Chapter Eight

 

Cord sent Pedro into town for some supplies a few days later while he tended to some serious fence mending. It was a hot day, and there was little shade where he was working.

He took off his shirt and started digging a couple of postholes, as they had come down and he wanted to fix them.

He was heavily into his job when the Dubs boys rode up.

"Well now, lookie here. Cord McCall is back." Butch laughed. Butch was a big fella, with dirty yellow hair and dull brown eyes.

"What you doin' Cord?" the youngest one, Dan laughed. Dan was a skinny one, and it was clear he relied on his two big brothers to protect him. He ran his mouth more than his brain, Cord thought to himself.

"I've got a lot of work to do boys, if you don't mind." Cord explained turning to look at the three of them.

"Oh but we do. We come to visit and you aren't bein' very hospitable. Are you?" Jason the usually smart one added. Jason was ugly, but cleaner and smarter than the other two. Instead of an outlaw look, Jason looked very much like a businessman, but Cord had no idea what kind of business, no one did. They lived on their folks ranch, but folks seldom saw them working.

"Looks like you came at the wrong time." Cord pushed the shovel into the ground once more.

"This is a warning Cord, stay out of our way, or you are liable to get hurt." Butch said firming his mouth and sending him a frown. "The town belongs to us now and you'll find that out really quick like."

"If you are looking for trouble, don't come around here…"

"Why not?" Dan asked, with a snort.

"'Cause when people don't listen, I tend to deal in lead." Cord turned back to them and sent them a scowl.

"That sounds like a threat, don't it Butch?" Dan the youngest hollered.

"And we don't take to being threatened." Butch put his hand on top his gun. "Especially by the likes of you, Cord."

"Easy," Jason warned him.

"Neither do I." Cord grimaced.

"We'll be seein' you Cord." Butch jabbed his horse with his heels.

Cord watched them ride off, wondering how long it would be before they decided to come calling again. He didn't want trouble, but it seemed to follow him. How was he going to manage a wife and kid with them staring down his neck? He needed to be rid of the Dubs boys, but violence didn't play a part in his future anymore. So how was he gonna arrange that?

He needed to get rid of them, but how did he do that legally?

He went back to working his brain and his body. He had no answers today, but it would come to him.

Thoughts of Lilly ran through his mind many times since he'd been home, today being no exception. He couldn't believe the skinny little kid of a girl he left behind had turned into such a beauty. And he wasn't forgetting that welcome home kiss she gave him either. He'd never forget that. It came at a time when his heart was heavy, with the loss of his mother. No sir, he wouldn't be forgetting that kiss as long as he lived. To an ordinary person that kiss might not have meant much, but to Cord, it meant the world. It made him hope for the future. It made him dream.

And Cord wasn't a dreamer!

He worked for another hour, then went inside and made himself some lemonade. He sat on the porch and waited for Pedro to come back from town.

But the rider coming toward him wasn't Pedro, it was Lilly.

She rode up slowly, taking him all in with one glance. "Hot isn't it?" She smiled. She was wearing a leather riding skirt and vest with a white shirt. Her hat was kind of crooked but her hair was gorgeous, falling over her shoulders in ringlets down her back. Cord always loved her hair, the sun seemed to bounce right off of it.

"Sure is. Been digging post holes, so yeah…" He smiled at her.

"Charlie was so talkative after that fishing trip. He had a million things to say all of them praising you." Lilly chuckled. "You made quite an impression on him."

"Well, it's nice to hear." Cord watched her walk up the steps to the porch. It was the way she walked up, swaying her hips and looking at him like he was a piece of pie. He thought she might just drift right into his arms, but she politely sat down in the rocker next to his.

"You told him he was yours?"

Cord nodded not taking his eyes from her. "I did."

"What if he finds out?" Lilly asked hesitantly.

"He won't. Who knows different?"

"His father, I guess…I hope you don't regret it."

He glanced at her with a sexier than sin smile and his eyes went over her with nothing less than pure pleasure. "The only thing I regret is that I didn't have the pleasure. And I mean that in a nice way. If it had been me, it would have been much different. And don't think I didn't think about it back then, because I did. And I've got to admit, I'm thinking about it a lot more now."

Her face pinked.

He let that sink in.

Lilly stared wide-eyed as her jaw fell open in surprise.

He chuckled softly.

"What's so funny?" She asked.

"You are gorgeous when you're flustered. Your gorgeous when you smile, hell, your gorgeous all the time."

"I-I'm glad you like me." She tried to laugh. "And I’m glad I rode out here."

