In Search of the Past (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #2)

by Rikki Dyson

  “Where to now?” Shane asked, as they left the library.

  “I’m off to Scotland I guess, to see if I can pick up their trail somehow.”

  “Would you fancy a bit of company? After all, I am a Scotsman.”

  “Are you serious?” Stacey asked.

  “Yes, I’d like to see this through with you. It’s my first quest you know.”

  While Shane was having the valet bring the car around, Stacey went to the ladies room. On her way out Rory was waiting. As she went by him, she said, “Goodnight and thank you for our invitation tonight.”

  He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into an alcove. “I’ve been watching you tonight with that bastard McLeod. You’re not going to give to him what I’ll take first.”

  Stacey smiled up at Rory and put her arms around his neck and said, “If you feel that way about me why didn’t you just say so?” When Stacey pulled his head down to kiss him, she brought her knee up to his groin with a considerable amount of force. He doubled over groaning. “You playboy types never learn,” Stacey said. “Maybe you better think twice about visiting Texas. You know we have a saying out there. ‘Don’t mess with Texas.’ So think about it.”

  Rory’s face distorted with pain groaned, “You bitch, I’ll get you for this.”

  “You think? It will take a better man than you,” Stacey taunted.

  Chapter 9

  Off to Scotland

  “What took you so long?” Shane ask.

  “Oh, I met Rory and he wanted to play hanky-panky, so we did. I hankied his panky with my knee. He’ll be sore for a few days.”

  “You should’ve called me,” Shane said.

  “What? and mess up those beautiful hands. They’re for healing not for hurting.”

  As they drove into the drive way at Maxwell house, Stacey said, “Turn off the lights and coast in so we don’t disturb anyone.”

  Stacey took off her shoes when they entered the foyer. When they reached the top of the stairs and turned to Stacey’s room she thanked Shane for a lovely evening. Shane touched her arm and asked, “Would you mind if I kissed you goodnight?”

  “I would mind more if you didn’t,” Stacey said with a smile as she put her arms around his neck and they kissed.

  “You don’t know how hard it’s been trying to keep my hands off you this night,” Shane said.

  “Then don’t try so hard,” Stacey said, and kissed him again as she reached behind her and pushed down the door handle. The door swung open and she led him into her room. She pitched her shoes to the floor and locked the door. As she turned, Shane took her in his arms and kissed her again and again. His kisses were warm and sensual. Stacey had never before been kissed by a grown man. While Shane was kissing her he was taking the pins from her hair and letting them fall to the floor.

  “It has been a while for me,” Shane whispered to her. “I hope I haven’t forgotten how.”

  Stacey was nervous and a little scared. “If you have we’re both in trouble.”

  Stacey unbuttoned his shirt to help him out of it. In his haste he had forgotten to unfasten his cufflinks. “Damn,” he said, as the cuff links flew across the room and he threw the shirt to the bed. Stacey giggled with nervousness. While they were kissing, Shane unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor like a soft cloud. He picked her up and carried her to the bed.

  Sometime while kissing, off came the rest of their clothes. Shane was kissing and touching her body. Stacey was feeling wonderful sensations. With her arms around him and her hands in his hair she was feeling the passion. Stacey wanted to touch him everywhere but wasn’t sure what to do. From her breast he spread kisses down her mid-drift to her stomach then to her Venus mound. She had heard of this and she wasn’t about to stop him now. Stacey grabbed the bed with both hands. She felt as if she were getting higher and higher. When she was back to herself again, Shane was beside her kissing her. She put her arms around him and held on tight as her entered her. When he hesitated, Stacey moved her hands to his hips and pulled him toward her. There was no going back now.

  With his head on her pillow and his heart pounding, Shane asked, “Why didn’t you tell me you were a virgin?”

  “What difference does it make?” she asked.

  “If I had known this was your first time, I would’ve tried to prepare you better.”

  “If I were any better prepared,” Stacey said. “I would’ve gone into orbit.”

  Shane chortled at her remark and held her tighter. He kissed her again and put both arms around her and turned on his side. He chide himself for not bringing condoms with him, but then he wasn’t expecting to have a liaison while on holiday with his family.

