Mission: Cavanaugh Baby (17 page)

“Ashley?” he said softly as he approached. “Are you all right?”

Her back to him, she raised her hand as if silently asking him to stay back. She didn’t want him to see her crying. Not after he’d gone to all this trouble.

Andrew stood behind her. He talked to her back. “I know we’re a little overwhelming at first,” he admitted. “But we do grow on you if you give us a chance.”

She couldn’t allow him to take the blame for her fleeing the way she was. Turning around, wiping away the tears on her cheeks with the backs of her hands, she said, “Nobody has
ever
been this kind to me.
Nobody.
I don’t know how to express my thanks. I’ve...I’ve never met people like you before.”

“You can start by coming back and blowing out your candle,” he told her. “The rest will work itself out. Right now, I’m sure Shane thinks you hate him.”

“Oh God, no. I—” She stopped herself before she could make a fatal admission. Instead she said, “He’s been very patient with me, putting up with a lot. I could never hate him.”

“Then come back,” Andrew coaxed, putting his hand out to her.

After a moment she took it hesitantly and went back with Andrew to the living room.

Conversation stopped the moment she walked in.

“She’s agreed to give us another try. This time, I promised we wouldn’t overwhelm her. Don’t make me out to be a liar,” he told his family, taking them all in with one sweeping glance. “Ashley, I believe you have a wish to make.” He gestured toward the cake.

She clenched her fists at her sides, doing her best not to cry again as she made a wish. The next moment, casting a side glance in Shane’s direction, she took a deep breath and blew out the candle.

The applause was almost deafening. The sound was immensely comforting to her.

Andrew’s wife, Rose, held out a knife to her. “You have to cut the first piece, dear,” she prompted.

Taking the knife, Ashley carefully placed the blade against the top of a corner of the cake. The knife slid through it as if it was slicing softened butter.

When she finished cutting the piece, she moved it onto a plate.

“You get the first piece,” Rose told her.

But Ashley handed the plate to Andrew instead. “No, you do,” she told him, “for doing all this for me. For being kind to a stranger.”

“Oh, honey.” Teri, Andrew’s middle daughter, laughed. “Dad just loves finding
any
excuse to throw a party. You just made his day.”

Ashley surrendered her knife to Rose. “And he made mine,” she said in a voice that was hardly above a whisper.

Shane stepped in and turned his body toward her in such a way that he managed to temporarily block anyone else from seeing her at the moment.

“Are you all right?” he asked, concerned. After all, she’d run out of the room crying. He didn’t want her upset, he wanted her happy. “You were crying.”

“Must be something in the air,” she said with a sniff.

He was willing to let her hide behind an excuse—for now. “Must be,” he agreed.

And then she raised her chin defiantly, once again seeking refuge in umbrage the way she usually did. Except that this time, it felt somewhat awkward and stilted. “You could have warned me, you know. Given me some sort of a hint.”

She was still very much a mystery to him, but this much was clear. “If I had, would you have come?” It was, as far as he was concerned, a rhetorical question.

“No,” she answered honestly. She would have been too self-conscious, too sure that she was on the receiving end of pity. It took being here in person to realize that none of this was done out of pity, but out of a sense of sharing and warmth—and a genuine desire to make her feel wanted and a part of something, for however briefly.

“And that’s why I didn’t tell you, or give you any kind of a hint,” Shane concluded.

“Hey, you two, don’t forget to get your pieces,” Lila, Brian’s wife, called over to them. Crossing to where they were standing, she handed a plate to Ashley, then gave the other to Shane. Both pieces were on the large side. “Why don’t you take her into the dining room, Shane?” Lila coaxed. “I think you’ll find a couple of empty chairs there. If not, just tell whoever
is
sitting there that I said to let you two sit down. The lady of honor shouldn’t have to stand at her own birthday party,” Lila said fondly as she smiled at Ashley.

Patting her arm, Lila shooed them both out of the room and toward the dining room.

