Divine Phoenix [Divine Creek Ranch 10] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Heather Rainier

  He remembered the inhaler and nasal spray Emma had given him and went to his workbench, sneezing his head off. The wheezing had begun, and he was relieved he had the inhaler to rely on.

  Tabitha continued fluttering around him as he pawed through the drawers in the workbench. “Tabitha, stop. I’m having an allergy attack.”

  “Oh.” Tabitha flapped her hands and sounded concerned as she continued patting him and trying to touch his face. “You should go to the doctor again. That Emma Guthrie doesn’t know what she’s doing. She didn’t cure you at all last time. You should go to my doctor. He could tell you what you’re allergic to so you could avoid it.”

  Clearing his throat, Clay replied, “I know what I’m allergic to, Tabitha.” He tried to rein in his responses because he didn’t want to bite her head off. That wouldn’t help anything.

  “Well, what is it you’re allergic to?”

  He took a deep breath. “In a word, Tabitha? You. You have several cats. You always have cat hair on your clothing. I’m really allergic to cat hair and cat dander.”

  Tabitha looked as though he’d Tased her. “Me? You’re allergic to me? Oh, no! What do we do?”

  Clay shook his head. “It’s fine as long as we keep each other at arm’s length. I can deal with it.”

  Tabitha seemed to mull that over and with a trembling lip said,

  “What if I got rid of the cats? Would that make it better?” She reached for his shirtfront, but he held his hands out to stop her.

  “It would. But I don’t expect that from you. Just…keep your distance.” The cat hair tickled around his nose where it had stuck, and he sneezed again.

  “But I can’t do that, knowing how you feel now. I’d give up Mister Willy and Missus Pookie for you, Clay.”

  Clay held up a hand, realizing she didn’t understand and wasn’t going to take the hint. He could hear the wheezing in his upper airway as he spoke. “Tabitha, listen to me.”

  “Okay.” She ruffled and overlapped the front of her cardigan again, bringing on another flurry of sneezes.

  “Hold on a second,” he said, then used the inhaler. After one more dose from it, he continued, “Tabitha, I never meant for you to think I was considering dating you. You’re my employee. Period. I’m taking down the rule but I’m not opening that door between us.”

  “But—” She wouldn’t get away, and he couldn’t help himself. He sneezed explosively in her face as she blotted her hairy Kleenex against his cheek again. Get off of me, woman!

  “Sorry about that. No, Tabitha. You’re a good worker. You’ve been loyal and I appreciate it.”

  “But I—”

  “No.”

  Tabitha’s cheeks burned bright red as it evidently dawned on her why he’d taken down the sign. He had no intention of justifying his actions. It wasn’t for his employee to dictate what he did or whom he dated. He wanted the sign gone so Lily would know the only barrier between them was on her end now. Maybe that would help.

  “I assumed…”

  “I know, and I’m sorry. I just heard the bell. Would you mind seeing to that customer?”

  Obviously embarrassed, Tabitha said, “Of course. I’m sorry for my mistake. I hope I…”

  Clay smiled at her. “Just help the customer, Tabitha. It’s okay. It was a misunderstanding.”

  Clay went in the bathroom, took off his T-shirt, shook it out hard, and then doused his face repeatedly with cold water as his sinuses unleashed their histamine-induced fury. He stayed that way for a couple of minutes until the cold water seemed to help. He coughed and felt the inhaled medication taking affect, easing his breathing. He used hand soap and washed her greasy lip gloss from his face.

  After drying off with paper towels he used the nasal spray and went into the workroom to put on the clean shirt he kept there in case of spills or accidents.

  “Oh, hello, handsome.” Clay grinned and turned at the sound of Lily’s voice. She stood with Del just inside the back door.

  “Oh, hey,” he said, noting her appreciative gaze traveling over his bare chest. His cock responded to the heat he saw in her eyes.

  “Everything okay?” Del asked as Clay blew his nose again, feeling embarrassed for his continuing nasal histrionics.

  “Yeah. I had an allergic reaction.”