  “I guess you didn’t forget after all,” Stacey said. “you were wonderful.”

  “So were you,” he said with a low chuckle.

  “Now I know what all the fuss has been about.” There was a pause, then softly Stacey said, “Shane, I’m glad it was you.”

  “So am I sweetheart,” he said.

  “Can we do that again?” she asked.

  “Yes, my sweetheart,” he said with a big smile. “As soon as my Willie recuperates.”

  Shane lay propped on his elbow with the back of his fingers caressing Stacey’s cheek and jaw line then down to her neck shoulder and arm. “You are so beautiful and your body feels like silk. I know I shouldn’t ask this, but how is it that you’ve remained intact when most young women lose their innocents by or before their late teens. I would imagine you’ve had a slue of young men vying for your attentions.”

  “Yes, of course, I’ve been propositioned by guys, but I wasn’t interested in them that way. They were boys and conquest was what they were after. I refused to be some guys trophy. I decided if and when the time came to experience sex, I would choose for myself a mature man, not one interested in accolades.”

  “Mature, you chose me because I’m mature?”

  “Oh, no, not entirely, you’re very nice and I like you. You’re fun to be with also you have intelligence and sophistication as well as being handsome and sexy and extremely cool, I might add. I was sure you would be experienced and I wanted someone who knew what to do.”

  Shane wasn’t sure how he felt about being used or being thought of as an older man, but when Stacey kissed him he lost all thoughts of everything else except his overwhelming desire for her. They kissed again and again. Stacey had been running her fingers through Shane’s

  silky chest hair and rubbing her hand down his arm as well as touching his face and hair.

  “Shane, may I touch you?” Stacey softly asked.

  “You are touching me.”

  “No, I mean...

  “Oh, yes, I’d like that,” Shane said, as he tenderly brushed her lips with his, but drew his breath in as her inexperienced hand roamed over his body and down. He couldn’t remember when his body had responded so erotically to a woman’s touch. His soft kiss turned into a deep breath taking one.

  With both their hands touching and caressing one another it didn’t take long. Stacey loved his deep sensual kissing. The look and feel of his body and the hair on his chest. She loved it on him but wanted none on herself except on her head. Stacey wanted to remember this night. It was her first time and it might be all she would ever have. She had heard enough guys talk about, ‘one night stands.’ Stacey was young, but she knew sex and love were two different things. She wasn’t even sure of her own feelings. She knew she liked being with him. He was handsome, sexy and had a wonderful personality, but Stacey knew they came from two totally different worlds.

  The second and third time they made love was even better. This time they flew together. Shane kissed and held her until she went to sleep. He knew she was asleep because of her even breathing and her hands had stopped roving. He lay there holding her thinking about the warm sensual trusting look in her deep blue eyes. Shane knew he should get up and go to his own room. He made it a rule not to stay the night with any woman, if it could be avoide
d.

  Of course, he had done a lot of things with Stacey tonight he didn’t do with other women. Tonight was a first for him too, for many things. Sex had never been a spontaneous act for him. It was a planned well thought out thing. Through the years the women he dated liked it that way too. At age seventeen he had started university. His father had a talk with him about women, sex and protection. An older woman of twenty-three had introduced him to the pleasures of the body. Until tonight he had lived by a set of rules. No virgins, always use protections and no staying over night when not necessary.

  He was always the one in charge, but Stacey made him feel things no other woman had ever made him feel. He thought it must be her youth and innocence’s. It’s like I can’t get enough of her. His head told him to put a stop to this while he still could. After they made love the third time, Shane told her, “Don’t let me hurt you.”

  Those trusting eyes, when she looked up at him and said, “I won’t, that’s not in my plans,” and kissed him until both their lips were swollen from kissing and still they wanted more. Shane told himself again he should get up and go to his own room.

  Shane woke with Stacey still in his arms. He could see the dawn was breaking. He woke Stacey, kissed her and said, “I should go to my room before the house wakes.”

  Still heavy with sleep, Stacey said, “Okay.” Turned on her tummy and went back to sleep.

