Finally Home (10 page)

What happened to the passionate kisses they shared only a few moments ago? Blinded by love, she had been so convinced that he felt the same way. Why was he being so stubborn about the ranch? He was still seeing it through the eyes of a rebellious child! If he’d just look through her eyes...he would see such beauty.

********

Cool December breezes whistled through the tall oak trees scattered over Moonlight Ranch, then wafted around Amanda’s heavily clothed body. A cold front had arrived overnight, dropping the temperature to a nippy forty-eight degrees. As a result, Amanda’s bedroom had turned quite chilly, causing her to wake much earlier than usual. So, here she was, hands stuffed deep into her grandfather’s brown suede coat, staring at the remains of the barn that had burned down a couple of days ago. She wanted answers. And was disappointed in herself for forgetting to talk to Noah about the fire yesterday.

In her gut, she knew Mr. Ellinger was somehow involved. If she could only find something to prove it! Blinking from the cold air, she walked carefully into the roofless shell that used to be a bright red barn. Laughing, She remembered attending a summer dance in the barn. Thomas had let her stand on top of his booted feet and twirled her around for hours as they danced to old country music.

Smiling at her memory of Thomas, she moved on. Charred wood crackled beneath her shoes. Her blue eyes darted around the barn, searching for any clue to her suspicion about Mr. Ellinger. But how would she ever find anything amid so many piles of burnt wood? Slipping on a slick board, she grabbed a nearby post to steady herself.

“
What are you doing here, Amanda?”

She twirled around, startled by Noah’s husky voice. “Looking around.”

“
It’s dangerous. Loose boards could fall on you, or you could slip,” he warned.

She decided not to mention that she
had
already slipped. “I’m being careful, Noah. And I’d like to continue looking around.”

He jerked his head toward the pickup pulling up behind him. “See that trailer hitched to the truck?”

She raised her chin to him, not liking his cold stare. “Yes, I see it.”

“
We’re gonna be busy filling it with pieces of this barn this morning. So I’m afraid you’d only be in the way if you nosed around.”

Struck by his callous tone, she blinked away sudden tears. “Removing evidence for your friend, Mr. Ellinger?”

In three short leaps, Noah was at her side. He gently grabbed her arm and guided her to a more hidden part of the destroyed barn when he heard his ranch hands approaching. “Mr. Ellinger is not my friend. And I don’t think it’s wise that you keep insinuating him in this fire.”

“
I’m not scared of him,” she shot back. Wiggling from his grip, she placed her hands on her hips. But the pleasant scent of his cologne caressed her nose, causing her to swoon from its intoxication. Closing her eyes, she fought the urge to wrap her arms around his neck and rest her face against his hard chest.

“
He’s powerful. You don’t want to mess with him,” he whispered softly.

She noticed the change in his voice and looked at his face. The angry lines had disappeared. His face now held the gentleness she saw in it yesterday when they kissed. “Why can’t you tell me the whole story, Noah? I want to help you.”

“
You know how you can help me,” he kissed her cheek, his lips lingering on her soft skin.

She wondered if he could see how much she loved him through her eyes when she stared so dreamily at him. “I think I am helping you, Noah. By not giving in. By not tossing this ranch to Mr. Ellinger.”

He inhaled deeply, then turned away from her. Tapping his boot on a board beneath his feet, he shook his head. Even though they wanted different things for the ranch, he couldn’t shake the admiration he felt for her each time she defied him. And that annoyed him.

“
I-I’ll be home working this evening, if you’d like to drop off that desk.”

He pivoted on his heel to face her. “Sorry I couldn’t make it last night. Got involved in another project.”

“
That’s ok,” she shrugged.

He sighed, hating the tension between them. “I’ll be by tonight.”

A smile formed on her pink lips. Shivering from the blustery weather, she nodded her head, then moved past him, brushing her shoulder against his. And when she shivered again, the cold air was not the cause.

********

“
Hurry, Webster!” Amanda jiggled the leash attached to her dog’s collar.

