Elusive Echoes (5 page)

Ryan was already nodding.
Sean turned to his father and saw the tears welling.
Aw, crap.
He'd be next if
he didn't take care. He started to edge toward the door.

"Sean, come here a minute."

When Sandy used that tone it
was best to either listen or be prepared to run. Sean was
almost
certain she
wouldn't chase him. But only almost. So he shuffled back to the
table. The pink baby was already suckling one of her mother's
breasts. Sean blinked back tears and averted his gaze up to Sandy's
face.

"How did you know to come up to the house
when you did?" she asked.

Sean smiled. That had been the easy part of
the whole adventure. "Your horse told me." The room fell silent and
Sean glanced around, noting five pairs of eyes fixed on him. He
shrugged. "What? Domingo was acting up."

Ryan snorted. "When isn't he acting up?"

Sean sent his brother what he hoped was a
quelling stare. "More than usual. He wouldn't calm down, even after
I put him in his stall, and I suddenly knew I needed to get up
here."

"You saved Bethany's life." Gratitude shone
in Sandy's eyes. She looked up at Ryan and some sort of silent
message passed between them. "We'd really like you to choose her
middle name."

Sean gulped. "Me?"

When he noticed everyone was now eyeing him
expectantly, he realized he'd have to say something. "Ah, um . . .
well, I've always been partial to Grace."

At Mel's sharp intake of breath, the eyes
shifted in her direction. But Mel was looking at Sean when she
spoke. "That's my middle name."

He lifted a shoulder. "I know."

As the group crowded around to admire
Bethany Grace McGee, Sean edged his way to the door again, this
time managing to duck out unimpeded. His throat still had that lump
of emotion that was making it hard to swallow.

Intense longing swelled inside him as he
walked to the stables. One step at a time. Maybe one day Mel would
return his feelings and they could have something together . . . at
least he hoped so.

Chapter Three

Mel found Sean in the stable petting Sandy's
horse. She lingered in the doorway watching him, enjoying the
physical appeal of his rippling biceps even as she wondered why he
didn't seem to feel the cold.

"Is that why you were out of sorts earlier,
big guy?" Sean scratched the horse under his ear and handed him
another apple. "You seem just fine now."

Mel loved the gentle side of Sean he always
showed his horses. Watching him deliver Sandy's baby had been
intense. He'd been quite heroic and didn't seem to realize he'd
saved another human's life. Mel still had a warm, fuzzy thing going
on inside and seeing him pet the horse made the feeling swell to
something she was still trying to figure out.

Almost like maybe she wanted to start a
family of her own so she could watch him with their children. A
tear rolled down her cheek. That was never going to happen. Her
life was complicated enough without tossing marriage and family
into the mix. She wished with all her heart Sean could accept her
and let things take a natural course without the picket fence
promises she couldn't make. But even as she made the wish, she knew
Sean was an all-or-nothing man. That's why they were frustrating
each other with that too-careful two-step they'd been dancing.

The horse nuzzled Sean. "I'm out of apples,
big guy." But he laid his face against Domingo's nose.

Watching him, Mel began to feel like she was
intruding in his private world, and she sighed. Time to make her
presence known. "I love watching you with your horses."

His head popped up; she'd startled him. It
was rare for anyone to surprise Sean; he always seemed hyper-aware
of his surroundings.

He flashed the grin that always made her
heart beat a little quicker. "Hey, you. I thought you'd have left
by now."

Heat rose into her face. She
probably should have, but she'd wanted to see him just once
more.
Keep it light.
She laughed softly. "What? Without saying goodbye to the man
of the hour? I was hoping you'd show me that horse you were telling
me about."

It was fascinating to watch the change come
over Sean's face. He'd looked tired before she spoke. He was
obviously happy to find out she hadn't left. But when she mentioned
wanting to see the horse, he reminded her of a little boy showing
off his Christmas loot.

She followed him to the back of the barn,
keeping her eyes on the rearview he presented. He was so appealing
to look at, Mel forgot to pay attention, and when he stopped, she
bumped into him, catching herself by grabbing his rear end.

