THE GILTER

CHAPTER SIX

She knew she should push him back, but instead she was kissing him right back, stroke for stroke. Shivers ran through her body, she threw her hands around his neck and his hand slid lower to her waist and pulled her closer against him. The kiss deepened, she moaned.

He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers ‘Oh Cathie!’ he whispered.

She stared at him, looking him straight in the eye. Its too intimate, she lowered her gaze ‘We should go back!’ she whispered.

He released her and stood up, helping her too. ‘We should,’ he said thoughtfully ‘its dark already.’

‘Its completely safe.’ Cathie said as she headed outside the cave.

Herrick followed suit, they mounted their horses and headed back to the ranch.

The next morning, during breakfast Cathie tried everything she could not to make eye contact with Herrick which was hard because he was staring at her. She felt hot, she looked around the table, nobody seem to notice or suspect anything. She cautiously glanced his way and he was still staring at her, she lifted her eye brow and shook her head. He smirked.

She lowered her gaze to her food.

‘The staff quarters had been completed.’ Russell said suddenly.

Everyone at the table looked up from their food to him, Sarah raised her brows at him.

‘Sorry, that was sudden,’ he apologized, then he cleared his throat ‘Herrick and Josh can move at their convenient time, but of course they still have their place at this table anytime.’

Herrick looked at Cathie and narrowed his eyes at her, Cathie frowned and shrugged ’Okay sir,’ he said ‘that’s very kind of you, thank you.’

Russell nodded his head, then said ‘Christopher would be moving in too, with his wife.’

‘Considering the fact that all their children got married.’ Sarah said ‘I think that is a good idea.’

‘I guess so.’ Russell .said

When they were through with breakfast, Russell asked Cathie to his office. Russell sat behind the desk and Cathie sat on the chair in front of the desk, anytime they sat like that, Cathie knew it was business.

‘What’s up, Papa?’ she asked

Russell took a pen that was lying across the ranch register, he rolled it between his fingers. ‘Cole Gallagher died last week.’ He said looking seriously at his daughter

Cathie was silent, looking expectantly at her father, then her eyes lit up ‘His children are willing to sell the land!’ she said

Russell shook his head no, Cathie’s eyes immediately dimmed. Russell smiled ‘He had only one child and he more than willing to sell the land. He is eager, he sees it as a burden.’

‘Fantastic!’ Cathie said ‘So, what is the problem?’

‘The problem is you promised to buy the land back, remember?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good, now go to town to the Gallagher’s and make the deal.’

Cathie stood up, smiled at her father and walked out of the office.

***

The deal wasn’t as easy as Cathie thought, the bid was too high, although they could afford it but, she feared they could go bankrupt, which was not an option.

It took a week to finally close the deal at a more affordable price, they signed necessary papers after the money was transferred to Gallagher’s son account . though Cathie didn’t want to admit it, but his son was a good man, unlike what she had heard about his father.

A week later, the ridge that divide the ranch was removed and the ranch was whole again.

Russell and Cathie sat on tier horses and galloped to where the ridge had once been, Russell sighed in relief ‘I thought this day will never come,’ he said, then smiled at Cathie ‘you fulfilled your promise, I am very proud of you, honey.’

Cathie smiled back at her father ‘You worked hard too, papa.’.

***

Herrick and Josh moved to the staff quarters, the main house seem unusually quiet, Sarah had went to town to shop for some groceries, Cathie sat at the kitchen table, a cup of yoghurt in front of her. Her father was in the barn with Christopher, she turned her head toward the door as she heard footsteps approach.

Herrick appeared, she smile awkwardly at him. She had been avoiding him since that day at the cave, she had made sure they were never alone and made sure she was not in the place she though he could be.

‘Your father said I would find you in the kitchen.’ he said as he sat on a chair beside her.

‘My father?’

‘Yes, said you are in the kitchen all by yourself.’ He said ‘I thought it will be a great opportunity to finally see you alone.’

She adjusted her chair so that she would be facing him, she stared at him. God! He was handsome. He smiled at her and said ‘You have been avoiding me.’ It was not even a question.

She shook her head ‘No, I ……’

‘Why?’ he asked

‘I have not been avoiding you.’ She lied

‘Then what have you been doing?’

She bit her lips softly and shrugged. He cupped her cheek with his palm, looking her straight in the eye ‘I like you, Cathie.’ He said ‘s**t! I am falling for you.’

Something tugged at her heart, her eyes widened.

‘Cathie!’ He whispered

She loved the way he says her name, she blinked several times, she was falling for him too. ‘I …’ she wet her lips ‘I am falling for you too, Herrick. Hard.’