Every Vow She Breaks

by Jannine Gallant

  The words bottled up inside burst free. “I love you, Jed Lafferty. I really, really love you.”

  Blue eyes glowed with emotion. “I love you, too, Claire. So very, very much.”

  He kissed her again, tasting every crevice of her mouth while she rocked against him. His hand reached around to unclip her bra…

  The underbrush shuddered and shook. The dog exploded into a frenzy of barking and tore off into the trees.

  Jed jerked upright. “What the hell?”

  Staring over his shoulder into the deepening twilight of the forest, Claire pressed her hands against her breasts. “Did you see it?”

  “See what?”

  “Something big and brown…” She dragged in a long breath. “It might have been a bear…or a Bigfoot.”

  Chapter 25

  “Whatever the thing was, it’s gone now.” Jed dropped to the blanket beside Claire while the idiot dog flopped down on her other side, panting.

  She rubbed her arms through the fleece jacket she’d donned in his absence. “Did Scoop chase it?”

  “Yes, but he came back…eventually. Moron.” He stared off into the trees. “I didn’t get a good look at the creature, but from the amount of noise it was making, the thing was big enough to turn him into mincemeat.”

  “I never claimed he was the brightest dog in the world, but he doesn’t lack bravery.”

  Jed scooted closer until their sides pressed together. “It was probably just a bear.”

  “I know. I wonder if it’s the same one Ian saw.”

  “Could be.” He wiped a trickle of blood off a cut on his chest.

  Claire traced a second, longer scratch with her finger. “You should have put your shirt on before running off into the woods.”

  “I was too worried about your brainless mutt.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and held on tight. “You can kiss my wounds to make them better.”

  Her gaze jerked upward to meet his. “Uh, didn’t your close encounter with a big, furry animal kill the mood?”

  “Honey, my mood is indestructible. That little run through the forest just got my blood pumping. Might as well put it to good use.”

  She glanced down and smiled. “Is that the real reason you didn’t put your clothes back on?”

  “Maybe.” He gave the zipper on her jacket a tug. More bare skin was revealed with each inch. “You didn’t put your shirt on, either.”

  “No time. I wanted to cover up fast, just in case.”

  One hand caressed the back of her neck then moved along her shoulder. “No peep show for Bigfoot?”

  She snickered then gasped as his fingers scraped down the side of her breast. “If the authorities found our lifeless, mutilated bodies, I would prefer that mine not be naked.”

  His lips followed the meandering path of his fingers. Her skin tasted tangy and herbal, moss with a hint of salt. Gently he pushed her back against the blanket and stretched out next to her.

  “What about you?” He licked over the pointed tip of one breast to rest his cheek on her flat, quivering stomach. “How’s your mood?”

  “Miraculously restored.” Her voice hitched on an indrawn breath as he delved beneath the waistband of her stretchy exercise pants.

  “Thank God. If you told me to…take a hike, I think I’d lose my mind.”

  When he sat up, she emitted a squeak of protest.

  “I can’t pull those pants off over your boots.” He reached for the left one while she attacked the right. Moments later, boots, pants and flowered panties lay on the moss. Sweat broke across his brow as he stripped off the remainder of his clothes.

  Claire touched his back, kneading tight muscles as he tossed his briefs to the ground. He turned to face her, and she scooted closer to kiss the long scratches. When her tongue ran across one hard nipple, he sucked in a breath.

  “Easy. I’ve been thinking about this moment since the second I woke up pressed against you this morning. When you jumped out of bed to let the dog out, I nearly cried.”

  Her eyes sparkled as she kissed her way down his abdomen. “Scoop wasn’t the only one who needed to go. Moving into the house will make everything much…more…convenient.” Blond hair flowed across his stomach as she moved lower with each word.

  He couldn’t talk, couldn’t think, couldn’t believe what she was doing with her mouth. He gritted his teeth to hold on.

