Once Upon A Midnight

by Stephanie Rowe

  A smudge of blood on the dashboard where she banged her forehead was the only piece of evidence she found that corroborated her version of the day’s events.

  Where her imagination began and where it ended was still a mystery. Jessie was pretty darn sure she had sex with Derek Foster. His touch was too real, too sensual, and too powerful to be an illusion. The man had been inside her body. Now he was roaming around her head and dominating her thoughts. Derek had taken her in every sense of the word, and as much as she hated to admit it, Jessie wanted more.

  The former gold mining town was bustling with activity. Patriotic bunting was in the process of being draped along the buildings lining Main Street. Tradition dictated that the county fair coincided with the Fourth of July. Each year, a friendly competition between the Town Council and Chamber of Commerce ensued, with each faction vying to outdo the other’s community spirit. The end result was more red, white, and blue than most people could stomach.

  Her cousin was handing out refreshments to the volunteers who dedicated their time to decorate for the upcoming celebration. Sally smiled and waved her over, but Jessie declined. She had been absent from her job far too long and needed to get back to work.

  She rounded the corner and her spidy-sense kicked into high gear. Someone was watching her. Without having to look, she knew it had to be Derek. She kept walking, but casually scanned the area hoping to get a bead on him. Jessie spotted him leaning against a lamppost on the other side of the street.

  Despite her best effort, she gasped at the sight of him and her beating heart thumped a little faster. Derek was the epitome of a man. Tall, dark, and handsome was just the tip of the iceberg. His muscled chest rippled under his simple cotton shirt, and his thighs strained against the seams of his jeans. With his arms folded across his chest, his ample biceps flexed strong and powerful. Strength and sensuality radiated from him. The man was beautiful. With his slightly crooked nose, thin lips, and wavy black hair, he resembled a rugged English gentleman.

  His piercing blue eyes held her. They were the eyes of a predator. The man frightened her, but he also filled her with intrigue. Jessie wasn’t ready for a showdown. At some point, charges would have to be filed against him, but proof was being an elusive bitch.

  Jessie prided herself on facing her fears, but she turned away and scurried back to the shelter of her cousin’s hearty laugh and happy eyes.

  “Hi, Sally. Can I get a cup of that?”

  The large woman wrapped her up in a massive bear hug. “I’m glad you’re out and about.” Intuitive as ever, Sally sensed Jessie’s nervousness and turned to see what had given her cousin the willies. She glanced at the man standing across the street and shook her head with contempt. “Ice will make you shiver every time.”

  “Ice?”

  Without further prompting, Sally cleared up the confusion.

  “That man is Isaac Foster, the cousin of the Foster boy who works for the Forest Service. Their nutty grandmother nicknamed this one IC and somewhere along the way he became known as Ice. A fitting name if you ask me.”

  Jessie flipped the lever of the coffee urn and filled an eco-friendly disposable cup. She had been certain the man had picked her up on Catamount Ridge, and she was absolutely positive he had been wearing a Forest Service uniform. Unsure of how to continue the conversation, she commented on the obvious. “Ice is awfully handsome.”

  Sally stepped back with a horrified expression on her face. She dropped a few pieces of ice in a baggie and pressed it into Jessie’s palm. “Here you go, darlin’. I don’t think the swelling in your head has gone down enough. You don’t see the man for who he truly is. Take a closer look. That boy has never treated a woman right in his entire life, including his grandmother. Stay clear of him. If you want a Foster, take Derek. He’s a million times better than this one. Better yet, keep away from them both. The entire Foster family is nothing but trouble.”

  Her spidy-sense no longer tingled. Jessie peeked around Sally’s beefy shoulder to get another glimpse, but Isaac was gone. Feeling more confused than ever, Jessie took her cousin’s advice and pressed the makeshift ice pack to her forehead. “Are you sure that man did not bring me down the mountain?”

  Sally replied with absolute certainty. “Yes.”

  “But I recognized him,” Jessie protested. “The cousins must hold a strong family resemblance to each other.”

