CHAPTER FIVE
NADINE WRAPPED HERSELF around Shohn. A delicious sort of ecstasy still pulsed throughout her body, amplified by the way he slowly rocked into her.
It overwhelmed her, how right it felt to have Shohn covering her, his strong thighs pressing hers wider, his big hands covering her breasts even as he kissed her and strained over her. She felt stretched full by his size, and squirmed a little to adjust as he sank into her completely.
Groaning, he went still. “God, you feel good.”
She couldn’t help but tighten around him.
He groaned again. “I’m not going to last.”
Honestly, she didn’t think she would, either. “That’s okay.”
Bracing up on straightened arms, he drew three deep breaths while looking at her, cursed low and began thrusting, each time harder and faster than the one before.
The consuming way he watched her, the heat in his eyes and the flush on his high cheekbones all conspired against her. A spark turned into a flame, and soon a tidal wave of sensation washed over her again.
Shohn dropped down to her, his face tucked into her neck. She heard his reverberating growl, the way his body shuddered as he pressed hard into her one final time.
“Wow.”
She felt his smile on her shoulder. “Me, too.”
“That was…”
“I know.”
She hugged him tighter. He kissed her shoulder, her neck. They were both still panting, their heartbeats aligned, when they heard the scratching on the door.
Shohn moaned.
Nadine wanted to moan, too, but she couldn’t find the breath or energy to manage it.
Untangling his hand from her hair, Shohn stroked her shoulder, down her side to her rump. “Should I let him in?”
The way he watched her with so much tenderness made her tongue-tied. She drew one more necessary breath, and nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
Neither of them moved.
Louie was not amused. Nadine heard a funny noise and turned her head. One white paw was extended under the door, claws up as he felt around.
Nadine snickered.
Shoving up to his elbows, Shohn smiled at her. “Are you laughing at poor Louie?”
“Ha.” She pushed at him. “He’s going to destroy my doors.”
Shohn eyed that groping paw, and agreed. “Yeah, sorry. I guess I better get him.”
When he stood, Nadine scooted up in the bed to look at him. Mmm, mmm, mmm. She should have brought her camera to bed with her. Not that she really needed a photograph; if she lived to be a hundred, the image of Shohn Hudson naked in her bedroom would be forever emblazoned on her brain.
Shohn glanced back at her, but his gaze caught on the repellent. He frowned. “You didn’t want me to…I mean…”
“No.” She found the sheet and pulled it over her. “That was just in case he interrupted at the wrong time. Since we’re done—”
“Done? Speak for yourself, woman.” Before she could figure out what that meant, Shohn opened the door and walked out to the bathroom. Louie chased after him.
When he returned a minute later, it was sans condom. He stopped by the side of the bed, Louie following like a shadow, and stepped into his boxers.
Nadine wondered what to do. Should she get up and get her panties? They were way over there, on the other side of the bed by Shohn. But it seemed very inhospitable to stay in bed as he dressed to leave.
Grinning, Shohn slid in beside her.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting comfortable.” He rested on his side, his arm folded under the side of his face.
Louie jumped up into the bed, searched around and, after a level look of disdain at Nadine, curled up around Shohn’s head.
Going still, Shohn lost his smile. “What the hell, Louie?”
Nadine watched the cat paw Shohn’s hair, yawn and snuggle in. He looked like a cat hat, and she had to snicker again. “I think he’s going to sleep.”
Shohn closed his eyes. “Damn.”
Hoping Shohn wouldn’t object to the delay, she suggested, “Let him sleep for a little while before you go.”
“Go?”
Pride, she reminded herself. Shohn would leave, so better that she arranged things on her own terms instead of waiting for him to make the first move.
She tried out a bright smile. “That was…well…as I said, Wow with a capital W.”
His eyes narrowed. “You think so, huh?”
Oh, no. Her stomach dipped with apprehension. “You were disappointed?”
“What? No.” He started to raise his head, then remembered Louie and went still again. “Damn it, don’t put words in my mouth.”
Still unsure, Nadine asked, “So you were…satisfied?”
“Very.”
Her pulse slowed again. “Good.” Though, honestly, he didn’t look very happy about it. There were storm clouds in his eyes and his jaw jutted with challenge. Unfamiliar with the protocol, Nadine hoped to brazen her way through. “I’m glad we could get that out of our systems.”
