Cassidy's Courtship - Cassidy's Courtship Part 23
Library

Cassidy's Courtship Part 23

"What?"

"Your not choosing to be a rancher."

"Nope. We passed that hurdle years ago, thank God."

"You're lucky," Brenna said, thinking of all the times she and her father had disagreed.

"Sure am," he responded, pressing another kiss against her temple. "You know, when I was little, I wanted to be just like him. And every time I'd say so, he'd say, 'Well, what about being an astronaut or doctor or whatever.'"

Brenna gave him a sly look. "You two had no imagination. When I was five I wanted to be one of those guys who guide planes into the gates at the airport. I think I must have thought that was ultimate power, to be so small and yet make something as large as a plane go where you wanted it to go, simply by waving a light."

"I wanted to be a policeman when I was five," Cole responded. "My idea of power was going down the road as fast as I wanted with a siren blaring."

The ringing of a bell in the distance startled the heron into flight with a rush of powerful wings.

Cole stood, pulling Brenna with him, a wide smile on his face. "Mom and Dad are back."

Chapter 16.

Cole's parents, introduced to Brenna simply as Norah and Jack, were as charming as his grandmother. Brenna liked them immediately, and she was drawn into the preparation of the evening meal as though she had been a family member of long standing. There were no what-do-you-do and where-did-you-grow-up questions, which made Brenna wonder what Cole had told them about her, if anything.

Rather than being sent to the living room like a guest, her participation was assumed, and she liked it that way. Finding plates and silverware, she set the table. The overflow of conversation between Grandmom and Norah included her, mostly centering on the mundane tasks of meal preparation, but silliness, too, when Cole popped in and out of the kitchen with a boyish attitude Brenna found endearing.

Brenna envied Cole his family. With no difficulty, she could count the number of times her mother had hugged her-that kind of touch had rarely happened within her family. Norah's obvious enjoyment in having her son home manifested itself in the casual touches she gave him. They seemed to be her way of reassuring herself that Cole was in her kitchen.

Jack took pleasure in Cole's achievements without any comparison to his brother or sister and without any apparent judgment over his recent decision to leave a large law firm and strike out on his own. If there had been strong disagreements between father and son, there was no evidence of it now.

After dinner they sat on the porch and watched the moon rise over the bluff. Grandmom sat with a red-and-white enamel colander in her lap and a paper sack full of freshly picked green beans, which she snapped into pieces as they talked. Cole's mother crocheted granny squares for an afghan for her daughter.

Cole and Jack wandered toward the barn to check on minor repairs for a harvester. Brenna watched them talk, and knew the relationship evident between parent and son was the kind she'd like to have with her own children one day. One without the upper hand the Colonel always seemed to hold.

She picked a handful of beans out of the sack, pulled the string off the seam like she had been shown when she was a small girl, and snapped them.

"I haven't done this in years," she confessed. "I guess it's something you never forget. I saw the garden through the kitchen window this afternoon. It was about the only place Cole didn't show me."

Grandmom chuckled. "Cole steers away from there. He might get invited to do a little weeding."

Brenna smiled back. "Never my favorite either, but to be able to eat peas or a carrot fresh out of the garden..." Her voice trailed away as she remembered the times she had spent in her grandmother's garden.

"If you're implying you'll help with weeding," Norah said with a laugh, "you'd better watch yourself. Mom'll take you up on the offer."

"I like peas eaten in the garden," Brenna said, meetingGrandmom's eyes. "Hulled directly from the vine."

"You can have as many as you want," she said.

"Then it sounds like we have a deal."

She and Grandmom finished snapping all the beans before Cole and his father ambled out of the barn. Silhouetted against the evening sky, Brenna saw a resemblance she hadn't noticed before.

Brenna sighed, letting her gaze stray to the sky where the first stars were beginning to light the sky. The old childhood refrain of "I wish I may, I wish I might, on this first star I see tonight" played through her head. She remembered the night she and Cole had talked about sitting on the porch and enjoying an old-fashioned evening with family. Tonight was just as they had spoken, and it was perfect. Crisp evening air, the hum of crickets and the occasional deeper croak of a frog. If she had a wish this very moment it would be for more nights like this one-shared with Cole and with his family.

Her conscience pricked her, reminding her of promises she had made and not kept, of the convenient lies of omission. Some people were lucky enough to skate through life without seeming to pay for their sins. Hers always caught up with her. No matter how much she hoped she could learn to read before confessing her illiteracy to Cole, deep in her heart she knew she wouldn't get away with it.

