Chapter Nine
Turning into the driveway leading to Palmer’s house, Raven noticed that the wind had done its damage to the property, but the pools of water didn’t appear to have affected the house itself, just the surrounding yard.
Stepping over the worst of it, Cane went first and actually lifted Raven over a section that appeared dangerous.
He’d swung her in his arms before she had a chance to argue and had put her down so quickly, she stumbled.
To stop her from falling, he brought her close to steady her, saving her from an undignified landing in the mud.
In the faint glare of the solar motion lighting, she looked up into his face to thank him but stopped herself. He was staring down, examining her, like he didn’t understand her at all. His normally hooded eyes were surprisingly vulnerable as they searched her features.
For the first time, she saw the sensitivity and not the withdrawal.
This man drew her like no other. Whether it was because he’d saved her life, or that he’d given up his own safety for the sake of the children, or just because he seemed so pathetically sorrowful, she didn’t know what made her reach up and draw his head down.
“Thank you. In fact, thank you for everything you’ve done today.
I don’t know what I… what Josh, Amelia and I…
could have done without you. So, thanks.
” Kissing him was a way of showing that her sincere feelings came from deep inside, and when she felt his rejection, it threw her bigtime.
Most males in her experience would appreciate her way of reaching out.
Even make a joke about it or at least take it in the lighthearted way she’d meant for it to be accepted.
Not Cane. At first, he seemed annoyed, clutching at her as if he would shove her away.
But tasting her and hearing her earnestness must have changed things.
He’d allowed her to kiss him for a few seconds before he took over the kiss.
By the time he was finished, she thanked God he had his arms around her.
Otherwise, she would have dropped in her tracks.
His hard mouth wrought enough damage to her system that shock would have made her push him away.
But suddenly his lips softened and became pure dynamite.
This changed everything, making her want the embrace to last forever.
Unfortunately, as quickly as his kiss changed, it changed back, and he again became the hard-assed stranger who meant to keep her at arms length.
Though he didn’t let her fall, he did forcefully set her aside and then backed off himself.
Obviously shaken, his voice harsh with emotion, he cleared his throat and then asked, “Uh, where would Palmer’s boat be? ”
Taking his cue, she began moving forward and let the deep cleansing breaths she hid do the trick of settling her rioting nerves.
***
Cane couldn’t believe he’d allowed himself those moments of pleasure before taking control. Raven’s lips hadn’t made him think of Chloe. Just the opposite. They’d made him forget, and that he couldn’t live with.