“Jess, what are you doing here, baby? It’s late. You should be in bed.”
“I wanted to be with you.”
He smiled, twisting to his side, his palm coming up to cup her cheek, and admitted reluctantly, “Babe, I’m beat.”
“That’s okay. We don’t have to do anything. I just want you to hold me.”
“That I can do, baby-doll. C’mere.” He pulled her into his arms, nestling her head against his chest as he rolled to his back.
Jessie snuggled against him, loving the feel of his warm body against her. She felt his hand slid down her back. She was wearing a pair of short pajama bottoms and matching spaghetti-strap top. His hand stroked her back several times and then strayed down to her ass. It slid over her cheek, down to the hem to the bare skin of her upper thigh. Then it slid back up under the hem to the curvy bottom of her cheek. She heard his voice rumble in his chest under her ear. “Damn, baby. I get you in my bed, dressed like this, and I’m too tired to do anything with you.”
She grinned against his pectoral muscle. And then twisted her head and kissed him there. Laying her head back down, she whispered, “Sleep, baby.” Her arm tightened around his abs, and his other hand came up and settled over her forearm. A few moments later, his breathing changed and she knew he’d drifted off.
Jessie lie awake, her eyes wide open, staring out the lace curtains that moved with the breeze blowing in the open window. Her eyes glazed over as she thought about yesterday afternoon. She’d shown up at the motel to meet Deputy Wilcox, just like he’d known she would.
He’d made her undress and lie down on the bed. He’d walked over to her, standing next to the bed and he’d set his handcuffs on the nightstand. Her eyes had been drawn to them. He’d smiled while he threatened, “I won’t use them, unless you make me.”
He’d sat on the edge of the bed next to her hip and leaned over her, resting his palm on her other side. His eyes had traveled slowly down her body and back up. Then his hand had moved from the bed to touch her face. He’d run his thumb over her lip, his eyes on them. Then his hand moved down to cup her throat. His eyes had flicked up to meet hers, and he’d said, “I can feel your pulse.”
She’d trembled and he’d continued moving his hand down, his palm gliding over her breast bone and down. Her eyes had closed as she’d tried to hold the tears back. She knew he hated tears. Taking a deep breath she’d tried to go someplace in her mind, anywhere but there. She’d thought about that time Cary had ridden her up into the hills on the ATV when she’d been grounded. How proud and pleased he’d seemed when she’d told him about her career plans.
Wilcox had touched her everywhere, but he hadn’t raped her. But she knew it was only a matter of time. Each time she met him, things progressed to another level. She wondered if he’d ever let her go.
Tears threatened to spill over onto her cheeks, and she didn’t want them to fall on Cary’s chest and waken him. Quickly she turned over onto her side and brushed them away. She felt Cary roll with her, his strong arm coming around her waist and pulling her back against his chest. His hand sought out hers and he threaded their fingers together. She felt his breath against her hair and felt so safe in his arms. She wished she could stay here forever.
Finally, exhaustion overcame her and she slept.
*****
Summer awoke to the sound of a chainsaw. She stretched and opened her eyes, looking around at the unfamiliar room. It took her a moment to remember where she was and why she was there. She sat bolt upright.
The sun was streaming in the window. She looked at the bedside clock. It was already eight o’clock. How had she overslept so late? Then she realized she didn’t have her alarm clock in here. She jumped up, got dressed, and hurried downstairs to make breakfast.
Coming into the kitchen, she flipped the light switch up and down several times. Nothing. The power was still out. “Shoot!”
She moved to the kitchen window and pushed the curtains aside to look out. She couldn’t really see anything. Going to the back door, she went outside and down the porch steps.
The yard was still littered with broken branches, roofing shingles, and assorted debris. Glancing to her left, she saw Cary at work with the chainsaw, cutting up the portion of the oak tree that had fallen against the house. Steve was stacking the wood, some for the fireplace and some of the branches in a brush pile he was preparing to burn. Summer approached him.
He turned when he saw her. “Sorry about the noise. I wanted to let you sleep in.”
“No. I’m sorry for sleeping so long. I’ll get breakfast started right away. You must be starving.”
He smiled. “No rush, sweetheart. We have to get this tree taken care of before we can break to eat.”
