Under the Open Sky

Chapter Thirty-Nine



After eating, Cade, Cadey-Lynn in his arms, showed them around the ranch. Amanda grabbed her camera and started snapping pictures of them as they went. When Cade introduced them to the men, Amanda watched them all smile; it was clear they were fond of their boss. The afternoon wore away pleasantly. As the sun started dipping behind the distant mountains, all of them sat down to supper together, and then piled on the couch in front of the TV, though they spent more time talking than watching. Amanda could picture many evenings like this one all strung together and smiled. As Cadey-Lynn’s bedtime neared, Amanda gathered her things and gave Cadey-Lynn a bath, combed her hair out and helped her into what Cadey-Lynn called her princess jammies. They were pink silk with white lace ruffles on the chest and on the hem of the pants.

“See my princess jammies?” Cadey-Lynn ran to her daddy.

Cade scooped her up.

“Those are pretty, but of course a princess should wear princess jammies,” Cade was smiling at his daughter.

“Will you help Mommy tuck me in, Daddy?”

“I would love to help,” Cade assured her and carried her to the spare bedroom. Amanda turned back the covers before adding Cadey-Lynn’s own pillow, her favorite blanket from home, and her stuffed cat she liked to sleep with.

“Will you read to me, Daddy?”

“What should I read?” Cade asked her. Cadey-Lynn pointed to a book on the night stand. Amanda leaned against the door frame and smiled as she watched Cade read; Cadey-Lynn’s gaze was on him instead of the book. Amanda had dreamt of the day she would see these two together; she had just feared it might not happen. After the story was finished, they heard Cadey-Lynn’s prayers and each kissed her forehead before pulling the door almost to behind them as they left the room.

“She’s so amazing, Amanda; you’ve done a wonderful job with her,” Cade pulled Amanda down onto the couch beside him. “I hate that I missed so much.”

“Me too, Cade. Watching her grow has been such a joy. At times she is truly what kept me going.”

Cade reached to caress Amanda’s face.

“I’m not dreaming am I?” Cade asked her.

“Not unless we’re having the same dream,” she smiled up at him. Cade kissed her, and Amanda felt things immediately flare between them. A moment later, he broke the kiss and pulled her close to hold her.

“I have dreamed of you holding me like this for so long,” she admitted.

“I’ve dreamt of holding you like this.”

“I’m trying not to hate my dad and brother, Cade, but I am so hurt and angry that they kept us apart,” Amanda admitted.

“I’m angry too, but I can’t find it in me to hate them. I know they thought they were protecting you.”

“I wasn’t a child in need of protecting,” she protested.

“No, you weren’t,” he agreed. “But you were and are daddy’s little girl and Trent’s little sister and that won’t ever change.”

“I get what you’re trying to say,” Amanda sighed.

“That’s your daddy and your brother; you love them even if you are hurt, Manny.”

“I know,” she admitted. “Why do you call me Manny?” Amanda asked him.

“At first it was my way of aggravating you and reminding myself you were just a sassy kid. It was supposed to help me remember you were off limits.”

“I was scrawny; I can’t imagine it being that hard to resist me,” Amanda laughed.

“You were beautiful and you only got more beautiful. It was your sassy, smart mouth that first amused me and then watching you march around so full of fire. I was gone within weeks of arriving on the ranch.”

“No,” Amanda crinkled her nose.

“I was,” he insisted.

“You made me nervous and I didn’t even understand why at first. I have to tell you that you did a great job of hiding it if you were enamored with me.”

“Not really; your brother called me on it.”

“Oh,” Amanda smiled.

“I was fine until Angie showed you how to dress to your best advantage and the moment you learned your own power I knew I was in trouble.”

“Hey, I was finally enjoying a little male admiration. For a long time I was a wall flower!” Amanda informed him as she turned and settled her legs across his lap. Cade placed his hand on her knee and smiled at her.

“I thought you were beautiful the moment I noticed you. You were staring at me with wide eyes after I got in a fight with Michael Fredricks my senior year.”

“You remember that?”

“Yeah, I didn’t even know who you were. Then I show up at the ranch and there you were sassing your brother.”

“Wow.”

“I love you, Manny.”

“I love you too,” she returned and leaned forward to kiss him.

“You can sleep with Cadey-Lynn or I can put some sheets on the bed in the office,” Cade offered.