“Out of my system? No way, lady.”
“No?” So he wanted her still? Again? “You don’t mean tonight, do you?”
Through his teeth, he asked, “Are you kicking me out?”
Not how she would have put it, but… “I assumed you’d leave, yes.”
“I have a cat on my head!”
There was that. Louie opened one eye, blinked at her then snuggled a little tighter and went back to sleep. His tail curled around Shohn’s face, over one eye and under his nose.
Grousing, Shohn gently rearranged the bent tail so that it was up on his forehead instead. Then he scowled at her some more.
Huh. If Nadine didn’t know better, she might think Shohn had feelings for her, that maybe he wanted more with her than just casual sex. But she did know better. She had the evidence of a lifetime and his reputation for serial hookups to help her keep her head and her heart grounded in reality.
Most likely, Shohn was used to women begging him to stay, but damned if she would.
“Nadine,” he said in warning.
One thing was certain. “You can’t very well be here when everyone shows up tomorrow.”
“Everyone being who?” He scoffed. “Roxi and Fred?”
“And the people who will be picking up and dropping off their pets.” Her pride demanded that she keep things private. She could bear the idea of being a fling, but that didn’t mean she wanted the rest of the world to know about it. Or at least, the world of Buckhorn County. It was the type of community that spread gossip fast, and rumor even faster. “Besides, if you ever expect Louie to get acclimated, he needs to be in your home, not mine.”
Shohn didn’t look happy about it, but he said, “I guess.” Reaching over his head, he stroked the cat and the loud gravelly purring started. “Can you continue to watch him for me when I work?”
“Sure.”
That lifted his frown. Instead of petting Louie, he started petting her, her shoulder, down to her waist then her hip. He dragged the sheet along with him as he went and pretty soon she was exposed again.
She had always considered herself too plump, but the way Shohn looked at her made her feel perfect.
With his big hand on her belly, he asked, “You don’t want people to know we’re seeing each other?”
It wasn’t as if they were dating, so… “I’m a private person, Shohn. You know that.”
For a minute, he said nothing, just took his time exploring her body. When his gaze finally lifted to hers, it was sharp with resolve. “Come over to my place tomorrow after work.”
Oh, so tempting. Did he ask because he, too, felt the special connection? Nadine couldn’t keep her heart from filling with hope. Her stubborn pride, however, warned her to proceed with caution. “I don’t know…”
“I’ll convince you,” Shohn murmured. He left the bed amid Louie’s protests, going out of the room to retrieve the shirt and catnip. He set up a bed for the cat on the floor, and even managed to coax Louie to it.
Then he coaxed Nadine out to the hall, and up against the wall.
It was another two hours before he and Louie left—with the promise that she’d spend the night with him tomorrow.
* * *
NADINE’S AGREEMENT TO spend the night with Shohn set the tone for the next two weeks. The hours, even the days, passed in a blur of swelling contentment. She stayed over with him and Louie, and left for work in the morning. At her job, they kept things platonic.
But alone in his apartment, Shohn dedicated himself to showing her new ways of making love.
And it was making love, at least for her. With Shohn, well, he was incredibly wonderful to her. But didn’t everyone say that about him?
“A chip off the old block,” she’d heard many times, referring back to his father, Dr. Sawyer Hudson, who was much loved and respected by everyone in Buckhorn. “Just like his uncle Gabe,” many noted, meaning Shohn was a charming seducer, though the Gabe she knew was a dedicated family man who watched over his three beautiful daughters with unwavering determination.
“He does the family proud” was the favored compliment, and Nadine had to agree. Shohn was the real deal, a gentleman through and through, considerate and caring, protective and sexy to boot.
So maybe he treated her just the same as he treated everyone: kindly and with lots of attention.
Oh, how that man doled out the attention, especially in bed.
The evening sun sent crimson and purple across the horizon. Nadine loved sunsets, more so now that it meant she’d soon be seeing Shohn.
She was so sunk. Hopelessly, as Amber had claimed.
Sighing, Nadine finished scooping the backyard after the dogs had run and played. It was one of her least favorite jobs, of course, which was why she did it herself instead of pawning it off on Roxi or Fred. She owned the place, so the dirtiest jobs were hers to deal with.