  The large woman grabbed a folding chair and opened it up. “Take a load off, little cousin. They are about alike as you and me.”

  Ten years older than Jessie, Sally had mid-length, graying blonde hair, and the lady outweighed Jessie by about seventy pounds. There was a soft Rubenesque quality about her.

  Sally was the most delightful and generous woman in the county. When asked for a favor, she never refused. People constantly took advantage of her good nature, but her cousin didn’t see it that way. What she lacked in physical beauty was far surpassed by the beauty within. Jessie could comfortably state that Sally was beloved by everyone.

  Jessie looked about ten years younger than her thirty-five years. Her jet black hair was long and straight and almost always pulled into a ponytail. Due to her looks, she became a popular high school cheerleader. Described as a born leader, she was self-confident and headstrong. When faced with a difficult decision, she never hesitated. That quality landed her back home and in charge of the local branch of the Forest Service. Changes were looming on the horizon and Jessie’s job was to carry out a myriad of unpopular mandates to their fullest.

  To secure the promotion, Jessie had to leave her boys with her ex-husband. It was a temporary arrangement. The school year was finishing up and the kids’ baseball team was headed for the championships. It was the logical thing to do. As soon as things wrapped up on their side and Jessie found a home to call their own, she would send for them. Her dad insisted the boys were welcome, but it had been a long time since Cade had children underfoot. Her boys were challenging and Jessie didn’t want her dad to regret his generous invitation.

  Her ex-husband took an enormous amount of pleasure in accusing her of abandoning her kids. As far as Jessie was concerned, it was a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Since the divorce, Scott had only seen their children a handful of times. The boys deserved more. This forced him to step it up and be the father he once was and he was doing surprisingly well. The boys Skyped every night, relating the day’s activities. Scott stayed on top of their homework, the kids appeared well fed, and neither child had been ill. Part of Jessie wanted Scott to fail, but he was coming through for their children in more ways than she ever hoped or expected.

  Her mind drifted back to the time she spent at the cabin. She hated questioning herself, but she could no longer be sure who rocked her world. His touch was unforgettable, but she couldn’t quite grab hold of his face. Who was the powerful Adonis who set her body on fire and her juices flowing? Ice was dangerous, his eyes said it all. Apparently his cousin brought her down off the mountain, but his face eluded her.

  Jessie looked at her dear cousin’s disapproving expression. Sally had one thing right. Ice made her shiver. Feeling a little weak in the knees, she took one last sip of coffee and tossed the crumpled cup in the trash. No longer up for putting in a full day at the office, she deemed herself unfit for duty, and headed back home.

  • • •

  THE HOT TUB Jessie relaxed in was a recent addition. The tranquil waters soothed not only her sore body, but also her troubled mind. The view from the new deck was glorious and showed off the entire length of the canyon below. As the sun began its westerly descent, a soft glow of pale purple washed through the oaks and pines. A movement in one of the larger trees near the trail caught Jessie’s eye. Squinting in the failing light, the figure snapped into focus and the anxious thumping in her chest grew louder. She grabbed a pair of binoculars from the railing and adjusted the focus. His sleek, graceful form was perched on the limb of a massive oak, and his tail lazily whipped to and fro as he
watched her.

  The blue-gray mountain lion had come to re-claim its prey.

  Jessie jumped back and almost dropped the binoculars over the railing. Once again, she wanted to hide, but this time Jessie forced herself to stay and face him. She glowered at the monster and tried to understand what was going on. Animals didn’t hunt like this. They moved on and searched out other prey when they missed out on a kill. They didn’t track down the one they failed to capture, days later, and miles away from their hunting ground.

  Cade Marcus stepped outside and found his daughter with a pair of binoculars glued to her eyes. “Are you bird watching?”

  “Something like that,” Jessie murmured absently.

  Momentarily giving up on the cat she turned, and gave her full attention to her father. Her handsome dad looked great in his pressed jeans and twill sport shirt. Jessie hardly ever picked up an iron, and never to de-wrinkle a pair of jeans. “Wow, look at you.”

