“I told him that with all those women hanging on his every word, he never noticed me…except when our emergency pagers rang.”
They talked until the doctor returned. Destiny winked at Josie who quietly exited the room.
“Your vital signs are fine and your body temperature has returned to normal. I checked you from head to toe and I am pleased to find no evidence of frostbite.”
“Except for a slight headache and my throbbing hand, I feel pretty good.”
“Wonderful. You should be able to go home soon.”
“Where’s Jacob—the man I came in with? Is he also a patient? He hurt his leg and—”
“We released him. He’s at the police station making a statement. He should be back soon.”
“I’ll wait.” Destiny lay back, closed her eyes, and slept.
***
Stretching her limbs, Destiny slowly unfurled them as she slid across sheets of blue satin. Her cheek rested on a pillow so soft she seemed to float high above the Earth on a cloud. She felt warm. So delightfully warm, it made her sigh with delight.
“Hi, sleepy head,” said a deep masculine voice, tugging at the fogginess.
Her eyes opened with a start as she snapped upright. The sting of stitched flesh made her let go of the top sheet. It crumpled to her lap.
“Jesus, Destiny. I have a hard enough time keeping my hands off you as it is. Cover up.” Jacob stood at the foot of the bed cradling a steaming mug of coffee. Destiny’s cheeks burned as she scrambled to pull the sheet over her breasts. Running her uninjured hand through her disheveled hair, she glanced around the strange room before centering her attention on his face.
“How did I get here?”
With a momentary look of panic on his face, Jacob set the coffee mug on the bedside table.
“Don’t you remember?” Jacob asked while he settled himself on the side of the bed. “The dogs found us. Rescuers helped us to the clearing. Your friends Josie and Pete whisked us to the hospital. You were unconscious for awhile and…” His voice drifted off. He brought her aching, bandaged palm to his lips. “It’s been two days of terror…two complete days spent wondering when you’d wake up. They patched you up and I insisted on getting you out of there.” Jacob just stared at her, eyes shadowed in the semi darkness at what appeared to be his bedroom.
“I remember bits and pieces. Waking up here made me think I was dreaming. I’m fine, Jacob. Are we in your apartment?” Her glance around the room fixed on his painting of naked breasts. “Why didn’t you take me back to my cabin? I’d be safe, now that Marcus is dead. He is dead, right?”
“Yes, they pulled Marcus Benton’s body off the mountain, but your cabin is a crime scene. The police are working there, gathering evidence to close the case. Also, the pipes froze.”
“Right. My doors—”
“It will take your landlord some time to fix all that. I thought bringing you here was the sensible thing to do. You, lying naked in my bed, makes me think I acted in haste.”
She sat up, again, and locked her gaze on his handsome face.
“I love you, Jacob. I realize that now. This is where I belong. Do you want me here? Could you love me?”
“I do love you. The night of Marcus’ attack, I drove to your cabin to lay my life in your hands. It doesn’t matter if I lose my job at the college. Being with you is where I belong.”
Puzzled at his statement, she looked up at him and asked, “Why would you lose your job?”
“Teachers and students are not allowed to mix. It’s in my contract. Dating you will force them to fire me and possibly expel you. I can’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”
Too flustered to speak, Destiny could only stare at him. His words tumbled around in her head until she couldn’t stand the suspense one minute longer.
“Are you telling me your reason for ignoring me, not calling me, and avoiding me for the last two months is because you think I’m a student?”
His eyes flared wide and he leapt to his feet. “What do you mean? Aren’t you a student at Fairfield College?”
“Someday, yes, I’d like to take some classes and earn a degree, but I am not a student. I work in the dining hall part-time and I assist Professor Braun with her science labs. That’s all.” Destiny looked at him. What would this revelation accomplish?
There it was.
There was the smile that started at his lips, moving slowly up to wrinkle the corners of his big, brown, eyes. He leaned forward, pulled her to her feet, and crushed his lips to hers. A thrill skittered down her spine, ending in a warm tingle between her naked thighs.
