A touch of love

by Conn, Phoebe

  Late the next morning, faint strains of mariachi music spilled over into Aubrey's dreams. Slowly teased awake by the exuberant melodies, she stretched lazily, then raised up slightly. Jesse's bedroom was larger than she had realized last night, and bathed in the bright morning sun, the whitewashed walls had taken on a soft golden glow. In the distance, the red mountains were dotted with pine trees.

  "I can't believe you didn't wake me," Jesse complained. "Did you really think I'd enjoy sleeping in my clothes?"

  Aubrey turned to look at him. He was leaning on his left elbow, and his chest above the sheet was bare. He was trying to affect a menacing frown, but a teasing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth to give away his true mood. "It looks as though you survived."

  "Just barely," Jesse replied. He had gotten up earlier, showered, shaved, and then been lured back into bed by Aubrey's angelic smile. He was amazed she could have such pleasant dreams after being shot at, but extremely grateful that she felt safe enough with him to have them.

  Aubrey had no recollection of her dreams, but Jesse looked awfully good to her that morning. She reached up to caress his cheek, and he caught her hand to draw her near. She pressed against the length of him, boldly fitting her curves against the hardened planes of his muscular body, but she still didn't feel close enough. She pulled away briefly to toss her sleepshirt aside, then returned to his arms with a contented sigh that soon became a sultry invitation for something far more passionate than mere gentle cuddling.

  Having fallen asleep long before he had intended, Jesse readily responded to Aubrey's desire. On the drive to Arizona, he had replayed the moments preceding the gunshot a thousand times. He was uncertain when it had become imperative to bring Aubrey home with him, but when he had first mentioned it, she hadn't sounded particularly eager to make the trip. In fact, he had feared he would have to talk all the way to her house to convince her it was a good idea.

  He recalled glancing toward her, and she had turned to him. Their timing had been as perfect as the steps of the most intricate ballet. Then, boom! Gilroy had fired a shot at them, and the day had taken on a white-hot glow.

  As a child, he had been at a movie theater one afternoon when the film had broken. Scorched by the projector's brilliant light, the image on the screen had faded as though doused with bleach. Then the celluloid had blistered and melted, creating a nightmarish landscape on the screen. He had rather enjoyed the grisly sight as a kid, but yesterday, the scene had been played out far too close, and he just wanted to forget it.

  What if he hadn't spoken, and Aubrey hadn't turned? That was too horrible a possibility to explore even in his mind, but looking at the sweet, sleepy softness of her now, he needed her with a desperate passion. "God, how I want you," he moaned, his voice husky with desire. Intent upon having her, he moved over her, but rather than rush, took his time to feel every delicious inch of her.

  Aubrey had succeeded in distancing herself from her emotions yesterday, but now the memory of her close brush with death brought a searing heat that infused each of her gestures with an unmistakable demand for more than Jesse had ever given. Her kisses burned his mouth, and her nails grazed his shoulders as she pulled him deep into her embrace. With a consuming surrender, she wrapped

  herself around him, and as she lost her heart, she longed to capture his.

  It was afternoon before the hunger for more than each other drove them from the oversized bed. Arm in arm, and laughing happily, they wandered into the kitchen and found the housekeeper, Lupe Pena, putting away the groceries she had just brought back from Sedona. About to scold Jesse for failing to let her know when he would be home, she turned away from the refrigerator wearing an impatient frown. But the instant she saw Aubrey at his side, she broke into a wide smile.

  "Finally!" she exclaimed, in a voice softly accented with the musical tones of her native Spanish. "I feared you would never find a woman to please you." She hurriedly wiped her hand on her apron, and extended it to Aubrey. "I'm Lupe Pena."

  When Jesse had mentioned a housekeeper, Aubrey had imagined a plump, grandmotherly woman, who kept his house neat, and him well fed. Lupe, however, was closer to forty than sixty. A Hispanic beauty with beautiful dark eyes and thick, sable hair worn in a single braid, she was tall, slim, and dressed in Levi's, boots, and a red cotton shirt, rather than a prim uniform. It was only the wide gold band on her left hand, and a faint recollection that Jesse had mentioned her husband also worked for him, that gave Aubrey the courage to smile.

