Deception (12 page)

“Clay, no matter how much Renata has improved, she still hasn’t accepted me. She may never, for that matter, and I’m not certain how important that is. After all, I’m only here for eight more months.”

Clay’s head lifted. “Then you’ll stay?” His smile was like a burst of warmth. “You’ll really stay?”

Connor nodded. “Everything is progressing, at the moment. I haven’t done any damage to the children that I can tell. I’m willing to try it, if you still want me to.”

“Oh, Connor.” His grip on her hand tightened. “Thank you, Connor. Thank you.”

“Why don’t we trot?” Connor asked. “I’d like to watch you ride. Put Cleo in the lead.”

“I don’t know that I’m going to like being judged by a professional.”

“You hired me to find a horse for you. I need to see you ride.” Her words were cool, detached, but her mind was churning. With two touches of his hand, Clay Sumner had nearly seduced her. She’d felt his lips touch her skin, his hands tracing the outlines of her body. That was the problem. Though Clay had simply held her hand, she wanted more. She wanted to feel his hand traveling the curve of her hip, caressing her waist. She wanted to know his mouth seeking the delicate places on her body. She was seducing herself with her own imagination, and she was afraid. Clay Sumner aroused something in her, a desire that she didn’t want to control. He was dangerous, so deliciously dangerous.

Clay put his horse in the lead and picked up a steady trot. Behind him, Connor tried to find her composure. She watched him move with the horse. He settled into Cleo’s long-legged stride with ease, his body in perfect rhythm with the mare. His touch on the reins was light, sensitive. She let the air rush out of her lungs on a deep sigh. Everything about him made her want him more.

“Watch your step, Connor girl,” she whispered to herself. “You’ve several more months to gain your future. Don’t covet what you can never have. Don’t screw up your chance at a dream.”

Clay led her unerringly around the property. When the path was clear, he urged Cleo into a canter, and Connor followed. The horses were relaxed, glad for the outing together. At last Connor felt her own body begin to loosen up. The day was incredibly beautiful, a hint of fall colors in the hardwoods scattered among the old pines. She’d learned from Jeff that the Sumner estate had never been timbered, like so much of the area. The Sumner family had other holdings, acres and acres of timberland that were marked for cutting. But not the estate.

When Clay took a small, narrow path to the left, Connor slowed to a walk.

“I haven’t been down here,” she said. She’d noticed the trail, but hadn’t explored it yet.

“You’ll like it,” he called back over his shoulder.

The trees grew closer to the road, and Connor found herself ducking the limbs she recognized as leafless dogwoods and scrub oaks. Renata and Danny had been teaching her the differences among the many oaks—white, water, pin, sawtooth, red—they loved testing her, and she found it amusing, too. In a short period of time, she’d begun to learn the flora of the land, and it made her feel a part of it. After all, her people had been woodsmen.

As they entered a grove of live oaks, the underbrush thinned. Light filtered through the massive branches of the old trees in patterns. Spanish moss draped the limbs, giving the clearing an exotic look.

“It’s beautiful, Clay.” She halted Tinker beside him. “It’s enchanted.” She smiled at her own fancy.

“I used to think so.” He dismounted and walked to her left side. His hand lightly touched Tinker’s bridle as he held the mare for her to dismount.

Leading the horses, they walked beneath the trees until Connor heard the gurgle of water. “A stream?”

“It’s a spring, actually, but I fancied it was a river that flowed to all sorts of adventures.” Clay pointed to the small, clear pool. The water was amber, the bottom pale yellow sand. “It’s great for swimming on a hot summer day. Talla sometimes talked about building a big pool for the children, but I always thought they’d enjoy this more.”

“Did they?”

“We never brought them here.” He bent to the edge of the water and skimmed his fingers through it. “It would be chilly now.”

“Maybe later in the day, when the sun is up good.”

“Maybe,” he agreed, standing.

He was only two feet away, and in the shade of the trees, his eyes were an intense blue. They held her transfixed, promising pleasure. Connor knew he was going to kiss her. She’d known it all morning. She’d wanted it for so long—and denied that she did—that she made no effort to avoid it when he actually stepped toward her. He bent his head and brushed his lips across hers. She did not ‘move away, nor did she shift toward him. Her desire for him was so strong she was afraid to move.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time,” he finally said.

