I'll Always Find You

by Curry, Edna

  But she leaned back and began unbuttoning his shirt. He tried to hide his surprise, but failed.

  “I need you, Matt,” she explained. “Make love to me.”

  He gazed at her. “Are you sure?”

  “Definitely.” She smiled at him and continued unbuttoning his shirt, then pushed it down his arms.

  Obediently, he slipped out of it and rose to his feet, carrying her. He strode to his bedroom, slid her slowly and sensually down his body until she stood on her feet then pulled back the covers.

  With a grin, he turned back to her and began unbuttoning her blouse, then kissed the soft, ivory skin he’d uncovered. He traced the tip of her breast through the sheer fabric of her bra with one finger.

  She shivered under his touch, but this time he knew it was from pleasure, not fear. Sliding her lacy bra down, he kissed his way down the smooth swell of her breast. He took the pink tip in his mouth and closed his eyes as warm tingles of enjoyment ran along his veins.

  He reached behind her and unsnapped the bra, and slid the strap down her arms, then tossed it aside and unzipped her slacks so he could slide his fingers inside her panties, and find the delicate nub at her center.

  “Oh,” she gasped. Her knees buckled and he eased them both onto the bed and quickly finished undressing them both. He took a foil packet from his bedside table and covered himself, then slid into bed beside her.

  “You are so gorgeous,” he whispered.

  “So are you,” she whispered back. “Why are we whispering?”

  He laughed and ran long fingers down her silky skin. “Because it’s romantic?”

  “Is it?” She gasped as his tongue followed his fingers and he nipped at her tummy. His fingers slid lower and rubbed her center. She jerked and grabbed the sheet to steady herself, sure she would explode from the wonderful pressure he built inside her. He moved faster and she arched against his hand.

  “Matt,” she cried out. She tried to push his hand away, but he grabbed hers with his other hand and continued the teasing. Her body trembled under his hand and she opened her eyes to see he was watching her face.

  “Let go, Loni,” he said softly and she did, feeling like she was spiraling through space. As she relaxed after the peak, he slid into her. She couldn’t believe it was possible but his filling her brought on another surge of pleasure.

  She wrapped her legs around him as he moved faster and faster. Only a few moments later, he bucked and pulsated inside her, groaning his release and she exploded again with him.

  They relaxed in each others’ arms for a few minutes as their breathing slowed to a normal pace.

  He grinned, kissed her again and smoothed back her hair. “That was wonderful, Loni. Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “I feel great. I’m hungry, though. I skipped dinner.”

  “Then let’s get dressed and go see what’s in the fridge.”

  He found some pork chops and put them on to cook, then scrubbed a couple of potatoes and put them in the microwave to bake. She found the ingredients for a salad and chopped them, then tossed them together and set the table.

  After dinner, he started a fire in the fireplace and they cuddled on his sofa in front of it, watching a movie on television.

  “It’s so peaceful, sitting here together,” she said. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d spent such a happy evening with a man. Matt made the difference. His attention, his care. If only this could last. But she didn’t dare think that far ahead. Not yet.

  When they returned to his bed later, they made love again, much slower this time. Savoring each touch and kiss made the highs higher and their enjoyment last longer.

  “I want to savor each little inch of you,” he said afterward as he kissed and tasted her. His fingers teased her, sliding in and out of her nest of curls. “You have the oddest lump here,” he said.

  “Where?”

  He guided her hand to it in her pubic hair. “It feels kind of hard. Does it hurt?”

  “No. I don’t know what it is. It’s been there for a while.” She pushed his hand away, embarrassed he’d found an imperfection in her body.

  “Maybe you should ask your doctor about it. It might be a cyst or something that needs attention.”

  “I suppose. I’ll make an appointment.” She knew she sounded angry with him, but couldn’t help it. His discovery had spoiled the moment.

  He said no more, but pulled her into a spoon in front of him as they went to sleep.

  The next morning, she awoke a little disoriented and chilly. She tried to pull the covers over her, but something was holding them down. Tugging again, she rolled over.

