by J. D. Faver
Reba stepped out to take care of the errand.
Cami unwrapped the baby girl from her blankets. “What’s her name?”
“Camryn Jessup.” Sara Beth grinned at her. We both think it’s about the prettiest name we could come up with.
Cami felt a flush of pleasure. “I’m flattered.” She wrapped the baby back up and handed her to Nick. “Your daughter Camryn, is absolutely perfect. Now please step out so I can examine your wife.”
“Yes Ma’am.”
Cami handed a folded gown to Sara Beth and stepped into the darkened doctor’s office. She sank into Doc’s leather swivel chair and placed her head on her folded arms.
“Cami?”
She jumped, raising her head to meet the blue-eyed gaze of E.J. Kincaid sitting on the opposite side of the desk.
A crawling sensation started at the base of her neck and crept down her spine. “How did you get in here?”
He shrugged. “There was no one at the desk. I thought I could wait in here until you had time to talk to me.”
“This is not a good time,” she said. “I have a patient changing into a gown.”
“This will only take a moment. I wanted to apologize for my behavior the last time I saw you. I have no excuse.”
She stared into his eyes, wondering how he could deliver such a polished performance. To all appearances he was contrite. No hint of the monster hiding inside.
“I accept your apology,” she said. “And I’m sorry if I led you to believe there was something between us. I didn’t think you were seriously interested in me.”
“That was my mistake as well,” he said. “I was trying to take it slow.”
Cami nodded. “I have to get back to my patient.”
He spread his hands in a helpless gesture, displaying a large bandage on the outside of his right hand. “Look Cami, I know I was being childish, but I really like you. I hope we can at least be friends.”
She stared at the bandage, large enough that it disappeared under the cuff of the jacket he wore. “What happened to your hand?”
He flashed a dimpled grin and held up his hand. “This? I burned it. I was horsing around with my buds from Dallas on the night of my birthday.” He grinned again. “I’ll admit that I may have been drunk out of my mind. That seemed like the best way to get over you at the time.”
A chill ran down her spine. “Let me take a look at your hand.”
“You have time?” He sat up a little straighter.
She managed a weak smile. “I’ll take the time, E.J. Can you wait while I take care of my other patient?”
“Cami, I can wait for you.” The look he gave her could best be described as smokin’.
She showed him into an exam room. When the door closed, Cami leaned against it and took a deep breath.
This was something tangible.
E.J. had a burn on his arm and an arsonist had just burned down her stables and barn. She didn’t believe in coincidence.
Cami began Sara Beth’s post-natal examination and was joined by Reba a few minutes later.
“Sorry.” Reba washed her hands at the sink. “Loretta and I took Nick and the baby with us to get the right size car seat. We had a devil of a time getting it out of the box and then we had to get it into the truck.” She finished, breathless and grinning. “Sorry it took so long.”
“No problem.” And that’s how E.J. Kincaid waltzed past the empty desk and into the private office.
Cami finished Sara’s exam and washed up. “I have another patient in exam room two. Bring a new chart and come in when you finish here, but don’t say a lot. I don’t want you to spook him.”
Reba gave her an odd look but nodded.
Cami turned back to Sara Beth. “Continue taking your pre-natal vitamins and come see me in six weeks, with little Camryn.”
She stepped into the hall and took a deep breath before knocking softly on the door of exam room two.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Cami stepped into the room.
E.J. was examining the copies of Doc’s diplomas framed and hung on the wall. “You need to get yours up here pretty soon. People will want to see your credentials.”
“So far, they just want to know that I can take care of them. Remove your jacket and roll up your sleeve.” Cami washed her hands before slipping into a pair of latex gloves. When she turned back to E.J. she saw that his well-developed forearms prevented him from rolling up his sleeves past one turn of his cuff.
“Take off your shirt so I can check that burn.”
He slanted a grin at her. “I’ll take off my clothes for you anytime you want.” He unbuttoned his shirt, letting it hang open to display his muscled chest and the tight ridges of his six-pack abs. He couldn’t unbutton the cuff of his left sleeve with the bandage on his right hand. He held it out to her. “My dad had to help me with these buttons this morning.”
“I’ll be happy to assist you.” Her voice sounded cold to her own ears. She stepped closer, inhaling the fresh, masculine scent of his after shave or cologne. It wasn’t fair that such a monster could look and smell so fine. Unbuttoning the cuff, she drew the shirt off over his broad shoulders. Totally not fair.
She draped the shirt across the chair and gestured to the exam table. “Sit here and I’ll remove the bandage.”
He slid onto the surface of the table and sat, grinning at her, unaware of the horrific accusations running through her head.
Cami used a pair of sterile scissors to cut off the makeshift bandage, revealing angry red first and second degree burns on the outside of his hand and running up the outside of his wrist and forearm. “Wow! You really did a number on yourself, didn’t you? What did you treat it with?”
“My dad used something from the medicine cabinet.”
“For future information, you should never put anything greasy on a burn. You should have gotten this professionally treated and dressed immediately.”
“That’s good advice, but the only doctor around here had just broken up with me and, as I said before, I was feeling no pain.”
