Guardian Angel: Callaghan Brothers, Book 5

by Abbie Zanders

  He loved that she didn’t seem to want anything from him besides his company. When he did bring her something, some small little token, she reacted as if Christmas came early. She didn’t expect conversation, though in truth she was probably the only person he’d ever met who tended to talk less than him. That was okay; the silence between them was a comfortable one.

  There were no fancy dinners, although they did often share a simple meal or a snack together. It might not seem like much to some, but Kane recognized it as significant. Sometimes he would bring something; a few times she had surprised him by preparing something in the shelter kitchen after everyone else had gone. She made no secret of the fact that she was not a very good cook. Kane teased her about that, since her family owned one of the most successful chains of restaurants in the U.S., but in all honesty, he found her creations more than passable. Of course, in his opinion everything tasted better when Rebecca had a hand in preparing it.

  She delighted in the little treats he would bring for her, whether it be one of the scented candles she loved so much, or a bag of jumbo Tootsie rolls. She was the only woman he knew who gleaned such pleasure from the smallest of things. It made it easy not to disappoint her. And sometimes, he’d catch her looking up every now and then as if to make sure he was still there, smiling when she found him. And when she realized he’d caught her looking she’d blush and offer a slight wave and he’d find himself smiling right back.

  He’d never met anyone like her before. She was, quite simply, the kindest, quietest, most appreciative woman he’d ever known. If she had one fault, it was that she never seemed to think of herself.

  Perhaps it was for exactly that reason that Kane felt compelled to do what he did at the end of October.

  For the most part, Kane and Rebecca kept their private time to themselves, so he shouldn’t have been surprised to hear his sisters-in-law plotting again. To Aidan and everyone else, Rebecca seemed to be withdrawing even further. Of course Kane knew it was because she was spending more time with him, but no one else did.

  At first he appreciated Rebecca’s silence on the matter. He was a private person, and he liked that she was, too, and he did find the wonderings and suppositions of his family where she was concerned mildly amusing. Although as time went on, he found himself wanting them to know that they were spending time together. That Rebecca was, in fact, quite content, and not lacking in the least despite what they thought. That she was beautiful and smart and funny and pretty much the only person he liked being with on a consistent basis.

  He managed to hold his tongue until Aidan brought Rebecca to the Pub one Sunday afternoon. Kane had been more than a little surprised to see her there; she had told him only the day before that Aidan insisted on taking her to a late brunch. Judging by the pretty dress she wore, Aidan hadn’t told her about the change in plans.

  The silent apology in her eyes as Aidan practically dragged her through the living room and into the kitchenette nearly did him in. That she should ever feel bad on his behalf did not sit well with him.

  It didn’t take long to realize that Rebecca had been the target of a conspiracy. Within moments of parking her in the kitchen, Aidan returned to the living room with the rest of the men, opened a beer, and settled in to watch the game.

  Kane watched him closely, but Aidan refused to meet his eyes, staring determinedly at the screen. The fact that none of his brothers questioned Aidan’s presence was telling, but the pieces really clicked into place as snippets of the quiet conversation in the kitchenette drifted out to him.

  “Ah, come on, Rebecca,” Lexi coaxed. “It’ll be fun.”

  “Yeah, and we swear, no naked men this time,” added Taryn with a wink. “Well, unless you get lucky...”

  Sharp talons clawed at the inside of his chest.

  Lexi spoke again. “Honest, Rebecca, it’s just dinner...”

  Dinner? Rebecca was planning on making dinner tonight for the two of them, after she’d returned from her visit with her brother, said she was going to surprise him...

  “And if that goes well, maybe a movie or a show...” added Maggie.

  A movie? Rebecca didn’t like going to the movies. The crowds bothered her. But she had really liked when he’d brought that DVD over last week. He’d been at the gas station, saw the Redbox machine, and on a whim grabbed one he’d thought she might like. They’d watched it together that night, huddled together in the dark with microwave popcorn. She grabbed his arm every time a particularly suspenseful part came up...

  “I really don’t think - ” Rebecca interjected, but she was quickly cut off.

  “That’s the point, Rebecca,” Taryn said. “Don’t think. Just relax and have fun. You work too much. And Teague is a great guy, you’ll see.”

  Teague? Who the fuck was Teague?

  “He is a great guy,” Nicki confirmed. “Thirty-four, really smacked together. Chestnut hair, the dreamiest green eyes. Smart, too.”

  “I’m sure he is wonderful but I don’t - ”

  “And,” Taryn added, cutting her off again, “he spent a few years in the Middle East on tour with the Marines, so you already have something in common.”

  A Marine? Not a fucking jar head. Oh, fuck no.

  “Actually I spent more time in - ”

  “He’s really excited about meeting you, too,” Lexi said. “Aidan told him all about the work you’re doing at the shelter, and it turns out he’s really active with the Big Brothers organization.”

  Rebecca’s voice sounded so small when she spoke. “Aidan’s already spoken with him?”

  Son of a bitch, Kane cursed silently. Even from the next room he could sense Rebecca’s discomfort. They’d all set her up. And no one had said anything to him about it, probably because they knew he would tell them all to fuck off and leave her the hell alone.

