Heartstealer (Women of Character3

by Brannigan, Grace

  "We've all got our secrets," he said softly.

  "Did your parents come?" she asked abruptly, deliberately changing the subject. It felt like he was getting too close to home. She wasn’t sure how much she was ready to share.

  "Yes, James picked them up. They'll be staying with him and Dotty at their place in town for a couple days. Myra . . . she's actually my step-mom. She and my dad live in Maryland. You'll probably see them around this week."

  "Oh, I thought you and James had the same mother."

  "My mother died when I was young."

  The glider swayed crazily a moment as he joined her on the seat. She looked at him in surprise, the wanting curling tightly inside. His shoulder brushed hers and he dropped his head down until she could see the glitter of his eyes. His lips felt warm and tingling on her mouth. A shock of sensation hit her. All kinds of wanton feelings surged, making her forget the questions on the tip of her tongue about his mother.

  Ω

  Sloan had to touch her. Despite an inner struggle to end the night before it began he grazed her lips with his tongue, lightly, increasing the contact when her hands lifted and encircled his neck.

  He had it bad. His attraction to Jacie blew to bits his good intentions to remain uninvolved. He was breaking his own rules. He had danced with her and been given another glimpse into the woman she was. Being with her felt like an exhilarating ride.

  "After the day I had I should be bone-tired and dragging. Instead, being with you I feel alive." When she had roused his usually quiet vacationers into stomping and dancing down at the bar, he hadn't known what to expect from her next.

  He had had plenty of unpredictability while growing up but his father had always been there to keep him grounded. His mother had been like a butterfly, flitting from one exciting pursuit to the next . . . usually at the expense of her family.

  Being this close to Jacie right now he didn't care if all she wanted was a one-night stand. It wasn't his usual style, but he wanted to capture some of this woman's zest for life.

  Caught in a spell, he let her mouth catch his more fully. She took his breath and his body's response was immediate and inflammatory.

  Cupping her jaw with one hand, he let his fingers tangle in her hair as he threaded them through the fine strands. She leaned her head into his hand and her eyes drifted closed.

  He pressed kisses along her forehead, his mouth loving the supple warmth of her skin. He drew the scent of her into him, fingers tightening as he enticed her mouth to his with slow, teasing pecks.

  Sloan groaned. "I haven’t sat on the front porch like this since I was a teenager." He captured her mouth again. He felt the smooth, muscled contours of her body, the flat belly and soft breasts. One of her long legs wound around his. He groaned in pleasure, liking the feel of her against him. The meeting of lips became more desperate and frantic. He could hardly draw a breath he wanted so much more.

  She tipped her head back, her breathing as uncontrolled as his. He pulled a ragged lungful of air into his deprived lungs, letting his hands drop to her waist. Smelling the dampness of impending rain on the air, he wondered if his senses had ever felt so heightened or charged.

  He pulled back, grimaced, looked at his watch. He reached for her hand. "I’m damned reluctant to end the evening, but morning will be here before you know it."

  She moved away from him jerkily. "Y-you're right, it's late."

  "Do you recall what I said a few minutes ago about secrets?" he asked. "Here’s one. You scare the hell out of me."

  "I can’t believe that." Brushing back her hair, she said, "You always seem so in charge."

  "Well, when I get close to you my heart pounds and my mouth goes dry."

  "Me, too." She pressed her fingers into the metal seat. "Maybe that reaction will go away if we keep doing it. Kissing," she added, one brow raised impishly.

  Sloan grinned at her. "That’s a theory I’d like to check out." He kissed the side of her neck.

  Jacie put her arms around him again and let him half pull her into his lap. It felt so good being this close to him. His fingers moved under her jacket and lifted the hem of shirt, splaying across the skin of her back. His hands were warm and large, burning her skin. She arched into him, then put her hands behind his head and into his silky hair.

  Sloan stood, bringing Jacie with him. She clung to him, locking her ankles behind his hips as they continued to kiss with increasing heat. He walked toward the door of her cabin and then leaned her back against the closed door. He pressed his body against hers, feeling the softness of her breasts against him, her soft moan in his mouth.

