The Manning Sisters (24 page)

Russ chuckled. “All right. Noah claimed he'd heard that the sheriff's about to take a wife. A pretty one, too. He said word has it she's a relative of mine.”

“Oh?” Christy asked, willingly playing into his hands. “And did this relative of yours have a name?”

Christy remembered Cody introducing her to the town's sole insurance agent. He'd also told her that Noah Williams was well acquainted with most folks' business, whether they were his clients or not.

“Said he didn't recall the name, but he thought it was something like Cathy or Christine. Or Christabel.”

“Funny. Very funny,” Christy muttered, looking out the window, hoping to see Cody's truck.

“I'm telling you right now,” Russ said, chuckling again, “the secret's out. The sheriff's gonna take himself a wife.”

 

The next afternoon, Christy was lying on her back in a meadow not far from the ranch house, chewing on a long blade of grass. Cody had taken her flying the previous day, just as she'd guessed, and the experience had been exhilarating, not frightening at all. He lay beside her now, staring at the darkening sky. A series of clouds was rolling in, obliterating the sun, but they'd both decided to ignore the threat of rain.

“Looks like there's a storm coming,” Cody said.

“Let it. I don't mind, do you?”

“That depends.” He rolled onto his stomach and leaned on his elbows as he gazed lovingly down at her. He didn't seem any more eager to leave the site of their picnic than Christy.

The afternoon had been ideal. Cody had arrived at the house early in the day, and Christy had met him with a basket full of goodies. Russ complained that she was taking enough food to feed a small army…of ants.

“Depends on what?” she asked, smiling up at him.

“On who I'm with.” As if he couldn't stop himself, he leaned over her and pressed his mouth to hers. Then his lips moved along the side of her face and into her hair. He paused and went still as he breathed in the scent of the cologne she'd dabbed behind her ears.

Other than the few kisses they'd exchanged over the past days, Cody hadn't touched her. It wasn't that he didn't desire her, didn't need her. But he held himself back—held himself in check.

Christy understood and in many ways approved.

The physical attraction between them was more powerful than either had ever experienced. It wasn't something to be trifled with.

He kissed her again lightly, softly, gently.

Christy slid her hands up his chest and put her arms around his neck. He kissed her again, his breath hot and quick. “We should stop now,” he warned but made no effort to move away from her.

“Yes, I know,” she concurred.

He brushed his thumb back and forth over her moist lips as if gathering the needed resolve to pull away from her. She gazed up into his dark, troubled eyes and saw his hesitation. His hands were trembling as he started to roll away from her.

“No.” Her cry was instinctive. Urgent.

“Christy…”

“Shh.” She sank her fingers into his hair at the sides of his lean, rugged face, raised her head from the soft patch of grass and touched her mouth to his.

His hands tangled with her short curls as he moved the upper half of his body over hers, anchoring her to the ground. Their frenzied kissing seemed to go on and on.

“Enough,” he said breathlessly. “We have to stop.”

Christy wanted him so desperately; the hunger to love him all but consumed her, and she moved fitfully beneath him.

“Christy,” he said, “we're headed for trouble if we don't stop…
now
.”

“I thought sheriffs were trained to deal with any kind of trouble.” Her tongue outlined his mouth even as she spoke.

Cody moaned.

Christy sighed.

There didn't seem to be anything strong enough in this world or the next to pull them apart. Christy felt as if she'd been created for this man, for this moment. The love between them was as inevitable as the setting sun. As natural as the ocean waves caressing the shore or the wind stirring the trees. Her blood seemed to vibrate in sympathy, a vibration that grew more insistent—until she realized something was amiss. It wasn't her blood that was pounding in her veins, but rain that was pounding the earth. The clouds burst over them, drenching Christy within seconds.

Cody brought his hands to her face, framing it as he slowly raised his head. His eyes sought hers.

“Cody, it's pouring!”

He responded by kissing her again. “You taste too sweet to move.”

