by Gerri Hill
Abby stood. “I will. I’ve actually missed cooking.”
“Me too,” Judith chimed in.
“Yeah? Well have at it,” Lou Ann said. “I’m grabbing a shower.”
“Remember, easy on the hot water,” Sara reminded her.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Jaime’s stomach rumbled as soon as she walked in the house. A delicious aroma was coming from the kitchen and she followed the sound of laughter, finding two opened bottles of wine and three women chatting about recipes.
“Whoa, Sheriff,” Lou Ann said. “I surrender.” She raised both hands as giggles erupted around her.
Jaime lowered the shotgun. It was the only gun she’d managed to find as she raided a few of the older cabins, ones she suspected might be hunting cabins. She smiled broadly.
“How’s the wine?”
“Best wine I have ever had,” Celia said, raising her glass at Jaime. “Want some?”
Jaime shook her head. “Maybe later. I’m more interested in a shower right now.”
Abby slid off the bar stool and clasped onto Jaime’s shoulder. “Speaking of that, you’re in luck, Chief. We settled on sleeping arrangements. You get the master bedroom,” she said with a wink.
“Wow. How did I score that?”
Abby laughed. “You must have connections with the Sarge. Seems she won that room too.”
“Well aren’t I the lucky one.”
Celia laughed. “You might be even luckier tonight.”
Jaime felt her face blush but she laughed along with the others. Even in a crisis, Celia was still playing matchmaker.
“What’s all the laughing about?”
They all turned, finding Sara watching them from the doorway.
“Just filling Jaime in on the sleeping arrangements,” Abby volunteered.
They laughed again as a quick blush covered Sara’s face.
“They tell me we scored the honeymoon suite,” Jaime teased. “Imagine that.”
“I had nothing to do with it,” Sara insisted. “That one”—she pointed at Celia—“is to blame.”
Jaime laughed. “Well, big-time thanks, Celia. It might be my last chance to get her alone.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry,” Abby said. “I think she’s hooked already.”
Sara cleared her throat. “I am still here, you know. If you’re going to talk about me, at least wait until I leave the room.”
“You want some wine, Sara?” Celia offered. “It’ll really relax you.”
“And I suppose you think I need relaxing.” She took the glass Celia offered her. “Actually, I came to check on dinner. It smells great.”
“All done. If we can just get Annie Oakley here to shower, we can eat.”
“I think she means you, Detective. I put your pack in the bedroom.”
“Thanks. And I’ll hurry. I’m starving.” She paused at the door. “Megan?”
Sara nodded. “She had some soup earlier. I gave her the drugs. She was still out of it but the fever didn’t seem quite as bad.”
“Maybe just resting and not having to move around will help her.”
***
Sara stood at the window, looking out at the night sky. The stars were brilliant, twinkling by the millions, sharpened without the light of the moon. It would rise later, after midnight, and hopefully she would be in the middle of a peaceful sleep. Then she smiled. Or not.
She glanced nervously at the bed, wondering how far she and Jaime would take things tonight. Was it appropriate in their situation to while away a few hours by having sex? Was it presumptuous to even think Jaime wanted that?
No. Not presumptuous. During dinner, the teasing had been merciless. Even Judith had chimed in. And Jaime had taken it all in stride, time and again Jaime’s eyes catching hers. But the looks they shared weren’t always teasing. In fact, by the time everyone started retiring for bed, their glances grew smoldering, promising.
She turned as the door opened, her hand letting the drapes fall back into place. Jaime paused at the door, watching. Sara felt her heart pounding just a little too fast as Jaime walked into the room.
Jaime stared, the shadows making it hard to see Sara’s face, hard to make out her expression. She glanced quickly at the bed, then back at Sara. She closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. She was tired. Mentally exhausted. Hell, physically exhausted. And she just wanted—needed—a release.
So she closed the door, kicking it shut with her foot. She walked into the middle of the room, then hesitated.
“I really hope you . . . you want what I want tonight.”
Sara walked closer, stopping mere feet in front of Jaime. She tried to catch her eyes but the shadows hid them.