Louie came to walk with her. Though he still doted on Shohn, he no longer freaked out when he couldn’t reach him. He now had the run of Animal House, too. Both she and Shohn trusted Louie to stay close and out of trouble.
At Shohn’s apartment, the cat preferred his bed in front of the patio doors because that’s where the sun usually poured in. He no longer felt the desperate need to spend every moment with Shohn.
But Nadine did.
She missed him horribly when they were apart, and rarely did an entire minute pass without her thinking of him. He was just such a heartbreaker…
“Hey, Nadine.”
Looking up from her bag of doggy doo, Nadine shaded her eyes and found Amber’s brother, Garrett Hudson, striding toward her. Talk about a heartbreaker. But unlike Shohn, Garrett didn’t even seem to realize it.
Tall, strong and with the fitness required to be a fireman, Garrett was another fine example of Buckhorn’s leading family. He wore casual attire of a sleeveless blue shirt, well-worn jeans and scruffy lace-up work boots. He had black hair like his cousin Shohn, but though he sported mirrored sunglasses now, she knew his eyes were the same piercing blue as his father’s.
His smile should have been one of welcome, but seemed more like an invitation to every woman who saw it.
Nadine straightened. “Hey, Garrett.” Maybe because he was only one year older than her and they’d more or less grown up together, she could be more objective in his company than other females. The fact that she’d been in love with Shohn forever might factor in, too. “What’s up?”
He pushed the sunglasses up to the top of his head. Sinfully long dark lashes framed those bright blue eyes, and offered even more impact for the weak of heart. “Is that Shohn’s cat?” He nodded at Louie.
Louie sat down next to Nadine’s foot and leveled his yellow-eyed stare at Garrett.
“Yes, isn’t he beautiful?”
“Not really, no.” Crouching down, Garrett offered a hand to the cat. “But he has a lot of character.”
“Character?”
“Sure.” Now that Louie seemed more receptive, Garrett tickled under his chin. “He’s like an antique. You can see the life he’s led through his imperfections.” He looked up at her. “Perfection is overrated.”
Being that he was so physically perfect, maybe he knew something she didn’t. “Okay.”
“You ever look at an older building and compare it to something new?”
“Not really.”
“The older homes,” Garrett mused, “even if they’re a little beat-up, always have more character.”
Nadine didn’t know what to say about that, so she went back to talking about Louie. “He’s a wonderful cat, and very smart.”
Garrett scooped him up and stood with Louie held to his chest. The cat rumbled his delight and leaned his head back on Garrett’s tanned shoulder.
That cat had more luck with hunks…
“Shohn wanted me to stop by to tell you he’ll be late.”
“Oh?” Had Shohn told his cousin that they were seeing each other? Sexually involved? Burning up the sheets on a nightly basis?
They weren’t dating, so that wouldn’t qualify as a description for their relationship. So far they’d both opted to spend their time alone together instead of in crowds.
She assumed Amber knew, though Nadine hadn’t seen her lately. But she doubted Shohn had shared with any of his other relatives.
“Shohn asked me to pick up Louie for him. He said he wrote Amber as an alternate, but she’s still at the bookstore doing inventory or something, and she didn’t answer. I was already out this way checking on a fire hazard at the local strip mall.”
Why didn’t Shohn want her to keep the cat? “Where is he?”
Garrett gave a very male-inspired look of amusement. “At the moment, not sure, but last I saw him he was saving some maidens in distress.”
Nadine tucked in her chin. “What does that mean exactly?”
“A camper and her girlfriends got stranded in the park when they lost a pack up in the hills. It had the car keys, wallets, cell phones, whatever women carry.”
“And Shohn was helping them?” Since that was his job, no reason for her to be jealous. Except for the way Garrett grinned about it…
“Shohn was doing what he does best—making ladies happy.”
Nadine ground her teeth together. “How?”
“He promised the sexiest one that they’d find the stuff.”
Worse and worse. “The sexiest one?” Weren’t campers supposed to be roughing it, like without makeup and toiletries and such? How sexy could they be?
“They were all pretty hot, but the tall blonde was something to see.”
“You saw her?”
