Desiring the Enemy (6 page)

     “I was just as guilty about what happened as you were. And to tell you the truth, I didn’t regret that it happened.”

     The woman was unbelievable.

     “What about your
boyfriend
, doesn’t he matter?” he sneered.

     She was about to tell him that John would never be a part of her life again when Gretchen walked out to the porch.

     “Wade, Cory asked me to tell you that he needs you at the stables.”

     “Thanks Gretchen.” He put his cowboy hat on and stormed away from the house.

     “What’s his problem?” Gretchen asked, puzzled by his behavior.

     “I don’t know.”

      It was obvious that he was angry at her, but why?

     A week had gone by and Jenna had seen little of Wade. He spent most of the days working, and when he came in the house it was to shower and go to bed.

     This day he happened to come into the house midday and found Marla and Jenna chatting in the living room. Marla had decided to stay an extra few days and she and Jenna had been spending a lot of time together.

     “Hi stranger, I’ve hardly seen you since I got here.”

     “I’ve been busy,” Wade said, feeling guilty that by avoiding Jenna he had also ignored Marla.

     “Well, you need a break. Remember, all work and no play makes Wade a dull boy.”

     “I don’t need a break, I’m happy just the way things are,” he said, shooting Jenna a barely perceptible glance.

     Marla could feel the sexual tension between them. It was obvious that he was staying away to avoid contact with her. Why was he so stubborn? If she didn’t act quickly Uncle Stanley and Aunt Rose’s plan to get them together would come to naught.    

     “Hey Jenna, has Wade shown you the town. It really is a very quaint little place, you’ll love it.”

     “I’m sure Wade is too busy to show me around,” Jenna said. The way he obviously felt about her she was sure the last thing he wanted was to escort her around town.

     “Well get un-busy Wade. Jenna has nothing to do all day. I’m sure you can take a little time out of your busy schedule.”

     Marla didn’t know what had really brought Jenna to the ranch, and if he refused he would appear to be an ungentlemanly host, he did not want her to think less of him. Wade knew that his sister would continue on this path and decided to quiet her.

     “If Jenna wants me to show her around I’ll be happy to.” He was sure Jenna would say no.

     Jenna thought about it. She was so bored just hanging around the house all day. Although his company would probably be on the unpleasant side she decided that she would allow him to show her the sights. If she was truthful to herself she would have to admit that she also wanted to spend time alone with him. As disagreeable as he was she couldn’t deny the attraction she felt and she decided to be a little reckless and accept the invitation. 

     “I’d love it,” she said, surprising Wade.

     He took a moment to think about it and said “Okay then, if that’s what you want. Maybe we can do something tomorrow.”

     “Whenever you’re free is fine with me.”

     Marla smiled to herself. Maybe this was the push he needed to pursue something with Jenna. She so wished he would find a nice girl and settle down.

***

     The next day Jenna figured Wade would go back on his invitation. She went into the living room and put on a movie she loved. It was about star crossed lovers and it always made her cry, but the happy ending made up for the shed tears. She sat down with a box of tissues next to her on the end table and made herself comfortable. She was in the middle of the movie when Wade came into the house looking for her.

     “Would you like to go downtown? They have some nice shops, if you like that kind of stuff.”

    “Sure, it sounds like fun,” she said as she wiped away the tears.

     “Okay, be ready by two,” he said nothing else as he left the house again.

     Jenna was getting excited. Aside from the dance she had been cooped up in the house for too long, it would be nice to take a pleasant stroll as she window shopped. Wade might be a gruff individual but there was something about him she found alluring, and spending the afternoon with him wasn’t unappealing to her.

     Just then Marla walked in.

     “Your brother just offered to take me downtown this afternoon. Do you want to come with us?” Jenna asked.

     “Thanks sweetie, but I really just want to hang out today. You go have fun though.” Marla’s excitement bubbled within her. After Susan she had often worried that he would be alone for the rest of his life, turning into a grumpy old man living behind shuttered windows. He was such a good man, a man with so much love to give. He needed a special someone to share his life with, and maybe Jenna was the someone he needed.

     “Are you sure? I know Wade won’t mind.” When Marla had first suggested this outing Jenna had been happy to think of spending time alone with him, but now she was getting nervous. With Marla as a buffer she felt they would have a much better, less stressful day.

     “I’m sure. At what time are you heading out?” Marla was having none of it. Wade and Jenna were going to spend time alone whether they liked it or not as far as she was concerned.

     “Around two.”

     “Well you better get ready, it’s getting late.”

     “I guess you’re right. See you later.”

     Jenna went to her room and found some comfortable clothes. A t-shirt, jeans and sneakers and she was ready to go. Wade found her waiting for him in the living room.

     “Let me go change. I won’t take long,” he said as he went upstairs.

***

     When he’d walked into the living room that morning he’d been surprised to find her crying. He saw that she was watching a movie and figured that was the cause of her tears, but he had to fight the urge to take her in his arms and comfort her. It went against his nature but he steeled himself against the need to go to her as he tried to ignore her tearstained face.

     The sweet, tender woman he saw before him contradicted sharply with the woman he knew her to be, yet he was finding it harder each day to fight his attraction to her. When he saw her waiting for him this afternoon he had to force his eyes away. Even in casual clothes her beauty shone through. Her red hair cascaded down her back and her green eyes hinted at the fiery woman beneath the surface. He remembered her naked body and how she felt in his arms, her tall, curvaceous form beckoning him. He could still taste her, feel the roundness of her breasts, and had to give himself a mental shake to chase the thought away. She was his uncle’s mistress, nothing but a whore in his mind. The only reason he was doing this was because he promised Marla and he had never broken a promise to her. He dressed quickly and went downstairs.

