Her resourcefulness continued to surprise him.
She moved farther away, heading downhill. “Got a notepad? I need you to jot down roughly where I’m getting these readings.”
Though she’d put him in the position of playing recorder, he didn’t mind. He was fascinated. He retrieved a pad and pencil from a pocket. “Okay. Shoot.”
She looked up and seemed to freeze in her tracks. “J-J-Jack!” Her voice came in a hoarse whisper. “Don’t move!”
“Huh? Can’t hear you.” What was up? Had she stumbled across one of those ground creatures after all?
“Lose the notepad and start backing up the hill as nonchalantly and quickly as you can.”
“But—”
“Do as I say, okay? We’re not alone. Hurry!”
“What do you mean not a—” Over his shoulder, he saw what she meant. A scruffy-looking bull stood no more than thirty feet away, pawing the ground. The animal didn’t look the least bit happy to have company.
Jack tried to swallow and nearly choked, his heart hammered so furiously. Where had the beast come from? He must have been hidden behind the trees on the other side of the hill.
“Don’t look directly at him!” Lacey commanded in a lowered tone. “Go!”
Warned not to, he resisted a powerful urge to stare down the animal. But he couldn’t get his feet to budge, no matter how much he willed them to. “I-I-I can’t move,” he hissed. How much longer before the bull decided to rush? Couldn’t be long. “Get out of here, Lacey. I’ll distract him for you.”
“I won’t leave you!”
“Do it!”
“But—”
“Now!”
She backed up the hill a few steps at a time. He waited until she reached the crest and disappeared down the way they’d come. Then he began his own retreat. Bulls weren’t typically part of the knowledge base of townies like him. Did you stare down the beast or pretend it didn’t exist?
The debate came to an abrupt halt when the bull snorted, stopped his pawing and raised his enormous head. When he saw Jack, he snorted again.
Jack continued backpedaling up the grassy slope, keeping the bull in sight without looking him directly in the eye. As Jack arrived at the top of the hill, he chanced a glimpse of the other side to check Lacey’s position. She’d reached the bottom and was making her way to the fence.
Time to make his escape. Could he outrun a bull? No time like the present to find out. Adrenaline he didn’t know he possessed shot through him, propelling him down the slope. He sprinted like he was back on the high school track team, stumbling a few times, but staying erect. He didn’t dare look back until he’d almost caught up with Lacey.
His flight wasn’t in vain. The bull was cutting the distance between them with each leap.
“Go faster, Lacey,” he shouted. With the bull in pursuit, whispering was superfluous.
She jerked her head around. In doing so, she missed her footing and tripped. She went flying, landing face down, arms akimbo.
No time to spare. He caught up with her, swooped down, picked her up and flung her over his shoulder like a rag doll. Picking up his pace, he made the distance to the fence in four strides. He hoisted her over and out of danger. She landed with a thud, wrenching his heart.
“Are…you…okay?” he asked in broken breaths once he’d scaled the fence too. “I had to get you out of there fast. Keeping your bones intact was secondary.”
“I-I think so.”
His heart beat so frantically, it sounded like giant tympani in his ears. “Thank God!” Messing with the bull would have been bad enough for him, but he dared not think what the animal would have done to her.
Jack went down on his knees to help her sit up, his face inches from hers. The scent of lilacs hit him again. Mesmerizing. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her and tucked her into his embrace, squeezing her tight. Though she said she was okay, he rubbed her back nonetheless, as one would soothe a hurt child. But Lacey was no child. She was a grown woman with curves and heavenly scents and a fast-beating heart, which he felt pumping through his shirt.
He wanted to hold on longer. Despite how they got to this point, having her in his arms felt so good, so right, he didn’t want to let go. Finally, past the appropriate amount of time to provide comfort, he released her.
She returned a quizzical expression, as if trying to read his mood. The azure depths of her eyes drew him in, and something inside him clicked. The attraction he’d been denying and restraining for days took over. Frenetic need claimed her lips that trembled slightly then parted a bit. Their tongues met. Tentatively, testing at first. Within seconds, they locked in their own mad Salsa.
He slid his hand up her back and felt her curl into him, setting off a spasm of shockwaves in his bloodstream. Her arms went around his neck, pulling him closer. She wanted this too.
In the background, their bovine friend snorted and whined. Even he sensed the world rocking on its axis.
Jack didn’t care at this point. He wanted her…now—bull or no bull—safely behind the fence. To hell with his resolution to avoid office relationships. He’d deal with the consequences later.
He took his lips from hers long enough to lay her gently in the grass and hover above her. In her eyes he saw expectation, invitation and desire, but no hesitation. Taking the cue, he kissed her again and moved his hand inside her knit top. Her skin felt soft as satin but also very warm. Heated.
He reached behind for the clasp on her brassiere, deftly opening it with one hand. Her moan made him grow bolder. He traced the bottom of the garment with his finger and brought his hand around to seek a breast. Her flesh molded itself to his grasp, so smooth, so firm yet pliable. “You feel so good.” God, could he sound any more like a teenager feeling up his first girl. But those were the only thoughts in his head, other than wanting more of her.
