Sweetwater: The Kihn (The Sweet Series) (16 page)

“Miss Reece, you’re looking lovely as usual,” he remarks, giving me a slight bow. It’s so old school but charming.

“Please, call me Sofie,” I request. He tilts his head politely.

Taylor steers me toward a stool at the counter since he and Max have papers strewn all over the table. I take off my jacket and hang it on the back of the high-backed barstool before sitting.

“Sofie?” My gaze shifts to Lucas. “What can I get you to drink? A beer?”

“An ice water would be good, thank you.” I rub my arm in nervousness. I wonder where everyone else is. I’ve suspected all along that the meeting is a ploy to get me here.
But why?

As he sets my glass down, I look up and his eyes meet mine. I can’t help it—my gaze drops to his neck. The top two buttons on his shirt are left undone and expose a nice-looking expanse of his neck. I swallow visibly, my eyes lifting to his again. I think I’ll see amusement in them, but his smoldering gaze has my lips p
arting with a small gasp. With effort, I pull my gaze from his. He’s put a lime slice in my glass of water, and I concentrate on squeezing the juice from it.

What’s wrong with me?
This man scares the bejeezus out of me, and what—I’m lusting after him? I don’t even like him. My best bet is to stay clear of him as much as possible. “So, where is everyone else?” I ask.

Taylor glances at the clock above the refrigerator. “They should be here soon.” He smiles at me.

I look at Lucas leaning against the counter opposite us. His arms are crossed over his chest and he’s looking down. One corner of his mouth lifts in a sensual smile as he raises his eyes, his gaze locking on mine. I frown slightly. What if no one else comes? Are Taylor and Max in on the deception?

Lucas gives me a wide, wicked smile as if he’s taunting me. “Sofie thinks I’ve lured her here.”

I narrow my eyes. “I imagine anything’s possible where you’re concerned.” I’m immediately shocked that I say out loud what I’m thinking. All three men laugh.

“Well, she’s certainly got your number, Lucas,” Taylor chuckles. He pats my shoulder as he stands. “I’ll get the men in here.”

I slide off my stool. “I’ll go with you.”

Lucas
moves in front of me with a suddenness that causes me to step back. “I need to take you the first time,” he announces, grinning down at me.

“I-I think I’m... capable of walking with Taylor.” His abrupt movements are unnerving.

“He’s right, Sofie.”

I glare at Taylor.
Well,
thanks a lot!
I look back at Lucas, and it’s not a friendly look.

He holds his arm out toward the door. “After you.”

As I walk across the kitchen, I see to my left, where the cabinets end, a wide doorway to a family room. I glance at Max before I step through the kitchen’s back door. He’s looking at the papers on the table, and he’s smiling.

I step out into a glass sunroom. A crystal chandelier, suspended from the glass ceiling, illuminates the room with jewels of light. It’s breathtaking. The domed glass ceiling and tiled floor remind me of pictures of old conservatories I’ve seen. There’s even a fountain at one end with green plants, giving the area a garden feel. It’s beautiful and appealing.

Through a short, glassed-in breezeway, we step out onto a large concrete porch with a wide set of steps going down to a graveled pathway. Electric tiki-type torches and footlights along the pathway provide illumination. The path branches off and Lucas steps around me heading to the right. He moves slowly since I’m checking out the place the best I c
an in the advancing dark.

“Where does the other path lead?” I ask.

“The stables.”

“You have horses?” I don’t know why this surprises me. “You ride?”

He turns and flashes a grin. “A little. Why does that surprise you?” He arches a brow at me.

I shrug. He’s gone to a good deal of trouble to settle in a place that’s a temporary stop for him. We continue toward the building Sawyer headed for earlier. As we get closer, I notice it’s quite large. There’s also a parking lot with a road leading from it into the wooded area beyond.

Lucas opens the door, and my breath catches as we step into a large arena with activity happening all around us. In one area, I watch as archers aim at moving targets. The sharp metallic clang of metal meeting metal pulls my attention to the broadsword fighting at the far end of the building. I look up to see ropes hanging from the ceiling, with a rope-type bridge strung from one end of the arena to the other. The bridge creates a hanging jungle gym with a platform in the middle, giving the appearance of a tree house. Movement catches my eye, and I watch as a couple of guys climb from one rope to another high above us. As I continue to look around, I notice the far outside wall supports a massive tree trunk with branches and more ropes interspersed. While we’re standing there, with me taking it all in, Taylor yells to Lucas from across the arena.

“Wait right here. I’ll be back in a moment,” Lucas orders, leaving me before I can respond.

I look around for Sawyer, finally seeing him by the archery area. I decide to head that way. I’m about halfway across the arena when I hear Lucas and Taylor yell. I notice all activity has stopped; it’s as if every eye is on me. I have a moment to wonder
what the—
before a Mack truck hits me.

