Heavenly Match

by Sharon DeVita

  “Molly—” his lips left hers to nuzzle her earlobe “—I’m a grown man, and necking in the middle of a public park in broad daylight, knowing that half the town is probably watching, is not my idea of fun. Not that I care, mind you,” he added, sliding his mouth back down for another kiss.

  With a wanton smile, Molly lifted her arms and pulled him closer, not wanting to relinquish the fresh pleasures he aroused. Her lips parted under his and her fingers slid through the silky tangle of his hair as her breathing grew ragged.

  “Molly,” he groaned huskily, reluctantly pulling away, “what we need is some privacy. Unless we get over to the village hall pretty soon, I’m afraid we might do something to scandalize the whole town.” His tone of voice made her laugh, and she arched closer to him for one last kiss, her body tingling with flagrant desire.

  “You’re right, Jonathan,” she agreed at last, slowly unwinding her arms. Reluctantly she slid off his lap and wiped a trace of lipstick from his mouth.

  Running a hand through his hair, Jonathan glanced around. “Cyanide Simpson is probably having a field day.” He looked at her tenderly. “We have so little time left, Molly. I don’t want to spend it under the watchful eye of the whole town.” His voice had dropped to a seductive whisper that sent a tingle down to her toes.

  “Jonathan Kent! Whatever do you have in mind?” Her eyes twinkled. ‘I’ll have you know that as ‘Miss Emily’s poor spinster niece’ I have a certain reputation to maintain.” She gave him her severest frown and Jonathan chuckled.

  “Yes, I know.” He dipped his head for another quick kiss. “Let’s see what we can do to change that,” he growled wickedly, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. “After we check out the senior center.”

  A half hour later they stood in the mayor’s office.

  “Are you sure this is all there is?” Jonathan’s brows knitted together as his eyes scanned the sheaf of papers the mayor had given to him. Molly peeked over his shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of the papers.

  “Afraid so, Mr. Kent.” Mayor Taylor leaned back in his chair and pushed his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose. “That parcel of land was one of the founding plots of Hillchester. After the last descendent of Chester Hill, the town’s founder, passed on, that property was put up for sale. Some big corporation bought it.” The mayor paused to scratch his bald head and adjust his feet atop his desk. “The senior center was already built by then. Think one of Chester’s grandkids had it built, but that was before my time.” The mayor smiled pleasantly.

  “Who was the attorney that handled the estate sale?” Jonathan was shuffling through the papers again, and Molly watched him carefully.

  The mayor thought for a moment. “Harry Peals, I believe.”

  “Know where I can find him?” Jonathan inquired politely.

  The mayor chuckled softly. “Hillchester Cemetery. Harry passed on a while back. About ten years ago, wasn’t it, Molly?”

  Molly shook her head. “I’m sorry, Mayor. I don’t remember exactly when it was.”

  Mayor Taylor’s bushy white brows drew together and he sat up abruptly, letting his feet drop to the floor with a thud. “Son, do you think there was something wrong with the transaction?” The mayor looked genuinely concerned, and there was a moment of taut silence. A big bear of a man, Franklin Taylor had been the mayor of Hillchester for as long as Molly could remember. He was, Molly thought, the most unlikely candidate for politics. Soft-spoken and deliberately polite, he ran the business of the town with a cool efficiency that astounded his few political adversaries. There had been some talk that this would be his last term as mayor, but Molly couldn’t imagine anyone else handling the job. If there was any hint of something gone amiss, he would do everything in his power to right it. Franklin Taylor was a fair and decent man.

  Jonathan shook his head and smiled. “No, I don’t think so. Everything here looks in order. Just thought I might learn a little more from the attorney himself.”

  The mayor’s relieved sigh filtered through the cramped office. “Glad to hear it, Mr. Kent. Wish I could tell you more, but you’ve got everything there.” He nodded his head toward the papers Jonathan held in his hand. “You know, I can’t remember the last time the townsfolk were divided over an issue the way they are over this property.” Mayor Taylor grinned broadly. “Guess it’s good, though—shows people still care what happens in this town.”

