Heartstealer (Women of Character3 (4 page)

"Are you aware August is
honeymooner’s month?"

The surprise on her face gave him
the answer he sought. "I guess you didn’t know."

She put her hands on her hips and
caught her lower lip between her teeth. "I can see you’re dead
serious." She gave a small, tired laugh. "How ironic,
honeymooner’s month."

"Why ironic?"

She waved her hand.
"It’s a long story."

 Obviously, one she
wasn’t going to share. She spun on her heel. "Did I mention that a
friend may come for a few days?"

"That's no problem." He
wondered if it was a male friend, then dismissed the thought. It was none of
his business who she invited. Someone with her looks would have more than one
guy hanging around.

He watched her run her fingertips
over a wooden end table as if she enjoyed the feel of the smooth wood. He
shifted his feet uncomfortably. "The kitchenette’s in there."
He indicated the small galley behind her as she placed her suitcases beside the
sofa. "You'll find silverware and plates and anything else you might need,
but meals are provided at the lodge."

She moved through the cabin,
admiring as she went. "Don’t mind me. I like discovering everything
around me through touch." She stood on her tiptoes to look at the native bluestone
mantle over the fireplace. "What beautiful stone work." She spun
around. "I love those big windows along the wall. I bet this place is
bright with sun early in the day."

"Those windows face west, so
you do get the late sun."

Jacie walked over the mellowed oak
floors covered by braided throw rugs. "The indigo blue rugs with a touch
of pink are great, and the furniture goes so well with the rustic
setting," she remarked. "Someone decorated this with a lot of
thought."

"My sister-in-law Dotty. She
used to be an interior designer. Glad you like it." He cranked open a
casement window in the kitchen. "Maybe you'll want some air in here. It's
kind of warm." She seemed oblivious to his presence as she stood by the
picture window that overlooked the ravine below.

He wondered what she thought of the
view. It was nearing sunset and the sky had lost its light, giving the
mountains an eerie orange glow. He had seen the same light countless times but
he never tired of looking at it. "This is the only cabin this close to the
ravine," he told her.

She peered downward. "How
strange," she said slowly. "It looks almost like a smoky mist
creeping up the cliff. What are those strangely twisted trees clinging to the
ledges?"

"Some scrubby pine.
They’re twisted because the wind blows through here like a fiend in the
winter. Do you think the drop of the ravine will bother you?"

"No," she said quickly.
"It'll be fine."

He wondered about the nervous
blinking of her lids. "We figured since you skydive, it wouldn't bother
you."

"Logical conclusion," she
murmured. "I find it mesmerizing. It’s like you look out into the
fog and expect to see something take shape."

"If you decide being this
close to the ravine bothers you, we have another cabin set further back."
He watched her continued preoccupation with the view.

"I imagine some people like it
. . . the height, the sense of danger."

"There's no danger if you use
common sense. I've seen these mountains most of my life, but it can be
frightening for some." He shrugged.

"I imagine the first settlers
found them a challenge." She directed a bright-eyed glance his way.
"I love a challenge."

He detected a trace of defiance.
"I knew someone else who thrived on challenge," he murmured.
"She died." He regretted the words the second he said them.

"I’m sorry."

"It was a long time ago."

"What type of
challenges?" she asked with a gleam of interest.

He stifled a curse. When had he
developed a loose tongue? "Everything and anything," he said
abruptly. "I guess I’d better show you the rest and get back to
work." Sloan strode quickly through the remainder of the rooms.
"There's a bathroom through here and a bedroom."

Jacie stared at Sloan in surprise.
He had seemed to be getting friendly and then the wall slammed down like a
shutter over his face. Right after he talked about his friend dying. "This
cabin is wonderful. I’ll be fine."

He removed his hat and ran a hand
through his hair. She noted the sun-bleached strands that fell carelessly from
a middle part before he dropped the hat back in place.

Nervously, her fingers clenched the
high back of the sofa. She had the idea he was trying to figure her out. He'd
never guess how messed up she was. If he did, he’d be smart to run like
crazy.

