Cheyenne (33 page)

“
Of course.”

She pulled the case from behind the chair and handed it to me. It was tattered around the edges. Carefully, I unsnapped the latches to reveal one of the most beautiful guitars I’d ever seen.

The sheen was gone, the color fading, and there were indentations from years of play and travel, but I could tell it was a well-loved instrument that had created beautiful music. I let my fingers glide across the strings as I pulled it free from the case. I strummed each note separately; it was in perfect pitch. I had not played the guitar more than a handful of times, yet I knew I could. It was no different than the piano. I just instinctively knew what to do.

I wasn’t sad, or upset when I played tonight; I was placid, content, and needed to express this to my heart and soul. I wanted to confirm I was still alive, still me. I allowed my fingers to dance over the strings, slowly embracing each note as it rang through the rain-soaked air. I closed my eyes, carefully stroking and caressing the sound as it filled the room. 

I imagined the melody gently cascading over each and every piece of furniture, timing it with the raindrops on the roof, tangling with nature’s own melody outside. I forgot about everyone else in the room, and saw myself sitting next to a lazy river. I played the sounds of the water licking the tips of the stones, just as a dandelion blew its seeds in the wind. A ballet of moves, rising and falling with the breeze.

The guitar sang to my heart with words it understood. Each song morphed into another until it finally ended, when my heart was full and I could finish.

Opening my eyes, I gazed at my fingers. Five pairs of eyes were watching me. I hadn’t played for an audience. Carefully placing the guitar in its case, I closed the latches and set it down.

“
Sorry,” I said self-consciously.

I glanced around the room. Lilly was still seated in the chair, tears brimming on her lashes. Dex and Daniel sat with arms crossed and backs slouched in chairs. Callon was leaning against the wall, nonchalantly watching, and Colt was overflowing with adoration.

I lowered my head, and moved to sit next to him. His arm welcomed me in as he whispered in my ear.

“
Just when I think I can’t love you anymore than I already do.” A tender kiss touched my cheek, and he leaned back in his seat. I blushed.

“
Cheyenne,” Lilly asked. “How long have you been playing?”

I lifted my head up, and saw the softness and love in her face. “Not very long.”

“
Who taught you?”

“
I never had formal lessons. I just picked it up. I hear the notes in my head, and they come together by themselves.”

“
Callon told us you play the piano also?” she asked.

I nodded.

“
No one has played this guitar in a long time,” she murmured, deep in thought. Her blue eyes locked on mine. “Thank you for bringing music back into this house again.”

Chapter 20

Rain continued its descent from the skies above. The persistent wind howled, and the afternoon soon turned into evening. Lilly paced the room, apprehensive about the storm. Dex saw my concern and came to speak to me privately. 

“
There was an incident a long time ago. When we get the howling rain storms, it makes her uneasy,” he said as he touched my arm. “She’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

“
Cheyenne!” Lilly’s voice rang with alarm, and I flinched. “You must be starving. You haven’t eaten since breakfast.” She grasped my hands. “I said the boys were bad about not remembering, but I am the one who’s forgotten.”

Surprised at her reaction, I tagged along to the kitchen with Colt. I didn’t realize I was hungry until she said something. “I’m not starving, but I could eat something small if it’s not too much trouble.”

She gave a quick reply, “It’s never any trouble.” She began pulling items out from the fridge and pantry. “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll whip up something.” 

I sat at the kitchen table, and Colt drew his chair up next to mine. As we watched Lilly work, I could see out of the corner of my eye that he was gazing at me. I tilted my head down slightly, and peeked at him, just enough to glimpse his gorgeous face.

Having some normality back with Colt was a relief. A quick wink from his blue eyes sent my heart into overdrive. I blushed and turned away.

Lilly made enough food to feed an army. Having something to focus on and keep her hands busy seemed to calm her. She placed a plate before me. I wasn’t sure how much I could plough through, but was willing to give it a fair shot. I ate more than I thought and took my plate to the sink before returning to the great room for the evening. A chill was in the air, and Dex lit a fire to warm us. I loved the crackling and popping of the fire, the flames dancing in the air, licking the wood with its consuming desire.

I snuggled in closer to Colt, and Callon sat down beside us. Daniel was apparently bored, and he announced that we would all be playing poker. I glanced up warily.

“
You do realize I’ve never played before, don’t you?”

“
We’ll teach you,” Colt offered.

“
This should be interesting,” I said faintly. 

Daniel pushed the coffee table closer, and I slid to the floor, crossing my legs so I could reach the table. Lilly assured me the boys would be nice since I was just learning to play. Somehow I didn’t believe it. I was an easy target, and they knew it.

I watched first, and tried to get the hang of the game. It was amusing to see them laugh and joke with each other. They truly enjoyed each other’s company. They had a special bond with one another. Though there was a large age difference, it didn’t seem to matter.

Finally they convinced me to join them, promising to let me in easy. I received assistance for the first couple of hands from Callon and Colt, mainly due to the fact I was sitting right between them with exposed cards. 

Looking directly at me, Daniel shoved the cards over across the small table. “Your turn.”

“
Uh, Daniel,” I said. “I don’t know how to shuffle.”

“
You’ve been watching. You can do it.”