Then—nothing.

Chapter Eleven

I
feel a warm hand smooth across my forehead. Faint voices come from somewhere in the distance as the ground moves.
Huh?
I try to open my eyes.

“Sofie,” a deep voice says softly.

Mmmm, the voice gives me goose bumps. The warm hand moves over my forehead again, and fingers thread through my hair. It’s so soothing, I turn my face into the hand.

“Sofie, open your
eyes.”

I open them and look into a pair of beautiful, silvery-green ones framed by sooty black lashes and full of concern. “Hi,” I breathe.

“Hello,” he replies with a smile. “Would you care for a sip of water?”

“Yes, please,” I whisper. “What... happened?”

“One of my men… plowed into you.” He slides his arm under my shoulders, raising me slightly, and holds a glass to my lips. I take a small sip, licking my lips as he eases me back down. “How do you feel?”

“Like... I’ve been plowed into.”

Lucas laughs softly and stands, making the soft ground move again. I must be lying on a bed.
Wait! What?
I look around, and yes, I’m in Lucas’ bedroom.
Lying—on—his—bed!

I struggle to sit up, and Lucas is immediately beside me. “Easy,” he says, helping me ease my legs over the side. My coat and boots are off.

“Why—where are my things?” I look about as Lucas sets my boots near my feet. “Why did you bring me in here?” I ask grumpily.

“I considered it better in here than out there” —he angles his head toward the door—“where everyone could gawk at you.”

The anger leaves me. “Oh... sorry. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” I hear the amusement in his voice.

There’s a soft knock at the door, and Sawyer sticks his head in. “Sofe, you doin’ okay?”

“I am.” I glance at Lucas, standing at a small cabinet pouring amber-colored liquid into a glass. “I heard I was plowed into.” I bend over to pick up a boot, but Sawyer beats me to it, handing me one and then the other as I pull them on.

“Yeah, Cal feels real bad. He was up in the ropes and didn’t even know you were below,” Sawyer explains.

I stand, rake my hair off my forehead, and pull it back. I comb my fingers through it, trying to form some semblance of order.

When I look up, I meet Lucas’ hooded gaze. He steps close and holds his glass out to me. “Have a sip. It will help.” When I hand the glass back, he purposely places his lips where mine were. His eyes sparkle. “Sawyer, if you wouldn’t mind telling the others we’ll be out in a moment?” Lucas watches me. “Sofie, if you feel you’re able to stay for the meeting, we’ll keep it short.”

I glance at Sawyer. I know he wants to stay. “Okay,” I say.

“Good. I’ll show you where you can freshen up.” Lucas has a bathroom fit for a high-end spa, not that I’ve ever been to a spa, much less a high-end one. I’ve only seen them on television on one of those home channels. Down the hall from the bathroom is a sauna and, beyond that, a beautifully etched glass door leading outside. Lucas shows me where to find washcloths. He even hands me a new toothbrush. I use the hairbrush he provides, wondering if it’s his, and come out of the bathroom feeling almost new.

“Ready?” He looks at me appreciatively.

At his bedroom door, I stop and look back over my shoulder at him. “Um... thank you... for everything.”

“It was my pleasure,” he responds. “I’m just glad you weren’t seriously hurt.” He’s close behind me, and his warm breath flows over my ear, down my neck, making me shiver. He inhales deeply. “So sweet.”

I hurry from the room with his soft laughter behind me.

The meeting
is
informative and interesting. Taylor and Max are in charge as Lucas leans against the kitchen counter. Every time I glance at him, he’s watching me. It’s… unnerving. I try to ignore him, but my gaze keeps returning.

I tune out and glance around the room. The man who
plowed
into me, Cal Thomas, is a large guy, explaining why my body feels as if a truck hit me. He notices m
e looking at him and smiles sheepishly, ducking his head as if embarrassed. When I first came into the kitchen, the rest of the men teased him hard with comments such as, “Cal certainly knows how to sweep a girl off her feet.”
They further embarrassed him—and me—by stating, “If you can’t get a girl to notice you, drop in on her, like Cal.” The joking continued until Lucas ended their tomfoolery.

Cal apologized profusely, and I think he was more embarrassed than I was. I told him it was an accident, more my fault than his. I
had
been told to wait. He smiled in a shy way, and I think he felt somewhat better.

Sawyer nudges me as if to say, “Pay attention.” I turn my attention back to Taylor.

“It’s supposed to snow again,” Taylor remarks. “That’ll slow them down and give us a little leeway, maybe give us some time for training, but we’ve got to move fast.” I frown, not sure what he means.

As if he’s reading my mind again, Lucas says, “They don’t hunt or travel in the snow. Their footprints can be easily tracked.” I make eye contact with him. That makes sense.

