Black Creek Burning (The Black Creek Series, Book 1) (24 page)

Brie plopped on the step next to her. "It's my defense mechanism. Laugh or cry. We've
already been through hell, Liz. This is nothing." Brie leaned over, and they rested
the sides of their heads together.

Chapter 20

Brie left Liz's a few mornings later frustrated that Liz lived so far away, didn't
drink coffee and that Brie had broken her last hair tie and had to wear it down. Parking
her truck out of the way of Nathan's crews, Brie decided to take the dogs over the
creek to pick up yesterday's mail and newspaper. How could the man start work without
first reading the newspaper? The short walk was just enough to give her time to sort
through her day. Macey and Goldie ran without leashes and used the log without hesitation.
She looked at her empty house and thought about the damned hair ties.

She kept her promise to Nathan and went only to the mailbox. Tucking the mail and
paper under her arm, she whistled for the dogs and started back.

As she balanced across the fallen log, she noticed the creek was receding. What happened
to April showers? As soon as she stepped down on the other side, she started flipping
through her mail while the dogs scattered noisy mallards. She stopped when she noticed
a thick manila envelope. Pavlov's dog. Her shaking hands calmed when she read the
return address. Bloom Elementary. Opening the clasp, she peered inside cautiously,
much like she did with the photos. In it were letters written on school paper. Dozens
of them.

Right in the cold field, she plopped down, crisscrossed her legs and started going
through the letters. Curiously, the dogs pressed their cold noses against her cheek.
The letters were from her students. From more than just her current students. Sean
Spencer wrote several pages of misspelled words asking what she'd been doing and when
she would be back. Others filled her in on the sub, giving the retired teacher a reluctant
thumbs-up. She suspected the package was exactly something Liz would have put together.

It might all work out after all.

* * *

Brie held the phone between her head and shoulder speaking with Mrs. Seward as she
took a diet soda from Nathan's fridge. "It's nice to speak with you, too. Thank you
for asking. Can you find Liz for me? Her students have PE at this time. Thank you.
You, too."

As she waited on hold, Nathan meandered in. His tool belt hung low on his hips. Why
did women find that so sexy? Because it was.

The weather had turned cold again and she saw the thermal wear sticking up from under
his Henley. She looked over and smiled at him before turning back to the phone as
Liz answered.

"The letters are perfect. Just what I needed. Thanks."

"How'd you know it was me?" Liz asked. Brie could hear papers rustling on the other
end of the receiver.

"I know you."

"You're welcome but don't get too excited just yet. I found out Mrs. Whittier got
her backstabbing hands on copies of your pictures and put some choice ones up in the
workroom before Tyman got hold of them. Half the lunch hours saw them before she took
them down."

Brie squeezed her eyes shut at the visual flashing through her head.

"If it makes you feel any better, she's in Tyman's office as we speak."

"That helps. Check on Duncan and Andy for me, will you?"

She hung up and sat thinking.

"What happened?" Nathan leaned up against a base cabinet with his thumbs in his pockets.

"Nothing really. Liz had some students write me letters. They were heartwarming. I
miss it."

"Mmm. And?"

"You are observant. A teacher got her hands on copies of the pictures. Our pictures.
And pinned some up in the workroom. If they let me back, I'm not sure exactly what
I'll be going back to."

"Ouch. And?"

Brie turned around to look at him. "I can't stay at Liz's forever. Whoever these people
are could wait another six years before they decide to come after me."

"Let's go out."

"Out?"

"On a date. Tonight." He didn't approach her. "We'll go to your place. That way I
can check through your house while you get ready. I just need to make sure my folks
are free to keep the boys."

* * *

Brie dried her hair until every strand was straight. She hadn't asked where they were
going and hoped slacks and heels with a buttoned cashmere sweater would be appropriate.
The pants were pinstriped gray and the sweater matched the color of her eyes. She
nodded with approval in the mirror as she clicked off the hair dryer. Down the hall,
she could hear Nathan pleading with the dogs.

She walked to them and leaned against the jamb of the door to her room. He had on
black pants and a crisp gray shirt. He was trying to pull the dogs from her bed. They
thought he wanted to play. Reluctantly, Brie whistled for them to jump down. The show
was almost worth any rips in her comforter.

He pulled at the crumpled cover. "They don't listen to me."

As she watched him, it occurred to her she wasn't hungry anymore. "Nathan."

"Hmm?" He walked around to the other side and picked up a pillow that had been tossed.

"Macey's okay."

"I'll say."

"I'm okay."

He stopped and looked up. "All right," he said slowly.

She slithered around to him and placed her hand on his chest. "I want you." She smiled
at the feel of his heart as it picked up speed.

Shit, shit, shit. He took her wrist and pulled her hand from his chest. "You'll get
your job back." Was she trying to throw him into cardiac arrest? "The board meeting
is coming up."

"The pictures, Nathan. I think the cat is out of the bag to anyone that matters."
She unbuttoned the top of her sweater with her free hand. "How many more times do
you think I'm going to try and seduce you if you keep rejecting me?"

He stepped forward and closed the distance between them. "Point taken."

When she reached for the next button, he took both of her hands and caged them within
his, shaking his head.

"Me," Nathan said and pressed their foreheads together.

