• • •
After a few hours of peace and solitude on the water, David made his way back to the marina. The wind had died and bringing Serendipity back took longer than expected. By the time he motored into his slip, the shores of the harbor were bathed in darkness and save for the echoes of voices and laughter coming from Chez Jay’s and a few of the other boats, the bay was still.
Up ahead, The Sun’s stately Georgian colonial stood, silhouetted against the sky. Lit windows dotted the dark figure, and here and there, the shadows of one of his journalists coming and going blocked the light shining out. David checked his watch. Almost eleven. They’d be sending the front page to print in a few minutes and putting the paper to bed for another day. The strident ring of his cell phone resonated near his feet. He threw open his satchel to find the culprit and put an end to the annoying sound. “David here.”
“Hi, it’s me.” So much for getting his mind off her. “Where are you? There’s been a riot at K Pen.”
“I’ll be right there.”
A riot that late in the day meant they’d have to change the front page and delay the print run. David did some quick math while he moored his boat. The last minute alterations would cost thousands of dollars. Still, it was worth it — the people of Watford and surrounding towns counted on their news coverage, and this was big.
When he got back to the newsroom, ring tones competed for attention, and every person in sight seemed to be running around in a frenzy. Leigh stepped into the fray and raised her hand. The newsroom came to halt. He watched from a distance as she dispatched her players.
“All right team, this is a big one, and it’s just a matter of time before The Boston Globe and The Herald get their people on the ground. Let’s get there and scoop this before they do. This is our town. No one knows it as well as we do.”
“Jen, round up everyone who’s still here and bring them into the Bull Pen. We’re going to need extra bodies for this. Geoff, you and James take the van. Give me a call as soon as you get there to let me know if it’s as bad as we suspect. Pam, keep listening to the police scanner. Let me know if the situation changes.”
She delegated like a true leader. The Sun’s staffers rallied around her the way they had around her father. David stood outside the Bull Pen and watched as she exercised her true calling. She was splendid. He couldn’t let her go back to New York.
She turned and looked in his direction lost in thought. Then, the look on her face told him she noticed him standing there, watching. He crossed the distance between them in a few long strides.
“I sent James and Geoff to cover the story.”
“I heard. Has anyone called the printers?”
“Not yet. That was next on my list.”
He grinned and motioned to his office. “Want to make the call?”
A mixture of glee and disbelief bubbled in her laughter. “Really?”
“Follow me.”
They stepped into his office, and he handed her the phone. Her delicate hand curled around the receiver, and a chill went up his spine as he remembered the feeling of her hands winding through his hair. She smiled and looked at him through partially closed lids, as though she knew what he was thinking.
“Hello.” Her clear voice resonated, sweet but firm. “Could you put me through to the printing press, please? Thank you.” She glanced up and a secret smile softened her lips. She turned her attention to the task at hand. “Hello … . It’s Leigh Cameron calling from the newsroom. We need to stop the presses. Yes … . We’ll have a new Page One for you in an hour. Thank you.”
She raised an eyebrow and looked him straight in the eyes. “So it’s that easy, huh?”
The ring of his cell phone stopped him from answering her question. “Stone, here …Yes … That’s right. Go ahead. Yes. Stop the presses.”
“You knew they’d call and check with you, didn’t you?” She frowned, causing small lines to form between her eyebrows.
She looked so ruffled David couldn’t help chuckling.
“You set me up, and you think it’s funny.” Confusion took the place of her frown. “I don’t get you. One minute you berate me for wanting to leave, then I step up and do your job while you’re God knows where, and now you’re toying with me?” Her shoulders slumped, and she sighed. “I give up.”
Nuts. He could be a real dolt sometimes. “Don’t be mad. You’re right. I set you up. But I didn’t mean to. It’s protocol. Really it is. The printers have to double-check. They can’t just stop the presses on one person’s word — no matter how important she is. Had they not been able to reach me, they would have called James.”
Her glance bore into his, so galvanizing it sent a tremor though his body. He grabbed both her hands and looked deep into her eyes.
She gasped. Her gaze darted around as though to say, “not here,” but she didn’t pull away.
For a moment all he could do was stare at her gentle beauty. The tension around them melted. Explosive currents raced through him. His heart hammered in his chest. Tell her how you feel.
A rush of pink stained her cheeks, and she licked her lips.
A hot ache grew in his throat and in his groin. He released her and stepped back. “Teams have been dispatched, the presses stopped — looks like you’ve seen to everything.” He turned his gaze away. “I’ll be in my office, I mean, I’ll be here, if anyone needs me.”
“I think I’ve got it all under control. You can go home if you want.” She had a wonderful low voice. Soft and clear.
“Thanks. I’ll stay.”
“Keeping an eye on me?” Her lips curved into a smile flanked by two adorable dimples.
“You got it.” He winked at her before walking her to the door. He could go home, but truth was he wanted to stick around. He liked this side of her, and there was no telling what might happen next.