She nodded. “Is everything okay? The cows? Your crop?”
His eyes took in the property. “Yeah. The house and barn are still standing. No one was hurt. I lost some of the crop, but…” His eyes came back to her. “The important things are all that matter. We’ll make it somehow. I’ll just have to make up the difference with a couple rebuilds.”
Summer knew he was talking about his cars. “Anything I can do?”
“No, darlin’. Keep the house running, like you do. That’s plenty. I’ll have the generator up and running when I get this taken care of. Not sure how long it’ll be before the power company is out to fix the downed lines. Took a ride down the road this morning to take a look. There’s a pole down about a mile out. There are probably more all over the area, though, so who knows when they’ll get to us.”
She nodded. “I’ll get started on breakfast.” Then on impulse, she moved to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He only hesitated a fraction of a second before she felt his arms close around her.
“Babe?”
“It’ll be okay, Steve.” She felt his arms tighten in response.
“I know, honey.”
She pulled back and stepped away. With a smile, she headed back inside.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cary hefted the last bag of feed into his pickup truck and slammed the tailgate shut. The truck was full. He wiped his brow and looked at the setting sun. It was almost 5:30pm. He would have to hurry back to make it in time for dinner.
Cary climbed in the truck and started it up. He pulled out of the Feed n’ Seed and headed home. He was beat. Between cleaning up after the storm and all the repairs that had been needed, in addition to all the normal work it took to keep the place running, he was run ragged. The long drive out to the feed store to load fifty pound bags capped off another long day. And he still had the pleasure of unloading them all to look forward to.
He was headed back on Highway 17 when something caught his eye, and he slowed up as he approached The Sunset Motel. What the hell? That was Jessie’s car pulling out of the parking lot. It had to be. It was the only candy-apple red ’67 mustang around here. He speed up and got a look at the plates. Yep, that was her personalized plate. What the fuck? What was she doing at a motel?
He jammed on the gas and pulled alongside her. She looked over at him, startled. He motioned with a jerk of his head for her to pull over. She turned back and sped up.
Goddamn it!
He hit the gas, pulled half way in front of her and forced her to the shoulder. Jumping out of his truck, he stalked back to her car. She was still sitting inside, but her window was down.
“What the hell? Are you trying to get us both killed?” she snapped.
He leaned his hands on the door and looked down at her. Her clothes looked like they’d been hastily thrown on. Her blouse was even buttoned up wrong. He yanked the car door open, fury surging through him. “Get out of the car, Jess.”
“Cary, what is wrong with you? I will not. I’m going home.”
He didn’t bother to ask her again. He grabbed her upper arm and pulled her out of the car. His eyes ran over her. “Who was he?” he demanded.
“Who was who?” she snapped back, trying to pull out of his hold. “Let me go!”
“I saw you pull out of the motel. Your blouse isn’t even buttoned right.” He shook her. “Now who was he?”
She struggled harder. “Let me go.”
“What room is he in? I swear to Christ, I’m gonna kill him.” He shook her again. “Not gonna give the guy up? Fine. I’ll search every room if I have to!” He released her and started stalking toward the motel that stood a couple hundred feet back up the highway. He hadn’t gotten ten feet when he heard her car door slam. He whirled as she jammed on the gas and spun out in a spray of gravel. “Jess!”
She barreled off down the highway.
“Goddamn it!” He ran back to his truck and tore off after her. He stayed on her bumper all the way back to the farm. She pulled in and parked, and he pulled in right behind her, jumping out of his truck. She tried to run for the house, but he caught up to her, grabbing her arm and whipping her around to face him. “You’re going to talk to me, whether you like it or not. Now, who the hell was he?”
“Leave me alone!” she shouted back at him, twisting in his hold.
“Don’t play me for a fool, girl, because I won’t take that crap. Not from you or anyone else. Who was he? Answer me!”
Steve stepped out of the barn, having heard the commotion. “Hey! What the hell is going on here?”
Cary turned his head to see Steve walking toward him with murder in his eyes. “This is between us!” he spit out.
“The hell it is. That’s my daughter you’re talking to!”