  Jonathan smiled politely. “Do you have any idea how many code violations the center’s been cited for?”

  The mayor leaned back in his worn leather chair again. “You’d have to check directly with the zoning board, but I’d guess probably eight to ten. The board wouldn’t have ordered the building shut down if there was just a few minor problems. New owners were properly notified of the violations. The official letters are in with those papers. They were given ample time to correct the problems before we closed the place down. But I guess they decided the place wasn’t worth investing so much time and money. That’s when they petitioned for a zone change.” The mayor turned his attention to Molly.

  “I’m sorry all this has upset Miss Emily. We had no choice in the matter. Once the owners refused to correct the problems, we had to shut the place down for the public’s safety.”

  Molly smiled at his thoughtful expression. She had always suspected that the mayor had a soft spot for her aunt.

  After giving the papers another cursory glance, Jonathan handed them back to the mayor. “Thank you for your time, Mayor Taylor. I think I have everything we need.” Molly looked at him in surprise. Had Jonathan discovered something that might help the center? Her spirit soared with sudden hope.

  The mayor stood up and offered Jonathan his hand. “Glad to help, son. I suspect we’ll be seeing you around for a while.” He smiled affectionately at Molly and gave her a broad wink. No doubt the gossip mill had found its way to the mayor’s office.

  Jonathan returned the mayor’s smile and shook his hand.

  “Give Miss Emily my regards, Molly.”

  She smiled. “I will, Mayor.”

  Jonathan cupped her elbow and ushered her out of the room.

  “Jonathan,” she asked breathlessly, trying to keep up with him as he hurried down the stairs. “Did you find anything out?”

  “Nothing out of the ordinary. All the papers seem in order.”

  Molly stopped abruptly and her hope dimmed. “Then what are we going to do?”

  Jonathan grinned and grabbed her hand. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

  Chapter Nine

  Jonathan!” Molly gasped. “What on earth are you doing?” Her voice cut through the still night air as she watched him loosening the board that had securely barricaded the front door to the senior center.

  “Jonathan?”

  She inched closer to him and grabbed a handful of his shirt as her worried gaze swept the street. It was dark and deserted at this hour. A worried frown pulled at her mouth. First, Aunt Emily had gotten arrested for picketing in front of the senior center. Now, Miss Emily’s “poor spinster niece” was breaking into the place! Molly shook her head. If word got out—

  “Relax, Molly,” Jonathan teased, pulling the board off and giving the door a shove, “I know a good attorney.”

  With an eerie creak, the door slowly opened. Molly’s eyes widened, and she coughed as a rush of hot, stale air licked her face.

  Waving the musty air in front of them, Jonathan hesitantly took a step inside. “How long has this place been closed down?” he whispered.

  “A few months.”

  She clutched his shirt tighter and peeked around him. Her pulse quickened. “Jonathan? I—I don’t know about this.”

  “Trust me, Molly.” He reached around and circled her waist with his arm, pulling her inside with him. The aged wood floor groaned under their weight, and Molly snuggled closer to Jonathan, grateful for his warmth and the security of his arm.

  The senior center was eerie in the dark, and a shiver
of fear raced up her spine as her eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness.

  “Are you cold?” A solitary shaft of moonlight filtered in through one of the upper windows. The light danced across the planes and angles of Jonathan’s face. His eyes met hers in the darkness, and her heart began to flutter wildly.

  Molly shook her head and burrowed closer to him. “No, I’m not cold.”

  “Scared?”

  “I’m not scared,” she protested, her voice shaky. “I’m terrified.”

  “Molly.” He laughed and slid his other arm around her waist, gathering her close until his body warmed hers. “Don’t be afraid,” he said softly. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

  With an inward sigh, she laid her head against his shoulder and tried to relax. When Jonathan had suggested they go over to the center and inspect the place, she had readily agreed. She had never dreamed the place would be spooky. What a difference a few months had made!

