in her stomach and Kate cursed the heat racing up her
cheeks. The light in Cade’s eyes showed he’d heard and thought he’d made
another conquest.
"Well now, little
Kate. You didn't have to go all growl and bossy to get a moment alone with me.
You could have just asked nicely." He smiled, tilting his head to one side
and watching her.
"Get over
yourself, Cade. If I wanted you—which I don't and make no bones about it—I
wouldn't be shy about it. All I want is for you to move that damned car before
I'm forced to do it myself." She narrowed her eyes and curled her lip.
"Don't expect me to act like a soppy little girl tripping around after
you, begging for a moment of your time, sport. That finished when I grew up and
you walked away from your family to further your…" she held her fingers up
and wiggle them, "…own career."
"The kitten still
has claws, I see." A smirk crossed his face and he looked at her lips,
before he met her gaze again. "I think you and I could reignite that
flame, Kate."
She laughed, shaking
her head. "Oh, Cade, seriously. You don't know how to take no for an
answer, do you?" She caught a lock of hair that had escaped her ponytail
and tucked it behind her ear. "I run this place. I don't have to have your
permission for anything. It's the other way around now." Kate mentally
ticked her scoreboard as a dark shadow crossed Cades eyes and a frown marred
his otherwise perfect forehead. Gone were the days when she had to tow the line
to spend time hanging out with him.
"That's right. Get
your little brain around that one. I am the boss now. You get to live
here, but I run the place." She stepped back and nodded at the car.
"Now move it or it gets towed."
Anger tightened his
jaw. With no other option, Cade moved over to his car, shuffling along the side
of the shed wall to get into the front seat.
Kate moved back and sat
her butt on the old wooden rail fence that surrounded the vegetable garden. She
crossed her arms and watched as he manoeuvred his car out. With a glare in her
direction, he planted his foot on the accelerator and headed down the driveway
toward the barn. The small burst of power scattered crushed granite over the
grass and she laughed. Round one to her. A shame he still had the ability to
set her heart racing.
Not one to tag along at
the rear anymore, she quietly thanked her Cade’s father for taking her in and
toughening her up. When Kate had applied for the job of stockman, he’d laughed,
telling her she wasn't up to it. She’d proven him wrong more times than she
could remember.
Now she knew she would
have to prove herself all over again. Cade would to try and undermine her He
always had. It was his way to make himself look good when all he had to do was
play football and his following would be just as big.
Of all the Williams
children, Kate felt most sorry for Russ. He was the quiet achiever, the child
who’d always looked for approval. The eternal peacemaker she used to call him.
He was still the same, although there was now a sadness in his eyes that made
her wonder what had happened to him in the last few years.
The sound of silence
rolled over the farm and Kate realised Cade had turned off his car. The rumble
of the engine was no longer at odds with the cries of cattle in the paddocks.
From her position on the fence, she watched as he hobbled out of the barn and
headed back to the house.
Satisfied she’d made
her point, she moved over to the work ute and opened the door. Kate climbed in
and turned the key, not bothering with her seatbelt. Reversing back, she spun
the steering wheel and pointed the nose into the space vacated by Cade moments
before. When she was parked, she killed the engine and jumped out, slamming the
door behind her before hanging the key on the nail by the door post.
Kate stood and tilted
her hat back on her head, checking to see everything was in its place before
walking the few hundred yards to her home.
The original homestead
was one of the
cheeks. The light in Cade’s eyes showed he’d heard and thought he’d made
another conquest.
"Well now, little
Kate. You didn't have to go all growl and bossy to get a moment alone with me.
You could have just asked nicely." He smiled, tilting his head to one side
and watching her.
"Get over
yourself, Cade. If I wanted you—which I don't and make no bones about it—I
wouldn't be shy about it. All I want is for you to move that damned car before
I'm forced to do it myself." She narrowed her eyes and curled her lip.
"Don't expect me to act like a soppy little girl tripping around after
you, begging for a moment of your time, sport. That finished when I grew up and
you walked away from your family to further your…" she held her fingers up
and wiggle them, "…own career."
"The kitten still
has claws, I see." A smirk crossed his face and he looked at her lips,
before he met her gaze again. "I think you and I could reignite that
flame, Kate."
She laughed, shaking
her head. "Oh, Cade, seriously. You don't know how to take no for an
answer, do you?" She caught a lock of hair that had escaped her ponytail
and tucked it behind her ear. "I run this place. I don't have to have your
permission for anything. It's the other way around now." Kate mentally
ticked her scoreboard as a dark shadow crossed Cades eyes and a frown marred
his otherwise perfect forehead. Gone were the days when she had to tow the line
to spend time hanging out with him.
"That's right. Get
your little brain around that one. I am the boss now. You get to live
here, but I run the place." She stepped back and nodded at the car.
"Now move it or it gets towed."
Anger tightened his
jaw. With no other option, Cade moved over to his car, shuffling along the side
of the shed wall to get into the front seat.
Kate moved back and sat
her butt on the old wooden rail fence that surrounded the vegetable garden. She
crossed her arms and watched as he manoeuvred his car out. With a glare in her
direction, he planted his foot on the accelerator and headed down the driveway
toward the barn. The small burst of power scattered crushed granite over the
grass and she laughed. Round one to her. A shame he still had the ability to
set her heart racing.
Not one to tag along at
the rear anymore, she quietly thanked her Cade’s father for taking her in and
toughening her up. When Kate had applied for the job of stockman, he’d laughed,
telling her she wasn't up to it. She’d proven him wrong more times than she
could remember.
Now she knew she would
have to prove herself all over again. Cade would to try and undermine her He
always had. It was his way to make himself look good when all he had to do was
play football and his following would be just as big.
Of all the Williams
children, Kate felt most sorry for Russ. He was the quiet achiever, the child
who’d always looked for approval. The eternal peacemaker she used to call him.
He was still the same, although there was now a sadness in his eyes that made
her wonder what had happened to him in the last few years.
The sound of silence
rolled over the farm and Kate realised Cade had turned off his car. The rumble
of the engine was no longer at odds with the cries of cattle in the paddocks.
From her position on the fence, she watched as he hobbled out of the barn and
headed back to the house.
Satisfied she’d made
her point, she moved over to the work ute and opened the door. Kate climbed in
and turned the key, not bothering with her seatbelt. Reversing back, she spun
the steering wheel and pointed the nose into the space vacated by Cade moments
before. When she was parked, she killed the engine and jumped out, slamming the
door behind her before hanging the key on the nail by the door post.
Kate stood and tilted
her hat back on her head, checking to see everything was in its place before
walking the few hundred yards to her home.
The original homestead
was one of the
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