WindSwept Narrows: #2 Cassidy, Abby & Mia

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

“Abigal, about this list thing,” Cade considered his words carefully. “You think we could discuss things before you go off and launch yourself…”

  “Cade,” his name was drawn out patiently. “The whole purpose is that I make these choices on my own. I’m finally turning into a fledgling bird,” one hand left his waist and waved through the air, only to whip back down when they hit an uneven bit of pavement.

  “An adviser isn’t necessarily…” Cade stopped and thought a minute. “Did you gather opinions when you took the job at the resort?” Perhaps another course of action was required.

  “No,” was her immediate answer. “The concept and altruistic community business plan had me hooked immediately. I really wanted this job, Cade.”

  “Okay…so there’s something for your list,” he pointed out. “And you went out to dinner with me and didn’t collect opinions.”

  “Hmmmm…yes, those are both true. I think I’m coming along nicely,” she said with a smile in her voice. “I have it figured out, you know. How it happened, that is. I’ve been thinking on it a lot the last year. When Mike died, I was all they had left,” she sighed. “I didn’t want to disappoint them…even when they split up…”

  “Ahh…so you did all the right things to please them,” Cade felt her head resting against his back again and heard her sigh. “That’s not such a bad thing, Abby.”

  “No…no it isn’t…but now it’s my time,” she said quietly.

  “So exactly what does that mean?” Cade wasn’t sure he was ready for the answer.

  “I’m still working on that part,” she frowned at his deep laughter. “Laugh it up…but I’ll figure it out. I’m very good at that kind of thing.”

  “I am sure you are,” he agreed, still chuckling. “I understand better than you might believe, Abby.”

  “Why did you leave Orlando?”

  Abby listened to his sigh.

  “Orlando was good. Good job, good contacts. But something just started to feel wrong. Incomplete, if you will. It was about who you were seen with, what you wore…it was about stuff…I put most of it up for sale and came north.”

  “It was just time,” she answered for him.

  “Something…” he said, wanting to draw out the night as he found the driveway. Cade maneuvered the bike skillfully. “Abby…dismount the same way you got on…”

  She looked down at her feet, leaning on her right foot and swinging the other high behind her, faltering only a little when she touched solid ground. Fingers opened the strap on the helmet, lifting the lid of the hard plastic carrier and fitting it inside.

  Her hand went to his arm, stopping him from leaving the bike.

  “Cade…do you have a place to sleep? Seriously…”

  “Abby, I’m good. I’m not sleeping under a bridge, I promise you. Dinner tomorrow night?”

  “Yes…that would be nice…okay…well…ride careful,” she said quickly, her keys in her hand. She was inside the house quickly, not looking back. She wasn’t sure adding Cade Rollins to her list would be a good idea right now.

  Cade waited until he saw the lights go on before heading the bike toward the resort. Not quite a bridge, his mind hinted sarcastically.

  Chapter Ten

  Cade was starting to feel like a voyeur. He ran his palm over the stubble on his face and headed into the bathroom. Somehow, explanations at this point were sounding more and more complex. He could also see the brunette back peddling out of his life. He pulled a shirt over his head and finished his toast.

  Today she was wearing another silvery suit, he watched her hang the short jacket on the back of her chair. Dressed in a vest, skirt and black heels, she moved from canopy to canopy. She stopped at the security canopy and chatted with an attractive woman in black with a long silver ponytail swaying as they walked toward the cantina that had been set up.

  It was almost eight when he rode the bike back through the gate. His head shook slightly when the brunette crossed the pavement in long strides, arms up and waving at him. Again. He cruised to a slow stop, lifted the visor and prepared to greet her.

  “Cade! Please tell me you have appropriate interview clothes in there somewhere?” Abigal paced in front of him, minus the jacket with her hands waving expressively, dark eyes flashing excitedly.

  “I have a suit, Abby, what’s up?” Cade answered vaguely, finding himself wondering what she did to keep in shape. Besides pace. The sunshine caught and twinkled off the tips of three pens stabbed into the dark hair at the base of her neck.