Her brother-in-law, she was willing to bet, was going to have another wedding in his future to plan.

In the not-too-distant-future, Lila amended, going off to locate her own prince charming. Brian was far too busy these days, and she just didn’t see enough of him. She intended to make up for it tonight.

Lila smiled to herself as she withdrew.

Chapter 16

“Y
ou have an incredibly nice family,” Ashley said to Shane.

It was hours after she’d made her wish and blown out the candle. The sun had long since gone down. She was sitting in his sedan, being taken back to the precinct to collect her own vehicle and head for home. Farewells and invitations to come back for another visit amid instructions “not to be a stranger, now” were still echoing in her ears.

She realized that although she knew the evening was over and that spending time with most of his family like this was almost certainly just a one-shot deal, Ashley found that she simply couldn’t help smiling.

Her birthday wish had involved the impossible. She’d wished she could be part of this terrific family, even though she knew it wasn’t about to happen. The whole day had been magical, and just for a little while, she had allowed herself to believe.

Shane became aware of her wide smile immediately. Each time he saw it, he could feel himself reacting to it, could feel his pulse quickening. He’d given up trying to safeguard himself and shut out his reaction.

It was what it was, and he was just going to enjoy it. He’d be a fool not to.

“Yeah, I do,” he agreed. “Although when I first found out about the connection, I was a little leery about being included in the roll call when someone referred to the Cavanaughs. To me, they were more like a dynasty than a family, but then, I only knew about them from hearsay, not direct connection.” He laughed to himself. “That became a thing of the past quickly enough when Uncle Andrew got wind of Dad and the rest of us.”

As he spoke, Shane heard the ominous rumble of thunder. It was unusual for this time of year, he thought. But then, this had been an unusual September all around. He’d be the first to admit it.

It was starting to rain again. Just enough to be annoying. “Sure I can’t take you straight home?” he asked her.

“We left my car at the precinct,” she reminded him. “How am I supposed to get to it tomorrow?”

That was simple enough. “I can swing by and pick you up tomorrow morning, take you to it,” he volunteered. “No big deal.”

But it was, as far as she was concerned. “You’ve done more than enough for me,” she told him. Feeling a little self-conscious and utterly unfamiliar with being in the position to have to convey her gratitude to someone, she murmured, “And if I didn’t say it before, thank you for today.”

“You did,” he answered. “But you can say it again.” He grinned as he turned down the block toward the station. “I don’t mind hearing it.”

Ashley stared down at her hands. She could face an animal on the loose calmly, but getting personal with Shane made her nervous and fidgety inside. “I know it probably seems silly, feeling like this about a birthday party. I mean, I’m over the age of twelve. But it did feel very special, and I won’t forget it.”

“It’s not silly,” Shane contradicted with feeling. “Birthday parties are important at any age. Everyone likes being remembered.” Seeing that Ashley needed more convincing, he said, “Hell, birthday parties are one of the highlights of the chief’s life. He probably enjoyed throwing you a party as much as you enjoyed being on the receiving end. Possibly even more.”

She sincerely doubted it. She also doubted that Shane could really understand just how much this had meant to her. She would never forget the thrill that went through her when she realized what was going on—or when everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to her.

No one ever had before.

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable with all these emotions flowing through her, Ashley was relieved to see the police station come into view.

“You’re almost free,” she told him. “That’s my car up ahead.”

“I don’t consider myself imprisoned or held captive,” he told her. “This, in case you don’t know, is what partners do—they do favors for one another. So do friends,” he added significantly.

As he pulled into the precinct’s rear parking lot, he admitted to himself that he really didn’t want to drop her off here. He wanted to take her home. Hers or his, it didn’t matter, as long as the evening didn’t end yet. After spending the entire day and most of the evening with her, he found that he wasn’t ready to call it a night yet.

But that would be forcing his company on her, he thought, and he didn’t want to ruin the day for her by having her think he was being pushy.

She offered him a quick smile of thanks, as well as acknowledgment over the term he’d just used to label them.

Friends.

