§ chapter Thirteen §
Jacie entered Sloan’s home ahead of him as he held open the door. She walked across the cool blue and gray tiled entryway and let her feet sink into the plush carpet of the living area. She stopped by the enormous fireplace that held center stage, potted flowering plants on either side of the hearth. She turned to face him, and watched him push the door closed with the heel of his hand. He carefully hung his hat on a peg by the door and followed her.
She welcomed his hands as they moved up her arms like liquid heat. She thought she would burn up, she felt so wantonly hot.
"I knew you were trouble the first minute I set eyes on you," she murmured.
"Funny, I had the same premonition. I guess we were both right." He placed a provocatively short kiss on her mouth and pulled back. "Give me ten minutes." He walked toward one of the doors off the living room.
She looked around the spacious living room, instantly liking the mellowed wood walls and floor. The kitchen, with light green walls was located off the living room, and surprisingly large. The stove, dishwasher and refrigerator were all a modern black color. Jacie realized Sloan wasn’t kidding when he’d said he had a green thumb. Flowers were everywhere.
"There’s something to drink in the refrigerator," he called.
Jacie sank to the couch, finding it incredibly comfortable. Resting her head against the back, she let her eyes follow the whirring of a fan overhead. She tried to relax but she felt incredibly keyed up. It seemed like she had been waiting for this moment forever.
It seemed only a second later that she felt lips gently upon her own. Nostrils quivering, she drew in a deep breath, touching her cheek to Sloan’s newly shaven cheek. She smiled. "I must have dozed off."
Pleasure jagged below her ribs, her entire body tensed, a fire burned in her stomach. His shaving lotion rose to her nostrils, spicy, orange scented.
She murmured his name and looped her arms around his neck. As he drew closer, she cupped his shoulders and then grazed her palms along his chest. Just touching him created a pulsing, undeniable heat. "If I woke up like this all the time, I'd never leave."
"We can arrange it," he said, touching his lips to hers. He pulled her up and held her hand as he led her across the room, down a hallway and into a bedroom. A large maple bed occupied one side of the room with enormous windows beside the bed.
Jacie sat on the edge of the bed. He dipped his head to her, his knee sinking into the mattress beside her leg. "Are you sure, Jacie?" he asked huskily.
"Mmm. Don't ask questions." Her lips trailed across his check, his neck, moved hungrily to his lips. There was satisfaction in every line of her body as she pressed close. She craved his attention, his touch. Heat roiled through her, her feverish desire reaching out to him. It felt right, it had to be right.
Right now she faced one of the most important challenges of her life. Loving Sloan.
His hands were on either side of her face, one thumb caressing the corner of her mouth. His eyes were intense. She loved their lightness, the sensual sweep across her face. She sensed he liked what he saw.
She turned her head slightly, caught his thumb between her teeth, gently nipped it and then kissed it. Her hands came up, gathered his large hands between her own as she pushed him back against the pillows. "I promise I won't hurt you," she mocked gently, tenderly.
"You've relieved my mind." His mouth caught hers in a rush, hard and crushing. She met him ravenously, her hands pulling him even closer. She needed his warmth, the hardness of him.
He rolled over, taking her with him. Feverishly, she pulled his shirt apart, tugged it off his shoulders. It slid unnoticed to the pale gray rug.
Palms down, she spread her fingers, sweeping her hands over the hair on his chest, the pads of her fingers smoothing up over his shoulders. Soap and aftershave whirled about her. Drugged on his scent, she dipped her head, lips and tongue tracking a course across his body.
His face looked hard, eyes darkening as he watched her. She loved the feel of him. Gently, her lips roved over the flat of his stomach, his chest, sliding upwards to his neck and seeking the hollow behind his ear, his still-damp hair tickling her nose.
She kissed the curve of his jaw, down along his neck, lips and tongue caressing his collarbone. The man was all lean muscle. Her fingers splayed across his ribs, tracing a tiny scar, playfully working across his skin.
She levered herself up, looking down at him. "You're beautiful," she whispered tenderly, then laughed shakily and shook her head. "I can't help it, I love touching you."
"Touch away," he rasped. "But I get to do the same."
She pressed against him, her arm resting across his stomach. She inhaled deeply, trying to catch her breath. She felt as if she had run hard.
Her fingers rifled through his hair. His hair was so fine, the light and dark strands sliding through her fingers.
He turned onto his side to face her, dislodging her arm. His fingers found the hem of her shirt, lifted it upward, slowly, his eyes on her as warm palms moved along her ribs and up over her breasts.
It became even more difficult to breathe. Licking dry lips, she allowed him to pull the shirt off, felt his care as he released her hair. She wore no bra, she was naked from the waist up, as was he.
His mouth found her breasts, teasing her. Restlessly, she churned against him. She wanted him crushed to her.
His fingers worked along the soft skin of her stomach, the slight hollow of her navel, then the button of her jeans. His eyes met hers.
Her nod was slight, she could manage nothing more. Her stomach quivered with small convulsions as he undid the button, pulled the jeans down over her hips, leaving only her briefs in place.
Work-hardened hands ran gently, sensually over her legs, down her thighs to slim ankles. A large palm cupped her heel and pulled the jeans entirely from her legs.
She stretched against the cool sheets, an overall sensual ache sweeping to the core of her. The look in his eyes made her feel like the most desirable woman alive.
