Whisper In The Dark (The McKinnon Legends-- The American Men Book One) (12 page)

“Sure, I’ll be happy to stay. I’ll be downstairs. Just let me know when you are ready to lock the house down, and I’ll see you off to bed,” he said kissing her forehead.

Half an hour passed, then forty-five minutes. He had spoken with the night watchman and had secured the lower floors and all the rooms on the second and third floors including hers.

Stopping at the bathroom door he listened. It was quiet, too quiet. Lightly he tapped and the door cracked open ever so slightly.

“Kate?” He waited for a response.

“Kate, are you all right in there?”

When he did not hear anything he cracked the door open wider. “Katherine?”

“Hmm?” came the sleepy reply.

“Kate, Baby, time to get out and get dressed for bed.”

He waited for her reply. None came.

“Damn,” he mumbled under his breath as he pushed the door open and peeked inside. She was sound asleep, her head lulled over to the side, soft music playing in the background.

He kneeled down beside the old claw foot tub that was filled to the rim with bubble bath, lukewarm water, and one very beautiful mermaid who at present was passed completely out.

Brushing the hair away from her forehead, he kissed her gently and smiled. She was beautiful when she was awake, but when she slept the lines of worry disappeared, and she looked so much younger and carefree. If it was the last thing he ever did, he would see to it those lines of worry were gone forever and replaced by lines of laughter.

Could he be the man to make her happy? He wanted to be. He was already accepting it.

Could she be the woman to fill his nights with passion and his days with friendship and fun?

“I promise, Kate. It will get better,” he vowed.

He went back into her room, turned the bed down and laying out extra towels on the sheets, he hoped it would be enough. Then going back to the bathroom, he draped several towels over his chest and shoulders to absorb as much water as possible and to give her coverage. Rolling his sleeves to his elbows and leaning over the edge, he closed his eyes and scooped her up behind the shoulder and knees.

“Come on Bathing Beauty. Up you come.”

The water trained off in waves, sloshing down the front of his jeans and soaking the tops of his expensive custom made calfskin boots.

She woke briefly and mumbled something about swimming in the pond as he let the worst of the bathwater run in rivulets off her long limbs. Then wrapping her in the cocoon of towels he had over his shoulders, he took her to her room. Gently laying her in the antique bed, he covered her up and kissed her gently on the lips lingering briefly, savoring the taste of her.

“Umm,” she sighed.

“I guess I am the well-behaved knight after all. Man, I could just
so
take advantage of this. Ok, I get a gold star here, right?” he said to no one in particular.

She nodded. “Um’hm.” Never once did she awaken.

He sat on the side of the bed for a few minutes watching her sleep, thinking about his life. He was not unhappy, but he could not emphatically say he was happy with his bachelor lifestyle, not any longer. He was successful in his career, but it just was not enough any more. He wanted someone to share his success and to travel with him to exotic places. He wanted children. Yes, he wanted children, lots of children, the mini van, the dog, the toys all over the house, and he wanted Kate.

“Good night my sweet Katherine,” his said softly just before kissing her good night.

“Good night,” she mumbled before rolling over.

Kate rolled over and stretched. Her room was flooded with daylight. How long had she slept, she wondered? She actually felt refreshed in spite of the fact she had slept naked and in a cocoon of wet towels. That fact was dawning and with it the mortification of how she must have gotten here. The last thing she remembered was soaking in the tub.

Throwing back the covers she pulled on a clean pair of jeans, socks, and a spaghetti tee. Her boots were still by the back door. She needed to feed the livestock and then come back and change. George was coming home today, and she still needed to get a room in the Big House ready for him. He was not sleeping in the bunkhouse until she was sure he was truly on the mend and out of any physical danger.

As she came to the bottom of the stairs, she heard activity in the kitchen as water ran in the sink and bacon sizzled, smelling delicious in the old cast iron skillet. However, even more delicious then the bacon was the scenery. She just had to stop and admire from the doorway.

God in heaven, did it get any better than this, she asked silently.

