Darkness Unknown

by Alexis Morgan

  “I’m not the one who needs to hear your explanations.” She watched Chase come strolling out of the woods. “By the way, he holds a mean grudge.”

  Fine. He’d go talk to Chase. He shoved his way out the screen door, not caring how it slammed behind him. The noise carried far enough to make both Jake and Chase look in his direction. Damn it, this wasn’t going well. But he could only put out one fire at a time.

  Chase had stopped just short of where Jake stood, his body language clear that he wasn’t all that happy to see either of them. Jarvis made his approach slow and steady, not wanting to spook the boy into running. Dozer plodded alongside him, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth.

  When Jarvis got within speaking distance, he stopped. “I understand you’ve been trying to reach me.”

  “I quit trying.” The boy knelt down beside Larry and patted his thigh, calling Dozer to join them.

  This wasn’t going to be easy. Jarvis cast around for a way to get past the boy’s anger. Maybe he’d start by distracting him. “Chase, this is my friend Jake Beck. Jake, Chase Mosley.”

  Chase may have wanted to ignore the introduction, but his sister had definitely brought him up better than that. He stood up when Jake started toward him, hand extended. “Nice to meet you.”

  “My friend here tells me you’re interested in learning martial arts.” Jake nodded in Jarvis’s direction. “He’s the best instructor I know.”

  “Yeah, well, I was thinking about it a few days ago.” His but not now was unspoken but clear.

  “Chase, when I gave Gwen my number, I didn’t tell her that sometimes my job demands all of my attention. I can’t talk about what I do for a living. But when it all goes to hell, I haven’t got time to breathe, much less dial a phone. I came as soon as I got the message.”

  Jake backed him up. “He did, Chase. When he realized that you’d been calling for the past few days, he was seriously pissed that he’d missed talking to you.”

  Chase looked from Jake back to Jarvis, weighing their statements. “You two work together?”

  Jarvis nodded. “Have for years. I taught him all he knows.”

  His friend snickered. “Not hardly. You’ve gotten your fair share of bruises from me.”

  That caught Chase’s attention. “Does he heal like I…like you…?” He looked to Jarvis for an answer.

  “Yeah, he does. That’s one reason I asked him along today. I wanted you to know that there are more than just you and me with that ability.”

  The boy mulled that one over for a few seconds. “You really couldn’t call?”

  “I wouldn’t lie to you about that, Chase. And you can count on it happening again with no warning. I can’t help that, but I do promise to call you beforehand if I can. If that isn’t possible, I’ll call you as soon as things let up.” He caught Jake’s eye. “And if for some reason, I have to discontinue your lessons, even temporarily, Jake will take over.”

  The boy clearly wanted to give in, but still had some anger he needed to get out. “You’re just blowing me off.”

  He started for the house, but Jarvis caught his arm. “Okay, hard-ass, what’s with you? You’ve never screwed up?”

  Chase jerked his arm free. “Yeah, I have. You think just saying you’re sorry is enough, but when I do something, I get put on probation!”

  “Are you talking juvie?” Surely Gwen would have mentioned it if Chase had gotten arrested.

  Chase blanched. “Hell, no. Nothing that bad. I threw my helmet at football practice, and the coach called me on it in front of everybody. One more screwup and I’m off the team.” He pinned his gaze on the ground, refusing to meet Jarvis’s eyes. “That sucks.”

  Damn, he felt for the boy. Paladin tempers were a bitch to live with. “Yeah, it does suck—and that’s all the more reason for you to start working out with Jake and me. I guarantee you’ll gain more control from it. Once you’ve got some moves down, I’ll take you to a gym to practice with some other guys. They all know different disciplines, so you’ll learn from some of the best.”

  “We’re always looking for fresh meat.” Jake’s grin was wicked, coaxing a tentative smile from Chase. “If you work hard, you’ll be able to hold your own in no time. And if you lose it with us, at least we’ll understand.”

