Satin Sheets and Strawberries (8 page)

"Best for whom?" she asked pointedly.

Aggravated by the sudden change in her mood, he growled, "They are my family. I will work out something."

Hurt, anger, and fear tightened her chest. She tried to hold back her tears. "Am I supposed to sit back and let you take them away from me?"

He watched her fighting back her sadness, and cursed. He had hurt her. In a swift movement he sat up and knelt beside her. He tenderly placed his hands on her shoulders and gently squeezed. "We’ll work something out."

Kelli looked into his honest, pleading eyes and believed him. A tentative smile touched her lips. "Have any suggestions?"

"Visitation rights."

"Visitation rights! Are you out of your mind? Are you suggesting we alternate weekends with them?" When he just continued to stare at her, she continued, "What about Christmas? Would you get them Christmas Eve, and allow me Christmas morning? Have you given any thought to birthdays and their anniversary? Are you out of your mind?"

He tried to smile. "You’ve already asked me that."

Flabbergasted, she said, "You are out of your mind. Do you realize we are talking about your aunt and uncle? This is your family. I know parents shuffle their kids between each other, but I’ve never heard of grandparent custody." Drawing in a deep breath, she glared at the grin spreading across his face. "Wipe that silly smirk off your face, you idiot. You can’t possibly be serious about this. It must have been the sun. Ten years in the Middle East must have fried your brains. No sane man would make such an asinine suggestion.

"Kelli?"

"What?"

"Shut up." Gently pulling her pouting mouth closer, he said, "Lord, you’re beautiful when you get riled."

A soft "oh" escaped her parted lips before his seized them.

Kelli felt the warm gentle pressure of his lips and every thought vanished from her mind. Her arms reached around his neck and with a groan drew him nearer.

Logan heard the sweet sound she made, and was lost. His tongue plunged past her lips as he lovingly lowered her back onto the blanket. Heat coiled low in his body as his chest brushed against her breasts. He broke the kiss and trailed a heated path of kisses down her throat. When he came to the barrier of her sweater he slowly lifted his head and gazed down into her darkened eyes. He had had women before, but Kelli was different. The others had been mutual wanting, this was a desperate need. Resting his weight on his elbows he tenderly cupped her face. "Are you real?" He saw confusion cloud her eyes. "Sometimes I think you’re a fairy and will disappear in a puff of smoke if I touch you."

Kelli tried to catch her breath as she gazed up at him. "Why?"

His hand brushed a wisp of hair off her flushed face. "I think you’ve cast a spell over me. I’ve never felt like this before. I want you, but I can’t have you. When I leave here, I’m going to hurt you enough by taking my aunt and uncle. I don’t want to hurt you more by throwing in other emotions."

Kelli closed her eyes, trying to block the pain his words caused. He was taking her family and he didn’t want any emotions to get in the way. Fine! She could play by those rules. When she reopened her eyes, a glint of anger shone in her gaze. "Are you finished?"

He stopped caressing her lower lip with his thumb, and nodded.

"Then do you mind letting me up? I’ve got a park to get ready for its opening."

Logan felt her anger and quickly rolled off her. He frowned as she stood up and casually smoothed her sweater down. She bent over, pulled her muddy boots back on, and ran her fingers through her hair. "Thanks for the lunch, Logan. It was interesting."

He sat transfixed for a silent minute as she turned and started to walk away. "Is that all you’re going to say?" he asked, incredulous.

Without breaking her stride, she turned and said, "No. You’re a horse’s patoot."

Logan sat and watched as she faded into the woods. She was right; he was a horse’s patoot. Not because he believed he was the one responsible for Ruth and Henry, but because he was letting her walk away.

#

Half an hour later he found Henry surrounded by a group of adoring teenagers who were following his every command. "What’s up, Uncle Henry?"

"Hello, son, I was wondering when you’d show up." He gestured toward the group of youths. "This is the drama club Kelli’s always talking about. They came here to clean up the theater area. The tech school is sending over the carpentry class Monday morning to start work on some of these benches and to make some minor repairs to the stage."

Logan glanced around the area and counted at least twelve kids and one other adult. No Kelli. The older gentleman walked up to him, stuck out his hand, and said, "Hi, you must be Logan. I’m Dan Teeterman, the head of the drama club."