“I want to make love, Jaime. I want you to take me away from all this, if only for a few hours.”
Jaime nodded, a brief smile touching her face. “Good.”
Sara took a step closer. “Good?”
Jaime took her hand and twisted it behind her back as she pulled Sara flush against her. “Good, because I didn’t want to waste time with small talk,” she murmured as her lips finally covered Sara’s.
With her free hand, Sara pulled Jaime closer, her mouth opening, her eyes closing, pushing the nightmare away as she lost herself in Jaime’s kiss.
“Oh, yeah,” Jaime whispered as she pulled away. “I knew it would feel this way.”
Sara opened her eyes again, her heart beating wildly. “This way how?”
“Heart pounding, butterflies inside.” She slid her hand higher, cupping Sara’s breast. “You were such a tease in the hot springs. I can’t wait to get you naked.”
Sara laughed quietly. “I was a tease? Good Lord, Jaime, you even had all the straight women fawning over you. I certainly didn’t stand a chance.”
In one motion, Jaime pulled Sara’s shirt over her head, leaving her naked from the waist up. Her hands immediately found Sara’s breasts, covering them both as her thumbs rubbed lightly across her nipples.
Sara tilted her head back, eyes closed. She moaned softly when Jaime’s mouth moved across her throat, pausing to nibble against the pulse that pounded there.
“I’m going to make love to you, Sara,” Jaime murmured against her skin. “I’m going to be inside you. I can’t wait to be inside you.” She moved her mouth to Sara’s ear, her tongue snaking inside. “And I’m going to have my mouth on you. I’m going to make you come, Sara.”
Sara’s knees literally buckled at Jaime’s words but Jaime was there, holding her tight. Then Jaime’s hands slipped inside her sweat pants, easily pushing them down past her thighs. Sara’s hands finally moved, tugging at Jaime’s shirt, pulling it from her jeans.
“Hurry,” she whispered as her hands lowered Jaime’s zipper.
Blindly, Jaime pulled the comforter away, leaving cool, clean sheets. She pulled Sara down beside her, impatiently kicking the jeans off her legs before straddling Sara’s thighs. Her mouth lowered, capturing Sara’s breast. The nipple was hard against her tongue and she closed over it, sucking it into her mouth, feeling Sara’s hips rise to meet her own.
“God, take these off,” Sara murmured, anxiously pushing the black cotton underwear off Jaime’s hips. Naked, finally, she cupped Jaime’s hips, drawing her closer, opening her legs to make room for her. “Yes, yes, yes,” she whispered.
Jaime’s hips molded themselves to Sara and she left her breast, her mouth finding Sara’s again. Her tongue was captured and drawn into Sara’s mouth and she moaned, her tongue battling Sara’s for control. Then she gasped as Sara’s hand moved between them, cupping her intimately, Sara’s fingers slid into her wetness, finding her swollen clit. Jaime’s hips bucked, moving against Sara’s hand, her thighs opening wider.
“You’re so wet,” Sara murmured.
“Please go inside me,” Jaime whispered. Her hips rose again, then lowered, impaling herself on Sara’s fingers.
Sara tried to push against Jaime but Jaime’s force was too much. She held her tig
htly, her hand nearly swallowed by Jaime’s thrusts. She felt her tremors, felt Jaime tightening against her fingers. She drew Jaime’s mouth to her own, holding on as Jaime pounded against her. Jaime’s orgasm rocked them both, her hips rising, pulling Sara’s hand with her, before crashing back down onto the bed. She swallowed Jaime’s scream, gathering her close as her tremors subsided.
“So wonderful. Oh, so wonderful, Jaime,” she whispered against her mouth. Jaime’s skin was damp and she lightly brushed her fingers across her face.
“That didn’t go as planned,” Jaime murmured.
Sara smiled. “It went according to my plan.”
Jaime rolled to her back, pulling Sara with her. “I thought I was the seducer here.”
“Whatever gave you that idea?”
Jaime opened her thighs, pulling Sara against her. “That feels good.”
Sara’s hips moved, rolling gently against Jaime’s. “Oh, yeah.” She closed her eyes. “In case you didn’t know, I’m about to explode here.”
