Cade had his phone in his hand, fingers moving absently even as he felt the hot tension in his lower body as she strode from the surf, looking like Venus rising from the sea. Rain poured over her, rinsing away the salt as she walked, head high back to the cave.
“There…I can now say I took a swim in Puget Sound,” she declared resolutely, her head nodding. “Brrr…that was brisk,” she said, aware that he was staring. “Hmm…guess I’m pretty see through at the moment. Turn around, please, Cade,” her fingers were up with a gentle twirling motion.
“I’ve already seen it all…” Laughter gurgled free but he turned politely.
“Yeah well…” Abigal quickly removed the wet clothes, dropped her skirt over her head and buttoned it before slipping her arms into her suit jacket. “Fortunately, I’m wash and wear…”
“You have an interesting new perfume,” Cade said with a sniff.
“Salt water and sea weed,” she inhaled, nose wrinkling. “All a part of the risk factor.”
“Are you planning on doing a lot of that in the future?” Cade asked cautiously, watching her take a seat beside him. Her toenails had a wild shade of pink on them and were busy brushing sand from them before sliding into her flats.
“A lot of what? Going swimming? I plan on taking SCUBA lessons,” she answered thoughtfully. “I’m thinking of rock climbing, too…”
“So it’s experiences you’re chasing?” He asked carefully. “Adventures.”
“I’m not chasing anything. Okay…I think a part of it is…I was a runt,” she cast a scowl at his laughter.
“I can offer an honest opinion, Abigal Murray, you are definitely not a runt any longer,” Cade knew the picture of her striding toward him from the surf was going to be etched in his mind for a very long time.
“The point is…it was always, no, Abby, you can’t, you’re a girl. You’re too little…it’s too rough for you…well, no more,” she said with a firm nod. “Now, there is nothing outside the realm of possibilities. Nothing.”
“Huh…”
“Why do girls put up with that? I can honestly tell you, as a girl, I don’t know…except you want to please people,” she said thoughtfully, hitching her skirt high and moving to sit on the sand cross legged. She put her elbows on her knees and held her chin up. “And somewhere in the pleasing…”
“You lose you,” he said softly, tapping her on the shoulder and handing her the band and pens she had pulled from her hair. He watched her hands deftly rewinding, the neat little bundle once more at the nape of her neck. He decided he should have stashed the items in his pocket.
“Yeah…yeah, I think you do,” she said quietly, inhaling and straightening up slowly. “So…I’m sorry to have…unloaded like that…it’s not my normal self. Why did you say you came out here?”
“To ask you to have dinner with me,” Cade answered honestly, shrugging out of his jacket and dropping it around her shoulders when her body shivered.
“Oh…thank you…but now you’ll…” Warmth fell with the heavy leather jacket around her shoulders, her hands holding the sides closed. “Oh, my, that’s warm.”
“I’m good…rain shouldn’t last much longer,” he assured her.
“Dinner…” She heard her stomach growl. “That would be nice…I think I missed lunch. I knew we would get tons of applicants…”
“I saw some didn’t make it to the gates,” he commented with casual interest.
Abigal shrugged. “Mention drug tests and background checks…you lose people that way. I don’t get their thought processes…how or why they think an employer would pay them when they’re a questionable risk, at best. Especially when a great many of the jobs have to do with handling money or people.”
“You enjoy the job?” Cade saw the rain slowing.
“Yes, yes, I do…I’ve been in Human Resources since I entered college. It’s almost like being a detective,” she said with a grin. “People aren’t always honest.”
“You mean like me using your address?”
“That’s only until you have an address of your own. It’s not really dishonest,” but she winced. “Okay, it is a little…but you can’t very well get a job without a viable fixed abode. I’ve met a lot of homeless people doing this…here and in New Mexico. Good people. With good skills and fantastic work ethics but no place to live,” she sighed, her head shaking ruefully. “So I help them along and I have never been disappointed. I’m good at my job. I can ferret out the people who genuinely want to work and get their lives back. It’s wrong that our society takes so much from them…at times when they need it the most.”