“You're getting soaked.”

“So are you.” He grinned. “And I don't mind if you don't.”

“I don't.”

“Good.” Once more his mouth connected with hers.

A moment later, Christy leaned against him. “We…almost made love.”

“I promised myself we wouldn't,” he whispered. “And this is a promise I mean to keep.” His hands closed around her upper arms. “Understand?”

Christy nodded.

“I mean it, Christy.”

“Yes, sir.” She teased him with a salute.

Deftly he reversed their positions, smoothly rolling over and taking her with him so she was poised above him. She straddled his hips and arched her head back as the rain pummeled her face. Brushing away her hair, she smiled at the dark, angry sky.

“I suppose I should be grateful,” Cody murmured.

“For the rain? Why?”

“You know why.”

“Yes,” she whispered, “but in some ways I wish…” She let the rest fade, because they were aware of what would have happened if Mother Nature hadn't intervened when she did.

“Y
ou're
sure
you want to babysit?” Taylor asked, as though she expected Christy to change her mind.

“You're going,” Christy said, ushering her older sister to the kitchen where Russ was waiting impatiently. It was the first time Taylor had left Eric, and she was having second thoughts.

“This night is for you and Russ.”

“I know but—”

“I have the phone number to the restaurant, the home nurse, the doctor and the hospital. If anything the least bit out of the ordinary occurs, I'll phone someone, so quit worrying.”

“Eric's never had a bottle,” Taylor protested.

“It's still Mama's milk. He's a smart baby. He'll adjust.” After Taylor had spent a long—and hilarious—afternoon learning how to operate the breast pump, each ounce was more precious than gold.

“Christy, I'm not convinced this is such a good idea, after all.”

“Don't be ridiculous. Eric will probably sleep the entire time you're away.”

“Are you going to let me take you to dinner or not?” Russ's voice boomed from the kitchen. “I'd like to remind you the reservation is for six.” After a hard day on the ranch, Russ got too hungry to wait much beyond that for the evening meal.

Cody was the one who'd come up with the idea of the two of them babysitting Eric while Russ and Taylor took an evening for themselves. It was Christy's last night in Cougar Point. First thing in the morning she'd start the long drive across three states. Although she'd been gone less than two weeks, it felt as if an entire lifetime had passed.

“Cody's here,” Russ called out. “Just how long does it take you women to put on a little war paint, anyway?” His voice lowered, and Christy could hear him conversing with the sheriff. Her brother-in-law was saying that Taylor and Christy were the two most beautiful women in the county as it was. He contended that they didn't need makeup, and he was having a heck of a time understanding why they bothered with it.

“Hold your horses,” Taylor cried, poking her head out the bathroom door and calling down the hallway into the kitchen. “I'll only be a minute.”

“Famous last words if I ever heard 'em,” Russ grumbled.

As it turned out, her brother-in-law was right. Taylor spent an extra five minutes fussing with her hair and adding a dash of perfume to her wrists. When she'd finished, she checked Eric, gave Christy and Cody a long list of instructions, then reluctantly left the house with her husband.

Cody brought his arm around Christy as they stood on the back porch, watching Russ hold open the car door for Taylor. Christy smiled when Russ stole a lengthy kiss.

“Well,” Cody said after Russ had pulled out of the yard, “they're off.”

“I don't think they'll win any races.”

“No,” he chuckled, “I doubt they will.” He turned her into his arms and kissed her softly.

“Oh, honestly,” Mandy said, scooting past them and down the porch steps. “You two are as bad as Russ and Taylor. If it was me doing these PDAs, you can bet I'd be in big trouble. It seems to me that people over twenty-one get away with a whole lot more than they should.”

“PDAs?” Christy asked. “What's that?”

“Public Displays of Affection,” Cody whispered close to her ear. As if the temptation were too strong to resist, he caught her lobe between his teeth.

“Cody,” she cried, “behave yourself.”

