The breeze rustled the tree branches as Cade stomped down the steps and headed toward the lean-to at the back of the cabin where the horses were tethered.
He swore. What the hell was happening to him? He'd done what he set out to do. He'd stopped Dobson from marrying Bella and getting his hands on her money. A few more days, and Dobson would be ruined. He'd lose everything. Which was exactly what Cade wanted. It was the next best thing to seeing him dangling from a rope.
So why wasn't he satisfied?
Because seeing Bella again, feeling her in his arms, breathing in the scent that was uniquely hers, was rekindling the feelings he'd had for her so many years ago. They'd been barely more than children then, but he'd known even then that Bella was the one he wanted to spend his life with.
The last time he'd seen her, when he'd caught Hiram trying to steal a kiss, he'd barely been able to control his anger. He hadn't understood the emotions then, but later, he'd recognized his fury as jealousy. He hadn't wanted anyone kissing Bella. Anyone except him.
After the fight, he'd wanted to tell her how he felt. But he couldn't bring himself to risk their friendship in case she didn't feel the same way. Then, his world had been shattered and he'd been sent away.
He'd thought
he'd never see her again. And he likely wouldn't have if he hadn't happened to stop in Silverdale for a drink at the saloon. When he'd overheard the conversation between Dobson and the banker, he'd known he had to stop her wedding somehow.
He hadn't known that one look would be all it took for those feelings to come charging back like a herd of stampeding buffalo. Feelings he couldn't do anything about, especially now.
"Cade?"
The soft voice floated on the breeze. Dammit! He didn't want to talk to her right now, not when he was trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with him. She made his brain shut down, made his body do all his thinking. And that wasn't a good thing.
He looked in the direction of the voice. She was walking toward him, a lantern in her hand. The glow from the light emphasized the paleness of her skin and the golden strands of her hair. "Here," he muttered.
She came to stand beside him. She'd wrapped a blanket around her shoulders to shut out the cool night air.
"You should be inside," he said. "It's warmer in front of the fire."
She let out a small laugh. "One thing hasn't changed," she said. "You're still trying to protect me."
"Old habits die hard."
"Yes, they do," she replied softly, her voice taking on a melancholy tone.
Cade sensed a change in her. Was she remembering the past, the days they ran, and laughed, and enjoyed each other's company? Were the memories rushing through her mind the way they were in his? Was she wishing things could be different, that the friendship they'd shared could be something more?
Hadn't she said she'd been looking for a man who she could love and like? They'd always had the 'like' part, but they'd been too young to know about love. They weren't young any more. And now it was too late. He was wanted by the law now, and no matter how much he cared about her, he wouldn't put her in a position of either waiting for him to get out of prison or spending a life on the run.
"Cade, please tell me what happened. When … how long have you been …?" she asked. "I heard about what happened to your mother, and then you disappeared. We were friends, and yet you left and didn't even say goodbye."
"I couldn't." He hadn't had a choice in the matter. The sheriff had seen to it he left town the next day. He supposed the sheriff and Dobson hadn't wanted him telling his story or asking any questions. He'd spent the last twelve years in Rocky Ridge, first living with his aunt and uncle on their ranch and then running his own spread.
"What happened that you had to turn to robbing stagecoaches?"
He laughed. "You happened," he said. "You probably won't believe me, and there's nothing I can do about that, but that was the first time I've ever held up a stage."
"What? Then what have you been doing all these years?"
"Ranching," he replied. "I have a little spread outside Rocky Ridge."
"Yet you decided to rob the stage?"
"I told you before. I needed to stop you from marrying Dobson."
"You still haven't told me why it matters to you whether I marry him or not. Why do you care?"
She took a step closer. Her breasts brushed against his chest, and her floral scent washed over him. She gazed up at him with pain in her eyes.
"I've always cared about you."