Filled with emotion at her words, Rick spoke carefully. “I know you didn’t like it when I said this before, but you really do have a lot of insight for someone so young.”
Reaction came in the form of action as Cassie suddenly rolled on top of Rick. Lowering her head, she pulled softly at his lips with her teeth before plunging her tongue deep inside his surprised yet welcoming mouth, all the while moving side to side against him. She felt Rick’s appreciation of the situation as his body showed its own reaction. Then as quickly as she had started her assault on his senses she stopped. Groaning, Rick opened his eyes to find her smiling down at him.
“Do you still think I’m so young, Mr. Jarrett?”
Had an elephant walked by, Rick wouldn’t have noticed. All he could see, feel and breathe at that moment was the young woman who changed all the perspective in his life. Sitting up slowly, he wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her close, delivering his own brand of assurance that he would never again think of her as so young. When the kiss ended, they both laughed. Communications effectively established they headed back to the house.
The walk back was uneventful as far as Cassie was concerned until she heard what sounded like applause and Rick’s low groan. Looking toward the same direction Rick was she now knew the reason for both sounds. Steve and Lori sat on the deck.
Still not understanding Rick’s distress, Cassie jogged ahead to greet them and was immediately hugged by Lori. It wasn’t until Cassie turned around that she too groaned.
From their vantage point on the deck Steve and Lori had full view of where Rick and Cassie just shared their moment of communication. Now very glad she stopped her advances toward Rick when she did, Cassie buried her face in her hands and sat down.
Rick didn’t say anything when he reached them other than to hold up his finger toward Steve in a warning gesture before walking to where Cassie was sitting. With his arm around her casually, he waited for either of the voyeurs to speak. When they didn’t, he did, but only to Cassie.
“Do you think you can keep these two in line while I’m gone?” he asked, squeezing her shoulders gently.
“Gone?” Cassie, Lori and Steve asked in unison.
“What are you up to now?” Steve demanded. He knew all too well that look on Rick’s face. “You’re not planning on living up to your nickname again, are you?”
Confusion marked Cassie’s face, but from their response, she knew both Lori and Rick understood Steve’s meaning perfectly. “What nickname?” she asked Steve.
“Renegade Rick,” Steve huffed. “A name that’s well-earned, believe me. Come on, Rick, I should think that now you’d want to stay here.” He paused giving a significant look in Cassie’s direction. “Especially now.”
“Forget it, hon,” Lori broke in. “It’s no use fighting him when he’s this way and you know it. Come on.” Unhappy but cooperative, Steve followed Lori inside.
When they were once again alone, Rick turned to Cassie who stared at the ground. With his finger, he brought her face up to his. “Don’t let Steve upset you. I got that nickname a long time ago and it’s just stuck with me, that’s all. I swear I’ve matured a lot since my Renegade Rick days.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” Cassie said, noticing that Rick now stared at the ground. “You just got here, where is it you think you have to go all of a sudden?”
Flashing his gray eyes back up, Rick sighed. “It isn’t really all of a sudden, Cass. I admit I didn’t have to come here yesterday with Martin and the others. But I had to be with you so I took it upon myself to replace Kevin. There wasn’t any reason for me to see you, otherwise. I wasn’t physically protecting you, remember? But, all of that aside, I’ve been working on your case. And now, I’ve got some things to do regarding it. Don’t worry, I do plan on returning.”
“I didn’t think you were running out on me!” she snapped.
“Then stop acting that way!” Rick snapped back then inhaled deeply. Prepared for battle, he wrapped his arms tightly around his opponent. “Look, Miss Dahlgren, your situation hasn’t changed just because our situation has. And believe it or not, there are those who feel protecting a witness is a waste of time and money. That’s why the sooner we prove them wrong the better. And we can’t do anything until we find Luther.”
“But your leaving does concern me, doesn’t it?” Cassie insisted.
“Everything concerns you, my Sassy Cassie,” he said, lightly kissing her nose. Hoping to distract her, he smiled evilly. “That reminds me, what happened to the guy you kissed for calling you that?”
