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She giggled.
“You stay put and I’ll be back for you,” Lyle ordered.
“I can walk.”
“Maybe so, but I’d like to carry you.”
She would enjoy that. Seconds later water began running into the bath. The sounds of Lyle opening and closing cabinet doors soon followed. In a few minutes he returned to her.
“I know you’ve been sitting here thinking how you could walk in there by yourself but it’s not going to happen.” His accent became more pronounced when he was trying to make a point.
“You don’t know me well enough to know what I’m thinking.”
He put his palms on the bed and leaned in close enough that his nose almost touched hers. “Then deny it.”
She met his gaze with a smirk. “I do. I was actually thinking how much I’d enjoy being in your arms.”
Lyle’s look turned to one of bewilderment as he continued to stare at her. It quickly changed to one of pleasure that included a smile spreading across his face. “Then we have a plan.”
Cass pushed the covers back. Lyle placed an arm around her waist and under her legs then lifted her against his chest. The overlarge T-shirt she wore slipped up, exposing her thigh. Lyle’s hand was warm and sure on her skin. She looped her arm around his shoulders and enjoyed the ride.
He sat her on the side of the tub. “Let me check the water temp before you get in.”
Cass waited, watching him trail his fingers through the water. She like the tender attention from Lyle. It made her feel cherished. When had another man come close to giving her that feeling before? Never.
Jim had come the nearest, but he hadn’t understood her, her job—and especially not her relationship with her dog. His idea of caring had been to tell her she should quit doing something so dangerous. He’d never appreciated what drove her. If it had been him there tonight instead of Lyle, Jim would have never trusted her enough to care for the patient while he was gone. Jim hadn’t seen her as a partner, a strong person. Lyle did.
She respected him for that. Felt Lyle returned that respect. He had searched for a missing child without questioning her judgement of using a half-blind dog, then had lowered her into the hole on her directive, and cared for the girl when she’d been pulled out. Now he was looking after her. Was there anything he couldn’t do?
“How’s the girl doing?”
“She’ll recover with a good story to tell. I understand her family went hiking up there last week. She’d lost her doll and was convinced that it was in the ruins. She went looking for it.”
“I didn’t see a doll.” Surely she would have noticed one.
“I didn’t either, so I had a new one sent to her.” He said it as if it was no big deal.
“Lyle Sinclair, you’re a really nice guy.” She meant every word. Too nice for her to screw up his life.
“This is ready, if you are.” He reached for the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head.
Cass watched him but he didn’t let his gaze drop below her face. He was being such a gentleman. Scooping up her feet, he placed them in the water. Cass slipped into the bath with a sigh of contentment. It rose to just below her breasts. She glanced at Lyle. His focus had fallen lower now.
“Hey.” She took his hand. His gaze met hers. A flame of awareness burned in his eyes. “It feels really wonderful in here.” She closed her eyes and lay back, giving him the full view.
Lyle groaned. “I’m going down for the tea. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Cass smiled, then said in her best seductive voice, “I’d much rather have you warm me up.”
“I’m the administrator of this clinic. I can’t be climbing into the bath with a patient.” He didn’t sound convinced.
“Lock the door, put out the Do Not Disturb sign. Live a little. Take a walk on the wild side. You know you want to.” She tugged on his hand. “Mmm...it sure is nice.” Cass opened her eyelids to slits. She could see the small upward curl of Lyle’s lips. He was weakening. “At least kiss me.”
Lyle leaned over her, his lips finding hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gently pulled him into the tub. Water sloshed everywhere but she didn’t care and apparently neither did Lyle. She continued to kiss him as he settled around her and brought her against him, taking the kiss deeper. When they broke apart Cass pulled at his long-sleeved shirt until her hands could wander freely over his back.
“Cass, you’ll be my undoing. And the end of my job if I’m not careful.” He kissed the sweet spot behind her ear.
She started working on the opening of his pants.
“How am I supposed to get out of your room without being seen in soaking wet clothes?” He sounded more perplexed than angry.
She wanted him that way. Her hand brushed across his hard manhood. “You have other things to worry about right now. I’ll show you a secret passage out.”
“Secret, uh?”
“First things first.” She gave him an open-mouthed kiss while pushing his pants over his hips.
* * *
A few days later, Lyle sat on the couch in his cottage with his arm around Cass and her cuddled under his arm and her head on his shoulder. All the lights were off except for those on the tree. It was the prettiest Christmas tree he’d ever seen. Or maybe it was because he was sharing it with Cass. Yet he sensed something was bothering her.
She had walked home with him after work but had been more quiet than usual. Normally she told him about her day or something a dog had done during her therapy. Today had been different. They had prepared dinner of soup and sandwiches, working together like a long-married couple who knew the next move of the other. Still she’d said nothing.
Was it worry over her leaving? He’d certainly spent more time thinking about it than he found comfortable. Flora had said nothing specific about planning to discharge Cass, but he and Cass both knew the time was near. He would find out before they went to bed what was going on in that busy mind of hers.
Lyle smiled to himself. He had really come out of his respectable world with Cass’s stunt of pulling him into the bath. She had added excitement to his life.
Cass had helped wring out his clothes with a grin on her face. They’d laid them to dry near the fire and climbed into her bed. Just before dawn he’d pulled the damp clothing on so he could go home and put on some dry ones. He’d shrugged into his coat, grateful it wasn’t wet. Cass gave him a goodbye kiss that had been hot enough to make them both steam. He had slipped out of her room and down a back staircase, with the jubilant thought that he wouldn’t be seen. The second he had put his hand on the doorknob, Charles had pulled the door open. Lyle could only imagine the dumbfounded look on his face at that moment. Charles often came in early, but Lyle hadn’t realized he used the side door.
“Hey. Aren’t you going the wrong way?” Charles looked beyond him as if searching for something going on.
“I was sitting up with Cass.” And other things. Very nice things.
Charles’s forehead wrinkled with concern. “I checked her out last night. She seemed fine. Was something wrong?”
“No, I just wanted to make sure she was okay.” Lyle made to step to past him. All he wanted was to get home and change his clothes.
A look of understanding came to Charles’s face along with a grin. He gave Lyle a pointed look. “And is she?’
“She is.”
Charles continued to block the opening. “Glad to hear it. Cass is a really special person. I heard what happened and how she jumped in to help.”
Lyle couldn’t agree more. Cass was very special. “She is special.”
“Freya did you wrong. Not every girl will.” Charles’s words were said softly but matter-of-factly. “Maybe it’s time to give someone else a chance.”
Lyle had been thinking the same thing. “You’re one to be talking.” r />
“Just because I’m a bachelor it doesn’t mean you should be one. Just think about it.” Charles slapped Lyle on the shoulder as he went by. “Are you wet?”
Apparently his fingers had touched Lyle’s shirt. “I fell in the bath.”
He heard the roll of Charles’s laughter as he hurried out the door.
Cass shifted beside him now. “What’re you thinking about?”
He gave her shoulders a squeeze. “I was just thinking about Charles catching me leaving the other morning.”
Cass smiled against him. “So he knows about us?”
“Yes. But he would anyway. The Laird knows everything that’s going on in his domain.”
“Do you mind?” She turned to look up at him.
“Mind? Why would I? You’re wonderful, smart, beautiful, fun to be around. Why should I mind? I’m honored.”
She shifted to face him and gave him a gentle kiss. “Thank you. That was a nice thing to say.”
“I meant every word.”