  “What are you allergic to?” Lily asked.

  “Cat hair and cat owners, evidently. It’s a long story,” he said quietly. He pulled the clean white T-shirt on and hugged Lily when she came to him, and kissed the top of her head. “Did you have a nice afternoon?”

  Del nodded. “Lily helped me with my errands.”

  “I’m going to cook and freeze some meals for him, too. He invited me out to the ranch one day this week.”

  Clay liked that idea and the fact that it would give her a break from the hard work and long hours she was keeping lately. He observed the casual way Del’s hand rested on her shoulder and felt a slight twinge of possessiveness, but he tried to not react to it. Lily had always been equally close to both brothers, and he didn’t want her to feel pitted in the middle.

  “I’m going to go check on Tabitha and see if she needs a break.”

  Clay smiled at her thoughtfulness. “She’s probably a little peeved at me right now. I’m sure she’d appreciate a break, darlin’.” The endearment slipped so easily from his lips, and Lily paused for a second, flushed a bit, but didn’t say anything else as she slipped through the doors. So much for not showing his possessive thoughts.

  “Everything really all right?” Del asked. “You look like shit.”

  “Yeah. This allergy kicks my butt. I…”

  “What?”

  “I was pulling down the ‘No Dating’ policy sign I put up to keep Tabitha off my back, and who should walk in while I’m doing it?”

  “Let me guess. Tabitha?”

  “Yeah, and she got a little enthusiastic.”

  Del snorted. “She jumped you?”

  “Basically, yeah.” Another loud sneeze echoed through the workroom.

  * * * *

  Lily found Tabitha talking on her cell phone while she looked out the front windows. She sounded upset, and when she saw Lily she spoke hastily and then hung up. “You’re back.” Unspoken was the word “finally.”

  “Yes, I thought I’d relieve you if you need a coffee break.”

  Tabitha looked aggravated about something and replied, “Well, I could use a snack.”

  “I saw several boxes of Girl Scout cookies in the freezer.”

  Tabitha scowled. “I’d love some but unfortunately I’m allergic to peanuts so I can’t have Girl Scout cookies. They have a warning on their label about being manufactured in a facility using nuts.”

  “Oh, that must be terrible to crave something you can’t have.”

  Tabitha’s eyes flashed, and she very pointedly said, “You have no idea.” Her words seemed more acerbic than the statement called for, but Tabitha was like that sometimes. Maybe she had PMS.

  * * * *

  After Del took off, Clay was back at his desk, once again looking at that design pinned to his bulletin board. What was missing? The drawing itself was as close as he’d ever come to perfect, but something wasn’t quite right.

  He took out another piece of cardstock for another round of torture and began to draw. It had the vine elements like the ring he’d done for the Warners, but he was trying to achieve a more dimensional effect. The design went well to a certain point, and then he blinked, looked at it, and growled. What am I doing wrong? He crumpled the paper and threw it over his shoulder.

  “Two points!” Lily said with a chuckle.

  He looked over his shoulder, fighting back his frustration, and saw her grinning, holding the paper ball in her hand.

  “I’m sorry. Did I hit you?”

  “Nope. But you made a basket in overtime. What’s wrong?”

  Clay sat up, straightening his shoulders out of their frustrated hunch. “A design. Frustrating me.” He stret
ched his arms over his head.

  “Mind if I look?” Lily asked as she peeled open the tight paper ball.

  With a shrug, Clay shook his head and turned to the bulletin board. He removed the design and showed it to her. “It’s supposed to be for a new line, a series of designs that I’ll make available in various pieces that would all match. Did you by chance see the cuff bracelet Grace had on today?”

  “Yes. It’s gorgeous.”

  “That’s what I’m shooting for, a whole series of new designs that can be bought in sets like that. She has five pieces that all match her wedding band.”

  Her amber eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “What a wonderful idea. I like this, but you know what it’s missing, right?”

  Clay sat there looking at her. Tell me, please. It’s probably obvious. “What’s missing?”

