“Yeah, we sure have,” Vanni said. “He treated you right, I guess.”
“Don’t tell anyone and ruin his reputation, but he’s the sweetest man I’ve ever known. He’s afraid Uncle Walt is going to shoot him.”
“Daddy sure worries the boys.” Vanni laughed, remembering when Paul was afraid of the same thing.
“Where is everyone?” Shelby asked.
“Paul’s not home from work yet and I don’t know where Daddy is. I’m thinking of starting dinner. Have any ideas?”
“Yeah,” she said, sitting up. “I’m going to soak in the tub for an hour, and then I’m going back.”
“So soon?”
“I can’t help it. I just have to. You and Paul are great company, but I want to be next to that man.” She grinned. “You think Uncle Walt will have a fit?”
“Don’t worry, he may not even be home himself,” she said, shaking her head. “He’s pretty savvy about this kind of thing. He didn’t say too much when Paul was sneaking down the hall into my room. You slip out if you want to. I’ll handle the home team.”
“Thank you, Vanni,” she said.
She had to go back. Not for more sex; she couldn’t take any more. She wanted to know how he’d receive her. Would she be welcome? Was he done with her now, at least for today? She had many curiosities about his world—he warned her not to count on him, then treated her like a queen. He hadn’t promised to love her, but he said such tender, lovely things to her—that she was beautiful, that he’d never had a sweeter experience, that he didn’t want her to leave. Could he say those things and not care?
After a long soak, she went to the kitchen where Vanni was at the stove and Matt was in his high chair. Paul sat at the kitchen table with the newspaper spread in front of him. He was still in his dusty work clothes; she’d been tying up the bathroom. He looked up at her and his smile of greeting changed slowly into a look of surprised recognition, his mouth open slightly. She must be beaming.
She poked through the wine rack and pulled out a bottle. “Think Uncle Walt can part with this?” she asked Vanni.
“Sure. Take it.”
“Don’t wait up,” she said.
“Shelby,” Paul said. He stood up from the table and went to her, draping an arm around her shoulders. “You know if you need anything, anything at all, you can call me.” He dropped a kiss on her brow.
“Wow. There aren’t many secrets around here.”
“No one said anything,” Paul said. “No one had to.”
“Did anyone warn Vanni when you were sneaking into her bed at night?” she asked softly. “Paul, he’s wonderful, but I’m not naive. I understand what kind of man he is.” She shrugged. “Right now, he’s what I want. And he’s very good to me.”
“He’d better be. You can tell him, if he isn’t, he’ll answer to me.”
“I don’t think I’m going to have to tell him that.” She rose on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Now let me be. I have a man in my life. At last.” Maybe not for long, she reminded herself. But at the moment—a good man.
Okay, the joke’s on me, Luke thought.
Shelby had left his bed and he’d taken her home at about four o’clock and he had hated it. He was not nearly ready to let her go. Far from cured of her, he wanted her more than ever. And not just her body, all of her—her sweet laugh, her soft mane of hair, her gentle and secure way of dealing with him and everything else in her life. He had warned himself not to get involved with someone so innocent and it had turned out
he
was the innocent—not prepared to feel such a rush of emotion. Every time he remembered her voice whispering, “Show me, Luke. I want to learn what makes you feel good,” it sent a ripple of desire shooting through him that almost overpowered him, leaving him weak in the knees.
He hadn’t gone to Jack’s for his beer tonight. He didn’t feel like being around anyone, unless it was Shelby. Right now when he thought of her, his eyes steamed with lust. He felt electric shocks soar through his whole body. He couldn’t be in the same room with her and keep his hands to himself. So he’d stayed home to feel those things in private, undistracted.
He went to Art’s cabin and helped him fix some chicken and dumplings with vegetables out of a can. They talked for a while about what they’d do around the cabins in the morning, then Luke went back to the house. He made himself a sandwich, drank a beer, took a shower, content to be alone. His mind was whirring with the memory of holding her, touching her silky skin, feeling her warm, fragrant breath against his chest. He could still smell her, taste her, even after the beer.
He had never felt like this before in his life. Never.
Wearing just a pair of jeans, no shoes or shirt, he sat on the sofa in his small living room in front of the fire, feet up on the ottoman, holding a beer by the neck of the bottle, thinking of nothing but her awesome body, her luscious lips, and all too often, the way he felt inside her. Had he warned her to be careful of him, that he was a heartbreaker? Jesus, he was an idiot was what he was. Thinking there would never be a woman he’d want to hang on to. Thinking he’d take his taste and move on.
