Deadly Inheritance

by Jeulia Hesse

  He looked into her eyes, pausing before speaking, as if he was searching for the right words. Her heart thudded against her ribs as she tried to gather herself. Dread and fear began to grow in her belly. It was a long moment before he spoke, his voice raspy and low.

  “I can’t live with wanting you more. You say you can’t do this. But do what, Christina? Can’t be here? Can’t live with living while Annie is gone?”

  His hands grasped her upper arms as he spoke into her upturned face. “Can’t be with me?”

  His words stung, searing her heart. It was true, he was here where all those memories resided. The guilt she felt for loving him had driven her away. She bit her lip and fought back tears.

  He leaned in further. “You threw us away to lessen the guilt. You chose to not live because your cousin was gone. It won’t bring her back.” Then he relaxed his grip on her arms and pulled her to him, cradling her face in his muscular chest. “I am right here. I am alive.” He whispered in her ear, “It’s up to you.”

  At those words, he released her, leaving her unsteadily on the steps as he got into his truck and pulled away. Tears streamed down her cheeks as sobs wracked her breaths.

  Everything she could ever want was in her reach, yet she was unable to allow herself to claim it.

  Chapter 18

  Christina felt herself relax in the saddle, giving way to the symbiosis of rider and mount. The horse knew this trail, she realized, relaxing a bit more. She barely had to guide the horse’s chestnut head down the path. The leaves of the trees overhead created a green canopy with small openings for the light of the day to reach them. Christina smiled contentedly in the saddle, remembering other rides like this years ago. Jeff had carefully chosen their mounts and guided them through the woods.

  Today the group was considerably smaller than it had been in those other outings in years past. She realized she was very happy that Jeff had suggested they take a ride today, even though it had been a last-minute decision. The weather was perfect for it, and it was soothing to have something else to think of. She and Gina needed to leave by early afternoon to get back in the city for work first thing Monday morning.

  Christina knew that this outing was more than a joy ride on horseback from Jeff’s perspective. He was very interested in working with the inn to provide trail rides in the warm weather, hayrides in the fall and sleigh rides in the winter months. Even as she was enjoying the day, and the lulling movement of the animal, her mind was considering the business opportunity – if she decided to run the inn, that is. She knew next to nothing about horses; her only experience had been with Jeff. With his livelihood now linked to horses and their services, he spoke about them endlessly and with apparent passion. The idea intrigued her.

  The horses nickered to each other. She wondered what they were saying as they both slowed, and Jeff pulled his horse next to her on the trail. “You should be aware of the hiking trail ahead,” Jeff said, taking the bridle of Christina’s horse in his gloved hand. “I don’t see anyone, but they are both acting like someone else is around.”

  Jeff lifted the horses head to face him. “You do as you are told, lassie,” he said, scolding the animal.

  He turned back to Christina. “I take these two on this trail a lot with the tourist groups,” Jeff said. “You could just sit in the saddle, and they would bring you back to the stables. However, you still need to pay attention. Sometimes we run into hikers crossing the trail, but most of the time we don’t. People get surprised meeting horses in the woods, so their reaction can make them uneasy. Mind yourself.”

  He nudged his mount. “Let me go ahead of you on the trail. Just in case we meet some pot head hikers who want to pet a horse...”

  Jeff moved ahead of her on the trail and her horse followed without any urging forward from Christina. She laughed out loud. “She sure knows the way!”

  Several yards up the trail, Christina could make out the place where the hiking trail intersected the path they were on. Surprised, she thought she saw some movement ahead. She could barely make out the figures through the trees, but it looked like a man was standing while another was lying on the ground. Jeff had noticed them as well and urged his horse forward.

  Christina’s horse abruptly stopped and snorted the air. She suddenly leapt forward in a fast trot to follow her master and her mate. Christina startled but held on, her legs gripping the horse’s sides. “Whoa, girl...” she called, bouncing in the saddle.

