Authors: Sable Hunter
The early morning light still shone through thick shadows, camouflaging most of her movements. When she reached the porch, she climbed up over the railing until she could reach an old plaid shirt flapping in the winter wind. As she leaned over to unhook the garment from the clothespins, her eyes focused on something odd. There were hides tacked all over the wall of the house. Cat hides! Domestic cat hides! Thank the Goddess Evangeline wasn’t close enough to see this. She would be heartbroken and apt to send a tornado down upon his house.
Elizabeth hoped none of these poor cat skins belonged to any of Arabella’s cats who had gone missing over the years. Flashes of howls and yowls of tortured animals flitted through her mind. Residual horror lingered near the skins of these poor babies who had done no wrong other than wander onto a madman’s property. Shaking her head to eradicate the stomach-turning images, she turned around and saw the clincher. There was one other hide, a curly white canine hide. Poor Pumpkin. This was proof as far as Elizabeth was concerned—the son of a bitch had to be guiltier than hell. Climbing down, she took off in a run. As she hit the ground, the back door opened and out came old Lyle Sessions, a deer rifle in his hand. Elizabeth hunkered down, quickly crawling under the side of the house and clambering to the other side. When she emerged, she ran as fast as she could to the cover of the woods. Looking quickly around, she realized she had missed where Evangeline was waiting by a good one-hundred yards or more.
Out of nowhere, a shot rang out and pieces of bark flew through the air after a bullet from Sessions’ rifle hit a nearby tree. She fled toward Evangeline, her niece’s safety foremost in her mind. Another shot rang out and she zigzagged through the underbrush, desperately scanning the area for the younger girl.
Suddenly, Evangeline grabbed her shirt from the back and together they headed toward Wildflower Way. Elizabeth did not look back, but clutched the shirt in one hand and Evangeline’s arm in the other. They dashed through the woods until the Victorian farmhouse came into view.
“
Damn thieving, witches—your time is short,” he spat at the retreating figures. “I don’t know why you’d want a shirt of mine, but you’re up to no good, that’s for sure.”
* * * *
Arabella dressed a blue candle with High John the Conqueror Oil, a strong, hoodoo oil used to empower spells and assert your will. She carved Jade’s name into the candle and wrote a petition on a piece of parchment paper.
‘
Heal Jade Landale from all ills.
’
She lit the candle and placed the paper beneath the glass candleholder. Saying a prayer to the gods for his continued healing, she placed the candle next to their bed.
Their bed,
she thought. Just a brief remembrance of his touch sent her head spinning in dangerous directions.
She forced herself to abandon that line of thought. The physical therapist Dr. Francois located had arrived, taking Jade into the sunroom for his exercises. Arabella had helped her in, noting that she had brought a massage table and an exercise bar and some other equipment she thought would be beneficial to his progress.
As she began straightening the room, and cleaning up from her ritual, a slight knock sounded on the door. She turned to find the physical therapist.
“
Miss Landry, would you mind if I showed you a massage technique you could do to help Mr. Landale between my visits?”
“
No, I will be right there.” She quickly finished and headed to the sunroom. She had no experience with massage, she didn’t quite know what to expect. She found Jade lying face down on the table with a towel draped over his hips. Her heart missed a beat, he looked so vulnerable. He also looked sexier than any man had a right to look.
The therapist showed her how to place her hands on his back and to work the muscles on either side of his spine. She told her to pay special attention to his lower back and the muscles of his hips. “It’s important that the blood circulates freely through these muscles. If you have any oil, it would be beneficial for you to apply it to this area. Make sure you rub the oil between your hands to warm it before applying it to his skin.” As the therapist explained the technique, Arabella knew there was no way she was going to be able to give Jade a beneficial massage when all she wanted to do was make love to him.
The therapist told Jade he could get off the table, but Jade refused. “I think I’ll lie here for a few moments, if that’s okay with you. I’m a little tired.” Since the physical therapist would be returning every day or two, the equipment would remain.
“
Rest as long as you need to. Miss Landry, would you show me out?” With a glance back at Jade, to assure herself that he wasn’t in pain, Arabella walked the lady to the door.
Upon returning to the sunroom, she heard Jade groan. Running in, she asked, “Are you all right?”
Laughing, he rolled over and carefully sat up. “I’m fine, just turned on. I didn’t get up a few moments ago because I didn’t want to embarrass you.”
There was no way she could miss his blatant arousal. Arabella tried to hide her reaction, but her face fell. “Oh, I see.” She looked down, not meeting his eyes. “No need to be embarrassed. The way you’re feeling is normal for a man. She is a very beautiful young woman and I’m sure she gives a very good massage.”
“
No, baby.” Catching her hand, he drew her to him. “The technician didn’t turn me on. It was the idea of your hands on my body that created this monster.” He spread his legs and pulled her between them. Taking her head in both of his hands, he pressed tender kisses all over her face. “It’s you, I want, love. You are the one who makes my blood boil and my heart race. Just as soon as I get clearance from Dr. Francois, I am going to show you just what you mean to me.”
Hugging him tight, she let out a sigh of relief. “We don’t want to rush things, but I want that as much as you do.”
“
Hey, what does a man have to do to get fed around here? All of this sex talk has made me hungry for food, among other things.” He playfully bit her neck.
