Here to Stay (10 page)

“That’s right,” Paige praised. “Talk to him
while you work,” she added, continuing to groom the mare.

“Talk to the horse?” Calvin asked, he
scrunched up his face in disbelief. “You gotta be kidding? This
ain’t Mr. Ed, you know.”

“It’s common practice, Calvin.” Paige smiled.
“Some people believe that if you talk just right to a horse it can
understand what you’re saying.”

“Do
you
believe that?” His
cinnamon-colored gaze connected with hers. His hand stilled on the
horse’s back.

Paige considered his question for a moment.
She had always talked to the horses without stopping to ask herself
what she believed. She had simply followed Robert’s example. Robert
treated the animals as if they were human. The image of Nathan
whispering in Midnight’s ear and the horse’s ardent response leaped
to mind. Her nerves jangled as she recalled the low, gentle sound
of his voice as he spoke softly to the animal.

“Of course she believes it.”

Paige jerked her head around as Nathan’s
words echoed through her soul, the sound resurrecting the emotions
she wanted to deny. He entered the barn with slow, deliberate
strides. Paige saw Calvin stiffen as Nathan moved out of the
shadows and into a shaft of light. He made an intimidating picture.
Tall, dark, and dangerous-looking.

Nathan gave Calvin a thorough appraisal
before shifting his gaze to her. Her pulse reacted instantly. Paige
summoned the image of Celine to mind to counter the impact his
presence had on her senses.

“Where the hell have you been, Paige?” Nathan
demanded when he stopped, close enough to loom over her. The fire
in his eyes and the irritation in his voice belied his casual
stance; thumbs looped in his front pockets, his weight shifted to
one leg.

“Where I go and what I do is none of your
business, Nathan,” she told him with a smile on her lips and a bite
in her words. She turned her back to him and continued to brush
Ariel.

“I thought we were going to at least act like
friends.”

“You already have a friend.”

“Dammit, Paige, listen to me,” he ground
out.

She ignored him.

“You don’t understand. I tried to explain
last night, but you wouldn’t answer the telephone or the door.”

Paige whirled to face him. She had to retreat
a step to keep from being breast to chest with him. Ariel nickered
in protest and sidled away. “What’s to explain? I know what I
saw.”

“You don’t know—” Nathan began hotly, but
Calvin darted between them, interrupting.

“What’s your problem, Tonto?” he asked in
that belligerent tone teenagers were famous for. His posture
reflected his streetwise instincts and warned that he would fight
if he had to. He glared up at Nathan, who stood two inches taller,
with no fear.

Paige placed her hand on Calvin’s rigid
forearm and moved to his side. “It’s okay, Calvin.” She took one
look at the clenched fists hanging at Nathan’s sides and that
lethal look in his eyes and quickly slipped between the two angry
men.

“Who the hell is he?” Nathan demanded.

“What’s it to you, Chief?” Calvin asked in
his cockiest tone, reaching over Paige and jabbing Nathan in the
chest with a long, mahogany finger.

A muscle twitched in Nathan’s jaw as he
jerked his gaze from Calvin to Paige. She doubted she would ever
forget the collection of expressions she saw flash across his face
in that next instant; surprise, outrage, disbelief, restraint.

“Nathan Blackrope, meet Calvin Jefferson.”
Paige held Nathan’s gaze, trying to diffuse the emotionally charged
situation with her calmness.

“This dude a friend of yours, Miss Paige?”
Calvin looked at her in astonishment and then back at Nathan in
aversion. “He’s kind of mean looking if you ask me.”

Paige had to bite her lip to prevent a grin.
The urge to grin dissipated immediately when she heard Nathan’s
ragged intake of breath. “Yes, Calvin, he’s a friend.” She ushered
Calvin toward the barn door. “Why don’t you go have a cola or
something? And maybe start dinner. I’ll join you in a little
while.”

Calvin gave Nathan a cool once over before he
sauntered out of the barn. Paige released the breath she had been
holding when the kid disappeared. “What do you want?” She glared at
Nathan with all the anger she had suppressed since seeing Celine in
his arms the night before.

“Who is that little—?”

“Calvin is a client of mine and a friend,”
she interrupted coolly, “if that’s any of your business. He’s going
to be spending a few days with me.” Paige walked back to the mare
she had been grooming.