Amanda studied him a moment.

“You’ve always made the rules, Cade; are those my only options?” she asked him.

Cade smiled. “No, but after five years I wanted you to know I’m not making any assumptions.”

“It has been five years which is why I want to spend every moment I can with you,” she informed him.

Cade kissed her and then smiled.

“No complaints,” he assured her; Amanda grinned. “And by the way, I recognize that shirt.”

Amanda glanced down at his shirt and laughed.

“It was one of my favorites but it seems someone was wearing it when I had to leave,” he teased.

“I’ve become rather fond of it as well,” she informed him. “If you want it back, you’ll have to take it back.”

“Is that right?” his eyes were twinkling.

“Mmm hmm,” she nodded.

“I like you in my shirts, how ‘bout I give them all to you and just take them back when I want them,” he joked.

Amanda laughed. “Might make getting out the door every morning kinda complicated.”

“More like very pleasant.”

“Am I red yet?” Amanda was laughing.

“Yes,” he nodded.

“I thought so,” she responded.

“I’ve missed you, Manny.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

Cade stood, lifted Amanda and carried her to his room where he sat her on her feet.

“I’ll get your things,” he told her.

Amanda looked around the room curiously. It was a comfortably sized room and painted a nice shade of light blue. A large four poster bed sat against the wall opposite her. Amanda got the impression that much of the furniture and décor had come with the ranch when he bought it.

“I haven’t done too much with it,” Cade told her as he entered and set her suitcase inside the door. “Not really my forte.”

“I could care less,” Amanda admitted.

Cade slid his arms around her.

“You’re all I can see at the moment,” Amanda pushed onto her toes to kiss him. Cade kissed her back; his hands pulled her closer. Amanda unbuttoned his shirt and slid her hands over his chest. She froze a moment later and pulled back.

“What happened?” she ran a hand over a scar that ran the top of his right shoulder, around his side, and onto his back.

“One of my bulls decided he didn’t want to load in the trailer for auction and I didn’t scramble out of the way fast enough.”

“Oh, Cade,” Amanda kissed the scar following it to its end. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me too,” Cade reached for her hand and led her to the bed. Amanda returned his kisses and rolled until she had him pinned.

“Let’s see if I remember how to do this,” she flirted as she leaned down to kiss him.

“No,” Cade turned the tables on her, until he leaned over her. “I still have things to teach you,” he argued.

Amanda woke to a shadowed room and Cade staring at her. She smiled.

“What are you staring at?”

“I’m watching you sleep,” he informed her.

“Sounds boring,” she told him.

“Not as fun as making love to you but I enjoy it,” he countered.

Amanda laughed and rolled over to snuggle against him

“What time is it anyway?”

“About twelve-thirty.”

“Why are you even awake?”

“I got up to check in on Cadey-Lynn and then I found myself watching you and I have been ever since.”

“You should get some sleep,” she chastised, kissing his chest.

“I’ve slept plenty in the past five years,” he argued; Amanda smiled.

“Can we stay like this?” she requested.

“As far as I’m concerned,” he assured her. The ringing of the phone made Cade frown as he reached to grab it from his night stand.

“Hello.”

Amanda watched his gaze slide to her.

“Yeah, she’s right here.” Cade handed her the phone.

“Mandy, are you okay? We have been worried sick,” Trent’s voice was rich with anxiety as it carried over the line. “Had Naomi not finally admitted she’d given you Cade’s letters we still wouldn’t know where you are and your house looks like there was some sort of struggle…” her brother petered to a halt.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Trent?” Amanda demanded.

“Amanda, I gave dad until the end of the summer and then I was going to tell you if Dad didn’t,” Trent defended himself.

“The end of summer?” Amanda’s voice rose. “Do you know how much he’s already missed? His daughter’s first steps, her first words….”

“Mandy, I’m sorry.”

“Do me a favor, Trent. Go look in on your sleeping daughter and then kiss Jenny and tell me what you would do if someone kept you from them. Don’t call me again until you have an answer for that,” Amanda placed the phone back on the nightstand with trembling hands and tears on her cheeks.

“You okay, Manny?” Cade brushed the tears from her cheeks.

“I’m angry but I’ll get over it,” she admitted. Cade kissed her and Amanda pressed herself against him inviting more.