“
All right. All right. I’ll feed you.” Helping him get dressed and into the wheelchair, she pushed Jade to the kitchen and fixed them both a grilled cheese sandwich. They ate, talked and shared everything they could think of—likes and dislikes, childhood stories and funny tales. Both of them enjoyed the chance to learn more about the other. Finally, she noticed that he looked tired. “Why don’t you lie down for a while?”
“
Only if you promise not to do anything exciting while I take a nap.”
“
Not much chance of that.”
Arabella had promised Jade she would visit his home and collect some of his things. He had not asked her again, but she didn’t want to keep him waiting. After she had him settled, Arabella took out the directions he had wrote down for her, the list he had made and the keys that would get her into his house.
House was a poor choice of words. Jade’s home was actually a loft in downtown Austin. The address led her right to the middle of the city, very near the huge university, the capitol building and the infamous 6
th
Street entertainment district.
The drive hadn’t taken but about a half hour. As she turned into the drive, she was glad that parking wouldn’t be a problem, because Jade had a reserved spot. When she located the spot, however, a white Audi sat in the place. She had to drive to another level of the garage and park in the visitors’ area. The loft was on the fifth floor of the newly renovated building and she had to use his key card to enter the elevator, and then again, to gain access to the correct wing.
When she found the door of his loft, she slipped the key in and entered. The sight of his home took her breath away. No expense had been spared; the apartment had been decorated and furnished with the very best. Wildflower Way
could be described as comfortable, but there was really no comparison between the two.
Jade must feel like he’s slumming
.
She walked through the living area and found his study. He had wanted his checkbook and some other papers he had left in his desk. When she started to turn the knob into the study, she noticed a light shining from under the door. Thinking he must have left a light on, she opened the door and was shocked to find Kate Thompson sitting at his desk. Miss Thompson was equally surprised to find herself being interrupted by a stranger.
“
Who are you?” She shouted at Arabella. “I’ll call the police!” Kate Thompson threatened her.
“
I’m Arabella Landry, Miss Thompson. Jade is staying with me. I just came to pick up some of his things.”
Arabella could tell she had pulled the rug out from under the other girl. “Jade is staying with you? What, do you run some type of a private rehabilitation center or something?”
“
Or something.” Was the only answer she gave the stunning woman.
“
Where exactly is my fiancé?” The words pierced Arabella to the heart.
“
I thought you broke off the engagement?” Arabella pointed out in a low voice.
“
That is none of your business, but the engagement is most certainly still on,” she yelled. “I demand to see my fiancé. Give me the address.”
“
He is at Wildflower Way
in Wimberley.” Arabella gave her one of her cards. She didn’t want to, but maybe Jade would want to see Kate—after all, they had been engaged. When Kate Thompson stood up, Arabella realized the outcome of their reunion might be one that broke her heart.
Kate Thompson was so beautiful. Regal could best describe the woman, she was as tall as Jade and had striking Nordic coloring and a more than perfect body. Arabella knew that next to Kate Thompson, she would come up sadly lacking. “What are you doing here?” The blonde demanded.
“
I am picking up some clothes and papers Jade asked for,” she explained politely, holding out the small piece of paper. “I have a list.”
“
Well, give it here.” Kate snatched the list from her hand. “You don’t need to bother. I will bring them to him and soon I will bring him back here—with me—where he belongs.” She stood back and watched the other woman get the checkbook, the papers, and then go to his bedroom and take a suitcase out of the closet and then place a few items in the leather grip. She didn’t have to look for anything; Kate Thompson knew her way around Jade’s bedroom like it was her own. As Arabella watched her, she realized there were women’s clothes in the closet and shoes on the floor and feminine toiletries ensconced in the vanity and on the shelves in the bathroom.
Doubt and misgivings ripped into her. Quietly, without letting Kate see her leave, Arabella slipped out. There was no use—the Nordic beauty had the upper hand. Without any official status to claim, she backed off and went back to Wimberley to tell Jade he could expect company.
Arabella drove faster than the law allows getting back to Jade and the rest of her family. When she pulled up in the driveway, she threw a little gravel to one side. Heading to the back of the house so she could talk to Elizabeth and the rest before she saw Jade, she admitted to herself that the possible outcome of this situation was tearing her up. When she entered the kitchen, all of her family was there—Nanette was peeling potatoes, Evangeline had salad makings spread out in front of her, and Elizabeth hummed while she iced a cake. Angelique stood over the stove and turned over pieces of golden brown Southern fried chicken. Arabella’s stomach reacted to the aromas that wafted through the room, but she couldn’t think about food now.
Everyone looked at her expectantly; her face must have told the whole story. “Kate Thompson will be here any minute.”
“
What?” Evangeline asked, amazed. “I thought she was out of the picture.”
“
So did I,” Arabella admitted.
“
She wants him back, now that he is going to recover.” Elizabeth read the situation.
“
When I went in the apartment, I could tell he is wealthy. I would say she is after his money, but anyone would want him, even if he were a pauper. Jade is worth a million times whatever money he has.” Arabella was shaking. “The picture in the paper, it didn’t do her justice. She is statuesque, blonde, built, and determined.”