She jerked beneath him, her eyes refocused into a look of alarm. “What about Celia?”
“Over, as of last night.” At least, in his mind it was.
Her expression softened, then grew hazy as she relaxed. “Oh.”
No need to tell her it wasn’t because of her. Though, maybe it was.
“Then continue,” she urged, arching her back beneath him, the pressure of her hips against his pelvis urgent, demanding.
He teetered on the edge of the abyss. One more move and he’d be free-falling, saying good-bye to reality and letting himself go with the moment and the pleasure. The bull was getting a show he hadn’t anticipated. Vaguely, Jack thought about the nearby road and the view passersby might be seeing but dismissed his concern. He and Lacey were in a ravine behind a row of bushes. Secluded.
Lacey drew a hand down the side of his cheek. As if every nerve ending in his body wasn’t already on heightened awareness, the receptors beneath her caress exploded. “Aren’t you going to finish what you started?” she asked, her voice raspy.
“You’re okay with doing this? Out here?”
“No. Yes. I can’t think clearly.”
“Me, either. Haven’t stopped thinking about you…this…since we were here before. If Cam hadn’t shown up when he did…”
“But he’s not here now to stop us. Nothing but our own better judgment to stop us.”
“I’m tired of fighting my better judgment.”
“Me, too. I want to, have to, see this through.”
“No matter where it goes?”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
He readily complied. This kiss lasted longer than the first, as if their lips spoke a secret language to each other, sharing their sensations, their needs, their reactions. He couldn’t get enough of her mouth, though his hand remained on her breast, his thumb making lazy circles around the aroused nubbin.
Lacey kissed back with great enthusiasm, like she’d been waiting for this for a long time.
Jack remaining on top of her, they rolled back and forth in the grass, each attempting to get more of the other. He glided hi
s hand down from her waist to locate the zipper on her pants. As he started to pull down the tab, a far off ringing caught his attention. His cell phone. Should have left it in the car.
“Don’t answer.”
He didn’t want to, but they were on company time. The last thing he needed was for someone back at the office, unable to reach him, to speculate—correctly—what he and Lacey were doing.
“Yeah?” he answered, his tone challenging.
“Mr. Dalton? It’s Jean. I know you’re in the middle of a site visit, but something’s going on here I thought you should know about.”
Now what? The client had decided to drop by today? “What’s up, Jean?” he asked, attempting to breathe normally.
“Your parents are here.”
His breath caught. What were they doing in town? They were supposed to have extended their trip another month to visit friends in Kuala Lumpur. “In the office?”
There was a hesitation on the other end of the line. “You sound winded.”
“I just ran down a large hill. Tell them I’m out for the rest of the afternoon doing field research.”
“I already did, Mr. Dalton.”
“And…?
“They seem anxious to see you and they think you’d want to see them right away. So, I…uh, told them to wait in your office.”
“Ah, Jean!”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Dalton.” She sounded near tears. “I really tried to find an alternative solution, but th-they―”
“I understand. My parents can be quite persuasive. I’ll be back in half an hour.”
No, no, no, no! Why couldn’t they stay out of his professional life like they did his personal life? But he knew the answer all too well. They’d made his professional life possible and wanted to check on their investment.
“Jack? Is there an emergency?” Lacey was redoing her bra and zipping up her slacks, already more aware than his body their romp in the grass was over.
He stuck the phone back in his pants pocket and offered an apologetic smile. “My parents have returned to town and are waiting for me at the office.”
She looked confused. “Couldn’t your bulldog put them off?”
“My parents, the jetsetters, think the world revolves around their timetable.”
She crinkled her brow.
“They’re old friends of Cam. My career is their own little project, so apparently they popped in for a progress report.”
“I see,” she said, not sounding convinced. “We should go back.” She attempted to stand and just as quickly dropped down again. “Oh.” Her cry held pain.
“What’s the matter?”
“It’s my, my ankle. I must have twisted it when I landed.” Face contorted, she rubbed the injured extremity.
“Let me see.” He drew her foot into his hands, turning it just enough to get a good look. It definitely was swollen and turning purple. Damn his horny self! If he hadn’t gotten them off on another tact, she would have noticed it sooner and maybe been able to do something more for it.
“It’s pretty puffy. Don’t put any weight on it. I’ll carry you to the car.”
By the time they reached the vehicle, any thoughts of the hot scene minutes before vanished. Before he could even deal with his parents, he needed to get medical attention for Lacey.
As he roared away toward town, he kicked himself mentally for failing to protect her from the bull, then giving in to his lust while she lay there hurt. “I’m taking you to the emergency room. Who’s your doctor? We’ll call from the car.” He glanced her direction to reassure himself she hadn’t fainted.
“Your parents are waiting. I’ll be okay. Just get me back to the office.”
“No way. You can’t walk.”
“Then drop me off at the hospital. They can take it from there.”
Why did she have to be so wildly independent? Did she blame him for her ankle? “I don’t do drive-by emergency calls. This little junket was my idea. I’m not letting you out of my sight until we get your ankle checked.”
