he laughed. "probably. but just so you know i'm not completely insane, i thought i'd give you a year. i'll know in a few months if it's working for me, so i won't leave you high and dry. i've taken a leave from my practice."

"but cameron, don't you have a home there? attachments?"

"i hate that house-it's already on the market. if i come back here, i'll be looking for something much different."

"but what about friends? family? special... you know... cameron, isn't there a woman in your life?"

"nothing to hold me here, mel. and i can bring my own bedroom furniture."

"we've talked about the pay..."

"that really isn't my first concern. i'll live at the clinic, take my meals at the bar, and i know you'll be fair with the salary."

"holy crap," she said. "is this really happening?"

"listen, mel, i need a change. a temporary if not permanent one. if you find me qualified, i'll see you right after christmas."

she was speechless for a minute. then she said, "ho-ho-ho." and he laughed.

eleven

the cold and windy days of november made way for an unseasonably warm, clear saturday with a bright sun-a perfect day for luke to work on the outside of his house or cabins. or a perfect day for something else.

he put on his leather chaps, donned a well-worn leather bombardier's jacket over his sweater and checked on art to be sure he had enough to do to keep him busy most of the day. shelby should be getting a day off from the clinic. it was still early when he took his harley down the road to the general's house. he went to the door with the rider's helmet in his hand. shelby answered in her jeans and sweater, stocking feet, hair loose. "wanna try my ride for a change?" he asked her. "it's not too cold today."

she looked around him. "on that?"

"just you and me, shelby. want to take a chance?"

she gave him a soft smile. "am i safe with you on that thing?" she asked.

he presented the rider's helmet. "well, i'll drive carefully. you should get a jacket and something to wrap around your neck. boots and gloves. and you might want to tie up your hair."

"why not," she said. "come in while i get ready."

he stepped into the house and looked around, impressed. the general had done a good job remodeling this place for his retirement. he heard a baby fussing down the hall in the direction shelby had gone. luke walked across the great room to the large picture window and looked across the general's land. the horses were in the corral and not too far in the distance was the home under construction that paul was building for himself and his wife. there was still a lot of construction mess around the building, but it looked close to finished from the outside. he also saw what looked like a gravestone atop a small rise not far from the stable. he had no idea what that was about.

"morning, luke."

he turned to see vanessa behind him, baby on her hip. "hey," he said. "looks like the house is coming along great."

"we'll be in before christmas, hopefully. you should come out and take a look at it sometime. paul's a genius."

"i'll do that."

"how's your place coming?"

"better than i expected," he answered. "i'm taking shelby out for a ride on the harley. the general will be okay with that, won't he?"

"shelby's a big girl," vanessa said with a smile.

"ready," shelby said, popping into the room. she had put on a tan suede jacket with fringe on the underside of the arms, fringe that would slap in the wind. "this will be warm enough, won't it?"

he smiled at her; she was so damn pretty. "you should be fine."

"i have no idea when i'll be back," she told vanessa. "i hope no one needs me for anything."

"you've been working so hard, just go. enjoy yourself," vanni said. "and be careful on that thing."

she has no idea how right she is to warn shelby, luke thought. the danger is not on the motorcycle.

shelby tucked her braid into the helmet and climbed on behind him. she wrapped her arms around his waist and off they went, down the road toward the highway and up through the redwoods. it was cold back in the tallest trees, but when they broke through, he drove into the sunny foothills, up on some of the craggy knolls where sheep grazed. the bike always made luke feel exhilarated; the cold wind on his face refreshed and energized him.

luke liked the feeling of her small arms holding him; a cross-country ride with those arms around him was definitely better than one alone. sometimes she laid her head against his back while he drove them into the country, past the vineyards that lay fallow in winter, past orchards naked of their fruit. the hills were brown now, but in spring this place would come alive in stunning green. when the weather warmed, he'd like to take her to the coast and across the craggy headlands above the ocean. would she be here in the spring? he found himself wondering. would he?

they had been riding for a little over an hour when he took the bike up a dirt road that wound around a small hill where livestock grazed. he parked the harley there, swung his leg over and raised it on the stand. he pulled off his helmet and reached for hers. she took it off and her braid tumbled down her back. putting one helmet on each of the two handlebars, he mounted the stationary bike backward to face her. her cheeks were flushed from the cold wind and her eyes glowed. he reached his hands behind her knees and pulled her toward him, draping her legs over his thighs. then, with his arms around her waist, he leaned toward her, pressing his lips softly to hers. she leaned into his kiss, opening her lips for him at once, so trusting. besides a few stolen kisses outside jack's, they had had little contact lately. the demands on shelby's time had been heavy since doc's death.

