WindSwept Narrows: #10 Eloise Paddington

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  It was a little like a puzzle cube, she thought with a sigh. First, untangle their fingers. Then she reached for the palm holding tightly to her waist. Her lips pulled into a crooked frown. He had muscles like iron and they were not budging.

  “You smell like flowers,” came the low, hoarse comment close to her breast.

  “It’s what I soaked in last night,” Eloise answered without pausing, her eyes closing and sigh thick. “How long have you been awake?”

  “Since you started trying to unravel us,” he replied, humor in his voice along with the residual sleep. “Owww!” His head popped up when she flicked a finger sharply at his ear. “What the hell?”

  “Don’t even pretend you don’t know why you earned that.”

  Eloise quickly moved from the bed, searching the floor for a pair of socks. She looked back long enough to see him moving to sit on the side of the bed, arms up and out in flexing motions. She went down the stairs to the living area, turning her computer on and setting her music playing before filling two tall glasses with orange juice.

  Morgan heard the Christmas music begin as he entered the bathroom, his head shaking and a small part of his brain asking him if he really knew the path he had chosen to head down.

  Rocking music filled the large room and filtered through the others as Eloise stood in her closet, considering her day and her clothing. She sat on the bench in the walk-in closet, zipping her boots into place before fastening the belt around her middle. She had her hairbrush in her hands, brushing through the long hair over one shoulder as she walked down the stairs, frowning at the hints of snow on the mat by the front door. Then she heard the sounds of a razor in the other bathroom and remembered he’d had his things in the back of the SUV when they left Portland.

  She had to admit, she definitely slept soundly. Eloise watched him walk toward the kitchen, his hand out for the glass of juice on the counter.

  “You’re frowning and staring,” Morgan said carefully, checking his jeans quickly. “Did I miss something?” He let his own gaze sweep the heavy sweater she wore belted at her waist, her jeans disappearing into the top of a pair of sturdy boots that stopped at her knees. Her hands were idly working a brush through the long hair hanging over one shoulder.

  “I’m trying to figure you out, Morgan Kelley,” Eloise tossed the brush to the sofa and quickly had two small clips holding the sides of her hair to the back.

  “I don’t suppose there’s coffee here?” He asked, deciding he’d need some fortification. “I’m not so hard to figure out, Eloise.”

  “We can go to breakfast and there’s coffee,” she said easily, taking his hand and leading him to the inner exit.

  “Where are you taking me, Eloise?”

  She opened the inner door and walked along the corridor, the door swinging closed behind them. Paintings, small statues sitting on antique tables and vases with flowers adorned the halls she led him through.

  “To breakfast,” she said simply, glancing up at him. “Until you learn the way, I wouldn’t advise wandering the halls alone.”

  “Breakfast…where?” Morgan felt his stomach suddenly clench.

  “The dining room,” she said with a laugh. “Sunday is a big family meal day here.”

  “Your family…” he met the blue eyes smiling at him ruefully.

  “You jumped into the middle, Morgan. Having second thoughts?”

  “You don’t think taking a guy to breakfast at seven-thirty might raise a few eyebrows?”

  “Morgan…you have a giant SUV sitting outside my quarters. Believe me, everyone already knows you spent the night,” Eloise told him, shaking her head in amazement. “What they believe and the reality of it might differ, but you honestly didn’t believe you could stealth your way into the fortress, did you? Thomas announced you…and released the gate for you, which means Aunt Zora knew within minutes.”

  “How many people live here?” He asked, trying to keep his mind from making him feel like an eighteen year old caught in the act by his girl’s parents.

  “Hmm…not sure…we just added Ethan and Zoe…my parents, Gwen’s parents…” Eloise shrugged. “Maybe fifteen now? It’s a very large house…most of it’s broken down into quarters. Family meals are Wednesdays and Sundays, so if possible, we’re mostly together. I’ll show you the library one day if you like. It’s massive…I can spend hours there. It’s so warm and comfortable with huge chairs and a cozy fireplace. It’s a wonderful place to work. I wired it for music a couple months ago.”

