Make Me Yours (28 page)

Cassie set the dough in a deep dish pan, covered it with a towel and set it aside to rise before moving to the oven to turn it on. She had several tins of muffins ready to go in as well as four pies. There were a few things left from yesterday in her case out front, but that was it until she got her current dishes baked. After cleaning up a bit, she checked the oven and frowned when she noticed it hadn’t even begun to warm up.

“Well, shit,” she muttered after flipping the temp higher and still got no heat. Her good mood took a sudden dive as she realized she was going to have to close the shop until she could get a new part, which could take until the first of next week. After placing a call to an appliance repair man, she waited on the few customers that stopped in before he arrived.

An hour later Cassie thanked the repairman after he had assured her he would have a new heating element to her by Saturday morning. Now she debated whether to call Marc to return to town to pick her up or if she could maybe grab a ride from Scott or one of his deputies. It was only mid morning and she knew Marc was preparing to take a group out on the lake shortly after lunch, but Scott had been the first person she saw after Marc had lifted her from the bench last night and she could vividly recall the heat of her embarrassment as she realized he had an up close and personal view of their scene. Thankfully, he had given her an encouraging smile and with a wink, simply turned away. A short time later she spotted him at another station involved with another couple.

She knew it would be silly to interrupt Marc again, so she pushed aside her embarrassment and picked up the phone to give the sheriff’s office a call. After explaining the situation to the receptionist, Scott got on the phone and said he’d be right there.

Cassie loaded up her unbaked filled pans into a box to take to the lodge and bake there then went out front to wait for Scott only to find him already pulling up. “That was quick,” she said as he reached across the seat and opened the passenger door for her.

“I was on my way out to do patrols, so you had good timing. What’s in the box?”

Setting the box on the seat between them, Cassie pulled her seat belt on. “My inventory for today that didn’t get baked. This,” she leaned down and lifted a brown sack from the box, “is for you. I hope you like snicker doodles and raisin bread.”

“I’m a guy. I’m easy. Enough said?” He turned to grin at her as he pulled out and headed up to the lodge.

“Definitely enough said.”

“Thanks for the goody bag. It wasn’t necessary, but I’m not dumb enough to turn down homemade cookies and bread. Being a bachelor, I live on store bought and take out. How long until your oven gets fixed?”

“Jimmy promised he’d have the part by closing tomorrow and installed first thing Saturday morning. I’ll return tomorrow with these things and anything else I can get made in Marc’s kitchen, but I’ll probably close early tomorrow also.”

Cassie relaxed in her seat as Scott took a call on his radio, grateful for his laid back attitude and friendly chit chat that made the ride back to the lodge comfortable. When he pulled up in front and started to get out, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. “No, that’s okay. I’m going right in. I really appreciate the ride, Sheriff.”

Scott lifted his sunglasses to his head and smiled down at her. “Did my presence last night demote me from friend to acquaintance?”

Damn her fair skin for reddening so easily, she swore to herself as she felt the heat of her blush spreading down her neck. “Uh, no, sorry, Scott.”

“Good,” Leaning over, he kissed her on the cheek then pushed her door open. “Thanks again for the goodies. If I gain weight, I’ll know who to blame.”

Cassie thought of his lean, muscular build as she entered the lodge and imagined it would take more than a few baked goods to put any extra weight on him. Carrying her box, she trudged up the stairs, but slowed as she heard Marc and Jack’s voices.

“Hell, Marc, I hope you know what you’re doing this time,” Jack said, his voice coming across as slightly accusing.

“Relax,” Marc answered easily. “I’m just doing an old friend a favor, that’s all. Once it’s done and the situation is resolved, I’m through. I’m not about to put myself through that again.”

Cassie turned on the top stair and fled back down, tears clouding her vision so much she didn’t see Morgan enter until she practically ran into her.

“Cassie, what’re you doing here?” Morgan asked before narrowing her eyes at her. “What’s wrong?”

“What? Oh, nothing, Morgan, really. I’ve just had a bad morning,” she answered evasively, Marc’s words ringing in her ears. “Would you mind putting this in the kitchen? I’m going for a walk.”