  They quickly caught up to the pair, and saw that Jeff was now dismounted. He and the other man now crouched over the person laying on the ground. It was a woman, and her leg was wrapped in what looked like a makeshift bandage of a red t-shirt and other clothing.

  Kevin’s voice was immediately recognizable as the men who were leaning over the woman on the ground spoke to each other. His tone was urgent as he spoke. “I stopped the bleeding with this pressure bandage. I’m not sure how long she’s been here. She’s lost a good amount of blood.”

  Christina startled, what she had originally observed as a red shirt on the woman’s leg, was not naturally that color at all. It was soaked with blood. The woman’s face was pale and gray, but her youth and striking beauty remained apparent.

  “I radioed for help. Mountain rescue is on their way,” Kevin said. He stood up and looked her way, nodding a bare acknowledgement. His eyes moved from her horse to Jeff’s, and his expression shifted from a frown to hope.

  “Hey Jeff,” he said. “Do you think we could take her out on the horse? It would save some time if Rescue didn’t have to come up here on the four wheelers.”

  Jeff stood and considered. “We can, but it looks like she may experience some shock. It’ll be a slow go, walking her down on the horse.”

  Kevin looked at Jeff. “I wasn’t thinking of walking her – that’d take too long. Could one of us take her on horseback down to trail base?”

  Jeff contemplated the idea briefly, then nodded. “We could, but I’d better be the one to do it – I can keep her steady as I ride... she looks to be pretty light.”

  “Of course you could! You are the best horseman I know. Want me to hand her up to you?”

  “She needs to keep that leg up,” Christina chimed in. Both men looked at her as though they had forgotten she was there. She slid off her mount. “Let’s get her up. I can help.”

  Although injured and clearly woozy, the hiker smiled through grimaces of pain as they gently lifted her onto Jeff’s horse. They laid her awkwardly astride his saddle while he supported her in his arms. They bound her leg in a makeshift splint and positioned her so her leg wouldn’t dangle.

  Seconds after settling her into Jeff’s arms, she smiled up at him. “Ready?” Jeff asked of his wounded passenger. With a nod from her tousled blonde head, Jeff nudged the horse forward urgently. “Go!” he cried.

  They watched the trio bolt through the trees. Christina placed a hand over her heart as the urgency of the situation became real. She turned to Kevin, who was keying his portable radio. “Mountain Rescue... victim on her way with Jeff on horseback. Should meet at trail head. Copy?”

  He spoke into the radio while gazing at her intently. The penetrating eye contact caused a fluttering in her stomach. She pushed the feeling aside. She was angry her body was still responding to him, even after the mess of their last encounter. Guilt and a tumble of confused thoughts and feelings filled her.

  Unsure of what to do under his scrutiny, she reached out to steady her horse, grabbing onto the bridle. “I suppose we should follow. Do you have to go to the hospital with her?” she asked uncertainly. She prepared to mount the horse, but then realized that Jeff or someone usually helped her up.

  Kevin watched her, which made her sincerely hope she wasn’t about to fall on her backside instead of into the saddle. Then he moved toward her. “Here, let me give you a leg up,” he said, grabbing hold of her leg as she hopped onto the horse. With the movement, their bodies brushed closely.

  Christine inha
led sharply, responding to his proximity. “I’m not as fast as Jeff, or as sure on horseback, but we can get going....” She trailed off at the questioning look on Kevin’s face.

  The portable radio crackled in Kevin’s hand and the horse nickered in reply. “McKinley... you copy?”

  Kevin put the radio to his lips. “10-4,” he responded.

  “You have an ID on the girl?” the staticky voice queried.

  “Negative, but her first name is Layla – that’s all I could get from her,” he replied, shaking his head.

  “10-4,” the voice in the radio responded.

  “Let me know when they get there,” Kevin asked.

  She looked down from her mount at him, knowing the look on her face had question-marks all over it. He smiled up at her and effortlessly mounted the horse, landing gently and snugly on the saddle behind her. It surprised her, as she was not expecting him to join her in the saddle. Her body immediately came alive at the contact.

