KIDNAPPED COWBOY (8 page)

“One more day,” he conceded.  “And then we’ll have to rethink things.  We aren’t gonna survive too long on Bubble Yum and peppermint candy.” 

“I could.”  She grabbed her brush from the table and ran it through her hair. 

He laughed and shook his head.  “Not me.  I need my steak and chicken.”

She scooped the blanket up from the bed and hung it along with the afghan over the back of the sofa.  Then she walked around to the front of the sofa bed and bent to close it.

“I’ll get that,” Dalton said, nudging her gently out of the way.  “You grab the cushions.”

They put the sofa back together and then he added more wood to the fire.  “Know any good camp songs?”

“I do,” she said as he settled onto the sofa beside her.  “But you don’t wanna hear me sing.”

“Why not?”

“Think cat with its tail caught in a screen door.”

He let out a husky chuckle.  “That bad, huh?”

“Worse.”  She reached for a couple of peppermints and held one out to him.  “Breakfast?”

“Thanks.”  He unwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth.  “Mmm...delicious,” he said with an exaggerated groan. 

“Wait until you see what I serve you for lunch,” she said, laughing softly. 

Dalton couldn’t keep the smile from his face.  Caitlin might sing like a screeching cat, but her laughter was refreshing.  Just like the candy in his mouth.  Candy that tasted like Caitlin’s kiss – all pepperminty and sweet. 

He sat back with a contented sigh.  “Do you ever hear from your parents?”

She rested her head on the back of the sofa, looking up at the pine-planked ceiling.  “No.  They didn’t even come home for my grandmother’s funeral.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she said with a brave smile, but he sensed the pain behind it.  “I didn’t expect them to.  My grandmother had alienated them both years before with her hatred of my mother.

“But what about you?  Who was there to take care of you after your grandmother died?”

“Myself.  Just as I always had.  Besides, I was in college at the time.”

He shouldn’t be angry, but he was.  He shouldn’t care, but he did.  Dalton nodded, deciding it best not to speak.  The words he was biting back in regards to the way her family had treated her weren’t nice and she’d had enough of the ‘not so nice’ in her life.  To think he’d grown up believing his life sucked, but he’d had it good compared to what she’d gone through.

“Dalton?  You okay?” she asked, breaking the silence.

He hadn’t meant to upset her with his question.  And though she pretended not to be affected by it, he could see right through her.  It was time to distract her from the bad memories his question had undoubtedly stirred up. 

“I’m fine.  Hey, how about a game of cards?”  He nodded toward the deck of cards lying on the table behind her. 

“I’m game.  Gin Rummy?”

“I was thinking more along the line of strip poker...”  He ducked as the remaining sofa pillow sailed past his head.  “Dare I hope that was a yes?”

“In your dreams, cowboy,” she replied, her smile returning full force.

She had no idea how right she was.  He’d dreamed about kissing her again, about sliding his fingers through those silky auburn strands before slowly undressing her... 

The growing pressure beneath the fly of his jeans had him reining in his thoughts.  He’d teased Caitlin about playing strip poker to make her smile again, not to get her into bed.  Not that he’d object if she offered.  He’d never been so attracted to a woman before.  Maybe she was right.  Maybe he was suffering from that Stockwhoever syndrome.

*              *              *

“Don’t worry about the window.  It’s all coming down anyway.”

Dalton’s eyes flew open at the sound of his brother’s voice outside and the crunching of snow.  Sunlight too bright for morning streamed in through the frosted windowpanes, making him squint.

He attempted to sit up only to find himself pinned down by the slender arm flung over his bare chest and a jean covered leg twined about his own.  Caitlin was sound asleep and it was no wonder.  They had stayed up late into the night again, this time playing cards and talking.

His gaze settled on her face, which was nestled snugly against his shoulder.  Delicately curved cheekbones.  Full, rose-colored lips.  She had no need for artificial makeup.  She was a natural beauty. 

“Caitlin,” he whispered against her ear, nudging her gently.  “Wake up.”  He didn’t want to startle her awake, but he didn’t exactly want to be caught lying in bed with her either. 

Too late.

The cabin door swung open, sending a blast of cold air across the room.  His brother, Alan Martinson and a man he didn’t recognize stepped into the cabin.