“Sure,” she said taking the box. “Wait just a minute and I’ll go with you.”

“No! Sorry,” she quickly apologized when Morgan looked at her suspiciously. With Marc’s words making her doubt his intentions, the last thing she needed was to see him right now. “I really just need a little time to myself. Marc’s been dodging my footsteps for days and it’s driving me crazy.” She tried to smile reassuringly and was relieved when Morgan nodded.

“Follow that trail,” she said pointing out the open door to the right. “Don’t veer off it and you’ll be able to keep the lodge in your sights and be within calling distance for about a mile. No further,” she warned. “If you’re not back in thirty minutes, I’m sending the guys after you and I can guarantee it won’t be pleasant when they find you.”

“I promise,” Cassie said and took off before Morgan could change her mind and tell Marc where she was. She managed to hold the tears back until she hit the trail, then the damn burst as she walked rapidly into the woods.

She couldn’t believe how stupid she felt, how naïve it was of her to think Marc would forget the past and welcome her back without reservations. Oh, she knew it wouldn’t be easy, but after last night, she could’ve sworn he was with her because he wanted to be, not just out of some misguided sense of obligation. With her head down and her vision blurred, she walked aimlessly, lost in her thoughts and her memories and trying to come to terms with her deflated hopes.

If only she hadn’t panicked and shown that note to the sheriff, she thought as she continued to wander through the forest. Nothing had happened since then and odds were whoever sent it wasn’t even in this area. She couldn’t help but think if Marc had been allowed to accept her back into his life, and his bed, on his own terms, they might have had a chance at salvaging their relationship. She had blown that when she had coerced her way back into his bed, never realizing that he could easily fuck her and then leave her, much the same as she had done him.

Only, it hadn’t been easy seven years ago. Running from him had tore her up so badly, she found herself accepting his persistent calls just to hear his voice again, regardless of what she thought back then as his betrayal. By the time they had become friends again and she had realized how she had misconstrued his plans to share her with Jack, she was involved with James in Omaha and Marc was playing the field here in Colorado and she was still insecure enough that she had married a man she didn’t love instead of risking getting hurt again by going after the one she really wanted.

Cassie drew a deep breath, looked around until she spotted a grassy spot to sit down on, and sank down to rest. Leaning her head back against a tree she closed her eyes and wondered how she could have misread Marc’s actions and looks so bad. Since the minute she had showed up unannounced and unexpected, he had done nothing to indicate he wanted her gone. Oh, he hadn’t been happy at first, but since she had been with him every night for the past week, he had seemed happy to have her here. If she had known he was just doing her a favor she never would have agreed to stay at the lodge with him.

With a deep sigh, Cassie wiped her tear streaked face and pushed herself to her feet. There was only one thing to do, she thought resolutely. She would pack her things and return to her apartment and maybe, given time, they could at least be friends again. Looking around, she tried to figure out which way to head, but realized she could no longer see the lodge through the forest. Turning, she looked in every direction and saw with a sinking feeling that she couldn’t even make out the trail she had been following. On top of everything else that had gone wrong today, she realized she had just gotten herself well and truly lost.

“Where’d this come from?” Marc asked Morgan when she entered the loft, her arms laden with canvas and paints.

Looking at the box on the kitchen counter, Morgan quickly checked her watch then swore profusely. “Shit, isn’t Cassie back yet?”

Jack came out of the office and saw Morgan’s pale, stricken face and quickly hurried over to her. “What’s wrong?”

“Cassie was here?” Marc asked at the same time wondering what was going on. It wasn’t anywhere near time for him to pick her up.

“I’m sorry, Marc. I was painting and lost track of time. I’m sure she’s fine, I told her to stay on the north trail and within sight of the lodge.”

“Back up, damn it. What’s she doing here at this time of day and how did she get here?” Marc had a bad feeling in his gut and worry over Cassie was at the root of it.

Morgan set her paints down, her brow furrowed in thought. “I don’t know. I ran into her downstairs about an hour ago. She seemed really upset and asked if I’d set that box in the kitchen. I offered to go with her when she said she was going for a walk, but she said she wanted to be alone for awhile.”

