Authors: Barbara Huffert
“Hi, Pix. Find Oz yet?” Shane asked when Alyssa answered. He
had just taken Penny and her new kitten home and had the urge to tell Alyssa
about their adventure.
“McKade?” Alyssa sounded confused.
“Yeah,” Shane grunted, wondering why she sounded so
surprised that he was calling her. “Is this a bad time?”
“No, we’re actually settled for the day. Brian thinks the
fronts coming through might collide behind us so he wants us ready to go either
way. We’re positioned in the center of possible tracks so we can react
quickly.”
“Sounds like you’re getting into this whole weather watching
expedition.”
“It’s impossible not to. The whole team is so intense when
they discuss what’s going on. I can’t help being sucked in by their enthusiasm.
It’s contagious.”
Shane listened to the excitement in her voice. “You still
coming back sometime, Campini?”
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily, McKade. I’ll be
home as soon as I do what I was hired to do.”
Shane decided to change the subject. “Did you hear Jordan’s
show Thursday? Max called.”
“I know. I taped it and played it in the car yesterday. Man,
that must have been hard for Jordan.”
“It was. I was so glad when Kiley showed up. My brother is having
a tough time with this.”
“He’s very attached to Max.” She paused. “Did you take Penny
to find a cat?”
“I most certainly did. We started out with breakfast so we
could strategize. Our next stop was a pet store where we got all the necessary
supplies. I figured we should get that out of the way so I could take her right
home if we found a cat that she had to have.”
“I can’t quite picture you shopping,” she laughed.
“I’ll have you know that I’m as excellent at that task as I
am at everything else. Perhaps I’ll take you when you get back.”
“Shopping? I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t shop.”
“Yes, that’s very evident now that I’ve seen your wardrobe.
I used to think you dressed down to try to fit in on the streets while you were
working on your gang and the homeless. Now I know better.”
“Watch it, McKade,” she tried to sound threatening but
couldn’t stop chuckling.
“Hey, just stating the obvious. You kind of gave it away
when you wore my sweats even though they’re miles too big for you.” He had been
more than surprised when she’d added the clothes he loaned her to get home in
that first day to her wardrobe. Even more amazing was the way she managed to
look like a kid playing in someone else’s clothes and incredibly hot and
desirable at the same time. He groaned as he felt his body reacting to the
thought of her. “I think you’d like shopping with me.”
“What makes you think that?”
“First of all, I know you find me irresistible so anything
we do together would please you. Second, I’d take you somewhere that sells
lingerie. I’ve noticed how you don’t neglect that part of your attire like you
do the rest of your things. It’s so sexy, knowing that underneath all those
ragtag outfits you try to pass off as clothing, is something skimpy, made out
of lace or silk. We’d go to the shop and you’d let me pick out things for you.
I’d hold my choices up to you, so I could picture how you’d look wearing them
once I had your body flushed with desire.” Shane heard a hitch in her breathing
and wondered if Alyssa was getting as turned on as he was. “Finally, I’d take
you and my choices home so you could model them for me.”
“Well,” she sounded breathy, “interesting as that is, I
believe you were telling me about your day with Penny.”
“Right.” Shane let her get the conversation back on track,
now that he’d given her something to think about. “Let’s see. We got dishes,
mats, a litter box and scoop, a variety of food and more toys than any one cat
could ever need. Then we went to the first shelter. I couldn’t believe the
number of animals they had. I’m going to suggest to Jordan that he bring up the
importance of spaying and neutering on his show sometime. Anyway, even though
there were limitless choices, Penny didn’t find the one cat she knew was meant
to be hers. We tried the other shelter, which was just as overcrowded. After
spending another hour going from cage to cage, holding and petting each cat and
kitten, we finally found it. I think she was down to the second to last cage
but there he was, a little black and white kitten who looks like he is wearing
a mask. When Penny cuddled him, he started with this huge, rumbling purr that
made her giggle uncontrollably. I was afraid she would scare him but he just
purred louder.”
“I bet she’s floating.”
“I’d say so. They put him in a cardboard carrier so we could
take him home and he kept poking his paw out of the holes like he was trying to
reach her. I think she actually held on to it most of the way home.”
“Does he have a name yet?”
“Penny said his name was Purrkins as soon as we were in the
car. She said he told her.”
“And I suppose you heard him say that?”
“Ah, no. I suspect I’m too old for him to talk to. You
should have seen Max when she introduced them. I think he can understand him
too.”
“That must have been so cute.”
“Yeah. I love the way kids think. They’re really amazing,
the way they made the whole thing sound so logical.”
“You’re such a softy, McKade.”
“Well, I won’t tell if you don’t,” he teased. “I wish you’d
been with us, Pix,” he said before he could stop himself.
