Open Eyes (Open Skies) (3 page)

“And new people,” Julie teased him.

He blushed a bit. “Yeah.”

“Well, OK. That’s all true.”

“So, this place changed your life and it changed Tammy’s. I don’t know why, but I think Open Skies can do the same for Vicky Thompson – I think it can be her new beginning. I even really
want
it to be.” He thought for a second. “I don’t know, Julie. Something about Vicky just really – speaks to me. I feel like this woman needs a break, badly. She needs something to give her a bit of faith.”

“So, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I agree with you, Julie. She’s my preferred candidate, too.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Rob pushed Grant’s CV to the side and tapped his index finger on Vicky’s. “Let’s give Ms. Thompson a break, a bit of faith, a new life. Here. With us.”

Chapter Two

Vicky hung up the phone on the table and sat rigid on the lumpy single bed for a full ten seconds, shaking and staring out the window at the motel parking lot.

Oh, my God. OH, MY GOD. I got the job!

She wasn’t sure yet if she wanted to laugh and dance, cry from relief, or run screaming from yet another new life situation; all she knew for sure was that she had to call her mother.

She reached in to her purse for the burner cell phone she had bought before fleeing to Colorado. It had only one number saved in its phone book, and she dialed it.

Her mother answered on the fourth ring. “Vicky?’

“Hi, Mom.”

“Are you OK?”

“Yeah, really OK. How about you and Sonia?”

“Good, good. We’re at the playground.”

“Which one?”

“The small one near Ben’s friend’s apartment building.”

“The private, gated one?”

“That’s right.”

Vicky relaxed. “So, good news, Mom. I got the job, at the hotel and ranch near the Rockies.”

Diana Morgan clutched the burner phone that Vicky had given her and sat down heavily on the nearest bench. She closed her eyes as the relief flooded through her. “Oh, Vicky. Thank God, darling.”

“I know, Mom.” Vicky felt the tears start even as she smiled. “It’s going to change everything for us. We can start to live normal lives again. Soon.”

Diana was silent, thinking about the past three months. It had been rough on her and Sonia, no doubt about that, but she knew that Vicky had really been through the wringer. She could hear the stress and worry and fear growing in her daughter’s voice every time they spoke.

Vicky had left almost every penny she had with Diana, and she had kept almost nothing for herself. This meant one hell of a long bus ride from Kansas to Colorado and horrible motels in dangerous areas and lots of skipped meals. She had travelled light – Vicky had run with literally the clothes on her back and one small suitcase – but she had made sure that Diana and Sonia had everything they might need.

Thank God for Ben: he had offered without one second of hesitation to take in Diana and Sonia, to hide them and keep them safe. That meant that they didn’t have to pay for hotels, but Diana had insisted on contributing for food. She had been militant about keeping the costs down, and God knows she and Sonia entertained themselves for free at playgrounds and open-air fountains and public parks… but still. The money was disappearing rapidly. Sonia was growing like a weed, shooting up like only a six-year-old can, and Diana had had to buy some second-hand clothes for school, along with coloring books and pencil crayons and gym shoes. And of course, her birthday had been last month and Diana had baked a cake and bought her a puzzle. Nothing extravagant, but it was all money.

The truth was that after three months of living like this, the miniscule amount of cash that Vicky had managed to hide from Carl and had left with Diana was almost gone. Diana had said nothing to her daughter: she knew that if she was struggling financially and becoming increasingly dependent on Ben, then Vicky must be suffering horribly. More than once, she had laid awake at night in Ben’s guest bedroom and wondered how Vicky was making ends meet. Vicky had sold her engagement and wedding rings and given Diana the money, so she didn’t even have those items to pawn anymore.

There was light at the end of the long, dark tunnel now, though, a spark on the distant horizon. This job could really change things for all of them. Maybe in a few months, Sonia could move to Colorado to be with her Mom, and Diana could go back to Topeka and find a new place to rent – assuming that Carl wouldn’t come after her when she did so. That was still a big question mark.

She shuddered.
Good Lord, if he ever knew the part I played in taking Sonia away from him…

Forcing her mind away from her son-in-law, she focused on Vicky’s good news. “So, when do you start, darling?”

“On Monday morning.”

“So soon?”

“Yeah. I’ll move to the ranch on Saturday, and have one day to settle.” She sighed, happy. “It’s such a nice place, Mom. Beautiful and remote and quiet.”

