Christmas Witness

by Aimée Thurlo

  “Jake.” Her voice was like a whispered prayer.

  “I’m here, sweetheart. Feel my hands and my mouth on your sweet body. Let me love you in every way you’ve ever dreamed of—everything...everywhere...for you.”

  She felt his heated mouth suckle her breast as his hand moved inside her, parting her and invading her body. His strokes fanned the flames within her. She cried out his name over and over again.

  Holding back was agony, but he wouldn’t rush them. He started to push her back onto the straw but, as her swollen belly pressed against him, he suddenly pulled back.

  “I can’t hurt you or the child,” he breathed in a tortured whisper. “But let me take you in the only way I can.” He burned kisses down the length of her body, whispering dark words as he caressed her, seeking and probing, tasting and filling her emptiness. A fire too intense to bear raged inside her.

  “Let it happen. Let me be the man you surrender to.”

  Pleasure after pleasure flowed over her until she came apart. She held nothing back, trusting in him and the love he’d shown her.

  Once certain she could give him no more, he shifted and held her against his side, brushing a kiss on her forehead. Annie whimpered as she felt his hardness against her thigh. It had been so complete, yet not. Tears formed in her eyes.

  “I need to be one with you,” she whispered. “I know what it’s like to be strong—and alone. I don’t want to be strong tonight.”

  “I don’t want you to regret this...” he said, his voice raw.

  “The baby will be all right. And it will do the baby’s mother a world of good,” she whispered, pushing him back onto the straw and hay bedding.

  He helped her sit astride him and, lifting her bottom, guided her as she lowered herself over him. Her body spread then tightened around him.

  She felt too good. He had to hold back. His hands were shaking as he grasped her hips but, using every last bit of willpower he possessed, Jake allowed her to set the pace. Only when she got tired, did he take over, moving in the same gentle rhythm she’d set.

  His eyes strayed over her as she sat on top of him, riding him gently. He caressed her swollen breasts and her belly, then moved down to the center of her. As she rocked her body back and forth over him, he began to caress her there. Her eyes widened and she gasped as new fires spread over her.

  The love she felt in her heart made the pleasure he was giving her more intense and sweeter. Even with Bobby, making love had never been like this. She knew then that no other man would ever touch her heart the way Jake had.

  As desire burned through her, her fingers dug into his powerful shoulders. “More,” she pleaded.

  He thrust up into her, giving her what she wanted, but careful not to hurt her.

  “No, don’t hold back,” she urged, her eyes never wavering from his, taking him even more deeply into herself.

  “Sweet Annie.” His control vanished as passion made its own demands. She welcomed his thrusts, engulfing him in her heated warmth. The fire, the velvet... drove him to the brink of sanity.

  As he arched his back, thrusting into her, she cried out his name. Her body shattered and a cascade of tender fires swept over her, leaving no part of her untouched.

  It was a surrender that came from the soul. She’d given him everything, willingly.

  Every muscle in Jake’s body tightened. Every masculine instinct he possessed drank in the power of her gift to him. His chest heaving, his skin hot, he thrust upward one more time and, with a cry, exploded inside her.

  Annie held on to his shoulders then, with a soft sigh, sagged against him, every bit of energy she’d had expended.

  Jake wrapped his arms around her gently. Annie and her child were a part of him now—his family.

  “It was...” Words failed her.

  “For me, too,” he murmured. “You taught me something about love tonight. Gentleness can be more powerful than I ever imagined.”

  Tears filled her eyes. He was still a man who loved freedom, something a woman and child would never be able to give him. But, for tonight, their souls had taken flight and soared together.

  MINUTES PASSED SLOWLY. It was getting cold, despite the large heater in the barn, and Jake knew they would have to go back soon. But he couldn’t will himself to stop holding her. She felt so right in his arms. As he brushed her hair away from her cheek so he could kiss her, he felt the moistness on her face. “Why are you crying? Have I hurt you?”