She made a scoffing sound. “Don’t be ridiculous. There was nothing to break up.”
E.J. looked properly chastened, but she knew he felt no remorse. If he could murder an elderly woman, he was without a conscience.
Another knock and, without waiting for an invitation to enter, Reba came through the door. She raised her brows as she saw E.J.’s bare torso and Cami holding his hand.
“I need to cleanse this wound and apply a fresh sterile dressing. But first” She gave Reba a glance she hoped conveyed a world of meaning. “Could you bring me the camera I saw in Doc’s office? I want to record the appearance of this wound in case it gets worse, we’ll have something to compare it to.”
Reba nodded her head slowly. “Ah, yes, the camera. I’ll get it and a dressing kit.” She hustled out of the room leaving Cami to hold E.J.’s hand.
He chortled. “If I’d have known I’d get this kind of personal attention, I’d have tried to burn myself up earlier.”
She met his gaze. “Tell me, how did you manage to do this?”
He shook his head, giving her a sheepish grin. “You’ll think I’m an idiot, but it was an accident. My best friends from college flew in to help me celebrate reaching the ripe old age of thirty. I picked them up at the airport in Amarillo on Friday night and we started the party. On Saturday, we were hung over and when we finally got out of bed, Dad barbequed for us, but we pretty much stayed blitzed all day.” E.J. managed to look properly abashed for his behavior. “I’d heard about the engagement party at the Ryan’s.”
Cami gazed up into his eyes.
“I understand why you didn’t invite me, considering how Ryan feels about all things Kincaid. But it was still on my mind.”
She struggled to remain expressionless. “You’re telling me this was an alcohol related accident?”
“Yeah, my dad was trying to be one of the boys and it got to be a little too much so I took my
buds riding. Two of them had never been on a horse before so it was pretty comical. We rode around the ranch until dark and built a fire in the fire pit outside on the patio to stay warm. I broke into my dad’s stash of Cohibas and passed them around. We were drinking Crown and I spilled a whole drink on my sleeve. Then I tried to light my cigar in the fire pit. The flame leapt up and ignited my sleeve. The alcohol burned fast, but not before it did some damage to my arm.”
She cocked her head to one side. “That was pretty idiotic.”
Reba stepped into the exam room with the camera and dressing kit.
Cami took several close ups of E.J.’s wound, thinking that they might come in handy in terms of documented evidence in case it came to court. She got Reba to download and document the date of the photos.
After she had cleansed the burn and applied a sterile gauze dressing, she squelched the accusation burning in her brain. “Come back in a couple of days so I can make sure it’s not infected.”
“I’ll do that.” He slid off the examination table, standing way too close.
“Oh, my God!” Reba pointed to his mid-section. “I didn’t know Doc delivered you. Look at his innie-outie. It’s so cute.”
Cami’s gaze was riveted on E.J.’s navel with the signature little bump on top and the tight twist at the lower right.
“He didn’t,” E.J. said. “I was born in Dallas.”
“Really? I’ve never seen one with that particular twist except for Doc’s babies.” Reba continued to stare at his navel.
E.J. grinned. “It says Dallas on my birth certificate.” He reached for his shirt.
Cami wrote a few notes in the new chart Reba had prepared. “Which hospital in Dallas were you born in?”
“Actually, I was born at home.”
#
Breck kept some of the Carmichael horses separated from Ryan horses. Cavalier was a stallion and so was Red. Breck didn’t want any equine altercations to mar their stay.
He filled all of the empty stalls in his stables with Ryan mares but tied Red and the big Appaloosa gelding in his barn.
Although, I wouldn’t mind having a foal of Red’s. That would come in time. A wide grin split his face. Along with the children he and Cami would produce.
He knew that she was not yet comfortable in her new surroundings. It was remarkable that she’d agreed to become his bride, but he couldn’t help thinking of their future. It was enough that she loved him, that he’d won her, not from Clay, but from the lure of career opportunities in Houston.
He sensed that Cami still carried a lot of emotional baggage. She’d been lonely since her parent’s death and had thrown herself into her studies which had paid off for her in terms of scholarships and the much lauded fellowship.
Now she’d turned her back on Houston and allowed him to win her heart with his promise of always remaining by her side. She needed his strength and fidelity more than any other commodities he could offer. Perhaps, in time she’d grow to take him for granted and not always expect to go through trouble times on her own.
He hoped that she would settle into the routine here. He hoped that the ranch and her new practice would make her happy. He hoped he could make her happy.
#
When Reba had stepped out, Cami gave E.J. a hard look.
“You like to ride horses?”
“I’ve been around horses all my life. My mother enrolled me in equestrian when I was very young. My dad came home and blew a gasket over that. He said if he ever saw daylight between the saddle and my butt, he’d give me a reason not to sit down.”
She had to grin, in spite of her anger. “So posting was out of the question?”
He made a sound in the back of his throat. “Way out. No more English-style riding lessons. My dad took over and taught me western-style. That’s one of the things we did together whenever he was home.”
“That must have been nice. So, you like horses?”