  “I’m going over to Gracie’s. I wanted to let you know I’m not coming home tonight and to ask when those grandsons of mine are coming for a visit.”

  Grace was one of Jessie’s old elementary school teachers. She and Cade had engaged in an off and on relationship ever since Jessie attended her second grade class. After all these years, it still felt strange hearing her old teacher referred to by her first name. To Jessie, the lady would forever be Ms. Langston.

  Jessie pointed down the canyon and handed her father the binoculars. “See that cat lounging in the trees? That’s the same mountain lion that attacked me.”

  Cade took the glasses and gazed out into the distance. “I see a mountain lion. What makes you think it’s the same one?”

  “It’s hard to remember everything about that day, but that cat has been burned into my memory. I know it doesn’t seem possible, but for the sake of argument, what would cause him to seek me out?”

  Her dad blinked. “I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of such a thing. We’re in a drought. The local wildlife have been migrating closer to town in search of water. I imagine that cat has staked his claim on our canyon. It’s not safe with him out there. All the neighborhood pets should be brought inside. When I get to Gracie’s, we’ll alert them.” Cade pointed at her scantily clad body in the hot tub. “You shouldn’t be out here either.”

  Jessie refused to run. She would be cautious, but she wouldn’t hide. For her father’s benefit, she reassured him. “I’m about finished here, anyway. Have fun and say hi to Ms. Langston for me.”

  “What about the boys? This house is too quiet. Are you staying out of the dog house with Scott? I would hate for him to cancel another scheduled visit.”

  Jessie sighed. She wanted to stay focused on the cat, but her father obviously wanted to talk. “The kids are supposed to come for the Fourth of July. Are you sure you’re okay with them staying here?”

  “I miss the noise that only little boys can make.” Cade leaned down and dropped a kiss on the top of her forehead. “I will relish every single moment with them.”

  She hated to disappoint him, but he had to be prepared for the worst. “I might be the one to cancel the trip.” Jessie nodded towards the tree. “That cat attacked me, and now he’s here, close to my home. I won’t put my children at risk. As long as he’s out there, I don’t want them around. It sounds paranoid, but I think that beast is stalking me.”

  Cade leaned his tall, thin body against the railing. “Well, Pumpkin, you have to protect your babies. Lord knows you’re doing a better job than I ever did.”

  With a sad smile, Cade left to meet his lady love.

  Jessie hardly noticed her father’s limp anymore, but the reference he made about her little brother brought it all back. He still felt guilty. It didn’t help that her mom called every year on the anniversary of Nathan’s death to accuse him of murder. Jessie wished he would stop answering the phone or change his number, but Cade would never do that. He saw it as his cross to bear, and he bore it gladly.

  After that horrid day, her mother grew to hate the house her dad built. She wanted to sell it and all the property.

  Cade was generally a quiet man who bowed down to his wife, but this time he stood fast. He intended to get up every morning and remember.

  The death of his son had altered his life forever. He gave up the white-collar career as an engineer, and a working class job of ridding properties of unwanted pests became his only source of income. Rattlesnakes were nothing more than a nuisance now. Vowing never to be prey again, Cade learned to hunt. A bit of a survivalist, he was always prepared. He was proficient with a bow and arrow, a marksman with a rifle, and a sharp-bladed knife never left his side.

  When Bonnie left for good, Cade took Jessie along on his journey. If not for him, she wouldn’t have a job with the Forest Service. As she grew, so did her skills. She never matched her father’s level of expertise, but she held her own against the majority of the other members of the Service. Their job wasn’t to kill the animals, but rather to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the national forests and grasslands.

  Why Nathan had to die and why their family had to implode were questions that would never be answered, so she twisted around to take another look through the binoculars. The limb where her predator lounged was empty. Jessie listened intently to the night creatures rustling in the underbrush, but she couldn’t hone in on the cat. The sun had dropped below the horizon and it was getting dark. Once she was convinced the cat had moved on, she sank deeper into the tub. Her bandaged arm had to be kept out of the chemical laced water, but the rest of her luxuriated in the warmth and the massaging action of the jets against her tight muscles.

