The tension grew inside her and her heart hammered as Chance’s hands slid from around her torso to her breasts. When he squeezed them gently, she arched her back, pressing them more fully into his hands. Clayton drew closer and stroked the denim covering her inner thighs. His touch was light, and a shudder worked its way through her body.
“Sorry, you’re ticklish,” Clayton apologized and laid his whole hand against her inner thigh.
“No, cowboy. I liked it. It’s just my feet that I don’t like tickled.”
Clayton gave her a devilish grin and said, “I’ll remember that,” as he leaned forward and kissed her.
Rapid boot steps were heard pounding up the flagstone steps outside, then on the screened-in porch. Someone knocked loudly on the back door, and both men groaned in frustration. She sat up, feeling pretty aggravated as well, and Chance hurried to the door.
Clayton left the family room and joined the conversation as Chance spoke, and she recognized Gil James voice. She walked up as Chance turned as if to go speak with her.
“Baby, there’s a grass fire burning along the highway, out in front of our place. A friend of Gil’s drove by and called him to let us know. He’s called the Divine and Morehead Volunteer Fire departments, but we need to get up there and keep it from getting out of control. Will you stay here at the house?”
“Sure. Can I do anything?”
“No, Lydi,” Clayton replied. “Just stay here where we know you’re safe. Lock up behind us, just in case we’re out there all night. As dry as it’s been, the last thing we need is for that fire to get out of control. Keep your phone with you.”
“All right. Please, be careful.”
“We will,” Chance said as he pressed a kiss to her temple. “Hold that thought from earlier, okay?”
“I will,” she said as Clayton kissed her quickly on the lips.
Lydia walked to the front door and stepped outside on the deep front porch as two farm trucks roared past the house loaded down with ranch hands. The sun had long since set, and it was too dim for her to see what tools they carried with them. How would they fight the fire?
The strong odor of smoke hung in the air as she looked up to the ridge where the entry was located. The trucks raced toward it, and she thought that she detected the hint of a glowing light from over the ridge. Sirens could be heard in the distance, and she sighed with relief that they would have help.
She was startled by the sound of boot steps on the dark front porch. A dark voice that set her nerves on edge a little said, “Hey, pretty lady. Where are your men?”
“Up at the entrance—” She cut herself off, realizing that was not a smart thing to say. “They’re fighting the fire. Why are you still back here, Kade?”
His boot steps didn’t seem all that hurried as he continued his approach. She wondered if he’d be missed up at the source of the fire and hoped she wasn’t completely alone with him on the ranch. A chill went up her spine as she remembered the way he’d looked at her and greeted her when she’d brought the ranch hands a snack the first time. The front door was now between her and Kade Parker, and she didn’t want to move any closer to him to reach it.
“You enjoying living here on the ranch?” he asked as though there was nowhere else he needed to be.
“It’s fine so far,” she replied, crossing her arms over her chest, hoping he couldn’t see as she darted her eyes around looking for something to use as a weapon.
“A woman can get lonely, working on a ranch this far from town.”
Firming her voice, she replied, “I do just fine, Mister Parker.”
He closed the distance between them and murmured, “Well, if you ever decide to take on a third—”
Gil James suddenly barked from the direction Kade Parker had come. “Parker! What the fuck are you doing here at the house? You’re needed up at the entry! Get your ass on the truck!” Gil’s tone was aggravated as he snapped the order. Kade gave her a smile and turned on his heel and sauntered to the truck.
Gil called out to her and she could hear the concern in his voice. “You okay, Miss Lydia?”
Lydia waved as she hurried to the front door, “Yes, Gil! Thank you. Be careful!”
“Yes, ma’am!” he called before the truck raced off down the drive.
Had Kade Parker been about to proposition her? What if Gil James hadn’t come along in one of the ranch trucks when he had? Would Kade have taken advantage of the Carlisle brothers’ absence? The thought sent a wave of gooseflesh over her skin. There was no question in her mind that she needed to mention the episode to Chance and Clayton.