  Leaning down he turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. Sloan jerked his head back suddenly as he got a whiff of the air inside the cabin. He turned so his back was to the cabin and pushed her down so she stood on her own feet. He urged her backwards away from the front door.

  "What?" she asked, startled.

  "It smells like gas. Wait here." He walked into the dark cabin. All of the cabins were laid out the same and he knew the layout like the back of his hand. He strode toward the kitchenette, but turned back when he heard her behind him. He gripped her wrist as she reached to switch on the living room lamp.

  "Don't," he said quickly. "I think there’s a gas leak." He pulled her back toward the door. "How long has it been like this?"

  "I don't smell anything," she said hesitantly.

  He hurried her out of the cabin and down the porch steps. "Are you kidding, you can't smell the gas? It's not real strong, but I noticed it right off."

  "No, honestly . . . it's kind of a joke in my family, but I have on-again, off-again sinus problems. Sometimes I can't smell anything."

  "I can't let you stay here. You'll have to spend at least tonight in the lodge. I'll have the gas supplier in here the first thing in the morning. Right now I'll get you set up in a room at the lodge. I'm really sorry about this, Jacie."

  He walked around the side of the cabin and closed the valves on the upright gas tanks.

  "I've shut the tanks off. That will give the air time to clear in there." He led the way back to the lodge. "My God!" he said, shaken. "How long were you in your cabin today?"

  "On and off all day."

  Sloan gripped her hand and led her back to the lodge. He felt like he’d been doused in cold water. Just outside the lodge front door, he stopped and pulled her around to him. "You mentioned earlier feeling dizzy?"

  "Yes. It just came over me suddenly," she said slowly. "I had taken a short nap on the couch earlier and felt dizzy when I got up." She began to look scared.

  A shudder passed through him. What would have happened if he hadn't come with her to the cabin? "I'm going to call a doctor―"

  "No way!" she stated emphatically. "I feel fine now."

  "I'll know you're fine when I hear it from the doctor."

  She stepped back from him, her lips tight and her jaw obstinate. "You can go ahead and get the doctor out at this hour, but he won't be happy when I refuse to see him. I'm not dizzy anymore. No nausea. No symptoms."

  He could see she meant it. "Dammit, I don’t like the idea of you not being checked out."

  As they reentered the lodge Michelle was washing glasses behind the bar. Sloan was surprised to see Donny, his ranch hand, leaning against the bar talking with her.

  "Hi Donny, Michelle."

  Donny looked a bit nervous, but Michelle greeted them cheerfully. "Hi. I thought you were both going to turn in. Are you back for more dancing?"

  "Sloan discovered a gas leak at my cabin. He's giving me a room here tonight."

  "A gas leak?" Michelle said. "That's weird."

  Sloan pulled a key off the wall. "Here's your key, Jacie."

  Good night again," Michelle said. "If you want, boss, I'll call the gas company first thing in the morning."

  Sloan shook his head. "No, I can take care of it. I can't understand how it happened." He looked at Donny and Michelle. "Good night." He gripped Jacie’s elbo
w. "Let’s go upstairs. I'll show you where your room is."

  He led the way up the wide staircase, stopping at the second door from the wide landing. "You'll have to share a bathroom with Michelle and Renee, it's the third door down."

  "That's okay." She took the key from him and put it in the door lock.

  "I’m sorry about the inconvenience. I'll find a way to make it up to you," he promised.

  "That's not necessary," she said, looking at him over her shoulder.

  "I'm sure I can think of something," he murmured, giving her a slow grin. "It’s too bad our night was interrupted like this. Good night, Jacie."

  Ω

  When Sloan went back downstairs Michelle and Donny had disappeared. He locked the doors, left the lodge and cut back across the parking area to Jacie's cabin. He had a strange uneasiness about the gas leak. He entered the cabin and opened all the windows. Although he had turned the tanks off, there was still a faint odor inside.