"how do you like the bike, shelby?"

"i love it," she said.

"you like to go fast?" he asked.

she laughed. "i've always been so cautious," she said. "it feels good."

"i've been trying not to take you too fast," he said, and his voice had gone husky, like brushed velvet. he ran a hand down her back, down her long braid. he pulled her mouth against his and, with a big hand against the back of her head, he kissed her more thoroughly. she melted to him, her arms going inside his jacket and round to his back, holding him closer, her small tongue slipping into his mouth. his world tilted. he probed inside her mouth in a strong kiss, pulling her more tightly against him, until she was straddling his lap. he filled his hands with her butt and held her tight, feasting on her sighs and moans. he rocked her pelvis against him and he became aroused instantly. if they didn't have the barrier of jeans between them, this thing he'd been trying to talk himself out of would be done. "aw, shelby," he whispered against her lips. he released her mouth. "listen, we have to talk."

she smiled at him. "sure. i've been expecting this. the talk."

"shelby, you should run for your life, i'm not kidding. i've never been reliable where women are concerned. and i'm not real well fixed with brakes, either. god, i really don't want to hurt you."

"are you trying to scare me again, luke?"

"yeah, i'm trying to scare you. warn you. use your head, shelby. you're young, you're sweet, and i'm just an irresponsible, horny bastard. you'd be making a mistake, getting mixed up with me."

she traced his ear with a finger. "well, luke, i'm already a little mixed up with you. and you got yourself mixed up with me."

"shelby, i'm temporary at best. i'm not staying here."

"me, neither. is that it?"

he sighed and shook his head. "i've been known to run through women like sharks run through scuba divers. i wouldn't be good for you."

"are you sleeping with a lot of women right now?" she asked him.

he hadn't been with a woman in so long, he had a hard time remembering the last one. that fact alone made him even more vulnerable to shelby's incredibly seductive charm. "there has been only one woman on my mind. my brain is like a frickin' missile and if you don't move out of the target, i'm afraid i'm going to end up doing some things you might hate me for later. and then your uncle walt is going to shoot me."

it only made her chuckle. "do you always warn your women not to get involved with you before you swoop down and devour them?"

"never. that could keep me from getting laid. but i worry about you. you need to fall in love, i can smell it on you. and i don't fall in love. i don't put down roots and i don't make commitments."

"you know something, luke?" she asked, smiling. "i think maybe you're more worried you might fall in love with me than the other way around."

"see, you shouldn't think like that-"

"i just said maybe. it's not like i expect it."

"you don't?"

"i'm going to travel and go to school. you're going to fix up your cabins and sell them. you've been very clear. you've warned me a hundred times. and now, i'm just warning you."

"you want a fling? with a guy like me? who's too old for you?"

she just laughed and he wanted to shake her. "you are pretty old," she said. "pretty soon, all these long warnings won't even be necessary." she tilted her head back and laughed.

his hands on her fanny, he pulled her against him and rocked her gently. he looked into her eyes and his were as hot as pokers.

"oh. apparently, you're not too old yet," she said, leaning toward his mouth for another kiss, drawing a deep, miserable groan from him.

"you should take this a lot more seriously. my track record isn't good. i've been with a lot of women, and never for long."

"i'm sorry, luke. i'm sure you're very dangerous," she said, but her voice was filled with humor. "i just can't find it in me to discourage you. i love the way you kiss me." she moved her pelvis against his. "and this...? hmm. i don't know what to make of this."

he swooped over her mouth again, with heat and power. again, her arms went around him. the taste of her mouth was so delicious it almost sent him reeling out of this world. for all his talk about his many women and his failure to make anything stick, he couldn't remember feeling a rush like this with anyone. he'd been turned on before, stirred up almost to the breaking point, but this thing that was happening to him with shelby was so intense, it was just about driving him out of his mind. he hung on for dear life, devouring her mouth for two minutes, then four, the sensation of her firm young breasts boring into his chest even through his sweater was getting him high.

she met him all the way, holding him, purring softly against his mouth, joining in his tongue play, sending thrill after thrill vibrating through him. all trepidation and shyness on her part was gone. he was getting damn uncomfortable. still, he kissed her a while longer.

"dammit, shelby," he said. "don't say i didn't warn you."

"and warned me and warned me and warned me..."

"you should be with a serious young man who will protect you and take care of you, not someone like me."

"maybe someday. right now, i just have one requirement. one woman at a time, that's all i ask. i'm not looking to join a harem. can you do that?"

he sighed. "i'm doing it. i don't even have to try. you're the only woman i want. and i'm starting to want you real damn bad."