Beautiful Criminal (11 page)

Of all her confusing and frustrating thoughts, she recalled how he’d held her so gently. How he smiled at her with that crooked grin, making her weak in the knees. How he kissed her with passion unlike any kiss she’d had before. She may have saved him twice, but he made her feel cherished. Loved. He made her feel like she meant everything to him.

As the days passed without word from him, she kept telling herself that this was meant to be. He was back in his element, and she was still in hers. Still stuck in her peaceful, boring life. God, she missed him. He’d shown her that life could be exciting, passionate, and memorable. Gabriel had shown her that she deserved more than a solitary existence. Even the dogs looked toward the trail where he’d last set foot. It was depressing.

Since that fateful day, she’d received a visit from an RCMP officer, informing her that Tom Billings had been found floating in the Athabasca. When the officer questioned Mary, she cried her little heart out and told the officer that Tom had left her roughly two weeks prior, and Mima would vouch for her. The officer didn’t say anything about finding a huge cache of cocaine, and neither of the girls bothered to ask.

She sensed Terry and Gabe had something to with it. If they had already picked it up, why couldn’t he at least drop by and say hello?

Now, Mima stood on the trail, looking at the spot where Gabe’s Cessna was buried out of sight. All she could see was an oblong shape against the huge birch tree. The plane belonged there now, as though it had always been part of the forest. So many memories came and went from that first day they’d found him here, near death. She never would’ve known him, or loved him, if they’d taken a different trail.

The dogs whined and barked, eager to continue home. With a deep sigh and a heavy heart, she made her way back to the sled. She pulled the snow hook out of the ground, and, before she could utter a sound, the team surged forward.

The air was cold today, crisp in the lungs with every breath. Dogs panted, bells from the sled jingled. The ride home enabled Mima to clear her mind and focus on the future. By the time they reached home, she was eager to dip into some whiskey to warm her chilled body. She couldn’t stop her constant shivering, or the depression of being alone again.

She unhooked the dogs and ushered each of them in their pens. As she headed past the pen with the mother and her pups, Mima stopped midstep. One of the puppies was missing.

“Where’s your baby, Shiloh?”

Mima looked around the snowy floor, halting on a set of boot and paw prints leading around to the front of the cabin. Her heart lodged in her throat, and a spike of fear slithered up her back.
Is somebody playing tricks on me? Who would steal a puppy?

She followed the tracks, worried the little mutt was already long gone, and when she came around the corner of the cabin, she stopped, biting back a gasp. Tears filled her eyes.

A man with shaggy brown hair and the missing puppy were wrestling in the snow. The puppy noticed Mima first and lifted her snow-covered snout to look at her curiously before she let out a little yip and wagged her curly tail. Then the man lifted his head, and when he saw her he grinned.

“Hello, beautiful.”

“Where did you… How did you get here?” She was completely stunned and shocked to see him.

He pointed to a sporty-looking snowmobile a few yards away. “It’s a little bit faster than that old rust bucket of yours.”

Gabe pushed up on his feet and patted the snow off his jacket and pants. His gorgeous smile made her toes curl in her mukluks. She eyed him with barely suppressed excitement. He was dressed in proper snow gear, and he looked healthy.

Mima never imagined a criminal like him would take the time to play with a puppy. The scene was so cute it was funny.

Happiness and hope warmed her heart. “I didn’t think you were coming back.”

“I told you I needed a vacation.” Gabe stepped forward and Mima threw herself in his arms. His mouth descended on hers, and she wanted to cry from the deep emotion she felt in that single kiss. Three weeks away from him was too long.

She pulled back and smiled up at him. “How long are you staying this time?”

The hesitation on his face made her nervous. He stared at her hard. Maybe he couldn’t find the right words to let her down. “That depends on you. Do you want me to stay?”

“Yes, but that depends on your job description.”

His eyes glinted with wicked promise. “Well, a retired man doesn’t have much of a job description.”

“Are you serious?” She squealed in delight, completely shocked by his statement. “You have no idea how happy that makes me. How did your boss take the news? How’s your friend? Did he make it?”

“Slow down.” He chuckled, hugging her tighter. “There’s a couple things I have to do before it’s final, but I’m definitely on vacation for a while. And for your second question, you can see Terry for yourself tomorrow.”

Mima frowned in confusion, not expecting to hear that after Gabe just arrived. “Tomorrow? Is he coming to visit already?”

Obviously intent on other things, Gabe trailed a hand back around and fondled her breast through her parka, instigating a heady ache between her legs. “Yeah, he’s at Mary’s right now.”

Mima gasped. “What? I never thought her to be attracted to a criminal.”

Gabe took her hand and led her to the cabin, then straight to the bedroom. “I think you have a lot to learn about your friend, love. Did you know when she was in college she used to grow her own pot?”

“What? Where did you hear that?”

He sat her on the edge of the bed, and unzipped and parted her coat, before sliding it down her arms. “Let’s say Terry couldn’t help calling her every day to check up on his hostage. I guess they had a lot to discuss.”

Mima glared at him. “The thought of him hurting her—”

Gabe put his finger to her lips. “Terry is a good man. He’ll spoil her and kill for her. You have to trust me on that one.”

A shudder of fear gripped her spine. “Did Terry kill Tom?”

Gabriel shrugged, but his teasing expression was all the answer she needed or wanted. “Just wait till I see that bugger.”

“Wait till you see how happy Mary is, for once.”

That alone gave her hope for her friend. “Why didn’t you radio me, or even write me a letter? I missed you.”

He stopped what he was doing and kissed her hand. “I missed you too, and a real man doesn’t write a woman a letter. Surprising you is more fun.” He looked thoughtful, raking his gaze over her body and face. “I tried to tell you this before in the tree house, but we were interrupted.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek, and whispered, “Remember when you asked if I’ve ever loved a woman?”

Mima held her breath and nodded.

“I’ve never loved anyone, but I love you.”

Those words, coming from him, were music to her ears. Her eyes stung with tears as joy unlike she’d ever felt before warmed her body and soul. “I love you too, you bastard,” she choked. “Now, please, hurry up.”

And her beautiful criminal proceeded to undress her as quickly as he could, and what happened after that was too illegal to mention.

Shady Grace makes Northern Ontario her home, where the bush is so thick you can't see two feet past the tree line. Perhaps the mystery of the woods was what initially sparked her need to write. 

She adores strong alpha males who fall for fiery, independent women, in settings with humorous dialogue and action-filled plots. 

Shady believes love and sex should be exciting and unforgettable. Being able to write about it is better than cheesecake.

Shady Grace is the new pen name to mutli-published erotic author, BL Bonita, who earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly for her Interracial Western, Dark Sun Rising.