by Aimée Thurlo
Though it took all her willpower not to just jump away, she inched aside until Gene held up one hand. The second he did, she stopped.
Gene stepped forward and forced Lori to hug the rock as he placed his body between her and the snake. She wanted to protect him by making him edge away, but any movement at all now would only enhance the danger to both of them.
The rattler, now silent, slithered up the path several feet, then moved out onto a flat boulder beneath an overhang now illuminated in sunshine.
“Everything’s okay now, but you’re still being watched,” he said, “so don’t move in that direction.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she said, starting back down the trail. “That beautiful chant—was it a prayer or a song?”
“Both. It’s called a Hozonji, a good luck song, but the exact wording has to remain a secret between me and the powers I called upon for help. Hozonjis are passed down in families, and in my case, it was a gift from Hosteen Silver.”
Noticing how quickly she was moving, he reached for her shoulder, slowing her down. “You don’t have to hurry. The snake won’t chase you.”
“I know you’re right, but I hate snakes. They’re such sneaky creatures.”
He shook his head. “Snakes will only strike a human if they feel threatened. They’re neither good nor evil. They have a right to hunt for food, and they help man by keeping the rodent population down. They’re part of the circle of life.”
Lori shook her head. “In this, we’ll have to agree to disagree. They’re sneaks. At least a bear comes at you in the open, face on.”
“That’s because Bear has strength on its side. Snake uses stealth because it’s the best weapon it has. As the earthly manifestation of the Lightning People, Snake is said to have the power to bring rain to the desert. That’s why they shouldn’t be killed.”
She said nothing for several long moments, then turned her head to look at him. “When you said you had a way with animals, I never dreamed that included bears and snakes.”
“Everything’s connected. Knowing that is how we maintain the hózh.”
“I don’t know what that means. Will you explain it to me?”
“It’s living harmoniously and in perfect balance with everything that surrounds us,” he said as they stepped onto the canyon floor. “It’s seeing the pattern in the threads that connect all of life. The effects of even one careless act can be very far-reaching, like ripples in a pond.”
She thought about what he’d said. “How does evil fit into the pattern?”
“Nothing is completely evil,” he said. “Evil is just something that resists being brought under control. Once it’s in check, it becomes part of the pattern again. Everything in life has two sides, and each is needed to balance the other.”
“So by helping me, you’re honoring the pattern because you’re keeping evil in check?”
“Like that, yes.”
“I’m glad we’re friends.” One thing was certain. No matter what happened, she’d never forget Gene.
Almost as if he’d guessed what she’d left unsaid, he brushed the side of her face with his palm. “There’s balance between us. You’ve brought something very special into my life.”
When he didn’t elaborate after a few seconds, she asked, “What special thing did I bring into your life?” She reached for his hand as they walked back to the house.
“Softness,” he said, then brought her hand up and kissed it. “I’m sorry that you’re in trouble, but I’m not sorry that you stepped into my life—though I wish it hadn’t been in front of my truck.”
She laughed. “I guess that’s one instance where evil brought something good.”
“Now the rest is up to us.” Before she could answer, he gestured toward the house. “Get ready to go. We’ll pick up breakfast along the way.”
Lori glanced around her, then sighed softly. For some reason she didn’t quite understand, the thought of leaving Copper Canyon saddened her. “I wish we didn’t have to go. I like it here…with you.”
“Yet when we’re together you always pull away.” He looked into her eyes, as if searching for an answer there. “What are you most afraid of—me, or you?”
Deep inside she knew the truth, but facing it now jolted her to the core. “I…” Seeing the slow simmering fire in Gene’s eyes filled her with desire.
“The feelings between us are real. Listen to your heart.”
“I don’t doubt the feelings—I just don’t trust them. Love has a dark side. I learned that lesson as a kid.”
“I trust you—trust me,” he said. “Tell me what you’re afraid of.”
Lori swallowed hard. He’d repeatedly risked his life for her, and just moments ago, he’d placed himself between her and harm.
“You’re right. You deserve more from me than secrets.” She took a deep breath, gathering her courage. This was something she’d never discussed with anyone. She’d buried the past deep inside her, or so she’d thought, but some things refused to stay hidden.
“My mom and dad adored each other,” she began at last. “Everyone called them the perfect couple and they were constantly being invited to parties. Then one day, out of the blue, they came to tell me that they were splitting up. I don’t know what happened between them, obviously it was something big, but I saw love turn into hate practically in the blink of an eye.”
“It happens,” he said, “but not knowing why made that even tougher on you.”
“That’s true,” she said, then after a beat continued. “Things went downhill fast from that point on, too. After their divorce I became surplus goods, the kid no one wanted. They each had new partners and I was part of the old. More than anything I wanted them to love each other again, but all I did was come between them. I became the one thing they could use to manipulate each other. What they did hurt me deeply, but more importantly, it changed me. I don’t know if I’m still capable of trusting in love. To this day, I’ve never been able to give my heart to anyone without keeping a part of me safely out of reach.”