  “So it’s all set. He’s picking you up here ...”

  “Tonight?”

  He couldn’t see her face, but Kane could imagine her expression based on the hint of panic in her voice. Surely she knew he could hear every word. And damn it, she wouldn’t tell them no. She wouldn’t tell them she already had plans, because then she’d have to admit she was spending time with him, and she would never put him on the spot like that.

  “Yes!” Lexi said excitedly. “You already look stunning, by the way. But maybe we can do up your hair a little...”

  “Maybe add a touch of makeup, you know, play up those pretty eyes a bit...”

  “She can’t.” Kane’s deep voice from the doorway startled them, Rebecca most of all. She must have jumped two inches from the seat of her chair.

  “And why not?” Taryn asked, crossing her arms over her chest and narrowing her eyes.

  “Because,” Kane said, his voice low and deep. “She’s coming to the cabin with me tonight.”

  The game in the other room suddenly sounded deafeningly loud as all conversations ceased at Kane’s unexpected declaration. They couldn’t have been more stunned if Kane had suddenly announced he was taking up embroidery and preferred men sexually. Well, everyone except Taryn, that was. Kane caught the hint of a smirk across her lips and realized he’d just been had every bit as much as Rebecca. He would deal with her later.

  Rebecca did look at him then, her eyes questioning.

  “Becca?” Aidan said, easing his way past Kane. “Is this true?”

  Her mouth opened, but nothing came out.

  “Of course it’s true,” Kane boomed. “Does anyone here have a problem with that?”

  “I might.” Aidan said bravely, his face hardening. “She didn’t mention any such plans to me.”

  Kane’s upper lip curled back slightly in the hint of a snarl. “Doesn’t sound like you mentioned yours to her, either. She’s a grown woman capable of making her own decisions and living her own life. Why don’t you start treating her like one?”

  Aidan’s jaw clenched, the strain of restraint etched across his features. “Becca? Is this what you want?”
>
  * * *

  She looked at Kane again. At his exquisitely carved features. His burning blue eyes. He was giving her a chance here, opening the door for her. He knew that if she spoke in front of everyone Aidan would have to accept it. Once again, he was coming to her rescue.

  Kane gave her a slight nod of encouragement, and a wave of strength washed over her. His strength. She took a deep breath before answering.

  “Yes, Aidan, it is.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Aidan said later, as angry as Rebecca had ever seen him. “I can’t believe you’re really going through with this. I get it, Rebecca. Message received loud and clear. I’ll back off. Just don’t do this.”

  Rebecca threw a few more things into her overnight bag, hoping he didn’t see her hands trembling. She couldn’t believe it either.

  What had Kane been thinking? She knew he didn’t want to advertise the fact that they’d been spending time together, and she respected that. They were both very private people to begin with; two grown adults with a lot in common that enjoyed each other’s company, but others would inevitably get the wrong impression.

  She’d already heard murmurings, whispered conjectures about the two of them, but it wasn’t like that. Not that she wouldn’t be willing, but Kane’s interest was one of friendship and companionship as well as a mutual desire to be left alone, not romance. And despite the images of what it could be like with him – based on the vivid images that invaded her dreams nearly every night now – she refused to jeopardize his friendship. Kane meant way too much to her to throw all that away on some overactive hormones.

  This whole impulsive trip to his cabin confused the hell out of her. Where had that come from? Okay, she got that he was standing up for her, but this seemed a little extreme. Why not just tell them they were going to spend a quiet evening together, which would have been the truth?

  She wished she’d had a chance to talk to him about it, but after his big announcement he’d shoo’ed her and Aiden out of there – presumably to stem the certain inquisition that would follow – insisting that she really needed to get back and pack if they were going to make it to the cabin before dark.

  Knowing Kane, she thought she had a pretty good idea of the answer. A movie, a dinner – it wasn’t enough. They’d think that Kane was just protecting her – which he was – and still feel the need to hound her. But a couple of days alone together in his remote cabin? That would shut them up, at least for a while. No one would dare try to fix her up if they thought Kane was seriously interested in her that way.

  It was brilliant, really. By the time they figured out that Kane didn’t really feel that way about her she would probably be gone anyway.

  Still, she couldn’t bear the look Aidan was giving her. Like she had just told him she was joining a cult of hedonists. She almost giggled at the thought, but managed to suppress the urge. She couldn’t lie to her brother, even if it would make her life easier.

  “It’s not what you think, Aidan. Kane is a good friend. He is just trying to protect me.”

  “You are spending a couple of days in the mountains alone with a Callaghan,” Aidan said, emphasizing the surname as if it was a curse. “What am I supposed to think?”

  She may have only been in Pine Ridge for a few short months, but it had been long enough to realize that the Callaghans were notorious for their effect on women. It was impossible to spend any time with them and not notice the looks they got, or hear the whispered stories, most of which qualified more as legends, really. She knew her brother was no different, sought out by the ladies just as much as they were. Still she felt the need to defend her hero.

  “Kane’s not like that.”

  “He has a dick, doesn’t he?”

  “Aidan!”

  “What?!?”

