At Hidden Falls (Angel's Bay Novel)

by Barbara Freethy

  They didn’t talk on the way back to the theater. When she pulled up next to his car, she didn’t look at him, either. Why?

  “It’s getting harder to say good-bye to you,” he told her.

  “You’ve been wanting to say good-bye since the second we met,” she reminded him.

  “I didn’t know you then.”

  Her eyes filled with shadows as she turned toward him. “You don’t know me now, Nick.”

  “You’re beautiful, funny, free-spirited, creative, kind . . . What don’t I know?”

  “A lot.”

  “Why don’t you tell me?”

  “Why should I? You want me one minute, and the next you don’t. You ask me to stay, then you tell me to go. So I’m going—as soon as you get out of the truck.”

  As he watched her drive away, he knew the last thing he wanted was for her to go. He just wasn’t ready to ask her to stay.

  TWELVE

  Isabella had just stripped out of her muddy clothes when the doorbell rang. She threw on Joe’s robe and went to the front door. She was shocked to see Nick on the porch.

  “What do you want?” she asked.

  “I tried to go home.”

  “It doesn’t look that way.”

  “I even tried to get Megan to go home with me, so I’d have a good reason not to come over here. But she was busy with my mother and she didn’t want to leave.”

  “If you’re bored, I’m sure you could find something to do that doesn’t involve me.”

  “I’m not bored.” He gazed into her eyes. “Tell me to go, Isabella. Tell me you don’t want me. Tell me this is a crazy idea.”

  She swallowed hard. “This can’t just be on me, Nick. It has to be your choice, too.”

  “My choice is you,” he said.

  The simple directness of his words took her breath away.

  She extended her hand, and his fingers wrapped tightly around hers as if he didn’t intend ever to let her go. He stepped inside and shut the door. “Your brother isn’t here, is he?”

  She shook her head. “I just talked to him. He won’t be back until late tonight.”

  He pulled her up against him, mouth to mouth, hip to hip, toe to toe. His mouth descended on hers, rough, hungry, and demanding, his tongue sweeping past her lips. His hands yanked impatiently at the tie of her robe, then slid inside to cup her breasts.

  She moaned. “Let’s get you out of those muddy clothes.” She pulled him down the hall to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Then she turned to him, her hands teasing with the edge of her robe.

  Nick stared at her with passion-filled eyes.

  She made him wait, letting the anticipation build, then let the robe fall to the floor.

  Nick sucked in a breath. “You’re gorgeous.” He put his hands on her hips as he leaned in to kiss her. His mouth trailed down her jaw, tracing a line along her collarbone, then dipping down to taste one nipple, then the other, sending a wave of delicious pleasure through her.

  She reached for his shirt, unbuttoning it as quickly as she could, then moved below his belt. He already had an impressive bulge going, and she lingered there while he shrugged out of his shirt. Then his jeans and boxers were off in record time. His ruggedly sculpted body made her mouth water. He was amazing. And he was hers.

  She stepped into the shower as the steam fogged up the room around them. Nick moved behind her and grabbed the bar of soap off the shelf.

  “Let’s get you clean,” he said with a wicked smile as he soaped up his hands and placed them on her breasts, his thumbs swirling around her nipples.

  She drew in a breath as he played her with his sensual hands and his sexy mouth. The water streamed over her head as she slid her hands down his muscled back, her fingers molding his buttocks, pulling him closer, his mouth sliding down the side of her neck.

  He dropped to one knee, his mouth trailing down her abdomen, his hands parting her thighs, and then he gave her the most intimate kiss of all, teasing and tasting in delicious torture that left her shaking with need.

  When the water began to cool, Nick shut it off and pulled her out of the shower, wrapped her up in a big terry-cloth towel, and kissed her long and deep, filled with promise. They stumbled across the hall to her bedroom, the wet towel coming off as the backs of her knees hit the edge of the bed.

  He came down on top of her, and his dark gaze met hers. Cupping her head with his hands, he kissed her again and again and again. It wasn’t nearly enough. She pushed him onto his back, then straddled him. “My turn to play,” she said with a smile.

  His eyes blazed with desire. “Whatever you want. Just don’t stop.”

  “I don’t plan on stopping until we’re both . . .” Her voice drifted away as she sank onto his erection. “Really, really satisfied.” And as she moved against him, she had a feeling that was going to take a long, long time.

  God, she was beautiful, with her exotic eyes, dark hair, and beautiful skin. Nick loved watching her ride him so freely and with so much joy. There was nothing tame or boring about Isabella; she didn’t hold back. She wouldn’t let him hold back, either. She wanted everything from him, and he wanted to give it to her.

  The tension built to an unbearable point where he was torn between wanting it to go on forever and needing blessed release. His hands gripped her ass; his blood roared through his veins.

  She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. “Let go, Nick,” she whispered.

  Her soft voice was all he needed to jump. He pulled her hard against him as he thrust hard and hungrily, stroking her body until she cried out and he shuddered with a powerful climax.

  He couldn’t catch his breath, his heart beating in triple time as Isabella nestled next to him, her head on his chest. He closed his eyes, tightening his arm around her, wanting to stay like this forever.

