One Day in Apple Grove (14 page)

Charlie grinned. “Helped Dad patch up the hole in the garage roof after uh…” His voice trailed off and he looked at his buddy.

“What did you and Tommy do to put a hole in the roof?”

Tommy grinned at her, and said, “It was the hammer throw.”

Dan started laughing. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Charlie told him. “We were in eighth grade and wanted to see if we could throw a hammer like on the track team.”

“You do realize that they don’t actually throw a hammer, don’t you?” Dan asked.

“Not at the time,” Tommy admitted.

Joe was shaking his head. “Did you use a claw hammer?”

“Nah,” Tommy said. “We got one of my dad’s sledge hammers.”

“Brilliant.” Dan laughed.

“We were pretty good,” Charlie said, “until Tommy got creative with a toss and the hammer ended up going through the roof.”

Caitlin was chuckling when she told them, “All right, Dan, you and Pop can work on measuring and cutting the sheathing for the roof. If we start there, the boys and I can get it shingled while you do the sheathing for the walls.”

“You got it.”

As they worked, she was pleased to find out that Charlie and Tommy really did know how to shingle. She set them to work, starting with the tar paper. She’d learned the hard way as a kid that you shingled from the bottom to the top. Peggy’s dad had spent a lot of time muttering, watching Cait and Peggy tear the shingles off Peggy’s doghouse when they’d started from the peak and worked their way down. She and Peggy had been in seventh or eighth grade at the time.

“Storm’s stalled,” Mr. Johnson called out above the din of two nine-pound hammers and two nail guns.

Cait wiped the back of her arm over her forehead. The day had warmed up considerably by the time they’d gotten up on the roof. “I need some water. How about you boys?”

Charlie looked at Tommy and frowned, asking, “No soda?”

She grinned at them. “If you’re going to be working bent over, it’s not a good idea to drink soda until you’re done. How about I treat for root beer floats over at the diner when we’re done?”

“Cool…Coach Eagan is going to feed us pizza.”

“Ah,” she said, smiling at her brother-in-law. “Mulcahys have always worked for food. Good call,” she told him.

By the time the wind started picking up, Cait and her father were nailing shingles on the peak. “Just in time.”

She looked up, surprised to see dark clouds boiling above them. “Wow, we’d better finish up, Pop. That sky looks mean.”

“It’s not green, so that’s a good thing. I’m not a fan of twister weather.”

“OK, boys,” Caitlin called down. “Let’s start putting away the tools, the storm’s almost here.”

The guys had started on the siding but stopped and began to clean up at her command. By the time the first raindrops fell, their tools were stowed in the cab of the truck so they wouldn’t get wet, and the boys were safely tucked into Dan’s car.

“I owe you guys,” Cait told them.

“Yeah,” Charlie yelled from the passenger side, “meet us at the diner. I’m really thirsty.”

“Me too,” Tommy said.

Her father smiled down at her, “Let’s go tell Scott we’re done for the day.”

Scott met them halfway down the path with an umbrella. “It’s gonna get nasty. Hey,” he said, looking at the new section of stalls they’d added. “You got the roof on.”

“That was the plan. Tarps can leak if there’s enough wind.”

“Chances are pretty good the weather will clear and we can come back tomorrow and put up the siding,” Cait told him.

Her dad shook his head. “Let’s wait and see. We can call you in the morning after we see what the weather’s doing.”

“Great job,” Scott said, holding his hand for Cait and then Joe to shake.

“Talk to you tomorrow,” Joe promised.

Climbing in the truck, Cait wished for a hot cup of coffee, not an ice cream float. Good thing they were headed to the Apple Grove Diner, where you could get either one from seven o’clock in the morning until eleven o’clock at night.

Backing out of the driveway, her father said, “Those boys looked hungry.”

When they arrived at the diner, he looked at Cait, and said, “Time to feed the troops.”

Peggy and Kate greeted them as they ducked inside the diner to get out of the rain. “Well, looks like we’re doing a brisk business for dinner tonight. What’ll it be?”

Cait smiled at Peggy and said, “We owe Charlie and Tommy whatever kind of ice cream sodas they want to go with their pizza.” She leaned close, “Make sure I get the check.”

Charlie looked over at Dan and said, “Hey, Coach, can I have two burgers instead?”

“Yeah,” Tommy added. “Pizza’s great, but we’re really hungry.”

Dan smiled. “Not a problem, guys. Dinner’s on me.”

Cait shook her head. “Actually, I’m buying for the three of you, so take your time and pick whatever you want off the menu.”

“What’s the occasion?” Kate asked, pad and pen in hand, ready to take their order.

“Dan brought Charlie and Tommy over to Johnson’s to help us with a job.”

“We got to shingle the addition on the barn,” Tommy told Kate.