"There's a Jacuzzi on the
deck." He nodded toward the atrium door on the back wall of the cabin. She
acknowledged his words with a jerky nod.

"Thanks." She held her
hand out for the keys.

He stepped forward, dwarfing her as
he dropped the keys in her palm. Reflexively, her fingers closed over the metal
warmed by his fingers.

"There's a listing of numbers
by the phone. Dinner is over in the lodge. James has arranged for you to meet
the guests tomorrow, although you might run into some of them tonight." He
flicked back his cuff. "That's about twenty minutes. The lodge is the
building I showed you earlier."

"I remember."

"See you at dinner,
Jacie." His voice was low, impersonal. Glancing over her shoulder, she
nervously swept back her hair and nodded. Finally, the door closed and she was
alone. She had to wonder why Sloan disturbed her so but at the moment there
were no ready answers.

She bent over to pick up her
suitcase but suddenly realized she heard the murmur of voices so she crossed
the room to look out a front window. With surprise, she saw her friend Bonnie
must have just arrived and was standing outside talking with Sloan.

She opened the door. Bonnie, tall
at six feet, was looking up into Sloan’s face as they spoke.
Bonnie’s half smile made her wonder what they were talking about. Her
light blond hair appeared a startling contrast to Sloan’s darkness in the
failing light.

"Bonnie!" she said.
"This is a surprise."

They both turned to her.

Bonnie smiled with delight.
"Jacie, hello. I know it’s a surprise." Bonnie touched
Sloan’s shirtsleeve, her blood rail nails against the blue fabric.
"Thank you so much for your help."

"No problem." He tipped
his hat, stepped off the porch and left without a backward glance.

Bonnie walked up the steps, her
black skirt and blouse looking a bit rumpled. "Jacie, good to see you."
She gave her a hug and then pulled back. Bonnie's favorite fragrance enveloped
Jacie. "I know you’re going to think I’m crazy, but I had a
rental to deliver in this area so I decided to stop and see how you were
doing."

Jacie looked out toward the road.
"Where did you park your car?"

Bonnie waved her manicured hand
vaguely. "A parking lot back there. I had to walk in. Sloan just told me
the road would be fixed next time I came. He seems very nice," she added.
"Is he single?"

Jacie looked at the gleam of interest
in her friend’s eyes. "I guess so. Are you interested? What happened
to Jim?"

"That was last week. You know
how I like variety―and I like the look of Sloan. Why? Isn’t he nice
to you?"

"He’s my employer. He
took one look at my leg brace and I could see the questions in his eyes."

Bonnie gave her a direct look.
"I’m sure you set him straight on your capabilities."

Jacie shrugged. "It’s a
matter of he’ll see I can handle the job once I begin. Anyway, I’m
glad to see you. Come inside."

They stepped into the cabin and she
closed the door, anxious to get Bonnie’s reaction. "Well, what do
you think?"

Bonnie sat on the couch and reached
down to rub one of her ankles. She gave her a rueful glance. "My heels
didn’t do too well walking up that road." She looked around.
"This looks comfortable, if a little rustic."

Jacie laughed. "I know
it’s not your style, but I like it."

"As long as you like it."
She surveyed the living area. "You have a kitchen, living room, bedroom
and a bath, I presume. There’s no outside outhouse?" she drawled.

"Very funny. Are you driving
back tonight? It’ll be dark soon."

"Yes, I have appointments in
the morning."

"Who rode with you?"

"My new secretary is with me.
Her name is Emily. She took one look at all the woods and opted to stay in the
car."

"This must have been more than
a little out of your way. I didn’t know you brought rentals this far
north."

Bonnie smiled, her red tinted lips
curving just the slightest. "For the right money, Jacie, I’d drive
to Alaska. Anyway, when I come to pick you up I’ll know exactly where to
go. How did the jump go?"

"I did it, let me put it that
way."

"Nerves?" Bonnie asked
sympathetically.

"Yes, but I didn’t let
Con know."

Bonnie looked at her thoughtfully
as she swept the luxurious fall of hair away from her forehead. "I’m
surprised your brother let you take on the job."

