Justice King and Charlee Parker are best friends.. .or they were until the
day her feelings changed and she fell madly, hopelessly in love with
him. He didn't feel the same way. And who could blame him? Justice
King was perfect.
He could have any woman he wanted.
And she was just Charlee - a flat-chested tomboy with her heart in her
eyes.
But some things are just meant to be.
Some are luckier than most. Soulmates, friends as well as lovers. When
fate begins to weave a thread of hope to bring them together, they go
from an ill-fated night of passion to a misunderstanding which
separates them for eight long years.
But destiny will not be denied - a calamity at El Camino brings Charlee
home and from the moment he sees her, Justice knows he'll never let
her go again.
But Charlee has a secret.. .a secret she's afraid to tell Justice. She's been
keeping something from him, something he might not be able to
forgive.
LOVING JUSTICE
El Camino Real
Book 2
SABLE HUNTER
Justice King and Charlee Parker are best friends... or they were until
the day her feelings changed and she fell madly, hopelessly in love with
him.
He didn 't feel the same way. And who could blame him? Justice King
was perfect.
He could have any woman he wanted.
And she was just Charlee - a flat-chested tomboy with her heart in her
eyes.
But some things are just meant to be.
Some are luckier than most. Soulmates, friends as well as lovers.
When fate begins to weave a thread of hope to bring them together,
they go from an ill-fated night of passion to a misunderstanding which
separates them for eight long years.
But destiny will not be denied - a calamity at El Camino brings Charlee
home and from the moment he sees her, Justice knows he' ll never let
her go again.
But Charlee has a secret. a secret she' s afraid to tell Justice. She' s
been keeping something from him, something he might not be able to
forgive.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are
either the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously, and
any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business
establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
Loving Justice
Copyright 2014 © Sable Hunter
Published by Beau Coup Publishing
http://beaucoupllcpublishing.com
EBOOK:
ISBN-10: 1942213085 ISBN-13: 978-1-942213-08-6
Cover by JRA Stevens For Beau Coup Publishing
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected
under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any
unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this
book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system without express written
permission from the author / publisher.
A note from Sable
LOVING JUSTICE is Book 2 in the El Camino Real Series.
BREATH OF HEAVEN, Book I introduced the King Family with the
story of Abby Grace and Cade. LOVING JUSTICE tells the older
brother's story and reveals more about the family and how their lives
and loves are woven together to create a tapestry of Texas ranch life
and the men and women who epitomize the modern day cowboy
lifestyle. I have chosen to set this series, not in my beloved Hill
Country or on a Louisiana bayou, but alongside a historic pathway that
has partially defined my existence. All of my life I have been intrigued
by a stretch of roadway that wound its way near my home. The El
Camino Real de los Tejas stretches 2500 miles from Mexico City,
across the heart of Texas, to Natchitoches, Louisiana. I have walked the
path and marveled that I was following the footprints of history. If you
close your eyes, you can hear them—soldiers marching along,
instruments of the power struggle between France and Spain for a
wilderness which would one day be the Lone Star State. Missions were
established along its length, bringing a new religion to a new world by
order of the King of Spain. Explorers, conquistadors, and pioneers
walked its pathway. The brave men who died at the Alamo traveled to
their destiny on this road, as well as Confederate soldiers fighting their
brothers in a war that would mold the nation.
Three hundred years of history left its mark. I have touched the wagon
ruts left to scar the earth. That boggles my mind! How can a wagon rut
survive for three centuries?
For most of its length, the El Camino Real is a narrow winding road
where towns have sprung up, old missions still stand, and ranches
grace the right-of-ways. And all of those who live near this road,
known as the King's Highway, understand that it's not like other roads,
this is sacred ground. When the wind blows through the trees, I listen,
because along with the modern-day traffic, ghosts still walk. I have
stood at the base of the Native American burial mounds, forged the
creeks that hold purported buried Spanish treasure. I have ghost-hunted
in the cemeteries that lie near this road where neighbors of mine are
buried alongside confederate soldiers and next to the fathers of Texas
who fought for its independence. There is a stretch of the trail that cuts
through Crockett, narrow with a canopy of trees meeting overhead. My
mother, who was psychic, said she could see covered wagons and
settlers, war-torn and bloody from a fight with the Indians who claimed
this land. In Loving Justice, I will tell you of La Llorona, a spirit who
walks the rivers looking for her lost children, a sad figure that if you see
her or hear her—you will never forget.
So, join me, as I tell you of the King Family who live on their ranch, an
old Spanish land grant, named for the road which cuts through their
slice of Texas.
The El Camino Real is not just a road, it's a ribbon of antiquity where
history still lives and we who can follow its path are privileged.
- From Charlee's Journal -
I believe in a grand design, a reason for everything. You can't look at
the night sky or sit and watch the
waves come in and think it's all by chance. And if
nature is created with purpose and meaning, so
are we. The same power that set the stars in place,
formed and fashioned me.
I was placed upon this earth to love and be loved. My heart and soul
was sculpted to fit perfectly with another who was created with me in
mind.
And that person is you.
I knew it from the moment I saw you.
I am yours and you are mine.
We are meant to be, Justice. (Even if you don't
know it yet. ) D
CHAPTER ONE
Eight years ago, the day of the fire at El Camino...
Charlee ran through the woods at breakneck speed, brambles tearing at
her skin. She'd seen the fire trucks go by and heard the sirens.
Something was wrong at El Camino and if Justice was hurt, she'd die.
"Please, please, please," she prayed. "Let him be all right." Of course,
she didn't want anyone to be hurt, but Justice was her world.
Feet pounding as hard as her heart, Charlee ran the two miles that
separated her father's medical clinic from the ranch where her best
friend lived. Or he used to be her best friend. It was hard for a man and
a woman to be close without the male/female thing getting in the way.
Especially when one was a sex god and the other a hopeless tomboy
with a crush. Things weren't the same as they used to be. Like Justice
said, they'd grown up and grown apart. Still, she didn't want anything to
happen to him—ever. The closer she got, the better she could see the
flames shooting over the tops of the pine trees. My God, the barn was
on fire!
Racing the last few hundred yards, Charlee hastily climbed the fence
and vaulted over a drainage ditch, falling and scrambling up, tears
streaming down her face. "Justice! Justice!" She could see an
ambulance with its back doors open and the EMTs were loading
someone on a gurney. Pushing through the crowd, she fought her way
to the front.
"Justice!"
"Charlee, slow down, here I am." Strong hands caught her by the
shoulders. "I'm okay. It's Abby, she ran into the burning barn."
Throwing herself against him, she sobbed into his shirt. "I thought it
was you. I was so scared."
Awkwardly, he patted her back. "You shouldn't have come. This place
is a madhouse." He was right, people were running about, shouting.
Horses were still running loose and firemen were busy dragging hoses
and equipment around.
Charlee tried to still her trembling. "Is Abby okay?" Adrenaline was
rushing through her body ninety to nothing.
With all the noise, it was hard to hear. Justice pushed her back a few
inches so he could look into her face. "No, she'd not okay. She's been
burned. Her stomach and legs, mostly. Abby thought Cade was in the
barn, she ran in to find him. I followed her, we got the horses out, but
she was convinced Cade was in the loft. I screamed at her, I begged..."
Justice broke out into a cough. "She tore out of my hands and started to
the back stairs. A beam fell on h e r . " He stopped to cough again.
"Are you hurt?" Charlee started running her hands over his body.
"Were you burned?"
"No." He shook his head. "I just swallowed some smoke. No one was
hurt but Abby. Cade wasn't even here. A buddy picked him up a while
ago to drive to a rodeo. No one was home but me and Abby."
"Charlee, you need to back up and let Justice go." It was her father. "He
needs to go with Abby to the hospital. I'll meet you there," he told
Justice.
Justice nodded, then patted Charlee's shoulder. "Thanks for coming. I'll
talk to you later."
"Okay. Call me if you can." She stood and watched as Justice and her
dad climbed into the ambulance with Abby. Smoke was still swirling,
the air was thick and it was hard to see. Horses were whinnying and
firefighters were still spraying the charred, smoking building with
water.
"You need to go on home, miss. The structure isn't safe," one of the
firefighters who knew Charlee spoke kindly. "I'm sure your father will
let you know how things go." Everyone knew how close she'd once
been to Justice and the King family. And everybody felt sorry for her
now that they weren't.
Knowing he was right, she trudged home. It wasn't like she had nothing
to do, Charlee was up to her eyeballs in homework. College classes at
A&M were no picnic. She really needed to head over to campus for a
lab, but leaving Bronco right now didn't feel right. She wanted to be
close in case Justice needed her. He wouldn't, Justice had a big family
and they were all close. She was sure he'd already called them and they
were on their way home. He was responsible. As the oldest, he took
care of things on the ranch as much as his father did.
When she emerged from the woods, Charlee glanced up at the house
where she'd grown up. It wasn't a happy home. Letting herself into the
clinic which occupied the first floor, Charlee went to the front and
posted the 'Closed' sign on the door, just in case some walk-in patients
arrived. One day, she guessed, this practice would be hers. Presently,
she was just getting her basics out of the way, but next year she'd start
concentrating on a pre-med program. Just as Curtiss Parker wanted,
Charlee planned on being a doctor. If it had been her choice, she
would've chosen to study history, archaeology or geology, anything but
medicine. She especially loved Texas history. Living on the El Camino
Real, Charlee read everything she could get her hands on about the
subject. Instead, she would become a doctor to make her dad happy.
Charlee desperately wanted him to love her. He didn't. He never had.
She stood by the window, hugging herself, looking toward El Camino.
If it hadn't been for Justice, she didn't know if she would've survived
her childhood. He'd stood by her, defended her, helped her cope after
every one of her father's 'episodes.' Curtiss Parker was an alcoholic and
when he was drunk—he beat her. Or at least he used to. He'd abruptly
stopped when she was fourteen. It had been after the incident where
Toby had tricked Justice into using his father's prize saddle, expressly
after Sam King had told him not to. Through a misunderstanding,
Charlee had been blamed, and Sam had hauled Charlee home to her
father. Curtiss Parker had been so angry and embarrassed that he'd
whaled the tar out of her. When Justice learned she had received the
whipping he deserved, he'd told his father her terrible secret, and Sam
King had intervened. He'd threatened the doctor with the loss of his
medical license if he laid one more hand on his
daughter.
So, he'd stopped hitting her. For that she was grateful. Curtiss joined
AA. He'd tried. But the root of the problem was still there. Her father
blamed Charlee for his wife's death. He blamed her for something that
had happened when she was five years old. There were times when he
screamed at her that adopting her had been the worst mistake of his
life.
When the phone rang, Charlee almost jumped out of her skin. Grabbing
it, she answered, "Hello?" "Charlee, it's Justice."
She sat down, almost dizzy with relief. "How is she? How are
you?"
"Abby has to have surgery. Mom and Dad are on the way."
"Did you call Cade? He'd want to know." Abby was in love with
Cade.
"No, Abby won't let me. She doesn't want Cade to know how badly
she's hurt. She doesn't even want our brothers to know."
"Why?" Charlee didn't understand. Her brothers adored her. Abby had
all the support she'd ever need.
"I'll tell you when I see you," he promised and Charlee's heart leapt. It
was almost like old times.
"Okay, I'll be waiting." She assured him. "If there's anything I can do
for you or her, all you have to do is ask."
"Thanks." He sounded tired. "I'm going to stay with her until Mom and
Dad arrive, then I've got to come home and see about the horses."
"Okay, will you call me later?" The question was out before she could
call it back. They hadn't talked like this since the day Toby had defaced
the water tower with his vindictive prank, unleashing a storm of
ridicule and teasing upon her and Justice's head. After she'd become the
butt of everyone's jokes, Justice had pulled away saying they needed to
cool it, that she needed to find a girl to be best friends with. Charlee
couldn't really blame him, his friends had been relentless with their
ribbing and mocking jabs. And no teenager wants to put up with that. If
she'd been pretty or sexy, it would've been different. But when her
adoration for her best friend had become public knowledge, Justice had
been mocked, and she'd been humiliated. From that day on, the
invitations to El Camino had been less and less. There'd been no more
late night visits, no more sharing secrets—Charlee had been gently
pushed aside. Justice had found new friends and more girlfriends than
he could count, including one special one. Zelda. Charlee could never
compete with a woman like Zelda. They were as different as night and
day. Things hadn't changed when they'd grown up. Oh, Justice was
always polite, mindful of their past closeness. But they were never able
to go back to the way it used to be.
Which was a damn shame. She missed him more than anyone would
ever know.
"Yea, I will call. I promise."
Justice hung up, and Charlee just sat there staring at the phone in her
hand. He'd sounded so scared. If she could, she would've taken away
his pain. She would do it in a heartbeat.
Charlee Parker loved Justice King.
The ten foot tall white letters Toby had painted on the town's water
tower were true. Yes, everybody knew tomboy Charlee Parker loved
perfect Justice King.
But to Justice, she was just a friend. That was all she'd ever been.
* * *
Charlee paced back and forth across the floor. She hadn't heard from
Justice in over twenty-four hours. He'd promised to call. Perhaps he' d
forgotten—or changed his mind. Her father had come home and told
her that Abby had been transferred to Austin for surgery. He'd said she
was in a great deal of pain, but she would recover. Plastic surgery
would be needed. It could've been worse, he'd consoled Charlee. But
doctors generally said things like that.
Ring! Ring!
With a gasp, Charlee dove for the phone again. "Hello?"
"Charlee, could you come get me?"
It was Justice. He sounded so tired. "Of course, where are you? Did
your truck break down?"
"No, I'm at The Broken Spoke. I've had too much to drink."
To say she was surprised would be putting it mildly. Not that it
mattered, Charlee was so glad to hear from him she could cry. "Just sit
tight, I'll be right there."
"Good, I'll be waiting. I'll have another drink or two until you get here."
He was teasing, she knew he was. God, she loved him. Charlee had no
idea why he'd called her. Maybe he hadn't been able to get in touch with
any of them.
She dashed around her room, gathering her purse and the keys to the
old car her father let her use. "I'm coming."
"That's what all the girls say." He laughed at his own joke.
"Cute." She shook her head and hung up the phone. Charlee didn't want
to think about the other women in Justice's life. Racing out the door,
she couldn't believe he had let Abby's accident drive him to the saloon.
But Justice knew his limits, he wasn't like her father.
The western style bar, The Broken Spoke, was just outside of town. It
only took her fifteen minutes to get there. Charlee was so thankful
Justice had called instead of trying to drive himself. The roadway was
narrow and it was a dark night. Leaving the engine running, she hurried
inside the dim interior.
"Charlee, over here," the bartender called. "Your man is ready to go.
He hasn't said much, must be something bothering him. I'll have
someone bring his truck to El Camino in the morning."
"I can talk, Brisco." Justice admonished the bartender. "And I can
walk," he told Charlee as she slid an arm around him. "I'm just being on
the safe side."
"I'm glad." She didn't say much else because Justice was heavy, and he
was leaning on her more than he wanted to let on. With the bartender's
help, she got him to her car and buckled in.
"I'm sorry about this," he whispered. "I don't know why I called you. I
guess I just needed to talk."
"I'm glad you did." Her chest ached. She'd missed him so much.
"I feel so guilty. I blame myself." His voice sounded so tired from the
other side of her small car.
"How could you? It wasn't your fault." She knew assigning blame
didn't always make sense. Just like the blame she'd shouldered about
her adopted mother's death. Her memories of Mary Parker were good, a
kind woman with red hair and a pretty smile. Charlee's life had been
good until Mary drowned while taking Charlee swimming in the river.
After the accident, her father was never the same again.
"She's my little sister, I was supposed to be looking out for her." He laid
his head against the window. "I can still hear her screaming his name. It
was awful, Charlee. She thought Cade was dead."
His voice was so full of anguish. "I'm so sorry." She wanted to hold him
so much. "Did you ever talk to Cade? You know he'd want to know."
Cade Tallbull had been raised by the Kings. Sam had brought him
home after his father had been gored by a rodeo bull. He was a Native
American. So was Charlee, or at least that was what everyone said. She
sniffed. The Kings had a habit of taking in strays—like her. Cade had
grown up to be a fine man. He was on the rodeo circuit now, like his
father. They were all growing up. Justice had already graduated college
and was playing a big part in running the ranch.
"She still refuses to let us say anything." He turned to look at Charlee,
his face shrouded in shadow. "So, you have to help me keep her secret.
Abby was burned, and she doesn't want Cade to see where..." Justice
stopped talking and looked away, leaving Charlee to imagine what he
meant. None of what came to mind was good. The whole thing just
broke her heart.
Soon they were driving into El Camino. Even in the dark, the place was
grand. "Did you tend to the horses? Are they okay?" Charlee asked as
she came around to his side to help him out.
"I don't need any help," he slurred, but he didn't push her away when
she wrapped her arm around him again. Charlee hated to enjoy
touching him so much. She felt like she shouldn't, not under the
circumstances.
"Hush, I've got you." He staggered a bit, but Charlee stood her ground.
The stench of burned wood, hay, and scorched galvanized metal
still lingered in the air.
"God, my head hurts." As they made their way slowly to the porch, a
horse whinnied and a cow lowed in the distance. As if reminding
Justice of her question, he began to talk. "The horses are fine. I came
here and checked on things before I went to town. The hands don't need
a helluva lot of supervision. Rand McNeil's wife is having a baby, did
you know that?" He named their foreman. "I'm rambling, aren't I?"
"It's okay." She helped him up the steps and to the front door. "I'm
coming in." Charlee didn't intend to take no for an answer. "I can't
believe you drank too much. This isn't like you." When he grunted and
grumbled under his breath, she retorted, "Yea, I'm fussing a little. Sue
me."
"Just help me upstairs, boss." His voice held that teasing note she'd
heard so often years ago.
"Don't you want me to fix you something to eat first?"
A groan was her answer to that question. "We're alone." He announced.
The house was deserted. His parents and the twins, Trace and Trevor,
were in Austin with Abby. All the rest of the boys were at school.
Apparently Abby had insisted her injury be downplayed to such an
extent that most of the family was going about their normal routine.
"Don't worry, your virtue is safe with me." She did some teasing of her
own. The second and fifth stair creaked like usual. Charlee didn't need
to be told where Justice's room was located. She'd snuck up these stairs
or shimmed up the drain pipe to his window more times than she could
count while growing up. "Let's get you into bed." She winced as he was
getting heavier by the second.
"Sounds good to me," Justice murmured. "I'm beat."
"You'll feel better soon." She assured him, checking the thermostat,
making sure his room was warm enough for him. He obediently stood
next to the big four-poster bed. To her, he looked like a cross between a
sexy teddy bear and an old west desperado. Justice always reminded
her of Chris Pine in a cowboy hat.
"You smell good, like a woman."
Charlee had to laugh. "You are drunk." At his snort, she added, "At
least something about me is womanly." It sure wasn't her shape.
Charlee's unfortunate chest was as flat as a board.
"There's not a damn thing wrong with you." His voice was low and
raspy.
Charlee shivered. "Never mind. Let me get the covers turned back and
I'll help you get your boots off." This wasn't the first time she'd helped
him to bed. Of course, the other times he'd been hurting with one of
those damn headaches he was plagued with.
"I think I need help with the rest of my clothes."
His whisper sounded a little suggestive, and Charlee blushed from her
nose to her toes. "I think you need a cold shower." She made light of his
comment. Charlee had seen Justice flirt many times, but she'd never
been the recipient. She'd always been relegated to the role of best
buddy.
"Will you take one with me?"
"A shower?" She choked back a laugh. Was he tormenting her on
purpose? "Not a good idea." Charlee fluffed the pillows and turned on
the bedside lamp, anything to keep her eyes off the handsome hunk
who was unbuttoning his shirt and eyeing her like she was a tasty treat.
How many times had she dreamed of this moment? The only problem
was—the Jose Cuervo talking, not Justice.
"Come here. I need to hold you."
The teasing tone had left his voice completely. This sexy Justice was
almost more than she could handle. "Hush. Let me help you. You're
making a mess." She stepped close to him, her whole body quivering at
the sight of his gorgeous chest, lightly furred, muscles rippling as he
struggled with the shirt which was behind him, still fastened at the
cuffs.
While she was so near and he was otherwise occupied, Charlee dared to
do something she'd only dreamed about. She placed a small quick kiss
over his heart and felt hers jump in her chest.
"That's good. Now kiss me up here."
Caught. She lifted her eyes, and he was staring at her with
unmistakable heat. "Sorry."
"God, don't be. I need you." He tossed the shirt across the room and
began tugging at his pants. "Damned buttons."
"Justice, you don't want me." The words slipped from her lips unbidden
even as her hands joined his, tugging to get his belt out of the
loops.
"Yes, I do. I want you. I need you." He bent his head, and she felt his
lips on her neck. "Feel."
He took her hand and moved it below his waist—and he was right. She
could feel him big and hard. For her? Not possible. Unable to resist, she
shyly cupped him, marveling at the way he throbbed in her hand. "I'm
not your type, you said so. Remember?" Each word tore a little bit of
her pride away.
"You're my friend. A guy isn't supposed to lust after his friend. But I
can't help it." His words were still a bit slurred, punctuated by kisses as
he licked a path from her cheek to her collarbone. "Don't think I' ve
missed those hot little nipples pressing against your shirt, or that wild
flush on your cheeks when we sit close. You want me, Parker."
"We don't always get what we want, Justice." Charlee tried to muster
up some fight, some strength to push away his hands. But she couldn't.
She had wanted him forever. By age fifteen, she'd been aware of Justice
as a man and by the time she was eighteen, she'd burned for him.
"I do, I'm not afraid to reach out and take what I want when I see
it."
God, he was potent. "All I've ever wanted was for you to be happy," she
offered as she tilted her head to give him access. Frissons of excitement
covered her skin.
"I want your soft touches, like how you used to caress my forehead
when I was sick. Now, I want you to whimper for the pleasure I can
give
you."
Right on cue, she moaned for him as he skated his hands up under her
shirt. "Justice." She gasped his name in prayer.
"Your skin is like toffee-colored silk and your hair drives me mad." He
ran his fingers through the long thick chocolate colored waterfall.
"It does?" Charlee was losing her mind. This was surreal. His hands
were now working on her clothes. Soon she would be naked in his
arms.
"Yea, I love the taste of you. Sugar cookies. You're sweet on my
tongue." Justice kissed her neck again, this time sucking a bit of soft
flesh between his teeth. God, he was so excited, he was seeing stars.
"Are you gonna let me love you?"
Did she have a choice? Her mind might be wary but her body was
melting at his touch.
Justice slipped an arm around Charlee and lifted her to him, his other
hand making quick work of the remainder of their clothes. Wrapping
Charlee's hair around his fist, he pulled her head back and claimed her
lips with his own.
Their first kiss.
He had known this girl since he was nine years old. She had been the
singularly most important person in his life—including his
family—and he'd never dreamed she could singe him with such fiery
heat. God in heaven, she'd been worth the wait. "Kiss me back,
Charlee."
As if being set free, Charlee exploded in his arms. Her whole body
shuddered, and she melded herself to him, fingers weaving through his
hair, tugging its length even as she urged his head down so she could
reach his mouth easier.
"You feel good, Justice. So good." She strained up to meet him, going
up on her toes. She would have climbed into his body if she could have.
Moaning, he crashed their lips together, his tongue sweeping through
her mouth even as his hand slid between them to find her breasts. That
was when Charlee froze. "No." She tried to stop his hands.
"Don't."
"Why?" He sat down, pulling her between his legs. His mouth lifting,
seeking those tender buds which pushed out from her chest as if they
were offering themselves to him. "You don't think I've seen these little
nipples, wanted them? You may hide how you feel, but you could
never control this little body."
She shifted in his embrace, her arms coming up to cross over, shielding
her breasts from his eyes. "I'm too small. Not like—"
"Shhhh," he hushed her, pulling her arms down, exposing her to his
mouth. "Delicate, dainty, exquisitely feminine—that's what you are."
He kissed the tender swell, and she arched into him as he swirled his
tongue
around her areola, then sucked the nipple into his mouth. "Justice!" she
keened.
He felt his cock throb. God, this was good. He kneaded the small of her
back as he nursed at her breast, his lips suckling the tender tip. "Sit." He
urged as he slid his mouth from one side of her chest to the other.
Charlee did as he bade, easing herself down on his muscular thigh,
which pressed hard between her legs. "Oh, oh, oh," she whimpered as
the dual sensations of his mouth on her breast collided with the
pressure in her clit as she began to move on him, riding him almost
mindlessly as he sucked at her nipple. None of her fantasies even came
close to what Justice was doing, scoring her nipple with his teeth, then
lashing at it with his tongue. The pleasure was swirling around her, and
she was dizzy with it, clutching his shoulders as he fell back with her
on the bed.
Justice lay beside her, but he didn't stop the incredible things he was
doing to her body, his mouth ravishing her breasts, giving each one of
them the attention they so desperately craved. Of their own volition,
her thighs parted in invitation, and she felt his hand cup her heat, his
fingers delving deep where no man had ever touched her before.
Charlee lifted her hips in supplication as he rubbed up and down,
massaging her pussy, driving her crazy as he speared up inside her,
then swirled his fingers up to pleasure her clit. "Justice!" she cried,
unable to stop the heat which rose, swelled, pulsed and exploded
between her thighs.
"God, you're precious," he growled as he lifted his lips from her
well-sucked nipple.
"Give me what I need, Justice. Please," she begged, for what, she didn'
t know. He spread her open, and she arched, bucking gently as he
pressed the hot swollen head of his dick against the folds of her
femininity.
"This is what you need, I'm what you need." He took her by the waist
and angled her body, draping her legs over his thighs, then he lowered
himself to her. Slowly he pushed his way into her. Charlee tossed her
head from one side to the other, her fingers wrapped around the thick
muscles of his forearms.
This was her first time. Even through his alcoholic haze, Justice was
aware of the need to be gentle. But she wasn't making it easy. Her
tight pussy was grabbing onto him like a hot hungry little mouth,
sucking him in inch by inch. She chewed on her lip and made the
sweetest sounds as her snug channel hugged the wide crest of his cock.
He couldn't stop. She didn't want him to stop. "Do it, Justice. Don't
make me wait," she moaned. "I've wanted you so long." Her voice rose
as he surged over her, pressing deep as he gave her the penetration she
seemed to crave.
"Fuck," he groaned. "You're so damn sweet."
Charlee wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her legs even
wider, spreading herself open like a butterfly, her hips undulating as
she felt her femininity giving, stretching to welcome him. If there was
pain, it was inconsequential compared to the sheer ecstasy of becoming
his.
