Foxfire Light (13 page)

“It seems the dinner was a success after all,” she murmured and reached behind her back to untie the apron bow. When she pulled the tie, it knotted. “Damn,” she swore softly and struggled with the knot before giving up. “Will you untie this for me, Linc?” she demanded in irritation. “I can't see what I'm doing.”

“Sure.” He came up behind her.

Joanna faced the sink, her hands resting on the counter so they wouldn't be in his way. As he worked to free the knot, the touch of his hands along the small of her back caused a disturbing sensation that tingled up her spine. She heard her uncle's car drive out of the yard.

“Haven't you got it untied yet?” she demanded impatiently.

“Patience,” he counseled. “By the way, the dinner was very good tonight. With a little practice, you might make some man a good wife.”

“With a little more practice, you could become
a good wife, too,” Joanna retorted, twisting and throwing back his sexist remark.

The knot was freed, loosening the apron around her waist. She slipped the haltered neckline over her head and stopped in the middle of folding the apron as his hands settled on her shoulders, rubbing them in an intimate fashion.

“You could have beautiful shoulders if you didn't carry that big chip on them all the time,” Linc commented.

“If it wasn't for men like you, it wouldn't be there.” She twisted away from his hands with a shrugging turn of her shoulders and moved a pace away. She could feel his narrowed gaze.

“You like being a deliberately aggravating female, don't you?” Linc challenged.

She gave him a wide-eyed look of mock innocence. “Because I make you itch?”

“I've decided it's a heat rash. Nothing a cold shower won't cure.” The natural curve of his mouth deepened with dryness as topaz lights glittered in his brown eyes.

The double meaning wasn't lost on her. Heat warmed her cheeks, but she didn't know if it was caused by his insinuation of sex or his off-hand dismissal that she could arouse any lasting passion. She glared at him silently.

A satisfied smile spread slowly across his expression. “This is the first time I've ever seen you at a loss for words—especially sharp ones. Maybe there's hope for you yet,” Linc suggested.

“Very funny.” She found her sarcasm.

“The battle of the sexes is usually fought with words. Didn't you know that?” he mocked.

“Who said I was fighting?” Joanna challenged.

“You are. Do you know why?” he asked.

“You seem to know everything. Why don't you tell me?” Her jaw was tightly clenched.

“You don't respect anyone you can push around. By the same token, every time you're pushed, you push back. Somewhere, sometime, you're going to have to work out a compromise,” Linc advised.

There was the sting of tears at the back of her eyes, but she kept her head held high and proud and showed no expression. A weariness passed over his face and he turned from her.

“Thanks for dinner,” he said. “Tell Reece I'll see him.”

Joanna stared as he walked out of the kitchen, shocked that he was actually leaving. She realized she didn't want him to go. She took a step after him and heard the front door slam. Halting, she listened and heard the start of a car's engine. When its roar faded into the night, there was only silence in the cabin, a silence broken by the ticking of the clock.

I
t was well over an hour before Reece returned from driving Rachel Parmelee home. When he walked in the door, his dark eyes shining and his handsome features radiating an inner happiness, Joanna felt a twinge of envy.

“You certainly took Rachel on the long way home,” she observed with a glance at the clock, teasing him with her smile.

“We began talking and lost track of time.” Reece was in too good a mood to take offense at her affectionate ribbing.

“Talking, huh?” Joanna moved closer and inspected the pink smudge on his white collar. “Is that how this lipstick got on your shirt?”

He glanced down, briefly self-conscious, then
laughed in his throat. The sound held a note of triumph, a battle long-fought and finally won.

“There are other, equally satisfactory methods of communication besides talking, as you already know,” he stated.

She was pleased to see him so happy and contented. “When are you seeing her again?”

“Sunday,” Reece answered without hesitation. “We're going fishing together.”

“Fishing?” Joanna showed her surprise at his questionable choice for a romantic outing.

“That's exactly what Rachel said.” A tiny crease showed on his forehead.

