by Sarah Gilman
Dutch materialized at Jade’s side and she handed him his shirt. “The girl’s got a sprained ankle, but she’s fine,” he said.
Jade kissed his cheek.
They waited. After several minutes, the father emerged with the little girl in his arms.
“Sometimes, a parent just knows where to look.” Dutch winked.
They headed down the mountain. Dutch fell into silence, a distance in his eyes. When the path leveled off, he said, “I told myself I wouldn’t, because some things are best left in the past, but I want to tell you…”
“Hmm?”
He slid an arm around her waist. “After I died, the logging company sent a telegraph to my family. They traveled all night and arrived the next day. It was a relief to see them, but I didn’t show myself to anyone. I was expecting a beam of light or something to appear any second.” His tone hardened. “They collected the wages the company owed me, several months’ worth. Mother spared the body a glance and the sign of the cross, then they left me on the ground and took off.”
Jade rubbed the center of her chest. What sort of parents could do that to their son? “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. The loggers buried me. They even pitched in and bought me that stone. The uncouth sons of bitches took better care of me than my own family. I’m very grateful to them. And it’s nice to finally tell someone what they did for me.” He paused. “I’d rather focus on the present. I’m making dinner for a girl tonight, so we better hurry back.”
Jade hooked her arm through his and couldn’t help but wonder if enjoying Dutch’s company so much was wise. He wanted to be exorcised, something her conscience screamed against, but what would she tell her brothers if she refused? She’d lose the job she’d been immersed in since birth. Continuing being an exorcist on her own, developing an incantation to move spirits harmlessly to the next world, wouldn’t be possible, not without her family’s extensive library.
Spending time with Dutch would only make it worse—for both of them.
Chapter Five
“This is a very bad idea,” Jade muttered, meeting her own stare in the mirror. The knots in her stomach fluttered in anticipation. “Damn it.”
She took her usual braid down and brushed her hair until it fell in waves to her elbows. A job in the woods had not merited packing sexy clothes, so she selected a clean pair of jeans and a silken blouse—business clothes. The spicy scent of cooking drifted in through the open window from the grill behind the cabin.
“Jade?” Dutch called from the porch.
She checked the mirror one last time and hurried to the door. Dutch waited there, dressed in a dark green button-down shirt that brought out his eyes.
“Evening.” He reached for her hand and kissed her fingers. “You look lovely tonight.”
The contact stirred her internal butterflies into a flying frenzy. “Thanks.”
“I hope you like fish.”
She inhaled. “Whatever that scent is, I like it.”
He squeezed her hand and led her around to the back of the cabin, a private yard surrounded by thick bushes. A small fire burned in a stone pit and a white cloth covered a picnic table. Two plates offered roasted fish, wilted greens, and fresh bread.
He pulled a bottle of wine from an ice bucket. “I caught the trout myself and picked the herbs in the woods. The rest I got from the market across the street. Sorry about the plastic dishes. It’s all they had.”
“Not at all.” She joined him at the table. “This looks wonderful.”
“I’m glad.” He poured the wine.
She touched a cluster of wildflowers set in a plastic cup in the middle of the table.
He cleared his throat. “At the risk of sounding corny, the flowers you left by my stone meant a lot to me. No one has ever done that before. Thank you.”
A comfortable silence fell. Jade slowly ate the delicious food and cleaned the plate. As they finished the bottle of wine, they chatted about little things: The fish recipe that had been a favorite in the logging camps where Dutch had worked. How Jade had initially picked up the viola as a child just to annoy her brothers but had come to love it more than any other hobby.
The bottle dried up and she brought her the instrument outside.
“Any requests?” She stood in front of the fire.
He sat on the ground, dark-blue twilight framing him, and rested an arm on a bent knee. “Your favorite piece.”
