Once on the ground, Cash secured the wheels to the chocks. Hal was waiting for them. He appeared hesitant as the threesome approached, then he finally stepped forward and grasped Elliot’s outstretched hand. “Glad you’re here, sir,” he said.
“How’s my daughter?”
“Better now that you’re here. Cash’s call was a gift.” He turned to Cash and clapped him on the back. “Thanks, buddy. You, too, Christie.”
Later that night, at Cash’s hacienda, he and Christie sat on the patio going over the day’s events. Cash’s housekeeper had been unprepared for the impromptu arrival of her boss and guest and had family plans.
“Finish your wine and we’ll go into town for dinner,” Cash said.
“I’m not dressed for anything fancy.” Christie looked at her khakis, perfect for hiking, but definitely not in tune with upscale nightlife.
“I know a restaurant that serves great seafood, southwestern style. Casual attire is the norm.”
“All right, but I don’t want to be rushed. Let me enjoy the wine. I feel as though I’ve been on fast-forward all day and now I need to rewind.”
Cash smiled and reached over and touched her arm. “Take your time.”
Forty minutes later they were sitting in a quaint Mexican restaurant ordering seared ahi with ceviche. The hostess had given Cash a hearty greeting, and the chef came out to say hello, telling them that the ahi, flown in that morning, was special tonight. “Best you’ll ever have,” he insisted, and he was right.
“You’ve done well for yourself, Christie,” Cash said. “Two reunions in a short period of time. And not easy cases.”
She glowed with his compliment. She did feel good about herself. It had been an extraordinary couple of weeks. She’d set a record that undoubtedly would never be repeated. And that was a good thing, because the two cases had worn her out. Besides the long hours, her emotions had been overtaxed.
Cash reached across the table and wrapped his hands around hers. He seemed to study her face before he spoke. “I’m glad you came into my life. I confess I had taken a narrow path, my work was everything, the only thing. And then I met you and…well, things changed.”
She didn’t know what to say. They had been separated for only a few days, but the intensity of her feelings for Cash had escalated with each passing day. But she was afraid to let him know. In the back of her mind, there was the fear that this was a fairy tale and it would soon end, but not in a storybook, happily-ever-after way. She’d been burned once.
“Christie?” He tipped his head questioningly.
“This is a special time for me, too,” she said.
The waitress unobtrusively placed their bill on the table. Cash took some twenties from his wallet and placed them on the little tin plate, and they left.
On the ride to the hacienda, Christie was deep in thought. She was confused. She wanted to be open about her feelings for Cash, but she still had reservations.
“You’re quiet,” Cash said.
“A lot has happened this week. I hope the excitement of seeing Elliot wasn’t too much for Margo.”
Cash pulled the car into the driveway and parked. A few minutes later, alone with Cash inside the house, Christie felt a restless tension. It was too early to excuse herself and go to her room and read, but for some reason she wanted to put distance between them. She had so much to consider about their relationship.
“It’s still warm, would you like to go for a swim?” Cash asked.
“I don’t know—”
“You’re a Pisces; you should have a natural affinity for water. Don’t you have a bathing suit in your duffel? I can’t imagine going to Big Sur without a swimsuit.”
“Yes, I do,” she answered.
“I’ll give you ten minutes to change, then I’ll meet you on the patio. It would be a shame to miss a good swim on a warm night. I’ve been confined so much today, I could use a little exercise.”
She didn’t argue. A swim might wear off the tension, help her sleep better.
As soon as she stepped onto the patio, she knew that she had made a mistake. Cash openly appraised her, and when his gaze rested on her face, it was penetrating. She felt overwhelmingly vulnerable. He moved toward her, and she stepped back awkwardly, then felt foolish. She wasn’t afraid of him; she was afraid of herself. Her knees seemed to buckle, and she sat in a chair to gather herself.
“Anything wrong?” he asked.
“No, just getting up the courage to go in the water. It must be cold.”
“On the contrary, the hot desert air keeps the pool quite warm.”
The moon was rising to its zenith and the patio was touched by its light. A ripple of breeze skittered across Christie’s skin, and she trembled. Cash took her hand and slowly pulled her up. They stood close and she could feel his breath on her face. They walked to the pool’s edge. Cash did a shallow dive, skimming the surface of the water. She opted for the steps, moving slowly, putting off the inevitable. Finally, she was in. She started to swim across the pool. She was aware of Cash at her side, their bodies nearly touching. When they reached the far end, they turned and swam back.
It felt good to have the water pulse around her body. The tension of the day began to slip away. She closed her eyes and floated lazily, opened them again and swept her arms into a graceful breaststroke. Cash lunged into a ruthless butterfly, churning the water into whirlpools. Christie could not fight the tidal wave. She grabbed the side of the pool and hoisted herself out of the water. Cash’s strokes were powerful, and he covered the distance like an Olympic champion. After a few laps, he joined her on the side of the pool, their wet bodies dovetailing. Again she was assaulted by a tremor. “You’re cold,” he said. “Let me warm you.”
She expected him to wrap a towel around her, but instead he enveloped her in his arms and pulled her close. His face burrowed into her hair and she could feel his moist breath in her ear. He pulled her closer and she could feel the heat of his body dry every bead of moisture on her skin. She could hardly breathe. She knew that it would be prudent to draw away, but she lost the will to resist.
His hand did a slow climb along her spine and then his fingers fanned through her hair. His touch seemed to set her nerve endings on fire. His mouth pressed against hers and she felt as though the world was spinning.
“I want to hold you in my arms forever,” he whispered across her mouth.
“Yes, forever.” Had she uttered the words for him to hear, she wondered, or were they spoken only in her heart?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Margo had insisted they come to the house for an early brunch. Hal was wearing a Winnie the Pooh apron when he answered the door.
“What’s the getup for?” Cash pointed at Pooh’s chubby tummy.
“A shower gift. Margo said I should get used to wearing it, that taking care of a baby isn’t just gal stuff. Hey, I don’t mind, as long as no one takes my picture and sends it to the Times.”
“Maybe we can buy you a Tigger apron when we get back to the city,” Christie said. “It would be a bit more masculine than Pooh.”
“You’re not going to get on my case, too, are you?”
“Heavens, no, I think your apron is the height of fashion.”
“All right, enough of this. Come on in. Elliot and Margo are on the patio. I could say that I’ve been slaving over a hot stove, but I’m afraid that the sacks from the rosticceria give me away.”
“Good try, old buddy.” Cash slapped Hal on the back, and they followed him out to the garden.