Until We Touch (Fool's Gold #15)

“SHE SHOULD BE right around here,” the helicopter pilot said, pointing to the ground.

Jack nodded. He glanced at his cell phone and saw the blinking red dot that was Larissa was nearly under them. He looked through the trees and saw her aging import pulled off the side of a two-lane road. The knot of worry that had been growing since he got her call finally eased. He was here. Whatever was wrong, he would fix it.

The helicopter set down on a dirt road only a few yards away from her car. Jack pulled off his headset and climbed out as the dust swirled around the whirling blades.

Larissa got out of her car and shook her head. He knew what she was thinking. He couldn’t take a car like a normal person? Sure, he could have, but then the trip would have been much longer. She needed to be rescued and he was the man to do it.

They walked toward each other. She had on jeans and T-shirt under a hoodie. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. But when her gaze met his, he felt the pull all the way down to his soul. Whatever they were going through now, this was Larissa and she would always be a part of him. As much as she needed him, he needed her more.

He held open his arms and she ran to him. When he drew her against him, he knew that he was done fighting the inevitable. How could he resist a woman who wanted to rescue chiweenies—whatever the hell they were? A woman who claimed to love him and wanted to use sex to get over him?

Hunger burned inside of him. Hunger and need and desire, but they were all second to what he really ached for. He didn’t have an itch to be scratched. He had a bad feeling that if he gave in to what they both wanted, the trouble to follow would be cataclysmic. Yet there was an inevitability in the moment. He could run but he couldn’t hide. So maybe it was time to stop running.

She buried her face in his chest and trembled slightly. When she finally raised her head, he saw tears in her eyes. “Everything I touch turns to crap,” she murmured.

“That’s not true.”

“It is. I just wanted to help walk some dogs.”

“They’re still going to be rescued and if I know you, you’ll be arranging for a dozen or so to be fostered in Fool’s Gold.” Possibly half that number in his house, but so what? “You care, Larissa. That’s rare. Treasure your compassion. I do.”

“I just feel stupid. I do this to myself. I’m so busy running from crisis to crisis, I don’t take care of the important things like getting my car serviced. What if I’d been the only one going to get those dogs?”

“I would have brought a bigger helicopter.”

He hoped she would smile, but she didn’t. She stepped back. “I’m serious, Jack. Look at me. I’m twenty-eight years old and you’re still rescuing me. How can I save the world if I can’t keep my car running?”

“I don’t agree they’re related problems.”

“They’re symbolic.” She shook her head. “Sorry. I’ll beat myself up later. Thank you for rescuing me. I really appreciate it. Now what happens? We can’t leave my car here.”

He pointed and she turned. A woman was collecting a big tool box from inside the helicopter.

“That’s Donna. She’s going to get your car running and then drive it back to Fool’s Gold.”

“What if it can’t be fixed?”

“She’ll call for a tow truck.” Jack put his arm around her. “Come on. Let’s get your stuff and we’ll get out of here.”

“We can’t just leave that woman alone with my car.”

“She’ll be fine.” Jack wasn’t going to mention the outrageous sum he’d offered to get Donna to go with him. That would only make Larissa feel worse.

Larissa got her purse and cell phone, then explained what had happened with her car. Donna grinned. “No problem. I’ll have her running like new.”

Jack doubted that, but at least functional would be good. Larissa thanked the other woman, then followed Jack to the helicopter.

“I’ve never been in one of these before.”

He grinned. “Then it’s about time you were.”

* * *

LARISSA HAD FLOWN lots of times, so she was expecting the slow ramp-up to takeoff speed. The helicopter wasn’t like that. The sound of the engine got louder and louder as, she would guess, the blades whirled faster and faster. But there was no warning it was time. One second they were safely on land, the next they were airborne and climbing higher.