“You think I’d have the patience to wait around like that
while she handled every cat in two shelters?” Alyssa tried to sound flip.
Shane sighed, wishing he’d held his tongue. She wasn’t ready
yet. “If you were carrying your camera and had captured the look on her face
when he started to purr, I’m sure you would have found the day quite
satisfactory.” He hoped his comment sounded as light as he’d intended.
“Oh. Yeah, you’re right, although kids and kittens aren’t
really my thing.” But maybe they could be. Alyssa was shocked by the comment
she’d added in her mind. “So did you talk to Jordan since they took Bear?”
“Friday, after they got home. He was quieter than usual but
I expected that. He mentioned that your cousin is a remarkably strong woman so
I think they’re leaning on each other.”
“He has no idea what Kiley is capable of. She’s always been
that way even though I never pointed it out to her. I just took advantage and
used her support to get me through whatever was going on with me.”
“Stop it, Pix. We’re not taking them for granted anymore,
remember? We’re going to be open and honest and encourage their strengths and
abilities, just like we promised after Brett showed us the lousy way we were
treating them. No more guilt. Kiley wouldn’t want it any more than Jordan would
want mine.”
“I wonder why they’re both so willing to forget our past
treatment and welcome us so completely into their lives now. I’m not so sure
I’d be as forgiving.”
“Oh I don’t know about that. Look at the way you’ve let me
become part of your life. If you can ignore the fact that I’m a total ass then
why shouldn’t they overlook our faults too?”
“Got a point there, McKade. Hey, next time you talk to
Jordan tell him everyone here loves his show. They’ve rigged the spare radios
so we can all listen to it. One of the guys even called his sister and
encouraged her to look into the college there. She’s apparently interested in
the technical aspects as well as broadcasting. He thought she might be good
enough for Jordan to let her intern at the station. I didn’t know if he was
doing a production internship too but I thought it was worth her time to
check.”
“If there’s interest, then I’m sure my brother will create a
program for it. You know how he is. I may be a cop, hoping to make the world a
better place but he’s the one who’ll make a difference. Between his abilities,
his money and his sense of community, he’ll find ways to make things happen
that we haven’t even thought of yet.”
“How is your job? Are you still as frustrated as you were
before I left?”
“Yes and no. I’m seriously considering leaving, as you
already know but I haven’t given up completely yet.”
“Have you seen the Kid?”
“Only from a distance. He wasn’t alone so I didn’t get close
to him.”
“I wish…” She let her thought trail off.
“Me too. I’m not ready to write him off though. There’s
still a slight chance that he’ll walk away and ask for help.”
“Do you really think so or are you just saying that for me?”
Alyssa asked quietly.
“Both,” he admitted. “I know you don’t want to hear this
but, for now, I just have to wait. It’s up to him but I’ve shown him that I’m
nearby if he needs me.”
“I guess that’ll have to be enough for now. I can’t believe
how much someone who I barley know affects me. It’s weird the way I find myself
worrying about him.”
“That’s because you’re just as soft as I am.”
“Oh, please,” she exaggerated and he knew she was rolling
her eyes. “I think I’d better go before it gets any deeper around here.”
“All right, Pixie Queen.” Shane hated to hang up but knew
not to push her. “You’re glad I called though, right?”
She laughed. “Sure, if that makes you feel better. I’m sure
we’ll speak again soon. Try not to get shot in the head.”
“I’ll do my best. You stay out of Oz. See you in your
dreams.” He cut the connection before she could respond.
“I’m so pleased you have time to join me for lunch today,
Shane. Jordan wasn’t very thrilled with the idea of me in the city alone. He
seems to have forgotten that I lived here on my own until he rescued me on
Lyssa’s birthday.” Kiley followed him into her cousin’s studio.
“I think that’s because he can’t remember his life before
you. I take it he’s a little overprotective of you. I suspect he had quite a
debate with himself over canceling his meeting so he could come with you.” Shane
hadn’t been surprised when she had called, telling him that Alyssa said she had
additional pictures of their wedding reception and wondered if he was available
to get them for her. He was pleased by her invitation to escort her to lunch at
Mr. Paul’s, the restaurant she had worked at before his brother swept her into
his life.
“He would have if I hadn’t insisted there was no need. After
all, I’m here with you, so that hardly counts as being alone. I’m going to Mr.
Paul’s, where I spent the last several years of my life. And I’m stopping to
see Vera on my way home. It’s not like I’m stopping off to interview some of
Lyssa’s gang members. He replaced my car, since even I had to admit that my old
one wasn’t exactly reliable and gave me a cell phone in case I’m ever
stranded.” Kiley grinned. “This is where I should also admit how wonderful all
this makes me feel.”