“And the people?”

“So damn young.”

Diana laughed. “Yeah? No old ‘uns around, like you and me?”

“Well, a couple.” Vicky thought of Phil and Mattie. “But most of them are depressingly young, including the owner.”

“Julie, right?”

“Yeah. And you should
see
this woman, Mom. I mean,
gorgeous
does not even begin to describe her.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah. But guess what? She had red-gold hair – same exact color as mine.”

“Well then, darling, of course she’s gorgeous.”

“Aw, Mom.” Vicky blushed and glanced at her watch with the cracked face. “Listen, I need to get going… I’ll call back later tonight, OK? To talk to Sonia.”

“OK. We’ll be waiting.”

“Bye, Mom. I love you.”

“I love you too, darling girl. You take care out there.”

“I will. I am.”

“Vicky?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m proud of you. So damn proud.”

Vicky blinked back tears; Diana did the same.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“You go on and build up a new life out there. Something strong and amazing and all you. Something that you can show your daughter to make her believe in the miracles that happen with hard work and courage and guts. And when you love yourself enough to grab a new start.”

“I will, Mom. I am.”

**

Julie gasped. She was dizzy with pleasure and clung to Jake’s shoulders as he thrust inside of her, harder and faster. His hot mouth was against her throat, his breath harsh.

“Jake, my God. Oh, it feels so good…”

Jake groaned and kissed her. She was just the hottest, sexiest thing he’d ever seen or touched. There was no such thing as getting enough of Julie.

Julie’s back was pressed against her bedroom wall, her legs as wide as they could go. Jake’s large hands were under her generous butt, lifting and lowering her on his sex, rolling her hips up and down. Her body was almost five feet off the floor and she was literally nailed to the wall by Jake’s cock. She moved on him, again and again, loving his strength, trusting him to hold her up and not let her fall.

He held her weight as if it was nothing at all, and for Jake, it was. He pushed deeper in to her amazing body and she started to shudder. He sped up, matching his strokes to her rhythmic cries and sobs. Her pussy was open and begging for him; his every movement slammed against her open lips and drove her closer and closer to the edge. She arched her neck and closed her eyes. Her fingers dug in to his back and he licked her breasts and she started to come.

Her muscles tightened on Jake’s cock and he lost all control now: he held her in place against the wall and his thrusts became as hard as he knew she could take them. Julie loved it, she loved when he fucked her like a wild thing, and she responded with a shriek of sheer bliss.

“Jake! Jake, now…
now!
”

He growled and watched the rapture on her beautiful face, felt her lush body shake and tighten, clench and loosen. Her ecstasy had the same effect on him that it always did: he exploded inside of her sweet center and he grunted her name as he came hard, gripping her soft curves as close to him as he could.

Breathless, Julie opened her eyes and saw Jake’s gray eyes blazing at her. She shuddered again. He did that to her, every time – she responded to him on the most primal, sexual level. She kissed him, running her tongue over his lips, glorying in his own answering shudder.

Jake wrapped her legs around his waist and then leaned heavily on the wall with one hand; his other forearm cradled Julie, still suspending her off the floor. He hoped his legs could hold him up for a few more seconds as he gently swung Julie away from the wall. Still buried inside of her, he walked the four paces to the bed and sat on its edge, running his hands up and down her warm back. Julie moaned as her butt made contact with his muscular thighs and his sex nudged in to her more deeply. Her toes curled in to the carpeted bedroom floor and she sighed as her heartbeat slowed down. Making love with Jake was always sweetly exhausting and totally satisfying, yet still stimulating. She knew that she’d be ready to do it all again in ten minutes. And so would he.

“I love you, baby.” He ran his fingers through her wild curls, loving how tousled and disheveled she looked. To see the polished Julie Everett panting and gasping under him, her eyes widened in pleasure and her lips swollen with his kisses was his favorite way to see her: gorgeous and loose and soundly fucked.

She smiled at him. “I love you too.”

They stayed like that for a few minutes, kissing and stroking, whispering endearments. Then Jake gently lifted her off him and laid her down on the bed. He went in to the master bathroom and threw the condom away, and then came back to her.

“You have time for a quick cuddle?” he asked.

Julie turned to glance at the clock on the bedside table. “Ummm. Yeah, a few minutes.”

