“Oh, boy.”
“Oh, boy is right.” Jace proceeded to tell him about Glen showing up at the movie theater.
“I’ll be heading over to IPS in a little while to get the van. Glen’s not going to like it when I show up in Cloud Rim later today, with the van as good as new.”
“I guess I don’t need to tell you to watch your back, Jace. His jealousy of you has brought out a violent streak that’s only going to get worse. Even if the guys are tailing him, he’s a loose cannon who’ll go off unexpectedly.”
Jace couldn’t help smiling at Pat’s paternalistic concern.
“I’ll be careful.”
“Good! I take it you didn’t have any luck last night.”
“None.”
“Well, you’ve still got two more quadrants to explore.”
“I’ll be doing that this coming weekend. In the meantime, let’s put a tail on Burdick.”
“It’s already taken care of.”
“If I haven’t told you before, I’m glad it’s you I’m working with, Pat.”
“You tell me that all the time.” His voice sounded suspiciously gruff. “Right back at you. Talk to you later.”
Jace hung up and headed for the shower, aware of a growing excitement he hadn’t felt in years. The fact that he might be on to something that could lead to Gibb’s killers was only a small part of it.
Dana had called him an earthgrazer.
That was a new one on him, but the definition couldn’t have been more apt. He had been a prisoner of memories. Far longer, in fact, than some of his divorced or widowed friends and colleagues who’d remarried within a couple of years.
Before she’d died, his valiant Cassie had begged him over and over to find someone else and get married again. He’d had to suppress his pain and make her that promise before she found any peace in those last hours before her death.
But when he’d turned away from her flower-laden casket at the cemetery, a blackness had already descended on his soul. In his anger, he raged against God who’d made a beautiful world full of promise, only to snatch all joy away.
As Jace stood beneath the spray, he couldn’t relate to that man of seven years ago. He couldn’t relate to the man he’d been as recently as a week ago.
In about twelve hours he was going to crash Dana’s star party. He just couldn’t help himself.
His world was suddenly full of possibilities.
He couldn’t believe it.
He felt alive again.
Dana Turner made him feel like a man.
He shuddered to think that if he hadn’t given Tony Roberts a lift, he might never have met her.
But for Gibb’s murder, Jace would never have come to West Texas, would never have known of her existence.
“Thank God she does exist.”
When Jace realized he’d said the words out loud, it shook him. Already her impact was so profound he couldn’t imagine his life without her.
She felt the same way about him. He just knew it.
While she’d tried so hard to protect herself from getting hurt, she’d been transparent.
He had plans to erase those fears.
Galvanized into action, he shaved and dressed in record time. The sooner he made his deliveries, the sooner he could come back and get ready for the evening he had in mind.
An evening that would begin after the children had left the observatory…
His heart skipped some beats just thinking about getting her all to himself.
CHAPTER SEVEN
DANA GAZED into the face of each youngster assembled around the platform of the telescope. There were nine of them, an assortment of eager fifth and sixth-graders accompanied by their parents and the directors of the young astronomers program, Bob and Cathy Mitchell.
As Dana was about to begin, there was a knock at the door. Bob told her it was probably a latecomer whose parents had brought their child by car. Dana waited while he unlocked it. When she saw Jace enter the room, she let out a quiet gasp.
All day she’d been hoping he would call. The waiting and wondering had been pure torture.
Tonight he was dressed in a business suit and tie. He was so handsome, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Neither could the other women assembled.
He shook hands with Bob before finding a place at the back with the parents. Then his dark gaze settled on her. The way he was staring at her melted her heart.
“Welcome to the Starship Luna, boys and girls.” Several of them laughed in delight, but it was Jace’s half smile that turned her heart over. “I’m Captain Turner, your host for our voyage.” She’d worn her navy blazer over a white skirt to look the part.
“Tonight we’ll be traveling through space for a close look at the stars and constellations in our night sky. Before our journey’s through, we’ll explore the planets of our solar system.
“While we gear up for launch, you’ll each get a packet I’ve prepared for you. It will answer questions like, Why does the moon change its shape at different times in the month? Which planet in our solar system is the coldest? How much do you weigh on the surface of Mars? What are asteroids and comets? What are the rings of Saturn made of?”
She waited until everything was distributed.
“You know, when I was your age, I was lucky enough to look through the telescope all the time.”
“How come?” one of the boys called out.
“Because my father was an astronomer. At night when most children are supposed to be in bed, my mother would drive me and my baby sister to the observatory where he worked. While he ate the dinner she brought him, he’d let me look at the planets to my heart’s content.”
There was a collective outpouring of excited noise from the group, including the parents. Jace’s smile had grown broader.
“I knew I was the luckiest girl on this planet, and I never wanted to go home. Because of that experience, I became very spoiled. I remember telling my father that when I grew up, I wanted to live in an observatory the way some people live in a lighthouse.”