  “Claire, stop. Let me…oh, God.”

  He pulled her up his chest then rolled with her, pushing deep. They moved together, breathing erratic, skin damp, hearts thundering. Love for this woman welled up from deep within him and spilled over on a cry of unbearable pleasure. Spent, he collapsed with her sheltered inside the circle of his arms.

  Minutes passed as the twilight deepened into darkness. The first stars glimmered in the night sky. Smiling, he pressed a kiss against her hair. “I’d have to say that was definitely the highlight of my day.”

  Claire raised her head. “Better than chasing bears…or whatever? Better than listening to my various exes threaten to kill each other?”

  His arms tightened around her. “Oh, yeah.”

  “I’d have to agree it was pretty darned spectacular. At the end, lights exploded in front of my eyes.”

  “I think that was a shooting star.”

  She sighed and snuggled against him. “Did you make a wish?”

  “Why would I need to? I have everything I want right here. Mother Nature at her finest…and you.”

  She was silent for a moment as her hand stroked across his chest. “Jed?”

  The hint of worry in her tone dispelled some of his contented lethargy. “What?”

  “Maybe we should talk about that, about what we both want.”

  Fear shot through him as she sat up and retrieved her discarded jacket. He didn’t want to listen, didn’t want to hear that the way he lived his life wasn’t enough for her. When she pushed her arms into the sleeves and zipped up, his heart dipped and settled in his stomach. The soft fleece might as well have been a suit of armor, protecting her from…him?

  “I don’t want to lose you. You’re more important to me than settling down and making a permanent home. If you’ll have me—”

  “If I’ll have you?” He reached out and lifted her across his lap to hold her tight in his arms. “I’d be honored to have you.” He squeezed his eyes shut to ward off a touch of moisture. “What about your aunt’s house?”

  “I can sell it. Once the repairs are made, Theresa would take care of putting it on the market. I trust her to do what’s in my best interests.”

  “You’d do that for me?”

  She held his face between her palms. “I love you.”

  He kissed her, his lips lingering on the soft fullness of hers. “I love you, too.”

  “I’d have to travel for work. That wouldn’t change.”

  “I still have to find something that’ll pay the bills once winter’s over.”

  “Only work you’ll be happy to do. I won’t box you into conformity. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  Her earnest tone poked at his conscience. She was saying everything he wanted to hear. So why was there a pain deep in his chest? Must be indigestion from the brownie he’d eaten. Except he was smart enough, now, to know that wasn’t the cause.

  When she shivered, he rose, still holding her. “The temperature’s dropping. Maybe we should hike back.”

  “If I can find my pants.”

  The humor had returned to her voice, and his somber mood lightened as he set her on her feet. “They’ve got to be around here somewhere. I have a flashlight in my pack.”

  They dressed then loaded up the trash left from their picnic. With Claire staying close behind him, he shone the light on the rugged trail as they headed back the way they’d come. When they finally reached the road, he dropped his pack and unlocked the SUV, barely holding in a sigh of relief.

  “We made it. I was
beginning to wonder.”

  She collapsed onto the seat. “I’m officially exhausted. Remind me again why we hiked so far after two sleepless nights along with driving almost two hundred miles?”

  He opened the door for Scoop, slammed it behind the dog, then climbed in and started the engine. “Because I have about as much sense as your mutt. Sorry I got so carried away.”

  The glow of the dashboard lights illuminated her smile, which warmed him far more than the heater emitting intermittent blasts of tepid air.

  “Don’t apologize. Your enthusiasm for life is one of the reasons I love you.”

  “Can I get you to put that in writing?”

  Her laughter filled the interior of the car. “Afraid I’ll change my mind?”

  “You wouldn’t be the first.”

  “Maybe not, but I hope I’ll be the last.”

