Clear Intent

by Diane Benefiel

  She wasn’t sure what she meant to say, but it didn’t matter because suddenly his hot mouth was on hers.

  Dory felt like Prometheus breaking free from his bindings as she reached for Jack, desperate for more. More of that mouth, face, heat, him. The kiss was full of yearning, building rapidly, and more desperate than anything she’d ever experienced.

  While one of her hands rubbed against the sexy stubble on his chin, her other had somehow ended up under the hem of his t-shirt and against the smooth skin covering the rigid muscle of his belly. Thunder rolled through her and she opened her eyes to find fireworks bursting in the sky through the windshield.

  He withdrew and the air between them chilled, making her feel like she’d finally hit the bottom of that abyss. When her brain started working again, realization dawned that she would never survive if she let herself go down the road Jack had opened. She’d loved once with devastating consequences. Survival mode kicked in, and she turned in her seat to grapple for the handle. His door slammed and before she could push out of her seat, he flung open the door on her side.

  He filled the doorway, bracing his hands on the seat on either side of her. Behind him fireworks sounded and the night sky bloomed in a spray of red, white, and blue that silhouetted his massive shoulders.

  “I need to go, Jack. I told Adrian I would sit with him during the fireworks show.”

  “I know you do. But can you at least acknowledge that there was something in that kiss?”

  Nope, no way. Confessing to what she had felt was lit with a bright flashing danger sign. Never again would she open herself to heartbreak. “I don’t have to admit anything.”

  He hung his head for a long, drawn-out moment. When he raised his face again, she caught the flash of disappointment.

  “I wasn’t the only one who felt that, Dory. I want to be with you. But I won’t wait forever. I’m not going to spend the rest of my life waiting for you. If you’re too scared to see me for who I really am, not some image you’ve created as a defense. If you can’t be with me, I’m going to find someone who can.”

  Chapter Three

  Dory steered her mother’s Ford Focus into the parking area behind the Hangman’s Cabin and Lake Resort office building and shut off the engine. She’d taken care of getting her Civic to the shop by herself. She hadn’t felt settled enough to face Jack, and he was a busy guy who didn’t need to add repairing her car to his list of chores. She’d texted him not to bother and arranged to take her car to a mechanic. When her mother had offered Dory her car for the day, she’d jumped at the gift.

  She stepped out under the shade of a great Jeffrey pine tree and breathed the scented air deep into her lungs. Adrian’s ambition to be a forest ranger meant that they both had learned the names of the native flora and fauna. There was nothing she enjoyed more than seeing her son’s interests blossom, and today he was starting a nature day camp located on the other side of Hangman Lake, where he’d get to experience all kinds of outdoor adventures.

  After their daily battle over applying sunscreen, she’d dropped him off with his little backpack and water bottle. He was wearing the requisite camp t-shirt and cap. Lucky him, she thought, getting to spend the day canoeing, practicing archery, and learning about the forest ecosystem. She loved her job, but she was more determined than ever to sock away money so maybe next summer she’d be able to take her boy to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks like he’d been wanting to do.

  She tilted her head back, eyes closed, and let the warmth of the sun soak in. A shrill cry echoed from high above, and she opened her eyes to see a pair of red-tailed hawks riding a thermal of warm air, circling lazily against the deep, deep blue of the summer sky.

  Today was one of those achingly gorgeous days in the Sierras, where the sounds of insects humming and blue jays squawking made her appreciate that she lived in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Added bonus, working at the resort allowed her to share her experience with visitors.

  A trio of young teen girls trooped by with loaded daypacks, talking excitedly as they examined one of the trail maps she and Emma handed out to visitors. One of the girls asked Dory to snap a photo of them, the trio smiling brightly, arms slung across each other’s shoulders, each with braces glinting on her teeth.