  Sorry he hadn't been quicker, Jesse completed the introductions and then promptly dismissed Lupe's comment. "You're the first woman I've ever brought home, but considering the circumstances, I couldn't have done otherwise."

  Lupe appeared greatly intrigued by that comment, while Aubrey wished it had been affection for her rather than fear for her safety which had inspired Jesse's invitation.

  Her feelings hurt, she moved away from his side, then tried to hide her disappointment.

  "What a pretty kitchen this is. I don't think I've ever seen a more colorful display of Mexican tile."

  "You don't think it's too much?" Jesse asked.

  The walls were white, as were the appliances, while the wooden cabinets were stained dark. The yellow tile counters were liberally accented with decorative Mexican tiles with intricate floral patterns in blue, white, and green. Windows above the sink let in plenty of light, along with a breathtaking view of the mountains, lending the kitchen a bright and festive mood. Lupe looked perfectly at home there, and was awaiting Aubrey's comment with an expectant glance.

  "No," Aubrey assured Jesse. "This kitchen is absolutely spectacular. It suits you, and the house."

  "You see, Jesse?" Lupe stressed. "He thought the tile should be as white as the walls, and I told him it would look like a hospital. Because I spend my time here, and he doesn't, I got my way."

  Lupe appeared to be extremely pleased with herself, making Aubrey feel even more like an outsider. She remained silent while the housekeeper and Jesse discussed the menu for dinner, but hated to think she was causing extra work. "Please don't go to any trouble for me," she apologized.

  "You're no trouble at all," Lupe assured her. "I cook for the men as well as Jesse, and the tiny portion you'll eat won't even be noticed. Now sit down at the dining table, and I'll bring you some fresh pan dulce and coffee."

  "Aubrey drinks tea," Jesse advised, making it sound as though tea were a controlled substance.

  When Lupe gave her a blank stare, Aubrey apologized again. "I should have brought some of my own. If you have any juice, I'll take that—or water is fine."

  "I could send Fernando back to the store for tea," Lupe offered.

  "No, don't bother," Jesse said. "I want to take Aubrey into town later, and we'll get some then."

  "Really," Aubrey insisted. "Water will be fine."

  "Why are you so nervous?" Jesse whispered as soon as they were seated at the heavy pine dining table. Placed at the end of the home's main room nearest the kitchen, the table and six ladderback chairs were as impressive as the rest of the furnishings.

  "I didn't realize I was," Aubrey insisted, hating herself for the lie, but unwilling to reveal how little she appreciated being invited there out of a sense of duty. "Tell me something about this house. Was this center section with the fireplace the original structure?"

  Jesse doubted Aubrey cared all that much about the architecture, but not wanting her to dwell on Harlan Caine, he supplied the answer. "Yes. The original owner came here to raise cattle around the turn of the century. He built this single room for living and sleeping, and cooked his meals outdoors. He had intended to add on to the house when he married, but the woman he had hoped to entice out here from Virginia kept postponing her trip, and then married someone else.

  "The ranch was bought and sold several times, but apparently I was the first to want indoor plumbing and more than a single room. I rather like the old place, though. If and when I get real ambitious, I'm
going to add on wings to give the house the shape of a C."

  Lupe carried in a tray of flakey sweet Mexican pastries, coffee for Jesse, and glasses of orange juice for them both. "Perhaps I should have offered lunch rather than breakfast. Would you like something more?"

  Aubrey waited for Jesse to assure her they were fine, and

  then agreed. "Lupe seems very nice," she added when they were again alone.

  Jesse smiled as he replaced his cup on the table. Lupe made the best coffee he had ever tasted, and even if she had not been able to do another thing, he would have kept her on the payroll. "Yes, she is. She's also a damn good cook, and I haven't found a speck of dust in here since the day she arrived. I think you'll like her husband. Fernando started working for me first, then I hired Lupe."

  Aubrey hadn't eaten a pan duke in a while and pulled off a flavorful bite. It had a hint of almond and almost melted in her mouth. "Lupe's very attractive. Is he?"

