“Jesus, were you hurt?”
“No, no, nothing like that. I was in school with the rest of the American kids. We were within the walls of the compound though, away from the gunfire and explosions, but we didn’t know what was happening. That was the worst part.”
“What about your parents?” he asked, dreading her answer. They were alive, he reminded himself. Living in Europe, he was pretty sure she’d said.
“They’d been evacuated immediately. My father was high on the food chain, a valuable asset, so they were protected,” she said with a touch of cynicism. “So was I. A guard pulled me away from my classmates and the next thing I knew I was sitting in a military plane headed for the States.”
“By yourself?”
“Four other kids had been packed up, too. All of us close to the same age, none of us knew what was going on. After we landed in D.C. I was transferred to a commercial flight to Georgia, where my uncle and aunt took me to live on their peanut farm, south of Atlanta.” She stared at a spot on his shirt. “I’d only met them and my cousin once before. They were practically strangers to me. I ended up living with them for three years, and now my cousin Kaylee and I are really great friends.”
“Did you see your parents before you left Bosnia?”
“I saw my mother briefly, not my father, though. They came to visit me six months later.”
“Three years was a long time to be separated from them.” He didn’t like that she seemed to have trouble looking him in the eye, almost as if she was embarrassed. It didn’t make sense. “At least you were with family.”
“I guess.” She sighed. “My parents could’ve sent for me when they were transferred to Greece a year later, but I think they got used to being childless.” Her gaze darted to his face and she flushed. “That makes them sound like horrible people, but they aren’t.”
“The thought never crossed my mind,” he assured her, not that he understood how they could’ve abandoned their daughter. Even he could see years later how much she’d been affected by the ordeal.
She moved back until she was out of reach. “Duty to country is way up there on the old priority list. Gotta respect their dedication,” she said, and, hugging herself, frowned toward the window. “Still no rain, huh?”
Watching her, he felt helpless and uneasy, because he knew she wasn’t okay in spite of the brave front. She was lonely. He’d seen it in her eyes and heard the proof in her voice a couple days ago. He simply hadn’t been able to identify what was going on at the time.
“Don’t they have counselors for kids who’ve experienced traumas?” he asked, and she turned to glare at him. Hell, he should’ve kept his mouth shut. “I don’t know anything about that sort of thing…I was just saying—”
“I have nothing against therapy—for those who need it. It wasn’t as if I suffered from post-traumatic stress.” She squared her shoulders. “If I’d needed counseling, my parents would’ve seen to it. They aren’t monsters.”
“Jamie, come on.”
“Oh, God, I’m sorry. I know you didn’t mean anything.”
Frustrated, he picked up the thermos, left the chair as it was, and grabbed the rifle. “We’re going in the house.”
The barn lit up as if someone had flipped on a switch. He shot a look through the window and saw a second bolt of jagged lightning streak through the black storm clouds. Damn, it was close. Too close. His gaze swung back to Jamie. With fists clenched and lips pressed tightly together, as though mentally bracing herself, she stared back at him.
She still flinched when the sky bellowed. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but going inside won’t change anything.”
“Humor me.”
Shouting from outside made him freeze, his gut twist. The yells were coming from the bunkhouse. He dropped the thermos, but held on to the rifle and ran outside.
Josh and Kyle dashed toward him.
“Fire!” Josh called. “On the west side.”
“Lightning,” Kyle added as both men rushed past Cole to get to the water wagon.
In various stages of undress, the men poured out of the bunkhouse and ran for their gear.
“Cole, what can I do?”
He turned to Jamie and saw the fire’s glow over the roof of the stables. A tree near the ridge had gone up in flames, fortunately far enough from the outer buildings that they could stop it before the blaze did any real damage. “Nothing. Get in the house. The men all know what to do.”
“I can help.”
“You’ll only be in the way. I’m serious, Jamie, get inside,” he called over his shoulder as he headed for a four-wheeler. “Call Trace out here. Tell Rachel what’s going on and that everything is under control.”