The chuckles from the adults were louder than the children’s.
“My dreams came true when my father built this small observatory here on Mount Luna. Now that I’m all grown-up, he lets me run this one while he runs the one at Mount Palomar in California. Our computers are linked, so I’m in constant touch with him.”
“Do you sleep here?” another child asked.
“Sometimes. There’s a kitchen and a bathroom, so I have all the comforts of home.”
“I wish we could sleep here and look at the stars,” a third child exclaimed.
“Yeah!” the rest joined in.
Dana studied their intent faces. “That’s not really possible, but I’ll let you do the next best thing and have some good looks tonight for as long as everyone can stay awake. How does that sound?”
The room exploded with enthusiastic cheers. When the din subsided, she asked, “Have any of you looked through a telescope like this before?”
They all shook their heads no.
“Then you’re in for a wonderful treat. What’s your name?” she asked the boy on the right end.
“Eric.”
“Okay, Eric. You come and sit in the chair first. We’ll go in turns.” Quick as a wink he climbed into it. “I’m going to turn off the lights now, so don’t be nervous. The next noise you hear will be the opening of the dome.”
She caught another private smile from Jace on her way over to the wall to flip the switches. Knowing he had come made the evening magical.
Darkness filled the room.
“Ooh…” The children sighed as a heaven full of stars began to appear. Cool night air wafted through the interior.
“Since everyone loves Saturn, we’ll start with that planet first.” After making some adjustments to the telescope, she lowered it to Eric’s level.
“Go ahead and look, Eric.”
The boy did, and she waited for his reaction, which wasn’t long
in coming. “Wow!” he cried out. “Wow!” he shouted a second time. “It’s so cool, you guys!” Everyone in the room laughed with excitement.
“That’s exactly how I felt my first time, Eric. Okay—who’s next?”
“Jennifer.”
“Come on, Jennifer.”
Dana heard Eric grumble because he had to relinquish his seat. Pretty soon Jennifer was oohing and aahing. By the time each child had taken a look, they clamored to view Jupiter next.
An hour passed by in a flash.
“Come on, parents. It’s your turn.”
At five to one she decided it was time to call it a night and turned on the lights. The children thought otherwise and protested all the way to the bus.
“Dana?” The Mitchells sought her out. “We’ll never forget this night. Thank you for a spectacular evening,”
“I loved it as much as they did. Let me know when you’d like to bring another group and we’ll arrange it.”
“You’ll be hearing from us soon,” they assured her.
She walked to the entrance to wave the children off. When the bus started its downward journey, she locked the door. But she was almost afraid to turn around and face Jace because her heart was pounding too hard.
“I was a very good boy and gave up all my turns for everyone else. How long must I wait for my own star show to begin?” Like a shock wave, his deep, male voice sent a flush through her body.
Dana turned off the lights once more. When she started toward him, she saw that he’d already climbed into the chair. The only illumination in the room came from the reflection of stars overhead.
Though he was all man, she sensed a boyish eagerness in him to see what the others had seen. There was something about looking into space that had that effect on every human, young or old.
“What would you like to see first?” She fought to keep her voice well modulated. But their legs were touching as she made adjustments to the telescope. It was impossible not to be affected by his nearness.
“Surprise me.”
“All right. Take a look.”
“I have a suggestion that will make this easier.”
She felt his hands slide to her hips. Before she knew it, he’d pulled her onto his lap.
“There,” he whispered into her hair. “Now I’m ready.”
Reaching around both of them, he lowered the eyepiece and took his first look. The rings of Saturn made the view spectacular. Dana felt his well-defined chest expand before any sound came out of him.
“Wow doesn’t begin to cover it, does it.” His hushed tone of awe, of reverence, matched her own sentiments.
“No. Every time I look, it’s like the first time,” she admitted. “I’m always humbled by what I see. Let me know when you’re ready and I’ll focus the telescope on Mars.”
“Go ahead. I can see how this could become an addiction.”
“It is. When I was in prison and couldn—”
Dana stopped midsentence, wondering how long it would take before she didn’t think about the past anymore.
He squeezed the side of her waist. “The only matter of any importance is that you’re here now. The rest is history.”
“You’re right.” She knew the death of his wife had put him in a prison of his own for many years. If anyone understood pain, he did.
His hand slid beneath her hair, where he massaged her neck with gentle insistence. Though she assumed it was meant to be comforting, the caress of his fingers only served to fuel her desire.
Fighting the need to get closer to him, she made another adjustment, then invited him to look. “Every planet has its own unique presentation and coloring. There’s nothing more glorious than our own solar system.”
“Except for your eyes.”
The personal remark brought her head around.
He put a hand to her hot cheek. “They don’t reflect light. Those perfect twin spheres glow a lustrous gray on their own power. I could look into them forever.”
She felt his lips on her eyelids with a sense of wonder. “Jace—” Her voice shook.