“Well, the last I saw of him, he was wiping his mouth feverishly while running down the street in tears.”
“You’re kidding,” Rick said. She had to be joking. What man in his right mind would run from this beautiful creature if he’d been lucky enough to be kissed by her, let alone cry about it?
“Would you have stood quietly by while all your friends watched you get kissed by a girl when you were six years old?”
The twitch in his lips that now seemed almost second nature when Rick was with Cassie started. A low rumble from his chest was quickly followed by genuine laughter. He loved her more each second when she made him laugh. Each meeting the other’s laugh with a kiss, they started chuckling all over again.
“What’s so funny?” a voice asked from behind.
The laughter stopped when Rick turned around. “Hello, Doc,” he said noncommittally.
Rufus Muldoon walked closer, extending his hand to Cassie. “Hello again, Miss Dahlgren.”
“Query time, no doubt,” Rick said, squinting up at the man.
“Query?” Cassie asked.
Rufus ignored Rick and spoke to Cassie. “I’m a doctor of many trades, Cassandra. In addition to being a medical doctor, I also come here and talk to the guests to see how they’re doing.”
“She’s doing just fine,” Rick interjected then smiled as Cassie’s elbow lightly jabbed his rib cage. “And besides, if she needs medical attention I can administer enough CPR to keep her breathing happily. I was a paramedic in my other life, remember?”
“Thank you, Dr. Muldoon,” Cassie said standing up. “But Rick’s right, I don’t need to talk to anyone. I knew what I was doing when I started all this. And believe me, I’m adjusting quite nicely.” Another smile appeared on Rick’s face, but this time he kept his mouth shut.
Again, ignoring Rick, Rufus nodded at Cassie. “Okay, but if you feel this place,” he glanced at Rick, “or the people do start getting to you, feel free to call on me. I’ll leave you alone now. Goodbye Rick.”
Rick didn’t answer, but he did watch Rufus walk away. Observing his tension, Cassie tapped his shoulder. “Don’t you like him?”
Rick shrugged. “Doc’s all right. We’ve clashed a few times over the years, but I don’t dislike him. Well, at least you won’t be lonely. There’re enough people here to have a party.”
“Lonely stands out in a crowd,” she whispered.
“Hey,” he said, pulling her back down beside him. “You think this is going to be any easier on me? I’ll be lonely too now that we’ve accepted each other. If all goes well, I should be back tomorrow afternoon and be ready to resume my shadowing Cassie duties.”
“If all goes well,” Cassie huffed, ignoring his shadow joke. “Why don’t you take Steve with you? Especially since he thinks you’re up to something sneaky. Please? You take Steve and then Lori and I can gossip about the two of you.” Batting her eyelashes, Cassie held her breath.
“No,” Rick said, deliberately mimicking Cassie by playfully batting his own lashes. “I want Steve right here keeping an eye on you. And as for you and Lori gossiping, I think she’s done enough already since you know about my liking cartoons and chocolate-covered peanuts.”
“He also leaves kiwi peels in the sink,” Lori’s voice rang out across the patio. Walking to them, she lost her smile. “Don’t worry, Rick, we’ll take good care of Miss Cass just as we have been doing. But she
does make a good point about Steve. Why don’t you take him?”
“What I need to do, I need to do solo, Mrs. Travis,” Rick said. The raising of his brow told Lori to drop the subject.
Reluctantly, Lori returned to the house, but not before hugging her friend tightly. “Godspeed, Jarrett.” She then disappeared.
Many questions raged through Cassie’s mind, but the answers would have to wait. Something in the way Rick had conveyed a hidden meaning to Lori was enough for her to accept this man might really did fit his renegade image.
With a deep breath to steady herself, Cassie took Rick’s hand. “Let’s go see Martin before you leave.”
Chapter Four
Luther Carstairs loved women. It didn’t matter what the size, shape, age or appearance of the woman was—he loved them all. They sustained him physically and, more importantly, emotionally. They empowered him by his control of them. From his earliest memories he had captivated women with his ability to cajole. As a child he’d only have to look at a female guest of his household to be given cookies or toys. And when he grew into a teen he frequently gained free access into movie houses and rarely paid for meals. But those were just the stepping-stones to Luther’s career in womanizing.
