Cassandra Austin (17 page)

“Oh yeah,” said Bill, clapping Andrew on the back. “Congratulations. Jeff and Martin! You two carry that body to the undertaker’s.” He started away, leaving them in darkness for a moment until his lantern was replaced by that of the mayor.

“Here,” the older man said, swinging the light toward the house. “Let me give you light enough to get inside.”

“Thanks.” Andrew turned to crouch beside Cally. “Let me lift him,” he urged softly. “He’ll be all right.” With Cally’s help he got the dog into his arms. The mayor led the way to the light of the back door. The dog was heavy, and Andrew could feel the pull on his own wounded shoulder. Royal, fortunately, didn’t struggle. In the kitchen, Cally helped Andrew place the dog gently on the table.

“You folks need anything?” the mayor called from just outside the door.

“We can handle things now, thanks,” Andrew said, eyeing Cally to be sure she wasn’t about to faint.

“I’ll be going then,” he called. “Good night, and congratulations!”

“I wish they’d quit congratulating me for killing someone,” Andrew muttered as he pumped a pan of water at the sink.

Cally stroked the dog’s neck, trying not to look at his bloodied hip. “I don’t think that’s why,” she ventured, then wished she hadn’t said anything. He would find out soon enough.

Andrew grabbed some rags from a shelf above the sink and carried them and the pan to the table. Cally was glad he was intent enough on Royal not to look at her. “I don’t know what else it would be,” he said. “Sure, I messed up the gang’s plans, but I didn’t really stop the robbery. I wasn’t the one who found the money hidden in the bushes.”

Cally shrugged, hoping he would let it drop. “Will he really be all right?” she asked, not taking her eyes off Royal.

“Good as new in no time,” Andrew said. “It’s just a scratch.”

Cally breathed a sigh of relief for two reasons.

“Seems odd, though,” Andrew said.

“It was too dark for him to get a good shot, I suppose.”

“No, I mean everyone’s behavior.”

Cally bit her lip and glanced toward him, happy to see that most of the dog’s wound was covered with white cloth. Andrew was still pretty busy with the bandages. Cally was glad. Maybe he wouldn’t put everything together. Maybe they could wait and talk about it in the morning. In the meantime, she hoped to make him happy enough he wouldn’t care. “How are you feeling?” she asked solicitously.

She saw him glance at her but only briefly. “I’ll be all right.” Andrew’s hands were working very quickly and gently. The dog barely twitched when Andrew touched the wound.

“How did you get outside so fast? You were right behind me.”

He took a moment to answer. “I was on my way down. I was going to look for Terris.”

Cally shook her head. He was not a good patient. “You should lie down as soon as you’re done.”

This time his glance lasted a little longer. A grin quirked at the corner of his mouth. “Will you come, too?”

Cally lowered her face to hide her blush.
Of course,
she thought, but didn’t say it aloud.

In a few minutes, Royal was settled near the fire, and Cally tried to help Andrew up the stairs. He didn’t cooperate. He kept hugging her and trying to kiss her. Halfway to the top she gave in and let him claim her
lips for a long sensuous kiss. After that, she had to let him help
her
up the stairs.

The lamp was still burning in his bedroom, and Andrew turned it down a fraction before pulling her into his arms for another kiss. He undid the top button on the oversize shirt she wore. “You know,” he said thoughtfully, his fingers caressing her collarbone, “if you want to milk the cow in a pair of pants, that’s fine with me, but I think I’d like to see you in dresses once in a while. You can have as many as you want once we’re married.”

Cally jumped, then tried to pretend she hadn’t.
Married!
Had his crack that she had already ruined his edge been a proposal? Well, she would like to hear it as a question. Suppose she wanted to turn him down. He was taking a lot for granted! Of course, it was exactly what she wanted and coming now could be her way out of trouble. Perhaps she shouldn’t push her luck.

He bent and kissed her again, and she lost her train of thought. His kisses trailed across her cheek and down her neck. She hadn’t realized he had undone the rest of the buttons on her shirt until his kisses continued downward against her bare skin. When his tongue touched the sensitive tip of her nipple, her knees buckled.

Andrew scooped her up in his arms and laid her across his soft bed. Cally thought she ought to be concerned for his wounded shoulder, but he kissed her breast again, distracting her. She was engulfed in tingling warmth and closed her eyes to enjoy it.

She felt him rise from the bed and smiled to herself. Last time, when he had returned to her side, he had been naked. She opened one eye for a peek and closed
it quickly. Surely she wasn’t supposed to see this! He looked magnificent, though. She opened one eye again and found him watching her. She was so mortified, she rolled over in the bed, burying her face in the quilt. His chuckling didn’t help.

