Chapter 14.

Lauren watched Hedy drive away, feeling relieved and worried at the same time. As far as she knew now, her aunt had no dread disease, but she was wasting away a little at a time. She looked up at Big John. He'd come back from a lightning-blast to his core and regrown new limbs with vibrant green leaves. He was a good symbol of what needed to be accomplished with Hedy, healing and growing stronger every single day. Like Big John, her aunt was a survivor.

Lauren felt inspired, not simply by the resilience of nature, but by the possibilities of life. She glanced toward the lights of Wildcat Bluff. If there was anywhere in the world with outstretched hands to help her, she'd find them in the people of her hometown. She felt a sudden sense of peace, as well as energy, flow through her.

When she heard a squeak from the screen door to the kitchen, she glanced up. Kent stood silhouetted in the open doorway, a strong, dark shape against the cozy light of indoors. Her feeling of peace merged with a surge of heat that radiated outward from her molten core to completely engulf her. Had she never stopped wanting him?

"Lauren?" He spoke softly, as if not wanting to disturb the tranquility of the night.

Yet she was so attuned to his presence that she heard his voice as if he spoke right next to her ear. Only now did she realize how she'd missed his deep, seductive Texas drawl that reminded her of the famous outlaw country singers such as Waylon and Willie.

She figured Kent couldn't see her since she stood in the shadow of the porch. For a moment she didn't respond so she could simply observe him from afar. Everything about him seemed bigger than life, or maybe he'd always represented life at its biggest to her. In any case, his sheer presence set her heart to beating faster, and she felt that old zing of heightened awareness.

He stepped outside, letting the screen door shut behind him.

She couldn't help but notice once more how he'd muscled up over the years, taking on a man's body where she'd known a boy's thinner frame. She wanted to feel his heat and strength surrounding her, binding her, and exciting her as only he could do. Still, she'd made a promise to herself that she wouldn't trust a man's glib words again. And she must put her daughter's welfare first. She still felt surprised that Hannah's response to Kent had been so unexpectedly strong and positive. She was glad to see her daughter reach out to others, so she'd be careful to nurture Hannah's feelings of empowerment and yet protect her emotions at the same time.

Kent walked quietly down the redbrick stairs on the opposite side of the wheelchair ramp. "Lauren?"

"I'm over here."

He stopped beside her. "I cleaned up stuff except the Frankoma. I'm not sure, but I don't think that pottery ought to go in the dishwasher."

"You're right."

"Good. I've got it soaking in the sink."

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Everything."

"That's pretty broad in scope." He clasped her hand and traced her palm with his rough thumb.

She felt his touch like wildfire straight to her heart. She swallowed hard to tamp down her growing feelings. "I talked with Hedy-"

"What did she say?"

Lauren hesitated as she glanced up at the light glowing in the top-floor window where she knew Ruby was reading to Hannah. "Let's discuss this matter somewhere more private."

He followed her gaze upward and then nodded in understanding. "Let's finish up in the kitchen. After that we can go out by the spring to talk. There's n.o.body to overhear us out there."

"Do you have time?"

He squeezed her hand. "Where you're concerned, I've got all the time in the world."

She pressed his fingers in return, then reluctantly headed for the kitchen. When she reached the screen door, he leaned in close and opened it for her. She felt the heat of his body and caught his scent, but she resisted the urge to lean back against him. She had to stay focused on what was important in her life, not succ.u.mb to unnecessary feelings.

She resolutely stepped into the kitchen and noticed that he'd already cleaned everything off the table except the Frankoma orange cornucopia filled with brightly wrapped candy that Ruby kept in the center of the table. She walked over to the sink while he shut and locked the door behind them.

"You wash while I dry?" He picked up a big dish towel and moved to the left of the sink where there was plenty of room on the wide breakfast bar.

"Suits me."

"I just don't trust my big hands with slippery pottery."

"If there's breakage, you want me to be the one in trouble with Ruby, don't you?" She chuckled as she lightly teased him.

"You caught me." He joined her laughter.

"Okay. I can take the heat."

"I don't doubt that for a minute."

She glanced up at him, saw the double meaning in his intent gaze, and then quickly sunk her hands into the warm dishwater. She was glad to know she wasn't the only one feeling the heat between them, but she wasn't following up on his direction. Instead, she started washing Ruby's beautiful pottery.

