She liked kids.
Hell, Cash thought morosely. She wasnt just a little trouble. She was potentially Serious Trouble.
He never had to warn himself to be careful around women. The female of the species had always been the bane of his life. That wasnt to say his hormones couldnt go into a wild tailspin for a woman with looks and brainsand brains were usually his worst downfall. He did turn on for a woman with a quick mind. But he was thirty-four, after all. Women-battle-scarred enough to recognize heartache before it had the chance to level him.
His weakness, though, was how people treated Sammy. And Lexie, so far, was treating Sammy like he was the most terrific boy shed ever laid eyes on. As if the kid were more important and more interesting than anything or anyone else on the planetwhich he was, Cash thought. Only what that half-pint brunette didnt know was that Sammy neverrepeat, capital n Nevertook to a strange woman.
Sammy, at age eight, was as woman-battle-scarred as Cash was.
Suddenly Keegan stood up at the far end of the table, his ponytail neatly clipped at his nape, a kitchen towel hooked in his belt loop in lieu of an apron. Anyone up for dessert? Ive got a big fancy chocolate mousse. Or a blackberry pie.
Although Lexie demurred from dessert, the others nearly rioted with enthusiasmno surprise. Everyone except Lexie knew that Keegan could bake dirt and make it taste delicious. The kid was being wasted, working on his Ph.D., when guys were paying a fortune for someone with his old-fashioned wife qualifications. But once dessert came intypicallythe room instantly quieted down, which enabled Cash to watch her in action with Sammy again.
And again, worry started pumping adrenaline through his veins. It wasnt that he minded her talking to Sammy in any way. The problem was that the inconceivable was happening. Sammy was actually initiating conversation with her, too. And seemed happy to be talking to her besides.
Cash had to strain to catch some words, and finally hooked into part of their conversation. Lexie was obviously answering a question.
Well, sure, Ive got a picture of my family that you could seejust a second. When she started digging in her wallet, naturally, her napkin whisked down to the floor. Then a spoon dropped.
Sammy filched the photo she handed him, and then blinked in surprise. Like this is your mom and dad? Are you kidding? You look way different than everybody else.
Cash happened to accidentally glance over just then, and he blinked, too. Usually there was nothing exciting in anyones family photos, but this one really was startling. The snapshot framed a family picnic in suburbia somewhere, summer, a hot day, with Lexie sitting cross-legged on the grass. She was flanked by four people her own agetwo young men, two young womenand then two older adults standing up. Everyone looked related except Lexie. The others were all Nordic blondes, unusually tall and noticeably athletic and broad shouldered. And then there was Lexiesmall, slight and dark, a changeling with those exotic oval-shaped eyes.
Well, Sammy, the reason I dont look like them is because were not related by blood. Im adopted. I lost my mom and dad when I was really little, like three years old.
Youre adopted? Sammy repeated, making Cash immediately tense, his slice of blackberry pie forgotten. She had no way of knowing this was an uneasy subject for the kid, but he did.
Yes, hon.
Sowhat happened to your mom and dad? Did they die or leave you or what hap?
Hey, champ. Cashs voice was as lazy and easy as a western summer breeze, not clipped, not showing even a trace of nerves. Im sure Ms. Woolf understands that youre just being curious, but it makes most people uncomfortable to be asked personal questions. You can ask her where she lives, stuff like that. General questions.
Cash tried never to duck a parenting issue just because there were outsiders around, because outsiders were around their lives all the time. So when he had to correct Sammy, he did his best to teach and explain a reason rather than to make him feel criticized. This time, though, Sammy wasnt up for hearing any lessons.
But Cash, I just wanted to know how she got to be adopted
Its all right, Lexie said swiftly, before Cash could say anything else. And to Sammy, she bent her head again. Its not a secret or uncomfortable thing for me, hon, even though your dads right. It could be for some people. But I dont mind answering you. My mom and dad died. They were killed the same night in a robberyand it was pretty terriblebut after that, a wonderful family took me in, the Woolfs. They loved me as much as my first mom and dad did, and I love them enormously the same way, so everything turned out just fine.
Well Sammy shoveled in a giant spoonful of mousse, some of which even made it inside his mouth, while he seemed to think this over. I wasnt just being curious. I was intrested because Im almost an orphan, too, only not exactly. I never had a dad. Course, I never wanted a dad, either.