She let go immediately, certain he was
thinking she'd engineered the move. "Sorry."

Expecting him to shut down at the personal
contact, she was astonished when he turned instead, capturing her
hand and tugging her against him with a laugh. Mel wanted to weep
with gratitude. For the first time in months, she saw the heat
flash in his brilliant green eyes.

A half smile curved his lips as he walked
her backwards until she hit the wall and held her there with his
body. He went still, his hot gaze searing its way into her
consciousness. With excruciating slowness, he leaned against her,
teasing her with just the barest hint of his lips on hers. His
breath fanned across her face, warm, smelling only faintly of the
whiskey he'd downed back at the house.

She was unable to move but
she didn't care. She was exactly where she'd wanted to be for as
long as she could remember. His quickened breathing told her he
felt the same way. Mel's eyelids drifted shut as she gave herself
to the sensations of warmth that were running straight from her
lips to her center. With a soft moan, he settled his lips on hers
and deepened the kiss. It was like being awakened by the prince
she'd been waiting for her whole life.
At
last
, she thought. Then she didn't think at
all, as sensations rushed over her, around her, through
her.

With her hunger thoroughly awakened, Mel
opened her mouth and used her tongue to toy with his lips. Sean's
moan lent her a greater sense of daring and she nipped his lower
lip. His hands crept beneath her sweater but stayed at her
waist.

"You have frogs on your bra," he said
against her lips.

****

Her breathy laugh tugged at his already
ragged emotions. He played his fingers over her ribs, enjoying the
feel of her smooth skin beneath his fingertips. She shied from his
touch with a throaty little giggle. He smiled. He loved finding her
ticklish spots. They never seemed to be in the same place twice. He
changed the angle of their kiss and began to tickle her belly,
pleased when she quivered.

"I want to see the froggies again," he said
against her lips. He tickled her belly button with his fingertips.
His hands lifted her sweater further, encouraged by the little
gasps of pleasure. When the sweater was high enough to reveal her
bra, a grin tugged at his lips.

He could sense Mel's growing frustration for
more contact, but he was caught up in looking at the way the frogs
seemed to move with her every breath.

Sean was heading for that bottle rocket
feeling again and he didn't care.

"I've waited forever for you to touch me,"
whispered Mel.

Oh, yes, he'd known that. And that knowledge
nearly did his resolve in every night. Now . . . he had no more
resolve. If this was what she wanted, he was going to give it to
her. He straightened, pulling her sweater upward, while she worked
the buttons on his shirt.

"Sean! You in here?"

His nice sensual buzz abruptly vanished.
Ricky had some really rotten timing.

Sean bent and snatched Mel's sweater from
the floor. He handed it to her, shielding her from view with his
body as she pulled it quickly over her head. He got most of his
shirt buttons done up before Ricky rounded the corner and found
them.

The kid's jaw dropped and his eyes went
wide. Okay, this was going to take some fancy talking later.

"Ah, Justin sent me to tell you that the
ambulance came and took Sandy and the baby to the hospital. Ry's
following them."

Sean's head snapped up. "They're okay,
right?"

Ricky shook his head. "Sandy said you'd ask
that and to tell you she knows everything is okay, but she wanted
the baby checked out because of the complications. What happened,
Sean?"

Sean relaxed again. "Remember we got that
pregnant mare in for rehab, and when she delivered, the cord came
out ahead of the foal?"

Ricky's face lost its color. "We almost lost
that foal! Is that what happened to Sandy?"

Sean nodded.

"But Sean knew what to do and saved the
baby." Mel moved to stand next to him. Heat radiated from her body,
stirring up his need again.

"Oh, man." Ricky's gaze was full of awe and
carried the weight of hero worship.

Sean sighed.
Aw, kid, don't go there.
He finished buttoning his shirt but didn't bother to tuck it
in.

Ricky's sly smile was full of knowledge he
shouldn't have. "Justin says it's your turn to cook and he's
hungry."

