Heartstealer (Women of Character3

by Brannigan, Grace

  "You know these trails pretty well." Her voice floated over to him. They were only about ten feet apart, but because of the rock over their heads, her voice sounded slightly disembodied.

  He twisted in the saddle. "James and I explored these hills as teenagers, but we don't ride here that often anymore, the trail has pretty well disappeared."

  "Some of it looks pretty hairy," she said, leaning over in her saddle to look at a vertical drop of about two hundred feet.

  To Sloan's way of thinking Jacie looked natural in the saddle, her hair tossed by the wind with pieces of twig caught here and there, her cheeks pink.

  "How did you feel about those narrow ledges we crossed?" he asked curiously. "Did they frighten you? I wouldn't have taken you down here unless I knew it was safe."

  She gave him a broad smile as they reached a level area. Dropping her horse's reins, she spread her arms wide and lifted her face to the dappling of sun through the trees. "Heck, no, it was exciting. I’ve taken rides on ledges more frightening than these down in South America. We used donkeys then. Of course," she added dryly, "I was more worried about the snakes and crawly things in the jungle."

  "Come over here and let me show you something." He dismounted and waited for her to join him on a narrow outcropping of rock. He turned to the open expanse stretched out in front of them. "This area is loaded with maple, oak, ash and an occasional beech tree." Treetops with their deeply changing hues of green lay just below them.

  He took a deep breath into his lungs as he looked at the valley below. "The view never ceases to amaze me. There’s no air like up here." He reached out and gently turned her toward the distant horizon. "Do you see that ribbon of water down there? That’s the Hudson River. The theory is that some of the ledge we’re standing on matches ledge found way down there in the valley."

  "That’s amazing. I guess it must have sheared off a long time ago."

  "Probably."

  "It’s beautiful up here, so real and simple, the view uncluttered. I can’t thank you enough for showing this to me. It’s so different from what I’m used to. Sometimes you forget about the wonders that can be seen just by looking around you."

  "By the end of the month, you won’t even notice it," he said with cynicism.

  She turned to him indignantly. "I resent that. I’ve always appreciated beauty such as this. It should never be taken for granted."

  He lifted a brow.

  "Is this your overall opinion of women, or is it just me?" she demanded.

  He swore he saw sparks shoot from her eyes. "Hang on, hang on. I guess I’m just cynical when I hear how beautiful it is, then someone throws away their food wrappers."

  She held her hands up in front of his face and moved her fingers back and forth. "Look, no wrappers, nothing hidden."

  Up close, he was reminded of just how tempting Jacie could be.

  With one hand on her hip, she challenged him, "I promise you I’m like no woman you’ve ever known before."

  "That’s a given," he said immediately, allowing himself a chuckle. She was a ball of fire with a ready answer and a quick wit.

  "We’re even then," she fired back. "I know I’ve never met anyone like you." She spun away from him. "I do love the view," she said defiantly. "I would love to just keep riding. I’ve always enjoyed camping out. It would be magnificent to wake in the morning with a canopy of trees over your head."

  "Well, your lesson starts in twenty minutes so we’d better get moving." Reluctantly, he walked back toward the horses and grabbed the reins. He made himself mount and then waited for her to do the same. She was right on one score, he’d never met anyone like her. He wondered fleetingly what depths might be revealed once you got to know Jacie.

  "I appreciate you taking the time to show me some of this area. Riding along the edge of the mountain and seeing first-hand the valley below is exhilarating. I didn't even see a trail."

  He pointed ahead. "We’re coming up behind the barns now." Some of the excitement left her face. He wondered if she was sorry, as he was, that they were back already. The ride felt as if it had ended too soon. Before he knew he was going to voice the words, he heard himself say, "Maybe we could do this again."

  Her reply came swiftly. "I'd love to."

  She rode ahead. He stared after her, wondering what impulse had taken hold of him. Why was he setting himself up like this, spending time with Jacie? He shouldn’t have opened his mouth and offered to take her out again, but the urge to do so had been too tempting.

