Preconception Read online

  She stomped to the front and climbed in. Declan looked up and saw Martin there with a frown on his face. The old man, one he looked on as a father figure, was disappointed in him. Declan couldn’t explain it, it was her—Jasmine, or Caro, however she wanted to call herself—she brought the worst out in him. He waved to Martin and got behind the wheel.

  They exchanged no words on the ride back to his cabin. She did help him carry everything in although she left him to put away the groceries as she went to her room with the clothing. He didn’t see her until he went to look for her at lunchtime.

  “Jasmine.”

  She didn’t even look up. He tried her name two more times with the same result. Okay, I’ll bite and give it a shot. “Caro,” he called.

  She looked up instantly. “Yes?”

  “Lunch.”

  She put down the puzzle book she was working on and rose from the chair she’d been in by the window. She had thick socks on her feet and wore jeans and a sweatshirt.

  “Do you think you could help me put the top on my Jeep this afternoon? And the doors?”

  “Sure.” She didn’t slow nor did she look back at him.

  He walked behind her to the kitchen, where there was soup and sandwiches waiting for them. Declan dished up the soup and watched her sit at the table. He felt bad—he knew he’d hurt her with his earlier comments but damn it, she should have expected it. It wasn’t as if she had made any of this easy to begin with.

  After they ate, she cleaned up then looked at him. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  Caro walked into the small bathroom. She just needed a hot shower to warm her up a bit before she went out into the cold. Maybe it would assist her head in feeling less like there was a troop running in formation up there. She turned on the water and stripped off her clothes before stepping into the tub.

  The hot water cascaded around her and she groaned in pleasure. Closing her eyes, she let the streams work on the tense aches in her body. She could use a good masseuse but this would work in a pinch.

  With a contented sigh, she rubbed the back of her neck and opened her eyes. “Ahhhh!” The scream ripped up from her throat and filled the air.

  A large spider sat along the wall. The door burst open as Declan shot through.

  “What’s wrong?” he demanded.

  She met his gaze and damned if the man didn’t pause for a moment to run his stare over her naked body. It had to be her imagination that there was a gleam of appreciation in his eyes. The eight-legged creature on the wall moved and she screamed again as she jumped into Declan’s arms. He caught her with ease and she had to remind herself to get out of his embrace as well before she… Those feelings weren’t anything she needed to think about right now.

  “I’ll take care of it,” he said.

  She grabbed a towel, wrapped it around her body and bolted.

  Caro sat there, shivering, wrapped by the quilt on the bed when he stepped into the room.

  “You can finish your shower.”

  She lifted her gaze to find him watching her face. “Are there more of them?”

  “Not a fan I take it?”

  She didn’t deign him an answer. He may find this amusing but her heart was pounding so hard she wondered if it wouldn’t just burst free from behind her ribs onto the floor.

  “It wasn’t poisonous.”

  “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

  “Couldn’t hurt.”

  She scrubbed her hand over her face. Her body wouldn’t quit shaking. He beckoned a hand out to her.

  “What?”

  “Just thought you’d want to finish your shower.”

  Caro stood and again there went a flare of desire in his gaze. She scrunched her fingers on the towel by her breasts, and made her way behind him to the bathroom. He moved the curtain and she stared at the walls. Clear. She remained immobile while he turned the water back on.

  “There you go.”

  She didn’t move until he went by her and closed the door behind him. Then she dropped the towel and hurried back into the water. This time there was no lingering. She washed quick, body tense as could be, and got out just as swiftly. It took her less time to dry off and shove herself back into her attire. With a shudder, she unpinned her hair and allowed it to fall. Only the ends were damp and she didn’t much care about that.

  Declan watched her from the living room when she stepped from the bathroom. Christ, she was still shaking. Clearing her throat, she made her way in his direction. He arched an eyebrow and held her gaze.

  “Thank you.”

  His eyes moved up and down over her clothed body. “My pleasure.”

  “Are those things common?”

