Their mouths still joined, she struggled with the maddening buttons and wet cloth of his shirt. He grasped either side of her dress and pulled the snaps open down the front, his hands sliding over her body in hot, welcomed strokes.
At last his shirt opened, and she spread her palms across his chest, the wet, curling hair clinging to her fingers. He’d opened her bra, freeing her breasts so they pressed against his bare skin as he drew her firmly against him, one hand spread on her back, the other across her buttocks. He stroked his tongue deep into her mouth, and she knew that rhythm immediately. Pulsed to it, strained to it. Until she thought she would explode with it.
He kissed down her throat, then lower. His tongue flicked over her hardened nipple, then his mouth covered it, as she felt his fingers tug at the waistband of her panties.
Longing and pleasure braided together so tightly that she moaned with it. As her hands stroked over his bent back, he gave a sound from deep in his throat that celebrated their heat.
And then another sound. A creaking – familiar, and yet for an instant it didn’t register in Kendra’s desire-fogged mind.
“Hey! Anybody home?” Ellyn’s voice.
Oh, God – the door! That was the sound.
“Good heavens, we had a real gully-washer for a while. I’m afraid it’s already let up, though, and they’re saying it won’t be enough to break the –” A gasp, partially smothered interrupted that flow. “Oh! I – Oh, I’m sorry.”
Daniel shifted so his shoulder rested against the wall, his back to the door, shielding Kendra from sight.
“It’s all right, Ellyn,” Kendra got out. “We’re just... It’s all right.” Her fingers couldn’t manage the complex motion of hooking her bra in back with her dress still partially on. She gave that up and frantically pulled the sides of the dress together to start snapping it closed, and discovered the telltale wet blotches.
“I’ll go,” Ellyn volunteered, a laugh lurking.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll... I’ll be right back.” And with that, she turned and fled, leaving Daniel to deal with Ellyn as best he could.
Daniel watched her go. It would take several days of fence-fixing to put a dent in this ache.
“Sorry, Ellyn,” he said, still with his back to her.
“I’m the one who’s sorry. I rushed in to get out of the rain, and now it’s already stopped. Guess the drought will continue.”
“Yeah.” He didn’t bother to button his wet shirt, but he adjusted his jeans before turning around. “No end for this drought.”
He didn’t see the other meaning for his words until he caught the glint in her eyes as she followed him out the back door.
“I might as well go, too. Somehow I don’t think Kendra’s going to be in the mood to talk about my great idea for the supplement’s layout. But remember, Daniel –” She patted his arm. “The end of any drought starts with a drop.”
* * *
She would have made love with him. Right there in her kitchen. She couldn’t deny to herself, didn’t even try, that in another few minutes, she would have joined with him with the same rush of rightness she’d experienced with Paulo on Santa Estella.
Only he wasn’t Paulo.
There’d been no confusion in her mind. Or her heart. The man she would have made love with was Daniel Delligatti.
Daniel Benton Delligatti.
And who the hell is he?
He’d promised after he arrived at her door using a name she’d never heard that he would answer her questions, give her a chance to know him. She’d recognized what that cost him, a man accustomed to masking his emotions and burying himself. And she hadn’t made it easy on him. Still, he’d kept his word.
Maybe more so than he’d intended. His emotions over Matthew’s birth certificate and when he’d returned from his debriefing had been raw, uncensored, stripped of the self-protectiveness provided by the self-mocking delivery he’d used to reveal other hurtful elements of his past.
Was that when she’d started to fall in love with Daniel?
She covered her mouth, as if that could stop the words her mind had spoken.
Started? Oh, God. It had to be only started.
Because there remained that part of Daniel she couldn’t reconcile with. The element in him that had given rise to Taumaturgio. The masked crusader. The risk-defying miracle worker. The man who would fly into the night to save the world, and never return to her or to their son.
Taumaturgio was as much a part of Daniel Delligatti as the street-hardened child or the confused adolescent or the rumpled Tompkins or the gentle Paulo. And Taumaturgio was the part of him that could break her heart, and Matthew’s.
* * *
Daniel hadn’t lost his skills. He knew someone had tracked him through the aisles of the Far Hills Market.
He stepped into the express lane with his coffee, crackers, apples and peanut butter, then turned to face his pursuer.
Marti Susland.
“Daniel. I’d like to talk to you.”
“Okay,” he agreed slowly. “Here?”
“No. I’ll get us soft drinks from the machine –” She tipped her head toward the exit. “– and meet you across the street on the bench by the post office.”
She popped the top of her soda can as he arrived.
“Remember what I told you about the founding of Far Hills?” she asked as he took the can she held out. “About the legend?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“But I didn’t tell you what happened after Leaping Star died up on that overlook.” She gazed off to some distant point. “I’d always heard about the Suslands having a lot of tragedies, but I didn’t know the details, not until I started doing research for the local history section we’re working on. I didn’t know a lot of things...
“Charles Susland and Annalee had five babies – one died at birth, another died of diphtheria. A daughter died in childbirth. A son died in an insane asylum. My grandfather was shot to death during a bank robbery in the thirties.