“Meg’s going to be sorry she missed out on the job,” Cait said.

“There’s still siding to do and interior work to finish,” Joe told her. “We needed to close it up before the storm. Wouldn’t have happened if these three didn’t pitch in and help us, though.”

“Feels good,” Cait said, as she sat on the stool beside Dan.

“Real good.” His phoned buzzed and he grinned. “That’ll be Meg checking up on me. Excuse me.”

Cait realized with a jolt that she hadn’t heard from Jack since she’d texted him about not being able to take care of Jamie today. Was he busy or upset that she didn’t have time to take care of his puppy?

Before she could work herself up into a state of nerves, her phone rang. Relief speared through her as she recognized the number. “Hey, Jack,” she said, getting up and walking to the other side of the diner so she could hear. “How’s Jamie?”

“He misses you. Are you finished over at Johnson’s yet?”

“Yes. We’re over at the diner. We ended up calling for help and now we’re feeding them.”

Jack’s chuckle soothed the raw edges she hadn’t realized she had.
Must
be
from
lack
of
sleep
. “Dan?”

“Yeah,” she said. “And he brought Charlie and Tommy with him.”

“A good crew and a good day’s work from the sounds of things.”

“It was, but I’m beat and in desperate need of a hot shower.”

“Oh.” His voice went quiet before he asked, “So can you still come over tonight?”

Her heart began to pound as the blood rushed through her veins. “Do you want company?”

“I want you, Cait,” he told her. “Come as you are, and I’ll scrub your back in the shower.”

Her salivary glands were working overtime at the thought. She swallowed and said, “I was just having a cup of coffee. I can’t leave the guys yet.”

“I can wait.” The depth of his voice did things to her insides that were probably illegal in most states.

“I could leave money with my dad—” she began.

“No,” he said. “Stay with the guys, have a bite to eat. Jamie and I will be here when you’re through.”

“See you in a bit,” she promised.

Jack took Jamie outside, but neither one really wanted to be standing out in the middle of the downpour. “There’s times when it must suck to be a dog.”

The way Jamie looked over his shoulder at Jack as he did his doggy business had him turning his back so the puppy could have some privacy. “Finished?”

Jamie ran past him into the house and skidded to a stop at the barricade in the kitchen doorway. The length of plywood was as effective as a door and hard for the dog to sink his teeth into if the scratch marks on the side that faced the kitchen were any indication.

“You’re going to get dried off before I let you in the rest of the house, pal.”

The dog sat by the wood and waited, and Jack wondered what was going through his mind. Did dogs have similar thoughts to people? They both had a thing for Caitlin… “Define thing,” he said aloud.

The dog yipped and Jack laughed. “Yeah. That’s what I thought.”

After he’d dried off the dog and mopped up the mud on the floor, he moved the plywood and Jamie bounded into the living room and onto the sofa.

An hour later, Jack finally heard a knock and then the back door open.

“Anyone home?”

“It’s Cait,” he whispered to Jamie.

The dog may not have responded when Jack was telling him to sit and to stay, but he sure knew who Cait was. The dog knocked into Jack, pushing him onto the sofa as he raced into the kitchen with four-paw drive.

“Hey there, you little cutie,” he heard her say.

“Lucky little bastard,” Jack grumbled as he stood up, wishing he hadn’t had such a long day. His leg ached and he was tired. Walking into the kitchen, all thoughts of rest fled as his eyes beheld the sight of the beautiful, drenched woman laughing at the dog’s antics.

Jamie was trying to jump into her arms and she was trying to avoid letting him do so. She looked up and noticed Jack. “Hey, handsome.”

Her smile eased the tension that had been building when the rain started. He didn’t mind rain so much; it was the threat of a thunderstorm that had him on edge. The sound of thunder—not gonna go there…

“Hey, yourself.” Grabbing a dry towel off the pile of laundry he’d been folding on the kitchen table, he was about to toss it to her when he remembered she wasn’t one of the guys—that and the dog would probably try to tackle her for it.

“Thanks. It’s really coming down out there.”

“How’d it go over at Johnson’s?”

She smiled and said, “Framed, sheathed, and the roof on before the storm hit.”

Her gaze met his and something warm and welcoming moved through the depths of her green eyes as she stood just inside his back door, dripping onto the ancient linoleum he hadn’t had the time to replace.

His brain registered that he’d answered her, but his heart was still recovering from the blow he took when her gaze met his. Searching for something to say, when all he wanted to do was grab a hold of her and drink the rainwater off her skin, he finally managed, “Good.”

“Uh-huh,” she agreed. “Dad and I were worried that if the wind blew as hard as predicted, a tarp wouldn’t last long or protect the roof. We had to close it up.”