“Yeah. I had a missed call from Shohn, so I stopped by the rangers’ station on my way home. Usually when he calls it means someone needs a lecture on campfires, but not this time. They were all there—three ladies and Shohn—and the blonde was all over him, anxious to…” Garrett lifted a brow, saying with emphasis, “Show her gratitude.”
A fist clenched around Nadine’s heart. She had to force herself to stand there, to keep her expression impassive when inside, she died a little. “Where are you taking Louie?”
“Amber’s going to keep him overnight.”
Overnight. Meaning Shohn would be otherwise occupied until morning? She swallowed her misery and lifted her chin. “I’ll need to call Shohn. I have to have his permission before I can hand over the cat.”
Garrett frowned. “Shohn said you’re a stickler about that stuff.”
And that was all he’d told Garrett, not that they’d been involved in…what? It had been hard enough to define their relationship when Shohn was still interested, but now? She had no idea what to call it except “too brief.”
“Yes.” Nadine did not want to call Shohn. “I’m a stickler.”
“You’re serious?” Teasing, Garrett leaned down to see her set face. “I mean, you know me, right? You know Shohn and I are cousins.”
“I heard the same thing from Shohn when he came to get Amber’s dog.” She stepped around Garrett, hauling the bag of doggy dung in her right hand. “Why can’t you people just write down the whole flipping family when you fill out the paperwork?”
Garrett drew himself up. “You people?”
Nadine kept walking. She needed to wrap this up and she needed Garrett to leave so she could suffer in her wretchedness alone. Damn you, Shohn Hudson. On the way in, she dropped the bag in the trash can.
Trying to convince her, Garrett said, “I save cats from burning buildings. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, sure.” Garrett had made front-page news the time he managed to find a cat in a burning apartment building. He was labeled a hero, and now, a year later, the term stuck.
Carrying Louie, Garrett followed her into the office. “You won’t be able to reach Shohn.”
“Why not?” She went behind the front desk and sat on the stool. “Will he be busy?”
“Yeah, he is.” Garrett eyed her with uncertainty. “He was heading back up in the hills with those ladies when I left. No cell reception.”
Great, they’d be alone in the dark woods together. He could play hero for them and probably gain more appreciation. Drumming her fingertips on the desktop, Nadine snarled, “There has to be a way to reach him.”
“For an emergency, sure.” Garrett tipped his head. “Nadine, this is not an emergency.”
Not unless a broken heart qualified.
No. She would not be a victim. So it was over? So what? She’d had a great time, and now she had some wonderful memories. Shohn would never know that he’d hurt her, because she refused to be hurt.
Decision made, she squared off with Garrett. “Tell you what. I’ll keep the cat tonight and take him to Amber in the morning.”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Garrett considered things. “I guess that’d work, if you really don’t mind being put out.”
“It’s no problem at all.” And this way, she could avoid calling Shohn.
“The thing is,” Garrett said, “Amber was going to spend the night with our folks. Think you can take Louie out to the lake?”
“Sure.” More than anything, she wanted Garrett gone so she could give up the brave front. “That’s only another fifteen minutes away, since she lives close.”
“Can you be there around ten?”
She didn’t have any new pets due to arrive, so why not? “Ten. I’ll be there.”
“Then I guess it’ll be fine.” Garrett looked at Louie. “That all right with you, boy?”
Louie closed his eyes and purred louder.
Traitor, Nadine thought. “Here, I’ll take him now. You probably want to get home to…do whatever you do after work.”
“Shower, eat and, if luck is with me, I might rustle up some female company for the night.” He winked.
Well, that was rather blatant. “You don’t need luck and you know it.” Hoping Garrett would follow Nadine took Louie from him and started for the door.
“Don’t let the family rep fool you. I know the guys all like to tell it otherwise, but we have to work at it like anyone else.”
“Yeah, right.” She pulled open the door and waited. “I suppose you have a bridge you’d like to sell me next?”
“Someone’s got you snookered.” Amused, he tweaked a hank of her hair on his way out. “See you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” She didn’t plan to see anyone except Amber as she handed over the cat. Oh, God, the cat. It struck Nadine then. She looked at Louie and hugged him tighter.
She was going to miss him so much.
