Mindset (17 page)

“Still working on it, but it’s looking better.  Don’t wait up!”

****

Cade came to the house to pick up Callie for dinner.  Instead of wearing the typical jeans and t-shirt he usually wore, he had on a pair of black slacks and a casual collared shirt.  Cade looked decidedly uncomfortable and nervous.  “Hey, John.  I’m here to pick up Callie.  I’m taking her out to dinner.”

“Oh?  Where are y’all going?”

“I thought I’d take her out to the Cattleman’s Steakhouse.  She looked into some business stuff for me, and I’d like to treat her.”

“Well, that’s real nice, son.  That the only reason you’re taking her?”

Cade looked down at the floor and didn’t say anything.  This was the moment he’d been afraid of ever since he decided he couldn’t stay away from Callie anymore.  He couldn’t meet the eyes of the man he’d come to respect above all others. 

“I want to tell you something, son, and I want you to listen carefully.  I’ve known you for over fifteen years now.  I remember when you first came here looking for work.  You were still a teenager but you were a man full grown already.  When you got here, I could see you were angry, and I knew it was because you’d had a hard life.  I know something about that, you see.  I didn’t know then how hard a life you’d led, but I figured you were due for a break, so I hired you.”

“I watched you change from that angry young man into what you are today.  I saw you work hard and make up your mind to better yourself.  I offered to help put you through college, and you refused and found a way to pay for it yourself.  I watched you put your education to work not only for you, but for me, too.  You’ve made me a lot of money.  I had to twist your arm to get you to take some of it for yourself.  Engineers make a hell of a lot more money in other parts of the country, but you chose to stay here, partly because it’s become your home, and partly to give back what you think you owe me for getting you started in the right direction.  And that’s all I did, Cade.  I got you thinking about some options you hadn’t considered before, but you did the rest.”

“I’ve been watching you and my Callie girl making eyes at each other for years.  You should know by now that I don’t miss much.  Her grandmother noticed it first in Callie.  She was always chasing after you and driving you crazy, and you did everything you could to get loose of her.  Then her parents died, and you were the only one who could reach her grief.  You put aside your own anger to comfort her.  After a few years, I could see that she wasn’t the only one looking.  But you never took it any further, because you knew she was too young, and because you didn’t want to take advantage of her.  You were always doing your watching from a distance, but I knew you were watching.”

“Every time Callie came home for a visit, she’d try to get closer to you, and you’d move further away.  I could see that it hurt her, but I never interfered.  The last time she was here, I don’t know what happened between you two, but I could see the rift widening, and I figured that was that.  Then she came back this time, and I can see things changing again, but this time, I see the two of you looking at each other again, and the gap seems to be narrowing.”

“Now you’re taking her out to dinner, and I only have one thing to say about it.”

Cade braced himself. 

“It’s about damn time.  Son, you’re one of the finest men I’ve ever known.  I can’t think of anyone I’d rather see take out my girl.”

Cade finally looked up in surprise and met the eyes of the man he considered the same as a father.  He swallowed hard but couldn’t seem to say anything.  Finally, he cleared his throat and said, “John, I’ll take real good care of her, you have my word.”

“If I didn’t already know that, son, we’d be having a very different kind of talk.”

“Yes sir.”  Callie walked down the stairs and joined her two favorite men.  She was wearing a sexy, little black dress that fit her like a glove and had a low back and a v-neck that hinted at some generous cleavage.  Black, high heeled sandals and a gold shawl completed the ensemble.  She wore her hair up in a loose bun that showed the graceful lines of her neck and the classic beauty of her face.  Her summer green eyes were sparkling as she approached him.

“Ready, Cade?”  After Cade looked her over from head to toe and then repeated the process, he nodded and put his hand on her back to guide her to the door.

“You kids have a good time and be careful.”

****

The drive to the restaurant took half an hour.  It was getting close to sunset when they arrived.  Cattleman’s was well known not only locally, but all along the southwest.  When anyone of any importance came to town, they were taken to Cattleman’s, especially if you wanted them to be impressed.  Cade requested a table in the main dining area in front of a huge picture window where they could view the spectacular sunset in progress.

“You’re kind of quiet, Cade.  Is everything alright?”

He looked deeply into the eyes of the woman he thought he’d never have a chance to be with and reached for her hand.  He stroked her fingers with his thumb and said quietly, “Everything is better than alright, Callie.  Seems like I’ve waited for this night my whole life.  I hope you’re hungry.”

“I am.  Is it warm in here?”

“Yeah, it’s a little warm.”

“I have a feeling it’s going to get warmer.”  She smiled seductively.

Dinner warmed up to be a talkative affair.  Callie filled Cade in on the market analysis she’d done for him on both an engineering firm specializing in metallurgy and a consulting firm specializing in the identification, mining, and marketing of minerals.  Both showed some lucrative possibilities.

As they walked toward Cade’s Blazer after dinner, their fingers laced together, he said, “You’re really good at this sort of thing, Callie.  Speaking of a consulting company, have you ever thought of starting one of your own?”