Robert was there looking mouth-watering in a pair of dark blue jeans, a black muscle shirt stretching tightly across very broad shoulders, and barefooted. That was somehow very intimate, making her tighten in places she had forgotten existed.

“Morning, Sunshine. Juice?” Robert offered as she came into the kitchen.

“Yeah, that would be good. Sorry, I slept in. Did you make coffee?” she asked picking up the empty pot, giving it a disappointing shake.

He cocked his head sideways just looking at her, wondering how she could possibly ask such a question after the confession from the night before. Making coffee, no, he mentally corrected himself, making
good
coffee, eluded him. Making swill was a piece of cake.

All right, she thought, so no coffee.

However, the pancakes he had cooked for his men smelled wonderful. Looking around the kitchen, which was nothing short of a disaster, she supposed the ends justified the mess.

“You cook?” she asked trying unsuccessfully to get the thought of Robert barefooted, at the very least, off her mind by taking a bit of the perfectly prepared bacon which she had found still warm and sitting on the table wrapped in a paper towel.

“Don’t look so stunned,” he laughed at the look of surprise on her face. “I’m a bachelor. Of course I cook. Mom made sure we all could take care of ourselves. I just cannot make a good cup of coffee.”

“Then our friendship is over,” she said with a dramatic flair.

He laughed again. “So I have but a single fatal flaw. I have finally joined the human race.” He shrugged one of those broad shoulders which she could not seem to take her eyes off of considering good shoulders and biceps did it for her. The rest of him was doing it for her as well.

Easy, girl, she thought to herself wondering how he could make her crazy with desire just by looking at her. She wanted to completely kiss off that crooked little smile he had on his face.

“All right, Einstein, here is the formula. Watch, listen, and learn, my young apprentice.”

“Yes, Master,” he smiled and then bowing humbly from the waist.

“Fill the pot to here,” she said noting a line inside the old percolator pot as he stood over her shoulder watching intently. “Liner goes in like this. Not rocket science, Robert.”

“Um, huh. Got it. Filter in there,” he said pushing aside her hair, giving in to the urge to suck lightly on her neck.

“Stop that and pay close attention. This is where most people screw the pooch,” she said playfully.

“Screw the pooch..uh’huh,” he said half listening as he nibbled some more.

“Four scoops, level, not heaping.”

“Level, got it,” he said kissing the other side and running his tongue up to her ear, nipping her lobe. “Mmm, you smell good.”

Following his mischievous lead, she leaned back into him pressing her behind tightly to his crotch. “And plug it in,” she said breathily, playfully. “Twenty minutes later you have a hot.. steaming.. mouth watering.. eye popping.. delicious..” She looked back over her shoulder giving him a look as hot as the griddle.

“Oh, God Kate, you’re killing me,” he confessed.

“…cup of coffee.”

He cleared his throat stepping away before he gave in to the desire to kiss her breathless just for starters. The thoughts he had racing through his mind involved at least one horizontal surface and maybe even the jar of the strawberry jelly.

“Thanks for tucking me in last night,” she said reaching past him for one of the silver dollar pancakes, taking a bite.

“Not a problem. In case you were wondering, I closed my eyes.”

“Robert, I appreciate the sentiment, but I was raised on a farm. I’m not a prude. If you happened to see a little skin,” she shrugged, “well it would not be the end of the world.”

He cleared his throat again uncomfortable. “Kate, can we change the subject?” thinking how uncomfortable his jeans were quickly becoming. Man, she was smoking hot, he thought and she did not even realize it.

“Oh, so who is the prude now?” she teased pocking him in the ribcage.

Lightning fast he grabbed her hand.

“Don’t,” he said shaking his head and stepping away.

“Sorry,” she said instantly feeling awkward for touching him. Maybe she had misunderstood his signals although she really did not see how that could be. He wanted her. That was evident. And the banter between them was about as subtle as a foghorn.

“Don’t apologize,” he reached out to pull her back to him.

She side stepped. “Fine, whatever.”

She backed away grabbing another piece of bacon while heading for the back door. There was no time for coffee, and the magic of the moment had passed.