Was that what they ultimately were? Or was it more? Was it actually partners?

Or—?

She stopped her imagination from running off with her. There was absolutely no point in allowing it to fill her head with things that couldn’t be.

“Okay, you can just pull up here,” she told him.

When he did, leaving the engine running, she unbuckled her seatbelt and said a quick, “Thanks again,” just as she was about to get out of the sedan. But just before she did, she leaned toward him for a second and lightly brushed her lips against his. The slight contact gave birth to a second pass, a little longer, a little slower.

She could feel her pulse all but leaping out of her neck and her wrists even as her breath backed up in her lungs.

* * *

Taken completely by surprise, Shane absorbed the sweet sensation created by the touch of her lips to his. For a moment he anchored her in place, his hand on her shoulder as he kissed her back.

Kissed her back with feeling.

The next moment he felt her pulling away, a partially wary look in her eyes. Shane had no way of knowing that it was herself, not him, that she was afraid of.

The door closed in her wake even as he upbraided himself for going too fast. If this had been any other girl, the pace he’d taken would have been far too slow, but in her case he had a feeling that he was dealing with shadows of the past, and he had to go slowly to convince her that there was nothing to be afraid of when she was with him.

For a second he thought of apologizing, but decided that might only compound the problem so he let it go. Besides, she was already in her vehicle.

As he began to back out of the spot he’d pulled into, Shane heard her engine whining.

Once, twice and then a third time; each time unable to catch. Pulling back up beside her, he rolled down his passenger window. “Trouble?” he asked.

She nodded, staring accusingly at the non-responsive engine. “I’ve been having trouble starting it lately.”

It was raining harder now, Shane noted. This was not the ideal time to begin tinkering with the engine, even if he knew his way around them—which he didn’t. That was Tom’s domain, not his.

“Looks like you might have to take me up on that offer I made earlier—taking you home and then bringing you back here tomorrow. The rain should pass by then, and I can have my brother take a look at the engine for you—unless you want me to go get him now,” he offered.

Asking him to do that, to inconvenience not just himself but one of his brothers, was out of the question. It was almost midnight, and the rain was beginning to come down in earnest. She really had no option but to take him up on his offer to give her a ride.

“Okay, if you don’t mind taking me home, I’d appreciate it.”

“I offered to take you home in the first place, didn’t I?” he reminded her.

Still, it was obvious she didn’t feel comfortable being on the receiving end of a favor. “But you could just be offering, to be nice.”

“I
am
nice,” he told her glibly. “But that still doesn’t change what I said.” Leaning over, he opened the passenger door and pushed it open. “Hop in and let’s get going,” he urged.

Grabbing her purse, Ashley abandoned her unresponsive vehicle and quickly got into his.

* * *

With the slick streets devoid of traffic, they arrived at Ashley’s house faster than he thought they would. He pulled up in her driveway and turned off the engine. “Before you ask,” he told her, unbuckling his seatbelt, “I like seeing a lady to her door, if it’s all right with you.”

“It’s fine with me,” she told him, her voice soft.

Ashley could feel the tips of her fingers tingling. It was hard for her to speak up with her heart in her throat the way it was. Anticipation had suddenly filled her to the bursting point. Anticipation that perhaps he wasn’t going to go home the moment he walked her to her house.

That maybe he’d stay awhile and they could talk...

Who was she kidding? It wasn’t talking that she had on her mind.

It was something a great deal more primal.

And exciting.

Because it was still raining, once she was out of Shane’s car, she made a dash for the front door and shelter. Once she reached it, she shook the raindrops out of her hair.

Turning toward him, she offered, “Would you like to come in for some tea or something?”

“Are your dogs going to jump all over us the second you unlock the door and walk in?” he asked, quietly watching the door, braced for any sign of activity. The idea of refusing her invitation never crossed his mind.

“Just to make sure you’re not a burglar,” she assured him. But the corners of her mouth betrayed her as they curved into a grin.

