and kissed her.
“Okay.”
He held her close and deepened the kiss, and she lost herself in him once again.
T HE SHERIFF WASN’T IN HIS office, so Cade and Patience decided to go straight to the courthouse. Of course he’d driven her back to town in a daze. Making love with her had helped him out of one of his darkest moods, but the way she’d pinned him with that gaze of hers as she climaxed wasn’t something he would forget anytime soon.
They’d been quiet on the ride to town, both of them seemingly distracted by their own thoughts. When he wasn’t remembering what they’d just done, he was thinking about his father’s case. Patience finding that ring had made it all come home. No longer could he stand on the sidelines and pretend as though this was happening to someone else. More than ever he was determined to find his father’s killer.
Suddenly, Patience let out a soft groan.
“What’s wrong?”
She pointed to a large sign on the door. The courthouse was closed for the weekend.
“Who closes shop at noon on Thursday?”
“My guess is they want to give people time to get ready for the beginning of the festival tonight.”
“Now what am I supposed to do?”
Cade’s mind flashed to her naked body in the back of the truck, but he needed to stay focused. There was a lot at stake in the investigation. And now there were even more questions than answers.
“We could get some lunch and talk about what you’ve found so far,” Cade suggested.
There was a long silence.
“I’m not really hungry right now. I’d like to get back to the B and B, talk with some of the Stonegate investigators.”
Patience continued to look out the window. He’d give anything to know what she was thinking, but he also knew this wasn’t the right time. She was edgy about something. “Maybe we could do a conference call. I’d like to be involved,” he said as they pulled up in front of the B and B.
Patience jumped out of the vehicle quickly. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Since you’re a client, it’s best to inform you when we actually have something. That way, you don’t get your hopes up or read too much into things.”
The way she said, “read too much into things” caused his jaw to harden. “Are we talking about the case or are we talking about what just happened with us?”
“Cade, I really don’t have time for this.”
He was around the truck before she could get to the porch steps. “Don’t shut me out, Patience. Not now.”
She shook her head. “Cade, I’m sorry. Listen, we’re just two people who needed comfort. I’m grateful to you for that, but it can’t continue. I need to concentrate on solving what happened to your father.”
“So we used each other and now we move on? That’s your plan?” The words sounded bitter, but he couldn’t help it. What they’d shared was way more than comfort, whether she was willing to admit it or not.
“Yes. I’ll see you later.” She darted past him and into the B and B.
That was it; he’d finally figured it out. She was scared.
She’d said more than once that she wasn’t exactly a people person—still, she could think she was a loner all she wanted, he’d been there and knew differently.
So Cade would change her mind.
8
I T WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL GG no, Patience decided. She watched the older woman unpack a picnic lunch. Before she could race upstairs and get her thoughts together, GG had stopped her in the dining room of the B and B and nearly ordered her to come to the Randall family picnic. Patience had tried to make excuses—that she had work to do, which was true—but GG wouldn’t hear of it. Cade had driven GG and Patience out to the lake. Most of the trip had been in silence as GG looked from one to the other with that questioning gaze of hers.
Once at the lake, Patience discovered the Randall family was loud and boisterous and she had a difficult time not succumbing to their charms. Most of them didn’t live
“Okay.”
He held her close and deepened the kiss, and she lost herself in him once again.
T HE SHERIFF WASN’T IN HIS office, so Cade and Patience decided to go straight to the courthouse. Of course he’d driven her back to town in a daze. Making love with her had helped him out of one of his darkest moods, but the way she’d pinned him with that gaze of hers as she climaxed wasn’t something he would forget anytime soon.
They’d been quiet on the ride to town, both of them seemingly distracted by their own thoughts. When he wasn’t remembering what they’d just done, he was thinking about his father’s case. Patience finding that ring had made it all come home. No longer could he stand on the sidelines and pretend as though this was happening to someone else. More than ever he was determined to find his father’s killer.
Suddenly, Patience let out a soft groan.
“What’s wrong?”
She pointed to a large sign on the door. The courthouse was closed for the weekend.
“Who closes shop at noon on Thursday?”
“My guess is they want to give people time to get ready for the beginning of the festival tonight.”
“Now what am I supposed to do?”
Cade’s mind flashed to her naked body in the back of the truck, but he needed to stay focused. There was a lot at stake in the investigation. And now there were even more questions than answers.
“We could get some lunch and talk about what you’ve found so far,” Cade suggested.
There was a long silence.
“I’m not really hungry right now. I’d like to get back to the B and B, talk with some of the Stonegate investigators.”
Patience continued to look out the window. He’d give anything to know what she was thinking, but he also knew this wasn’t the right time. She was edgy about something. “Maybe we could do a conference call. I’d like to be involved,” he said as they pulled up in front of the B and B.
Patience jumped out of the vehicle quickly. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Since you’re a client, it’s best to inform you when we actually have something. That way, you don’t get your hopes up or read too much into things.”
The way she said, “read too much into things” caused his jaw to harden. “Are we talking about the case or are we talking about what just happened with us?”
“Cade, I really don’t have time for this.”
He was around the truck before she could get to the porch steps. “Don’t shut me out, Patience. Not now.”
She shook her head. “Cade, I’m sorry. Listen, we’re just two people who needed comfort. I’m grateful to you for that, but it can’t continue. I need to concentrate on solving what happened to your father.”
“So we used each other and now we move on? That’s your plan?” The words sounded bitter, but he couldn’t help it. What they’d shared was way more than comfort, whether she was willing to admit it or not.
“Yes. I’ll see you later.” She darted past him and into the B and B.
That was it; he’d finally figured it out. She was scared.
She’d said more than once that she wasn’t exactly a people person—still, she could think she was a loner all she wanted, he’d been there and knew differently.
So Cade would change her mind.
8
I T WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL GG no, Patience decided. She watched the older woman unpack a picnic lunch. Before she could race upstairs and get her thoughts together, GG had stopped her in the dining room of the B and B and nearly ordered her to come to the Randall family picnic. Patience had tried to make excuses—that she had work to do, which was true—but GG wouldn’t hear of it. Cade had driven GG and Patience out to the lake. Most of the trip had been in silence as GG looked from one to the other with that questioning gaze of hers.
Once at the lake, Patience discovered the Randall family was loud and boisterous and she had a difficult time not succumbing to their charms. Most of them didn’t live
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