“Nice to meet you, Miss Dahlgren,” Rufus said. Casting a look at Rick he all but giggled. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“And I’m sure you’re too smart to believe any of it,” Cassie retorted. She didn’t like the way everyone seemed to be in on a joke except her, especially since she knew she was probably the joke. Almost sneering at Rick, she moved to Martin. “I won’t hug you, but would it be all right if I shake your hand?”
“Sure honey,” Martin said, taking both of her hands. “But if you’re really looking for someone to hug—”
“Oh don’t get started, Daddy,” Lori piped up. “Besides, we’re here to see about getting you settled.” Noting Cassie and Kevin’s confusion, Lori explained. “Since you’re leaving tomorrow, Kevin, and Cassie still needs watching, Doc said Dad could recuperate here just as easily, so here we are. We just stopped by today to say hello, but we’ll be back tomorrow before you leave, Kev.”
“Makes sense to me,” Kevin agreed, winking at Cassie.
No one noticed Rick’s scowl.
When all but Rick, Cassie and Kevin had left the room Rick turned his attention to the other man. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” he asked sarcastically.
Crossing his arms in front of him, Kevin grinned. “Nope, I’m free as a bird.”
“Then fly away,” Rick growled. Kevin’s wink to Cassie hadn’t gone unnoticed and the pull in Rick’s gut also wasn’t going unnoticed. As soon as Kevin did leave the room, Rick walked over to her. They stared at each other in silence until he finally said one word. “Hi.”
“Hi, yourself,” Cassie answered, then gifted Rick with a smile. “It’s good to see you. Sort of.”
He grinned. “You too, sort of.” The one thing Rick noticed about Cassie from the start was her ability to make him laugh when he didn’t expect or even want to. Add the fact it was done so easily and it scared him. She also made him relax to where he could put his hands on her shoulders without feeling awkward. He felt content until the thought of Kevin’s wink landed in the pit of his stomach again. “Looks like you and Kevin are getting along all right.”
“Yeah,” Cassie said casually. “He’s a nice guy, but I already told you that, didn’t I?”
“Mmmhmm,” Rick answered. “But I didn’t realize at the time how nice you actually thought he was. I guess it’s mutual too since he looks satisfied.”
Rick’s use of the word satisfied didn’t seem strange to Cassie, until he suddenly took his hands off her shoulders and she rethought his meaning. Understanding the insinuation Cassie’s brow knotted. How dare he think that about her! Conjuring a twisted smile to cover her hurt, Cassie spewed venom.
“Oh I’m sure Kevin’s very satisfied, if he were a horse he could be put out to stud. And I’m glad he’s going away tomorrow, he and I can really use the rest since we’ve been going at it like rabbits!”
Her fire, clearly visible made Rick step back. He’d made a fool of himself and they both knew it. He started to speak, but Cassie didn’t wait to hear. Casting a scowl in his general direction, she walked quickly out of view, leaving Rick alone. Or so he thought.
“That was a terrible thing to say!” Kevin shouted from the entry hall. He stormed up to Rick, but stopped before actually throwing the punch he felt forming in his fists. “How can you even think that about Cassie? Hell, she hasn’t even gone up to the tower room because of how she feels about…” He stopped to inhale. “She’s not some snitch trying to save her own neck by testifying. She’s a nice girl, Rick. Or is that the problem?” Shaking his head in disgust, Kevin saluted. “If you don’t mind, sir, I think I’ll start my assignment now before I go on report for murdering my superior. Have a nice evening. And to think I used to look up to you.” His voice dripped sarcasm.
Life took many turns along the way, but Rick never thought he’d see the day when a tenderfoot like Kevin Williams would make him feel the fool. But, Kevin was correct, he had jumped to the wrong conclusion and somehow had to make things right again.
He started to go in search of her, but when he turned around, Rick found the others had returned in time to hear most of Kevin’s angry words.
While everyone exchanged uncomfortable looks, only Doc spoke. “I suggest you make peace in this house, Rick, or I’m not letting Martin come back here.” His tone lost its earlier good humor and was now condescending.