Continuing his quest for perfection he polished his talents with acting classes and voice lessons giving him the style and grace needed to hold the interest of women. By the time he reached young adulthood, he had more women after him than he could physically handle. At six feet four inches tall his was a commanding presence, and his handsome features alone would have attracted most members of the opposite sex. Still, he would seemingly treat all of them with respect while secretly extracting every ounce of knowledge he could from them. They never knew they were mere lessons in his life of learning.
Just attracting women wasn’t enough for Luther—he needed to possess them. He loved the way a woman gave him the feeling of complete power. Using his intuition he learned methods of persuasion even the most difficult woman couldn’t resist. Rarely had he met a woman he wanted whom he couldn’t have, and when he did, he’d simply turn away until she reconsidered. She always did.
He had married wisely twice and while both marriages had ended tragically with the sudden deaths of these wives, Luther had always played the role of a devoted and loving husband. Never did either Mrs. Carstairs know she had served as a bridge to her vast fortunes for her husband. Nor did they realize he would soon bring them face-to-face with the sweet hereafter. Given the right circumstances, life with Luther could be murder. And for Luther, being a rich woman was the right circumstance.
Secure in his world, Luther kept his life and love of life under control until the day he heard of the stable worker with heart.
A fire had broken out at a large racing farm and while several horses were freed before the fire consumed them, there were five who were caught within the walls of the inferno. Had it not been for the stable worker’s quick action and sincerest form of bravery, those five horses would have perished. Literally running through the flames, the stable worker was able to unblock the side entrance, freeing the horses and in the process saving another worker who had fallen unconscious.
It wasn’t long before news of the rescue traveled through the local racing industry. And when it was learned that the brave young stable worker was a young woman Luther knew he had to have her. He didn’t know it at the time, but hiring Cassie would be one lesson in women Luther Carstairs would not enjoy learning.
The illusion of happiness started for Luther when he first met Cassie. He knew it wouldn’t matter what she looked like in order for him to possess her, but when he saw she actually was quite pretty he was all the more pleased.
Plans for her ran wildly through Luther’s mind. Never had he felt such anticipation for the kind of sweetness Cassie had to offer. But he knew she needed time and guidance before his plan of attack could be put into action. Luther was good at waiting.
If patience were a virtue, Luther was king of all saints. He brought Cassie into his home and literally wept when she refused to sleep within the confines of his house, insisting rather that she sleep in the barn just as any other stable worker would do. Finally, in the name of safety, Luther convinced Cassie to accept his private office located inside the barn for use as her living quarters. He had to protect his investment and by pointing out that many a stable boy would be more than happy to share her bed, he had succeeded in keeping Cassie under lock and key.
For months following her arrival, he kept watch and waited and learned. Cassie was young, but Luther noted she had keen insight and until he discovered she had fled from him with knowledge of her own, he thought her qualities of honesty and quick action would one day serve him well.
But now as he literally sat on the outside looking in on his own life, Luther Carstairs no longer held Cassie in such high regard. In fact, he no longer held her at all and that was the problem. He never had. Try as he might, she had never let him gain the access he dearly needed to possess or love her. Her lessons were his and Luther had failed the course.
Luther knew criminals loved South America because of the weather and anonymity it offered. He certainly always had. Now he hated it because he had been forced to hide there for the past few weeks while he searched for the willowy girl with reddish-brown hair, big brown eyes and most notably, the shortened life span.
The phone rang, and at the sound of the voice on the other end a smile appeared on Luther’s handsome face. His well-paid informants had earned their keep. And now, all bets were off. Cassie had been located. Hanging up the phone, he closed his eyes to savor a brief moment of sweet and pleasurable vengeance. As soon as he tasted all the pleasures Cassie possessed, he would take yet another pleasure and permanently terminate the stable worker with heart.