  “Sounds good.” Chase shuffled his feet a bit. “I’ve got to do something about my temper. Gwen worries too much as it is.”

  She’d worry even more once they brought Chase into the organization—and hate Jarvis for doing it. He wasn’t the one who threw the dice that cast Chase’s lot in with the Paladins, but that wouldn’t matter to her. All he could do was make the transition from civilian to Paladin go as smoothly as possible for the boy.

  “Do you think your sister will object if we use the barn for a dojo?”

  “Half of it is her workshop, but we should be able to use the other side. When can we start?” There was a note of excitement in his voice. Both dogs picked up on it and were dancing around his feet, tails wagging.

  “Now, if you’d like. Jake and I brought some workout clothes. We’ll change in the barn.”

  Just that quickly, the shadows haunting Chase’s eyes faded. “I’ll go change and be right back.” He took off toward the house with both dogs at his heels.

  Jarvis watched him go. “That went better than I’d hoped.”

  “You’re doing the right thing for him.” Jake moved up to stand beside him. “You know that, don’t you?”

  “For him, yeah. And for the organization, because we’re stretched so damn thin everywhere.” He stared at the kitchen window, where he could see Gwen talking to her brother. “But try telling that to her.”

  The muffled sounds of male bonding fueled with heavy doses of testosterone seeped through the wall separating her workroom from the makeshift gym that the two men had helped Chase set up. They’d carried his weight set down from his room and hung up a heavy punching bag from the rafters. Jarvis had assured her that it was an old one that the gym he normally worked out in was getting rid of. It had some sizable patches of duct tape on it, so maybe he was telling the truth.

  But it didn’t matter. She was prepared to turn a blind eye to a little charity if it helped Chase. From the occasional burst of laughter next door, whatever they were doing was working. Every so often, the connecting wall rattled and shook, but she did her best to ignore the noise.

  She finished packing up the orders she needed to take to the shipping office the next time she went into town. After setting the boxes by the door, she cast around for something else to do—something that would keep her wayward mind from thinking too much about the glimpse she’d gotten of Jarvis when they’d been carrying things into the barn.

  Seeing him without his shirt on, his sleek muscles shiny with sweat! Jake wasn’t half bad either, but there was no comparison.

  Another thud against the wall startled her.

  “Sorry, Gwen! Didn’t mean to shake the rafters that hard!”

  It was at least the sixth apology the three guys had called out. She smiled as she approached the wall, well aware that it was Jarvis standing so close to the thin wall. “That’s okay. Just give me some warning if you think the barn’s going to collapse.”

  “You okay in there?” His voice had dropped, making the question sound more intimate than he probably realized.

  “I’m fine.” She put her hand on the wall, as if she could feel his warmth through the wood and drywall. “How’s it going?”

  Silence. Then Chase’s boom box began spewing out music loud enough to scare the bejeezus out of the alpacas.

  After a second or two, she made herself walk away, intent on getting back to business. Then the door to her workshop opened and Jarvis stood in the doorway, asking without words if he was welcome in her private sanctuary.

  “Come on in and look around.”

  As he closed the door, she began straightening the bins of yarn that were already in perfect order. Anything to keep he
r mind off the gorgeous hunk of manhood behind her. She fumbled for a topic of conversation and pounced on the obvious. “How is Chase doing?”

  “Great. He’s a natural, just as I expected him to be.” Jarvis’s voice came from right behind her, his breath sending a chill dancing down her spine.

  She closed her eyes, trying to string together a coherent thought. “That’s, um, real good. Nice.”

  He laughed. “Am I making you nervous, Gwen?”

  He was now close enough that she could feel his body heat all along her back. Would that make any woman with a pulse nervous? Heck, yeah.

  “What makes you think that?”

  “Because it makes me nervous. I’d hate to think I’m the only one wondering if we’re ever going to kiss again.” His big hands slid up and down her arms, sending more shivers through her.

  She ought to step away, out of his reach. But when she moved, it was to face him. His smile was crooked, his dark eyes warm.

