“Something very wonderful?” she asked.
“If I said it to you, then it had to be something wonderful.”
“Thank you, J.T. Thank you for making this so good for me—so special.”
“Don’t thank me, Jo. I should be thanking you. Do you know how honored I feel knowing I’m your first lover?”
“But that’s why… Don’t you understand?” She cuddled into him as if she were trying to bore her way inside him, seeking shelter and safety in the harbor of his big, strong body. “Todd wanted to be the first. He wanted a virgin bride.”
“I told you, honey, the man was a bastard. And a stupid one, at that.” J.T. wrapped her tightly in his arms, cocooning her in his warmth and strength, protecting her in the safe haven of his embrace. “What Lenny Plott did to you had nothing to do with making love. In every way that matters, you were still a virgin until tonight.”
“Do you really believe that?” She could not stop the tears, could not keep herself from clinging to J.T., could not keep her heart from bursting with the joy of loving such a special man.
J.T. took her chin in his hand, lifted her face and kissed the tip of her nose. “The way I see it, you gave your virginity to me tonight. I’m your only lover. There’s never been another man. Only me.”
“Yes. Only you.” Only you, J.T. For now and always. My only lover. My only love.
JOANNA AWOKE SHORTLY after dawn in J.T.’s arms and found him watching her. They made love again, lingering over every touch, drawing out every sighed expression. He was as tender, as gentle and as passionate the second time as he’d been the first, and their fulfillment had been even more complete. Joanna had never dreamed loving someone could be so good. Now, she truly understood how Annabelle had felt about Benjamin.
When she roused from sleep the second time, she was alone in bed. She called out to J.T. He answered her from the kitchen, telling her to stay put. She waited patiently for his return. Within minutes he entered the bedroom. Joanna’s heart filled with warmth at the sight of him standing there wearing nothing but his briefs and carrying a tray of food. He set the tray at the foot of the bed, then eased himself down beside her.
“Breakfast is served.” He dragged the tray up the bed and lifted it on top of their laps. “I whip up a mean batch of scrambled eggs, if I do say so myself.”
Joanna inspected the tray, taking note of the white rose lying on her napkin. “You picked one of Elena’s prized roses! She’ll kill you.”
“How’s she going to know one’s missing?” J.T. shrugged, then picked up a glass of orange juice and handed it to Joanna.
She took a sip. Her eyes widened. “This is fresh-squeezed. I don’t believe it. You’re a man of many talents.”
“Oh, honey, you’ve just seen a few of my many talents.” He slipped his hand under her gown and up the inside of her leg.
“Behave yourself.” Joanna swatted at his hand. “We can’t play around all day. Mother will be up soon and if I don’t confront her up at the main house, she’ll be down here trying to move in with me.”
J.T. removed his hand from beneath her gown. “I’ve been trying to forget that your mother is still here.” Lifting his mug to his lips, he took a hearty swallow of sweet, black coffee. “Jo?”
“Uh-hmm?” She finished off her orange juice.
“Last night I told your mother to make reservations to fly home to Virginia today.”
“I’ll bet she loved being ordered to get out of Dodge,” Joanna said. “She’s probably ready for a showdown this morning.”
“I can deal with your mother by myself, if you’d rather not see her again.”
“Don’t do that.” Joanna placed her hand on J.T.’s shoulder. “Don’t start trying to fight all my battles, especially not the ones with my mother. I’m not the fragile, helpless creature she made me out to be, even if last night I—”
“You were no fragile, helpless creature last night,” he said. “You were a woman filled with powerful emotions who took charge of our lovemaking.” Covering her hand with his, he lifted it and brought it to his lips. “You are brave and strong and so very beautiful. You’re everything a woman should be. Don’t hold it against me because I’m an old-fashioned, macho kind of guy. I can’t help wanting to protect you. And not just from Lenny Plott, but from anything or anyone who could hurt you.”
She cupped the side of his face with her hand, leaned over and kissed him. “I won’t hold it against you, if you’re willing to accept the fact that I need to be the one to make my decisions, to be in control of my life, as much as possible.”