  The darkness wrapped around her like a warm blanket, magnifying her senses. There was an unnatural stillness in the air. The pungent aroma of dampness and dust assaulted her nose, and her eyes burned from the stagnant air. Eerie scratches within the walls announced the residency of rodents. Molly could only hope they were friendly rodents.

  Jonathan lifted a hand to stroke her hair. “We won’t stay long. I promise. I just want to have a look around. Those papers we found at the village hall sure didn’t tell us very much. I wanted to see the place for myself. All right?”

  Molly lifted her head. She’d said she trusted him. Nodding, she looked around the room. Her eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness. “What are we looking for?”

  Jonathan slowly inched forward, and Molly’s fingers tightened around his waist as she followed his lead.

  “I don’t know yet.” The sigh he expelled was hardly comforting. “Molly, this place is a disaster. No wonder it was closed down.”

  “It does look pretty dismal,” she admitted reluctantly.

  “It would help if we had some light.”

  “The utilities cut off the electricity after the center was closed, but I’ve got a small flashlight on my key ring.” Molly fished in her pocket for her keys and handed them to Jonathan. The penlight cast a small beam across the large empty room.

  Funny, she’d never noticed before how dilapidated the center was. The last time she had been there, it had been broad daylight and the center had been filled with people. Streaks of dust now hung from the rafters. The paint was cracked and chipped in places, and old water marks stained the woodwork. A few of the windows were broken, and jagged pieces of glass sat adrift in the panes.

  Jonathan moved slowly around the room, with Molly right on his heels. “Oh, Molly,” he muttered finally, shaking his head in dismay.

  She didn’t like the tone of his voice or the sighs that kept slipping from his lips. Aunt Emily had been so certain that Jonathan would be able to help them save the center. But now, after Molly had seen the place for herself, she wasn’t so sure. Maybe it just looked worse in the dark, and having been boarded up and neglected for months certainly hadn’t helped. “Jonathan, what do you think? Will we be able to save it?”

  He shook his head again. “I don’t know Molly. I’m not an architect. I’m sure some of the problems are surface. It’s the structure I’m concerned about. Not to mention the electrical system and the heating.”

  Molly’s spirits sank. Even if they did manage to scrape up enough money to fix everything—that is, if everything could be fixed—there was no guarantee that the zoning commission would vote to keep the shopping center out. If the situation seemed dismal before, now it looked almost impossible. What was she going to tell her aunt? The thought brought a sudden bout of sadness.

  “Oh, Jonathan.” Her voice trailed off as unshed tears filled her eyes. “Aunt Emily—”

  “Molly—” turning her around to face him, he slipped an arm around her waist “—this place is a lot worse than I expected, but it’s not totally hopeless. Not yet, anyway. I’ve got a friend who’s an architect. I’ll give him a call and see if he can get out here to look the place over. We’ve still got almost a week before the town meeting.” He cupped her chin and smiled. “Now don’t worry. We’ll work something out.”

  Looking up at him, Molly’s heart tripped over its own beat. Her eyes traced his face. She didn’t need any light; she knew every plane, every angle of his features. Her breathing grew ragged as he lifted one hand to brush a strand of hair from her face.

  “Do you know what we have here?” Jonathan’s voice had taken on a husky whisper, and Molly shook her head, unable to take her eyes from his.

  “A disaster?” she whispered, feeling a sudden lurch of excitement deep in her heart.

  “Privacy,” he whispered softly. Reaching his other arm around her, he pulled her closer. “Absolute, total privacy. Listen.” His words were as soft as a caress, and icy shivers of delight raced up and down her spine.

  Closing her eyes, she relaxed against him. The only sound she heard was the rapid thudding of her heart beating within her chest.

  “Do you hear it, Molly?” She could hear the smile in his voice. “There’s no one here but you and me. No cats. No kids. Not even Cyanide Simpson.”

  Jonathan cupped her face with his hands. His lips weaved a sensuous path across her skin as he planted soft kisses across her upturned face.

  Her legs seemed to melt, and she sagged against him. “Jonathan,” she whispered huskily, struggling to control the feelings that were making her reel.

