The Rancher and the Event Planner - By Cheryl Gorman Page 0,17
the still open door way. An expression of astonishment covered his face. His skin was tanned from the sun, his gray-blue eyes burning with fury and his normally mobile mouth which most always sported a smile was pressed into a thin, hard line.
JC swallowed, her heart still pounding from Rafe’s unexpected kiss and now her brother’s sudden appearance. She smoothed her hair back and felt a flush move over her face and neck. “Cade, what are you doing here?”
He slammed the door at his back. “I might ask you the same thing.”
“Long story,” she said unable to come up with a better explanation.
He planted his feet and folded his arms over his chest. “I’ve got all day.” His face held a stubborn expression she knew well.
“Actually I have to leave in a few minutes for a meeting in Dallas. We’ll talk after I get home, okay?” She headed for the door of the kitchen.
“We’ll talk now,” Cade ground out.
She turned and saw him glaring at Rafe who mirrored Cade’s stance of feet apart and arms crossed.
“Cade,” Rafe began, “I can explain—”
“Good, because I can’t wait to hear why I came back home to find my little sister in my best friend’s house swapping spit.” His voice rang with anger and an edge of sarcasm.
Linc and Molly walked into the kitchen. Molly’s face lit up when she saw Cade. She dropped her backpack and hustled to his side. “Uncle Cade, you’re back.”
Cade’s face softened. He knelt to give her a hug but over Molly’s shoulder he drilled Rafe with a piercing gaze. If his eyes were lasers they would have burned two holes right through him.
The tension in the kitchen was as thick as a three tiered wedding cake.
Linc studied the three of them. “Did I miss something?”
“I’ll see you later,” Rafe said ignoring his statement.
Linc shrugged. “Come on, Molly, let’s get you to school.”
In a moment they were gone and JC was left alone with Rafe and Cade.
“Jennifer,” Rafe said without taking his gaze from Cade. “Go ahead and get dressed. You can use my truck when you’re ready to go.” He dug his keys out of his pocket and laid them on the breakfast table.
She didn’t want to go anywhere now with Rafe and Cade snorting and pawing the ground, but she had no choice. “Promise you won’t kill each other while I’m gone?”
When neither of them spoke she said, “Cade? Rafe? For crying out loud we shared a kiss, that’s all.”
“I won’t promise anything,” Cade snapped.
“Me either,” Rafe replied.
“In that case, Cade, you’re coming with me. I’ll dress in the bathroom. We can talk through the door.”
“No,” Cade said. “Go ahead and get dressed. He’ll still be alive when you come back downstairs.”
JC looked at Rafe and her brother and having no other choice, she left the kitchen and ran up the stairs hoping no blood would be shed.
Chapter Five
In a heartbeat, Cade advanced on Rafe until they stood nearly nose to nose. “You’ve got some explaining to do.”
Rafe lifted his chin and stared his friend down. “Cade, we’ve been friends a long time but there’s no way I’m going to stand here like some kid who got his hand caught in the cookie jar.”
Cade poked a finger into the middle of Rafe’s chest. “My sister’s no cookie.”
Rafe grabbed his hand and pushed it roughly aside. “Damn right, she isn’t. She’s a grown woman and maybe you should treat her like one.”
Cade grimaced and said, “Maybe you should tell me how this happened and what she’s doing here.”
Rafe heaved a breath and gestured toward the breakfast table. “Have a seat.”
Rafe explained about the car accident, the community service and the reason Jennifer was staying here. By the time he was finished Cade’s anger had cooled to a simmer.
Cade tapped his fingers on the top of the table, pursed his lips and stared at him. “What happens now with you and Jenn?”
Rafe raised his brows. “Are you asking me my intentions?”
“Yeah. So what are they?”
Rafe swept a hand around the back of his neck. What were his intentions? At first he was intent on keeping his hands and his lips to himself but he’d blown that intention to hell and gone. Now he had Jennifer living under his roof, sleeping across the hall and they would be working closely together for the next month. Barely twenty-four hours had passed and he hadn’t been able to keep his hands off her.
“Well?” Cade prompted.
Rafe rubbed his chin. “I honestly don’t know.”
“You’d