     Jenna looked up as he trotted down the stairs and felt a shiver course through her body. He was so handsome. His bronzed skin and black hair contrasted beautifully against his bright blue eyes. She couldn’t help her eyes wandering down his body and remembered watching as his muscles rippled from the strain of hard labor.  His shirt accentuated his broad chest and powerful arms and his jeans showcased the best buns she had ever seen on a man. When he put his cowboy hat on and looked at her she thought she would swoon like the southern belles of yore.

     “Are you ready to go?”

     “Yes… yes,” she stammered. What was wrong with her? Although she had seen her share of handsome men he was the only one who affected her this way and she had to wonder what made him so different from the others, but she couldn’t figure it out.

     She picked up her purse and they headed out. She noticed that he didn’t help her onto the pickup. Not very gentlemanly but she wasn’t surprised, he hadn’t been gentlemanly toward her at all since she had arrived.

     He drove in silence as she took in the view. It was beautiful land, so dissimilar to the city streets she was accustomed to. Every now and then Wade would surreptitiously glance her way. The wind was playing havoc with her curls, giving her a wild look that made him wonder how she’d look beneath him as he made love to her. He had caught a glimpse of that wild woman, and now he spent his nights wondering what it would have been like if Marla hadn’t come home that night. She looked sweet but was probably a lioness in bed, she had to be to make his uncle stray the way he had. The thought angered him but he decided to just put up with her this afternoon. This past week he had been able to avoid her, he would just have to continue to do so as much as possible. Marla would be leaving soon and he would be able to give up any pretense that this was just a simple houseguest.

***

     They got to the center of town and he led her to the main street. She noticed the antique and specialty shops, they were all so quaint. They went into a couple of shops, and although he was still aloof she sensed that he was becoming less tense around her. She even saw him smile a couple of times when she pointed out the odd bric-a-brac on display.

     After walking around a bit they stopped at a small café. As they waited for their order he tentatively began talking to her.

     “So, what brought you to town? When Uncle Stanley proposed that you come he started to tell me about your relationship troubles but the call got cut off before he could finish.”

     Jenna figured she might as well tell him, she was sure Stanley and Rose would fill him in eventually.

     “Well, the relationship ended at just about the same time that I was told I had to leave the house I was renting. Stanley figured that I could come down here until I could sort things out.”

     Wade was surprised to hear that. He assumed that she and Uncle Stanley were still seeing each other and learning that they were no longer together was welcome news indeed. He felt a sense of relief wash over him.

     “I guess that was for the best,” he said. Knowing that things had ended with his uncle made things much more palatable.

     Jenna nodded as she took a sip of the coffee the server had placed in front of her. She decided to change the subject and led him into much more benign territory.

     “Have you lived here all your life,” she asked, truly interested in his answer.

     “Yes I have. My father inherited the ranch and would still be working it if he hadn’t died so young.” Although his death had occurred when Wade was a young boy the memory was still painful.

     “I’m sorry to hear that.” Jenna didn’t know what else to say.

     “Yeah, it sucks to lose a parent. My mother took over and did okay, but as soon as I came of age she handed the reins to me. She was done with it and I was more than willing to take over. Then about ten years ago she passed away and Marla and I inherited the land. When Marla turned twenty-one she asked me to buy her out and I did. So in answer to your question, yes, I’ve lived here all my life.” Wade smiled as he realized that the simple question had elicited this drawn out explanation.

     When he smiled he looked like a mischievous little boy and Jenna had to resist the temptation to brush the hair away from his twinkling eyes.    

     “What about your parents?” he asked as the server laid down their plates.

     Jenna remembered that she had told him she had no family when she first arrived at the ranch.

     “I’m also all alone,” was all she said.

     Wade assumed that she had also lost her parents but found it difficult to speak about it so he dropped the subject.

      “I guess being on a horse farm is pretty different from what you’re used to in the big city,” he said instead.

     “Yes it is, but when I was growing up I would spend my summers visiting my Aunt Ruth.  The family owned horses and I would spend the days riding. It’s one of my fondest childhood memories.”

     “Maybe we can go riding one day?”

     “I would really enjoy that.”

     They finished eating and when the bill came she tried to pay her share.

     “I’m sorry, but around these parts a gentleman does not allow a lady to pay for her meal.”

     “I can’t let you pay, you’re doing enough for me already, letting me stay at your house free of charge.”

     “I’m sorry but that’s just the way we do things. Now put your money away.”

     He said it with such finality that she decided to obey. When in Rome...

     They walked out of the café and continued on their way, strolling through the pretty streets and not stopping until early evening when they headed for home. Gretchen had made dinner and to Jenna’s surprise he ate at the dining room table with her. He’d definitely relaxed.

***

     That night as he was getting ready for bed Wade pondered what had transpired that afternoon. He felt relieved that she wasn’t seeing his uncle anymore, and not just because of his loyalty to Aunt Rose, he had to admit. He felt relieved because now he didn’t feel as guilty about his feelings toward her. Something was happening to him, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. He was getting more and more drawn to her and lacked the control to stop himself. She just didn’t fit the mold of the seductress, he thought, as he remembered her childlike excitement that afternoon. She seemed sweet and soft and he couldn’t help recalling how she had felt in his arms. But what if he tried pursuing a relationship with her, how would his uncle take it? He put the thought out of his mind as he went to bed.

***

     The next morning he found her in the kitchen with Gretchen.

     “Good morning ladies,” he said with a big grin.

     Jenna felt her heart skip a beat. His broad smile made him look more handsome than ever. Before, his face had looked constantly angry, the permanent frown making him look harder, older than his thirty-three years. Now he looked sweet and approachable.