  Reaching for the flashlight hanging on the kitchen wall, he flicked the switch and lifted the porcelain top of the stove. Everything looked fine to his untrained eye. He maneuvered the kitchen stove away from the wall and immediately saw that the gas line from the tanks to the stove had worked its way loose. He pushed the flashlight closer and noticed scratches on the copper tubing that attached to the stove. A curl of unease wound through him. It looked like the line could have worked its way loose, but he didn't know for sure.

  He pushed the stove back toward the wall. Why should he be suspicious that someone had deliberately disconnected the line? He had no reason to think any such thing, yet he couldn't shake the notion that this wasn't an accident. Each summer he had the gas company do any maintenance and check all the lines, but someone could have been careless.

  A short time later he left the cabin and walked the short distance to his house. His mind went around and around. The low-down, anxious feeling in his gut wouldn't let go. By the time he walked inside his house he knew he had to make a phone call to Con, Jacie’s brother.

  He walked immediately to the phone and pulled a slip of paper from a nearby clipboard. He punched in several numbers and waited impatiently until a voice came on the other end. It was an answering machine.

  "This is Sloan Wright out at Timber Falls. I want to talk to you about your sister."

  He hung up the phone, feeling unsatisfied that he hadn’t been able to talk to Jacie’s brother. She’d said her brother would be out of town for awhile. Maybe he was overreacting, but he couldn’t take a chance. Was someone intent on ruining Timber Falls or could they have a personal vendetta against Jacie?

  § Chapter Seven §

  Early the next day on a bright, clear morning, the small engine plane circled over one of Timber Falls’ largest meadows. The wide, flat area had been designated for their skydiving jumps. Jacie turned her attention from the plane’s window to Emma beside her. Emma had elected to do the first jump. Her husband John wasn’t jumping but had accompanied her in the plane for support.

  "Now, we’ve gone over all the basics," Jacie raised her voice so she’d be heard over the plane’s engine and the wind rushing outside the open door. "I’ll be jumping with you, Emma. Do you remember what we talked about?"

  Wide-eyed, Emma nodded. "I think so. Yes, I think so."

  "If you have any last minute questions or concerns, now is the time. How are you feeling?"

  Emma shivered as she looked toward the open door. "Kind of sick, but okay."

  "I’ve been there," Jacie said. Meticulously, she checked her pack and Emma’s one last time.

  She stepped over to the door and braced one foot against the threshold. She looked back at Emma and held out her hand. "Ready?"

  Emma gave her husband a quick kiss and then moved to join Jacie. Jacie admired her grit, knowing how the fear could make you exhilarated and terrified at the same time.

  "We’re all set, we’ll just ease up to the door carefully." Jacie pushed back her own hesitation in this last moment.

  The pilot gave the signal and she looked into Emma’s excited, terrified eyes. They stepped forward together and there was no hesitation.

  She breathed deeply, feeling the familiar updraft of air as it pulled them toward the heavens. They began their descent, swirling, the air rushing past them as the plane continued onward. She nudged Emma’s legs into the proper position, knees bent, and smiled at her, delighted by the wonder on Emma’s face. That had been the same exhilaration she had felt until the accident, and then she had lost it. But little by little, it was returning, filling her with the indescribable joy of a successful jump. It was the freedom and release that went with her occupation.

  She released the chute and they shot upwards again. Jacie took a picture of Emma, the wonder on her face. Slowly, gently, they dropped to the green pasture where others waited to offer congratulations.

  They landed without incident. She unclipped Emma’s harness as fellow guests gathered around a stunned, smiling Emma. Jacie saw Sloan standing on the sidelines. She hadn’t known he would be here today but she was glad he’d come.

  Her heart beat faster. She stood in the midst of the chatter and the congratulations and hugged the parachute to her chest. She saluted him with one hand. He smiled and shook his head and she felt wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

  Sloan approached her. "That went very smooth," he commented, his face thoughtful.

  "Yes."

  "You’re scheduled for one more today?"

  "MaryAnn will be jumping." She flicked back her sleeve and checked her watch. "In about ten minutes, then we’ll break for lunch."

  "I’ll hang around to make sure everything is set."