  * * * *

  Claire turned slowly, admiring the newly installed tile from every angle. The large squares in swirls of gray muted the forest green walls that gave the bathroom a lagoon-like feel. She glanced over her shoulder when Jed stopped in the doorway. “Didn’t this room turn out gorgeous?”

  “All that color is actually sort of cool.”

  She raised a brow. “You sound surprised.”

  “I thought I’d hate it. I’m a basic white walls and natural wood kind of guy, but your wild paint scheme is growing on me. Let’s hope potential buyers will be impressed, too.”

  Her smile faltered. “Not something I considered when I picked out the colors.”

  He opened his mouth then shut it and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Uh, with the bathrooms and bedrooms finished, we could sleep up here now.”

  “Maybe I should stop by the storage locker to pick up my bed on the way home tomorrow. The mattresses left in the house smell like mildew and sag worse than Great-aunt Agatha’s—”

  “What?”

  “Pantry shelves.” She grinned. “What did you think I was going to say?”

  “You don’t want to know, but that’s not why I stopped you. Home from where?”

  She smacked the side of her head. “Geez, I still haven’t told you. I started to and then was distracted by one of Vern’s workers. My editor called. She wants me to complete the lighthouse story pronto. Apparently one of the other photographers bailed on a project due the end of the week because of a family emergency.”

  “Don’t you have three more lighthouses left to photograph?”

  “I’m going to drop Pigeon Point and stick with the ones north of San Francisco. If this article is popular, Louise suggested doing a follow-up piece on the lighthouses further south sometime next year.”

  “Sounds like a plan. So, where’re we going?”

  “You don’t have to go—”

  “Yes, I do. I won’t risk sending you off alone again.”

  She gave a quick nod, pleased by his insistence. The thought of going anywhere alone set her nerves on edge.

  “First, Point Cabrillo south of Fort Bragg. Then, Point Bonita, which is just north of San Francisco Bay. If we get an early start, we can make it a one-day trip and still have time to grab the mattress since the storage place is right off the highway.” She rolled her eyes. “Unless the weather chooses not to cooperate, and the lighthouses are completely fogged in. It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow, though, so I’m crossing my fingers.”

  “Sounds like a fun day. Busy, but fun.”

  “I hope so. Oh, I called Theresa. She thinks it’s best to wait until the work on the house is completely finished to list it. That way she can plan an open house to showcase the place in style.” She glanced down to draw a finger along the edge of the tile grout before raising her gaze to meet his. “Theresa wants to push for the week before Thanksgiving. Vern is pretty sure he’ll have it done in time.”

  Little lines appeared between Jed’s brows.

  Claire drew in a breath. “Don’t worry. We won’t have to stay here until then. Once I make some final decisions about the kitchen so Vern knows exactly what to do, we can head for your cabin. I know you must be anxious to get back.” She straightened her shoulders. “In fact, maybe we shouldn’t bother with the bed. We won’t be here that much longer.”

  “We’ll get the mattress. There’s no reason to rush off.” The lines deepened. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

  She nodded. “Everything will be fine.”

  He was quiet for a minute. “Vern needs a couple more bags of mortar to finish up the repairs on the chimney. I told him I’d run into town to get them. Do you want to come with me?”

  “I can’t. I have to crop the pictures I’ve taken so far and finish the text for my story. Louise is freaking about this deadline, and I don’t want to disappoint her.”

  “You still have to shoot the other lighthouses—”

  “Yes, but I can create the whole layout and just leave space for the missing pictures. I have plenty of animal photos to work with now, thanks to that sea otter swimming around in the kelp yesterday.”

  He grinned. “It was a hell of a lot cuter than those sea lions. I’ll leave you to it, then. You’ll be safe enough here with Vern and his workers around.”

  She gave him a gentle push toward the stairs. “Go. I’ll see you later.” Turning for one last look at the completed bathroom, she let out a sigh, snapped off the light then followed.