  “No. It’s just hay fever. We are on hay, you know,” she said, keeping her tone light. She pulled away from him and smiled as the baby stirred. “And the baby’s fine, though probably a bit miffed at us for disturbing her rest.” She shifted so he couldn’t see her stomach.

  He tugged gently at her hand until her body was turned toward him. He could see the baby’s movements clearly as the child pushed against her stomach. He touched her belly gently, almost in awe. The baby was part of the woman whose body he’d shared and the baby’s life had irrevocably touched his own. Nothing would ever be the same. There were problems to be faced and solved, but he felt closer to Annie and the baby now than he’d ever felt to anyone. For the first time in his life, he wanted to have a family. Permanence held no terror for him anymore.

  Aware of the way his gaze rested on her distended belly, and feeling self-conscious, Annie began gathering up her clothes quickly.

  Jake reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “I have never seen a more beautiful woman, Annie.”

  “Or a larger one, I bet,” she said with a shy laugh, refusing to meet his gaze this time. “We’d better get back to the house before Martin and Nick send out a posse. It would be embarrassing to be caught naked in the barn.”

  Hearing voices coming toward the barn, she gasped. “Oh, no! It’s too late.”

  Jake quickly pulled on his jeans and sweater and, while she gathered her things, gave her a smile. “I’ll intercept them, then I’ll be back. Don’t worry.”

  As she watched him go, Annie tried to tell herself that what they’d shared had been of no consequence. In reality nothing had changed. The fact was she’d still be facing the future alone.

  It didn’t matter how deep Jake’s feelings ran, with his skin still warm with the glow of passion. Once he was faced with the constant demands the baby would make on her, he’d soon begin to feel trapped in a relationship he wasn’t prepared for.

  Paul had been wrong to demand they stay together for one year. In the final analysis, all he’d really done was take two people who weren’t meant to be together, and show them a world they could never have.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The following morning Annie went out for a walk alone. What Jake and she had shared last night, first making love, then going out for a late candlelight dinner, had touched her soul. Then they’d slept together, Jake holding her close all night. Yet the love they’d found was destined to slip right through their fingers, and that knowledge was tearing her apart.

  Realizing that she’d been walking much too fast, she stopped by the corrals and tried to catch her breath. That’s when she heard Martin talking to the wranglers.

  “I understood Paul’s love for this ranch better than anyone else. The truth is, I knew his thoughts as well as I knew my own. There wasn’t much he could keep secret from me.”

  “Then why can’t you help Jake and Nick find that evidence? Unless that’s settled soon, there’s going to be another death, mark my words,” one of the wranglers said.

  “It’ll all come out at the right time. Don’t worry,” Martin said.

  There was a tense silence, then she heard Rick’s voice. “You know where it is, don’t you, Uncle Martin.” From his tone, it was plain that the question was rhetorical.

  Martin didn’t answer him. “That’s enough chitchat. Get back to work, all of you. I want the stalls ready for the horses tonight. Is that clear?”

  A cold chill settled over her, and she didn’t stay to listen to the men’s compl
aints. She was almost sure that Martin didn’t really know where the evidence was. But if she was right about that, why was he letting others believe differently?

  Nick was coming down the stairs when she returned to the house. “Are you okay?” he asked, giving her a thorough once-over. “You look as if you’ve been running.”

  “It’s just really, really cold out this morning,” she said, slipping off her coat. “But I’m glad you’re here. I need to talk to you and Jake. Can we meet in the kitchen? That way I can also get something warm to drink.”

  “Sure. Jake’s in there now, I believe. I heard him rattling around a while ago.”

  Jake smiled at her as she walked in. His gaze touched her tenderly and intimately. “I figured you were out walking. You didn’t overdo it, did you?”

  The power of that one look left her tingling. Annie tore her gaze away and wondered if Nick would be able to sense any difference in the way they treated each other this morning. She glanced at Nick, but his attention was centered on the muffins someone had placed on the counter.

