Courtship of the Recluse, Linda Rigsbee [e novels to read online txt] 📗

the table and was putting the food on whenCade opened the door. Even his hat was sagging with moisture. Hisboots sloshed as he tiptoed across the kitchen floor.

“Hold that food while I change.”

He returned to the kitchen after a fewminutes in dry clothes, his hair freshly combed. She poured him acup of coffee and sat down at the table.

The storm moved over them as they ate,rumbling and flashing angrily. Cade ignored the uproar and gaveproper attention to his meal. Was he going to say something aboutthe fact that she wandered too far from the house? Was he going towait until later? Finally she could bear the suspense nolonger.

“I didn’t notice how far I was wandering thisevening.”

“It can happen to anyone.”

He continued to eat, ignoring her presence,and she squirmed in her chair.

“You’re not going to lecture me aboutit?”

He glanced up at her and frowned. “Lectureyou? Why? Everything turned out fine and you learned a lesson. Whatmore could I say?”

She smiled at him gratefully. “Behind thatfacade of indifference, there’s a very nice person.”

His brows lifted in genuine surprise.“Me?”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “You.”

He shrugged nonchalantly, but his gaze restedon her thoughtfully for a few moments before he finished hismeal.

The storm passed quickly, but the nightremained warm. There was probably another one brewing. It was thattime of year. When she crawled into bed and turned off the light,the night sky performed a fireworks display in the distance. Shestretched and tried to relax, but her mind kept returning to Cade -thinking of his warm touch on the palm of her hand. Funny howlittle things like that could stay in a person’s thoughts forhours. He was clumsy at expressing verbal emotion and physicalemotion was beyond him, but his eyes. She shook her head. It wasall wishful thinking. Gradually her eyelids drooped and then shewas dreaming again.

She was riding behind Cade, her handsclinging to his lean hips. Lightning flashed around them andthunder rumbled. He leaned forward as he helped her dismount at thebarn, rain rolling off the brim of his hat in a stream. His fingerscaressed her palm warmly. He brushed the hair away from her cheek.She stood on her toes and stretched upward to kiss his lips. He wasleaning down to meet her, but they couldn’t seem to touch.

She came awake with a start as thunderrattled the entire house. A stream of rain was splattering on thepatio. A bolt of lightning lit up the bedroom. She threw the pillowover her head, drawing the light blanket up against her chin. Herheart was pounding and the storm wasn't the only reason. Sheshivered in her light cotton nightgown and curled up into a ball.How could it be so cold during an electrical storm? A brilliantflash of lightning was immediately followed by thunder so loud thatit rattled the windowpane. A rumble began and it took her a momentto realize the sound was hail pounding on the roof.

She threw the covers back and dashed to thepatio doors, staring outside. Hail meant turbulence, and turbulencemeant there could be a tornado close. She took a quick step back.If it was a tornado, standing next to glass doors wasn’t thesmartest thing to do. What was? She wracked her mind for tornadosafety rules. Get to the lowest story, in a central location awayfrom hallways and windows. She grabbed her blanket and hurried downstairs. Where was Cade? Was it possible for him to sleep throughthis weather? As she entered the family room, a warm glow beckonedfrom the fireplace. A dark form hunkered before the fire, feedingsmall twigs to the flames.

Her bare feet made no noise as she movedacross the room toward him, so when she reached his side he glancedup sharply. He let his breath out slowly.

“You startled me.”

“I’m sorry. I was just... well, the storm wasso violent, and it was so cold.”

He glanced at the blanket. “Make sure youdon’t get any sparks on that thing.” He turned his attention to thefire and tucked another piece of bark into the bright coals. Hisbare shoulders glistened in the flickering firelight. He wore onlypajama bottoms, his feet bare as well.

She clutched the blanket under her chin andshivered. That was when she noticed the chill bumps on his arm. Hewasn’t about to let on that he was also cold. She scooted closer tohim, shifting the blanket so that she could drape the excess aroundhis shoulders.

He glanced at her and declined the blanket.“I’m fine. Why don’t you curl up on the couch and get your barefeet off this cold floor?”

Feeling rejected, she nodded and moved to thecouch. She sat on her feet and huddled under the blanket, watchingthe flames grow. Maybe the stories were true. Maybe she and Marywere merely his friends. Maybe that was why Mary seemed soconcerned that she would become romantically involved with Cade. Itwould certainly explain Cade’s actions. Was he confused – alone andfighting a desire he detested?

Cade finally left the fire and sat downbeside her on the couch. He rubbed his arms, unable to completelysuppress a shudder.

“Here,” she said, draping the blanket aroundhis shoulders again. “There’s no point in being uncomfortable justso you can prove what a macho man you are.”

He accepted the blanket with a sour look. “Iwasn’t trying to play macho man.”

She snuggled close, letting his body drawwarmth from hers. The storm raged on around them and finally beganto abate. Thunder rumbled in the distance and Cade’s chin slumpedto his chest. Leaning forward, she relinquished the blanket andurged him to lie down on the couch. His fingers gripped her wristas she started to move away.

“Don’t go,” he muttered sleepily.

She hesitated. It was a risky thing, lyingdown on the couch with a man, but this was Cade - half asleep andasking her to stay - Cade, who never asked for anything. Cade whofelt no desire for a woman? A few minutes wouldn’t hurt, and thenhe would be sound asleep. She could leave and he would never knowthe difference. He probably wasn’t even awake enough to know whoshe was.

She stretched out on the couch beside him;resting her head on his chest and