“I’m not protesting, Abigal,” he said softly, standing up and offering his palm. “Rain’s stopped. Let’s head to your house.”
She wrung the water from the vest, bra and panties, holding them in one hand and taking his palm with her other.
“Good thing no one is at home,” he met her quizzical look with a crooked grin. “Mom’s don’t usually understand when a girl walks in with her underwear in her hands instead of…”
“Oh…” Abigal sighed, aware of the tint in her cheeks. “You’re a good listener.”
“They teach us that in army school,” he teased with a wink. “How about some dinner?”
Chapter Nine
Abigal nodded, watching where she placed her feet on the trail back up to her mother’s house. She led him around to the back patio, left her shoes on the planks and washed them off, offering the hose to him to clean his while she stepped into the house. She dropped his jacket on the chair and went down a long corridor.
Cade entered the large open area of the single floor house. Windows were on each outside wall, a vaulted ceiling had skylights in it and the floors were done in a nice black stone. A brightly colored pottery bowl was filled with fruit on the breakfast bar separating the kitchen from the living and dining areas.
“I’ll be a few minutes…” Came the voice from the back room.
“Put on jeans and a warm shirt, Abigal,” Cade called after her.
Fifteen minutes later, he was glad to see she had put on sneakers. She wore a pair of faded jeans that stopped at mid-calf and a silver sweater that hung off one shoulder and was belted at the waist. He nodded his approval, watched her latch the patio door and lead him to the front.
“Ready for dinner?”
Abigal was about to speak when she realized where he was guiding her. She stopped, her fingers pulling free from his hand. She shook her head, eyes darting from him to the very large black motorcycle.
“Oh…Cade…this isn’t…I don’t think…I’ve never…”
“Then it’s about time you have,” he said simply, lifting the lid on a hard case behind the chrome back seat bar. “Come here…” he frowned and set the helmet on the seat. “This has to go, Abby.” He pulled the pens free and let her remove the band. He saw her fingers shaking a little. “Trust me?”
She stared into the dark grey eyes, nodding slowly. Dark lashes closed as he fit the helmet over her head, adjusting it to rest properly and lifting the visor. Cade burst out laughing when her eyes shot wide when she heard his voice in her ears.
Abigal stared. He had his helmet on. She saw his lips moving and heard him…inside the helmet.
“Abby…I’m going to get on first,” he directed her gaze to the ground. “Put one foot there and slide behind me, okay? Ready?” He dropped the visor on his helmet and mounted the bike, holding it steady while she did exactly as he instructed, fitting perfectly against him. Cade felt a burst of air pushed from him when he started the bike and her hands clasp on his stomach. He swallowed hard and reached down to gently loosen her fingers.
“Abby…I gotta breathe…okay…relax…I’ve been riding for a long time,” he tried assuring her and heard a little voice murmuring to herself. “You’re safe with me.”
“Okay…I’m trying, Cade…”
“It gets easier, Abby…” Cade didn’t have to remind himself she was there. Her breasts were pr
essed against his back. Now and then he would gently hold her hands, taking the curves carefully and entering traffic, aware of her tension. There were many people at the place he took her. Even in the middle of the week. He kicked the stand into place. “I’m getting off, Abby…sit still, okay?”
He wasn’t sure she was breathing and stopped himself from chuckling when he felt her helmet nod against his back. He latched his helmet to the front bar and eased off the bike. He faced her, opening the latch on her helmet and attaching it to his on the front.
“Okay?” His hands went to her waist, lifting her easily to the ground. He held her in place a few seconds, her hands tightening when she wobbled a little and frowned. “It’s a little wobbly at first…but you get used to it.”
Cade frowned, but took her hand, leading her into the large well lit restaurant. She wasn’t talking. He didn’t think that was normal for Abigal Murray.
“Cade! Buddy!” A tall well-dressed man gripped his shoulders tightly before noticing Abby. “And company,” he nodded his approval. “Jamal Hunter.”