Cary stared down at Jessie, waiting for her to say something, anything to explain what he’d seen and stop this knife from twisting in his heart. When she didn’t, he shoved her away from him and turned to Steve. “You deal with her, then.” He stomped off toward his place.
Steve stared after Cary, and saw Summer run after him. Then he swung his gaze to his daughter. “What the hell was that all about?”
She stared at the ground, “Nothing, Daddy.”
“Nothing, hell. Don’t give me that. I know a jealous man when I see one.” Steve walked over to his daughter and took her by the arm. “Jess, is there something going on between you two?”
Jessie looked down, her eyes filling with tears and whispered, “Daddy, please, this doesn’t concern you.”
“Doesn’t concern me?” Steve almost went ballistic. “You’re my daughter!” When she stayed silent, he barked, “Answer me!”
She nodded her head, and the blood drained from Steve’s face. He turned and stormed off toward Cary’s house. Jessie ran after him, grabbing at his sleeve. “Wait, Daddy. Please. You don’t understand.”
Steve shook off her hand. “I understand all I need to.”
Jessie turned and ran back to the house to get Summer.
Steve stormed up to Cary’s and pounded on the door. Cary opened the door, but before he could say a word, Steve grabbed two fistfuls of his shirtfront, dragged him out the door, and into the yard. Shaking him, he said, “Look me in the eye, Goddamn it, and tell me you haven’t been screwing my daughter!”
Cary looked him in the eye, but didn’t say a word.
“Damn you!” Steve whispered and slammed his fist into Cary’s face, knocking him to the ground.
Cary reached up and touched the back of his hand to his mouth. His lip was split and bleeding. Looking up at Steve, he observed, “I know you think I deserved that.
“Get on your feet, you son-of-a-bitch!” Steve demanded.
Cary got to his feet and spit out some blood. “It’s not what you think, Steve.”
“She’s my daughter.” Steve growled as he slammed his fist into Cary again, knocking him back down.
Cary made no effort to stand or defend himself.
“She’s my daughter, Cary,” Steve repeated. “My God, she’s only eighteen. I could kill you for this.”
“You won’t, though,” Cary said, spitting blood and looking up at him.
“Don’t tempt me,” Steve replied in a deadly voice.
Cary saw the fury in Steve’s eyes and for a second he thought he might actually be serious.
“How long?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes, it Goddamn matters. How long?”
“Since the Homecoming dance.”
Steve took a step back. “Homecoming?”
“Yeah.”
Jesus Christ. “Is there…is there a chance she’s pregnant?”
Cary shook his head. “No, she’s on the pill.”
“Get up. You’re going to be spitting out teeth before I’m through with you.”
“I let you get your punches in. Now let it go.”
Summer and Jessie ran out the back door and across the yard.
“Steve, please stop. Let him explain,” Summer pleaded.
“You stay out of this,” Steve spit out, never taking his eyes off Cary.
“Steve, please.”
He turned and stabbed a finger at her. “And so help me, God, if I find out you knew about this…” He turned back to Cary. “Now get your sorry ass up!”
Cary got up. “Summer, take Jessie in the house.”
Summer looked at Steve and then nodded at Cary, pulling a crying Jessie toward the house.
Cary turned and looked at Steve. He didn’t want to fight him, but he knew Steve had to work through his rage, and the guilt Cary was feeling made him think maybe he deserved this.
They went at each other, fists pounding flesh. They pounded on each other until they both lay exhausted, beat to shit, panting and laying on the dusty ground next to each other. They were both breathing heavily.
Steve stared up at the sky. “I never expected something like this. Not from you.”
“I care about her. Is that so hard to believe?” Cary spit a mouthful of blood on the dirt.
Steve lay there, his breath heaving.
“Don’t matter anymore, anyway. We’re done.”
Steve rolled his head to the side to look at Cary. “Yeah, you fucking are. You touch her again, you’re gone. Understood?”
“Understood.”
“I want your word.”
“You have it, Steve.”
Steve rolled his head and stared at the sky above. Somehow that hadn’t made him feel any better. He got up and stumbled toward the house without another word.
Cary watched him go and then turned to stare up at the sky. He hadn’t realized how much he felt for Jessie until today…until he’d seen her at that motel and felt his heart rip in two.