He tugged on her shoulder, but she resisted. “Cally.” The word was a caress to her ears. She rolled over, keeping her eyes tightly shut. He was chuckling again. She could feel her cheeks burning and was about to bury them in the quilt again when she felt his hands on the fasteners of her pants. Delicious shivers spread through her body and she decided not to interfere with his work by rolling away. In fact, she scooted around a little to help him pull the pants off her legs.

Then it occurred to her. He was looking at her, naked or nearly so. Why shouldn’t she get to satisfy her curiosity as well? She opened both eyes a crack and wondered if he had been waiting for her to do just that. He was standing beside the bed, watching her face.

He slowly smiled. “We gave ourselves to each other once, Cally. I want to marry you so we can truly belong to each other.”

He placed one knee on the bed and started to move slowly toward her. She couldn’t keep herself from looking at his proud manhood, though she tried to. She was sure her face was going to burst into flames.

He ran one cool finger down her cheek as he moved to lie beside her. “That means you can do what you please with me,” he whispered. “Look at me. Or touch me.” He ran one hand down the length of her body, brushing the open shirt out of his way. “I intend to do the same to you.”

She looked into his eyes and saw the warmth there, an expression she had seen before and recognized now as love. The idea of spending an entire lifetime getting to know, and touch, this man filled her with anticipation. She reached out tentatively and touched his chest, far away from the bandage. She let her fingers trail downward across his ribs and flat stomach. She hesitated then continued onward.

Andrew caught her hand, bringing it up to his heart and pressing it there. A moment later he released her and flopped onto his back beside her.

“Andrew?” Had she done something wrong or was it the injury? She sprang up to hover over him. He looked as if he was in pain. “I told you you should rest.” She thought back. “I think I did. I should have, anyway.”

He was laughing at her again. For a moment she was relieved. But only for a moment. When she would have drawn away from him, he caught her shoulders. “Rest isn’t what I need.” He pulled her down on top of him. “I want you so badly it’s hard to wait. Suppose you do your exploring a little later.”

She smiled at him, and he rolled her onto her back again. His body covered hers, and he brought his mouth down to claim her lips. A long searing kiss had Cally reeling. It wasn’t frightening this time, she knew what to expect—and she knew they loved each other.

He entered her so slowly, she thought she would go crazy. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him toward her. His groan worried her for a moment, but the feel of his skin, his taste, his scent, all had her spinning into wonderful thoughtlessness. She
called out his name as all the feeling collided together and she heard him call her name as well.

Later, as they lay cuddled in each other’s arms and the foggy glow was lifting, she remembered the townspeople’s comments. She would have to explain before he went to work in the morning. She propped herself up on one elbow and studied Andrew’s face. He looked as if he was smiling in his sleep. This could be the perfect time. But first, she feasted her eyes on his nakedness, marveling at the differences in their bodies.

When the urge to touch him became too great to resist, she rested her hand on his warm chest, just over his heart. “Andrew?” she murmured. “Remember the congratulations you were getting?”

She thought his grunt might be a yes. “I bet it was because we’re engaged,” she said softly. She watched his face carefully. Maybe the smile faded a little. She watched him so long she started to wonder if he would answer. Maybe he was asleep.

“I only asked you this evening, sweetheart,” he finally said. “None of them would have any way of knowing.”

She decided it might be wise to get out of bed in case he reacted strongly. Andrew opened one eye to look at her. She stood a little straighter, bracing herself. “They know ‘cause I told them.”

“Sweetheart, you were with your dog. You had no chance to tell them.”

He thought he was being patient and reasonable. She thought he was being picky. She raised her chin a little higher, forgetting that she was naked.

Andrew’s look was frankly appreciative. “Besides,”
he added, “I don’t think you realized I’d proposed until a few minutes ago.”

He was laughing at her, she thought. She tried to look serious instead of angry. “I told Dr. Briggs before we brought you home.”

Andrew gave her his full attention, his eyebrows questioning quite eloquently.

Cally put her fists on her hips and her chin went up in a perfect imitation of Noella Gwynn. Perfect except for the outfit. “I wanted to bring you home and look after you,” she said. “And it just wouldn’t have been proper if we weren’t at least engaged!”

To her amazement, he laughed. She glared at him as he rose to his feet. “I think we’ve both had the same thing in mind,” he said. “I’ll take the blame for not handling it properly, but I intended to propose during the picnic.”

“Why didn’t you?” What had she done that made him change his mind? What if he changed his mind again?

“Because…” He moved forward and slid his arms around her waist. “I wanted you to say you loved me. You’re a very stubborn young lady.”

She smiled at the compliment. “I can say it now, Andrew.”

As she raised on her toes to encourage his kiss, they whispered in unison, “I love you.”

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eISBN 978-14592-6815-9

CALLY AND THE SHERIFF

Copyright © 1997 by Sandra Detrixhe

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