His dad wasn't the only one who was hungry.
Only Sean wasn't exactly hungry for food.

"I'll be in as soon as I finish introducing
Mel to Lacey."

Ricky's disbelief was tangible. "Right.
Okay." He slid a speculative look toward Mel. And he didn't
move.

"Is there something else?" asked Sean
pointedly.

"I thought we could walk back together."

Sean crossed his arms over his chest and
surveyed Ricky with a narrowed gaze. "Need someone to hold your
hand?"

The kid huffed out a laugh and shot Sean a
look of disdain. "No."

"Good. So go take some steaks out of the
deep freeze and I'll meet you up there."

"Sandy doesn't let Justin eat much red
meat."

"Sandy's not here."
Jeez, was this kid ever going to get the
hint?
"Go tell Dad it's his lucky
day."

Ricky didn't even try to hide the smirk on
his face as he turned to walk away.

Sean bumped his head against the wall. "I
know what dinner conversation's gonna be tonight." He began walking
toward a stall at the end of the line. "Want to stay for
supper?"

She seemed torn for a minute, then finally
sighed. "I wish I could. But I really hate driving these roads out
here at night."

"I'll get you home," he said quietly.

When she laughed, his body tingled.

"Are you kidding? Your little brother caught
us groping. Now you're going to be having the sex talk with him,
and I'm so not going to be here for that."

Sean clucked his tongue softly and a velvet
black nose poked over the edge of the stall, followed cautiously by
the rest of the horse's head. "There's Lacey, there's my girl."

Mel's eyes filled with such love for the
horse that for a moment, Sean felt the sharp stab of jealousy. He'd
give almost anything to be on the receiving end of one of those
looks from Mel.

"What happened to you, baby?" Mel reached up
and scratched the mare between the eyes and then allowed Lacey to
snuffle and nuzzle through her hair. "Do you think she likes
me?"

Sean wouldn't have thought it was possible
to fall more deeply in love with Mel. But right then, as he watched
her let the horse get acquainted, his heart tumbled even
further.

"She was abused, half-starved and acting up
because of it when she was found." Sean reached over Mel and
tickled Lacey under the ear. "The owner was beating her every day
because she kept getting out of her paddock. But she was just
hungry. She has a few food issues yet but she's sound."

Mel turned back to Sean, and for just a
second he allowed himself to pretend that loving look was directed
at him.

"Did you mean it? You'll keep her for me and
I can come out and ride her?"

Sean's heart started performing unexpected
gymnastics. "How about Sunday? If the weather clears?" Did he sound
too eager?

She moved before he knew she was going to,
which was kind of a first for him. Suddenly his arms were filled
with warm, squirming, sweet-smelling woman.

She trailed little nips and kisses from his
throat up to his mouth. Then her lips fused to his and his sensual
buzz returned with reinforcements. She pulled back to look at
him.

"Is that a yes?" He ran his hand over the
pale hair that fell to her shoulders and cupped the back of her
head, pulling her toward him again, stopping with his lips inches
from hers. "Well?"

Mel nodded. "Yes," she whispered just before
he claimed her lips again.

The moment spun into a time-stopping spiral.
Sean forgot everything but the emotional and physical sensations
slamming him. When he pulled back, reason slipped in.

"It won't end well if Ricky comes looking
for me again." He stepped back before he wouldn't be able to.

She licked her lips and nodded, her hand
shaky when she touched his cheek. "So I guess you're staying home
tonight?"

Sean lost himself in her eyes and stayed
there for a long time, torn between duty to his family and desire
for Mel. For just a second, something flickered in her eyes. Maybe,
just maybe, it was something more than physical desire he saw. "I'd
give anything for Ry to talk to Ricky. But it was me he walked in
on, and I'm thinking his fath—Bull probably never talked to him
about—" He gestured between the two of them.

Her smile softened her expression even
further. She touched his cheek. "You really are a good man,
Sean."

Then she dropped her hand and walked away.
But not before he saw the sheen of tears welling in her eyes.