“You’re letting him stay here?”

“Yes.” She turned her attention to brushing
Ariel, her wide strokes rustling in the tense silence.

Nathan stood behind her, his body so close
she could feel his simmering agitation. “It wasn’t what it looked
like,” he aid quietly, though not completely composed. “I didn’t
invite Celine over. She just—”

“I’m really not interested, Nathan,” she
broke in.

He sighed, frustrated. Paige ignored him. He
could stand there all night, and still she wouldn’t care.

“Paige, I just want—”

“I don’t care what you want, Nathan.”

“Stop stroking that damned horse,” he
thundered, snatching her hand and pulling her around to face
him.

“Fine.” She pulled her hand free of his, put
the brush down and folded her arms over her chest. “You have my
attention, now talk—fast—before I change my mind.”

He blew out a heavy breath and plowed a hand
through his hair. His eyes glowed like hot coals. Paige didn’t look
directly into his eyes for fear of igniting herself. She kept her
gaze on his full lips, which was probably an even bigger
mistake.

“I don’t want there to be any more
misunderstandings between us,” he began hesitantly. “If we’re going
to start this friendship off right, I want to keep it that
way.”

Friendship
. Paige almost sighed, but
caught herself. If only friendship was enough. It would have to be
enough. She couldn’t keep acting like a jealous lover. “I’m sorry,
Nathan. You’re right. We don’t need any more misunderstandings.”
The last one had ruined any possibility of her ever finding
happiness. For Jesse’s sake she had to make sure it didn’t happen
again. “We’ll make that rule number one,” she added.

Nathan nodded, the fire in his eyes cooling
somewhat. “When I got home last night, she was waiting. I asked her
to leave and she left.” He exhaled some of the frustration and
relaxed a bit.

“If you say that’s what happened, than I
suppose that’s the case,” Paige replied noncommittally.

“That
is
what happened.”

“I can’t tell you how much better I feel,
Nathan, Now that you’ve shared that with me, I mean,” she said
sarcastically. Did he really expect her to believe that load of
bull? What healthy, unattached man would turn down a woman who
looked like Celine and who was obviously ready to jump his
bones?

Nathan squeezed his eyes shut and swore. It
wasn’t English.

“Now I’m really impressed.”

In a move so lightning fast that Paige didn’t
see it coming, Nathan clasped her face in his hands. “I’ll show you
impressive,” he growled before taking her mouth with his.

All thought ceased. His lips felt firm and
hot yet unbelievably tender. Slow and easy, he kissed her, cupping
her face gently. His tongue skimmed over her lips…traced and
prodded until she opened for him. His taste, strong and wild,
filled her. Oh, he tasted so good. She moaned softly and balled her
fists at her sides. She held her body rigid and away from his. She
would not respond…She would not respond!

“Paige,” he murmured, his lips still
caressing hers. “Touch me, please.”

His plea sent a shiver of awareness sweeping
over her. She relaxed the fists her hands had become. How could she
deny him? Deny what she felt herself? “I can’t…where?” she asked,
lost in his kiss and helpless to resist his request.

“Somewhere…anywhere.” His lips continued to
torment hers. “Just touch me, please.” His tongue teased and
tortured her mouth. He stroked her neck, her hair. His fingers sent
tendrils of fire racing through her.

Slowly, hesitantly, she placed her hands
against his muscled chest. Nathan groaned, the sound filled her,
melted her. Desire, strong and hot, surged through her body. He
slid his hands over her shoulders and down her back, pressing
her—molding her—to him. He cupped her bottom and crushed her to his
hardened length. Paige felt him tremble with need and she trembled
herself. His kiss grew harder, deeper—more demanding and she never
wanted him to stop.

But he had to stop, she pushed at the rock
wall of his chest. Pushed as hard as she could. This couldn’t
happen. It would only make matters worse when she told him about
Jesse. Nathan would feel even more betrayed. She couldn’t bear to
hurt him any worse. They had both already suffered enough. And even
if he didn’t hate her when she told him about Jesse, he would never
want her. Not now. She had nothing to offer him. She would spend
the rest of her life alone. She pushed again with what little force
remained in her seemingly boneless body.