She was about to protest when his cell phone trilled again. They exchanged looks, but in the end, he gave in and answered it. “Yes?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Dalton. I tried to keep them occupied in your office, but your mother—”
“What’s she doing?”
“She followed me back to my desk. Their surprise appearance left me so flummoxed, I left your calendar up on my computer screen and she started going through it before I realized what she was up to.”
“She went through my schedule? I hope you closed the program on her right away. There’s private information in there.”
“I know, I know. I took care of it. I had no idea how inquisitive she is.”
“Snoopy is more like it.” He snapped the phone shut and mumbled a few choice oaths. Jean had no idea how his parents could take over. His general had met her Waterloo.
“It doesn’t sound like you can afford the time to take me to the hospital, Jack. I’ll call Brian.” Lacey had her cell phone out before he could object.
When she couldn’t reach her brother, she called Celia but got her office voicemail. “I know, I’ll call Janice Collier.” In the end, it was Janice who met them in the company parking lot.
Jack carried her to Janice’s car. “Thanks for doing this,” he told the older woman. “I’ve got a situation back at the office I’ve got to handle, or we would’ve gone straight to the hospital.”
“Not to worry. I’ll take it from here.” Janice sent a shy smile Lacey’s way.
He leaned in to Lacey. “Back there?”
“Just one of those moments.”
“You’re not angry?”
“I was as much into what we did as you.”
“We need to talk. I’ll get back to you as soon as I’ve dealt with my parents.” God, he hoped she realized how much he regretted not going with her.
“Later,” she said, lip trembling.
Seconds later, he found himself standing on the curb watching them take off in Janice’s small car. He despised himself for being so weak. He should have put his parents on hold and taken her himself.
This was the last time Marcia and Gordon Dalton would walk all over him. No sir, from now on, despite what standing up to him might do to his father’s health, he would not let them take over his life.
Chapter Fourteen
Jack trudged into the building to face the music. He discovered his parents in his office, huddled over his desk, their backs to him. He did a quick mental inventory of what he’d left out in the open, but he couldn’t remember anything of note.
He didn’t cotton to anyone going through his papers, especially his parents. A sharp new wave of anger shot through him, joining his annoyance at having to cut short his time with Lacey, especially since she needed him right now at the emergency room.
He gulped a few calming breaths to get his temper under control. Yes sir, he’d set them straight. Tomorrow. But first he’d find out what the hell they were doing here. “Look who’s back from their trip a month early.”
In unison, his parents turned toward him, showing no signs of embarrassment. “Jack! Finally. We’ve been so anxious to see you,” his mother said.
“Mom.” He stepped forward to place a perfunctory kiss on her cheek. Still wearing the overpowering musky fragrance he found so noxious. Looked good, though. Even at fifty-nine, her eyes were still bright and clear and her skin as dewy as a flower petal.
As he shook hands with his father, he took in the other man’s appearance. Slimmer than a few months ago, although he seemed fit enough. Maybe a few more gray hairs feathering his temples but just as much hair as before.
“Jack, boy.” His father kept holding Jack’s hands. “Where have you been? Your secretary was pretty tight-lipped as to your whereabouts.”
“She’s paid to keep my doings private, including my calendar.” He gave his mother a pointed look. “I was scouting a site.”
His mother rolled her
shoulders nonchalantly. He marveled at how well toned her arms still were in her sleeveless beige blouse.
“Not to worry. Cam kept us entertained.”
“Cam? You’ve seen him?” A tiny alarm sounded inside his head.
“Caught up with each other’s news,” his father said.
His mother picked a stray piece of grass from his collar. Lifting an expectant eyebrow, she said, “Cam tells us there’s a new woman in your life.”
Cam told them about Lacey? God, the minute they saw her, they’d be on his case to do something about keeping her in his life. Not happening, folks. Sure, he’d just given in to his impulses out in the country. Those were pure libido. Hadn’t been so charged up about a woman in a long time. But one didn’t introduce his sex partners to their parents. Wait. Cam had no idea what was happening between him and Lacey. The boss had seen him with Celia. “Not exactly. We’ve only been out a few times.”
“Cam seems delighted,” his mother continued. “Bosses aren’t always so open-minded. In our day, your father and I certainly foiled the fraternization attempts of our staff. Office romances can be so…risky.”
“You won’t have to worry about this one.”
“We’re not,” his father said. “She seems very nice.”
“You’ve met her?” His voice cracked. Boy, they worked fast.
His parents exchanged looks, as if debating his sanity.
His mother tilted her head. “Cam had to leave for another appointment. You weren’t here. So we took advantage of the opportunity to meet her.”
Mighty proud of themselves, like a pair of bantam roosters. Like he and Celia were the couple of the year and they’d made it happen.
“You’ve done well, son,” his father added. “Celia seems quite agreeable. So well-organized. In no time at all, she had her plans for tonight rearranged and a reservation made for the four of us at seven.”
“What? You. She. No!” He needed to get back to Lacey and find out how bad she was hurt.
His mother offered him one of her patented tolerant looks. “She’s very efficient, dear.”
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