Chapter Three of Kerry's Raine

Chapter Three

  “I don’t know Summer, I don’t know what happened.” He laughed into the phone, relieved at the fact that he could call her best friend, his younger brother’s wife, for advice. He had a feeling that this was his one chance with the woman he had been dreaming of for the last three years and he was going to take advantage of everything he could to make it work out right. “I just know that Nathan more or less said for her to feed me and then she was offering to have me stay for dinner.”

“Wait, Nathan was there? Was she drinking Cristal?”

“Yeah, why?” Now he was worried, he didn’t need another Annie in his life.

“No, before you even think it she’s nothing like Annie was, nothing like her at all.” Summer was quick to let him know and he smiled, knowing that Summer was one of the few people that understood why he had been single for so long, and so patient with Kerry. “She just…do you remember how she was when she was first here, never leaving that house once she moved in and then so jumpy all of the time when she was around people?”

“I’ll never forget it.” His voice was gruff as he thought again about when he had first met Kerry, something inside him hurting a little as he wondered if there was even more to her past than he had been told.

“Well, every time Nathan and Chris come she gets a little afraid that people will find out where she lives, that’s why they drive here from different airports, never the same one twice in a row.” She sighed, her voice sounding so sad for her friend that it made him all the more happy that his kid brother had her in his life, and him glad to have her for a sister because she had a caring heart that few people could match. “Those two love her to pieces, and she loves them right back, they’re her family really but seeing them scares her in ways I can’t imagine. The three of them and the New York Police think that if they keep coming here then she can be traced easier and that would be potentially bad.”

“So she just wants a big strong man around to keep her safe then?” He couldn’t seem to help but feel a little bitter at the thought.

“No! Oh no, not that at all Raine! I told you that she wasn’t like Annie, not in any way!” She was apologetic, not wanting him to think that that was the reason. “It’s incredible to me that…do you know that I usually have one night or so a month that I stay overnight at her house? For her to ask you there on a night like this means that she trusts you more than I think you understand.”

“Really?” He could see it, he supposed, but it made him wonder even more what it was that haunted her, it just seemed like more than just a moderate celebrity trying to hide from a stalking fan.

“Yes really, you big oaf!” She continued. “And I have to tell you for Nathan to have told her to cook for you, for him to more or less invite you to dinner with her; that was the biggest hurdle you never knew you had to cross.”

“I don’t understand that one at all. Is there some sort of female logic going on here that I don’t understand?”

“Oh, I meant that if he didn’t like you he wouldn’t have said that, it means she really likes you.” Sighing again she sounded happy, like she was hoping they would become a couple, something that she had known for years he had wanted and something she had encouraged ever since Kerry had moved to Kingsley. “Just remember one thing though, never under any circumstances call her babe or baby or anything like that, nothing that could be mistaken for anything childlike at all, she won’t ever speak to you again.”

Just then he heard Terrence yell for him, something about the bull being out and he looked out the window to see the bull nearing Kerry. “Gotta go, bye.” was all he had time to say to Summer before he was back out the door and running, knowing that he would be too late to get to her but hoping that he could get the bull away before she was killed. He ran towards the pasture when he saw Terrence kneeling in the tracks of the tractors, his hands to his face as he shook and Raines heart dropped in his chest, fearing the worst.

What he saw was something that he wouldn’t have believed if he hadn’t seen it for himself. Kerry was petting the damn bull and patting him on the nose, telling him to not be such a bully and to let the other cows have some attention while the bull was standing there just like the cows and calves were, vying for her attention. Knowing the bull was probably just shocked by her behavior and could turn any minute he walked slowly the rest of the way to the fence, seeing that Terrence was laughing as he held his hands over his mouth trying to hold it in wasn’t helping his temper either.

“Hey Kerry, why don’t you come inside for a minute, take a look around in there while I change?” The bull was just standing there while she scratched the heavy hair on the forehead that was at least a foot wide, he figured the bull had her outweighed by about eighteen hundred pounds or more, and he hoped it stayed docile for the next few minutes.