  “Relax, relax,” he said softly in her ear. He reached forward for the reins, pulling her more closely to him. His breath was hot on her neck. He clucked his tongue and urged the horse forward.

  “I’ll drive,” he said as the horse trotted down the wooded trail. “We should get moving in case they have trouble before they reach rescue. Luckily, Jeff is the best horseman I know, so he’ll get there as fast as he can.”

  They were silent for a while, as the horse hooves made rhythmic thumping sounds on the forest floor. The movement of the horse forced their bodies to move together rhythmically. She could feel the heat rise in her face and knew she was blushing deeply. All the while, though, he remained focused on the trail.

  “What happened back there? How did she get injured?” she asked, attempting to take her mind off their proximity and the arousing motion of the horse.

  She felt him shake his head behind her. “She was really lucky I found her. I almost didn’t see her since she was laying off the trail. I could have easily missed her.”

  The radio crackled again, and he waited several moments before answering as the trail had become steep and the horse had slowed. Kevin guided her expertly down the mountainside. She felt his body tense behind her as he held the reins loosely, letting the horse have her head.

  The radio crackled again. “We’ve got ‘em. Heading to hospital.”

  “10-4,” Kevin responded.

  “Taking Jeff with us,” the radio continued. “Could you make sure the horse gets home?”

  “He all right?” Kevin questioned, pulling the horse to a stop. His body tensed again.

  “He’s fine – coming along for the ride. Girl won’t let go of him.”

  “10-4,” he replied.

  “Sounds like she latched onto him.” Christina smiled.

  Kevin stored the radio on his belt. “She was pretty scared. There was no telling how long she had been by the side of the trail. It’s not a well-traveled spot so there aren’t a lot of people out here like the other trails. Weird she was all alone though.”

  “I take it this is an unusual occurrence?” she asked.

  He shuffled in the saddle behind her. “Very,” he answered, again wrapping his arms around her waist. He pulled her even closer to him, while nudging the horse gently forward. “Take it easy, nice and slow,” he murmured to the horse.

  Christina’s blush deepened. This physical closeness made her body act of its own volition. Whether her heart wanted to be close to this man or respond to his hard, strong body was completely out of her control. The cadence of the horse was mesmerizing as she gradually began to relax against Kevin’s chest. She was moving back to the bucolic state of mind that she had been experiencing before coming upon the injured hiker. She sighed heartily, thinking that if this had been another time without so much pain between them, this horseback ride would be romantic and ideal.

  “I was surprised to see you today,” he said. “I thought you were heading back.”

  “We go later this afternoon,” she replied, leaning back, and tilting her face up to his.

  He stared at her, openmouthed as if someone struck him. The sun lit her eyes and danced in her hair. He pulled up on the reins and the horse came to a halt. His expression changed and she knew he was thinking of kissing her. A fire erupted in her chest. She wanted him; she wanted his lips on hers. It was wrong. She knew she should not open herself to him like that if she wasn’t sure of her intentions

  She abruptly turned away and faced forward, out of the way of immediate temptation. He exhaled slowly, she felt him deflate behind her – if it was possible with their proximity. But still, she felt him pull his body away from hers. Her reaction to him was laid clear. After several uneasy moments, he gently pushed the horse forward and they continued the trek down the mountain in silence.

  After what seemed like forever, they reached the trailhead. There were wheel tracks in the grass, indicating that vehicles had recently been there. No one remained and there was no sign of Jeff’s horse.

  “Oh no, the horse!” Christina exclaimed, looking around for the animal. “He must have gotten away in all the commotion.”

  “I’m sure that both these horses can find their way back home with no issue. Maybe they’ll take a side trip to check in on the new filly on the way, but I can assure you, the horse will be back in the barn and eating his oats by the time we arrive.”

  “It’s another mile or so from here, right?” she asked.

