by Debra Holt
“Bend over and let me dry your hair.”
Manolo, her usual hairdresser, he was not. The rubbing he gave her scalp could have used a bit more finesse, but she knew better than to say anything. She fought to keep her mind centered on his attempt to dry her hair and not on how achingly close she was to his body. The crackling of the wood in the fireplace echoed the brittleness in her own pulses. She couldn’t tell if the burning warmth flooding her body was more from the fire behind the metal grate or from deep within her core ignited by his touch. Perhaps both.
“There… that will help some.” He took a half-step back as if to admire his work.
Raising her head, she tossed the wild mane of hair over her back. Thankfully, there were no mirrors. That was until she saw the glittering male look of heated desire flare in Clay’s eyes. Her breath caught in her throat. Danger signs were flashing throughout her brain but she couldn’t shut them off. The rumbling of thunder and crashing lightning outside only added to the charged atmosphere swirling inside the cabin. Kaitlyn was powerless to do anything but watch—mesmerized by the golden blaze reflected in his eyes—as he slowly sank down on his knees in front of her, the towel forgotten on the floor beside him. His large palms moved to rest on either side of her quilt-covered thighs, the heat from his hands seeping through the material.
Why did he have to look at her that way? His dark golden eyes moved over her like warm honey spilling across her skin. Rain beat down on the roof and the fire’s warmth chased away the chill in the room. His gaze moved slowly across her mouth, feeling as if he had actually caressed it even without touching. She heard the quick intake of his breath as he watched the pink tip of her tongue subconsciously moisten her bottom lip in nervousness.
One strong palm moved to each side of her face, his long fingers reaching into the thick mane of hair. Resolve disappeared and desire, hot and all consuming, took over.
“Kat, I want that second chance,” Clay whispered against her lips as his mouth consumed hers and the storm ceased to be outside.
It raged inside the cabin in each spot he touched on her skin. His hands held her captive while his lips devoured hers in a sensuous, heat-laden kiss which deepened—a low groan escaping him. It wasn’t the soft, tentative exploration of the kisses they shared earlier. His tongue coaxed an opening and found the sweet warmth to welcome him. The touch unleashed an onslaught inside her.
They drank from each other’s lips as two people thirsting for too long in a desert land and finding one cup to share. While the kiss they had shared earlier had been more of a gentle questioning and almost tentative in its approach, this was totally opposite. Clay was claiming, not asking. Kaitlyn allowed herself to give in to a wild abandon she had never felt before. Nothing mattered but finding the release and fulfillment their senses craved from each other. No thinking, no dissecting each nuance—only the present and their mutual need for each other was all that mattered in this moment in time.
Clay’s hands slid down the column of soft skin at her throat, his thumbs caressing the pulse points. They were electrifying in their touch. Palms eased over her shoulders and around her back, before bringing her hard against his bare chest. The protection of the quilt was forgotten.
Kaitlyn raised her arms to slide around his neck. Her fingertips met and were lost in the thick tendrils of hair at the base of his neck. Clay’s mouth pulled itself away from her lips to begin a fiery trail where his hand had just been. His teeth nipped softly at the tender skin down her neck. Goosebumps skittered across her flesh while her pulse rate went off the charts.
Kaitlyn forgot all thoughts of the quilt and modesty as she automatically welcomed his body closer between her legs. Her head fell back and her eyes closed with such an incredible feeling of heated pleasure at the way his skin felt beneath her palms. Gliding her hands across his back and shoulders, she reacquainted herself with his solid planes. Kaitlyn’s nails elicited another moan through male lips that pressed ever downward across her neck before moving over the soft skin of her shoulder.
In some corner of her mind, a buzzing sound interrupted and would not cease. An expletive rent the air as Clay’s mouth left her skin amid his trying to gain some normalcy of breathing. Somewhere, her air supply was trying to return to its rhythm while her mind was hurriedly grasping for control. Clay moved to the table and reached for the cell phone next to his hat. His greeting was far from being welcoming to whoever was on the other end.
“We made it to the east line camp. We’re okay. As soon as the storm passes we’ll be in.”
