by Louisa Bacio
“Do you have another magic blanket that will unfold?” Shaw asked in a hushed tone.
“You don’t have to whisper. No one’s going to hear us out here, and yes, we’ll be covered.”
The cloud cover shifted, letting in the glory of the full moon illuminating their path.
“Wow, look at that,” Shaw exclaimed as if leading them to the Holy Land. He stopped to gaze into the sky, and hooked his thumb through Lucia’s belt loop and pulled her into him. All the hard planes of his body melded into hers, promising a pleasant surprise as they stood together, his arms tightly around her.
Lucia closed her eyes, not taking in any of the beauty that captured Shaw’s attention. Instead, she focused on the feeling of being in his embrace.
He nipped at the back of her ear, sending a shiver throughout her entire body. “So how many guys have you brought out to this barn?” he asked.
Her sex pulsed in response. “Not a one.” She swore the hardness pressing into her backside grew at her response. “Can’t say the same thing about Roxy, though. She’s got a thing for Mack’s nephew. I swear I didn’t think she’d make it out of high school without getting knocked up.”
“Is that so…” Shaw curled his tongue along the side of her neck and slipped his hand under the front of her shirt, caressing bare skin.
She could give as good as she got, and wiggled her ass against him, soliciting a groan. “Gonna make out right here, or would you like to take shelter inside?”
“Damn, woman. What you do to me.”
The rest of the way to the barn passed in no time at all. Once inside, she snickered to the horses, letting them know it was her, and led Shaw to an empty stall used for storage and turned on one light. A warm glow illuminated the area. Strange to be in a lit area with everything else around them dark. The allusion created an island with them in seclusion, away from the crowded chaos of the rest of the ranch.
A much-worn, plaid futon rested in one corner of the stall, beside a wooden desk. Shaw fisted his hands on his hips and surveyed the area.
“What’s this used for?” he asked.
“A different type of bookkeeping. Sometimes if an animal is going to give birth, someone will stay out here. It’s not much, but it adds a bit of comfort,” she explained, taking a seat on the humble sofa. “Plus, you know, it makes for a great place to make out.”
“I thought you said…” He plopped down next to her.
She held her hands out, laughing. “I swear, not me. But it’s what I heard.”
“How can someone as stunning as you not have anyone of interest?”
Heat flushed her chest and neck. The way he looked at her made her feel like nothing else mattered but her, even if it was for only this moment. “It’s not that I’ve never dated. When I was in college—”
“What did you study?”
“Animal husbandry. Can you believe it?”
“Now, how can I see that happening? But go ahead, what were you saying?”
Her early dreams didn’t differ too much from what she was doing. But she wanted official training in caring for animals. “I was in the veterinarian program, and even did an internship with a clinic,” she said. She explained how she’d fallen for one doctor at the practice, who was more than interested in mentoring her afterhours. Too bad he didn’t understand her responsibilities to her family and the land.
“My dad needed more help than anticipated. My sisters…” How to explain the challenges they brought? “Were a handful.”
Shaw slipped an arm around her and angled his body toward hers. She turned, dropping her legs over his lap so her bottom was on the futon but the rest of her body touched his.
“You gave up your dreams to come back?” he asked.
A tightness she held in her chest dissipated. “It’s not like that. My dream has always been here, with my roots. I merely had to adjust it a bit.”
Concern filtered over his features. This tough agent held many facets to his personality, at least from what she’d seen. Either that, or he had her fooled.
“Did you always want to do this?” she asked.
“What? About to ‘make out’ with a beautiful woman in a barn?”
A serious response never came. Instead, he brushed his lips against hers, sealing their future. Stolen moments made even more precious being together.
Shifting her weight, Lucia straddled Shaw. He stretched his long legs and cupped her ass, as she rode the ridge of his cock—fully dressed. She slipped her fingers through the soft strands of his hair. He probably thought it was too long, but she enjoyed having something to hold onto.
“You have any idea how hot you make me?” he asked. As evidence, he lifted his hips, letting her feel his arousal.
“Well, that’s a good hint. Now, if you only knew how wet I am.”
He groaned. “Don’t tease me.”
“Isn’t that what we’re doing here? Teasing each other? Driving each other mad?” Her heart became invested more in him as his lips turned into a smile. What was she doing falling for him? They came from two different worlds, and at the end of this assignment, he’d be leaving.
“Hey, Lucia, light of my life, where did you go?”
“What made you say that?” She sat straighter, searching his face.
A look of confusion passed over his? “Say what? Light of my life?”
At this moment, she couldn’t answer, and only nodded.
“It came naturally—Lucia, light…and how much you’ve brightened mine. Why? Did I say something wrong?”
“My mom used to say that.”
“I’m sorry if it brought too many memories.” Shaw caressed her lower back, under her shirt, drawing his thumbs around to her front. “Why don’t we stay in the now?”
Closing her eyes, Lucia let her worries brush away with each stroke of his fingers. He lifted her shirt off, over her head. Before he made a move, she reached behind her back and unsnapped her bra, freeing her breasts, and taking this encounter to the next step.