As she shared the task with Kent, she realized this familiar household ch.o.r.e had never before been so pleasant. She washed, rinsed, set aside several plates, and glanced up at him as he picked up one and dried it. When their gazes caught, he smiled, and she felt as if she'd stepped inside a dream world where a perfect little family moment held sway. But she knew better. Jeffrey had never had time for family, and he'd particularly disdained family ch.o.r.es. She quickly went back to washing dishes. She was well past that togetherness fantasy like the Musketeers with their "all for one and one for all," no matter how enticing Kent looked drying dishes.

"I'm anxious to know about Hedy." Kent stacked a dry dish onto the growing pile of Frankoma. "Anything you can share now?"

Lauren stopped and bowed her head over the sink for a moment, feeling determination rise to envelop her. "She's going to be okay. I'll make sure of it."

"We'll make sure of it. Whether you believe it or not yet, you're not alone. Not anymore."

She watched in stunned silence as he reached into the soapy water and clasped her hand, melding their fingers together, as if making a firm commitment.

"Hear me?" He gripped her hand, then withdrew and dried his fingers on his dish towel. "Believe me?"

She slowly raised her head and glanced over at him. She saw nothing but sincerity in his hazel eyes gone dark.

"Hedy belongs to all of us," he continued in his deep voice. "We won't let you go this alone. And if you need help with Hannah, I'll do my best, though I can't promise I'm at the top of my game with kids."

She smiled, feeling his words go straight to her heart. "I do need your help. I hate to ask, but-"

"Don't go any farther with that thought. All you have to do is ask and everybody in Wildcat Bluff will roll over backwards to a.s.sist you."

"And you?"

He threw down the dish towel, then pulled her wet hands out of the water and placed them around his neck. "I was a fool not to come after you. Connecticut or Houston or anyplace shouldn't have mattered one bit."

He put his arms around her waist and tugged her close to his hot body.

"We were too young."

"h.e.l.l if we were."

And when she opened her mouth to say more, she forgot all her words in the heat of the moment as his mouth descended on her lips. Pa.s.sion shimmered between them as he teased her with small nips and quick kisses until she felt like a rosebud blooming under his touch. When he deepened their kiss, she twined her hands around his neck, not caring about the water that cascaded down his back as she pulled him closer so she could stroke across his broad, muscular shoulders. When she felt his large hands caress her back until he reached her hips and pulled her against his hot hardness, she moaned deep in her throat.

How had she lived without his touch? She was aching and burning and needing him with all of her being. She pushed her fingers deep into his thick hair, cradling his head as their kiss turned molten with unquenched desire. He raised her T-shirt and stroked hot fingers across the bare flesh of her back, and she wanted more of what only he could give her.

As she forgot all time and place, a loud sound came from the top floor, as if something had been dropped on the floor. Reality came flooding back, and she quickly raised her head and pushed at his chest.

"Hannah. Ruby. What are we doing?" she asked in alarm. "They could be down here any moment."

Kent quickly stepped back. "Not thinking straight. To h.e.l.l with the dishes. Let's go down to the spring."

She looked at his beloved face with whisker shadow darkening his jawline and desire darkening his eyes. And she knew she didn't want to be anywhere except in his arms. And yet she had responsibilities. If a problem had occurred upstairs, Ruby would have come down to get her. She'd probably just dropped a book or hairbrush or something.

Kent held up his hands, as if in surrender. "Do you still want to go to the spring?"

"Two more plates." She felt anxious now to be out of the house. "I'll let them air dry. Why don't you grab the pitcher of tea? I'll bring two gla.s.ses."

"Do you really think we're going to drink tea?"

"I need to talk with you."

He nodded before he turned away and opened the refrigerator.

She quickly finished washing the dishes and set them in the drainer to dry. She grabbed two clean gla.s.ses that he'd dried earlier and she was ready to go.

"Okay, we talk. And drink." He held up the pitcher. "But I get a reward."

"What kind of reward?"

He grinned, looking hungry as he revealed his dimples. "You'll do just fine."

Chapter 15.