He ended the call and the cell went back on the table none too gently. However, he kept his back to her, hands going to rest on his hips as he drew in a couple more deep breaths. It gave Kaitlyn time to gather her wits and the quilt more securely around her. Her skin felt flushed and she had no idea what to do or say. Clay turned to face her but did not retrace his steps to move closer to her. Bad sign.
“I could either say Seth has a rotten sense of timing… or thank him. Either way, I apologize. I never meant for this to happen. I got carried away in the moment.”
Carried away in the moment? A cold sliver of déjà vu began a slow creep from the pit of her stomach upward along her spine before shadowing her mind. It was shades of the night in the barn again. Once again, she had been on the brink of sacrificing her very soul to the man and, once again, he pulled back. The next step would be where he crushed her heart under his boot heels again. She would not allow this scene to replay itself. Her heart could not stand it a second time. Standing, she grabbed her clothing off the makeshift line as best she could with one hand.
“No harm, no foul. A roaring fire and rain on the roof… a half-naked female. Perfect make-out scenario. Who could blame you? But I owe Seth a debt of gratitude also. He kept me from making a really big mistake… again.” She made good her escape and left him standing in the room alone.
*
One eye opened slowly, followed by the other. For a moment, Kaitlyn lay in a blissful fog, while she allowed her surroundings to come into focus. Then the pounding in her head began again and she squeezed her lids shut once more. If only she could stay in bed with the covers pulled over her head and forget the last twenty-four hours.
Her mind replayed scenes most of the night. The ride back to the ranch. Clay had not spoken more than a dozen words from the time she had come out of the bathroom after dressing and then as they readied the horses for the ride to the house. Silence surrounded them as they rode, the horses separated by a few feet but their riders separated by a chasm a lot wider. Dinner. Clay had not been at dinner that evening. Which was just as well as Kaitlyn ate little and went to bed early. It was all she could do to get through the looks from Angie and the solicitous remarks from Edie. Her Gran had been the worst hurdle. Her looks spoke volumes even though she hadn’t said all that much to Kaitlyn. That wouldn’t last too much longer.
Angie breezed into the room and went straight to the bank of windows, drawing the curtains back and letting in bright rays of sunshine. “Rise and shine, sleepyhead. You missed breakfast and Gran sent me to tell you that you need to be ready in an hour. She has her mind set on going into town. We’re to go with her.” Then she turned back to Kaitlyn rising slowly to swing her feet to the floor, the bedding a tangled mess around her.
“I never knew you to be so chipper in the morning. You could tone it down a decibel or two.”
“I told you. It’s the country air.” She plopped down on the side of the bed next to her friend. “So give it up. What did you do to screw things up between you and Clay this time?”
“Me? Me screw things up? Why do you assume anything got screwed up?” Kaitlyn pushed off the bed and began slamming dresser drawers, pulling out articles of clothing and hunting for shoes in the bottom of her closet…anything to ignore Angie’s questions and prolong answering.
“It’s written all over you. Since you arrived at the house last evening, looking like a thundercloud and you stayed qui
et during dinner and then ran away to your room as soon as you could. Besides, I know you, remember? And Clay’s not doing much better. He hardly spoke to anyone at breakfast and then headed off to his office. Seems you two don’t want to be under the same roof if you can help it.”
Kaitlyn paused on the threshold of the bathroom and turned to face Angie. “We never should have tried to be under the same roof at all. This was headed for disaster from the moment he landed on that highway. The only thing that came out of all this was I got to see Gran and I learned a very valuable lesson.”
“What’s the lesson?”
Her hand on the doorknob, Kaitlyn paused and looked over her shoulder. “Second chances are for fools.” She left Angie to ponder that bit of wisdom.
*
“He’s biting everyone’s head off this morning. I’d come back next month maybe.” The silver-haired receptionist warned the tall lawman standing in front of her desk.
“Good thing I don’t scare easily. I’ll see if I can rile him up some more.” He grinned, walking into the inner office without pausing to knock on the door. He shut the door behind him with a thud.