He gave her a strange look. “Sure. I’ve always had a horse. Dad made me take care of them, too. Why do you ask?”
“I just wondered, that’s all. Do you ride much now?”
“Several times a week. I’d offer to take you with me, but I know your new fiancé wouldn’t like that.” He laughed, deep in his chest. “Maybe that’s the best reason to ask you to go riding with me.”
“Let’s not go there,” she said.
“Any other exciting news for me? I don’t want to always be the last to know.” He stood before her, looking eager and innocent.
Bile rose at the back of Cami’s throat. She couldn’t bear to mention the fire. If he was the arsonist, exhibiting her pain would just add to his enjoyment. If he was the arsonist, the fire wasn’t news to him.
She took a deep breath. “I met the Boy Scout leader. I understand Silky had planned to allow the local troop to explore the caves on her property.”
He nodded. “I heard something about that. Too bad she didn’t get to follow through with her plans.”
“I’m going to allow them to go ahead with the exploration next month. A spelunking group is coming from Austin to teach the kids and ensure their safety. They have all the proper equipment for the Scouts to use without going to a lot of expense.”
“You should ask my dad to go along. In his wildcatting days he learned a lot about the local caves. He’s somewhat of an expert on Native American artifacts.”
Cami opened her eyes wide. “Really? And I thought his expertise lay in killing animals.”
E.J. chuckled. “He likes to collect all kinds of trophies.”
#
“I want to go home,” she said.
Panic gripped Breck’s stomach when he heard those words. He covered the receiver for a moment, taking a deep breath he didn’t want her to hear. His throat ached with emotion at the thought she would leave him. When he was able to speak, his voice was all air. “I want you to stay, Cami.”
“I’ve imposed on you and your father long enough. I should go back to Moonshadows. Frank and T-Bone will think I’ve abandoned them.”
Relief flooded him like the Titanic taking on water. Why would his mind immediately leap to the possibility that she’d go running back to Houston? “I understand, baby. But I want to come with you. Someone dangerous is out there and you shouldn’t be alone.”
“I… Alright. I know you’re right. And Breck, for the record, I like having you around. You make me feel safe.”
A feeling of warmth filled the void inside his gut. “You know I’d do anything for you.”
“I know.” She hung up, promising to be home before dark.
Two hours later, Breck sat on her porch in one of the rocking chairs, watching her approach in the long, shiny Lincoln. He couldn’t keep from grinning as relief washed through him. Since the fire, he’d had a sense of dread that something evil lurked just around the corner, causing him to be fearful every time Cami was out of his sight.
He went to meet her, opening her door and pulling her out of the vehicle and into his arms. He carried her up the steps and set her on her feet beside the front door. When she stood smiling up at him, he felt like the luckiest man on earth. Stretching up, she circled his neck with her arms and he lifted her off her feet, crushing her against him and burying his face in her hair.
“Hey, what’s this about?” She drew back, latching onto his gaze. “Is there something going on that I don’t know about?”
He glanced away. “I’m almost ashamed to admit how much I worry about you when you’re not with me.”
She smiled and drew close again, burrowing her face into the lambskin lining of his jacket.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m careful.”
“Are you crazy? You’re the one who went running into the burning stables to rescue Red. You take chances all the time. You have no barriers.”
“Breck, I’m a city girl. I can take care of myself.”
“In the city, maybe you can, but here you’re wide open and it’s probably my fault.” He
ran his fingers through her hair and held her head, cupped in his palm. “I wanted you to stay so much, I never told you about the bad things going on here. Silky called them dirty tricks. She was sure that Kincaid was behind them.”
She jerked back, glaring into his eyes, something fierce burning deep within. “Which Kincaid?”
“Why, Eldon, of course.”
She gave him a speculative glance before turning to unlock the door. “Let’s get inside.” She preceded him and hung the leather jacket that had been Silky’s on a peg.
He looped his jacket over an adjoining peg.
Cami fished in the pocket of her jeans and produced a key, holding it up for him to see. “I had this made for you. I don’t want you to have to wait outside and, I wanted to formally ask you if you would, for now, move in with me.”
His fingers closed around hers. “For now?”
“We haven’t even talked about where we’ll live after we’re married. So, for now, if you’ll stay with me here at Moonshadows it will make things a lot easier just knowing where we’re going to sleep at night.”
He swallowed hard and ran his fingers through his hair to give himself a chance to think. “You know, Cami, people around here don’t generally cohabit before marriage.”
“I’m sure.” She slanted an amused glance at him. “I’ve never asked anyone to live with me before, so if you’re declining you might just hurt my feelings, especially since you’ve been trying to jump on me from the day I arrived.”
“Not the first day.”
“The second day,” she said.
He opened her hand and took the key from her fingers. “I want to live with you, Cami, forever and ever. Not just for now.”
“Me too.” She stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on his lips. “If you have reservations on moral grounds I’ll let you sleep on the loveseat. You can be my bodyguard and keep the evil Kincaids away from the door.”
“I prefer to do that from the comfort of your pink bedroom. I’m sure that’s the door the younger Kincaid would like to breach.”
Cami shivered although the room was adequately warm.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