  As Jake and Nick ate breakfast, Annie recounted the conversation she’d heard outside. “I think Martin was deliberately misleading them. If he knew, I think he would have told us by now. But I don’t understand why he’s doing this.”

  “I think I can answer that.” At Martin’s voice, they turned to see him standing just inside the kitchen. He sat at the table with them and took a muffin from the serving plate. “Someone has targeted this ranch and family. I couldn’t stand by and do nothing, so earlier yesterday I started spreading the story that I knew more than I was letting on. I think the pitchfork trap Jake told us about last night was meant for me. Unfortunately, you were almost the victim, but by letting people believe that I know where the evidence is, I’m hoping the killer will come after me instead of any of you. It’s my way of trying to protect everyone.”

  Jake’s face turned a deep crimson as he struggled to control his anger. “Martin, you should have talked to me about this before putting yourself in danger. By now the story’s all over the pueblo. There’s no telling what the killer will do next.”

  “He won’t kill me. He’ll need to find out what I know first,” Martin said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to find out who he is and capture him before that happens.”

  “Depending on what the killer knows, he may decide that you’re already too great a risk to him alive,” Annie said. “I certainly can’t identify him, but that hasn’t prevented his attacks on me.”

  “The wranglers will watch my back. I won’t be alone until we repair the fire damage.” Martin stood and walked to the door. “Hopefully this is going to buy you all some time, and take some of the killer’s attention away from Annie. While the killer is focused on me, I’ll expect you to find answers.”

  Nick looked at Jake after Martin left. “I’m going to spend the day with the ranch hands as they continue repairing the barn. I’ll keep an eye on Martin, as well.”

  “I’ll join you,” Jake said, then gave Annie a worried look. “On second thought, I’m not sure I should leave you here alone at the house.”

  “As Martin pointed out, he’s the target now,” Annie said.

  Nick shook his head. “It’s still risky. Why don’t you work inside repairing the sala and the study, Jake? I’ll stick to the barn repairs. With all the men doing the outside work, someone’s got to concentrate on the house.”

  Jake nodded. “Good idea. I really don’t want to spend Christmas in a fire-damaged house if I can help it.” He was beginning to realize that despite some bad memories, he still valued this place as his home.

  After Nick left, Annie. stood and excused herself, avoiding Jake’s gaze. “I might as well get to work, too.”

  “Are you avoiding me, Annie? We shouldn’t feel uncomfortable around each other, not after what we’ve shared,” Jake said softly.

  She took a deep breath and prayed for courage. To allow a doomed relationship to continue was wrong and she owed Jake and herself more than that. It was time to let go. “I’m not uncomfortable around you, Jake. But it’s time to face things squarely. What happened last night was wonderful, but it was something neither of us intended. Now it’s time to move on. I’ve got my own life to live. My career is on the brink, and I’ve got a baby on the way. You’re not part of my future.”

  “Don’t tell me last night meant nothing to you. I won’t believe it,” he growled.

  “Of course it meant something. You’re the best lover any woman could ever hope for,” she said, forcing her tone to stay casual. “It was forbidden fruit, you know, and that made it even better. But now that we’ve sampled it, it’s out of our system.”

  She walked away from him, her shoulders back and her head erect, but tears were streaming down her face. Her heart had shattered into a million pieces. Sadness, black and suffocating, engulfed her. It was over now. All that would remain were the memories and the pain.

  JAKE WORKED TIRELESSLY. scraping damaged plaster from the interior walls where heat had caused it to crack and break away. Anger drove him relentlessly. He’d wanted to kiss Annie senseless and force her to take back her words, but he knew that was not the way to win her. Fear was at the root of her words—fear of him, of getting hurt, of seeing love turn into disappointment and sorrow. But he wasn’t the same man who’d arrived a few days ago. He no longer only craved freedom. His heart was now leading him in a new direction.