“And you won’t accept anything less than all from yourself, or another, for the same reason. You want a commitment that means something, above and beyond words,” he said, understanding. “But the future is always shifting and changing. It’s hard to get a bead on a moving target. Love requires a leap of faith.”
“How about if we take things one tiny leap at a time, at least for now?” she asked with a tremulous smile.
“I can handle that.”
His acceptance of her just as she was left her yearning to touch him, to assure herself that he was real. Gathering her courage, Lori stood on tiptoe and brought his mouth down to meet hers. Her kiss, intended to say thank-you, turned hot in a heartbeat.
For one magical second, she forgot to be afraid and simply surrendered to the longings that drew her to him.
Sensing it, he parted her lips roughly and deepened the kiss, ravaging her mouth, claiming it until the heat took them both to that precarious edge.
His chest heaving, he groaned, then released her.
“You didn’t like it?” she asked, surprised that he’d let go of her.
“Like it?” He swore softly. “Woman, I want to seduce you right here, right now. The ground beneath us is hard, but I promise that, after a moment, all you’d feel is me giving you pleasure.”
His words left her weak at the knees and aware of everything about him. His face was tense, his body hard. He was ready, and holding back was nearly killing him.
Temptation shimmered in the air, whispering of needs as old as time. Desire tightened its hold on her.
He ran his index finger down the side of her face, then traced her parted lips. “Just one yes and I’ll make the desert sunrise brighter than the noonday sun. I’ll show you the power of a touch and make you melt against me.”
His voice caressed her, sparking her senses. She licked her lips, her mouth dry, her body thrumming with needs too powerful to ignore. “I…�
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Hearing the hesitation in her voice, he took another step back. “You’re not ready.” He took a deep breath. “Have you ever…”
“I’m not a virgin, if that’s what you mean—not that there have been many men,” she added. “When I was younger, I experimented, thinking casual sex would be enough. It never was, not for me. After the glow faded, it left me feeling cold and more alone than ever.” She paused, struggling to find the right words. “It was like being given a glimpse into paradise, only to be told I didn’t meet the requirements and couldn’t stay.”
He nodded slowly. “Go get your things. I’ll wait for you here, then I’ll lock up the house.”
She started to say something else, but words failed her. There wasn’t anything more to say. She wasn’t ready to take their relationship to the next step and maybe never would be. Fear and love couldn’t coexist, and, for now, fear had the upper hand.
Chapter Ten
Lori sat behind the counter at the DMV, trying to stop thinking about Gene so she could concentrate on her work. When he’d dropped her off at work at nine, she’d thought that putting some distance between them would help her think clearly again. So far, that hadn’t worked.
After the early rush settled, she was ready for some coffee and, having arrived on time, still had a break coming. As she went inside the break room she saw that Miranda was already there.
“Hey, pregnant lady,” Lori said and smiled.
“Hey, yourself. I’ve been dying to talk to you! So tell me all about what’s going on with you and the hunk. I saw him drop you off. Did you spend a wild Friday night with him?” Before Lori could answer, Miranda’s eyes lit up and she smiled. “Aha! Of course you did! That’s why you’ve got that look on your face. You’re almost sparkling! Did you have wild sex with him? Fess up and tell me everything!”
Lori nearly choked, then glanced around, making sure no one else could hear them. “I haven’t gone to bed with him. He’s helping me, that’s all.”
Miranda looked crestfallen. “You really should hook up. He’s hot and he’s really into you. I saw him watching you after he dropped you off this morning and—” Miranda suddenly stopped speaking, her eyes narrowing. “Wait one second. Are you telling me that you spent the night with him and nothing happened? Either you’re holding out on me or something’s seriously wrong.”
Lori burst out laughing. “Nothing’s wrong with him or me. We spent the night together, but in separate rooms.”
“But that’s not the way you really wanted it to be, is it?” She studied her friend’s expression closely, then smiled. “You’re crazy about him, so why fight it? You need more from life than weekends fixing up your house, girlfriend. Grab that cowboy by his silver belt buckle and seduce the heck out of him. I bet he’ll give you the ride of your life.”
Lori burst out laughing. It was too outrageous to react any other way. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good. Here’s what you do. Fantasize about what you want him to do to you, then what you’ll do to him. Let that simmer until you can’t think of anything else, then jump him.”
“That’s your hormones talking, girl,” Lori said, chuckling. “They’re making you crazy.”
“Even if that’s true, I’m still right.”
Once her break ended, Lori walked back across the long section of desks and office space that was located behind the counter. As she passed one of the workstations, Lori saw Steve staring at his monitor, cursing just loud enough for her to hear.
He looked up, a scowl on his face, and she gave him a sympathetic smile. Poor Steve. He’d always been the slowest among them when it came to processing customers. She was almost sure that it wasn’t deliberate. He was just inept when it came to the software they used at the DMV. She saw him stand up, still scowling at the computer.
“Can I help with something, Steve?” she asked.
