“Oh, yeah, give me one of the pans,” she said, but she was smiling.
She dipped the pan in the water, scooped up sand off the bottom, and began to clean the pan. “We may have something here. If we market it just right we could come up with a new cleaning product.”
He laughed. “Like what? Clean with the cleaner solution-mud.”
Her laughter joined his. “You’re right, that might not work. Darn, and there go my visions of making millions.”
They quickly finished washing the dishes and turned them upside down on the bank to dry.
“My feet are freezing,” she said as she hurried the short distance back to the camp.
She sat in front of the fire and stuck her feet close to the dying embers. He sat down next to her and grabbed her feet then began rubbing them.
“Better?”
“Much.” She lay back, pillowing her head with her arm. “I could get used to this.”
“Are you saying you’re starting to like the country?”
“I don’t think I’d go that far.”
He worked his massaging motions up her leg, kneading the calf, then repeated with the other one.
“Umm, right there,” she said.
“I want to make love with you,” he said.
“I know. I want the same thing.”
Nikki was in way over her head. Maybe she didn’t realize what she was doing or that she was getting in deeper than even she realized, but Cal knew when a woman was more than interested.
“It probably won’t work out between us,” he warned. That was the closest he’d come to telling her he knew the real reason she was here.
“I understand.”
Their gazes locked. Without losing eye contact, she brought her hand from beneath her head and slipped the metal button of her jeans through the buttonhole.
It was as though something had passed between them, a silent understanding. No recriminations, no regrets.
Chapter 21
“You’re sure no one is at the old homestead?” Celeste asked Brian.
“Positive. Cal took Nikki camping. The only thing here is a few animals and, of course, the ghost.”
Celeste had to admit she’d been curious about the place where Brian’s great-grandparents had lived. Well, more about the ghost he’d told her haunted the place. When she’d mentioned she’d like to have some fresh mint to make one of her specialty drinks, he’d told her that mint grew wild up by the old place, then offered to take her.
Brian had liked her idea of a small area where they could make tea or fruit smoothies and gourmet coffees. Betty was even making tiny cupcakes and cookies. So far, the guests loved the little extras.
He stopped the pickup in front of an old house that wasn’t much more than a shack and got out. “I haven’t been here in ages.”
She eyed the weatherworn building with trepidation as she got out of the pickup. It was worse than she could’ve imagined. “I can see why.”
He was frowning when he looked at her.
She laughed at his disgruntled expression. “What I can’t understand is why anyone in their right mind would want to stay here. It looks really bad. That reporter must be regretting her decision to do the story on your brother. I know I would, and I’ve stayed in some really run-down places.”
He looked at her curiously for a moment and she knew she’d said a little too much about her past.
“Yeah, she must want it pretty bad,” he finally said.
She breathed a sigh of relief and glanced around, taking in the pen, the cow, and the calf. “I can’t see anyone staying here, die-hard reporter or not.” She liked the idea of getting back to nature but this was even a little too much for her.
“The guests are rare. I think they enjoy the absolute quiet.”
“Cock! Cock! Cock!”
She jumped, throwing her arms around Brian when a possessed rooster drunkenly flapped across the yard as it made a beeline for the barn. Her heart jumped to her throat.
“Damn! Scared the hell out of me, too,” Brian said as he held on to her as tightly as she held on to him.
“Was that the ghost?” she asked.
“That was the rooster, but something is seriously wrong with it. It acts rabid.”
“Or psycho.” She looked up at him, and suddenly, the rooster didn’t matter. His blue eyes were fastened on her lips in a way that made her think he wasn’t thinking about the rooster, either.
“You said you enjoyed my kiss, right?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Good, because I’m going to kiss you again.” He didn’t wait for her answer but lowered his mouth to hers. At first he only brushed his lips across hers.
Celeste trembled from head to feet, then pressed closer and parted her lips. His tongue stroked hers. She tightened her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, wanting more, needing this connection. She returned his caresses with a passion she hadn’t known existed inside her. When he ended the kiss, they were both breathing hard.
“Wow.”
That was all he said. Just wow. But it was enough for her to know he was affected by the kiss as much as she had been. She stepped away, putting a little space between them. Heat rose up her face when she realized just how she’d reacted to his touch.
“I…I’m sorry,” she said, stumbling over the words.
“I’m not,” he told her.
She couldn’t meet his gaze but chose to look at the ground instead. “I usually don’t act like this around people…around men. I mean, I’m not a virgin or anything, but I don’t have a lot of experience, and I guess you think that’s probably crazy…”
He pulled her back into his arms and hugged her close. “It doesn’t matter.”
Warmth spread through her but not like the heat of a moment ago. No, this was as though the sun shined down on her. It was a good feeling, not as good as kissing, but she enjoyed it.
He let go of her but kept holding her hand. “Come on, I’ll show you where the mint grows.”
She looked at the cabin. A shadow moved across one of the windows. “Can we go inside?”
“The cabin is technically rented.”
She looked at him. “I promise I won’t bother anything.”
He shrugged. “I guess so.” A slow smile curved his lips. “But I won’t guarantee you’ll see the ghost.”
“How did you know I was curious to see if there was one here?”
“I don’t know. Wild guess?”
Her eyes narrowed on him. “I bet I’m not the first girl you’ve brought here.” When his face turned a nice shade of red, Celeste had her answer and couldn’t stop her smile. “Shame on you.”
“What is it about girls and ghosts? They always want to check out the haunted houses.”
“It’s walking toward the unknown.”
He waved his arm in front of him. “Knock yourself out. I’d just as soon know where I’m going.”
“You’re not coming?” It was one thing to go in with Brian and another to go in by herself.
“This is what gets men in trouble,” he said on a sigh. “How can we say no? Okay, come on.”
They walked up the steps. The well-oiled hinges on the screened door didn’t make a sound when he opened it.
“Hello?” Brian called out.
“I thought you said no one was home,” she whispered, hugging his arm.
“There isn’t. I just wanted to see if the ghost would answer.” He laughed when she frowned.
Cold air washed over her. She squeezed his arm a little tighter.
“You don’t have to be scared. I don’t think there’s really a ghost here.”
“Yes, there is.”
“Huh?”
“I felt her.”
He scanned the room. “What do you mean, you felt her? How do you feel a ghost?”
“I felt a rush of cold air.”
“Then what you felt was cold air.”
She shook her head. “No, it was the ghost.” She was certain of it.
“What? Are you telling me you’re psychic?”