Guardian Angel (10 page)

No, of course he wasn’t.  He was just making small talk.  Idle conversation.  Jeez, she really needed to get a grip here.  What was it about this man that wreaked havoc upon each and every one of her senses?

She peeked up to find him watching her intently again.  Kane saw too much, and he was as persistent as he was gorgeous.  If she didn’t want to scare him off, she would have to do a better job of censoring herself.  Honesty was a wonderful thing, but so was prudence.

Rebecca was not about to jeopardize her time with him by baring her soul.  Despite having to be careful, she felt like she was able to be herself around him more so than anyone else.  They might not know a lot about each other, but they had still connected on some level.

She had no interest in any one, present company excluded, of course.  But she couldn’t tell him that.  Such a confession was likely to have him leaving skid marks in his haste to run for the hills.  That alone was enough to make her bury this compelling attraction to him and curb her tongue.

She chanced another glance.  So solid.  So confident.  A core of strength.  He didn’t worry about what other people thought.  And he probably never second guessed anything.

* * *

S
he peeked up at him again; there was something unreadable in those expressive eyes of hers.  What exactly was she thinking?

Their time together would be coming to an end soon.  He hadn’t expected to enjoy himself as much as he had, or to spend quite as much time with her.  Now that darkness was falling in earnest, he found himself wanting just a few more moments in her gentle presence, to enjoy the peace she brought with her.  The only other time he felt this at ease was when he’d spent a couple of days up in his cabin, far removed from everyone and everything. 

He refused to analyze just what it might mean - to be able to get that same feeling instantly just by being in a woman’s presence.  Rebecca was special, yes, but she had that same calming effect on everyone, not just him.  As far as she was concerned, he was probably just another charity case.  The thought should have bothered him more than it did.  As it was, he was just fine with it if it kept her close.

They sat for a while longer until the darkness was complete.  Was she stalling, too, he wondered?  Was she just as loathe to call an end to the evening?

Eventually he heard her heave a heavy sigh.  “Well, I suppose I should be going.  Aidan is expecting me.” 

Kane sprung to his feet, ignoring the painful twinge in his hip, and offered her his hand.  This time she didn’t hesitate to take it.   Warmth rippled instantly through his arm and right into his belly.

“Can I give you a ride?” Kane offered, keeping her hand loosely in his.  Rebecca could have pulled away easily.  She didn’t.

“I’m supposed to meet Aidan at the Goddess.”

“I figured that.”

“I need to head back to Aidan’s and change.”

Kane regarded her.  He’d assumed that as well.  If she was declining the ride then she would have to come right out and say so. 

“You’d have to drive all the way up the mountain and back again,” she said apologetically.

Eventually she would learn that he considered things from all angles before opening his mouth, but for her, he would be patient. “I don’t mind.”

For a moment he thought she would refuse, but then she surprised him with a smile and agreed.  “Then I accept.”

Why hadn’t he parked farther away?  That was the question he kept asking himself as they made their way around the front of the building toward the lot.  Even at the slow pace he’d set, the walk to his truck went way too quickly.  He told himself he only imagined that Rebecca seemed just as hesitant to release his hand as he opened the door for her, letting her fingers trail against his, preserving the contact for as long as possible.

When they arrived, he debated whether or not he should stay in his truck while she went in to change, but he gave in to his curiosity and followed her inside when she invited him.  He would welcome anything that helped him understand her better.  Not only that, but now he might have a more realistic backdrop for when his mind inevitably began conjuring pictures of her later this evening – where she was, what she was doing. 

But only because he was concerned for her safety and well-being.

Aidan’s townhouse was very much like he expected.  Large and spacious, professionally decorated.  There was, perhaps, an exotic quality in some of the tapestries and fabrics that gave the place a decidedly rich feel.  It was, in fact, the epitome of good taste.

It was easy to picture Aidan here.  As down to earth as he was, Kane also knew that he was insanely wealthy.  Aidan was always dressed impeccably; even his casual clothes were designer.  His manners, polished and well-studied.  It only stood to reason that he would surround himself with the best of the best, tasteful as it was.

