by Cyndi Raye
Jon hung up. He took a few deep breaths, turned and tried to open the front door. It wouldn’t budge. He shook the door knob, trying to force it open then pounded on the thick, wooden door to no avail. The red head would never hear him out front, she was in the exam room in the back of the building. He was hoping he could avoid her by calling in someone else to take over, but realized he was the on call doctor tonight. There was no one else except him.
Frustrated, Jon stepped off the porch and headed to the back of the building, cursing to himself with each step. He made up his mind not to look at her, to only treat her as the professional doctor that he had worked hard to become.
Jon stepped onto the brick porch, turned the knob and went inside. There she was, leaning over Penny, hugging the dog, her backside facing him and he couldn’t look away! What was it about this woman, this red-head, that made him so flustered he couldn’t even think. The crazy clothes she wore, the big painted on freckles on her nose and cheeks hadn’t deferred him from seeing that she was beautiful. He took a deep breath as she turned to him.
“Oh, there you are.” She dropped a smile on him that made the pulse in his neck start to pound. How would he get through this because he had never, ever been this out of sorts before?
He kept his distance. “Penny seems to be settling down some,” he said because he couldn’t think of anything else. He couldn’t think at all, that was the problem.
She nodded and took a deep breath herself. He watched her closely. Her hands clasped together in front of her and he could see the tension building. “Look Doc, I’m sorry about what happened. Well, I’m not sorry I kissed you, that was one of the best kisses ever, I really am certain. But, well, I’m sorry that I jumped your bones the way I did. I really did not mean to get out of hand.”
He watched her, incredulous. Who would admit to that, he wondered and then smiled at her because he realized she was amazing. He just hoped he could keep his hands off of her. He nodded. “Let’s keep it professional from now on, agreed?”
She nodded and gave him a sheepish smile. Was that disappointed on her face, he wondered. Her sweet, innocent and yet inviting smile worked on him. He had to leave the room. “I plan to give the local vet a call to see if we can have Penny moved tonight to their facility. I’ll let you know.” With those words, Jon headed towards the door and out of the exam room, away from the red head who made him feel as if she were the only thing in the world he ever wanted.
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The moment the doc left the room, Abby let out a deep breath. She gritted her teeth and then puckered full lips. Her hands covered her face and she tried to contain herself from laughing out loud hysterically. What a night! Knowing that Penny was safe was such a relief and she felt secure that the dog would pull through. But, the lust she felt for the doctor was a feeling that she never had experienced before. The thing was, she just knew the doc felt the same way. He had flung her against that wall as if he were about to devour her. He made her feel as if she were the most inviting woman on the face of the earth. These raw emotions were so new to her, how would she ever get through the night!
Abby was not the kind of lady who went after men at all. She really had no experience, except for the promise she made to herself to live her life like as free as possible. She was not going to let anything stop her from enjoying every single feeling and emotion on her journey in this world. Her parents taught her that. They were free spirits, a product of the 70’s who lived on the road while they experienced the back roads and trenches of the southern state of Florida. They taught her to be the same way. She never knew any other life, wandering from place to place along the Florida coasts and the Keys until Jacob Earl came into their lives and they finally settled down a bit. She would always be grateful to Mr. Earl for what he did for all of them.
In the days when she was homeless, the only thoughts she had in her mind was to finish her schooling, which consisted of the school of hard knocks and some material her mother made sure she completed every single day to give her an education. She muddled through it, but when her parents both passed on and Mr. Earl took her into his own home, he had an extensive library that she used to learn even more. She devoured books and took some on-line courses, but the fact was, in the end, all that never really mattered. She could have gone to college, Mr. Earl would have paid for it. She could have basically done whatever she wanted to do, because he left her a large amount of money and a home. He had no one else to give it to. After his wife died in the 90’s, he lived alone until she came along and he took her in.
She missed Mr. Earl almost as much as she missed her parents. She started to take in stray animals because they tugged at her heart, she knew what it was like to be homeless. There was plenty of strays in the Keys and they loved her. She hired a homeless couple living in a small cottage on the property, helping her to take care of the animals when she was not there to do it herself. They didn’t talk much, mostly worked and spent time alone in their little cottage so she just didn’t really have another human to relate to. No girlfriends, no close friends at all. She wasn’t sure if she missed that or not, because she never had it to begin with.
Once or twice a week, Abby went to the local hospice center with one of her pets to help put some smiles on sick patient’s faces. She loved taking the animals there and came up with the idea of dressing as Pippi Longstocking one day, which everyone, young and old alike, just loved. Of course, today just happened to be the day she had come home from the hospice center dressed in her Pippi garb when she heard Penny crying and whimpering for help.
Just then, Jon opened the door and popped his head around the corner. “I have the animal hospital on the phone. They want to know if you have any idea how long she was in the trap?”
Abby shrugged. “I’m just not sure. I left the house maybe around ten, and she usually goes with me. But today I was running late and I left her at home. I returned around six and that’s when I heard her crying. As a matter of fact, I can’t believe the Millers never heard her cries. Do you think she was in the trap that long?”