"Put your legs around me and hold on," he instructed her as he pulled
out, pushed back, thrusting and pumping. There were just no words.
The pleasure was so intense that Justice thought he might black out.
And he didn't want to miss a moment. This was pure, raw rapture.
"I had no idea," she murmured as she kissed his shoulder then sought
out his mouth, kissing him hard and deep, her body accommodating
him, her mouth eating at his with desperate hunger.
Her passion turned him on like nothing ever had. She was his. She'd
always been his. How had he resisted her for so long? Giving himself
over to the bliss, he filled her over and over again. Justice didn't hold
back, didn't try to control the impulse to cover, dominate—possess.
Charlee's world was tilting out of control. Her lips pressed kisses to his
neck, she buried her face against him, raking her teeth on his skin even
as she dug her nails into the strength of his back.
"You're so wild, I love it." He held himself up, watching her face.
"Suck my nipples some more, please?"
"Will you come for me if I do?"
She giggled, the sweetest sound he'd ever heard. God, she was hot. She
blistered him with her sensuality.
"I'm going to cum anyway," Charlee confessed, feeling secure. "Did
you know I masturbate every night, dreaming about you? I call your
name when I climax."
"Damn." He couldn't hold out any longer. She was too much. Bending
his head, he closed his mouth over her nipple and suckled hard,
opening his mouth wide, devouring, pulling the red bud deep into his
mouth.
The sweet suction caused her to writhe, her inner muscles clenching
and unclenching around him in time with the pressure of his mouth.
"Sweet Jesus," she moaned.
"Can't stand it any longer," he muttered. He shifted upward, taking her
hips in his hands, angling her so he could finish the deed. His hips
churned, his cock pistoning in and out of her, pushing them both to the
edge of reality and beyond. Bending, he captured her mouth as she
came, inhaling her sweet cries even as his hips flexed and his cock
ravished her pussy.
Charlee understood then, she realized what she'd been missing, what
she was created for. The orgasm that swept over her was more than just
a physical release, it was a branding—a possessing.
She was owned.
Justice pulsed within her, each spasm of pleasure so intense he thought
he would die from it. "Sweet God, Charlee." His chest rose and fell as
he panted, fighting to breathe. Fire ripped through him as he exploded.
He came so hard his vision blurred.
The only noise in the room was their breathing. Neither one of them
said a word. Justice hadn't moved, most of his weight rested on her
body, and Charlee never wanted the moment to end. With deliberate
care, she soothed her hand over the damp skin of his shoulder, placing a
single kiss on the pulse-point at the base of his neck.
Finally, she whispered, "Thank you." Charlee couldn't think of
anything more appropriate to say.
Justice chuckled. "No, thank you."
He pulled out, and Charlee closed her eyes, her mouth opening in a
small 'O' as they separated.
"I want to give you something," Justice said as he settled himself next
to her. Sitting up, he reached behind his neck and released a clasp,
taking off the necklace he always wore.
Charlee's eyes grew wide. "Your star?" It was a small silver star on
a simple leather cord. His grandfather had given it to him, she
remembered. It wasn't expensive, just something the old man had
picked up in Mexico. But Justice had always said it was his lucky
charm.
"Yea, I want you to wear it. To remember what we did tonight." While
she waited, he fastened it back and slipped it over her head. "There,
now you won't forget me."
"No chance of that." Charlee patted the warm metal resting on her bare
skin. What did this mean? "I'll never take it off."
"Now, lie down with me. I' m so tired and sleepy. I drank way too much
tonight." He shut off the light, holding out his arms, and she went into
them, happier than she'd ever been in her life. Finally, her dreams were
coming true.
CHAPTER TWO
Still eight years ago...
Charlee awoke with a start. Where was she? She was so warm, so
comfortable. Her mattress was so... hard. "Oh, my gosh." She
squeaked. It wasn't a dream. Charlee was in the bed, in the arms of
Justice King! And he was holding her tight, his breath feathering
against her temple. She could have stayed here with him forever, but
the sun was rising. It was time for her to get back to the house before
her father realized she'd never come home the night before.
Justice needed his rest, so Charlee was careful to ease out of his arms
and off the bed without waking him. For the past couple of years, she'd
helped her dad at the clinic, serving as his receptionist. That and the
classes at A&M kept her busy. Tiptoeing, she came to Justice's side of
the bed and began picking up her clothes. Being ever so quiet, she
leaned on the chest of drawers and quickly dressed. She couldn't help
but grin. The sight in front of her was pure eye-candy. Once she'd
moved, Justice had relaxed, hogging the bed. He took up the whole
mattress, his arms spread out, powerful legs sprawled.
Did she dream the night before? No, she could feel the evidence of his
loving on every inch of her body. Her breasts were swollen and
sensitive from his sucking on her tender nipples. Even now she could
feel them tingling. Charlee sighed with the memory, lifting her fingers
to brush her lips, which were abraded and puffy from his kisses.
Arousal warmed her... if she had time, she'd crawl back in the bed and
make him proud he was a man. God, she could get used to this. Charlee
pressed her thighs together. Her clit was achy and needy. It wanted
Justice, all of her
did.
As she caressed him with her eyes, her gaze slipped down his body.
The sheet was riding low on his body, and she could see his manhood.
It was only half erect, but impressive as hell. Charlee covered her hot
cheeks with her palms, remembering how it had felt—stretching,
pleasuring—he'd fit every inch of that rock hard flesh inside of her.
"Ummm," she whimpered, her pussy growing wet at the thought.
Justice had taken her with such force the bed shook. She'd never known
such pleasure was possible. With a smile, she wondered when they
could do it again. All he'd have to do was crook his finger and she'd
spread her legs for him. Charlee would never deny him anything.
Glancing at the clock, she saw it was nearing six. "Time to go, my
love." Her world had taken a complete one-eighty. Today, everything
was new. She bent and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you."
Justice shifted in his sleep at the touch of her lips. "Zelda..."
She jerked up so quickly, she almost got whiplash. Zelda? God, no.
Surely he didn't think she was Zelda! Had he been dreaming of Zelda?
After making love with Charlee, had he been thinking of her?
The ramifications of what she'd done swamped Charlee like a tidal
wave. She'd thought this was a new beginning, that they were starting
over. She'd thought he finally realized what they shared was special.
That she was more than just a tomboy, his old friend. Covering her
eyes, Charlee almost wept with shame. She'd given her virginity to
Justice. Further remorse hit her when she realized they hadn't used any
kind of protection.
Horrified, she ran from the house. Almost blinded by tears, she hurried
through the woods, praying to get to her room without running into her
father. As she entered the yard, she saw that she'd miscalculated.
Curtiss Parker was standing in the garden, watering his tomato plants.
Her tearing through the leaves hadn't gone unnoticed. "So, I was right,"
he said icily. "I always knew you were playing the whore for that King
boy."
"Dad! " His railing and accusations were the last thing she needed. "It
wasn't like that." Charlee couldn't handle anymore right now, not after
hearing Justice moan another woman's name in his sleep.
"So, how is it? Tell me."
She tried to walk by him, but he grabbed her by the arm, yanking her to
a stop. "Don't." She protested. "He needed me. He was worried about
Abby." Even if she was hurting, she couldn't deny that.
"His sister will suffer, you will too." With that dire declaration, he
slapped her right across the mouth. Hard!
Charlee cried out, completely involuntarily. "Justice! "
"That boy doesn't care anything about you. If he did, he wouldn't have
dropped you like a hot potato. The jerk wasn't even man enough to see
you home. Get in the house and shower his scent off of you, you stink!
" He pushed, and Charlee stumbled.
His words hurt, especially since some of them rang true. God, she hated
Curtiss Parker. "I wish you weren't my father," she sobbed. "Justice
i s . " She pressed her lips together, not knowing what to say. Charlee
was so confused.
He laughed, throwing his head back. "I'm not your father. Some
stinking half-breed is. You'll never know how I wish I'd never laid eyes
on you. It wasn't me who wanted you, it was Mary. And then look what
you did, you killed her. I sacrificed for you, and this is how I'm repaid."
He spat the words out at her.
"All you ever gave me was loneliness, pain, and guilt. You never loved
me." Charlee ran, wishing she never had to stop.
Brokenhearted, she crept around the house, cleaning herself up and
changing clothes. Flashes of what she'd done with Justice kept entering
her mind. Why had he whispered Zelda's name? Had he imagined she
was Zelda as they were making love? With a low groan, she threw
herself on her bed and jerked the pillow over her head. Maybe it was an
accident, maybe he was dreaming something else about Zelda, a
memory from school or that pageant they'd all been in. Anything was
better than Justice wishing she was Zelda.
Dragging herself from the bed, she smoothed the wrinkles from her
clothes. Her father hadn't come upstairs. For that she was grateful. How
she wished she could find out who her real parents were. She'd asked
several times, but Parker always ignored her. Why he didn't just tell
her, she didn't know. It wasn't as if she was of any value to him. If she
could
locate her real family, Charlee would contact them in a heartbeat.
Throughout the years, the Kings had begged her to go to the authorities
and report Parker for abuse. She'd refused, there was no way she could
ever leave Bronco, not because she didn't want to leave her home or her
father. The truth was Justice was here. She couldn't bear to leave him.
But now... she didn't know if she could bear looking him in the face
again.
When the time came, she mechanically went downstairs and opened
the doors for business. Several people showed up, most with things as
uncomplicated as a bad cold or the flu. Charlee stayed out of his way as
much as possible. When lunch came, he barked at her to go pick him up
a sandwich. She took money from the cashbox and headed out, grateful
to get away.
Charlee thought about calling Justice, but she had no idea what to say.
How did one ask what a night of sex had meant to them? Surely he
would contact her. Charlee looked at her cheap cell phone, making sure
she hadn't missed any calls. No, she hadn't.
The walk from the clinic to the diner only took about seven minutes.
She kept her head down, embarrassed that she now wore a fresh bruise
across her lips. If anyone asked, she'd tell them she walked into a door.
It had been a long time since this had happened. She was ashamed.
Charlee was older now, an adult. She didn't intend to live like this any
longer. What she would do, though, she didn't know.
Reaching the diner, she stepped back to let a couple with a baby exit
before she entered. Smells of hamburgers and French fries wafted on
the air. "What can I get you, Charlee?" Wanda asked with a grin. She'd
been the chief cook and bottle washer at the diner for as long as Charlee
could remember.
"A steak sandwich to go."
"Is that all?" she asked, knowing Charlee wasn't getting anything for
herself. "Not hungry?"
"Add a vanilla malt to the order." She gave Wanda a tentative smile,
her fingers going up in front of her mouth. She was self-conscious.
"Sure thing. Want a piece of ice for that lip?"
"No." She shook her head. "It doesn't hurt much, I walked into a
door."
Wanda nodded somewhat sadly. "Just sit down and rest, I'll have this
out to you in a jiffy." Charlee followed her suggestion and found a table
by the window where she could watch the crowd go by. It wasn't but a
few seconds before her heart leapt into her chest. "Justice! " she
whispered. He pulled his truck right up to the front and climbed out.
She raised her hand in a shy greeting. How had he found her?
Justice waved back, but it was that wave she didn't like. He sliced his
hand through the air as if he were pushing someone, her, away. She
held her breath, but he didn't come right in. Instead, he looked up the
street as if he was waiting on someone. If it was like old times, Charlee
would've run out to greet him. But those days were gone and last night
had just complicated things. She kept her eyes on him. The expression
he wore didn't seem to be one of a man elated to see his lover, the one
who had gifted him her innocence—he looked. bored.
Finally, she breathed a sigh of relief when he turned to come inside.
Now they'd straighten things out. He'd ask her why she'd left so quickly
and tell her how much he'd enjoyed being with her. He would ask to see
her again and be concerned about the place on her lip. And when she
told him what had happened, he would get up and go deal with her
father. Maybe he'd even insist she come stay with him. After all, things
were different now. Charlee sat up a little straighter, adjusting her skirt.
Why hadn't she checked her face? She should've put on a little powder
and lipstick, especially since her mouth probably looked like she'd been
stung by a bee.
"Hey, Charlee," he spoke with an offhand smile, then promptly walked
past her and sat at another table.
Charlee's mouth dropped open and her heart sank. He wasn't going to
sit with her? And two seconds later, she knew why. Laughter at the
front drew her eyes, and she saw Toby enter accompanied by a tall,
blonde, stacked vision of Southern charm. Zelda. Zelda, the mayor's
daughter, the one who had made her attraction to Justice and her
contempt for Charlee crystal clear over the years. The one whose name
had been on his lips this morning. Justice had dated her a few times too.
A flat-chested tomboy like herself could never hope to compete with
this. this.
What had she been thinking? Charlee ducked her head as Toby and
Zelda walked by her and straight to Justice's table. And when Zelda
bent over and planted a long, deep kiss on her Justice's lips, Charlee
nearly died. She should have jumped up and bitch-slapped her slutty
mouth, and she would have, if Justice hadn't clasped her around the
neck and kissed her right back! Charlee must have looked as shocked
as she felt because Toby sneered at her with a knowing smile. It was as
if he knew her heart was breaking!
She stood, hesitating, willing Justice to do or say something that would
make sense. They had spent the night in one another's arms, they had
made love!
Nothing.
Several people were watching, it was almost as if they knew what was
going on. And they probably did. In a small town like this, everybody
knew everyone's business. All of these folks had seen her and Justice
grow up together. They all knew how close they'd been. They all knew
she'd worshipped the ground he walked on. And they all knew when
he'd eased her out of his life. After all, they saw that damn water tower
every day.
Charlee tried to smile at the gawkers, but she couldn't. She felt
paralyzed. Putting one foot ahead of the other, she started to walk the
long mile to the counter to pay for the food Wanda was holding aloft as
she called out her name. "Parker, order's up!"
Behind her, she could hear Justice and his friends talking. "How's your
sister?" Zelda asked.
"On the mend," Justice answered.
"We drove to Austin to see her a few minutes yesterday. Your mom
looks like she's been through the wringer," Toby continued. "Where
were you? What were you doing last night?"
Justice laughed. "Nothing important. Had a few drinks, then went home
and crashed."
"You should have called me," Zelda purred. "I would've kept you
company."
"I should have," Justice agreed.
"That'll be six-fifty," Wanda said. Charlee's fingers felt too big to fit
into her wallet. Her mouth was dry. She was completely shaken. Was
he serious? Either he didn't remember or he wanted to forget. Either
way, one thing was clear. She wasn't needed here.
"Bye, Charlee." Zelda's voice sounded above the crowd.
"Yea, see you later, Parker. Enjoy your lunch." Toby chimed in.
"Leave her alone," Justice drawled, but then he said something under
his breath, and they all laughed out loud. Charlee froze. She was so
angry and so hurt. There was no way she could let this pass. Whirling
around, she marched back to where they were lounging at a round
table, each good-looking in their own way. They all glanced up,
surprised to see her joining them. "What's up, Charlee?" Justice asked.
"I can see you are. How did you sleep last night?" Sarcasm dripped
from her words. She didn't let him respond. "I just wanted to tell you
that you're a jerk. I don't know why we were ever friends. You never
deserved me, and I hope I never have to see you again as long as I live."
To tell the truth, they all looked stunned. The floor-mat had finally
spoken up in her own defense. A wave of mortification propelled her
out the door. She walked quickly, not waiting to see if Justice stood or
tried to call her back. Out the door and down the street she went,
running in the opposite direction from her home. Charlee fled,
dumping the food into the nearest garbage can. Clamping a hand over
her mouth, she raced down the sidewalk, trying not to scream. Blindly,
she turned down the first street she came to and lost herself in a group
of people coming from a funeral at the Baptist church on the corner.
Desperate to be alone, Charlee ducked into the church and sat down on
the back pew. Everyone was gone except the attendants moving the
flower arrangements from the front of the church to the vans waiting to
take them to the cemetery. She bowed her head so they wouldn't notice
her. As quietly as she could she sobbed, her shoulders moving with
each wrenching breath. Over and over again, she replayed the words
Justice had said. He'd done nothing important last night. Nothing
important.
Her stomach was rolling in sick realization of what he must be
thinking. Or was he just too drunk to remember what they'd
shared—the kisses, the touches, the way she'd clung to him, how she'd
whispered his name when she came. Nothing important. With those
words, he'd ripped part of her soul from its moorings.
How long she sat there, she didn't know. When she rose, it was daylight
no longer. The truth was sad. She was nobody. She was nothing.
Nobody wanted her. Curtiss Parker, her adopted father, didn't want her.
Justice didn't want her either. If she found her real mother, how would
she feel? Had she not wanted her either or had she been too young to
keep her? The question was eating her alive.
Not knowing what else to do, Charlee returned to the clinic. Still
crying, she fought back the anger and the pain. Realization of the stupid
mistake she'd made with Justice was pounding in her head like a drum.
Clutching her arms around her waist, Charlee walked through the yard.
Her feet were sore, she had blisters on the back of her heels because she
hadn' t stopped to put on hose this morning.
The house was dark, her father was gone. If he was hitting her again, he
was probably drinking again also. Panicking a little at the thought,
Charlee wanted to leave, she had to leave. There was nothing for her
here. She couldn't live in the same house as her father anymore. Now
was her chance for a fresh start. Should she just go to the bus stop and
buy
a
random
ticket?
Or
should
she
try
to
find
something—anything—about her past?
Switching on the lights, Charlee boldly walked into his office. The old
bastard kept everything. If something existed that could give her a clue
to who she was and where she'd come from, Curtiss Parker would have
a copy of it. Methodically, she started going through files, drawers, file
cabinets, and the desk. She wasn't neat about it either. Without care, she
tossed things to the left and to the right. Let him clean it up for a
change. "Please, please, please," she chanted until she finally found a
file with her name on it. It was stuffed behind a drawer, bent and
stained. Still, it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. With
shaking hands, she plopped down at the desk and opened it up.
Quickly, she read, then she reread and reread again. Mother, Dawn
Cortez. Father, Santino Cortez. The address was Pine Ridge
Reservation,
South Dakota. The lawyer's name was Pete Sheldon and there was a
phone number. And the baby's name—her name—was Cha'risa Cortez.
Cha' risa. Keeping her eyes on the paper, her heart rate through the
roof, she fumbled for the phone and placed the call. One ring, two,
three.
"Shepherd and Associates, may I help you?"
"Ah, hello. This is Charlee Parker, uh, Cha'risa Cortez, I guess. You
handled my adoption. I found the information, and I need to talk to you.
I want to know if my real parents would have any interest in meeting
me."
* * *
Charlee offered no explanations to Curtiss Parker. She kept her door
locked and stayed out of his way. A young lawyer by the name of
Hampton Forbes drove down from Dallas and met with her at his motel
room. He verified her identity, then explained everything as best he
could. To Charlee' s surprise, Mr. Forbes had been kind.
Now, she was packing. Hampton was coming after her. He'd explained
that Pete Sheldon was dead. His practice had been acquired by
Hampton's firm, Shepherd and Associates, and what Charlee/Cha'risa
learned literally blew her mind. Her father was dead, but her mother
was still alive. She'd been wrenched from her home while her mother
had begged on her hands and knees to keep her.
"Shepherd and Associates has learned of illegal and shameful practices
in the area of adoption committed by Pete Sheldon." She had listened,
comprehending most of what he said. The shock was so great, Charlee
had a hard time thinking. But one truth stood out loud and clear. She'd
been wanted.
What was most disturbing was the idea that people could manipulate
others out of greed. The government paid a set fee to parents willing to
foster a child, but they received double for a child with Native
American blood. This bonus was too great of a temptation for some
unscrupulous people who saw an opportunity to cash in on other's
problems. And if they couldn't fill their foster homes and orphanages
with children who were actually without parents and homes, then they
created the illusion of that need, trumping up false charges and
accusations against innocent, honest parents and stealing their children
from their very arms.
This had happened to Charlee. When she learned the truth, she
cried.
All of these years, she could have been in a home with a mother who
loved her and wanted her. Instead, she'd lived with a man who despised
her, blamed her for his wife's death and hit her if she got in his way.
The only bright spot in her world had been Justice, and now that was
ruined. Her cell phone had rang twice. She hadn't answered. Charlee
had left her phone in her room. She didn't bring it with her. Hampton
Forbes was going to drive her to Lakota, South Dakota to meet her
mother.
And as far as she knew, she was never coming back.
* * *
Justice was going around in a daze. His head hurt so badly, he couldn't
see. He'd awoken three days ago in a cloud of agony. The drugs he had
to take would mask the pain for a little while, but it always came
roaring back. These bouts weren't normal headaches that lasted an
hour, they could plague him for days or weeks if it was a particularly
bad episode.
Damn, he'd drank too much after Abby's surgery and everything after
that had been a blur. Sipping a glass of water, he tried to read the
instructions on the prescription bottle. This medicine made him as hazy
as alcohol. God! He hated how weak this shit left him.
And what the hell was up with Charlee? He'd never seen her act like
that. Oh, they'd had childish spats before, but this was different. She'd
said she never wanted to see him again. He'd called her several times,
no answer. When he'd ran into her at the diner, he hadn't been thinking
straight. He'd been forced to meet Toby and Zelda to sign some stupid
release form so she could use his name and photo in a magazine article
being written about her. Zelda was some hotshot model in Dallas and
apparently she and anyone from her past was 'newsworthy.'
This just wasn't like Charlee. He knew they hadn't really hung out in a
while, but she was in college and he was working full time. They would
always be friends. Yea, he knew she'd had a little crush on him once
and he hadn't wanted to hurt her. So, he'd given her some space. But
that was behind them. Today, he just needed to talk—hell, he needed
her.
Charlee was still the one person he thought of when he needed
someone. And the events of the past few days had taken their toll. He'd
gone back to Austin and visited Abby. She was still adamant that none
of the family except for him and his folks could know how badly she
was burned. The idea of what she'd told him haunted Justice like
nothing had in a long time. Men just shouldn't know those type of
things. All he could do was hold Abby while she cried, saying she was
ruined. She thought where she was burned would keep her from
marrying, having a husband or a lover. Justice said she was wrong. He
knew if someone he loved was hurt, all he would want to do was help
and love them. Because of all this female anguish, he needed Charlee.
She always listened. She always made him feel better.
So, where the hell was she?
Determined to get to the bottom of things, Justice drove over to the
clinic, thinking she might be sick and unable to talk on the phone. But
when he'd pulled up in front of the white bungalow, what he'd seen
astonished him. Charlee was not only in the car with another man, she
was driving away with him! A man he didn't know. Who was this ass?
Was she going on a date? He met them, passed them slowly, and she
never met his gaze—never once looked at him.
In the other car, Hampton Forbes stole a glance at the woman
sitting beside him. She was something else, a little scrapper. And cute
too. "You sure you want to do this?"
"Yes." She nodded, then jerked her head up, eyes big. "She does want
to see me, my mother, doesn't she?"
"Of course." Hampton assured her. "I was working down through his
files. Your case was coming up. I would have been at your doorsteps in
a few weeks anyway."
"Were you the one who talked to her?" Charlee asked, uncertainty
shading her voice.
"Yes, I have her number." He held his phone out. "Want to give
her a call?"
Her hand moved toward the phone at the same time her head was
shaking 'no.' "I'm scared."
"The hard part is over, Miss Parker-Cortez." He grinned at her. "She's
waiting for you and she's your mom. She loves you. Just because she
hasn't seen you for years doesn't change that. There are some things and
some people you can count on. Here."
What Hampton said made Charlee's stomach hurt. She felt divided. On
one hand she was happy and grateful that she had this second chance
with her mother. On the other hand, her heart ached because of Justice.
Leaving Bronco was her, but right now Madison County wasn't big
enough for the both of them.
Hampton waved the phone in front of her. He was smiling. Charlee
guessed he would be considered good-looking. "Oh, all right." She
made a funny face at him. "Did she call me Cha'risa?"
"No, they called you Charlee, the Parkers didn't come up with that.
Look in my contacts. Her name is there."
Charlee felt so odd when she saw the words 'Dawn Cortez.' With a deep
breath, she pressed the touch screen. As he watched, she slowly raised
the cell to her ear. In a few seconds she heard a voice, a voice that
struck a chord deep in her heart.
"Mom? This is Charlee."
* * *
Life takes amazing twists and turns. In less than six weeks, Charlee's
life completely changed. Her mother was amazing. From the moment
they met, it had been like coming home. Dawn Cortez had held out her
arms, and Charlee had ran right into them. The small house where she
lived on the reservation wasn't fancy, but the moment Charlee walked
through the door she felt warm. Dawn had done everything she could to
make her feel welcome, and she found herself pouring her heart out to
her mother about the Parkers and about Justice.
"Why don't you call him?" she asked with a gentle smile.
Charlee set across from her at the dining table, picking at her food.
Even though Dawn's cooking was superb, lately she hadn't had much of
an appetite. Lifting her eyes, she met her mother's gaze. In many ways
it was like looking in a mirror. "I've thought about it." She twisted her
napkin. "I just don't know what to say."
She placed her hand over Charlee's. A wise and gentle smile on her
face. "You two have a lot to say to one another. Talk about your past.
Talk about your friendship. Most importantly, tell him you're
pregnant."
Charlee's fork froze midway to her mouth. "Pregnant?" She dropped
the fork. Unparalleled joy, overwhelming doubt, and paralyzing fear
stole her breath. So much had happened, she'd pushed the possibility
from her mind. Still, the loss of appetite and twinges of nausea seemed
to fit. "Oh, my God," she whispered.
What was he going to do?
For a short time, Charlee rode a rollercoaster of emotions. Her mother's
intuition and observation proved to be correct. There were unforeseen
repercussions from the night she'd spent with Justice. A baby. At first
she'd been angry. But that had quickly changed. She was carrying the
child of the man she adored. Placing her hands over her belly, Charlee
held it as close to her heart as she could. Her happiness built until she
was consumed, thrilled. She might never have Justice, but she would
have a part of him with her forever.
She and her mother would sit up and talk for hours, laughing and
planning. Charlee took a job at the local Dairy Queen. It wasn't much,
but it helped. She realized she'd have to make other plans. After all, she
had a baby to support. But right now she was just basking in the
reunion with her mother and the knowledge that she was going to be a
mother herself. The only cloud on her horizon was the longing she felt
for her best friend, the man she loved—for Justice. Once she'd even
phoned him. Charlee had been at the grocery store and saw a prepaid
cell phone and couldn't resist. She'd let it ring four times before she'd
hung up. It was probably for the best. Now wasn't the time. Charlee
didn't plan on being gone forever. She had time to reach out, to tell him
about the baby.