Rebecca was another story.  She had all of the class of the privileged, all of the poise, all of the manners; but her tastes were much simpler.  Instead of designer fashions she wore Levi’s and cotton tops, fleece hoodies, and flats from Payless, when she bothered to wear shoes at all.  Her hair was cut into simple layers that she usually pulled back loosely into some sort of clip.  With her youthful face and her big, brown eyes she looked more like an undergrad than an heiress.

Kane was forced to re-evaluate those thoughts a few minutes later when she emerged, draped in a designer sheath of cashmere and low-slung heels.  A light application of makeup had her face glowing with radiance.

This was no undergrad.  This was a
goddess
.  He was speechless. 

His brain raced.  He should probably say something, but
hell
, words failed him.  She grabbed a light wrap and looked at him expectantly. 

“Ready?”

“Yeah,” he managed.  “You look nice.”

A rosy glow suffused her cheeks as she dropped her eyes.  “Thank you.”

Kane almost grunted.  Apparently she was as uncomfortable receiving compliments as he was giving them. 

“Thank you,” she said when he pulled up in front of the Goddess, the trip woefully brief.

“For what?”  His deep voice sounded even rougher than usual.  Kane was very comfortable with who he was, most of the time.  But in the presence of this exquisite creature he felt almost shy.

“For lending me your shirt.  For the ride.  For your company.  It was... nice.”

Impulsively, she leaned over and kissed him chastely on the cheek before opening the door.  And when she disappeared safely into the entrance of the restaurant with a final glance back at him, Kane Callaghan lifted a large, calloused hand to his face. 

And the Iceman smiled.

P
rofessional football blared in brilliant display from the massive flat screen in the Callaghan private quarters, known among the wives as the “man cave”. Ian’s customized, digitally enhanced surround sound system created the illusion of actually being there, live and in person. 

It had been a long standing custom for the Callaghan men to gather here on Sundays whenever possible, taking turns tending the downstairs bar in two-person shifts every hour or so.  The season didn’t really matter.  Whether the screen displayed football, basketball, hockey, or baseball wasn’t important.  It was an opportunity to come together on a regular basis; to bond and gain strength from one another.  In a family of men who played hard and worked harder, it was practically a religious experience.  The fact that some of them had wives and children didn’t matter in the least; it only enriched the practice.

Grandpa Jack sat in his favorite chair, sneaking candy to the little ones while their fathers pretended not to notice.  Wives ventured in and out of the viewing area at will, taking advantage of the opportunity to congregate among themselves for a little girl time.  Kane was on the sofa, legs propped up on the coffee table in front of him, head back, eyes closed.  He had missed more than his share of these gatherings over the years, but was definitely making up for lost time these last few weeks.  He had to admit, being surrounded by his loud, raucous family was not entirely unpleasant.  Sometimes.  In small doses. 

It had taken a bit of adjusting on his part, but little by little he’d increased his level of tolerance for noise and general mayhem to where he could last for several hours before feeling the need to bolt for open air and quieter pastures.  All he had to do, he found, was think about Rebecca and he felt much calmer inside. He’d picture her gentle smile, the way her eyes lit up when she saw him.  Hear her soft, lyrical voice and the musical way she had of laughing.  Feel her whisper light touch as she inevitably found some way to connect with him, whether it be by laying her fingers on his arm, or brushing her leg against his.  He found it better than Mick’s pain meds for the soothing effect it had on him. 

Even now, Patrick had fallen asleep against his side, and Kane had to be careful he didn’t inadvertently drop his arm and crush him.  Not wishing to be left out, his little niece Riley scaled him like a mountain, snuggling against his chest for her afternoon nap.  She, like Patrick, had become quite attached to him over the past few weeks.

“Will you look at that?” Lexi said softly, peeking around the corner.  “How is it that the same man who instills terror in adults is so damn irresistible to kids?  Patrick is crazy about him.”

Kane’s lips twitched. 
Because kids hadn’t learned fear yet.
 