“I’m going to go feed the stock,” she said covering her hurt and confused feelings at his quick withdrawal from her touching him.

“Already done.”

He had risen very early considering he had not drifted off to sleep until after three. The couch was bumpy and curvy and so was Kate’s body pressed against him when he lifted her from the tub. The combination was uncomfortable for him on several levels.

“Then I’m going to rub down Ginger Snap while there is still time. I’m bringing George home today.”

“Done,” he said removing the last of the pancakes from the stove, turning off the flame.

Ginger Snap was the horse she had chosen for herself. The mare was a bit skittish. Needing to have more human attentions, the cinnamon-colored mare was her new pet project. The horse had good genes and lots of potential, but she was just too feral at the moment.

“How did you manage that? She is a little wild.”

“Never would have known that one,” he commented dryly. “But it is done. And that was how I came away with the bruised ribs I’m nursing.”

The horse halfheartedly tried to kick him. In his maneuver to sidestep her, he poked himself on a stub designed to hang horse tack that was protruding from the barn wall.

“Oooh, ouch,” she said wrinkling her nose in sympathy. That explained his reflex reaction to her poking him. He was not shying away from her, but from the pain it would have inflicted.

“Then maybe the appropriate question would be to ask you what you haven’t done this morning,” she said standing with her hand on the doorknob.

“I haven’t done this.”

He could not stand it any longer, closing the gap, he pulled her to him hoping she did not resist. He did not feel like she would given the fact she was just as turned on by him as he was her. He was not the only one affected by their kiss from the night before. He wanted to kiss her, needed to kiss her as he balled his fist into her hair and pulled her against him.

He was not disappointed as she wrapped her arms around him.

“God, you taste good,” he said pulling away after drinking his fill.

“It’s the bacon,” she purred.

He laughed softly against her mouth. “This is crazy and I should not be doing this, but God if I can help myself.” He went in for another kiss.

Who knew where this kiss would go? He knew where he wanted to end up with her this morning and to hell with his resolve to keep it purely business. That had gone out the window the moment she had stepped into his line of vision.

“Katherine! How could you?”

Brice’s accusations stopped Robert only inches from her lips.

Robert growled in his throat. “Langston, I’m going to kill you one of these days.” His threat was idle and just borne out of frustration.

She stepped away from Robert as if caught doing something wrong. “How could I what, Brice?” Katherine was confused at his accusatory tone.

“Consort with the enemy." Brice’s eyes burned with hatred. "Katherine, for God’s sake, he’s trying to take your land.”

“So did you and your father, so do not try to play all innocent with me.” Kate took a step forward. Her back was definitely up. If the bastard thought for one minute he was guiltless in this mess, she would set him straight right here and right now.

Robert consciously moved Kate behind him with a push of his arm as he moved in between her and a man he felt even more deeply was a threat. “What do you want, Brice? The lady and I are busy.”

He knew what Brice was after, and it was more than just the land. Kate was just one more thing coming with the package, however, not if he had anything to say about it. Brice was a user, and he was not going to let him anywhere near her if it could be avoided.

“I’m here on official business, Robert. Katherine, I need to speak with you alone?” He looked past Robert to Katherine. She was looking to Robert for guidance.

Brice cut his eyes over at Robert. Even though it was not early, Brice knew she had not been alone last night. They were just too cozy, and the dish towel tossed over Robert’s shoulder was a dead give away that the man was making himself right at home. Well, that was going to change. Robert was not going to get the land and the girl. He would have something for himself. He had spent the last several days thinking, and the key to the ranch really was Kate. The land was Katherine, and Katherine was the land. If he had her, then he could give his father everything he wanted.

“Brice, what do you possibly have to say that could not be said in front of both of us?” Kate asked. She really did not want to be alone with Brice.

Robert could feel her hesitation. Good, he thought. The more cautious she was of Brice, the less likely he would pull the wool over her eyes.

“I’ve been cleared as a suspect in Kyle’s death,” Brice announced.