  Dory hadn’t been much older than the three when she’d first met Rodrigo. She hoped the fresh-faced girls made better choices than she had. What if she had heeded that little voice in the back of her head that had been warning her that she was getting in over her head with the bad boy Rodrigo Calderon? How differently would her life have turned out? She would never regret Adrian; he was the light of her life. But the rest of what she’d lived with, she’d trade away in a heartbeat, if such a thing were possible.

  Giving herself a firm mental shake to clear her head, she crossed to the front door of the office, stopping to admire the string of trout carried by a proud young girl walking with her mother to the cleaning station behind the market Dory and Emma had opened the previous year. Eight o’clock and prime fishing time was already past.

  Dory climbed the steps and crossed the porch, jiggling the keys in her hand to find the one for the door. Emma had texted that she was running late, making Dory the first one in. Her thoughts drifted to the night before, and somehow in that moment a chink in her armor developed and her efforts at keeping thoughts of Jack walled off failed. The raw emotions he had yanked to the surface roared back, instead of staying where they belonged, down deep and buried.

  She didn’t like feeling off balance, like one wrong step would send her reeling to the ground. It wasn’t only the kiss, though the kiss had been too much in and of itself. But holy hell, what he’d said—Jack’s words made her feel like she’d been missing something that had been right in front of her. That while she’d been getting her life back she’d somehow been off track, and her reality was slightly skewed. Added to that whopper of a kiss, he’d been clear that he’d been waiting for her to come around, but now he was done waiting. What was she supposed to do with that?

  She pushed open the door, flipping on lights, and crossed to her office. The building had once been divided between office space in the front, and a bedroom and kitchen in the back, which was where Emma had lived when she’d first arrived at Hangman’s Loss. Dory had turned up on the doorstep not long after, trying to hide bruises on her face while looking for work. What she had found was a refuge and a dear and trusted friend.

  Now the bedroom had been converted into her office, and Dory was no longer cleaning cabins. She had made an investment in the resort and earned the title of event coordinator. Potted plants sat along the windowsill, and photos of her friends and family were arranged in cute frames, along with drawings Adrian had made for her. She liked having those most important to her close while she worked. Her space always gave her a happy buzz when she walked in, but today the buzz barely registered.

  She stepped forward to examine the photos, frowning slightly. Jack was in several of them, which wasn’t unusual, seeing how they shared friends. She bent to peer closer at one candid shot. While her attention was elsewhere, Jack’s was focused on her, his expression almost hungry.

  The front door opened, bringing in the sound of women’s voices. “This time you’re having a girl, I’m sure of it.” Maddy’s voice carried a note of conviction.

  Emma’s voice held a lower tone. “And you’re sure because…?”

  “Because my Keeley needs a girl cousin.”

  The women stopped at the door to Dory’s office. Emma held an open bag of potato chips while Maddy cradled a thick notebook in one arm, reminding Dory they had an appointment to go over catering for an upcoming wedding.

  “What’s your vote, Dory? Should Emma and my brother have a girl, a sister for little Owen?”

  “Absolutely. Let’s put in our order.”

  “You two are nuts,” Emma proclaimed.

  “How’s the pregnant lady?” Dory asked.

  Emma’s cheeks
looked a little pale. She moved her hand in a so-so gesture. “Nausea is low-grade, but bearable at the moment.”

  Maddy rubbed Emma’s back. “Morning sickness sucks.”

  “Indeed it does,” Emma agreed. “Especially when it’s not limited to the morning. Luckily, potato chips are plentiful.” She narrowed gray eyes at Dory. “How are you doing? You came late to the fireworks last night, and I didn’t have a chance to ask if you’d had car trouble again. You’ve got your mom’s car today.”

  Dory debated for about half a second before blurting out, “Jack kissed me.”

  “Yes!” Maddy whooped and did a little boogie dance, while Emma lips formed into a smug smile. “Well, it’s about time.”

  Of all the reactions Dory could have imagined, those would never have made the list. “What do you mean it’s about time?”

  “I hope Jack won’t mind me saying this, but that man has had a thing for you for as long as I’ve known him.”