“Hey, where are you going?” Cody demanded when Mandy started toward the barn. “I thought you were planning to stick around and chaperone the two of us.”

“I'm going to the movies.”

“In the barn?”

“Don't be cute with me, Cody Franklin. Just because you've been elected sheriff doesn't mean you can control
my
life.”

“You're not the one I want to get cute with.”

“Obviously. I figured you two would appreciate a little privacy. Billy Joe's driving me over to Melissa's, and I'm going to the movies with her. She got her license last week.”

“I heard rumors along those lines,” Cody said with a grin.

“Just don't go sending Bud or any of the other deputies out to tail us.” Mandy wagged an accusing finger in Cody's direction. “I know you'd do it, too. Melissa's still a little nervous, and the last thing she needs is a sheriff's car following her into town.”

“You think I'd radio for someone to follow her?” Cody sounded aghast that Mandy would even hint at something so dastardly.

“You'd do it if you thought you could.” But she was smiling as she spoke.

Billy Joe, Russ's ranch foreman, stepped out from the barn, freshly shaved. His hair was wet and combed down against the sides of his head. “You ready?”

“Yup,” Mandy said, walking toward his battered red pickup.

Taylor had explained that the foreman was interested in Melissa's widowed mother and had been seeing her for the past few months. Apparently Mandy and Melissa were working together to stage an evening alone for the two adults.

Eric wailed loudly, and after bidding Mandy farewell, Christy hurried inside the house and into the master bedroom. Eric was lying in the bassinet waiting for someone to answer his summons.

“What's the matter, big boy?” she asked, reaching for him. His damp bottom answered that question. “So you wet your diaper, did you?” she chided playfully, giving him her finger, which he gripped fiercely.

“I'll change him,” Cody said from behind her.

Christy arched her brows in feigned shock. “This I've got to see.”

“I'll have you know I've changed more than one diaper in my lifetime.”

“That may be true, but it seems to me you took great delight in teasing Russ when he offered to change Eric.”

“I've had more practice than Russ, that's all.” Cody took a fresh diaper from the pile of folded ones on the dresser. “Both of my sisters have children, and being the generous uncle I am, I've helped out now and then. It's not nearly as difficult as Russ seems to think.”

“All right, since you're so sure of yourself, go ahead and I'll see to our dinner.” Carefully she handed Cody the baby, then walked to the kitchen.

Taylor had set a frozen pepperoni pizza on the kitchen counter. The only place in Cougar Point that served pizza was the bowling alley; Taylor could go without a lot of luxuries, but she needed her pizza. Every time she was in Miles City, she bought three or four pepperoni pizzas from a nationwide chain, brought them home and promptly froze them.

“I hope you're in the mood for pizza,” Christy called, setting the gauge on the oven to the right temperature.

“You mean Taylor's willing to share one of hers? Without us having to ask?”

“I didn't even have to bribe her.”

“I may volunteer to babysit more often,” Cody said as he entered the kitchen, holding Eric against his shoulder. His large hand was pressed against the infant's tiny back.

Christy paused when she saw them, and her heart beat so fast, it actually hurt. Cody looked so natural with a baby in his arms. As natural as any father. Turning away in an effort to disguise her emotions, she clasped the counter with both hands and waited for the aching tenderness to pass.

She was engaged to an attorney in Seattle, a good friend she'd known for several years, and not once had she pictured him as a father. The fact that they'd likely have children someday had barely crossed her mind.

Yet here she was with Cody and her nephew, and the sight of this big, rugged man holding this precious child was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

“Christy, could you give me…” He hesitated when she didn't immediately respond. “Christy?”

She swallowed the lump in her throat, smeared the tears across her cheek and turned, smiling as brightly as she could. She doubted she'd be able to fool Cody, but she intended to try.

“What's wrong?” His question was filled with concern.

“Nothing…”

“If that's the case, then why are you crying?”

She didn't know how she could explain it, not without sounding as though she required long-term therapy. She was crazy in love with one man, and engaged to another. In a few hours she'd be leaving Cody behind. There were no guarantees, no pledges, no promises between them.