  Lily blushed and looked at him shyly as she brought the sketch and placed it on the workbench under his task light. “I’m not an expert. I probably should’ve kept my mouth shut. It’s not what’s missing. It’s what’s…there that’s not right. These are vines, right?” She pointed with the pencil lead at the drawing.

  “Yes.”

  “Remove this part of the band, between here and here.” She gestured to the band, to one side of the square cut diamond. “Taper the vine from the opening in the band to connect with the setting, so it looks like the stems and thicker tendrils hold the setting in place. It won’t look out of balance because the band is narrow, but it’ll give it a delicate, leafy look, maybe wrap a leaf motif around the smaller stones?”

  Clay felt the tension in his shoulders release as she handed him the design. He penciled in a rough idea of what he understood her to mean. “Like this?”

  “Sort of, yeah,” she said with a smile.

  He pulled up her stool beside his and handed her the pencil and laid a fresh piece of cardstock out for her when she sat down.

  “Show me.”

  “I’m a little rusty, Clay.”

  “Can you picture it?”

  “Sure.”

  “Between the two of us, we’ll get it worked out. Just do your best to interpret what you were saying a minute ago.”

  Lily took the paper and pencil and glanced at him, and then went to work. Her drawing was hesitant at first, but once the design took over she seemed to lose her self-consciousness. He could see what she was trying to tell him earlier. It was organic. His designs varied, but they’d gotten steadily heavier in the last two years. It looked like it could’ve sprouted and weaved its way around her finger.

  He switched to watching Lily as she worked, the unconscious way she bit her lip while she sketched and how she squinted at the drawing, erased and then smiled when it was to her liking. Clay remembered what Chance Carlisle had said to him when they’d talked about designing Lydia’s statue. “There’s just something about her, Clay.”

  Yeah, there sure is.

  She must’ve felt his eyes on her because she looked up and caught him staring. “You okay?” she asked. A pink blush stained her cheeks.

  Clay nodded and whispered, “Yeah.”

  Her eyes locked with his and wouldn’t release him.

  The next thing he knew, she was in his arms, her lips pressed to his. She groaned and willingly wound her arms around his shoulders, raking her fingernails lightly through his hair, their lips and tongues dueling passionately. He slid his hands down her back and pulled her to him so she was half out of the stool and had to hold on to him.

  Breaking the kiss, in a teasing tone he asked, “What was that about?”

  Her full lips were swollen as she licked them and then blushed bright pink. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I know you have the ‘No Dating’ policy and I respect your rules. Tabitha’s right out there. She could walk in and catch us. She’d have a hissy fit.” She tried to withdraw, but he imprisoned her in his arms easily.

  “Yeah…About that ‘No Dating’ policy.” He gestured with his thumb at the bulletin board, where the spot the sign had occupied now lay barren.

  “You took it down?”

  “I don’t want that to be a barrier between us. I know you’ve got your issues and need time. But I’m sick of hearing her ranting on about the ‘No Dating’ policy. I’m not going to let an employee dictate to me whether or not we can be together.”

  “But still. For some reason she’s in a crappy mood today. The last thing I want to do aggravate her.”

  Just then the bell rang, and they both glanced to the monitor. Clay saw three people come in the front door, and Tabitha greeted them as they split up to look at different items.

  Lily said, “I have to get out there. Can we resume this conversation later?”

  “Sure.”

  She stood up and moved away from him just as Tabitha came barreling through the doors.

  “I need help. More people are coming in.”

  They both went out to help and stayed busy the rest of the afternoon.

  * * * *

  Mid-December…

  Del unloaded the bags and boxes from the back of his pickup truck. The groceries got put away in the refrigerator and pantry. The gifts he’d purchased and had wrapped for Lily and Clay were placed on the kitchen counter to give to them at some point the following week.

  He unloaded the tools and supplies he’d gotten for the ranch in the barn. Sargent nickered at him from his stall. He’d run cattle for a couple of years on the ranch but had sold the livestock off eight years ago to join the private outfit that had taken him overseas. He’d just gotten his horse back from the rancher he’d entrusted Sargent’s care to, who had known his family for years. Soon he’d begin accumulating livestock again.

