The Rockwell Legacy Box Set

Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Clear Creek ran through the east end of the property. Fed by melting snowpack, home to intrepid trout, it had always been Kai’s favorite place to cool down. He stripped off every stitch of clothing and waded in. It felt like walking into a liquid ice cube. As if every cell of his body woke up and sounded the alarm—we’re going to die.

He whooped out loud, his shouts echoing back to him through the forest. He swung his arms back and forth to amp up the BTU’s in his body. Creek water churned over the rocks, tumbling head over heels, reckless and free.

Or maybe that was him—the reckless one. Why had he pulled out that wild theory about why she didn’t drink? Why hadn’t he asked Nicole about her engagement to Roger Vance in a civil manner? Why had he charged into the dining room, ready for war? Why had he kissed her, then turned around and insulted her?

He could still see the desire in her eyes, still feel the press of her lips against his. She’d trusted him enough to kiss him back. But now she’d probably never trust him again.

And that kiss—s**t. That kiss had sent fire through his blood. Even now, immersed in icy-cold water, his c**k stirred at the memory.

That was officially a first. He’d never had anything approaching a hard-on in Clear Creek before. He hadn’t known it was physically possible.

“Kai!”

Gracie came leaping down the trail like a gazelle in cutoffs. “Are you okay, Kai? Did you fall in?”

“That is the only sane explanation, but no.” He snorted, immersing himself deeper into the water. “I’m naked, by the way. Fair warning.”

Gracie didn’t seem too fazed. She perched on a stump on the embankment above the creek. “I can’t believe you swim in that water.”

“Swimming is stretching it. I’m getting out in about forty-five seconds, so what’s up?”

“I just wanted to make sure you’re not thinking about leaving. You can’t leave, Kai. Promise.”

Her fierceness surprised him. Based on what happened in the ski room, Max would probably kick him out all over again. “Why?”

“I can’t explain it.” She rested her chin on her knees. “It’s just a feeling I have. That you need to stay.”

Gracie had always experienced flashes of intuition like that, even as a little kid. She’d had a screaming nightmare the night before the accident.

He trusted Gracie’s “feelings,” but they weren’t the only factor. “I don’t want to make things more stressful for Max. Seems like just being here, being Kai Rockwell, is enough to bring the stress. I’m not even fighting with him.”

“I know. It’s been great. It makes such a difference for Dad. You can’t see it because you haven’t been here. But I can. He’s got an extra sparkle in his step, more zip. More zest.” She smiled at her own goofy string of words. “More zip-a-dee-doo-dah.”

“And that’s thanks to me?” He pushed a clump of floating leaves away from him.

“Yup. So if you could just stop annoying Nicole, everything would be great.”

“Stop annoying Nicole, huh? Not sure that’s possible. Especially now that I basically accused her of being a fortune-hunter.”

“You did? Yikes. That’s bad.” She plucked a blade of grass and stuck it between her teeth. “Very bad. You should be ashamed of yourself. If she was a fortune-hunter I’m sure she could do better than some falling-down old lodge in the middle of nowhere.”

“Hey.” He splashed water toward her. “You’re insulting our legacy.”

“Sorry, legacy.” She made a little face at him. “There, see how easy that was? A simple apology goes a long way. I’m sure if you tell Nicole that you were in the wrong and that you deeply, deeply apologize, she’ll forgive you.”

Kai’s hackles rose. Not only had he apologized, but Nicole was the one who had slapped him. But Gracie hadn’t seen that part, and he wasn’t about to tell her. That was between him and Nicole. “I’m not going to apologize for looking out for Dad. It’s reasonable to investigate the background of someone who’s with him all day. It would be negligent not to.”

“That’s true.”

Nicole’s husky voice made them both startle as she emerged from the trees. Gracie nearly fell off the stump, and Kai quickly checked to make sure the Clear Creek water completely covered him. And that it wasn’t too clear.

“Nicole!” Gracie scrambled off the stump and blocked her line of sight to Kai. “Kai’s in there naked and defenseless. How mad are you at him? I know he can be irritating, but he’s my big brother and I love him. And he means well.”

