Cloud Riders (Lord of the Planets)

by Debbie Behan

  Cassie contemplated how a twist of fate had led her here, to this farm, with the strangest of men. Not that she had met many; well, up close and personal, only her father. Kayden had mistreated her but it was nothing she wasn’t used to, yet at other times he was kind and his eyes told her she could trust him. He was so different to the men in the movies she had watched and the magazines she had read. She had thought all men were womanisers, wanting everything their own way and doing anything to get laid, yet she had picked up none of this behaviour from him. She wondered if he would put her on a plane home if she told him who she really was. God, no! She would have to carry her secret alone. She swept her eyes around the landscape. There was a power, an unseen energy pulling her to this spot, this farm and to Kayden. This was where she knew she needed to be—for now anyway. She found a log to sit on and sipped her coffee, watching the glow of day light up the sky and gasping at its beauty.

  ‘How lucky is the person who lives here? This would be so pretty to wake up to every day.’ She talked quietly to herself as she had done for years. There was usually not a soul to hear her.

  A sound behind Cassie made her jump. She stood up and faced Kayden who was standing behind her, looking at her with a strange expression.

  ‘Yes, very beautiful to wake up to.’ The sunrise reflected in his eyes.

  ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. I just woke feeling better and wanted to see where I was.’

  ‘You have a slight accent.’ He eyed her a little suspiciously after hearing her speak more loudly and fluently.

  Cassie put her head down, wishing she hadn’t spoken. Now he has that ‘I don’t trust you’ look back in his eyes again. ‘My name is Cassandra but most people call me Cassie. I’m not from around here.’ She took a sip of her coffee and ignored the uncomfortable tension that fell between them. ‘I want to apologise for passing out on you. I have a huge lump on my head and it stung under the shower,’ Cassie said, flinching as she touched the tender spot by accident.

  Frowning, he walked towards her. ‘Let me see. Keep still!’ He was somewhat gruff but not scary anymore and his fingers, strangely enough, were very gentle as they parted her hair. ‘You may need a stitch but it seems to be healing alright. Do you normally heal quickly?’

  Cassie shrugged. ‘Don’t know. I’ve never had a cut before.’

  He let her hair fall back. ‘You’ll have a little scar but it will be well hidden under all this hair.’ He squinted and held a hand over his eyes, viewing the sunrise. ‘Sit. Don’t let me disturb you. I just have to go check the paddocks before breakfast. Unless you want to come and have a look around, get out of the house for a bit?’ he asked in a more civil tone.

  Surprised at his change of mood, Cassie jumped at the offer. ‘To get outside anywhere would be a treat. Can you wait until I get some shoes on and tie up my hair up?’ She ran inside, excited. Check the paddocks. What does that mean? Her thoughts ran wild as she dressed. Who cares? It gets me out of the house. She smiled.

  When she came out to join Kayden, she noticed that he seemed to have a happier look on his face. He wasn’t smiling but he definitely wasn’t grumpy. He stood by a utility truck with the door open, and closed it after her when she jumped in. A little way down the dusty track he pulled up at an open field where horses grazed under lovely flourishing trees along a pretty stream. No red dirt here, she thought, amazed at how this area was so different from the rest of the landscape she had viewed so far. They walked along the stream. Cassie watched as fish darted in and out of the rocks, the clear crystal water flowing over them like moving glass.

  Kayden went over to pat and check a couple of the horses. He lifted the hoof of one and pressed it, talking quietly. ‘That’s looking better, boy,’ he said, letting its leg go and patting its mane again. Another couple of horses were ready to foal and he frowned at one of them. ‘You better come with us, girl.’ His tone was calm.

  He went back to the truck and grabbed a bridle. After harnessing the horse, he led it around and dropped down the back of the high-sided trailer. Once the horse was safe on the trailer, he checked a few more horses and then they headed back.

  It was obvious Kayden wasn’t a real talker which suited her just fine. The last thing she needed right then was someone wanting answers she could not even get her own head around yet.