  “My guess is it was trying to get out of the cold. No, that’s not to say you need to expect them in your bed at night. I don’t think you’ll see any more.”

  Bed. Now she had to worry about them in her bed? Oh, Lordy, she was going to hyperventilate. This sucks. It’s not like it’s going to get any warmer outside. It’s just about to snow for crying out loud.

  “Great.” She walked to the bedroom and picked up her shoes, shook them out and put them on her feet. “I’ll never sleep. Not with those big nasty things around.”

  In the back of her mind, she wanted to focus on why he had looked at her as he had. Don’t need to be thinking on that either. He’s a man, a naked woman jumped into his arms. I’m sure it was purely reflex for him to look that way.

  Didn’t explain the look in the living room but she had enough on her plate without worrying that there may be something more than animosity between her and Declan McBride. At least he came running when she screamed.

  Right, because you’re no good to him dead. She snorted and left the bedroom. I’m no good to him at all. I’m not even Jasmine.

  Chapter Three

  The wind whipped around Caro with a biting force she usually experienced during winter in Madison when that blistering cold air came off the lakes. She squinted against it and struggled to snap the final one to secure the top on his Jeep. At least he knows to put this on and the doors. Not that I see myself going many places but it would have been cold as fuck. Snow was coming, she could smell it in the air.

  His place astounded her. Her kind of living conditions. A cabin, secluded away from everything else around it. Mountains as far as she could see. What had taken him to Atlanta she didn’t know but were she him, she would still be living here. Except for the spiders. They didn’t need to be anywhere near her.

  Finally! The last snap secured, she stepped back and winced as a lance of pain pierced her skull. This ain’t good. She reached out to stabilize herself against the Jeep but her fingers encountered one hard-bodied man named Declan McBride.

  “Shit,” she muttered as the ground rushed up to meet her.

  She opened her eyes and discovered Declan held her as his long strides ate up the ground. Pushing against his chest, she cleared her throat. “What happened?”

  “You passed out.” His words were gruff.

  “I’m awake now. Want to put me down?”

  She couldn’t explain her emotional turmoil at being held by this man. He exuded warmth and safety. It confused her. Every single thing about him confused her.

  Declan scowled. He does that a lot. Still, despite the frown and the attitude of his that screamed ‘keep your distance’ he carried her in his arms with a gentleness she’d not expect on face value—it belied what he showed the world of his personality. He opened the door and she sighed at the extra warmth that hit her.

  He continued to hold her in his arms until he reached the sofa and set her upon the cushions.

  “What happened?”

  He shrugged out of his leather jacket and tossed it onto a chair, then crouched before her. She focused on his thighs beneath the tight drawn jeans.

  He lifted her chin—callused fingers doing unmentionable things to her insides—and held her gaze.

  “What happened?”

>   “I felt dizzy. I’m fine now. We can go put on the doors.” She had to get some distance before she did something foolish like kiss the man.

  “No.”

  Damn him. Why was he pretending to be concerned now? Why wouldn’t he release her and why the hell was she picturing them having sex beneath this majestic backdrop of the mountains?

  “I’m fine.”

  She tried to move her head away from his touch but he tightened his grip. “Don’t worry,” she snapped, adding in some bite. “I won’t die yet. I know how you need to bring me back alive and your job won’t be happy if I kick the bucket.”

  That did it. He pushed up with a fluid move. “Let’s go then.”

  He walked away and she ignored her internal chastising for being such a bitch to him. All he’d done was show some concern for her. Damn you, Jasmine, for putting me in this situation.

  Even so, as she returned to the outdoors, she realized she couldn’t put the blame on her twin. She was the one who’d agreed to go along with the ruse. No one had forced her to. True, determination to protect her sister and some guilt may have played a part but ultimately, the decision had been hers to make. It wasn’t her fault that she had been brought up in a loving home surrounded by supportive family and Jasmine hadn’t. Didn’t matter, their circumstances easily could have been altered. Caro knew she could have been the baby to go where Jasmine had gone.

  She thought more about the note and wondered what Jasmine could be doing. Was she safe? Truly?