  “That dress is driving me crazy. Ever since that first morning when you were sleeping in the chair, I’ve been dying to see all the rest of your freckles.” He fingered the edge of the fabric at her shoulder. “The way this is cut just makes it worse, because it teases with hints and glimpses as you move.”

  She’d always hated her tendency to freckle, and he was making them sound like a gift from above. “They get worse in the summer.”

  His face lit up. “Really? Tell me, do you have them…everywhere?”

  She nodded. He groaned and closed his eyes.

  He leaned in close and whispered, “I would give anything to get the chance to count them all. I can’t sleep nights, for thinking about it.”

  Lord have mercy, the images that flowed through her mind: the two of them in her bed, his big body sliding over hers, in hers…Her hand came up to rest on his chest, unable to resist touching all that warm strength.

  “Kiss me.”

  She skimmed her hands up the expanse of his shoulders to the back of his neck, enjoying the journey. Then she raised up on her toes to close the distance between them and pressed her lips against his.

  She tasted every bit as good as he remembered. Gwen filled his arms perfectly, matching her feminine curves against him. His loose gym shorts did nothing to disguise the effect she was having on him, but she didn’t seem to mind. On the contrary, when he splayed his hands on the sweet curve of her backside and pulled her up against the evidence, she made a sexy little noise in the back of her throat as if asking for more.

  He yearned to take her someplace private and get her naked now. It was damn hard to be noble with her in his arms.

  Her hands stroked his back, her nails scraping lightly over his skin. He wanted to purr or roar, warning everyone to stay the hell away from them. He pushed the soft cotton fabric of her dress to the side, wanting to taste a few of those freckles he’d noticed on her shoulders. He flicked his tongue over her damp skin, loving the rich flavor that belonged solely to her.

  She arched her neck to the side, giving him better access, and he growled his approval as he nibbled along her collarbone. At the same time, he reached down to catch the hem of her dress, sliding it up as he enjoyed the satin feel of her thigh. When his hand reached the leg of her panties, he hesitated. How far did they dare go?

  Gwen wasn’t trying to stop him, but…this wasn’t the time or the place. She must have sensed his reluctance because she froze. Silence hung between them except for their ragged breathing and the staccato beat of his pulse.

  At least she wasn’t running for the door or shoving him back on his ass. He wanted to yank her right back into his arms.

  “Whew, those freckles ought to come with warning labels—they’ve got some serious mojo going!” He kissed the tip of her nose, right on the freckles. “We could get company any minute, so I figured we’d better slow it down a bit.”

  Her gaze immediately went to the door. When she realized they were still alone, she slumped slightly and laid her head against his shoulder.

  “It could have gotten a bit awkward if Chase came charging in here to show you his moves.”

  She giggled. “He might be more interested in the ones you’ve been showing me. Especially where your hand is right now.”

  It took him a moment to realize that, contrary to his direct orders to stop, his fingers had slipped past the flimsy barrier of Gwen’s panties and were busy caressing the treasures within. Even now, he could barely muster the strength to stop.

  “I’d say I’m sorry, but that would be a lie.” He slowly withdrew his hand and tugged her skirt down where it belonged, although it damn near killed him.

  Gwen didn’t look upset. “I’d have some of my own explaining to do.” Then she patted his backside—from within his gym shorts.

  A chuckle bubbled up from deep inside him and turned into a full-blown belly laugh. He leaned against the wall while he struggled for control. Gwen’s own sense of the ridiculous caught up with her, and the two of them laughed until their sides hurt.

  “Must have been one heck of a joke.” Jake came in, with Chase right behind him. “I don’t suppose you want to share it.”

  “No, you had to be there. Or better yet, not.”

  Jarvis’s answer set Gwen off again, and the other two rolled their eyes in disgust. When he was laughed out, Jarvis looked at Jake and Chase. “How did the rest of the lesson go?”