She lifted the viola to her shoulder and began the slow, uplifting solo that had attracted her to the instrument when she’d been little. Her mother had played the song on an antique record player. Playing with her eyes closed to not get distracted by Dutch’s unwavering gaze, she gave herself over to the music. The piece took five minutes to complete, and as she prolonged the last note, his warm fingers touched her cheek.
She opened her eyes. Dutch pressed his lips to her shoulder, her neck, her jaw line, and paused, his mouth a hair’s breadth from hers. She set the instrument and bow on the table.
A hand on her nape, he pulled her against his mouth, his other arm firm around the small of her back. His unyielding grip spurred her heart rate and filled her body with simmering heat.
Jade dug her fingers into his thick hair and nipped at his lower lip. His lips curved against her skin, and he lowered her into the grass on her back. Bold. But she trusted that he’d stop if she asked him to, and such confident passion in a man sang to her desires.
Stretched out at her side, he stroked her throat and claimed her lips again. As she returned and deepened the kiss, she ran her fingers from his rough hand up his arm to his chest, the soft cotton of his shirt at odds with the hard angles and curves underneath.
He broke the kiss but stayed close. “Jade. It’s been over a century since I’ve been close to anyone. You can’t imagine what it was like to hold you on the bridge today. What it’s like to hold you now.”
She lifted his wrist from her shoulder and ran her fingertips slowly down the inside of his fingers, across his palm, and up the hairless underside of his arm. Following the path with her lips, she made her way to his neck. She licked the soft skin below his ear and blew across the spot.
He shivered and lifted her into a sitting position. He kissed her, his lips and tongue relentless, his sugary, wine-tinged taste addictive. Tilting her head back with his hands, he dropped his mouth to her neck, licking and pressing her skin between his teeth, certain to leave marks.
“More,” she groaned. She trusted her instincts and her body. She’d wanted this before the first drop of wine had passed her lips. Hell, she’d been drawn to him the first time they’d spoken.
In an effortless motion, he laid her back down in the grass and held her gaze, his fingers on the top buttons of her blouse. She nodded, and he parted her shirt, baring her skin and her white lace bra. The friction of his rough palms against her belly made her arch into his touch. He bent forward and pressed his mouth to her left breast, licking her nipple through the thin lace. She hissed in a breath through her teeth and dug her fingers into his shoulders.
He returned his ministrations to her lips, though he pressed more of his weight onto her body. Warm pressure.
“So lovely,” he said against her mouth as she drew in air.
She smoothed her hands under his shirt, up the planes on his stomach, and pressed his nipples between her fingertips. The groan from his throat bordered on a growl.
Shoving the cotton out of the way, she licked first the right nipple, then the left, dragging her fingernails along his back.
He stiffened in her arms. Gasping, he jerked away from her and collapsed on his back.
“Dutch!” She sat up and knelt at his side. “What’s wrong?”
“Not again…” He stared at her, his brow furrowed. He sucked in a sharp breath, faded and vanished. Jade lost her balance and fell forward on her hands. His clothing lay abandoned beneath her palms.
“Dutch, are you still here? Answer me!”
The silen
ce lengthened, and she scrambled to her feet. A faint voice reached her ears, the rhythmic sound rising above the buzz of the evening crickets.
Aaron. Oh, shit, what had her brother done?
Every muscle in her body tensed and adrenaline seared her veins like an acid wash. She took off full tilt toward the river.
…
Running in the fading light of evening, Jade stepped on a loose rock in the path and went down hard, face first into the gravel. Pain shot up her leg. Her cheek burned. Cursing, she shoved herself to her feet. Her brother’s voice, louder now, guided her down the narrow side path. She reached the edge of the river.
Her brother, silhouetted by a lantern, knelt on a large granite outcrop, facing the rapids. He held a book close to the light and read out loud in Latin.
“Stop!” She reached him and snatched the book from his hand. “What the hell are you doing?”