He heard an engine and headlights bounced through the front window. He stood up, holding his breath. For a moment he was sure Walt had come for him; come to work him over for touching Shelby. He heard a soft knock at the door. When he opened it, she stood there, a backpack slung over one shoulder and that alluring smile on her lips. He felt his chest expand in ways he
didn’t recognize and knew that his eyes had grown molten and dark.
“You’re here,” she said.
He opened his arms and she stepped into his embrace. “Where did you think I’d be?”
“I don’t know.” She looked up at him. “Out for the evening? Prowling?”
“Baby, you worked all the prowl out of me this afternoon.” He pushed the door closed without letting go of her.
“I probably shouldn’t have come back.”
“Why not?”
“Well, I might’ve had a little too much of a good thing. I’m spotting and I’m sore,” she said.
He ran a hand across her cheek, lifted her chin and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “I’ll just hold you. We wouldn’t want to do any damage. I’m sorry if I made you sore.”
“It wasn’t so much you as the newness, Luke. You were careful. But I just wanted to feel your arms around me some more.” She laughed and buried her face in his chest. “I wanted to smell your chest.”
A deep sigh escaped him and he tightened his arms. He was just beginning to admit it to himself—he was in love with her. Totally gone. “Where does your family think you are?”
“With you. For the night, if you want me to stay.”
He held her away from him and frowned. “You told them?”
“Is that all right?”
“I don’t care who knows—but what about you?”
“I didn’t have to tell anyone,” she said. “Paul and Vanni took one look at me and told me to be careful. They all think I’m so fragile and you’re a rogue. I’m not.” She smiled. “And you’re not.”
He pulled the backpack off her shoulder and put it on
the breakfast bar. “I was hard on you earlier, Shelby. Trying to push you away, trying to scare you. I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “Luke, I had made up my mind. Couldn’t you tell?”
It was just beginning to dawn on him. “When did you decide?” he asked her.
“Not right away. I had to get to know you a little. And—” she laughed “—there was that tool belt.”
“You had a job for me to do, didn’t you, Shelby?”
“I did.” She smiled. “It had to be someone irresistible and experienced.”
“Sometimes I don’t think. I can be insensitive. Careless with feelings,” he said. “Weren’t you afraid I might hurt you?”
“Not for one second,” she said, shaking her head. “I brought a bottle of wine…”
“I’ll open it for you, pour you a glass and finish my beer.” He took her jacket, hung it on the back of a chair and started to unbutton her shirt. “Let’s get into bed.”
“I’m not kidding,” she said. “I may have overdone it. See, I shouldn’t have come…”
“I just want to feel you against me. I just want to touch you a little. I’m not going to do anything that will make you sore. I want to get you better.” He kissed that delicious mouth. “You might need a few days, but I don’t want to be away from you.”
“But won’t that just make it too tempting? Naked in the bed?”
“Nah. You’re important to me. I’m going to take good care of you.” He opened her shirt and lowered his lips to her breast.
“God,” she said in a breath. “It might be too tempting for me.”
He lifted his head and smiled into her eyes. “Don’t worry, honey. I know how to take care of that.” He turned her toward the bedroom. “I’ll bring you a glass of wine.”
Luke was locked in an incredible dream, with ecstasy overpowering him. His entire body was quivering wildly, madly, as the woman in his dream worked on him. He was close, ready to let himself go in a climax so huge it would rock the bed. The sound of his own groan woke him and he realized it was not a dream. He looked down at that honey-colored head of hair and gasped. “Shelby!” He reached down, grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up toward him. “Shelby, come here.” He pulled her face up to his. “Honey, what are you doing?”
“Did I hurt you?”
“
Hurt
me? Sweet Jesus!”
“I’ve never done that before, so I wasn’t sure…”
“Why are you doing it now?”
“Well, I’ve never slept with a man before and you were keeping me awake, poking me in the back.” She smiled at him. “You don’t hesitate to take care of me…”
“Shelby, do you realize what almost happened?”
She smoothed her hands over his chest and gave his lips a little tug with hers. “I’m inexperienced, Luke, not ignorant.”
He caught her to him, holding her close. “Aw, baby.”
“Was I awful? Maybe you should tell me what to do.”
“Awful?” He laughed. “I almost lost it in my sleep!”
“That means it was okay?”
“You don’t have to do that. This is all so new for you…”
She smiled at him. “Turns out it feels almost as good to please you as it does to be pleased by you.” She gave him a little kiss. “Relax.” And she slid down his body. Her lips brushed against his belly and he shuddered in
voluntarily. His head dropped back and he groaned. In one day, his life had changed too much to comprehend. No way he could deserve this woman and her unselfish passions. In no time his world exploded and he saw stars. Then he felt tears in his eyes and knew it wasn’t from the orgasm.
