Indivisible Line (24 page)

Sarah’s respiration quickened and heat sluiced within her at the feel of his body underneath her.
This is it.
The warning flashed in her head, but it was more to nudge herself into believing a beautiful thing was about to happen than fear of her first time. Greg didn’t have to know she was a virgin. She didn’t want to distract him now, when they were about to share something more magical and meaningful than her supposed virtue. She ached for him. She couldn’t even think. All she knew was that she wanted him so much, she would scream if this stopped now.

She eased her throbbing center and moved her hips around him until she felt him inside her, all of him. Greg jerked when her warmth surrounded him. They both moaned at the contact, and Sarah stilled once Greg filled her. Tight and hurting where he’d penetrated her barrier, she ignored the pain and concentrated on the union of their bodies. She wanted his love, even the discomfort that came with it. She loved this man—it was the one thing she knew for sure.

“Sweet Jesus.” He gasped and groaned in her hair.
 

Time was forgotten, their desire for each other reaching its ultimate intensity. They came almost at the same time, Greg’s hand at her waist when his final thrust took Sarah to her own blissful high. She cried out when the pain gave way to a pleasure and happiness she’d never thought possible.

“Sarah, thank you.” Greg had tears in his eyes when he cradled her face in his hands. “I’m humbled.”

She blinked back her own tears.
I will never forget this moment
, she told herself. She responded with fervent kisses meant to communicate her feelings for him without words.

They continued to explore each other, experiencing every intricate pleasure they could throughout the night. Sarah marveled at the gentle way Greg held her, praising her with his hands, his eyes, and his mouth. This was how she had imagined love to be—sharing with the man she loved. The truth startled her, but now she knew deep inside that it had been the driving force behind everything she’d felt from the moment she’d first met Greg. This was all she’d ever wanted, something close to a fairytale. Something she would never have had with Trimble.
 

Neither one of them said anything after that. Contented, Sarah relaxed, letting the even beat of Greg’s heart lull her to sleep. She pushed the hurtful words his father had hurled at her to the back of her mind.
Greg isn’t his father
, she kept repeating to herself, and she crossed her fingers that, for once in her life, her belief wouldn’t lead her astray. Instead, she basked in the afterglow of their lovemaking, enjoying the warmth Greg provided and loving every second that their bodies were entwined.

Chapter 16

Sarah’s senses awoke to the lingering scent of Greg on her pillow, her body, and everywhere around the room. Thinking of the night they’d spent together made her tingle inside, and she blushed from her neck up to her face. She smiled at the memory of their shared passion and his kisses on her skin and all over her body. The thrilling sensation of his arms around her still burned, sending a delicious shiver through her body. His heady aroma was a beautiful reminder of the time he’d held her in his arms.

She turned and swept her arm across the bed, half expecting it to land on his solid body. The other half expected him to be gone, just like he’d said.
I’ll hold you until you fall asleep.
And sure enough, he was gone.

The glow of the rising sun flowed through the glass window, a sharp contrast to the sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. The unforgettable desire still hugged her like a clinging vine, but now it was time to face the dreary prospect of what lay ahead of her.

Pain, loss, and regret were bound to follow—she had known they would. But not so soon. She had hoped for more time to bask in the afterglow of the most wonderful night of her life.

Sarah frowned at herself. What had she expected from him, anyway? Did she imagine Greg would sweep her off her feet and whisk her to paradise? Those daydreams only came true in movies. Sarah knew better than to hold her breath for a happy-ever-after with her prince. She would forever be a girl from Beaver—a squaw, as Greg’s father had called her.

Having been cloistered in Beaver all her life, she’d been sheltered from the harsh realities of racial divisiveness. As much as she believed that black, white, or brown were the same, people outside Beaver were much, much different, as she’d discovered for the first time last night. Sarah had recognized the cosmic divide between her and Greg from the very start. She had known this from the very first day. When she’d cut away his expensive clothes to operate on him, she could tell he was someone special. He was from far away world that was not meant to cross hers. Another planet, whose orbit was always out of reach.

Last night, their orbits had connected, and for a brief moment, she’d experienced ecstasy and starlight. But now, his axis had already moved away from her again. Had she been foolish enough to fall for Greg? Every fiber of her being screamed the undeniable answer.

He wanted her close—that much he’d told her. She’d forgotten the real reason he wanted her around. Medical necessity had pushed him to find her, together with the possibility that his doctors might need to ask her questions. She’d been living under his roof for over two months, and his doctors had yet to summon her. It didn’t quite add up, but she’d been too comfortable to say anything and risk rocking the boat. If there was one thing that terrified her, it had to be the idea of not seeing Greg anymore.

She took the pillow and covered her face with his scent. Pathetic. Homeless. Unwanted and shunned by her father and the tribe. Reeling from the previous night’s passion, wanting more, and so in love with Greg it hurt. How pathetic. After inhaling Greg’s lingering scent, she tossed the pillow aside and got up just as her cell phone rang.

She recognized the number right away. Could it be? Holding her breath and wishing with offering up a fervent prayer that her father was coming around, she picked up on the second ring. “Hello?”

“Sarah, it’s me.”

“Lily? Lily! Oh my, how did you get my number?”

“Your father gave it to me so I could—and I’m quoting him on this—‘talk some sense into that friend of yours.’ ” Lily’s harsh tone surprised her.