  “You have an appointment at eight thirty! I’ve been trying to reach you since seven this morning!” She explained excitedly. “I emailed Logan last night and told him I had a perfect candidate to talk to him. But then I couldn’t get an answer and thought I’d written something down wrong…”

  Cade pulled the phone from his pocket, wincing. “I had it turned off. Sorry. Let me put the bike over here.”

  “Good…okay…follow me. You can change in my office,” she moved hurriedly over the pavement, standing at the main entrance waiting, foot tapping impatiently on the concrete. She never bothered to look at the case he carried, simply opened the doors and led him toward the back corridor where the administration offices were going to be. Abigal pushed the door marked Human Resources inward and went to the office of the director. “In there. Please hurry.”

  Cade changed quickly, leaving the door ajar and watching the athletic legs pacing off the carpeting. His head was lowered, adjusting his belt when he walked into the outer office. Her feet came to a stop finally. He looked up, fingers about to reach for his tie when she stepped forward, her hands up and deftly fixing the knot and smoothing it down.

  “Are you this involved with all the applicants?” He asked casually. He’d been watching. He knew she had already sent several dozen to various people for personal interviews.

  “I…no…no, I don’t think…” Abby frowned and turned toward the door. “This way…no, I don’t. But you’re…different…”

  “You owe me cause I rescued you?” He hinted with a teasing grin.

  “I…no, of course not. I…”

  “Am I a line on your list, Abigal?” Cade stepped into the elevator with her, the stainless steel gleaming around them.

  “No! Absolutely not. This is business. That’s all,” she informed him firmly, shoulders straight and back stiff, she stared straight ahead. “You most definitely would not be having this interview if I didn’t feel you were not only qualified but highly intelligent and very capable.”

  “I think…” he leaned forward, his lips inches from her ear, the sweet scent of her hair messing with his mind. “I think you like me.”

  “Stop that,” she hissed, fighting the heat that tinged her cheeks.

  “I have proof you’re not always so prim and proper, Miss Murray,” he winked when she spun on him, dark lashes wide. “So…where we going?”

  “You…are going to talk to the guy running the casino operations,” she informed him proudly. Abigal left the elevator, striding down the corridor and tapping loudly on the glass door, pushing it wide when the order came to enter. “Logan, it’s Abigal, I’ve brought that candidate I told you about.”

  “Told me about doesn’t quite cover it, Abigal,” Logan looked up from the papers on his desk, about to open his mouth when he caught the warning from the man behind her. “You are bordering on pushy.”

  “That’s my job, Logan. This is Cade Rollins…” Abigal stepped to the side, nodding as the men greeted one another. “If you need me, call, Logan.”

  “Thanks, Abigal,” Logan waited patiently, his palm up and stroking over the dark goatee thoughtfully. One dark eyebrow went up when the door closed firmly behind her. “I scowl and she ignores me…”

  “The goatee is a nice addition…makes you look kind of sinister,” Cade opened the front of his jacket and flopped down in the chair.

  “That’s what Sam says,” Logan replied with a chuckle. “But I’ve noticed a certain bree
d of female that it doesn’t seem to have the desired effect.”

  “You know, watching her wears a man out.”

  “Stalker or voyeur?” Logan asked, rising and moving to the side cabinet. “Coffee?”

  “Thanks…I need some…straight,” Cade stood up, crossing to take one of the stools near the counter. “Nice office. Mine look this good?”

  “Pretty much the same. Until you add your own touches,” Logan answered, watching Cade closely. “So why are you stalking my HR Director?”

  “Believe it or not, it didn’t begin that way,” Cade took a long swallow, nodding his approval. “Good coffee.”

  “Hey, this is Seattle…what are we without good coffee here,” Logan leaned back on one of the stools. “She doesn’t know who you are.”

  “Uh…not exactly, no. She thinks I’m just another applicant. How’d you get her?”