  Kayden took the pregnant horse back to the stable and bedded her down for the day. ‘I’ll have to watch her carefully today,’ he said, making Cassie jump with just the sound of his voice. He’d been so silent since they left (unless he spoke to the horses) and it took her by surprise. Until now, his voice had always had an annoyed tone, implying that she was intruding in his world. Even though he had not yet sent her packing, she had been waiting for it. ‘Mother’s ready but it looks like the foal needs turning. I’ll tend to her after breakfast. I’m sure you can amuse yourself while I’m busy.’

  ‘Can I watch? I’ve never seen anything get born before.’

  He raised his eyebrows curiously and then shrugged. ‘If you want to. But don’t get in the way or you’re out of here,’ he grumbled. The tone of his voice said clearly that she was once again walking a fine line and to do as he said—or else.

  Cassie smiled meekly and he turned away, but not fast enough. She was positive that he had nearly smiled back. The way he straightened his shoulders however and walked briskly out made her wonder if she had imagined it. Cassie practically ran to keep up with him as she followed his long strides back into the house. After washing their hands they went to the kitchen. Cassie felt awkward being around someone who seemed to fill up every room he walked into. He was unusually large, she thought, although she hadn’t seen that many men in the flesh to compare him with.

  Pulling a pan and utensils from drawers below the bench, he started cooking bacon and eggs. He threw her a loaf of bread. ‘Here, you can cook the toast,’ he said casually. This time his voice sounded a little more human. Yet all it took was a dumfounded expression on her behalf and the annoyed look was back on his face.

  Goddamn it, why can’t I keep my stupid face from showing any expression? ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to look ill mannered but I haven’t cooked before. If you show me, I’m a quick learner.’

  His eyes darkened and creases lined his forehead as he frowned, making her cringe and take a step back from him.

  ‘I don’t know where you came from or why you had to turn up on my doorstep but I was hoping you could at least feed yourself. Even the bloody animals know how to do that.’ His flat tone let her know he was more frustrated with her than upset. He threw two pieces of bread in the toaster and pushed down a lever. ‘When it pops up, just butter it,’ he added a little sarcastically as he held up the knife and the butter. ‘You do know how to butter bread, I assume?’ He went back to cooking the bacon and eggs.

  Cassie grumbled under her breath and she saw his face tighten at her response.

  He pulled out two glasses from the cupboard and filled them with juice, handing them to Cassie, gesturing for her to put them the table, while he dished up. The tension was choking but he did pull out a chair for her. She guessed that maybe he was just worried about the horse out in the barn and that she was not the problem at all.

  It was hard not to watch his every move. Cassie had never been so close to an eligible male before and she loved the way he folded the egg and bacon into a sandwich and held it in one hand while his other gripped the paper he read. His fingers were long and strong and they put a tingle through her as she imagined curling her own fingers around them. She shook her head and glanced down at all the food on her plate. She tried to eat but her stomach filled after just a few bites. She thought about the last few days. By the date on the calendar in the kitchen she knew it was day four since she had been taken from her bed. It had seemed a nightmare and yet there now seemed to be so much to be grateful for. Even the little bit of kindness she had received from Kayden was more than she had ever had. Cassie didn’t want him to take her
home as he had threatened and yet if she kept annoying him, she would end up there for sure. Already, Cassie liked his quiet existence and wished she could stay a while until she learned to do things for herself. Somehow though, she doubted this man had patience for anything other than his horses. She focused back on her plate of food. She had barely touched it and Kayden had already cleaned his up.

  Cassie was on edge, wondering if wasting the food he had cooked for her would be enough to tip him over the edge and make him cross at her again. He’ll most likely stomp out to the stables without me, she thought. Tears sprang to her eyes that she tried to wipe quickly away.

  Cassie heard his paper move and his eyes peered around it at her. ‘What’s wrong now?’

  ‘My stomach, I still don’t feel well. I know you hated having to cook it for me and now I’m wasting it.’

  He shrugged and went back to reading his paper.