“Yeah, I’ll be at the lake, too. Uncle Jordan’s coming over to do a routine check on all the animals. That’s why Louie needs to be there then.” He chucked her under her chin. “Thanks for helping out, Nadine. I’m sure Shohn appreciates it.”
Numb, Nadine stood there staring as Garrett took his sexy self out to his truck, got in and drove away from the lot. Wherever Jordan went, Georgia followed. And if Jordan would be there as a vet checking on the animals, then more than half the blasted family would probably show up since many of them had pets of their own.
Louie rubbed his face against her chin and purred some more.
She readjusted the old cat, hugging him like a baby. “Oh, Louie, what have I gotten into?”
He didn’t have any answers, but he did fall asleep on her shoulder.
And Nadine, the sap, held him like that for more than an hour. After tomorrow, who knew when she’d ever get to see him again?
* * *
SHOHN WAS SURPRISED by the arrangements Garrett had made, but he wouldn’t complain about getting to see Nadine. She’d been pretty strict about keeping their relationship private, so he was both pleased and surprised that she’d agreed to bring the cat to him.
After spending too many hours scouring the park, backtracking everywhere the ladies had been while also fending off their collective advances, he’d known it was too late to call her. He’d have called her first thing this morning, but he’d slept through his alarm and since he knew he’d see her, anyway, he figured he’d just talk with her in person.
When she pulled up a little before 10:00 a.m., pleasure started a slow pulse beat inside him, spreading out until he was grinning for no damn reason at all. She made him happy without even trying. Hopefully soon he’d be able to show her off instead of keeping to her rules of privacy.
Anticipating talking to her, touching her, he walked across the crowded yard to where she’d parked her car. Much of his family was around. And why not? It was a gorgeous Saturday with plenty of sunshine. A perfect day for family to gather on the lake.
Amber got to Nadine before he could. Talking ninety miles a minute, she took Louie’s carrier and led Nadine to the house.
She didn’t want anyone to know they were involved, so he couldn’t very well move in on her without rousing suspicion. Instead, he took up a spot on the porch and looked around at his family.
Jordan was out in the yard with a few dogs. One was a rescue that Gabe had taken in. The dog was still shy, but getting used to the chaos of all the other animals.
Lisa stood under the shade of a tree, talking on her cell phone. Business no doubt. She worked too much, but seemed to enjoy it.
Adam tossed a football with Casey’s son Bronx, but when Kady showed up with a shapely friend, he paused to investigate and the ball hit in him the head. Bronx thought that was hilarious—and so did Shohn.
He watched Adam pretend to stagger until Bronx tackled him. Kady rolled her eyes, but her friend looked plenty impressed, especially when Adam threw Bronx over his shoulder in a fireman-carry and started in her direction.
Before Nadine, Shohn might have joined Adam in being interested. The girl cousins often brought their friends around, and usually the single guys made them feel most welcome.
But now all Shohn cared about was seeing Nadine. Where the hell was she? Whistling, he waited some more, but when Nadine didn’t come back out, he gave up and went in to look for her.
Amber was in the kitchen with Morgan and Misty. He didn’t see Nadine or Louie. Hedging a little, he asked, “Where’s my cat?”
Her head in the fridge, Amber waved a hand. “He went off with Rookie in the other room. He’s fine.”
“Thanks.” So where is my woman? No, he couldn’t say that. Nadine didn’t want anyone to know she was his. Shohn leaned against a counter. “So, uh…did Nadine leave?”
Cola in hand, Amber closed the fridge. “She’s around somewhere.”
Never one to miss much, Morgan lifted a brow. “Garrett took her out back.”
Shohn slowly straightened. “Why?”
Eyeing him, Morgan said, “He wanted to show her a shelter he built for our dogs. He thinks she could use something similar at the Animal House.”
Jealousy punched Shohn in the gut. What the hell was Garrett thinking?
Probably the very same stuff he thought when he looked at Nadine, and that burned his ass big-time.
And why not? His damned cousin thought Nadine was fair game. Which meant it was past time for Shohn to set the record straight to one and all.
“Whoa.” Morgan caught him before he could stomp off. He glanced at Misty, and then at Gabe’s youngest, Briana. Using his shoulder, he nudged Shohn into the dining room. “So.”
Anxious to be on his way, Shohn asked, “What?”
