The Fairest of Them All (6 page)

Russ came up from behind and placed a placating hand on her shoulder. “Now, Carly, don’t be rash.” She stiffened at his tone.

“Your brothers are a little misguided, but they lo—”

She jerked away. “Don’t you dare tell me what to do.”

Suddenly it was all too much. The way her brothers constantly intruded into her life, the way Russ had maneuvered her into escorting him this summer, the damning way she’d gotten distracted from her goal of buying out her brothers.

The last one was the worst. With stunning clarity, Carly realized she’d allowed one more manipulating male to get in her way. And she’d invited Russ to do far more than kiss her tonight.

She felt like a fool.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at the three men responsible for her present humiliation. Without a word, she opened the door. Her meaning was perfectly clear.

Daniel left first, then Troy.

Russ stopped in front of her and hesitated.

The hesitation nearly undid her. She wanted to ask about his hand. She wanted to look at him, but she was afraid of what she’d see. If it was concern, the tightly held tears would fall and she’d feel foolish again.

She bit her lip hard and turned away.

He stood close enough for her to feel his heavy sigh against her forehead. “I’ll talk to you later,” he said in a low voice before he left.

As if from a distance, she heard the hollow sound of his footsteps down the hall. And she found, to her dismay, that those tightly held tears had already begun to fall down her cheeks.

Russ gingerly crunched down on the crisp, extra brown toast and grimaced. He threw the charred bread into the trash and sat down. It wasn’t worth the effort it took to eat it, he thought as he leaned back in the oak kitchen chair. For a moment he wondered if marriage to Carly was worth all this trouble. Between his sore jaw, bruised hand, and injured ego, he felt in need of rehabilitative therapy.

He scowled when he remembered the previous evening. Carly had been furious, and he supposed she had a right. Still her brothers’ protective demonstration would result in a major setback in his plans. He frowned at the cheerful yellow wallpaper covering his kitchen wall.

Now how the hell was he supposed to get things back on track? He plopped his chin into his hand. Searing pain immediately shot through his jaw. He let out a string of curses. At the same moment, the doorbell rang. Russ glowered at the door, praying his visitor would be someone on whom he could vent his frustration. It might be one of his employees, he realized. But he was in a nasty mood. With a rough growl, he stalked to the door and jerked it open.

There she stood. The object of his complete mental, physical, and sexual frustration. Russ considered throwing her over his shoulder and hauling her into his bedroom. That would solve one of his problems. And Carly would just love the male domination bit, the sane part of his mind sarcastically reminded him.

He hadn’t uttered a word of greeting, and he noticed she was starting to chew on her bottom lip. He narrowed his eyes. She shifted once, then again. Her nervousness mollified him enough to speak. “Yeah.” She swallowed. “I, uh. I thought I’d better check and see how you’re doing.” She took her hands from her pockets and gestured toward him. “You know, your jaw and your hand.”

“I’m fine,” he said, letting her squirm.

“Oh, well.” She gave a weak smile and shrugged. “I’m glad. If you don’t need anything, I'll just—”

“Need anything?” Russ interrupted.

“Yes. I didn’t know if you’d need any help today with your hand. And since it was my brothers who . . .” “Slammed the door on my hand and nearly cracked my jaw,” Russ supplied.

Carly winced. “Yes. I’m sorry, Russ. I was so angry with them, and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” Her confession soothed his grouchiness. Russ relaxed slightly. “It’s okay. You want to come in?” She nodded and walked through the doorway. She wrinkled her nose. “Burned your toast?”

“Yeah.”

She turned around and took a step closer to him, studying his jaw. “Your right jaw looks like a chipmunk’s.”

“Thank you,” he said dryly.

She smiled and lifted his bruised hand, gently studying the swelling and discoloration. “Can I fix you some breakfast, something soft like eggs and grits?”

“Sounds good.” He liked the sensation of her soft hands on his. In fact, he wouldn’t mind if she extended the caress to his entire body.

“You think it would help if I bandaged this?” Carly asked, a frown creasing her brow.

“Probably wouldn’t hurt.” Russ felt like a first grader trying to monopolize the teacher’s attention. He sat down at the oak kitchen table and directed her to the first-aid kit. She wore a pair of faded denims that molded to her rear end in a tantalizing way. Her blue T-shirt should have been boring, but Carly had neglected to wear a bra. Russ cleared his throat and shook his head.