“I told you, Karen, I’m…”
“Only available if Marshal Matlock walks in the door.” He finished smoothly before taking the chair in front of Clay’s desk, propping his lizard-skin boots on the corner of it and leaning back in his seat. “So, what’s got you in a mood this morning? A case going south?”
Clay scowled at the boots. “Make yourself at home and no… my case has not gone south. What are you doing in McKenna Springs? Not enough to keep you busy in Laredo?”
“There’s plenty to keep busy there. It’s when it leaks over into this area that I have to come down this way. I actually came to talk to one of the other rangers… Davis. But he’s at some convention or training or something like that. So I thought I would see what you’re doing for lunch.”
“He’s coming to lunch with us.” The reply came from the figure breezing into the office. “And so are you. How are you, Trey?”
The man scrambled to his feet and swept his hat from his head. “It’s good to see you, Mrs. Russell. It’s been a while.”
“Yes, it’s been too long.” She returned his smile. Then her attention went back to Clay who had risen from his chair also. “Get your hat and come along. The girls are already on their way to the Diner and I came to collect you.”
“The girls?”
“Yes, Clay… the girls. We are all going to Joshua’s field day after lunch… remember?”
“Come along, Trey,” she said, turning to the tall man beside her. “I want to introduce you to my granddaughter and her friend. You like eating at the Diner on Main Street, don’t you?” She placed her hand on his elbow and he made no effort to resist.
Few people ever resisted Georgia Russell.
The pair didn’t wait for Clay. He took his hat off the rack and followed behind the duo at a slower rate of speed. Neither of them made any comment on the fact he was lagging behind them.
*
The Diner was doing a brisk business as usual at the noon hour. Darcy had shown Angie and Kaitlyn to a large table toward the rear of the restaurant. She had just laid the menus on the table when the trio appeared. Kaitlyn looked up and then quickly turned her attention to the menu. She did have to finally take her gaze from it and acknowledge the arrivals when Georgia made the introductions. “Marshal Trey Matlock, this is my granddaughter, Kaitlyn, and her friend, Angelina Lord. Troy is a U.S. Marshal and a good friend of Clay’s. I talked him into joining us for lunch.” Georgia made certain Jason took the seat at the end of the table between the two women while Kaitlyn and Clay were at the other end.
Small talk was made between four of the five occupants of the table. Kaitlyn had decided she was not going to allow Clay’s presence to dictate how she spent her last day in McKenna Springs. She kept her attention centered on conversation with Trey and Angie. Georgia joined in while her gaze rested now and then on Clay as she tried to draw him into the group.
“So you’re a U.S. Marshal?” Angie asked. “And does that trump a Texas Ranger in the hierarchy of law enforcement here in the Wild West?”
Trey almost choked on the sip of ice water he had just taken. Clay’s scowl returned to land on Angie.
“Well, that depends on who you ask and what state you’re standing in.” Georgia spoke up for both men. “Marshals are federal and rangers are state… but rangers are special and I think I may drop this subject for safety sake.” Georgia finished with a laugh. “These two will be heading to New Mexico tomorrow, Trey.” Georgia added. “I trust you know some marshals in that area that can keep an eye out for them?”
“I’ll do my best to see to that. I know a couple that will be happy to show them some of the better restaurants and how to enjoy their evenings in Santa Fe.”
“We need to be going to the school now.” Clay spoke up, motioning for their bill. “I know you need to be on your way, Trey. Thanks for stopping by today.”
“Oh, Trey… you can’t stay and join us?” Georgia looked at the lawman rising from his chair.
The marshal paused and shot a quick look at Clay who stood stone-faced at the opposite end of the table.
Placing his hat on his head, his gaze returned to the older woman. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Russell. I recall I have a meeting in Austin that I should be on the road for right about now. I’ll take a rain check.”
“See that you do that.” Georgia hugged the departing man.
“He seems very nice,” Kaitlyn remarked as she and Angie followed Gran from the diner. Clay had walked out with the other man ahead of all of them.
“Are you interested?” Angie returned.
“I’m not interested for me. I was thinking he seemed to have more than a few glances in your direction during lunch. He’s easy on the eyes.” Kaitlyn smiled.