“Nah, thanks. I just needed to look something up.” He walked over to the bookcase behind Jerry’s unoccupied desk and pulled out a computer manual.
Lori hurried to her own workstation, and as she settled in she heard a faint metallic scrape on the window glass to the right of the foyer entrance. She turned her head to look, and what she saw took her by complete surprise.
For a second, all she could do was stare. Gene was outside in a gray uniform shirt, tan cap and matching slacks, cleaning the glass with a squeegee.
He smiled at her, then shook his head slightly and returned to his work.
Lori took the hint and turned away. As she called the next waiting customer, she smiled. Gene had undoubtedly pulled strings so he could substitute for the minimall’s regular window washer. From his position above the DMV floor, he’d be able to spot anyone fitting Bud Harrington’s description and alert Harvey immediately.
Just then Steve came up from behind and tapped her on the shoulder. The first thing she noted was that he looked furious.
“Lori, I need your help. I’ve been trying to access the DMV state database, but when I enter my password, I keep getting an invalid password flag.” He ran an exasperated hand over his face. “I even tried it from the boss’s workstation. It’s nuts. I know my own password.”
“You’re trying to access a restricted database. That’s why it’s happening. The system’s set up that way to prevent anyone without clearance from downloading the entire state file, which includes every registered owner’s personal information. We only have access on a per individual basis—if you already have their social, tag number, registration number, address or telephone number. Your password won’t let you conduct any kind of data search without one of those parameters. We’d catch hell if we started data mining or downloading, and there’s a keystroke recording program that picks up on activity like that. What was it you were looking for? Maybe there’s another way to get it.”
“It’s a little tricky. A client came in, said he wanted to renew his license, then wanted to know if I’d look up his ex-wife’s social security number for some legal papers he had with him and needed to file today. All he wanted was verification, so I told him I’d see what I could do. Unfortunately, he didn’t know her new last name—she’d remarried.”
“It’s a good thing you didn’t get into the system, or you would have been in a world of hurt. Jerry would have caught hell, too, if that had been tracked back to his computer. With the recent outbreak of identity thefts in this area, anything that could compromise the personal information of our customers has to be carefully monitored. We just can’t afford to bend the rules for anyone these days.”
Steve shook his head and shrugged. “The guy’s harmless. Take a look for yourself,” he said, then turned and pointed to his station. “Crap. He split.”
“He must have been up to something and you got off lucky,” she said. “Can you describe him?” She wasn’t sure if she was acting paranoid or not, but she wanted to make sure the incident hadn’t somehow been connected to Bud Harrington.
“There was nothing particularly noteworthy about him. He was Hispanic, average height, muscular build, dark hair, dark eyes. He was dressed in jeans and some kind of work jacket, blue, no company logo.”
“Do you remember his name?”
“Yeah, Mark Jaramillo, and his supposed ex-wife’s name was Juanita. Do you think he was an illegal trolling for social security numbers, or something like that?”
“It’s possible,” she said. “You might want to enter it in your logbook, or make a note of it for Jerry.”
“Good idea, thanks.”
As Steve returned to his station, she used her cell phone to call Gene.
“Your local window washer here,” he answered.
She laughed. “How on earth did you get that job? Did you bribe one of your brothers?”
“Something like that. Sparkly Windows, which services this mall, also cleans Dan’s office. He got them to let me take the regular guy’s place this morning. Just don’t give me away.”
“That’s why I’
m calling instead of talking to you directly,” she said, and told him what had just happened.
“Several guys fitting that general description have walked in and out the last fifteen minutes or so, but no one was acting suspicious or I would have noticed,” he said. “I also haven’t seen Harrington, or any light-haired, slender, tall Anglo male.”
“Okay, thanks. I better get back to work.”
She’d never had anyone care enough to want to protect her as Gene did. The thought filled her with a special warmth. She could definitely get used to having him around.
THE REST OF THE MORNING WENT by quickly. Even with clients rushing in to beat the half-day schedule, her thoughts always drifted back to Gene—where he was, whether he was thinking of her and, inevitably, how long he’d stick around Hartley. As far back as she could remember, no one she’d ever cared about had stayed around for long.
It was twelve-fifteen when she left the building. Steve had remained behind to lock up, Harvey with him. At least Steve had one friend at work. He seemed like such a loner at times.
As she walked to the parking area, Gene pulled up immediately, reaching across the pickup to open the passenger door for her.
She smiled and climbed into his truck. “I see you’ve given up the Jeep and your fabulous weekend job as window washer,” she teased, noting his change of clothes and cowboy hat.
He laughed.
“Will you take a quick drive past my house? I want to make sure everything’s okay there,” she said, fastening her seat belt.
“Sure.” They were stopped at a light when he spoke again. “I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what’s been happening to you, and I have an idea, something we haven’t considered before. The break-in at Preston’s happened when you weren’t even there. If all the incidents are related, then that means this guy may not necessarily be after you personally, but rather after something you have.”
“That doesn’t make any sense to me. The most valuable thing I’ve purchased recently is my paint sprayer,” she said and saw him smile.