“Abigal Murray,” came the immediate ingrained response, dark eyes blinking and a long breath drawn in. “Sorry…”
“First time on the back of a bike, Jamal,” Cade winked at his friend.
“Ahh…enough to unnerve anyone,” he agreed with a dazzling smile. “Where’ve you been? I heard you had moved back.”
“I am…and I’ll stop in and visit, I promise. I missed your cooking,” Cade grinned crookedly.
“Then let’s get you a table and menus,” Jamal lifted a couple tall menus from the front desk, guiding them through the bustling tables to a quiet corner near the window.
“It’s beautiful here,” Abigal turned slowly, taking in the brass and lace and flowers and deep vibrant colors in the room.
“Thank you, I like it…it fits the exotic food…” He clapped Cade on the shoulder. “Enjoy…and we’ll talk another time.”
Abigal sat back in the comfortable chair, fingers toying with the edge of the menu. She looked from Cade to Jamal and back.
“You were with him in the military,” she said softly, noting the surprise on his face. “You were an officer and he worked for you.” She frowned when he leaned to the side, peeking beneath the cloth on the table. “What are you doing?”
“Looking for your crystal ball.”
“I’m observant. He’s nice.”
“He’s a good guy,” Cade said simply, opening the menu and browsing the choices. “And a really good cook. I was afraid the ride had robbed you of your vocal cords. Not sure what a silent Abigal would be like,” he teased with a crooked grin.
“I don’t usually talk as much as I did in the cave, Cade,” she made a face at him, opening her own menu and looking over the choices. “I think it was the…the place I’m not supposed to be thing…nerves…lots of nerves…”
“So how did you know we worked together?” Came the casual question, his decision made and the menu set aside.
“I told you,” she shrugged. “I’m good at my job. He has articles and photos posted near the register.” Ten fingers rose and raked the long hair back from her face. It was drying slowly, curling and weaving over her shoulders and down her back. Her nose wrinkled. “I smell like the ocean.”
“It suits you,” he teased. “You looked like Venus rising from the sea…I’ll have the image forever.”
“Image…” Abigal caught the single word and leaned over the table, unaware that it gave him a really nice view of the top of her breasts. “You didn’t…you wouldn’t…” she stared into his eyes. “You did!” She hissed furiously. “You took a picture?”
“That look on your face does not inspire confession, Abby,” Cade laughed, pulling his phone from his pocket. He scrolled through the photos, turning the phone to face her.
“Oh my god…that is…” Abigal felt her nails digging into her palm on the table top. “That is obscene…”
“I think some would consider it art,” he said with a critical appraisal, carefully keeping the phone out of her reach.
“You can see…oh my god,” Abigal buried her face in her hands. “I don’t know what came over me…I can claim temporary insanity, I suppose…oh god, what if…Cade, seriously…I love my job and I don’t…”
“Abby…no one…and I mean no one…will ever see this photo but me,” Cade slid the phone back into his pocket. “Although, a spread in Playboy might be something to add to your list,” he suggested with a wink.
“A…oh geeze…I’m just going to chalk this entire day onto the list,” she mumbled from behind her fingers.
Cade felt her relax when their food arrived. He dived into the spicy seafood Thai soup and she was enjoying the Pad Thai with extra sprouts and prawns. She lifted a ring of calamari from the plate between her fingernails and bit down thoughtfully, considering his last question.
“Hmm…why did I leave New Mexico,” Abigal chewed thoughtfully. “I wanted to spend time with my mother…but more importantly than that, the concept…yes, the concept and social responsibility around the resort was something I needed to be involved in. I haven’t met all the people behind it yet, but it’s a great idea. A great…giving…idea,” she tried explaining. “A growth idea that will benefit more than stock holders and rich land owners.”
Cade listened to her enthusiasm and felt a flush of heat on his face. And he knew she noticed it.
“Spicy soup?” She asked curiously.