Jake laid down beside her and gathered her in to his massive arms. She put her head on his broad chest and delicately ran her finger over his muscles. She took a deep breath, happy.

“So, how did Vicky react when you told her that she got the job?” Jake asked.

Julie grinned. “I think she was shocked. She could barely string a sentence together except to thank me about fifty times.”

“I’m glad you and Rob decided on her.”

Julie was surprised. “You are?” She lifted her head and met his gray eyes. They were serious. “How come?”

“I’m not totally sure,” he said slowly. “Just – something about her. She reminded me so much of Mom, right after she kicked my father out and was job-hunting for the first time in her life. You know? Like – desperate and scared and so damn determined, all at the same time. Vicky gave me that same feeling.”

Julie shook her head. “You’re not the only one.”

“I’m not?”

“No. Rob and I both feel like she needs a break… I mean, she’s qualified and she was damn impressive with her research and everything. But still. The thing that decided it was this sense that she just needs a hand up.”

“Phil said he thinks she’s as strong as hell under all that vulnerability.”

“I am sure Phil is right,” Julie said. “I agree with him. I think she’s down right now, but she’s not going to stay there and no way is she out. I think she’s just been waiting for a chance –
any
chance – and now that she’s got it, she’s going to run with it.”

“Yep,” Jake said. “We all better just stand back. I get the feeling that Vicky is going to blow us all away. Show us how it’s done.”

**

Opal Newman jumped up from behind the reception desk and hurried around the counter. She gave Vicky a massive hug, enveloping her in quite a bit of perfume at the same time.

“Girl!” Opal said. “I am so, so damn proud of you. Now
that’s
how you get it done!”

“Thanks,” Vicky said smiling at the older woman. “I’m sorry about leaving you in the lurch, though.”

Opal waved a massive hand, her fake jewelry flashing cheaply in the bright reception lights. “Oh, hell, girl. That should be just about the last damn thing on your mind. You hear?”

“Yes.” Vicky felt tears stinging her eyes again. She was going to miss Opal.

Vicky had shown up at the Timber Motel late one night, almost two months earlier. She was soaked through from a flash summer rainstorm and shivering with cold and exhaustion. She hadn’t eaten much that day and she felt faint and fuzzy. She gripped the reception area counter and tried to look respectable as she stared at the large woman with the odd bright maroon hair glaring at her.

Opal had worked in the cheap motel business for twenty years: she and her now-dead-and-thank-God-for-that third husband had started the Timber together. When the bastard had dropped dead in one of the rooms while yet again fucking a guest, Opal had thought about selling it and then realized that she’d surely die of boredom in about six months.

She not only held on to the motel, she overhauled it in most ways. She booted out the loitering junkies and the live-in prostitutes, and she made sure they spread the word that she did not welcome ‘that element’ any more. Her husband had always been fine with taking their money, but Opal had never liked having them around. She had wanted the Timber to be a cheap and cheerful option for families passing through Denver – and what kind of parents would bring their kids to a motel with druggies and hookers hanging around the parking lot?

She had seen it all cross the lobby of the motel, and she had looked up at Vicky with suspicion and resignation. Whatever this woman with the soaking hair and shadowed eyes was bringing to the Timber, no way it could be good news. Opal had the word ‘No’ ready on her heavily-painted lips even before Vicky opened her mouth to ask for whatever it was she was after. But Vicky surprised her, and Opal Newman was not a woman who was often surprised.

“I was wondering, ma’am, if I could clean some rooms in exchange for a bed for the night.” Vicky tried to smile. “I am an excellent cleaner.”

Opal leaned back and studied her. “Are you now?”

“Yes, ma’am.”
My
husband
made
damn
sure
of
that
.

“Hmmmmm.” Opal thought about that. Something about this one was different, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Maybe it was the way Vicky talked – her voice was soft and cultured. An educated woman down on her luck? Opal wasn’t about to bet on it. She had a few more questions to ask.

“Well, it just so happens that my cleaning lady is off sick today and tomorrow… probably the day after, too. So, how about this: you go clean Room One. Now, for free. I come and inspect it in one hour and we see where we’re at.”

Vicky almost collapsed. She was so tired and so hungry, she wasn’t sure she had the physical energy to clean a motel room to any kind of exacting standard. She had hoped to do the work tomorrow, after a night’s rest. But she was in no position to bargain and she knew it. She pulled herself up straight and called on every ounce of strength that she had; she dug down deep.