“I can’t allow myself to kiss you back.” She held the reins of her horse at her side and did not move. She couldn’t look at him. Her control would snap.

“Connor.” He spoke her name softly. “I’ve spent some time thinking how well it suits you. I’ve spent too much time thinking about you.” He lifted her chin with one finger.

“Clay …”

His left hand touched her cheek, his ring finger sliding along her jaw until his thumb rested against the edge of her bottom lip.

She exhaled softly, her breath blowing on his thumb. When he moved it slowly across her lip, he stepped closer to her. He bent his head toward her, slowly, allowing her time to resist, if she wanted.

Connor closed her eyes, shutting out the trees and the birds and the physical forces that were part of a world that spoke of the folly she was committing. It was only a kiss, only one kiss. And she hungered for it. Her arms moved around his neck, and her body shifted into his. From a long, long distance away, she could hear her father’s voice saying, ‘Ah, Connor girl, you’re making a sad mistake.’ She didn’t doubt her father, but she knew that she wasn’t strong enough to pull away from Clay’s embrace. He kissed her with passion, with a sense of urgency and possession that left her only enough will to cling to him and return his kiss with her own hunger.

She felt his fingers in her hair. The planes of his chest supported her, as did his arms. Connor lost herself in the strength his body offered. His tongue explored her mouth, tasting and teasing, and she responded with delight and abandon. His lips moved to her throat, and she could feel the pulse of her heart as he pressed his lips against her neck. His hand, tangled in her hair, gently tugged her head back and gave him complete access to the open collar of her shirt.

“Oh, Clay,” she whispered, as his lips lingered at the hollow of her collarbone and then started a slow, teasing path down to her breast.

The sharp chirp of a bird finally penetrated her thoughts. Hours could have passed, but Connor knew it was only a few minutes. Her heart was pounding in her ears, in rhythm with his. She forced her eyes open, focusing on the tree limbs above them. She’d been caught in the current of a big river, a river swollen to the point of bursting free of its banks. Now she had to make a try for shore before she was completely swept away. She tightened her grip on his shoulders and stiffened her spine.

Clay kissed her twice more, the shorter kisses of closure. He drew her tighter into his arms and held her for a moment before he spoke. “We’d better start back toward home. I promised the children I’d have a late breakfast with them.” His eyes were troubled.

“I know,” Connor said. “They talked about this weekend every afternoon. I did promise them you’d ride for them.”

“And I will.” He moved his thumb across her cheekbone and held her for another moment. “Connor …”

“This shouldn’t have happened,” she said. At the memory, she could barely catch her breath. “Clay, if I’m going to stay here, this absolutely can’t happen again.”

“I’m not certain that’s what I want.” His arm tightened around her waist. “I’ve never met a woman like you, Connor.

She put her hand on his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his muscle, the leanness of his arm. “If I’m to stay, we can’t behave this way. It won’t work.”

“You have to stay, Connor. The children need you.” He picked up a strand of her hair, his fingers testing the texture. “I won’t make a promise I can’t keep, but I’ll try. I’m attracted to you, very much. You’re strong and honest. Danny tells me things about you. Little things that make me understand how good you are to them.” He kissed her ear lightly. “And you’re more beautiful than you know.”

Connor tightened her grip on the horse’s reins. She could feel the leather twisting in her hand. It had to end here, now, or she’d have to leave. She was suddenly very frightened. For the first time in her life, she couldn’t resist a man. “Friends, Clay—that’s what we have to be if I’m going to stay.” An edge of panic touched her voice.

“What is it, Connor?”

She backed away from him, holding up a hand to warn him away. “You have to promise that we won’t do this. I can’t.” She shook her head.

Clay made no attempt to move toward her. “Are you afraid of me, or of yourself?”

“A little of both,” she answered. “Do I have your word?”

“You’re a remarkable woman, Connor Tremaine,” he said. “I can’t make you that promise. I can only promise that I’d never press you. If you say friends, then it’s friends.”

She nodded slowly. “It’s friends.”

“We’d better get back to the house.”