Morgan grinned. “Nadine is the one, huh?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“The one you were mooning over a few weeks back?”
“What? No.” He didn’t moon. How dumb was that? “I just need to…”
“What? Kick Garrett’s ass? I don’t think so.”
Impotent frustration bunched Shohn’s shoulders. “I wasn’t going to hit him exactly.”
He just wanted to make things clear to Garrett, that’s all.
Morgan shook his head in pity. “You are so transparent. I grew up in a household full of men, and I was sheriff for years. Believe me, I learned to recognize intent. You,” he said, pointing at Shohn, “have got it bad.”
It, what? He rubbed his neck and admitted, “Maybe.”
“Does she know?”
Nadine knew he wanted her, because he’d shown her a dozen different ways and then some. She knew he liked her company because he’d only left her side for work. And she knew he trusted her. Hell, he’d given her half the responsibility for his cat.
But did she know it was even more than that? Shohn shook his head.
“Is that a denial or confusion?”
“Both?”
Morgan grinned. “Ah, they grow up so fast.”
Gabe came up behind them. “Who grew up?”
“Your mini-me.” Morgan slapped Shohn on the back and almost knocked him over.
“I’m twenty-five, damn it. Long grown.”
Both Gabe and Morgan laughed.
Jordan strolled up. “What are we laughing about?”
“Shohn’s in love.”
Shohn threw up his hands. “Did I say that?”
Gabe elbowed Jordan. “I don’t see him denying it, do you?”
They were all nuts.
Jordan asked, “Who is she?”
“Nadine Moest,” Morgan informed them. “That cute girl that runs the Animal House.”
“I know her,” Jordan said. “She’s terrific with the animals.”
Gabe gave Shohn a skeptical look. “If she’s with Shohn, then how come I saw her going to the gazebo with Garrett?”
“Damn it.” Shohn shoved away from his insane uncles and their unique brand of humor. They called after him, offering absurd advice, encouragement and a lot of guffaws.
As he went into the kitchen, intent on getting through the back door, Amber tried to snag him. “Hold up, Shohn.”
“Can’t.”
Her hands on her hips, Amber insisted, “But this is important.”
“I’ll catch you later,” he promised, and kept going.
Briana was outside. “Hey, Shohn. Will you open this stupid water bottle for me? The cap is stuck.”
More like Briana was too tiny and cute to manage it, but whatever. He slowed only long enough to twist the cap and hand it back.
“Thanks,” she said to his back.
His mom and a few other female relatives hung around an enormous grill as his dad cooked. Aunt Misty tried to ask him how many hamburgers he wanted, but he pretended not to see her.
Breathing deeply of air scented by the lake, hot breezes and suntan lotion, he tried to get it together. Birds sang from tree branches overhead. Along the shoreline, a gaggle of geese honked.
Usually the lake had such a calming effect on him. But not today.
A few yards from the shore, he saw the new gazebo that Garrett and Gabe had built. Nadine stood there, her head tipped back as she listened to Garrett go on about something.
Her silky brown hair was in a thick braid down her back. She wore a peach-colored T-shirt that looked like her own skin except for the words across her magnificent breasts that read All My Kids Have Paws. She held her sandals in one hand, her toes curled in the sun-warmed grass and her jean shorts showed off those awesomely shapely legs.
His heart felt so full, took up so much space, that it made everything else feel uncomfortable—most especially his temper.
With thunderclouds gathering inside him, Shohn stomped toward them.
They were involved in deep conversation and didn’t hear his approach. Garrett said, “Why don’t you stay and eat with us?”
Possessiveness swelled in equal measure to his heart.
Nadine shook her head. “Thank you, but I can’t. I need to get going.”
Without first speaking to him? No way. Shohn stepped up to them, his eyes narrowed, his attitude mean. He growled with menace. “You haven’t even said hi yet.”
Garrett eyed him then did a double-take. He almost split his face with his big grin. “Hey, Shohn. Where’ve you been?”
Before Shohn could answer, Nadine said “Hi” with a distinct lack of emotion, and moved to step around him.
She was leaving.
He caught her arm and pulled her back around. “Hold up.”
She didn’t quite look at him. “I need to get back to Animal House.”
Teeth locking, he kept hold of her arm. “Two minutes.” He glared at Garrett.