He played along. Or maybe she was serious, he thought. Either way, he stayed alert and braced—just in case. “And how are they going to determine that?” he asked her.

“They’ll recognize your scent, and besides, they’ll see that you’re with me.” She put her key in the lock, then looked over her shoulder at him. “Ready?”

“Sure, why not?” he said with a cavalier shrug.

As she pushed open the door, all three dogs ran up to check her out, then the man standing behind her.

“He’s okay, guys,” she told the dogs. Taking Shane’s hand in hers, she announced, “He’s a friend, remember?”

Though Shane was skeptical about how much the dogs—any dogs—understood, it almost seemed to him as if the dogs
did
understand her. Their excitement dialed back several notches when she took his hand.

Conversely, his went up at the same time.

“They’re still watching me,” he told her in an even voice.

“They just want to be sure they’re right about you. There’s nothing to worry about,” Ashley assured him as she led him to the sofa.

“If I kissed you,” he proposed, “would they take it as an assault on you?”

A flash flood of heat all but drenched her as anticipation returned—in spades. “I don’t know,” she replied, trying to speak above the sound of her pounding heart. “Why don’t you try and see?”

“Always ready to do things in the name of science,” he said, then drew her into his arms almost in slow motion. Rather than watch the reaction of the three canines in the room, he was watching her.

Ashley could feel her breath all but standing still in her lungs, waiting.

And then his mouth lowered to hers.

The reaction, the excitement, was instantaneous.

At that moment she realized—she
knew
—this was what she’d been unconsciously waiting for all day. She felt as if her whole body had just burst into flame.

After several breathless seconds of his lips passing over hers, taking that kiss to deeper and deeper depths, she felt Shane draw his lips away from hers.

She saw him looking toward the dogs.

“So far, so good,” she murmured encouragingly.

“No one ever just runs one test to reach a conclusion. Let’s put it to the test at least one more time,” he suggested, his eyes teasing hers.

She didn’t wait for him this time.

This time, she was the one who began the kiss.

As for what happened next, she would have been hard pressed to say who initiated that or was responsible for all the steps that followed.

All she knew was that her entire body felt as if it was celebrating. As if it had been waiting an eternity just for this shining moment. For the mind-boggling kisses, the long, possessive caresses along her body that only created a desire for more, turning her appetite into an almost insatiable entity she was having difficulty controlling.

Hell, she wasn’t controlling it at all, she secretly admitted. Instead, it was controlling her.

Her appetite was what was causing her to feast on his lips, to revel in the very touch of his hands. On the feel of his hard body pressing against hers.

It felt as if every inch of her craved him, wanting that final, wild burst of fulfillment—wanting, at the same time, for this to go on forever.

Shane hadn’t thought it was possible to feel like this.

Not again.

He’d made love to more than his share of women before he’d fallen for Kitty. And while he’d been with her, there was such happiness radiating within him, he’d found it difficult to believe that he could place one foot in front of the other. That he could go on functioning as a human being, as a police detective when all of his limbs had turned to molten lava. But he could, and he had. Because he continued worshipping her body as he primed her for the ultimate act of sharing, of communion.

After Kitty had left him, he’d been fairly certain that he’d never feel this way again. And yet, here he was, not just feeling that wild, intoxicating sense, but experiencing something even more intense.

The emotion swam through him, almost drowning him, and yet he couldn’t put a name to it, couldn’t, if his life depended on it, begin to adequately describe the sensations slamming through his body, flooding every available space.

Desire was growing at an incredible speed, filling every single empty, aching inch of him.

But even while this all but overwhelming sensation was taking possession of him, he was aware that they had an audience.

Three small pairs of brown eyes were watching every move they made, separately as well as in concert.

There was no telling how long the dogs would refrain from trying to get in on the “game,” however peripherally.

“Where’s your bedroom?” he asked, realizing as he spoke that he was very nearly close to breathless.

It took Ashley a second to process his question. When she did, it was another moment before she could actually form an answer to give him. She was thinking in single words, not sentences.