He took the kiss deeper, and Destiny opened her mouth for him. She tasted coffee and inhaled his unique scent. She moaned with unabashed joy, sensing his chest muscles tighten as he responded to her sounds of pleasure. He freed her long enough to release the tangled sheet from around her waist. He led her away from the bed and she padded barefoot across the floor in his wake.
“Where are you taking me?”
“To my shower,” he replied, pulling her into the huge master bathroom complete with a spacious marble shower. Reaching in, he turned on the water and the spray from both showerheads dampened his shirt.
Destiny looked from him, to the shower, and then remembered their first night together. As Jacob began removing his clothing, she reached in and adjusted the spray, keeping the water inside the large, wide shower stall. The room filled with steamy mist, then she turned to help Jacob remove the rest of his clothing. A shirt flew into the sink, and he kicked off both shoes. She unhooked his belt, then slid his zipper down.
Pressing a hand on his waist, she wrapped the other around his erection. As she gazed up at his face, stroking him, his moans stirred her on. His skin was warm, and she’d been so cold. The heat called to her, and she wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let go.
“Destiny, please…”
“What do you really want, Jacob?”
Jacob pulled her hand away, kicked off his jeans, then stood inches away, as naked as she.
He was glorious, all muscles and broad shoulders. She yearned to stroke his curly brown chest hair, then slide her hand down over his flat stomach. Her heart beat fast as she hoped to curl her legs around his slim waist, again.
Raising her gaze, she inhaled sharply. His chocolate eyes had darkened to black, and his chest heaved. The sheen of perspiration dotted his forehead.
Destiny was feeling unhinged, as well. He smelled so good, and the air in the bathroom was heating up. However, when she reached out to cup his ball sac, his hand shot out.
“You had better stop, my love, or this little adventure will end…prematurely.” His grin brightened his face.
Her heart fluttered as she led him under the deliriously warm water. The glass door clicked shut behind them. He swung her around to face him then lifted her effortlessly, wedging her against the wall with his body. He slid to one knee and spread her wide with both palms. Prickly spray ricocheted off his back as he bent forward and kissed his way from her navel to the blonde curls between her legs.
“Jacob. What are you doing?”
Pulling away, he gazed up at her, wiping streams of warm water from his face.
“I must be doing it wrong. Let me try again.” He lowered his head, while his palms spread her legs. Nuzzling her curls, he flicked his tongue at the tiny pleasure bud. The sensation caught her off-guard, and she moaned.
When he pulled back, she threaded her fingers through his wet hair and pulled him back to the task. Groans and sighs joined the whoosh of the spray-heads, and her pleasure built until he abruptly stopped a second time. She opened her eyes, wondering when she’d shut them.
She groaned in protest, but when he rose again to his full height, towering over her, protecting her from the heated onslaught of the shower, her heart did a tiny flip.
Destiny tried to read his expression, but the steam was like a thick cloak, hiding his face. He leaned down and kissed her, and she tasted he
rself on his mouth, and drank him in. When he pulled away a fraction of an inch, and his hand cupped her breast, she was so close to climaxing. When his gaze bore into her, she whispered, “I love you.”
“You are an addiction I believe I am going to enjoy for a very long time. I’ve wanted you in my life ever since…”
“Since the incident?”
“Incident?” he laughed, “which one?”
“I was thinking about the ridge. With Marcus?”
“Well, I’ve wanted you in my life since the first weekend we met.”
“Really? What exactly did you want to do with me?”
“Let me show you.” He grasped her hips and lifted her, pressing his body between her thighs.
“Jacob,” she moaned with eagerness, tempered by concern, “what about your knee?”
He kissed her again, plundered her mouth until the urge to breathe forced a soft moan from her lips. When he pushed her legs up and around his waist, she felt weightless.
“My leg is better. A slight bruise that’s already faded. I’ve been to physical therapy and have strengthened various other muscles. Don’t worry, my love, just enjoy.” His erection prodded against her sweet spot, sending renewed waves of near-orgasmic sensation to her womb.