  She saw Matt’s dark head on the pillow beside her and she remembered she was in Matt’s house and in his bed. The sheet and blanket were tangled around his shoulders, and the bottom half of him was bare. She felt herself blush at the sight of his privates lying soft and bare against his long, hairy leg.

  She couldn’t help staring, and as the size of it changed suddenly under her gaze, she turned to look at his face in surprise. He was awake and grinning at her.

  “Do you like what you see?” he asked softly. “It definitely likes you looking at it.”

  “I didn’t know you were awake.” She laughed and whapped him with her pillow.

  “Is it more fun looking at me when I’m asleep?” He laughed back and grabbed the pillow and pulled, making her fall onto him.

  “Maybe,” she said, giggling.

  Wrapping his arms around her, he murmured, “I could easily get used to waking up with you like this.” He kissed her and their arms and legs tangled as he began showing her how very much he enjoyed having her there in his bed.

  It was another hour before they managed to shower and dress.

  “We’ll be late for work if you don’t hurry up. And Kerry will yell at me again.”

  She glared at him as she brushed her hair. “And whose fault is that?”

  “Yours,” he grinned and leaned over to kiss her. “But it was worth it.”

  “Beast,” she scolded, but smiled.

  “Come on, we’ll get coffee at the mall as usual.”

  They drove downtown. “About tonight,” Matt said, glancing her way.

  “You mean about Hank saying he’ll take me to dinner at the Lagoon.”

  He nodded. “I think we should be out of town for the weekend. No sense in waiting around for him to find you.”

  “I hate feeling like I’m running away. He’s the one with a problem. Why should I have to hide?”

  “I know, darling, but until we can find a way to lock him up, I think it’s best to avoid him.”

  “Maybe if we give him enough rope, he’ll hang himself?”

  “Don’t I wish,” Matt said under his breath. He parked and they walked into the mall together.

  “Oh, I’m supposed to meet Maria and Jolene for Sunday breakfast tomorrow. I’d better call and tell Maria I won’t be able to make it.”

  Matt frowned. “You’d better not tell her why, though. Just in case Hank questions people in town as to where you are, you know.”

  Loni’s face paled. “I didn’t think about that.”

  “Don’t worry,” Matt said. “It’ll be okay. I’ll open up for Kerry then get the coffee and doughnuts. See you in a little bit.”

  She nodded, gave him a wry smile and went into her shop.

  Matt walked upstairs to his own store. He hoped he was correct in assuring her everything would be all right. Why couldn’t his darned psychic visions show him how to keep her safe?

  He opened his store and left Kerry, who’d been waiting for him as usual, in charge. He went over to the restaurant, bought their breakfast and took it to Loni at her shop. He enjoyed this quiet time together. The mall was usually empty at this time of morning, before the tourists began roaming through. She was still alone when he walked into her shop with the tray.

  Loni bit into her glazed doughnut, then frowned at it. “You know, these things are addictiv
e. I’m going to have to go on a diet if you keep bringing them to me every morning.”

  “I thought you liked them.”

  “Of course I like them. That’s not the point.”

  “And the point is?” he asked, touching his finger to the side of her lip to catch a bit of sugar lingering there.

  She stuck out her tongue at him. “The point is, you’re tempting me with them.”

  He reached over and kissed her. “Well, fair is fair. You’re always a temptation to me.”

  A deep laugh echoed behind them, making them both jump. “Hey, none of that so early in the morning, guys,” the brown suited UPS man said. He scanned a package, then held it out to Loni.

  She took the package, smiling at him self-consciously. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. I left your stuff with your assistant,” he told Matt and walked out.

  Loni opened the package, surprised to find a new phone in it. She frowned. “I didn’t order this.”

  “You didn’t? Is there an invoice?”