  A few fat flakes drifted down from the sky when she stepped off the small porch. Without a word she went to Declan’s side and waited for him to tell her what to do. It didn’t take them long to do it and he directed her with a minimum of words. In fact, it was more that he spoke on installing the first door and she just mimicked her action on the other side. He didn’t say anything at all for the second installation.

  By the time they had finished, the few flakes had changed to a steady falling. She tipped her head back and allowed the cold to bite into her skin. It revitalized her. She’d always been a fan of winter.

  “You should go inside,” he said.

  She avoided looking at him, just did as he’d said. Once she’d shrugged out of her jacket and hung it on the wooden pegs by the entrance, she saw him through the window as he parked the Jeep in a nearby shed. On his way back to the house, he gathered some more wood.

  Determined not to be found staring after him like a lovesick child, she opened the cupboards and tried to find something to make for their evening meal. Even so, she was hard pressed not to ogle the man as he made numerous trips from the woodshed to the cabin’s porch.

  He was in his element here, she could see that. Although he no longer donned the uniform—which was hot as sin on him—the jeans and flannel fitted him even better. He was a rugged man, no way to hide that aspect. The snow stuck in his short hair and she clenched her hand as the urge to go out there and wipe it away hit her.

  “What the hell is going on with me? Why does my body pick now to behave like a horny bunny rabbit? I can’t be thinking like this or I’ll be humping his leg before nightfall.”

  She decided to make some biscuits, for they went with everything in her opinion, and took her frustration out on them, working the dough with fierce concentration until she rolled it out and used a glass from the cupboard to cut them before placing them on the cookie sheet. Once twelve sat on the sheet, she slid it in the oven, and checked the time on the wall clock.

  They would be done on time with the rest of the meal. Pork chops and macaroni and cheese. She’d found some green beans to add to their supper as well and as she checked them, she lowered the heat slightly on them.

  Why isn’t he coming inside? Is something wrong?

  She set the table and removed items from the oven when he walked in the front. After the door had closed, she stared at him while placing the sheet of biscuits on the hot pad. Then she turned back and withdrew the bubbling macaroni. He no longer stood there when she faced that direction again.

  Probably doesn’t even want to eat with me. It stung, she wouldn’t lie about that, but she was used to eating alone so in the grand scheme of things it wasn’t all that big of a deal.

  The man she thought about appeared in the kitchen, silent as a wraith. She made one last check of the pork chops before she carried the pan to the table. Declan appeared across from her with the pasta. She went back to the biscuits and placed them in the towel-lined bowl prior to bringing it to the table as well.

  When he held a chair she furrowed her brow. He lifted an eyebrow in return and she acquiesced to allow him to seat her, his woodsy masculine scent filling her nose as he moved her closer to the table. Declan sat across from her.

  “Thank you.”

  His rasp skated along her skin. She couldn’t believe how much two simple words from him could make her so giddy. I have got to grow up here—this is like I’m infatuated with him for no particular reason.

  “Sure.”

  They didn’t talk during the meal and that suited her fine. She needed to figure out how to maintain the callous attitude. Her problem—one of them—was that she admired him. He’d put up with what appeared to be hell, her twin. Despite all that, he’d ignored his own personal feelings and done what had needed to be done in order to keep her safe. How could she not respect that in this man?

  He offered to clean up and she retreated to her temporary room. Seated on the bed, awash in the soft light from the lamp, she folded paper and enjoyed the silence as outside the snow fell in thick, heavy flakes, the accumulation beginning to line her windowsill.

  No way Jasmine would have handled this. Everything about her is chaotic from her clothing to her apartment. However, for Caro personally, this was heaven—pure and simple.

  Before she crawled beneath the heavy quilt to sleep, she left the room to brush her teeth. Declan stepped from the bathroom, clad only in a pair of low riding sweats.

  Moisture flooded her pussy as she stared at him. Oh my God! He was a freaking work of art. Ridges and planes. Her entire body swayed toward him, responding to his masculinity on a molecular level. Visceral yearning gnawed at her, burned her fingertips, and created an ache deep within her gut.