“So beautiful.” He leaned forward, bringing his lips against one nipple while cupping the other. Shaw flicked his tongue over its tip, this time making her moan. He moved to the other.
She creamed her jeans, so wet for him. He reached between them, unbuttoning her pants and slipping his fingers into the tight material. “Oh, honey. Let me make you feel good.”
“Yes.”
Without further encouragement, he removed her pants and underwear, laying her out on the couch and kneeling on the floor between her thighs. “Trust me,” he said, sliding her legs over his shoulders, dragging her body toward his mouth.
He didn’t mean to, did he? Oh, hell yes.
Shaw used that glorious mouth of his on her sex, sucking her clit, flicking his tongue into her channel. He set a rhythm and she chased the sensations. The tension in her body pulled tighter and tighter, everything stretched to its breaking point. He pumped two fingers into her slickness, all the while he continued to lick.
She closed her eyes, focusing on the sensation of loving. Her secret agent lover changed his tempo and hummed against her clit, sending her into an abyss of pleasure. Shivers rocked her body, and he didn’t let up until she held the back of his head. “Enough, please.”
Opening her eyes, she took in the rafters above her head, before meeting his gaze and cocky smile.
“Look at you, all naked and sated,” he rubbed his hand along her side, from hip up to her breast.
“And you with all your clothes on?” she said. “We need to remedy that.”
“You’ll have to owe me one,” he said. “I think we’ve been gone too long, and we better get back before someone comes looking for us.”
Bottom lip out, she pouted. “I guess you’re right. Plus, we really do need to check on some of the animals.”
“Let me help you get dressed.” From the side of the futon, he lifted her undies and gently slipped one foot into each hole and raised them.
Lucia’s legs
felt wobbly, so she was happy for him to do all the work. She was going to sleep well tonight.
As he brought the material to her bottom, she lifted, and he blew warm air over her sex, kissing her through the cotton. “I’ll see you later,” he said.
Within a few moments, she was completely dressed, although she still felt a bit tussled. She slipped her hands under his, hugging him and taking in the rugged sandalwood scent she’d grown to associate with him.
“I’m going to miss you when you leave,” she whispered.
“Not something we need to worry about now.”
Even with his assurances, she knew it would happen soon enough. Either the creature would appear and they’d close the case, or the team would grow tired of waiting for something to take place. Either way ended the same way: him gone, and her where she’d always be—alone on the family ranch.
* * *
By the time they neared the house, dark clouds blanketed the sky. Lucia hurried her step. In contrast to the time they’d just shared, the ever-changing weather foretold an ominous turn.
“Hey, what’s the rush all of a sudden?” Shaw stopped and pulled her back. “Talk to me.”
“I can feel the shift in the air. The storm’s going to turn.” The house called her. “We better get back.”
Shaw gave an exaggerated shiver. “You can feel it? The weather has been shitty the entire time we’ve been out here, but guess what? It’s not that bad. Just like this creature you warned us about hasn’t surfaced.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She didn’t get his sudden denial. He’s the one who had the entire team come out without her clearing it. Now he was upset that nothing had happened yet?
“Maybe you exaggerated things a little bit,” he continued. “Maybe a few goats died, from unnatural circumstances, but how often in day-to-day life does that happen? I mean, what are the odds?”
“The odds? Fuck the odds. I’m telling you that it’s going to turn, and we need to bunker down or evacuate. I go for the latter.”
Shaw ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand up. “I say we batten the hatches then, and stay put. If this creature supposedly came in the past in the midst of a storm, we don’t want to go anywhere. The best place to be will be right here if this weather event even happens.”
8
The weather alternated between fierce and mild. Nothing exciting—or supernatural—took place. Probably because those were the odds, right? A quiet truce developed between her and Shaw. The physical relationship mirrored the weather patterns—hot and cold, and the longer it passed before anything happened, the more she felt on edge.
The playroom had been turned into a makeshift command center—each guy had his own laptop, and Jackson had two—with one screen turned to those bizarre reality TV shows.
“You sure there isn’t a competitor or someone who might want you scared off this land?” Alec asked.
“I can’t imagine it. The ranch has been in the family for generations. Some research suggests ancestors coming here from Italy, via Mexico, in the sixteen hundreds. I’m not exactly sure how long we’ve owned this land, but it’s more than a hundred years.”
Shaw gave off a low whistle. “Can you imagine all that family baggage?”
“The family cemetery has stones just about as old,” Lucia said. While her mother had a grave out there, they never recovered a body to bury. No one pegged her as someone who’d run away, desert the family, without ever saying a word. The common belief was that she’d fallen into the Rio Grande during the storm and disappeared.
A feeling of unease settled in her bones, and she joined her sisters in the kitchen. As the wind howled outside, they hunkered down inside. With three extra people vying for space in the house, the quarters felt even more cramped.
The pantry held plenty of supplies. Lucia made sure she kept it stocked. From a nearby shelf, she grabbed an oversized can of frijoles. Beside her, Dom pounded out the flour for fresh tortillas. Her sisters were younger when their mother left, but she’d still passed down some of the traditions. When the weather turned bad, all of them craved comfort food.