“If this is too soon and I’m frightening you, then run for your life because I’m no longer in control of my actions.”
His rugged features were as powerful an enticement as his confession. He’d reduced her to a throbbing mass.
“I want you to kiss me,” she whispered.
The second the admission left her lips, he covered her mouth with his own. Like a fire that consumed everything in its path, the hunger of his kiss tapped into the wellspring of her passion. It awakened feelings and sensations she’d never experienced before.
Without conscious thought she wrapped her arms around his neck, giving herself up to his embrace.
“Dana—” Her name came out sounding ragged with emotion.
By this time she was feverish with longing. All she could do was moan in rapture as one kiss grew into another. Soon his lips roamed her face, her hair, igniting little fires until she was chasing his mouth. Every kiss was ecstasy to her. She couldn’t get enough.
“You’re so beautiful. I knew if I ever touched you, it was going to be like this,” he murmured against her lips.
Her hand stilled against the warmth of his chest. “I—I didn’t know it could be like this,” she confessed through swollen lips when he allowed her to breathe. “I didn’t know my body had a mind of its own. Look at me!” she cried in embarrassment, trying to get up. But he held her trapped in the crook of his arm where her hair splayed over his sleeve.
His dark, handsome face floated above hers. “That’s all I’ve been doing for days. Looking and wanting. Waiting for this moment to happen.”
“I’ve been waiting too.” Her voice trembled.
His features tautened. “You could have fooled me. Tonight I stood in the back terrified you were going to tell the children they could stay and watch the planets until morning.”
Staring up at him through half-veiled eyes, she whispered, “When I saw you come in the door tonight, I purposely let the program last longer than planned.”
His gaze impaled her. “Why?” he demanded.
“Because you didn’t call me today. I didn’t know what to think. The truth is, I wanted to be alone with you too much and was afraid it showed.”
“Don’t ever do that to me again. I couldn’t take it.”
“Jace—” She cried his name before lifting her mouth blindly to his, needing his kiss like she needed air. She strained to get closer to him, but the confines of the chair made it impossible.
He let out a groan of frustration before bringing them both to their feet. In the next instant their bodies melded as if they were made for each other. Time had no meaning as they clung together with only the stars overhead for witness.
Everything about him was perfect to her. He made her feel safe in his arms. Desirable. She felt every part of her being and body respond to him. This was what it meant to be a woman in the very essence of the word.
If Jace hadn’t come into her life, she would never have known. She would have missed the whole meaning of existence.
She was so terrified by the thought, she shuddered.
Jace must have felt it because he tore his lips from hers. “What is it, Dana?” His breathing sounded shallow.
“Nothing.”
His eyes searched hers relentlessly. “Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m just overwhelmed by all these new feelings. It’s like I’ve been reborn tonight.”
“That makes two of us.” He crushed her in his arms. Burying his face in her hair, he said, “There’s nothing I want more than to spend the rest of the night with you, but I’d better leave while I still can.”
“I wish you didn’t have to,” she whispered against his neck.
“Don’t tell me that now.”
Ashamed to have revealed her deepest feelings, she eased herself from his grasp. “Of course you have to go. It’s almost four in the morning. You have to be at work in a few hour
s.”
She hurried off the platform and almost ran to the door so she wouldn’t be tempted to beg him to stay.
He caught up to her and pulled her back against him. His arms circled her waist from behind. “Don’t you know I want to remain locked up in here and make love to you for weeks on end? To hell with everything else….”
Her eyes closed tightly. She wanted the same thing.
“But this isn’t the time or the place,” he whispered. “Not yet.”
His taut body gave a strong indication of the struggle he was having to tear himself away. In her heart of hearts she knew that if she begged him not to leave her, he wouldn’t.
The idea that she had this kind of power over him was as thrilling as it was sobering. Much as she couldn’t bear to be separated from him, she could hear the nagging voice inside her head. It told her to proceed with caution—he wouldn’t always be around.
He swept the hair aside to kiss the back of her neck. “Are you driving to the trailer or staying here for the rest of the night?”
She hadn’t thought that far ahead. In her euphoric state, she couldn’t think at all.
“Here,” she murmured, making an instant decision because he would insist on following her home. Once they arrived, she couldn’t trust herself not to invite him inside.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Jace murmured.
She shut her eyes, expecting him to let her go. To her surprise he spun her around. His eyes were like dark flames.
“It already is tomorrow. Expect to hear from me later this morning.”
In a swift movement he cupped her face in his hands, then pressed a hard, hungry kiss to her mouth before relinquishing his hold. When he strode out of the observatory, it took every bit of strength to lock the door after him.
Too keyed up to sleep, she shut the dome and headed for her office. She knew she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on work. Until Jace phoned her, she’d be good for absolutely nothing.
Beneath A Texas Sky (Harlequin Super Romance) Page 10