“
Yes, but you look like a casino dealer…I can’t do it like that.”

“
Just try.” He produced a wickedly charming smile, and I sighed.

“
You’re going to laugh,” I said in exasperation.

“
Probably, but that’s the fun part.”

I took the cards between my fingers, and what happened next was a comedy of errors. I attempted to fan the cards, and they went flying. They landed on the floor, on Callon’s lap, and across the table. Everyone broke out in hysterics.

Face flushed, I scooped up the cards from the table and decided it best to hand the task over to someone more experienced.

“
Oh, no,” Callon said, holding up his hands. “You can’t give up after one try, sweetheart.”

My nose wrinkled. There was the sweetheart thing again. What irked me, though, was that I didn’t know whether he said to tease me or because he really meant it.

Daniel demonstrated on the small table again. I watched closely, took back the cards, and tried to follow his lead. You’d have thought with the ability to play the piano and guitar, I would have some sort of dexterity.

The cards exploded in a funnel of spades, aces, and jacks. Daniel and Colt were cracking up in the background.

Callon rolled his eyes. He smiled as he leaned over, taking my hands in his and showing me how to shuffle properly. He repeated the steps a couple times. Each time he turned to instruct me, his lips brushed my cheek—the heat of his touch burned.

The laughter ceased, and I became self-conscious about what was taking place. I drew back, but it didn’t seem to bother him at all; he was still grinning. 

Why was he acting like this? From the beginning I’d gotten the impression that I was just a job, and now it was as if he was barely holding back his attraction. I’d been getting along better with him recently, but I was with Colt. Callon was confusing me.

I shook it off. Forget about him.

I played a few more hands, and beginner’s luck allowed me to win a few. I was finally feeling like I was getting the hang of it.

“
So if I have a royal flush…” I glanced down at my cards. “That means I win the hand?” I raised my brows as they all began tossing down their cards. “What?”

They started laughing. Colt lifted me from the ground, taking the cards from my hands.

“
I thought you said you had a royal flush?”

“
I never said that. I was merely asking you what it consisted of. You…” I pointed around the room, “took it the wrong way. It’s not my fault you jumped to conclusions.”

He squeezed my sides. “And you said you didn’t know how to play poker! I won’t be so nice next time.” He kissed my cheek and gave Callon a sideways glance as he seated me right between his legs on the floor.

I blinked. Something was going on with Colt and Callon. Nobody else seemed to pick up on it, though, and we carried on playing.

We played several more hands, but I was growing tired. I’d been drained from my reunion with Colt, and it was becoming harder to stay awake. Slouching against Colt’s leg, my head quickly found its home in his lap. But I didn’t want to go to bed. I wanted to continue to enjoy this day—these moments. To forget about the danger awaiting me.

I closed my eyes and listened to the crackling fire; the conversation continued until I could hear no more.

An ear-splitting crack of lightning hit a tree right outside the window, accompanied by a deep roll of thunder. I sat straight up, trembling. I was in my bedroom, alone. My heart was pounding in my chest, like a flapping bird trying to escape. The room lit for half a second more—but that was all it took. 

I was staring out the window and saw a shadowy figure in the trees. The room darkened, and I didn’t blink. Another flash of light, another half a second, and the mysterious shadow vanished.

A thunderous boom pierced the air again, and a hand touched my shoulder. I screamed as I leaped off the bed, only to find two hands pulling me close.

“
LET GO!”

“
Cheyenne! It’s me, Callon.” It took a few moments to realize who the hands belonged to, and I immediately stopped fighting him. “Shh, it’s okay. It’s just a thunderstorm.”

I allowed him to draw me in. “Lightning hit outside your window.” He began stroking my back. “You don’t need to be frightened. I’m right here.”

“
W-where’s C-Colt?” I stuttered.

“
He and Daniel went outside to secure the horses and make sure the lightning didn’t cause a fire.”

“
They went to make sure a fire didn’t start?”

“
Yes, it’s been a dry summer up here. We don’t need a forest fire right now.”

The shadowy figure stood out in my mind; maybe it was Dex. I knew it wasn’t Colt or Daniel—it wasn’t the right shape.

“
What time is it?” I moved back, pulling my arms away.

“
It’s around three a.m. You need to get some more rest; you’ve only been sleeping for a couple of hours.”

“
I don’t think I can sleep now.”

At that exact moment another burst of lightning lit up the room, followed by a deafening crash of thunder. I buried myself into Callon’s chest again. I was such a baby.

Or was it that I enjoyed being in his arms?

“
Come on. Let’s go out in the great room. We can sit on the couch, ok?” he suggested.

I nodded. The remaining light from the fire provided the only illumination. The lightning flashes started to decrease, and the thunder grew more distant. My eyes caught sight of the journal setting nearby on a table. A pen and paper to the side, at least I knew what Lilly said was true. Dex was working on deciphering it for me.

Eventually I relaxed, pulling my legs into my chest. I leaned my head onto Callon’s shoulder, and my sleepiness returned. His arm moved around me, and he began to gently brush his fingers across my arm. It was softest of touches, as if he was afraid I’d shy from the intimate contact. I slouched more and soon found my head resting on his lap. He pulled a blanket from a basket nearby and placed it over me. Eyes closed, I soon was resting peaceably again.