“No, but that’s not a bad idea.  That might just be my next research project.  It is nice to finally use my degree.  It makes me feel like I’m actually contributing to something worthwhile.”

“Do you ever miss New York?  I thought you might be bored now that you’re back in El Paso.”

“To tell you the truth, no.  I got tired of New York a long time ago.  I’ve always loved El Paso.  It’s got a lot of the things a big city has, but it’s kept its slow pace.  I like that.  I never was much for the night life anyway.  I did the club thing from time to time, but for the most part, it was boring after awhile.  As far as modeling goes, it was fun while it lasted, but even that got old after awhile.  It all seemed kind of shallow.  I couldn’t see that it was helping anyone, other than the designers, or whoever I was working for, and myself, of course, but it sure wasn’t making a difference in the world.  I was ready to get out.  Besides, I’m an old lady now by industry standards.”

“Now that’s funny.  What are you now, twenty seven?”

“Yep.  And the new faces coming into the business are in their teens, just like I was when I started.” 

They reached the vehicle, and Cade opened her door.  She looked up at him and he leaned down and kissed her.  She wound her arms around his neck and took the kiss deeper, tasting him fully.  He pulled back and looked into her eyes as she opened them and kissed her tenderly once, twice more and helped her into her seat.  He went around and got in to join her, reaching over for her hand as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Cade drove straight to the converted bunkhouse where he lived.  He went around and opened the passenger door and helped her out of the SUV, guiding her up to the door.  When he reached it, he stopped and turned to face her.

“Callie, listen.  If we go in here, I want you to know that this isn’t for fun or for kicks.  This is for real.  It’s not going to be a one night stand, and it’s not going to be some quick affair.  I’ve had plenty of those, and that’s not what I’m after with you.  This is a make it or break it kind of thing.  Last time we were together, I screwed it up royally.  I know that, and I’m sorry.  The truth is, you scared the hell out of me or, more accurately, the feelings I have for you scared the hell out of me.  I’ve wanted you for longer than I can remember, but I never thought I’d ever really have you.  I don’t know where this will lead, but damned if I don’t want to find out.  I just wanted you to know that before things get carried away.”

“I don’t know how this will all end up either, Cade, but I’ve never wanted to find out more about anything in my whole life.  I’m scared, too.  You’ve been a big part of my life for a long time, and I just can’t see my life without you in it.  If things don’t work out between us, I’m afraid I’ll lose everything about you that I’ve come to treasure, to count on.  That scares me.”

Cade reached out and held her closely.  “We’re both scared, I guess.  I don’t know what to say to make you feel better, Callie.”

“Don’t say anything, Cade.  Just take me inside.”

They walked in and Callie stood with her back to him.  He turned after shutting and locking the door and came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders and moved them down her arms and back up again.  He reached up and unfastened her hair and buried his fingers in it.  Then he moved her hair over her left shoulder and kissed her neck.  She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, reaching around to hold his head to her.

“Tell me what you like, Callie.  Tell me what turns you on, what makes you feel good.  I want to do it all with you.”  He reached for her zipper, and her dress slowly slid to the floor.  “Last time, we were in such a hurry.  This time I want to take it real slow.  We have all night to enjoy each other.  What do you want, Callie?  Tell me.”

She turned in his arms, wearing black satin panties, a matching bra, and high heels.”For starters, you’re overdressed.  I can help you with that.”  She reached for the buttons of his shirt.  As she undid each button slowly, she kissed the newly exposed skin all the way down to his belt.  Then she stood up and pulled the shirt out of his pants, finished the last buttons, and eased it over his shoulders.  It fell to the floor to join her dress.  She kissed his chest all over.  “Ummm.  Nice.  You’re so warm.”

“No Callie, I’m hot.  I’m burning up for you.”  He crushed her mouth to his and swept his tongue inside.  She met him with equal heat and feathered her fingers through his hair.  As his tongue was savoring her unique flavor, his hands were moving all over her body.  He backed her up to the bed and gently laid her down.  She reached for the front clasp of her bra and took it off.  He knelt down and lifted one of her feet up to unbuckle her shoe and slid it off her foot, his fingers dusting over her toes, her arch, her heel, and up her calf and down again, and repeated the process with her other shoe.  She laid back, watching him the whole time.  He stood up and undid his belt and pants and took off his shoes and socks.  The only clothing left between them was her panties and his briefs.  He lay down beside her and kissed her again.  His hand swept down her neck to her collarbone, and followed the trail between our breasts to the elastic at the top of her panties, going back and forth along the top edge of the lace. 

Callie hissed out her impatience, but he didn’t do what he knew she wanted.  He moved his hand back up her stomach, making her belly twist and contort, then back up to her left breast.  He cupped it in his hand and circled the nipple with his first finger, never quite touching the tip.  She had perfect, firm breasts, generously sized, and topped with dark pink nipples that were begging for his attention.

Callie thought she was either going to die or go up in flames.  She groaned and pulled his head down to her breast.  He took the nipple in his mouth, rolling his tongue around it and sucked hard.  Callie came unglued.  “Oh God, Cade, that feels so good.  Don’t stop.”