That knucklehead held up his hands and backed up two paces. “Hey, I’m not arguing with you. Have at it.” He even held open the door to the gazebo. “For some privacy?”
Shit. Shohn looked up and saw half the damn family peering down the hill at him. Amber stood in front, smiling in smug satisfaction.
“Yeah, okay.” Grudgingly he told Garrett, “Thanks.”
Nadine dug in her heels. “Don’t I get a say in this?”
“No.” He leaned close. “You have a bug up your butt about something—”
Nadine gasped theatrically.
“—and I have no idea why. But I’m smoldering with…well…” He glared at Garrett then snarled, “With stuff better discussed in private, damn it!”
Rigid, her mouth turned down in mulish displeasure, she flipped her braid over her shoulder and stomped into the gazebo.
Garrett whistled, gave Shohn a bow and walked away.
One breath didn’t help, so he tried a second that still had no effect. Refusing to look back at his family, Shohn opened the gazebo door and stepped in.
It was dim inside, the air thick and humid. Proving there’d been some swimming or skiing earlier, wet trunks hung from a few pegs, with one tiny bikini in the mix. Probably Amber’s. Gabe went apoplectic if his daughters wore anything—in front of him—other than a one-piece. Morgan had tried to enforce that rule with Amber, but she’d only laughed at him.
“You could take inventory of wet suits without me.”
Shohn turned to find Nadine behind him, her arms crossed under her breasts, her glittering eyes bright in the shadows.
Damn it, he’d missed her last night. So much. And here she was, all put out because he wanted to talk to her. “What were you doing with Garrett?”
“Mostly trying to get away, but he can be persistent.”
Shohn ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Want me to talk to him?”
She laughed without humor. “No, thank you.”
“What is wrong with you?” He stepped closer. “Okay, so you didn’t want anyone to know we’re seeing each other. I get that. But you’re here.”
“Only to drop off…Louie.”
Had her voice just broken? Shohn bent to try to see her face, but she turned away. “Nadine?”
She shook her head.
Reaching for her shoulders, he asked gently, “What’s wrong?”
As if the whole world could see them, she jumped away from his hold. “Don’t.”
Okay, now that pissed him off. “Don’t what? Touch you? No one can see us.” But knowing his family, they had a pretty good idea of what was happening. Or at least, what Shohn wanted to happen.
“I’m going to miss Louie.” She sniffed, balled her little hands into fists and started to rush from the gazebo.
Shohn blocked her. “What the hell, Nadine? You’ll see him again.”
“Oh, no, no I will not.” She turned on him, her upset morphing into fury. “That deal is done.”
“What deal?”
“Me babysitting so you can…can…”
His brows snapped down and his voice rose. “Can what?” What the hell was she accusing him of?
“Last night,” she said with a curled lip. “You were at the park with three women.”
“Yeah, till damn near midnight. So?”
Gasping, she said with incredulity, “And you expect to just waltz back in here?”
“Here, in the gazebo?”
“No!” She turned then turned again to come full circle. “Here, with me.”
“Well, first off, I didn’t waltz, damn it. I walked like I always walk—” But maybe with a little more of a stomp. “And yeah, I didn’t expect you to be the jealous type.”
She huffed. “I’m leaving.”
“No.”
“No?”
Damn, everyone on the lake had probably heard that one word. “Not until you explain what’s going on.”
“You want the nitty-gritty? You want me to spell it out?”
Since he was totally lost… “Yeah.”
“Fine! You can’t two-time me.”
That sounded so absurd, Shohn gave a slow grin. “You’re kidding, right?”
Now she did storm away. Or at least she tried. Stunned, Shohn pulled her right back around again. “You’re not kidding.”
Shoving up to her tiptoes, she said into his face, “You. Were with. Another. Woman!”
“Not with her, just helping her out.” Shohn took a step closer still and replied with just as much ferocity. “Jesus, Nadine, I haven’t wanted another woman since that first time we kissed, I’ve spent every available minute with you, and I sure as hell wouldn’t abandon my cat at your place for a casual hookup!”
To his surprise, Nadine thought about it then gave a demure shrug. “Yeah, I sort of knew that. You’ve been so kind to Louie.”