And then the unthinkable happened. Everything began to fall apart.
Dawn began having stomach pains so severe she could no longer hide
them from Charlee. When she convinced her mother to go to the
doctor, his diagnosis was heart-wrenching. The parent she'd just found
was diagnosed with cancer. She only had months to live.
Maybe it was the stress, maybe there was something else wrong, or
maybe it just wasn't meant to be, but a few days after she buried her
mother, Charlee lost her baby.
She was alone once more.
The only person she called was Hampton. He came after her, but she
didn't return to Bronco. Too much water had run under the bridge. It
was time to move on.
CHAPTER THREE
Present Day...
Justice leaned against the wall and observed the festivities. The lodge
had been transformed into a white and silver winter wonderland. Even
the outside had been transformed. Small white lights graced every tree
and gas lanterns were lit all the way around the lake. This was a
celebration fit for a King. Justice sighed, he hated parties. Especially
weddings. Especially Christmas weddings. Draining a glass of sickly
sweet punch, he watched Jase's fiancee flit around like a butterfly in a
greenhouse, trying to be everywhere all at once. He didn't know who
she was trying to impress, but she wasn't succeeding with the King
siblings, especially Abby. He'd heard her mutter the words 'vegan' and
'land shark' under her breath more than once. Jase didn't even look that
excited about the impending nuptials and he was the groom. But then
who was he to judge? Justice had a horrible track record when it came
to women.
"Yuck! Gross!" A small boy's protest rose above the band playing
peppy love tunes.
"Ha! Little Harold doesn't like the food either." Trace elbowed Justice.
"I' m not sure I ever want kids," Trevor drawled as they watched the
little hellion race back and forth across the room in his spiffy blue suit,
almost causing several people to trip or spill their drinks.
"Careful, in just a couple of days that cute little monster is going to be
part of Jase's new family. He's the ring bearer, Pam's sister's kid."
Justice pulled his hat down over his eyes and folded his arms with an
air of superiority.
"I feel sorry for Jase. He wanted Scout to be the ring bearer, and I can
guarantee he'd get the ring to the altar. I'm not sure about that little
rascal," Shiloh muttered under his breath. They all knew how much
their brother loved his old faithful German Shepherd.
"You have a point." Justice couldn't hide a smile when little Harold
tried to run between Ms. Horne's legs. They both skittered around like
dancing penguins. Ms. Horne loved occasions, she'd spent her life
teaching piano lessons to sticky fingered children and running the only
motel in town.
"Want another drink?" Trace asked Justice as he picked up a beer from
a passing tray.
"Nope, none for me." He had barely taken a drink since the night Abby
had been hurt. That was the last time he'd lost control. Charlee had
picked that time in his life to disappear. For some reason she had cut
him out of her life as completely as Abby had cut Cade from hers. He
watched Abby watch Cade from across the room. If only... if only. No.
Justice closed his eyes. He refused to think about Charlee now.
A scream rent the air.
"What in the hell is going on?" He stood up straight and let his eyes
rove over the hall.
"My baby! My baby!" Pam's sister was running.
"He's on the ice. He followed Jase's damn dog out on the ice," someone
else screamed.
Everyone ran for the door and out into the frigid weather. East Texas
was seeing the harshest cold front that had blown through in many a
year. It wouldn't last, but right now the ponds and lakes all had a layer
of ice. When Justice pushed his way through the crowd, he could see
Harold's family standing on the bank, begging the little boy to turn
around and come back. There was no sign of Scout.
Everyone held their breath as the toddler made his way out into the
middle where the ice would be the thinnest. A collective gasp caused
Justice to turn around, and he felt his heart go in his throat when he saw
Cade—big, strong, brawny Cade Tallbull moving out to save the boy.
He heard Abby begin to cry and beg for him to come back. "No, Cade,
no! "
Her pleas didn't stop him. Cade kept moving out to save the child. To
his mother's relief, the little boy scampered to the other side, safe and
sound. But Cade was still out on the ice. He stopped and tried to turn
around but a loud crack ripped the air and in a heartrending rush the big
man disappeared into the black, icy water. Justice felt like he was
reliving a nightmare because Abby's screams for Cade sounded exactly
like they had the day the barn burned. Justice started to go to her, but
she began to move. Horrified, he realized Abby was heading out on the
pond to the place Cade had disappeared. She called, she yelled for him
to surface. They stared at the hole Cade fell through. The clock was
ticking. Something was wrong.
"No! Abby, no! " Justice began to run out on the ice. "No! " Someone
grabbed him.
"You're too heavy, King, you'll never make it. Not like that." All of the
brothers fought to go to their sister but none of them could stop her.
Without hesitation, she dove into the water to find Cade. Screams rent
the air.
"Oh, God, no," Justice whispered. "Call for help," he asked whoever
was listening. "Shiloh, get ropes, whatever you can find to help." The
idea of his small sister underneath the frigid deadly water was
inconceivable. What if she died? What if they both died? "How long
have they been under?"
"Too long," someone said.
"Don't say that." He heard his mother cry.
Suddenly, the water churned, and he saw Abby surface. Then he saw
Cade's head bob up. Miraculously, she had him. No, he had her. Abby
wasn't moving.
"Hold on, Abby! We' re coming! " Shiloh was easing out, crawling, so
as not to put too much weight on any one spot on the ice.
Justice followed. Both of them were on all fours. "Here, take this rope,
Cade."
"Help us, please," Cade begged. "My hands are numb, they're not
working." The cold seemed to drag every moment out.
Justice knew hypothermia was a deadly possibility. "Is the ambulance
here? How about life flight?"
"Curtiss Parker's here and one of Pam's uncles is a physician," Trace
answered. "They say the helicopter is grounded because of the
weather."
Justice groaned. The next few minutes was chaotic. They got the
couple into the house and started trying to help them. His mother was
almost hysterical. If it hadn't been for his father, things would have got
out of hand. Bless his heart, he settled everyone down and got them on
the road with promises that someone would call when they had some
answers about the young couple's condition.
At Pam's relative's orders, they got Cade into a warm shower and then
under some heated blankets. "She saved me, Justice," was all he could
mutter. "I was caught. My boot was caught in some damn debris."
"You both were lucky." Was all he could manage. The weight of the
realization of what could have happened—both of them dying—left
Justice stunned into silence.
"How is she? How is Abby?"
"She's alive." Shiloh assured him. "Doc Parker's working on her." "I
want to go to her." Cade was adamant.
"Just wait." Justice stopped him, remembering how careful Abby
always was that no one see her unclothed. He had no idea how intimate
Cade and Abby had been, but he wasn't taking any chances with his
sister.
Cade wasn't happy, but he didn't fight Justice about it, for which he was
grateful. Finally, prayers were answered, and Charlee's father came out
to tell them that Abby should be fine. "She was lucky. I think her
adrenaline was running so high, it kept her body temperature elevated
enough to save her."
Justice was shaking with relief when he took the older man's hand.
There was no love lost between the two of them. In fact, Justice
despised him. He'd hurt Charlee. Countless times he'd gone to her, held
her when she cried, begged her to let him do something. But she had
been adamant, Charlee hadn't wanted to risk going into foster care. She
hadn't wanted to leave her home. There came a day when Justice's
father, Sam, had gotten involved, and Curtiss Parker had gotten help.
As far as Justice was concerned, it was too little too late.
"I' m grateful," was all he could manage. It was on the tip of his tongue
for him to ask about Charlee. He didn't. The answer would be the same.
Years had passed and there had been no word. Nothing. The
reality left a bitter taste in Justice's mouth. He blamed Curtiss Parker
for Charlee disappearing, but he blamed Charlee too. She could've
called him. She could've written. Instead, she'd made a new life for
herself with some other man.
He walked the old doctor out, shutting the door behind him. The events
of the day had his mind whirling. Feelings of déjà vu were haunting
Justice. The last time he felt like this, Charlee had been here. He could
remember her running up at the scene of the fire, out of breath and
scared to death that he'd been hurt. After that day, his memories of that
time were muddled, thanks to his drinking and the fuckin' cluster
headaches. But he knew she had been there for him.
Sometimes the fact that he couldn't let her go disgusted him. Yes, she'd
been his best friend, a constant in his life, but that didn't really explain
the way she haunted his dreams.
"I've got to get out of here for a while," he muttered to no one in
particular.
"Where are you going?" Trace asked. His younger brother stood by the
fireplace, unwilling to go to his room while his sister was still
unconscious.
"Out for a ride, I'm just going to check the herd." Justice went to the
closet and got a pair of gloves. "We have men hired to do that."
"I know, I just need to clear my head." Putting on his coat, he buttoned
it up.
"Well, be careful," Trace called after his brother as he went out the door
and into the night. "All we need is for you to fall in a hole or
something."
* * *
Charlee rubbed her arms against the chill. She stood up from the dining
table and checked the temperature. No, it wasn't cold in her
apartment. With the heater and the gas fireplace, it was a comfortable
seventy degrees. Maybe someone had walked on her grave.
Before returning to her paperwork, she walked to the patio door and
looked out into the darkness. The complex she lived in was nice. All
she would have to do was pull open the glass doors and yell and several
hundred people would be able to hear her. Her cozy one bedroom
apartment was located about two blocks from the beautiful
Pennybacker Bridge near the Colorado River in Austin. Even in her
own estimation, she'd come a long way from Bronco or, for that matter,
from the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Sometimes the reality of all that had happened weighed her down.
There wasn't a day that went by that she didn't think of Justice. She
placed her hand on the small star on the leather cord she still wore
around her neck. Did she ever cross his mind? So many times, she'd
almost called. So many times she considered making the drive to
Bronco. But what could she say? Charlee knew in her heart that she
owed him an explanation. Over the years, as time passed and she
hopefully became wiser, Charlee realized Justice hadn't hurt her
intentionally. What had happened wasn't all his fault. She'd known he'd
been drinking when she let him talk her into bed.
And the baby... she didn't even know if Justice would believe her if she
told him about the baby.
Hampton Forbes had tried to get her to call Justice. He and his partner,
Weber, had become her good friends. They'd stood by her when she
buried her mother and brought her home from the reservation clinic
when she'd lost the baby.
It had been a boy.
Shepherd and Associates had given Charlee a part time job and made
her aware of scholarships available to someone of her ethnic
background. It hadn't been easy, but Charlee had returned to school.
She'd changed her degree from pre-med to science, majoring in
geology. It seemed like a good idea. The oil and gas industry was big in
Texas, and she'd learned quite a bit about it from Justice. They had
played among the oil field pumps. Charlee had often lain in the grass
and watched the big arm of the pump go up and down. She'd told
Justice it
looked like a big woodpecker. He'd laughed at her. In her mind's eyes,
she could see them running through the narrow canyon near Lavaca
Creek. It had been a magical place. Even though it was on El Camino
land, neighborhood kids had snuck away to play there. With the hills to
climb and shallow caves to explore, it had been a natural place for
games of cowboys and Indians. And when the creek rose, the canyon
would hold water. They played pirates, jumping from ridge to ridge,
brandishing peach tree switch swords. Justice was always careful. If it
rained too much, he'd pull them out before the water rose to a
dangerous level.
Pouring a glass of milk, Charlee curled up on the couch to read. The
reports could wait until the morning. She worked as a consultant for the
state, dealing with environmental issues such as water conservation and
the impact of fracking. But her first love was still Texas history. She'd
minored in archaeology and enjoyed exploring the Texas countryside
to find evidence of a past long forgotten. Charlee picked up her Kindle
off the coffee table and pulled up the latest copy of the Texas Heritage
Magazine. She'd almost had a heart attack when she'd come across an
article on the King family and their contribution to the state. Their
ranch, El Camino, had been in their family since the mid-1700s.
Hungrily, she'd scanned the piece for some information on Justice. But
it wasn't a gossip magazine and the most personal piece of information
contained within it was the fact that Jase would be marrying soon. She
wondered if Justice had married. The idea made her heart ache. He'd
probably married Zelda and had six kids by now. Feeling sad, she laid
down the e-reader and fell over on the couch with a groan. Covering
her head up with the afghan, Charlee fell into a restless sleep.
* * *
Justice urged Cochise forward. He pulled his collar up around his face
and headed toward the north pasture near the highway. This time of
year, he opened the pecan groves to the cattle. The trees provided a
measure of protection against the north wind. Lavaca Creek would
probably be iced over. He hoped he hadn't lost any cattle to the
blizzard. At least the winds had died down. As he rode by Cave
Canyon, Justice couldn't help but smile. The wind whistling through
the trees almost sounded like laughter. He'd spent many pleasurable
hours running through the rugged landscape with Charlee.
A pang of loneliness stung him in the chest. You'd think by now he
would be over Charlee Parker, especially since they'd only been
friends. Since she'd walked away from him almost eight years ago,
Justice had dreamed about her, over and over again. She haunted him.
It made no sense. Charlee had invaded his mind and heart. He'd thought
of her more in the last eight years than he had when she'd been with him
almost every day. The dreams tormented him, and he didn't know why.
Obviously, she'd made a new life for herself. Hell, he'd seen her in the
car with the bastard as they drove out of town.
The howl of a coyote caused Cochise to shy, and Justice pulled him up
short, speaking to him in a low, calming tone. What he needed was a
woman. Oh, he'd dated off and on. Nothing serious. His libido was
healthy and there was a woman or two around who shared his aversion
to commitment. It wasn't that he was against marriage, there was just
something holding him back.
It was Charlee.
Which made absolutely no sense at all.
The distant lowing of cattle told Justice he was nearing the herd. "Easy,
Cochise."
Odd, his horse and the cattle both seemed restless. Must be the weather.
Because of the cloud cover, the moon only made rare appearances.
Everything was cloaked in darkness. He could see nothing clearly.
Everything was obscured, out of focus, much like his life. That needed
to change. Justice resolved that after the first of the year, he'd make a
new start. Set some goals, get his personal life on track. All he'd been
concerned about was business. It was time he looked for some personal
happiness. Maybe he needed a vacation, anything to get his mind off
the
pass. Could he do it? Could he let her go? Hell, what he needed was a
sign.
Just then there was a loud rumbling noise, his horse lunged, dancing
sideways. Hoof beats sounded on the earth as the cattle began to run.
What in God's name was happening?
And then he heard it, a loud resounding roaring CRACK! His horse
reared straight up, almost falling backward. "Down, down," he
commanded, scrambling in his saddle bag for a flashlight. Flicking it
on, he slid off the horse, shining the weak light in front of him. What
the fuck? He whistled out a shaky breath.
Justice was rendered speechless.
The earth had literally opened up in front of his feet. A sinkhole had
formed that looked to be a dozen yards wide. Talk about a sign.
About a hundred miles away, Charlee gasped and sat straight up on the
couch, looking around her wildly. What had she heard? Her heart was
pounding. She got up and looked around, confused as to what had
awakened her.
She found nothing. Not one thing was out of place.
Funny, she'd felt as if her entire world had just shifted on its axis.
* * *
"I have never seen anything like this before in all my born days." Jase
stood with Justice and the other brothers, staring down into the rim of
the hole. "How deep do you think it is?"
"I think I see hell down there," Trevor said, shuddering a little as he
stepped back from the edge.
"What are we going to do? Should we tell Dad?" Shiloh eased his
mount back. He wasn't about to take any chances with his beloved
horse.
"No, not now." Justice stared down into the abyss. "Let's keep this
to ourselves, we don't want to spoil the wedding." He was just trying to
get his head wrapped around it all. There was some water in the hole
and some black mud or sludge. Had he done this? "The oil field
services group that we use has an impeccable reputation. I'm at a loss."
'Tracking has got a bad rep lately. The state passed a bill in 2011
requiring companies to spell out the chemicals they used in injection
drilling. Denton was the first city in Texas to ban fracking within its
jurisdiction but there's a bill on the house floor in Austin to require
cities to reimburse the state for taxes, fees, and royalties they would
have lost due to drilling regulations. There's an opposing group who
wants to ban it entirely." Trace practiced his legal-speak on his
brothers. He was pre-law.
"More than I wanted to know." Justice held up his hand, stopping the
younger King' s tirade. "Smith Drilling was supposed to be following
all the rules and do nothing that would result in... this." He waved his
hand over the gaping sinkhole.
"So what are we going to do?" Shiloh repeated himself.
Justice dry-scrubbed his face, taking his hat off and beating the side of
his leg with it. "Well, this wedding and Christmas is complicating
things."
"Well, excuse the hell out of me," Jase quipped, laughing. "Let me go
right in and cancel this shindig."
"You wish." Trace teased. Jase frowned at him.
"I' m going to call the county agent and get his opinion. That will be a
good start."
"Sounds like the right move to me," Shiloh agreed. "In the meantime,
we need to get this place cleaned up, repair what's left of the fence and
count cows." He peered into the sink hole. "Wonder how many head we
lost in this mess?"
"I don't think we lost any. They stampeded before the hole even opened
up." Justice led Cochise off to one side. "I agree we need to build a
barrier, and we need to do something about the road." He pointed to the
El Camino Real, which ran just on the other side of where the fence
once stood. "All we need is this hole to eat the road and a couple of cars
take a nosedive."
Jase shuddered. "This is huge. I don't see how we're going to fix this
shit."
"You don't have to worry about it," Justice spoke to his brothers evenly.
"Just continue on with the holidays, and I'll do whatever it
takes."
His declaration seemed to ease their minds. They were used to big
brother taking care of things.
A while later, Justice sat at the desk in his office and considered
throwing the phone across the room. "I intend to cooperate, Dennis."
"I'll have to notify the state, Justice. If the State Attorney gets involved,
we need to know what we're up against."
"What does that mean exactly?" Justice rubbed his eyes. Damn, he
could feel a headache coming on.
"I' m not sure, but I know they'll be concerned about water table
contamination, instability and what the hell we're going to do with the
damn highway." Dennis was obviously agitated.
"Do whatever you have to, just let me know what's going on." Justice
hung up without saying goodbye and went to try on a damn stupid tux.
* * *
Charlee held on to the desk, reaching back to find her chair. She felt
faint. "Bronco, you want me to go to Bronco?" "Yes, is that a
problem?"
Yes.
She tried to reason with her boss. "Isn't there anyone else? I mean, it's
the holidays." Like that made a whit of a difference. She didn't even
have a Christmas tree. No, the date wasn't the problem, it was the town
and who lived there.
"I' m sorry about the timing, Ms. Cortez, but this is an emergency. We
have a major sinkhole that's threatening the water supply of the town
and residents' ability to travel on their roadways."
"All right." That did sound serious. "When do I need to be there and
where is the sinkhole located?" Maybe she could get in and out and no
one she knew well would ever know the difference.
"I need you to head on up there and start gathering data. I 'll set up the
meeting for the 27th. You'll be meeting with Justice King. The sinkhole
is located on El Camino land."
Well, hell.
Charlee guessed it was time to face the music.
CHAPTER FOUR
Here comes the bride, here comes the bride...there goes the bride,
dwn,dwn,da-dwn.
Justice paced in the anteroom, running his finger under his collar.
"Damn, I hate this monkey-suit."
"Why do we have to hide in here until time? Cade's out wandering
around somewhere. Why can't we? It's only bad luck if you see the
bride before the ceremony." Jase looked as comfortable as the rest of
his brothers.
Shiloh glanced at his watch. "We have a half hour before we have to
line up at the altar. I' m going to go mingle."
No one tried to stop him. Trace glanced at Trevor. "Are you hungry?"
"Starving, let's go raid the kitchen."
"Don't spill anything on your tux," Justice cautioned.
"Yes, mama," Trevor quipped and Justice popped him on the back of
the head. He couldn't help but grin as he watched the identical twins
head out the door, both trying to get out of it at the same time, which
resulted in a pushing match. Some things never changed.
In a few seconds, only Jase and Justice remained. "I think I have cold
feet," Jase said, smiling.
"Want a pair of electric socks?"
"Ha! I'm not sure that will do a lot of good."
"Yea, what you're feeling is normal." Justice tried to imagine being in
Jase's shoes, about to tie himself to one woman for all eternity.
Maybe if it was the right woman it wouldn't be so bad.
Jase shoved his hands in his pockets and gazed out the window. "The
lake house has never looked more beautiful. Abby and Mom did a great
job."
"That they did," Justice agreed. "Almost a thousand people have
gathered to watch you tie the knot."
Jase visibly shuddered. "Sorry, I have to take a walk. I'll be back."
"Sure, I'll hold down the fort." Watching him go, Justice took his place
at the window. He wasn't admiring the view, however. Justice was
worried. That damn meeting on the sinkhole was in two days. Since
talking to the extension agent, he'd done some research, trying to
prepare himself for what the 'fix' for this damn situation could be. And
honestly, he didn't have a clue. Justice hated to admit when something
was over his head. El Camino was liable as far as he could tell and the
guy being sent to check everything out would probably agree. Justice
just hoped he wasn't going to be railroaded and sued for every dime
they had. He wanted a chance to make amends and set things right
without losing the ranch—literally. The sinkhole was going to turn into
a money pit.
Hell, there wasn't anything he could do about it now. He might as well
take a walk. Guests were milling around, sipping drinks, laughing and
talking, waiting to be called in for the ceremony. As he entered the
reception hall, at least fifty women turned their heads at the same time
to watch him approach. They looked like a group of meerkats. Justice
swallowed. In a group like this, he felt like a lone antelope surrounded
by a bunch of hungry lionesses. He loved women, and he craved sex as
much as any man, but Justice preferred to deal with the female of the
species on a one on one basis.
There hadn't been anyone special in his life for quite a while and to tell
the truth, he was lonely. Feeling like a salmon swimming upstream,
Justice tried to distinguish faces but the women all looked about the
same to him, just decked out in different colors of haute couture. Since
he couldn't distinguish a designer gown from one bought off-the-rack,
he was more interested in what was wrapped up in all that finery.
Funny, he thought, Charlee wouldn't be caught dead in a frou-frou
gown. More like a young filly, running wild and free than a peacock,
she'd hardly ever worn anything but blue jeans. With all of the animal
analogies running through his mind, he wondered at the wisdom of
leaving the safety of the dressing room.
Again, a pang of loss hit him like a blow to the gut.
Hunkering a bit to make himself appear smaller, Justice aimed for
the bar.
"Justice! Justice! " He tensed, turning to see which of the felines had
honed in on his location. Whew! It was just Ms. Horne. She was
seventy if she was a day. He'd be fairly safe with her.
"Hello, Ms. Horne. You look ravishing today."
The old lady tittered. "I just wanted to speak to you. I have some news I
thought you' d be interested in."
Justice's eyes were focused over her shoulder. He spied a waiter with
bacon wrapped stuffed jalapenos and his stomach was growling.
"What news would that be?"
"Charlee Parker's on her way home."
Justice ceased breathing. "Really? That's good news." He was having a
hard time forming words, his tongue kept getting stuck to the top of his
mouth. Justice was about to ask for details, like when, where, how.. .but
Abby joined them, and she didn't look happy.
She hugged her old friend, then leaned over to whisper in Justice's ear,
"Have you seen Cade?"
"No, I haven't. But I'm sure he's around somewhere. We've never been
able to get rid of that outlaw." He was teasing but it didn't seem to help.
"Don't worry, he'll turn up."
Someone called Abby's name, and she and Ms. Horne turned away.
Justice took the opportunity to escape, his appetite gone.
Charlee was coming home.
With his head spinning from the news, the next few minutes passed
quickly. Soon he stood next to Jase with his brothers at the altar,
awaiting the bride to come down the aisle. Justice was having a hard
time keeping his mind on the ceremony. It was all he could do to stay in
one place. He wanted to leave, get in his truck and drive, park in front
of Charlee's dad's clinic and wait. Damn.
"It's past time to start," the preacher said, a little too loudly. "We're
missing a groomsman."
"Cade will show. He got hung up at the airport. The caterer told me that
a few minutes ago," Jase whispered.
"Did anyone tell Abby? She was worried." Justice joined the
conversation.
There was a chorus of 'nos.' "Anyway, that's not what's holding up the
ceremony. There's something going on in the back." Shiloh pointed to
the door where the wedding party would make their entrance.
"You know how women are, it takes a long time to get all gussied up,"
Jase joked. Clearly he had found the waiter who was serving
champagne.
Justice fidgeted. Everyone was staring at the groom and groomsmen as
if it was their fault the processional hadn't started.
"Hasn't the organist played that same song three times already?" Jase
whispered to Justice out of the corner of his mouth.
"Maybe, they all sound alike to me," Justice returned his under the
breath comment.
At his brother's nudge, Justice surveyed the crowd. There was indeed
something going on, people were whispering and looking over the
shoulder. Finally, something started to happen! Everyone smiled when
Cade walked in with an older woman. He saw her to a seat and raced up
to the front to take his place. Justice watched Abby as she visibly
reacted, her whole body going limp with relief.
That was just the beginning of the excitement. Soon, some of the
wedding party began to make their way down the aisle. The flower girls
came first, Pam's cute little cousins and nieces, tossing rose petals
along the way. Then a consecutive awwww went through the crowd.
"That's my boy." Scout came next, walking slowly, his joints stiff with
arthritis. Harold had lost his position when he'd ruined his tux playing
in a commode in the men' s restroom. Next came Pam's sisters and then.
nothing.
They waited and waited—the organist vamped and vamped—playing
the expectant chord over and over again. Dum-dum-tah-dum.
Dum-dum-tah-dum.
"What's going on?" Trace asked.
"Hell, if I know." Jase had lost his lackadaisical attitude. Now he just
sounded worried.
When the doors opened in the back, Justice held his breath, thinking the
bride was about to make an appearance—but it wasn't. It was her
mother.
"Pam's changed her mind! She's eloped. With another man!" Then all
hell broke loose.
* * *
"You made a beautiful bride." Justice kissed Abby's cheek. The last
three hours had been mind-blowing. Pam had left Jase at the altar and
his brother, bless his heart, had been gracious about it. As Sam was
telling everyone that there would be a party anyway, even if there was
no wedding, Cade Tallbull had bought himself a place in the Romantic
Heroes Hall of Fame by proposing to Abby on the spot and inviting her
to walk down the aisle and marry him—right there, right then. And she
had.
"Thank you. I'm so happy, I love him so much."
Justice held his sister close, remembering the day she'd cried and told
him that she could never marry, that Cade would never want her. "Do
you need me to tell you 'I told you so'?"
Abby snorted. "No, please don't."
"Be happy, baby sister, that's all I ask." They had come full circle.
Justice wanted to feel happy, and he was elated for Abby and Cade, but
he couldn't help but wonder why his life couldn't have been different.