Carly scooted the chair closer to Russ and deftly wound the bandage around his swollen hand. “There,” she said when she finished. She tried, unsuccessfully, to keep her eyes above his neck. His striped cotton shirt was completely unbuttoned, offering an engrossing view of his chest and flat belly. His chest hair was curly, she noticed. She also noticed the way it arrowed down the center of his stomach to his navel. She wondered if it felt soft or crisp.

Carly deliberately brought her gaze back at his face. “Did you have problems buttoning your shirt?” She hoped he would take the hint and cover up before she did something embarrassing like start drooling.

“Yeah, would you mind doing it for me?”

Carly blinked. “Do what?”

“Button my shirt.”

Her heart squeezed like a giant fist. He might as well have asked her to lay on top of him. Couldn’t he hear her uneven breathing? Did he have any idea how difficult this was for her? She searched his eyes, but his lowered lids hid any expression from her.

Carly gritted her teeth in determination. “Okay.” She lifted her hands, facing her first major decision. Should she start at the top or the bottom? He was sitting, and the shirttails rested on either side of his crotch. Which, of course, meant she’d be touching his crotch when she buttoned it. Undiluted panic raced through her.

The top. Definitely the top. Biting her lip, she buttoned the top button and the second, then looked at Russ’s brown eyes. They were so sexy and seductive, she could have been unbuttoning his shirt instead of buttoning it. Carly turned back to her task and discovered that his chest hair was soft. She would have loved to run her fingers through it. She managed to abstain, but it cost her. With each successive button, her mouth grew drier. It may have been her imagination, but it seemed his breathing quickened too. When she reached the third button from the bottom, she stopped, her mouth drier than the Sahara. “I, uh ...”

“Thanks,” Russ said.

Carly smiled in relief.

“Want to tuck it in?”

Her head snapped up, catching the devil’s glint in his eyes. Funny, his voice had sounded dead serious. She laughed weakly. “I think I’ll fix those eggs.”

She prepared and served his breakfast, chatting about the farm and anything else that came to mind as he ate. “I envy this kitchen. The Italian tile is gorgeous. And that convection oven is a dream.” She admired the way he’d achieved a fresh, clean room without losing the masculine edge. The golden oak table, chairs, and cabinets added warmth and depth.

“You can use it anytime. Especially if you’ll undo these top two buttons. I’m about to choke.” Russ gave a fake cough.

Carly rolled her eyes and quickly performed the task. “You should have told me. What do you need to do now?”

Russ leaned back and stretched. “Scare off some cormorants.”

Carly frowned in confusion. “But we don’t usually see them until September.”

Russ shrugged. “I know. It must be a crazy flock. Either way, they can catch as many as twenty-three catfish an hour, and once they get started it only gets worse. I’ve got to move pop-up scarecrows and shoot flare pistols today.”

“Do you want some help?”

“Sure. But I’d also like to know what you think about last night.” His gaze was serious and intent.

“I’m still mad at Troy and Daniel, but I’ll get over it.”

“And about what happened before that?”

Feeling uneasy, Carly wiped the counters with a damp sponge. “I enjoyed the Goodmans. They’re great people.”

“What about my dimples?”

“You don’t have dimples.”

“What about my mouth?”

Her breath hung in her throat. The memory of his mouth on hers brought a rush of excitement that took her like a tidal wave. She fought against it. “C’mon Russ,” she said with forced lightness. “You know how it was. Just a little too much wine and curiosity.” She looked up then, begging him with her eyes not to push the subject.

Russ just raised a skeptical eyebrow. He rose and stuffed his shirt into his jeans. Carly remembered she could have had that job, and wanted to kick herself for thinking it.

“Let’s go,” Russ said.

“But the dishes—”

“—will go in the dishwasher. Let’s go.”

A few minutes later, they were riding down a bumpy dirt road surrounding large ponds. While the sun shone on the water, birds sang out their various morning calls and Russ’s hounds barked a welcome. It was warm already. She lowered the window to let in the breeze. It had been a while since she’d been out to Russ’s farm and even longer since she’d taken a ride in his old pickup truck.