  “Great!” Chase answered. “I tossed him on his”—his eyes flickered over to his sister and back before he continued—“uh, butt. That was fun.”

  Jake punched the boy in the arm. “Everybody gets lucky once in a while, so don’t let it go to your head. Don’t they, Jarvis?”

  Jake always did see too much. “How about we get cleaned up, pile in the Chevelle, and head into town for a pizza fest?”

  “I call shotgun!” Chase yelled.

  No way. The only Mosely he wanted sitting next to him was the cute redhead. As the four of them filed out of the barn, Jarvis held out his hand to Gwen and smiled when she took it.

  Chapter 6

  The car purred down the road out of town, carrying them all back to the farm. They had only a few more miles to go before she and Chase would climb out of the Chevelle and the two men would head off to wherever they lived. Another puzzle she had yet to solve. She glanced over at Jarvis, whose profile was highlighted by the dash lights. There was so much strength in his face, but so few answers.

  As if feeling her gaze, he reached over and squeezed her hand. She squeezed back before withdrawing her hand from his. The stereo was playing classic southern rock, filling the easy silence that had settled over the four of them after a long evening together.

  Dinner had been fun. The three guys had carried most of the conversation. It had been such a relief to see Chase so relaxed and happy that she had been content to sit quietly and let him argue sports with Jarvis and his friend. They all had differing, usually very vocal, opinions on this year’s pennant races, but it had all been done in good fun.

  In between, Jarvis shot hot looks her way whenever he thought Chase wouldn’t notice. When they first arrived, he slid in next to her in the booth, taking up far more than his fair share of the seat. For her brother’s sake she’d tried to leave enough room between her and Jarvis to make it clear that the two men were there for him, not her.

  The trouble was, Jarvis wasn’t letting her get by with it. He’d moved over until his thigh was right next to hers. And after a while, he’d ever so casually draped his right arm across the back of the seat behind her. Soon his hand was lightly resting on her shoulder. Every so often he’d mumble a few numbers and touch her skin as if he were really counting her freckles. How was she supposed to ignore something like that?

  But she couldn’t seem to resist him on any level. There were so many things she should be asking him. They still didn’t know how he’d come to be so cut up and bloody in her woods. Then there was the whole question of what he really did for a living. Now that she’d met Jake
, it was easy to see that Jarvis was used to being the one making the important decisions. Jake was no weakling himself, but when there was a question, he often looked to Jarvis before answering.

  If they were in the military, much of what she’d observed about the pair of them made sense—especially if their assignment was top secret. Still, something about that scenario didn’t feel right. What kind of mission could he have been on in the Ozark woods that would have ended up with him getting cut to pieces without others of his unit looking for him? Her mind raced with possibilities: undercover cop, FBI, ATF, CIA—the whole alphabet soup.

  Chase’s welfare was first and foremost in her life, and she was trusting these two almost-strangers to help him. Maybe she was sticking her head in the sand, but her instincts were telling her that Jarvis was a man of his word. If he said he could help Chase, she believed him.

  Their driveway was just ahead on the right. “Why don’t you let us out up here?”

  Jarvis slowed the car and eased down the driveway. “Nope, but thanks for worrying about my car. She appreciates it.”

  He pulled up in front of the barn and turned off the engine, then he twisted around to look at Jake. “Why don’t you grab us a couple of sodas for the road.”

  “I’m not thirsty,” Jake said.

  “I am.” Jarvis met his friend’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “And since you’ve got to get out of the car anyway, you can go inside with Chase and get me a drink.”

  Gwen started to open her door to get out but Jarvis’s hand shot out to stop her. “Not yet. I need to talk to you.” He gave her another one of those looks that melted her bones. “Privately.”

  Then he climbed out of the car so that Chase and Jake could get out of the backseat. Her brother shot Gwen a questioning look over his shoulder as he followed Jake inside. Meanwhile, Jarvis had walked around her side of the car and opened her door.

  “I needed to give you something that I didn’t want Chase to see yet.” He held out a large brown envelope.