"I will be. Cade will see to that." Abby hugged him. "Did you meet his
mother? He's been looking for her for years. That's why he was late, he
went to pick her up. He'd left me a note, but the ceiling fan blew it off
the dresser."
"See, you worried for nothing." He patted her back.
Abby pulled away a bit. "I heard Charlee's coming home."
Justice stiffened. "Yea, I heard that too. In fact, if you'll excuse me, I
think I'll go and check that information out." He hugged his sister long
and hard. "Don't leave on your honeymoon without saying goodbye."
"I won't, I don't think we're leaving today." She giggled. "This has been
so quick, I'm just trusting Cade."
"Very wise. He loves you with all his heart." Justice kissed her once
more, then made his escape. He was able to slip out of the lake house
and make it up to the main residence without anyone stopping him.
Within minutes he was back in his comfortable jeans, shirt and boots.
Setting his Stetson on his head, he pocketed his wallet and took
off.
Curtiss Parker was about to get a visitor.
* * *
"I told you I don' t know anything, dammit! " Justice clenched his fist.
If the man hadn't been instrumental in saving Abby's life a few days
ago, the temptation to knock him flat of his old ass would've been
irresistible. "You're telling me that you haven't heard from Charlee? In
eight years? Not even now that she's coming home?"
The old man held his head in his hands. "How many times have I told
you? She doesn't call me. She just up and left, went back to where we
found her."
"And where is that?" He didn't really expect an answer, he never had
received one before, no matter how many times he'd asked.
"I don't know. We dealt with damn lawyers. It's been too long. The
cheating bastard's dead," the old man yelled, getting up and walking to
the fireplace. "If she'd wanted you to know where she was going, she
would've told you. I guess she was running away from you as much as
she was running away from me."
Justice shook his head, not wanting to hear that. "So, why is she coming
home?"
Doc Parker choked out a harsh laugh. "Not to see me, I can guarantee
that. I don't know why she'd want to see you either. I can remember the
morning right before she left, when she came traipsing back through
the woods right after daylight like some cheap little
strumpet. I told her what I thought about her then, I showed her too,
knocked her to her knees."
Rage hit Justice like a semi-truck. Before he could stop himself, he had
Parker against the wall, holding him by his throat. "What are you
talking about? She didn't come to see me. What did you do?"
"You'd better unhand me, King, before I press charges on you for
assault." His voice creaked from his throat. Justice wasn't giving him
much room to breathe.
"You want to charge me with assault?" Justice snorted. "You should
have been convicted of child abuse a long time ago."
Disgusted with Parker and himself, Justice let him go abruptly, and he
slumped to the floor. Without a word, he left, walking to his truck
blindly. There was something about all of this that he was missing.
More had gone on the day Charlee left than he was comprehending.
Jerking the truck door open, he crawled in and started the engine,
gunning it out of the clinic parking lot.
Justice was so mad, he couldn't see straight, much less think. If he ever
did catch up with Charlee, she had some explaining to do.
* * *
Two days later... Charlee Parker Loves
Justice King
Bam! How could she have forgotten that eyesore? Charlee pulled
her Jeep over and parked on the side of the road. The ten foot white
letters were still plainly visible on the Bronco, Texas, water tower,
sticking out like a sore thumb. Why hadn't anyone ever painted over it?
She could just imagine the gigantic graffiti drove Justice bat-shit crazy
on a daily basis. Charlee smiled sadly, remembering the day they
discovered Tobias's masterpiece and the argument they'd had over it.
Looking back, she knew that was the beginning of the end. Justice had
been embarrassed and she'd been mortified because it was true and
Justice didn't feel the same way. He'd told her so.
Enough—she made herself look away, pull back on the road and head
on into town. Everywhere she looked there were memories. Nostalgic
feelings threatened to overwhelm her. All of it was so familiar, yet so
different than the life she lived now. Bronco had an old-fashioned town
square with the courthouse in the center. Small family-owned shops
lined the streets, all still gaily decorated for the holidays. If she closed
her eyes, she'd be able to picture herself and Justice running from
Perry's Drug Store where they'd had creamy hot chocolate to Matthew's
Dry Goods to have their photos taken on Santa's lap. Her heart hurt,
realizing what she'd lost since she and Justice parted ways.
As she sped away from the sad evidence of her past, Charlee wiped a
tear from her cheek. When she'd first been assigned to this job, she'd
fought it tooth and nail. No matter how much she'd argued, her boss
hadn' t relented. Charlee was the most qualified and familiar with the
region, so here she was. Justice had initially made the call asking for
assistance, and he had no idea it would be Charlee who would be sent to
help. So much had changed since she'd seen him last, even her name.
Since she had no choice in the matter, she decided to make this trip
accomplish more than one goal. Not only would she attempt to find a
solution to the problem, Charlee intended to lay some ghosts to rest.
There were things she needed to sort out—not only her past with
Justice but also the tumultuous relationship she had with her father.
But first things first.
Before she checked into the motel, Charlee couldn't resist giving in to
temptation. Determined, she headed to the road which ran along the
northern perimeter of El Camino Ranch, just for the privilege of seeing
him the way they used to be. Charlee parked on the hill overlooking the
lake where she'd swum so often as a child. From where she sat, she'd be
able to observe the lone rider who would make his way across the
frosted hay meadow. But he wouldn't be able to spot her, which was the
way she wanted it.
And so she waited. But not for long. Soon, a figure appeared on the
crest of the hill, and she held her breath with anticipation.
"Be still my heart. You have got to be the sexiest man alive." Just the
sight of him made her heart pound. Charlee gazed out the windshield of
the rented Chevrolet. The wipers had cleared off the majority of the ice,
but she still wiped the inside condensation off with her hand, not
wanting to risk being unable to see clearly. She clutched the steering
wheel, her cold hands folded over the leather circle, knuckles white
from tension and nerves. Her Justice was a creature of habit. He always
rode his horse right after dawn and today was no exception.
Despite how everything had ended, she still cherished every moment
they'd spent together. "I love you so much. I'll always love you," she
whispered. No one was near enough to hear her on this still winter
morning. Charlee's eyes ate him up. He looked the same as he had in
college, just better. His body was bigger, his hair was longer, and he sat
the stallion with consummate ease.
Justice was one with the horse. He'd given his mount free rein. The
Appaloosa was running like the wind, his mane and tail standing out in
the breeze. Sitting in the saddle as if it was his throne, his head was
thrown back, letting the rising sun caress his face.
Charlee clenched her hands into fists, fighting down the need to touch
him. His shoulders were so broad, and she knew his chest was hard
with layers of muscle. If he hadn't changed, he favored black western
shirts with either black or denim blue jeans. In all of her fantasies about
him, she always remembered how his shirt was tight enough to mold
itself lovingly to his body—just like she longed to do.
But she'd only had the one chance. That one incredible night which had
ended so badly. Thoughts of their baby overwhelmed her. A little life
lost before it could live. Could she ever tell him? Charlee didn't
know.
As he rode by, her eyes adored him. Charlee's gaze followed him till he
crested the hill, where he sat surveying his domain, giving credence to
his last name—King.
And then he was gone.
* * *
Justice rode toward home feeling more like himself. Some of the
family was gearing up to leave after the holidays, and he needed to be
there to see them off. As he and Cochise galloped under the stone arch
at the entrance to El Camino, Justice could see Shiloh's truck was
pulled up to the front and the back door of the camper was open. His
parents must be loading up to leave. They had retired to Colorado to
raise Palomino show horses. Shiloh was going to drive them home.
"I'm glad you made it here before we left. I need to talk to you."
Justice dismounted, tied Cochise to the gate and walked toward his
brother. Something was up with Shiloh. He was private, getting him to
open up wouldn't be easy. He and Justice were more alike than the rest
of the King siblings. "What's up?" They turned and walked down the
fence line. He let Shiloh lead and stopped when he did, leaning on the
fence. Several horses were frolicking in the snow, kicking up the fine
powder as they ran. Just like their owners, the animals weren't used to
this kind of weather.
Shiloh let out a long breath. "I'm going to be gone for a few weeks.
After I drop the parents off in Georgetown, I' m heading to Wyoming."
"You want to tell me why?"
Justice watched his brother fight the instinct to keep quiet. Finally, he
stooped and picked up a clod of dirt and chunked it over the fence. "I
met a woman at the rodeo in Houston. She's from Wyoming."
He waited a few moments to see if Shiloh would tell him more. He
didn't. "Okay. What's her name?"
"Faith."
Justice could see by the smile on his face that she was special. "Pretty
name."
"She's a pretty girl."
"All right. Be careful and call me if you need anything. " He patted his
brother on the back. "And don't let Mom drive you crazy on the ride
back. Buy her a crossword puzzle to keep her busy."
They started walking toward the house. "We're all leaving you, Justice.
Cade and Abby are on their honeymoon. The twins had to get back to
Austin for football practice. And now Jase tells me he's heading out on
the stock run in your place."
"Jase needs a break to clear his head." Justice snorted. "Can you believe
what went down? Pam eloping and leaving Jase at the altar and Cade
proposing to Abby, all at the same time? What other family would that
happen to?"
"Dad was grateful." Shiloh climbed into the back of the camper to see if
everything was tied down properly. "None of the wedding preparations
and expenses went to waste. We had a church full of guests expecting a
wedding and no one went away disappointed."
"I'm sure they'll be talking about it for months to come." Justice pushed
his hands down in his pockets to ward off the chill. "Abby has been in
love with Cade for most of her life. She was thrilled to marry him, no
matter the circumstances."
The crunch of steps on the frost covered grass drew their attention. Jase
joined them. "You be safe driving in those mountains," he told Shiloh,
then abruptly turned to Justice. "Are you sure you're all right with me
taking your place on this trip?"
"Are you kidding? I'm relieved." Justice wasn't lying either, he was
tired. "You need to get away." Even if Jase was better off without Pam,
no man likes to be publicly humiliated. "I've made the trip so many
times, I'm glad to stay home. And if you couldn't go, we'd have to
cancel. I have to be here for that damn meeting." Delivering stock to
the rodeos was a big part of their business. "While you're gone, stop by
Tom Ziegler's place north of Dallas. He hinted he might be in the
market for one of Golden Girl's embryo flushes."
"I can do that, I just hate to leave you with this sinkhole mess." Jase
stared off into the distance, watching the mist rise over the nearest
pond. "If I didn't know better, I'd think we were cursed. Me getting
jilted, Cade falling through the ice and nearly drowning. And now the
ground opens up and swallows trees, fence and a tractor. It's hard to
believe."
"I've called the County Extension Agent for help, and he contacted the
state authorities. They're sending over someone who can help us, a
geologist with an archeological background by the name of Cortez.
He's supposedly very familiar with the history of the road and the
geography of the area. I' m meeting with him this afternoon."
"Sounds good," Shiloh said. They both looked up when they heard the
front door slam. It was their parents with the last of the suitcases in
hand.
"Are you boys going to be okay without your mama?" She kissed Jase
and Justice on the cheek. "I can stay if you need me to. Trace and
Trevor will get plenty to eat at school. You two might starve to death
without Abby here."
"We'll be fine." Justice shook his father's hand. "When Jase gets back,
we'll fire up the BBQ pit and cook some briskets. While he's gone, I'll
eat at the diner."
This information didn't seem to make his mother very happy, but soon
Justice was standing on the porch waving them off. He was just grateful
no one had known to ask about Charlee. Abby had heard Ms. Horne's
announcement about Charlee's return, but when the ceremony had
taken an unexpected twist and Cade had proposed to her, thoughts of
Justice, Charlee or anything else had been swept from his sister's mind.
She had been ecstatic, and Justice was grateful. If anyone deserved a
happily ever after, it was Abby Grace.
Dusting his black Stetson off on his jeans, Justice led his Appaloosa
into the stable and removed the saddle, taking the time to brush him
down and feed him. Normally, there were hands to do this sort of thing
but at the moment everyone was busy doing something else. Pouring
some grain in the trough, Justice scratched his horse between the ears.
"You rest, we'll go back out a little later."
The sun was high in the sky now, but this morning had been beautiful.
He'd enjoyed the ride, watching the colorful spectacle as it spread
across the Texas sky in an array of purples, pinks, and orange. It always
calmed him. El Camino was his home, and he had no desire to live
anywhere else in the world. Taking the steps two at a time, he bounded
onto the wide front verandah and let himself into the house. Flipping on
lights as he walked into the foyer, his thoughts returned to Charlee.
He'd been back by Parker's Medical Clinic twice more, checking for
any sign of her. Once, he'd even parked and gazed up at the window
where her room used to be.
How could she have left him, her best friend, so easily? Hell, Justice
knew he was kidding himself. He'd taken Charlee for granted. If he had
to do it all over again. . . frustrated, he threw a coffee cup across the
kitchen, watching it splinter into a million pieces. Sometimes you don't
appreciate something or someone until they're gone. Honestly, he didn'
t understand what was going on. Their relationship had never been
romantic or intimate. He'd been aware Charlee had feelings for him, but
Justice had never encouraged her. Hell, he'd been young and stupid,
more attracted to girls who flaunted their sexuality rather than Charlee,
who was a perfect flower not yet in full bloom. But then something
happened, something he didn't quite understand. Because for eight
years he had dreamed about her, dreams so scorching hot, Justice
would wake up pumping his own dick like a teenager, moaning her
name.
What would happen next, he had no way of knowing. But she was
coming home, and Justice intended to get to the bottom of all of this.
She might be married. Hell, she might be married with children. And if
so, he would greet his old friend and wish her well. But, if she was
single—all bets were off. He wanted a chance for a do-over. Going to
the kitchen closet, he took out a broom and a dust pan. In a few
minutes, he had the mess cleaned up. Gazing around the kitchen,
Justice wondered how many times had Charlee sat at this dining table?
Too many to count. She'd been a part of the family since the day they'd
met at the Madison County Founder's Day Celebration.
"Give me a kiss, Wild Bill. "
Justice grimaced. He did not sign up for this crap. His mother must
have it in for him. "Over my dead body, Zelda. "
Zelda Hines was dressed up like a dance hall girl with a big pink
feather in her hair. She had her hands on her hips and her mouth was
pooched out in fish lips like a big bass.
"I don't want to kiss no girl. " Justice looked over Zelda's shoulder to
see who might be witnessing his humiliation. People were milling
around the Exhibition Hall, looking at the animals and craft booths.
The Founder' s Day Pageant was over, but they' d asked the cast to
linger for photographs. Closing his eyes, he hoped Zelda would just
leave him alone. All he wanted to do was to get out of this mess and go
home. Tomorrow was his birthday and he had things to do. Turning
nine was a big deal. His dad had promised him his own horse.
"I'm not just any girl, Justice King. I'm a cowgirl and if you don't kiss
me, I'll tell everyone Charlee Parker's your girlfriend." Zelda
sing-songed her threat.
Justice opened one eye. " Who?"
" The doctor' s daughter, that ugly little Indian girl."
"I have no idea who you 're talking about. I don't want a girlfriend. And
I don't want a kiss. " Justice started to leave, but Zelda snatched his hat
right off his head. His brand new hat. " Hey!" Making a grab for it, he
just missed as the ornery female giggled and danced just out of his
reach. Hitting girls wasn't allowed, so he was forced to play nice.
"Give me my hat, Zelda. Right now. "
"Not until you give me a kiss. " Her big blue eyes twinkled and the smile
on her face was bright, even if she was missing a front tooth.
Suddenly another voice interrupted their squabble. Another female
voice. " Give him his hat, now, if you know what' s good for you,
beanstalk."
"Charlee Parker, " Zelda said the words with disdain. "Go away, you'
re not welcome here."
"Give him his hat and I'll go away. "
Justice turned to see who was coming to his defense. And when he did,
he had to laugh. Standing before him was the poorest excuse for a girl
he' d ever seen. She was short, not even coming to his shoulder,
whereas Zelda could look him in the eye. He hadn' t noticed her in the
pageant, she must have been in the chorus, but she appeared to be
celebrating her heritage. She wore a fringed buckskin vest and skirt
which hung down to her knobby knees. Her legs were too thin and her
hair was caught back in a ponytail. She wore a white hat with a string
under her chin. Eyes the color of milk chocolate were leveled at Zelda
as the girl called Charlee looked down the long barrel of a toy rifle. "I
said give him his hat or I'll give you a face full of something you don't
want. "
" All I wanted was a kiss. Boys are supposed to like to kiss girls. Not
girls like you, but pretty girls like me. My big sister said so. " Justice's
tormenter waved his black hat in the air. "Besides, I don't have to do
what you say. That gun isn 't real. "
"It's real enough. Take this, you big bully. " Charlee took aim and sent
a spray of cold water right into Zelda' s face.
"Ack! No!" she screamed, tossing Justice's hat in the air, which he
caught before it landed on the ground. "You're going to be sorry,
Charlee Parker! I' ll get even, just you wait!" Zelda wiped her face on
her sleeve, picked up her denim skirt and flounced off, leaving Charlee
and Justice to watch her go.
" Whew! Thanks." Justice held out his hand. " I' m Justice King."
" I' m Charlee Parker. I know who you are. I' ve watched you ride. I live
behind you, just across the woods." She shouldered her gun and gave
him a friendly smile. "Want to play sometimes? I'm building a tree
house and my dog had pups. I caught a grass snake in a tub and there's
some crawfish in the creek."
With all of the tempting bait she threw out, Justice had no choice.
Charlee promised to be more entertaining than his little brothers and
sisters. Toby was gone for the summer to stay with his mom, and
Justice had been lonely. There weren' t many kids who lived near El
Camino. " Sure, that sounds fun. "
And so it began...
The time he and Charlee spent together, all they had shared, still
haunted his thoughts. She became Justice's playmate, his confidant, in
some ways—his protector. Justice loved his brothers and sister, but
Charlee had belonged just to him.
With a sigh, he locked the doors and headed to his suite to shower.
Flipping on lights as he walked into the foyer, his boots echoed on the
Mexican tile as he covered the distance from the living room to the
stairs. He had a long day ahead of him. After he cleaned up, Justice had
to run into town and pick up some grass seed before he met with the
geologist. Tomorrow he planned to search all over town, and he wasn't
going to stop until he found Charlee. Removing his hat, he hung it on
the end of his bed. Stripping as he walked, Justice tossed his dirty jeans,
shirt, and briefs in a wicker hamper just inside the bathroom. Opening
the glass shower door, he turned the tap and adjusted the water. He
grabbed a brown towel from the linen closet and threw it on the rack.
Taking some shower gel from the cabinet, he stepped beneath the spray
and began soaping his body. Ever since he'd heard her name, Justice
couldn't stop thinking about her. He missed Charlee so much. When
she left, it had been like someone cut off his right arm.
Even if they connected again, Justice couldn't hope for it to be like his
dreams. God, but what dreams. laying a hand on the shower wall,
Justice propped himself up while he rubbed his swelling dick. His
fantasies of Charlee had been so vivid, he felt he knew her body as well
as he did his own. A sweet kissable mouth, the tender swell of her
breasts, the gentle sway of her hips. It didn't take but a few strokes up
and down his shaft before he exploded, his cum jetting against the tile.
Justice groaned. Maybe it should have felt funny, him lusting after his
best friend but it didn't. It felt right.
CHAPTER FIVE
The holidays were over and he was glad, but Justice couldn't get one
particular song out of his head. "All I want for Christmas is. her."
Justice's deep husky voice changed its tune as he stopped singing to
watch a dark-haired beauty cross the street in front of him at the red
light. Flakes of snow were floating down around her, making him think
of a winter wonderland snow globe. "Now why didn't Santa leave
someone like you under my tree?" Letting his eyes rove from the petite
cowboy boots on her feet, up long legs lovingly encased in tight jeans,
Justice whistled. Watching her walk was pure pleasure. "Shake it,
baby." He leaned forward to get a better view of her perfect rounded ass
as she stepped gingerly over the ice covered ground. "Who are you?"
he whispered. "Look this way." At that moment Justice hated winter
because her short thick coat prevented him from seeing the shape of her
tits. But what he could see was enough to make him hard. Shifting in
his seat, he reached down to adjust his swollen package and. BEEP!
"Dammit!" he cursed as his elbow bumped against the car horn.
Outside in the frigid air, the snow angel jumped and Justice stared,
frozen, unable to prevent her feet from slipping on the slick pavement.
Her long, luscious curls flew up in the air behind her, and he saw that
cute backside splat itself hard on the unforgiving asphalt. Unmindful of
the traffic waiting behind him, he slid the gearshift into Park and
opened the door, determined to go to her rescue. "God, I'm sorry. It was
an accident. Are you all right?"
Justice could hear her grumbling about her luck running out, the
cadence of her voice oddly familiar. As he drew nearer, the faint scent
of sugar cookies made him smile. She smelled as sweet as she looked.
"Let me help you." Before she could protest, he was on her, hands
closing in on a narrow waist. "I got you." With one smooth move,
Justice lifted her from the ground to a standing position. "There!"
She bent over, dusting the muddy slush from her legs. The light
changed and immediately car horns began to sound. Justice knew he
had to move his truck. "Where are you going? If you'll get in, I'll take
you wherever you say."
"No, thank you. I'm okay." She finally spoke, still keeping her eyes to
the ground. "I appreciate you helping me up."
"Hey, move it, King! Some of us have to work for a living!" Justice
frowned, waving off-handedly at folks who were pulling around him to
continue down the road. There were some benefits to living in a small
town, but everyone knowing your business was not one of them.
When he looked back around, she was on the move, almost like she was
trying to escape. "Wait! " he called, reaching for her arm. "What's your
name?"
Justice hadn't looked her full in the face, but her profile was gorgeous.
Big brown eyes framed with thick dark lashes, high cheekbones
flushed rosy by the cold and full succulent lips glossed light pink. She
stopped, but she still didn't turn to face him. "Sorry. I've got to
go."
"I'm Justice King." He insisted on telling her. "Would you let me buy
you a cup of coffee?" Justice didn't understand why he felt like he
couldn't let her walk away. He was filled with an odd kind of urgency.
When she stiffened but didn't answer, he offered further incentive,
because he could see her delicate left hand and it was ring free. "Or
how about hot chocolate with marshmallows?"
A small sigh of resignation met his ears as dozens of concerned and
curious Bronco citizens watched their favorite son try to pick up a
woman at the only stop light in town.
Instead of answering, she turned to look at him. When he saw her full in
the face, Justice stared, stunned, gazing into the eyes of the one person
he'd been longing to see for what seemed like forever. Time seemed to
swirl around them with the blowing snow, like a vortex sweeping him
back in time. Despite his initial confusion, he had to admit her face was
the same, except she was all grown up and gorgeous. The only thing
totally different was the expression in her eyes. Instead of seeing trust
and welcome, he saw hesitancy and insecurity.
"My God! Charlee! I'd heard you were back in town. You look..." He
was going to say amazing, but she didn't give him a chance. When he
moved to embrace her, she pulled out of his grasp, walking away so fast
he was afraid she'd fall again. Justice stood, immobile, his heart
pounding and his mind racing. Every instinct told him to go after her,
but he couldn't. Horns were sounding and people were shouting.
Traffic was backed up and if he didn't move soon, the local law would
be giving him a ticket. Blowing out a harsh breath, he returned to his
truck, climbed in and shifted gears. Slowly he began to move, scanning
the street ahead of him, trying to see where Charlee had gone.
She was nowhere in sight. Vanished. just like she had so long ago.
* * *
How pathetic was she? Charlee flattened herself against the red brick
wall of the bank, just inside the alley and behind the festive sign
announcing the big year-end sale at Bell's Department Store. Seeing
Justice in person had devastated her. Her whole body reacted—heart
pounding, palms sweating, every muscle tense to the point of pain.
Why had she run? The sanest and smartest thing to have done would 've
been to explain to him who she was and why she was here. Put on a
good front. After all, they were scheduled to meet at his office after
lunch about the sinkhole cleanup. "Shoot, shoot, shoot," she muttered,
willing herself to calm down. It had been such a shock, she'd hoped to
have some time to prepare herself. He didn't have to know she was
dying inside.
A rumbling noise caused Charlee to glance over the top of the sign to
see a large double-cab dually black pickup go by with the unmistakable
crowned-K brand emblazoned on the back windshield. It had to be
Justice.
She stood still, plastered against the hard, cold surface until the sound
faded away. Only then did she begin walking again. As she
strolled through town, keeping an eye out for that tell-tale truck,
Charlee nodded to people who stared at her, trying to place her in their
minds. Gazing down, she made her way over the uneven slippery
sidewalk. All she needed was to fall down again. Taking a deep breath,
she realized the bakery was just ahead and next to it was the feed store
where she and Justice would buy nuggets for their horses. Out of
nowhere, lightning cut across the morning sky. The winter storm was
over but another storm was headed her way. A storm of a different
kind. Charlee trembled, she'd always hated storms. Deciding to forget
the diner, she turned and headed back to the motel. As the rain began to
pour, she couldn't help but remember.
"Don't cry, Charlee, I'm here." A touch on her shoulder caused even
bigger sobs to rack her body. "Did he hurt you again? "
"No, not much, " she lied. Her father always hurt her. Today had been
no different. It was Saturday night and he got drunk on the weekends,
and when he got drunk he got mean. She wiped her eyes on the pink
floral sheet and rolled over. A bolt of lightning lit up the dark room,
and she jumped. "That's why you came, didn't you? The storm? "
" Sure. " Justice got up from the floor and sat on the edge of the
twin-size bed. "I know how the thunder scares you. I always come if I
can, you know that."
Sitting up, she realized how wet with rain he was. "Let me get you a
towel, get under the covers if you want. " Even though Charlee was
bruised and sore, she scurried to the bathroom to get him something to
dry off with. By the time she returned, Justice had removed his shirt,
boots and socks. She didn' t bat an eye, at eleven years old, boys were
still just playmates for her.
" I' m not that wet, just my shoulders and my feet. I ran fast. " Justice
smiled.
This was nothing new, they often snuck into one another's rooms at
night. He tried to be there for her when storms came, no matter if it was
wind and rain or her father' s alcoholic rages.
"Thanks for coming. " She curled up on one end of the bed and watched
him wipe off the droplets of rain with the thin brown towel. " I
waitedfor you by the window after..."
"My folks took us out to eat or I would've been here sooner. " His
midnight visits to her had gone unnoticed, unlike Charlee's. "You knew
I' d come. Now let me see your back. " He wrapped the towel around his
shoulders and went to her, flipping on the light switch. "Pull up your
shirt and let me see the damage. "
It never struck either one of them how sad all of this was.
Unfortunately, for Charlee, getting knocked around by her dad was
normal. By day he was the beloved physician for Madison County, by
night he was a moody drunk.