“The next generation didn’t fare any better – World War II, polio and an uncle killed himself after he’d murdered his cousin. I was eight then – it’s the first time I heard of the Susland Curse.”
She left another silence. When she finally turned, her face had an intensity that was far from dreamy.
“You see, Daniel? Our family’s had generations of sorrow and tragedies. Kendra’s mother lost her husband with Kendra still a baby, and was never the same. And my other sister died leaving an eleven-year-old son. And now Kendra...”
Uneasiness prickled at the back of Daniel’s neck. “What about Kendra?”
“She’s been alone a long time. Alone, like Leaping Star said. And now she’s raising a son alone.”
“Not anymore. I’m going to be here to help raise Matthew. And –” He bit off the last words.
But Marti filled in. “And Kendra. You’ll be with Kendra. If she’ll let her defenses down enough to let you.”
“That’s between Kendra and me.”
Her intensity eased into a glint of humor. “Of course, but an aunt can hope for her niece’s happiness.” It couldn’t have been any clearer if she’d shouted, “I’m going to meddle.”
“You weren’t so impressed with me at the start,” he said bluntly. “Why the sudden change?”
“I wouldn’t say it’s sudden. I was leery when you showed up – with good cause. All I knew was you’d gotten Kendra pregnant and disappeared. But I’m not one who sticks to an opinion when I see reason to change it. You might be what Kendra and Far Hills need.”
He raised his brows. “I suspect Kendra would tell you that the last thing she needs is an out-of-work pilot.”
She cut him a sharp look. “Out of work, huh? You intend to tell Kendra that?”
Hell, he hadn’t intended to tell her. “Eventually. I’d like to say I had leads on jobs at the same time.”
“What kind of job are you after?”
He curb
ed his amusement enough to give her a straight answer: “Flying. Need a crop duster?”
“No.” She didn’t pull her punches. “You don’t want to do that, anyhow. Too tame.”
He narrowed his eyes at her, searching for the meaning behind that comment. Had Kendra been talking to her? Marti’s expression gave no clues.
“What other kind of jobs have you held?”
“Only way I’ve ever earned a paycheck is by flying.”
“But you have a number of other abilities, don’t you.” He didn’t answer, but she didn’t seem to require any confirmation. She tapped a blunt fingernail against the soda can. “You know, Kendra wrote an article a while back about a grant for a new position – regional instructor and coordinator for search and rescue volunteers. A pilot,” she added as if putting whipped cream on a sundae, “would be a bonus they’d have a hard time passing up.”
“Search and rescue.” He turned that over. “Around here?”
“Of course around here. You think I’m trying to get you a job in the Yukon? So, what do you think?”
He looked from her to the mountains beyond the town’s buildings. “Yeah, I might like that. And they might like my credentials. Now I’ve got a question – why would you do anything for me?”
She’d wasted no time pulling paper and a pencil from her purse, and began writing. “I told you – I think you might be good for Kendra.”
“You said Kendra and Far Hills before. Why would having me around be any good for your ranch?”
“I wondered if you’d picked up on that.” She seemed pleased he had. “I think you can be the solution to the Susland curse.”
“What do I have to do with some old curse?
“You haven’t turned your back on your son.”
“Why the hell would I?”
“Why would any man? But some men do. Charles Susland did. That’s why Leaping Star said his blood would be alone. Like Kendra. ‘Only when someone loves enough to undo your wrongs will the laughter of children live beyond its echo in Far Hills.’ ”
Marti’s voice had an eerie sound to it when she said those words, as if it weren’t only her voice speaking.
She blinked rapidly before turning to him again. “You not only haven’t turned your back on your son, you’re staying around for him. And you certainly didn’t turn your back on those children on Santa Estella. Besides, I figure maybe you and Kendra are meant for each other.”
A jolt hit his gut. “She’d tell you different.”
“Oh, she has. You ever wonder why she’s so busy telling me, you, Ellyn, herself and probably anybody else she comes up against that you and she are wrong for each other?”
“Maybe because of what you said before, about her being the fifth generation here. Her roots are sunk deep. I have no roots.”
“Of course you do. Everyone does.”
“I gave up whatever roots I had – gladly gave them up – when the Delligattis adopted me.”
“So, then you took their roots.”
“No.” He said no more. What he gave away to Marti’s scouring examination of his face, he couldn’t imagine.
“So you’re like one of those grafted plants. They do it with all sorts of plants – roses and fruit trees and grapevines and such. Put a new plant on top of old roots.”
He ordered his mouth to smile. “That sounds about right. What is the saying – neither fish nor fowl?”
“That’s what they say, but there’s one thing... When those grafts work, they bring the good of the new and the good of the old. Those grafted plants produce the best fruit.”
She tore off the top sheet of paper and handed it to him. “Sheriff Johnson will expect your call in the morning. And don’t be thinking I didn’t notice how you didn’t let me tell you why I think Kendra’s trying so hard to convince everyone you’re wrong for her.” Shaking her head, she stood. “Good heavens, for two brave people, you’re acting like a couple of chicken-hearted rabbits.”
