Spitfire (Puffin Cove) (13 page)

"I'm glad, Spitfire," his beautiful, deep smiling voice told her.

Over the next several days,
Laura worked with the land registry office, Mr. Archer's lawyer, the home inspector George had recommended, and George's lawyer, whom he also recommended for the transaction. She contacted plumbers and electricians, and arranged for a water test.

She
had been back to the house six times. And each time her excitement grew.

She
had discovered that the water damage inside seemed to have come from nothing more than a broken window. The bathroom fixtures were ancient, but with a good scrubbing and some joint grease they could be restored to their original charm. The iron claw footed tub was filthy, and spectacular. She would need to install a hand shower and curtain bar for convenience, but fantasized about soaking in mountains of fragrant bubbles with a glass of wine, a dozen candles, and Kane.

Throughout all of her excitement with the house, he would pop into her head regularly
. She imagined him putting logs onto the fire, making tea in the kitchen, making love to her in the loft bedroom.

Cart before the horse
, girl. You haven't got man or house yet.

I know, I know
. But a girl can dream, can't she?

The kitchen was a train wreck
. The yellowing cupboards were pitifully few, doors that were there were splintered or sprung, drawers missing or listing on their sliders. The counter top bore stains and burns too numerous to even guess at the original colour of the chipped Formica. The fridge and stove, although ancient and filthy, might be resurrected if they were in working order or able to be fixed. She actually liked them. They were avocado green. Ha! She never would have picked them, but they actually fit the place. The old white farm sink was stained, but intact. Laura didn't think she'd have any trouble re-enamelling the chipped spots, and if the drain was good, it was staying. Throughout the kitchen and most of the main floor were scattered mouse droppings. She would have to see if Kane had a barn cat to spare. She didn't think that Lola would be a very good mouser.

She had her head in the oven, checking for holes in the element, when she heard the floorboards creak behind her
. A frisson of panic gripped her and she bolted out of the stove, smacking her head on the way. Strong hands grabbed her shoulders and she was hauled to her feet.

She swung around, prepared to fight for her life
.

"
Kane! Lord love us. You scared the life out of me!"

She hadn
't seen him since the night of the gallery, since their tentative pledge. She searched his twinkling eyes, and suddenly felt shy and self-conscious. Both times, after their passions had ignited in those steamy kisses, days had gone by without meeting again, without talking except for her one babbling phone call to him about the house. Did he still want to see her? Was he still interested?

Well, he's here, i
sn't he?

And Lord, s
he was a mess. Grubby old jeans and workboots she had bought at the second hand, a torn plaid shirt, and her hair carelessly tied back with a scarf.

She looked incredible, sexier than he remembered. He wanted to drag the scarf from her head and free those russet curls, bury his hands in them. Ached to pop open each button of her shirt, slowly, one by one, and slide his tongue down each inch of exposed, creamy flesh. And the greeting of that denim tush sticking out from the oven had made his palms sweat and itch to touch.

"
Got dirt on yer nose, Spitfire." He licked his thumb and smudged it away from her perky freckles. Then he placed a soft kiss over the small lump on her head where she had thwacked it on the stove.

"
There, all better."

"
God! I must be a sight!"

"
Aye." Ah, Jaysus. Yes, she was.

She was
so
alive.
Waves of excitement pulsed around her, and sucked him into her vortex. And he went gladly, with abandon. It had been years since he had felt this exhilaration, this joy to just
be.
Years! His mind whirled in a frenzied search of his past. Had he ever, ever felt this way? This feeling of wild happiness? Of wanting to sing to the heavens and howl at the moon? Honestly, he couldn't remember a time. In his life he had felt love, peace, happiness, sorrow and quiet joy. But never this fulminating
lifting.
God. What had she done to him?

Her husky voice vibra
ted with enthusiasm, and it sizzled deliciously in his chest and belly. "Well, what do you think? It needs a lot of work, but I think it's sound. The inspector's coming on Monday to give the place a going over, but from what I've seen so far she looks good." The smile on her face was pure joy, her eyes sparkling with dancing emerald fire.

He soaked in her aura
. And smiled. "I think Puffin Cove has its newest permanent resident."

He laughed at her whoop of exhilaration and caught her around the waist
. He felt her hands creep around his neck and her eyes smiled into his.

"
Oh, Kane. I can't believe this is all happening."

"
You're sure not one to be lettin' the grass grow under yer feet."

He ran h
is fingers lightly over the abrasion on her forehead, ensuring that it wasn't growing.

"
Listen, Laura. I know ye've got a million things t' do, and…well…seems the timin's not meant t' be fer Twillingate."

The smile sli
d from her lips, and he thought he could actually see the dazzling fire in her eyes snuff out. Her body went slack in his arms and he had no choice but to let her go. Her expression cool, and with a voice just degrees warmer than ice, she said, "Well, there's nothing I can actually do until I get the inspection done on Monday. If it passes, then I go forth with the purchase agreement. Then it's another two weeks to wait for the lawyers to clear title. So, as of now, I've got five days before things get busy. So if it's an excuse you're needing for backing out of the Twillingate thing, you won't find it here. If you've changed your mind, decided it's not right for you, just say it."

Was she jokin'
? "Ye mean I can have ye fer five days?"

She pulled her lips between her teeth, bit down, then they twitched.
"Are you saying you want me for five days?" Her voice warmed, and the light was in those gorgeous green eyes again, molten emerald, happy, joyful,
alive.