Wishing on a star wouldn't save her, and it certainly wouldn't guarantee she'd have more nights like this one. No matter how much she wanted it.

From the barn, Cole watched Brenna, pleased that he had brought her here, even more pleased that she fit in with his family so well.

Brenna was more relaxed than Cole had ever seen her. He had expected she'd be nervous and shy and around his family, but if anything, she was less reserved around them than she was around him.

The image in front of him blurred into another one that he saw just as clearly: Brenna sitting on the porch swing with his mother, her body ripe with his child. Brenna, her arms outstretched, encouraging a little girl with chubby toddler legs to walk toward her, her eyes alight with the laughter he had just heard.

"That seems like a real fine girl," Jack said, breaking Cole's reverie.

"Yeah," Cole agreed.

"First girl you brought back here since that Susan person."

"Yeah." A month ago Cole probably would have still bristled at his ex-fiancee being referred to as "that Susan person." That he no longer even cared what his family had thought of her told him how far he had come. Susan had accused him of being a farm boy at heart. He guessed she was right.

"Mean something special?"

Cole hadn't tried to keep his feelings for Brenna a secret, bat he hadn't realized he was quite so transparent, either. Not until he had caught his grandmother's knowing wink during dinner. "I'm hoping."

Jack laughed. "Skittish, is she?"

"Big time."

Jack cupped his hand around the back of Cole's neck. "It may take a bit more work than just hoping."

It was Cole's turn to laugh. "Yeah. But when the lady is skittish, you just have to take it slow."

"And sometimes you just have to get her used to being close. Don't be going too slow, son. Your mother is counting on some more grandchildren." He let go of Cole. "But don't you be tellin' her I said so."

Cole laughed and followed his dad through the gate in front of the house and up the walk to the porch. Taking in the pile of stems next to Brenna's feet, he said, "It's good to see you're earning your keep."

Brenna flashed him a smile. "I'm working on getting into your grandmother's good graces so I'm on her pie list."

Cole sat down next to Brenna and leaned across her knees. He looked up at Grandmom, giving her a beseeching smile. "You wouldn't give her my piece of pie-the one you saved for me? Would you?"

"Depends. She's offered to weed the garden."

"Weed?" Cole placed his palm on Brenna's forehead. "I think she spent too much time in the sun this afternoon. Nobody would agree to weed when they could go fishing."

Norah stood up. "I think we've all heard that one before. Brenna, you're all set with your room, aren't you?" When Brenna nodded, she added, "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No. Thanks. Everything has been wonderful."

"Well, I'm going to call it a day. 'Night."

A chorus of "good-nights" followed her through the door. "Me, too," Jack said. He paused at the porch step and took one of Brenna's hands in both of his. "I'm real happy to have you in our home."

Brenna met his eyes, which were as warm as his work-hardened hands. She almost thought she heard the wordfamily instead ofhome . "Thank you."

Grandmom stood and followed him into the house. She paused just inside the screen door. "There are two pieces of pie."

"I knew it." Cole pulled Brenna to her feet. He smacked his lips. "Grandmom'spie at bedtime. Almost the best thing in the world."

At the age of ten, he had been sure nothing would surpass apple pie at bedtime. Now that he was thirty something, he could think of a number of things. At the top of the list was having Brenna James pressed close to him with nothing but heat separating them.

His body responded to his sensual promise to himself, and with effort he channeled his thoughts back to the companionable conversation between Brenna and Grandmom.

They dished up the pie and two large glasses of milk. Grandmom sat down with them. The conversation gradually turned to matters dealing with the ranch, and Brenna excused herself. Cole squeezed her hand as she left the kitchen, but continued to give Grandmom his attention. Worry was in her voice, and though Brenna would have preferred his company, she didn't begrudge his choosing to spend the time with his grandmother.

After she showered, she sat for a long time in the dark, looking out the window, listening to the companionable sound of crickets chirping, watching the moon and bright stars. She finally lay down and drifted off to sleep, more content and at peace with herself than she remembered being in a long time. She woke to the sound of something pattering against the screen.

A clandestine sound, full of invitation. She got out of bed and looked out. Cole stood in the yard, his silhouette looking unnaturally large in the moonlight. She smiled and waved at him.

He put his fingers to his lips, and motioned for her to join him. She nodded, and quickly dressed.

A few robins called, and the sky was black except for a strip of gray at the horizon. When she stepped outside a few minutes later, the scent of dew permeated the air.

"Good morning," Cole whispered, drawing her into his arms and giving her a thorough kiss. "Ready to go see my pond at sunrise?"