He entered her with one quick thrust. She pivoted her hips, raised her legs higher, and crossed her ankles. Hot pinpricks of pressurized water cascaded over his shoulder, and she closed her eyes to the onslaught. His groans intensified with each thrust, while her inner muscles tightened. When he roared with his orgasm, she suddenly clamped down, milking him dry. With joy in her heart and the heat of the shower surrounding them, Destiny let herself surrender to ecstasy.
EPILOGUE
Jacob pulled the beige Land Rover to a stop just shy of the front door of their new home. He paused, amazed at all they’d accomplished in six short months.
He had found this acreage only a mile from the Wolf Rock trailhead, on the northern slope of Destiny’s mountain. Destiny loved her cabin, but couldn’t bear to go back after the terror of that November night. Jacob had jumped at the chance to buy this property and gone ahead with the building plans, even though it meant getting the basement footings poured during early January.
Building a house in the dead of winter was cold work, but nothing compared to what he and Destiny had endured. All he had to do was picture Destiny’s sweet face and any discomfort faded. Each day, as he and the contractors worked, all he could think about was getting back to his apartment, where he and Destiny would talk about their day well into the night, before drifting off to sleep in each other’s arms. He’d never felt such contentment.
Shutting the driver’s door, he stood in front of the big white, two-story farmhouse under a beautiful afternoon sky in late May. Complete with wrap-around porch, this place was a dream come true. It sported three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and plenty of space in case friends dropped by for a weekend of hiking or canoeing. They’d built a comfy den with matching desks where Jacob could work on class notes while Destiny studied for her degree.
He couldn’t wait to spend a snowy evening beside Destiny while they basked in the warmth of the fieldstone fireplace.
He stepped up onto the porch. A sunset, painted pink and blue, reflected in the front windows. He rang the doorbell to try it out. A far-off voice yelled, “Come in!”
When he opened the door and walked toward the kitchen at the back of the house, the aroma of baking apples and cinnamon made his mouth water. When he spied a pair of slim legs sticking out from a pair of faded cut-off jeans, his steps faltered.
“Jesus, she must be standing on a chair,” he muttered, his jeans suddenly uncomfortably tight. He marched into the kitchen and set down his satchel. As he reached for her waist, he said, louder, “Let me get that, beautiful.”
“Jacob, you’re home!” Destiny swung around then flung her body into his arms, causing him to step back in surprise. They melted together, and their mouths found each other’s lips. As she slid down his body, her lips kissed his chin, his neck, and the middle of his chest while his hands roamed her curves. Time stood still. Lifting her higher, he captured her lips again. Trembles echoed between them as they kissed while heat built…until they both heard a noise.
“Um, didn’t mean to intrude but the door was open,” Josie said. She sauntered into the kitchen and set down a covered casserole on the gleaming, black granite countertop. She glanced around to admire the cabinets they’d painted light yellow, ignoring them. “Happy moving-in day, you two.”
Jacob and Destiny, the only other people in the room, broke apart. Embarrassment made his ears burn, but Destiny seemed to take the intrusion in stride, as she straightened her pink and purple plaid blouse.
“Glad you stopped in,” she said as she deftly peeled herself from Jacob’s body. “I have some red wine chilling in the refrigerator. Jacob, will you do the honors?”
He walked to their new refrigerator and gasped. “How many people do you plan to have living here?”
“Remember, you promised we could have friends over. Lots of friends.”
He laughed as he pulled the bottle from their newly delivered refrigerator, uncorked it, then poured the wine. He finally found three crystal goblets in the third cupboard he searched.
“Thanks,” Josie said, as she accepted the filled wineglass. She took a sip and smiled at him, then at Destiny.
“I insisted on working while taking classes this semester and still help Professor Braun with her labs. I can work more hours at Tanya’s Grill with summer break coming. How are you doing, Josie?”