He stared up at her with a tight grin, his severe features made more so by his cropped hair and the shadows cast by the lantern. “You’ve never seen an exorcism before?” He lifted his fingers to her injured cheek, giving her a rare glimpse of the caring brother beneath the cold exterior. The brother whose leg still bore scars from protecting her from a dog when they’d taken a shortcut through the wrong yard as kids.
“What happened?”
“I tripped, running down here in the dark.” She clutched the book to her chest. A far more gifted clairvoyant than Jeremy or herself, Aaron didn’t need the benefit of the ghost’s presence or the grave. But he did need the book.
“Why is your bra showing?”
Her heart leapt up and clung to her throat. She furiously buttoned her blouse. “I was getting dressed after a shower.”
He folded his arms. “Jeremy told me the exorcism hadn’t been completed and figured I needed to head out here.” He held out his hand. “Give me that.”
She tossed the book into the rapids, using all her strength to get good distance.
His eyes widened. “That was one of our great grandfather’s handwritten copies.”
“This spirit is different, Aaron. He can assume corporeal form and is in no way hostile. He set up the motel fire to get an exorcism, but we’ve…” Heat seared her cheeks. “We’ve gotten acquainted.”
“Corporeal form? Interesting.” He pursed his lips. Silent seconds ticked by. “Go back to wherever you’re staying, little sister. I’m going to call Jeremy, and we’re going to finish this in the morning.”
He strode off up the path in the moonlight, leaving his lantern with her. She bent forward, hands on her knees, and caught her breath. Thank God he’d left without much of a fuss, but he clearly intended to proceed with the exorcism as soon as he got another copy of the text. Her pulse hammered in her ears and her knees trembled. A tear dripped off the end of her chin.
“Dutch?” she whispered.
Chapter Six
Jade made her way back along the path, forcing herself to think positive. Aaron had gotten a couple pages into the exorcism, and though it must have put Dutch through tremendous pain, it wasn’t enough to do a spirit as strong as him any permanent harm. When the bindings wore off, Dutch would recover.
The adrenaline rush ebbed, and the scrapes and cuts from her fall made themselves known. Her knee throbbed. Grit mingled with blood on her palms. Her cheek stung.
Halfway back, warm air brushed her neck. Her breath hitched. “Dutch?”
“I’m here,” his quiet voice said. “Meet me at the cabin.”
She ran, taking care of her footing. Bursting through the door, the sound of water running reached her ears. “Dutch!”
“In here.”
Jade hurried to the bathroom and found him bent over the sink, soaking a washcloth under the steaming faucet. Dressed in his brown pants and boots, he appeared unharmed. She touched his shoulder. “Are you all right?”
He met her gaze, pain evident in his eyes. “I’ll be fine.” He dabbed the warm, damp cloth on her cheek. “Thank you for intervening, but I wish you hadn’t gotten hurt.”
In the mirror, she caught sight of the gash on her face and winced. “How did you escape the bindings so fast?”
“He didn’t bind me. He just started in on the exorcism, which in itself overpowered me. No offense, but he’s stronger than you.”
“He is, unfortunately.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “And he’ll be back.”
“Who is he?” Dutch rinsed the cloth under cold water, folded it, and pressed it against her cheek.
“My older brother, Aaron. Every generation, the firstborn turns out the strongest in terms of clairvoyance. My younger brother, in turn, isn’t as strong as I am.” She lifted her hand to the cold compress. “I should be the one taking care of you.”
He cocked his head and his lips curved into a weary grin. “There’s first aid for a partial exorcism?”
“No.” She leaned back against the doorframe. “I’m so sorry about tonight.”
“You forget, I want to be exorcised.” He sighed. “Just not like that. With you, it was on my terms.”
She turned away and met his gaze in the mirror. “Aren’t there other things you want?”
“Prior to today, no. But now…” He pressed against her back, brushed her hair aside, and nuzzled her neck. Waves of heat rushed down her body.
