A Kiss for Cade Read Free Page B

home. She’d been waiting all those years to tell him what she thought of a man who lied, how his father had lived in shame knowing that his son took lives for money. “Your watch stop, Cade?”
    His slow, easy smile did little to temper her foul mood. “I kept in touch, didn’t I?”
    “Three letters in all these years? That’s your idea of keeping in touch?”
    He scratched his beard. “Can’t remember the last time I shaved. Must have been somewhere between here and the last town.”
    Appalled by his lack of sensitivity, she shook her head. Fifteen years, three months, and four days since he’d ridden away with a pledge to be back soon. The promise never left her, but he couldn’t remember the last time he shaved. “Well, at least you made it,” she said, turning to go back into the store.
    Brody grabbed her arm and stopped her. His eyes silently pleaded with her for civility. The boy wanted her to invite in the long-awaited uncle. For his sake, she thought, only for Brody’s sake. Swallowing her pride, she turned back to find Cade’s eyes still on her.
    “Come on, Red. You thought I wouldn’t come?”
    “You didn’t come for John and Addy’s wedding. Or your mother’s or father’s funerals.”
    He looked away. She’d hit home. When he looked back his steady, midnight blue gaze impaled her, and the invisible hand around her throat tightened. “You missed your sister’s burying too. We’ve already laid her and your brother-in-law to rest.”
    If she hadn’t loved Addy so much, she would have felt a measure of satisfaction as pain flashed across his features.
    “I came as soon as I got your message.”
    She lifted her chin. “I wasn’t sure you’d get it. You’re the only person I know who uses a saloon as an address.”
    How like him to miss the important things. Always chasing the almighty dollar and leaving responsibility to others. He might be hurting for Addy, but so was she.
    When she glanced back, he was still focused on her. A smile played at the corners of his mouth. “What happened to your freckles?”
    “I outgrew them.” Just as he’d outgrown his boyish imperfections, she noted with dismay. She tried not to look at him, but it was impossible.
    Hours in the sun had colored his skin to a rich, dark hue. A growth of heavy beard with a hint of crimson covered once-youthful skin. His shoulders were broader than she remembered. He filled every inch of his mustard-colored duster. Sinewy thighs flexed as he shifted his weight in the saddle, drawing her attention to the tools of his trade. A Colt Peacemaker was strapped to his thigh. The dying sun glinted off the butt of a Winchester rifle resting in the scabbard attached to the saddle.
    Her gaze traveled to his blue denim shirt, open at the collar to reveal a curly thatch of dark chest hair. Beneath a sweat-stained black Stetson, wavy, chestnut-colored hair hung past his shoulders. She reminded herself to inhale when she realized she was holding her breath. She was going to drop at his feet in a dead faint if she didn’t get control of herself.
    The reins rested lightly in his gloved hands as he forced her eyes to meet his.
    “You always were the prettiest girl in Kansas.”
    Now she refused to look at him. As God was her witness, she would never let him affect her again. But the children—she had to be civil for the children. “You need a bath.”
    The youngsters gathered in a silent huddle, tongue-tied and fidgety, somewhat in awe of this dark stranger and yet itching to meet him. Cade so favored their mother in looks.
    Cade’s eyes moved from one waif to the other, and she realized too late that she should have checked their appearances before coming outside. Brody had biscuit crumbs on his upper lip, and one of Holly’s stockings was bunched around her ankle. The front of Missy’s dress was water spattered, and her braids were escaping their ribbons. Will’s nose, in constant need of wiping, ran a stream. Before Zoe could