“I understand.” He returned her kiss. The tray on their laps slid off the side of the bed, hitting the floor with a resounding crash.
They looked down at their scrambled eggs and toast scattered across the handwoven rug and wooden floor, then they both laughed. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down in the bed, devouring her with kisses. She rubbed her body against his, moaning as ripples of pleasure radiated through her.
The loud pounding on the front door ended their passion before it went any further. They sat up straight in the bed.
“Who the hell?” J.T. grumbled as he got out of bed, picked up his jeans and struggled to get into them as he crossed the room. “If that’s your mother, I’ll strangle her.”
Joanna glanced at the bedside clock. “It can’t be Mother. It’s only seven o’clock. She’s never up and dressed this early unless there’s an emergency.”
By the time he’d made his way to the front door, J.T. had managed to zip and button his jeans, but his chest and feet were still bare.
“Whoever it is, go away,” J.T. said through the closed door. “Everything is fine here.”
“J.T.?” a man’s voice said, the tone husky, the accent Southern. “Come on. Open up. We need to talk.”
J.T. unlocked the door, swung it open and stared into the face of his old FBI friend, Dane Carmichael. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I’ve got news on Plott,” Dane said. “Bad news.”
“Come on in.” J.T. held open the door.
Dane walked in, glanced around the living room and then down the hall. “Where’s Ms. Beaumont?”
“She isn’t up yet,” J.T. said. “What’s this about Plott? And why didn’t you just call me?” J.T.’s gut instincts told him that Dane Carmichael wouldn’t be here unless the Bureau had sent him.
“We’re going to be sending a man out here to New Mexico and another one to Texas.”
“Why?” J.T. asked. “And why just New Mexico and Texas? One of Plott’s victims lives in Missouri.”
“We’ve already got people in Missouri,” Dane said. “Claire Andrews has disappeared.”
“What?” Joanna stood in the hallway, one hand clutching the lapels of her robe where they crossed over her chest, her other hand knotted into a tight fist at her side.
“Jo, honey.” J.T. rushed over to her, put his arm around her and guided her into the living room.
“What happened to Claire?” Joanna asked. “Has Lenny Plott kidnapped her?”
J.T. held Joanna close to his side, supporting her trembling body with his strength.
“Ms. Beaumont, I’m Agent Carmichael, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. And I’m afraid we don’t know for sure what happened to Ms. Andrews,” Dane said. “Her boyfriend called us when she didn’t come home from work yesterday. Claire worked at a local grocery store. Everyone in town knows her, and yet no one has any idea how she simply disappeared when so many people were supposedly looking out for her.”
“He found her and kidnapped her and—” Joanna’s breathing became fast and frantic “—raped her and killed her. That’s what he said he’d do to her…to all of us.”
J.T. pulled Joanna into his arms. She buried her face in his chest. He ran one hand up and down her back, soothing her, while he held her hip with the other.
“We’re going to put a man in the vicinity. I’m here now doing prel
iminary planning,” Dane said. “I know you don’t need help guarding Ms. Beaumont. Our man will be here to do a job—to apprehend Plott—while your job is defending Ms. Beaumont. If we’re lucky, we’ll catch Plott before he gets anywhere near the ranch.”
“Send one of your best men,” J.T. said. “I’ll consider it a personal favor.”
“I’m sending Landers, Hal Landers. You don’t know him. He’s a fairly new agent, but he’s fast become one of our best.”
With her arms still wrapped around J.T., Joanna turned her face and looked at Dane Carmichael. “How will your agent recognize Lenny Plott if he’s changed his appearance? He could come into town, even come out here to the ranch, and no one would know who he was.”
“Landers will be working with the local authorities to keep an eye on any strangers coming into Trinidad,” Dane told her. “He’ll get settled in town, then he’ll stop by the ranch and introduce himself. If you need him before he makes contact, just give me a call.”
