Pictures of Lane flashed into her mind. Lane in the moonlight. Lane in the light from the truck’s dashboard. Lane looking into her eyes in that intense, private way that made her feel like she was the only woman in the world.
She swept away the images quick as she could. A wish shouldn’t be wasted on yourself, especially when what you wanted was bad for you and impossible to boot. She painted a mental picture of Kelsey instead, holding Katie in her arms. Closing her eyes, she wished her sister happy, healthy, and headache-free.
As a kid, she’d always been disappointed when her wish didn’t come true the instant the candles went out. Now she knew better, but she couldn’t help imagining Kelsey waking in her bed, putting a hand to her forehead, wondering where the headache had gone.
The grating of a key in the cabin’s front door chased the image right out of her head.
Trevor probably had a key, but she doubted he’d use it. Maybe she’d wasted that wish on herself after all.
And maybe her wish had come true.
Chapter 24
Lane had seen Sarah’s car outside the cabin, so he knew she was there, but the lights inside were dim. The possible consequences of walking in on a woman in the middle of the night didn’t hit him until he opened the cabin door and spotted her standing at the mantel clutching the fireplace lighter in one hand like a gun, her eyes wide.
“It’s just me.”
The cabin was a cave of soft golden light. She had the whole place lit up with candles, and he could smell the scent of sulfur, as if a few had just been blown out. It smelled like a birthday party, the sulfur mingling with the vanilla scent of the candles to bring back memories of family and childhood. It made him smile, but she didn’t smile back.
Of course she didn’t. The last time she’d seen him, he’d implied that she was sleeping with his brother.
But for now, he needed to lighten the mood a little. Quick, before she flicked the lighter to life and set his hair on fire.
“Were you expecting someone else?” he asked.
“No. Of course not.” She set her fists on her hips, a movement that threw her shoulders back and thrust her breasts against the thin fabric of her top. He couldn’t help staring at her. She was dressed in clingy gray pants that followed every curve. The wide waistband spanned her hips just below her belly button, leaving a tempting swath of skin below a tiny tank top. She didn’t have a bra on under the top and the warm light of the flames seemed to highlight the full curves of her breasts, forming soft shadows between and below them.
She was evidently unconscious of the picture she created. Too busy being mad, probably.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. “You scared me to death.”
“It’s my house.” He mirrored her pose and gazed around the room, pointedly pausing as he took in the candles in each corner. “So were you expecting someone, or were you having a romantic evening all by yourself?”
She scowled. “You probably think I’m expecting your brother.”
“No.” He did his best to look contrite. “I know you better than that. It just surprised me, seeing his car. I said something stupid and I’m sorry.” Searching for a change of subject, he moved across the room in three long strides and picked up a sheaf of papers that were scattered on the floor by the sofa. “House Bill 70. Couldn’t you find a book to read?”
She snatched the papers away, flushing.
“That’s the one that lets energy companies harvest their mineral rights without first getting permission from a landowner, right? I should think you’d be discussing that with Eric.”
She shrugged one shoulder. It was a gesture that defined her, elegant and careless but with an athletic, body-conscious grace that made him want to touch her.
“There’s nothing to discuss,” she said. “It gives us the right to drill, build roads—whatever we need to do.”
He sighed. “Look, I don’t want to argue about that now.”
“Good.” She started to stretch, but midway into lifting her arms above her head she seemed to notice her skimpy clothes and clasped her arms over her chest. “Because I’m going to bed.”
“We need to talk.”
“I thought you didn’t want to argue.”
He stepped around the coffee table and stood beside her in the warm glow of the fire. The rest of the cabin was freezing cold