The meeting ends with plans to meet again Sunday at the community building. I say a quick good-bye, grab my coat, and head out the door. Andy and I take the walkway from the back of the house to the front. He’s as besotted with Emma Rae as she is with him. I’m glad because he seems like a sweet guy. He voices his concern that there aren’t many local places to take a date.

“Why don’t you ask her to go with you to a party a cousin of mine is throwing Saturday night? You’ve met him: Eli Jones. He’s engaged to Dawn Hayes, the girl I had the shower for,” I tell him.

“You’re sure?”

“I am. I promise it’ll be fun, and Emma Rae will love it.” I know she’ll love bringing tall, handsome Andy to a local
party. She’ll get to show up Teresa Ryder. Teresa frequently makes disparaging remarks about Emma Rae being an Amazon, unable to find a date her height. As we turn the corner, in the middle of the path sits the wolf. I stop, surprised.

“It’s okay,” Andy assures me. “That’s Lucas’ wolf.”

What?

“Wolf,” Lucas calls. I flinch. He’s right behind us, unbeknownst to me. “Come meet the lady.”

“We’ve already met.”
Oops!
How will I explain that? I’m not ready to ’fess up after the way I lied to him about
not
being in the woods.

Lucas gives me a level look. “It was my understanding you only
saw
Wolf at the McNish place?”

“You knew it was your wolf?” I ask, hoping I can throw him off.

“You have other wolves running in this area?” He inclines his head mockingly. “Actually, he’s not my wolf. He just lives with me,” he clarifies. “Stop stalling, Sofie,” he commands in a quiet voice, his eyes gleaming silver.
Geez, he can look stern.

“I... also saw him one night when I was leaving Nick’s.” I chew my bottom lip.

Lucas glances from me to Wolf, and his eyes narrow as he looks toward the area of the woods I was in the night I was his intruder. He exhales sharply, shaking his head. “You’re lucky something
didn’t get you that night.”

A cold chill moves over me at his words. What
something
is out there? I glance toward the woods.

Sawyer hurries up to us, bumping against my shoulder. “We’ve gotta go. I have a hot date.”

I squat down, giving Wolf a good-bye pat. “That’s the only kind of date you know,” I chide.

“It’s the best kind, right, Lucas?”

“I’ve always believed so.” Lucas’ voice is low, sexy. I glance up, catching him watching me. His eyes gleam from the walkway lights, and his expression makes my whole body tingle.

I tell Andy good-bye, and after giving Lucas a quick nod, Sawyer and I take our leave. As Sawyer drives me home, I notice the clear night is especially dark.

“Where’s Jake tonight?” I ask him.

“Lucas sent him and Nick on an errand.”

“What kind of errand?”

“I’m not sure,” he answers. “Sofe, I think it would be a good idea not to tell Jake about the little accident you had tonight.”

“Oh... I know that. What happened? I mean when...”

“Did you know one of Lucas’ men is a doctor?”

“No.”

Sawyer says, “Yeah, Lucas was pretty shaken when Cal came swinging across on that rope, knocking you about six feet. He yelled for Lewis, who checked you out before he let Lucas move you.”

“Why’d you let them take me to Lucas’ bedroom?”

“I told Lucas you’d be pissed when you came around if they made a fuss.” Sawyer knows me well. I would have died of embarrassment if I woke up with everyone looking at me. “So, Lucas picked you up and—”

“
He what!
”

Sawyer glances at me. “He picked you up and carried you to the house.”

“
Oh my gosh!
” I slump down in the seat. I thought it was bad waking up lying on his bed, but to think he held me in his arms… I get a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach as I fan my face.

“Sofie!” Sawyer laughs as he turns into my driveway. Since Jake isn’t home and we don’t know if he’s coming home, Sawyer comes in with me while I check the downstairs and back door.

Right after Sawyer leaves, Diane calls. “You want to do lunch tomorrow?” she asks.

“Sure, pick me up at Murphy’s. I only have to work a couple of hours.”

“I called earlier. Where were you?” After making her promise not to tell Jake, I relay the night’s events. “You are so lucky. You could have been seriously hurt, Sofe.”

“It’s not as if I did it on purpose.”

“Did you enjoy him carrying you? Yum,” she giggles.

“Uh... I was unconscious.” I shake my head at the phone.

“Ooooh—I bet he took liberties with you.”

“Diane!”

“What? You don’t think he copped a feel?”

“No! You’re starting to sound like Emma Rae!” I tell her, exasperated.

“Oh, come on, Sofie. With your boobs, any red-blooded man would be tempted.”

“Ewww!”

“What do you mean?” Diane asks with disbelief. “He’s gorgeous and the way he looks at you all the time.”

“Yeah.”

“What?” she asks.

“He... kind of scares me.”

“What?” Diane’s voice hits a high note.

“There’s just something about him...”

“Yeah! He’s drop-dead gorgeous.”

“I... just don’t like him.”