Dammit, he hoped Jamie did what she was told. He didn’t need to worry about her on top of getting that fire put out. The heavy humid air already smelled of smoke—overhead the black rain-swollen clouds stubbornly hoarded moisture like a bloated, dammed river. They needed a good downpour about now.
Cole jumped onto the four-wheeler and, in spite of himself, glanced toward the front door of the house. Good. Jamie had disappeared. He hoped she’d found Trace and Rachel. Neither one would let her outside to get into trouble. Rachel for sure would encourage her to stay put. Better for everyone. Especially for Jamie.
And him.
He reached for the key that was no longer in the ignition and cursed a blue streak. After the theft, they’d decided not to leave keys in any of the vehicles. It took him a moment to remember that the key had been moved to just under the left back wheel well. He found it, and was about to start her up when he saw Jesse’s Jeep rambling down the driveway. Good timing.
Five guys manning the water wagon took off for the ridge, and Cole waited for Jesse. By the time Jesse pulled up alongside Cole on the ATV, Trace ran outside. Foregoing the porch steps, he jumped to the ground.
The screen door that had just slammed behind him flew open.
“Son of a bitch,” Cole muttered, when Jamie and Rachel came running out.
* * *
AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER when the rain finally cut loose, water came down in buckets. Cheers erupted from the weary men on the front line. Everyone else echoed sighs of relief.
Dutchy clapped Lucas on the shoulder, apparently forgetting for the moment that he’d earlier accused the wrangler of cheating at Texas Hold ’em.
Jesse briskly herded the men back to the business of squelching the fire for good. The rain helped ensure they wouldn’t be breaking their backs for another two hours, but everyone knew an overlooked smoldering ember could reignite the whole ridge as soon as it was dry again.
The fire had covered a far wider area than Cole had anticipated. Four trees had gone up in flames, a quarter acre of shrubs were nothing but skeletons and ash and the ground was mostly black but for the occasional orange glow. Still, they’d gotten off easy. If things had gone sideways and the fire had cut a path toward the ranch…
Hell, Cole couldn’t even think about that.
Instead, he eyed Jamie. She stood off to the side by herself, her face turned up to the rain, her eyelids shut tight, exhaustion bracketing her mouth. On the one hand he wanted to kill her for disobeying orders, and on the other, he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and cart her back to the house while kissing every inch of her brave little ass.
Damn, he couldn’t believe how she’d stepped in and carried heavy buckets of water, for the most part keeping up with the men. As much as she’d pissed him off, he respected and admired her for her gumption. The lightning and thunder hadn’t quit until half an hour ago, and she’d been shaking like a leaf at times, but she’d never missed a step. She’d faced her fear and spat in its eye.
“Don’t you dare utter a cross word to her.” Rachel had come to stand beside him, and she too squinted through the rain to watch Jamie.
“You’re the one I’m pissed at,” Cole said, flexing his taut shoulder muscles. “Why the hell didn’t you both stay i
n the damn house? You know better.”
“Like we weren’t a big help.” Grimacing, Rachel pushed her wet hair back and twisted it into a soppy ponytail. “I like her. A lot.”
He hesitated. “Me, too.”
A slow grin stretched across his sister’s face and she leaned against him. “Good for you for admitting it. Mom likes her, too. She invited her for the holidays, if you can believe that.”
“Think she’ll come?”
“I don’t know. Maybe if we pushed. Don’t ask me why, but I get the impression she’s lonely.” Rachel’s shared observation sliced through him. “How would you feel about her being here?”
He didn’t know how to answer that, but he was saved from having to do so by Jamie.
She brought her head up and vigorously wiped her waterlogged face, her wry, what-the-hell-am-I-doing expression making them both laugh.
Rachel sighed. “I’m done. I’m going back to the house with anyone who’ll give me a ride.”
“Get in Jesse’s Jeep. I’ll tell him to take both of you back. He doesn’t need to stay out here, either. I think he flew back from Idaho. He has to be beat.”