  Her breathing softened, and her lids drifted closed. He drew in a slow breath and let it out. His mind was threatening to jump into instant analysis, but his body wasn’t ready to join in. For the first time ever, he felt completely satisfied, as if he’d found the one person in the world who really meant something.

  The thought scared him. He didn’t believe in soul mates. He wasn’t even sure he believed in endless love.

  But Isabella made him want to believe.

  He drew in a breath and let it out. He didn’t have to make any decisions now. She certainly wasn’t asking him to.

  She was asleep, her cheek against his heart, her hand spread across his abdomen in a sweet caress. For now, it was just about this moment. This really good moment.

  The trees were thick, the branches scratching her face as she followed him deeper into the woods. Nick charged ahead, and she saw the danger before he did.

  “No, stop, Nick!” she screamed.

  “Isabella, wake up!”

  Nick’s voice dragged her out of the terrifying darkness, and she opened her eyes to see him staring at her with concern. Her fingers were digging into his biceps, and she forced herself to let go. “I’m—I’m sorry.”

  “That was some bad dream. You’re still shaking.”

  She scooted into a sitting position, pulling the sheet up over her breasts. “I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep.” She was amazed that she’d drifted off with Nick in her bed. Sex was one thing, but actually sleeping with a man wasn’t something she did very often.

  “I must have worn you out,” he said huskily.

  “You did.” She smiled. “You were amazing.”

  “So were you. What were you dreaming about?”

  “I—I don’t know.”

  “You yelled my name.” He sat up against the headboard. “What’s going on, Isabella?”

  “Nothing, it was just a nightmare.”

  He stared at her for a moment. “When we first met that night on the cliff, you said you’d dreamed about me.”

  She’d hoped he’d forgotten that. “I had a head injury. I didn’t know what I was saying.”

  “How coul
d you dream about someone you’d never met?”

  “Well, I couldn’t, so there’s your answer. I’m thirsty. Do you want something to drink?”

  “Hang on,” he said, grabbing her arm. “Why are you suddenly being evasive?”

  “Why are you suddenly being persistent? What does it matter what I dreamed? I’m awake now. Just let it go, Nick.”

  “Why should I?”

  “Because you don’t want to get involved with me, and you’re not going to like my answer, and it’s going to ruin a perfectly wonderful afternoon!” She knew that as sure as she knew anything.

  “Now I’m even more curious. Just tell me, Isabella. Please.”

  He was asking her to trust him, and she wanted to. Because she liked him. She cared about him. She wanted nothing but truth between them. Could she take that risk?

  “You’re scared,” Nick said in wonder. “I can see the fear in your eyes. What is it, Isabella?” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Talk to me.”

  She drew in a breath for strength. “I told you that my grandmother believes I have a special gift, that I sometimes see things before they happen.”

  “Like today, at the theater. You saw the light falling.”

  “When I grabbed your arm, I saw the glass exploding.”

  “Is that what you were dreaming about now?”

  She shook her head. “No. It started weeks ago, when Joe sent me this necklace. He found it in my uncle’s house.”

  “It’s pretty,” Nick said, his gaze dropping for a moment to the pendant.

  “It was given to a relative of mine; her name was Leticia. She had eyes the same color as mine. And the person who gave it to her was your grandfather.”

  Surprise flashed in his eyes. “No kidding. When was that?”

  “About fifty years ago. After I got the pendant, I started dreaming about Angel’s Bay. I saw a man who was always in the shadows, and I began to worry that Joe was in trouble. I barely slept for two weeks. I finally decided to come here and see if I could figure out what was happening. That night, when you pulled me from the car, I knew the man I’d seen in my dreams was you. There’s trouble coming your way, Nick. And I don’t know how to stop it.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “What kind of trouble?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “That’s not very helpful.”

  “That’s why I didn’t want to tell you. I kept hoping I’d see something more clearly.”

  “Maybe it was just the light falling on the stage.”

  She shook her head. “My dreams always stop after whatever is going to happen happens.”

  “You said you’re not always right, though.”

  She could see the doubt in his eyes. She had to make him believe her. “I’m right enough of the time.”

  “Like when?” he asked.

  “Does it matter?”

  “You want me to believe you. I need some proof.”

  She sighed, then said, “Okay. When I was sixteen, I was in love with a boy named Tony Gallardi. He was everything to me. I had never felt such intense feelings for anyone, and it scared me, because getting emotionally connected to someone usually made my dreams worse. But I couldn’t stop myself; I fell head over heels.

  One day, we got caught in the rain, and Tony lent me his jacket. I wore it to bed, because it felt like his arms were around me.” She paused for a breath, the memory still vivid. “I dreamed that he was going to be in a car crash. I called him up in the middle of the night to warn him, but he laughed and said I was being silly, that it was just a bad dream. I had the same dream the next two nights. I didn’t tell him again, since I knew he wouldn’t believe me, and he’d start thinking I was crazy. I’d already lost too many friends by talking about my visions.”

  Nick’s jaw tightened. “He was in an accident, wasn’t he?”