"Oh Jaysus, yes
." He pulled her tight up into his arms and spun her around the room twice, swirling dust motes in the filtery sun, mashing mouse shit under his boots, and sucking in the sound of her sultry, sexy laugh. He let out a whoop of his own, and his uncertainty dissipated with the settling of the dust.

"
Well, I don't know that we'd need five days to watch icebergs." Her eyes teased. "Could we go tomorrow and come back Saturday? That gives us three. Will that be enough?"

"
I somehow doubt it, Spitfire. But it'll have t' do fer a start."

He ran his hands down her back
and palmed her lush ass, digging his fingers in, kneading them once, twice. Dear God, did he just grunt at her? Better get gone before he couldn't. He slapped that sweet ass and smacked a kiss on her lips.

"
Tomorrow, nine a.m. Be ready fer me."
Please, baby. Please be ready for me.
He gave her a wink and she angled him a flirty smile and those happy eyes. He had to clench his fists as he nearly hauled her back in, and strode out the front door.

Laura
heaved a deep
fwhoof
of a breath. Mother of God, the man turned her to mush. For a minute there she was sure he was backing away. But as usual, she analyzed, misread, jumped to conclusions. Thank God she was wrong. He seemed to be as eager for tomorrow as she was. She couldn't wipe the dopey smile from her face if she tried.

Tomorrow
. She sighed.

I
'm going to spend three days with him starting tomorrow
. She giggled.

Oh, my
. She groaned.

"
Tomorrow?" she squeaked.

Holy cow
! She'd better get cracking. Gotta pack, shave her legs, did her hair need a trim? Would she have to buy an extra sweater? Definitely need new lingerie. Have to call Jill, ask her to take Lola. Have to let Moira know she'd be checking out a few days early. Jill! Jill had graciously offered to take her in until the house was ready for sparse habitation, would brook no argument.

Tomorrow!

She spent the remainder of her day in a whirlwind of activity. She tearfully checked out of Puffin House, promising Moira and George that she wouldn't be a stranger, thanking them over and over for all they had done to make her feel so welcomed. They had exchanged long hugs on the front porch, then she pulled away, once again with two suitcases and Lola, and now several bags of wool and a new car, the sum total of her worldly goods.

She drove the north road, past her soon-to-be coast house, past Kane
's farm, both of which she had to squeeze her hands on the steering wheel to restrain herself from turning into. As she pulled into Jill's lane, Tess and Shannon bounded out to greet her.

As on the first day that they
had met, Shannon grabbed her hand the minute she opened the car door. The Tasmanian devil welcoming committee.

"
Hi, Auntie Laura! You're coming to live with us for awhile! Momma made up the day bed for you, an' me and Tess put some of my dollies in it so you wouldn't be ascared at night, cuz Momma says sometimes strange beds make you nervy an' me and Tess are gonna share my bed with Lola so she won't be nervy too. An' Momma's makin' me three new dresses for school, an' one matches my hat an' I gots a cut from the fence when I tried to catch the quirrel."

They
had made it to the house without Shannon coming up for breath once.

Jill
came to the door, wiping flour from her hands and smiling at her two favourite girls. She was as excited as Shannon that Laura would be staying with them for awhile. It would be like being a girl again, having a friend to laugh and share confidences with.

Oh,
Jill had lots of friends. Heck, she was born and raised here. But, she hadn't been close to her friends in a long time. And none were as close to her as Laura had become. Sharing the excitement of Laura's new life had given Jill a new sense of excitement in her own.

"
Shannon, let Auntie Laura breathe. And I'm sure that Miss Lola would like to go for a walk around the yard. But don't go -"

"
Out the gate, I know, Momma. Come on, Lola. Me and Tess is gonna show ya the new spy ree yaw bossoms, but you can't eat 'em cuz they'll make ya puke and shit yer drawers."

Both she and
Laura bit the insides of their cheeks.

"
Honestly," Jill told Laura with a sigh. "I really don't know what I'm going to do about that girl. I've got an appointment for her check-up before she starts school. Maybe I'll ask the doc what he thinks I should do about it."

She w
as really starting to worry about Shannon's lack of guile and social boundaries.

"
Jill, have you ever heard her talk to other kids or adults when she didn't know you were listening?" Jill shook her head. "I bet she only does that when you're around. She's probably just showing you her independence, that she can be a grown up. Kids are surprisingly perceptive. She may, in her way, be telling you that you don't have to look after her so much. She imitates your dad because she sees in him a strong person who looks after himself and others. She probably would have done the same had she known her own daddy."

Jill
allowed a sorrowful chuckle. "Yeah, you're probably right. I'll have to pay more attention when she doesn't think I am. I've never really done that. Maybe she really is only doing it for my benefit. But, Jesus, if she does that at school...Laura, I've never really said this out loud before, but everyday I'm terrified that someone is going to take exception to the way I'm raising Shannon and have Children's Aid take her away. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her. I'd probably just curl up and die."

Laura
swung an arm around her shoulders, and as they strolled up the lane into the cottage, she said, "Aw, listen kiddo. Your fears are no different than any other single parent. And you're the best mom I've ever known. So try to give yourself a break, and enjoy that baby for all she's worth, huh? She's going to become a lovely, confident, spunky young lady one day, and she'll be grown before you know it. Just enjoy, honey."

Laura
smiled and gave her a squeeze. God, she was a great lady.

"
And now, I have something I need to ask you…tell you."

"
What? Whaaaat?" Jill squealed, stamping her feet, the instant excitement ramping up just like it did in Shannon. "Ask! Tell! Is it the house or Kane?"