Caleb paced the floor in the parlor. He'd built a fire high in the hearth, and now he wished he hadn't. Nicole was upstairs in one of the spare rooms, bathing in one of his brother's expensive tubs while a nice fire in her room warmed her completely. Caleb wanted to be the one warming her. Not the tub or the fire but him! She had been through a lot tonight, and she needed a man's comforting arms around her, soothing her. Not just any man's arms, but his!

Then again, thinking this way was going to get him into trouble. He could not be feeling this way for one of his girls. It didn't matter that she was very different from the others, she still worked for him, which made her off-limits. If only he hadn't kissed that first day, maybe he wouldn't be having these confusing emotions.

He had promised her and himself that he would never kiss her again. Yet, after what happened with her and Weston, and seeing the pain on her face for what she'd done, Caleb knew he couldn't ignore her. Slowly, she was sneaking her way into his lonely heart, and he was reluctant to stop it.

The creak of the floor outside the parlor drew his attention to the door. Nicole stopped in the doorway. Her hair was slightly damp, and she wore a full-length blue dressing robe that had been left here by one of Michael Zambino's many wives. Nicole's feet were bare, and Caleb couldn't understand why his heart was speeding with anticipation. Just gazing at her innocence and loveliness made him want to forget about their boss and employee relationship.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

"Yes. I... I just wanted to come down and thank you again for everything. That was the best bath I've ever had, and the food you had left for me was very delicious." She wrung her hands against her middle. "I've never known a man like you, Caleb. I find myself blessed in so many ways from knowing you."

He inhaled a shaky breath. Her words would be his undoing, he was sure of it.

"Then the men from where you came from must have been real dolts."

She laughed. "I believe they were."

"You look cold." He motioned toward the roaring fire. "Please come in and sit right here." He picked up a chair and moved it closer to the hearth. "It'll dry your hair faster, too."

She appeared hesitant but finally walked into the room. He sighed with relief, excited about having her company. She sat on the chair he provided and began threading her fingers through her hair slowly, proceeding to dry her hair. She was breathtaking and watching her like this was causing havoc in his head and in his heart.

"So, all of this used to be your brothers?" she asked.

"Yes. Michael wanted his family around him at all times. I shared two other brothers with Michael, but they were hanged last month."

She gasped, and her fingers stopped. "Whatever for?"

"Well, you see, Michael and several of his friends who lived here, along with these brothers, were outlaws of sorts. They secretly killed many people who Michael deemed unworthy of living. They did everything Michael asked, and in doing so, it made them criminals, too."

"That's terrible. But... how were you able to turn out so well?"

Caleb laughed. "I wasn't part of Michael's gang. I lived here because I was family and because I was the only doctor who wouldn't ask questions as to why men came to me with gunshot wounds."

"That's why you knew about Weston's arm."

He nodded. "Exactly."

"Did you know what kind of man your brother really was?"

"I suspected." He shrugged. "But I was comfortable living here and being a doctor. I didn't want to stir up any trouble with Michael."

"Would your brother have harmed you if you went against him?"

"I was too afraid to find out." He moved to the sofa and sat. "But at least I wasn't a traitor. Not once did I turn my brother in, even though I suspected why his wives suddenly died. Maybe I could have saved some of them if I had gone to the sheriff about my suspicions."

Nicole left the chair and moved to sit beside him on the sofa. She touched his arm. "Caleb, don't blame yourself. You did what you did because Michael was a brother whom you loved. Nobody thinks less of you, and if they do, it's because they don't know how devoted you were to your family."

Caleb's heart melted. Why could Nicole read him so well in just a short time, and yet some of the people in town still judged him harshly? She proved to him once again that she had a kind heart.

"How do you do that?" he wondered.

"Do what?"

"You have a way of making me feel at ease with my decisions. Yet, as you have mentioned before, we haven't known each other for very long."

She smiled bashfully. "Yes, well... although we haven't known each other for very long, I still understand your feelings."

"How?"

"Because I've had those feelings before, too."

Confused, he shook his head. "You have had a family member who did something wrong, and you didn't report it?"

Her gaze dropped to her lap, and her smile disappeared. "I'd rather not talk about it if you don't mind."

As Caleb studied her, he could see that whatever had happened to her might actually be worse than what happened to him. Yet, he would follow her wishes and not push her to talk about it.

"Nicole," he scooted closer, sliding his arm around her shoulders. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, but please know that I'll understand." He stroked her warm cheek. "I'm a good listener, too."