“Is he? I didn’t really notice. But I think Clay noticed you noticing him. He had a definite thundercloud over him by the time he left. Are you going to put him out of his misery any time soon?”
Kaitlyn stopped as they reached the car and looked at Angie. “If Clay Morgan is in any misery, it’s his own doing. I decide who I notice or not and it is certainly not any of his business. Don’t forget to pack this evening after dinner so we can be on the road early in the morning. We’ve wasted enough time on this detour.”
Chapter Eighteen
“You came!” Joshua spotted them first and came at full speed across the tennis court to stop just in front of them. “You really came!”
Kaitlyn had to meet his grinning face with a like one. “I promised. I can’t wait to see you compete. This brings back a lot of memories for me.”
“I’ve saved you a spot in the shade. Come on, we have to hurry because my first race begins soon.” He took her hand in his and she had to skip to keep up with him. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to hold hands with the child and Kaitlyn found she didn’t mind it in the least. The others followed them.
“Are you okay in this heat?” Clay asked the question of Georgia as they all settled in on the long bench seating under the shade of one of the many oak trees around the perimeter of the school grounds. Kaitlyn had to admit she couldn’t fault the way he treated her grandmother. They had at least found a way to coexist and put the past behind them. Good for them.
“I’m fine, Clay. You sit here between Kaitlyn and me so you can explain what’s going on.” She patted the seat.
For a moment, Clay hesitated but then he settled into the spot. Kaitlyn inched as close to Angie as she could on the crowded bench seating but there was no helping the fact that their shoulders and knees kept touching and that keyed her pulses on high alert. Her mind tried to concentrate on Joshua and the activities in front of her, while her heart and other senses couldn’t ignore the man next to her, his cologne mixing with his natural scent and filtering over her, the warmth of his skin evident even through the pale blue cotton sleeves of his s
hirt as he grazed her bare-skinned arm.
“I’m next. This is my number. Could you pin it on my back?” Joshua held out the square piece of paper and safety pin to Kaitlyn.
Clay’s hand rose to intercept. “I can do that.”
“No, please, I want Miss Kaitlyn to do it. For good luck.”
The others chuckled around them. She was touched by the earnest look on Joshua’s face as he held out the number. It wasn’t lost on her that many of the other contestants had theirs pinned on by their parents… generally a mom or grandmother.
“I shall be honored to do so,” she said, taking the pin and paper. “Turn around and let’s get you ready.” After securing it, she had him turn back. “I think you look like a runner now. Can I give you a kiss on the cheek for good luck… or would that be too embarrassing?”
“Naw.” His cheeks colored underneath the few freckles. “You can do that when I win one.” He turned to run off with his group. But then he stopped and turned back. “A hug would be okay if you want.”
She didn’t hesitate. “A hug it will be.”
He was off then, a huge grin on his face. She settled back in her seat, not sure why there should be any moisture in her eyes. Taking the sunglasses from her purse, she slid them on. The sun had suddenly become too bright. It wasn’t fair that another Morgan male had found his way into her heart so easily and could make her shed a tear, too.
The course was once around the perimeter of the track. There were a dozen boys lined up, in varying heights and as they were all dressed in their gym outfits, they looked mostly the same in the white tee shirts and bright green shorts. One bent to retie his sneakers so they had to wait another few seconds before all were in place again, looks of competitor determination on their faces. The starter fired the cap gun and they were off.
Kaitlyn tried to keep her eyes on Joshua as they neared the first turn. By the second turn she was on her feet along with most of the rest of the observers on the benches. Her voice rose higher and she was pulling her hardest for the boy as he headed toward the homestretch. He was right in the middle of a group of three leading the pack that had fallen a short distance behind them. The crowd’s noise rose and so did Kaitlyn’s voice, screaming his name. Twenty yards out, the boy began to pull ahead by a couple of feet. Kaitlyn didn’t realize it at the time but she had grabbed Clay’s arm and was holding on to it for dear life, then she was pulling on it as she was jumping up and down with laughter and cheers as Joshua crossed the finish line, his chest straining to break the yellow ribbon marking the end of the race.