  Life had treated Annie harshly and instinct told him she’d need far more than words to convince her that his love was real. As he thought things through, he stopped to consider what he had to offer her. The answers that came to him weighed heavily on his mind. He had no real home; he moved from one place to the other every few weeks, depending on the contract work. What kind of life was that for her child, or for any woman who wanted roots and security?

  He stood for a moment and stared outside. He loved this ranch, but this was still his father’s world. He knew next to nothing about making a living from a horse ranch. A man supporting a woman and a child needed to be able to earn enough to provide for them.

  Annie had done the right thing by letting go. It was all so logical and clear, but something inside him wouldn’t let him walk away. He looked down the hall, fighting the urge to go after her.

  Suddenly the lights flickered and he heard a commotion outside. Men were shouting, and some of the horses were whinnying and running around the corral.

  Annie came rushing down the hall, her eyes wide. “What’s going on outside?”

  “Stay here, lock the door, and stand by the gun cabinet. I’ll go out and see.”

  He’d barely reached the front door when Nick came rushing in, almost knocking Jake down. “Martin’s been hurt. He was working on the hot wire around the fence. It appeared that one of the horses had kicked an insulator loose and shorted out the line.”

  “Is he all right?” Jake asked, his jaw clenched.

  Nick nodded. “I think so. It looks like a setup. Someone tampered with the lines, and ran a full charge through the chain-link fence. Martin grabbed it by accident trying to get out of the way when a horse spooked. The voltage threw him back and tossed him to the ground. He got off lucky, but his hands are burned. He was unconscious for a short time, too.”

  “I’ll call the clinic and notify Elsie and the doc,” Jake said. Jake picked up the phone and, after a quick conversation, hung up.

  “We need to take him to the hospital right now,” Jake said. “Elsie will ride with him in case the shock or bums have any side effects.”

  Nick nodded. “I’ll need your pickup to drive him to Santa Fe. You have a camper shell over the bed of the truck. He can lie down there.”

  “I’ll get some blankets and a pillow,” Annie said. “Did someone put some ice on the burns?”

  “Not ice—snow,” Nick said. “It was quick and handy.”

  “I’ll get ice. The last thing Martin needs is an infection.”

  Annie wanted to
ride in the back, but Martin and Jake refused to allow it in her condition, especially since Elsie would be going. Instead, she followed with Jake in Nick’s Jeep.

  After picking Elsie up at the clinic, they raced toward Santa Fe.

  Annie avoided looking at him, and he knew that being alone with him was as difficult for her as it was for him. They were going to have a long twelve months ahead, she thought with a sad sigh.

  It took about half an hour to get to the hospital. Then, an eternity passed while they waited in the lobby with Nick. When the emergency room doctor finally came out to meet them, tension was running high.

  The doctor wore an encouraging smile as he approached. “He’s going to be okay, but you’ll have to make sure he doesn’t use his hands for several days. He didn’t get a good grip on the fence, so the injured area isn’t massive or particularly deep. But the palms and fingers on both hands will require bandages, and they’ll have to be changed often. He also received quite an electrical shock, so he’ll have to take it easy. If he hadn’t been in such good physical shape and been thrown away by the surge, I think his heart would have stopped.”

  Martin came out with an accompanying nurse, walking slowly. His eyes were dull, and his hands swathed in bandages. “Where do you think you’re going?” Jake demanded.

  “Martin can go home, if he stays put,” the doctor said. “I’ve given Elsie instructions that she’ll pass along to your local doctor. He’ll know what to do if there’s any kind of problem.”

  Martin grinned at the boys. “Let’s go. There’s work to be done.”

  The doctor shook his head. “That’s precisely what you can’t do, not for a while,” he said firmly. “You can watch and give directions, but remember not to get around ice or snow where you can slip. Using your hands to stop a fall will just complicate things. It’s important that you use your hands as little as possible.”

  Martin stood there a moment, looking down at his hands. His eyes took on a curious distant look.