Rick ignored the remark, but did nod at Martin. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said calmly.
A few minutes later, when the rumble of Steve’s car told Rick he and Cassie were alone, his attention returned to finding the star witness named after the stars. Reasonably sure she hadn’t stowed away in the trunk of Steve’s car, Rick knew she had to be either in the house or on the grounds. He had just started toward the basement door when he heard a splash and changed direction.
From the patio near the pool, Rick was able to watch Cassie swim three laps before she realized she had an audience. Undaunted, she continued to swim three more laps before climbing out on the end opposite her spectator.
Her thoughts ran wild. She was torn between the memory of Rick’s last words to her and the way his gaze now seemed to appreciate the fit of her borrowed swimsuit. The meaning of what Kevin said when he explained how dangerous it was for people in their business to be close now made sense. But the more she thought of Rick’s casual inference that she and Kevin were lovers the more angered she became.
Pushing out of the shadows, Rick stepped toward the path as Cassie attempted to pass by.
“You shouldn’t swim alone,” he said, holding his trademark smirk.
Replicating his expression, Cassie nodded in agreement. “You’re right.” With that she did a little pushing of her own and Rick literally flew backward into the pool.
“Arghhh!” he roared, surfacing, water sputtering from his mouth. “You’re impossible! You are absolutely, undoubtedly the most willful and sneaky and sass—” he paused, treading water, and a smile appeared on his face. “Sassy Cassie, I’ll bet that was your nickname in school, wasn’t it?”
“Only one person ever called me that,” Cassie acknowledged, hands resting on her hips, “and believe me, I taught him a lesson he didn’t soon forget.”
Rick narrowed his eyes. “I suppose you broke his nose?”
“Nope,” she answered smartly, “I kissed him.” Cassie then flashed a grin and walked away. The sound of another roar of surprise from Rick followed her.
When she entered the house, Cassie was in tears. Nothing mattered now except getting as far away from that man as she could. Throwing him in the pool had been stupid and she was furious with herself.
She ran blindly and was halfway up the spiral staircase when she realized she was heading for the tower room. She started to turn around then changed her mind as a painful thought occurred to her. The room was safe. She didn’t think Rick wouldn’t be looking for her ever again.
Her wet swimsuit tossed in the corner and herself wrapped in a blanket, Cassie still shivered violently. It had been nearly two hours since she pushed Rick in the pool and he hadn’t been seen or heard from since. She was mortified at what she’d done, and yet knew if given the opportunity, she’d do it all over again. It would be worth it just to see the look of total disbelief on his face and hear the sound of his voice as he roared and then called her—
“Sassy Cassie.”
Following the sound of the words was the sensation of Rick’s fingertips lightly stroking the hair away from the back of her neck, then the feel of his lips as they brushed against that same place. Afraid to move, but more afraid not to, Cassie arched her head, accepting the touch as his mouth traveled upward. Guided by her heart, Cassie turned around to face Rick. She wondered how long he had been there.
From the time he had started climbing the stairs Rick’s mind had drifted to fear. Fear that Cassie had left the house—and him. And when he finally did find her, he was afraid to move, thinking her a dream he didn’t want to wake up from. He
became a silent observer watching her, and until he heard the sound of his own voice whispering, “Sassy Cassie,” he didn’t even realize he’d been moving toward her.
Yet at last the dream faced him and Rick knew if he wanted to make a move it would have to be now or never. He chose now. Holding his breath he began to lower his head when the feel of Cassie’s hands on his chest stopped him. Thinking he’d misjudged her interest in him, he was about to back away when her hands moving up around his neck made him realize she hadn’t been trying to push him away, but pull him closer. With all doubts removed, Rick wasted no time wondering what the taste of her would be like.
Their lips barely touched when Rick leaned back and groaned slightly. Startled by his sudden withdrawal, Cassie looked up at him. His eyes were tightly shut and his breathing erratic. He seemed to be fighting a demon she was powerless to combat.