  “Isn’t he sweet? I didn’t know you had a tame bull, how did you manage that? Summer says that just about all of them are mean but he’s not.” She looked up and smiled, and he realized that she really was totally oblivious to the fact that she was in any danger at all.

  “Well, I hate to break it to you, but I don’t have a tame bull. Now why don’t you start heading for the gate?” His voice was tight and the cattle shifted, reacting to the tone of his voice.

  “What do you mean you don’t…”She stopped what she was saying, frowned at him and then looked at the bull once more. “Oh, and this is your bull isn’t it?”

“Oh yes, yes he is.” He kept his voice as cheerful as possible, not wanting her to be crushed if the strain in his voice made the cattle shift again.

“Well, I think I will be over to that fence in just a second then won’t I?”

“I think that’s a great plan, and where are your boots by the way?”

“You’re standing on them apparently.” She was making her way to him, petting the animals as she walked by them, the bull following after her, his head under one of her hands as the other cattle moved out of the way.

“Well so I am.” Looking down for a brief second he saw the worn leather of her favorite boots poking out from underneath his work boots but didn’t move off from them, knowing that any sudden movement could set off the bull, or the rest of the cattle for that matter and she was still too far away for him to grab her and pull her over the gate.

“He really likes me I think.” She was smiling again as she neared the gate, petting the bull one last time before she lifted one dainty foot to the lowest rail on it.

“So do I, now get that sweet fanny over her please.” At the sound of his voice the bull tossed his head and looked over at him, it was not a friendly look by any means.

“You like me?” Dropping her arms to her sides she stared at him in open mouthed shock, her foot still on the bottom rung of the fence.

“Yes I do, now let’s go talk about it in a safer place shall we?” He kept his voice light and friendly, staring at a spot just over the bulls eyes.

She climbed up the gate and sat on top of it for a second, her legs over on the pasture side. “Ok Mr. Bull, you just go on back to where you belong now, and don’t get hurt on the fence you tore down ok?”

The bull looked up at her perched there, snorted and Raine shook his head in disbelief as the damned thing took off at what could only be called a trot to the pasture they had been keeping him in until they were ready for him to breed the cows again. He reached up and pulled her down from the gate and into his arms, holding her tight as his heart slowly began to beat regularly once more.

She of course was laughing. “Put me down you loon, we have an audience.” Turning with her in his arms Raine saw Terrence and three of the other family members that worked for him standing there with their mouths open wide.

“Well don’t just stand there, there’s work to be done!” He shouted at them, scared and talking the extra adrenaline out on them. “Someone go make sure that bull is back where he belongs and fix that fence.”

Setting her down he waited for her to put her boots back on and then he held her hand as he stomped back to the house. She kept giggling at his mumbled words and try thought they might no one heard whatever it was that she said to make him laugh. When he did they all looked at each other and grinned.

“Five bucks says that bull is back where she told him to go.” Terrence said as they all watched the pair walk into the house.

“No takers Terrence, I’ve never seen a bull stop his charge just because someone said “Stop” before.” Angus, the cousin that used to ride the rodeo circuit back in his younger days said, rubbing his hand across his forehead as he smiled. “Raine doesn’t stand a chance of getting away from her, does he?”

“I really don’t think he wants one do you?” Terrence smiled as they all laughed in agreement before going back to work.

She wandered around his house while he showered and changed, giggling once in a while as she thought about the look on his face when he saw her petting the bull. She loved all of the nick-knacks and family photos that were spread out all over the house, remembering after a bit that he had bought this place from his parents when his Fathers health had become so bad and he hadn’t been able to keep up with the things that needed to get done any longer. Now his Mother lived in Florida with her sister and their Father had passed away, the only thing left of him was a legacy of farming and the photos of him smiling from better days and she thought that it was a wonderful legacy he had left behind for his family, it was too bad he was gone.

“Find anything interesting?” Raines voice behind her made her jump, and then she laughed as she turned to face him, not prepared for the sight of him in just a pair of blue jeans and no shirt. Her eyes followed a droplet of water as it traced its way past his sculpted pectorals and down his torso to get absorbed in the waistband of his low slung jeans.