“Dalton?”

“Morning,” he replied with a smile, attempting once again to appear relaxed when he wasn’t.

Caitlin let out a soft, sleepy groan.  Her eyes fluttered open then rounded as she looked down at his bare chest.  Coming instantly awake, she struggled to free her entangled legs.

He let out a grunt of pain as her knee connected with his poorly timed morning erection.  Being relaxed was the last thing on his mind now.  He dropped his head back onto the mattress with a low groan, unable to speak.

“You’re naked!” she exclaimed, sitting up.

“Hardly,” he forced out through clenched teeth.

“Then why aren’t you wearing...” her words trailed off as her head pivoted toward the door, suddenly aware of their unexpected visitors.

“Clothes?” Brandon finished for her as he glowered at them from the open cabin door.

“Everyone calm down,” Dalton said.  Ignoring the throbbing pain between his legs, he eased back up into a sitting position.  “I can explain.” 

His brother’s expression darkened as he did a quick sweep over Caitlin.  “Explain what?  Why you left my new truck in the middle of town in a snowstorm and then disappeared for two days?”

“Look─”

“Forget it,” his brother replied, cutting him off with a deepening scowl.  “No need to explain anything.  You were just being your usual irresponsible self.”

“That’s not true!” Caitlin said, coming to his defense.

“Leave it go,” Dalton muttered through teeth still tightly clenched.  He could defend himself, but in this instance it was better off if he didn’t.

But she wasn’t hearing it.  She was clearly determined to set things straight.  “He didn’t leave it.  I...”

Her words were swallowed up by Dalton’s mouth as he pulled her up against him for a kiss.  The last thing he wanted Brandon to find out was that this slip of a female had taken him to the cabin by force...by curling iron.  Besides the humiliation he would suffer if the truth were found out, she would ruin any chance at all of convincing his brother not to shut down the retreat.

She tore her mouth from his with a gasp, her green eyes flashing with outrage as she struggled to push him away.  “What do you think you’re doing?”

“That’s what I’d like to know,” his brother said as he stood, arms crossed, glaring down at him.

“Giving her a good morning kiss,” he replied as he swung his legs over the edge of the mattress and stood.  “Which I would have preferred to do without a roomful of spectators.”   

Brandon turned to the men standing behind him.  “Would you two mind waiting for me in the truck?  I’d like to have a word with Dalton in private.”

“Certainly,” the man Dalton didn’t know replied with a departing nod. 

Alan Martinson paused at the door to glare at Dalton, then turned to Brandon.  “I trust you’ll handle this matter.”

“You can count on it,” his brother replied, clearly pissed.

“I’ll be in the truck.”

“Ass,” Dalton muttered the second the door closed behind Martinson.

“How long have you been bringing women to Stoney Brook for these twisted sex outings?”

“Twisted what?” Caitlin shrieked before he had a chance to correct his brother’s assumption.

Oh, hell.
  Just when he thought matters couldn’t get any worse.  “Watch yourself, Brandon.  You have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

His brother shot him an angry scowl.  “Unless she’s a cop, you’re wasting your breath denying what went on here last night.”  He pointed to the table by the sofa.  “Those are handcuffs, aren’t they?”

Damn. 
“Yeah, they’re mine,” he lied with a nod. 

Caitlin gasped.  “What?”

“We ran into each other in town the other night and, well, I’m sure I don’t need to say anymore.”

The frame under the mattress creaked as Caitlin scrambled off it.  “Don’t listen to him.  The handcuffs are mine, and we didn’t have sex.”

“We might as well fess up, darlin’,” he said, pulling her up against him and slipping an arm around her shoulders.  “You’ll have to forgive her.  She’s a little shy.” 

His brother raked a gloved hand back through his dark hair and heaved a sigh.  “Damn it, Dalton, you’re thirty-two-years-old.  When are you gonna grow up and start acting responsibly?  My truck was almost plowed over the other night.  It took me two days to finally clear the roads enough to get my developer out here.  And then we find my brother shacked up with-”

“Brother?” Caitlin cut in with a gasp.  “Your truck,” she said, replaying his earlier words.  “You’re Brandon Barnes?”

“Last time I checked.”

