You Must Remember This

by Clara Wimberly

  The way he looked at her made her heart skip crazily in her throat.

  She had no words to describe how he made her feel. But in slow, hypnotic movements, she began to mirror his ac- tions, unbuttoning her shirt and pushing it aside, stand- ing across from him in her jeans and lacy bra. A light breeze played against her skin and fluttered wisps of hair around her face.

  They had made love. He had seen her naked and vul- nerable. Yet here in the daylight, in this surreal setting, it was completely different.

  She thought he looked like a magnificent ancient king. Imposing and proud. Strong and ready to conquer and claim anything he wanted.

  They both undressed and stepped into the pool at al- most the same time, meeting in the center as Hagan reached out to take her hand and pull her against him.

  Sarah gasped as their heated bodies met in the cool wa- ter. She could smell the water and the earthy scent of leaves and humus, mingled with the more intoxicating scent of his male body.

  “Now,” he said, his voice soft and husky. “Let’s see how this works.”

  He took the soapstone from her fingers and, still look- ing at her, bent to dip it into the water. Without touching her anywhere else, he gently rubbed the milky stone against her neck and face and down along the fragile bones of her shoulders.

  Sarah closed her eyes, giving in to the pleasure of the cool water and the pungent scent of the soapstone. She was completely under the spell of the moment.

  Hagan’s eyes took in every inch of her as he rubbed the soft, milky stone over her body. Without a word he turned her in his arms, dipping the stone in the water again as he pulled her back against him.

  He shuddered when her naked hips touched his heated skin. At the same time, his hands moved around her to cup her breasts and gently wash them.

  Hagan groaned and turned her again to face him, un- able to resist the lure of her breasts and the sweet scent of her body.

  “Hagan,” she murmured, smiling and shaking her head against the passion that threatened to overwhelm both of them.

  “Wait,” she said. “Let me…return the favor.” She took the stone from his fingers and bent to dip it into the wa- ter. Gently she reached out to touch it against Hagan’s chest.

  She washed his arms and chest. Then his throat, finally reaching up to his face and laughing softly when the resi- due turned his rough beard white.

  As she continued to cleanse his skin with the soapstone, Hagan dipped his hands beneath the water, smiling when Sarah gasped and closed her eyes for a moment.

  His fingers beneath the cool water felt hot as they moved over her body. Touching, caressing, enticing her until she thought she would die.

  “Oh…my,” she whispered. She forgot the soapstone, and let it drop from her fingers to leave a trail of white in the water.

  Her whispered words caused Hagan to smile. He bent his head and kissed her, letting his mouth and tongue tease and tantalize just as his hands had. Playing a sweetly tor- tuous game with her and with himself.

  Finally, as his hand and mouth grew more demanding, Sarah groaned and slid her arms around him.

  She was so hot. Even the cooling water couldn’t banish the heat that flooded over her.

  “Enough…” she whispered.

  Hagan laughed softly, then let his mouth trail along her scarred cheek, down her chin to the hollow of her neck. And lower.

  Sarah’s knees threatened to give way beneath her. Her hands dug into his shoulders even as she made a quiet sound of pleasure at the feel of his mouth against her breasts. His hands ran down her body, stopping at her hips and holding her still as he bent to trail teasing kisses over the curve of her stomach.

  “Hagan…” she gasped.

  When she thought she couldn’t possibly stand another moment of his sweet torment, she felt him reach down and scoop her up in his arms. She tightened her arms around his neck as he stepped from the pool, then lay her on a soft bed of moss.

  “You are a swamp witch,” he whispered against her skin. “A beautiful, sexy swamp witch who’s cast a spell over me.”

  “Tell me how,” she said, moving against him, wanting him, her body pleading with him to take her.

  “You make me forget everything,” he said. “Every- thing except this…” His teeth nipped softly at her nip- ples. “And this…” he continued, moving up to kiss her mouth. “And you, Sarah. Always you. In my dreams. When I’m awake. Even when my head is telling me that this is insane.”

