Authors: Paige Cameron
“Why?” She saw a bottle of lotion in his hands. “I’m too tired to make love.”
He grinned. “I could make you take back those words, but I won’t. This is regular lotion. I’ll rub your back until you go to sleep.”
Lang dribbled the cool lotion on her backside, and then began to massage her shoulders, back, and down her legs to her feet. She moaned with pleasure. He leaned forward and kissed the side of her neck.
“Sleep, little one.”
“I forgot to tell you. You and Nick are in my heart, no one else.” The words came out slurred with sleep.
“I know.”
His hands continued to caress her as she sank deeper into her dreams.
* * * *
Nick and Cad sat across eyeing each other. Finally, Nick said, “Tell me what you know about her.”
“We met three years ago. She wandered in from the hot heat of the summer. She looked like a lost child wandering around looking for her home. After I got to know her better, I realized my first impression was right.”
Cad sipped the last of his coffee. “She stayed with me for six months. I discovered she was very good creatively with her hands. I taught her how to work the gold and silver. Her mind created the designs.” He glanced at Lang as he walked into the room. “She told me about you two. She’d tried to forget you and not care. It hadn’t worked.”
Lang walked to the stove and poured a cup of coffee for him and Nick. He refilled Cad’s cup. “You told her to go home?”
“I did. She said she would, eventually. There were more travels to do first.”
“You could have convinced her,” Nick said.
“Perhaps. But we must all find our place at our own time. I myself have wandered far.”
“You’ve never gone back to your roots?” Lang asked.
“Sadly none of us can go back to our original roots. I live closer to family now. But I’ve known all my life that my destiny was not totally with them.”
“So it’s in New Mexico,” Nick stated.
“No.”
They didn’t ask any other questions. A man had a right to keep his own secrets.
“I talked to Pruet tonight,” Nick said. He explained to Cad who he was. “Pruet is telepathic. He’ll go to the hospital early tomorrow morning to visit Illingsworth.
“We checked and Peter is to be discharged later in the day. Apparently, in spite of all his groaning and carrying on, he wasn’t hurt seriously. The bullet hit just the right spot to miss anything vital.”
“Ah, this Pruet hopes to use his telepathic skills to retrieve names of other victims,” Cad said. “It might help. I suppose you will check on them and try to get one to talk with the authorities?”
Nick nodded. “That’s my plan. Lang will be here to support Cassie. He’s the calming one. I have to do something.”
Cad smiled. “You two will be good for her. She will be happy. I’m tired. Where do I sleep tonight?”
A knock at the door had Nick out of his chair and going to answer it. “I believe this is your ride now. Rae, Mitch and Daren’s sister, will drive you to the main ranch house. They’re our leaders. They’d like to meet you.” He opened the door and let Rae in.
“Rae Stanton, Caedmon Quinlain, the attorney we mentioned earlier.” Rae walked forward and took his outstretched hand, but immediately started to pull away. He covered her hand with both of his.
“I am very pleased to make your acquaintance.” Cad smiled at her. She frowned, and this time when she jerked her hand to free it, he let go.
Puzzled Nick glanced at Lang. “Sit and have coffee, Rae.”
“No, I’m ready to go. I’ll drop off Mr. Quinlain, and then I have work to do on my plans to decorate your house.” She gave Cad an uneasy look.
Nick put his arm around her. “You go on home. I’ll drive Quinlain to the boss’s house.”
“Thanks. I appreciate the offer.” She rushed out, and they heard her car start up.
“I’ve never seen Rae act that way toward anyone.” He stared at Quinlain. “Why didn’t you let her hand go the first time she tried to pull back? You frightened her.”
“She understands. She senses who I am and it shook her.”
“Who the hell are you?” Lang demanded.
“I’m the man who plans to marry her and bring our tribes back together.”
“Shit, Mitch and Daren might have something to say about that,” Nick said.
“It will happen, but not yet. Don’t worry. I won’t cause any problems for you all or Rae.”
“You claim to be part of the third tribe?” Lang asked.
“My brother and cousin are the leaders.”
“Where are they? Why haven’t we been able to find them?” Lang frowned at Quinlain.
“At the right time, those answers and others will be given.”
Nick grabbed his keys from the table where he’d laid them. “Let’s go. It’s been a long night.” As they got out to the truck, Nick stopped and touched Cad’s arm. “For your information, Rae’s been in love with someone for a long time. She’s been waiting for him to return. You won’t change her mind about that.”
“I know. He’s coming home soon.”
“You know him?”
“We worked together for a few years.”
Shaking his head, Nick got in the truck and drove toward the ranch house.
* * * *
Rae drove home quickly. She shut off the car motor and leaned her head against the steering wheel. The cool night air and the quiet didn’t slow her pounding heart or relieve her body, flushed with heat and the smell of him.