How could she still talk when his brain had short-circuited taking in the long length of her legs?

“Jack?”

“What?” Had she asked him something?

“I said I grabbed a quick shower before coming over…oh, and I told my dad I’d see him in the morning.”

His eyes widened as what she said registered.

She stopped rubbing herself down with the towel, and a part of his brain started functioning again enough for him to say, “You’re probably tired.”

Her eyes sparkled and her smile had his breath snagging in his lungs. “I saved some energy for you.”

Her words went straight to the part of him that strained against the zipper of his jeans. If he didn’t have a taste of her soon, he was going to start howling.

When he didn’t move, she closed the gap between them and laid a hand on his cheek. “Are you going to make me ask?”

Her lips claimed his in a kiss that had his engine firing on all cylinders before instinct kicked in and he kissed her back. Her lips were soft, supple, and berry sweet. Wrapping his arms around her, he deepened the kiss before pulling back to whisper, “You could catch a chill if you don’t take off those wet clothes.”

When she shivered and leaned against him, he decided he’d waited long enough. Easing her out of his arms, he watched her eyes as he grabbed the hem of her polo shirt in his hands; when she made no move to stop him, he peeled it off.

Goose bumps covered her body from neck to belly, but that wasn’t what had him digging deep for control—it was the black lace bra that cupped her breasts, lifting them up for his tasting, that nearly did him in.

But he wanted more from her…he wanted it all. He’d sample her silky-smooth skin soon; right now, he had to get her out of the rest of her clothes. From the desire simmering in her brilliant green eyes, he knew she wanted him too. He couldn’t hold back the delighted laughter that rumbled up from inside of him.

His hands trembled as he opened the top button of her jeans and slowly pulled the zipper down. Her moan sent a chill chasing up his spine. He went with it and watched her eyes widen before they focused on his hands again. “You’re so beautiful, Caitlin…I don’t have the words to describe what I see with my eyes and feel with my heart.”

She cleared her throat and rasped, “You’re doing great so far.”

Her mouth curved upward and his heart stuttered until he stood on the precipice, leaning toward the point of no return.

“You have a delicious laugh,” she confessed, laying a hand on his shoulder as he bent to push her jeans down mile-long legs.

He paused and gave in to need and touched the tip of his tongue to the back of her knees. When they buckled, he wrapped his arm around her legs, hauled her over his shoulder, and stood.

“Jack,” she laughed, “what are you doing?”

“Taking you upstairs. I’ve been imagining you in my bed all day.”

“I can walk,” she protested.

“But this is so much more fun for me,” he chuckled, moving the flat of his hand to her backside, using the other to grab hold of the handrail.

She squirmed until he got to the top and let her slide down, but instead of setting her on her feet, he shifted so she was in his arms. He strode to his bedroom and turned to use his shoulder to open the door.

He held his breath, hoping he hadn’t over done it, setting the scene for the seduction he’d been planning since she left last night. He set her down but kept a hand to her waist, unable to break their physical connection.

Candlelight flickered off the single red rose he’d placed in a glass—he didn’t own a vase. “Oh, Jack.” She scanned the room and looked up at him. “Candles?”

“You don’t like ’em?”

“I do.” She walked over and bent to sniff the flower. “Oh,” she breathed. “Champagne too?”

“I wanted tonight to be special.”

Cait looked at the bed and got distracted. “You sleep on satin sheets?”

“Mmm…” He slid his hand up her back and unhooked the back of her bra. With the tips of his fingers, he slipped it off one shoulder and then the other. “Your skin reminds me of my sheets.” He stripped her black lace panties off and she trembled beneath his touch.

“Come here,” he said, tugging on her hand until she had no choice. When they stood at the side of his bed, he urged, “Now close your eyes.” He took her hand, urging her to let it brush over his bed.

“Feel the silky texture?”

“Mmm,” she agreed. “It’s so cool.”

“You’re not,” he rasped, pulling her back up into his arms, crushing her breasts to him. When her eyes popped open, he rasped. “You’re hot…molten…like a volcano.”

“Jack,” she sighed. “Don’t make me wait.”

He scooped her up and placed her in the middle of his bed, her pale skin reminding him of fresh cream. The tumble of her reddish-blonde hair spread across his pillow had him desperate to touch her, taste her, make love to her.

Shucking off his jeans, he ripped his T-shirt over his head and knelt on the foot of the bed and slowly, watching desire fill her eyes, climbed up the bed until his skin brushed against her toes. Masculine muscle, coiled to release, rubbed against surprisingly firm feminine leg muscles, lower abs, belly, and finally, finally, apple-firm breasts.

Settling himself in the notch between her legs, her heat teased him, but he wanted to go slow…to taste…to savor. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled. “You smell good enough to eat.”