"He knows I was going stir
crazy." She looked toward the kitchen area. "I think there’s
coffee in there. Would you like a cup?"

"Not unless it’s
Espresso." Bonnie frowned and stared at her long red nails. Then she gave
a big sigh and said, "There’s another reason I wanted to see you.
Brad called me!" she blurted.

Jacie was pulled into the past,
seeing Brad’s wide smile, the dimple in his cheek. She gripped the back
of the sofa. "You didn’t tell him anything, did you? I don’t
need him waltzing back in my life when I’m finally getting things on
track." She needed to put thoughts of him behind her. She had to, damn
him.

"Of course not."

Jacie relaxed. "Good."

"Maybe if you talked to him,
you could get this resolved," Bonnie said carefully.

Jacie looked at her incredulously,
her nerve endings jumping. "You know he abandoned me in South America when
I got hurt. I don’t want anything to do with him."

Bonnie glanced at her expensive
gold watch. "I understand exactly how you feel, but I just had to let you
know what’s going on." She came to her feet and brushed her black
pencil skirt carefully over her slim legs. "I had better leave, it’s
getting late."

"You can stay the night."

Bonnie gave her a brief hug.
"Thanks, but I always sleep better in my own bed. I’ll call in a few
days to check in."

"Let me walk you back to the
car," she offered.

"I can find it. You look
bushed. Get some rest." Bonnie wriggled her fingers, her gold rings glinting.

When the door closed whatever sheer
force of will had sustained Jacie suddenly left. She walked to the couch and
sat down quickly. She didn't rise even to reach for the pain pills in her
suitcase.

She waited for the ache in her
thigh and knee to ease. She tried to block the memories, but talking about
Brad, however briefly, had brought the memories to the forefront. Scenes rolled
through her mind like a video. Each detail of the accident had been burned into
her brain. How had she missed the faulty shroud lines on her parachute that
day? She had been so focused on Brad and her career that she had taken a stupid
risk. It was a bitter truth.

Brad. She had been so optimistic
about a future with him. It still hurt that he had thrown away her away so
easily. In the end at the bottom of a cliff, all her dreams had come to
nothing. She just needed to forget him.

Jacie saw again her helpless body,
the bright splash of blood. The waiting had been endless as she dangled above
the ground. Only her parachute lines tangled in the tree limbs had kept her
from plunging to certain death.

She still found it savagely ironic
that the faulty chute lines that had caused her parachuting accident, had
ultimately saved her life.

Jacie pulled futilely on the shroud
lines of her chute, closing her eyes as the trees rushed up to meet her and
branches snapped against her face.

She bolted upright, her heart
pounding. A cold sheen of sweat lined her forehead. Disoriented, she heard a
door close. In the first hazy moments she wondered why the hospital was so
quiet. Memory reasserted itself as her stomach growled a gnawing protest. She
was not in the hospital for rehabilitation. She had fallen asleep on the couch
in her cozy cabin at Timber Falls. She was here for a month to give skydiving
lessons and relax.

Was she a fool to think she could
do this? Would the past ever turn her loose? She wished Bonnie hadn’t
shown up and told her about Brad. Hearing he wanted to get in touch with her
left her terribly unsettled. She wasn’t still in love with him, was she?
She had to be over him by now.

Looking at her watch, she groaned.
"I missed dinner." She was starving.

A small lamp beside the couch lit
the area, yet she didn't recall turning the lamp on earlier. Had someone come
in while she slept? That thought disturbed her but as she looked around she
found the cabin quiet and empty.

She tugged the Velcro loose on the
brace and pulled it off, then cautiously stretched. She felt almost as good as
new, but she needed a shower.

After her shower, Jacie admired the
blue and cream Log Cabin bed quilt on her bed, the homespun touches throughout
the bedroom. Unwinding her bath towel, she rubbed it over her still damp hair
and then realized her suitcase was in the outer room.

Dropping the towel, she fastened
her hair into a knot and walked back into the living room. She rubbed her arms
as a chill touched her bare skin.

She lifted the suitcase onto the
couch and froze at the knock on the door. Throwing a quick glance behind her
she was relieved to see the lacy curtain was drawn.