She slid up and lay atop his body. She pecked at his lips. “I think you liked that.”
“God,” he said, unable to catch his breath. “I’m dead, that’s what. And against all odds, I was sent to heaven.”
“That good, huh?”
“Not just that. Everything. I’ve never had a day like this in my life.”
“I thought you had lots of days like this,” she said.
“Never. Baby, never. I’m afraid I’m going to wake up.” He brought her mouth onto his and kissed her deeply, holding her tightly against him. He hadn’t expected the most mind-blowing sex of his life and the sweetest woman on earth dishing it out.
“And I think now I might be able to get a little sleep,” she said with a soft laugh. Then, with her lips against his ear she whispered, “Luke, thank you. You’ve made it all so wonderful, so good. Hold me,” she said. “Let me fall asleep against you, in your arms.”
He held her there, like that, stretched over his body, her head resting against his shoulder. She might weigh a hundred and ten pounds to his one-eighty, and she fit against his chest perfectly. He ran his hand down her back and over her soft bottom, stroking her, listening as her breathing evened out, as she sighed in her sleep.
This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,
he thought.
I hope I don’t screw it up.
W
alt went to the stable in the early morning and found Shelby there, mucking out a stall. He jumped in surprise when he saw her. “Morning,” she said brightly.
“When did you get here?” he asked her.
“Not that long ago. Maybe a half hour. It was such a beautiful morning, I decided to come right down here, see what I could get done. Then I’ll shower off the stable and have some breakfast.”
He stepped toward her, frowning. “Shelby, you weren’t home last night.”
“You mean this morning, don’t you? Because you weren’t home last night, either.”
“Shelby—”
“I was with Luke. But just in case you wondered or were worried, I told Vanni where I was going.”
“All night?” he asked.
“All night,” she said firmly, giving her chin a lift. He was quiet for a long time, looking at her from under those fierce, hooded brows. Finally she leaned on her shovel and met his eyes fearlessly, stare for stare. “You have something you want to say to me?” she asked.
“Let’s go for a short ride…talk about some things…”
“I’m going to pass on the ride, Uncle Walt. I have some things I’d like to do this morning. But we can take a few minutes for you to get this off your chest.”
“I don’t know where to start.” His expression softened. “Shelby, honey—”
“Walt,” she said, purposely omitting the Uncle. “Let me help you, because we’re going to get this over with quickly. I like him. He’s very nice to me. I haven’t been impetuous—I gave Luke a lot of thought. There’s no question in my mind—he’s a good man. I know he comes off looking like a reckless tough guy, just like a lot of the men in this town at first glance, but he’s not that way with me. He’s very thoughtful and considerate. He’s real worried about you, however.”
“I don’t dislike the man. It’s just that I don’t know him real well. And I know a lot about men like Luke, I’ve commanded hundreds of them.”
“You mean men like
you
and Luke—soldiers. Men who fight battles, go to war, get a little roughed up, seem to manage on very little conscience…” He hung his head briefly. “You can thank Vanni for already having this conversation with me—about soldiers, how they’re trained, how they live, that edgy, son-of-a-bitch personality they learn in the army. You have a little of that in you, too, don’t you, Uncle Walt? Covering up your softer feelings? Being hard and resilient and not letting yourself feel guilty about the damage you have to inflict? I suppose it goes with the territory.” She stepped closer to him. “I spent a lot of years around you when I was growing up. I saw young G.I.s shake in their boots when you walked past them, but you always treated Aunt Peg and Vanni like precious jewels. And just like you, Luke has a sweet side.”
“I promised your mother I’d look out for you, watch over you…”
“And so you are,” she said. “I’m sure you’d be more comfortable with me right now if I’d stayed home and waited for some nice young man from church to come by the house and ask your permission to take me out for a buggy ride—but it’s not going to be like that, thank God. I was attracted to Luke Riordan almost right away. The attraction is mutual. I’m having a romance, Uncle Walt. At
last,
I’m having a romance. I’m way overdue—and you’re not going to make me feel guilty or make him nervous. I appreciate your concern, but it’s up to
me.
”
Whew, Walt thought, resisting the urge to take a step backward. “If I’m concerned, it’s only because… Aw, honey—I just want you to be happy… I don’t want you to be hurt. You might be getting in over your head….”
She took another step toward him, looking up at him. There was absolute conviction in her eyes. “You thought I’d save myself for marriage?” she asked, lifting one eyebrow.