She traced the tips of her fingers up the backs of his thighs, skimming over scar tissue, to his backside, and grabbed hold of him.

“I can’t go slow if you keep doing that.” When she licked her lips, he groaned, taking her under with a bone-tingling kiss. When he came up for air, he leaned over her to open the drawer in the bedside table. Pushing back to his knees, he covered himself and then swept his hands beneath her backside, lifting her up so he could go deep.

He knew now that she was hot, tight, and fit him like a glove. There was no need to rush—they had all night. Taking his time, he slid in all the way to the hilt, then just as slowly pulled out, poising at the entrance to her delicious warmth.

Dragging out their pleasure just might be the death of him, but what a way to go. Blind to everything except the need to make love with Caitlin, he focused on the woman in his arms, and the sudden desire to make her scream.

***

Cait lifted her hips to take Jack deeper. Higher and higher, faster and faster, she was whipping toward peak—again. He was a devastating lover…one she was in danger of losing her heart to.

How had this happened so quickly? She’d made love before. Why did it feel as if everything hung in the balance this time?

He shifted and swiveled his hips, shattering her into a thousand pieces. Her hands lost their grip and slid bonelessly to the bed.

“Cait?”

She opened her eyes and found herself looking into the eyes of her lover, a man she never thought to have, but now that she experienced what could be between them, she wasn’t going to give him up.

“Am I too heavy?”

Just as she was wondering if she’d be able to form a coherent thought, he had his hands on either side of her face, cupping it gently, looking into her eyes. “Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head.

He relaxed and pulled her close before rolling onto his side. “You get to me, Cait.”

“Is that a good thing or bad thing?”

He chuckled. “Good, definitely good…I love watching you come in my arms. Penny for your thoughts,” he whispered against her ear.

She snuggled her backside against him, eliciting a low rumbling moan from deep inside him. “I was thinking that I’ve never felt half of what you make me feel. Does that make me semifrigid…or you amazingly hot?”

He wrapped his arms across her chest and laid his cheek against the top of her head. “Does insanity run in your family?”

She snickered. “There were times when I was little when I swore Megan was nuts.”

He tightened his hold and told her, “Meg’s great…she had a lot of pressure going to school, taking care of you and Grace, and then working with your dad.”

“You’ve mentioned that before.”

“We were pretty good friends. She used to talk to me when she was worried that she wasn’t living up to what she thought your mom would have wanted.”

“I wish I’d known—”

“It wouldn’t have changed anything. Meg did the best she could and would have worried no matter what.”

“Yeah…it’s that Irish Catholic guilt we all suffer from.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Guys have it too?”

“Absolutely. Some of us succumb to the guilt—and then some of us join the navy.”

She was laughing when he laid his lips on hers. Brilliant colors filled her mind as he built the tension between them again. Wanting to give as much as she received, she ran her hands up over his shoulders, then down his back to the taut backside she wanted to take a bite of.

Deciding she’d waited long enough, she pushed against him hard enough that he lifted his lips and stared down at her with one brow lifted in question. She took advantage of the situation and pushed him onto his stomach, slithering onto him, touching, teasing, tasting as she made her way to the gluts she adored.

When she kissed then nipped the muscle there, he tensed. But then she licked where she bit and he relaxed beneath her, giving her his silent permission to do what she wanted with him. His open trust pushed her over the edge as she did a free fall into love.

Where
did
she
start?
Leaning her weight against him, she pressed her breasts to his back, loving the way he groaned out her name long and low. Shifting so that she could sit on his backside, she began to knead the knots out of his shoulders—impressive shoulders—until she decided to work her way down to his waist and then back up again.

She scooted down so she was straddling his ankles. Slowly and with deliberate feather-like touches, she skimmed her hands up and down his legs, pausing at the edge of his scarred flesh to press healing kisses to each pucker, every thick line of skin. Her reward was the loving look in Jack’s eyes when he rolled over and wrapped her in his arms. “I think I’m falling for you, Jack Gannon.”

He tightened his hold on her. The heat and warmth of him had her closing her eyes.

“I’m glad I’m not falling alone.” He pulled the satin sheets up to cover them and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

The thunder woke her. She lay quivering in bed; she hated thunderstorms. Lightning flashed and a crack of thunder struck close enough to have the hair on her arms standing on end.

Jamie whined, so she called to him, patting the bed beside her. He jumped up and curled up against her. Just as she was falling back to sleep, Jack started tossing and turning, mumbling in his sleep.

The storm was directly overhead now. Lightning flashed and thunder cracked endlessly. Jack shouted in his sleep, scaring the life out of her and Jamie. She tried to wrap herself around him, since he was still asleep, but he used his arms to break the hold she had on him. Surprised, but owing his reaction to a bad dream, she attempted to soothe him again.