  Shane grabbed his shoes and clothes and went to his room. He tried to get another nap but all he could do was think about Stacey. Shane knew he should put a stop to this relationship right now. Going to Scotland with her was ludicrous. He hoped when he told her he wasn’t going, she wouldn’t be too disappointed. She’s a sweet kid and I do like being with her. She makes me feel things I’ve never before felt. Better to stop it now before we’re in too deep. With that decided, he said, “Bloody hell.” Then got up and took a shower.

  Chapter 10

  The Morning After

  When Stacey woke, she laid there for a while thinking about last night. She knew as much as she liked him she had to let him go. There was no way it would ever work between them. He’d made no commitment and neither had she. When she changed the sheets she found Shane’s shirt he’d put between her legs. She didn’t know what to do with it, so she put it in a zip lock bag and stuck it in her valise. Stacey left a note for Mrs. Nickels. (Sorry about the blood on the sheets. You know how it is with us girls.) She then showered, packed her bag, got dressed and took her bag downstairs.

  Later that morning, as Mrs. Nickels cleaned the room she found the note. She smiled as she read the note. She shook her head and said to herself; yes pet, I know how it is with us girls and the boys too, as she wadded the soiled sheets to go to the laundry and picked up the discarded cufflinks and hairpins from the floor.

  Stacey was dressed in jeans and a white summer top with white loop earrings. Her hair was down and her sun glasses on top of her head. She was ready to ride. The sensible part of her thought, alone would be best. She was a little anxious about seeing Shane again after last night, however it couldn’t be avoided. Stacey walked into the dining room with a smile on her face. Everyone was there and greeted her, “Good morning.”

  Shane was standing by the buffet pouring a cup of coffee. “Do you fancy a cup of coffee, Stacey?” he asked.

  Stacey thought, to herself, for sure he’s no novice at this, cool as a cucumber, he is. Maybe he needs a nudge. “Yes, please,” she said. As she walked around him to get the cup, she lightly touched his side, just above his belt. His hand shook and the coffee spilled into the saucer. He could hear bells in his head.

  “Stacey the phone is for you,” Andrea said.

  Surprised, Stacey said, “Who knows I’m here?” And went to answer the phone, she once again lightly touched his side and let her hand trail around his back as she walked to the phone.

  Shane could feel his body reacting to her touch, therefore he took is coffee and went to the far side of the table and sat down. Stacey was just across the room from him talking on the phone. He heard her say, “Let me speak to the owner then. Well, what does he speak? Then put him on,” Stacey said firmly.

  “Uh, oh, I’ve seen that stubborn stance before, someone’s about to get an ear full,” Shane said to Andrea who was sitting beside him. Stacey was standing with her thumb hooked in the hip-pocket of her jeans. When her voice changed, he said, “What did I tell you, somebody is about to receive some hot choice words.”

  “How do you know?” Andrea asked.

  “Because I received those choice words once,” he told her with a roguish grin.

  “Oh too sweet, tell me what happened.”

  “Ask Phillip later, he’ll tell you,” Shane assured her.

  When the non-English speaking owner came to the phone, Stacey said, “Hola senor...No senor...Usted le cobra a la compania rentadora, ellos pagan...Yo, no pago nada...Mire el

  Pa’rrafo cuatro...El contrato esta’ en el compartimento de los guantes.... Mire senor, yo soy Americana...Yo se lo que usted esta’ tratando de hacer... Usted est’a siendo deshonesto...

  Quiza’ yo deberia de llamo a la compania rentedora...Si, Peens que usted lo versa a mi Mantra...audio’s.”

  When Stacey got off the phone, she went to the buffet. “Losing my temper makes me hungry.” She buttered a scone and put blackberry jam on it. Aunt Letty poured her a cup of coffee and set it on the table across from Shane.

  “What were you speaking, Spanish or Italian?” Phillip asked.

  “Spanish,” Stacey said. “that jerk is trying to double bill. He wants me to pay the towing bill, then he’ll bill the rental company too.”

  Stacey was sitting across the table from Andrea and Shane. “Did you have a good time last night?” Andrea asked.

  Stacey quickly glanced at Shane, then smiled at Andrea. “Yes, it was wonderful,” Stacey said as she took a bite of her scone. “This is delicious, I love blackberry jam.”

