The Texan's Tennessee Romance (9 page)

She slid her hand around the back of his neck. “Maybe later,” she said and pulled his mouth to hers again.

He smiled for a moment against her lips, until the kiss deepened and amusement faded into something very different. Natalie felt her breathing start to quicken again, but this time she couldn’t blame it on exertion or altitude. This reaction was due totally to Casey.

The sound of voices mingled with the rush of water, seeping into her consciousness. Someone laughed, and she and Casey broke apart, staggering backward as if caught doing something they shouldn’t. Rubbing her sore thigh, she looked toward the trail just in time to see two couples in their late teens or early twenties climb into sight. They were chattering and laughing and roughhousing a little, and seemed to be having a great time. And not one of the fit-looking foursome appeared to be at all winded by the climb, Natalie noted with a frown.

The newcomers greeted Natalie and Casey with friendly nods, then moved to the side of the cascades to exclaim excitedly over the view. Natalie and Casey shared a glance, then moved in unspoken unison toward the trail.

The return drive to the cabin was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. Natalie sat back in her seat, watching the passing mountainsides, occasionally looking at Casey. He caught her gaze at times and smiled. They talked about how much fun they’d had, the beautiful trail, what a joy it had been to reach the falls. They didn’t specifically mention the kisses they had shared, but she had no doubt that he was thinking about them, just as she was.

Casey parked in front of her cabin and turned off the truck. “I’ll put the furniture back on the deck before I leave.”

“I’ll help you.”

“Thanks. I could use your help with the table, especially.”

They went inside only long enough to freshen up and for Natalie to make a pot of coffee. They drank half a cup each, just for the energy boost, and then she poured the rest into an insulated carafe for drinking later. Casey went out to get started on the deck, and she followed him after changing from her hiking boots into more comfortable sneakers.

They had just replaced the last chair when Casey looked past her and smiled. “The dog’s back. Want to bring some fresh water and a bowl for the food I brought?”

She’d almost forgotten about the dog. “I’ll be right back.”

The dog waited by the edge of the woods, watching them with the now-familiar wary anticipation. Casey set the bowls on the ground, talking in the quietly reassuring voice he used with the stray. “It’s dry food today, not fancy meat, but it’s better for you. More of the nutrients you need. So try it before you turn up your nose, okay?”

Natalie smiled. The dog wasn’t in a position to turn up its nose at any kind of food. It attacked the dry food as hungrily as it had the meat loaf and pot roast, crunching noisily as it gulped down the meal.

“He is a boy,” Casey murmured, having caught a glimpse of something Natalie couldn’t see because of all the matted fur.

“So you guessed correctly.”

“He just acted like another guy. Right, buddy?”

Still chewing, the dog glanced at Casey and gave a quick wave of its tail.

Natalie and Casey looked at each other in surprise. “Did you see that?” he asked.

“I did. He wagged his tail. I think he’s starting to respond to you.”

“Maybe he is, a little.” Taking a step closer to the dog, Casey crouched and held out a hand.

The dog glanced at that hand, then at Casey’s face. He stretched out his head a couple of inches and sniffed the air around Casey’s hand. His tail wagged a couple more times. Natalie held her breath. She didn’t think the dog was in any way aggressive, but she still felt as if Casey was taking a risk reaching out that way.

The dog looked up at Casey from beneath what, to Natalie, looked like beetled brows. As if it were trying to gauge Casey’s motivations. And then it took a step closer to him.

Very carefully, moving very slowly, Casey touched the dog’s head. He spoke in a low voice, “That’s a good boy. We’re getting to be friends, aren’t we? You just need to learn to trust me a little.”

The dog wagged its tail once more, before moving back. He eyed Casey for another minute, glanced at Natalie, then turned and trotted away. Natalie couldn’t imagine why the past few moments had left her with a lump in her throat.

Straightening, Casey smiled at her, and she thought she saw a hint of her own emotions in his eyes. “He’s getting there,” he said.

“Yes, I suppose he is. How long do you think it will take until he’s ready to be placed in a home? Or at least a shelter for the winter?”

“I’ll give it another couple of days, while I finish up the work here. In the meantime, I’ll ask Kyle if he knows anyone who might be interested in taking the dog in.”

“It’s starting to get dark. I have some food ready to heat. I thought you might be hungry early since we had such a light lunch.”

“As a matter of fact, I’m starving,” he admitted. “I could almost eat a bowl of that kibble.”

She laughed. “You won’t have to resort to that. I’ll heat one of Aunt Jewel’s famous chicken casseroles.”

“Sounds great.” He turned with her toward the house, each of them carrying one of the bowls in which they’d served the stray food and water. “I’ve got to wash my hands. Our dog needs a bath.”