  She searched through the packaging. “No, nothing except an instruction manual. It must be a replacement ordered by my insurance company. Mine was stolen in Chicago a few weeks ago and I turned in a claim. I never heard any more about it, so I’d forgotten about it. Hey, this one is a lot newer and nicer than the one I lost. I can’t wait to try all the new features!”

  Matt laughed. “Loni, the techno nut.”

  “I guess I am. I can’t help loving new gadgets.”

  A couple of women walked in and began to browse the candle aisle.

  Matt picked up the coffee tray. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. Best I get to work before my assistant fires me.”

  She laughed at his lame attempt at humor. “You need to learn some new jokes, too.”

  * * * *

  After a busy morning at his store, Matt left Kerry in charge and headed out for lunch.

  First, he stopped in at the sheriff’s office. As he strode in, Ben looked up from his paper-strewn desk.

  “I brought you the tape of Hank’s voice,” Matt said, handing him the tape and dropping into the chair across from him.

  “Good. What’s on it?”

  Matt grimaced. “Nothing much. Sweet nothings and an invitation to dinner at the Lagoon tonight.”

  Ben took the tape and popped it in his player. They listened. “Damn. I was hoping to get something we could use to hold him if he came to town or get a restraining order against him. Nothing on this tape will help do either. In fact, he sounds pretty normal.”

  Ben picked up his cigarette and drew in. “I wonder if he really is the same guy who left the other threatening telephone messages?”

  Matt shrugged. “Loni thinks so. I didn’t find anything scary in this call either, but she says it shows he knows she’s been to the Lagoon more than once. How could he know that?”

  “Does he know someone in town? Maybe he’s paying someone to report on Loni’s movements.”

  Matt shrugged. “In a small town like this? I doubt it, but anything is possible. Loni says she never told him she’d lived here. She says he probably found her through the internet.”

  Ben took another puff and crushed his cigarette into the ashtray. “I suppose he could have found out where she lived or went to school online. But not details like where she’s going for dinner.”

  Matt nodded. “My thoughts, exactly.”

  Ben paused. “Unless—Loni’s not into posting her life on a personal page or blogs or anyplace like that?”

  “Oh, no. She’s very cautious. Maybe he was the one who almost ran us off the road the night I took Dee and Loni to the Lagoon.”

  Ben raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were sure that was a drunk?”

  “Maybe it was. Maybe not. And maybe he followed them again the night she and Don went to the Lagoon, and then caused Don’s accident, later.”

  Ben rubbed the side of his nose. “To do that, he’d have to know where she worked or lived—to have a starting point. Or he could have hired someone else to follow her and get rid of Don for him. The car was burned so badly, we couldn’t tell if it had help going over that cliff.”

  “No skid marks or anything like that?”

  “No. But we didn’t consider it anything except an accident at first, so we didn’t cordon off the area. Later, lots of gawkers parked close by and tracked up the edge of the road where Don’s car went over the cliff.”

  Matt shifted in his chair. Should he have told the sheriff about dreaming about seeing Don’s car flying through the air? On the other hand, what good would it have done? His dream hadn’t told him it wasn’t an accident or why Don went over the cliff. Just that he did. Telling wouldn’t have changed anything. “Did you find out anything new on that Chicago robbery?”

  Ben lit another cigarette and snapped the metal lighter closed. “No, it’s still unsolved. In fact, the Chicago force is sending me some mug shots for Loni to look at. They’ve been looking for her, too, hoping she can help them.”

  “So the guys who pulled that robbery could also be looking for Loni. We can’t be sure her stalker’s not them instead of Hank.”

  “Yeah. Popular girl, isn’t she?”

  “There’s a couple other possibilities, Ben.” He told him about George’s hostility at the Chamber meeting, his anger over Dee selling Loni her shop. And about Mrs. Saunders’ remarks at the post office, showing her long-standing dislike of Loni.

  “Hm,” Ben said. “Nasty pranks would fit either of them. But the phone calls started in Chicago, not here, so that rules the librarian out. I can’t see George getting his hands dirty killing a raccoon. He’s too prissy.”

  “Yeah,” Matt agreed.