She had taken Webster on a brisk walk around the ranch, but had to head back to her house sooner than she had planned when dark clouds had developed in the sky. Running onto the front porch, she let go of the leash, just as drops of rain began to tap on the house’s roof.

“
Ooooh, it’s cold out there, Web,” she rubbed her hands over the beagle’s ears and opened the front door.

Webster trotted straight to the kitchen where a large bowl of doggie kibble awaited. Amanda giggled at her dog’s one-track mind...always hungry! But as her own stomach growled, her laughter stopped and she promptly joined her dog in the kitchen.

Spicy homemade chili and jalapeno cornbread sounded heavenly on a cold rainy night! Humming to herself, she shuffled across the floor, glancing at the computer on the table. She had done enough work for the day. Her current job would be finished in a few days at the most. She deserved the night off!

It wasn’t long before she had the cornbread baking in the oven and the chili bubbling on the stove. Such delicious aromas were wafting through the house, she totally became absorbed in her cooking. She didn’t even hear the rapping fist at her front door.

Webster bounded to the door and began to bark furiously. Thinking the dog was barking at the rain, Amanda ignored the noise and tasted a spoonful of zesty chili. “Needs more pepper,” she said to herself.

A clap of thunder shook the house, causing Webster to let out a chain of howls. Amanda sighed, setting down her spoon. “It’s just a little thunderstorm,” she shouted over the rumbling sky and wiped her hands on her apron.

Moving into the living room, she was startled when the front door flung open. “It’s bigger than you think!”

Gasping, her eyes rounded, “Oh my goodness!” She glanced over a soaking wet Noah.

“
Didn’t you hear me knocking?”

“
The rain...and I didn’t hear you over the thunder,” she stammered.

He waved his hand behind him at the tarp-covered desk he had lifted onto the porch. “It started pouring on my way up here. But I think the desk is fine.”

She found herself staring at his well-defined arm muscles. “Thank you for bringing it over. It must have been heavy.”

“
Not really,” he shrugged. “Where do you want me to put it?”

Chewing on her bottom lip, she thought for a moment, then whirled around. “In that corner.”

Noah looked at the empty corner of the living room, then moved back onto the wet porch and removed the thick tarp from the desk. Amanda tried not to stare in awe as he lifted the desk and maneuvered it through the wide front door. For a moment, she felt intimidated by his strength.

As she watched him carefully set the desk in the nook, her nose twitched. “The chili,” she dashed to the kitchen.

Snatching potholders from the counter, she held the chili pot with one hand and stirred with the other. Feeling relief, she turned off the burner and removed the pot from the heat. “Escaped a tragedy.”

“
Smells good in here,” Noah peeked into the kitchen. “What tragedy?”

“
Burned chili,” she answered and moved to the oven. The cornbread was done.

The delicious scent of jalapeno cornbread tickled Noah’s nose, making his stomach grumble. “Mmmmmmm,” he closed his eyes.

Amanda swept her long hair away from her face...the hot kitchen made her breathless. Or was that Noah? “Would you like to stay for dinner? I always seem to make enough chili to feed an army.”

He glanced at the rain-streaked window. “Thanks, but I need to make it back to the ranch before the storm gets worse.”

As if the storm was working against Noah, it vibrated the house with a chain of rumbles and a lot of lightning. Noah hurried to the front door and swung it open. Gusts of cold wind blew the rain across the porch and into the doorway.

“
Close the door, Noah!” Amanda rushed to grab a towel from the bathroom.

He shut the door and rubbed his hands over his face. When Amanda approached the puddle at the doorway, he gently took the towel from her and wiped up the water himself.

“
Looks like you’re trapped.”

Gazing up at her from his squatting position, he chuckled. “Guess I am for the moment.”

“
I’ll take that wet towel,” she leaned over for the soaked towel but Noah attempted to stand at the same time. When their foreheads knocked together, she fell into his arms and tumbled back to the floor with him.