"Like you? Honey we are way past that." He winked. "And I’m glad you came out too."

"I've never known a man that could twist my insides with mere words." She murmured. "You got a way about you Cord. You always did have."

"I'm just statin' the facts honey." he smiled again, sinfully.

"I hope Sam never comes back, but if he does and he finds out…"

"Then we'll handle that when it comes, if it comes. Don't borrow trouble. He's got a woman. Why would he come back?" Cord told her matter-of-factly.

"He really likes you." Lilly added. "Charlie…" she sounded breathless. "You don't know how much that means to me…"

"Yes I do." He stared into her beautiful eyes. "An I like him too…" Cord nodded. "He's part of you, the best part."

"You told him about killing Dubs didn't you?" Lilly asked.

"Had to, he wanted to know why I left. And I wanted him to know about me, first hand. Not through town gossips. I wanted no secrets Lilly. We're going to be a family and we have to trust each other. Best way to earn trust is to lay it all out there on the table."

"Why'd you leave here, Cord?" She asked staring at him, unable to keep her eyes from straying over his flat chest and solid torso. He was sitting there with his black vest and white shirt on, totally unbuttoned, and looking so sexy he took her breath away. Her hands itched to touch that bare chest. So she folded them instead in her lap.

"I was a kid, a scared kid…"

"Want to tell me what the rest of it is?"

His eyes rested on her now. "I thought my leaving would make it easier on Ma and you and Doc." He answered without hesitating. "The three of you mattered very much to me, Lilly. Without the irritation, I figured everyone would get back to business. Life would go on. Be easier for you all. I was a thorn in this town's side. I felt it. I had to find a way to live in peace. I wasn't a bad kid, but if I'd have stayed, I might have become one. You see, Dubs was the first man I ever killed. It bothered me, and all of you."

"I guess, after a while, after people forgot, it did get easier." Lilly nodded. "But it took a while, especially for your Ma. Every day, she'd stare down that road, looking for you, hoping. Doc and I tried to cheer her up, because we saw the sadness in her eyes. She never spoke of it. Always had an upbeat attitude, but we knew…You were her only child and she missed you terribly."

"Her hurts were my hurts. I worried about her every day. It would have been different if Dad had lived, but he didn't, and when I left, she was alone except for good friends like, you, doc and Pedro. And I thank God for all of you."

A silence stretched between them.

"Why'd you come out here today, Lilly?" Cord asked standing up and leaning over her, putting his hands on the arms of her chair.

She flushed. "To tell you about Charlie…and how much he likes you. To tell you how much I appreciate all you are doing."

"No it wasn't…" He stared into her beautiful brown eyes.

"No…" She was breathless, he was so close. "I guess it wasn't." She admitted.

"Why," he whispered.

She moved closer, "I wanted…to see you…"

He smiled, and backed off. "I like that. I like that a lot. 'Cause I've been thinking about you half the day myself."

He leaned against the porch railing.

Why had he backed off, after her admission?

"I keep thinking maybe…you might want to change your mind." She said standing up behind him. "I wouldn't blame you if you did."

"And I've been worrying the same about you."

He whirled around on his boot heels and stared at her for a long moment, looking from the head of her glorious head of red hair, to the tip of her boots. He grabbed her up against him, and bent his head, "Does this feel like I want to change my mind."

And then he kissed her, hot and long, making her breathless before he turned her loose again. Making her want things, making her ache. It was the way he kissed her, taking her bottom lip with his teeth, then moving his tongue into her mouth slowly, testing, tasting, to mate with hers. She whimpered. When their tongues mated, it was like coming together body and soul. They both felt it.

"Does it," he whispered, holding her in the circle of his arms. Her hands were on his bare chest and he looked down at them. She didn't move them. The look on his face told her he wanted more than a kiss, but he didn't take it further.

"No…" she finally whispered.

"Make no mistake Lilly, I want you here…with me, and I want Charlie too. Now do you understand?"

"Everything except why, Cord?"

He smiled at her now, "When the time comes, I'll tell you. Fair enough?"

"I guess…" but she wasn't allowed to finish the sentence, he pulled her unresisting body toward him and kissed her sweetly on the lips once more.

"Damn, you are gonna be nice to come home to."

He felt her body weaken as he held her against him. He felt her hands go inside his shirt and hold onto his hot skin. Like a fever he wanted her. The kiss was sweet and made her cling to him.

When they finally broke apart, she moved away from him, because a few more kisses like that and she'd be taking him to his bedroom. The hot flesh of his chest was smooth and seemed on fire for her.