Something about the way he said “our dog” took her aback. That sounded just a bit too cozy for her comfort, though she doubted that he’d meant it quite that way.

“That sounds like a lot,” Natalie commented, trying not to sound envious that he had worthwhile things to do.

He shrugged. “I like to stay busy.”

“So do I,” she murmured, looking away from him.

He waited a beat, then asked casually, “How’s the job search going?”

She couldn’t meet his eyes as she replied, “I’m waiting to hear from some people.”

“I see. Well, I hope you find what you’re looking for soon.”

“Yes, so do I. Would you like some more coffee?”

He shook his head. “No, I’ve had plenty. I guess I’ll head home.”

Home. Though she knew it was just a figure of speech, she found it rather odd that he referred to his temporary cabin that way. Didn’t he miss his life in Dallas? His family and friends? He certainly didn’t talk about his life there much, not that she had exactly encouraged discussions about their lives before they’d met.

She stood, then winced when her bruised thigh protested the movement. She should have known Casey wouldn’t miss that telltale expression.

“Are you hurting?”

She shook her head. “Just a little sore from my fall. It’s nothing, only a bruise.”

“Bet you wish that hot tub was already installed, don’t you?” he teased.

She smiled. “It would probably feel good tonight. But I suppose I’ll make do with a hot bath, instead.”

He had followed her to the sink, carrying his plate and utensils from dinner. When she turned, he was right there, standing so close they were almost touching, his gaze locked with hers in a way that made her breath catch.

“Am I going to get my face slapped if I say I wouldn’t mind joining you in a hot tub sometime?” he asked, his tone somehow whimsical and serious all at the same time.

“I don’t slap,” she replied a bit huskily. “I punch.”

He laughed. “Of course you do.”

And then his smile faded as he reached up to touch a corner of her mouth. “Have I mentioned how much I like these dimples?”

“You’re flirting again.”

He grinned. “I do have permission.”

She rested her hands on his chest. “So you do.”

He kissed her lingeringly. Her fingers clenched in his shirt. The man definitely knew how to kiss. Flexing her fingers, she noted the strength of the muscles beneath his shirt. Maybe he didn’t do a lot of manual labor, but he certainly stayed in fine shape. If a woman happened to be in the market for a vacation fling with a good-looking, great-kissing, charmingly entertaining young stud, Casey Walker was darn near the perfect choice.

Lifting his head very slowly, he smiled down at her, his eyes gleaming in a way that made her wonder if he was more talented at mind reading than maintenance work.

“I’m sure you’re tired,” he said. “I should probably go.”

Though feminine instinct urged her to detain him longer, she moistened her well-kissed lips and nodded with some reluctance. “That’s probably a good idea.”

She walked with him to the door. “Good night, Natalie,” he said from the open doorway. “I really enjoyed the hike. Thanks for letting me go along. Oh, and thanks again for dinner.”

“You’re welcome. For both.”

He looked at her mouth, then back up at her eyes. And then he gave a firm little nod, and closed the door behind him, refusing to give in to the temptation that she hoped had been as strong for him as it was for her.

Hearing his truck engine fade away down the mountainside, Natalie lifted a hand to her mouth. Oddly enough, she felt as though he had kissed her good-night with just a look.

Casey Walker was definitely proving to be a distraction. Much more than she had planned on, she was afraid.

“We had a great time,” Casey replied, taking a seat in the living room with his cousin. “Beautiful scenery. Have you been up to the cascades?”

“Yes, Kyle and I went there once. It was breathtaking.”

“Really is. Well worth the trek up.”

“Did Natalie have a good time?”

“She seemed to.”

“Good. She needs to have little fun. She just seems so sad.”

Sad. It was a good word for what Casey, himself, had sensed in Natalie from the start. “I think she enjoyed the outing,” he said again, not knowing what else to say, since he had assured Natalie he wasn’t asking questions behind her back.

“Good. And maybe she’ll find a new job soon. I don’t know what happened, exactly, but Jewel was always talking about what a great position her niece had with that fancy law firm in Nashville. It must have been a bitter split for Natalie to be taking it so hard.”

As much as he had told himself he wouldn’t ask any questions, Casey couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Wait—Natalie worked for a law firm?”

“She’s a lawyer—like you. I, um, thought you knew that.”

“No,” he said grimly. “No, I didn’t.”

“Oh.” Molly bit her lip. “Maybe she didn’t want to talk about it. Maybe since you’ve still got that great position with the firm in Dallas—”

“We haven’t talked about jobs. She might not know what I do. Unless you’ve told her?”

“No, it never came up.”

“Well then, unless her aunt has mentioned it—”

“Jewel doesn’t know what you do for a living. You said you didn’t want to talk about work while you were here, so I just didn’t mention it.”

“So I guess Natalie doesn’t know.”

“No, probably not.”