He lifted a hand from her waist and cupped her chin, coaxing her face toward his. His lips touched hers, light contact at first, then he leaned into her. His deep brown eyes held her gaze as they kissed. Slowly and without breaking contact, she turned to fully face him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He broke the kiss and his gaze traveled down her body. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”
“I landed pretty hard on my knees.” She bit her lip and reached for her zipper.
Easing the fabric over a sharp ache on her kneecap, she stepped out of her jeans and dropped them on the hamper. Her blouse didn’t cover her white lace panties.
“Hmm.” Dutch knelt and ran his fingers across the lace, down her hips to her tender knee. “The skin isn’t broken, but you’ll have a good bruise.” He pressed his lips to the spot.
She sighed as he kissed his way up her leg. He paused halfway up her thigh and met her stare. The light over the mirror accented the green specks in his otherwise earthy eyes.
“Keep going. Please.” She wove her fingers into the slight curls of his hair.
He pressed his lips to the lace that covered the lowest point of her belly and ran his hands up her hips. The firm pressure of his work-hardened palms instilled tingling heat deep into her flesh, searing her nerves. His fingers slid under the edge of her panties and pulled the dainty fabric down to her ankles.
She kicked the garment into the corner as he got to his feet. His hands traveled up her backside, under her shirt and up her back. He kissed her, sucking her lower lip into his mouth as he scratched his fingers over her bra.
“Off,” he said, his tone husky enough to be a growl.
The demand kicked the speed of her breathing up a notch. Any other time, she’d smack a man for giving her blunt orders. But now she reached behind her and flicked the tiny clasps free.
“Jade.” He leaned back an inch, hitting her with the full force of those eyes. “It’s been a long time for me. I won’t have much control to offer you if we go any further.”
“I’m not going to stop you.” She was so afraid she’d lost him tonight. “I want to be with you.” She unbuttoned and pushed his pants down, grasping the length of him in her hand. With a throaty whisper, she added, “And I want you to lose control.”
Dutch stripped off her shirt and slid her bra down her arms, his movements quick and rough. He kicked off his boots and pants, picked her up, and headed for the back door.
Outside, the night air remained a comfortable temperature. Overhead, no moon shone, but the stars gleamed brighter for its absence. Dutch set her down on the cool grass. Tall, thick bushes around the cabin offered privacy.
/> He claimed her mouth and rubbed his body against hers, his weight and warmth a sinful comfort. Smoothing her hands over his chest and back, she sucked on his tongue.
Pausing, mischief filled his eyes. He grinned and vanished.
“Wha—”
“Sh.” He remained on top of her in his incorporeal form, an invisible, coiled energy, his power level so much more intense than any other spirit she’d ever brushed against. Unlike weaker spirits that created a drop in temperature, he smoothed heat over her body like a bath of self-warming cream. A hint of electrical charge raised the tiny hairs on her arms. He spared no inch of her, touching her everywhere at once, the sensual caress driving her to stimulation overload.
She writhed and whimpered. The sweet friction intensified, as if he were squeezing her. He backed off for a second, only to focus on her nipples and her core. When he reached inside of her, she gasped loud enough to scare crows out of the nearby tree.
“Do you like this, Jade?” his voice murmured in her ear, satisfaction in his tone.
“Yes.”
The vibrant warmth settled on her mouth.
Dutch materialized mid-kiss, unfortunately with his pants on, but he stripped down and kissed her again. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him, grateful for the return of his weight.
“I need you now.” He kissed her, filling her mouth with his tongue.
She ran her hands down the contours of his back and grasped his bottom. He bit at the sensitive skin below her ear as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He pushed into her body with a smooth, firm thrust.
Tightening her grip on his backside, she buried her face in his neck to hide a grimace. Being as aroused as she was didn’t make up for the years she’d gone without sex.
He paused, pulled out, and eased back in slower than before. The urgent edge to his touch turned tender as he brushed his hands over her skin, massaging, and tended to her nipples with licks and bites. Her muscles relaxed under his touch and the discomfort lessened.