  Damn. He’s so hard to fathom. She dropped her shoulders and breathed out heavily. Now she realised how tense she was, she really had to stop feeling so uptight. Maybe it’s me and not him at all. She leaned back in her chair, drinking her juice and looking outside. The tree near the window had lovely lilac flowers that lifted in the breeze, making a carpet of petals around the trunk. Yes, it was beautiful here.

  She picked up the dishes. One thing she did know was how to wash a dish: she had seen that done plenty of times when she was a child.

  Cassie followed Kayden out to the stables when he was ready and he sat her up on a bale of hay, putting a hand on each side of her and leaning in close. She could smell the delicate spice of his aftershave and his body, so near, was a bit unnerving. His eyes closed as if he too was taking her into the depths of him. Cassie heard the horse make a weird noise and with a quick movement he stood up, glancing towards the noise. The moment was gone and his old self was back.

  ‘Remember, one peep out of you and you go back inside,’ he warned. ‘Sit still and don’t move.’

  Cassie watched as the horse dropped onto the floor, obviously in a lot of pain. Kayden was at its side within seconds, sliding a big long glove onto his hand that went all the way up his arm. Then to her surprise, he slipped it inside the animal. She was horrified for the poor thing. God she’s making the worst noises! Even though she was unsure of this strange procedure, she kept herself perfectly still and quiet, her eyes barely blinking as she observed a miracle: a foal slid out and lay with its mother.

  It wasn’t long before it tried to stand. Not even a human baby is this smart! Tears ran down Cassie’s face as the little fellow wobbled and tried to get its balance. Kayden looked around and she felt his eyes on her for a minute as her heart went out to the tough little fellow. By the time she’d ripped her eyes from the newborn, Kayden had turned back to the mother and continued working on her.

  After it was all over he led them both into a clean room and hosed the little one down. Cassie watched as the mother nudged him to keep him moving. When Kayden finished, he said they needed to leave them for a while; that the mother needed rest.

  It was well into the afternoon by the time Kayden woke Cassie, asking her if she’d like to go for a swim. She was glad to go and cool off but after checking her watch, she wondered what had happened to the last forty-eight hours or so. She recalled that the paddock had been covered in fog when they took one of the horses back and after they returned home, Kayden had made her a hot drink.

  Did he drug me? Thinking she had lost her marbles, she put the thought aside. She must have her days mixed up. One seemed to run into another on the farm. She smiled and took up his offer. It was stinking hot inside and sweat had dampened her hair and pyjamas so she quickly changed and bounced out the door, excited to be doing something other than sitting there in the heat.

  At the waterhole, Cassie looked up at the rock wall that stretched far above their heads. The sun was in a perfect position to highlight the ferns that grew from the crevices between the big boulders. Closer to the water’s edge she could see reeds growing, staining the water yellow. Farther out, the water seemed to change to a royal blue that ran into indigo in the depths. The water smelled clean and was lovely and refreshing to wade in. She had to suck in a huge breath to stop from shrieking after jumping in as her still-bruised and aching body hurt with the pressure against her skin.

  Kayden picked that moment to move past and he accidentally rubbed against her. She flinched and groaned.

  ‘Sorry,’ he apologised, looking down at her bruises. A look spread across his face: a mixture of pity and horror. She looked down at her body and could hardly blame him if he thought she looked disgusting: she felt ugly.

  She swam away to hide from him behind some reeds and lay back, floating in the cool water, relaxing her mind, trying not to think about looking like an elephant lady. They will heal, she repeated, trying to console her vanity. She remembered that she was with a person who really didn’t seem to like her very much anyway. She had to stop worrying. All I have to do is be good for a little while and not anger him. Then once I get stronger, I can just disappear into the night and his life will be back to normal. Happy with her new thoughts, Cassie closed her eyes and imagined her room at home and her wardrobes of clothes and shoes. If only she had been good then she would not be here in pain, trying desperately to survive.

  She felt a splash. Kayden was trying to get her attention. ‘Do you swim?’ He splashed her again playfully, appearing to be in a happier mood.