Jaime pulled Sara’s mouth to her own, their kisses gentle now, not hurried. “I want you to explode. I want you to explode against my mouth.”
Without protest, Sara let Jaime roll her over, pushing her against the bed. Her thighs parted, her breathing ragged as she felt Jaime move down her body.
“I swear, I’ve dreamed of this since I laid eyes on you,” Jaime whispered, her mouth pausing briefly at Sara’s breast before moving lower.
“Would you believe me if I said I had too?” Sara whispered back.
Jaime’s mouth moved across her stomach to the curve of her hips, her tongue wetting a path, pausing to taste the soft skin in its wake.
Sara’s eyes slammed shut as she felt Jaime cup her hips, felt Jaime pull her closer, felt Jaime’s mouth as it moved down to her thigh, teasing her before finally—with hands spreading her legs apart—finding its target. Sara’s breath left her when Jaime’s hot mouth closed over her, gently sucking her clit, then teasing with her tongue. With one hand gripping the sheets, the other moved to Jaime’s head, holding her tight, silently begging for more.
Jaime obliged, gripping Sara’s hips and lifting her higher, then fastening her mouth on Sara’s clit, sucking her hard, feeling Sara’s hips smashing against her face. Sara arched again, then stilled, her breath hissing in and out before exploding in a scream she tried to stifle against the pillow. Jaime didn’t relinquish her hold, her mouth taking all Sara had to give, finally slowing as Sara collapsed against the bed.
“God, Jaime . . . that was . . . incredible,” she whispered, her eyes still closed, her fingers still tangled in Jaime’s hair.
“Incredible, huh?”
Sara grinned. “If my brain was working properly, I’m sure I could come up with a better adjective.”
“I like incredible.”
Jaime pushed herself up and crawled beside Sara, wrapping an arm around her waist as she buried her face in the pillow Sara used.
Sara took Jaime’s hand, sliding it to her breast, holding it there. She closed her eyes and sighed, feeling happy for the first time in what felt like months, years. She wondered, if they hadn’t had a murderous madman on their heels, if she and Jaime would feel the same urgency they felt tonight. But did it matter? They did have a murderous madman after them.
“I feel safe with you, Jaime,” she said quietly. She squeezed Jaime’s hand, tightening it around her breast.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I promise.”
Sara leaned closer, brushing her lips across Jaime’s forehead, feeling Jaime’s hand tighten on her breast. She sighed again, the sound turning into a moan when Jaime rolled to her back, pulling Sara with her. She leaned on her elbows, her body slipping between Jaime’s legs again.
Chapter Forty
Sara opened her eyes slowly then closed them again. Her internal clock told her it was nearly dawn, time to start their day but she simply wanted to snuggle deeper against the warm body that held her.
And she did just that, slipping her hand between them, caressing Jaime’s breast that lay exposed. It was amazing, really, for two people who didn’t know each other all that well to be able to touch as if they’d been together a lifetime. But last night, their touches— their kisses—had been as free and natural as if they’d done it hundreds of times before.
She opened her eyes again but the darkness prevented her from seeing Jaime’s face. She smiled anyway, imagining the splatter of freckles that dotted her tanned cheeks. Without thought, her hand slipped lower, moving across smooth skin, following the curves of Jaime’s hips. Jaime’s flesh was soft to her touch—soft and warm— and her eyes slid closed as her hand moved across the firmness of her buttocks. She moaned quietly as her hand squeezed, pulling Jaime flush against her. As her heart raced, she dipped her head, her mouth finding Jaime’s nipple, closing over it, sucking it inside.
“Mmmm.”
Sara smiled at the sleepy voice, enjoying the feel of Jaime’s nipple as it swelled inside her mouth. Jaime rolled slightly, giving Sara more room, and with her free hand, she moved between their bodies, finding the moisture between Jaime’s thighs.
“Yes,” Jaime whispered, her legs parting.