Nothing.

There couldn't be anything while she was engaged to James.

James. Two weeks away from him and she had trouble remembering what he looked like. Inconsequential details occurred to her—that he drank his tea with milk and hadn't worn a pair of jeans since he was thirteen years old. He was endearing, hardworking and brilliant.

And he loved her. At least he thought he did, the same way she'd once assumed she loved him.

The phone rang, startling Eric, who let out a loud wail. Cody whispered reassurances while patting the baby's back.

“I'll get that,” Christy said, grateful for the intrusion. “It's probably Taylor calling to check up on us.” She hurried into the hallway, wanting to catch the phone before it rang again and frightened Eric a second time.

“Hello,” she sang out cheerfully. “This is Palmer's Pizza Parlor. May I take your order?” Taylor would get a kick out of that.

Silence followed.

“It appears I've dialed the wrong number,” a male voice said stiffly.

“James? Oh, dear…I thought it was Taylor. This is Christy.”

 

Cody heard Christy's laughter end two seconds after she answered the phone. He knew almost immediately that the man on the other end of the line was her fiancé.

Cody was instantly overwhelmed by confusion and an equally large dose of good old-fashioned jealousy. He was so resentful of Christy's engagement that a long painful moment passed before he could clear his head. He'd never been the jealous type, and now he was all but blinded by it.

He shouldn't have been surprised that James—he had trouble thinking about the other man without tightening his jaw—would call Christy. If Cody was the one engaged to her and she was a thousand miles away, he'd phone her, too. Frequently.

That realization, however, was no comfort. Before many more hours passed, Christy would be leaving Cougar Point. In another two days she'd be back with James. Her weeks with him in Montana would be little more than a fading memory.

Cody wasn't willing to kid himself any longer. There was no use trying to hide from it, or deny it or ignore it. He was in love with Christy Manning. He'd pledged a thousand times that he'd never allow this foolish emotion to take hold of his life again. So much for all the promises he'd made himself. So much for protecting his heart.

Dammit all, he was in love!

But Cody was realistic enough to put their relationship in the proper perspective. Or at least try. Christy was engaged to a hotshot Seattle attorney. He, on the other hand, was a backwoods sheriff. Christy might be infatuated with him now, but once she returned to the big city that could easily change. Believing these few days together meant more to her could be dangerous.

She was going to break the engagement. Or so she claimed. But now something was troubling her. Cody had sensed it when she was fussing with the pizza. When he'd first arrived, she'd been her usual warm, happy self. She'd joked with him as though she hadn't a care in the world.

Cody frowned. Since the afternoon of their picnic when they'd gotten caught in the downpour, Cody had noticed subtle changes in her. She seemed more spontaneous, more open with him.

He was willing to admit there'd been numerous intricate transformations in their relationship over the past ten days. They'd spent hours together, getting to know each other, growing to love each other.

And for most of that time, Cody had to struggle to keep his hands off her.

He found himself studying her at every opportunity, and whenever he did he liked what he saw. She captivated him. When they were alone together, he'd learned how dangerous it was to kiss her—and how difficult it was to stop. She'd press her soft body against his, and it was a test by fire of his limited control.

In the distance Cody heard the anxiety in her voice as her phone conversation with the other man continued. Not wanting to listen in, Cody opened the screen door and walked outside, carrying the baby. He sat on the top step and let his gaze wander across the acres of prime pastureland.

“See all those pesky cattle, Eric?” he whispered to the baby held securely against his shoulder. “It'll all belong to you someday. Take some advice, though, boy…” He was about to tell Russ's son not to get involved with women because all they did was cause a man grief.

But he stopped himself. Christy hadn't caused him grief or trouble. If anything, she'd brought him the truest joy he'd ever felt. He hadn't realized how lonely he was. Nor had he known how isolated his life had become until she'd walked into it, bold as could be.