“Where did you...” Elizabeth choked on her words. “Oh, Katie...”
“For you,” Katie whispered, delighted with her gift, as well as the tender expression she’d gleaned from her new aunt. “My granmommy gave it to my mommy, and then my mommy gave it to me when God tol’ her she was gonna go to heaven.” She lifted her chin, winking one eye so sweetly that Elizabeth’s heart ached for the loss she was accepting so bravely.
“Oh, Katie, are you certain? This is so special. Maybe your mommy meant for you to have it.”
“Well... if you take me home,” she suggested in a sweet whisper, “then we could share.” She lifted her hands as though to say, you see how easy it could be?
“Of course,” Elizabeth replied, her heart breaking with every gesture Katie made, every word she uttered. “And we will.” Moisture shimmered in her eyes. “We surely will.”
“Cause my grandpapa says he’s too tired anymore,” Katie revealed matter-of-factly, and Elizabeth’s heart twisted again. “Right?”
Elizabeth swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes, and thank you, Katie.” She held up the locket. “I’ll treasure it always.” She searched in vain for the right thing to say, but nothing else came to her. From downstairs, Miss Mimi’s voice called out, and Katie’s eyes grew instantly wide.
“Don’ tell!” she urged in an anxious whisper. “Granpapa says you was tired an’ that you was gonna sleep... and he tol’ me not to bother.” She lifted a hand up and shook it daintily. “But I didn’t bother... so don’ tell... all right?” She looked so unsure of herself that Elizabeth had to smile.
“All right,” Elizabeth agreed, closing her fist against the cool silver of the locket. “I won’t tell.”
Katie’s dark eyes sparkled, and with an enormous grin, she suddenly turned and scampered from the room, forgetting to close the door in her haste.
Slowly, cherishing the moment, Elizabeth turned to find Cutter watching her intently. He was leaning casually, one shoulder on the wardrobe, his stance easy. But he said nothing, and his narrow-eyed look sent a tingle down her spine. What must he think of her? As he continued to scrutinize her, she felt a deep sense of shame for the predicament they’d been caught in. By Katie nonetheless!
Not for the first time, she wondered what was wrong with her that she forgot everything, including to breathe, in his presence? What had happened to all the caution and good sense her father had instilled in her? Cutter made her so weak with only a look, and she shuddered inwardly at the thought of his lips on her own. And then her gaze was drawn to the bed, the only bed in the room, and she nibbled nervously at her bottom lip.
“That certainly was close,” she said abruptly. Cutter didn’t reply beyond lifting a dark brow, and her embarrassment turned quickly to annoyance. “About tonight, Cutter... I don’t think we should... we should...” Lord help her, but she couldn’t say it. She watched as Cutter’s jaw set, and felt a quivering run the length of her.
She tried again. “I wouldn’t expect—well, that because I’m a woman, I should have the bed...” Her gaze was drawn to the wooden chair, and she winced, thinking of how uncomfortable it would be to sleep there. But then, the only other recourse... would be pure heaven, she admitted, if only to herself. Still, it wasn’t right, and she wouldn’t shame herself, or her sister’s family, by sleeping with a man she wasn’t wed to. “I’ll sleep on the chair,” she concluded, nibbling gently at her lip. “You can have the bed.”
With a curt nod, Cutter lifted himself off the wardrobe. “I see,” he said, his eyes smoldering as he came forward. “It’s all right to share the half-breed’s roll, but not his bed?” Shaking his head in disgust, Cutter stalked past her, giving her a narrow-eyed glance as he passed by. He jerked open the door and stopped. Without turning back to her, he said, “Don’t bother with the chair. You’re welcome to the bed!” He wanted to add that he wouldn’t be back, but the words wouldn’t come. And in his frustration he realized that that was the crux of it all; he knew he would return. He slammed the door as he walked out, leaving her standing in stunned silence behind him.
Chapter Twenty-Two
There wasn’t a muscle in his body that wasn’t tightly coiled with fury as Cutter leaned forward upon the fence, clutching it wrathfully, yet he hoped he managed to look casual as he gazed out into the endless fields. Wheat, he thought. Acres and acres of it. He squeezed the wood until it made raw imprints in his palm. The sun was just beginning to set, and the grasses swayed gently with the breeze, the golden-brown tips blending against the golden light of the sky... The scene was as quietly seductive as she was.
Hell, he should have seen it coming.
So why hadn’t he? He shook his head in self-disgust.
“Get yourself in trouble with the little missus?”
Hearing Elias’ voice, Cutter stiffened abruptly, the tiny hairs upon the back of his neck standing on end. Willing the tension out of his body, he straightened and turned his back to the fence to find Elias Bass sauntering toward him, grinning knowingly. He leaned back and crossed his ankles, assuming a negligent stance, glancing briefly at the house, then back. “You might say that,” he conceded ruefully.
Elias chuckled and halted before him, crossing his arms.
Again Cutter broke eye contact—long enough to tuck his volcanic emotions away—and then returned it. He couldn’t afford for Elias to see his anger—Elizabeth couldn’t afford it, he corrected himself. Since when had he taken a personal stake in this? “I believe she’s afraid we made a poor first impression,” he said.
“And you?” Elias prompted.
Cutter shrugged. “I think she’s already half in love with your granddaughter,” he said bluntly. “And she’s scared to death you’re gonna change your mind—that you’re gonna disapprove of us for some odd reason.” He watched Elias’ expression meticulously, taking in the guilty color that immediately suffused the man’s face, and swore silently.
Elias nodded. “You’re real direct, McKenzie, aren’t ya?” He glanced down at his boots abruptly and kicked the ground, then again met Cutter’s gaze. “Well, I like that,” he announced.
Cutter only nodded. Sure he did... He liked it—but! Damn, he could almost feel the word as though it were suspended between them. A tangible thing. He braced himself for the sound of it.
“About that odd reason, McKenzie... I’m glad you came down.” Elias turned his back to the fence and dragged himself atop it, settling down upon the top slat next to Cutter and hooking the heel of his boots over the bottom rung. He sighed heavily, looking weary. “There’s something we need to talk about.”
Once again the hair at the back of Cutter’s neck bristled. At his right side, his hand curled into a fist. There it was—he could sense it coming. It was all in the tone of Elias’ voice, and he swore again; at himself for believing it could be otherwise, at Elias Bass for proving Elizabeth right—and at Elizabeth for walking into his damned life to begin with! His gaze shifted abruptly to Elias, his eyes narrowing, his heart hammering, his gut twisting violently. Elias was watching him studiously. Checking himself, Cutter took a moment to shut away his emotions, and then asked quietly, “You got a problem with that reason, Bass?”
Again there was silence as both men stared, measuring each other.