  “He’s more likely to hire someone to do the dirty work.”

  “Mrs. Saunders has a couple of smart sons, though. She might have convinced them to get some revenge. They wouldn’t consider it a crime, just a harmless prank.”

  “True. Old grudges can run deep,” Ben agreed.

  “I’m more worried about the immediate threat of Hank showing up for his unwanted date tonight. Most men back off when a woman says no. He doesn’t.”

  “Matt, you know I can’t do anything about that. He hasn’t broken any law by inviting her to dinner.”

  “I know. But I don’t like this one bit. I’ll take care of it.”

  Ben tipped his head and scowled. “How?”

  “I’m taking her out of town as soon as we close the stores.”

  “Good idea. Avoid the issue,” Ben approved. “Hank said he’d call for her answer to his invitation. If she didn’t agree to the date, he might not show up.”

  “Loni thinks he’ll arrive anyway, even if he didn’t reach her. She says he never takes no for an answer.”

  “Oh. Nice guy.” Ben blew smoke at the ceiling.

  “I don’t want her around, in case Hank is unhappy she’s not waiting for him to take her out.”

  “Yeah,” Ben agreed. “I’ll keep an eye out for him. But without even a photo of the guy, I’m not sure I’d find him. The town is full of tourists from the Twin Cities. There’ll be lots of guys around who fit his description.”

  “I know.”

  “Watch your back, Matt.”

  “I will. I’ll call you when we return tomorrow night.”

  * * * *

  Matt and Loni headed out of town right after work.

  She settled into the leather bucket car seat and glanced over at him. “May I ask where we’re going?”

  He nodded. “Since we’re safely out of town, I’ll tell you. Or rather, I’ll ask you what you’d like to do. I reserved us a room at a large hotel in Duluth with good security.”

  “Good idea.” She chewed her lip.

  He cast her a curious look and turned his eyes back to the traffic. “But…?”

  Would it work this time? She’d chosen a large apartment house in Chicago. Someone had burned it down, apparently not caring who got hurt. Then she’d moved to a larg
e hotel. He’d found her and made more threatening phone calls.

  “I’ve tried that before. But he always found me.” She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling cold in spite of the warm, sunny day. Her voice sounded hopeless, even to herself. Would she ever feel really safe again?

  “Do you have any idea how he’s doing that?”

  “No, none. I know he makes big money in corporate web design. I thought maybe he was hiring a detective or private eye.”

  “Did any of your neighbors or co-workers ever mention they were asked odd questions about you?”

  “No. I changed to an unlisted phone number after the calls started in Chicago. But somehow he found out my new number and phoned me again, saying he could always find me.”

  Matt braked for a red light and turned to look at her. “Did he send the weird voice messages like the one you got the first time at Dee’s house?”

  She hesitated. “Sometimes.”

  “So, you couldn’t even be sure it was him. The disguised calls, I mean.”

  She lifted a shoulder. “At first I was sure it was the robbers. But now, I’m pretty sure it was Hank. Sometimes he called in his normal voice and talked very nicely, like he did the other night, asking me out and saying he loves me.” She sighed and leaned back against the seat as the light changed and they moved again.

  “But you didn’t go out with him again?”

  “No way. I didn’t give him any encouragement at all. I usually told him to stop calling and hung up.”

  “I see.”

  “No, you don’t see!” she snapped. “The man’s unbalanced. He never gives up. I don’t believe he loves me at all. Most women fall all over him, but he doesn’t pursue them. I’m just the one who got away and he can’t stand it. Could we talk about something else?”

  “Of course we can.”

  She leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes. What good would running away tonight do? He’d only come back another night.

  For the next couple of hours, they talked of other things.

  Finally, they arrived at the hotel. He parked in the hotel parking ramp and said, “Let’s check in, then have dinner and go to a movie, okay?”

  “Whatever.” She attempted a smile as he got out their luggage. She pulled up the handle of her wheeled overnight case and followed him to the elevator.