At his cough she looked back up to his face to see him looking at her with something close to a smirk on his face. Frowning she felt her left eyebrow raise as she said ‘Not really, no.” and turned back to the family photo she had been looking at, one taken from the Fourth of July party that had been held at Summers place last year. She was in there, next to Summer, her friend having insisted that she was family and that she had to be in the picture, everyone else chimed in and there she was, forever locked in a picture with a family that had accepted her just because Summer loved her so much. There behind her was Raine and he wasn’t looking at the camera, to her surprise he was looking down at her, his sun bleached hair masking the expression on his face.

“I love your family.” She said as she felt him move to stand behind her.

“The feeling is mutual you know.” She felt the rush of air as he put on the t-shirt he had been holding. “You ready to go?”

“Sure, ready whenever you are.” Turning, she almost bumped into him he was so close to her and she tilted her head back as he grabbed her arms to make sure she didn’t fall back into the picture she had been looking so intently at.

He was still, just looking at her, his eyes holding her mesmerized for a moment. Then without another word his hands moved until his palms were cupping her face between them and he lowered his lips to hers. Once, then again his lips brushed hers, so soft and sweet that her lips tingled in response to the touch of his mouth on hers. His breath smelled minty, toothpaste, and she smiled as he teased her lower lip with a gentle tug from his teeth.

“There,” He said as he stepped back from her, letting his hands drop to his sides as he watched the dreamy and dazed look fade a little from her eyes. “And you aren’t even running away.”

“What?” She laughed, bemused as she lifted the fingertips of one hand to her tingling lips, his heart melted all the more at the gesture.

“I’ve wanted to do that for three years, but I always thought if I did then you would take off so fast and so far that I would never find you.”

“Oh” She said as she lowered her hand, her eyes troubled as she turned to look out the window. “Oh my, I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything Kerry, you aren’t responsible for what I think, what I feel, I just wanted to tell you I guess.” Taking her hand he led her out the door and towards his Ford truck that was parked near the house. “Let’s go eat something and then after I’ve left you can think about it all you want to.”

They drove to her house in silence, the drive taking them only five minutes or so by truck instead of the long leisurely ride by tractor. Just as she suspected there was country music playing on the radio and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Is there some sort of law?” She asked as they pulled into her driveway, Misha running out to greet them, recognizing the sound of Raines truck.

“Law about what?” His lips pursed and his eyes narrowed as he guessed what she was talking about. “Don’t be hatin’ on my music woman.”

She laughed so hard then she was rolling around on the seat of the truck as much as the seat belt would allow, holding her sides as they began to ache. She kept repeating the ‘don’t be Hatin’’ part of what he had said in an imitation of what he considered his serious tone of voice and that made her laugh all the more. He tried to look insulted but he couldn’t quite manage it and he ended up laughing with her, knowing that his attempts at slang were terrible at best. In three years he hadn’t heard this much laughter from her, and while a part of him wondered if it was partly because of the champagne he realized that he didn’t really care, the sound was literally music to his ears.

Once they had stopped laughing they got out of his truck and walked into her house, after she petted and fussed over Misha of course. Kerry took out the other bottle of Cristal that was in her refrigerator and had him go out to start the grill while she got things ready for dinner. She worked fast he thought, and then he wondered if she hadn’t hoped that her friend Nathan had been going to stay for dinner with her because when he came back inside to tell her the grill was all set she had marinated steaks on a plate and ready for the grill, mushrooms and onions sautéing in a pan on the stove, a salad on the table, what appeared to be two small sweet potatoes in the microwave and two glasses of champagne ready for drinking.

“Damn you work fast woman!” He took the plate of steaks and went to go back outside; she lowered the heat on the stove and walked over to him, grabbing both sparkling glasses as she followed him out onto the deck.

Once he put the steaks on the grill and closed the lid to it she handed him the glass. It felt far too delicate in his hand and he had a strange moment where he was afraid he was going to snap the stem of it in his hand until he saw her face. She had an impish grin on and he had to smile back, knowing that she had seen on his face what he had been thinking.

“What are we toasting?” He raised his glass, his voice husky as he looked at nothing but her eyes.

