Courting Kate (41 page)

“She’s still here,” Tanner said softly.

“Yes, she’s here. And this time if you’re smart, you won’t let her leave.” The doctor shook his head. “Although what she wants with anybody as pigheaded as you, I’ll never understand.”

Still grumbling, the doctor left the room.

After he’d eaten, Tanner had Dr. Thomas bring him up to date on everything that had happened since the accident. Afterward, the physician insisted that he take a nap.
 

“Is Kate still sleeping?” Tanner asked.
 

“That’s what I said.” The doctor studied him. “When are you going to marry that girl?”

“I asked her once, but I’ve been thinking about that a lot these last few days. I thought about how close I came to dying. And about what would happen to her if I did. She’d be stuck on the mountain, taking care of the boys, maybe little ones, too. I couldn’t put her through that, Doc.” He shook his head. “I’ve got nothing to offer a woman like Kate.”

“Do you love her?”

“Of course I do. Don’t you see? That’s why I can’t marry her.”

“Humph!” Kate eased back down the hall to her own room. Tanner did love her. But he wouldn’t marry her. She sighed in exasperation.
 

“Kate, are you awake?”

“Yes, Doc.” She opened her door. “How’s our patient?”

“Mule-headed as ever.”

“Yes, I know.”

“You heard?” He frowned. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m not certain yet, but I do know he’s not going to get rid of me that easily.”

“Good for you. At least one of you has some sense.” He patted her shoulder. “I’ve got to go back to Jacksonville. A patient of mine is getting ready to have a baby.”

“What about Tanner?”

“Tanner will be fine as long as he behaves himself. He can start getting up, but I don’t want him to do anything—especially any lifting. He should stay in the house.” He grinned. “If he gets ornery, tie him to the bed.”

“I’ll do that.”

After the doctor left, Kate thought about the conversation she had overheard. So Tanner wasn’t going to marry her. She shrugged. Lots of people lived together without benefit of clergy. If that’s what it would take, so be it. He couldn’t forcibly evict her; he hadn’t the strength.

* * *

By early the following week, the crew had finished the job and left the mountain, and the mortgage had been paid. Although the words hadn’t come easily, Tanner had thanked each one of the men and shaken his hand. He later confessed to Kate that they had made him realize there was no weakness in asking for help.

Lying in bed had also given him time to realize something else. His own accident made him relive the day his father had died. Made him remember things he had forgotten.

That day, too, a tree had been falling. The limb that struck his father had broken off from the top. Tanner could not have known which way it would go— and neither could his father. Thinking back on the event, Tanner knew he couldn’t have prevented it. His father’s death had been bad luck, an accident.

All these years Tanner had blamed himself; now he knew it wasn’t his fault. While the grief would always be there, now it seemed easier to bear.
 

The long period of convalescence following his experience had also allowed him look at his brothers in a new light. Mark and Matt were almost grown men. He had decided it was time for them to make their own decisions.

Because Tanner refused to accept the money Kate had deposited in his name at the bank, she insisted on giving it to the boys. Part of it she put aside for Luke and John’s education. The rest, she divided between Matt and Luke.

The older boys, realizing that Kate and Tanner needed time alone, made some changes in their own lives. Matt had taken over the pie shop, and while he didn’t have as many customers as Kate, he was building a thriving business. In the afternoons he went to school. He blushingly confessed to Kate that he had even met a special girl.
 

At Dr. Thomas’s urging, Tanner had allowed Mark to move into town with Matt. He, too, attended school, and on weekends he made the rounds with the doctor. Mark also studied medical books at night. They all agreed that someday Mark would be a fine physician.
 

Luke, John and Fluffy had remained on the mountain, and even though Tanner missed the older boys, he was glad to have the time with Kate. During the period he’d been hurt, she had brought a bit of springtime into their lives, but now he was almost well. Soon, like that all too brief season, he knew Kate would pack her bags and be gone.

He could prevent her from leaving. All he had to do was ask and she would stay. But he wouldn’t. He’d decided the best thing he could do for Kate was to do nothing at all. While he couldn’t bring himself to send her away, sooner or later she would give up and go on her own. She would forget him and find someone who could give her a better life.

In the meantime, he would take joy from her presence, but he wouldn’t kiss her, or hold her, or take her into his bed. No matter how much she enticed him, he would not yield to temptation.
 

* * *

Kate had been biding her time, waiting for Tanner to heal. Now his ribs were back to normal, and although he still wore the splint on his leg, the doctor would be removing it at the beginning of next week.

Now with the older boys moved to town, Kate continued to take care of Tanner as well as Luke and John. Day after day she waited for Tanner to declare himself, to no avail. Even though she gave him ample opportunity, he had yet to confess that he loved her. He’d told the doctor, so why couldn’t he say it to her? Outside of a few comments about the mountain or the boys, he rarely spoke to her at all.

He had done little else, either. They had exchanged a few kisses—at her initiative—but he acted almost like he was kissing an old friend or a sister. Although he had been unable to hide the hunger in his eyes, he’d never tried anything else.

Lately, his behavior had grown downright aggravating, and she was fast reaching the end of her patience.

He seemed to be waiting, expecting her to leave.

But she had no intention of going anywhere. She had other plans.
 

When Chauncey had volunteered to take Luke and John into Jacksonville that evening to see Tom Thumb and his traveling troupe of little people, Kate had eagerly accepted his offer, not only because she knew the boys would enjoy the theater, but mainly because it would give her a chance to be alone with Tanner.