  He nudged his horse with his knee and headed in the opposite direction. She’d better not expect a tour every day, he thought grimly, or he’d be so far behind in chores he’d never catch up. For a minute, he wondered if that would be so bad.

  Later the following afternoon, Jacie gathered her training material and equipment together. James had set up all her necessary equipment for the training sessions in a small field, and today was the last ground session before the actual jumps.

  "Jacie, I have to tell you Leo and I are really looking forward to this jump," MaryAnn stated. "It's a great idea too that you’re taking pictures. None of our friends would believe it otherwise."

  "It'll be fun," Jacie told them, glancing around at the group of six. "I want everyone to relax. If you have any last minute questions I'm in cabin three, so feel free to come and see me. Tomorrow morning the list will be posted in the lodge for the jump times. We’ll be doing two jumps tomorrow." The participants overall seemed eager but she knew from past experience that some would decline to jump. She had laid the groundwork for a safe and enjoyable experience, but when it came down to stepping out of the plane it was ultimately a personal choice. She wondered what they would think if they knew of her own pre-jump jitters.

  "Do you need any help carrying this equipment?" Emma asked. Emma was a slim woman somewhere in her mid-to-late thirties.

  "Thanks, Emma, but someone should be coming by any minute with a truck to cart this equipment back." She watched the couples disperse toward the lodge, which wasn't far away. Emma waved and then she and her husband walked along the dirt road, trailing behind the group.

  Jacie would be jumping with some of the newcomers, offering assistance and calming fears. She had planned six to eight jumps this week, which was more than her leg had had to contend with since her accident. She recalled how difficult it had been the first few times she had jumped after recuperating from her accident. She constantly battled the fear that something would go wrong. If she gave in to the fear, she might stop jumping altogether. She had jumped eleven years without any major incidents, but her accident last year had almost crushed her confidence.

  Hearing a motor, she looked across the small field. A tractor with a low wagon behind it was making its way toward her. As it drew closer, she recognized Sloan in the driver’s seat. Leaving the machine idling, he jumped down and walked over to her.

  "Hello, Jacie. James asked me to pick up your equipment."

  "Oh, okay. I thought James would be by. I hope everything’s okay."

  "His eight-year old had a bike accident. My nephew's okay, but he's going to be taking it easy for a while. I'll bring your gear back to the lodge, but I'm kind of running behind so I have to get hay while I’m out here."

  She had already begun to load her equipment on the low wagon near the front. "It's no problem, I'll walk back and help you unload this when you're through."

  He picked up the last nylon bag and slid it across the wooden planks of the wagon. "I can take care of this. If you want a ride the hay won't take long." His glance settled on her knee and the brace. "Is your leg bothering you?" He asked bluntly. "You're wearing that brace again."

  "No, but maybe I will ride along." She sat on the wagon, stretching her legs out. "We've been simulating jumps today, so I use the brace for support." Nonchalantly, as if his presence didn't send little jags of excitement through her, she removed her hair band and pushed her fingers through her hair.

  Shifting so she c
ould watch him remount the tractor, curiosity got the better of her. "You know, Sloan, I get the feeling you might be even more stubborn than me."

  Without pausing he dropped into the wide tractor seat. He twisted around in the seat to face her, a half smile stretching his mouth. "It might be real interesting to find out."

  Since he had spoken of his mother she hadn’t been able to get it out of her thoughts. Looking at him now there was nothing in the least vulnerable about him. Was it just the attraction that made her want to dig deeper or the man himself? "You’re always working, do you ever take time for fun?"

  Sloan looked back at her in surprise. "Of course."

  "What do you do?" she asked impulsively.

  He had a guarded look on his face now. "This and that," he said. "I have been known to go away on vacation."

  "Do you head for hotspots or something totally different?"

  "Something a little different. I like camping out but I’ve also taken my mother to Ireland."

  "Very interesting."

  "What about you?"

  "I’ll confess I have been to Cancun and the Bahamas a few times. But," she added as he nodded like it was the answer he expected, "I’ve also taken trips by myself to Montana and the Rockies."