" He only hit me twice. I got away and he was too soused to chase me,"
she stated matter-of-factly with her striped sleep top pulled over her
head. Modesty wasn 't an issue, Charlee was just a small girl.
"Doesn't look too bad. " He tugged her shirt down about the same time
a big crack of thunder sounded and a flash of lightning ripped the sky.
When she whirled and went into his arms, he held her tight. Wanting to
take her mind off her troubles, he voiced a question he'd asked too
many times already. "Did you get anything to eat tonight? " When he
heard her stomach growl, Justice knew the answer. "Hold on, I have a
sandwich in my backpack. "
She let him go long enough for him to retrieve the food. "Thanks, "
Charlee took it from his hands and hastily unwrapped it, moaning a
little when she tasted the tender brisket. " This is so good."
As Charlee ate, Justice went to the door and opened it a crack, just long
enough for him to hear Doc Parker snoring loudly down the hall. "He's
out. What set him off? " He knew it didn't take much, but Justice was
trying to determine if she' d be safe tomorrow or should he insist she
come home with him. It wouldn' t be a big deal, Charlee Parker stayed
at his house about half the time.
" Same old stuff, he said it was all my fault." Charlee put down her
sandwich on the bedside table and covered her face.
"Charlee, don't cry. " She looked so sad, and Justice felt helpless.
"If she hadn't taken me swimming, she wouldn't be dead. " A harsh cry
eruptedfrom her throat.
"Listen to me. " Justice took her gently by the shoulder. "You are not to
blame for your mother' s death."
Launching herself back into his arms, Charlee hiccupped between the
tears. " It sure feels like it."
" Hush, hush. " Justice comforted the little girl. " None of this is your
fault. You can believe me, you can trust me. I' ll never lie to you. When
I tell you something you can take it to the bank" That was what his dad
always said when he meant something.
" You' re just saying that because we' re friends." Charlee dashed the
moisture from her face.
"We are friends. Who else would put up with me when I have those
damn headaches?"
Charlee smiled. " I don' t want you to hurt, but I like taking care of you.
I think I' ll be a nurse when I grow up and you' ll be a cowboy or a
sheriff, like you' ve always wanted. A hero. " Charlee stuffed the last
bite of sandwich in her mouth and licked her fingers.
" Yea, and when I' m big enough, no one will ever hurt you again,"
Justice promised.
Charlee had believed him, having no idea that Justice would be the one
to hurt her more than anyone.
* * *
Mechanically, Justice stopped at the feed store and placed an order for
grass seed. They'd need to sow the coastal Bermuda and the winter rye
to ensure the cattle would be well fed until spring. Before stopping
here, he'd detoured over to Doc Parker's office. No one had been home.
Again. The tattered CLOSED sign had hung on the holey screen door.
Justice had knocked until his knuckles were sore. Justice knew Parker
could already be doing rounds at the small county hospital or he could
be lying in there drunk. Either way, he hadn't come to the door. Neither
had Charlee.
Where could she be?
"Justice, hey, Justice! "
"Hello, Mickey."
"I called your name three times. What's wrong with you?"
"Got a lot on my mind." Mickey George, owner of Rural Seed and Feed
was a Bruce Willis look-a-like, but not nearly so badass. "How was
your Christmas?" Justice asked politely, even though he was having
trouble thinking about anything except Charlee.
"My Christmas was good, King. How was the wedding?"
Mickey had poured Justice a cup of coffee, but Justice waved it off.
"No, thanks, I have a cup in the car. I don't have the time to sit and
drink. But speaking of the wedding, I'm sure you heard we had a
Chinese fire drill at the altar." Justice managed to smile. "I can joke
about it, no one was too upset—not even the groom."
"Yea, we heard. We also heard Charlee was back in town." To Justice's
annoyance, the man announced the news as if he were telling Justice
his fly was unzipped.
Not wanting to play the man's game, Justice signed the order and paid
his bill. Tipping his hat, he started moving toward the entrance that was
flanked on either side by tractor tires and sacks of cattle feed. "News
travels fast in our little town. Have a good day, Mickey." Bracing
himself, he opened the door and headed out into the weather. He'd
rather face the cold wind any day rather than the redneck's sarcastic
remarks about Charlee. But he'd barely got behind the wheel when it hit
him. Ms. Horne was the one who first knew his friend was returning to
Bronco.
Charlee was staying at the Bronco Inn.
* * *
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Startled, Charlee threw her hands up and two things happened—the
bag of cheese doodles she'd been eating was now raining down like
orange confetti and the towel she'd been holding around her naked
body was lying at her feet.
"Charlee! I know you're in there. Open this damn door!"
"Hold on!" Oh, my sweet Lord, it's Justice. At the rate he was banging,
he'd break the door down next. Scrambling, she jerked the too small
terry cloth rectangle from the floor and held it in front of her breasts.
"I have to warn you, Parker, Ms. Horne was glad to give me the
key."
His tone might be teasing, but she knew he wasn't kidding.
"All right, all right! " As the latch released and the door swung open,
she was fastening a thin white robe around her waist. He filled the
entire doorway, his big blue eyes roving from her top to her bottom. "I'
m sorry I ran."
"Which time, today or eight years ago?" Justice shut the door behind
him and pointed to the floor. "Did I interrupt your lunch?"
Raising her chin, she crossed her arms over her breasts. She knew her
nipples were hard, she could feel them rubbing against the cotton.
"Today, I' m sorry I ran today, it was cowardly."
Justice placed one hand on his hip, then held out the plastic key to her.
It pissed him off that she hesitated, holding out her hand, drawing back,
finally stepping forward and taking it from his hand. Did she think he
was going to hurt her? "Why would you ever run from me? We're blood
brothers, remember?" Justice held up his hand, palm toward her, a
small scar still visible in the center of his palm. "Show me yours."
Slowly Charlee mirrored his gesture, revealing an identical scar on her
right hand.
" We have to do this. It' s required." Charlee sat cross legged in front of
him, the sharp knife between her fingers. "I'll go first. "
" It' s gonna hurt, Charlee. " He reached for the knife. " We don' t need
to do that to make it official, we 're boundfor life."
"I don't care about the pain. I'm tough. "
Yes, she was. Tougher than even he realized. Lying her hand down flat,
she made a small cut, hissing as the blade brought blood.
" You came prepared. " He was amused, she carefully wiped the blade
with disinfectant before handing it to him.
" Yep, your turn. "
Justice couldn't let himself be bested by a girl half his size. "No
problem. " After he 'd done the deed, he placed his hand against hers,
mixing the flow of their blood.
"Now, it's official. We 're one." Charlee gave him a beaming, happy
smile.
"I'm not your brother," she said with a small feminine snarl.
Smiling wryly, Justice realized while trying to remind her of how they
were connected, he'd hit on her greatest insecurity. "No, thank God,
you're not." All during her childhood, she'd been teased because she
was small and thin with a boyish figure. Well, no more. The tender
rosebud that was his Charlee had blossomed into a beautiful rose.
"You've grown into a beautiful woman."
She'd had her mouth open to challenge him about barging in on her.
After his unexpected declaration, she quickly closed it and frowned.
"Don't try and pull my leg, King."
Justice grinned. "But it's such a pretty leg." He gave her long, sleek legs
a pointed stare as she tugged on the end of the too short robe.
"Stop it," she warned him. When he smiled big enough his dimples
appeared, Charlee softened. "I missed you."
Instead of pacifying him, she saw his face harden. "Don't give me that,
you were here one day and gone the next. Not one word of explanation.
Not one post card, not one damn phone call."
Charlee was shocked. She hadn't realized. It never crossed her mind as
a possibility. She'd hurt him. Justice missed her as much as she'd
missed him. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" He shook his head. "That don't cut it. I want answers. For
starters, where the hell have you been?"
Her heart contracted. His pain wounded her as surely as the knife she'd
used to seal their pledge. "Oh, Justice." Without warning, she launched
herself at him, arms outstretched. He caught Charlee to him, hugging
her tight. Like she was coming home, her body melded to his.
Eight years just slipped away. "Don't leave me again," he whispered.
She felt so good. There was no way he could let her go again, not
without showing her how he felt. Setting her down gently on the floor,
Justice took her face in his hand. "Now I'm going to do something
I' ve dreamed about almost every day since you left. I advise you to
hold on to me, sweetheart, I'm about to rock your world."
When she looked up at him, her eyes big with hope, Justice knew he
was wrong. The world stood still. He could feel her heart beating
beneath his palm, their breathing synchronized. Gratefully, he studied
her face. She had the cutest heart-shaped mouth and her nose was
dusted with a smattering of barely-there freckles. "You're adorable."
Leaning close, he began to kiss her, teasing the corner of her mouth
with his tongue.
Charlee's head was spinning. Being in his arms was heaven on earth.
When their lips touched, she couldn't help but respond and when she
did, it was like they were both zapped by an electrical shock. Justice
groaned and sealed Charlee's lips with his own. She almost swooned
with pleasure. This was what she was born for. Charlee didn't just
receive, she gave as good as she got, playing an erotic game of tug of
war with their lips and tongue. Giving her desire full rein, she wove her
fingers through his hair and pushed against him while he devoured her
mouth with ultimate skill, nibbling with his teeth, pushing and pulling
with his tongue, moving his mouth over her in a sensual
womb-clenching dance. All coherent thought was gone, this was a
be-all and end-all kiss. "Justice," she whispered when she pulled away
for breath.
"Come back." He reached for her again.
What were they doing? She still hadn't told him...anything. "No, we
can't do this."
"The hell we can't." She could see confusion in his eyes. Placing a hand
on his chest, she stopped him, moving backward on unsteady feet. "I
don't want to kiss you." Lies didn't come easy, they pricked tiny
wounds in her conscience.
Justice snorted. "Your body's telling me a different story."
"I'll deal with my body," she retorted with a toss of her head.
"I'm jealous."
Charlee whirled on him, hands on her hips. "What I can't deal with is
you not knowing what you want. You told me that you didn't think of
me this way, that we were only friends. You didn't want this, you said
so." Stepping closer, she started to touch him, then pulled back like he
was too hot to handle. With a hard shake of her head, she reconsidered.
Risking the pain, Charlee placed the tip of one finger over his heart.
"You said I wasn't your type. You said I was a tomboy." She was right
in his face, her finger poking him in his chest. "You don't get to change
your mind!" And you don't get to call me by another woman's name,
she silently screamed. To give Justice credit, he didn't flinch. But he
was the size of a mountain, six-three to her five-three, outweighing her
by at least a hundred pounds.
"You're throwing words at me that I said when I was a kid." She was
recounting what he'd spouted off the day Toby painted the graffiti on
the water tower. His friends had run with it, making a song out of whole
thing. They'd given him a hard time and he'd overreacted, taking it out
on her. "You know it didn't change how I felt about you."
"No," she murmured, "I know that. But it wasn't your feelings in
question. It was mine." Holding her hands up, she stopped his retort.
"Let me ask you a question. Do you remember being in the diner the
day after you returned from Abby's surgery?"
Justice frowned, and he locked her eyes with Charlee. "Vaguely. One
of my headaches was coming on, and I'd ended up in a saloon the night
before..." His voice trailed off. "I was full of medicine." Then, he
walked around in a circle. "I met Zelda and Toby there to sign a release
form for some photographs she wanted to use. Why?"
"I was there." Her voice was small. This was important.
She could see he was thinking, and she saw no deception in his
expression. "You were there." He looked to one side. "Maybe. What
happened?" He narrowed his eyes. "You got angry."
"Yea, I got angry. You don't remember? I called you a jerk."
Justice smiled. "Did I deserve it? What did I do?"
She debated on what to say next. Then settled on the truth, or what of it
she was willing to reveal. "You hurt me." "How?" Pain crossed his
face.
She hung her head. "I was jealous. You were with your friends. You
ignored me." She said these words out loud, the rest she whispered in
her heart. You slept with me, called me by another woman's name and
got me pregnant.
"I'm sorry." He looked disturbed. "I remember so little, I got drunk the
night before, and I have no memory of that." Bingo.
He didn't remember. She didn't know whether to be relieved or upset or
both. At least he didn't just consider it so unimportant that he'd ignored
it.
"You spoke to me, but you didn't stop to talk. I sorta told you off," she
said sheepishly.
Justice laughed. "Good for you." Then he winked at her.
"You don't remember any of it?" She stepped closer, gazing deep into
his eyes.
"No. Why?" A flash of curiosity shone in his eyes. "Did I do something
else?" Time to back up. They were headed in a direction she wasn't
ready to go in.
Regret washed over Charlee. "It doesn't matter now. That was a long
time ago."
Justice placed his hands on her shoulders, looking into the beautiful
face of a person he used to know as well as he knew himself. "It
matters. You matter to me. Very much. I know we weren't as close
when all of this happened as we used to be, but I intend to change that."
A familiar hope began to rise in her heart, a hope that had never borne
fruit, a hope which brought only disappointment and dissatisfaction.
Despite the impromptu kiss, Justice undoubtedly wasn't talking about
love. Charlee couldn't let herself hope anymore, it was just too painful.
Putting forth her hand, she defined the parameters. "I want that. I want
us to be close, to be friends again." Her voice shook a bit, but she drew
upon all of the grit in her arsenal and laid it out.
Justice looked down at her hand. Friendship alone wasn't what he
wanted. But maybe it was a good place to start. "Deal." There were a lot
of things he wanted to do and say but at this moment, they'd taken it one
step at a time. This was too important not to do right. "Come on. Let's
sit down." He took her by the arm and pulled her to the bed. "I want you
to tell me why you left and where you've been." Picking up her left
hand, he touched her ring finger. "You're not married, yet I saw you
leave with a man that day. "
Did she hear a touch of jealousy in his voice? She couldn't help but give
a short snort of laughter. "No, I never married." Reversing the question,
she flipped their hands over so she could see his own ring finger. "Men
don't always wear wedding rings. Why didn't you and Zelda ever tie the
knot?" Justice had the audacity to look affronted.
"No. I've managed to avoid the 'bonds' of holy matrimony." Justice
emphasized the word 'bonds.' "Zelda wanted more than what I could
give her. She wasn't willing to live in a small town."
Charlee tried to read between the lines. Did that mean he had proposed
to her? Did that mean he still wanted her? She was afraid to ask. "I' m
sorry."
Justice laughed. "Don't be, some things just aren't meant to be. I went to
see your father the day I heard you were coming back to town. He
didn't make much sense." Earlier you said you'd had a run-in with him
the day you saw me in the diner and that influenced your decision to
leave. Did he hurt you again?"
Their hands were still clasped, and he was caressing her palm with his
thumb. She hesitated, knowing she had to be selective in what she
revealed. "We fought over something," she waved her other hand in the
air, "I don't remember what." He widened his eyes in a silent question.
"He did hit me, and I just decided I wasn't going to take it anymore."
Okay, he could understand that. "Why didn't you come to me?"
Nope, nope, not going there. "You had your hands full with Abby's
accident." Which was true. "I was desperate, so I turned his office
upside down until I found some information on my adoption."
Of course, he'd always known she was adopted. "You tracked down
your parents."
She nodded. "My parents were listed, as was the lawyer's number. I
called the law firm and hit the jackpot."
"You found them."
"Yes." She smiled sadly. "The man you saw that day was Hampton
Forbes. His law firm had bought out the original lawyer's practice and
was trying to right some wrongs." Charlee touched her chest. "I was
one of those wrongs." Because something had happened.
"What do you mean, Charlee?" There was nothing wrong about
her—nothing.
"There was a racket, for want of a better word. " She pulled away from
him and stood up. "Because of a rule where they could get more
governmental support for American Indian foster kids and adoptions,
this group of people stole children from their parents. They made up
stories and falsely accused them of abuse and drunkenness." She
dashed tears from her cheeks. "That's what they did to my folks, lied
about them and took me away and gave me to the Parkers."
"Oh, Charlee," he said, pulling her into his lap. She didn't have to say
the rest. He knew her history as well as she did—Parker's wife
drowning when she was five, Curtiss blaming her, his drinking, and his
abuse. "You know, I would have spared you all that if I could."
She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder.
"You made my life bearable. You made me happy. And I guess it all
turned out for the best. After the run-in I had with my father, what
happened with you in the diner spurred me to do something about my
situation. If I hadn't been so angry, I never would have been brave
enough to go through his office and find the papers. I would have
missed the three months with my mother."
"Three months?"
"She had cancer," Charlee said sadly. "We didn't have much time."
"God, I'm so sorry." He wrapped his arms around her. "You have to
know that whatever I didn't do or didn't say, I was out of it."
She laid her head on his shoulder. "I understand." She did. The
headaches and the pain medication threw him for a loop. "You
shouldn't have been driving that day."
"Yes, mama hen." For a few moments, they sat there just holding one
another before he spoke. "I'm so glad you're back and I want to know
everything. Just consider your time booked. I want to see you tonight."
Justice kissed her on the cheek. Having her sweet body pressed up to
his was playing havoc with his libido, and now wasn't the right time for
him to do anything about it. "But right now, I have a meeting to get to.
You'll never believe what's going on." He laughed. "I have a hole in the
ground on El Camino big enough to bury a T-Rex." Looking at his
watch, he helped her stand. "I'm about to be late for a meeting with
someone named Cortez that the state has sent over to tell me what I did
wrong and what it's going to cost to keep me out of trouble."
Tightening the belt on her robe, Charlee stood straighter. "Actually,
you're not late, Justice."
At his enquiring look, she explained.
"I'm Cha'risa Cortez. That's my real name. Your meeting is with
me."
CHAPTER SIX
Justice's expression was one of astonishment. "You're Cortez?" he
asked with disbelief.
"Cha'risa was the name my parents gave me. Charlee was close, I
guess. I still use it, but I've dropped the Parker."
Justice shook his head, ruffling his hair with his hand. "Wait." He
looked pissed. "So, you didn't come back to see me. You didn't come
home. You're just the one they sent to see how many laws I've broken
and how high of a price I' m going to have to pay to get it fixed."
Charlee was taken aback. "No, it's not like that at all. I'm here to
help."
"Yea, right." Justice turned his back on her. He felt like a fool. He'd
seen this as some kind of romantic reunion, some homecoming of the
heart. The reality was much less sentimental. "My mistake."
"Stop." She grabbed his arm. It was like trying to move a mountain.
"No, you're wrong."
Justice looked over his shoulder. "Okay, answer a simple question. If
that sinkhole hadn't opened up, when would you have come back?
Were you ever planning on seeing me again?"
She moved toward him, her own emotions on the rise. "You will never
know how often I thought of you or how much I longed to turn back the
clock."
"So, why didn't you? You're the one who left." He held his arms up. "I
didn't move. I never left, and I couldn't get you out of my head. I
goddamn dreamed about you all the time! "
His outburst floored Charlee. "You dreamed about me?" She had
certainly dreamed about him. Seeing how upset he was, she sought to
placate him. "Look, let's go check out the sinkhole. Until I see the site,
I can't really make a judgment. Take me to the ranch, and we'll talk on
the way. We have a lot of catching up to do."
He knew it didn't make a lot of sense, but Justice felt betrayed. "I guess
I don't have a lot of choice, do I?" He turned to go. "I'll wait outside
until you get dressed."
Bam! The door slammed with enough force to cause her to jump.
Charlee pushed her hair back and sniffed. This wasn't the first time
she'd seen Justice with his skivvies in a knot. Once he'd pouted for a
week when she'd beat him in a foot race. Hurriedly, she pulled on some
clothes. Padding from the closet to the bathroom, she brushed her hair
and stuck her tongue out at the flawed reflection. Too bad there wasn't
anything wrong with the mirror.
On the way out the door, she grabbed her phone so she could document
the situation with notes and photos. A smile turned the corners of her
lips up. Even if they were arguing, she was about to spend time with
Justice. And that made all the difference in the world. When she
stepped outside into the nippy chill, she saw Justice was standing by his
truck—arms folded, one ankle resting over the other. His eyes met
hers. He didn't look happy. Actually, he was kinda cute in a snit.
Charlee pressed her lips together so he wouldn't see that she was
amused.
"You're riding with me."
"Yes, sir." She allowed him to hold her door, refraining from reminding
him that it had been her idea. Small concession for his cooperation.
When they were closed in and buckled up, he adjusted the heater so the
warmth would blow on her. Beneath the tires, she could hear the gravel
crunch and water sloshing out of puddles. Cutting her eyes at him, she
saw he was staring stalwartly at the road. The radio was blaring out
some country ballad about tractors and turnip greens.
Enough. She turned the music off, and he immediately pinned her with
a stare. "What'd you do that for?"
"You're ignoring me, and I don't like it."
"Do tell," he quipped. "Some things don't change, you're still
annoying." What had changed was powerful enough to make him hard.
The tomboy was gone and 'little Miss Sexpot' had taken her place. He
was in trouble.
"And you're still stubborn as hell." And sexy as sin. But once
bitten twice shy. Heck, she was awash in clichés. Softening, she sought
to find common ground. "Tell me what's been going on. I saw that Jase
was getting married in a magazine article."
Despite his mood, he chuckled. "In typical King fashion, there was
some excitement." Briefly, he explained about Jase's runaway bride
and how Cade had swept Abby off her feet.
"Wow, I'm so happy for her. She deserves to be happy." Her mind went
back to the night when she'd picked up Justice from The Broken Spoke.
"I always knew they'd get together."
"Have you talked to Curtiss since you've been back?" He put his
blinker on and started out of town.
"Not yet. I plan to, we need to clear the air." Charlee was shaking. She
didn't know if she was more nervous or cold. Trying to warm her
hands, she placed them under her legs and sat on them.
"Cold?" Justice noticed and reached over to pull one hand out, holding
it with his own. "You should have worn some gloves."
"I didn't pack really well." Before she could say more, he whipped into
a Dollar General and hopped out. In a few moments he was back.
"Here, they're cheap but better than nothing." He held out a pair of
purple gloves that made her smile.
"Thanks for taking care of me. You always did." She gazed at him. He
was so dear to her heart.
"We always took care of each other. Remember?" He knew he
did...
"Why don't you go home, Charlee?" His mother's voice pierced the
haze of pain threatening to bust his head clear in two. Cluster
headaches. Cluster. That was what they said he had. How could
something that sounded so unimportant, like a piece of candy, hurt so
much. Justice shifted in the bed, the sweat pouring off his body, wetting
the sheets.
"No, ma 'am, I need to stay." Charlee's voice was sincere and
determined. "You've been here all day. Let me stay with him at night. I
can hand him water or a wet rag. I'll come get you if he needs you. "
She stood up and walked over to Mrs. King. "If you won't let me stay in
here, I'll stand outside the window all night. My dad's gone to bed, and
I'll
return over there before he gets up. I'll come wake you when I start to
leave."
Justice heard them talking, but he couldn't respond. He did feel some
peace from Charlee's words. The headaches came about twice a year,
but they stayed with him for weeks. And when they did, he wanted to
die. The pain was beyond what he could bear.
He felt a kiss on his forehead. His mother. "I'll be in my room. If you
need me, tell Charlee."
Silence.
Justice pulled the pillow tighter to his eyes. He felt like they were going
to pop out of his skull.
A dip in the bed behind him made him gasp. "Sorry, I just need for you
to know I'm here. " A small hand came to rest on his shoulder. "When
you want water, I'll get it. Until then, I'll just hold you. I've got
something to cool you off. "
Although the agony didn' t subside, Charlee' s presence helped. He
wasn' t alone. Another shift and he felt a cold sensation cover his
forehead. Justice winced.
" Sorry, I know that hurts."
He could hear her voice hitching when she tried to talk.
"Don't cry, " he told her in a dry, raspy voice.
"You 're bruised and bleeding on top of the headache. "
Justice swallowed hard as he felt her small arm wrap around his
shoulder. He knew what she was thinking about. It had been Charlee
who found him banging his head against the stone curb of the old well.
Over and over again. When she'd pulled him off, there had been blood
on the stones. He' d begged her not to tell his parents. Justice didn' t
want them to know that he was losing hope. Every time he had an
'episode' as the doctors called it, they seemed to get worse. If Charlee
knew he' d gone into his father' s office and stared at his guns, she
would never leave his side.
"Rest, just rest, I'll keep watch. You can trust me. "
Justice heard her words. She was using his own words, the words he
always said to her, to comfort him.
He had promised to always be her friend, to protect her.
When Charlee groaned, the sound jerked him out of his reverie.
"What's wrong?"
"Why is that sad reminder of my silly crush on you still standing?" She
pointed at the water tower.
"So, you don't love me anymore?" When she made a face at him, he
grinned. "If you remember, Toby's family owned the water tower. His
Dad let him have his way, there was no love lost between Steve Malone
and my father. Toby inherited the business. Our friendship didn't
survive till adulthood, so he left it up to razz me." Justice became aware
how uncomfortable Charlee appeared. "Hey, I like it. After you left,
that stupid water tower was the only thing I had left of you."
"Really?" His attitude about it sure had changed, but they'd grown up.
Charlee couldn't help but wonder what else had changed. "I'm relieved.
When I first saw it, I imagined how much it probably drove you nuts."
Feeling uneasy, she pulled her hand back, ignoring the bereft feeling
she was left with.
"I' m smarter than I used to be," Justice confessed. He regretted so
many things. None of it had been Charlee's fault. Yet, he'd lashed out at
her. "You've got to know that I didn't mean half the shit I said." You 're
my friend, not my girlfriend. You 're a tomboy. You 're not my type. For
a time after the incident, he'd avoided Charlee. Not even inviting her to
his seventeenth birthday party. He could still recall how hurt she'd
been, how she'd cried. Thank God it hadn't taken him long to come to
his senses. Charlee was more important than pleasing his peers.
"I know." She nodded her head. Giving him absolution was easy. He
didn't have to know how much his words and actions had affected her
life. Anxious to get back to a more comfortable topic, she got down to
business. "When did you first notice the sinkhole?"
Justice wasn't ready to leave their conversation about the past, yet he let
it go—for now. "We had a scare at one of the pre-wedding celebrations.
A little boy wondered out on the ice at the lake." When Charlee gasped,
he assured her. "He made it off okay, but Cade fell through, got hung
up in some debris, and Abby jumped in after him."
"Those two have had a hard time," she couldn't help but exclaim.
"What happened?"
"She saved him or there wouldn't have been a wedding on Christmas."
His words were light-hearted, but Charlee could tell he was still shaken
up about it. "They were both damn lucky. Your father came and
helped." When she didn't respond to that news, he continued, "You
know how stuff like that affects me. After it was obvious they were
both going to be okay, I had to get some air. I rode out near Cave
Canyon on Lavaca Creek where we used to play, and while I was out
there, I heard a god-awful racket and the earth literally opened up in
front of me."