The men shook hands. "Logan Sinclair. You seem to have everything under control. Do you need any help?" "Not right now. Josh just took down a humdinger of a tree for us."

"Josh is here?"

"He and Kelli just left for the creek. There seems to be a jam somewhere."

"Well, since you can’t use me," said Logan, "I think I’ll go lend Josh a hand." With a general farewell to everyone he headed in the direction of the creek.

He heard them before he actually saw them. Josh’s booming voice came from ahead. "Get your butt over here, woman."

"I don’t think I have these on right," Kelli replied. "They’re bagging around the thighs."

Logan stopped in his tracks. What was going on? Unsure if he should round the last clump of bushes, he listened as Josh bellowed, "That’s because you’ve got skinny legs. Now get over here, I need you, now!"

He had heard enough. The way Josh was shouting, Logan didn’t want Kelli anywhere near him. With three powerful strides, he passed the last obstacle and blinked at the sight greeting him. Josh was thigh-deep in the middle of the creek, holding on to a massive log. Kelli was timidly stepping into the stream, cursing. She was wearing thigh-high fisherman boots held by thick black suspenders.

From the look on Josh’s face, he was about to lose his grip on the log and his patience. "Damn, woman, move it. I know this isn’t your favorite pastime, but it is your creek and your jam."

Kelli slowly inched her way into the deeper water. "Are you sure there’re no snakes?"

A colorful curse exploded in the air. "Kelli, the water still has ice in it. I have never heard of polar snakes. So get your tush over here and help me get this log out of your creek before it breaks free and does some major damage."

Kelli felt her feet sink deeper into the soft bottom of the creek and grimaced. She forced herself to grab hold of the freezing log, determined to overcome her fear of snakes. She smiled hesitantly. "Now what?"

"On the count of three, we’ll slowly push it toward the bank. One, two . . ."

Kelli spotted a sinister movement across the surface of the creek. "Snake!" she screamed. Panic stricken she turned toward the bank. But her feet were stuck in mud and the sudden movement threw her off balance. She tipped backward with a large splash.

Josh made a grab for Kelli, and lost his grip on the log. The wood broke free of its mooring and crashed into his chest. He went under with a thud just as Kelli came up sputtering water and choking.

Logan reached the bank in four huge steps and dove into the shallow stream. He reached Kelli the same instant Josh’s head emerged from the freezing grimy water. With more force than finesse Logan quickly whacked Kelli on her back.

The force of his slap nearly sent her under the icy water again. She cleared her throat and choked, "Logan, I’m okay."

Josh had recovered quickly. He was already smiling. But Kelli still looked shaken. As Kelli regained her breath, Logan gently tried to lift her into his arms. He cursed as he realized her hip boots were weighing her down. He held her with one arm as he worked the suspenders off her shoulders.

"Logan, put me down."

Her body was still trembling, and the way she bravely tried to smile tore at his heart. His arms tightened their hold. "No," he said. He looked over at Josh. The other man was shaking frigid water from his hair. "Are you okay?"Josh brushed at a clump of brown weeds stuck to his soaking flannel shirt and groaned. "Sure, I’m fine." He glared at Kelli and said, "I feel like I was just run over by a truck while being forced to drink five gallons of swamp water."

Kelli reached over Logan’s shoulder and tenderly brushed at Josh’s dripping hair. "I’m sorry, Josh. I thought I saw a snake."

"I know. I heard your scream." He shook his head smiling, his good humor intact.

"Let’s get Kelli home," Josh said.

Kelli glared up at the man carrying her. "Put me down, Logan," she demanded. "I am perfectly capable of walking."

Without a downward glance, Logan said, "Shhhh. Your body had just received a shock." A mischievous gleam shone in his eyes. "Even with the weight of your wet clothes, I guess I can manage to carry you back to the house."

Kelli gave Josh a deadly glare when he laughed.

Logan had taken two steps toward the bank when a frantically barking Tinkerbell dashed from the woods and flew down the embankment. With a huge spray of water, Tinkerbell headed right for Kelli. Logan took a protective step backward as Josh tackled the distraught dog. While Josh wrestled Tinkerbell, Logan safely made it to the bank with his precious burden.