  It had been good to get back in the saddle again and get some ranch work done. Not that he was a stranger to sweating in the sun, but doing it for a peaceful purpose like ranching was good. He’d hoped it would finally clear his head and that he’d be able to sleep. So far all he’d accomplished was working himself into a stupor and intensifying the dreams which then caused insomnia. If he could just get the images out of his head.

  He’d been working on the ranch nonstop for almost a month now, and while it looked better, it still didn’t feel like anyone lived there. Lost in his own thoughts, he was startled when his phone vibrated and rang in his pocket.

  “Hello?”

  Clay’s voice came on the line. “Hey, Del. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

  “Nah, what’s up?”

  “We wanted to invite you to Christmas dinner. I also wanted to check on you. Haven’t heard from you in a couple of weeks.”

  “Working my ass off, that’s all. You know how bad the place was. It’s taking a lot of time.”

  “Lily said she felt bad for not checking in on you after dropping the food off. She’s worried that you’re eating those nasty TV dinners again.”

  “Are you kidding? She made enough food to feed an army. Tell her I’m eating good.”

  “So, you’ll come for Christmas? You could come for the whole day if you wanted.”

  Del couldn’t imagine just sitting around all day, not doing anything. “I’d be happy to come for dinner. Thank her for me. I should come up to the shop and visit you.”

  Clay chortled and said, “I’m not sure how much visiting would get done. We’re both working nonstop trying to keep up with the online orders and the shop. Customers seem to really like her. Oh, I meant to tell you something and forgot. You’re invited to a hog hunt the first weekend in January.”

  “I’m not sure I can get away. I was planning on going to auction soon.”

  “Why don’t you hold off and go to auction afterward? Lily was all excited when she heard that you were invited, too. They do a girls shindig the same weekend at the Divine Creek Ranch.”

  “I remember her saying something about it.” Del felt bad for not checking in more regularly. The last time he’d seen them had been for Thanksgiving dinner. Because of all three of their work schedul
es the dinner had been low-key. He’d been anxious to get as much done as he could on the ranch so he’d left after only a couple of hours. The Christmas shopping season had been hell, and both Clay and Lily had been understandably tired. “So how’s Lily? She seemed happy at Thanksgiving.”

  “Yeah, I think so, too. She’s amazing at the shop.” Del could easily pick up on the hint of pride and possessiveness in his brother’s tone. “Even when she’s tired as she can be and her feet hurt, she still takes care of the shop and the customers.”

  Del hesitated for a few seconds then decided to be direct. “Is there anything going on between you that I should know about?”

  “No. I’m…We’re taking it slow. You know she’s got quite a bit to overcome. But she’s healing.”

  “Remember what a spitfire she was?”

  “Oh, yeah, I remember.”

  “I think the spitfire is still in there but it’s…”

  “Tempered?”

  Del nodded. “That’s a good word. I can tell she’s been through a lot. I think I know how she feels.”

  “How are you doing with what went down in Afghanistan? Have you been able to sleep at night?” Del had given Clay the short, sanitized version of what had happened a few months before and that he had been having trouble sleeping because of it.

  “It’s the same. I guess it just takes time for the memories to fade. Can I ask you something about the two of you?”

  “What?”

  “I can tell you’re trying to be diplomatic. You were never one to rock the boat. I’m asking plain and simple. Are you claiming her?”

  Clay’s response was measured. “I’m letting her set the pace. She’s got stuff she needs to deal with first. She’s in a place where she can’t or won’t go forward in a relationship. And it’s not necessarily by her choice. It’s not the right time to claim her but I will if I get the chance. Are you saying you have an interest?”

  “I wouldn’t pressure her or get into a pissing contest with you, but yes, I do. You say she needs time. I can give her time. You okay with that?” For some reason he would’ve thought that those words would come out more possessive, or competitive, but they didn’t, nor did those feelings follow his declaration.