“I don’t know…” Rachel batted at the rain as if it would do any good. “He won’t like me getting his seats wet.”
“He’ll get over it.” Cole spotted his brother crouched over a patch of charred ground, inspecting a dying ember. “I’ll get him, you get Jamie.”
Rachel caught Cole’s arm. “She won’t go back without you.”
“That’s crazy.”
She gave a small shrug. “Maybe, but I’m telling you, she won’t leave.”
Snorting, he veered off toward Jamie. “I’m gonna get Jesse,” he said to her as if the matter were settled. “You and Rachel can get a ride with him to the house.”
Using her hand like a visor, Jamie shielded her eyes from the rain. “You, too?”
“No.”
“Okay, I can wait.”
“Look, I wasn’t happy you showed up to begin with—”
“Yeah, so?” With a complete lack of concern, she blinked.
“If I have to carry you to that Jeep, don’t think I won’t,” he said through gritted teeth. He almost glanced at Rachel but stopped himself. No doubt she was enjoying this.
Jamie laughed. “Right.” She tilted her head back and scowled at the sky. “The rain is slowing down. Is that bad? Was it enough?”
Cole cursed. “This is not the time to be stubborn,” he said in a low warning voice.
She switched her focus to him, her eyebrows arching in amusement. “When have I ever listened to you?”
“All right.” He clenched his jaw so tightly that his temples throbbed as he walked over to Jesse. “Can I borrow your Jeep? I’ll be right back.”
“Sure.” Jesse’s puzzled frown shot to Rachel, then Jamie. “You don’t have to come back. Everything’s under control here. I’ll take the four-wheeler when we’re done.”
“I’ll be back.” Something in his voice must’ve stirred the pot, because several pairs of eyes turned to him.
Dutchy even set down a bucket and watched with unabashed curiosity as Cole did an about-face and headed for Jamie.
“Last chance,” he told her. “You gonna climb into that Jeep?”
“No,” she said flatly.
He didn’t say another word until he opened the passenger door, checked to make sure the keys were in the ignition, then rounded the hood. “Remember,” he said, “you asked for this.”
Jamie grinned. “Ooh, you’re getting all caveman on me. I think I like it.”
Tension had been steadily building in his gut and his struggle for restraint slipped. Why the hell couldn’t she for once do as she was told? This wasn’t fun and games. Vaguely aware he had an audience, he wrapped his arms around her waist and threw her over his shoulder.
She let out a startled shriek. “What are you doing?” she asked, and started laughing.
So did the men, first in nervous surprise, then in loud uproarious chortles.
Making sure he had a firm grip, he tightened his hold around her thighs before retracing his path on the rocky ground to the other side of the Jeep.
Her breasts bounced against his back with every uneven step he took. “Hey.” She squirmed, and then smacked his ass.
He returned the favor, with an open hand to her nicely curved backside. She only laughed again. A sudden wave of pure healthy lust swept over him, and then he caught a glimpse of Rachel’s open-mouthed stare. Bad enough the men would never let him live this down.
“You coming?” he asked her, and she shook her head.
A second before he dumped Jamie into the Jeep, she cheerfully announced, “Don’t expect us back anytime soon.”
14
THE SHORT RIDE BACK was silent, and Jamie wondered if Cole was too busy wallowing in regret. He’d shocked the living daylights out of her, and she was pretty sure Rachel and Jesse hadn’t closed their mouths yet. Trace had laughed along with the other men who’d seen him pick her up like a sack of potatoes.
Barbara had been waiting at the window, and flung open the front door before Cole had the Jeep parked. Obviously the woman was anxious for news of the fire and her children, and Jamie had no business feeling disappointed that she and Cole couldn’t have secretly slipped upstairs.
After issuing a quick assurance that she was fine, Jamie bounded up the stairs, leaving Cole behind to fill in details. She couldn’t resist a backward glance when she got to the top, and found Cole’s dark eyes watching her. His message was loud and clear, and she shuddered as she hurried to her room, losing all hope of sneaking in a shower before he came for her.