Lauren could only chuckle at Kent's words. He sounded so much like a Texas male, perfectly comfortable with teasing and flattering and flirting with a touch of humor that made it all go down easy. Not that he wasn't serious. He was telling her right up front that the choice was hers to make because he was obviously more than ready to take it to the next step.

"Come on." He motioned toward the stairs with the pitcher of tea. "I want to hear what you've got to say."

"And then?"

He gave her a little half-smile while his eyes turned dark. "We'll see if I've earned my reward."

She grinned, shaking her head at his determination but liking it at the same time, even if he was making her question her own resolve.

She quickly walked down the steps, across the living room, and out into the garden room with him right behind her. At the sliding gla.s.s door in back, she hesitated, knowing she was getting set to make major changes in her life and wondering if she was doing the right thing.

Kent put a large hand on her shoulder, squeezed lightly, and reached around her to slide open the door.

At his touch, she felt ignited with renewed purpose. She didn't have to do anything alone, not here in Wildcat Bluff.

She stepped out into the early spring night that was just on the edge of too cool but still warm enough not to need a jacket. She took a deep breath as she walked along the redbrick path, enjoying the scent of pine and dry gra.s.s. Just the smell alone propelled her back in time to those heady days of her youth. And with Kent right behind her, she was reminded of the power of friends, family, and love.

She walked past Big Bertha, noticing how one wall of the redbrick, enclosed gazebo with a slate-gray roof and green trim had been built around the ancient oak to accommodate the wide trunk. She crunched across a few dried oak leaves left from the fall. Small solar lights illuminated the path as she headed toward the spring out back.

Jake had really outdone himself when he'd set to work on the natural spring. He'd designed and built another gazebo, only this one was open-air with redbrick Roman arches that enclosed a large area with a terra-cotta tile floor and a see-through, aqua-tint roof. Spring water bubbled up from a round, beaten-copper basin to cascade downward into an adjacent big, blue pool.

She silently thanked Jake for creating this little piece of heaven on Earth and Ruby for faithfully maintaining it. As far as Lauren could tell, nothing had much changed in the time she'd been gone. Black wrought-iron outdoor furniture sported plush aqua cushions for comfort. An open fire pit nestled between two luxurious lounge chairs. The black barrel smoker was big enough to handle food for a large group. She remembered enjoying parties out here, smelling hamburgers and hot dogs sizzling on the grill and listening to the splashes and laughter of friends and family.

She stepped under the gazebo's roof, walked to the edge of the pool, and glanced upward. White fairy lights twinkled across the ceiling, adding a mystical touch to the evening. A gentle breeze carried the scent of pine from the rows of green trees not far away. An owl hooted, an eerie sound followed by the whoosh of wings as the bird flew deeper into the pine forest.

A round table surrounded by four chairs with aqua-and-white-striped cushions looked inviting, but so did the water. She hesitated between the two before she set the Frankoma gla.s.ses on the table.

A moment later, Kent carefully set the matching tea pitcher beside the gla.s.ses. "Do you want a drink?"

"I'm torn between sitting by the pool and sitting by the table."

"How can you resist the pool?"

"Yeah. After all this time, it's pretty irresistible."

"You could roll up your jeans and put your feet in the warm water. I'd even bring you a gla.s.s of tea."

"That sounds good. Thanks." She didn't have a swimsuit, but at least she could put her feet in the warm water. She kicked off her flip-flops, rolled up her jeans to her knees, then sat down on the edge of the pool. She glanced around at Kent with a contented smile on her lips.

He filled two gla.s.ses, then handed one to her. He pulled a chair over beside her, sat down, and took a long drink of his tea.

"Join me?"

"Another time I'll get in the pool with you like the old days, but I need to go home soon, so not tonight."

"I'll take a rain check." She smiled, feeling content to just sit and enjoy the ambiance of Twin Oaks.

"Now that we're comfy, what's on your mind?"

She sipped sweet-tart tea and then kicked out with her right foot, splashing water up and out so she could watch the fan of liquid sparkle in the soft light. Felt wonderful. Still, she was procrastinating and knew it. As much as she wanted to trust Kent, did she dare bare her soul? No, she didn't think she could, not anymore. After Jeffrey, she'd been protecting herself for a long time.

"I'm happy to help any way I can, even if you only need a sounding board." Kent paused as he drank tea. "I'd like to hear about Hedy."