  Hagan slid his hands beneath her hips and she met him with an urgency that surprised even herself. She watched the play of emotion on his face as he took her. Saw his eyes spark, then grow languid when she cried out her pleasure.

  There was something almost spiritual about making love there by the pool. With the scent of nature on their skin and the heat of their hot naked skin burning through the effects of the cool water.

  The primitive setting brought a wildness and a reckless- ness to their lovemaking that even the danger couldn’t have done.

  Hagan’s body was demanding. Driving both of them with a hard passion that blotted out everything around them. Sarah felt almost detached from her surroundings as she quickly felt her body responding to him and this overpowering eroticism. She met his hungry demands, growing liquid with sweet, hot passion. It sang through every inch of her body, moving her closer and closer to some distant place until she could no longer hold back her cries of passion.

  “Sarah,” he whispered against her skin, holding her, feeling her small body shudder. Until he found himself following her ascent out of control. “Oh…Sarah.”

  Later they lay for long moments, her legs still around him as they kissed and whispered their wonder and plea- sure. Sarah lifted her mouth to his time and again, savor- ing the feel and scent of him. Letting her hands trail over his chest and shoulders as if she couldn’t quite get enough of him.

  “I’ve never experienced anything like this…” he whis- pered finally “…in my life.”

  “No,” she said, making a weak protest. “A sophisti- cated man of the world like Hagan Cantrell…you’re teasing me.”

  “I’m not teasing,” he said. He raised himself up, prop- ping himself on his elbow as he looked down at her. His fingers touched her face, and pushed her hair back from her flushed face.

  “I never knew there was anyplace in the world like this,” he said.

  “You like it, then?” she asked, her voice almost shy.

  He glanced around the clearing, letting his gaze take in the quiet serenity and beauty.

  “More than I can tell you,” he said.

  “I’m glad,” she said. “It used to be one of my favorite places when I was a girl.” She snuggled against him, sa- voring the breeze that raked across their naked bodies. “After I was married…I never came back here much.”

  “I guess tastes change,” he said.

  “It wasn’t that,” she said, her voice growing soft and thoughtful. “Joe thought I should sell the place after my grandparents died. I refused. It was kind of a sore spot for us after that.”

  Hagan frowned slightly, watching the pain of remem- brance in her eyes.

  “One of the few disagreements we ever had, actually,” she said.

  “He didn’t like it?”

  “Oh, I guess he liked it okay,” she said. “But Joe grew up in the swamp just like I did. Where for me the swamp was freedom and beauty, for him it only meant poverty and entrapment. He said he’d had enough of swamp liv- ing to do him a lifetime. He wanted more than that.”

  “He wanted the kind of life that money from the land could buy,” Hagan said, nodding as if he understood.

  “Yes, I guess,” she said.

  “I used to think money could cure everything, too,” he said. He picked up a pine needle and trailed designs over her skin, smiling at her when she shivered and pushed his hand away.

  “Did your mother have property?” she asked. “Some- thing you could call yours?” Sarah had often
wondered about his expensive clothes. Now that she knew him bet- ter she knew he wasn’t pretentious or born to money.

  “Hardly,” he muttered.

  Hagan rolled over onto his back, putting his hands be- hind his head and gazing up through the leaves at the bits of blue sky.

  “I discovered a knack for sports when I was young,” he explained. “There was a guy at the neighborhood boys’ club who encouraged me. He practically forced me to fin- ish high school, not an easy task when the streets are calling to you, believe me. Then he helped me get a scholarship to Georgia Tech. I worked and went to school, saved almost every penny I made. I made some good con- nections in school and later I used them.” He shrugged his shoulders against the moss and he seemed completely lost in his memories. “I bought some worthless property, dirt cheap. Or at least everyone told me it was worthless. When an ambitious developer came along and bought it, I made a bundle. More money than I’d ever had in my life. That was about the time I went to work for the agency. I rein- vested the money and kept working.”