  “Oh, Molly,” he groaned, tightening his arms until she was pressed against him from shoulder to thigh. Heated by his warmth, she arched her body closer, molding herself to him as her arms slid around his neck. Her fingers wound through the silky depths of his hair.

  She lifted her mouth hungrily, waiting for his kiss. Her senses catapulted as his mouth claimed hers with an intensity that dropped the floor from beneath her.

  “Jonathan,” she moaned, gasping for air. His sweet tongue dipped and darted between her parted mouth as his hands roamed her back, setting her skin aflame through the thin material of her dress. His hands scaled the length of her, down the gentle sloping curve of her hips, cupping her bottom to bring her closer until she felt the brand of him everywhere he touched. Her heart took a perilous leap, and her nerves danced from the explosive currents that raced through her.

  She touched her tongue to his, shyly at first, then with wicked abandonment as wild desire intoxicated her. She relished the exquisite texture of him, the wondrous taste of him. Kissing him back, she hungrily took what he offered, wanting more.

  “Molly.” Her name came out a husky groan as Jonathan slid his mouth from hers. She could feel his warm breath mingle with her own as his lips traced a sizzling path over her cheeks and her brows. Lazily his mouth wandered downward, and she pressed closer to him as he bent to nuzzle her ear.

  A fiery blaze swelled inside her, and Molly gasped, pulling his mouth back to her own. His kiss deepened as his hand slid up to the curve of her breast, seeking, searching. Jonathan’s touch was warm, his fingers sure as they slid across the thin cloth of her dress to find the buttons.

  With delicate ease, he pushed the material free, and she shuddered at the touch of his hand against her bare skin. With deliberate care, he took possession of her mouth and body. His fingers caressed her breast as tenderly as his mouth caressed her lips.

  She grew dizzy, engulfed in darkness and desire. Her small moan of pleasure was muffled as cravings as ancient as time took hold.

  Her hands moved slowly, roaming and exploring his wide shoulders, the muscled contours of his back. She wanted to protest when he pulled his lips from hers, but no words came out, just a hasty puff of breath as his lips slid past her chin to nestle in the bed of her neck.

  Trapped in a tangled web of desire, ecstasy and pleasure, Molly tried to push away the nagging fear that filtered through her hazy thoughts.

 
; Jonathan was here now, but what would happen when he left? A chill washed over her, and she tightened her arms around him, trying to ward off the echo of reason. She loved him. The realization was still new, still fresh. She belonged to Jonathan. All her life, she knew, she had waited for this magic moment. But what would happen when he left? Tears stung the back of her eyelids. Molly forced her mind to go blank. Reason and sanity fled as need pummeled her. Jonathan was here now. And she loved him. Oh, how she loved him.

  Her head fell back as his mouth inched downward across the hollows of her throat, down the creamy expanse of her breast. His tongue flicked her nerves awake until she nearly screamed with desire. As she drifted in a sea of raging pleasure, the light touch of his tongue against the swollen peak of her breast caused another moan of pleasure to break free from her throat.

  “Jonathan.” Molly barely recognized the husky voice as her own. Her mouth ached for his and she raised his head, pulling hungrily at his mouth with hers.

  “Molly,” he murmured against her lips, “I—” Jonathan stopped abruptly as a loud thud echoed through the abandoned building.

  “All right! I know you’re in there. This is the deputy sheriff. Come out with your hands up!” There was a thump at the door, and Molly froze. She felt Jonathan stiffen in her arms. He slid his mouth from hers and swore softly.

  Horror washed over her, and she jumped back out of his arms, hastily pulling her clothing together. She took several deep breaths, trying to slow her breathing. Self-consciously she lifted a shaky hand to smooth her tousled hair.

  “I’m going to kill him!” Jonathan muttered.

  Her gaze met his in the semidarkness. His eyes were clouded with desire. His mouth still soft and wet from her own. A trace of lipstick stained his cheek, and she reached out a hand to wipe it away.