She’d just stripped off her soggy jeans and shirt when she heard the knock. Just in case she’d been overconfident in her assumption it was him, she pulled the door open slowly and peeked through the crack.
Cole’s gaze drifted from her face to her semi-bare shoulder. “May I come in?”
She moved back, standing only in her bra and skimpy bikini panties, as he entered the room. “Did your mom see you?” she asked, immediately feeling like a dope.
He started unbuttoning his shirt.
“I can’t believe you hauled me over your shoulder in front of everyone.” She took a step backward, struggling to keep a lid on her excitement. Her pulse raced for an imaginary finish line, and her heart nearly flipped over in her chest. “Who said you could come in here and take off your clothes?”
His mouth twitched in amusement. “Seems to me you announced to all and sundry what you expected we’d be doing.”
She thought back for a second. “Yeah, okay,” she said, pushing her fingers through her wet hair and trying not to smile. “Whatever.”
He unfastened the last button so that his shirt hung open.
Her breath caught. She already knew he had a mighty fine chest. Nice flat belly, a smattering of crisp black hair. How come she never noticed he wore his jeans so low? Or that wet denim could cling like that…? Holy crap.
The backs of her legs met the bed, and only then did she realize she’d been moving. In the nick of time she stopped herself from plopping down and getting the comforter wet.
Cole shrugged out of his shirt, then glanced around.
“Probably best to put it in the bathroom to dry,” she murmured absently, more interested in that bulge behind his fly.
She forced her gaze up to the ridges of muscle spanning his taut belly, the contours of his chest. Then his face.
His eyes blazed as hot as the fire they’d fought. When he leisurely ran his heated gaze down her body, she made a small needy sound in the back of her throat she hoped he couldn’t hear. It occurred to her that Cole was the kind of man that once he made up his mind there was no stopping him. Not that she had the slimmest intention of doing such a stupid thing. But the idea thrilled her.
“You gonna take off that bra and panties or shall I?” he asked calmly, appearing indifferent to the fact that he’d just caused
an army of goose bumps to pop out on her skin.
She reached around to find the back clasp of her bra and unhooked it. The red silky cups loosened, and when she brought her arms to her sides, the straps slid off her shoulders.
Cole quickly tossed his drenched shirt through the bathroom door and unbuttoned his jeans. His eagerness made her laugh, until he pulled off her bra, his nostrils flaring as he bared her breasts.
Jamie struggled for her next breath. “We better grab a hot shower before the others come home,” she said in a hoarse voice that didn’t belong to her.
He lightly traced her aroused nipple, teased it with his thumb and forefinger. “Yeah, my hair smells like smoke.”
“I thought that was mine.”
“Shower,” he murmured, touching the tip of his tongue to his lower lip, clearly unable to drag his gaze away from her breasts. “It’s now or never.”
“I want a shower.” She pulled out of reach. “I need a shower.”
“Now.”
“Yes.”
He went back to unbuttoning his jeans, and she headed for the bathroom because she knew if she stayed and watched, they’d end up on that bed.
She pushed aside the quaint daisy-patterned vinyl curtain and fiddled with the faucet, frustrated, trying too hard to get the right balance of hot and cold water. He came up behind her, slid a hand inside her panties and cupped her backside, his warm work-roughened palm stroking her sensitive skin.
“Why are these still on?” he whispered, his warm moist breath bathing her ear.
She groaned. “I can’t get the temperature right.”
He reached around her to take over, his long hard penis pressing against her ass and hip. She braced herself with one hand flattened to the tile wall and with her free one, tugged down her panties. He helped from behind, pulling the elastic past her thighs to her calves, while trailing light kisses down her spine.
Using her toes, she worked the panties to her ankles and then kicked them off. Cole slowly straightened, covering more territory with his enticing lips as he moved up to her neck. He’d abandoned the water faucet and used his hands and tongue and teeth to drive her crazy. Before she knew what was happening, he turned her around to face him and covered her mouth with his.
Barefoot Blue Jean Night Page 15