  “Oh,” she said, smiling at him. “So that’s how you could afford such fine clothes on an agent’s salary?”

  “Yeah.” He nodded. “I guess that meant a lot to me because I never had anything before. The security of hav- ing money in the bank…being able to buy anything I wanted…wearing anything I wanted. I swore I’d never be poor again.”

  “Kind of like Scarlett,” she teased softly.

  He turned to look at her. His smile was sweet and warm. And the way he looked at her made her insides feel like soft honey.

  “Kind of,” he said.

  “So,” she said. “You would have sold this place, too, if you were me? I’ve been offered a fortune for it.”

  His eyes changed, growing soft as he gazed around the pool and clearing.

  “Never in a million years,” he said, his voice soft.

  Sarah felt her heart leap and she couldn’t explain the joy that washed over her.

  “This is a one-of-a-kind place, darlin’,” he said. “Af- ter it’s gone, there won’t be another.”

  “That’s exactly the way I felt,” she said, staring at him with a mixture of disbelief and pleasure.

  “If I’ve learned one thing over the years it’s that money can’t save you,” he said, his voice growing distant. “And it can’t save your friends.”

  “Have you remembered about Cindy?” she asked, touching his chest softly.

  “Only in my heart,” he said, placing his hand over hers. “I’m afraid my head still hasn’t cooperated.”

  They lay there quietly, holding each other and letting the beauty and safety of this place enfold them.

  “Sarah,” he said, not turning to look at her. “If any- thing happens to me, I want you to know—”

  “Don’t,” she said, sitting up suddenly. She placed her hand over his mouth and looked down into his eyes. She thought she actually saw tears in his eyes. “Please, Ha- gan…don’t even say such a thing.”

  He nodded, and pulled her hand away and kissed it, then held it against his chest.

  “I never knew someone like you existed in this world, Sarah,” he said. “I had no idea.”

  Chapter 15

  Later they spread the blanket on the moss and lay in each other’s arms. They slept. Woke and made love. Ate lunch and slept some more.

  It was growing late and Hagan sensed that Sarah hated to leave on the trek to the service station as much as he did.

  Tom had long ago bounded off into the forest and from time to time they heard the sound of another cat. Sarah looked into Hagan’s eyes, her look one of surprise and anxiety.

  “He’s fighting again,” she murmured. “That crazy cat is going to get himself killed.”

  “You know, I don’t think he’s fighting…exactly.” He was grinning at her. “I saw another cat at the edge of the woods earlier while you were asleep. I’m pretty sure it was a female.”

  “Oh,” she said. Then she smiled and fell into his arms. “How on earth did he manage to find a lover out here in the middle of nowhere?”

  “The same question I’ve been asking about myself.” Hagan teased.

  “Oh…you.”

  “I hate to leave this place.” Hagan said, glancing up at the trees.

  “I know,” she said. “So do I.”

  “When I’m back in Atlanta in that tall concrete-and- glass building, I’m going to think of this place,” he said. “And you.”

  A small sob caught in Sarah’s throat, but she managed a smile anyway.

  “I’m glad,” she said. “You know, you really should get out more often, Agent Cantrell.”

  He nodded, his look more serious now.

  “You’re right. Guess I’ve always been too busy work- ing and making money, to see such places as this. But from now on, that’s going to change.” He turned to her, smil- ing impishly now and nodding toward the small pool. “Do you want to bathe first or shall I?”

  “Why don’t we bathe together?” she suggested..

  “Uh-oh,” he said. “There she is again…that little voodoo witch, beckoning me into the swamp again. I think I’m in trouble.”

  “Yep,” she said, laughing as she pulled him toward the pool. “You definitely are, Agent Cantrell.”

