Chapter Eight
Dillon automatically tensed when the door creaked, announcing someone’s arrival into the house. Before he could place his hand on the handgun stashed under his pillow, Cale’s familiar voice carried to him. Relaxing back into the soft mattress, he resumed lightly stroking the soft fur on the cats.
He’d awoken a few minutes before with both kittens curled against his side. Hope climbed to settle in the middle of his chest, turning circles until she found a comfortable position to plop down. Normally he woke with the slightest touch or noise, yet they had snuggled in without him having a clue. A bit worrying, but he immediately waved off the concern when all three began to purr, responding to his petting.
Cale stuck his head in the bedroom door, taking in the sight, a slow grin forming on his face.
“What?”
Leaning against the doorjamb with arms crossed over his chest, Cale shook his head. “Found some new bedmates?”
Dillon snorted. “At least they don’t hog the covers and snore like a chainsaw trying to cut through granite like you do.”
“Uh-huh.”
Lily popped her head around Cale, smiling immediately at the sight. “Oh, they like you.”
Barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Dillon nodded. “I guess so. But I really think they just want to be scratched and have a warm body to snuggle against.”
“Nah. They wouldn’t be all over you unless they liked you.”
Dillon shot his brother a mischievous grin. “Well, I always did have a way with the ladies.”
Cale’s lips moved, but Lily talked over him. “Carson wanted you to sit in the bathtub for a while each day. It will help clean out that wound and prevent infection from building.” Lily rattled the recommendations to Dillon while she lifted the girls, cradling them against her chest. They made for an overloaded armful.
“Okay. I think I can do that.” He grinned at her, unable to pass up the opportunity to tease. “You can wash my back…and whatever else you like.” Purposely, he dropped to a sensual tone, not so subtly covering the innuendo.
Cale scowled at him from behind her back, but Dillon ignored him, too thrilled to get his older brother’s goat for once.
Her face flushed crimson, amusing him all the more before she shook her head. “Sorry. I can’t take the chance. See, if I discover you really don’t have a belly button… Well, let’s just say it’s easier if I don’t know.” She shot him a quick wink and grin before striding out of the room with a hasty excuse that it was feeding time for the felines.
Dillon watched her go in abject confusion. Belly button? “What in the hell did that mean?”
Cale grinned widely, slapping Dillon on the shoulder. “You really don’t want to know.”
Lily’s voice carried to them from the kitchen. “Are you cajoling?”
Even more confused than ever, Dillon looked to Cale for answers. “Cajoling?”
“Yeah. I’m supposed to ‘cajole’ you into taking a bath.”
His mouth dropped open. Never in his wildest dreams would he have expected to hear those words leave Cale’s mouth.
“Don’t worry. I assured her I’d simply drop you on your ass in the tub.”
“Thank God. For a second there I wondered if you lost your ever-loving mind.”
The sound of Cale’s chuckle rang through the room. Dillon joined in, his heart lifting with the sudden reappearance of Cale’s sense of humor. Not too long ago, he’d believed the feat to be impossible. This was his brother of old. The one he loved and longed to reacquaint himself with.
Lily reminded him of Della. Her attitude toward life, the old soul he could see in her eyes, and the deep down kindness so rare to find these days. Cale could do a lot worse. He had already done so, in Dillon’s opinion.
His thoughts returned to Rachel, Cale’s ex-wife. Never would she have taken in an injured and ill cat, nursed it back to health, and adamantly refused to give up the resulting kittens. No way would Rachel spend her little excess money on pricey cat food, give them the run of the house, and allow them to sleep curled up next to her at night. On the contrary, Cale’s ex disliked all animals with a passion. Her few run-ins resulted in multiple complaints about the animals slobbering, getting hair on her expensive designer clothes, and the horrible stench she believed they carried. The couple of times Cale had brought her home to the ranch, she had sulked and moaned, demanding to leave as soon as possible, more than ready to return to her high-class apartment in the city. Their parents had frowned on the woman, as had Dillon. Yet no one could make Cale see her multiple faults and using ways. Not until he finally woke up one day, when reality slapped him in the face. Hard.
Dillon had been with him that day, returning home after finishing their mission quickly, efficiently, and much sooner than expected. Excited to get home to Rachel, Cale drove straight for the apartment, full of plans to take her out on the town, and romance her mightily to make up for the days he’d been away.
Instead of a doting wife, missing her husband, and joyous at his return, Cale had found Rachel sharing their bed with another man, naked, and in mid-fuck. The man had grabbed his clothes after taking one look at Cale’s face, scurrying away as quickly as possible.
Rachel had caught the brunt of Cale’s fury, but instead of being apologetic, had flung it back in his face, citing her reasons for placing the blame fully on Cale. He wasn’t home enough. He didn’t have enough money. He didn’t please her. On and on she went.
Dillon had never seen his brother so angry and so devastated. Without uttering another word, Cale had turned around and left, filing for divorce the very next morning. A difficult way to have his eyes opened about the true bitch he married. Effective but painful.
Yet a day with Lily, and Cale’s sense of humor returned at least partially, as his chuckles, teasing manner, and smile indicated. Still too brief in Dillon’s opinion, but they were there—a sure sign of hope. Lily did that. He would be forever beholden to her for bringing a bit of life back into the robotic, emotionless brother he’d seen for the past two years.
Dillon couldn’t begin to guess what Cale and Lily had spoken about on their tour of the field, but he saw a more relaxed Cale, one who seemingly gave Lily his nod of approval.
Interesting and right on track with Dillon’s own plans.