Sara used her knee to spread Jaime’s thighs, her fingers blindly moving into her wetness. Her mouth had not left Jaime’s breast. But as soon as she touched her, she wanted more. Her breathing was ragged as her mouth kissed its way down Jaime’s body, not pausing anywhere long enough to matter, simply moving along the curves until she felt hot wetness against her face. She groaned once, then cupped Jaime’s hips, bringing her closer to her mouth.
“God, yes,” Jaime whispered, her eyes slamming closed as Sara’s mouth covered her. Her hips jerked, meeting Sara, her head falling back as Sara’s lips closed over her aching clit. She covered her face with a pillow, unable to stop the sounds of pleasure as Sara’s mouth . . . her tongue moved over her.
As Jaime’s hips moved with Sara, Sara’s own hips dug into the bed, wanting—needing—release.
“Come up here. Turn around,” Jaime gasped. “Straddle me.”
Blindly, Sara moved, turning on the bed, her hips straddling Jaime’s face, letting herself be guided down as Jaime’s hands cupped her hips. She groaned loudly when Jaime’s mouth found her. Then she leaned down, her mouth again fastening on Jaime’s clit. Together, their mouths worked, devouring each other until, hips moving against mouths, they couldn’t stop the waves of orgasm. Sara came first, her hips pressing hard against Jaime’s face. Her scream caused her to nearly bite down on Jaime and Jaime’s own hips arched as she exploded into Sara’s mouth.
They both lay still, trying to catch their breath. Then Jaime stirred, her hands sliding over Sara’s hips, turning her around again, guiding her back up to the pillows.
Sara buried her face against Jaime, her eyes closed, her hands pulling at Jaime. She struggled to get close enough then finally felt Jaime’s arms close around her.
“You probably won’t believe me,” she murmured, her mouth moving against Jaime’s skin. “But I’ve never in my life done that.” Then she laughed quietly. “Or maybe you can believe it.”
Jaime smiled, then pulled Sara tighter against her, letting her eyes slip closed again.
They were quiet as they all crowded around the island in the kitchen, sharing a quick, thrown-together breakfast. Jaime had already told them they needed to be on the trail within the hour. And she, like the rest, knew it was cold outside. Probably the coldest morning yet.
“How long do you think it’ll take us to hike to Tin Cup?”
Jaime shrugged. “Five hours, give or take.”
“And then when we call the local sheriff, how long before someone gets back here to you and Megan?”
“Abby, quit worrying. We’ll be fine. I’ve got a hiding place for Megan. Our guy’s not going to find her.”
“What about you?”
Jaime stared, watching as everyone stilled, their eyes moving betw
een her and Sara. It was a conversation—an argument—that she and Sara had started earlier that morning and never finished. And she didn’t want to finish it now in front of everyone.
“I’ll be fine, Sara,” she said, echoing the words she’d whispered to Sara while they were still in bed together, still holding each other, still touching.
Sara turned away, walking purposefully into the den where Megan still lay. The others watched her leave, then collectively turned their attention to Jaime. She sighed, her shoulders sagging as she silently shook her head.
“She just cares about you,” Celia said quietly. “Can’t help that.”
Jaime let a quick smile cross her face, then sobered, her eyes moving among them.
“I know. But this is it, ladies. We made it this far. And in about five hours, you’ll be completely safe. And that’s all you have to worry about, getting the hell out of here. Let me worry about Megan.”
“Well, we’ve been through a lot in the last week. Can’t blame us for being concerned about you,” Abby said.
“And Megan,” Ashley added.
“And I appreciate that. But your being worried is not going to change anything.” She glanced once into the room where Sara stood watching a sleeping Megan, then looked quickly back at the others. “Finish up. It’s time.”
Jaime turned, standing at the door, watching Sara. They’d made love with such abandon last night—and this morning—that she had a hard time separating herself from what she was feeling . . . and what she knew to be best. A part of her wanted to lock Sara away with Megan, gambling she’d be safe. But heading farther away toward Tin Cup was the safer of the two options. And she doubted the others would make it without Sara. They were troupers but still novices when it came to the mountains. No, Sara needed to lead them out of here.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Sara said quietly, still facing Megan, her hands still shoved in the pockets of her jeans.
Jaime walked closer, her voice low. “Is that right?”