  Rebecca turned six shades of red as she thought about the few unintentional glances she’d had of Kane’s nether regions, the same ones that had undoubtedly been fueling those hot, erotic dreams that plagued her.

  “I refuse to have this conversation with you.”

  Aidan exhaled forcefully, trying to calm down. “Becca, please. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to set you up like that. But running off with Kane is – well, it’s just ...”

  “Just what?” Rebecca asked, tugging on a sweater.

  Aidan crossed his arms over his chest and stood resolutely. “Foolish.”

  Rebecca took a deep breath, searching for patience. “You’ve been trying to get me to go to one of those health spas for weeks, Aidan. A few days to get away from the shelter and rejuvenate. How is this so different?”

  “Because this involves Kane Callaghan. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Becca.”

  “Oh? And how is that?”

  “Like you are a steak and he is a hungry lion.”

  Rebecca laughed. “You’re insane. He’s never been anything but a perfect gentleman.” Unfortunately, she added silently.

  “It’s all part of his plan, Becca. He knows you are too smart to fall for all the normal bullshit. He’s luring you in, little by little. Gaining your trust. Then when you’re all complacent he’ll move in and take advantage of you.”

  Rebecca rarely lost her temper, but hearing Aidan talk about Kane that way was really beginning to piss her off. “I love you, Aidan. I really do. But you don’t know the first thing about him. Or me.”

  “You’re my sister!”

  “Yes, I am. Your older sister, I might add. And still, Kane knows more about me than you do.”

  Her words hit their mark. Aidan winced, but he wasn’t ready to let go just yet. “What do you think is going to happen up there, Becca?”

  “I don’t know. But whatever it is, I’ll know it’s because it’s meant to happen, and not because you or anyone else manipulated the strings to make it so.”

  Aidan’s lips tightened into a thin line. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Rebecca zipped up her carry-on and walked to the door. “It means, Aidan, that I am a big girl, and you can’t use your money or your influence to live my life for me.”

  “Are you sure about this?” Rebecca asked when Kane slid into the driver’s seat, pointedly ignoring Aidan’s glare from his front door. Her bag was tucked safely in the back, along with Kane’s. His response was to flick a sideways glance her way.

  “I know, you wouldn’t have offered if you didn’t mean it,” she said, speaking the words she’d seen in his expression as her mind subconsciously translated. She was definitely getting better at reading him, hearing his voice in her head, knowing exactly what he would say had he actually bothered to open his mouth and speak. “And I really appreciate the save. I just don’t want to make you .... uncomfortable.”

  This time she received a raised eyebrow along with the flickering glance. She had more difficulty translating this one. It was either ‘you are truly amusing’ or ‘what exactly did you have in mind?’

  “You could drop me off at a hotel along the way, and pick me up on your way back.”

  “Wouldn’t that be tantamount to lying?” he asked with a quirk of his lips. “I thought you were above all that.”

  So it was amusement. “Yes, but not if it makes things difficult for you.” For us.

  “Rebecca.” He spoke her name in his low, husky voice, the one that had her pressing her thighs together. “I really don’t care what anyone thinks, and I don’t have a problem with taking you up to my cabin for a few days. However, if you have a problem with it, if you wish to rescind your acceptance of my invitation, you should tell me now. Do you?”

  “No,” she answered truthfully.

  “Good.” And just like that, the matter was closed.

  They didn’t speak much during the several hours it took to wind their way up into the mountains. Rebecca was content riding in the comfortable cab. It was pleasantly warm, immaculately clean, and filled with Kane’s fresh, masculine scent. As the miles added up behind them, her sense of peace grew.

  Chapter Te
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  “It’s so beautiful,” she breathed when Kane finally stopped amidst the pines. He watched her closely as her eyes drank in the myriad shades of green, from the deep, dark hue of the forest to the neon-bright lime of the foliage. Then she inhaled deeply, the corners of her mouth curling up to show that she was pleased.

  “Most people think it’s too remote,” he commented. “They don’t like being miles away from civilization for more than a few hours.”

  “Not me,” she said dreamily, letting her eyes close as she took another deep breath. “This is nothing short of paradise.”

  Kane’s heart expanded in his chest. He told himself it didn’t matter. Rebecca was only here for two days and then he would be taking her back to Pine Ridge. His heart, however, didn’t seem to care. Rebecca was here, it argued. For two whole days it would only be the two of them, far removed from all of the stress and hassle of family and good intentions. And so far at least, she seemed to share his appreciation for the natural beauty of the place as well as its solitude.

  Together they unpacked the provisions from the back of the truck. Kane got the fires started inside, then gave Rebecca a quick tour. He could not have been more pleased with her response – her eyes lit up, and the smile never left her face, growing wider by the minute. Rebecca seemed to shed the invisible veil that kept her so shielded from the rest of the world, excitement and pleasure radiating from her.

  “Well?” he asked when they returned to the kitchen and began pulling out things for a late meal. The long trip and subsequent tour in the clean mountain air had left them famished. “What do you think?”

  “I thought you didn’t care what anyone thought,” she answered with a teasing smile, tossing him an apple. Her cheeks were pleasantly flushed from the cool air, her hair slightly mussed from the wind. It suited her.