The way he said it made her laugh. "I bet that put the fear of God in
you. You'd be surprised at the number of sinkholes that have formed in
the last few years. About forty percent of the US is prone to them.
Some are caused by human interaction and some are natural. They're
common where the rock below the land surface can naturally be
dissolved by ground water or some other liquid circulating through
them. We have a karst topography in this part of Texas which is
especially susceptible."
"It started out about six foot in diameter, but now it's huge, about a
quarter of an acre and growing."
Charlee shifted in her seat, turning to face him a little more. "Do you
have any photographs on your phone? I'd like to see how it's changed in
the last couple of days."
"A few." He handed his phone to her.
She accepted it, careful not to touch his hand as she took the cell.
"Good gracious." She bit her lip. This was serious, but it was still
fascinating as hell. "Did it take down the fence?"
"Yes," Justice said, glancing over to see what she was seeing. "We had
to move the cattle and set up a detour. That's why this is so critical. I
can't vouch for the safety of that section of road. We don't want a car
taking a header into the abyss."
"And the road isn't just any road, this is El Camino."
Justice nodded. She understood. "I hope you'll know I'll answer any
questions you might have. I want to fix this."
"Okay." She nodded. "I'll let you update me on your oil production,
especially if you've been doing any fracking. That process complicates
matters."
Justice pressed his lips together, deep in thought. "We have done
some injection drilling, but not in that section of land. Smith Oil
Services has been doing some for us. We'll bring them into the
conversation. Crockett Drilling is a different story. They're set up on
the old Halbert place about three miles south. Could their production
affect my land?"
"Certainly." Charlee nodded. "Oil pockets, underground caverns and
salt domes don't necessarily follow property lines. I've known of an oil
company that practiced sideways drilling. They were sneaky, stayed on
their own side of the fence and drained their neighbor's wells."
Justice couldn't help it, he teased. "When did you get so smart?"
She slapped his leg playfully. Slipping back into their old roles was
easier than she expected. "I was always smart." Realizing he wanted to
know more, she shared. "I withdrew from A&M when I first went to
South Dakota to spend some time with my mother." Her face fell. "My
father died before I was, uh, adopted. We were able to spend some
quality time together before she passed. After that, I moved back to
Texas and enrolled at UT in Austin where I changed my major to
geology with a minor in archaeology."
Justice tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "You mean, you were
that close all this time and you never picked up a damn phone?"
She wanted to explain, but she just wasn't ready. Many times she'd
rehearsed in her mind how it would be to confess to him about their
baby. About half the time she fantasized he would throw his arms
around her in comfort and other times she imagined he wouldn't believe
her. So she just waited, even though she knew it wasn't fair to keep him
in the dark. "I wanted to. My world was turned upside down, Justice. I
hated Curtiss Parker. My relationship with you had deteriorated."
Charlee closed her eyes. "I'll do my best to try and make it up to you."
"Okay, I think maybe I can make some recommendations how you
could do that." She glanced over at him and saw his eyes were
twinkling. Good, they could never stay mad at one another long. And it
would be interesting to see if he would try for a repeat of that kiss. If he
did, she might not stop him this time.
"I'm open to suggestions."
"I'll make a list." Justice grinned as he slowed because they were
nearing ranch property. His list might surprise her. "We'll get the four
wheeler and ride out there. You can look at it and tell me what our next
step should be.
As they drove under the arched gate, proudly displaying the name EL
CAMINO and their brand, the crowned K, a sense of homecoming
warmed Charlee. In many ways, she was coming home. This place and
the people in it were more important to her than anything else. For a
few seconds, she let herself imagine that nothing had changed. She
could get out, run in, and pick up where she left off. Charlee and
Justice. Just like old times.
Except it wasn't.
She didn't belong any longer. Still, that truth didn't inhibit the pleasure
she felt when she took it all in—El Camino. On either side of the paved
lane was a wrought iron fence. And on the other side of that fence was
vast acreage covered in lush grass, hay meadows, and deep blue ponds.
Purebred cattle and horses grazed to their hearts' content. Groves of
pecans and peaches flourished in their season and cotton was still king.
Wooded areas housed exotic game for supervised hunts and oil and gas
wells were strategically placed to offer the earth's resources yet
maintain its beauty.
The Kings were rich, and she'd been almost grown before she realized
how wealthy. Yet, they'd never acted like it or made her feel any
less—in any way. Charlee's heart hurt with homesickness when the big
rambling stone house came into view. But he didn't carry her to his
home. Instead, they veered left toward the ranch offices.
Once they parked, he came around to help her out. "The four-wheeler is
right outside the back door."
Her eyes looked around El Camino hungrily. "There's been a lot of
changes." And growth. She could see new barns and a pavilion behind
the main house. Dozens of cattle grazed on bales of hay. A few looked
up at them and lowed.
"Well, you've been gone eight years, what did you expect?"
"You don't seem to have changed."
Justice climbed on and motioned for her to join him. "Don't be so sure.
Hold on to me." He gave her a sexy grin.
Oh, this was not a good idea. Touching his shoulder lightly, she
crawled on behind him. "Okay."
"Hands around my waist, Charlee." He waited.
"Fine," she ground out. Touching him didn't use to be a big deal, but
times had changed. Sliding her hands around his chest, she was aware
of how solid, strong, and warm he was. Lord, she could get used to this.
Charlee had to steel herself not to meld to his back and lay her head
against him. Taking advantage of their proximity, she whispered, "Just
don't drive too fast. I don't want to hit a tree." Revving the engine, he
took off—up one hill and down another. "King! What am I going to do
with you?" She hid her face in his back, pretending fright. Actually, she
could have held him forever. He felt so good in her arms.
"You didn't use to be such a chicken," Justice yelled over her shoulder.
"I' m older and wiser now," Charlee countered.
He slowed down, and she peeped over his shoulder. The sight that met
her eyes caused her to gasp. The sinkhole had grown. Clasping Justice's
hand, she let him help her down. "Look, I see bubbles. This place is
unstable."
"Yea, my foreman was standing here the other day and watched a stand
of fifty foot pine trees just sink to oblivion. The county agent estimates
this hole is seven hundred fifty feet deep."
"Jesus," Charlee whispered. She let go of his hand and began to walk
the perimeter. "How far away is Lavaca Creek?" She turned to look to
the south. The stand of cypress which marked the bank could be seen in
the distance.
"A half mile, maybe?"
Charlee began to walk. "I'd like to take some soil samples and get some
ground penetrating radar out here and see what size opening we're
dealing with beneath the surface. What we need to do is fill it up and
level out the water table. That would be easier than trying to fill it up
with dirt."
"You're talking about diverting the flow of the creek?" Justice sounded
skeptical.
"Hey, the Mississippi River flowed backward once, this should be a
piece of cake."
Justice laughed. "I think that was due to an earthquake, a force of
nature."
"Ha!" Charlee grinned at him, winking. "I'm a force of nature."
"Yes, you are." He was staring so hard at her mouth that Charlee had to
look away.
"Don't worry, I know how to do this, and we have some great
engineers. I just need to get a lay of the land so I'll be able to make
some recommendations. Plus, I want to walk this area and see where
the original road bed lies." She looked toward the highway, skirted the
hole, and walked to what remained of the fence line. "Most people don't
realize the roadway they drive on doesn't necessarily follow the
original El Camino trail, not exactly. There are still actual wagon ruts
visible and other trail remnants can be found in the woods. What we
need to do is locate any of those remains on your property and try to
find an alternative route for traffic to flow that won't lay asphalt over
anything of historic significance."
"You mean, we need to propose an alternative route for the existing
roadway?"
"Yes, one that's safe. I know you don't want to lose too much acreage to
imminent domain, but we could try to work out a deal between you and
the other land owners if possible, so no one bears too much of the
burden. If we can do this without tampering with ancient artifacts or
disturbing anything, that's what we need to do."
"I understand. There was an uproar up around Nacogdoches, some
drilling company poured a concrete slab over a section of the trail. No
one wants that to happened, least of all me. Jase would kill me, you
know what a history buff he is."
"True. Do you think I could bring one of your horses out here? This
isn't something I can do from the back of a four-wheeler and it's too
long of a trek to make on foot."
Justice always counted himself to be a pretty smart guy. He could
recognize an opportunity when he saw it. Holing up his hands, he
surrendered. "Okay, okay, you convinced me. I'll sacrifice myself and
spend the night with you in the woods."
"What?" She laughed. "That's not exactly what I had in mind."
"You have miles to cover. Most of it is wooded or has thick ground
cover. It's too cold for snakes, but we have other wildlife. You 're going
to need me to protect you. Going back and forth would be a waste of
time. Don't you remember how we used to camp out here? Don't tell me
you're scared." He gave her a challenging look.
"Scared? Hell, no." She was terrified. Not of wolves or wild cats, she
was petrified of herself. How could she be alone with Justice for that
long and hide the fact that she loved him?
Charlee was in deep trouble.
She suffered through the ride back. Holding on to Justice and not
kissing his neck or rubbing her tits against his muscled back took great
discipline. When they reached his office, he helped her off. "I have to
call my family and catch them up. Meet me back here in half an hour,
and we'll saddle up. I'll bring the food."
He seemed so eager and happy, she hated to be a spoilsport. "Don't you
think it would be wiser to wait till daybreak? I need to make some
phone calls myself."
"Heck no, do it now. I have sleeping bags, food, a tent, and all the gear
we need. It'll be fun. Like old times. We'll build a campfire and tell
ghost stories."
Yes, this was the Justice she remembered. "All right. Don't leave me,
I'll hurry." She repeated words she'd said to him a million times when
they were young.
"That's my girl." He felt a wistful longing. "Wouldn't dream of it."
As she started to the parking lot, she remembered he had given her a
ride. Dang, she was so excited, she was losing it. "I don't have wheels, I
rode with you."
"Take my truck. Catch." He threw her the keys, which she caught deftly
with a smile.
He watched as she left, a big smile on his face. When she was out of
sight, he let out a yell of triumph and fist-pumped the air.
* * *
"Charlee's back in town. Charlee's back...Charlee's back..." Justice
whispered as he sat at his desk after informing Jase and Shiloh about
what he'd learned from Charlee. As it turned out, they were more
interested in the fact that Charlee was his contact than they were about
the possible answers to their problem. Leaning back in his chair, he
smiled, fantasizing.
She stood in the doorway of his bedroom, the smile on her face a
sensual promise. "Are you sure you want me, Justice? "
Her hesitation bothered him. How could she question his need for her?
"Come to my bed, Charlee, where you belong. " Justice leaned back on
the headboard, beckoning her to join him. "I've waited for you forever.
" He was naked, hard and hungry for this beautiful woman who began
to undress before his eyes.
"You don't have to wait anymore. I'm here. "
Justice leaned forward, his gaze devouring her image. She was
magnificent, just as he imagined. Full, high breasts, a perfect fit for his
hands. Succulent pink nipples, the same color as her luscious mouth. A
graceful body with a narrow waist and flared hips, legs long and
supple. He couldn' t wait to feel them wrapped around him.
She came to the bed and placed one knee on the mattress, then crawled
forward slowly. Her breasts hung down, and he licked his lips. "You
are so sexy. " Her face was dear to him—at the same time familiar and
intriguing. Big eyes framed by dark lashes, a delicate nose, high
cheekbones, and a mouth with a short upper lip that he planned on
sucking like candy. "Kiss me. " He touched her shoulder, her soft skin
feeling like velvet to his fingertips.
"I crave you, Justice King. " She came to him, and he settled her on top,
her legs straddling his thighs, her hot sex cradling his rock-hard cock.
Charlee nestled against him. He didn' t know if she desired heat or
protection. Justice offered both. He longed to give her anything her
heart desired.
Framing his face with her hands, she claimed his lips. A tender
tentative caress that quickly changed, she melded herself to him, eating
at his mouth with ardor. Her fingertips rubbed his face, as if
memorizing the contours and her tongue... her tongue mated with his,
licking, swirling, tasting. Justice 's lust rose hot. He ached for this
woman as he never had for another. He ran his hands over her back,
kneading the soft flesh, wishing he could pull her into him, merge her
being with his.
She held him tight, kissing his lips, then running her mouth over his jaw
and down his neck. Nipping, licking, scraping her teeth and leaving a
mark. With a whimper, Charlee rubbed her tits on his chest back and
forth, butter-soft mounds crushed against hard muscle. He could feel
her puckered nipples tangling in his chest hair and the gasps of
pleasure she made.
It wasn't enough, never enough.
Justice took her by the hips and held her steady as she worked her
pussy over his cock, scrubbing up and down. The soft lips of her
womanhood fitted over his rod, enveloping him, using him for her
satisfaction. "Justice, Justice... oh, God, Justice!"
Justice groaned. The sounds she made were the hottest thing in the
world. Men would go to their knees, cumming just from listening to her
enjoy herself. And he was the instrument of her pleasure. "I need you,
Charlee. " He lifted her. His swollen cock ached to be inside of her.
"Let me in. " Justice held her still and when she took him in her hand,
he almost came—just from her touch. But nothing, nothing on God's
green earth came close to the heaven of being inside of her. Slowly,
deliberately, she sank down on him, enveloping his straining erection
deep inside the silken heat of her pussy. "Oh, God, fuck, baby," he
moaned.
"Take me, Justice. Please. " She gave herself over to him, and he moved
forward, laying her down on her back. Still connected, he lay on top of
her, supporting himself by his arms, urging her to wrap herself around
him. They were one. They were joined. "Fuck me, Justice, " she
whispered. "Fuck me hard. "
As if given the keys to the kingdom, Justice began to ride her. Sliding
in, pumping, thrusting, taking what belonged to him. " Oh, God, feels
so good, " he growled. Over and over again, he pounded into her,
kissing her neck, twining his fingers in the long dark silken strands of
her
hair. "Charlee, how have I ever lived without you? "
She clung to him, her sweet pussy clasping him, massaging his dick.
This... this was what he was born for. As he felt her body tighten,
milking his cock, he let go, exploding, jetting his seed deep within her.
Justice rubbed his swollen package through his pants, giving it a stroke
and a promise. Standing, he stretched, checking the clock. He had time
to get his gear together and pack some food. Charlee was back and
anything was possible.
Less than two miles away, Charlee pulled up into her father's driveway.
She was so nervous, she thought her throat would close up. It hadn' t
taken her long to gather things for her excursion with Justice. With
something good to look forward to, she felt she had the courage to face
the man who' d raised her. Getting out of the Jeep, she squared her
shoulders and stood up as straight as she could. She could do this.
Times had changed. She was a grownup who was self-sufficient and
self-supporting. Charlee Parker, or more correctly, Cha'risa Cortez,
was no longer a helpless child.
The place looked the same, except the paint was peeling and the screen
on the outer door was sagging. Curtiss Parker was over sixty years old.
She wondered if he'd thought about retiring. "You came." His voice
sounded from within the dim interior. "I'd heard you were here. Why
are you staying in a motel? You're welcome here, you know."
"I know." She walked into the waiting room. Stacks of antiquated
magazines sat on end tables next to couches that had seen better days.
No one had to tell her that his practice was hurting. People drove into
Austin or Houston to a specialist if they had a problem. Her father's
practice had been downsized to broken arms and cases of the flu.
"Here, sit. Let me get you coffee." She sat as he scurried around. A
tired ceiling fan spun overhead, and Charlee noticed the mint green
walls were fly speckled.
"This place needs a good cleaning."
Curtiss laughed. "You always called things like you see them." "Yea."
She struggled to find the words. "About the day I left—" "Well, did you
find them?" His words seemed desperate and his expression contrite.
"I found her. My real father is dead." She hoped he didn't ask any
questions. Charlee wasn't in the mood to share the details.
The man who raised her hung his head. "I'm sorry." He sighed. "It
wasn't my idea, adopting you. I just wanted to make Mary happy, and
she never knew the details of how we came to have you. So, don't
blame
her."
Looking back to when she was young, it all made so much more sense
now. "Mother, your wife, she couldn't have children."
"No, and with her condition..." He swallowed hard. "We didn't qualify
through normal channels."
"You mean the seizures." Charlee seemed detached. It was like she was
observing someone else's life.
"Yes, so we went to a lawyer who gave us you." At her unwavering
glare, he looked away. "I didn't ask enough questions."
"You should have, I had a family. I was stolen." She gulped. He knew
the story, she'd made sure he was sent the files. "Look, I know you didn'
t know. but you blamed me for what happened to. Mom."
Curtiss wiped his eyes. "I was wrong. She drowned because of the
epilepsy. It wasn't your fault."
"No, I was five." She took a deep breath. "And she saved me. But if I
hadn't begged to go swimming..." Her voice trailed off.
"Like you said, you were five." He hung his head. "I took it out on you,
I' m sorry."
"Me too." Charlee stood. "Well, this was fun." At least it was a start. "I
have to go."
"Can we have dinner? I'd like to find out about you and your work." He
followed her to the door, hopeful.
"I have a lot to do." When his face fell, she spoke again, "I'll let you
know when I have the time. I' m sure we can get together before I go
back to Austin."
"I hope so."
He smiled, and she hitched her purse over her shoulder. There was so
much he didn't know, so much she'd never tell him. "See you later."
Curtiss Parker moved closer to hug her, but Charlee sidestepped. She
wasn't ready for that. Across the floor and out the door, she counted the
steps. Each consecutive one easier than the last.
By the time she got to her vehicle, she was almost hyperventilating.
The strain and stress of years and years of questions and accusations
seemed to melt away. This was a beginning. Charlee felt cleansed.
CHAPTER SEVEN
"Do you remember how to ride a horse?" He led his Appaloosa,
Cochise, with one hand and a surprise for Charlee with the other.
"Is this Shasta?" Charlee ran to the mare, greeting her with a kiss. "I
had no idea she'd still be alive!"
"What are you talking about, she's still young." As they saddled the
horses, both of their minds went back to a day neither would soon
forget.
" You' re my best friend, Justice." Charlee grabbed his hand, but
Justice pulled his away.
" I don' t want to hold hands, that' s for little kids." His answer was
gruff as he stomped along.
Charlee struggled to keep up with Justice. "Did you hear the thunder
last night? I slept under the bed again. "
Slowing down, Justice asked, "Where was your dad? "
"I don't know. Out drinking, I guess. "
Justice stopped and kicked a dirt clod. Charlee bumped into him. She
had been staring at the ground instead of watching where she was
going—like usual.
"Oops, sorry, Justice. " Charlee wiped a tear off of her face.
At twelve, Justice towered over her. She was still small for her age.
"Didyou get anything to eat? "
"I had some fig preserves and buttermilk for breakfast. "
Shaking his head, Justice started walking again. " You can eat lunch
with us. Mama's making hamburgers, it's the squirt's birthday. "
About that time, Charlee' s stomach growled. " Sounds good. How old
is Abby Grace? "
"Six, I think. Look, there's Tobias. " He raised a hand in greeting.
"Maybe, I better go home. Tobias doesn't like me," Charlee murmured,
her voice full of disappointment.
"Nah, you don't have to go. " They turned toward the corral. " Let' s go
see what he wants. "
There was no one else around when Justice and Charlee joined the
tow-headed, Tobias Metcalf. He was big for his age and thought he
knew everything. Justice knew better. " Toby, whatcha doing?"
"I came by to see that new saddle you said your dad brought home from
San Antonio. " There was a smirk on Tobias's face that Justice would
like to knock off.
"I can show it to you, it's in the barn. " Several horses whinnied a
welcome as the trio entered the dim interior. Justice flipped on a light,
moving into the next room, but he could still hear them clearly. " The
tack room is back this way."
Tobias stopped inside the door. " Why does four-eyes have to make
every move you make? "
" I don' t do that. " Charlee protested.
" She' s all right. " Justice waved his hand, stopping to pick up a folded
piece of newspaper lying on a bale of hay. When he saw what was on
the advertisement, Justice smiled. His father must have left it here and
that meant he was considering buying Justice the motorbike he' d asked
for as a Christmas present.
"She's a nuisance, " Tobias countered, getting up close to Justice,
putting distance between him and Charlee. " Have you looked at her
teeth? She could eat grass through a barb-wire fence."
Justice cut his eyes toward Charlee. He could see tears filling her eyes.
Immediately her hand went up to cover her mouth. When she spoke it
was muffled. "Daddy says I'll grow into my teeth. "
Justice just rolled his eyes, and Tobias ignored her. Thankfully he' d
moved on. " So, let' s see that saddle, King. "
Charlee followed them into the tack room, and Justice pulled a blanket
off a rack next to the wall, revealing an elegant saddle with intricate
carving and silver embellishments. " It' s handmade and worth a
fortune. "
" Let' s try it out. " Tobias started to pick it up. "No!" Charlee cried.
"You'll get in trouble, Justice. " She was right, Justice agreed. If he
wanted that motorbike, he
couldn't afford to deliberately disobey Sam King. And his father had
expressly forbidden Justice from using this particular saddle. " We can
t. "
Toby elbowed Justice. " Do you always do what your girlfriend says?"
"She's not my girlfriend!" Justice was fast to answer.
With a sneer and a laugh, the other boy faced them both with arms
crossed. " She is if you do what she says. Come on, at least you should
try it out. Or don t you have the balls?"
Justice looked from one to the other, narrowed his eyes, and jerked the
saddle off the rack and started out the door. " Charlee, get me a
bridle." When he marched outside, knowing he was being stupid, he
stood out in the cool air and looked to see what horse was corralled
near the house. Shasta. Good, he'd ridden the mare many times.
Throwing the saddle over the fence, he opened the gate. " Shasta, come
here. "
He held out his hand, and Charlee gave him what he asked for. "Don't
do this, Justice. Remember what your dad said. " There was real fear in
Charlee s voice.
"My dad isn't like yours, Charlee, " Justice stated evenly as he slipped
the leather straps over Shasta s head.
"Please," she begged, catching the sleeve of his jacket, trying to pull
him back.
"See, I told you. Charlee loves Justice, " Toby sang off-key. Justice took
Charlee by the arm and escorted her out the gate. " Stay here. "
"I'm sorry, " Charlee whispered.
"If you want to stay, you need to be quiet. " He looked at the younger
girl sternly.
"Come on, King, I've saddled the nag for you, " Toby called out.
Justice jerked around. " I could have done that. " He didn t really like
anyone handling his dad's stuff. A wave of guilt swept over him. But
when he saw the knowing, challenging glare from Toby, Justice
mounted Shasta and began cantering around the fence line.
Charlee watched as the boy she thought hung the moon showed off for
his friend. Unable to stay away, she eased back inside the gate,
hugging the post. Sidling up to her, Toby glanced over his shoulder,
then gave Charlee a push, causing her to bang her head on the rough
wood. "You don't belong here. "
"I belong here more than you!" She stood up to him. "Justice is my best
friend."
"Oh, really?" Toby raised his eyebrows disbelievingly. "You're trouble.
You know how I know?"
" How?" Charlee asked, peering over Toby s shoulder to see Justice
riding by.
"Toby! Are you watching? " Justice called out.
" Yea, sure, that s some saddle," he yelled, then turned back to Charlee.
" You re trouble for Justice, because if you weren t here, I wouldn't do
this. " With that odd statement, Toby whirled and popped Shasta hard
on the hip with his fist. The horse reacted as expected and took off
running, bucking a little while Justice tried to slow his mount.
Charlee held her breath, hoping he would quickly gain control. But
something happened, the saddle slipped sideways, and Justice fell
under the hooves of the horse. The horse danced sideways, trying to
avoid him, but in the process she stepped on the stirrup, catching her
foot, which scared her. What happened after that was a blur.
Justice hit the ground hard, rolling out from under Shasta. Jumping to
his feet, he wiped the sting of blood from his eyes. " Shasta!" he cried,
horrified as his father s saddle fell beneath the horse s belly, dragging
the ground. He took off running. " Stop!"
The mare didn t get far, but it didn t take long for the damage to be
done. By the time Justice caught up with Shasta and braved himself to
bring her to a halt, the saddle was in tatters—scarred, torn, silver torn
off. What had once been a superb piece of craftsmanship was now a
ruined mess.
Panic gripped his guts, and Justice felt like he was about to puke. " Oh,
Justice. " The despair in Charlee s voice reflected how he felt. " Shit. "
Tobias spat the word, then took off running. " I was never here. "
Justice felt like doing the same, but knew he didn t have a choice. He
was in deep shit.
" Justice!" His father s voice split the air. " He s gonna kill me," Justice
whispered.
"No, he won't, stay here. " Before Justice could stop her, Charlee took
off.
She ran to Sam King. The tears were real, she wasn t acting. " I m
sorry, I m so sorry. It wasn t his fault. Don t punish Justice, please."
With a frown on his weathered face, he took in the situation. "Justice!
We 'll talk when I get back. You wait for me here. " Sam's voice was
calm but measured. "Charlee, you come with me. " He took her by the
arm and led her to the truck.
" Dad! Wait!" Justice wasn t sure what was happening. He didn t know
what Charlee said, he only knew he was in trouble. " Where are you
going?"
"I'm taking your friend home. "
Before Justice could protest, his father had Charlee in his truck and
they were gone. He didn t know what to do. Man, he must be in deep
shit if his father didn t want Charlee to witness what was coming.
One of the hands came and helped him clean up, picking up the pieces
of the saddle and tending to Shasta. After they d finished, Justice went
up into the hayloft and lay down, feeling sick to his stomach.
It wasn t long before he heard his dad drive back up and knowing his
son, it wasn t long before he was standing at the bottom of the ladder. "
Come down, Justice."
Justice obeyed. "I'm sorry, " were the first words out of his mouth.
Sam was serious, not smiling. " I won t hold you responsible for what
Charlee did. But you shouldn t let her tamper with my things. That
saddle was expensive. "
Justice stared at his dad. " What?" Understanding dawned on him. "
Wait. No. " He climbed down from the loft. " Charlee didn t do this. I
did. "
"You don't have to cover for her. She said it wasn 't your fault. " Sam
walked over to check the pieces of the saddle that were piled in a
corner. " Dammit, just look at this mess."
" Dad, she had nothing to do with this. Charlee tried to stop me. I was
just showing off to Tobias. " He walked toward his father. "What did
you do to her?"
Sam turned to look at him, concern on his face. " I didn t do anything,
didn t really talk to her. I took her home, walked her to the door and
explained what had happened to her father. She cried and tried to deny
it, but Ijust thought she was being a kid. "
"What did her father do? " Justice clenched his fists.
"Nothing, he just said he'd take care of it. " Sam took his hat off and hit
it against his jeans. " I told him to keep her home for a few days, not to
let her come over so much."