Who was he, and how did he have this effect on her? No one had touched her like that. At least not since Nate had left that day so long ago. She’d promised to wait. He’d told her not to. He might not come back. But she hadn’t had a choice. He took part of her heart with him.
Her hands gripped the bracelet on her wrist. The black stones and the gold flashed in the moonlight. Had she bought this to remind her of Nate, or was it a forewarning of Quinlain coming into her life? She got out and walked to her front door.
Shaking, she struggled to put the key in. Inside, she went to her meditation room and sat on a cushion on the floor. But she couldn’t shake him or his scent from her head.
His thoughts had come into hers.
“I have found you. You are mine. When I return, we will marry.”
She’d sent angry thoughts back at him, but he’d only smiled, that certain look on his face. A mixture of excitement and fear rolled in her veins. His particular musky scent had surrounded her. With each breath, she took more of his essence inside.
She had a strong will. He couldn’t make her do what she didn’t want to. But her fear was that his determination was stronger. Most of all her body wanted him, even if she said she didn’t.
Desire had burned inside her. A shock wave had gone up her arm and through her when he touched her. Her pussy clenched in hunger and with a demand to feel him deep within her. That was why she’d tried to pull back. But he’d held her tight as the hunger built. He’d left her aching for him to touch her again, only more intimately next time.
Rae closed her eyes and tried to force those thoughts away. She sat for hours concentrating on clearing her mind and body of him and his scent.
* * * *
Cassie woke refreshed and for a moment happy until she remembered the problem hanging over her head. She wouldn’t think about it. First, she’d shower. Then she’d promised to meet with Pruet at nine. It was eight. She had time for a quick shower and to dress.
Lang knocked as she put the last touch to her makeup before going to find him and Nick. She called out for him to enter.
“You’re dressed, good. It’s almost time for your meeting. Nick told me about the arrangement. Did you sleep well?” Lang’s eyes trailed from her face down to her feet.
“I did.”
“Come eat. I have it all ready.”
She followed him into the kitchen and realized how hungry she was when he put the plate of eggs, sausage, potatoes, and toast in front of her. Lang went to the cupboard and got her a cup and poured her coffee.
He sat across from her and smiled at her hurriedly clearing her plate. “I guess you were a little hungry. After your meeting, Rae will pick you up. Technically Nick or I are to be with you at all times, but we trust Rae to keep an eye on you. She’ll take you to see your mother on the way to the new house. We want the decorating and furnishing done soon. You two can work on it and buy what you need online.”
“Most of it we can buy that way, but some things you want to see and touch in person.”
“That will have to wait until we have this problem fixed. I have some work to do around the ranch. Nick has gone to town with Quinlain. Pruet is going to see Illingsworth right after your session.”
Cassie had finished. She took her plate and cup to the sink and turned to find Lang’s smoldering gaze on her. Her heart quickened. He stood and ambled across the small space between them. She breathed in his musky scent. Then she put her arms around his neck and kissed his firm, warm lips. “You didn’t have to cook for me.”
His hands caressed the sides of her body, and his thumbs brushed along the edge of her breasts. “We wouldn’t want you to lose these sumptuous curves.” A flash of hunger lit his eyes. He pulled her hard against his muscled frame and buried his face in her neck.
“I want to strip and devour your alluring body, but there isn’t time.”
She kissed the opening at the neck of his shirt. “We could make time, but I’d have to miss my lesson.” Her body moved against his hard cock.
His expressions captivated her. Lang preferred to stay in control, and yet she saw the fight inside him to let go. She jerked his shirt out of his pants and put her hand against his warm skin. He took a quick, indrawn breath.
“We can be late this one time.” Stepping backwards, Cassie unbuttoned her first button on her blouse. Lang’s gray eyes darkened like a storm on the horizon. A shiver went across her shoulders and down her back.
He didn’t move for a moment. His silver-gray eyes stared into hers. She knew when he regained control.
“We won’t be late, and there’s something that needs to be said before I drop you off. You wear our ring now. We waited so long for the moment to claim you. We won’t ever give you up again.” He stood toe-to-toe with her. “You understand? You are mine and Nick’s. There will be no going back, no games, all of that is over. You agree?”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then once this legal problem is cleared away, you will go and not return to the ranch. I’ve talked with Mitch, and he agrees.”
“My family is here.”
“They can visit you in town. I want to be sure you didn’t accept our ring because you’re in a bad place right now, and when it’s over you’ll want to do your own thing again.”
“I won’t be controlled.”
“We don’t want that, either. We want your love, your trust, and you as our wife. You say you trust Quinlain, and I believe it. I’m not sure I believe you truly trust us. Think about what I’ve said while we’re gone today.”
His expression had a finality to it. He wasn’t going to make love to her. Turning on his heels, he walked to the door. The clang of his boots echoed as he strode across the floor.