“I’m a lot of things, but I don’t think anyone could accuse me of being foolish or old-fashioned.” She just tilted her head, questioning him. “Or impractical,” he added grudgingly.
She laughed at him, though softly. “I’m not so sure Luke’s going to hurt me,” she said. “Regardless, there isn’t much anyone can do about that. I don’t know if you can understand this, but I’m glad that I can finally take my romantic lumps just like all the other girls have.” She looked up at him earnestly. “Why does everyone think I’m such a wuss? You think the last five years have been easy? You think it doesn’t take a brave girl to spend the night with a man when my overprotective uncle might be at home, pacing, loading his shotgun? Believe me, even if Luke
Riordan breaks my heart, it’s going to be a lot easier in the end than some of the stuff I’ve been through the last few years. This is a new adventure for me—and you’re not going to bully me out of it. Man, if anyone’s earned the right, it’s me!”
“And all your plans?” he asked. “Travel? School? A new life?”
“I think it’s ridiculous to even ask,” she said. “Women don’t have to choose between a relationship and education, Uncle Walt. I don’t have to give up anything.”
Walt reached out a hand and lifted her thick braid off her shoulder, caressing it between his thumb and forefinger. “I’m not here to bully you, and I don’t think you’re a wuss. In fact, I think you’re pretty tough stuff. I guess I need to assure myself you’re wise to this. Sometimes these adventures can scar the heart.”
“I’m not afraid of that,” she said, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t be the first. Vanni said her heart was broken a hundred times.”
“Her mother handled most of that,” Walt said with a shrug. “You’re stuck with me.”
“You’re not a bad guy to be stuck with.”
“Just be careful.” He reached out and touched her cheek softly. “I keep forgetting how strong willed you are. Luke Riordan might be sorry he got himself into this…this…”
“Romance,” she finally supplied. “Really, I can’t believe you’re having such a hard time with this. I’m seeing someone, Walt, just like you are. It’s not as if he’s married or a priest or anything.” She lifted one eyebrow at him. “Everyone in this family has someone, even eighteen-year-old Tom. You’d better get used to the idea I’m no different than anyone else.”
“You’re a little different,” he said with a smile. “Better, probably.”
“Phooey. I just want to be
normal.
Are you going to behave yourself?”
“What are you getting at?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You know
exactly
what I’m talking about.”
“I just want to be sure you’re all right,” he said. “You’re a grown woman. If you’ve made up your mind, I’ll just hope all this works out for the best.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Are you going to be home tonight?” he asked.
“I sincerely hope not,” she said. “I’ll let you know.”
Luke was up on the ladder, scraping old chipped paint off the eaves of number three when the general’s Tahoe pulled up to his house. He had been expecting this, but he wasn’t sure how it would happen, or when. Luke climbed slowly down the ladder. He tucked in his shirt and mopped his face with a rag.
“Luke,” the general said. He did not extend his usual hand.
“Sir.”
“My niece hasn’t been home until morning the last few days.”
“You aren’t armed, are you, sir?”
“I knew where she was, of course. She was considerate enough to tell the family so we wouldn’t worry. But I thought you and I should have a little talk.”
“Go ahead, sir,” Luke said. He hoped it didn’t show that his stomach was twisting. Not because he was afraid of the general—he knew Walt wouldn’t really shoot him—but because he was afraid of the general somehow convincing Shelby she was making a big mistake. He’d barely gotten
into this with her; he was a long way from being ready to give her up.
Walt’s cheeks darkened with a ruddy stain as he said, “She’s been with you every night and she hasn’t been riding. I don’t know what to think—that she’s not sitting a horse.”
Luke looked down and found his own cheeks warming. “Sir, I can honestly say, I haven’t ever been this uncomfortable in my life…”
“She says her back’s bothering her…”
“Then maybe her back’s bothering her…”
“I want something understood. Shelby might seem shy and sometimes not real sure of herself, but she’s very stubborn. She does as she pleases. She always has. She might go at it quietly, but once she’s decided, that’s it. I tried like hell to talk her out of putting her life on hold to care for her mother. Midge could have gone into a nursing home, at least at the end. But I didn’t make any headway because Shelby’s mind was made up.” He took a breath and shook his head. “I wasn’t sure getting involved with you was the best idea, even though I don’t dislike you.”
“I didn’t want her involved with me either, sir. But as you say, she’s stubborn.”
“Well, that gets us straight to the point—I can’t accuse you of coercing my niece or taking advantage of her. I was more than a little aware that she had you in her crosshairs, and I could see she was hell-bent.”
“Seems you’re right, sir.”