The flames danced around the hardwood log as Connor snuggled into the pillows on the floor. She had a fireplace in her suite, but she’d opted for the big library—and Willene’s helpful suggestions whenever the older woman found a moment to stick her head in the door.

Connor had come up with the idea for a little Halloween adventure at Oaklawn. She’d been listening to Willene tell stories of the time when Clay and Harlan were boys and their parents had invited children from all over the county for a hayride and ghost stories. Connor wasn’t so certain about the ghost stories, but she wanted to plan something special for Renata and Danny. She was almost within touching distance of Renata. Almost, but not quite. The child eluded her in some way. Danny was another matter. He and Connor had formed a tentative relationship. They shared things with each other, and the young boy was a quick study on a horse.

“What about a magic show?” Willene asked as she brought a tray of steaming coffee and home-baked pumpkin cookies into the room.

Connor was glad to see two cups. She slapped a book closed and added it to the pile beside her on the floor. “There are a lot of good ideas in the books, but I don’t want to do anything the least bit frightening. Renata …”

“Is doing wonderfully!” Willene broke in. “She’s a different girl, Connor. She is. It may seem like slow progress to you, but there is a difference in that child. When you leave, you can take the knowledge that you saved the child’s life.”

“She’s a bit happier, but there are times when I look at her and I can see that she’s suffering. Her face goes all blank, and then she gets angry.” Connor sighed and stretched her legs across the pattern of the beautiful Oriental carpet. “She’ll have to get over it before she can move on with her life.”

“And she will. Now about Halloween: will Clay be here?”

That was the question. Connor hadn’t had a moment alone with him since their ride in the woods. She still woke in the middle of the night to the feel of his lips on hers. Her dreams were unsettling, unnerving. “I haven’t heard Mr. Sumner’s plans,” she said casually.

“The children say he’ll be here. I thought maybe he’d discussed it with you.”

“No.” Connor bit into a cookie, savoring the moist pumpkin and spice taste. “If he hears about these cookies, he’ll be here.”

“He hasn’t been around for several weeks.” Willene pushed her glasses up her nose and looked at Connor. “There’s nothing wrong between the two of you, is there?”

“What could be wrong?” Connor felt the guilt creep up into her face.

“I thought maybe Mr. Clay had made a play for you.” Willene tilted her head slightly, unabashedly assessing Connor. “He does those things without thinking about the consequences. Doesn’t think that maybe he could put an employee in a bad position.”

“Clay would never make sexual favors part of the terms of employment.” Connor was shocked at Willene’s suggestion.

“Not exactly like that,” Willene refused to back down. “Clay’s a good-looking man. He expects it to come to him without much effort. That’s a blessing and a curse, a blessing and a curse.”

Connor sipped her coffee, concentrating on keeping the cup steady as she returned it to the tray. “What exactly are you telling me, Willene?”

“Don’t confuse your, duties here. When you first came here, I knew you were a smart woman. Nobody’s fool, that’s exactly what I said to myself. I didn’t think you’d be like some of the others that’s been around. Not paid employees exactly, if you know what I mean. They come for a few months and then they’re gone. Never for long enough to put down a permanent stake. Never with the children present. You were different. You had a skill and talent, and you were getting paid handsomely for them.”

There was a long pause. Connor could hear the breath she drew in. “And now, has your opinion of me changed?”

“Not a bit, but I see that you’re not immune to Mr. Clay, either. He can heat a woman up in a hurry, and no point denying that. I just got it in my mind that maybe he made a play for you and there were some words exchanged. Now, that would be a unique experience for Clay Sumner.” Willene chuckled as if she could visualize the scene. “That would set that man back on his ass in a hurry.”

“I can assure you that Clay and I haven’t exchanged harsh words.” Quite the contrary, as Connor remembered it: they’d shared one hell of a passionate kiss.

“I didn’t mean to offend you, Connor. I was just wondering. He’s been scarce, and the kids keep asking for him. I thought maybe I’d found the reason.”

“Why don’t you call him and see if he’ll be out for Halloween?” Connor suggested.

“Maybe I will. We might need his help.”

“A magic show?” Connor turned the conversation back to the party. “Now, that might work. Clay would make an excellent magician, and we could all assist him.”