Pressing herself against him, Cassie waited until Rick opened his eyes.
“Don’t just protect me,” she whispered. “Love me.”
Some invitations were impossible to resist and this time when Rick lowered his head, he didn’t hold back. Again his kiss started softly, but increased in intensity as Cassie let the blanket she’d been covered with fall to the floor.
She stood complete and beautiful, smiling only at Rick’s appreciation of what he saw. He was eager to know the woman in front of him and his kisses traveled downward from her mouth. His breath, hot against her, brought a moan from Cassie as his lips sought and found the tenderness of her breast.
Nothing Rick knew could compare to the softness of Cassie’s body now arched beneath him. She was ambrosia against his skin. He felt magic as he gently descended to her, then shock as her soft gasp filled his ears and his understanding. He froze, not sure of the thoughts running through his mind. Yet, when he looked into her eyes he was met with the welcoming assurance of Cassie’s smile. She was his.
No longer unsure, Rick entered his new world sending Cassie the witness to his memory and taking Cassie the woman—the woman he loved—into his heart.
“Why me?” Rick breathed against Cassie’s ear.
They’d fallen asleep and now as the sun peeked in the room, thoughts of wonder and a little fear ran through his mind.
“I might ask you the same thing,” Cassie said, turning to face him. “You’ve never done anything like this before either, have you?”
Taking her hand, Rick sighed. “That depends on the actual question. If you’re asking if I’ve slept with the women I’ve protected, the answer is no. If you’re asking if I’ve had sex with beautiful women, the answer is yes. If you’re asking if I’ve made love to the beautiful woman…” he paused long enough to trail the back of his hand over Cassie’s face. “The answer is finally yes.”
A tear appeared in Cassie’s eye and she buried her face in Rick’s shoulder. While she got the answer she hoped for, she was still not comfortable that he had gone against his initial beliefs of mixing business with pleasure. But then again, she had done the same thing and for the same reasons. Whether they were ready to admit it aloud or not, they both knew they were in love. It would be tough enough trying to hide it from the rest of the group without trying to hide it from each other.
Enough second-guessing, she thought, and sat up. “Let’s go swimming.”
In agreement, Rick stretched and got out of bed. With Cassie’s hands in his, he pulled her close, kissing her nose playfully. “If we’re going to take a swim, maybe I should put all my clothes back on.” He grinned broadly at her expression and stole another kiss. Then, taking a serious tone, he increased his hold on her. “I want you to know the words are inside me, Sass. Do you understand?”
“Yeah,” she answered quietly. “My words are in the same place and when this is all over, I’ll set them free.”
Rick’s unspoken message, though touching, was also necessary. A lot had happened to them in the short time since they’d met, but the real reason of their meeting was still foremost in their minds. Maybe if they kept their feelings silent, those feelings might be allowed when their lives became their own again. Whatever their conversations may hold, the inner knowledge would keep them together.
Dressed in clothes in spite of their intended swim, they had just entered the backyard when Rick took Cassie’s hand. “Instead of swimming, let’s go for a walk. I don’t want your memories of this place to be of your time with Kevin.”
Though Rick’s voice was light, it held an uneasiness not missed by Cassie. Stepping into his embrace she kissed his chest. “Don’t worry, you’ve given me your own memories of this place.” Her attempt to make him laugh worked and hand in hand they headed toward the rose garden.
* * * * *
It was peaceful walking amongst the flowers at sunrise. Not feeling the need to speak of their fears or joys right then, they rested under a tree.
“Tell me about Mr. Dahlgren,” Rick said entwining his fingers with Cassie’s.
“My daddy?”
“Your father. For starters you can tell me why he wanted to name you Cassiopeia.”
“Oh that,” Cassie laughed. “Dad was into stuff like that back then.” Noting Rick’s confusion, she explained. “I was born on the twenty-ninth of February.”
“And he thought that made you a star child or something? All right, the man has imagination, tell me some more about him.” Like if he’s going to beat me to death with a telescope, Rick mused.
