Whispers (Argent Springs) (4 page)

“Yes, ma’am,” Mary said with a bright smile.

Annabelle focused on Rick. “You’ll make a fine
husband one day, too. As soon as you find the right lady.”

He stared at her with an unspoken warning in his
eyes.

“I’m serious,” she countered.

“We’re not having this discussion again,
Annabelle. Especially not in front of our guests.”

“Of course we’re not. There’s nothing to discuss.
I know what I know, and you’ll have to deal with it.” She ended with a
dare-to-defy look aimed in his direction.

Erin tucked in her lips to keep from laughing. She
didn’t mind one bit watching her aunt put him in his place. Though she might
not appreciate it if Aunt Annabelle turned the tables on her.

“Never say never, man,” Scott said to Rick. “Having
the love of a good woman is highly-underrated.”

Rick gave him a half-baked smile and stood to
gather the dessert dishes.

Annabelle stood with a flourish. “I say we all
reconvene in the atrium. I love to pull out my favorite music on nights like
tonight. You’re not opposed to listening to the oldies, are you?” she asked her
guests.

“Look out,” Rick whispered under his breath.

Erin glanced at him, but he’d turned away, and she
wasn’t sure whether his comment was meant for her ears or not.

When Annabelle tried to help with the dishes, Erin
shooed her away. “I have this. Go enjoy your guests.” Running a bed and
breakfast was a difficult job, even more so for a woman her aunt’s age. Rick
must help out more than Erin had realized, and she did appreciate that.

“But you’re a guest. You shouldn’t be working.”

“I’m your niece, and I don’t mind helping one bit.
These people want to hear you talk, not me.” She gave her a smile and a little
shove out the kitchen door.

“Rick, love? Could you be a dear and light a fire
for us?” Annabelle asked as Rick joined her and the newlyweds in the hall.

When they had disappeared from sight, Erin
refilled her glass of wine and turned on the hot water. She took a sip and
began piling plates into the suds.

As much as she’d enjoyed meeting the couple from
California, she was used to being alone and the reprieve from conversation and
Rick’s overwhelming presence was a relief.

By the time Erin finished the dishes and her
second glass of wine, her muscles had relaxed along with her nerves. She made
her way down the darkened hall toward the atrium at the back of the house. She
hoped she hadn’t missed any more of Annabelle’s stories about Rosa.

The lights had been lowered in the room and a crackling
fire burned in the wood stove. A popular song from the sixties echoed from a
sound system Erin hadn’t noticed earlier. Mary and Scott laughed at something
Annabelle must have said.

“Erin, love. There you are. I was about to send
Rick looking for you.”

Rick glanced at her and stood as she entered.

“I’m perfectly fine. Sometimes washing dishes can
be a relaxing thing.”

“Of course, dear.” She patted the leather couch
next to her. “Come sit with us. We were just discussing the winters we get here
in Argent Springs.”

Rick waited for her to take her seat before he
resumed his. “It’s not uncommon for us to have a couple of inches of snow by
now.”

A jerk and a gentleman? Or was he trying to mess
with her mind? Or convince everyone else he was something other than rude?

“So soon?” Scott asked.

“It’s been known to happen,” Rick continued. “If
we get a big storm, the pass can be closed for a couple of days, and no one
gets in or out.”

“Sounds romantic,” Mary said.

Erin fought the urge to roll her eyes. Everything
sounded romantic when a person was in love. When a person wasn’t, normally
romantic things could be downright painful.

Like the crooning ballad that began to play.

Annabelle sat straighter. “I love Wilma Burgess.
Henderson and I loved to dance to Misty Blue.” She shifted on the couch and
used a remote to turn up the volume.

“It’s a hauntingly beautiful song,” Mary agreed.

Scott stood. “Care to dance?” He held out his hand
to his wife, and she accepted.

“You should ask Erin, Rick. I’m sure she’d love to
dance, too.”

Erin stiffened. The last thing she wanted was to
be closer to the man who’d slighted her. “Oh, no. I’m just fine.” She couldn’t
meet Rick’s gaze.

