Coming Home (31 page)

"He didn't
threaten to kill me though. He turned the gun on himself, holding the muzzle at
his temple. If I walked out the door, he said he would pull the trigger. I made
it to the letterbox when he did it." The vision of blood and brain matter
splattered over the walls of their flat came back with a rush. "It was
Stevie who was first on the scene. He found me sitting stunned with the body,
the gun in my hand. I'd taken it from James afterward. I wanted everything to
go back to how it was, before the smell of gun powder and blood filled the
room." She bit her lip and glanced at him before continuing. "Rumours
flew around that I’d pulled the trigger and Stevie soon discounted that.
James's family blamed me, of course, and the lies flew thick and fast. I got
immune to them for a while and almost pushed it from my mind when you came on
the scene."

Lizzie, exhausted now
sank into a chair opposite Russ. "I tried once before to date again, but
it was a mess. He was a nice guy and we got on well until some nice caring
friend told him who I was and what had happened. That was the end of that. It
was easier not to bother. I can only be ripped to shreds so many times and keep
my head, Russ. I can't go through this again."

Russ stood up and
walked slowly toward her. Without saying anything, he held out his hands and
she grabbed hold of them. He pulled her to her feet and Lizzie fell against his
chest, a sob wrenched from her throat. He held her while she cried out all of
the pain and hurt from the last four years. The misery she’d gone through on a
daily basis as a victim of domestic violence, and the aftermath of blame and
incrimination.

He managed to steer her
in the direction of the couch and they sat together, Lizzie leaning into him
for support.

"I guess now I
need to come clean too." He smiled and took her hand. "I can't tell
you how sorry I am for what my ex-wife did the other day. It was unforgiveable
but very much in her character, I'm afraid. You see, my family are rather well
off and when she found out my father had died recently, I think she thought
there was more money around than there is. Luckily it’s all tied up in a family
trust and she can't touch it." Russ wiped his thumb under her eye, drying
the last tear. "There is a baby, as she said, although I can honestly say
it isn't mine. Paula was having an affair with her boss and thought she could
pass it off as mine when the smell of more money reached her greedy nostrils.
She has signed the papers, Lizzie. I'm truly a free man and one who wishes to
take you dancing. Now everything between us is out in the open, how about that
date Saturday night? You can even pick where we go."

He decided to leave off
his brace after his shower. Cade picked out his clothes for the night with care.
Since Kate had invited him for dinner, he was intent on making the best
impression he could. Nerves fluttered in his stomach, something he hadn't had
since he was thirteen and keen on a girl. He had always been able to take what
he wanted. Tonight he would be at her mercy.

Cade pulled a white
short-sleeved shirt from a hanger, slipping it over his arms before turning to
look at his reflection in the mirror.

I should have bought
her some flowers. Hell’s teeth, idiot. Girls expected something when they offer
to cook you a meal.
Or chocolates, that always works.
He pulled on a clean pair of jeans and slipped on his casual shoes before
running down the stairs to the kitchen. "Essie, help. Do you have a box of
chocolates in the pantry?"

She glanced at him, her
eyebrow raised in question.

"For Kate.
She's…um…cooking me dinner and I…uh…thought," he coughed, "I should
take her something."

"Go and pick a
bunch of flowers from the garden. Your mother’s roses are looking pretty
special at the moment." She nodded her head toward the secateurs hanging
on a bright ribbon by the back door with her straw gardening hat. "Make
sure you bring them back too."

Cade walked over,
grabbed them and headed to the garden. He pushed open the wrought iron gate
with Molly by his heels, and walked into his mother’s favourite outdoor space.
Roses,
right, but which one was the favourite? This should be easier than it is.
He looked around the wild collection of vegetables, herbs and flowers his
mother planted in a fashion only she could understand.

"You look a little
bit lost, brother." Rooney walked up the driveway flanked by Stevie and
Tam.

"Yeah, you could
say that. Hey, which are Mum’s favourite roses?"

She walked to the gate
and wandered in, a serene smile on her face. "You don't know? I'm ashamed
of you. Those," she pointed to the same pink flower planted by their
parents graves. "What's going on, Cade."

"I need some for
Kate." He looked up at the knowing smile on her face. "Don't even
start, Rooney. It's dinner."

"Sure, you say
that now but I happen to know it's more than that for both of you." She
watched him hack at the rose bush a couple of times before taking the cutters
from him. "Let me." Rooney cut a bunch of roses and pruned the stems
leaving them clear from thorns and leaves. "Now let's add some light green
foliage to really make them stand out."

Cade watched her step
over, cut a few fern fronds and place them around the roses. He glanced over at
Stevie who was staring at her with a besotted look on his face.

She came back and held
them out for him. "Here you go. Just so you know, if you hurt her, you'll
have me to deal with." Rooney gave him her death stare and Cade sighed.

"I have no plan to
hurt her. If anything, I’ll be the one coming home wounded."

Her eyes opened in surprise.
"Oh, wow, so little Kate has got to you at last. I'm pleased, Cade. She is
a lovely girl." She held her hand over her eyes, shading her face from the
setting sun.

Cade reached out and
grabbed her hand. "What is this?" He glanced over at Stevie, standing
with a satisfied smile on his face.

"This beautiful
thing? It's an engagement ring. Stevie popped the question again and I said
yes." She threw her arms around Cade's neck, a squeal piercing the air and
he managed to hold the flowers out of her way.

With one hand, he
grasped her tight. "I'm really pleased for you guys. Congratulations,
Stevie. Hoped you would become one of us sooner or later."

Tam ran through the
gate and held out her hand, proudly showing off her ring. "Look what Daddy
gave me, Uncle Cade."

He crouched down and
took her hand inspecting it seriously. "You are one lucky girl, Squirt.
Congratulations, all of you."