  “We’ll be fine,” he answered, clucking to the horse to move on. “Riding like this is much more enjoyable,” he said, chuckling. He wrapped one arm around her body and readjusted himself in the saddle.

  “I need to check in at the hospital and do some paperwork. Damn inexperienced people on the trails, making more work for me.”

  “I hope she’ll be all right.”

  “Me too. She seemed like a nice kid,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s very lucky you guys came along. I’m not sure how well she would have fared if you hadn’t. Sorry to have ruined your outing.”

  Christina realized how difficult the whole ordeal must have been for Kevin as well. It must have been scary, finding someone who was severely injured and so far out of reach of immediate help. Kevin became her only source of support at the time. It was a great responsibility.

  The old logging road was level and the horse had picked up its speed, trotting rhythmically through the woods. They were quiet for several minutes, each in their own thoughts as the mood lifted between them. Their bodies moved in sync again with the movement of the horse. He reached out to pull her closer and his hands lingered on her thighs.

  Soon, they arrived at the barn. The horse whinnied as they approached the stables. The call was answered by several responses from within the barn. “Sounds like Jeff’s horse has made it as well,” Kevin said, swinging his legs down from the horse. Once dismounted, he led the other animal into the barn and closed the paddock behind them to contain both horses. He served out some oats and removed the saddle from Jeff’s mount before turning to Christina’s horse. He reached up and helped Christina dismount the horse, landing her body close to his own, between him and the horse.

  He stood for a moment, looking into her eyes with his hands on her shoulders. She thought he was going to kiss her as he leaned toward her. Then he stopped, staring at her lips. “I want to kiss you,” he said softly.

  His statement shook her. She swallowed hard, looking at his mouth. He was so close she could feel his breath. Instinctively, she licked her lips. The slow burn that had risen in her belly grew to bursting as she looked at him.

  His head moved downward, catching her mouth in his. The horse behind her moved away suddenly, startled by their movements and eager for oats. She stumbled forward and he caught her, pulling her in close in his arms as the kiss deepened. Her body responded to his, and she quietly moaned as he pulled her against his hardness. Stars burst behind her eyelids as all the cells in her body rang out for more of this man.

  Abrup
tly, he pulled away, pushing her away and holding her shoulders. His breathing was fast as if he was trying to calm himself. They stood like this for seconds, at arm’s length, breathing deeply.

  “My car is here,” she said after several minutes. “I can take you to the hospital.”

  He nodded his reply. “Let’s see to the horses. Then you can drive me.”

  “I need to head back soon,” she said. Her eyes were downcast as guilt began to rise in her chest again.

  “I know,” he replied huskily, making himself busy tending to the horses’ needs.

  He vowed to himself silently that he would do whatever was in his power to convince her to return to him.

  Chapter 19

  Christina shoved the last of her belongings into her bag. They hadn’t been shopping, but it seemed like she had more to bring back with her than what she had brought in the first place. She contemplated leaving some belongings – how bad would it be to stow a pair of jeans and a sweater or so? It would be just in case. Even though she realized that she hadn’t made any decisions yet as to what she was going to do with the inn, she was clearly going to have to come back here to settle things. What harm would it do?

  She removed a few items from her bag and hung them in the closet, knowing this meant she intended to be back. She heard Gina making her way down the stairs. Her foot falls were heavy with the burden of her bags. They needed to get on the road, but Christina was finding it hard to get herself going and together. The activities of the morning and the injured woman were on her mind, but mostly her hesitation was coming from her lingering feelings toward Kevin. She could still feel him against her body and his scent lingered in her nose. She pulled the collar of the shirt she wore toward her face and inhaled deeply. His scent was still there. She smiled inwardly.

  Heavy, tired steps sounded on the stairs. Maude knocked on her open bedroom door. Her face was flushed, and she seemed sweaty and out of breath. “Pull those sheets off that bed for me, will you, Crissy? I’ll wash them with Gina’s.” She turned and walked down the hall.