Chapter 6

• Cora stretched out in the chair. “Kathy outdid herself this morning. I’m stuffed.”
• Dade rubbed his stomach and grinned. “She doesn’t even come close to your cooking, Coralee.”
• “Flattery like that Dade Jones, will be rewarded with meals.”
• Steven smirked.
• “That’s what I like to hear, honey.” Dade winked and rested his head back against the wall.
• Steven watched Rachel go into her room then come back out again, digging in her backpack.
• “What did you lose, Rach?” Kasey asked her softly.
• Rachel didn’t even lift her head from searching. “Damn phone cord, my cell’s dead.”
• Kasey leaned back in Chris’s lap. “You can try my charger if you want, it might fit.”
• Steven looked at her again for a moment. She’d been quiet and jittery since they’d gone to breakfast. At first, he thought it was from the events of the night before, but she had no trouble looking at him with a knowing sparkle in those sleepy eyes. Of course, he grew hard each time she did that. “My phone is up by my cot if you need to call someone.” It hit him hard when she looked up and his heart flipped inside his chest to see tears forming. Now he knew what had been bothering her. “Go call and see how Ricky is, the reception’s good here.”
• Rachel lowered her lashes for a second before looking back at him with a small smile. “Thank you, Steven.”
• He watched her go up the stairs.
• “That’s probably the third time in all the years she’s known you that she’s called you by your name. Is she all right?” Dade slid down the wall to lie on his side as he looked at him.
• Steven sighed, “She’s just worried about the little guy.”
• Cora studied him for a minute. “So, you think you’ll be able to help him?”
• He shrugged, “Won’t know until I take a look.” Sitting up, he sighed. “I hope so, for her sake.” He stood up and stretched. “I’ll go see if she reached him.”
• Rachel sat looking down at the phone in her hand. All he wanted was to hold her right now.
• “Did you reach him?” Steven asked as he leaned against the doorframe.
• She nodded. “Yes, he said ‘I’m having a good day, Rach’.” Her voice was quiet.
• Pushing away from the wall, he went to squat down in front of her, taking her hands in his. “He may just be having a difficult time absorbing all the right nutrients Rachel, I’ve seen that many times. Don’t get yourself all worked up until we know more.” He shouldn’t tell her that, he knew better than to give false hope, but he couldn’t stand to watch her worrying.
• She lifted damp eyes to his. “You think so?”
• He caressed her cheek. “We’ll have to wait and see.” She dropped her lashes, hiding her eyes from him. When she looked back at him, something entirely different was reflected there. He smiled. “I think I’m going to have to fit in a nap today. I didn’t get much sleep this morning.” He chanced a light kiss on her lips.
• Her eyes lit up as she grinned. “I know the feeling. I won’t last until the fire tonight if I don’t lie down later.”
• Steven caressed his thumb over her lip tenderly. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” She shook her head quickly, smiling at him. “Good. I have a few teeth marks myself.”
• Rachel grinned. “Your own fault, Doctor O’Reily.”
• His voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m not complaining at all, angel. In fact, I’m having a difficult time staying away this morning. I want to be…”
• “Everything all right?” Leena stepped through the door.
• Steven dropped his hand away from Rachel’s face when her eyes widened. Looking over her shoulder to the door he nodded. “Everything is good. Rach and I are going to head over to see how many munchkins we can get riled up.” Rachel smiled at him still not looking at Leena.
• “I hope that adorable little blonde is there, she’s so much fun to do things with.” He pulled her to her feet. Turning to Leena she smiled. “Then I’m having a nap before tonight.”
• Leena sent her a knowing smile. “Yes, my thoughts too, it’s going to be quite a night.”
• Steven looked from one woman to the other with a curious look.
• “With the ritual, fire, then dancing, I get tired just thinking of it.” Leena added with a smile.
• “I’m looking forward to seeing those new outfits.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “I love to suffer.”
• Leena laughed. “We’ll see if we can manage that for you, Steven.”
• He nodded. “Good.” He grabbed Rachel’s hand. “Let’s go drive the volunteers looking after the kids crazy, we’ll get them all riled up.” She laughed and this time he noticed it reached her eyes.