Instead, she saw Annabelle give Rick the evil eye,
and the next thing she knew, he stood in front of her. “May I have this dance?”
His deep voice rumbled as his dark, seductive gaze sent nervous shivers through
her body.

Erin glanced up and inhaled a quick breath. If she
said no to Rick’s request, then she would be the rude one, and she wouldn’t
give him that satisfaction. “Sure.”

She grasped his hand, and he wrapped his strong
fingers around hers in a firm embrace. Her pulse raced like an avalanche down a
mountainside, and she was sure he’d feel the powerful beats beneath her skin.

“This is wonderful,” Annabelle exclaimed from the sidelines.
“We should do this with guests more often.”

Rick tugged her into the center of the room,
leaving enough space between them and the other couple and then turned to her.
He placed a heated hand on her back while still holding her other. She cautiously
put her fingers on his shoulder and prayed she could keep her cool exterior in
place.

Unmistakable power rested beneath his shirt. She’d
watched these same muscles flex and bunch earlier in the day when he’d been
chopping wood, and now only a soft piece of cotton kept her from outright
touching him. Her gaze caught on the intricate tribal tattoo peeking from
beneath his shirt, and she wished she could lift his sleeve and examine it,
curious about its design.

“Relax,” he whispered in her ear.

She flicked her gaze to his, flashing a warning
look into his dark eyes. She might have agreed to dance, but she wasn’t
inclined to project her friendliness beyond what social graces required.

“You won’t dance very well if you don’t,” he
continued.

A whiff of his sexy cologne assaulted her, bringing
forth conflicting desires. His scent made her want to move closer to him, and
it softened her stance whether she wanted it to or not. “Maybe I don’t want to
dance.”

He tightened his hold on her and smiled. “Then why
did you say yes?”

The real question was why was she even the
slightest bit attracted to a guy who could turn on and off his charm like a new
faucet, who also happened to have a serious girlfriend. “I didn’t want to
disappoint Annabelle or our guests.”

He twirled her and then pulled her back against
him, his hard body bumping hers, sending sparks of feminine delight shooting
through her. “I can certainly understand that.”

She tried to read his expression, but he’d turned
his back to the fire, hiding his features in shadow. With darkness claiming the
space outside the large windows, the sight of him holding her reflected against
the glass, and it momentarily stole her breath. If someone was outside looking
in, he’d think they made the perfect couple.

Physically, Rick was her dream man. Tall. Broad
shoulders and chest. Short, dark hair the color of deep, polished wood, and
eyes that kept secrets buried within their dark depths, but could see through
her like she was a ghost.

Socially, Rick was another matter. He needed to
learn manners like the nearby ski resort needed snow. It’s a wonder he’d
managed to convince a girl to like him, period.

A hint of lavender caught her nose. Erin glanced
to see if her aunt was moving about the room, but she still sat on the couch,
her face alight with warmth and happiness. Strange how that scent hit Erin
every so often.

The song ended, and Erin all but ran from Rick’s
grasp. He seemed more than willing to let her go.

With his swagger in full force, he approached her
great aunt. “Miss Annabelle, may I have this dance?”

“Why, of course.” Pleasure reflected in her words.
Despite the loss of her beloved husband, she still knew how to grasp each
strand of happiness heaven dangled her way. Smart woman.

The newlywed couple continued waltzing through the
next song while Rick twisted and turned Annabelle across the carpet. Their
actions afforded Erin the perfect opportunity to study Rick without being
obvious. Much. Annabelle did catch her once staring at Rick’s muscular legs and
wiggled her brows in response.

Erin gave a quick shake of her head to warn her
aunt not to go there and looked away.

Soon, a slower song began pouring out of the
speakers, putting an end to Rick and Annabelle’s dance.

“Goodness, Rick. You sure know how to show a lady
a good time.” She glanced at Erin, mischief in her eyes. “How about another
dance with Erin?”

His shrug was so nonchalant and indifferent that
she wanted to give him a look of disgust and walk away. If he wanted the
pleasure of her company, he needed to put in more effort and ask her himself.

“Actually, I wanted to sneak out and head to bed,”
Erin said as she stood. “Seven hours on the road today wore me out.”