  Hard. Muscled. Tanned. A man unlike any she’d seen before and one who affected her on so many levels. It wasn’t sensible, her attraction to him—but it was what it was.

  His gaze burned into her and she fought not to squirm beneath it. He stepped to the side and she slid past him, their bodies nearly touching yet not. She inhaled deeply allowing his fragrance—clean and…all about Declan—to flow over her, tantalizing her further.

  Once the door had shut behind her she released her shaky breath. She rested against the wood and tried to steady her nerves. It took a bit. This isn’t good. Had I known this was going to be my situation, I would have brought a vibrator to take the edge off while here.

  Who wanted to use plastic when there was a man one door away from her who did this to her? Maybe if she walked into his room and stripped naked he’d do something about this unbelievable amount of arousal he’d created inside her. She snorted lightly and shook her head. Sure thing, Caro. Bet that would go over real well.

  She took care of her teeth, washed her face, and made her way back to her room. The house was warm and dark, yet she had no problem making it safely. She crawled beneath the bedding before reaching out to click off the light. Madison wasn’t loud but this was silence on an eerie scale, almost. She enjoyed it but it wasn’t what she was used to.

  * * * *

  The sound of children woke her. She sat in a rush and winced over another slight pain in her head. Kids? Why was she hearing kids? The curtains in her room had been drawn. She made her way to the window and peered out.

  Five kids ran around out there, playing in the snow that had accumulated overnight and continued to fall. Caro looked at the clock and saw it was after noon. How the hell did I sleep so long?

 
She dressed quickly and drew her hair back into a simple ponytail. Tugging up one sock, she opened the bedroom door and stepped out into the hall. With a deep breath, she headed up the hall to see what was going on.

  A couple sat in the living room with Declan. All three glanced at her as she entered and she pulled up. The look Declan gave her made her want to pivot around and run all out back to the bedroom. He didn’t seem pleased at all. The woman stared at her, mouth in a small ‘o’ and eyebrows raised, while the man gave her a lewd look.

  “Oh, hello,” the woman said. “When Martin said you had company I didn’t know… Umm… I didn’t expect…” she trailed off, her face burning bright red. “I’m sorry, I’m Tasha Harstone.”

  “Caro.” She didn’t move any closer. “Sorry to interrupt.”

  Declan set down his mug and rose. “It’s fine. Tasha, Jimmy, this is Caro. They live in town and came out for a visit.”

  Caro gave a weak smile. “Nice to meet you both.”

  Jimmy pointed at his head. “What happened to you?”

  Shit! The injury was obvious because she had pulled her hair back. She glanced at Declan wanting to follow his lead on this. He gave her a small nod.

  “I was shot.”

  “Oh my God!” Tasha said, covering her mouth. “Around here?”

  “Nope,” Declan interjected. “I brought her here to recover. That’s why you didn’t meet her earlier. She’s been sleeping it off.”

  Sleeping it off, like she was an alcoholic or something. Caro bit back her grumble of discontent and let it go. She wanted something to eat but she didn’t like how under observation they had her.

  “I think I’ll go lie back down,” she said.

  “Have you eaten?” Tasha asked, getting to her feet. “We brought Declan some food and I don’t mind making you a plate. We could get to know one another more. It would be nice to have another woman around to talk to.”

  Caro stepped forward. “That would be nice. He’s not much of a conversationalist.”

  Together they went to the kitchen, Caro ignoring the warning glare from Declan.

  Declan had stared at Caro as she’d walked by him with Tasha. Both women were of average height, Tasha blonde to Caro’s dark. They dressed in similar fashion. Ready for anything, as in no tight skirts or ridiculously high heels like she’d been wearing the previous times their paths had crossed. However, she didn’t appear to miss them much. He would admit that was part of the reason he had wanted her out here. To make her feel uncomfortable. While they hadn’t been here very long, he wasn’t sure his initial plan would work.