by Sofia Grey
His hands were tracing lines up her back, finding every sensitive spot along the way. It took an effort, but she managed to answer him. “Was that so bad?”
“I guess not. But it’s a struggle running the ranch by myself. And our father left it to both of us.”
Oh God. If she didn’t kiss him and soon, she’d spontaneously combust, but she sensed she was on the verge of something important.
“If anything happened to you, Jack, would he take over the ranch?”
“I don’t know, baby. I’ve been asking if he’s gotten bored with shuffling paper, but he says no, not yet.” His lips were in her hair, playing with her ear, nuzzling her throat.
She wanted to cry. She understood now.
Jack’s spirit couldn’t rest until his brother returned to take over the ranch.
Chapter 13 – A Dream Within A Dream
“Jack, I think I’m here to help you.”
He traced the shell of her ear with his tongue before he spoke, his voice a soft rumble. “Baby, just being here is helping me. I wish…” He sighed and kissed her neck, scraping his teeth over her tendon and making her purr. “I wish you were real.”
He sounded wistful, and her vision blurred for a moment. She had to handle this very carefully. “I am real. You’re not imagining this. My name is Summer Meadows, and I’m a psychic.”
“Sum-mah Meadows, I’ve been dreaming about you. It feels like I’ve known you forever, but every time I wake up, you’re gone.”
She guessed that time passed differently for spirits on the other side, wherever that was. Regardless of that, she somehow had to get Jack’s brother to go back to the ranch. Maybe then, Jack would be able to rest.
The prospect of not seeing him again, not making love with him again, made her chest hurt, but it had to be done. She’d go to the conference in Dallas, drive out to Silver Creek and try to find his brother.
***
Summer burrowed her head into the pillow, realising as she did so that she could still feel Jack snuggled up behind her. A dream within a dream. She took advantage of his warmth and tugged his arm tighter around her waist, enjoying the feel of him naked. When she wiggled her bum against his groin, his cock twitched, and she smiled.
It was still quite dark when she opened her eyes, just a dim glow filtering in from the street lamps. Jack’s breath was slow and steady against her neck, and she wondered fleetingly about the weirdness of dreaming about her dream lover when he was asleep.
How much longer would she have him for? She was due to fly to the States in two days time, and it was conceivable that she might find his brother by the end of the week. After that, her plans were a little hazy. A séance probably – once she'd convinced him she wasn't a raving lunatic. She closed her hand around Jack's and lifted it to her mouth, dropping tiny kisses along his fingers. He might not be real, might be just a spirit taking up residence in her bed, but she'd still miss him.
“I ain't tired you out yet?” His drawl was rougher than usual. “Damn, Shu-gah, you're gonna be the death of me.”
His words crawled over her like ice and she sucked in an agonised breath. “Don't say that,” she whispered. She rolled over and trailed her fingers down his stubbled cheek. God, he was gorgeous. Why could she never find anyone like him in real life? “Hold me, Jack.” She wanted to make the most of every last minute.
Chapter 14 - Nothing
Summer accepted the blanket from the steward, happy to try and sleep, and hopeful about the idea of seeing Jack.
Even though she dozed easily on the long night flight, her dreams were empty. She awoke with her neck in an awkward position, and a dry, stale taste in her mouth, the muted tones of Silken Touch’s latest album playing on auto-repeat on her iPod.
It was a mercifully quiet taxi ride to her hotel, where she sat and stared out at the city, sleep deserting her.
Excitement and anticipation buoyed her mood, along with a sickening sense of dread, and the first day of the conference flew by. She’d see Jack again tonight, she knew it. Summer wanted to cling to these last nights with him. She ate a light dinner, took a long, relaxing soak in the bath and went to bed early. She fell asleep instantly.
He didn’t come.
Three nights without him, and she was practically climbing the walls.
Day two of the conference was followed by another Jack-less night, and by that point, Summer missed him with a physical ache. Cutting the final day short, she bought a local travel guidebook, hired a car and set off in the direction of San Antonio.
Mile after mile of dusty road later, her back and head ached, and still there was no sign of any place like she’d seen in her dreams. Silver Creek was maybe thirty miles further on.