“What’s to tell?” Cassie shrugged. “He’s a nice guy.” Seeing Rick wasn’t content with her smart answer, she went on. “His name is Blake, and he became a single parent when I was seven. Before that he and my mother worked for an air transport company delivering various supplies to the remote areas of the Pacific Northwest and Canada. I wasn’t quite born on an airplane, but came close. Anyway, once I did arrive the three of us would fly all over the place together. It was a lot of fun, as I remember, until one time when Mama and I came down with the flu. I got better, but Mama developed pneumonia and died.” Cassie’s voice had lowered considerably.
“I’m sorry, Sass,” Rick said, bringing his arms around her.
“It was a long time ago,” Cassie reassured. “I really don’t remember her very much, which is a mixed blessing, I suppose. Well, since it was just Dad and me, he decided I needed more of a stable environment so he quit working for the transport company and opened a small store. Since he already had knowledge of the equipment and supplies the transport business needed, it was a natural transition. Then, when I learned how to fly I assumed someday he and I would work together. Yet as I got older, he became less and less interested in starting our own company and more interested in my finding a husband and settling down.”
“And you disagreed?” Rick questioned softly.
“I wasn’t disagreeing to the idea, just about the timing. I was barely out of high school, but I think he didn’t want me to miss out on anything. And, I also know that had I not moved away from him, he’d have never gotten on with his life. Mama told me that before Dad met her, his dream was to have his own transport business, so I knew he was holding back because of me. It was hard, but I figured leaving him was the best thing I could do for the both of us. I went to college in Sacramento and then applied to the police academy there.”
“And then you went to work for Luther.” Rick frowned.
“Not quite,” Cassie said. “I worked at another farm for a while before meeting him. He hired me away from them, but he never really knew who I was.”
“What does that mean?”
Cassie lowered her head. “People get weird around cops, so I never introduced myself as one. In fact, I didn’t even use my real last name. When I went to work at the first stable, there was a creepy guy who kept asking me a lot of questions. I didn’t want to tell him anything, so I just said I’d left home at an early age. He thought I was a runaway. By the time I did meet Luther, he didn’t know anything about me either. And don’t get mad, but from the moment I met Luther, I
felt there was something I should be careful about. That’s why I never corrected the assumption that I had run away from back east somewhere. It’s a good thing too, considering all that’s happened. At least I know he won’t find my dad.” Failing to convince herself, she looked at Rick. “Luther won’t find him, will he?”
Avoiding a promise he didn’t know if he could keep, Rick took Cassie’s face in his hands. Kissing each cheek before moving to her mouth, he answered her question the best way he knew how, with silence.
Understanding and appreciating his effort to comfort her, Cassie returned the kiss and lay back on the grass, pulling Rick with her. “No more sadness, okay? You wanted to know about my dad, well here’s a funny story for you. Once, when I was fifteen, he and I were refueling at a little airstrip near Reno. We had a long flight ahead of us, so we decided to pick up some snacks. Well, as I was headed inside the store two giggling women were carrying on about how they had just seen Clint Eastwood. I ran inside hoping to see him too, but when I came around the corner, who do you suppose I saw surrounded by six adoring women and two men with a Cocker spaniel?”
“Your father looks like Clint Eastwood?” Rick asked, absently running his fingers through Cassie’s reddish-brown tresses.
“Not to me he doesn’t. As far as I’m concerned, Dad’s just an average forty-two-year-old man who—”
“Forty-two!” Rick interrupted almost urgently. “Your father’s forty-two?” Cassie nodded and started to continue her story when she was cut off again. “Cassie, I’m seven years younger than him.”
“That’s right,” she agreed. “And you’re also a lover of cartoons and classic cars, use baby shampoo and have a passion for chocolate-covered peanuts. What’s your point?”
“My age doesn’t bother you?”
Instinct told Cassie not to joke anymore regarding this subject. “Rick, your age shouldn’t and doesn’t bother me any more than mine should or shouldn’t bother you. A heart is ageless.”
My ShadowMy Love Page 4
