~ Caresse, A Loving Touch ~

 by

Margaret B. Lawrence

At The Whistle Stop Cari ate a quick breakfast before beginning her day. Startled, her gaze flew to the door when it banged the wall. Conversation halted immediately as the startled occupants stared at the door.

Cari sat, eyes wide, mouth gaping. Her heart pounded and she gasped like a fish out of water, unable to look away. The man who'd crashed into her car looked angry. Again.

He stood, all six feet five inches, poised on the balls of his feet. Legs spread in a relaxed stance, arms hanging loosely at his sides. With his curled fingers the only note of tension, he looked ready to do battle. The sun at his back, his wide shoulders and slim hips were in silhouette as he stood in the doorway, a dark avenging angel. The sparkling rays danced through the long blue-black hair being ruffled by the slight breeze. He paused for only a moment ...a moment frozen in time as everyone held their breath. He scanned the room and his gaze settled on one person.

Police Chief Kurt Dengler was the only one in the cafe not disturbed by the entrance of the man striding toward his table. He looked up, scanned the new arrival briefly and turned his attention back to his breakfast. Twisting a biscuit in two, he slathered the bottom half with butter and jelly and stuffed it into his mouth. Not bothering to look up as he chewed, he stabbed his fork into the slice of ham, sawed off a huge bite and proceeded to pack it into his mouth, along with the top half of the biscuit. His cheeks bulging, he chewed for a few moments and swallowed. Gulping coffee, Dengler pointedly ignored the man as he cut another bite of the ham, crammed it into his mouth with some hash browns, and pushed the food into his cheek like a chipmunk. "Whatcha want, Maitland?" he rasped around the mouthful of food.

"You know what I want, Dengler. It's what I've wanted for weeks. When are you going to do something?" The voice displayed suppressed anger as the man waited for the chief's undivided attention.

Cari found it impossible to ignore the conversation taking place three feet away.

Chief Dengler never looked up from his plate and continued to eat. "I done ever'thing I'm goin' ta do 'bout that situation. Ever'thing I can do. I told ya. She has to make what's called a formal complaint and 'til she does, my hands are tied." 

Linc nearly snarled, "You know she can't do that. She's terrified and trapped in the mess. Are you forgetting there is a child smack dab in the middle of this?"

Dengler never looked up. "Nope. Ain't forgettin' nothin'. I told ya. Go to DHS. See 'bout gettin' AFDC for her."

Linc spoke softly, "You never mentioned that. What's AFDC?"

"Aid For Dependent Children."

Cari watched his head whip around to glare at her and felt the urge to back up a step. She hoped to stop the confrontation taking place in front of the crowd. She'd moved less than a foot away and spoke just above a whisper. "Sir, don't you think this business could be better handled at Chief Dengler's office? The cafe is not the place to discuss it. I think you'd prefer privacy, whatever the problem."

The huge man turned to his right and his gaze travelled slowly over her body from head to foot -- and back again. She saw recognition light his eyes. He knew she was the one driving the car he'd crashed into yesterday.

His hands on his hips, he bent down, nearly nose to nose with her and in a gravelly voice barely above a whisper, said, "Lady, this is the second time you've gotten in my way. This is my business. Go back to your breakfast and keep that pretty nose out of what doesn't concern you."

"Wait a minute." The sexy, blond, busybody stared at him. "Get my nose out of your business? I'm only trying to help. Whatever your problem, I'd think you'd rather not air it in front of half the town."

Linc glanced at the nearest tables and muttered. "Dammit, you're right. Why didn't I think about that?" He turned to the other occupants. "This doesn't concern you," he snapped. "Go back to your breakfasts." 

Cari couldn't help being a little unnerved but she'd be darned if she'd show it. He hadn't snarled but had spoken very softly. His voice, though gravelly, sounded as soft as warm cotton candy, but he left no doubt in her mind he meant business. She sat back down, unnerved by the brief encounter.

"Go 'way, Maitland. Cain't a man enjoy his breakfast in peace?"

The man the chief called 'Maitland' watched another huge bite of ham disappear into the gaping maw and something snapped. He grabbed the plate, yanked it from under the chief's jiggling set of double chins and pulled it toward him. He planted his fists on the table. "Now you listen to me, and pay attention. If you don't do something, I will!" Without the plate in front of him the man had the Chief's attention at last. "I'll give you one day to put a stop to it. After today, it's my turn! Arrest the sonofabitch." He picked up the plate and slammed it down in front of the Chief and with lithe grace walked toward the door, his long strides eating up the distance.

"Maitland, it wouldn't be a good idea to take the law into your own hands. I just follow the law, and I can't arrest him without a formal complaint bein' filed. You get her to file a complaint and then talk to me about what you will and won't do." The Chief went back to his breakfast as unconcerned now as at the beginning of the conversation.

Cari sat, stunned by the exchange. She watched the man freeze in his tracks when he heard the chief's voice. He listened and then continued out the door. She was curious about the situation that had caused such anger. A fury so intense she'd felt the heat at her table. A shiver of fear raced up her spine as she remembered the waves of leashed violence emanating from the man called 'Maitland.' She closed her eyes, picturing the man as he entered the cafe. A dark jungle cat sprang to mind as she recalled the supple elegance with which he moved across the floor.

Linc walked out and stood at the curb for a moment, thinking about Lyssa. Little Lyssa, so fragile, and so badly hurt when he saw her this morning.

Thinking about her wouldn't bring his rage under control. He shook his head and headed to his car.

Something must be done before that rotten sonofabitch started in on Aimee. Linc's biggest fear, that she'd be taken away from Lyssa and put in foster care, seemed a distinct possibility. He wouldn't allow that to happen.

Aimee in the home of strangers? Over his dead body!

As Linc walked to his car he remembered the woman in the cafe. Under different circumstances he'd like to get to know her better. He hadn't been this attracted to a woman in a long time. But he didn't have time to pursue a relationship. He had to concentrate all his efforts on helping Lyssa and Aimee.

He smiled as he remembered how the blond tried to intervene on the chief's behalf. He chuckled. The chief would make three of her and certainly didn't need protection.

Though her beauty would not be defined as classic, she had an indefinable something he couldn't put his finger on. Some elusive quality that made him wish he could get to know her better. A lot better. 

Slender, with curves in the right places, he guessed her height at five feet three. The honey-blonde hair looked natural, and made him want to find out for sure. Her very striking brown eyes seemed to embody all the colors of fall and, depending on her mood, changed from golden to burnt sienna. 

He wondered how far down her back that hair would hang. It was hard to tell the way she had it twisted up in some kind of "do" on top of her head. It looked like there was a lot of it. He found himself thinking about what it would feel like to have that hair swirling around him, sliding over him in a silken curtain. 

And that soft, low, seductive voice. What his pal Gray called a "bedroom voice." He could just imagine what that voice would sound like whispering sweet love words in his ear. 

My God. Have I lost my mind? I see a woman twice and I'm thinking about getting her into bed. Has it been so long since I've had a woman that I'm fantasizing about some stranger? In this day and age, I need my head examined.