Cameron, Paige - Commando Cowboys Reclaim Their Love [Wyoming Warriors 4] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Polyromance) by Paige Cameron

items had to be thrown out, but her jewelry had not been touched in the other room, behind glass cases. Her favorite rug she’d had hanging from the wall would need to be cleaned. Overall, she’d been lucky, but the shop needed some extensive repair in the main showroom.
    Cindy, having heard of the fire, came to help her.
    They worked steadily through the afternoon. Cassie went upstairs once to open the windows and get rid of the smoke smell. She threw some of her clothes into the washer.
    When Cindy left late in the afternoon, Cassie sat on the floor and looked around her. All the emotions she’d held back all day swamped her. Tears ran down her face, and she rocked back and forth.
    The door behind her opened. She looked around as a tall shadow darkened the doorway. Too tall for Peter, thank goodness.
    Lang stepped into the gloomy room. He stared into her tear-filled eyes and shook his head. “Doesn’t seem like you’d have time to cry. Tears can’t get the work done.” He wandered around the room checking the wood walls and floors. Then he took out a small pad and made some notations.
    Cassie stood and waited for him to finish. When he did, he turned to face her.
    “Nick said you tossed him out.”
    “I guess I did. I was a little upset.”
    “Hmmm. I’m busy during the day, but I can come at night and work on these repairs. Probably finish it better than it was before.” He glanced at the notes he’d made. “It’ll take longer if I do it. You can hire a team to do the work, but it won’t be as good.”
    “No one in the area has your gift,” Cassie confirmed.
    “I talked to the fire chief. He thinks some kids squatted here last night, outside against the back wall. They left some smoldering cigarettes and by morning the old wood caught fire.”
    Lang glanced around then back at her. “You figure that’s how it got started?”
    The question unnerved her. “Maybe.”
    Lang stepped closer. His scent wrapped around her, and heat poured from his body. She’d felt cold earlier. She wanted to walk into his arms and suck up his heat, taste that firm, unrelenting mouth, be wrapped in his strong arms. But she stood her ground. Until she was sure Peter had gone out of her life for good, she couldn’t involve him and Nick with her monster.
    “You want me to do the work?”
    “Nick told you what I said?”
    “Yep.”
    “Then yes, please repair my shop for me. I have insurance. It should pay me, and I’ll pay you.” He didn’t respond. She watched as he went out to his truck and returned with his tools. He removed his jacket and went to work.
    Cassie went into the other room and cleaned the glass cases and her jewelry. She heard Lang’s movements as he worked and his low hum. She smiled. His presence gave her a sense of peace. Strange, he’d always had that effect on her. Except when he makes love to me. Then I’m caught in a whirlwind of emotions.
     
    * * * *

    Two weeks later, Ellen contacted Cassie and asked her to come by the lab. Cassie had never been downstairs under the main ranch house. She followed Ellen down several corridors until they stepped into a small lab room.
    “This is where I do most of my work,” Ellen said. She sat in a chair by a counter holding several microscopes and motioned for Cassie to sit beside her. “I’ve been working with your mother’s and your blood. I got a surprise.”
    “What?”
    “Your blood works with our medicine better than your mother’s.”
    “What does that mean?” Cassie was confused by Ellen’s words and the big smile Ellen gave her.
    “It means we’re going to mix our medicine with your plasma. Let me see if I can give you a simple explanation.” Ellen stopped and thought for a minute. “Say you had a medicine in a powder form and you were instructed to mix it with water before taking. Our medicine, or treatment, whichever you choose to call it, is mixed in an ingredient that works best for the natural inhabitants of the ranch. The