  Morgan wasn’t aware that he was holding his breath when she pushed a set of double doors wide open, leading him inside and to a couple empty chairs.

  “Eloise!” Elizabeth was up and around the table, hugging her daughter tightly. Two hands went to the young woman’s shoulders with a gentle shake. “You’re alright?” Blue eyes did an inspection, noting the patient smile on her daughter’s face. “I was ready to storm your quarters last night, but Gwen insisted you were fine and just needed some space.”

  “I’m fine, mom…honest…I’d like you to meet…”

  “And you! We’ve heard so much about you, Morgan Kelley!” Elizabeth turned to him, her hands up and pulling him into a tight hug before he realized her intentions. “Thank you so very much for helping Eloise! You have no earthly idea how very grateful we are that you were there when she needed help.”

  “You’re very welcome, Mrs. Paddington.” Morgan’s palms immediately went to her back, returning the hug.

  “Mom…let him breathe,” Eloise smothered her smile just a little, watching the surprise on his face. “I’ll try again…” she said with a shake of her head. “This is Morgan Kelley. Elizabeth Paddington…” she waited until her mother stepped back before gesturing to people. “My father, Kris…Aunt Zora and her son Thomas…Aunt Marion and Uncle Albert, Gwen’s parents…and Jessica and Clarissa…he’s in need of coffee…”

  “Pleased to meet you all,” Morgan said quickly, moving to shake hands with Albert and Kris Paddington before taking a seat next to Eloise as the older woman moved back to her seat.

  “He looks nervous,” Clarissa commented, standing up and filling the mug before his plate with steaming coffee.

  “He looks like Ethan…military,” Jessica remarked with a thoughtful stare, her dark head tipped in curious appraisal.

  “I was military,” Morgan answered after a long swallow of coffee and a sigh that it was a very good blend.

  “I believe they carry themselves in a similar manner,” Zora suggested, spreading jam on a slice of toast. “Please, young man, help yourself. We are very informal here.”

  Eloise scooped scrambled eggs onto her plate and brought the toast plate over to take a few. She spread cream cheese on her toast and began eating.

  “So tell us the story, Eloise,” Kris looked lovingly at his daughter. “And I want to add my sincere thanks for the help and safety you gave my daughter and Lili. Eloise…” his fingers brushed his daughter’s face gently.

  “I’m okay, dad,” she swallowed the swell of tears, blinking rapidly and getting up to hug him. “I’m okay,” she repeated, as if to partly assure herself. She languished in the safety a father’s arms provided, even when you were over three years old. “Don’t squeeze me…I’m leaking a lot lately. Morgan kept us safe…”

  “Does he have a gun?” Jessica asked, looking him in the eye.

  “Yes, he does,” Eloise answered since Morgan was busy chewing and choking. Her palm came up to gently pat him on the back.

  “Did you see it?” Clarissa asked, eyes wide and staring at Eloise.

  “I did,” she admitted with a nod, pouring herself some juice. “And he’s extremely talented and skilled with it.”

  “I saw the photos on the news on Friday night. They showed the men taking you and Lili into their car,” Thomas told her, offering the platter of meats to Morgan. “Do you think they’ll catch them?”

  “I hope so…” Eloise said easily. “They know who they are, so i
t shouldn’t be that difficult.”

  “Why did they want you and Lili?” Zora asked quietly, her palm out and gently patting Eloise’s hand. “You must have been very frightened, Eloise.”

  “I think I was…but…it didn’t come out until later,” Eloise said softly, a small shudder racing through her at the memories. “I’m just very glad Lili wasn’t frightened…”

  “You did a good job of hiding it,” Morgan told her quietly, refilling his coffee mug before going after fruit, eggs and toast. “She was calm and collected, never letting Lili know anything was wrong.”

  “What happened, Eloise? All we know is what was on the news,” Elizabeth asked her daughter. “We saw those men walking with you and Lili to their car and we were told about the AMBER alert out for you both. What happened?”