Annabelle’s expression fell. “Are you sure, love? We
just started.”

“Just because I’m leaving doesn’t mean you have to
stop. It’s like removing the fifth wheel. You all will run just fine without
me. Better, actually. Now everyone will have a partner.” She took Annabelle’s
hands and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Erin turned to Scott and Mary and called out a
good night. They responded in kind. She gave a curt nod to Rick and escaped the
room.

The air in the darkened hallway cooled her skin.
With the fire and all the dancing, the atrium had become quite warm. And stifling.
She preferred the quiet of her own company instead.

She gripped the polished banister and headed up to
what would be her room for the next two weeks.

*        *        *

As he began to dance with Annabelle again, Rick watched
Erin leave the atrium, a mixture of loss and relief running through his veins. Keeping
his distance from her would be difficult. The flash of fire in her eyes when
he’d told her to relax had sparked a definite interest inside him, and the way her
soft body had molded to him as they’d danced had tempted him ever closer to the
edge. He wanted to know her better, wanted to ask how she’d come to be in his
part of the world.

But he couldn’t. Those thoughts would lead him
down a road he couldn’t afford to travel. Not if he wanted to remain faithful
to Melinda.

He glanced down at the woman who’d been like a
loving grandmother to him for the past ten years and knew that he’d been caught
staring.

A knowing twinkle hovered in her eyes. “She’s pretty,
no?”

“Very,” he agreed, one-hundred percent on guard
with the meddling old woman. He wanted to be angry with her, but he knew deep
down she only wanted to see him happy. Annabelle had been there for him when
he’d had no one else, and that earned her a lot of latitude.

“I knew she’d be perfect for you the moment I saw
her. To think, she’s of my own family. What could be more perfect?”

He gave her a gentle turn, increasing her smile.
“That’s very nice, but you know I’m waiting for Melinda to get her degree. Then
she’ll be home.”

She shook her head, disappointed. “Don’t be a
fool. You and I both know she’s not coming back. And even if she does, she’s
not good enough for you. Henderson never had anything good to say about her,
and she was
his
granddaughter
.”

“Stay out of it, Annabelle.” He repeated the
warning he’d given her a thousand times. “This is my life. I’ll live it how I
want, and I’ll love who I want. Henderson didn’t know her like I do.”

She released an exasperated sigh. “And you don’t
know her like
I
do. I’ve seen her soul firsthand, and it’s not a pretty
thing.”

Annabelle and her paranormal visions. He shrugged.
“I’m sorry, Annabelle. You can bring around all the beautiful women you want. I
get to choose who I spend my time with.”

“Melinda hasn’t come to visit once since she left.
Does she even ever call?”

Not often enough. “We talk.”

“You’re a downright, ornery fool,” she said as the
song ended. “One of these days you’ll see I’m right.”

*        *        *

Two hours later, Erin lay in bed, warm beyond
belief. She’d kicked off her blanket and quilt, but still couldn’t cool down.
She would blame the heat from the fire downstairs, but the atrium sat at the
back of the house while she was in the front. Maybe old buildings had a harder
time regulating heat than newer ones.

The house had quieted down over an hour ago, and
she assumed everyone had gone to bed, and thankfully Rick had gone home. They
were probably all sound asleep. Everyone except her.

She was sleeping in a foreign bed, and anywhere
but her own bed always proved difficult for her. Tomorrow, she’d check the
little store in town for a sleeping aid.

For now, maybe a cool glass of water would help.
She grabbed her cell phone to light her way and exited the bedroom.

The quiet darkness of the house seemed creepy, and
it felt as though someone watched her. But that was silly, she convinced
herself as she descended the stairs.

The wooden floors were cool against her bare feet,
and it made absolutely no sense that her room would be so warm.

In the kitchen, she flipped on the light and found
a glass in the cupboard. The water from the faucet chilled the tips of her
fingers. It seemed everything was cold but her. She filled a glass and drank it
down, grateful for the refreshment. Maybe now she could sleep.

She was almost to the top of the steps when an
eerie feeling raced across her skin again.