  * * * *

  Jed wheeled the cart loaded with mortar up to the checkout counter and pulled out his credit card, wincing a little as he handed it to the clerk. He’d be overextended if he didn’t cut back on expenses before winter. Time to buckle down and think about what he was going to do in the spring.

  “You can just charge it to Claire’s account, you know.”

  He turned to face the man behind him. “Hey, Dallas.”

  “I assume the mortar’s for her house.”

  “Yes, but—”

  “That’s why she opened an account. Vern’s been charging supplies to it instead of adding a percentage to help keep her costs down.”

  The bells over the door jingled as a dark haired woman pushed through it. Glancing their way, she smiled. “Well, hello, Jed.”

  “Hi, Theresa.” He returned the card to his wallet. “Claire mentioned she’d spoken with you earlier.”

  “What did she say? Should I be worried?” The realtor walked over and stopped beside Dallas. “Did I push too hard?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The house. When she said she wanted to sell it, I was bummed at first. Having Claire here in Shady Bend has been fun for both of us. Then my realtor radar took over, and I got excited about the listing.”

  He took the receipt from the clerk and pushed the loaded cart out of the line. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

  “You’d think, but the more I talked, the quieter she got. Does she really want to sell?”

  Rubbing a hand across the sudden ache in his chest, he frowned. “She says she does. I’ve asked her a couple of times.”

  Theresa’s brown eyes darkened, and her lips pressed tight. “When Ian wanted to get married on that stupid ski trip, she agreed because, at the time, she loved him. It was only after the fact she admitted it had been a huge mistake.”

  Dallas took Theresa’s arm to guide her out of the way of a man carrying a bundle of doweling. “Sounds like Claire. I almost persuaded her to give up on Berkeley to join me at the community college. She wised up in time, but I think her parents and the school counselor helped convince her she had to go after her dreams.”

  Theresa frowned. “So, why’d she change her mind about keeping the house?”

  Jed’s gaze dropped beneath the woman’s unrelenting stare. “I didn’t suggest she sell, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  “I’m not accusing you of anything, and I’m happy to list the place for her. I just want to make sure she won’t regret it in the long run.”

 
“I’ll talk to her again.”

  She smiled. “You’re a good guy, Jed. I know Claire cares a lot about you, and she’ll try like crazy to make you happy. Until she gives too much of herself and reaches the breaking point. I’d rather not see that happen.”

  “Me either.” He nodded. “I’d better get the mortar back to Vern. He’ll be waiting.”

  “Tell Claire I said hi.” Theresa tucked her hand through Dallas’s arm and headed toward his office beside him.

  Jed pushed the cart outside. After opening the rear gate, he dumped the bags, one at a time, inside. The vehicle rocked under the weight. He slammed the door closed to lean against it. The minutes ticked by before he pulled out his phone and scrolled through the contacts. He pushed a button and waited.

  “Travis? Hey, it’s Jed. I was wondering if you’d mind giving me a phone number.”

  Chapter 26

  Jed walked out of the recreation center in Fort Bragg with a bounce to his step and a renewed sense of purpose. The rec supervisor, the third one he’d spoken with, had been just as enthusiastic about his proposal as the others he’d approached. If he could produce the proper permits and insurance, the centers would be happy to advertise his summer wilderness camping program for kids along with facilitating signups. Each director had assured him there would be plenty of interested participants. Now all he had to do was organize itineraries and make schedules, round up a couple of interns to help control the kids and… He stopped beside the SUV to rub his temples.

  Paperwork was his nemesis. When he’d reached Alex Conner, the man Travis had mentioned who operated a similar program out of the Seattle area, he’d warned him about the administrative headaches involved. The man had been more than willing to share his expertise—as long as Jed agreed to stay in California. Not a problem. The whole point of the endeavor was to stick close to Shady Bend and recruit campers from the surrounding towns. With luck and hard work, he’d create a business for himself here on the coast that would give purpose to his summers and be fun to boot. More importantly, Claire would be able to keep her house.