Dalton muttered a curse, Caitlin’s suddenly rigid posture clueing him in on her fury.  “Not now, Caitlin,” he said, hoping she would heed his warning.

“Not now?” she snapped indignantly.  “Then when?  When your brother here finally learns how to operate his answering machine?”

“What the hell does any of this have to do with my answering machine?”  

Dalton ran his hand up and down her arm in a calming manner. “Caitlin is camp director here at Stoney Brook.”

His brother looked her over.  “
She’s
been running this place?  Hell, she’s not much older than the kids that come here.”

“For your information, I’m twenty-eight,” she snapped back.  “And you would know who I was if you weren’t so busy avoiding me.  Too afraid to deal with me face to face?”

Brandon looked at her like she was crazy.  “I’ve been avoiding you?”

Dalton gave a confirming nod.  “She’s been trying to get in touch with you since she received your letter about your decision to shut down the retreat.”

“Is that what she’s been telling you?”  He snorted.  “She’s been lying to you, Dalton.  I never got any messages from her.” 

That brought another gasp from Caitlin.  “How can you live with yourself?  You know damn well I’ve been trying to reach you about your decision to shut this place down.  This camp is the closest thing to a family situation that a lotta these kids have and you wanna take that away?  For what?  Some hideaway playground for the rich and famous?”

Dalton decided to let her speak.  She more than deserved the chance to state her case.  And by the look of things she wasn’t exactly a
morning
person.  He, for one, preferred to stay on her good side.  Then again, both of her sides looked pretty damn good to him.

His brother remained his usual collected self.  “Call it what you like Miss...?”

“Myers,” she promptly informed him.

“Miss Myers,” he continued.  “But this place is costing me money.”

“Aha!” she exclaimed.

“Aha?” Both men replied in unison.

“I knew it.”  She swung around to Dalton.  “Didn’t I tell you it was all about money?”

She had, but he hadn’t wanted to believe it.  Dalton met his brother’s questioning gaze.  “Look, neither of us has gotten much sleep the past two nights.  What do you say we all go back to town and discuss this over dinner this evening?”

Brandon shook his head.  “Can’t.  Got a cattlemen’s meeting to go to.  Besides, there’s nothing to talk about.  My mind’s made up as far as the retreat is concerned.  I’m sorry that’s not what you had hoped to hear, Miss Myers.”  That said he started for the door.

“Wait!”  She ran over and grabbed the photo album from the table and carried it over to him.  “If you’ll just take a look at this, you’ll see why it’s so vital you allow the retreat to continue running.”  She held the picture laden book out to him.

Brandon held up a hand, waving it away.  “I have business to attend to right now.  Then I need to get the plow truck back to the ranch.”  He turned to Dalton.  “You gonna need a lift?”

Brandon shook his head, his anger with his brother evident.  “No.”

“Suit yourself.”  With one final glance Caitlin’s direction, he shook his head, muttered something indiscernible, and then walked out.

How he had ended up in the middle of this situation, Dalton had no idea, but he was in it.  Dead center.  He turned to Caitlin.  “Wait here.”

Grabbing up his shirt, he followed his brother outside.  “What in the hell’s the matter with you?”

Brandon stopped and turned.  “Nothing’s wrong with me.  Other than being pissed off because I had to go out in the middle of a snowstorm to get my truck that you left in town two nights ago.  And now I’m gonna have to give some sorta explanation to my associates in regards to that cozy little scene we walked in on.”

“You don’t owe them any damn explanation.  My private life isn’t any of their business.”

“Maybe not, but you made it their business by not taking it somewhere more private.”

“More private than a cabin in the middle of nowhere?”  Not that it had been his idea to come there in the first place, but that was beside the point.

“You could have been stranded here for God knows how long after that storm the other night.”  His brother glanced toward Caitlin’s car and shook his head.  “Especially in something like that.  You know damn well a hotel would have been a wiser choice.” 

As if he’d had any choice in the matter.  Dalton fought his growing irritation.  One wrong word could ruin any chance Caitlin had of getting his brother to change his mind about tearing down the retreat.  And why did he care?  Maybe because he’d felt a connection to her.  And not just physically.  They shared a camaraderie when it came to battling Brandon, even if their reasons for doing so were different.

“I’m not getting into this with you,” Dalton said with a sigh.