Lightning Lingers

by Barbara Freethy

  "I fly airplanes."

  "That's your job."

  "It's also the most fun I've ever had."

  "What else?"

  "I play in a basketball league in the winter and a softball team in the summer. I picked up the guitar about four years ago, and I jam with friends once or twice a month."

  "Really? You always said you wanted to play the guitar—that musicians got all the girls. I thought you were doing fine, even without being able to play an instrument."

  "It's more about the music now than the women," he said with a small smile. "Maybe if we played somewhere other than Jeffrey Danforth's garage, I'd be able to tell a different story. Not a lot of women hanging out back there."

  "You're still friends with Jeffrey?"

  "I am." He'd been friends with Jeffrey since he was ten years old, and while Jeff had gone wild and crazy in college, he'd settled down since then.

  "I thought Jeff was bad news," Katherine said. "He was very happy to point you in the wrong direction."

  "He's changed. He's an accountant now, married with a kid, and boring as hell."

  "That's surprising. I can't believe he even graduated from college."

  "It took him six years, but in the end he got his act together, and so did I."

  He realized now that Katherine really had seen the worst of him. He hadn't thought of it that way before. He'd always focused on her leaving him when he needed her, but he certainly hadn't been bringing a lot to their relationship at that point.

  "Let's get back to the present," Katherine said. "Are you seeing anyone? Are you in a relationship?"

  "There's no one serious at the moment," he admitted. "What about you?"

  "Same."

  He couldn't imagine that there weren't men who wanted her. Katherine was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. She was also a woman who had never really known how pretty she was. She did have a wall around her heart, a cool air, and a hands-off kind of vibe that probably scared a few men off. He'd gotten past those walls a long time ago, but it would be impossible to do that now.

  Not that he wanted to scale her walls. He already had enough scars from Katherine Barrett; he didn't need any more. He just wished they hadn't talked about Hailey, hadn't played cards the way they used to, because in the past few hours he'd seen the girl he'd fallen in love with a long time ago.

  Katherine wrapped her arms around her waist and shivered.

  "Time for the blanket?"

  "Maybe."

  "Close enough." He got up and retrieved the blanket, then handed it to her. Instead of sitting across from her, he took the seat next to her. "For body heat," he said, seeing her questioning look. He thought she'd probably be willing to freeze to death before using him for body heat. "Don't worry. I'll keep a safe distance," he added.

  "Maybe you should take the blanket."

  "Not a chance. You need it more than me. You're always colder than I am."

  "All right," she said, throwing the blanket over her lap. "It does help."

  "Good." He paused. "I'm going to turn off the light. Save what battery we have left."

  "Okay."

  They sat quietly in the dark for the next several minutes. Then Katherine said, "Do you think we're going to be okay, Jake?"

  "I do," he said firmly.

  "I feel so out of my depth. I don't know where we are, what's around us, or what we'll be facing when we leave the plane. I like to be prepared, but I don't know how to prepare for what's coming."

  "We'll face whatever comes when we have to. We'll think on our feet. You're pretty good at that. I'm sure as a doctor you run into the unexpected."

  "Yes, but I know what to do in the ER. Out here…"

  "We'll figure it out. I won't say don't worry, because I know you will worry no matter what I say, but I feel confident we can get to a village and then find a way to move on from there."

  "It's not just about saving ourselves, we still need to get to TJ as soon as possible. Who knows where he is or what's happening to him?"

  "There's nothing you can do for TJ now. Why don't you try to sleep? You'll need your energy tomorrow."

  "Good idea."

  After a few moments, he closed his own eyes, thinking they were settling in for the night. Then Katherine said, "Thanks, Jake."

  Her voice had a soft sweetness to it that tugged at his heart. "For what?"

  "For—being you," she said slowly. "The you I remember."

  He wanted to tell her that he'd only been that other guy for a year, and that if she'd stuck around long enough, she would have known that.

  But what was the point? They'd already hashed out the past. They needed to move forward so they could work together and face whatever was waiting outside the plane.

  He folded his arms across his chest and breathed in and out, trying not to think about how close Katherine was to him, how easy it would be to lift the armrest between them and pull her into his arms. They'd always slept well together. Probably because before they'd slept they'd made love until they were exhausted.

  His body tightened at that unwelcome memory. He had a feeling it was going to be a longer night for him than for Katherine; her presence, her scent, and the memories of being with her were firing up his senses. He'd had a strong connection to her from the first minute they'd met, and that had never gone away. He'd felt things for other women over the years—attraction, affection, desire—but nothing really close to what he'd felt for her.

  She was his first love. Maybe that put her in a special category. Maybe it would never ever be as good with anyone else.

  That was a depressing thought.

  With a sigh, he shifted in his seat and tried to think of something besides Katherine.

  The storm played back through his mind; the huge towering clouds, the fierce lightning—his father's image.

  He shivered with the memory. His dad had waved to him. He'd told him to follow. Follow where?