  Jesse laughed at that question. "You'll have to tell me. He takes care of my horses, and you'll meet him later. You do ride, don't you?"

  "Ride? You mean horses?" Aubrey's heart sank.

  "Well, you're too big to ride one of the llamas."

  Aubrey shrugged slightly. "Well, I have ridden a horse upon occasion."

  It had not even occurred to Jesse that Aubrey wouldn't know how to ride, but now he couldn't understand why he had thought a woman who had been raised in the city would. "That's good. Did you enjoy it?"

  Aubrey doubted that she had been more than twelve or thirteen the last time she had been invited to go horseback riding. "I've only ridden horses I've rented for an hour or so, and the trails, like those around Griffith Park, weren't demanding. I would like to see something of the area though, and you know I can't stay long. I've a seminar to lead on Saturday, so I'll have to fly home on Friday."

  Jesse found it surprisingly difficult to think of her leaving so soon. "Well, I can't promise to turn you into a cowgirl in four days, but I'll give it my best try."

  Jesse took a bite out of his second pan dulce, but Aubrey couldn't finish her first. If she flew home Friday morning,

  which she intended to do, they would have only four and a half days together, and then probably never see each other again. She was certain Jesse would promise to call her when he visited his aunt, and he might the next time he came to California, but then he would forget.

  Large windows on either side of the stone fireplace provided another magnificent view. Knowing how brief her stay would be, Aubrey thought it very sad the home's original owner had not been able to share the marvelous scenery with the woman he loved. It was far easier to dwell on his heartbreak than her own.

  ''What do you suppose happened to the man who built this house?" she asked wistfully.

  The story I heard is that he went on to California, became one of the first car dealers, and got rich. Now if you're finished, let's go. There's lots to see in town, and I want to have time to find you some tea."

  Aubrey left the table with him, but she wished he weren't in such a terrible hurry, because it would make the few days they had to share go by much too fast.

  Jesse looped his arm around Aubrey's shoulders and turned her back toward the living room. "I haven't taken a count since I got home, and the number may have changed. Come on. The truck's still out front. Let's get going or we won't be home in time for supper."

  Aubrey glanced back toward Lupe, who was rolling her eyes, and decided Jesse must own at least a dozen dogs. 4 * If you usually don't allow your dogs to come inside the house, we should have left Lucky outside last night."

  "No. He's a guest, and he didn't hurt anything, so it doesn't matter." Jesse opened the front door for Aubrey and then followed her across the patio. "On the way into town, we'll pass Tlaquepaque, a real fancy shopping village built with Spanish Colonial architecture and filled with expensive boutiques. If you feel like spending lots of money, we'll stop."

  Aubrey climbed up into the truck and waited for Jesse to walk around and get behind the wheel. "I'm sure they must have lovely shops, but I'd rather just drive around and enjoy the scenery."

  Jesse reached over, wrapped his fingers around Aubrey's wrist, and pretended to take her pulse. "Are you feeling okay? I didn't think women ever got out of the mood to shop."

  "In such a beautiful setting? Why would I want to spend my time indoors trying on clothes?"

  "Beats me." Jesse stared the engine, and they were soon bouncing along the unpaved road on their way to the highway. Once they reached it, he was able to talk without having to shout. "The red rock formations were laid down as sediment when this area was below sea level. Fault lines created separate mesas, and erosion accounts for today's sculptured buttes. Each one has a name: Cathedral, Courthouse, Bell Rock, Coffee Pot, Sugar Loaf, Steamboat, and others. I'll point them out, but there are a lot of people

  who come here to experience a vortex rather than the red rock canyons.''

  "A vortex?" Aubrey asked. 'They're something like magnetic fields, aren't they?"

  "You can look at it that way. The Earth is a giant magnet. A vortex is merely a spot where there's a change in the Earth's magnetic field. There may be lots of them, but there are four clustered near Sedona, and that makes this a major site. The energy here is positive, but there are places, like the Bermuda Triangle, where the energy is negative. Or so I've read. To tell you the truth, I've never paid much attention to the psychic claims for the area, but after meeting you, I've begun to wonder if I'm not wasting an opportunity to explore them."

