared.

  Later she might draw it out and think about it—indeed, she knew she would have to—but for now she stepped back into the role of neighbour and a little bit of colleague. ‘I don’t know who was trying to phone, but if it was urgent I’m sure they’ll try again. Other than that, dinner is all but ready to serve, and I do hope you’ll still join me before you go home to attend to things over there.’

  ‘I will.’ Troy let his gaze rove over Stacie’s face and then wondered if he should have done that.

  She was flushed from their kisses, her lips soft and swollen. In her eyes was the gentleness that was at the core of her, all of her strength, her determination to pull this back from the brink and return it to an acceptable working relationship for them.

  That seemed a joke now.

  Troy wanted more of Stacie than he had the right to ask for or that she wanted to give. And he wanted to give more of himself. Not in the kind of meaningless exchange that could happen between a man and a woman, but…differently.

  He still felt protective of her. In fact, during the visit from Andrew Gale and Stacie’s sister, that protectiveness towards Stacie had filled Troy, making it hard for him to even communicate normally with the couple.

  Stacie had handled herself during that visit. She was handling herself now, too. What Troy wasn’t handling was the fact that he seemed to be thinking of her as ‘his’. His to care for, to try to protect. How had that happened when he knew it couldn’t happen? He couldn’t be forming some kind of real and deep attachment to her.

  He forced himself into guest mode, finished getting dressed then sat down to dinner at Stacie’s table once again.

  They simply would have to persevere and find some normality again.

  That had to be possible.

  CHAPTER NINE

  ‘NO, HOUDINI!’ Stacie shouted as she and Fang stood on the home side of the swollen creek two days later.

  Splash.

  The little dog hit the water, went under, resurfaced and was immediately swept along by the current. Stacie ran to the edge. Fang was at her heels.

  Troy heard and saw all of it in a few brief seconds as he pulled his car to a halt behind them.

  ‘Hold!’ Troy shouted the word like the commanding officer he’d once been. He threw his car-door wide and ran to Stacie’s side. He didn’t think about his damaged knee, he simply compensated and he got to Stacie as fast as he could.

  ‘Troy, Houdini’s gone in. He won’t be able to fight the current with the creek so swollen. He’ll drown.’

  Already the small dog was being swept downstream.

  ‘I came out looking for him. He must have followed you and Fang. The creek’s deep here and the current’s strong thanks to all the rain again yesterday and last night. The river’s to the brim outside of town too. You’re not to go in, Stacie.’ No options, no negotiation.

  Stacie might or might not have considered jumping in. Troy was making the decision for her. He glanced about him and spotted a large fallen branch. He strode towards it. ‘Go to safer ground. Take Fang with you.’

  If Houdini couldn’t or wouldn’t swim to Troy’s branch once he got it in the water, he’d have to go in after the dog himself, and he would. He could handle the water and these conditions. He didn’t know if Stacie could.

  Houdini turned his head and saw them, and tried to swim against the current to get back, letting out a whine as he struggled. The little dog’s head went under once, and then again.

  In a few short seconds as Troy dragged the branch towards the water’s edge, Fang broke away from Stacie’s hold and leaped into the water, landing well out and swimming strongly towards the smaller dog.

  He got Houdini by the scruff, lifting his head above water level and paddling to get back to the bank.

  It was a struggle for the larger dog. He, too, went under once as he battled with the weight of the smaller dog held between his strong jaws.

  ‘Oh my God.’ Stacie’s words were whispered. ‘I can’t believe Fang’s doing this. He won’t make it. There’s no way.’

  ‘I agree.’ Troy tossed the branch aside and waded into the water. He was chest deep and fighting to stay upright in the current when Fang got to him. The dog wasn’t giving up its bundle, so Troy took the pair of them into his arms and slogged towards the bank. The current tugged at his legs and he stumbled once, almost going down thanks to his weak knee before he reached the bank.

  ‘Troy! Be careful! Don’t drown!’ Stacie again looked ready to leap into the water.

  ‘We’re all right. I’ve got them both.’ Troy started to climb out.

  Stacie held out her hands.

  Fang wriggled.

  Troy released him and the dog struggled to his owner, dumping the bedraggled Houdini at her feet before he proceeded to shake himself. He shoved at the smaller dog with his snout.