" Dad!" Justice whirled around, wanting to run, wanting to help
Charlee. " You don t understand. He hits Charlee and now she ll get a
whipping for nothing. I didn t want to lose my motorcycle, but I sure
didn't mean for her to take my punishment!"
" Oh, she won t be taking your punishment, you ll have to wait on that
cycle. And what do you mean 'he whips her'? "
"With a belt, he leaves marks sometimes. Charlee is small." His voice
trailed off. " I don t care about the motorcycle. Maybe I should go
check on her. "
"We'll both go. " Sam put an arm around his son's shoulders.
Both looked at one another as Charlee rubbed Shasta's nose. "I well
remember the day Toby pushed you into using your dad's saddle."
Justice groaned. "Me too. I'll never forget how disappointed my father
was, and all I could think about was missing out on the motorcycle."
"I was afraid for you. I knew he'd be mad." Charlee tied one of the
sleeping bags behind the saddle.
"Sam King could get angry, but he was never like your father, Charlee.
What I regretted more was that my dad ever considered you were at
fault."
"It turned out all right. You know he quit hitting me for a while after
your dad had that talk with him."
"Actually, he did more than talk," Justice admitted as he loaded their
supplies in the saddle bags. "My dad always considered you family. He
was protecting you." Turning abruptly toward her, he asked, "What do
you mean for a while?"
Charlee shook her head, not wanting to say too much. "Actually, he
only hit me once more, the day I found out the truth about my past."
Justice nodded. Charlee knew he assumed they had argued over what
she found. She didn't want to tell him it was because he caught her
returning from Justice's bed.
"Sadly, that was just the first of Tobias's jabs at you. He always used
me to embarrass you." Why did he have to be so perfect? Even the
muscles flexing in his forearms as he handled the horse turned her on,
not to mention his fine butt in those tight jeans.
Justice started to say something, but she was already mounting up. The
girl hadn't forgotten how to ride a horse. He had to hurry to catch up
with her. "You didn't embarrass me," he countered.
Maybe it was the fresh air, but Justice's protest just struck Charlee as
funny. "Oh, please." She teased with a laugh. "I didn't have any
illusions or expectations, but you have to know I worshiped the ground
you walked on. I totally let my feelings for you get out of hand." And
we made love, and we made a baby. She wanted to add, but she held
that knowledge close to her heart.
Tightening her knees, "Giddy-up." Charlee urged Shasta forward. She
couldn't believe she had said anything. Even worse, Justice didn't
respond. Hell, she'd done it again. Riding on ahead, Charlee galloped
across the pasture behind the barn. The weather was warming a bit. She
hoped he'd think her pink cheeks were due to the sun and not to
mortification. Curious cattle sauntered toward them, hoping for a
hand-out. She didn't slow down, thankful she knew the trail to take
which would lead to Cave Canyon.
"Hell." She was running from him. Justice tapped Cochise's shoulder
lightly with the reins, giving him permission to overtake Shasta. He
raised his hand as they passed one of his crews who was setting posts.
January was the month when they checked and repaired all of the
fences. The portion which had been taken down by the sinkhole forced
them to build a whole new section to protect the animals. "You can't
outrun me, Charlee. Shasta is no match for my Appaloosa."
"Don't talk about her. She's loyal, and she tries really hard."
He got the distinct feeling they weren't just talking about the horse.
"Let's head toward the hot springs and set up camp. We won't be too far
from the sinkhole and the trailhead that cuts across my property."
"Whatever you say, boss."
Sarcastic looked good on her. The view he had from the rear of her
heart-shaped ass draped across the saddle didn't look too bad either.
"Where do you live?"
The path was beginning to narrow as they headed into the wooded area.
Charlee eased Shasta over to one side, and Justice brought Cochise up
even with her. "I have an apartment in Austin, on the west side where
the hill country starts. I' m about two blocks off the Colorado River,
just a one bedroom apartment."
"So, you live alone?"
"I did say one bedroom, Justice. No roommate." When she met his
eyes, she saw they were twinkling.
"Unless he was sharing your bed."
"No one in my bed but me," Charlee murmured. "Can we change the
topic of conversation, please?" The deeper they went into the trees, the
darker it was getting. She knew they only had about a half hour ride to
go. "I called the office and they're sending someone down tomorrow to
do the radar tests. We'll have to meet them there." A rustle in the bushes
caused the horses to hesitate. "What was that?" she asked.
"Deer probably. We also have a few wild horses still around."
"I' m glad to hear that. I remember when you adopted some of them."
Charlee knew the range for wild horses was disappearing fast. The big
ranches, like El Camino, could provide a habitat for them to continue to
thrive and reproduce.
"There's a snow white one. I've tried several times to get close, but he
won't let me within five hundred feet." Justice patted Cochise on the
neck. "I've seen him stand on that ridge near Lavaca Canyon and rear
up on his back legs. He's a sight, looks like something out of an old
west movie."
"I hope I get to see him." She let loose her ironclad grip on the
reins.
"Or it could be a bear," he added dryly.
Charlee jumped in the saddle, causing Shasta to misstep. "Dang
you, Justice." Charlee fussed.
"Easy, easy." Justice leaned over and touched Shasta, calming her.
"Sorry. Actually, there have been sightings in the area. There is a small
breeding population of black bears in this part of Texas." When she
looked around furtively, he assured her. "I'll protect you, don't worry."
Charlee bristled. "I have always been able to take care of myself."
Justice smiled. This was almost like old times. While her mind was on
other things, he decided to ask the question that was bearing hard on
his. "A while ago you said your feelings for me got out of hand, that
you used to worship the ground I walked on." He watched her
shoulders tense. She didn't look at him, rather she kept her eyes straight
ahead. "Do you still feel the same way?"
"Why, does your ego need stroking?"
He could see he'd teed her off, her mouth was pooching out. All he
could think about was kissing her. "It's not my ego that needs stroking."
Charlee whirled around in the saddle so fast, she almost fell off her
horse. Justice had to reach out a hand to keep her from losing her
balance. "You didn't just say that."
"I did." Justice knew he was treading on dangerous ground. If she had
no interest in him, his teasing would only alienate her. He might lose
her as a friend. But he was willing to risk it, the stakes were too great. "I
can't get my mind off that kiss we shared. And like I said before, I've
dreamed about you since you left, Charlee," he confessed. "I don't
know what triggered it, but over the years I've had blistering hot
dreams about you." Justice shifted in the saddle. Even the sound of her
voice made his blood run hot. Hell, he'd been hard since he'd realized it
was her at the red light.
Charlee started to shake. "Who knows what triggers dreams." He didn't
remember the night they shared. Charlee knew he didn't. "So, what are
you saying?"
"You aren't married, you don't have a steady boyfriend. Do you?"
"No." She could see that they were approaching the area where the
sinkhole was located. Cave Canyon was just up ahead and the hot
springs on the other side of it. "There isn't a man in my life, and I'm not
pining away after one either." With that blatant lie, she tried to put a cap
on his suspicions that she was still head over heels about him.
"Why not?" He had to know.
Charlee bit the inside of her lip. He just wasn't going to let this go.
"Because I learned my lesson. I remember how stupid I was—" She
stopped talking, the words sticking in her throat. "Let it go." She wasn't
angry anymore, not since the baby. But all of it had changed her,
forever. Charlee hadn't even been able to date another man. She'd tried
a few times. Most of the time she was okay, but when the nights were
darkest, she felt a ragged pain and a loss that ate a hole in her heart.
To say Charlee had his attention was putting it mildly. There wasn't a
chance in hell he was letting anything go. "When? Who hurt you?"
Jealousy ripped into him like a bullet.
"Justice...don't." They arrived at a clearing overlooking the hot springs,
a picturesque place framed with large limestone rocks and a bubbling
warm pool. There was still enough light for them to see. Memories of
swimming in these waters as a young girl came to her. And now here
she was with Justice again and neither one of them were children.
Charlee prepared to dismount, taking hold of the horn and beginning to
swing her leg over.
"No, come here. Let me help you."
She looked over her shoulder, and he stood there, arms outstretched.
He wanted to help her down. God, this wasn't wise, but Charlee didn't
argue. She placed her hands on his broad shoulders and held her breath
as he pulled her off Shasta and down into his waiting embrace.
"Thanks."
"God, you smell good. I noticed it the other day. Sugar cookies."
"It's just my body wash," she explained softly.
Justice couldn't resist, he buried his head in her neck and inhaled. "I'd
like to wash your body."
She trembled. "Justice, we can't..."
"Why in God's name, can't we?" He held her tight, nuzzling her neck,
and Charlee felt her pussy flood with warmth. "We're both adults, we
know what we want. And I want you. " He kissed her again. "Your
necklace is in my way." He lifted her hair and went to move the cord to
one side when she froze.
"No." She tried to stop him from touching it.
But he'd lifted the thin cord from her neckline and held the tiny star in
his hand. "Where did you get this?"
She pulled out of his arms and walked away. "We need to build a fire.
It's going to get cold tonight."
"That's my necklace, where did you get it?" His tone was low, grating
and serious as hell.
Charlee stopped walking, then turned to face him. "I didn't steal it if
that's what you mean."
He methodically tied the horses to a bush, then wordlessly began to
unsaddle Cochise, and she did the same to Shasta. Why didn't he say
anything?
As Justice mechanically went through the motions of setting up camp,
his mind was whirling. She didn't say anything but did her part, staying
as far from him as possible while still getting the sleeping bags and
food arranged. He noted that she put the bags on opposite sides of the
fire.
"We won't have to sleep out here. I have a tent and a small heater stored
in one of the caves."
"Oh, is this one of your standard dating spots?" She tried not to let
jealousy color her words but it was impossible.
"Hardly, but I had one of the men drop it off today. I was planning
ahead."
She grunted, thankful for his foresight but not ready to say so. When
everything was set, he rose to his feet and marched over to her. "I never
said you stole anything, it's not your style. But I'm giving you five
seconds to tell me about the necklace because I can distinctly
remember turning the house, office and my truck upside down looking
for it. I never took the damn thing off." He was right in Charlee's face
and when she tried to move away, he stopped her, his hands clasping
her upper arms. "Talk to me. Now, dammit."
"Like I said, I was stupid," she whispered with a measure of
self-disgust and poured her heart out. There was no escaping it. "The
night of Abby' s surgery, you drank too much. It was dark, you were too
drunk to drive, and I helped you home."
"What?" Justice frowned, his eyes piercing into her own. He shook his
head as if trying to dispel the possibilities. Hazy impressions fogged his
brain. "You were the one who took me home from The Broken
Spoke?"
"Yes, I helped you." She helped him home and then helped him break
her heart. Somehow when she'd imagined making peace with the
memories and with herself, this wasn't what she'd had in mind.
"What happened, Charlee?" The possibilities were tormenting him.
She sought a way out of this, but she couldn't even think of a
convincing lie. God, help me. Maybe she could tell Justice enough to
satisfy him without completely humiliating herself. "I took you home, I
helped you in. Out of nowhere you decided you wanted me. I was
weak, I'd always ...longed for you." She closed her eyes, unwilling to
see the expression in his eyes. With a harsh laugh, she just let the truth
spring from her lips. "You were drunk enough and horny enough to
fuck the flat-chested tomboy." She heard his harsh intake of breath. "I
haven't forgotten a moment of it. You forgot it all. That's why the next
day at the diner hurt me so much."
"I.. .we.. .o, God." The dreams.
"We...had sex." Tears stung her eyes, and she furiously wiped them
away. He reached for her, but she wrenched from his grasp. "When I
was about to leave, you called me Zelda and then you blocked me out
of your mind."
When she saw the expression on his face change from shock to anger,
horror slammed into Charlee. What had she done?
"You came to The Broken Spoke." His words were slow, as if he were
trying to make sense of them.
"Yes, you called me, and I came to you." The sun was going down,
shadows playing across his face.
"You spent the night." He rubbed his eyes, trying to grasp images that
seemed to flicker in his head.
"All night. Before we went to sleep, you gave me this necklace, told me
to wear it and never forget." She touched the star, then jerked it hard
and handed it to him. "The next words you spoke to me was another
woman's name."
"Did you want me? Did I rape you?" He ignored the star she held.
There was no way he could take it back.
"No, you didn't rape me." She laughed sadly, letting her hand drop.
"Are you kidding? You know how much I loved you. I would have
done anything for you."
"You were a virgin." He stated it as a fact, no doubt about it. "Did I treat
you gently?"
"No." She shook her head, wanting him to feel what she felt. "You took
me hard, Justice." At his despair, she finished the verdict. "You fucked
me hard, and I loved every second of it." She raised the star again.
"Take it, I don't want it." Love and despair warred within her chest.
Accepting it from her fingers, Justice asked, "Have you had it on since
we parted?" His head was spinning, his pulse was pounding, and there
was more hope in his heart than there had been in many a day.
"Yes, I couldn't bear to part with it. It was all I had left of you." Charlee
looked from the necklace in his hand, then back up to his eyes. Lord,
how she loved him.
He pulled her close. "I want you to wear it." Placing the cord over her
head, Justice lifted up her hair and settled it gently around her neck. He
kissed Charlee gently, reverently on the lips. "The necklace did its job,
you didn't forget me, and I had the dreams because my body and my
heart could never forget you."
CHAPTER EIGHT
Everything was the same and yet everything was different. He felt like
he'd come home. "I can't believe this."
She took his thick wrists in her hands and tried to push him away. "I
don't think either one of us can believe it. Too much has happened and
too much time has passed. I had no intention of telling you any of it, not
right now."
"Charlee, listen." He put his hands on her face. "I woke up that day with
one of those damn cluster headaches. There's no telling what was on
my mind, what I was thinking about. Since then I've learned that certain
things can set them off, alcohol being one of them, also trauma or even
certain smells. I am so sorry."
She pulled out of his arms and started working around the camp.
Kneeling on the ground, Charlee began to take out food items;
sandwiches he'd packed and a thermos full of coffee. "You made love
with me, yet you said her name." He just didn't understand the depth of
her anguish.
"I have no explanation, no memory of it at all." He protested. "What I
can tell you is that I haven' t dreamed about Zelda for the last eight
years."
"Have you dated her in the last eight years?" She stood, confronting
him.
"Once or twice," he admitted, seemingly with reluctance. "We attended
a few charity functions together. There was never anything more than
that. Like I told you, Zelda had no desire to live in Bronco and my life
is here." Charlee shrugged. Knowing geography played a role in
Justice's decision over Zelda wasn't exactly comforting.
"Let's sit down and eat. Come on." He spread blankets on the ground
and situated the saddles so they could lean against them. "Tell me what
happened exactly. We made love, you stayed with me all night,
then what?"
Charlee stared at the fire, sipping her hot drink. "When I went home
that morning, Curtiss met me. He knew I'd been at El Camino. All of
the time we spent together, he'd always assumed there was something
going on." Her breathing hitched. "Seeing me coming from your house
at daybreak with the same clothes I'd worn the day before just
confirmed what he'd always suspected. He called me your whore and
hit me."
"Fuck!" Justice hated the fact that Charlee suffered.
"I told him it wasn't like that, but what defense did I have? That
morning, it was true. And the sad fact was that I'd always wanted you.
Like the scripture says, I'd been committing that sin in my heart long
before I committed it in real life."
"It wasn't a sin."
Maybe not, Charlee thought, but she had sure been punished for it.
Getting pregnant. Losing the baby.
Justice set down his cup, reaching for her hand. "The day you left, I was
there."
"What?" Charlee's heart began to pound.
"I came to see you, you weren't answering my calls. When I drove up,
you were leaving with a man."
This whole thing was sad. "Hampton Forbes, the lawyer who helped
me. He became a great friend."
"How good of a friend?" Justice grumbled.
"Hampton and his partner stood by me through it all." In the firelight,
she could see Justice's questioning glance. "They're gay."
Justice coughed. "Oh, I see." He cleared his throat. "I'm so sorry."
Justice didn't know what else to say. "I wouldn't have hurt you for the
world, you have to believe that."
"I do." She folded the half-eaten sandwich back up. "I think I'll take a
dip in the hot springs."
Justice watched her go. Everything she'd told him and all that happened
seemed surreal. What he did know was that there was something
between them, something more than a childhood friendship, and he
wasn't about to let it slip through his fingers a second time. "I'll join
you."
Charlee had only taken a step or two when he announced his intentions.
"I don't think so. I didn't pack a bathing suit."
"Since when do we need one? We always swam in our underwear. And
skinny dipping is always an option." Before she could protest, he began
stripping. "Last one in is a rotten egg!"
Charlee hesitated only for a moment. Why fight it? This was what she'd
been longing for. They couldn't turn back the clock, but they could
move forward. She had no illusions about tomorrow, but if she missed
out on the possibilities of today, that would be her own fault. "First one
in has erectile issues." Ha! That didn't make sense, but it was the best
she could do at the moment.
Justice barked out a laugh, almost choking. "I can guarantee that I don'
t have erectile issues."
Charlee shimmed out of her clothes, leaving on her bra and panties. She
had others and these would dry. An opportunity to play with Justice
couldn't be passed up. "If you say so." The night was cold but the moon
was bright and when she ran across the last few feet before jumping
into the water, Charlee squealed with delight. She knew what to expect,
she'd swam here before. But when the warm waters washed over her
skin, it was one of the best feelings ever, and when big, strong hands
clasped her around the waist, well, it was what dreams are made of.
"Gotcha! "
If he only knew—he'd had her all the time. Wanting to prolong the fun,
she wiggled from his grasp and swam away. The hot spring was a small
slice of heaven. During the day, the spring formed a natural grotto, the
shining waters of the dark blue pool were framed by limestone walls.
By night it was a silvery paradise, smoke rising from the warm water as
it married the cooler air. "Catch me if you can! " She dove deep and
turned a few somersaults, feeling free for the first time in forever.
Justice laughed. Charlee could always swim like a fish, only now she
was more like a mermaid, and he couldn't wait to get his hands on her.
"The chase is half the fun." Listening for her movements, he went after
her. When his fingers encountered warm sweet woman flesh, he
sighed. "Come here, I want to hold you."
She didn't need any more encouragement than that. Charlee stilled
and let him pull her to the shallow side where they wouldn't have to
tread water. The whole pool was only about twenty-five feet across, a
perfect personal hot tub. When they reached the edge, she could hear
the horses shuffle and the fire crackle. But louder than that was the
driving beat of her heart. "I've missed you so much." The confession
was torn from her soul.
"Oh, I've missed you too, sunshine." Justice let his lips feather kisses on
her temple. "I didn't feel whole after you left. Several times I almost
hired a PI to find you, but I didn't think you wanted me to look."
Throwing her arms around his neck, she hugged him tight. "I would lie
in the bed at night and imagine you coming for me, like some knight in
shining armor."
"I'm so sorry." The rough pad of his thumb smoothed tenderly over her
cheek. "Can we start over?"
Her eyes fluttered, her lashes spiked with tears. "Of course, we're best
friends, or used to be. I'd like to be again."
Justice moved nearer, pressing his lips to her forehead as his fingers
tangled in her hair. "I'll always be your friend. But I can't lie. I want
more. I think lovers should be friends, don't you?"
Charlee shook with a combination of need and nerves. Placing her
palms on his chest, she rubbed his skin, feeling the roughness of his
chest hair under her fingers, the beating of his heart beneath her touch.
She wanted to touch him, hold him, convince herself this was real. In
her darkest hours, imagining moments like this had made it possible for
her to survive. "Are you sure? Remember who I am. I'm just Charlee."
Underneath the water, he let his legs rub against hers. Above the water,
he caressed her face, neck, shoulders, dispelling the chill and infusing
her with warmth. Charlee was here. Changed. Very different from the
starry-eyed girl who had been his shadow for most of their lives. Yet, it
was her. She was warm and real and within his grasp. "There's no one
better than you. Just Charlee is all I want," he breathed next to her skin.
"Just Charlee is all I need."
He watched her face, her eyes studying him so close, those beautiful
brown eyes that had haunted his dreams for so long.
"I want you. I've always wanted you. Just you." Her hands
trembled as she caressed him. Seeing him, being able to touch
him—love him—was all she'd wanted for the past eight years. And
now that he was here, she couldn't bear to make a mistake.
Justice held her against his chest, his palms moving over her back. "I'm
here, there's nowhere I'd rather be." With a little pressure he pulled her
to meet his kiss. Charlee's mouth opened instinctively and his tongue
darted out, gently soothing her lips. As they kissed, the years rolled
back, and Charlee let go of all her regrets. This kiss made up for the
first date she never went on, the prom she didn't attend, the day he
wasn't there when she said goodbye to their baby.
She luxuriated in his attention. Justice was exquisitely tender, his
mouth moving over hers with reverence. "Justice, I . " Charlee
wanted to tell him she loved him, always had. But he already knew that,
and even though she was in heaven at the moment, she had no illusions
this was anything more than an amazing interlude. One she wanted
more than anything.
"What, love?" His fingers moved slowly on her scalp, kneading and
petting as he deepened the kiss.
"Do you know how much I've wanted this?" Maybe she couldn't tell
him she loved him, but showing him would be a gift to them both.
Charlee pressed closer to his body, letting her breasts press against his
chest. Lord, he was so built. Big, broad chest, muscular arms. No one
looked better than Justice—no one. She wanted him to touch
her...anywhere. But she couldn't ask. A lifetime of feeling less than
adequate had shaped her responses. If Charlee couldn't ask, she could
give. "Can I touch you?" He was big and hard against her. Not waiting
for permission, she reached between them, molding her hand around
his cock. The warm water bubbling around them made him feel like
velvet in her palm.
"God, I love your hand on me." He threw his head back and gave
himself over to her stroking.
"If we could go back to the fire, I'll do more than touch." Charlee was
being bold. The weather was nicer but out of the water, their bodies
would cool fast.
Justice sucked in a harsh breath, the idea of her mouth on him was
enough to propel him from the pool. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped
it around her, his eyes eating up her beautiful body as the firelight
danced over the seductive curves. "Here, get into the tent. The battery
powered heater has warmed it up."
A small lantern lit the interior as bright as day. Suddenly she was
shy.
"Let's get off these wet clothes." He shucked his red briefs and her eyes
zeroed in on his erect manhood.
"You're as beautiful as I remember." Going to her knees, again she
reached out to touch him. He didn't stop her, but stood still, holding his
breath as she ran her palm over his hard length.
She licked her lips, ready to take him in her mouth. That was when he
saw her tremble. God, he was a selfish bastard. "You're cold." He went
to his knees in front of her. His Charlee was so tempting. "I want to see
you too."
This caused her to stop, withdrawing, looking down and folding her
hands in her lap. Time and pregnancy had changed her body. She
wasn't as small up top as she'd been before, but Justice could have
anyone he wanted. "Turn the lantern off, please."
"Not on your life." Justice held out his hand. "I've fantasized about
looking at you, touching you. I don't want to miss a thing."
He lay down flat, pulling her on top of him until they were touching all
the way up and down. They lay close enough to the heater that their
skin was drying quickly. Raising his head, Justice joined his mouth to
hers, taking her lower lip between his teeth and sucking on it. "That's
what I want to do to your nipples."
Oh, mercy. "I' m so excited, I may faint," she whispered as he reached
around her to unhook her bra, then tug her panties off. "I remember the
last time we did this. I was so shy. So afraid you would hate my
breasts." The straps fell from her shoulders, and he pulled it on off,
bearing her to his eyes and hands.. .and lips. "I'm still afraid."
"In God's name, why?" Justice breathed, totally entranced. She lay on
top of him, leaning over. Her beautiful breasts were right there,
hanging down, delectable. "You're perfect." He cupped both of them,
moving his palms in a circular motion. "Look, you just fit my
hands. and mouth."
Charlee gasped when his tongue swirled around first one nipple then
the other. "Ah, that feels so good, Justice," she whispered. She closed
her eyes and groaned out loud when he finally pulled the sensitive tip
into his mouth. His dark head nursing at her breast was a picture of
eroticism. An unfathomable need blossomed in her chest and spread
between her legs. A need only he could meet.
She ran her fingers through his hair as he plumped the small mound,
sucking and toying with them, caressing her till she whimpered for
more. Charlee's insecurities lessened with each touch, each lick and
nibble. The man was driving her crazy with desire. "Justice, oh,
Justice."
Pleasing her was the most important thing to him. He wanted to be
inside of her more than he wanted to live, but he could wait. She
couldn't.
When he finally removed his mouth for her breasts, Charlee felt bereft.
"Don't stop," she pleaded. But when he eased her over on her back and
moved further down until his head rested between her thighs, Charlee
tensed up.
"Ladies first."
"No one has ever..." Of course no one ever had, she'd never been with
anyone but him.
"That's a damn shame," he muttered, but in some ways he was relieved.
Justice wanted to be her first, her last, her only. Gently, he opened her
wider, taking the time to stroke his fingers over the satiny pink folds.
Rubbing up down, swirling around her clit, his fingers began to work
magic. Charlee raised her hips as she began to writhe beneath him,
wanting more.
He gave her more.
Tiny chill bumps of excitement danced over her skin when his mouth
finally touched her clit. Charlee shut her eyes, helpless against the
overwhelming pleasure. Her fingers balled into a tight fist as she
clutched a bit of the blanket. Her back arched and her legs shook and
fell open as he pushed her higher and higher. Holding her open with his
hands, Justice kissed and nuzzled her gently. Long licks of his tongue
made her delirious with need. She gasped, her muscles tensed as her
climax swelled. God, she was so close. It would only take. one more
touch.
Justice knew her climax was building. He wanted to give her the world.
To satisfy himself as much as her, his lips closed over her clit, and he
began to suck. "Justice! " Charlee screamed, her body bucking as an
orgasm gripped her, incredible and endless. He didn't relent, but licked
and laved and kissed until she was limp with satisfaction.
She quivered, this was so different than before. Justice was aware,
intent on her pleasure. When his mouth left her pussy and he moved
back up her body, his eyes blazed with passion that made her tremble.
"Was that good?" "Oh, y e s . "
He didn't let her finish. Justice kissed her again, his tongue sweeping
deep into her mouth, marking his claim. "Do you want more?"
"Please, Justice," she begged, nudging her hips up, opening her thighs.
"It will please me very much."
"Let me protect you." He raised up long enough to dig a condom out of
his pants and sheathe himself. Briefly, he wondered if he'd had the
control to do that before, when he was six sheets to the wind.
Positioning himself over her, the entire length of his body covered
Charlee. Justice supported himself with his hands next to her head so
his considerable weight didn't crush her, but she was still aware of
every inch of him. His big navy blue eyes shone dark with emotion. For
long seconds he let his eyes rove over her, his gaze caressing her flesh
just as his fingers and lips had done only moments before.