Jon shrugged and spoke on the phone. He hung up and stuffed his cell in his pocket, still not entering the room, his body half in and half out of the door frame. Abby almost smiled but refrained. She knew why he wasn’t getting close to her.
“Since we have her stable here and she’s getting an IV drip, they said to keep her sedated and let her rest tonight for a few hours. First thing in the morning, they’ll send their van down to pick her up.”
Abby nodded. It was going to be a long night in the urgent care center. “Do you have any coffee?” she asked. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She heard Jon sigh. “I’ll get a pot started. If you want any, there will be some in the lobby shortly.” With that he shut the door a bit harder than normal. Abby was smiling and then she giggled to herself. She never, ever had a man stay that far from her because he was afraid of getting too close.
It was a powerful feeling.
Available now
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Since Jesse Storm was in the background of this book a lot, I wanted to bring him out in the open with his own story. Enjoy chapter 1 of Island Keeper, the story of Jesse and Annie.
Chapter 1
“I know who you are.” The words rang loud and clear over the sound of the waves crashing against the sandy beach. A tropical wind whipped long black hair across her shoulders.
“What do you mean?” she muttered. She couldn’t let fear take a hold, not now, in case she may have to run for her life.
A steady gaze held her own. Vibrant blue eyes, framed with the darkest black lashes gazed in to her soul. He never once blinked and she couldn’t look away, so afraid he’d say the name she’d been running from for the last year and a half.
“You’re the island keeper.”
“I, yes, I am,” she whispered. Relief coursed through her veins as pent up air left her lungs. Safe, for n
ow. She knew him. He worked for her step brother. He wouldn’t know her, not any more, would he? She dyed her hair black and lost ten pounds since she’d been home. As an after thought, she thrust out the tray holding the golden goblet filled with wine. “Courtesy of Serenity Island,” she said softly, too nervous to speak louder in case he would hear how her voice trembled.
She stood on the dock, hair flowing across her shoulders as the pure white material of the gown billowed from the gentle breeze around her knees. The rules of her profession. Rule number one: wear white, always white and never speak too much. Let the visitors believe they are landing on an island filled with mystery and serenity.
A muscular hand reached for the tray, or perhaps her as fingers brushed against a fragile hand. She stepped back, almost knocking over the goblet. Warmth flowed through them, the feel of his hands on hers even more disturbing. As if he were coming in for the kill.
She was so aware of his presence. Something in the way he stood on the dock, moving towards her as if she needed him. She needed to run as far away as possible. Rule number two: Do not involve yourself with any guests.
“Thank you,” he said, the voice, low, husky, filled with an open invitation. She sighed, knowing she had to get him settled and remove herself to the safety of the houseboat.
“If you follow me, I’ll show you to your rental.” She turned, taking long steps away from the pier, expecting him to follow. When she didn’t hear his steps on the board walk behind her, she hesitated, slowing down and then stilled.
The whisper of her name fell from his lips in a low voice and yet it vibrated through the air. “Annie.”
The cool air crawled over her skin as adrenaline rushed to her head. She squeezed her eyes tight, allowing a moment to feel fear before she shut it off and turned to face him. This moment couldn’t be stopped. She knew someday it had to come full circle. “I’m sorry, who?”
He stood a bit taller than her 5 foot 7 frame and as the wind picked up, whipping his long, dark hair around, he looked savage against the back drop of the moon as it lit up the sky. She shivered. Something in the way he began to move towards her, as if he were aware of her desperation to escape, made her stand her ground. She wouldn’t cave in and admit anything. He didn’t know for certain, did he?
They would never find her here.
The dark form came towards her. She refused to budge even though she wanted to flee as fast as she could. He stood less than an inch away. Her body wanted to deceive her, it began to tremble. Bare toes clenched the wooden planks. She looked in to those alert vibrant blue eyes and it became clear. He knew.
“Not much of a life living here all alone, is it?”
A bare foot took a step back. “It’s fine here.”
“It doesn’t look that way to me. Surrounded by water, rocks, ocean. A person could disappear in the midst of all this, never to be found again.”
Another step back. But with each step she took, he came closer. “I’m not alone.”
“No? According to my sources, this island is all but deserted, except for the island keeper.” He stood so close his breath fluttered across her skin. He could kill her and no one would know. It’s a shame he had to be the one to come looking for her. Her eyes drifted to his mouth. It was the one thing she noticed when her brother hired him a long time ago.
The way he moved his lips when his soft spoken words tumbled out made her feel as if he was making love to her. How could one man cause so much desire with just the movement of his mouth? What a time for hormones to rise up. She almost smiled at the thought. “You’re assuming I’m alone, but I’m not.”
His head tilted at a slight angle, his large frame blocking out the moon’s rays. “I came to rescue you.”
