"I noticed the biggest change today." Debbie shrugged and picked at a piece of lint on the quilt. "It's the way he watches you. He seems so relaxed and at ease." She struggled for the right words. "There isn't that loneliness in his eyes that always makes me ache for him, an emptiness like he's lost a part of himself he can't find. Today, his eyes are clear and his smiles are genuine. You're good for him, Caitlan," she said softly, earnestly. "I knew that the first time I saw you and him together."
Caitlan lifted a brow at Debbie. What was it with his family conspiring to matchmake her and J.T.? "I care for your brother, but I'll be leaving Idaho soon." Why did the thought make her feel so forlorn?
"You can always visit, and you might find you like it here."
Not two days ago she'd heard the same lecture from J.T.'s daughter. "Have you been talking to Laura?" she teased.
Debbie smiled. "No. I just know it takes a special kind of woman to adapt to life in the country, and you fit in well. You seem happy here."
"I am happy here." And content. Caitlan sensed she belonged here in a way she couldn't fully define; she only knew J.T. was the reason. Then reality put things back into perspective. "But that doesn't mean I belong here."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Debbie shook her head, an apologetic look crossing her features. Standing, she grabbed Caitlan's hand and squeezed it affectionately. "I'm sorry, this is really none of my business, but I know J.T. better than anyone, and it's good to see him so carefree and happy."
Caitlan backed away subtly, knowing it was best if they let the subject drop. "Well, I guess I'd better change."
"Yeah." Debbie grinned ruefully. "Sorry; I didn't mean to go on and on. You're very easy to talk to, just like Amanda was. She's been gone sixteen years, but I still miss her friendship."
Caitlan managed a smile for Debbie's compliment, but couldn't shake off the sensation of being suffocated. Disturbing impressions of Amanda crowded in on her until she wanted to run from this room and out of this house. She needed to change and get outside so she could breath in fresh air and clear her head. "Where can I change?" she asked, startled by the strangled sound of her voice.
"Go ahead and use my bathroom." Debbie waved a hand toward a connecting door. "I'll meet you outside. I'm sure the guys are wondering what happened to us. Maybe if we're real lucky they cleaned up the kitchen, but I won't pin my hopes on that too much."
Caitlan forced a light laugh and agreed, even though everything in her coiled up as tight as a spring, ready to snap at any given moment. Once Caitlan stepped inside the bathroom, she closed the door and leaned against it, willing her taut body to relax and the images taunting her mind to cease. Gradually, with each slow breath she drew, her throbbing head began to ease.
Pushing off her damp jeans, Caitlan slipped on first the petticoat, and then the matching chambray skirt, vowing that this niggling feeling of hers wouldn't ruin her day.
For the tenth time in the past twenty minutes J.T. glanced toward the slider leading into the house, looking for a sign of Caitlan. Shifting in his plastic lawn chair, he spared a brief look at his watch, then glanced back at the door. He perked up when Debbie passed the window, waved, and mouthed, "I'll be out in a sec," then moved on to the kitchen. J.T. waited for a glimpse of Caitlan… and waited and waited. Had he missed her when she'd walked by?
"You lookin' for someone?" Kirk asked from the chair beside him, his tone filled with goading humor.
J.T. pinned him with a quelling look, then turned his attention to the girls playing jump rope over on the slab of pavement. "Just wondering where the women are."
Kirk grinned. " 'Fraid they're talking about you?"
"I'm sure Debbie is. We all know how she loves to gab about my lack of a love life. It's her favorite pastime for anyone who'll listen."
Kirk stretched lazily and clasped his hands behind his head. "Well, I do believe they've spent enough time together for Debbie to convince Caitlan she's the perfect woman for you. They should be planning a wedding right about now."
J.T. scowled, declining to comment.
"So, what is going on between you and Caitlan?"
J.T. wanted to ask his brother-in-law to define "going on." Physically, nothing was happening between him and Caitlan-at least not what he'd like to be doing: making slow, deep love to her, losing himself in her gentleness and warmth. Emotionally? Well, that was something he'd rather not discuss. Even he didn't understand the feelings Caitlan evoked in him. He wrote off the chaotic emotions to lust, because wanting Caitlan, naked and in his bed, was becoming a consuming need, blending in with passion and desire.
"Nothing's going on," J.T. replied, slouching in his chair and squaring an ankle over the opposite knee. "She'll be going back to Parson's soon.
From what I hear, the bridge should be fully repaired by the end of the week."
Kirk slanted a look J.T.'s way. "You know, you could always drive her to the airport and put her on the first flight back to Chicago. She'd be out of your hair within three hours."
"And ruin her lovely vacation in paradise?" J.T. said dryly.
Kirk laughed, a deep masculine chuckle. Standing, he slapped J.T. on the back. "Man, you've got it bad for her."
Watching Kirk walk toward the slider, J.T. searched for a retort to his comment but couldn't come up with anything appropriate. What could he say to something that held too much truth? Caitlan was becoming a fever in his blood.
J.T. mused over Kirk's comment about taking Caitlan to the airport. He'd thought about doing exactly that the first night she'd stayed at the ranch, but something had held him back. He'd told himself this was her vacation, and as long as she stayed out of his way he'd let her remain. Thinking back, he realized she hadn't been any trouble, but everywhere he turned she'd been there, with her violet eyes and soft smiles. Hell, he'd even spent the day with her yesterday, pouring out all his secrets and heartaches-to a woman he barely knew.
Maybe he should've given Caitlan the option of flying back to Chicago; maybe she would have wanted to go home rather than wait at his ranch for the bridge to be repaired. He hadn't asked, and she hadn't mentioned it. For the most part she seemed perfectly satisfied at the Circle R.
"Maybe she hasn't asked you to take her to the airport because you were such a bastard about the whole situation her first day at the ranch," he mumbled to himself, remembering how abrupt and harsh he'd been with her, how he'd wanted nothing more than to send her on her way to wherever she belonged.
Now he wasn't sure he wanted her to go, which was ridiculous considering the havoc she played with his body, and the delicate way she threatened the barriers he'd built around his heart. But eventually she'd go back to Chicago, and ultimately that thought kept his emotions locked up, safe and secure.
J.T. glanced toward the slider again and did a double take. He hadn't known what to expect when he saw Caitlan again, but the sight that greeted him tied his insides in knots. Desire surfaced, hot and swift, nearly overwhelming him.
His gaze slid over Caitlan's shirt, the long sleeves rolled to just below her elbow. The first three buttons down the front were undone, the tails tied into a knot around her tiny waist. The skirt she wore aroused more than just his interest. She had nice legs-he remembered that from the night he'd nearly seduced her in his bed-long, graceful limbs that conjured up images of them wrapped around his hips, hugging him tight as he made love to her.
She smiled shyly and started his way. The muscles in his belly tightened as she neared, and he briefly wondered how much longer he'd be able to keep his hands off her. She tempted him to the brink of insanity.
"Caitlan!" Laura grabbed Caitlan's hand and tugged her toward where her and Brittany and Alisha were playing. "I need a partner for double jump rope."