  "I appreciate your vigilance Sloan, but I don’t want to take you away from your other work."

  "These jumps are part of my work. Anything on this property is my concern."

  Some of her exhilaration faded. "Of course I understand that. I just didn’t want to hold you up."

  He threw her an assessing glance. "Jacie, if I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be. I might not be crazy about skydiving but I’m going to make sure things go well and everyone is happy." He paused and he gave her a slow once-over. "I’d also like to mention you look great in that outfit."

  "Sometimes you say the nicest things, Sloan. I’m tempted to throw my arms around your neck and kiss you."

  "I’m not stopping you."

  Jacie moved close and reaching up, dropped a kiss on the side of his jaw.

  The plane flew in and landed further up the road they used as a runway. "Okay, I have to go," she said cheerfully. "I’ll see you after the next jump."

  "Sure thing," he said.

  When the plane was once more in the air, Jacie watched Sloan’s figure become smaller below them.

  Jacie turned her attention to Maryann beside her. "Jacie, I can’t believe I’m doing this. My friends won’t believe I’m doing this," MaryAnn said excitedly.

  "You’ll have the pictures to prove it," she reassured MaryAnn, but was surprised in the next moment to feel the plane begin an ascent.

  She stood. "Be right back," she said cheerfully.

  She walked to the front and found the pilot trying to right a coffee cup he had tipped over. She leaned past him and set the cup in its holder. "Bill, what’s going on?"

  His round face was pasty white. "Sorry, Jacie, I’m heading back. I’ve got a touch of the flu or something. It suddenly came on me."

  With concern, she noted droplets of perspiration on his forehead and his dark hair was damp. "Bill, are you okay? Are you going to make it?"

  He nodded. "Yeah, but I want to get out of the air." The plane bumped a little and she grabbed the back of his seat. "We’ll land in a few minutes. Don’t worry, I’ll get us down safely."

  Bill was a good pilot. There was no reason to worry but she went back to sit with MaryAnn, she rubbed her palms nervously down the side of her jumpsuit.

  "Unfortunately, we’ll have to postpone your jump,"
she told MaryAnn. "The pilot has a touch of flu or something. To be on the safe side he’s bringing us down."

  "Poor guy."

  To her relief MaryAnn didn’t look duly concerned but Jacie kept a furtive eye on Bill. Moments later they landed smoothly. MaryAnn exited the plane while Jacie moved quickly back toward Bill.

  His cheeks now had a faint flush.

  "You need to see a doctor," she told him quickly. "I’ll see about a ride for you." She didn’t like how shaky he looked.

  "What’s the matter?" Sloan asked, appearing around the back of the plane. "Did MaryAnn decide not to jump?"

  "Bill’s sick."

  Sloan looked at Bill as he too exited the plane. "I’ll take you into town."

  Bill didn’t protest. "I think it’s a flu or something." He held his stomach and grimaced.

  Sloan unhooked a radio attached to his belt and spoke into it. "James, call Dr. Adams in town and tell him I’m bringing someone in to see him. Bill is in pain, might be the flu. We’re on the way now."

  Jacie touched Bill’s arm reassuringly. "I hope you’re okay."

  "Sorry, Jacie," he said with a grimace.

  She watched Sloan run across the pasture to get the truck.

  "Don’t worry about it. Here comes Sloan now. Let him get you to the doctor. You’ll be feeling well in no time."

  She helped him into the truck and watched it drive away. Hopefully Bill would be feeling better in a few days. As the truck moved down the road, she pondered the suddenness of the pilot’s illness. She hoped no one else caught it.

  Ω

  The next day Jacie burrowed into her jacket, trying to ward off the chill morning air. She was glad she had decided to go on the overnight camping trip to Haines Falls. Since Bill was out of commission for a few days there would be no skydiving jumps. The doctor had declared it a case of gastric upset. Apparently he had eaten something that didn’t agree with him. She thought it was kind of odd, considering everyone had eaten bagels and cream cheese from the same breakfast buffet as Bill and no one else became sick but the doctor also conceded it might have been another place he had eaten.