"Now we just have
to work on you and Russ." Rooney tilted her head and smiled.

"Whoa, not so fast
girl. It's dinner, okay. Nobody mention the 'm' word for a bit." He gave a
fake shudder and grinned at his sister. The thought of being tied to Kate
wasn't as scary as he would have her believe. It had a nice gentle feel to it
and the more he thought about it, the cosier it became. Almost like coming
home.

"Somehow I don't
think you will have much luck with Russ. He’s too damned conservative for his
own good." Cade shook his head, sad for his brother. He couldn’t
understand someone so set in their ways they’d refuse to fight for what they
wanted.

"Don't worry about
Russ." Stevie crossed his arms and nodded his head. "He’s on the
right track."

Cade and Rooney looked
at him waiting for more, but he wasn't forthcoming.

"Well, well. That
will be interesting—getting information from Big Brother." Rooney winked
and laughed, taking her daughter’s hand. "Let's go and get you bathed
ready for dinner, young lady. Daddy and I need an early night. I'm feeling just
a little bit shattered with all this excitement."

Cade watched the blush
rush up his sister’s cheeks and smiled at Stevie. It looked like they had a few
things to catch up on. He hoped against hope that he would get lucky tonight
too and thought about slipping a couple of condoms into his pocket. Worth a go,
but he wasn't going to push her and risk blowing the whole relationship thing
if she thought he was treating her like a groupie.

"Thanks for the
help." They all walked inside and Cade hung up the secateurs and placed the
roses in the sink while he ran upstairs. Slipping a couple of condoms in his
back pocket, he wiped his hands on a towel.

Normally, his palms
wouldn't sweat but the closer he got to going over to Kate's cottage, the more nervous
he got. He splashed on his favourite cologne and ran downstairs.

Essie had tied his
roses with twine and brown paper, and held them out as he came into the
kitchen. "Thanks, Essie, they look great."

"Welcome. Don't
forget the wine in the fridge. Have a good night, Cade." She winked at him
and he stared at her.

"Yeah, sure.
Thanks." That felt weird.

Cade got the bottle of
champagne, walked out the door and bent down to talk to Molly. "I need you
to stay here, girl. Stupid cat is scared of you." He patted her on the
back and walked over the lawn to Kate's, the nerves in his gut churning.

***

The knock on the door
made Kate jump and she dropped the spoon, letting it fall into the gravy.
"Shit." She had never been this affected by nerves before. She didn't
know if it was because she was worried about doing the right thing or how she
was going to stop herself jumping his bones as soon as he walked in the door.
Grabbing a fork, she lifted it out and balancing carefully, carried it over to
the sink, letting it fall into the soapy water. She turned off the stove and
pushed the pan to the back, away from the heat before smoothing down her
clothes.

The strappy green dress
showed off her bare shoulders, hugged her waist and fell in folds around her
knees. It was an impulse buy, and one she had regretted every time she opened
the wardrobe and saw it hanging there. Even her position as farm manager didn't
give her any opportunity to wear it.

The colour was hard to
resist because it showed off her coppery red hair to perfection according to
the shop assistant. All Kate knew was, as soon as she slipped it over her head,
she felt pretty and that was enough.

She hurried to the
door, took a deep breath and grasped the handle. Looking over her shoulder to
make sure Wally was out of the way, she took another calming breath and turned
the handle.

Cade stood on her
doorstep with a bunch of flowers in front of him. The anxious look on his face
made her stomach contract.
He's as nervous as I am. I don't get it. He was
fine before and I'm sure he's used to being chased by girls.

"Hey Cade, come
in. They're very pretty flowers." She stepped aside to let him enter.

"Thanks, I picked
them for you." He thrust them into her hands, chewing his bottom lip.

Kate squeezed her
thighs together as a shot of pure sexual energy ran to her core. She leaned
against the hallway wall and waited for him to pass. With a couple of deep
breaths, she followed him into the lounge. Wally lay on the couch, watching
with half closed eyes.

"I left Molly at
the house. We didn't need a repeat of last time." He looked around and
Kate had a chance to look her fill of him. Tonight she was going to take him to
her bed, and she would be the one to make the first move.

"Can I get you a
drink, Cade?"

"I can wait for
dinner. Anything you need a hand with in the kitchen?" He walked toward
her, a strange look on his face.
He looks really nervous. Well, I'll be.
That makes two of us.

"I think I'm okay.
Did you want to sit out the back on the veranda and I'll bring dinner out
soon?"

"I'd rather give
you a hand."

Kate backed into the
kitchen and stopped when she found herself against the bench.

Cade followed. His
stance went from nervous to predator by the time he reached her. Placing a hand
either side of her on the edge of the bench, Cade leaned in to place his mouth
close to hers. "I think there is something I need to do before I think
about food though." He placed his lips on hers, tasting at first, then
firmer.

Kate gave over to the
feelings racing through her body. She gripped his hips, pulling him against
her. The heat raced through her core, screaming for release. A groan escaped
her throat and Cade pushed her back against the bench. She could feel the
hardness of him against her stomach and ground into him.

His teeth grazed her
bottom lip and along the line of her jaw. She quivered under him when he kissed
the soft skin below her ear, a quiver that went all the way to her throbbing
centre. Kate ran her hands up his back under the cotton shirt. His skin was
silky smooth. She brought her hands between them and traced his stomach
muscles.

With a gasp, he stepped
back. "Wow. Just wow."

"Sorry, I didn't
mean to do that." Kate's face flamed with heat and she tucked her hair
over her shoulder as she looked at him.

"I'm glad you
did." He rested his hands on her shoulders, leaned down and dropped a
sweet kiss on her nose. "Thing is, my darling Kate, if you continue to do
that, we won't get dinner tonight."