"I passed the Dubs brothers as I was coming out here." Lilly informed him, trying to put a little distance between herself and his powerful kisses.

"They stopped by." Cord watched her but didn't move away.

"What did they want?" She asked, trying to sound normal and failing.

"From the looks of them, me."

"What happened?"

"I told them I dealt in lead. It was a warning. But I don't think they will heed it." Cord said, reaching for the buttons on his shirt.

Her eyes flew to the expanse of his chest. She sucked in air. "You don't have to button it because of me…" She uttered breathlessly.

"Yes I do…because you run your hands over me one more time like that and we might have to go into the other room, honey. Make no mistake about it Lilly. I do want you, but I don't want to start something you won't finish. When you ready for that, I'll be there. That's a fact. Without question. You're a beautiful woman, and I sure as hell want you, but it won't happen until you are ready. Understand me now? I care enough to not touch…yet. Does that tell you anything?"

"Yes," she whispered. Her eyes burned with the same desire as his as she stared into his eyes.

She nodded silently.

She moved away again.

"So you think there's going to be trouble?"

"I'm going to try to settle this before you and Charlie move out here." He told her. "I don't want the two of you in any danger."

She watched, fascinated as he buttoned his shirt. Again her hands itched to touch. "Are you going to kill them?"

"If need be. But I'd rather not. The youngest one, he's got a big mouth, but he's just a kid. Butch, I wouldn't mind tangling with. Jason, I'd rather not. Not because I'm afraid of him, but he's got a head on his shoulders and he might be alright if the other two weren't around."

She let out a breath, "I'm glad of that."

"Don't be. It'll probably take some killing to teach them. And if I kill one, the other two will want me."

"Cord, when are you gonna put your guns up?" Lilly asked.

"When they let me…I promise you that. I promised Charlie that too!" Cord came closer. "But the reality is, I've been using them a while. People know of me. You don't just take them off, honey. It'd be pure suicide to take them off and hang them up."

"For Charlie's sake, I wish you would."

Cord looked down then back up into her eyes. "I'll think on that. Maybe after this thing with the Dubs boys is over I can…"

"Thank you…for considering it. I don't want to be a widow before I'm a bride though." She said huskily. She glanced about the yard. "Where's Pedro?"

"I sent him into town for some supplies. We're going to build him and his family a house. As much as he did for my mother, he's earned it, in my opinion." Cord smiled. "Over in the south pasture. There's already a worn path between here and there and it won't be that far away."

"That's wonderful." Lilly relaxed once more. "He was very good to your mother, Cord."

"You know, I’m sorry I didn't come home sooner. I should have been here working this place for Ma." He stared out over the land. "She might have lived a little longer. But I’m here now and I want to make this a nice place to live, and maybe someday…raise more kids. I'd sure like that…" His words drawled slower as he gave her another look. His glance fell on her full force and she was speechless for a moment.

His looked practically devoured her, and she almost melted right there on the porch.

He leaned toward her again, this time his hand reaching to stoke her cheek. She closed her eyes, sucked in breath and whispered his name.

He smiled, "You know, kissing you could get to be a real habit, Lilly. The kind of habit you never want to break. I can't be around you without wanting to."

"You really shouldn't do that so much." She insisted.

"No, I didn't know. But you gotta admit you like it."

"Who said?"

"Me!" He smiled. "You wouldn't have kissed me back if you didn't."

"I did not!"

"Liar…" he whispered.

When she flushed, he smiled again.

"I'm glad you're home, Cord."

The look in his eyes spoke volumes. "Me too, honey, me too!" he whispered and barely touched his lips to hers as Pedro rode up with the wagon.

"Miss Lilly, good to see you." Pedro hollered.

"Hi Pedro!" She called to him composing herself once more. "Glad you and your family are staying on."

"I think now it will be our home too…" Pedro smiled.

"Have any trouble getting the supplies?" Cord asked.

"No…" Pedro looked strangely at him. "Was I suppose to?"

"No, just wondered." Cord smiled at him.

"I better get back…" Lilly said and headed for her horse. Cord held her hand, and helped her up then sent her a dazzling smile before she rode off.

"Don't be a stranger, honey."

She shot him a grin and trotted away.

He stared after her a long time.

Pedro came up behind him. "She is one fine woman, is she not?"

"She is…" Cord smiled. "She and Charlie are the reason I'm still here, Pedro."

Pedro smiled brightly, "I kinda figured that out…A woman for a man, is a good thing."