A shallow, throaty purr rumbled low in her throat enough to sink him into a deep puddle
of want.

He took his time traveling his hands up her arms, over her shoulders, along her neck
before braiding his fingers through the back of her silky hair. Keeping the narrow
distance between their mouths, he looked into the soft green. He wanted to remember
every second of this, every second of her.

Brushing his lips to hers once, twice, he then dipped into the warm and moist. She
tasted like raspberries. As he finished with the buttons of her sweater, he traveled
his lips along her jaw and settled at the spot on her neck just below her ear.

Taking a wrist in each hand, he held them out, keeping hold as he stepped back, looking
at the glimpse of cleavage and smooth stomach through the spread of cashmere. His
gaze met hers as he lowered her arms and used both hands to spread her sweater, exposing
lace and the generous swell of flesh above. For a painstaking moment, he closed his
eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened his deep blue to her, Brie saw a new determination. She bit her bottom
lip and braced. Nathan grabbed both the back of her hip and behind her head, breaking
their fall.

Their lips crashed. Their teeth grazed. The taste of him. The feel of him. His weight,
his warmth, his need.

She tugged with the buttons of his shirt before giving up and yanking it over his
head. Running her hands inside, she found his back strong and lean. Grappling with
skin and muscle, she ran her hands around to the planes of his stomach.

Possessive lips trailed a line of warmth down her neck and over shoulder, taking her
straps with him as he went and spilling flesh into his hands. She combed her fingers
through his thick, black hair and guided him to her. Her head flew back as he took
her in, moving his tongue to circle before carefully using teeth to pull.

Grappling with the rest of his clothes she ran her hands up to find him. Nathan clasped
her wrist. "Not yet.' They rolled, flesh on flesh, gasping and exploring until she
found herself over him. His eyes were glossy with a drunken blue haze. The awe was
humbling.

She sat over him, heat to heat, with her long waves of auburn draping over her shoulders.
Nathan released the button at the top of her slacks. Her gaze became sincere and focused
as she trembled. He ran his fingertips inside the exposed stringy lace. A small, female
whimper escaped.

He understood that her utter pliancy beneath his touch was more than physical. The
protective bubble she kept so carefully tucked around her melted away, leaving him
with great responsibility. Her head rolled back as she shuddered, invited. He lifted
to her and used his teeth to graze the line of her jaw. Taking her by the waist, he
slipped her around and beneath him, tossing the rest of her clothes to the side.

He lifted her arms above her head before traveling his hands down the soft of her
inner arms, down the sides of her breasts and down her flat stomach, learning every
inch of this complicated woman.

He groaned when he found her. Her hands flew to his shoulders and he felt her nails
as they dug in. Pushing her to the edge, Nathan whispered, "Let go."

The release was more than Brie was prepared for. She cried out as she hung onto his
shoulders. Nathan dipped his head to her neck as she trembled and gasped. Moving her
lips close to his ear, she pleaded, "Now, Nathan."

He slid over her body, damped with sweat. His eyes tightened as they joined before
they came back to her. Brie and Nathan moved together, racing, flying, desperate to
get closer. Refusing to lose eye contact, she held his face as she went over to a
place she'd never been before. Of heart, of body, of mind.

She watched the blue haze turn opaque as he held on and released, holding, savoring.
Dropping his head into her hair, Brie linked the backs of her feet together. Nathan
collapsed lifelessly over her, the weight of him keeping her on this planet.

While their bodies twined, they came back to the present and her stomach growled.

She felt his cheeks swell next to her face.

"I'm crushing you," he said.

"You're not. Don't move." The feel of his warmth and of his weight left her staggered.

He shifted next to her, pulling her partially over him as he recovered. She looked
up at him. He must have sensed her gaze because he opened one eye and smiled. He took
her hand and kissed it before laying it on his chest. "You're hungry."

She lifted on an elbow. "I'm not that hungry." She looked at his mouth and bit her
bottom lip.

"And I'm not nearly done with you, but we should get up and find something to eat
first. Our reservations are long gone."

* * *

They spent the next evening eating Chinese delivery with Dave and Amanda, Rose and
the boys. Brie thought about how she didn't feel any day-after jitters. She did spend
the day, however, feeling wonderfully weak and unhinged.

They played an entire Uno tournament, Amanda keeping meticulous score. Brie lost.
Duncan won. Brie squinted at him playfully.

"You have to say 'uno' when you have one card," he told her.

"So you keep reminding me." She mussed his head as he maneuvered the deck back into
the box.

Dave and Nathan helped the kids clean up and took Rose with them to read stories before
bed. Amanda and Brie hauled paper plates to the kitchen.

"I'd help you with the dishes, but there's no kitchen sink." Amanda looked around.

"I heard that, and I'm working on it," Nathan yelled from the stairs.

"They live in paper and plastic around here, and you're having sex," Brie said while
tying a garbage sack.

"Just." Amanda turned and put her hands on her hips. "How the hell can you tell? We
haven't so much as brushed up against each other all night."

Brie walked out the mudroom door to toss the garbage in Nathan's dumpster. She came
back with the dogs and answered, "I'm a woman. I can tell. You move differently around
each other, even without touching. So, are you happy?"