  Houdini was sodden, dazed and scared. From the look on her face, Stacie was equally as shaken. She petted both dogs, she looked Houdini and Fang over, and she cast worried glances in Troy’s direction during those few seconds of time.

  Houdini shook himself and seemed to regain some of his equilibrium.

  ‘He’s okay. See? Your dog saved him.’ Troy hoped the calm words would help Stacie.

  Both dogs moved away from the water, trotting back towards the house and no doubt the warmth that they both wanted right now.

  ‘Are you okay, Troy?’ Stacie rushed to Troy. She all but dragged him the few final steps out of the water. ‘I thought you were going to lose your balance and fall. I know you’re strong, but I was worried!’

  She patted her hands over his arms, chest, neck and face.

  Troy bore it rather well, he felt. In fact, it was quite nice to be fussed over by Stacie. She was worried about him and stressed out because of what had almost happened to his dog, and potentially hers. ‘I was prepared to go in after Houdini. Fang beat me to it. I was more concerned about what might happen to him once he jumped in. He means a lot to you.’

  ‘He’s not the only one who matters to me.’ She was still patting, fussing, muttering words about him getting too cold and how his knee would hold up to such rough treatment. That she should have jumped into the water herself before Fang went in—and how had Houdini got there anyway, he hadn’t been with Stacie when she had set out.

  ‘That last is a rhetorical question, I’m assuming.’ Troy interrupted her fussing flow to murmur the words. Her first statement, he tucked away in a safe place inside. He wasn’t sure if Stacie even realised what she’d said.

  The depth of his voice gave away what it meant to him to know that she cared, to hear her put it into words, and that was something Troy needed to think about. ‘Houdini loves the challenge of escaping. He didn’t love this particular escapade, though, so maybe he’ll think twice before he does anything quite that risky next time.’

  He caught Stacie’s hands in his to still them. They came to rest clasped in his, against his chest, and Troy felt pleased. He wasn’t letting her go. Not yet.

  Not this time.

  A moment passed between them. Stacie’s gaze locked to his, Troy unwilling to look away. It seemed right to clasp one of those hands in his to lead her to his car. ‘Let’s go back. The dogs are probably already there.’

  ‘You have to get dried off, too, Troy.’ Her fingers curled around his hand as though by holding on she could take charge of everything. Keep him s
afe. Look after him.

  She didn’t have to convince him to do what she asked right now. All she needed to do was look at him. He wanted to please her, to give her what she wanted or felt she needed, even if she was fussing over him.

  Not emotionally involved, huh, Troy?

  Well, he wasn’t emotionally invested. Not in that way. He was humouring Stacie’s needs right now, that was all.

  All except for the desire inside him to draw her close, to kiss her worries away and go on kissing her. That wasn’t a ‘Stacie’ need. That was a ‘Troy’ need…

  Rather than going home to Stacie’s, both dogs had headed for Troy’s front door. Perhaps Fang had felt the ongoing need to keep an eye on the smaller dog. Troy brought towels from the outdoor laundry-room and they dried the dogs off.

  When Troy opened the door to the house, Houdini shot inside. Fang followed. ‘They’ve gone to the living room. The slow-combustion wood fire’s on in there.’

  Did the words sound normal? Troy didn’t feel that way. He wanted Stacie in his arms, wanted to hold her, take away the residual concern from her expression. Troy wanted to possess her but, deeper than that, he felt that he needed to. Every event from when they had first met seemed to have been leading to this. Inexplicably. Inexorably. Inevitably.

  ‘I was going to see about bathing them.’ Stacie frowned. ‘But maybe we should just let them dry out there first and worry about the rest later. You should take a shower, though…’ She stopped and chewed her lip and her face flushed in a beautiful bloom of consciousness.

  Troy cleared his throat. ‘At least I managed to cobble the hot-water service together enough that it’s working for the time being so I can take a hot shower here.’

  ‘Yes, that’s a good thing.’ Her words were a little breathy as they stepped into his home.

  It was her first time here, and Troy liked the look of his house with Stacie in it. He liked it a lot.

  ‘You’ve made it nice in here, Troy.’ She let her gaze rove the area.

  ‘I plan to be here for a long time.’ They stood in the front hallway. The dining room and kitchen were to the right, with a large living room to the left.