“Erin?”

The sound of a man speaking her name caused her to
drop her phone, and it hit the stairs with a thud.

“Shit.” She glanced forward, trying to identify
her companion, though she was pretty sure it was Scott. When she couldn’t make
out anything beyond a shadow, she bent to grab her phone and angled its light,
surprised to find Rick in the hallway with her.

“Rick?” A quick shiver raced through her. He wore
nothing but a pair of flannel bottoms, his naked chest as glorious as she’d
imagined. Her body responded to the sight of him, tingling with electric
awareness.

“You okay?” His voice actually held concern.

“I couldn’t sleep and needed a drink of water.”
She hesitated, trying to stop her heart from racing. “Why are you still here?”

An awkward pause spread between them, and for a
moment, she wondered if he’d answer.

“Didn’t Annabelle tell you? I live here.”

No
. She had to bite her tongue to keep from
vocalizing the word in a negative manner. “Uh, no. She didn’t mention it.”

“Oh. Well. Now you know.”

“I guess I do.”

More uncomfortable silence spilled into the dark
hallway.

“I’ll say goodnight, then. Again.” She would curse
her awkwardness, but she’d like to see any other red-blooded female stand before
a Greek god and be more eloquent.

“I’ll get your door.” In the dim light, he reached
out and opened her door for her.

“Thank you.” She squeezed past him, and though she
tried not to touch him, her shoulder brushed the bare skin of his chest.

“Good night,” he said, his voice deep and sexy,
and she refused to acknowledge the way his words sounded like an invitation.

“Night.” She shut the door harder than she
probably should have and leaned against it. How the hell would she sleep now,
knowing he was mere doors away?

*        *        *

Early the next morning Erin cracked open her door and
peeked into the hallway. It was empty. She hurried across the hall and into the
bathroom for a quick shower.

When she descended the stairs an hour later, the
house was quiet except for a few subtle sounds coming from the kitchen.

Inside, she found Annabelle looking more tired
than she would have liked. Thankfully, Rick was nowhere in sight.

“Good morning,” Erin said as she entered the room.

“Well, good morning, love.” She cracked an egg
into a large bowl. “How did you sleep?”

“It seemed a little warm. Did it feel that way to
you, too?”

“No. I was perfectly comfortable.” She began
whisking the contents of the bowl and then eyed her again. “You’re far too
young for hot flashes. I’m not sure what the problem might have been. I’ll have
Rick check your room.”

“No, it’s okay.” The last thing she wanted was to
have Rick in her space. “It wasn’t
that
hot. I’m sure tonight will be
much better.”

Annabelle scattered chopped spinach and mushrooms
along with diced tomatoes across the bottom of a large baking dish before pouring
the egg mixture on top.

“Would you be a dear and go rap on the Fincher’s
door and let them know breakfast will be served in a half hour?”

“Sure.” She turned to leave.

“Let Rick know, too, okay?”

She swallowed, trying to keep a smile on her face.
“Of course.”

Erin grumbled all the way back up the stairs. She
didn’t want to invite Rick to breakfast. To be honest, as much as she liked Mary
and Scott, she really wanted to spend some time alone with her great aunt. She
only had two weeks, and she wanted to hear stories and soak up her aunt’s great
attitude. With all of the other people around, that was beginning to seem more
and more impossible.

At the top of the stairs, she glanced down the
hall, realizing she didn’t know which room belonged to the Finchers and which
was Rick’s. The door next to hers was open and must be Annabelle’s.

She took a deep breath and approached the room
across from hers. She rapped her knuckles on the worn wood and waited. A moment
later, Mary opened the door.

The breath Erin held eased out of her. “Sorry to
bother you. Annabelle sent me to let you know breakfast will be ready in thirty
minutes.”

Mary smiled. “Thank you. I really love the family
feel of this place. So much nicer than a hotel room.”

Erin found herself mirroring Mary’s expression.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying your stay.”

Mary glanced back into the room as though checking
to see if her new husband was listening. Apparently satisfied, she leaned
closer. “Can I just say, you and Rick make the cutest couple. How long have you
been together?”