Amanda felt his calloused palms glide over her cheeks. “Are you ok?” He cupped her face in his hands.

She felt her pulse quicken and tried to ignore the dizzy heat filling her head. Untangling her legs from his, she pulled his hands from her face and rolled off his hard chest. “Sorry about that....”

He watched as she scooped up the towel and left the room. When she returned, he was peering out the living room window. “I really needed to get back to the ranch.”

Amanda moved to the desk and touched the slick granite. “The rain will let up soon. What’s the rush?”

“
Angel’s set to birth her foal tonight.”

“
Angel...the brown mare I was told to stay away from?” she narrowed her eyes at him.

“
For a good reason,” he wagged a long finger at her.

“
I can’t wait to start working at this desk,” she stepped back to admire Noah’s workmanship. “I still can’t believe you made such a beautiful piece of furniture for me.”

“
You work hard. I just thought the desk would make things easier for you.”

Turning, she faced him, wanting to walk straight into his arms. To tell him she loved him for thinking of her. But she couldn’t. “Since you’re stuck here...please stay for dinner. It’ll be my way of thanking you for the desk.”

Noah considered her invitation. He wanted to stay. But knew what would happen if he did. They would get caught up in their feelings again. And then their opposing views on the ranch would surface, ruining their whole night. “I don’t know if it would be a good idea....”

She placed her hands on her hips. “Don’t you think we can have a civil meal together?”

“
I really don’t know, Amanda,” he said.

“
Let’s try,” she went to him and started to pull off his coat.

He wiggled his arms out of the coat sleeves, allowing Amanda to transfer it to the large brass hook by the door. Lightning flashed again, causing a glow on the windows and a shimmering light over Amanda’s hair. Noah turned, disturbed by an urge to go to her. Folding his arms over his chest, he cleared his throat. “Talked to your grandparents lately?”

“
Just the other night,” she waved him into the kitchen. “Have a seat.”

“
They’re doing well?”

“
Yes, and loving Florida,” she poured ice tea into two glasses. “Whenever I talk to them, they ask about you.”

“
Ask about me?”

“
About how you’re doing...how you’re coping with everything.”

“
I hope you tell them I’m fine.”

She set a bowl of steaming chili in front of him, along with some cornbread. “Sometimes I do...”

A deep chuckle escaped from his throat. “I’m only fine sometimes? So when do I
qualify
for fine status?”

“
Why don’t we talk about something else?” she suggested when Noah sounded irritated by the path their conversation was taking.

He watched her take a seat opposite him, his eyes roaming over her tight sweater. “You look nice.”

She felt heat exploding behind her cheeks. “Thanks,” she touched her sweater. “My mother gave this to me a few years ago.”

Closing his mouth over a spoonful of chili, he quickly swallowed. “Chili’s good,” he muttered.

Smiling, she tasted the chili. “Mmmmm, you’re right. I seasoned it perfectly.”

“
What a modest woman,” he teased, circling his finger over the rim of his tea glass.

She tipped her chin up. “Modesty has no place in great chili recipes. I’ve learned to relish in the compliments since it’s taken me so long to duplicate my grandma’s chili!”

Laughing at her playful mood, he raised his tea glass. “A toast to Amanda and her amazing chili.”

“
Thank you,” she clinked her glass to his. And when their eyes met, she felt her heartbeat quicken.

“
Don’t ever tell Maria that I like your chili better than hers.”

Dabbing a napkin to her mouth, she tore her eyes from his steady gaze. “I’ll never say a word. If I did, she might burn all my cooking utensils.”

He chuckled, then took another bite of chili.

They ate in silence for a few moments, enjoying each other’s company. Amanda found herself wishing this dinner could be the first of many. How she wanted to hold his hand at this very moment, to kiss his lips, to rub her hands over his dark hair. But she couldn’t trust him. Not if he continued his business relationship with Mr. Ellinger. Not if he was hiding things from her about the barn fire. Not if he wanted to sell Moonlight Ranch!