Found In Lost Valley

He realized she would be in the house alone and asleep if he left. The doors of the B and B weren’t locked during the day, so that guests could come and go freely. He tried to decide what to do.

After a moment, he smiled in exasperation. It wasn’t like him to hesitate. He settled upon the best course and got on with it. However, he had to admit this woman had given him pause last night and this morning.

When she’d let him in, wearing a soft pink velvet robe and fuzzy house slippers, he’d been rather taken aback by her appearance. This morning she’d fallen into his arms like a dream come true. His body had responded with rampant hunger. He hadn’t been able to disguise that fact while he’d had her pinned beneath him, her gaze startled, then wary.

Now, lying on the sofa, her hair like banked embers spread over the pillow, she looked like Sleeping Beauty awaiting her prince.

And that wasn’t him.

If ever there was a mongrel of dubious breed, he was it. Had Uncle Nick not vouched for him as a boy, today, as a man, Seth would probably be rotting in prison somewhere, resentful of life and what it had done to him. Nicholas Dalton had been his salvation.

Seth knew what a break he’d gotten. He’d been a stray mutt, taken in and fed and treated kindly. Never in a million years would he betray the trust Uncle Nick had shown in him.

He shook his head slightly, not sure what had brought on these deep, morbid musings. He had things to do. Going out the back door, he followed the sounds of music to the carriage house. There he found Honey, dressed in a black, full-body leotard, leading an exercise class.

When the music ended, she came over to him, wiping her damp face with a towel. “Whew, it’s getting hot today.”

“Depends on what you’re doing,” he said, taking in the mix of overweight men and women. “Interesting class.”

She glanced at the people preparing to leave. “It’s something Beau thought of for his patients. For weight control and also flexibility.”

“I see. Are you going to be around for a couple of hours?” he asked.

“Yes. Why?”

He explained about Amelia and her ankle, including the full details about why it was his fault, so that there would be no speculation about the situation. “So I need someone to keep an eye on her and the house while I’m out,” he concluded. “She’s asleep now.”

Honey’s eyes sparkled when she heard the story. “I don’t have classes again until school is out at three. I’ll be glad to stay with her.”

“I’ll be back in plenty of time to take care of the evening snacks.” He frowned. “I’ll have to order something for her dinner.”

“Why not serve pizza? It’s great for snacks or a meal,” Honey suggested. “Don’t tell Beau I said that, though. He’s on a campaign to make people eat healthier foods.”

“Good idea. I’ll order several kinds from the Crow’s Nest. And we can have fruit and veggies with it. You and Zack want to join us?”

“That would be lovely. I’ll call and leave word at the office. He’s off hunting down some poachers.”

Zack was a deputy sheriff with the county, heading an investigative unit charged with solving mysterious crimes, such as who occasionally slaughtered a cow on the range. That had happened pretty steadily all summer. The local ranchers were furious.

Seth left Honey in charge of Amelia and the B and B while he drove to the equally large Victorian that housed Beau’s medical practice and his own soon-to-be law office. Carpenters were working in the former dining room and parlor there.

Seth checked their progress, okayed a couple of minor changes in the plans, spoke briefly to his cousin, inviting him and Shelby over for the pizza dinner, too, then headed back to the B and B shortly after three, when Honey had to go back to her dancing classes.

Amelia was awake and on her feet when he walked in on her, surprising her in the kitchen.

“What the heck are you doing?” he demanded.

She eyed him coolly. “I have to plan something for tonight.”

“Didn’t Honey tell you it’s all been taken care of?”

She shook her head. Her hair was pulled tightly back into a ponytail. It refused to be tamed, however, and bounced jauntily each time she moved. She hopped on one foot to the refrigerator and removed a large tray. He saw she’d already prepared vegetables for the evening. That made him see red.

“Dammit, I turn my back for a minute and you’re up, disobeying orders and probably ruining your ankle.”

She gave him a look that said she doubted it.

Really irritated now, he removed the tray from her hands and set it on the counter. Next he swept her into his arms, toted her into the living room and plunked her on the sofa.

“Stay put,” he warned when she made a move to rise.

She settled down, but not before glaring at him. The telephone rang. “Well, are you going to take care of my business or not?” she asked sarcastically.

The office was built into an alcove that had once been a closet under the stairs. Like the kitchen, it had Dutch doors, the top part open and tucked out of the way. He leaned over the bottom section and picked up the portable phone.

“Uh, Lost Valley Bed and Breakfast,” he said, remembering the name of the place.

A woman asked about rooms and rates.

“Just a moment and I’ll transfer you to the reservation clerk.” He carried the phone to Amelia, who was still glaring his way. He grinned and dropped it into her lap, then headed for the kitchen to add the broccoli she’d prepared to the veggie selections.

Munching on a baby carrot, he finished filling the sections of the tray, placed the top over it and returned it to the refrigerator. When Amelia finished her conversation, he called the restaurant and ordered the pizzas. He gave his name and told the girl he’d pick them up at six.

“Five-thirty,” Amelia called from the living room.

“Five-thirty,” he corrected. “You got bionic ears?” he asked after hanging up.

She surprised him with a grin.

He made each of them a cup of tea and settled in a chair after adding logs and rekindling the fire. Now that the sun was going down, the air was cooling rapidly. He realized he loved the warmth of Indian summer days and the coolness of the nights.

“Ah, the good life,” he said. Surprised, he realized he meant it.

Glancing at Amelia, he regretted that he wasn’t the prince of her dreams. He hadn’t been all those years ago when passion had nearly overwhelmed them, and he wasn’t now.

That was an absolute fact.

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