  “They thought I was Hannah,” Eloise said quietly. “They said if I did anything or made any sound, they’d hurt Lili…they put us in their car and drove south. I…I kept Lili playing and worked really hard to behave normally…they didn’t check us for my phone right away, so I stuck it into the pocket on Lili’s jeans,” she recalled, vaguely noticing the food she was eating.

  Eloise picked up a small orange and began peeling without really seeing what she was doing.

  “After a few hours, Lili said she had to go to the bathroom…they pulled into the gas station and took us to the restroom,” she exhaled slowly, unaware of how uneven it was. “One of them was putting fuel in the car…and I saw Morgan’s SUV just across from where we were…I lost my phone when Lili was wrestling with her jeans…it went into the toilet…so I couldn’t call anyone…I hit the fire alarm and ran out in the confusion. The back door to Morgan’s SUV was open and he was inside the store…I snuck us onto the floor and just…we laid down. I don’t know…I didn’t know I was so tired…I suppose the stress…but we fell asleep, covered in my cloak.”

  Eloise looked up, abruptly aware of how quiet it was around her, heat striking her cheeks and she wasn’t sure why. She was unaware of the tears on her cheeks until Morgan handed her a cloth napkin. She looked at it like it was foreign, his hand up and dabbing softly at her face.

  “I didn’t know they were there until I was almost home,” Morgan told them in the silence. “I had been here for some meetings, but left my charger at home. The phone was dead. Then the storm came in and I just wanted to get inside. Unfortunately, where I live, the power had been knocked out sometime during the previous night, so we had only a fireplace and the generator running the fridge.”

  “Oh, my…what an adventure,” Zora said in amazement.

  “We left first thing yesterday morning,” Eloise said with a long sigh, slowly eating the little orange segments. “I called Cassidy at the resort as soon as we stopped for fuel and coffee. I knew she would contact everyone for me. She is so amazingly efficient…the police and Hannah were waiting when we came in through the employee gates,” she concluded with a little shrug. “The end.”

  Eloise sighed, half listening to the chatter around the table. Morgan was doing a good job fielding questions. She didn’t like the memories that retelling the event brought to her.

  “Eloise?” Morgan touched her hand. “You’re fingers are like ice,” he told her with a frown.

  “I think it might be a good idea if we changed the topic,” Kris Paddington said firmly, looking at the other members of the family around the table, small nods received from one and all. “Christmas is right around the corner and we have a million plans to finalize."

  “Sorry we’re late,” Gwen said hurriedly, running in with Zoe close to her side.

  “We was wrapping presents!” Zoe told them all excitedly, her activity betrayed by a bit of stray tape hanging from one ponytail.

  “Actually, I think we now have tape and wrapping paper on things I may never be able to find again,” Ethan said with a shake of his head, lifting the child into the high chair that sat between him and Gwen.

  “But they’ll all be brand new when you do,” Eloise said with a sudden grin. “Can I ask a favor?” She looked from one to the other hopefully.

  “I don’t have a problem with it,” Gwen said with a nod.

  “Morgan…you weathering things?” Ethan asked with a knowing glance.

  “I’ve survived worse,” he assured his friend with a crooked grin and a nod.

  “Ethan?” Eloise looked hopeful. “Is it okay?”

  “Is what okay?” He looked from Gwen to Eloise. “Problem with what?”

  “He doesn’t read minds,” Gwen teased. “She wants to borrow someone for the day,” she told him, glancing at Zoe as she worked through her toast and eggs.

  “I’m good with that…didn’t you say we had places to try and go?” Ethan looked at Gwen, trying to search his morning memory.

  Gwen sighed. “I did and Eloise, we would be most grateful…if it’s okay with Zoe,” she said with a teasing wink.

  “Me?” A head full of brown curls popped up at the mention of her name, eyes wide.

  “Want to come help me find a tree, Zoe? I might need your help with the lights…I heard you really know how to deck out a tree,” Eloise told her with a smile.

  “Yea! I’ll get my jacket!” She announced, bouncing excitedly in her chair.