“You want me to stop?” His words were taut,
ragged. His gaze darted from her lips to her eyes and back.

“Yes,” she said hoarsely. “I want you to
stop.” Want had nothing to do with it. She stepped out of his
embrace and crossed her arms over her middle. Her lips fairly
sizzled. Desire coursed through her body, but she had to stop
before things got completely out of hand. This couldn’t happen.

Nathan started to say something, thought
better of it and closed his mouth. Hunger blazed in his dark eyes.
He licked his lips, no doubt tasting the kiss they had just shared
and dropped his head. “I guess that was a mistake.”

No, it wasn’t
, she wanted to scream.
Paige searched her brain for an appropriate response to his
statement. Something neutral. Nothing came.
For Pete’s sake,
Paige, you’re a lawyer—words are your business. Say something
.
“Rule number two,” she said, as calmly as possible considering
she’s just had her socks kissed off. “Friends don’t kiss friends
like that.”

He smiled slightly and nodded. “You’re
right.” He shoved his hands into his back pockets, unconsciously
making his arousal even more visible. “Sorry. I’ll do better, I
swear.”

Paige forced her eyes to stay above his belt
buckle. “I guess it’ll take a while to work out the kinks in this
relationship, but we can do it.” Her words came out more hopeful
than confident.

Nathan took her hand in his and gave her one
of his heart-stopping smiles. “We can do it, Blondie.” His voice
was low, caressing, reassuring.

“Help me with the horses and I’ll let you
stay for dinner,” she offered, her heart still beating a little
tattoo. Somehow she had to shift the focus away from what had just
happened.

“All right.” He squeezed her hand one last
time before letting go. Nathan’s eyes sparkled with some emotion
that Paige couldn’t quite define.

At that moment, she would have wagered all
the chips in Vegas that a friendship with Nathan Blackrope would
never work—not in a million years. Every instinct she had told her
she would win that bet. Or would she really be losing?

~*~

Paige said grace as quickly as possible for
fear that while she had her eyes closed the two men sitting on
either side of her might go at each other’s throats across the
table.

Her gaze moved from one agitated male to the
other as she pulled her linen napkin across her lap. Nathan sat on
her left and Calvin on her right. The two glared at each other
without saying a word. Each filled his plate without taking his
eyes off the other.

“Nathan, do you still have that old
Corvette?” Paige asked, breaking the tense silence and hoping to
establish a conversation to which both men could relate.

“Oh…ah, yeah, sure,” He shook his head
distractedly and then gave Paige a hard look. “Old? It’s not old,
it’s a classic.”

“
He
has a Vette?” Calvin blurted,
shocked.

“Yes.” Paige mentally kept her fingers
crossed and hoped this would be a subject the two men could reach
common ground on. “Nathan lives just across the road, maybe he’ll
take you for a spin.”

Nathan’s gaze shot back to Paige, his eyes
widened with disbelief and then narrowed into a warning.

“That would be awesome,” Calvin exclaimed.
“You live across the road in that mansion?” he asked Nathan. “Man,
that place looks like Graceland. You rich, too? What kind of work
do you do?”

“Calvin,” Paige scolded, shaking her
head.

Nathan looked from her to Calvin. “I breed
horses and run a few head of cattle.”

“Nathan breeds and trains champion quarter
horses,” she explained.

“Man, I’d really like to see that Vette,”
Calvin said eagerly, more interested in the car than what Nathan
did for a living.

Nathan finally drew his gaze from Paige to
Calvin. “I suppose that can be arranged.”

“All right!” Calvin threw up his hand for a
high five.

“On one condition,” Nathan added.

Calvin’s expression fell.

“My name is not Tonto or Chief, it’s Nathan,
I’d appreciate it if you called me that,” he said evenly.

Calvin nodded. “Okay man—Nathan. I can do
that.”

“Good.” Nathan breathed a sigh of relief.

Calvin ran with the conversation. He talked
incessantly about cars and motorcycles. Nathan seemed to enjoy
talking about guy things with him. Paige liked watching the two of
them. So different, yet so intrinsically the same. Full of
enthusiasm and totally animated, Calvin’s whole body seemed to be a
part of his language. Nathan sat very still, speaking only with his
mouth and eyes. Yet the two thought a great deal alike, inherently
male.