  He reminded himself that he didn't believe in ghosts or any other kind of supernatural activity. Logic suggested his mind was just putting his dad in front of him because there was a mystery about his death. He didn't want to look at that mystery, because it hurt, but his mind was forcing him to go there.

  He gave up on the fight to get his dad out of his head, instead silently saying, "If you've got more to say, Dad, say it now. And if you can throw in some directions, that would be helpful."

  But there was no answer from his father now. No lightning either. It might take another storm for him to see what he needed to see.

  * * *

  Jake stood at the edge of a cliff overlooking a sea of trees and valleys that went on forever. He beckoned her to come forward.

  "You're too close to the edge," she said, stopping a few feet away from him.

  "We have to go down the mountains. It's the only way we'll get to TJ."

  "How do you know he's down there?"

  "How do you know he's not?" Jake returned.

  She edged forward, seeing a steep rocky mountainside that seemed impossible to get down. "We'll fall. We'll die."

  "We don't have a choice. They're coming for us."

  She heard shouts in the distance, or was it a rumble of thunder? Who was coming? Was it an army or was it a storm?

  "Take my hand, Katherine."

  She looked at his outstretched hand. He was asking her to trust him. His green eyes implored her to take his hand, to believe in him.

  Her stomach churned with doubts. Was it the new Jake? Or was it the old Jake who'd let her down? How could she tell? He'd said he'd changed. Had he? Had she?

  "I will protect you," Jake said. "I love you."

  "Not anymore," she told him, refusing to believe in the lie.

  "Are you sure, Katherine?"

  Wasn't she sure?

  "You always make things harder than they have to be," he said. "You don't have to trust me; trust yourself—your instincts. What does your heart tell you to do?"

  If she wa
s just listening to her heart, there was no decision to make. She grabbed Jake's hand and his strong fingers tightened around hers. The connection was intense and powerful.

  "I'm not going to let you fall," he told her.

  "I won't let you fall, either."

  He gave her the smile that always made her heart melt. "A kiss for luck?"

  She moved into his arms, his warmth enveloping her. Every breath she took was Jake. Nothing had ever felt as right as his mouth on hers, his lips parting, his tongue sliding against hers. She tilted her head, allowing him greater access. He moaned, and she delighted in his response. She moved even closer to him, wanting to feel his hardness against her, wanting to take everything he had to give and then give it back to him.

  They kissed like the lovers they'd been. Had time really passed in between? Or had it all been a bad dream?

  His hand ran through her hair, holding her in place for his kiss. She'd always loved the way he took charge, the way he made her feel so hot and so desirable. She put her arms around his neck as they shared another kiss and another, desire building with each touch of their lips.

  It felt so real. There was so much heat. And the stubble on his jaw when she rested her cheek against his for just a moment was sexily familiar.

  "Katherine?"

  His voice was much louder than it had been.

  She blinked her eyes open and met his gaze. He wasn't blurry anymore. His voice didn't sound far away. They weren't on a mountain; they were on a plane.

  Jake was very, very real and very, very close. Oh, God, what had she done?

  Eight

  "Good morning," Jake said, his voice husky, tender, intimate.

  Katherine jerked backward and realized that at some point in the night one of them had lifted the armrest between their seats. They'd ended up in each other's arms, and they hadn't just been sleeping, they'd also been kissing.

  She put a hand to her tingling lips. It hadn't been a dream, or at least not all of it.

  "I haven't woken up that way in a long time," he added, his gaze still fixed on hers. "I'd almost forgotten how good it was."

  She felt heat creep up her cheeks. "I was dreaming."

  "About me?"

  "Yes," she admitted, then instantly wished she hadn't been so honest, because an appreciative gleam had now entered Jake's eyes.

  "About the way we were?"

  She shook her head and moved as far away from Jake as she could get without leaving her seat. "No, it was about now. You were standing at the edge of a cliff, and you thought TJ was down below. You told me we had to go down there to get him, but I was scared. Of course, you talked me into it."

  "What happened then? Did we get TJ?"

  "I don't know. I took your hand, and then you said something about a kiss for luck…you know what happened next."

  "You kissed me for real."

  "I thought I was dreaming."

  "I thought I was, too, for a minute." He paused. "It was always good between us, Kat. That hasn't changed."

  "But everything else has." She got to her feet. At least she still had her clothes on. Things hadn't gone as far as they could have. She looked around, seeing light coming through the windows. "What time is it?"

  He glanced at his watch. "Seven fifteen."

  "We should get going."

  "I agree. We'll leave our suitcases behind. I'll take the lantern, the first-aid kid, and the food and water supplies in my backpack."

  "I'll take my computer and maybe a few other clothing items I can stuff in my small bag."

  "Great."

  She was happy when they started to gather their things together. She needed to catch her breath. Her nerves were still jangling from their kisses, her body aching a bit with unfulfilled desire. But she wasn't going to soothe that ache. She needed to keep her focus. She had to concentrate on getting to her brother. That was all that mattered.

  * * *

  Hell of a way to wake up, Jake thought as he stuffed their supplies into his backpack. It was just too damn bad they hadn't gone a little further—or a lot further—before the dream ended.