  "Beautiful spaces," he said. "Hang on now, I’m going to move ahead."

  As the wagon lurched forward, he raised his voice above the noise of the tractor. "This path used to be an old logging road so it’s a bit rough."

  She braced her hands against the wooden bed. The dirt lane wound through a grove of tall silver maples. "Why don't you use the truck to get hay?"

  "This wagon is lower to the ground and it's easier to load. You'll see, we're almost there."

  The track curved down to an open pasture lot with mountains on three sides. The late afternoon sun was heated, yet along the mountaintops there hovered a faint blue haze.

  As they drew closer to a row of large round hay bales she saw another gray and red tractor. He stopped beside the hay and climbed down from the tractor.

  "How will you get the hay on the wagon?" Curious, she looked at the five-foot high hay bales.

  He walked around to her side of the wagon, indicating the other tractor. "That has a special prong to pick up the bales."

  She took the hand he held out and jumped off the wagon. He landed beside him, his breath warm on her cheek. She stared at him curiously, those light eyes, very conscious of her breath coming fast and her palms getting damp. She had the crazy urge to kiss him again. It had been so nice the first time.

  He gave a low groan and reached forward with one hand to trace a fingertip down her nose. She took a half step closer or maybe she just leaned forward. When her breasts touched his chest, desire bit at her and she willingly abandoned herself to sense of touch and smell.

  His hand gently cupped the back of her neck and he drew her close enough so she could see tiny flecks of dark blue in his eyes. His features blurred as his lips touched the corner of her mouth, then moved to pull at her lips. The contact was shocking, wonderful. She allowed her tongue to reach out and touch the outline of his mouth. Pure sensation rocked her. Her palms came to rest against his chest and all she could do was feel as he pulled her closer. There was no time for rational thinking. Being this close to him was an incredible sensory experience.

  His drew back, his fingers splayed along her upper arms. She could step away but she didn’t. Drawing a shaky breath, she kept her glance locked with his. Her legs shook and how the adrenaline raced!

  His cool blue eyes seemed to see through her, yet a tiny vein throbbed in his temple and she knew he wasn’t as calm as he appeared.

  "Talk about chemistry and opposites attracting!" she blurted, unable to contain her tongue.

  "That's probably all it is," he said in a hard voice. "Opposites attracting. It happens. God knows we're totally different."

  She nodded quickly in agreement. "A fluke. You're a good-looking guy, Sloan, a great kisser, it's only natural we'd be attracted to each other. It doesn't mean anything more than that."

  He looked for a moment like he was going to argue the point. Abruptly, he pulled her into him and dropped his mouth to hers. It was over in five seconds or less, too quickly for Jacie.

  Sloan stepped back and moved quickly toward the other tractor. "Stand back from the wagon while I load the hay," he said brusquely. "These bales weigh about eight hundred pounds."

  She shivered as clouds scuttled across the sky, stealing the sun. She was really at a loss. She pulled her sweat-dampened shirt away from her skin, yet his scent lingered in her nostrils. She saw again his face coming close, felt the touch of those lips. They had tasted slightly of licorice. She touched her lips and smiled. Licorice of all things.

  She sobered, thinking she was a fool for being attracted to him, a fool to let him kiss her, no matter how good it felt. She stiffened her shoulders, reminding herself of one important fact. Her track record with men stunk. Hadn't she learned anything? In the past she had always been optimistic, thinking maybe this time it would work out; but it never had. Brad had stung her in the worst way. Could she risk going through that kind of rejection again?

  While she wrestled with her thoughts, Sloan started the other tractor and moved forward to push the prong into a bale. She stepped well away from the wagon. As he drew abreast of her he looked at her for a brief, moment, and his blue eyes seared her with heat.

  He tipped the bucket and the bale dropped. The wagon's wheels squatted under the weight. He prodded at the hay with the tractor bucket and the hay rolled over on its flat side. When he cut the engine it suddenly seemed very quiet in the field.