  They had very little time back at the fishing shack be- fore leaving to find a phone. It was a longer hike out to the road than Sarah thought. She was also weaker and more out of breath than she’d thought.

  They hadn’t had to lock Tom up inside because he hadn’t come back with them. Sarah didn’t know whether to be relieved or alarmed. Every time he left she figured she’d never see the rascal cat again. But this might be the time that fear actually became reality.

  “Don’t worry,” Hagan said. “Tom will be fine. He’ll probably be back at the cabin by the time we get there.”

  It was dark when they finally came out onto the main road. Sarah recognized the spot.

  “We’re very close,” she said, nodding toward the north. “No more than a mile this way, I think.”

  It was heavenly being able to walk on dry, level pave- ment for a change.

  “If we hear a car coming, we’ll have to get back in the underbrush,” Hagan warned.

  “Right,” she said. Sarah couldn’t seem to catch her breath and she thought she was more hungry than she’d ever been in her life.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “I’m fine,” she said. “Just a little tired and out of breath.”

  Hagan murmured a soft protest but Sarah only kept walking.

  “If you can do this after the ordeal you’ve been through, I can make it, too,” she said.

  Luckily the phone booth was on the side of the service station building where they managed to make their way to it without being seen. There were very few customers out here and none of them came around to use the phone.

  After several minutes, when Cord didn’t answer his phone, Hagan grew frustrated. Sarah could see the mus- cles in his unshaven jaw working.

  “Come on, come on,” he muttered, cursing softly into the phone.

  Finally he hung up and raked his hand through his hair.

  “What are we going to do?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. It could be late when he finally gets back to his room. Cord has been known to work night and day when he’s on a case. The longer we stay here, the bigger chance we take of being caught.”

  “I can still call my friend,” she offered. “Have her see if she can find him. Wayland is a small town and Cord is a stranger. Believe me, everyone has already made it their business to know where he is.”

  “I don’t like the idea of getting anyone else involved in this,” he said, shaking his head. “Not only for her pro- tection, but for ours, too.”

  “Lacy is one of the most honest, trustworthy people I know. We’ve been friends since grade school. If I can’t trust her, I can’t trust anyone. Besides, I don’t think we have a choice now
, do we?” she asked.

  “I could call the agency. They’d have a team down here in a matter of hours.”

  “Is that what you want to do?”

  “Not really,” he said. “I’d rather not. Besides, if Cord thought it was best, he’d already have done it.”

  He chewed at his lip, then nodded.

  “I guess you’re right. We don’t have any choices left. Does this friend of yours know where the fishing shack is?”

  “Yes, she was there as a kid almost as much as I was.”

  “Could she bring Cord there?” Hagan asked.

  “Yes, I’m sure she could. There’s an old partially abandoned road that comes in partway, so it will be much easier for them, coming in by car.”

  “Okay, then, let’s do it,” he said, motioning her to- ward the phone.

  Sarah breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Lacy an- swer the phone almost immediately.

  “Sarah, where on earth are you? I’ve been trying to call you but—”

  “Lacy, I don’t have time to talk much. Just listen, okay? I need you to do something for me. Something very im- portant.”

  She heard Lacy speak to someone else, her voice muf- fled, her words indiscernible.

  “Lacy?” Sarah asked, frowning. “Is your mother there with you?”

  “No.” Lacy’s voice sounded breathless and now she lowered it to a whisper. “That’s why I’ve been calling you so desperately. I’ve been dying to tell you…” Her voice trailed away and she laughed softly.

  “Lace?”

  “I’ve met someone, Sarah.” She practically sighed when she said the words. “He’s different. Not like anyone I’ve ever met before. I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

  Sarah covered the phone with the palm of her hand and spoke to Hagan who stood watching with a worried look.

  “She has a visitor.”

  “See if she can get rid of him,” he said.

  “Listen to me, Lace,” Sarah said.

  Hurriedly she told her what she wanted, saying only that she was in trouble and that she’d explain everything to her later.