  Or maybe it was better that they'd woken up, because along with the long-smoldering desire he felt for Katherine, he also had a lot of painful memories still to deal with.

  At times, she seemed like the old Kat, the one he'd fallen in love with, but he couldn't forget the Katherine who had broken his heart and left him in the dust.

  Who she was now was still a bit of a mystery. Not that he needed to solve that mystery. It was extremely doubtful that a relationship between them now would end up any differently than the first time around. They were very different people, and whatever trust they'd had ten years ago was long gone.

  Katherine knew that as well as he did. She had her guard up, and he should do the same.

  When he returned to the cabin, he found Katherine waiting and ready to go, but she couldn't seem to look him in the eye. It was good to know she was feeling just as unsettled as he was.

  Opening the door, he was happy to see some sunlight streaming through the trees. The storm was over. It was a new day.

  They got down from the plane and headed around the back of it, going in the opposite direction from the day before. He hoped this time they'd hit the clearing he'd seen from the sky instead of getting deeper into the woods. The air was cool and crisp, which also led him to believe that they had landed in the central, interior part of Mexico since the southern states and coastal areas were far more tropical and temperate.

  While the rain had passed, water still dripped steadily from the tree branches, giving his head a nice soak. Just like a shower, he told himself, trying to stay positive despite the fact that the isolation and quiet of the area didn't seem like a good sign.

  Katherine didn't appear to be interested in conversation, and since he had no idea what to say to her, he let the silence drag on.

  Fifteen minutes later, they came out from under the thick canopy of trees and walked through a grassy area about two hundred yards wide. He paused in the middle of the clearing and did a slow turn. To the front and the left of them, he could see nothing but trees. To the right, small hills led up to a more impressive mountain range with peaks he'd judged to be at least ten thousand feet.

  "I'm guessing that is the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountain Range," he said.

  "How can you tell?"

  "The range has really high peaks, and those seem to tower above the others. But to be honest, I'm not sure. There are at least four significant mountain ranges in the country."

  "Mexico is bigger than I realized. The guidebook said it's the eighth largest country in the world. There are thirty-eight states, and like the US, the weather changes from region to region."

  He smiled. "Good to know."

  "If that range is what you think it is, where should we go?"

  "I think we should stay to the east of it, head through those trees. Otherwise, we'll be climbing mountains. But…" He paused, considering their options.

  "But you think we should try to get higher so we can get a phone signal," she finished.

  "I do. We could also get a better view and see if we can spot any homes or roads. But it will take us awhile to get enough elevation to make a difference, and there are more likely to be people in the valley than on the mountain."

  She frowned. "So it's risky either way."

  "Do you want me to make the decision?" he asked.

  "No."

  "Then do you want to make it?"

  "Not really."

  "Well, we can't stand here all day. Pick a path and let's go."

  "I'm considering our options."

  He sighed. "This is why you should have let me win gin rummy. I'd be making the decisions, and we wouldn't be wasting time making a pro and con list."

  "And where would you go?"

  "Into the mountains. I'd give it two hours. If we can't get a signal, we come back and head the other way."

  "All right. I can do two hour
s."

  "This reminds me of the time we went camping," he said as they headed west toward the mountains.

  "That was not at all like this. We were a mile outside of town. Our cell phones worked, and we had a car, a tent, and food."

  "Ah, that tent," he said with a smile. "We made some good memories in that tent." He laughed as her eyes sparkled and her cheeks flushed. "I see you remember those."

  "I also remember that you wanted to show me some hidden pool, and we went off the path and got poison ivy. I was itchy for weeks after that. And we never even found the pool."

  "But we did end up at the highway, and we got to see that driver taking a leak behind his truck," he said, flinging her a grin. "So, it wasn't a wasted trip."

  She laughed. "Yeah, that was a good time. Never a dull moment with you, Jake Monroe."

  "Or you, Katherine Barrett. Does anyone ever call you Kat?"

  "Nobody in Houston."

  "Do you have a lot of friends there?"

  "Some. I haven't had much time for friends, but I've gotten close with a few of the medical residents. We've spent some really long days and nights together. It's going to be strange when everyone scatters, but that's the way it is."

  "Don't you mean sad…not strange?"

  "I guess it will be sad, too."

  He wasn't really surprised that Katherine played down the emotional aspect of leaving her friends and coworkers. She had perfected the art of locking her emotions away. It had started with Hailey. Losing her best friend in such a traumatic manner had scarred her for life. She'd probably never invested in a friend the way she had with Hailey.

  She'd gotten close with him, but when things got difficult, she'd bailed. Maybe it was to save herself from drowning, or maybe she just wanted to be the one to leave first, so she could put the emotions away on her own terms.

  He suspected she'd kept most of her friends in Houston at arm's length, too. He wondered about her patients. How did she handle working on people—on kids—who might not make it?

  "How do you do it, Kat?" he asked.

  "Do what?"

  "Treat someone who might not survive?" He slowed down so they were walking side by side.

  "That's an odd question to ask."