“Agent Carmichael?” Joanna called out to him.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Please let me know as soon as you find Claire. No matter what.”
“Yes, ma’am, I’ll give J.T. a call.”
“Thank you,” she said. “J.T., why don’t you see Agent Carmichael to the door?”
“I’ll see myself out,” Dane said.
The minute they were alone, J.T. lifted Joanna into his arms, sat down in the plaid chair by the fireplace and held her in his lap. Cuddling in his arms, she rested her head on his shoulder.
“Claire’s dead,” Joanna said. “I know she’s dead.”
“Maybe not, honey.”
“He’s going to come after Libby and me. But which one of us is going to be next?”
“If he comes after you—”
“When he comes after me,” Joanna corrected J.T.
“When he comes after you, he’ll have to face me.” J.T. took her chin in his hand and looked directly at her. “I told you before, nobody’s going to get to you without going through me first, and so far, nobody’s ever gone through me.”
She tried to smile, but could manage only a faint curve of her lips. She closed her eyes and sighed. He kissed her closed eyelids, then drew her into his arms, holding her, soothing her, reassuring her.
Why had life played such a cruel joke on her, bringing J.T. into her life at the same time Lenny Plott escaped from prison? She’d spent the past four years in New Mexico, dreaming of and searching for a love of her own to equal the one her great-grandmother had found. Now, when there was a chance of that dream coming true, her life was in danger. And the one person who stood between her and certain death was the man she loved.
CHAPTER TEN
“PLEASE TRY NOT to worry about me too much.” Joanna kissed her mother on the cheek. “J.T. will do everything possible to keep me safe. And now that there’ll be FBI agents in Trinidad keeping a lookout for Lenny Plott, it should be only a matter of time before they arrest him.”
Helene hugged Joanna, then released her. Holding Joanna’s hands in hers, she smiled. “I can’t stay. As much as I would like to be here with you, I have too many obligations back in Richmond. And since you refuse to come home with me, then—”
Joanna squeezed her mother’s hands. “There’s absolutely nothing you could do if you stayed here. As a matter of fact, we’re probably better off with a couple of thousand miles between us. If we were together, we’d only end up arguing. You were too accustomed to running my life when I lived in Richmond, and since moving to Trinidad, I’ve become used to making all my own decisions.”
“I still think you’re making a mistake getting involved with J. T. Blackwood,” Helene whispered, then glanced over her shoulder at J.T., who stood on the ranch-house porch, watching and waiting for her departure.
“If having an affair with J.T. is a mistake, then it’s my mistake, Mother.”
“I don’t want to see you hurt again. I simply couldn’t bear—”
“You’d better get going.” Joanna tugged on her mother’s arm. “Alex and Elena are waiting in the Jeep.”
“They’re very nice people,” Helene said. “I’m glad you have them as friends. But friends can never take the place of family. Remember that.”
“If y’all don’t get started right now, Mother, you’ll miss your plane,” Joanna said.
“I wish you could at least ride into Santa Fe with us.”
Joanna opened the Jeep door and assisted her mother inside, then leaned over and kissed her again. “I’ll call you often to let you know I’m all right.” Joanna closed the door.
Helene waved goodbye as Alex drove away; Joanna watched the departing vehicle until all she saw was a trail of dust.
J.T. put his arm around Joanna’s shoulders. “It would be nice if we all had perfect parents.”
“I wonder if anyone does?”
“Probably not,” J.T. said. “After all, parents are only human beings, with faults and weaknesses. I used to blame my parents for all my problems, for all my unhappiness. But that was when I was a boy. When I grew up, I realized that they were just a couple of kids who fell in love and were too young to overcome all the obstacles in their path. Mainly old John Thomas.”
“I’m not sure my parents were ever in love. I think their marriage was more or less a merger of two old Virginia families.”
“Marriages have been based on far less.”
“Why have you never married, J.T.?” She slipped her arm around his waist.
“I decided a long time ago that I wasn’t the marrying kind, honey. I’m a hardheaded, cynical son of a bitch, who doesn’t like to compromise. I’d make a lousy husband.”