  So that was why he had invited her home, Aubrey thought. Just as quickly, she dismissed the suspicion as unworthy of contemplation. She had come to Sedona with him because she had wanted to, no, needed to, and nothing else truly mattered.

  'That's Bell Rock up ahead to our right."

  "It's aptly named, isn't it?" Aubrey leaned forward slightly to observe the butte whose knobbed summit flared out into a broad circular base. The layers of rock varied in color from a deep, rich red to a sandy terra cotta, and were sprinkled with sparse vegetation. "Could we stop?" she asked.

  "Of course." Jesse pulled off onto the shoulder of the highway across from the Bell Rock Motel. He then led Aubrey over the rocky trail toward the domed butte. "We can sit down awhile, and give the spirits in the area a chance to contact you."

  Aubrey made her way carefully over the trail worn in the powdery, reddish soil. The dust clung to the toes of her boots, giving the tan leather a pink cast. "Just what sort of spirits are they?"

  "Friendly ones," Jesse stressed. "I told you Sedona is known for its positive energy."

  "The sky is such a vivid blue," Aubrey observed admiringly, "and the earth here is unlike anything at home. It's difficult to believe this is nothing more than a spectacular example of geology."

  Jesse waited until they had reached a shady slope to speak. "The Yavapai believe this is where the world began. It's not the way I envision the Garden of Eden, but it's theirs."

  Aubrey breathed deeply and, unlike Jesse, found it easy to imagine the colorful landscape as the birthplace of man. "I rather like the idea. The terrain is wildly primitive, and yet unbelievably beautiful. Could we stay here awhile?"

  "The rocks are as soft here as anywhere," Jesse advised, and as soon as Aubrey had assumed a cross-legged pose, he dropped down beside her. He was about to take her hand when he remembered that the last time they had tried a mental link, they hadn't been successful. He did not want to risk being blamed if Aubrey's visions weren't pleasant, and kept his hands to himself.

  Aubrey had gone on an occasional hike in the San Gabriel Mountains above Pasadena, but the view there was one of granite boulders and pine trees. Here, the vista was surreal, and yet calming. She closed her eyes and released her mind to float wherever it might take her. For a long while there was only a whisper of breeze and Jesse's reassuring presence, then a sandy plain formed in her mind's eye.

  Drenched with sun, the soil sparkled with
bits of mica. An Indian brave she recognized instantly stepped into view and began walking toward her. He came close, then turned, and motioned for her to follow him back across the desert. When she did not immediately obey, he came back for her and extended his hand. He was a handsome

  man with a compelling gaze, but Aubrey did not understand why she should accompany him when his destination appeared to be a vast, lonely desert.

  "Why?" she called to him, and he pointed to her, then to himself.

  When she still did not follow, he bent down, raised a handful of the sandy soil, and let it slowly trickle through his fingers. He then rose, pointed in the direction of the setting sun, and walked away. Confused, Aubrey called to him to come back, but rather than respond to her plea, like a mirage, he dissolved in a shimmering mist.

  Startled, Aubrey sat up straight. She turned, hoping Jesse might have felt something, but he was simply observing her with a sly smile. "Apparently the local spirits aren't interested in me. All I saw was the Indian brave who comes to me at home."

  "Really? What do you suppose he was doing way out here?"

  "He wasn't here, but off in some desert."

  Jesse gestured widely. "This is desert land."

  Aubrey rested her hand on Jesse's shoulder to gain the leverage to stand. "Yes, I know. But the sand wasn't red. I'm sure he's just a figment of a playful imagination and nothing more. Whatever psychic talent I have must not work here."

  Jesse rose and rested his hands lightly on her shoulders. "You're a lot better with touch. I should have told you to pick up a rock. I'll bet that would conjure up more relevant visions."

  The Indian had pointed west, and Aubrey couldn't help but wonder if he weren't urging her to return home. That's all she needed: a spirit guide who hated travel. "Another time," she begged. "Let's go on into town."

  Jesse reached for her hand as they started down the trail. "Whatever you like. Sedona is at the mouth of the Oak