Page 27 of Grit
“Is that what they said?”
“Not… exactly.” Melissa cleared her throat. “My mom mentioned avoiding snow, which was probably from something Leigh had told her. I didn’t hear it from them, but this is someone my mom knows, okay?”
And most murder victims know their killers.“Not okay. I think you should know why they left Idaho.”
“The letter from the Bradys just said that they were looking for a fresh start. It’s not any of my business why. And it’s really not any of yours! Carla Brady also said she’d hire them in a heartbeat if she had any jobs available.”
“That’s a real easy thing to say from thousands of miles away.” He started pruning again. “Why didn’t you check them out? Do a background check? Did you even make them fill out employment applications?”
“Stu helped me move the herd from Badger Hollow over to Christy Meadow,” she said. “Does that count as a job application? Because it took me a quarter of the time it takes me on my own. We also managed to fix three fence posts in the same afternoon. I got to eat dinner with my mom and Abby in the middle of the week. And they have a dog, Cary. A trained cattle dog. Do you know how much help that’s gonna be?”
Cary bit back a sarcastic retort. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her judgment, but Melissa could be overly trusting of anyone who could ride and rope well, as if cattle skills gave you inherent virtue. “I’m just saying that you have these people living on your ranch now. You’re not the least bit concerned that there’s something you should know that they might not have told you?”
“No, I’m really not.”
He cut two branches in quick succession. “You drive me absolutely crazy.”
Melissa examined the graft on the navel orange branch. “Why?”
“Because when it comes to me and you, you’re the picture of suspicion. You overthink everything.”
“Oh, so this isn’t about safety at all.” Her chin jutted out. “This is about the nonexistent relationship you insist—”
“Thisisabout safety! Your safety and Abby’s.” He cut her off before she said something that would start a completely different fight. “You’re suspicious of me, whom you’ve known basically your entire life. But when it comes to hiring complete strangers who happen to know about horses, you’re fine. ‘No problem, Cary. They’re saints and angels, randomly showing up on my doorstep to make life easier. They even have a dog.’”
She glared at him. “They do have a dog. And you and me? We’re not a thing. I’ve been telling you that for months now. Just because we—”
Cary dropped the clippers, walked over to her, and kissed her just to shut her up. Her mouth was sweet. She’d been eating a nectarine in his office.
It only took a moment for her to respond. She went from stock-still to melting in seconds. A small sigh escaped her throat, and her fingers curled against his chest. She slid one hand around his waist, and her fingers spread against his back.
Her lips were urgent and soft. Her tongue tasted like sugar and coffee. He could feel the tension that lived in her vibrating under her skin. She was a volcano. Melissa had so much pent-up energy, touching her skin might light them both on fire.
Cary was willing to risk it.
Her body was pressed to his, her hips snug against his and her breasts tight against his chest. Before things went too far, Cary released her mouth and nibbled her lower lip, then drew back. “You were saying?”
Melissa blinked. “What?”
Was his smile smug? Maybe just a little. “You and me aren’twhat?”
She looked away, her face guilty. “You have to stop doing this.”
“Why?” He played with a piece of hair that had escaped her ponytail. “I like kissing you. And I’ve been waiting a while to do it.”
She frowned. “What does that mean?”
Shit. He shouldn’t have said anything. “Just… that we have chemistry. We’ve had it for a long time. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Did you think…?” Her face turned red. “Not when Calvin was alive, we didn’t. I would havenever—”
“I’m not saying that.” He rubbed his temple and took a step back. “I’m not saying there was anything when Calvin… I didn’t think of you that way then. Not actively. Or intentionally, I mean. Even if I had been attracted to you in some way, you were his wife, and I would have never—”
“You know what?” She motioned between them. “You keep asking what I’m afraid of. Why I don’t just… I don’t know, let go and have a wild, crazy fling with you or something.”
His jaw clenched. “You think I’m interested in a fling?”
“It’s because of this, Cary. Because I’m always going to be Calvin’s widow. And you’re always going to be his friend. And he’s always going to be there, okay?” She swallowed hard. “He’s gone, but he’s never gone. Do you get that?”