His eyes flared. “Out of everything I just said that’s what you heard?” He gripped her shoulders, keeping her close. “Forget the cat. I told you that I don’t want any other woman. Just you.”
“Seriously?”
He threw up his hands.
“But you carry a spare set of clothes and an overnight kit—”
“In case I get stuck in the woods. Not because I sleep with every woman I meet.”
She raised a brow in disbelief.
“Now that’s just annoying. I don’t lie, damn it. And for your information, I don’t invite women back to my apartment, either.”
“You invited me.”
“Because you’re different.”
She frowned at him for shouting. “But Garrett said…”
“What? That the lady was flirting with me? She was.”
Nadine crossed her arms. “So why didn’t you set her straight?”
“I tried, but Garrett was there and you’re the one who doesn’t want anyone else to know we’re a couple.”
In a very small voice, she said, “We’re a couple?”
In his mind they were. “I’m damn straight not going to share you, so if that’s what you’re thinking, forget it.”
She licked her bottom lip and, gazing up at him, touched a hand to his chest. “Fine. I’m not sharing, either, then.”
“Fine. Didn’t ask you to. And I’ll repeat it again—I don’t want anyone else!”
Amber stuck her head in, her grin victorious. “You two have rather carrying voices.”
Garrett crowded in behind her, almost knocking her over. “And seriously, Nadine, he wasn’t flirting back. In fact, I wondered why he wasn’t since the lady looked so…” His gaze swept over to his sister and then back to Nadine. “Appealing.”
“You were going to say something obnoxious like “‘doable,’ weren’t you?” Amber shouldered him aside. “I’m not ten, Garrett, I can hear the big-boy talk.”
Making a face, Garrett grumbled, “Well, I don’t want to use it around you, okay?” Louie poked his head in between them then strolled in as if he owned the place. He wound around Shohn’s legs before doing the same to Nadine.
Dismissing her brother, Amber turned back to Shohn and Nadine and announced without apology, “I sort of manipulated you here.”
“And I did my part to keep you here,” Garrett said. “So Shohn, get that blood out of your eyes. No reason to come after me because I wasn’t going after her.” He nodded at Nadine. “Amber clued me in before she got here this morning.”
“See,” Amber said. “Am I your favorite cousin or what?”
After confessing their conspiracy, Amber and Garrett waited as if expecting accolades. Shohn stared at them both, almost heaving with restraint. “Get out.”
Amber saluted him as she turned to leave the gazebo. Garrett winked.
When they were alone again, Nadine found a seat and dropped into it. She didn’t look at him, choosing instead to pet Louie.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know what they were doing.”
God, she was beautiful. And sweet. And sexy.
Shohn took a seat beside her. “Everyone knows I have a buttinsky family.”
“You have a lovely family—when they aren’t meddling.”
He grinned, remembering the first time she’d said that. “If you don’t mind, I’d really like to tell them.” The cat meowed, and Shohn picked him up. “And Louie, too. He’s part of the deal.”
“Tell them…what?”
He brushed a finger over her jaw, bent and kissed her lightly. “That I love you.”
When Nadine sat there, glassy-eyed and looking somewhat shocked, he said, “Well? What do you say? Can I let my family—or for that matter, all of Buckhorn, even—know that you’re mine?” And just to convince her, he added, “It’ll be safer for Garrett that way.”
“Garrett could never be any real competition for you.”
Shohn couldn’t wait to tell his cousin that. “If you think so, then you must love me, too?”
She launched off her seat to land in his lap, laughing a little, crying some, too. “Yes, I love you, Shohn. So much! I’ve loved you since we were kids.”
Louie complained at being squished between them. He wiggled free with a protesting “Meowrrrr” and crawled up and over Shohn’s shoulder, where he draped himself in lazy splendor.
“I’ve lusted after you since I was a kid.” Shohn tipped up her chin. “I might’ve been slow then, not realizing that it was everything about you that drew me, not just your awesome bod. But now as a man, you can count on me loving you for the rest of my life.”
Nadine hugged him tight. “I guess good things come to those who wait.” And under her breath, she muttered, “Take that, pride.”
Shohn started to ask her what she meant, but then she kissed him, and he forgot about it. Life was good in Buckhorn County.
Given the excited way his family chatted in the yard, they agreed.
* * * * *