“You said she was upset?” Jack asked her.

“Yes, but I don’t know what about.”

Jack looked at Marc. “An hour ago we were discussing you helping out Jason again. You don’t think she misunderstood, do you?”

Marc tried to remember what was said. Jason Davies was a friend from their Army days and he had saved Marc’s ass one night when a group of them went off base to a bar while stationed overseas and Marc got jumped. Jason had been on and off drugs ever since leaving the military and had called Marc a few times to bail him out of jail or help him get into rehab. He had gotten a call from him that morning and was planning on making one more trip to Denver on his friend’s behalf. Hell, he had even planned on asking Cassie to accompany him. Recalling the short conversation, he could just imagine what she thought if she hadn’t stuck around to hear the whole thing.

“I think there’s a good chance she misunderstood what she heard and I also think she’s not going to sit down for a week when I get through with her. Hell, she’s been gone an hour. She could be anywhere.”

“God, Marc, I’m sorry.” Morgan had tears in her eyes as she saw the worry on both Marc’s and Jack’s faces.

“You call Scott, I’ll round up our guests and get a search party going.” Jack took Morgan’s hand and turned to go.

“I’m going to start out on the way she went. Keep in touch,” Marc said as he followed them down the stairs, dialing Scott’s number as he went. A few minutes later he had the whole story of why she had returned to the lodge this morning and a promise from Scott that he’d be here to help as soon as possible. Marc moved quickly down the trail Cassie had taken, alternately cursing her for her rash jump to judgment and praying for her safety.

Chapter Sixteen

Scott caught up with Marc thirty minutes into his search. “No sign of her?” he asked.

“No. I found where she veered off the trail though and I think I’m on the right track.” Anger and worry colored Marc’s voice as he paused to look ahead through the dense woods. “Son of a bitch, I’m going to blister her ass when I find her,” he swore as the two of them set out again together.

“I’ll help you. What made her take off? I thought she had a lot of baking to do at your place.”

Marc told his friend what Cassie had overheard and thinking about the way she had jumped to the wrong conclusion just fueled his anger and concern. “Hell, I guess I have to shoulder some of the blame. I’ve avoided talking about our relationship or any kind of future. If I had let her know I was glad she’s here, maybe she wouldn’t have felt so insecure about us.”

“Are you glad she’s here?” Scott asked directly, his grey eyes shifting from their path to gaze at him.

Marc heaved a deep breath knowing his friend would see through any subterfuge. “Yeah, yeah I am. I wanted the girl the minute I saw her seven years ago and nothing has changed since then. If anything, I want her more now than I did back then.”

Holding back a large tree limb, Scott smiled. “Then let’s go find her.”

Thirty minutes later, Scott and Marc were relieved to hear Cassie’s voice returning their calls. Moving faster, they burst through into a clearing familiar to both of them to find her leaning against a tree, tired and worried but unharmed.

“At least you had the good sense to stay put when you found yourself lost,” Marc snapped, his relief at finding her mixed with his anger for the worry she caused him.

Cassie stood and was about ready to fling herself into his arms when his angry voice stopped her. Warily, she eyed both men and had a sinking feeling she was in for another spanking, one that might not be as erotic as the others. Then she remembered his words to Jack and felt her own ire stir.

“I’m not completely stupid,” she replied, “except where you’re concerned.”

Marc saw Scott smile before he stepped away and pulled out his pager to let Jack and the others know they could call off the search and head back home. With slow precision, Marc advanced towards her, forcing himself to keep his anger in check. She looked tired and strained and he reminded himself she must have been scared out here alone for the past two hours.

“Are you all right?” he asked in a softer tone when he reached her. “Here.” Handing her a bottle of water, he looked her over while she downed it, assuring himself she was unharmed.

“Thank you, and yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry I bothered everyone. I didn’t mean to get lost.”

“Nobody means to get lost darlin’, but if you ignore the basic rules of hiking in these mountains, it’s bound to happen. Rules, I do believe I told you about before our hike the other day.”