According to her map, the town of Nomad was the nearest habitation to the ranch, and it was there she decided to stop for the night. She wanted to be fresh and alert when she showed up at the ranch.
The roadside motel was clean and quiet, and Summer had no difficulty getting a room. She lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling, too exhausted to summon any enthusiasm. Jetlag was biting with a vengeance. Worse though was the fear that she’d lost Jack.
One last idea shimmered before her.
She closed the curtains and lit a small candle from her luggage, then laid a red velvet cloth on the small table. She’d only used the planchette once before. She wasn’t even sure why she’d brought it, but now she was here…anything was better than this endless waiting. She set up the board—a large thin piece of maple engraved with the letters of the alphabet and the numbers zero through to nine.
Eyes closed, Summer relaxed and rested both hands lightly over the pointing device, with just the tips of her fingers in contact with the smooth wood.
“Jack.” She spoke aloud, her voice soft in the quiet room. “Jack, come to me.”
She could hear voices in the distance, the low rumble of a car engine and the dull hum of the air conditioning, but no Jack. “Jack,” she repeated, “are you there? Come to me, Jack.”
She waited, alert to the slightest change in the room, every nerve tingling. The temperature should drop first.
It stayed resolutely hot.
She called again for him, her voice cracking on his name.
Nothing.
Chapter 15 – Am I Dead?
Somewhere, a phone was ringing. Summer blocked it out. She wanted to go back to her dream. She imagined warm fingers that trailed along her bare arm, walking down to her wrist and then stroking the back of her hand. She smiled in her sleep. Dreaming of Jack was far better than spending her waking hours alone.
The trilling noise continued, and she squeezed her eyelids tighter. Not yet. She didn't want to wake up yet. It was no use; the dream had vanished. Summer took a slow, deep breath and prepared to open her eyes, just as a soft knock sounded on her door.
She snapped awake. What now? She sighed, grabbed her robe and slid her arms into the sleeves, pulling the cord tight around her waist as she stumbled across the room. Her eyes were gritty. And who had been ringing her? She’d check in a minute.
“Okay,” she muttered, when her visitor knocked again. “I’m here.”
She cracked the door open. What the hell?
Jack stood in the corridor.
He stared back at her, his brows knitted together in a puzzled frown, his mouth falling open.
“Jack?”
“Sum-mah?” They spoke at once.
“It’s really you, Shu-gah.” The words washed over her, the drawling Texan accent thick and sweet, and shockingly familiar.
Her heart stuttered. “You? But…”
Brilliant white teeth flashed back at her from a dark, tanned face, and inky black hair fell forwards, giving him a boyish look. She stared in disbelief. “You cannot be real. You cannot. Be. Here.”
Jack met her gaze. “Hot damn. You called me, darlin’. An' I came.”
Summer’s eyes darted left and right. Still in the motel room. Her mobile phone jangled onc
e more then tripped over to voicemail. Jack stood in the doorway, tall, vital and strong. Real. Brilliant morning sunlight splashed through a gap in the curtains… She’d never seen him in daylight before.
This didn’t feel like a dream.
“Am I dead?” She blurted out the words and saw surprise and amusement flashing over his face.
“No more than me, darlin’.” One large hand reached out, and he ran his knuckles down her cheek. She shivered with remembered pleasure, her chest tight.
“I don’t understand,” she whispered, her voice trailing away.
“Me neither, Sum-mah. But I had this dream about you being here, in this little motel. And so I came. And here you are.” He lifted his hand to touch her hair, as though he didn’t believe it either. “I thought I’d imagined you, Sum-mah. I dreamed about you living in England.”
She was lost for words. “I do – live in England,” she managed. “I came here to find you. How did you know my room?”
He huffed an amused laugh. “I went to school with Billy, the guy who runs this joint. That'll be him ringing you.”
Right on cue, her phone burst to life again. She reached out with an unsteady hand and picked it up, her eyes never leaving Jack's face.
“Hello?”
“Miz Meadows? This is Billy Regan on the front desk. Ah just wanted you to know you've got a visitor on his way. Jack McKane. Is that—uh—okay? He said as how you’d be expecting him.”