  “Elizabeth put that batch up last summer,” Aunt Letty said. “We have wild blackberry vines that grow like weeds.”

  “It’s really good, Mrs. McLeod,” Stacey said. “I think it may even be a little bit better than Mr. Chen’s.”

  Shane grinned at her and asked, “Who’s Mr. Chen? I haven’t heard that name.”

  Before Stacey answered, she asked Shane, “Do you want half of this, I can’t eat it all?”

  “Sure,” he said.

  Stacey took half and put it on his saucer. Neither Stacey or Shane realized this jester was like they had been friends always. Stacey continued her story, “How do I tell you about Mr. Chen? His name is Chen Le. In China, the last name is first. He has always been Mr. Chen to me, he’s like a third parent. He came to live with us two years before I was born. My mom and dad took their honeymoon in Hong Kong. They were granted a visa to go to Beijing. My mom wanted to speak with a professor there about ancient remedies. While they were at the university, there was a student revolt. The army came and shot some students. Their driver tried to get them away safely, however, Dad saw one of the students close to the car so he told Mom to keep the driver busy talking with his back to the car.

  Dad hid the student in the back floor board. Mom sat back there with him and laid her coat over him. At the hotel they pulled the same scam again. My dad thought, it worked once

  why not twice. At the hotel, Mom and Mr. Chen went inside and she treated him like a porter.

  He spoke a little English, enough so he made them understand where to go to get a fake

  passport, but my mom was smarter yet. She went out and bought a red wig and glasses, then went to the address Mr. Chen had given her.

  She had her picture taken in the wig with glasses on and had our Aunt Lora’s name put on the passport with her own finger prints. Two hours later, she was back at the hotel with the wig, a pair of women’s shoes, glasses and the passport. Mom fixed him up with the wig, make up, a dress, shoes and an American passport. They flew to Hong Kong, my mom went to sch
ool

  with someone who now worked at the embassy. That person fixed a passport and everything he needed and they flew to LAX, then on home. In seven years he became a citizen.”

  “Is he now a servant?” Mrs. McLeod asked.

  “No ma’am,” Stacey said with a slight frown, “he’s part of the family and he helped raise me. When I was born my mom took two years off from nursing, but a year later she had to go back to work. The ranch wasn’t paying much then, so we needed her income. Dad had just opened his own practice and Mr. Chen took over care of me, plus he was the chuck wagon cook at spring and fall round up. Where he went, I went. We were a sight at the supermarket with me in the grocery cart jabbering Chinese. Mr. Chen said, “The hardest part was trying to keep me out of ear shot of cussing cowhands.”

  “Why do I have a feeling it didn’t work,” Shane remarked.

  “Because it didn’t,” Stacey said with a laugh. “and I play a mean game of poker too.” Everyone laughed:

  “Do you speak Chinese?” Phillip asked.

  “Yes, I do,” Stacey said. “Plus, I was kicked out of pre-school twice, for cussing and fighting. I was a little hellion back then. The summer I turned five, my gramps heard me cussing. He told Mr. Chen, he thought, it was about time I started helping him with his rounds. I’m sure Mr. Chen appreciate it. That fall I started kindergarten and my wild days came to an end.”

  “Right! I’m going to believe that,” Shane said. He had been listening to Stacey story in rapture.

  “Well, now I understand where you inherited your moxie. I would love to meet your parents and Mr. Chen. Your entire family sounds interesting,” Andrew said.

  Stacey looked at her watch and said as she stood up to go, “I hate to leave good company, but it’s that time and I need to get rolling.” She turned to Shane and asked, “Have you decided if you’re going or staying? You know you don’t have to come along. I’m a big girl now, I really can take care of myself.”

  Before Stacey came downstairs, she had peeked in Shane’s room. His suitcase was open with clothes on the bed and the floor. She had a feeling he’d changed his mind about accompanying her to Scotland. Stacey thought, that was probably for the best. Last night was wonderful and exciting, but she felt sure it was just another one night stand for him. To part here and go their separate ways was probably best for both of them. That way there would be no embarrassing explanations and goodbyes.