  Isabella nodded. “That weekend, he and two friends were driving home from a party and were hit head-on. He died on impact.” She blinked back tears. “I couldn’t forgive myself for not trying harder to make him believe me.”

  Nick put his arms around her. “It wasn’t your fault, Isabella.”

  “I know that logically, but I saw it, Nick. I saw it, and I didn’t stop it.”

  “What were you supposed to do? Prevent him from getting into a car for the rest of his life? Besides, not all of your dreams come true,” he reminded her. “How could you know that one would?”

  “But enough of them do come true. I’ve tried to talk myself out of this more times that I can count, Nick. I don’t want these visions! No one wants to know the future, especially when they can’t stop it. When I do try to stop it, things go haywire. A few years ago, I told a friend that I couldn’t meet her for dinner because I had a bad feeling. So she went home unexpectedly and found her fiancé in bed with another man. They broke up.”

  “You did her a favor, then.”

  “But she blamed me for ruining her life. Like I said, no one really wants to know the future. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.” She searched his eyes, wondering what he was thinking, but he wasn’t giving much away. “Now you know why I don’t get close to people—why I move around a lot, why I don’t make plans. I know better than anyone that sometimes you can’t change fate.”

  “You can’t hold yourself responsible for anyone else’s life, Isabella,” Nick said gently.

  “It’s hard not to, when you see something bad about to happen to someone you care about. You couldn’t stand by and do nothing, either. You ran down a slippery hillside in the pouring rain to save a stranger.”

  “That was different. I could do something tangible to help you. I could get you out of the car. But there was nothing you could do to change what happened to Tony.”

  “Maybe if I had been more open to my visions, I would have seen more. I would have known when it was going to happen, or how. But I was afraid to look. I still am. I exercise like a fiend so that I won’t dream when I sleep. I don’t have deep relationships, because love makes things worse.”

  “It doesn’t sound like living your life on the surface has changed anything for you, not when a necklace can send you halfway up the state,” he pointed out.

  “I tried to resist, but the pull was too strong. You and I were connected before we even met. I think it’s because the necklace is tied to Harrison and Leticia, and we’re connected to them.”

  “What was going on between my grandfather and this woman?”

  “He was in love with her, even though he was engaged to your grandmother.”

  “Okay, but that was a long time ago. What does that matter now?”

  “I think it just connects us. It’s not related to the danger in my dreams.”

  “If I’m going to be in danger, then I’ll deal with it. Although I can’t imagine what that would entail. I’m not exactly living on the wild side anymore.”

  “I wish I knew, Nick. I thought if we got closer, maybe the dreams would become more specific, and I would know what to do.”

  “So you were using sex with me to clear your head?” he asked.

  “I didn’t mean it like that.” She saw the teasing light in his eyes, and her tension eased. “Do you think I’m crazy?” she asked, not sure she wanted to hear his answer.

  “Aren’t we all a little crazy?” he countered, a warm look in his eyes.

  “Whether you believe me or not, Nick, I’m not leaving until the dreams stop and I know you’re safe. You saved my life. I owe you that much.”

  “You don’t owe me anything, Isabella. If you want to stay, stay. If you want to go . . .”

  “Go?” she finished when his voice trailed away.

  “Not yet,” he said. “Don’t go yet.”

  “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

  He pushed her down on the bed. “All I want right now is you, all of you. And, if you want to shout out my name, feel free.”

  She smiled. “Give me something to shout about, and I’ll see what I can do.”r />
  Isabella gave a satisfied sigh as she got out of the shower for the third time that day. She felt almost scarily happy, because nothing this good could possibly last. She returned to her bedroom and quickly dressed, then picked up Nick’s T-shirt off the floor and tossed it onto her bed. He must have forgotten it when he’d reluctantly put on his muddy clothes and gone home to his daughter.

  The front door opened and shut, and Joe called her name. She pulled a sweatshirt over her head as he appeared in the doorway.

  “Hey,” he said. “I picked up a pizza. I didn’t know if you’d eaten.”

  “I haven’t, thanks. You look tired,” she commented, noting the dark circles under his eyes.

  “Long day of nothing,” he said with a sigh. “I went up into the hills, trying to find Annie’s father, but there was no sign of him. I have no leads to go on. I have no idea where Annie is.”

  “You’re doing your best.”

  “Effort doesn’t matter. It’s results that count.” His gaze fell on Nick’s T-shirt and the rumpled bed, and Isabella could see him adding it all up in his head, his investigative mind not missing a detail.

  “Who does this belong to?” he asked, picking up the shirt.

  “Nick,” she said unapologetically.

  “You seem to be ending up with a lot of his clothes,” he said. “What’s going on with you and him?”

  “We’re . . . friends.”

  “Looks like more than that.”

  “It’s not a big deal, Joe.”

  He gave her a thoughtful look. “Nick has a kid, and from what I understand, he’s planning to live here permanently. You’re not going to stay. Your life is in Los Angeles.”

  “Are you done pointing out the obvious?” she asked, not at all happy with the direction of the conversation.

  “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “I know what I’m doing,” she said, although deep down, she wasn’t at all certain of that.

  “I hope you do. I’m going to take a shower.”