“He told you about our phone conversation?” Sarah moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

“He did. I know your father can be stubborn, but he hasn’t been the same since you left. Sometimes I think he regrets everything he said and did, but he’s just too proud to admit it.” Lily sighed.

“He kicked me out, Lily. He didn’t even give me a chance to explain. He kept telling me to be true to myself while I was growing up, and I was. And this is what I get.” Sarah gripped the phone tight in her hand while she experienced the pain of his rejection again. She missed her father. He was her only family, and it pained her to be away from him, no matter the circumstances.

“I know. I think he’s suffering deep inside. It’s just his pride getting in the way . . .” Lily paused before shifting to another subject. “You know, after you left, there were outcries from a few elders about what you did. Mr. Vittrekwa, who we thought would share your father’s opinion, questioned your father’s decision. And you know how Old man Vittrekwa gets when he speaks his mind.”

Sarah laughed. She was well aware that Mr. Vittrekwa often opposed her father’s views, despite their lifelong friendship. Even if Mr. V voiced his displeasure about the behavior of kids these days and the encroachment of modern technologies, she remembered him saying, “If we can’t beat them, we might as well join them.” She also recalled heated arguments between her father and his friend about where their little tribe was headed and the best way to accept the ever-changing tides.

“I know. I’m glad he stood up for me. But that’s not going to help me at all. Father made his decision, so I’m where I am now.” Sarah closed her eyes.

“So, where
are
you?” The old, curious Lily was back.

“I’m in New York City . . .” She left the words hanging, unable to decide how to begin telling Lily about her and Greg.
There’s no Greg and you. There’s just an arrangement . . . and last night.
She pulled herself up short, pushing back the slow ache building inside her.

“With
him
, right?” Lily dove straight to the crux of the matter.

Sarah groaned. “It’s a long story, Lily.”

“Well, I have nothing but time, so spill.” Sarah imagined Lily placing her legs on the desk, crossing them at the ankles, and leaning back against the chair.

Without much coaxing from Lily, Sarah related the night of her abduction, their first meeting, Greg’s threat, and the eventual arrangement he’d proposed. Then, she fast-forwarded to their dinner, his wife, the movie, and the accident. She left out his father’s racist comment, as well as the special moment they’d shared last night. There were some things she’d rather not discuss with anyone, even with her best friend.

“Are you telling me this man you saved had you kidnapped and threatened to throw you in jail if you don’t cooperate with him?

Sarah nodded before she remembered Lily couldn’t see her. “Yes.”

“And the same guy enrolled you in one of the most prestigious schools in the country?” Lily’s voice now had a dreamy lilt to it.

“Yes.” Sarah hated to admit it, but Greg’s behavior had a tendency to give her whiplash. He could be pushy and overbearing one minute, and sweet and compassionate the next. Sometimes hot, sometimes cold. He was a man she had yet to figure out.

“Sounds like a fairytale to me,” Lily commented.
 

Sarah sighed. It hadn’t all been a girl’s dream come true. “Not by a long stretch, and besides, he and I are like night and day. He’s rich, I’m poor. He’s popular, and I’m a fly on the wall nobody cares about. There’s no way there’s going to be a fairytale.”

“You sound disappointed.” Lily fell quiet, leaving Sarah to question what her friend was thinking. “Sarah . . . are you falling in love with him?”

“Of course not.” Her denial sounded weak even to her own ears.

If she were honest with herself, this arrangement had spelled trouble from the get-go. Either she’d been too stubborn to heed the warnings or was just plain dumb. She had dug her own grave, knowing the stakes were high and the likelihood of making it out unscathed would be almost impossible. She shouldn’t have accepted help from a man who could make her heart flutter and scare her all at the same time. Sure, she trusted him. But could she trust him with her heart? Even after last night?

“I know you, Sarah—well enough to guess you’re torn between following your heart and doing what’s best for everyone else. Girl, I’m telling you right now. Follow your heart.” Lily paused, no doubt letting her words sink in.
 

She was right. A long silence followed. Sarah was unable to deny her friend’s observation.

Thank God Lily now decided to pursue another topic. “There is another reason why I called. There’s massive construction happening here in Beaver.”

“What construction?”

“Someone created a generous trust fund for the tribe. The governor mandated that the entire town attend a meeting at the town hall a few weeks ago. He instructed your father to build a bigger clinic and buy better medical equipment.” Lily paused to catch her breath. “Would you believe the mayor asked for you? God, Sarah, you’re popular.”

“What? Are you kidding me?”

“Would I joke about something like this? And you wouldn’t believe the look on your father’s face. It was almost comical.” Lily squealed in delight at the memory.

After they’d hung up, with a promise from Lily to call again, Sarah discovered that she felt vindicated. Her actions may have landed her in this wild, gray area of uncertainty, but she’d never regretted saving Greg’s life. If given the chance, she’d do it again.

Greg shifted in the uncomfortable chair. He’d been in this room not too long ago, although under much different circumstances. He was more than happy it had nothing to do with Sarah.
 

Man, Sarah again. How could one woman manage to occupy his mind every waking moment? He shifted in his seat again, restless rather than uneasy about being at the police station again. The root of his discomfort was what had transpired the night before—not that he was complaining at all. He just wished he’d taken his time to enjoy every moment with her and hadn’t run away like a scared puppy this morning.