A Kiss for Cade (36 page)

“You’re welcome.” She continued to slice bread, feeling warm beneath his perusal as he watched her perform the mundane task. “Something wrong?”

“I was just wondering what hit me.”

“What do you mean?”

“How did I get into this predicament? Not that long ago I had only myself to worry about. Now I’m in an apron about to have a picnic with my wife and four kids.”

Smiling, she ignored the rush of sentiment his confession provoked. “And?”

“It’s not a fair fight.” His voice dropped to a husky timbre. “Five against one.”

“Are you going to help or not?”

“What do you want me to do?”

Be a husband and a father. Love me, stay with me. If you loved us, you’d find a way to make it work.

“Get the picnic basket from the back porch and pack a jar of relish. Oh, and wrap up a few cookies, but not too many. Brody will eat them until they’re gone.”

Cade absently filled the basket.

“Cade!” She put her hands on her hips. “You put a jar of tomatoes in the basket. I said relish. And please pack the chicken.”

“Sorry,” he murmured.

“We can’t take our clothes off in front of the boys,” Holly complained as the children emerged from the bedroom. “Brody said he has to go in his long johns ’cause he can’t find his everyday britches.”

“Oh, pooh,” Missy said, wrinkling her nose. “Bwody has a hole in the seat of his long johns.”

Zoe untied her apron and laid it on the back of a chair. “No one is going to a picnic in his underwear. Cade, if you’ll finish packing dinner, I’ll find the elusive britches. Hurry along, girls, and change your clothes.” She left the room.

“Anybody here?”

Cade glanced up to see Shelby Moore standing at the screen door. “Come on in, Shelby.”

“Hate to bother you on Sunday, but—” Shelby eyed Cade. “Pop still laid up?”

“Yeah. What can I do for you? Found any more dead bulls?”

“It’s my chickens this time, but it can wait. I see you’re busy.”

Cade looked down and then jerked off the apron. “Getting ready for a picnic.”

“I think I’ll wait for Pop to get back to sheriffin’.”

“I can take care of it, Shelby.”

“No disrespect, Kolby, but Pop can handle it later.”

Shelby left as Cade absently reached up and scratched an itch on his chin.

In the late afternoon, the children swam in the cool water. With a full belly, and the kids occupied, Cade lay on the blanket beside Zoe, who dozed. He rolled to his side and gazed at her. She deserved the well-earned rest. He’d never known a woman who worked as hard as Red did. He lifted a lock of her hair and let it slide between his fingers. The silken tress smelled of soap and sunshine. Snapping off a blade of grass, he ran it lightly under her nose.

Murmuring, she brushed her chin.

He lowered the blade, tickling along her jaw line, and then he moved it along her forehead in soft, fluttery strokes.

Her hand grazed her nose and she squirmed, opening her eyes.

Tenderly he brushed hair from her cheek. He caught her hand and held it against his face. Her gaze softened, her skin, warm. The scent of wildflowers wafted on the air, reminding him of earlier times.

“Stop it.”

“Why don’t you make me?” He scooted closer. They were nose to nose. Her breathing quickened, confirming she wasn’t as immune to his advances as she claimed.

“Cade, the children will see us.”

“So? They know we’re married.” He caught the tip of her ear in his between his lips and playfully tugged.

Shoving him aside, she sat up. “Behave yourself.”

“When you’re around, I can think of only one thing.” He watched a blush brighten her cheeks. She was beautiful, and he wanted her with a passion he’d never known was possible, a passion that had grown over the years, smoldering and intensifying like a fire in his soul.

“You’re impossible.”

“Do you know I used to think about you every night before I went to sleep?”

“You did not.”

“I did, Red.” He tilted her chin with his finger and admitted in a low voice, “Every night I imagined your smile and the way your left cheek dimples when you laugh.” His finger lightly moved across her lips. “Want to know what else I imagined?”

“No.”

“Coward.” What would it take to convince her that he loved her? It wasn’t fair to love her and then to leave her, but he couldn’t help himself. He wanted this woman more than life itself, yet it was her life he had to protect.

“You’re terrible, you know it?” She rolled to her side.

“Give me an opportunity to redeem myself.” He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her back to face him. She looked as young as she had the day he’d left. The same beautiful smile, the same fiery red hair, the same tiny waist—but she wasn’t the young girl he’d left behind. She was a woman now. A lovely, desirable woman.

Her gaze softened. He twisted a lock of her hair around his finger. He’d be a happy man if she always looked at him the way she was doing at this moment. “What did I do to put the twinkle back in those lovely eyes?”

“You gave me the children.”

That wasn’t the answer he’d hoped for, but it was a start. He lowered his head to kiss her and she didn’t pull away. His lips closed over her warm, familiar sweetness. She tasted so very good, responding to his kiss like a woman awakened. When they parted, she whispered, “I’ll be forever grateful, Cade.” She touched his cheek. “I’ll be the best mother to our children that I know how to be.”

“Our children, Red? They’re yours now.”

“No.” Her fingers traced his nose, his eyebrows, his cheeks. “No matter what happens, they’re ours.” She threaded her fingers through his hair and sighed. “I’ll write you often, and the children will write too. Maybe someday, when they’re older, you can come visit.”

