Page 45 of Cheyenne

He gently turned her away from the truck and put his arms around her, nuzzling her neck. “I wanted to dance with you.”

She went up on her toes to kiss his lips. It didn’t take more than five seconds of kissing this woman to feel like his breath had been taken away. He had never felt like this with anyone else.

She broke away and gazed at him. “What’s happening to us, Micah?”

The vulnerable way she asked it said she felt the way he did, and he loved it. He pulled her close to him and whispered in her ear, “I don’t know, but it seems like I’m falling for you, Cheyenne Cross.”

A long moment passed, and then she said, “Seems like I’m falling for you too, Micah Jamison.”

CHAPTER 23

Cheyenne

As the two of them walked up to the beach house, Cheyenne was impressed by its appearance. It looked like it had been restored recently.

“I’m nervous,” she admitted.

Micah squeezed her hand. “Me too. But like I said, the fact that he is having us over to his house and not making both of us call our families is a good sign.”

Micah knocked on the door, and Cheyenne’s heart felt like it would beat out of her chest.

It wasn’t long before Raine opened the door. He pulled it back and said, “Come in.”

There was classical music playing, and she caught a whiff of some type of pasta. She realized she was starving.

Raine cocked an eyebrow at both of them and then looked at their hands. “Is more going on this week than a simple gold hunt?”

Cheyenne felt frozen and didn’t know what to say.

Micah laughed awkwardly. “Do you need any help with dinner?”

Raine winked at him. “Sure. If you guys could help finish the salad, we can eat. The pasta is almost ready.”

Raine’s living area had floor-to-ceiling windows, much like the Stone Family Inn. It was furnished with bookshelves and a huge fireplace. It was a smaller home than the Stone Family Inn, and it was painted a deep purplish blue, but the rustic decor offset the color. They stepped inside the kitchen, and she saw that it was all stainless steel with white cabinets. The color and grain of the wood floor reminded her of the beach.

There were pictures of Raine and his wife, Sarah. Cheyenne had met them both before, but never under the best terms. She saw a picture of a little girl who was probably two.

Micah washed his hands at the sink, and she followed suit. Then he moved to the kitchen counter where the salad was half prepared and picked up the knife, casually chopping up the vegetables. “Where are Sarah and little Cindy?”

Raine was at the stove, stirring the pot. “They’re in Snow Valley visiting her family. I was going to head up there tomorrow morning, but I think I might be distracted for a couple days.”

Cheyenne stayed close to Micah’s side, avoiding Raine’s gaze. She picked up another knife and started cutting cucumbers.

Raine pulled the pasta off the stove and went to the sink to drain it. Then he took it to the table. “When that salad is done, we’re ready.” He moved to the fridge and got some salad dressings out.

Cheyenne finished the cucumbers, and Micah finished the rest. He picked up the bowl, and they brought it over to the table.

Raine sat down at the head of the table, gesturing for them to sit on either side of him. He put his hands out. “I’ll say grace.”

With her hand in Raine’s, Cheyenne nervously bowed her head.

“Dear Lord, we are so grateful this night to be together for dinner. Please bless Sarah and Cindy. Please bless the Stone andthe Cross families. And please bless Micah and Cheyenne and this food. Please help the truth to come out and help us to lighten things that might seem heavy. Please help us to have trust and faith in Thee and in each other this night. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

“Amen,” they said.

Raine picked up his fork and put his napkin on his lap. She and Micah did the same. He nodded to the food. “Please, eat.”

All of them piled food on their plates, and Cheyenne found herself eating one of the best meals of her life. “Oh my gosh, Raine. This pasta is amazing,” she said between bites.

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