“A good spice,” he admitted with a sigh of relief.
“Anyway…I think it was just time for a change. It’s odd that sometimes you can see it coming…change, I mean…and other times it kind of sneaks up on you. Why did you return? Jamal said you hadn’t been here for a while. Where did you live before?”
“I grew up in Wyoming. After the military, I went there for a while and then down to Orlando,” Cade thought about his response. “I think it was just time, like you. I was stationed here for almost four years and liked the area. I think there are good opportunities in this area….with the right incentives.”
“Wyoming?” Abigal swallowed the bite she had taken. “Like on a ranch?”
“A small one, yeah…horses mostly.”
“Do you ride?” Her eyes were wide and Cade swore he saw another line on the list.
“I can ride…have since I could walk, I think,” he admitted with a grin.
“Is that why you like riding a motorcycle? Reminds you of a horse?”
“Did you major in psychology?” He asked carefully.
“Partly…it’s a big part of human resources. Just thought it was a really close…similar thing, you know,” Abigal didn’t turn away from the intensity in his eyes. “You have very pretty eyes…a kind of silvery grey…”
Cade was the first to admit he didn’t fluster easily. But her compliment wasn’t something he was accustomed to. He was used to…nice bike…nice suit…great car…nice apartment…
“I…glad you like them,” he wasn’t sure what to say, and took a long drink of the cold water.
Abigal ate the last prawn on her plate and sighed contentedly. “That was delicious, thank you for inviting me out, Cade.”
“Hey, us new people gotta stick together. Lots to explore here,” he commented casually, catching the eye of their waiter and pulling his wallet free.
“I bought a couple books,” she confided, ignoring his chuckle. “I’m looking for the farmer’s markets on Saturdays and Sundays. I think it comes from mom making pottery…I love seeing the crafty things people create. Plus I bet they have really good food.”
“I bet they do,” he agreed, standing up and offering her his hand. “Come on, I’ll take you home. I also bet you have an early morning.”
“I usually leave the house about six thirty. I have tons of applications to review and move to the second phase,” she admitted, unconscious of her feet slowing as they approached the large bike.
“Abby…I won’t let anything happen to you,” Cad
e had his hands on her shoulders, peering into her eyes beneath the gleam of the street lights.
“I know…it’s just…it’s new, Cade…” She accepted the helmet he held out to her.
“Just like before,” he said before swinging his leg over the bike and holding it steady it with his legs, his hands adjusting the helmet. Her fingers looked so small against the onyx of the helmet as she fit it over her head, adjusting the strap beneath her chin. “Okay, Abby…foot on the stand…good girl…perfect,” he felt her hands on his waist, pressing around to lean into him.
Like before, he felt her tense when the engine roared to life, his grin broad as he guided them through the night streets. The fresh scent of rain and kelp and ocean filling their senses. He wanted to take her on a longer ride, but that would be another day.
“Are you okay in there, Abby?”
“I’m good…it’s not so bad…it feels so big…” she said the words and groaned when he laughed. “That just wasn’t…I’m going to quit now, thank you.”
“Well you know us guys…size is everything,” Cade teased, patting her palms when they stopped for a light change.
“So…you think it’ll rain some more?” Abigal asked casually, listening to the deep laughter from Cade. She couldn’t stop the tensing when the light changed and they were back in traffic, but did manage to relax. “Well…I guess I can add riding a motorcycle to my list,” she said after a few minutes of silence.
She managed to work her courage up and lift her head from his back, relaxing a little and looking around as they rode. It wasn’t so bad, she decided, her hands relaxing enough to rest on the sides of his belt instead of crushing him in a bear hug.
“I don’t suppose you have a reputation as a bad boy,” She asked casually. “That would make another line on the list look good.”
“I’ve been called a few things in my lifetime, but bad boy just wasn’t one I can recall, Abby, sorry,” Cade listened to her sigh.
“Oh, well…it was worth a shot.”
WindSwept Narrows: #2 Cassidy, Abby & Mia Page 8