* * * * *
It was a quiet and cautious Rick who smiled when he poked his head inside the tower room. Like the rest of the occupants of the house, Cassie slept soundly. At two in the morning this came as no surprise. What did surprise him was the fact that he’d made it inside the house without detection. Then again, hadn’t Cassie accused him of being adept at being deft? His smile broadened as he remembered that that had been the day he’d almost kissed her for the first time.
Hoping to not wake her, he just sat in the chair when she stirred and sat up. She started to move toward him then paused, crinkling her nose. Before she could question, Rick answered as he moved to the bed. “I swear there’s more whiskey on me than in me.”
The moonlight bright, Cassie brought her fingers to the collar of Rick’s shirt. She touched it gingerly then held her fingers in front of his face. “Is there more lipstick on you than in you too?” Her voice was quiet, but tense.
Panic hit Rick’s face a moment before his hands urgently grabbed Cassie’s shoulders. “It isn’t what you think, I promise. It’s part of what I was doing, yes, but please, Cassie, please don’t think—please believe me that I wasn’t—”
His words were silenced as Cassie’s lips touched his. Pulling back, she gave him her special gift of a smile. “I know,” she said only this time her voice reassured.
“Come on,” he said taking her hand. “I don’t want you wondering what I was up to. I want you to know the whole story and the rest of them need to hear it too. We’ll wake them up and then—”
“No,” she whispered, leaning against him, “let them sleep, they’re exhausted from wondering where you were, I don’t think a few more hours wondering will hurt. And aside from you smelling terrible, you don’t look too well either, Rick.” She touched his forehead and frowned. “You’re hot, maybe we should call that doctor, Rufus what’s-his-name.”
Rick pulled her hand away and smiled. “I’m fine, but you’re right, I am tired. Okay, I’ll wait until morning before telling them, but I’m telling you right now.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ll be honest with you, Sass, I didn’t like the way you looked at me when you found the lipstick just now. It scared
me. I don’t want you thinking I—”
“Stop it, Rick,” Cassie pleaded. “I didn’t and don’t think anything. In spite of only knowing you for a little while, I trust you and…”
This time her words were cut short by Rick’s lips finding hers. After a kiss long enough to ignite interest, he sighed heavily. “You’re something else, you know that?” Smiling at her enthusiastic nod, he stole another kiss before gently pushing her down onto the bed. He remained standing. “I’m going to wash this rotgut off me, then I’ll follow your orders and get some shut-eye.” Accepting Cassie’s nod as understanding, Rick left the room.
Under the covers, Cassie stretched and smiled. Savoring the tingle she felt from the kiss she just shared with Rick, she allowed thoughts of his complete feel to engulf her. The smell and touch of his body against her brought more smiles in the dark, and the memory of when their bodies had melded caused an audible sigh. Almost drunk with anticipation, Cassie closed her eyes and waited for Rick to return.
A distant splashing sound filtered into Cassie’s ears, waking her to the fact that it was morning, and she was alone. And apparently she had been alone all night since there was no sign of Rick. Propping up on her elbows she looked around the room trying to determine if she had actually seen him, or only dreamed he’d been there with her. She had just thrown the blanket aside when the man himself appeared carrying two steaming mugs.
“Good morning, pretty one, nice to see you,” Rick said, appreciating Cassie’s naked body. Further smiling at her now blushing face, he handed her a cup of coffee. He sat beside her and leaned close. “Do I look and smell a little better this morning?”
Cassie inhaled deeply and smiled. “Much better. You didn’t come back to bed last night because we’re not alone in the house anymore, right?” His reasons for staying away not only made Cassie feel special, they made her feel loved and respected.
Instead of verbally answering, Rick touched his cup to hers in the form of an affirmative toast. Sensing Cassie’s feelings mirrored his own, Rick brushed his lips against hers before she could speak what he hoped she wanted to say. As they held hands and eye contact, the kiss ended breathlessly when they pulled away from each other almost shyly. The words they longed to share were left unspoken, but not unknown. They also knew they had to race with the devil before they could share them.
My ShadowMy Love Page 5