  “That’s not true. Jack doesn’t like me. Or at least he hasn’t until recently.”

  “I second what Emma said.” Maddy stopped boogying. “But that Raquel Flores has been setting traps for him, so you better stake your claim if you want him.”

  “Setting traps?”

  “Yeah, you know. Accidentally on purpose bumping into him at the café, getting a flat tire right in front of his house. I’m not sure how she managed that, but no way that was a fluke.”

  “Huh. Well, I don’t think Jack has been pining away for me. I would have noticed.”

  “Oh? So it’s been totally by accident that whenever you need help, Jack Morgan is there,” Emma challenged.

  Dory furrowed her brow. “That’s coincidence.”

  “No, that’s Jack being the first one to jump in his cruiser when the call came in that you’d spun out on an icy road and ended up in a ditch last winter. Or him putting your mom in the squad car and using lights and sirens to get her to the hospital so she could be with you when Adrian had a concussion.” Emma didn’t stop to take a breath. “Or what about the time he slogged through a snowstorm when the power was out to check on you and Adrian? The man has a sixth sense where you’re concerned.”

  “He’s a police officer, dispatch would have sent him on those calls.”

  Emma was shaking her head. “Brad told me. It’s an unspoken understanding that if anything having to do with you comes in, it gets assigned to Jack.” She tilted her head at Dory. “He’s your champion.”

  Dory blinked. There it was again. She had been on a parallel track to the rest of the world, her perception not exactly matching reality. If someone had struck her on the head with a pole, she couldn’t have been more dazed and confused.

  She chewed her lip, pacing across her office. “I don’t get it. You’re telling me that Jack has been paying special attention to me and you all have known about it, and nobody said anything? Why say something now?”

  Emma grinned even as she laid a hand on her stomach. “Because he’s never kissed you before.”

  “And,” Maddy added, “you didn’t want to know before.” Her expression softened. “I think you’re finally healing, so maybe that’s it, too. Perhaps you’re ready to move on, where you weren’t before.”

  “I feel so oblivious. I’m not an oblivious person, but I think I must be with Jack.”

  “So, are you going to tell us about it?” Maddy asked.

  Dory shook her head to clear the fog. “About what?”

  “The kiss, silly. How was it?”

  Heat rose with the memory. “Unexpectedly hot and delicious.”

  “Oh, that’s nice. Jack looks like he’d be a good kisser.” Emma sighed. “What was the follow-up? Do you think you’ll see each other?”

  “Ha, right. I’m sitting in his truck, still adjusting to the new reality that Jack actually doesn’t hate me, and then he’s telling me that he’s not waiting around for me. That if I didn’t like what he was offering, whatever that might be, he’s going to find someone who will appreciate him, or something like that.”

  “Men can be such idiots. What are you going to do?”

  “How the heck should I know? My head’s still spinning. What I do know is that there are things in our history that Jack Morgan needs to explain, and I need some quiet time to process.”

  ***

  By midday, Dory was ready to pull her hair out. Apparently, now that they’d locked lips, thoughts of Jack had taken up residence in her head and weren’t leaving room for much of anything else. It didn’t seem to matter that he’d been friends with her ex-husband, had been his drinking buddy, because today she was looking at Jack through a different lens. The result was that she’d had to force herself to concentrate on even the simplest task. She loved her work, she truly did, but today her mind kept wandering. Despite her distraction, she and Maddy were able to nail down catering details for the upcoming Hazelton/Slade wedding, and she’d booked the resort for a fall wedding, which she’d assured the prospective bride would be spectacular with the aspens wearing their autumn gold. Other than that, her productivity had been in the toilet.

  She needed a change of scenery. Taking advantage of her lunch hour, she exchanged sandals for walking shoes and stepped outside carrying her sandwich and reusable water bottle. After a short walk, she arrived at her destination and took a seat at the rough-hewn picnic bench that sat on a bluff overlooking the lake. As she ate her lunch, she let the serenity of the scenery and the fabulous weather work its magic and bring her peace.