Carly wasn’t sure why she’d come this morning. Part of it was that she’d felt unreasonably guilty about how her brothers had injured Russ. He’d been an innocent party. As innocent as Russ Bradford could be, she thought wryly as she glanced at him.

Part of it stemmed from her confusion over their relationship. Whatever happened between them, Carly didn’t want to lose Russ’s friendship. Last night she had blamed Russ for distracting her, when in fact, she was responsible. She knew she was unbearably attracted to him, but she also knew she needed to rein in those feelings. They would pass. She was sure of it.

“What are you going to do about Daniel and Troy?” Russ asked as he stopped the truck.

“Now, that’s a leading question. I don’t know what to do with Troy, but Daniel . . .”

“Daniel?”

“I think what Daniel needs is a good woman.” Russ grinned. “Got anyone in mind?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.” She shoved open the truck door. “My assistant Sara.”

They walked through the tall grass to where Russ began to set up a pop-up scarecrow. He held it while she hammered it into the ground.

“Do you think he’ll go for it?” Carly asked.

“He’ll fight it every inch of the way, but he’ll give in at the end. It’s time for him to settle down.”

Carly did a double take. “I’m surprised to hear that from you, the eternal rogue.”

“Why? Just about every man eventually wants to have a wife and kids.”

Carly gave the pop-up one last whack. “Not you.” She took another look at the scarecrow and shook her head at the lime-green pants and orange shirt. “His clothes don’t match.”

“We’re not trying to make a fashion statement here. They’re supposed to wear bright colors.” He pulled her along beside him. “Come on. We don’t have all day. Now, about Troy?”

Carly joined Russ in the truck. It was so nice being with him this way that she wanted to confide in him. “I don’t have anyone picked out for Troy.” Carly studied Russ. She liked the way he listened to her. He took her seriously when others didn’t. “Can you keep this confidential?”

His gaze flickered over her. “Sure.”

She took a deep breath. “I want to buy my brothers’ shares in
Matilda’s Dream
this fall. I’m living on a shoestring budget and working extra hard this summer. I hope to get a loan for anything I can’t cover.”

Russ whistled. “Have you got much saved?”

Carly pushed her hand through her hair in exasperation. “Not enough. That’s what worries me. And if I don’t get ownership by fall, I might have to do something desperate.”

“Like what?” Russ asked, not liking the sound of this.

“I don’t know.” Carly shrugged her shoulders restlessly. “Sell out and move to Memphis or Nashville.”

Her words struck hard and fast. He silently absorbed the blow. In his most neutral voice, and because he had to know, he asked, “Is that what you want?”

“No.”

Her quick response instantly eased him. Russ let out a deep breath.

Carly gazed at him, her eyes pleading for understanding. “I think it might be easier for them to let go if I move.” Her voice caught. “I need something of my own.”

Russ saw the moisture in her eyes and felt a twisting in his insides. He'd always hated to see Carly in pain. Without a second thought, he hauled her over the gearshift and into his lap. He wrapped her in a deep, affectionate hug.

“Oh, Russ,” she said, and the tears began to flow.

“Hush,” he murmured, rubbing the silk of her hair. “It will all work out, Carly. Time changes everything. Who knows? By the end of summer, your brothers might get married and start their own families.”

“Hah.” Carly rubbed her wet cheeks with the back of her hands. “The likelihood of them getting married is the same as it is for me. Zero.”

Russ ground his teeth. “You don’t know that. You watch and see. Things could turn around for you in a big way this summer.” He hitched her chin upward with his finger. “Just don’t go planning any big moves to Memphis or Nashville. I’d pine away without you here in Beulah.”

Carly smiled slowly. Then she chuckled. Russ always managed to make her laugh. “I’ve never seen you lacking for female consolation.”

“Then maybe you haven’t looked close enough,” he said quietly and set her back in her seat.

She immediately missed his warmth. She studied him carefully. His amber eyes held no hint of teasing. He started the truck, and Carly thought about Russ, wondering if she was wrong about him. He might be a rogue, but she didn’t have a better friend. He was tough, but extraordinarily kind. Was there something inside him that longed for one true love and a peaceful, settled life? Remembering his brief marriage and all the women since, Carly shook her head. If he’d really wanted to settle down, he’d had a dozen opportunities.