“Gee, I never would have guessed that,” Shane teased.
“Hello, gorgeous,” Brett called as he came in after them. “I
hope you don’t mind if I tag along. When I heard you were coming to town, I
figured this would be the perfect opportunity to have lunch at Mr. Paul’s. I
miss going there.”
“In other words, Jordan asked you to come with us in case
Shane was called away.” They could see by his expression that she was right.
“It’s all right, Brett. I don’t mind. Dee says it’s not the same without you
guys around all the time.”
Shane chuckled. “Just think how bad he’ll be when you get
pregnant.”
“I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait. I’m going to be
the most pampered, spoiled pregnant woman in the world and I bet I’ll love
every minute of it.”
“So he was serious when he said you were going to let nature
take its course?” Shane hadn’t been at all surprised by Jordan’s announcement
when they returned from their honeymoon.
“Yep. We talked about it and both agree that we’ll start our
family when our bodies decide it’s time to,” Kiley explained. “I understand why
some people plan when their kids come but I’d rather be spontaneous. Jordan is
already suggesting names to go along with Max.”
“You’re going to be great parents,” Brett proclaimed.
“And we’re going to be overindulgent uncles,” Shane added as
he opened the door to Alyssa’s office.
“Oh my!” Kiley gasped as she noticed the new photos Alyssa
had hung since she had last been there. “I didn’t know she did that sort of
thing.”
Shane and Brett turned to see what she was looking at. There
was a series in black and white of a couple. They were obviously nude although
discreetly posed to just barely keep from displaying them entirely. Only the
torsos were visible but it was easy to see that one of the subjects was male
and the other was female.
“Wow,” Kiley whispered.
“Yeah,” Brett agreed, catching Shane’s eye with a
questioning look. His artist’s eye knew instantly that the models were Shane
and Alyssa, even if Kiley couldn’t see it.
“Hmm,” Shane commented, busying himself with finding the
album for Kiley. “Here you are.” He handed it to her, drawing her attention
from the display. Was Campini nuts? What kind of game was she playing, sending
her cousin in here with him where she might recognize the two of them? “Why
don’t we look at it out here, where there’s room for all of us to see it?” He
ushered them back into the main studio, locking the office door behind them.
At the restaurant, Shane and Brett waited at the bar while
Kiley visited in the kitchen before they ate. “Interesting shots,” Brett
commented.
“Yes,” Shane responded, knowing Brett would have a field day
with this new twist.
“Even more interesting is that she has them displayed in her
private spot.”
“If you say so.”
“You’re clearly still working out.” When Shane declined to
answer, Brett continued, “That scar on your shoulder is hard to miss,
especially since I was mostly responsible for you getting it. It’s not likely
that I’ll forget the way you climbed out onto that limb after I tossed Jordan’s
favorite plane into a tree. I still say you should have let me get it. I was a
lot smaller than you were then.”
“And I still say there was no way I was going to let you try
a stunt like that when I was supposed to be keeping an eye on you two. Mom
would have skinned me alive if you had fallen out of a tree and landed on your
head.”
“As I recall, she wasn’t very happy when you landed on the
trowel she left in her flower bed. I was afraid you were going to bleed to
death when Jordan and I yanked you over and saw all the blood pouring out of
where it stabbed you.”
“At least it convinced you to stop trying to negotiate your
planes through the branches like an obstacle course.”
“Yeah, we probably should have listened to you when you told
us that was going to happen. But back to what brought this up in the first
place. How did she ever talk you into that?”
“I have no idea. I was there, keeping her company and she
insisted on taking my picture for Mom and Dad. She said I could destroy the
pictures if I hated them. It was actually fun in a weird way.”
“Wait, she sent one of those to your parents?”
“No, of course not. They were from later on. She said she
wanted to try some art shots. You should see some of the ones with our faces
showing.”
“Thank goodness she didn’t hang one of those. I really don’t
think I want to be present when Kiley plays twenty questions with you. Jordan
was bad enough.”
“Did I ever thank you for helping out that day? It was a
little odd, hearing you defend me.”
“I only told him something he already knows. Shane, you’re
as decent a guy as he is. You’d never do anything to deliberately hurt her. In
fact, I think you might be even more protective of people you care about than
he is. Just don’t expect the same when it’s Kiley’s turn. I doubt if it’ll take
all that long for her to piece together what we’re all not saying. I’m
surprised she hasn’t asked Jordan directly yet.”
“I’m not so sure she doesn’t already know. Maybe she’s
hoping something will come of it if she doesn’t try to push us toward each
other.”
“Maybe. Either way, she’ll be able to sense it the first
time she sees you together once Alyssa gets back. Part of me hopes I’m there
for her reaction even though I’m not getting involved.”