“Oh maybe friends, the summer, and freedom?” Was her reply as she reached out and tapped the edge of her glass to his before raising it to her lips, watching him.

There was a neigh and he laughed as Misha poked her head over the edge of the deck, wanting her share of attention. “Let’s not forget Misha either.” He laughed as he took a sip of the drink she had handed him.

His eyes widened at the taste, normally he never cared for wine and surely not champagne but this was different. It wasn’t too dry, but was sweet and cool as it bubbled in his mouth tasting as though someone had captured the rays of sun and had bottled them. He smiled and looked down at the glass in his hand, surprised that he had enjoyed it so very much. She grinned and winked, patting Misha on the head before she walked back into the house.

Before she walked inside he called her name and had her turning around, that damn eyebrow of hers raised again as she looked at him. He raised the glass in his hand, “This is amazing, but it still fades compared to your kiss.”

“Have you been reading my books lately?” She tried to look annoyed but the flush on her cheeks gave her away, and he knew that flush wasn’t only because of the drink. “You are one naughty and smooth man Raine, why didn’t I know that before?”

Shrugging his shoulder he smiled at her and took another drink, turning back to the steaks sizzling on the grill only after she had gone back inside.

What was she doing? She thought to herself as she finished sautéing the sliced onions and mushrooms, adding just a touch of beef base to them while she listened for the sound of Raine coming back inside with the steaks. After three years how could he be suddenly so interested in her when he had ignored her for so long? Why would he be interested anyhow, it’s not like she had ever really been nice to him, instead she had more or less ignored him for the last three years. Well, ignoring wasn’t quite right either, he was the one she called when anything broke down, became worn out or she just needed a hand with something or if she didn’t call him then he was always the one that Summer sent over when she knew that there was something that needed to be done. Then they would fight when he didn’t see things her way.

Smiling, lost in her thoughts she remembered the time she had wanted what he called a ‘split-rail’ fence put up near the small pond that she and Summer had convinced him to dig for her. He had worked long into the day, sweating and grumbling because to him where she wanted it made no sense at all. She had made him lunch and then she brought him out some lemonade, her offers of help turned down as she sat on the deck that he had redone and expanded for her, watching him. When he had found out she had wanted it to plant climbing roses on she had thought he was going to throw something, but he had just stalked away like he always did, mumbling about ‘wasted time’.

Now that she thought about it, ever since they had met in the Co-Op three years before that something had been building between them and she hadn’t really wanted to see it. He was the one she turned to when she needed something and he was always the one that came to see if there was anything she needed. Summer had tried to tell her over a year ago but she hadn’t been willing to listen, she had wanted to think that Summer was the one sending him over to see if there was something she wanted or needed done. But it was looking like it had been him trying to win her over when she hadn’t even realized that she wanted him too, the thought made her smile even as it made her sad at the same time.

“Penny for your thoughts.” She jumped at the sound of his voice, quickly turning the heat off on the burner as she laughed and turned to him.

“Who says that anymore?” She shook her head. “Your age is showing I tell you.”
“It’s not age, it’s called manners and more people should have them.” He placed the plate with the steaks on it on the table. “Is there anything else that needs to be done?”

“No, just let me get this mess here into a bowl and we are all set.” The sun was still high in the sky and she wondered if he would be here to watch the sun set with her, it set now usually around ten and she knew he had to be up early in the morning.

They were quiet for most of the meal, taking their time eating and making small talk only rarely. He stared at her often, unable to help himself watch the way she lifted the fork to her lips, opening then for a bite of food. He had never known that eating could be such a sensual experience until he watched her. She noticed him watching her eat and never said a word, drinking a little more than was good for her until she knew she was more than tipsy, he looked at her like she was food and he was starving and she couldn’t remember ever having someone look at her like that before, it was a little intimidating.

With dinner finished they did the dishes together, making short work of the few dished that there were and then they fell into an uncomfortable silence as the hall clock chimed that it was nine o’clock. She jumped at the sound of the clock chiming and she looked out the window to see that the sun was far from setting, but she didn’t want to be alone, not when the dark came and she was afraid of asking him to stay. She didn’t want things to go too fast between them, take the chance of ruining the real friendship that they had.