• • •
Leigh sat at her desk scribbling on a note pad. Images of David’s smoldering gaze kept butting into her thoughts making the creative process that much more difficult. How could she write something thought-provoking about the onslaught of a prison riot if every thought she had included a certain handsome editor with a piercing gaze? And what on earth could have set the inmates off? She’d go and see John Blackbear to try to get his version of the facts as soon as things settled down.
Then, just as she was about to throw in the towel, James phoned in his story, Geoff’s assistant Paul brought back photos of the riot, page editors showed up, and the whole team pulled together to change the front page.
She scanned through the pictures, relieved not to see any of the medicine man. She barely knew him and yet, making his acquaintance had considerably altered her perception of the way detainees should be treated.
Leigh edited James’s copy — something he only let her do — while David approved the new layout and accompanying photos. Finally, the last of the deskers left, and freelance journalists were sent out to the prison to relieve James and Geoffrey so the pair could get some sleep.
As she put the last of her files away and got ready to power down, David stopped by her office door. When their eyes locked, she almost stopped breathing. She stared, unable to pull her gaze away. She was struck, once again, at how good he could make a T-shirt and jeans look. He ran his hands through his unruly hair and gave her a hesitant smile. Leigh’s mouth went dry.
“So ah, you run a pretty tight ship for someone who’s never done this kind of work before.” He shifted his weight, crossed and uncrossed his arms.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that was a compliment.”
“You could say that.”
Voices resonated in the front foyer as the printing press operators left the building. The heavy front doors slammed shut. An awkward silence ensued. Save for the night-shift production coordinat
or and a few deskers, they were the only ones left in the building. She was alone. With David. She shivered.
He walked across the room and stood facing the window.
She watched him, memorizing every detail of his silhouette. This was an image she wanted to take back to New York City with her.
He ran his hand along the windowsill and looked outside. “It’s so peaceful out there. It’s hard to believe there’s a jail brimming with chaos less than ten miles away.” He spoke barely above a whisper as though respectful of the silence. His low raspy voice filled the room. “Watford is like the belle of the ball. She’s beautiful and cool on the outside, but inside there’s always storm brewing. And it’s when she seems the calmest that the biggest storm is about to erupt.”
He stood motionless, his back to her. Her gaze wandered from the hands resting on the windowsill to that little strip of flesh between the collar of his t-shirt and short-cropped hair. She imagined putting her lips there.
“Is that why you stay here? Now that my father’s gone, there’s nothing keeping you in Watford. You could go anywhere.”
“There’s something about this town. It lures you in and before you know it, you start caring about its people.” He paused but kept his back to her. Then, he spoke again, as though thinking out loud. “One minute you’re a kid getting your first big break and the next, you’re one of the grown-ups in charge of it all.”
Leigh got up and joined him at the window. She fought the urge to kiss the back of his neck. “There are definite perks to being a grown-up, like making up your own rules.” She edged closer and breathed in his musky scent.
“I broke the rules all the time when I was a kid. Every time there was a storm I’d take a boat out. I think a part of me hoped I’d get hit by lightning.”
Leigh nodded. “And now?”
“Now, when I look out on the ocean the water still calls out to me. But, I know the waves are dangerous, and I resist the urge to go out. I can’t allow myself to give in to their draw. Still, there are times when I think I could lose myself forever.”
Leigh looked out past their reflections in the glass to the Atlantic Ocean. Its frothy waves thundered back and forth against the rocky coast. Everything else, save for the warm yellow light emanating from the harbormaster’s dock and office, was bathed in the moon’s bluish light. Up the coast, the Kingston Penitentiary’s bright lights glistened and their reflections danced on the surface of the sea like long silver rays. It was magical.
“You’ll never really know unless you take your chances,” she said, her words betraying her desire. She looked at his likeness reflected in the window. His gaze met hers and for a moment, they stared at one another, lost in contemplation.
With her index finger she traced the contours of his face on the glass. First, she mapped out the angles of his jaw and outlined the curve of his lips. Then, she let her hand trail down the pane’s reflection of his arm to the windowsill. She turned to face him and her finger continued its journey on his hand. At her touch, she heard his sharp intake of breath.
“Leigh.” Her name seemed to hang, suspended in the air between them. He took her hand in his and stood, silent. “I used to hate you — ” He pulled her hand to his face and brushed his lips over her fingers.
Her whole body shook with anticipation. “Me, too.”
“You had everything I wanted. Money, education — ”
“And you had the only thing I ever wanted. My father’s love and attention.” She averted her gaze and focused on an oncoming boat’s shining lights. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s all over now.”
His free hand angled her face to meet his gaze. “How can you say that? It’s far from over. He gave you the paper. And I know it doesn’t mean much to you, but it means the world to me.”
“It means more to me than you think. And there’s something you’re forgetting.”
David frowned.
“He also gave me this. You and me, working together. That was no accident.” She squeezed his hand and brushed it against her lips. The air between them grew so heavy her knees threatened to buckle. She wanted to feel his mouth against hers again — consequences be damned.
“No. I think that was meant for me.” He smiled and the chaos in his eyes gave way to something darker. Hotter. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips and pulled back, his gaze never leaving hers. His mouth curled into a seductive smile. “It was definitely meant for me — ” He pulled her into him, and his mouth crashed down on hers, harder, more demanding.