“Getting involved with what?” Kiley asked as she returned.
Neither man had realized she was back. Both hoped she had
only heard the end of their discussion. “With Sadie’s niece,” Brett supplied.
“Have I missed something?” she wondered as they moved to a
table.
“No, not really. I had dinner with Sadie a few times over
the past month. Her niece, Andrea, is staying with her at the moment and I
didn’t want to be rude so I invited her to join us. The last time, I caught her
watching me with this goofy look on her face.”
“Goofy look?” Shane chuckled.
“Yeah, kind of dreamy or something. Anyway, once she knew I
saw her, she avoided looking at me at all the rest of the evening. She scurried
away when I dropped them at home instead of having coffee with us.”
“Maybe she’s interested but too shy,” Kiley spoke from
experience.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Brett shrugged.
“What’s wrong with her?” Shane asked.
“Nothing, she’s fine, I guess. She’s just not my type so I
don’t want to give her any ideas. I’m afraid if I’m nice to her she’ll take it
for more than me being polite to the niece of a friend.”
“So Andrea has a mind instead of big boobs and blonde hair?”
Kiley teased.
Brett acted shocked. “Kiley, if I didn’t know what a
sweetheart you are, I’d be offended by that crack.”
“Why? It’s true. I’ve never seen you with anyone who doesn’t
look like she stepped right out of the Victoria’s Secret catalog. And none of
the ones I’ve met have managed to string more than three words together at a time,”
Kiley commented.
“She has you pegged, Brett. I wouldn’t bother trying to
argue,” Shane added. “I could make the same statement about all the women I’ve
seen you with in the past five years. Not that there’s anything wrong with it
if that’s what you like.”
“Gee, I’m so glad I decided to humor Jordan and have lunch
with you two.” Brett scowled.
Kiley squeezed his arm. “Aw, Brett, don’t be upset. I didn’t
mean any harm. I was only teasing you. I’m not being fair since I don’t really
know any of those girls. I’m sure they’re all perfectly wonderful and I
shouldn’t make assumptions just on the way they look.”
“Stop apologizing, Kiley,” Shane insisted. “You were very
accurate and Brett knows it. He’s just blustering because he doesn’t want you
to think badly of him for going for looks more than personality.”
“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being attracted to
beautiful women,” Brett objected.
“Of course not, Brett,” Kiley tried to soothe him. “It’s
nice of you to not lead Andrea on. Very sensitive of you.”
“Thanks, I guess.” Brett let it drop, wondering if what they
both said was true. He had never thought about it.
Kiley sought to change the subject so she said, “I keep
thinking about those pictures in Lyssa’s office.”
Brett instantly latched on to the new topic as Shane tried
not to squirm. “Pretty hot, weren’t they?”
“See, that’s it. They are hot. Both models have great
bodies. I wonder where she found them. But it’s not just that. I don’t know how
to say what I mean. They just looked natural, not posed, if that makes any
sense.”
“Kind of like the couple was very comfortable together and
there was no awkwardness at them being naked together.” Brett understood what
she was saying.
“Yeah, that’s sort of it,” Kiley agreed. “I can’t imagine
posing nude with a stranger.”
“But you’d be comfortable if the man was Jordan.”
“Yes, although there is no way I’d let someone take pictures
of us like that.”
“Not even your cousin?” Shane was curious. “I’m sure she’d
be very professional if you wanted one of the two of you.”
“I’m sure she would be but I know I wouldn’t be comfortable
even with her seeing us naked together.”
“Kiley, you’re not thinking of it as art. You’re seeing it
as personal,” Brett pointed out.
“It would be personal,” Kiley admitted. “It makes me wonder
about those people.”
“Wonder about what?” Shane asked, even though he knew he was
in dangerous territory. How would she react when she realized the couple was
Alyssa and him? The house Brett was buying had a pool. At some point he was
sure they would all wind up there. Brett was right. The scar on his shoulder
was very distinct and visible. She would surely recognize it eventually.
“Well, I just wonder if there’s something between them. Are
they as comfortable as they look together or are they just so professional that
it doesn’t matter that they’re naked and posing for pictures? Maybe I’m just
being silly. Models are like actors, right?”
“Right,” Shane agreed, not able to look at Brett since he
knew they were thinking the same things. “Why don’t you tell us about Jordan’s
meeting? I know I suggested he do a show on animal awareness but I’m amazed at
how quickly he’s doing it.”
“It’s a good topic.” Kiley told them of the people Jordan
was interviewing for his upcoming show inspired by Shane and Penny’s visit to
the overcrowded animal shelters. Both men managed to avoid the previous topics
that had made them uncomfortable for the rest of their visit.