“Let’s go outside, get out of this canned air you live in during the summer.” Grabbing her hand he walked towards the door.

“I do not live in canned air, it is called air conditioning and it’s good for me, I’ll melt in all of the heat.”

“You are not made of ice, no matter how hard you pretend, you won’t melt in a little heat.” He could have slapped himself for saying it, her hand jerked from his as she stood still and he turned to face her. Her eyes were glossy from the drink and instead of the anger he expected from her he saw that she was hurt.

“Is that what you think of me?” She whispered, the sun falling through the trees was fading, but the rays still managed to catch her face and outline all of the hurt and pain he knew she tried so hard to hide.

“No Kerry, no… damn it!” Frustrated with himself he started to reach out for her and then stopped. “I don’t know why everything always seems to come out wrong when I talk to you. Why nothing comes out the way I want to say it.”

“Oh I think you do a good job of it.” The hurt was edging towards anger, he could see it in her eyes, those damned haunting blue eyes of hers tearing him in two.

“No, no I don’t at all.” Closing his eyes he shook his head and jumped into what he really wanted to say, figuring it was now or never. “Ever since I first saw you I wanted to…to just hold you and make all of the bad things in your life go away. I see you laugh and I wish it was me you are laughing with, I hear you whisper things to Summer and I want to be the one you share your secrets with, every time you leave a family get-together it just kills me that you are going home alone because I want to be the one you go home with and it haunts me because I don’t know how to make you see what I feel.”

He felt her hands grab his, link her fingers with his, her small hands cradling his where his fingers were missing. “You want to slay my dragons, protect me?”

He finally opened his eyes to see her standing there, so close and yet there was so much distance between them, distance he knew she would keep there if he faltered at all. “No, just the dragons you want me to slay and I only want to protect you when you ask me to.”

“That’s not how the stories go Raine.”

“This isn’t a story, it’s real and in the real world you can’t stand with someone until you know you can stand on your own.” She smiled and the tension eased between them, she knew what he meant even if she was going to brush the rest of it off for now, she obviously didn’t want to get into the way he felt about her.

“I think you’re right.”

Tugging on her hands that were still linked with his he began to walk backwards leading her off the deck. “So, in the meantime, how about we go hide for a while on that big hammock of yours and listen to the world pass by for a while?”

Dropping one hand when she nodded her reply he turned and they walked hand in hand across her yard, Misha prancing over to join them. “You know, you should write a romance novel, I bet it would sell.”

“Nope.” He laughed. “It would never work; I’m not a romantic sort of person, too practical for that.”

“Are you serious?” Shaking her head and laughing she gently eased Misha aside as they managed to climb into the hammock without tipping over. She snuggled up against him, her ear over his heart as she used his chest for a pillow as he put his arms around her.

They lay there for a while, no talking, no worries just holding each other as the night began to fall around them. His fingers smoothed and stroked her hair as he felt her finally relax in his arms, it really did feel like silk to his work-rough hands and he felt his eyes close as he lay still, trying to memorize the feeling of her in his arms.

There was a thump on the ground next to him and his eyes opened wide as something large and heavy landed on his stomach causing the hammock to tilt madly for a moment. His breath left him in a rush as Kerry began to laugh again, her hand reaching out to stroke the mane of her horse who had evidently felt left out of the whole hammock experience. The mares eyes were closed as she lay on the ground, her head on him while her neck was extended it what he was sure had to be an uncomfortable position.

“See, Misha thinks you make a good pillow too.” He couldn’t help but smile at the almost childish delight in her voice.

“That’s nice.” He rasped, his breath still recovering from the weight of the horses head being dropped on his stomach. He moved his hand to lay on top of hers where it rested on Mishas’ mane, wondering what was going to happen if she ripped his heart out, he didn’t think he could take it, not twice in one lifetime. He heard her sigh and the hand under his relaxed, his little romance writer had fallen asleep in his arms, right where she belonged.

Copyright protected (copyright 2008 M.P.O.) No publication, copying or other use of this story is permitted without the express permission of the author.