“I didn’t know I needed saving,” she whispered. The warning signs went off in her head, yet instead of stepping back, those traitorous feet stopped moving. His mouth, next to hers, brazed her skin like a feather. Like a bad drug, she knew he was no good and would kill her in the end, but she couldn’t stop, not when the high felt so intense.
“I have to kiss you,” he whispered.
“I know,” she whispered back.
Then he crushed his mouth on hers. Annie couldn’t breathe. She dreamt of a moment like this with him ever since the first time she saw him. The fantasies she had of his mouth invading her own came to light, down to the very last detail. He pushed her lips open and delved in, his own desire evident in the way he kissed. His arms went around her. She had a euphoric feeling of safety in those arms and let herself go for a moment. It had been so long since someone touched her.
He either knew she was desperate for his touch or couldn’t help himself because his kiss became so urgent Annie couldn’t think. Soft bites nipped her lower lip and she could feel his warm breath inside her mouth. With eyes closed and her head flung back, he trailed tiny kisses down her chin and neck. She needed, oh, my, she needed to stop.
This couldn’t go on much longer, she couldn’t lose her grip on reality but he seemed determined to shake her to the very deepest part of her soul. “Stop,” she whispered.
“No. I’ve been dreaming of this forever,” he murmured, his voice husky, breaking up as if he were desperate for one more taste.
“I’m not alone.”
“Yes, you are.”
“I’m afraid not,” Annie said, a sudden determination to get away before getting sucked in too deep. He said he was here to rescue her, but the only thing her brother wanted was her dead. If he sent this man who worked for him, she had no choice but to save herself. Because she was all alone, almost. She reached in to the hidden pocket along the side of her white dress. Annie pulled the hard, cold steel out. “Mr. Colt is here with me.”
She cocked the gun and opened her eyes, resting the tip against his side. His blue orbs widened in surprise. “Then, if you insist on pushing me, Mr. Glock has arrived to accompany him.” She pulled a second piece of steel from the other pocket, placing it on his opposite side. “Now, back away,” she ordered.
He stood frozen as if trying to determine if she would indeed shoot. She tilted her head. “I wouldn’t even think about trying to take these away,” she smiled. “I’ve had nothing to do but practice here for a year and a half.”
His arms dropped away as he stepped back and the emptiness felt odd. Hands slid in to the pockets of his jeans. He cocked his head and stared at her. “Annie. You can point those guns at me all you want but it won’t matter. I came to help you.”
“What, to help me die?” she accused. “You work for my brother. He’s wanted me dead ever since Father left everything to me. Tony admitted to me he would find a way to get rid of me. He’s ruthless. I saw what he did to that man.” She backed away, her bare feet prepared to run for her life.
“How do you know I work for him?”
“I’m not an idiot, I was there when he hired you. Right before I found a way to escape before he did to me what he did to that poor innocent man. He knows I saw him, that’s another reason he wants me dead. I am the sole heiress of my Father’s company and I can identify a murderer. How did you find me?”
“It’s my job to find you.”
“Why did you kiss me like that? To soften me up so you could destroy me with your bare hands?”
He laughed, the deep rumble shaking his chest. “That’s a bit dramatic, Annie.” His voice lowered. “I know what I’d do with my bare hands if I could touch you again.”
Annie shivered. This was too messed up. She wanted to fall in to those arms, the pull was so strong and yet she couldn’t, afraid it was all a ploy. She’d done good the last year and a half to stay hidden away, now she’d have to find another safe place. She figured it would come to this someday, but never expected it so soon, or because of a man she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about since the moment she laid eyes on him. “You won’t get another chance,” she said. She took a few more steps back. “Don’t follow me. If you do, Mr. Winchester is also here, he’d love
to take a shot at you!”
With those words she turned and ran, the revolvers clutched in her hands. She flew through the mangroves, her steps pounding the ground she walked every single day, desperate to get to the door of the houseboat. At least there she could pull herself together, think straight, because around him she became a puddle of mess.
“Annie, please. Don’t make this hard. I’ll be here waiting for you. I promise not to hurt you.”
She didn’t turn around, didn’t acknowledge whether she heard the words. Her chest heaved by the time she got to the boat and she threw open the screen door and dived into the comfort of the place she called home. Slamming the door shut, she pushed the locks in place knowing he could get in if he wanted to.
She needed a new plan. Jesse Storm was here, and she didn’t know if he was here to save her or kill her.
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Jesse watched her form scatter down the path, arms out, clutching a gun in each hand as her gown whipped about a slim frame. She ran as if the devil were on her heels. He chewed his bottom lip and let out a deep sigh. The well laid plans went out the window but he didn’t care. The moment he saw her standing on the docks he had to taste her, it couldn’t be helped.
When her brother ‘hired’ him almost two years ago, the first time she walked in to the room, something happened between them. He knew she felt it too because she stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him, her mouth open in surprise and those amber eyes widening in shock. Day after day, he felt her whenever she was close, but he didn’t dare go near. Every time they came in close range, the room filled with an electric current so strong he almost lost his composure.