Daniel remained on the bench, the paper in his hand. He gave some thought to how he might approach this job possibility.
But mostly he thought about Marti’s final words. Never before had he been called a coward, much less a chicken-hearted rabbit.
What bothered him was he suspected she had a point.
* * *
Daniel’s hand shook.
Making a telephone call and his hand shook.
He’d felt nothing like this yesterday when he’d called Sheriff Johnson. And when he’d gone in to see the sheriff yesterday afternoon to talk over the operation, he’d been totally at ease. Partly because he’d immediately liked the no-nonsense sheriff. Mostly because the stakes weren’t as high as they were in today’s phone call.
But he didn’t let himself hesitate as he punched in the long distance number. He’d promised himself a few weeks back – under the sting of an observation by Kendra – that when he settled his life a little he’d make this call. Thanks to Marti’s lead on this job, he’d crossed one big hurdle to settling his life. It was time to make good on that promise.
The phone rang twice before a familiar female voice answered, “Hello?”
“Hello. It’s –”
“Daniel! How good to hear your voice. Wait a moment and let me get your father. Robert! It’s Daniel. Here, I’m putting you on the speaker phone.” Faint background noise came over the line. “This phone you got us for Christmas has so many gadgets, dear, I fear we’ll never use them all. But we have enjoyed the speaker phone when you and Robert call.”
“Daniel,” said Robert Delligatti Senior. “Where are you, boy? If you can tell us, that is.”
“I can tell you – Far Hills, Wyoming.”
“Wyoming? How did you come to be there?”
“More important, Daniel, tell us how you are,” inserted Annette Delligatti.
“I’m fine. And I’ll tell you what brought me to Wyoming and what’s going to be keeping me here, but I’ve, uh, I’ve got things to tell you both. Some news. But first, there’s something... Something I should have said a long time ago. I...” He rubbed his throat. “I love you. I love you both.”
For an instant there was silence. No words, no sound of movement from the other end of the line. Then came a faint, wavery, “Oh.” And he couldn’t be sure who’d said it.
“I mean, I’ve always been grateful, and I’ve respected you –”
“Oh, Daniel, we love you, too.” That was definitely Annette. “We never wanted to push you, to make you feel obligated...”
The words faded into a sob. Daniel sat down abruptly. He couldn’t ever remember seeing her more than faintly teary-eyed.
“You’ve made your mother and me very happy, Daniel. You’ll never know.” Robert’s hoarse words were followed by the sound of a decisive nose-blowing.
He might never know what it was like to take in a street urchin, feed him, clothe him, educate him, discipline him, worry about him and – yes, he saw it now – love him for twenty-five years without ever having love expressed, but at least now he could imagine some of the complexity of their feelings. Now that he had a son who didn’t know he was his son.
“I hope my news will make you happy, too.” He was glad he had no witnesses to this call, because he feared he was grinning idiotically. “You might want to sit down – you’re grandparents.”
Chapter Twelve
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, Kendra. About things you’ve said. About the Delli – about my family. About the future.”
Her heart hammered. He was leaving. All along she’d known he would. The pain still caught her unprepared.
When he’d called at the paper this morning gruffly asking to come over when she had time to talk, she’d figured her reprieve had ended. She’d had no need to explain away what happened that day it rained, because he’d made no effort to see her. He’d been at the co-op – Matthew talked about him non-stop. But she didn’t see him, didn’t hear from him, didn’t even hear of him from Marti, El
lyn or Fran. She missed him with a continuous ache.
That ache deepened and widened when she opened the back door to him at two, as arranged. Matthew was already invited to spend the afternoon at Marti’s. Kendra had planned to catch up on work for the paper. When Daniel called, she’d given up that hope.
He wasted no time, starting while they were still in the hall.
“I’ve made changes I –”
“Don’t you want to sit down, have some coffee or –”
“No. There’s a lot to tell you.”
Not yet. Don’t do this yet. Don’t leave me yet.
That was the instant she knew she couldn’t let him leave without loving him once more. She needed to hold him against her, inside her again. She needed that or she’d never be able to let him go forever.
“I talked to my parents, Kendra. I told them about Matthew, and you. I... I’m working at letting them in. They... They were touched.”
Tears welled up before she had any chance of stopping them.
“Oh, Daniel, I’m so glad.” She put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek, below the scar.
His arms came around her and held her in place when she would have backed away.
“Why the tears? You’re supposed to be happy.”
“I am happy.” She smiled up at him.
The answering smile in his eyes heated immediately, taking on an intent that stirred her blood. When his mouth came down on hers, she parted her lips, and took him inside.
The thick softness of his hair covered her fingers as she felt the shape of his skull under her palm. His arms wrapped around her, locking their bodies together, while their mouths feasted and explored.
At last, he lifted his head, touched her lips again, as if to be certain they were real, then said, “I have more to tell you, Kendra. About my job –”
“You could tell me later.”
His narrowed eyes asked one question. She trailed her lips along his jaw, answering his need and her own.
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