Taryn laughed.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  She was perhaps the only woman who
didn’t
fear him.  She’d spent a week with him up at his cabin, back when she was naïve enough to believe that she could outrun the far-reaching protective hand of her husband and his family.  Kane had kept her safe.  He knew she would never divulge his deepest, darkest secrets, though.  

“So... speaking of... what’s up with Aidan’s sister?” came Maggie’s voice. 

Kane’s senses were on full alert, though outwardly he appeared to be dozing right along with the kids. 

“Is it true?  She’s the woman from the jungle?”

Kane felt Taryn’s eyes on him before she said carefully, “Kieran says yes and Shane confirmed it.”

“What else does Kieran say?”

“Not much to tell, apparently.”

“Well, that tells you something right there, doesn’t it?” stated Nicki.  The other women murmured in agreement.  Kane inwardly shook his head.  He would never understand female logic.

“What about Rebecca?  What does she say?” asked Maggie.

“What about her?” asked Lexi.  “You’d have more luck extracting details from Kane than you would from Rebecca.”  She sighed.  “Aidan says every time he asks her about it she changes the subject.  Says she doesn’t like to talk about it.” 

Kane silently cheered Rebecca for having the skill and strength to keep her private life just that.  It wasn’t easy with this bunch.  He knew she had told Aidan a few basic facts – she had informed him right afterward, which he appreciated – but had left out much of the details.  There was some part of him that liked the fact that he shared something with Rebecca that no one else knew about, a little secret that was theirs and theirs alone. 

“I heard Shane talking to Sean about it shortly after they came back, though,” Nicki said quietly.  “From what I heard, it was pretty bad.  Apparently she was travelling with a group from Catholic Relief Services, and they were all killed.”

“Aidan said sometimes she cries in her sleep,” Lexi said, her voice little more than a hushed whisper.  Kane really had to strain to hear her.  “But when he tries to talk to her about it, she shrugs it off.”

“She’s protecting him,” Maggie said.  “She doesn’t want her brother to know what she’s been through.  Lord knows he worries enough about her the way it is.”

Kane’s gut clenched at the truth of her words.  He’d been there in the jungle, had seen first-hand what she did.  But that was one incident out of possibly hundreds, he realized. What else had she seen?  What else had she been subjected to?  He knew what it was like to hold that kind of thing deep inside.  To keep those memories locked tightly away, to pretend that everything was right with the world so that the ones you cared for weren’t hurt, didn’t worry so much.

Ever the agent, Nicki inquired, “What do you know about her?”

“Next to nothing, really.  Seems really nice.  Very quiet.  I haven’t seen her outside of the shelter.”  Taryn looked at Lexi.  “You know her, don’t you?  From before you came to Pine Ridge?”

Lexi shook her head.  “Not well.  She was a couple of years older than Aidan and I.  By the time I started working for the family she was already pretty much off on her own.  I got the impression she was somewhat the black sheep of the family.” 

“What do you mean?”

“Well,” Lexi bit her lip, “they didn’t talk about her very much.  Once I remember seeing a family portrait and asking about her, and the subject was changed rather quickly.  Aidan said it was probably better if I didn’t bring her up again in front of his parents because it upset them, but he didn’t go into a lot of detail.”

“She seems... different.”  The back of Kane’s neck prickled, a protective urge building up inside of him.  Hell yes she was different.  And he thanked God for it.

“Aidan says she’s been travelling with a series of convents and relief organizations overseas for the last twelve years, providing disaster relief as well as food and medical supplies to the poor.  That’s bound to shape your karma, don’t you think?”

“It explains the kick-ass job she did here with the flood.  Michael said she was a Godsend, said he didn’t know what he would have done without her.”

“Maybe we should, you know, try to bring her into the fold.  What do you think?”

“I think it’s a great idea,” Maggie said cheerfully. 

“And I think Aidan would appreciate it, too,” Lexi added.  “I know he worries about her spending so much time at the shelter by herself.”

After a brief pause, Nicki spoke next.  “It might work, but she might feel kind of awkward.  I mean, the rest of us share the common bond of being married into the family.”