  ‘I’ll race you to the other side,’ Cassie challenged him, lifting her head out the water and eyeing him competitively.

  ‘Let’s see what you’ve got.’

  Making it to the other side was easy but coming into the last couple of metres on the way back, Cassie slowed. She had nothing left. Kayden flew past her and stopped. He was looking back as her eyes started to close and she slipped under the water. Cassie could feel him grabbing her and lifting her out and even though her body had let her down, she still felt and heard everything going on around her. It was somewhat scary not being able to open her eyes and she hoped the feeling would pass quickly. She felt him throw a towel around her, place her in the truck and put something under her head before it all went black.

  It was dark and she was back in bed when she woke. Damn it, not again. This guy’s going to think I’m such a girly-girl, fainting all the time. Way to go and make an impression, Cassie girl! She sat up with a start, wondering what was happening to her and felt two arms pull her back down. Kayden had been lying with her and was still holding her. Mm, nice.

  ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m so sorry,’ she apologised in a whisper.

  ‘You’re still weak and just overdid it.’ He was leaning on his elbow, watching her. ‘I hope you didn’t mind me staying with you until you woke but you gave me quite a scare.’ His voice rolled over her like warm honey.

  She smiled shyly. ‘I um …’ She wanted to say she had never lain with a man before and that it was nice but the words were stuck in her throat.

  He reacted to her blubber as if she did not want him there and he mumbled a curse, getting off the bed. ‘You’re right, of course. I shouldn’t have presumed. I’ll keep my distance and take you home as soon as you’re okay to travel.’ He stood at the door for a minute, maybe waiting for her to respond, but she was speechless.

  That isn’t what I meant it to sound like at all.

  ‘I guess you’re hungry. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready, seeing as you can’t do anything for yourself.’

  Cassie wanted to crawl back inside of herself. Kayden glared at her before shutting the door and leaving her on her own. She lay for a while thinking, pushing aside his cutting remark.

  She had woken up in his arms. He was holding me. Me. At that moment a horrible thought changed her happy mood. It dawned on Cassie that he might still think she was a whore. Maybe he had wanted to have his way with her, only she had rejected him. No wonder he was cross. A woman rejecting him he could handle, but by a woul
d-be tramp? After all, that’s how he saw her. She couldn’t lie there thinking of what he thought of her any longer. It was making her nuts. She flung the blanket off getting up. If he wants me gone tomorrow, then maybe I should make a run for it tonight while he’s sleeping.

  With this new plan in mind, Cassie decided to go all-out to be polite and throw him off the trail. Not that he’ll care when he wakes and finds I’m gone.

  Kayden turned around as she appeared at the door, looking her up and down with an almost-smirk crinkling the sides of his mouth. Cassie looked down and saw that she had only one of his T-shirts on.

  ‘I didn’t know where my clothes were,’ she said timidly.

  He returned his gaze to the frypan. ‘You’re not anything worth looking at, girl, so don’t kid yourself. It hardly worries me what you wear. Anyway, I had to wash your clothes. They should be dry soon—and don’t say it,’ he said sarcastically, ‘You have never washed clothes before.’

  This man sure sounds as if he dislikes me. So why is he cooking for me if he really feels that way towards me? Why am I still here? None of his unusual behaviour was making sense and even if it did, she had no answer for him. Cassie was ashamed to tell him she had never had to wear anything twice. She just walked over to the table and sat down quietly. ‘I’m sorry,’ she apologised and hoped he wouldn’t growl anymore.

  When he made no further comment, she glanced up to watch him as he confidently moved around the kitchen. He was so big, well over six feet, yet seemed so graceful. His hair was dark brown tonight, yet in the sunlight it had red highlights. His eyes were hazel and changed colour with his moods. He had the longest eyelashes Cassie had ever seen on a man. Sometimes he watched her through them and she felt like he could see right into her very soul. His features were strong and masculine but when he smiled, which was not often, he looked so very young.