She caught her breath as his lips touched like a hot brand on the faint pinkish scar that ran along her neck. She jerked her head back, moving to push him away. He forestalled her, catching her nervously trembling hand as he dropped another kiss on the scar, gently, carefully.
She placed a hand on either side of his head and pulled him to her.
Their bodies did a slow, sensuous dance, side by side.
"Sloan." She released his name on a sigh.
"Come to me, Jacie." He pulled her against him, imprinting her with every hard line.
She feared in that moment her heart would burst from her chest, it beat so fast. His mouth trailed across her jaw, caught her mouth, played with her lips, then followed the flush of pink across her cheeks. She traced his lips with her tongue, darting at him.
Her hips moved, and she felt his nakedness against her own, hardness touching softness. She ran an exploratory palm down his chest, over the flat rigidity of his stomach, her curiosity knowing no bounds.
Time skipped away, sensation took over, melting all worry, making her live for the moment. Nothing mattered but this man, her lover. She hurried him when he went slow, reacted to him, wantonly begging, without words, for more.
He caught her closer, enveloping her. She clutched fiercely at him, afraid she couldn't get enough of his heat. Eagerly she took him in, giving back in equal measure.
Sloan held her tight, elation gripping him. Wildly their flesh met, plunged, rose again. Sensation overcame everything; the touch, taste and scent of Jacie was imprinted on his mind. Excitement held them, flung them wildly, then shattered all around them.
"Sloan!" Her cry was soft, breathless, her fingers gripping him fiercely. He held her close, protecting, guiding her until she shook with the fever, then became boneless, defenseless. Satiated.
His woman, he thought, pushing the hair tenderly from her face. She had placed her trust in him and given him everything, letting down her defenses.
He buried his lips deeply in her throat and traced a path across her cheekbone, over lids blue-veined and delicate.
He knew he had committed himself big time, and he felt it was right. He and Jacie could make a life together. They could combine their two worlds. There was always a way.
She snuggled down against him. He kept his arm around her as she slept. He pushed her hair back with a feather-light touch, watching her. He recalled his father telling him that despite everything, he would never have given up knowing Sloan's mother. Now, he understood what his father had meant. When you loved someone, it was really that easy. Sloan knew he loved Jacie. When she woke, he would tell her.
Ω
Jacie walked into her cabin early the next morning, her mind racing over the night she had spent with Sloan. It occupied her thoughts to the extent of all else.
These past weeks she had learned about Sloan the man, now she knew Sloan as a lover.
An ache began deep inside.
You should have stayed beside him and woke him, the voice in her head chided. She had wakened earlier in Sloan's arms. She had relished the closeness, the memory of their lovemaking, however, part of her needed time to absorb the implications of such a step, so she had slipped out before he woke. She wondered now if she had made a mistake.
She started as the telephone rang. Disbelieving, she looked at her watch, wondering who would call at seven in the morning.
"Hello?" She heard rasping breaths, as if someone were out of breath.
"Jacie, you're there! I've been trying to reach you all night. I'm sorry to bother you―"
"Bonnie! What is it?"
There was weeping on the other end of the line. "Oh, Jacie, I lost my necklace when I was out there...out at Timber Falls."
"Your necklace?"
"You remember, the one my father gave me, it's a family heirloom, irreplaceable. After I left―I was upset, you were so mad at me and I don't blame you. I stopped on the road just outside the ranch at a small pull-off.
"I couldn't drive, I had to collect myself. I got out to smoke a cigarette. I walked around for a bit and that's the last time I remember having the necklace. That must be when I lost it.
"Maybe it slipped the chain. I haven't been able to find it anywhere. I'm frantic." She spoke so rapidly Jacie had a hard time understanding her.
"Slow down, Bonnie."
"Our conversation had bothered me so, I'm so sorry..."
A stirring of guilt gripped Jacie. "All right, Bonnie, that doesn't matter now. Tell me where this place is."
"After you leave the ranch, there's a sign and a small pull-off. I'm sure that's where I must have lost it."
"I think I know where you’re talking about. Is it right by a big pasture and along the dirt track?"
"Yes, yes. Oh, thank you, Jacie. If I don't recover that, I'd never forgive myself. I heard it’s supposed to rain and I’m afraid it’ll be lost forever. I’ll drive back out."
Jacie sensed the relief in the other woman's voice. "If I should find it, I can mail it to you. That’s a long way to drive―"
"I couldn’t drive last night. I got a motel room in a town about an hour away."
Jacie sighed inwardly. "Okay, I’ll see you when you arrive."
Jacie hurried into the barn and almost collided with Renee.
"Good morning, Jacie."
"Can I use one of the horses?"
"They've all been fed, take your pick."
"Thanks, Renee, it's going to be a short ride."
"Is everything okay?"
"A friend of mine lost her necklace. She thinks it might have been just outside the ranch. I’m going to look before it rains."
"That's kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack," Renee said doubtfully. "Do you want some help?"
"I’ll help you Jacie."
Surprised to hear Brad’s voice behind her, she whirled around. "Brad! You’re up early."
"I came to say goodbye. I’ll ride out with you then I’m leaving."
Jacie looked at him a moment, then shrugged. "All right. If we find it, you can give it back to Bonnie."
As they rode out to the east pasture she kept thinking of Sloan. She shouldn't have left before he woke this morning. How could she think she needed to think further about what had happened between them? She loved him. She would look for the necklace and then go find him and make it up to him for leaving. That thought made her smile in anticipation.