Kelli craned her neck and shouted, "Down, girl." She watched as Josh fell backward into the stream again. When his head reemerged she reached for the dog whistle around her neck and softly blew. Tinkerbell was obedient immediately. "Come, girl."

Josh spit out another mouthful of foul water and glared at the dog. With a powerful yank he pulled Kelli’s boots free of the mud, drained the water from them, and carried them to the bank. While Logan waited impatiently, Josh tugged off his own water-filled boots, and joined them for the long, cold walk back to the house.

"Why is she scared to death of snakes? And why in the hell was she in the water to begin with?"

Kelli stiffened in his arms. "She can answer for herself. You don’t have to talk like I’m not here. I’m not scared to death of snakes, I just don’t like them."

"Why were you in the water then?" he asked.

"Josh needed someone to help him."

"Why didn’t you ask me?"

"This is my property. I’ve been clearing that creek for years before you showed up, and I’ll be doing it for years after you’re gone."

Logan stopped and stared down at the woman in his arms. "You’re a stubborn, pigheaded fool. Do you have any idea what that log could of done to you, if it hit you instead of Josh?"

Kelli’s chin rose and managed to stare down her nose at Logan. "It didn’t. You can put me down, now."

Logan muttered an oath. "I should put you down. Right back where I found you, in the middle of the creek."

She shot a murderous glare at Josh, who was laughing. "What do you think is so funny?"

Josh couldn’t appear serious. "You two," he said, chuckling.

They had almost reached the house when Logan suddenly demanded, "Why in the hell did you allow her to help you?"

"How in the blazes did you expect me to stop her?" Josh replied indignantly. "When she makes up her mind, it’s final. There’s no way I, or anyone else, could have stopped her."

Logan suddenly smiled. "I could have," he said. Josh studied Logan and the woman snuggled in his arms. "I believe you could have," he said quietly.

Kelli groaned as the house came into sight. "Will you two stop playing cave man and put me down!"

When Logan threw open the kitchen door and rushed across the room Ruth dropped a mixing bowl. "Bring up a bottle of brandy and two glasses," he said.

"Don’t listen to him, Ruth," Kelli pleaded.

"We don’t have any brandy." Ruth sounded concerned.

Logan stopped at the opening into the living room and asked, "What kind of liquor is in the house?"

"Just a couple of beers that are Josh’s."

Kelli rolled her eyes and glared at the ceiling. "Is anyone listening to me? I don’t want a drink. I don’t need a drink. All I want is to be put down."

"Fix some hot cocoa with plenty of sugar and bring it up to the bathroom," he shouted over his shoulder as he dashed upstairs with Kelli clutched in his arms. "And help Josh find some dry clothes."

Logan reached into the shower and turned on the hot water. He adjusted the spray, and stepped under the spray with her still in his arms.

As the heat warmed their skin, he said gently, "Isn’t this better then a freezing creek?"

Kelli felt the warm water pour over her, and sighed. "Heaven." She closed her eyes and pressed closer to him. Maybe if she stayed here for a month the feeling in her fingers would return. She was grateful when he pulled the sweater over her head to allow the heat of the water to beat against her bare shoulders. She kept her eyes closed and relished in the feeling of Logan’s touch combined with the hot spray.

Logan gently undressed her down to her jeans and a pale pink camisole. He quickly shed his own clothes, except for a pair of boxer shorts with lollipops. As Logan rinsed the mud off them, he flung the muddy clothes into the sink along with their shoes. When the water started to run clear he set the stopper and let the tub fill. By the time the water was ankle deep he had Kelli sitting next to him. Kelli was laughing.

He breathed a sigh of relief. For awhile there he thought she really might be going into shock. She hadn’t said a word the whole time he had undressed her. "Feeling warmer?"

The sight of Logan in his sexy skivvies doing a great impression of a pretzel brought a chuckle. She could feel her camisole plastered to her chest and the weight of her wet jeans pressed uncomfortably against her legs. "Yes, thank you."

"You’re welcome."

She had trouble finding a safe place to rest her hands in the small confines of the tub. "So this is what it’s like to shower with a man."

Logan swallowed at the implication behind her statement. She’d never showered with a man before. In a playful tone he said, "You were expecting tug boat races?"