“I can understand why,” Joanna replied. “Going fishing isn't exactly a romantic thing to do.” Then she remembered Linc had indicated Rachel was uncomfortable with a staged, romantic setting. She quickly changed her opinion of his plans. “But I think it's a great idea. It's much easier for a person to relax and be themselves when they're fishing.”

Her explanation erased his last doubts and he turned his mind to other things. “When did Linc leave?”

“Shortly after you did,” she admitted and felt the quiet scrutiny of his eyes.

“I thought he would stay later than that,” he remarked.

Joanna shrugged her lack of an explanation for his decision, uncomfortable with the subject. She went back to one that was safer. “Do you want me to make myself scarce Sunday night?”

“It isn't necessary as far as I'm concerned,” he assured her. “Naturally you are free to make whatever plans you wish.”

Late on Sunday afternoon, Reece was preparing to leave the cabin to pick up Rachel. Joanna was curled up in an armchair with a book that she pretended to be interested in, because she didn't want Reece to think she was at loose ends for something to do. The telephone rang. She started to uncoil her legs to answer it but he waved her back into the chair.

“I'll answer it.” He walked to the phone and picked up the receiver. “Reece Morgan speaking.”

Absently curious, Joanna watched recognition register in his expression as the caller obviously identified himself as someone her uncle knew. Then Reece was glancing her way.

“Yes, she's here. Just a minute.” His hand covered the mouthpiece. “It's Linc. He wants to speak to you.”

Surprise flickered across her face. Her heartbeat quickened as she pushed out of the chair and crossed the room to take the receiver from her uncle's hand. A little nervous, she took the phone and lifted it to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Joanna.” Linc's voice quietly drawled her name in greeting. “Do you know how to ride a horse?”

She was too startled by the question to do more than give a simple answer. “Yes.”

“Change into some jeans and well go riding,” he instructed.

“When?” she asked blankly.

“Now. It'll probably take me about twenty minutes to ride down to the cabin. Can you be ready by then?”

“Yes.” It wouldn't take that long to change clothes.

“Okay, I'll see you then.”

There was a click and the buzz of a dial tone in her ear. She kept the phone in her hand an instant longer then hung it up. When she looked up, Reece was watching her with a bemused look.

“That was a very brief conversation,” he remarked.

“Linc's coming down,” she explained the reason for his call. “We're going horseback riding.” Suddenly realizing her twenty minutes was being used up, she moved toward the stairs. “I have to change yet.”

“I'll be leaving. Have a good time.” He raised a hand in farewell as he retreated toward the door.

As she raced up the stairs, Joanna heard the car pulling out of the drive. Changing out of her shorts and suntop, she tugged on a pair of brushed denims and a pin-striped blouse. After running a brush through her ash-blonde hair, she dabbed on some lipgloss. Since she didn't have a pair of riding boots with her, she slipped on a pair of canvas sneakers and tied the laces.

She had barely reached the bottom of the
stairs when she heard the clip-clopping of horses' hooves out on the road, followed by the rolling snort of a horse. As she crossed the living room to the front door, she could see Linc riding into the driveway astride a dappled buckskin and leading a saddled, blaze-faced bay. By the time she reached the door and had walked outside, he had halted the horses.

Joanna paused a little uncertainly. “Hello,” she said. After the way he had left so abruptly the other night, she didn't know what his attitude would be toward her now.

“Hello, yourself.” His smile was lazy as his glance ran over her in quiet approval.

“Are we ready?” Relief relaxed her features into a bright smile.

The saddle groaned as he leaned forward to pass her the reins of the second horse. “Do you need some help mounting?” The brim of his western hat shadowed his eyes, but she was conscious of their warmth and interest.

“I think I can manage.” She looped the reins over the horse's neck as Linc maneuvered his horse out of her way.

It was a long stretch to the stirrup. Joanna had to hop a couple of times to keep her balance before she got a toe in it. Gripping the saddle-horn, she swung into the seat. She adjusted the length of the reins in her hand, aware of the swiveling ears of her alert mount. She patted its sleek neck and crooned a few words to the horse so it would know her voice.

