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“Does it bother you?”
Truth vied with the need to protect herself. As usual, honesty won out. “Yes.”
“Progenitor envy? Inever would have thought you capable of it,” he mocked lightly.
Her mouth twitched. Unable to help herself, she turned to smile at him, realizing her mistake an instant too late. He stood lounging against one of the rough-cut support pillars, looking for all the world like a gunslinger from the old West—tall, broad, lean and deadly. And resolute. Very resolute. His eyes glinted in the dusky foyer, reflecting endless patience and determination, as well as a heat more scorching than El Paso in August.
“Damn,” she whispered.
He inclined his head, his comprehension instantaneous. “My thoughts exactly.”
Escape became imperative, the urge driven by sheer, unadulterated panic.Not safe, not safe,not safe!shrieked the voices. She backed toward the door, untangling her feet as she went. “I can’t do this. Ithought I could, but I can’t.”
“You can’t have dinner with me?” he asked gently.
“You know what I mean. Ican’t do...” Her hand darted through the air, just missing an heirloom hat rack. “This.”
“Ah. Much clearer.”
She glared at him. “Stop it, Ty. Idon’t know what you want from me. But whatever it is, Ican’t give it to you. Please take me home.”
He hadn’t moved from his position against the support post. But she noticed that all his many impressive ripples tensed. “What will you tell Hutch?”
Oh, no.Hutch. How could she have forgotten? “I’ll...I’ll tell him it didn’t work out between us.”
“You’d lie?”
That stopped her. She released her breath in a long sigh, her shoulders slumping in defeat. So much for escaping unscathed. “No.”
“I didn’t think so.” He uncoiled from his position. “Come around back. We’ll have dinner by the pool. Ihope you don’t mind if it’s casual tonight.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled airily. Not that she fooled him. Oh, no. Not this guy. Not for one little minute. “Sounds great.”
The pool area dazzled and appeared slightly out of place. Too much for such a basic, stark environment. Slabs of various sized and hued rocks were cemented into a free-flowing patiowith flowers dotting the area, some in halved whiskey barrels and others in stone planters.
Mexican petunias trembled on the verge of blooming, while the verbena lobelia and portulaca had already flowered in a stampede of color. Atrellised area with tables and chairs beneath decorated one side of the sprawling patio. Overhead, the broad leaves of a hearty mustang grapevine provided shade.
One of the tables had a gorgeous floral arrangement made up of yellow roses and baby’s breath. Had he known how much she loved yellow roses, or was it in honor of his grandmother’s business? Unwilling to consider the possibility they were for her, she turned her attention to thepool.
It was an amazing sight. Constructed of some sort of dark rock, it had three levels with waterfalls flowing from one section to the next. Jagged stone slabs provided platforms for lounging on each of the levels. Thrift spilled from some of the rock ledges, the hot pink, blue, and white flowers providing a brilliant floral cascade.
Overwhelmed, Cassidy didn’t know what to say. “Wow” struck her as the safest comment.
“It was my father’s contribution to the homestead,” Ty explained dryly as they crossed to the table decorated with the roses. “The top pool is a hot tub. Useful during the summer, wouldn’t you agree?”
Oh, dear. “I gather you don’t use it much.”
“Sure I do. Ijust turn off the heat and dump in a block of ice.”
“Try squeezing in a bucket of lemons and adding a bag or two of sugar,” she suggested brightly, taking a seat at the table. “You’ll have it made.”
He chuckled. “Sounds like a plan.” A short, rawboned woman appeared then, carrying a tray with drinks. “Cassidy, this is Edith, my housekeeper.”
Edith set a brimming glass of iced tea in front of Cassidy and a long-necked bottle of Shiner Bock beer in front of Ty. Drying her hands on her apron, she subjected Cassidy to an intent examination. An instant later, her expression relaxed and she smiled. “Willie was right. You’ll do fine. Anything I can get for you, just holler. Hear?”
Cassidy couldn’t decide how to answer the first part of the housekeeper’s comments. As for the rest... “Thanks. Iwill,” she finally said, deeming it the most appropriate reply.
“She doesn’t mean any harm,” Ty explained as soon as Edith left. “She’s lived and worked here for so many years, she’s become family. Unfortunately, that means she speaks her mind whether we want to hear it or not.” Her expression must have been more revealing than Cassidy intended because he sighed. “Okay, so it’s a strange first date.”