No? Lexie asked gently.
No. Because I have Cash, and nobodys dad could ever be bettern Cash. Its just us guys against the world. We can do anything because we help each other.
That sounds really wonderful. Again, Lexies voice had softened to butter.
Yup. Its wonderful. But I cant be an orphan like you because I have a mom. In a way its the same, though, because you lost your mom, and my mom doesnt want me. Sometimes she calls and pretends to be nice and all, but she never comes here. What I think is, Im so much trouble that she just doesnt want nuthin to do with me
Swiftly Cash scraped back his chair and stood up. Well, I want you, champ. In fact, I couldnt run this place without you. Come on and help me in the office for a minute, okay? If youll all excuse us.
Sammy charged into the office, his face all lit up as if he were hot-wired to a joy button. Come hell or high wateror workCash spent private time with the boy every day, and before Sammy spilled any more private family information to strangers, he figured it was a politically good time to do their male bonding thing. Not that he was protective of Sammybut hed have used an elephant gun on a mosquito that dared threaten the boy. And not think twice.
So first, there was Sammy-time. And then he had to sit down with Keegan to go over the weeks schedule. After that, George was driving Whitt into Coeur DAllene, which meant that Whitts bill needed settling and the guest seen off and George given directions. Then the bills needed to be pawed through. Hell, there was always a ton of stuff that needed doing at the end of the day.
But the new guest preyed on Cashs mind. It wasnt because he felt any unsettling, special pull for herat all. In any way. But Sammy seemed to, and Sammy hadnt talked to a woman like that in three months of Sundays. Probably longer. And since it was her first day, it was natural enough that hed try to track her down and make sure she was settling in.
Only she wasnt in her bedroom.
He tried the lodge living room, where the boys were playing pinochle. When he didnt find her there, he checked the barn, the gym and hot tub building, the general grounds. Sammy had been stashed in bed by then, tucked safely in their private quarters, Cash wearing a pager so the squirt could always reach himbut in the meantime, he was running out of places to track down Lexie.
Only she wasnt in her bedroom.
He tried the lodge living room, where the boys were playing pinochle. When he didnt find her there, he checked the barn, the gym and hot tub building, the general grounds. Sammy had been stashed in bed by then, tucked safely in their private quarters, Cash wearing a pager so the squirt could always reach himbut in the meantime, he was running out of places to track down Lexie.
Eventually he found heron the third floor in the library. When he first poked in his head, he saw the lights turned on, but no sign of a body. Once upon a time the library had been an attic, but hed put up skylights and shelves and then a widows walk balcony with a mountain view. From then on, the room had become a favorite for everyone. Sammy had unearthed the one-horse sleigh in one of the old barnswhich was completely worthless as a sleighbut theyd fixed it up together to make a couch-type seat for reading. The old claw-foot bathtub was stuffed with giant pillowsthat was Sammys favorite reading spot. And most of the men seemed to either pick one of the Abe Lincoln rockers or one of the clunky, chunky Morris chairs. Not her.
There was no hearth or wood-burning stove up here, because the threat of fire was too high, but Cash had wired in abundant electric heat and added rugs to warm up the place. It was her feet he spotted first. They happened to be naked feet, distinctly girl sized, with the toenails painted a candy-apple redsuch a sassy, sexy red that he had to grin. There was just no way this one was ever gonna go for a flannel-shirt type of lifestyle.
He strode in and peered over the couch edge, his gaze tracking the trail of bare feet waving in the air to where she was lying flat on her back on a scruffy old rug. Shed bunched the couch blanket under her head, making it into a pillow, and her expensive white sweater and fancy slacks looked as out of place as china at a rodeo.
You had to lay on the floor? All the chairs too big for you? he asked humorously.
What can I say? Ive always been a floor-sitter. She smiled at him over the spine of a beaten-up old book. Were you looking for me?
Not to bug you if youre happy reading. But I wanted to be sure you were settled in okay. Hell, his pulse was already rattling from just looking at her. Those small breasts disappeared completely with her laying flat, but there was just something about that lithe, compact body that made his hormones buck. It wasnt some out of control thing. He was no adolescent. But damnation, there was something about her that really soared his wings.