“I’m okay. With the murder solved, we’ve seen a noticeable decline in anxiety attacks. Its great having the firehouse open to the public again, though we still lock our doors at night. The general calm, which once more blankets our little town, makes our job easier and…”
Because she paused, Jacob asked, “You still seem choked up about all that’s happened.”
“I’ve treated a lot of patients under all kinds of conditions but I never felt the fear that consumed me when you collapsed.” Josie stared at Destiny before adding, “It’s a sight I would like to forget.”
“Well, I don’t remember that part. I remember waking to this face.” She glanced at Jacob, and sighed. “Everything has been perfect ever since.”
Jacob watched as the woman he loved showed Josie the glittering diamond ring gracing her left hand. Moving behind his fiancé, he circled his arms around her waist, and drew her into his embrace. He inhaled the scent of vanilla, which brought an immediate smile to his face.
“We hope to go back up Destiny’s mountain in the near future. With all our waking moments spent building the house, we’ve put it off long enough. She and I have some ghosts to obliterate. Going back up there seems the best way to do it.” He gazed at Destiny’s beautiful profile, judging her reaction to his words.
Destiny closed her eyes, and seemed disturbed by his statement. He wanted to share his burden. He owed it to both of them to get the truth off his chest before their wedding.
“Well, I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.” Josie laughed as she sauntered out the front door, and pulled it shut behind her.
Jacob, bent on resuming his attention back on Destiny’s mouth, stepped back when three boisterous men wearing paint-splattered jeans tramped down the stairs.
“We’re all done with the paintin’ up there, boss. We had to push the furniture into the center of the big bedroom. Do you need us to shove it back tomorrow?” the foreman asked. He wiped his hands on a splattered work cloth hitched to his belt.
“If your painting is done, don’t bother. We can manage. When can you come back and finish the basement?” Jacob asked, as he herded the painters toward the front door.
“I’ll call after Memorial Day, and we can set that up. Have a nice holiday, folks.”
Jacob locked the door. With a broad smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, he led Destiny up the stairs and into the new mast
er bedroom. The room, painted a dark blue, boasted hardwood floors stained a rich honey-gold. The painters had protected the king size bed with a large sheet of plastic. A covered painting leaned against the foot of the bed’s frame.
Andy Warhol’s painting of headless breasts peeked from behind the tarp. He and Destiny still debated where it ought to hang.
“They did a great job. Too bad the bed’s a mess. I guess it will take a couple of hours until we can…christen it.” Jacob wiggled his brows, hoping she’d smile.
“Jacob we need to talk,” she said, not meeting his gaze.
Not the reaction I was hoping to get.
He paused, stopping near the bed. “What’s the matter, sweetheart?”
“I’m worried about something that happened on the trail. I never told you about—”
“Are you trying to break the mood?”
“Of course not, but hear me out!” She stamped the wood floor with her sneaker. Well, she tried.
“Go ahead.” Jacob released her wrist and then stuffed his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. He sensed he wasn’t going to like what she had to say.
“It’s been eating at me for six months. As your future wife, we shouldn’t keep secrets.”
“Of course, my love.” Jacob’s blood chilled as his hands moved toward her. He couldn’t stop his fingers as they unbuttoned her blouse. He pushed it off her shoulders then gaped at two perfect, naked, breasts.
“Jacob, I’m serious.” She swatted his right hand, which had gravitated toward her chest.
“Sorry.”
“Something happened on the mountain with Marcus. I need to share it with you.”
Jacob searched her face. Had Marcus hurt her more than he had realized? Had the bastard raped her? If so, it didn’t matter, but why didn’t she know that?
“You can tell me anything. We’re in this together for the rest of our lives. I want no secrets between us,” he assured her, as he slipped off his shirt.
She gasped, then drew her lips into a stern straight line. Her irritation made him stop moving, and made him think of his own secret. Had he ever planned to share it with her? When she began twirling her hair, his nervousness grew.
Shiver Page 19