Her eyes filled with pain, and he squeezed her hand. This was the exact thing he didn’t want to put her through, the hurt he didn’t want to face. “No letters, no visits. It has to be that way, Red.”

“You don’t want a letter from me? Or from the children?”

The anguish in her voice tore at his heart. It wasn’t what he wanted, but he had no choice. “No. If they found one of your letters they’d come after you. I can’t risk that.”

“Then don’t leave.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

Silence hung between them like a heavy, dark shroud. Zoe sighed. “Would you stay if I asked?”

A cloudburst opened above them and the children squealed.

Zoe grabbed up the basket and gathered the corners of the blanket as the first drops fell.

Taking her hand, Cade called the children out of the water. “Run for the buggy!”

The kids scrambled onto the bank. “Can we play in the rain?” Brody asked, holding his face toward the sky with his mouth open to catch the drops.

“Can we?” Will yelled, mimicking his brother’s action. The boys danced and jumped around, snatching water from the air.

Cade laughed. “Why not? Don’t drown yourselves!”

“Thanks, Uncle Pa.” Will raced in exuberant circles.

The girls picked up big globs of mud and flung them at their brothers.

“Uncle Pa,” Cade repeated as he and Zoe made a dash for the buggy. “Do I look like an Uncle Pa?”

“You look like every Uncle Pa I’ve ever seen.”

They fell onto the buggy seat in a fit of laughter. With a couple of yanks, and Zoe’s help, Cade raised the leather top into place.

“We might as well have played in the rain with the kids,” Zoe said, collapsing breathlessly against the back of the seat. “We’re just as wet.”

Shivering, she snuggled up against him. Rain pattered against the top of the buggy. They were alone in a very small, very damp cocoon. With the tip of his finger, he turned her chin toward him. “Hello, Mrs. Kolby.”

“Hello, Mr. Kolby.”

He lifted his hand and brushed a lock of wet hair from her forehead. “I’ve missed you.”

She shouldn’t permit this, but when he nuzzled her ear she couldn’t stop him. Didn’t want to stop him. “The trail is a lonely place. It gives a man a lot of time to think. Of what he’s had and what he’s lost.” His lips found her earlobe, and he nibbled. “I never knew how lonely I was until now.”

“Zoe?” Brody yelled.

At the sound of his voice, she sighed and sat up straighter.

“Can I have another piece of chicken?” Brody called.

“In the food hamper.” She slid out of the carriage into a light drizzle. God did not mean for this union to exist.

Chapter Forty-Six

W
ho was beating a drum? After handing Brody a chicken leg, Zoe wiped her hands on a cloth, seeking the source of commotion.

Children squealed. Cowbells clanged and shotguns blustered. “Is it a circus?” Zoe asked. Cade sprung out of the buggy, reaching for his gun.

Zoe’s hands flew to her cheeks when she caught sight of a strange procession coming into the clearing. “Wait! Don’t shoot! It’s Walt and Lawrence…firing in the air.”

Sawyer approached the buggy, ringing a cowbell. Lilith banged on a kettle with a wooden spoon, while Margaret burst into a zealous rendition of “Oh, My Darling Clementine,” substituting Zoe’s name for Clementine’s.

The children, wet and muddy, joined in the gleeful melee. They clasped hands and skipped around in a circle, singing along at the top of their lungs.

Cade turned accusing eyes on Zoe.

She shook her head, feeling color drain from her face. “I think it’s a shivaree.”

He shook his head. “Tell me it’s not.”

She took hold of his arm for support. “Play along…they mean well.” It was the town’s way of playing a trick on the new bride and groom. Usually such shenanigans were held on the wedding night, but Cade had been so sick…

“Zoe. A shivaree?”

Gracie and Lilith swooped in and grabbed Zoe by both arms. “Stop this,” Zoe protested, trying to break free as they pulled her along to a waiting carriage. Cade reached out to save her but was stopped by Walt and Lawrence.

“Hold him, men!” Sawyer shouted.

Squirming, Zoe caught sight of Pop cackling on the sidelines, jabbing a crutch in the air. “By doggies!” he said. “Surprised ya, didn’t we?”

“Surprised” was putting it mildly. The women hustled Zoe into a buggy. “Gracie, have you lost your mind?”

“Far from it, my dear. Just relax. You’re in for the time of your life.”

Lilith picked up the reins and slapped them against the horse’s rump.

“Where are you taking me?” Zoe yelled above the commotion.

“Can’t tell you,” the women shouted back. “It’s a surprise!”

“What about the children?” Concern overwhelmed the bride as she looked back. Walt and Lawrence were on either side of Cade, holding tight.

Gracie patted her hand. “Don’t worry about your young’uns. I’m taking them home with me for the night.”

Zoe knew that her friend’s intentions were well meant but disastrous. “Gracie, I’ll not stand for this.”

“Just set back and enjoy the party!”

Glori-Lee waited in front of the café. “Pull up to the side entrance. I got my best room waiting!”

Gracie and Lilith got out and brought Zoe with them. All the balking in the world failed to match the strength of the two older women. Zoe finally gave in, jerked her dress into place, and climbed the side staircase in lieu of being bodily dragged.