Summer understood the words, but they still made no sense. She licked dry lips, dug deep and tried to speak normally. “Yes, that's fine. Thanks.” Her fingers tightened around the phone. Jack’s gaze swept over her body in a scorching blast. “Before you go—“ She hesitated, and tried to assemble her thoughts. “Someone told me Jack McKane had died recently.”
“Died?” The drawl lengthened on the other end of the phone, and a soft chuckle emerged. “Must be another Jack McKane. This one's too stubborn to die, and you can tell him I said so.”
She stuffed the phone in her pocket and gave Jack her full attention. “I don't understand.” Their eyes locked.
“Me neither, Shu-gah, but I can tell you this. I've dreamed about you, and now you're here. It's like we're meant for each other.”
Chapter 16 – Sunshine
Jack flattened his hand against Summer’s cheek, and she rubbed into his palm, seeking his caress. There were so many questions; she didn’t know where to start.
He seemed to pull himself together first. “I want to…can we talk?”
Summer nodded, took a quick breath and nodded again, more firmly. “Yes.” Remembering her state of undress, she glanced down at her robe. “Let me shower and put some clothes on. Can we meet somewhere?”
“I don’t plan on going anywhere, Shu-gah. How about I wait for you outside?”
***
Summer stepped outside into blazing sunshine. She squinted and fumbled for her sunglasses. When her eyes adjusted, she saw Jack. He leaned against a bright red pickup truck, and a smile broke across his face when he saw her. They crossed the courtyard at the same time to stand inches apart.
He swept off his hat, then held out his free hand. “Will you walk with me, Sum-mah?”
Up until now, Summer had almost convinced herself that she was still dreaming. His hand though, was real—the palm, warm and slightly calloused, the fingers tangled with her own. He squeezed her hand and, just like that, the tightness in her chest eased. He felt right. This felt right.
They sat on an old wooden bench in dappled sunlight, beneath huge unfamiliar trees. Jack kept touching her, as though reassuring himself she was really there: one finger on her cheek; a brush against her arm; stretching his foot to rest next to hers; his hand sliding down her back. She welcomed the contact. It anchored her.
Talking came slowly at first, but Summer didn’t mind. She couldn’t find an explanation for how they’d met, but then, conventional science couldn’t explain how she talked to spirits either.
“I’ve been dreaming about you for weeks, Shu-gah. Maybe even longer.” Jack’s voice was gentle. He played with her fingers where they rested on her thigh. “You’ve been lurking there, just out of sight. I’d catch a glimpse of you, sometimes hear your voice, but I didn’t get to see you until that night when you asked me if I was Arthur.” He hesitated. “I dreamed we did a lot more than talkin’, darlin’.”
Summer smiled up at him. “Same for me.” She licked her suddenly dry lips, her heart racing. She really wanted to kiss him, see if he tasted the same as in her dreams. Her cheeks were burning, and it wasn’t just the sunshine.
Slowly, as if he had all the time in the world, Jack leaned closer, closing the gap between them. He was so close, she could feel his breath on her cheek. Her stomach flipped at the intimacy. Soft lips traced a pattern down her face before teasing her mouth. “You’re so pretty, Shu-gah. Even more lovely than I dreamed.”
She kissed him, tasting him, learning him, her mind whirling in a torrent of jumbled thoughts. One truth stood out: she’d found Jack. And now she hoped to love him.
***
Summer sprawled on the grass and leaned against Jack, her head in his lap, his fingers sifting through her hair. This time, sunlight fell in shifting patterns around them, and there were two horses grazing by the stream.
“I still can't believe how this all happened. I was convinced you were a spirit.”
He dropped a playful kiss on the tip of her nose. “I have no idea, Sum-mah, but I'm sure glad you came to find me.” He bent over her, blocking out the daylight. His mouth sought hers, his tongue tracing the seam of her lips. “Don't go home, baby. Stay here with me.”
There would be a million details to sort out. Her business. Her dog. Her home… At the end of it all, one brilliant thought beckoned, gleaming and radiant. This was her cowboy – and this was where she belonged.
The End