“It appears the die is cast. She’s made herself clear—she plans to spend a good deal of time under your roof. When she’s here, Riordan, you’d better be a gentleman.”
“Absolutely, General.”
“I’d be curious to know what kind of plans you have where my niece is concerned,” Walt said.
“Due respect, sir, it would be wrong for me to discuss any plans with you before talking to Shelby. And at the risk of being indelicate, Shelby and I have barely—”
“That’ll do,” he said, holding up a hand. “I know how that sentence was going to end. Leave it at that.”
Luke took a breath. “What I meant to say is—we’re just getting to know each other.” Luke stepped forward. “Sir, I’ve probably been around more than a father or uncle would prefer, but I’d like you to know that Shelby is treated with absolute respect when she’s with me. I consider it my responsibility to see she’s protected, that she’s safe with me. I treat her with great care.”
“You damn sure better. I love that girl. She’s very special.”
“Yes, sir. Very special.”
“I’m not an idiot about relationships, son. I have two kids who have been through a few—my daughter has already buried a husband at her young age…”
That grave, Luke thought. He would have to remember to ask Shelby about it. Luke had assumed Paul was Vanessa’s first husband.
“I understand things don’t always go smoothly,” Walt was saying. “Sometimes these things don’t work out, I’m not naive about that. This thing with you and my niece, it’ll either be a lasting thing or not—that’s yet to be seen. But if you do anything terrible to her…” He sucked in his breath. “You know what I’m talking about?”
Luke frowned. “I’m not sure I do…”
“You abuse her, hit her, cheat on her and give her something, treat her with cruelty, or—”
“For God’s sake!” Luke said, cutting him off and stiffening indignantly. “What the hell are you
talking
about? What kind of man do you think I am?”
Walt shrugged and said, “Well, I don’t have any reason
to suspect you of foul behavior, yet, but after all, I’ve seen a lot. I’ve had a lot of different kind of men in my command. I thought we should understand each other.”
“We understand each other! I wouldn’t do things like that to any woman! Jesus!”
“Good, then. Because I’d have to kill you.”
“I’d have to
let
you!” Luke said passionately. He took a breath. “Due respect, I’ve known a real horseshit general or two. Sir.”
“I felt the need to clear the air on a couple of issues.”
“Consider it cleared!” He rubbed a hand along the back of his neck.
“Well, I didn’t come here to try to talk you out of seeing my niece. Given the situation with her mother passing not too long ago, I feel a little more protective than Shelby is comfortable with. I didn’t think it would hurt for you to know—I have limits.”
“So do I,” Luke said calmly but vehemently.
“Then I guess we’re clear.” He turned as though he would go.
Luke watched his departing back and in a split second thought about how he’d feel if he had to turn Shelby over to some guy.
“Sir,” Luke called. When the general turned back, Luke said, “Now that we’ve faced off on this and both hold Shelby’s well-being as the most important thing, I’d like you to know some things. Shelby could do a lot better than me, we both know that. I didn’t mislead her, I avoided her and discouraged her. I’ve been completely honest with her; I’m not a good catch and I’m not looking for a permanent relationship. I’m sure Shelby had no trouble believing that. But it’s not my intention to treat her badly. Jesus, she’ll get the best I have. If it’s any comfort, my
mother would
kill
me if I ever abused a woman. If she failed to kill me, my brothers would do the job.”
“Good,” Walt said, a smile tugging at his mouth. “I can appreciate a close family.”
“I might be a scoundrel, but I’m a fairly civilized scoundrel.” Luke stuck out his hand. “I wish we could be friends. For Shelby, at least.”
Walt hesitated, but he took Luke’s hand. “Behave decently,” Walt said.
“Yes, sir,” Luke said. “You, too.”
After putting in a long day of work on the cabins, Luke went to his house as the sun was lowering in the sky. He laid a fresh fire in the hearth and took a shower. Just as he was getting out, he heard his front door open. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he left the bathroom in time to see Shelby coming in with a brown sack. “Wow,” she said, looking at him. “How’s that for timing?”
“Whatcha got there?” he asked, hands on his hips.
“When I left the clinic, I stopped by the bar and got us some dinner so we could stay in tonight. I’m tired. I brought some pie so Art can have dessert with us if he wants to.”
“He’ll want to. Art has never turned down a slice of pie.”
She looked down his body and laughed. “Luke,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t even have my jacket off and you’re popping out of your towel.”
“Well then, take your jacket off,” he said. “Will dinner keep for a little while?”
She put the sack on the table, shrugged out of her jacket and walked into his arms. “I put in a long day and the clinic was busy—I’ve been around babies and sick people. Can you give me some time to freshen up?”