“Have you ever been in love?”
“Nope.”
“I thought I was in love with Todd, but I came to realize that what Todd and I had was a lot like what Mother and Daddy had. We were compatible, came from the same social circle and probably would have had a fairly contented life together. At least for a while. Until the day came when I discovered that I needed more in a relationship.”
“I suppose that’s what happened to Annabelle,” J.T. said. “After sixteen years of marriage, she decided she wanted some passion in her life.”
“You’ve changed your mind about Annabelle and Benjamin, haven’t you?” Joanna nudged J.T. in the ribs. “Come on. Admit it. You know there was more to their relationship than a summer affair.”
“I concede that there might have been more going on.” He gave Joanna’s arm a gentle yank, guiding her into motion. “Come on. You need to go change into something comfortable for riding.”
“We’re going riding?” she asked. “Now?”
“It’s a beautiful day. Not hellfire hot. Alex and Elena graciously volunteered to take care of your mother for us, so that gives us the day to ourselves.”
“What if Agent Landers tries to contact you?” Joanna asked.
“I’ll take my cellular phone. I’m sure Dane gave Landers all the numbers where I can be reached. Now quit making excuses and go get changed.” J.T. shoved her across the yard. She glared at him, then laughed.
“Where are we going?”
“I thought we’d ride back out to the old archaeological dig, and after that, I have a surprise for you.”
What J.T. wanted more than anything was to get her mind off the fact that Claire Andrews had been kidnapped and no one had any idea where she was. Sure, the odds were that Plott had her, and she was probably dead. But they’d face that reality if and when they found Claire’s body. He was sorry for Melody Horton and Claire Andrews. He hoped the Feds caught up with Plott before he got to Libby Felton, if Libby was next on his list. But his main concern was Joanna—keeping her safe and sane, until Plott was back behind bars.
“Why don’t you go get our horses ready while I change,” Joanna said. “I won’t be long.”
“We’ve got all day. No need to rush.” J.T. followed her up the steps to the bunkhouse porch.
> She stopped dead still, turned slowly and looked at him. “You are going to stick to me like glue, aren’t you?”
“I’m not going to take any chances where your safety is concerned. Consider us temporarily joined at the hip.”
She nodded, turned and went inside, with J.T. directly behind her. He waited patiently for her to change into boots, jeans and a cotton shirt. When she came out of the bedroom carrying her hat, J.T. took it from her and set it on her head.
“You look like a real cowgirl now, honey.” He kissed her, quick and hard, yet nondemandingly.
She loved the way he smiled when he looked at her, as if he found the sight of her delightful. She and J.T. were lovers now and that should mean they were relaxed around each other. But Joanna found herself trying to second-guess his thoughts and actions. What exactly had their making love meant to him? Was she more important to him than the other women he’d had sex with over the years? Or was she nothing more than his latest affair?
She watched him while he prepared Washington and a spirited mare named Playtime. He checked his rifle before attaching the scabbard to the saddle. He packed his Glock in the saddlebags, along with a couple of flashlights, a flask of water and his cellular phone. Then he tied down a folded blanket.
“Flashlights and a blanket,” Joanna said. “I’m getting curious about this surprise of yours.”
“Don’t start asking questions. Just wait and see.”
They rode off Blackwood property and onto Hezekiah Mahoney’s. Within an hour they had reached the eastern section of Mahoney’s ranch, where the old dig was located near the foothills of the mountain. Although Joanna had painted the vibrant colors of this land time and time again, the breathtaking beauty of the red sandstone canyons, the mushroom-shaped cliffs and the golden cottonwood trees that grew along the arroyos would always make her want to put brush to canvas.
Giving their horses a rest, they walked, hand in hand, over the old archaeological site. The earth had long since given up most of her buried treasures here, leaving only a random find for the occasional student whom eighty-four-year-old Hezekiah allowed on his property.
Til Death Do Us Part Page 15
