“Everyone has feelings, Claudette, thoughsome people are extremely successful at hiding them. If you knewMr. Cade nearly as well as you think you do, you would know that heis actually very sensitive.”
Claudette shook her head. “You’ve really gota case on him, haven’t you?”
Cynthia clammed up. What was the use? It wasbest to stay out of the entire thing - if they would only let her.Tomorrow they would be leaving, and it couldn’t come fast enough.She turned to the stove to prepare supper and Claudette left theroom.
Later, as she was straining the water fromthe potatoes, Cade wandered in. He took a mug from the cupboard andpoured himself a cup of coffee. He leaned against the wall, sippinghis coffee silently as he watched her mash the potatoes. It wasobvious that he wanted to clear the air, but couldn’t decide whereto start. Finally he pushed away from the wall and crossed to thetable. Glancing into the family room, he turned back toCynthia.
“I shouldn’t let her get to me that way.”
Cynthia glanced at him and frowned. “Sheseems to have so much animosity toward you. Why?”
He shrugged. “Who knows? Wild imagination,listening to too many stories, or maybe because I have the ranch.She doesn’t want it, but it irks her to think that it was left tome - the weirdo.”
Cynthia smiled. “She can’t make up her mindwhether you’re having an affair with me or hiding something. Itkind of leaves you in trouble either way, doesn’t it? Like thechoice between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
He glanced up sharply, his lips thinning downand his face paling. He slammed the mug on the table and stood,crossing the distance between them in two long strides.
He jerked her around and grabbed hershoulders roughly.
“I couldn’t care less what Claudette thinks,but let me take the question out of your mind.”
His lips crushed down on hers, bruising themas his fingers dug into her shoulders. She pounded his chest withher fists and tried to scream. He released her as suddenly as hehad begun the assault. She swung hard and her open hand crackedagainst his face.”
His voice was barely more than a whisper.“Nice touch.”
That was when she noticed Claudette standingin the kitchen doorway. So it had all been a show forClaudette.
“Of all the...” Tears stung her eyes as shebrought her hand around and struck his other cheek with a ringingblow. How could he betray her trust so utterly - for the solepurpose of proving a point to Claudette?
He grabbed her hand. “That’s enough,Cynthia.”
A sob tore from her throat. “Not nearly.” Shejerked her hand free and darted past the wide-eyed Claudette - upthe stairs and into the safety of her room. Flinging herself on thebed, she sobbed out the anger and hurt. Why couldn’t he haveconfronted Claudette, instead of acting like a beast? And to thinkshe had trusted him. Didn’t he know that his brutal assault provednothing? Did Cade even know how to be romantic? How she would havewelcomed a loving hug or kiss from him. But now he had ruinedeverything. It was bad enough that his actions warranted herdecision to leave, but now she actually feared him.
Someone knocked on her door and she wiped hereyes and blew her nose before responding.
“Who is it?”
“Claudette.” The voice was strangelytimid.
Cynthia hesitated. Was Claudette here togloat? If she was, she had picked a poor time. This time therewould be no holding back. Claudette was going to get a piece of hermind.
“Come in.”
Claudette pushed the door open slowly anddemurely made her way across the room. She sat on the edge of thebed, contemplating Cynthia with a compassionate expression.
“I’m sorry. I guess I was wrong about both ofyou.”
She was wrong, all right - and she had noidea how wrong she was. Claudette hadn’t interrupted Cade making apass. In fact, she had been nothing more than a spectator for aconvincing role Cade was playing. And worse yet, Cade had thoughtshe was going along with his skit.
Claudette folded her hands in her lap. “Ifyou want to get away from here, I’d hire you. We have a beautifulhouse and lots of parties. You wouldn’t be so lonely there.”
It was in her mind to tell Claudette to takea long walk off a short pier, but a cool voice interrupted them atthat moment.
“Head hunting, Claudette?” Cade was standingin the doorway, coffee mug in hand.
Claudette stood and smiled down at Cynthia.“I’m serious, Cynthia. If you decide you want to go, you can leavewith us tomorrow morning.” She brushed past Cade, giving him astern look as she left the room.
Cade wandered across the room and stared outthe patio doors, sipping from the coffee mug. For a long time hesimply stood there, and when he finally spoke, his voice wascontrolled.
“I want to apologize for forcing myself onyou and I want to assure you that it will never happen again. Itook all my frustration and anger out on you. I was way out ofline.”
“You didn’t have to prove anything to me, youknow. I didn’t believe Claudette.”
He glanced around sharply. “Then you’re theonly one. People are always willing to believe the worst aboutothers. I’m not sure who started that story, but it floated aroundhere for my last two years of high school. It looks like Claudetteis determined to keep it alive.”
“So you kissed me in front of her. That wayshe would know you liked women.”
He frowned. “No, I didn’t even know Claudettewas standing there until you slapped me. Then I wondered if youwere putting on a show for her to prove nothing was going onbetween us.” He shook his head. “If the show had been forClaudette, would I have been so rough?”
She tucked her legs under her skirt andgnawed at her lower lip. “Then why were you so rough? It wasthe first time you’ve ever been anything with me but a perfectgentleman. It frightened me. You’re so strong.” She threw him anaccusing look. “Don’t you see what you’ve done? It’s inevitablethat two people living in the same house are going to be at oddssometimes, but from now on I’ll never feel completely safe. Ifyou’d