  “After you finish breakfast, Zoe,” Gwen told her with a laugh. “I’ll bring her to your quarters, Elle…thanks…we have a ton of things to do…and barely two weeks left…”

  “I’m not even close to understanding what has to be done,” Ethan reached for more eggs and coffee. “I’m starting to think you tell me this stuff in the morning on purpose.”

  “Just to let everyone know…there are to be no crisis in the morning,” Gwen teased with a little chuckle that brought his scowl.

  “There is a huge difference between necessary and crazy females running through the house shooting each other at six in the…” he stopped, the laughter echoing around him. He reached to pour more coffee.

  “Daddy really doesn’t like mornings,” Zoe confided with a whisper, very unaware of the look on the newly appointed dad’s face.

  Gwen just smiled and squeezed his hand.

  “It’s a girl thing,” Albert assured him, shaking his head. “I’ve been trying to grasp the almost rabid preparations for Christmas over forty years now…I just leave it up to the girls to deal with,” he said with a nod. “And show up where I’m told.”

  “Thanks, Gwen,” Eloise pushed away from the table and hugged her cousin. “Thank you so much…I’m…going to get some things ready…” And she vanished out the doors.

  Chapter Five

  “Excuse me…she blames herself…” Morgan was up and out the door quickly, breaking into a light run to catch up with Eloise. “Slow down…”

  “I’m sorry…” she slowed her pace, inhaling deeply. “Why aren’t you at your apartment, Morgan?”

  “Because I was seriously concerned about you,” he told her. “I also decided that you were much more pleasant than a sterile, empty apartment.”

  “You have all your things in the SUV, don’t you?” Eloise ran her tongue around her lips. “And you intend to move in with me…”

  “If asked…” Morgan answered cautiously.

  “I don’t think you realize what that means, Morgan. You aren’t used to a family, especially one like mine,” Eloise stopped in the hallway outside her door, fingers tapping in a code and pushing it wide.

  Morgan followed her inside and was about to respond, the door closing firmly behind him when she turned to face him. One step forward and he felt the door against his back. He remained perfectly still, meeting the wide blue eyes without backing down.

  “What makes you so certain?” She demanded brusquely.

  “Instinct,” he answered immediately.

  “Instinct makes you positive that this is a smart decision on your part,” she spelled out slowly, studying him closely and curiously. “Instinct makes you believe that you and I make a good couple.”

&nbs
p; “I’ve lived the majority of my life trusting my instinct, Eloise,” he told her honestly.

  “You’ve never been married.”

  “I’ve come close,” he admitted.

  “Did instinct stop them?”

  “Yes,” he said as if only just realizing it himself. He felt his heart pounding when she took a half step closer, barely air passing between them when she raised one palm and drew it along his jaw.

  “There are administrators of some of my old schools rolling over in their graves at the moment,” she whispered before going to her toes and kissing him softly, letting her body fall against his when his hands were immediately up and on her waist. She felt his palms pressing along her hips and over her back at the same time his mouth softened. His tongue came out to fence with hers when the gentle touch became insistent and demanding.

  Morgan sent his palms pressing along her spine, higher until his hands framed her face. His thumbs were beneath her chin, fingers spread and spearing the long, silken hair at the sides of her head. He gave himself over to the sensations coursing and crashing through him, the erotic feel of her full lips beneath his; the soft hair caressing the backs of his hands and the sweet sigh when she lifted her mouth from his. Wide, slightly glazed blue eyes met his.

  “It’s very difficult to believe, Morgan,” she said softly.

  “I know…believe me, I know…” Came the gruff, somewhat ragged response.

  “I need to get some boxes from outside,” Eloise stepped back, only just then aware she had been clinging to the front of his shirt. Her fingers opened and fell to her sides, a long sigh easing free as she crossed to the patio doors.

  “Some cold air will do me good, Eloise,” Morgan moved more slowly, wincing and striding to her side. Both stood staring into the blanket of white about three inches deep outside. “I better start the car and get it clear of snow,” he turned and pulled his jacket from the chair.