  “You got the notes, Cade,” Logan told him. “When we put this thing together, I shot out emails to friends, asking for recommendations. Sinclair sent me the security director, Cassidy Parker. Kayla Storme sent me Abigal Murray. You got a copy of her file.”

  “I read it…she just seemed so young on paper,” he commented with a shrug. “Heard from Mia?”

  “She’s in route,” Logan answered. “A little piece of advice…I just spent the worst three days of my life straightening out a lie by omission. And to be frank, I’m still not sure how I got there.”

  “Yeah…I know,” Cade glanced at the framed picture on his friend’s desk and then at his left hand. “Married?” It wasn’t a portrait shot, but more something snapped off and then printed. “And a redhead? Wow…you always went for blonds…”

  “Keep that data to yourself,” Logan said flatly, his gaze softening when he glanced at the redhead. His head shook, still a little in shock. “Samantha…you’ll meet her at some of the upcoming meetings, I’m sure, provided you’re you by then. She’s now on the board of St. Michael’s.”

  Cade glanced at his watch. “Guess we’ve been at this long enough?”

  Logan arched one brow. “So what do I tell her? And another bit of advice, when the shit hits the fan, and believe me, it will, I will find the nearest exit and let you repair it on your own.”

  “Do we have a don’t date fellow employees policy?” Cade asked, pushing to his feet and draining the coffee.

  “The standard…don’t date your supervisor kind of thing, I think. Dictating romance gets a bit tricky,” his grin was crooked. “Ask the HR director. She’d know.”

  Cade offered his own grimace. “I’ll tell her I’m in training…that will at least clear the way for me to be on the grounds without her wanting to impound my bike.”

  “Abigal takes her job very seriously, Cade. I have to admit, the people she’s sent me so far for management positions have been amazing. People who wouldn’t have gotten through more narrow minded, conventional HR people.”

  “I’ve discovered that…which is why she doesn’t know, Logan. Not yet. Not until I’m sure she won’t chuck the job and me because I own the hotel.”

  “I hear you got a pretty sweet deal on the Orlando resort you sold,” Logan commented.

  “Tourism is rampant down there. I’ll see you around,” Cade nodded and went to the door, closing it behind him. He was heading to the elevator when he was positive his heart stopped.

  “Well?” Abigal stepped out from the corner, hands clasp in front of her.

  “Christ, Abby…I think my heart stopped,” he inhaled slowly, glaring at her. It was a waste of energy because Logan was right, she wasn’t even aware she was being frowned at. “I’m in training,” he said simply, very unprepared for what happened next.

  With a little squeal, Abigal launched herself forward, her arms up and around his neck. She hugged him tightly, her feet were no longer on the ground and his arms had come up to immediately hold her firmly against him.

  Cade absorbed the energy, her squeal of excitement ringing in his ears. His hands seemed to know what to do and held her against him tightly.

  “Oh, Cade, that’s wonderful! I am so proud of you!” Abigal continued to hug him for a long minute.

  Something in Cade told him to let go. But her simple words were echoing inside him with the strength of a million armies. All the accolades he’d received in his life and hearing her tell him how proud she was of him seemed to dwarf them all to insignificant.

  “Thanks…” Cade moved his hands to her waist, intending to set her on the floor. But intent was over ridden when he stared into a pair of brightly sparkling, slightly slanted deep brown eyes.

  “I…um…should get back to work…” Abigal knew it was a mistake to gaze into those silvery eyes. She swore there were tiny sparks of red bursting against the silver. She saw his mouth open, but there were no words. And then she saw nothing at all, her lashes closing when his palms framed her face.

  His mouth was warm and tasted like coffee. Her hands fell to rest on the edge of his belt, mostly to keep from falling over, she told herself. A tiny sound left her lips when he nipped her lower lip, her tongue surging out and meeting with his, stroking and teasing.

  Cade let his senses drink in the scent and feel of her beneath his hands, his thumbs stroking over the strong line of her jaw, his fingers wanted to pull the band free and lose themselves in the softness of her hair.