She didn’t resist, but nothing could have prepared her for the intense pleasure that took hold of her. Their embrace sizzled, even hotter than the one they’d shared on the boat. She felt like she was leaping off a riverbank not certain she’d make it to the other side. The heat of his body pressed up against hers sent shivers down her spine, and when his tongue tangled with hers, she tasted true passion for the first time in her life.
• • •
David knew kissing her again was a mistake. He knew it just as clearly as he’d known she’d end up breaking his heart someday when he’d seen her for the first time fifteen years before. But he couldn’t stop himself. Her response was heated and voracious, her lips soft and generous. She drank him in and gave herself to him, hungry for more. The intoxicating musk of her body overwhelmed him. His head began to spin.
She reached up, wound a hand through his hair, and pressed her body against his. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.” He wasn’t sure if she’d whispered it or if he just wanted her to. His body stiffened, and he gave into her embrace once more, pulling her even closer.
His hand found its way inside her blouse. She gasped as it slid between the soft lacy material of her bra and her hot pulsing flesh. Her nipples hardened at his touch. It nearly sent him over the edge.
He picked her up and sat her on the edge of the mahogany desk. Her gaze met his, dark and tormented like the ocean in the throws of a storm. His heart turned over in response and everything ceased to exist, her shallow breathing and the erratic beating of his heart, the only audible sounds. He brushed his mouth from her neck to the valley between her breasts. The delicate rose scent he’d come to associate with her made his senses spin.
Pushing the lacy material aside with his hands, he explored her delicate buds with his mouth. One, then the other. Leigh moaned and arched her back. His lips continued to explore the soft ivory of her flesh while his hands slipped under her skirt. He plundered her hard nipples with the tip of his tongue, tirelessly moving, circling, and teasing while his hands moved up her inner thigh exploring for pleasure points.
• • •
Leigh’s knees went weak with anticipation. To hell with the paper, her series on the town’s prisons, or going back to New York. His lips captured hers again, ending all thoughts of anything but the heat of his mouth and body. Shivers of desire raced through her as his tongue tangled with hers. She kissed him back with a hunger she didn’t know she possessed. This time there’d be no going back. No stopping. No way.
His mouth left hers to nibble at her earlobe, sending little tingles down her spine. Burying her face in his neck, she breathed soft kisses on the tanned patch of skin between his hairline and his shirt collar. His body hardened at her touch.
He took her hand and placed it gently against his crotch. “Look at what you’re doing to me.” She felt his bulging erection push against the tight-fitting jeans. His expression was strained, almost pained.
A voice called from the door. “Anything you need me to do to — ” Leigh pulled her hand away at the interruption. Too late. The night shift coordinator stopped speaking mid-sentence and his glance went from Leigh’s hand to David’s crotch. “Oh, uh, sorry, Sir. I, uh, well, goodnight.” He turned and scuttled down the hallway.
David shook his head and grinned. “Busted.”
; Leigh’s face grew hot with embarrassment and she laughed softly. “Let’s get out of here.”
They raced through the empty newsroom, hand-in-hand.
• • •
“This way.” David led her through The Sun’s reference library to a rarely used fire escape that went down into the Georgian’s private courtyard. He pushed the heavy door open and breathed in the hot summer air. A light drizzle coated the balmy night air. The amber glow of an old-fashioned street lamp cast warm highlights on the wet mist covering Leigh’s skin and hair. She laughed gently, oblivious to how beautiful she looked.
“Think anyone else saw us?” she whispered. She moved closer to him and licked her lips.
“Does it matter?” He traced the contours of her mouth with his index finger. Her lips trembled with what he hoped was anticipation. He took her hands in his and leaned back against the door, pulling her into him.
She surrendered completely and molded her soft curves against him. “Does that answer your question?”
He leaned in and kissed the pulsing hollow at the base of her neck, putting an end to all discussion. She moaned and slipped her hands under his shirt. He guided them, encouraging her to explore. She set his body on fire, searing a path from his chest to his waist.
“David.” His whispered named rolled off her tongue like a gentle caress and knotted his insides. He looked at her through the haze and lifted her onto the steps above them. Her damp clothes clung to her body, revealing the soft lines of her breasts.
He unbuttoned her blouse with trembling fingers and buried his face in her cleavage. She smelled of wild roses and of hot summer rain. He slipped a finger under her lacy bra, his gaze locked on hers. Her eyes blazed with the promise of the pleasures to come, and all coherent thoughts left his mind.
He deftly undid the clips, and eased her down onto the steps that lead to the roof.
She leaned back and surrendered to his embrace.
His tongue explored the rosy peaks of her breasts, tantalizing then withdrawing. They firmed instantly under his touch rising and falling with her every breath. Warning bells sounded in his brain arousing old fears and uncertainties. Nothing good could come of this. Pushing the unsettling feelings aside, he licked the misty rain from her flesh as it pooled in her navel. She sighed and arched her back. Sweet Jesus, if he didn’t stop now, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold back. He pulled away and looked into her eyes. “Baby, if you want me to stop, we’re going to have to stop now.”
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