After the performance, since it would be too late to return home, the boys would be spending the night with Matt and Mark. Tomorrow, they all planned to attend church and would pass the afternoon visiting. Mark would bring them home the next morning.

With one full day and two nights at her disposal, Kate figured to make good use of her time. She’d get Tanner’s cooperation one way or another, or her name wasn’t Kathleen Amanda Deveraux.
 

For their first meal alone, she’d fixed all of Tanner’s favorites; hot biscuits, venison steak smothered in gravy, whipped potatoes and dandelion greens. He’d eaten like a condemned man at his last meal—to avoid conversation, she suspected.
 

Unbeknownst to Tanner, she’d added a little something extra to his supper—just enough laudanum to put him to sleep. When he woke up, she planned to make him see things her way—or suffer the consequences.
 

She checked the mantel clock. Everything was ready. Soon the drug would be wearing off. There would never be a better time to make her point.
 

She slipped into Tanner’s room, taking note of the soft snores coming from the region of the bed. “All right, Mr. Blaine, we will see how long you will sleep.” She bent close and gently blew in his ear. “Tan-ner,” she whispered.

A soft voice reached into Tanner’s dream and tugged him from sleep. “Hm-m?” Warm lips touched his, then playfully nibbled at his chin.

He sighed in contentment.

“Tan-ner, wake u-up,” she said in a sing-song voice.
 

She kissed him again, slowly, teasingly, then eased her tongue into his mouth.

He opened his eyes.
Kate
?

Surprised and shocked, it took him a moment to come to his senses. He felt a bit woozy, but he wasn’t dreaming. Kate was kissing him. He tried not to kiss her back but couldn’t seem to summon the will. Besides she tasted so good. Too damn good.

What was she up to?
 

She nibbled his neck, his ears, then pressed her lips to his. “Kiss me, Tanner.” She leaned closer, her bosom thrusting against his chest.
 

Dang it! She was trying to seduce him. And he had to put a stop to it before it got out of hand. He tried to push her away—and found out he couldn’t move. She had him tied to the bed!

Maybe if he pretended he was asleep, she’d go away and leave him alone. She couldn’t see him. It was dark in the room.
 

But she sure could feel him. He trembled when her hand trailed down his body and caressed the part of him that immediately sprang to life. That was when he discovered he wasn’t wearing any clothes.
 

So much for pretending sleep. “Kate?” he breathed.

“Are you awake, darlin’?” she cooed.
 

“You know I am. I’d have to be dead not to be.” He pulled at the straps. They didn’t give. His legs were tied, too. “Let me loose.”

“Not on your life. Doc told me if you got ornery to tie you to the bed.” She kissed him again. “And that’s just what I’m doing.”

“Ornery?”

“Ornery.”

“But I haven’t done anything....”

“Exactly my point.”

He heard the splash of water. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to give you a bath.”

“In the dark?” He swallowed. “I can take my own bath.”

“Not like this one, you can’t.” She washed his face, his neck, his ears, much like any mother would a wayward child.
 

He grinned. “You didn’t have to tie me down to do that.”

“I’ve only started.” She kissed the spots she’d washed—his face, his jaw, pausing to nibble his earlobes.
 

He didn’t move. He didn’t dare—and he tried not to think about what she might do next.

But his traitorous mind wouldn’t cooperate.
 

She rinsed the cloth and started on his chest. Then she bent and dried it with the same teasing motions.
 

By this time he was a quivering mass of raw nerve endings. When she rinsed the cloth and dipped still lower, he knew he was in deep trouble.
 

“Kate, what are you...” He groaned when her cloth caressed that part of him that was demanding attention. Then her mouth closed over him.... “Kate...don’t....”

Much to his relief, she left that region and washed his thighs and his legs.
 

“You can let me up now,” he said, straining to see in the darkness.

“Nope, I’ve got you right where I want you.” She trailed a finger from his toes to his groin and back again. She paused, then continued on up his middle to his chest, then to his forehead.

He gritted his teeth, but couldn’t stop trembling.
 

She stood there in the darkness.

Even though he couldn’t see, he could feel her studying him.

She must have eyes like a cat.

Her palm closed around him.

He swallowed. “What are you doing?”
 

“I’m checking to make sure you’re not damaged, but it appears like everything is working just fine.”

“Damaged?” That part of him that had caught her interest was definitely unscathed. If it got any more undamaged, he was likely to bust something.
 

She lit the lamp and turned it down to a soft glow.
 

He sighed with relief. At least if he could see, he could prepare himself to resist her. He heard a soft rustling.

Then she stepped into the light.

Resist her? Ha! She wasn’t wearing a stitch.

He groaned. He almost wished she had left the room dark.
 

With a smile as old as Eve’s, she pulled the pins from her hair and shook it free. It tumbled in a shining mass over her shoulders. She walked toward him. “Now, where was I?”
 

Under her questing lips and mouth, Tanner thought he would surely lose his mind. “Kate, honey, please have mercy.”

“Mercy?” She straddled him and leaned forward. “I understand you don’t want to marry me now, and that’s all right.” She kissed him, long and deep.
 

His head reeling, Tanner tried to concentrate on the rest of what she was saying, but it wasn’t easy. Especially when the cherry tip of her breast jutted, tempted, teased him—just out of reach.
 

“But I’m not leaving this mountain, Tanner Blaine. If you take me to town, I’ll come right back. Whether you like it or not, I intend to be your woman. I’ll cook, clean your house, wash your clothes, and take care of your brothers.”