  “I…I have to go to work, Cade,” Abigal swallowed hard and turned her head. She felt his lips brush her forehead, resolutely pushing against the firm waist to take a step back. One palm raised, a finger held up as she turned and moved away. “I really have to go work.”

  “I’ll walk you out,” he said quietly, working to analyze the wild passion that almost had him sweeping her off the floor in the middle of the day.

  Abigal continued walking, pressing the elevator button and then changing her mind. “I’m going to take the stairs. You did good, Cade…seriously…I’ll see you around then…”

  “Abigal…” but she was gone, the sounds of her heels echoing in the empty stairwell. Cade leaned against the door jamb. Grey eyes staring for a long time at the blank wall.

  Chapter Eleven

  Abigal threw herself into her work, head down and focused, she was writing on the front of an application when the palms came down on her desk. Her head popped up instantly, one of the pens dislodged and fell to the floor at her feet. Dark eyes blinked at the man standing before her desk, both of them reaching to the concrete for the fallen pen. Both hands touching it at the same time.

  “Cade!”

  “Abigal…it’s lunch time,” Cade dropped the pen on the desk, and gestured toward the cantina.

  “I’m good…really…I have this…drink thing…and I’ve got tons of papers to read through and sort,” Abigal felt a rush of panic when he took the pen from her fingers and gripped her hand. She stood up when he tugged, frowning at the hand on her wrist. “Cade…”

  “You need food. I need food. Let’s get food together,” he decided, another tug and she came stumbling forward, his palm moving to settle firmly at her waist. A much better grasp for moving her forward when her heels suddenly seemed like they were rooted in concrete. “You want me to tell your mother you’re not eating during the day?”

  “Tell…my…Cade, don’t you dare!” Abigal hissed furiously, very aware of the people around them.

  “Your mother likes me,” he informed her confidently. “She thinks you don’t socialize enough.”

  “My mother has nothing to do with…with this…”

  “If you don’t pick up your feet, I will carry you to the cantina,” he almost fell face forward when she somehow ducked under his arm and stood glaring at him. “Abigal…”

  “There are rules, Cade,” Abigal had been practicing her speech since she found her way back to her desk. After: The Kiss. She cleared her throat, straightened her shoulders and brought her palms up, gesturing as she spoke. And paced. “You are an employee. I am an employee…”

  “If yo
u try telling me we can’t see each other because of some idiot policy,” Cade pushed the words through his teeth.

  “Policy exists for the safety and benefit of both the employee and the company,” Abigal recited sternly.

  “And you researched this?” Cade stood with his feet apart, his hands clasp before him.

  “Well, I’m sure the policy is…I haven’t actually found it yet…”

  “Then I’ll quit,” he announced with a shrug, watching her eyes widen and mouth open.

  “No! Don’t you…you cannot just…” one foot rose and stomped onto the concrete before she paced in tight little steps in front of him.

  “Then we have lunch. And we have dinner, as planned. I’d bet the policy is something like don’t date your supervisor or some such drivel.”

  “It is not drivel,” she moved her hand quickly when he went to reach for it, backing up a step and raising her hand, one finger out in warning. “I do not want to have lunch in the cantina.”

  “Then we’ll go off campus,” Cade said with a shrug, his palm sweeping through the air to grab her fingers tightly in his. “We can take the bike.”

  “Take…I…Cade, I am wearing a skirt,” Abigal announced as if it were news.

  “I noticed…you have one sexy wiggle in those heels, too,” Cade chuckled when she sputtered, but at least her feet weren’t glued to the concrete.

  “I like my skirts and my heels. I like being a girl and I will not apologize for it,” She informed him emphatically.

  “I like you being a girl, too. It’s one of the first things I noticed about you, Abigal,” Cade stopped next to the bike, opening the back and handing her the helmet with a scowl. His hands moved before she could protest, pulling the pens free and then the thick band that held her hair captive. Thick, rich hair tumbled around her shoulders. “Much better.”