  Her eyes closed and her mind automatically drifted back to the night, or day, of ecstasy with—whoever.

  Real or not, it still made her body tingle and her breath quicken. As the water swirled around, she traced a finger along her inner leg. A moment of pure unadulterated pleasure released when she brushed against her highly sensitive nub.

  The sliding glass door whooshed open. The porch light flicked on and disturbed the still night. A Herculean figure towered between her and the house. The security light blinded her and Jessie raised a protective hand to shield against the glare.

  The figure moved closer and spoke. “I saw your father out front. He said you were back here. I hope you don’t mind the interruption.”

  Of course she minded. Jessie had no idea who this man was or why he wanted to see her. To make the situation even more uncomfortable, his amused tone hinted he knew exactly what she had been about to do to herself. Never one to shy away from the obvious, it took all of Jessie’s will power not to spat out that she was about to masturbate and that hell yes, he had indeed interrupted.

  Jessie blinked, trying to see through the brightness. “And…you are?”

  “Derek Foster. I was in town, and I thought I’d come by and catch up with my boss.”

  If so many people hadn’t confirmed that this was the man who brought her down from Catamount Ridge, she would have kicked him out on his ass.

  Even blinded, it was easy to tell that Sally was right. Derek looked nothing like his cousin, but damn, the man smelled good. The scent reminded her of the pine trees in the canyon below. “That light is annoying. Can you turn it off? I can’t see.”

  He stepped back and flipped the switch. “Mind if I join you?”

  She was finally meeting the mystery man who had saved her life. Jessie figured she might as well get to know him. “There’s a pair of trunks right inside the door.”

  Jessie’s breath caught when Derek unbuttoned his shirt and piece by piece, his clothing dropped away. Her eyes hadn’t fully adjusted, but she had no problem making out Derek’s superb build and well-defined calves as he entered the tub. A few lingering spots shielded his other attributes, but it wasn’t much of a loss. Jessie’s imagination filled in the gaps quite nicely.

  Cougars had been on her mind, and Derek’s bold attitude and languid movements resembl
ed that of the strong, stealthy animals.

  The water level rose about an inch when he settled himself on the molded bench. The expanse of his shoulders and chiseled chest covered half of the small hot tub, but she still couldn’t get a clear visual of his face. Derek spread his arms across the back edge of the tub and came to rest within inches of Jessie’s exposed arm.

  “So, how are you getting along?” he asked.

  The whole situation was highly inappropriate. Derek was a subordinate. By sheer mass alone, the man was overwhelming. He intimidated her, but Jessie forced herself to sit tall and not give in to her vulnerability. “On what planet is it okay to strip down in front of your boss?” she challenged.

  Derek didn’t reply. The silence droned on, making Jessie feel more and more uncomfortable. Finally, he combed a wet hand through his shaggy hair and said, “From what I understand, you won’t be my superior much longer. You were up on the mountain to fire me, correct?”

  Jessie cringed at the mocking way he called her his superior. She didn’t like blindsiding a loyal employee, but Derek seemed to have the inside track. “I’m sorry, it’s nothing personal. I don’t have any control over budget cuts. Your reports are thorough and concise, but the State can no longer afford to track the patterns of the local wildlife. The Service is back to being reactive to problems as they arise, instead of being proactive and heading them off before something becomes an issue.”

  Derek shrugged. “It was an experimental program. I knew it could end at any time. Will I be allowed to stay in the cabin for a while? I’d be willing to rent it.”

  Unused, the structure would fall into disrepair in the harsh Sierra elements, so Jessie returned his shrug. “I don’t have an issue with that. How does a dollar a month sound?”

  “Shouldn’t you clear that with someone?”

  “As a temporary arrangement, there’s no problem. If you’re interested, I’ll propose letting you stay on there for free in exchange for keeping the place up.”