“All set?” Linc asked.

She gave an affirmative nod. “Where are we going?”

A touch of the rein turned her horse alongside of his buckskin. Both animals moved out at a walk, eager yet obedient.

“I thought we'd ride over to Jessie's and cut through his place to the lake,” Linc answered. “Is that all right with you?”

Joanna darted a quick look at him to see if he was mocking her, but the expression on his rugged features was bland. “That's fine.” She let her attention swing back to her horse and the road ahead.

“You're not a bad rider,” he observed.

There was an impulse to make a quick retort at the back-handed compliment, but Joanna smothered it. “It's a good horse.”

“Coffee is my sister's favorite. She used to ride him all the time.”

She noticed the way the horse's ears pricked at the mention of its name. “Coffee. Is that what they call you, fella?” Joanna murmured to it, then glanced self-consciously at Linc who didn't seem to find anything wrong with talking to the horse. “Doesn't your sister ride her anymore?”

“Not since she got married and moved to her own home,” he replied.

“Oh.” She fell silent, listening to the steady clop of hooves, the jingle of bridle chains, and squeaking leather. “Why haven't you gotten married?”

“Too busy, I guess.” He shifted in the saddle, his head lifted as he idly looked around.

“Do you mean you're not a confirmed bachelor?” she teased.

“Nope.” Again there was a dry and lazy smile. “How about you?”

“I'm not sure that I want to get married,” Joanna admitted, unexpectedly serious. A wry grimace tugged at her expression. “I haven't seen many 'happy' marriages in California. Of course, I look at Reece and then I want to believe—for his sake.”

“Rachel?”

“Yes. I've never seen him so relaxed and carefree. He's practically walking on air.” She smiled. “He's seeing her tonight. They're going fishing—of all things.” Her side glance caught his look. “I know,” she nodded. “They'll meet on the same level.”

“You are quite a contradiction, Joanna.” He shook his head in mild amazement. “Here you are match-making, yet you claim not to believe in the 'happily ever after' part.”

“It doesn't make sense, does it?” she admitted with a faint laugh.

“No,” he agreed and kneed his horse into a reaching trot.

Joanna urged her mount to keep pace. The jarring gait eliminated more conversation as they followed the rough and twisting road. The heat of the afternoon was fading, the sun's rays slanted against the earth. The shadows cast by the trees were lengthened across the road. Joanna turned her face to the cooling breeze their pace generated.

Where the road smoothed out, Linc spurred his horse into a rocking lope and Joanna followed suit. They stayed in a slow canter until they neared the turn-off to Jessie Bates's cabin. Checking their horses to a blowing walk, they turned down the narrow lane and followed it back to the log cabin. A mule brayed, announcing their arrival. Her horse snorted and turned its head to study its hybrid cousin.

“Hello! Anybody home!” Linc called.

There was a stirring inside the cabin. The hinges on the screen door squealed a protest as the door was pushed open and Jessie stepped out, yawning and scratching his head, ruffling hair that was already rumpled.

“Ya' caught me nappin',” he said and blinked his eyes. “What d'ya want?“

“We thought we'd ride down to the lake,” Linc explained.

“Oh,” Jessie grunted. “I thought ya mighta come to visit.”

Joanna caught the trace of disappointment in his voice and glanced at Linc. He'd heard it, too, and lifted an eyebrow in silent question. She answered with a slight nod.

“We did,” she told Jessie and kicked her foot out of the off-stirrup to dismount. “Unless you have other plans, of course.”

“None at all,” he said, brightening a little.

Linc had stepped to the ground and reached to take the reins of her horse so he could tie them both to the corral post. “What have you been up to, Jess?”

“Nothin'.” He shook his head. “You know that's a real problem, too.“

“Why?” Joanna frowned in concern.

“ 'Cause if a fella's doin' nothin', how can he stop to rest?“ His hands were outstretched, palm upward, in a beseeching gesture.

It took a second for his witticism to register, then she laughed. “Jessie, I'm never sure when you're serious or pulling my leg.”