"Yes."

"I don't just want to watch the sun come up," he said. The need in his eyes made it impossible to misunderstand what he meant, especially after he added, "I intend to make love with you."

"I know," she said, heat flowing suddenly through her.

"Ah, Brenna," he said, giving her another kiss. "If you only knew how long I've waited for this."

He picked up a folded plaid blanket from the picnic table near the back door and led her out of the yard.

The path to the pond was illuminated by the setting moon. The water was mirror-smooth, reflecting the pale predawn sky. Near the fallen log where she and Cole had sat on the previous afternoon, he spread out the blanket. Sitting down, he took off his sneakers, and Brenna followed suit. They stretched out, and by unspoken mutual consent didn't touch each other. Cole rested his chin on folded hands. The lonely call of an owl echoed across the pond.

As the sky became lighter, Brenna's senses heightened. Coupled with her anticipation was her awareness of the pond and its inhabitants. The secret sounds of night became her own, and its peace became hers as well. With the soft flutter of huge wings, the blue heron settled on the shallow end of the pond, silhouetted against the pale gray-gold sky.

In the distance a rooster crowed, and Brenna's attention shifted from the pond to the horizon. It wasn't going to be a spectacular sunrise, because not a single cloud filled the sky-just the promise of another hot sunny day.

"Herons are the most magnificent birds," Cole whispered.

The big bird gracefully waded into the pond.

"I wonder where his mate is?" Brenna asked.

"She's probably sitting on a nest somewhere."

Cole brushed a kiss at her forehead, then trailed his lips down the side of her face. "I'm glad I'm here with you." He kissed her lightly and drew back just far enough to look in her eyes. They were smoky. He waited, as if he knew she wanted to kiss him just as much as he wanted her to.

He brushed his hand down her hair. "Do you know this is where I'd planned to seduce you?"

"Did you?" Her voice was no more than a whisper.

His fingers slid to her nape. "That's why I brought you here, fair lady. To the ranch. To the pond. So you could see who I was."

"A farm boy?"

After a second's hesitation, he nodded. "I used to hate thinking so."

"And now?"

His mouth hovered closer. "And now ... I want to make love to you the way I've been dreaming since the first time I saw you."

"At the bar?" Her lips touched his cheek.

"At my office. The day you came to give your deposition." He drew back just enough to sear her face with a warm, intimate glance. "The mostunlawyerly thoughts I've ever had."

"If anyone had ever told me then I'd been here with you now. Like this. And liking it-"

"You like it?" His lips trailed from her chin up the line of her jaw to the soft shell of her ear.

"I ... love it."

She lifted her face the scant inch to touch his lips with her own, her excitement growing. Alone. They were alone at last. Fulfilling a fantasy she hadn't known he'd had. Just the two of them and a golden sunrise.

She held perfectly still and closed her eyes, content for this instant to feel the soft caress of his lips touching hers. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she turned slightly and brought herself more closely within his embrace. He sighed, and she parted her lips, wanting the sweet invasion of his mouth.

Cole rolled on his back, pulling Brenna astride with her legs on either side of him. He pulled her head down, giving her the deep kiss she wanted as he pulled her soft cotton knit shirt out of the waistband of her jeans and slid his palms up her back. He already knew she was braless, but the confirmation under his hard palm spanning her back sent heat surging through his veins and pooling hotly at his groin.

"Ah, Brenna," he murmured pressing kisses over her cheeks, her jaw, her eyes, before returning to her mouth. "We've finally made it, haven't we?"

She brought her palms on either side of his face and lifted her own far enough away to meet his eyes. "I want you," she whispered. "I'm beginning to think I've wanted you forever."

Her confession made loving her an urgent thing that could wait no longer. He lifted his head to capture her mouth in a long kiss. He skimmed his hands down her back, then up her sides, lingering at the swell of her breasts. They curved fully from her sides, skin silkier yet than any he had touched. The urge to look at her became even stronger than his desire to touch her, and he pulled her arms through her shirtsleeves, breaking the kiss only long enough to pull the shirt over her head.

He kissed her again, cherishing her mouth the way he imagined cherishing her body. He pulled back far enough to look at her, and his breath caught. Full. Round. Lovely. Ivory skin and tightly puckered, deep rose nipples.

"Oh, Brenna," he whispered, his eyes meeting hers.

Bathed within his silent approval, Brenna shivered, not from the almost cool morning air, but from the invisible tightening of her body. When his warm hands cupped her, she shivered again. "I've dreamed so long of being alone with you just like this."