  She moved to sit on the flatbed.

  "You'd better move up here." He indicated a small seat behind him on the tractor.

  She stared at the small space. "It's a short ride. I'll ride back here."

  "It's not safe, the bale could shift." His voice brooked no refusal.

  Surprised by his sudden sharpness, she moved to the front of the wagon.

  "Sit behind me. I don’t want to take a chance. If the bale should move that heavy metal bar will protect you," he said, his voice once more a normal, even tone.

  Between her and the heat of his back there was nothing. She wasn't sure which was more dangerous. Deriding her own naiveté, she knew touching him was definitely more dangerous. "Will it move?" she asked.

  "It shouldn’t. Hang on." The tractor lurched forward, bringing her shoulder into close contact with his. She studied the back of his head. His hair was fine with a slight wave, the dark strands against his collar. The trace of gold from the sun was a natural look many women paid money to achieve. The back of his head narrowed smoothly to a strong neck, then the width of his shoulders blocked her view.

  Absorbed in her sensory contemplation of Sloan, she didn't realize the tractor had stopped until his head turned. They were a hair's breadth apart. She could feel his heat, see the tiny fan of lines beside his eyes. She swallowed with difficulty, her mouth dry as she felt again their kiss, recalled his scent. What did he expect of her? What did she expect of him?

  "Are you riding all the way with me?" he asked huskily.

  Yes! Watching the slight curve of his lips, her mind screamed the answer.

  "I'm going to the barn," he explained patiently. "Are you riding that far?"

  She looked around and her eyes widened. They were outside her cabin. Quickly, she stood up. "I'll help you unload my things at the lodge."

  "I'll have Donny take care of that, if you don't mind him handling the gear."

  "Oh―that would be okay."

  She put her feet over the side of the tractor. "Will I see you later?"

  "Sure. I'll be around."

  As her feet touched the graveled path, he said, "I guess I was right about you and Dandy."

  "How so?" Surprised, she hesitated.

  "You're a good match. He's half wild, too, sometimes unpredictable."

  "Is that how you see me? I
jump out of planes but I also grew up with a loving, stable family. Does letting you kiss me make me reckless and unpredictable?"

  "If it does, I’m not complaining."

  Sloan created excitement in her and she liked that rush of adrenaline that came with new relationships. She had never been attracted to a man like him before... someone rock solid and dependable. As he had said, they were truly opposites. She wondered how far it would take her and if she dared go down that road again.

  § Chapter Five §

  Out on her back deck Jacie stretched with contentment. Despite a brief moment of dizziness earlier following a short nap in the living room, she felt incredible, physically and emotionally. It was only her fifth day at Timber Falls, but being here certainly agreed with her.

  She had spent most of the morning sunbathing on her back deck. Luckily she had packed a few bathing suits. She felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. The resort had a wonderful setup. There was a hot tub on the deck, swimming pool by the lodge, a thousand acres of trails, numerous glens and ponds to explore. No matter where she looked, mountains rose on all sides. She could only surmise that the winter must be even more spectacular when snow covered the peaks.

  If she had refused this job she would have missed all this. And Sloan.

  She removed her sunglasses, forcing herself to look once more into the ravine below her. It didn't seem to bother her quite as much. She remembered a time when she hadn't feared any height.

  The phone began to ring. She wondered if it was Bonnie calling again. Bracing herself, she decided to tell Bonnie to lay off the mother hen routine. Her concern had become a tad suffocating.

  She lifted the cordless phone on the table beside her. "Hello?"

  "Jacie! It's great to hear your voice. How are you?"

  She clamped her fingers over her mouth. She knew that deep male voice, despite the fact she hadn't heard it in over a year. With detached curiosity, she saw her knuckles were white on the phone.

  "What do you want Brad?" Was that cool voice hers? She marveled at her control.

  "Now don't sound like that," he chided, as if he still had the right. "We haven’t talked in so long. I've missed you, Jacie. I wanted to make sure you were all right."