Nicole let out an astonished laugh. “You’re protecting your tough rescue paramedic brother from me?”

“I don’t need protecting,” Kai called. “Although a towel would be nice.”

“Should have thought of that before.” Gracie shot him an impish grin. “Well, so long as neither of you is about to kill the other, I think I’ll get on back to the house. I’ve got ice cream to dish, cones to fill.”

She skipped off into the woods, leaving Kai and Nicole alone.

Nicole had added a zippered vest and a red beanie to her outfit. She shoved her hands in the pockets of her sweater and fixed her gaze on the ground.

“I’m very sorry I struck you like that,” she said stiffly. “That’s not the way I normally behave. All I can do now is apologize and try to do better in the future.”

Nice apology, he had to admit. He eyed her thoughtfully, noting her embarrassed expression and flushed face. For someone like her, so cautious and guarded, it must have been truly shocking to lose her cool like that.

He noticed more details—shoulders a little hunched, knuckles white. Tension, wariness. He was really starting to know her body language well, he realized. Strange, with so many misunderstandings between them, that he would feel so in tune with her.

The chill was starting to seep into his bones, so in the interest of avoiding hypothermia, he dove right into his apology.

“Apology accepted, but not really needed. I jumped to conclusions and assumed the worst.”

Looking unimpressed, she folded her arms across her chest. “Is that it?”

Didn’t that about cover it? He clenched his jaw tight to keep his teeth from chattering. “That was supposed to be an apology.”

“I just feel like there’s something missing. Like the apology part.”

His junk was going to be missing if he stayed in here too much longer. “Okay, I’ll spell it out. I shouldn’t have speculated about a prenup, your relationship with Roger Vance, or your relationship with alcohol. I’m sorry for all of the above.”

She ran her tongue across her lips. “Thank you.”

A loaded silence hung between them.

Nicole cleared her throat. “I also wanted to say that I don’t blame you at all for checking into my background. Just like you said, that’s a reasonable thing for someone to do. I would have done the same thing.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, looking for the catch. It was such a fair and logical thing to say. There had to be a trick hidden in there somewhere.

There he went, getting suspicious of Nicole over nothing. Give it up, Kai. Maybe she was just a fair and logical person. “Then I guess we agree. I was right to google you. But I was an ass to believe things at face value.”

“Finally we’re on the same page.”

He grinned. For a moment they looked at each other in silence, except for the noisy rush and tumble of the creek. And his teeth beginning to chatter.

“This is getting awkward,” he told her. “If I don’t get out soon, there might be permanent damage.”

Her lips quirked. “Then there’s one more thing I want to say.”

“Go for it. I want to hear everything. Bring it on.” Quickly, please.

“My father was a heavy drinker, probably an alcoholic even though he never admitted it. He left us when I was ten, lived on the streets, then died of a heart attack. That’s why I don’t drink.”

“Jesus, Nicole.” He sank underwater, icy water closing over his head, then surged up through the surface again, gasping. “Thinking I might drown myself for being such an i***t. I’m really sorry. If I’d known…shit. There’s no excuse. I’m sorry. Want to push me under?”

She shook her head with a laugh. “No. Well, maybe a little. I just wanted to explain why I reacted like that.”

“I get it. I really do.” He shivered as a wisp of breeze chilled his wet hair. How inappropriate would it be for him to get out now?

She c****d her head at him. “It looks like I have the upper hand at the moment.”

“Maybe.” He shook his arms to generate some more body heat. “Probably.”

“Then can I ask you something?”

“Make it fast.”

For a wild moment he hoped she’d say something about the kiss.

But she didn’t. “How attached are you to that old library room?” she said. “I have something in mind for it, maybe some healing crystals or aromatherapy treatments, and I never see anyone using it. I’m sure if Max knew you were okay with changing that room—”

“Oh sweet Jesus. Now? Seriously? You see a man freezing his d**k off in a creek and you think, let’s talk about crystals?”

She grinned. “Boom. Gotcha.”

Damn. He’d been had. Completely.

“Oh, Nurse Nicole, you are in for it now. I’m coming out. And that’s all the warning you’re getting.”

He rose to his feet, water streaming off his body, and waded toward the shore.