“Uh-huh,” she says as if she believes just the opposite, b
ut she does drop the subject. “I’ve got to go. I need to get into the shower.”

“Hey, did you talk to Jake earlier?” I ask.

“Only a quick call. He told me he was taking care of some business, and he’d see me tomorrow.”

“Okay—go take your shower.”

I feel sad after talking to Diane. I can’t remember a day I haven’t spoken with Jake. I need to set things right with him. I don’t want this rift between us. I lie on my bed. Why hasn’t Jake tried talking to me? This is not like him. I don’t think I care for the influence Nick has over Jake. Thinking about how Nick acted at the meeting last night, and at other times—
not to mention he’s a cheating son of a bitch
—makes me realize I don’t like Nick much at all. Maybe that’s why I don’t mourn the end of our relationship.

At that moment, I hear a thump upstairs. I keep perfectly still, and then I hear sounds outside my bedroom window. I vault off the bed and turn off the light. I pull the shotgun out of my closet and grab the phone on my way to the hall. I turn off the other lights through the house as I dial Sawyer’s number. No answer.
Crap!
I punch in Jake’s and get the same response.
Double crap!

I move from one room to the next, looking out the windows. From above, the
re’s another thump.
Well, screw this!
I won’t just sit here and wait for—whatever—to come down the stairs. I reach into the hall closet where Jake keeps some 00 buckshot. It can bring down a deer, so maybe it’ll work on—

The phone rings, startling me, and I give a little screech. I answer and Jake is yelling my name. “Jake,” I whisper, “where are you?”

“I’m a couple of hours away. What’s going on there?” He’s still practically yelling.

“Something’s on the roof, and I hear noises out back, but I can’t see anything,” I whisper frantically. “Sawyer’s not answering his phone.” I know he can hear the fear in my voice.

“Nick’s on the phone with Lucas right now. He’ll be there; you hold on!”

Relief washes over me, desperately glad that someone is coming. A floorboard creaks above me and I look up at the ceiling. “You’d better tell him—to hurry.”

I move to the front door, ready to leave if something starts down the stairs. I would have left already if I weren’t worried about what was outside. Within seconds of speaking to Jake, I hear a series of thumps and thuds on the roof. Then I hear a quick knock on the front door and Lucas calls to me. I yank the door open with more relief than I can explain.

“Upstairs!”

Max flies up the stairs at an incredible speed as Lucas takes the shotgun and leans it against the wall. “
Are you okay?” he asks, searching my face, his full of concern.

“I am now.” I sound calmer than I feel.

“What happened?” He radiates power, and even in my distress, I’m conscious of my attraction to him. “I was in my bedroom when I heard something on the roof.”

Lucas raises my chin with his fingers, causing my breath to catch. “But you’re okay?” His beautiful eyes search mine. His lips hold a ghost of a smile.

I lick my dry lips, suddenly unable to find my voice.

Max comes back down the stairs. “Nothing up there now. Looks as if it ran off when we got here.” A look passes between him and Lucas. “A window was open, and I smelled them in the room.”

“Them?” I ask.

They exchange another look. “More than one was in the house,” Max clarifies. There’s a knock on the door, and Lucas reaches over and opens the door to Taylor.

“Three Kihn. Andy and Jefferson gave chase,” he informs us.

“Three!” I exhale sharply.

“You’d better sit down.” Lucas leads me to the couch. “Taylor, call Jake. Let him know she’s okay.”

My mind runs rampant at the possibility of what could have happened if Lucas hadn’t arrived in time. “How did Jake know to—oh.” I realize Nick’s
ability
has come to my rescue again. I push the hair off my forehead, combing it back with my fingers. I look up at Lucas. “You got here incredibly fast. Thank you.”

He’s watching me intently. He suddenly squats in front of me, and takes my hands. I look down at our hands. Mine are small in his large, warm ones.

“Sofie…” Lucas hesitates. His lips quirk in a half smile and he glances down. My stomach tightens as he runs his thumb over my knuckles. It’s as if he has a direct line to my lower extremities. “Do you know of any reason—why the Kihn are so interested in you?”

I stare into his silver-green eyes. I’m so afraid he’ll find out my secret. I notice the subtle change in his expression when he sees my panic.

“Let me help you, Sofie.” His voice is deep and gentle, urging me. He squeezes my hands. “Trust me.”

For a moment, I want to. “No.” I shake my head. “Why would they be interested in me?” I’m sure I don’t want him to answer that.

“How were you able to give a detailed description the other night when you only saw the Kihn for seconds?” His eyes delve into mine. Their intensity is unsettling. I feel as if he sees the depths of my soul, and I’m unable to look away. I’m aware I put him and Max on alert the night the Kihn paid a visit to my house. He suspects I’m not telling everything. Maybe
that’s
why I’ve been so leery of him.