When her blue eyes lifted to his, his heartbeat quickened. She was so lovely, and the blue of her dressing robe brought out the color of her eyes, making it impossible to look away. He was mesmerized, and he didn't care. In fact, he quite enjoyed the feelings.

"I'll keep that mind." Her voice was soft as she stared at him.

"So, if you don't want to talk about your family experience, what do you want to talk about?"

She shrugged.

"Maybe you can tell me how things went tonight at the saloon since it was my night off."

She laughed loudly. "Oh, good heavens. What a night."

He grinned. "Now you must tell me what happened."

She described the crowd and how she had gotten leery looks from many of the men. Then she told him about the dance and how afterward, men wanted her to sit on their lap. He laughed at her shocked expression, verifying exactly how innocent she was.

"You'll have to ask Patsy how she handled the men when she first started working for me."

Nicole's shapely eyebrows lifted. "Patsy had problems, too?"

"Oh, yes. But soon, she acted as if she wasn't bothered by them."

"Then I'll certainly talk to her." She paused. "Oh, and you should probably know, she went home early tonight because she had tummy problems. But I'll talk to her about how she was able to flirt with men, for sure."

"Remember," his gaze dropped to her tempting lips, "that just because you smile and flirt with them doesn't mean you are that kind of girl. This is just a job."

"Oh, so you're saying that I'm a performer while working at the saloon?"

"Exactly." He stroked her cheek again, knowing that it was getting more and more difficult to stop touching her. "The men will give you tips for just standing by their side and rubbing their neck. They enjoy your company, and then at closing, they'll return home to sleep it off so that they can go to work the next day."

"Are these men married?"

Caleb shrugged. "We are a logging town. There aren't many women here, and so there are very few who are married. But the saloon is where the lonely men come for a little entertainment and to look at pretty girls."

"What about you?" she asked in a quiet voice again. "Is that why you enjoy working at the saloon – for entertainment and looking at pretty girls?"

Her question made him pause, only because he'd never considered it before. "The truth is," he said, gliding his palm down her quickly drying hair, "I've been around a lot of people most of my adult life. Michael always had big gatherings for mealtimes or times when we just wanted a little entertainment. Now that I'm the only one living in this big house, I get lonely, which is why I try to work as much as I can at the saloon." He briefly touched his finger to her nose. "Seeing pretty women like you is only a bonus for me."

Nicole was quiet for a few seconds, but her gaze never left his face. "Caleb? Why aren't you married?"

"That's a very good question." He chuckled. "My brother tried to fix me up with women, but because I knew what kind of women he liked, I refused to become attracted to them. Since his death, I've put all my effort into the saloon. I don't have time to look for a wife."

She sighed and relaxed against him. "That doesn't sound like a good way to live."

"Maybe it's not, but for me, it seems to be working out. How about you?"

"I... I had a father who found fault with any man who tried to court me. Although he wanted me to one day marry and have a family, he turned away any man that came to the door. It didn't take long until word got out about my father's pickiness, and soon men stopped coming to call."

"I'm sorry." He said, as his heart broke for her and what she must have gone through. "Yet, I'm not sorry."

She blinked as surprise registered on her face. "You're not sorry?"

"I'm not sorry because if your father had found someone for you to marry, you never would have come to Stumptown, and I never would have met such a kind and giving woman."

Her pretty smile returned. "You are one charming man, Caleb West."

He shrugged one shoulder. "I try."

She sighed again, heavier this time. "I suppose I should go to bed now."

"Are you tired?"

"Um... a little. Are you?"

He didn't know if he should tell her that he was wide-awake now, and it was because of the closeness they were sharing. "I could probably stay awake for a little while longer, but I don't want to keep you up if you're ready to retire."

Her gaze moved over his face slowly as if trying to read his thoughts. At this moment, he wished she could read his thoughts. If so, they'd been entwined in a lover's passionate kiss. Then again, he didn't want to scare her away.

"I suppose I could stay up a little while longer, too. It's just too cozy sitting next to you like this with the fire in the hearth."

Grinning, he nodded as excitement grew inside him. "You have read my thoughts, my sweet Nicole." Well... some of his thoughts, anyway.

She reached up and swiped a lock of hair off his forehead, pushing it back with the others. He nearly groaned from the pleasure her heated touch caused. And to think it was just his forehead. He had it bad for her, in the worst way. Being cuddled on the sofa like this was probably not the best idea in the world. Yet, he wouldn't give up this moment for all the money in the world.