“So, maybe we should just keep it that way for now.”

Molly lifted her eyebrows. “You don’t want to tell her?”

“I don’t want anyone else to tell her,” he corrected. “I mean, if she’s lost her position and is still upset about it, she’s probably not going to want to hear that the maintenance guy is an attorney with a big firm in Dallas.”

“Oh. Well, I guess that makes sense. I’ll tell Kyle to be sure and let you be the one to bring it up with her.”

“Thanks.”

“Speaking of your job, and I don’t mean the maintenance work…”

“Don’t you start, too,” Casey warned with a frown.

She blinked her big green eyes at him in a patented innocent- Molly look. “Start what?”

“Nagging me about going back to work. Mom calls every morning, Dad calls at night. Jason, Aaron and Andrew take the tag-team approach, and most of the aunts have checked in at least once while I’ve been here. Everyone’s afraid I’ve had a meltdown or something, and they all want to pipe in with advice before I ruin my life. The only ones who don’t seem concerned that I’ve taken a long vacation are my superiors at the firm.”

“Your superiors are hoping the vacation will help get your head together so you can come back in top form again. They know they have a potential gold mine in you, and they don’t want to give up on it too quickly.”

He shrugged, but he had to acknowledge she was probably right, as she so often was. Like her mother, Molly had a talent for cutting through the b.s. and getting straight to the heart of a discussion.

“You can’t really blame the family, though,” she continued. “It was unexpected of you to just drop everything and take off the way you did. They can’t help worrying that the setbacks you’ve had during the past few months have shaken your confidence in yourself. You know how strongly the Walkers believe in getting right back on the horse that threw you.”

How many times had he heard that adage growing up? He shook his head in bemusement. “So what do
you
think?”

“I don’t think you’ve lost your confidence,” she replied after a moment. “Losing that big case—well, that’s part of the job, and you know that. No matter how well you prepare, how passionately you believe in your client, how hard you work to get the win, sometimes you’re just going to lose. I think you were bummed about it, especially since it was such a high-profile case, but I don’t believe it destroyed your confidence or anything like that.

“As for the breakup with Tamara,” she continued matter-of-factly, “I don’t think that was particularly devastating to you, either. Truth is, I’ve thought for a while that you were with her more out of habit and everyone else’s expectations than because you were really in love with her. When you told me she’d broken it off with you, you sounded more relieved than upset, though you’re too nice a guy to admit, even to yourself, that you were glad it was over after such a long time together.”

He shifted uncomfortably on the couch. Maybe Molly was a bit too perceptive. He’d only admitted to himself recently that the breakup with Tamara had been a relief, in a way. He’d tried so hard during the past year to keep her happy and keep their relationship together that he hadn’t spent enough time asking himself if that was what he really wanted. But it still stung that after all he’d done, she hadn’t even had the decency to leave him before she’d started seeing someone else behind his back.

Molly wasn’t quite finished. “I think everyone else is so busy focusing on those big things, naturally enough, that they missed the real incident that left you questioning yourself and the path you’ve been on.”

He studied her with narrowed eyes. “What do you mean?” he asked, though he was afraid he already knew.

Her face soft with sympathy, Molly laid a hand on his knee. “It wasn’t your fault, Casey. You didn’t put Ian Duvall in that car that night.”

His throat tightened, making him speak in a growl. “I might as well have.”

Her fingers tightened. “No. You did your job. You got him acquitted on those earlier charges.”

Casey swallowed. “I knew he was guilty.”

“You did your job,” she repeated firmly. “It wasn’t your place to decide guilt or innocence. It was the jury’s. And they decided to acquit him.”

“Because I did my job so damned well.”

“Exactly. The fact that he chose—he
chose
, Casey—to drive drunk less than a year later had nothing to do with you.”

Giving his knee one last pat, she sat back. “You needed this vacation. Needed a chance to think, away from the craziness back home. I don’t think that’s so strange. And heaven knows we needed your help right now. So don’t let everyone else make you question yourself, okay? Do what you have to do.”

Molly knew all about following her own path. To the consternation of almost the entire Walker clan, she’d left her family ranch, the teaching position she’d held there and everything she’d known back in Dallas to move to Gatlinburg with Kyle. Though she would always be close to her family, Casey didn’t think she’d had one day of regret about leaving behind the life she’d always expected to have among them in Texas.

Maybe that was part of what had drawn him to Molly when he’d made his great escape. She had made a huge change that had left everyone else bewildered and worried, and it had worked out for her. He wasn’t saying that he wanted to make a huge change, really—he wasn’t sure yet just what he wanted—but it was nice to see that it could be done, and successfully, by someone from the same family boat in which he’d been floating so safely for the past twenty-six years.

Do what you have to do
. Sounded simple enough. Now all he had to do was figure out what that was.