Im settled in fine. Although Im glad you stopped by. I was worried about you.
Worried about me? Cash hunkered down in one of the Morris chairs, leaning forward, not getting too comfortablebut the idea that this half-pint city vamp could have worried about him couldnt help but arouse his sense of humor.
Yeah. She eased up to a sitting position, leaning back against the old corduroy sofa. I picked Silver Mountain carefully. You have an outstanding reputation. The way I heard it, even the most burned-out, exhausted executives leave here feeling recharged and reenergized. Two of the men claimed they felt as if youd shaved ten years off their lives.
Big exaggeration, he said wryly, but youll get some experiences you cant get in an office. I promise you that.
She nodded. I like your whole program or I wouldnt be here. But Im afraid youre going to fail with me. And I dont want you to feel badly when that happens. It wont be your fault.
He raised his eyebrows. How come youre so positive the program isnt going to work for you? You havent even given it a shot yet.
And I will. Believe me, Ill try two hundred percent. Its just that Ive never been able to do anything athleticso I dont want you to worry that your teaching skills or your program ideas are at fault. Itll just be me screwing up. Not you.
Well, if this wasnt a damnably strange conversationbut shed sparked his competitive spirit now. She was right. He hadnt failed with anyone yet, and he certainly didnt intend to start with one half-pint brunette. How about if we dont worry about failures or successes quite yet? Well just take it slow, see how you do tomorrow.
Okay. Surealthough maybe I should mentionthe only thing I just know I couldnt handle in your program is the mountain climbing.
Heights arent your thing, huh? He cocked his head. A while back, maybe last year, I think I saw an article about you. The Pixie with the Midas Touch, something like that?
She winced. Man, I hate that label. But yeah, that article was about meexcept that the journalist slanted it to make me sound way more hotsy-totsy than I am. I started investing in the stock market when I was fourteen. Just birthday money. Nothing extraordinary. But somehow any stock I bought developed this nice habit of doubling, until that Midas Touch tag started to follow me around. I couldnt shake it. Anyway She motioned around the library, as if hustling to divert the conversation away from herself. This is an incredible home you have here. Was the lodge in your family? Is that how you happened to create this retreat for executives?
From a stranger, he usually minded nosy questions. But not from her. Hed specifically tracked her downnot just to feast his eyes on that sassy mouth or skinny little body. But to clear the air on where he was coming fromand find out for sure where she was. Yeah, the house was in the family. My great-gramps trekked to Idaho back in the Silver Rush. Theres still a petered-out silver mine on the property, although it was never worth much.
So you grew up here?
Yes, although not by choice. When I was a kid, the only thing on my mind was city lights and getting out of here. But we lost both my dad and my gramps in the same logging accident, so I grew up as the only male around. My grandmother gave me a sense of honor I couldnt shake. Family first. That was her cardinal principle, and about the time my mom died and left me the property, I was stuck with it. No point putting it on the marketwho in his right mind would want to buy it? Theres nothing up here but mountains and eagles. And I was living in Boise then, making good moneyand spending it even faster. In fact, thats how I got my Cash nickname, because I never could hold onto a dime. And to tell you the truth, I never cared.
The start of a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She was enjoying the yarn spinning. So the lodge was in your familybut you had absolutely no reason to want to be here.
Exactly. Except that I have one younger sister, Hannah. And somehow she missed all the family lessons about that honor-first business. She got pregnant with Sammy. Took off to find her so-called fiancé after Sammy was born and it seems she still hasnt found him, because Sams eight now and hes still with me.
Compassion seemed to soften and darken her eyes. I loved watching you two together. Youre obviously close.
Cut-and-dried, there is nothing I wouldnt do for him. He may only be my nephew, but I love him like a son. He used his drawling, lazy voice. Reliably that tone tended to relax people, which helped when he had to say something tough. Somehow the place has turned into a real male bastion. I swear Id hire womentheres no reason in hell the staff has to be all malebut there just doesnt seem to be any females dying for jobs in this neck of the woods. And yeah, for sure, we have women guests, but theyre only here for a short time. Which is why I brought this subject up, so I could tell you the lay of the land as far as Sam. He can be a little sensitive around women.