  Across the clear water that reflected the bright blue sky, she could make out the main building of Adrian’s camp. She hoped her baby was having a good time. Swallowing the last of her turkey and avocado, she rose and, carrying her trash, followed the trail to return to the office. That’s when she caught the faint whiff of wood smoke and noticed a slight haze in the sky. A chill skittered down her spine as she scanned the horizon until she saw, over the tops of the towering pines to the north, the rising brown-tinged plume.

  “Oh damn.” People who lived in the mountain towns of the west spent their summers ever watchful for signs of the wildfires that could sweep through their communities with devastating consequences. This one looked to be some distance away, though that was difficult to judge for certain.

  While they’d had an average snowpack the past winter, and the trees on the slopes surrounding Hangman’s Loss were in decent shape, the scorching summer sun had left much of the underbrush tinder dry. Only the summer before, a raging inferno had given the town a scary close call. That conflagration had been sparked by an arsonist who’d seen the fire as a means of getting the attention of Maddy’s cousin Eva. Luckily, super-cute firefighter Diego Jones had been quick on his feet and had been instrumental in averting disaster while winning Eva’s heart.

  Dory decided to call Maddy and learn if there was any news. Besides the café serving as a local gathering spot, Eva worked there and might have gotten inside info from Diego. Dory’s cell phone showed no bars, so she hurried and soon she was walking between the little cabins toward the office. As soon as she had service, she called Maddy and waited, foot tapping for her friend to pick up, while her gaze was focused on the growing cloud of smoke.

  “Hey there, Dory.”

  The sounds of a busy restaurant carried over the line and she realized her timing was poor. “Oh, sorry. I called during the lunch rush, didn’t I?”

  “No worries, things are under control, at least as much as they ever are. What’s going on?”

  “I was taking a little walk and noticed a big smoke cloud in the distance. I was wondering if you know where the fire is.”

  Maddy’s normally chipper tone took on a serious note. “News is it’s about four miles to the north of us and spreading west into the mountains. So far there are no structures threatened. Cal Fire and other agencies are on it.”

  “What about our local guys?”

  “They’re staying in town for the time being. News from Diego is that they�
��re putting contingency plans in place in case the fire turns in our direction.”

  They chatted for a few more minutes until duty called and Maddy had to go. Somewhat reassured, Dory returned to the office, pausing at the porch steps when a black Ford Explorer SUV with “Hangman’s Loss Police Department” emblazoned on the door turned into the driveway.

  It wasn’t unusual for Police Chief Bradley Gallagher to stop in and visit his wife, but Dory’s heart gave an uncomfortable jolt when she recognized Jack at the wheel.

  She wasn’t ready to see him. She needed more time to think, to work out what to say to him.

  Chapter Four

  Jack stepped out of the vehicle, his navy uniform showing off all his assets. The badge above his shirt pocket, and the gun at his side, all making him look seriously official. He settled his wide-brimmed trooper’s hat on his head. Not being able to see his eyes behind his mirrored shades, she wasn’t sure if she was imagining that she felt his gaze lock on to her like some sort of tracking beam.

  Fighting the urge to fidget when he approached, she figured she’d say something, anything to head off what might come out of his mouth. “Someone here breaking the law, Captain Morgan?”

  “Back to that, are we?”

  “Back to what?”

  “Snide comments.”

  Standing on the first step put her almost eye level with him. He held himself still, face expressionless. A twinge of something all too close to remorse made her shift uncomfortably, while at the same time she found herself hyperaware of him. The bulletproof vest under his shirt added another layer to his already wide shoulders and broad chest, and the sweat dripping along his temple made her realize he had to be miserably hot.

  “Would you like to come in for iced tea and air conditioning?”

  “Hell yeah.”

  She stepped up onto the porch and held open the screen door for him.

  Jack removed his sunglasses and hat when he crossed the threshold, running long fingers through the thick black hair that he wore long on top and short at the sides.