“Shouldn’t Mack have been back by now?” Dom asked. “He knows we’re having dinner.”
Lucia checked the clock. She’d been thinking the same thing. Maybe he’d gotten distracted, or even laid down for a brief siesta. No way he’d go out on some rounds alone, right? The stubborn, old guy would do exactly that.
“Watch the food,” she instructed. Dread burrowed deeply. She didn’t want to address it, take it out and look at it, but something didn’t feel right.
“Where are you going?” Dom wiped a strand of hair off her forehead, leaving a trail of flour. No matter how much she grew up, she’d still be Lucia’s little sister.
“I need to check back in with the guys.” She didn’t want to share her fears.
“Right, more like check out Mr. Hot Pants,” Dom teased. “Didn’t you just walk back in here like five minutes ago?”
“What? Who?” Despite her protests, her face flushed, and she turned so Dom couldn’t see her blush.
“You know who I’m talking about. I see the way you and Shaw look at each other. You still haven’t told us what happened down by the river. If there was any more chemistry happening between the two of you, this place would combust.”
“Please. I’m not looking for a relationship. I’ve got too much on my plate.”
“Relationship? How about a roll in the hay? Maybe if you two scratch that itch, you’ll be able to focus on something else, like solving what’s going on.”
“Spoken like a true Millennial without a care in the world.”
“Don’t fool yourself. You’re in the same category,” Dom said. “You only think you have more responsibilities than me. You know, you still got to have fun.”
“Me? What about you? Don’t act like you don’t like him,” Lucia bumped her shoulder against her sister and indicated her head toward Jackson.
“Him? He’s infuriating. You have to be kidding!”
Despite how much Dominique protested, as the older sister, Lucia recognized all the signs.
Dom pounded the dough, flattening it for the tortillas. She concentrated a bit too much on the task at hand.
Lucia placed her hand on her sister’s arm and stopped the movement. Dom made eye contact, before glancing at Jackson in the other room.
“He is pretty, isn’t he?” she whispered, her voice filled with awe.
“Sure. Yes, he is. On the outside. But from what I know the only thing he’s married to is this job.”
Jackson watched something on the computer screens they’d set up. Although both Shaw and Jackson were handsome men, something about Jackson seemed closed off to Lucia. He lived in a no man’s zone. Or in their case, a no woman’s zone. It’s not that he was rude. Just not approachable. Of course, that’s the type of guy her sister tended to be attracted to. At least they had different taste and never had to worry about competing for a guy.
“That’s a start. I can compete with work.” Dom rinsed her hands before adjusting the flame on the pan. “How much longer did you say they were going to be here?”
“Hopefully, until they solve this mystery.” Lucia shook her head. “Don’t you have finals? Don’t let him distract you.”
In response, Dom rolled her eyes. “As if. You know I got this.”
Without everything else going on, it wasn’t the right time to push her sister. Still, with the words sitting on her tongue, she couldn’t hold them back. “You know you need to do well to keep the scholarship. We can’t afford tuition, otherwise.”
Dom slammed her hand against the counter, causing a cloud of flour. “How many times are you going to bring that up? What’s next? How do I expect to earn a living with a poetry degree?” Pink flushed the tops of Dom’s cheeks, and she waved her arms over her head.
“Hey, I didn’t say anything about…”
“Yes, you did. Over and over again. Al
l I can do is prove you wrong.”
“Ladies?” Jackson came into the kitchen, towering over them, arms crossed over his chest. “We’ve got a lot happening out there. Can you shelf this disagreement for another time?”
This time, heat dotted Lucia’s chest and she stole a look toward the command center, not seeing Shaw. Did he also think she was acting petty? It’s just that she’d already given up her dreams of finishing college. She wanted the best for her sisters. Dom was the closest to being done, and Lucia wanted to make sure she was able to support herself. There was no guarantee the farm would be profitable in the future.
“No problem,” she said, before walking to the playroom, a.k.a. the team’s on-location headquarters.
She made a quick assessment of each member. Feet kicked up, Alec monitored the cameras they’d put up around the perimeter of the farm. Shaw had moved to lay on the couch, eyes closed. Even asleep, he appeared to be deadly. His body was honed to absolute perfection, and she was used to seeing fit men after they worked on the ranch. She felt guilty interrupting them when he was taking a break. But time pressed against her heart.
“See anything unusual happening?” she asked.
Jackson returned to his chair and swiveled in her direction. “If we did, we’d be out there. What’s going on?”
“It’s Mack. He should have come in by now, but we haven’t heard from him.”
Shaw sat up, fully alert. “Do you know where he should be?” he asked.
“He’d want to check on the animals before settling in for the night. Feed the horses in the barn, check on the chickens,” she explained. She pointed to the monitor labeled Barn. “But I don’t see him anywhere.”
With a sigh, Shaw stretched out, raising his arms and showcasing those muscles. Lucia chastised her horny nature. She’d gotten a taste of him, and only desired more. Here, someone’s life may be in danger, and she was ogling the help. She needed to let off some energy, and in a bad way. Being in a house trapped with her family and strangers—no way that was going to happen anytime soon.