"I'm dying here." She halfway teased.
"Can't have that."
As she waited, breathlessly, Justice used one hand to place the head of
his cock at the entrance to her channel. She moaned, clutching his
shoulders, waiting with hungry anticipation.
Slowly, Justice began to push in. She was tight, lusciously tight.
Feelings of recognition, remembrance, gripped him. He'd known this
rapture before and been robbed of the memory. "Ohhh fuucck," he
growled as he pumped his hips, tunneling into her sweet velvet.
Charlee wasn't quiet, she let him know how she felt. Sweet sounds of
urging and acceptance were whispered against his shoulder. "More,
more, Justice, take me, please."
Desperate to be inside of her, Justice pushed in with one long thrust.
She moaned and clung to him as their hips met, and he held himself
still, luxuriating in the sensation of holding himself deep. When the
need became overpowering, Justice began to move, pulling out, sliding
back in, his pace quickening as the urgency grew. "Charlee, my
Charlee."
Charlee ran her hands over his neck and chest feverishly. Justice was
making love to her and there was no denying the fact that he was aware
of who she was, for he said her name over and over again. She cupped
his cheek, adoring him. His face was intense with strain, an intensity
she could feel in her whole body. He was thrusting hard in and out of
her and all she could do was wrap herself around him and hold on.
Molding her body to his, she reveled in his possession.
With ragged breaths warming her neck, Justice pressed his lips against
her ear and whispered, "Don't ever leave me again." Holding her in his
arms as she flew apart, her little pussy milking him as she came,
Justice's hips pumped helplessly and followed her over the edge.
The words he gave her was all it took, Charlee closed her eyes and cried
out his name. As her world exploded, he buried his face in her neck and
groaned. She kissed his neck over and over as his body stiffened, his
muscles bulging beneath her touch.
"Baby, baby, there are no words," he murmured, kissing her face. He
didn't move, he didn't want to. Instead, he kept himself buried deep
inside her. Gradually, the aftershocks subsided, leaving them drained,
but he still held on.
Charlee loved every second of it. She stroked his hair. "That's the way
it' s supposed to be."
"Only with me. No one else."
"No, no one else." Charlee thirstily drank in his possessive attitude.
When he rolled to one side, still holding her, she nestled deeper into his
arms.
"Sleep, sweetheart. Later I'll check the fire, but right now I just
want to hold you and thank God you're back in my life." Charlee let out
a contented sigh. For the first time in ages, she wouldn't be lonely.
Tonight she would sleep in the arms of the man she loved.
CHAPTER NINE
Charlee awoke to the cries of birds. She was warm and very
comfortable. The only odd thing was a light snoring noise. As her brain
kicked in, she became aware that her head was lying on a broad warm
shoulder and there was no moving because she was anchored by an arm
strong enough to carry the heaviest of burdens. Beneath her ear, his
heart beat solidly, a reminder that he was real, alive—not a figment of
her imagination. The events of yesterday and the night before came
rushing back. Charlee smiled and blushed, remembering what they had
done.
What she'd like to do again.
During the night, Justice had turned off the lantern, pulled the sleeping
bags over them like a blanket and left the propane heater running on
low. The sun was coming up, giving a warm glow to the inside of the
tent. When she moved her knee a fraction, she found that something
else was up.
Her man was hard.
Looking up into his face, peaceful in sleep and handsome as sin, she
raised a tentative finger to touch the sensual curve of his lip. So dear to
her heart. She wanted to kiss him so bad she ached.
Even though she knew the circumstances were different, Charlee
needed reassurance. Being braver than she'd ever thought possible, she
eased up and placed her lips on his. Ever so lightly, she rubbed her
mouth across him, loving the whisper of his breath that tickled her
nose. "Justice, Justice, do you know who's kissing you?"
He wiggled his nose, and Charlee giggled. The vibrations in her chest
made her nipples chafe against his skin, and she almost gasped at how
good it felt. Time to try again. Lowering her head, she took her tongue
and ran it along the seam of his lips, ending with a tender kiss which, if
she was not mistaken, drew a little interest. "Say my name and you'll
get a surprise." She teased.
Justice opened one eye. He liked surprises. Almost, he teased her.
Almost, he asked if her name was Katie Perry or Snookie. But he didn't,
Justice realized this wasn't really a game. This was serious. "I know
you. You're my Charlee."
"Good answer." She placed a lingering kiss on his lips.
"So where's my surprise?" he asked, rubbing the soft skin of her upper
arm that lay across his chest.
"I'll show you." Slowly, she wiggled her way down his body, being
careful not to injure the part of him that she intended to focus on.
Charlee wanted to pleasure him within an inch of his life.
"Hey, where are you going?" He knew where he hoped she was headed.
Justice didn't know the extent of her knowledge, but as far as he could
tell she was fairly innocent. No matter, he lived in hopes and knew he' d
love whatever she offered him.
On her way down, Charlee took advantage. She'd always heard there
was value in the journey, so she tongued his nipple, licked his abs, and
nipped the tight muscles of his abdomen. When she arrived at her
destination, she couldn't be quiet. "I sure do like this part of you."
Justice laughed, but he soon hushed as she closed her small fist around
his swollen erection and slid the palm up to glide slowly over the head,
luxuriously spreading pre-cum all over the swollen crest. Charlee
watched him with a rapt stare, her tongue darting out to tease the tip.
And when she licked the side of his cock, Justice arched, throwing his
head back and groaning. "God, your mouth was made for sin." Fire
pumped through his blood. Charlee's lips spread silken heat as she
worked him deeper, laving the thick shaft in a slow push to the root.
The taste of him was an aphrodisiac on her tongue, but nothing
compared to the thrill of watching him enjoy what she was giving to
him. She hollowed her cheeks to increase the suction and give him
more pleasure. He filled her mouth wonderfully.
She was killing him. A low moan rumbled from his throat as she
worshipped his rock-hard length. If she wasn't sucking him off, the
sweet little noises alone would keep him stiff as a board. He loved
watching her as she gripped his thighs, completely lost in pleasure.
Sliding his fingers in her hair, he pulled at the dark tresses until she
whimpered and took him deeper. His balls churned with need as she
opened wide and nearly swallowed him whole. Damn, this was one of
the hottest things he'd ever seen in his life.
Gazing down at the woman who'd haunted his dreams, he writhed as
she let her tongue drag across the rim and down over the swollen veins.
She swallowed around the crest, and he bucked, fucking her mouth,
relishing the way she held on to him, nibbling the head before she stole
his sanity and repeated the process. Christ, she was taking him the fuck
apart. Needing to touch, he smoothed his hands over her shoulders and
down to her breasts, playing with her nipples. He'd learned that was one
of her favorite things. She might be self-conscious because she wasn't
as big as she thought she should be, but what drove him crazy was how
she responded when he touched and kissed her tits. Charlee didn't
understand how a man's mind works—knowing he could please his
woman and seeing her burst into flames was the sexiest thing in the
world. As he pinched and plucked at her nipples, she purred, bouncing
her perfect ass up and down. He knew she was needing his cock, and
he'd give it to her—all she could handle.
"Uh, uh, hmmm, ummmm," she hummed around his cock and the
erotic sounds danced up Justice's dick, from the sensitive head to his
aching balls. His whole body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.
A rising swell of aggressive, grabbing hunger saturated his lower body.
He was about to cum. Relinquishing control, he speared between her
lips as she moved her mouth up and down his cock again and again
until his eyes rolled in the back of his head. "Suck me, baby. Don't
stop."
Locking her gaze to his, she stared up at him, those big dark eyes telling
him all he needed to know. She was going down on him, taking him to
a level of pleasure where he'd never been before. And she liked it.
Cupping his balls between her fingers, she massaged him, sucking even
harder until he froze, ever muscle tensing, then she did something that
just blew his mind.
Charlee was trembling with need, wetter than she'd ever been before.
Giving Justice pleasure had turned her on so much that she was
desperate. Moving up his body, she straddled him, took the head of his
cock, bathed it in her juices by sliding it up and down her pussy, then
she put it to her entrance and sank down, moaning at the sheer
unadulterated relief of having him inside of her.
And that was all it took. She put her hands on his shoulders and rode
him, sliding up and down his pole—one, two, three perfect strokes, and
an orgasm hit hard enough to knock the wind from her lungs. Justice
bellowed like a bull, his hips flexing up, his hands on her breasts. She
screamed his name. "Justice!"
He marveled in awe as she threw her head back, the long dark hair
grazing his thighs. She flexed her hips, tightening, milking, squeezing
every last drop of seed from his body.
Justice was ruined. Dismantled. He'd had more pleasure in her arms
than a lifetime of sexual acts put together.
There was no one for him but Charlee.
No one.
* * *
The day had warmed and the wind blowing through the pine trees was
more seasonal. They'd checked the sinkhole after he'd fed her. The
intimacy they'd shared flowed into every step they'd taken since them.
He'd cooked her breakfast, feeding her bites of bacon and forkfuls of
egg. She had prepared his coffee just the way he liked it and stolen
kisses as they'd saddled their mounts.
Laughter rang through the copse of trees, and Justice knew he hadn' t
been this happy in a long, long time. Now they were riding west. She
had a map open on her phone, and they were looking for evidence of a
burial mound. "I remember playing around it when we were kids,
Justice," she told him they watched for any differentiation level of the
ground.
"I do too. Dad always told us not to climb on it or dig around it. He said
we had to show the place respect because it was the resting place of
a great people."
Charlee's heart warmed to hear him say that. "I know we didn't think
this way. As far as you and I were concerned, we were just Charlee and
Justice, but I appreciate the reverence. When I was in South Dakota, on
the reservation, I learned that the government confiscated almost eight
million acres of the Black Hills, Sioux land, in 1889 and put them on
the Pine Ridge reservation of less than three million acres. A year later,
troops slaughtered three hundred people, mostly women, children and
the elderly, at Wounded Knee. The reservation is one of the poorest
areas in the US, with no natural resources and no industry. I met people
who traveled a hundred twenty miles one way to work and only one in
five has a job. There's very little medical care. When I..." Charlee
covered her mouth. She'd almost told him about losing the baby and
having to wait days for a real doctor to visit.
"When I. what?" he asked, listening.
"Nothing." She shook her head. "It was just an eye-opening experience.
Housing was inadequate. There wasn't a dentist for miles and miles.
The schools were sub-standard. Yet, I felt welcome and loved." Which
was true. The people had made her feel at home.
"I thought the Supreme Court ordered the government to pay the Sioux
a bunch of money for stealing the Black Hills."
"They did," Charlee agreed. "But the Sioux wouldn't accept it. They
want the land, not the money. The Black Hills is sacred to them."
"So much injustice," he breathed.
"Look, is that it?" Charlee pointed to a small rise in the landscape. They
headed their mounts toward it and slid to the ground. "The El Camino
Real followed existing Indian trails and settlements, and missions were
built along the route." She stepped gingerly over fallen branches and
waded through clumps of grass to get to the ancient mound. "I'll mark
this one, and we can note the two places where the wagon ruts still
remain, and we can connect the dots—sort of." She smiled at him.
"Then we'll know how far the road can be curved out to miss any
unstable ground. What we want to do is study the graphs we'll get from
the crew coming this afternoon and find a place where there is solid
rock underneath and not honeycomb caverns."
"Sounds good. I'll admit, the wagon ruts don't sound like much. But
knowing we can see the actual evidence of pioneers, soldiers, and
settlers indelibly etched in the earth fascinates me."
Charlee nodded her head. "Me too. Countless journeys over the same
path wore down the earth and the fragile topsoil retained the mark. It' s
haunting."
They walked a circle around the perimeter of the mound, letting the fact
that people could be buried there sink in. "Speaking of haunting, do you
remember when we decided to dig for buried treasure in Lavaca
Creek?" Justice asked as he held Shasta still for her to climb back in the
saddle.
Charlee moaned. "I do. We would have been wiser to wait for one of
the drier months. Instead, we sloshed and splattered and ended up
swimming. Our excursion turned into a picnic. And we sat up and
waited for the ghosts to come."
"We had a good time and look at this." Justice stood up in his stirrups
and dug in his pocket. "I found Spanish gold in that very spot a few
years ago."
Charlee edged Shasta closer and took the coin from his palm. "Oh, my
goodness!"
"I want you to have it." He offered.
"No, I couldn't take it." She gave it back to him after examining it. "I
never really cared about finding the gold, I just wanted to be with you."
Justice grabbed her reins and pulled Shasta close enough for him to kiss
Charlee. "I should have known. But we had a good time." He snorted.
"I can remember telling you the story about how Spanish mule trains
were attacked by bandits. They'd fought them off but couldn't transport
the gold, so they buried it along with one of their wives who'd been
killed in the attack. No one to this day has found the gold, but many
have seen the filmy white glowing figure of the woman gliding toward
them over the surface of the water." He'd made his voice deep and
mysterious, yet he was surprised to see Charlee shiver. "What's wrong?
Am I scaring you, precious?"
"No." She shook her head. "It's just that since I've been living in
Austin, I have a neighbor who told me the legend of La Llorona, the
woman who weeps for her children and suddenly it all makes more
sense."
"What do you mean?" They were letting the horses pick their way
through the underbrush, moving farther west, charting the route of the
trail that lay somewhat parallel to Highway 21. He could tell something
was disturbing her. "Tell me, I know you don't believe in ghosts."
"Actually, I'm not so sure." She began to explain. "Many have seen her.
She doesn't haunt just one river or one waterway, she seems to be
wherever there are those of Hispanic descent. The legend says that this
beautiful Mexican girl was loved by a noble rich man. She gave him
her heart and her body and bore him three children. But he never
married her. He would visit her and the children, care for them
monetarily, but there was no hope he would bring them from the village
to his home. One day, when the woman and her children were at the
river, the noble man passed by in a carriage. He was not alone. A noble
woman was with him. When La Llorona ran to the carriage, she was
told this woman was to be his wife. He would not recognize or claim La
Llorona. In her great despair, she killed her children, drowning them in
the river. Upon coming to her senses, she realized her horrific act and
killed herself. When the noble man came to visit, he found out all of
them were dead.
"Not a pretty story," Justice said, but he looked at Charlee with interest.
"No, it's not. And it's not the end of the story either. The woman was
seen again and again, crying for her children. 'O, my children. They are
lost,' she would cry and mourn. Since then, countless times the woman
has been heard or seen and shortly thereafter, someone will drown or
almost drown. It's a widespread tale told to children to keep them from
wandering at night."
"I' m glad we never saw La Llorona at the buried treasure sight," Justice
admitted as they rode along.
"I think I saw her the day my mother drowned," she said quietly. "My
father was Hispanic, you know."
"What do you mean, you saw her?" Justice stopped his Appaloosa to
listen better to Charlee.
"My mother and I were swimming in the river. She told me to stay near
her, but I paddled off after a floating leaf or something. I heard
someone calling my name. When I looked up there was this lady in
white with long dark hair. She was holding out her hands, and I started
to go to her. The water was over my head, my dog-paddling wasn't
strong enough to stay afloat, so my mother swam after me. But she had
a seizure and although she pushed me back to shallow water, she
drowned and there was nothing to do, I was too small to lift her or turn
her over." Charlee began to cry. "When I tried to tell my father and the
others about the lady in white, they all said it was my imagination.
There was no one there but us."
"That's strange," Justice began. He'd discounted another story that now
seemed to make sense. "I told you about Cade nearly drowning." She
nodded. "Well, we were all told that little Harold followed Scout out
across the pond. But that night, when they were talking to him and
reiterating how he was to never do anything like that again, he told his
mother that the dog had gone out onto the ice ahead of him because
there was a woman in white beckoning them both."
Chills went racing over Charlee's skin. She rubbed her arms. "That
gave me goosebumps."
Justice felt his heart strings tug when she reached out her hand to hold
his.
"Let's go back to camp. We have to meet the environmental crew soon
anyway."
"You'll sleep close to me tonight, won't you?" Justice joked a little to
lighten the mood.
"Yes." She chewed on her lower lip, giving him a sideways glance.
"You have a bedfellow tonight."
"Yes!" Justice whooped so loudly, the horses reacted, which caused
Charlee to giggle. "Come on sundown!"
When they arrived at the sinkhole, some of the El Camino ranch hands
were there along with the men who'd come to run the requested tests on
the land. Justice went over to introduce himself, and Charlee joined
them. "Justice King."
"Justice." She touched his arm. "Meet Cyrus Vance, he's the chief
engineer for the Texas Environmental Protection Board. We've worked
together several times. He's the best."
"She's full of prunes." Cyrus joshed. "This girl knows her stuff, we
always follow her lead. Last month we worked on a pipeline that will
bring needed water to San Antonio, and she's also been working on a
plan to provide more water to drought stricken areas."
Justice looked at her with appreciation. "I thought you were a
geologist."
Cyrus answered for her. "She's the one who finds the best route for
laying the pipe. No one wants to dig in solid rock or lay a pipe in soil
that can't sustain the weight or pierce some important source of ground
water."
"It's important. Water is our greatest resource, more valuable to Texas
than oil. You don't think that rainfall and flow in the Highland lakes in
central Texas directly affects rice farmers on the coast, but it does."
Charlee explained.
"Her next project will take her to Dallas. We've got to determine if the
recent rare Texas earthquakes are due to oil and gas production. We
think fracking near a fault line could have played a role, and Charlee
Cortez will help us determine that."
Justice was thinking. Listening to them talk was giving him an idea. He
wasn't ready for Charlee to leave. "Sounds like she travels all over."
"I do. I report into the Austin central office every couple of weeks, but
the rest of the time I can either do research at home or I'm on the road."
Charlee was over simplifying it, but the truth was she was on her own
most of the time. Being here with Justice was a treat, leaving him
would be painful.
"Okay, let's get set up and see what we can find," Cyrus said as he
motioned for two other men to unload the heavy equipment from the
back of the trailer. "Let me find the best place to begin our tests, and
then I want you to walk me down to that creek you're thinking about
diverting to fill up the sinkhole."
In a few minutes, the crew had the radar equipment set up, and they
were moving it slowly across the ground in a grid pattern, scanning the
area below the surface. A computer inside the machine was charting a
digital image that Charlee would be able to read to see the damage that
had been done and how big the hole was and where it might spread
next. If they could fill it, stabilize it, maybe they could preserve the
integrity of the surrounding land and the water table.
"Okay, let's take a walk. After you." Cyrus gestured gallantly. "Show
me the creek and the path you want it to take to divert the waters to the
sinkhole."
The sun was about midway across the western sky. They'd missed
lunch, but Justice had something special planned for tonight. They
tromped through the grasses from the low-lying area next to road,
which wasn't being used at the moment. Justice knew what a huge
inconvenience this caused to the area. People were having to drive
miles out of the way on the east to west corridor. One lane of the
highway was still passable but too fragile to travel on. Something
would have to be done—and soon.
"Charlee, if we can get a handle on this today, I can have some
tractor-trailers out here with the concrete barriers and sand bags so we
can get this show on the road." Cyrus walked a step or two ahead of
them. "I see the creek." He looked at Justice. "What's the high water
mark?"
"About four feet higher than it is now. But all you need is a good rain
and it rises as quick as you can blink the eye. When they say flashflood
around here, they aren't kidding. Just a few months ago a highway
patrol checking a low point in one of the farm to market roads was
swept away and drowned." Justice grabbed Charlee's hand and helped
her over a fallen log. "How long will this take and will we be able to
reverse the flow back to its original course?"
They arrived at Lavaca Creek, and Cyrus walked downstream a few
hundred yards, checking depth and accessibility. "Once we get the
report today, we'll know the actual depth and can calculate how many
cubit feet the sinkhole will hold." She laughed. "That's sort of a tongue
twister."
Checking behind him to see where Vance was, Justice pulled her to
him. "Let me have a go at twisting that pretty little tongue. " He bent to
kiss her, covering her mouth with his own. Losing herself in his kiss,
Charlee poured out all the longing she'd held inside for the time they'd
been apart.
"This should be doable, we can probably set this up in a day and when
we're ready, just remove.. .uh, pardon me." Cyrus had walked up,
interrupting their embrace.
"No problem, Mr. Vance." When he saw the other gentleman's
questioning look, Justice explained. "Charlee and I are old friends. I
guess you can say we're catching up."
Charlee coughed and blushed. "Yes, we grew up together." Cyrus
clapped Justice on the back. "Well, I for one am thrilled. It bothered me
that Charlee was always alone. A woman like this should be
appreciated and spoiled."
"I think we should get back." Charlee started to walk away, clearly
embarrassed.
"Look, you two," Cyrus spoke up. "This is going to take a while. Why
don' t you get back to whatever you were doing before and once I
finish, I'll drop the report off at Mr. King's office. You," he pointed to
Charlee, "can call me and tell me what you need, and I' ll have it here in
a jiffy. As far as the road is concerned, Dave Barnes has contacted the
State Highway Department and they're ready to set aside some time for
one of their contractors to build the roadbed wherever you say."
"We're still looking at that possibility," Charlee interjected. "The King
family will have to donate acreage and build new fence."
"We're ready to drop everything and do that." Justice assured them.
"All we're trying to determine is the right course so we'll avoid
damaging any El Camino artifacts and build on safe ground." Lord, all
of this talk was so different than anything he ever though he'd be
saying. This was certainly new territory.
"Good to know." Vance nodded. "Now, you two love birds can be off. I
can handle it here."
Justice looked at Charlee. It was her call. She smiled, a look of
uncertainty on her face. "All right. I'll work on the diversion plans,
we're going to ride through Cave Canyon in the morning. I have to be
sure no wildlife are going to be endangered. Most will move to higher
ground without trouble, but you know I have a soft heart. If there are
any nests or dens in the path, I want to know about it so I can work
something out."
"Talk to you tomorrow, then." Cyrus bid them farewell.
They mounted their horses and began making their way back to camp.
"So, what do you think?"
Justice pushed his hat back and studied Charlee. "I'm pleased. You
seem to have it well in hand. Dare I ask about paying for all of this?"
Charlee chose her words carefully. "I will know more when I see the
readout. It all depends on the cause of the sinkhole. If there is a
connection point between the sinkhole and any drilling operations that
you're responsible for, of course, you're liable. On the other hand, if I
can determine that the sinkhole formed due to natural causes, the state
will pay."
"Fair enough." Justice knew he could afford it, but like any reasonable
man, he wanted to know the truth of the matter.
"We'll be following the same criteria for the road, if you're liable, I' m
hoping you' ll donate what we need. If this is a naturally occurring
phenomenon, the state will reimburse you fair-market value."
"I like you." Justice winked at her. "And I trust you."
Charlee giggled. "Well, that makes me feel better. I will do my very
best, and I can assure you I'll be fair. You can examine or have
someone else examine every report and test." About that time her
stomach growled. "Dang, I'm hungry."
"Good, cause I have a surprise for you." He urged his horse into a
gallop. "Come on, we have stuff to do."
"Is this a surprise comparable to the one I gave you this morning?"
Justice roared with laughter. "Is that the kind of surprise you
want?"
"Yea, I'd even skip a meal for it."
"Well, I'm going to feed you because you're going to need all the
energy you can get."
CHAPTER TEN
"I'm stuffed," she groaned. "Are you trying to make me fat?" She was
amazed at the food he'd prepared—grilled steak, twice baked potatoes,
roasted asparagus, and a delectable decadent dessert called banana
boats. "I can't believe that dessert, it was tremendous."
"Easy as pie." He explained. "I sliced a banana and filled it with
marshmallows, chocolate chips, caramel chips and a few crushed
graham crackers, wrapped it in foil and let the candy melt."
"You are one very talented man." She exhaled and stretched a bit,
satisfied.
He gave her a Cheshire cat grin and took the wadded up aluminum foil
from her hand. "Allow me to show you where my greatest talent
lies."
Feeling pretty sure of herself, she teased with a sigh. "Well, I'm not sure
if I'm up for anything strenuous."
Undeterred, he kept coming, moving nearer to her like a stalking big
cat. "You don't have to be. I'm already 'up' for it and if you'll allow me
to escort you to our tent, I'll do all the work. All you have to do is lie
there."
Charlee got the giggles. "I very seriously doubt if I'll ever be able to just
lie there with you. In case you haven't noticed, you tend to excite me a
bit."
"Oh, really?" With a predatory snarl, he snatched her up in his arms and
carried her to the tent. "That's comforting. I'd hate to ever bore
you."
"I think I can safely say you have never bored me, unless you count the
time I watched you try to rope that post for four straight hours until you
finally nailed it."
He goosed her, making Charlee squeal. "I'm gonna nail you and if I had
some rope, we'd see if I've gotten any better at tying things up."
By the time he'd eased her to the floor, stealing kisses all the way down,
they were both tearing at one another's clothes, anxious for complete
skin on skin contact. "God, I have a good time with you, Justice."
"Oh, honey, me too." She was so gorgeous, flawless skin, pouty nipples
crowning firm high breasts and what was between her legs made him
want to genuflect in her presence. His whole body responded—heart
pounding, pulse racing, and his cock was fully distended and throbbing
with need. "Give me a kiss." Justice caught her up to him and ate at her
mouth, long drugging kisses that set the stage for their joining. "I can't
get enough of you," he whispered when he stopped to breathe.
"You can have all of me, if you want," she offered shyly.
"I want." He ran his hands over her body, kissing her shoulders,
cupping the firm globes of her ass. "Let's turn you around and bend
over that saddle. I want you comfortable."
"Are you gonna ride me, Justice?" He helped her drape herself over the
smooth leather, and knowing her backside was up in the air and
vulnerable to him made her nipples pebble and her pussy weep.
"Hell, yes. I'm going to make you scream."
He lay every rock hard inch of his big body to her back, his thick cock
pressing against her bottom. He wanted her. There was no way of
mistaking his need. The thought that Justice King was desperate for her
made shivers of excitement dance across her skin.
"You have no idea how sexy you look."
Feeling his palms soothe over her skin, she clasped the blanket in front
of her with both hands. The way she was positioned, on top of the
saddle, made her breasts hang down, and she was totally at his mercy.
And God help her, at his mercy was a perfect place to be.
Charlee closed her eyes and moaned as he traced the length of her spine
with his lips. "You're destroying my control," he spoke against her neck
as his palms covered her breasts, and he began to mold and knead the
soft flesh.
She moaned, his hands or mouth on her breasts was pure heaven. And
when he began to milk her nipples, taking them between two fingers,
pressing and pulling, she felt her pussy clench, craving his cock.
"Justice, Justice, please, now." As much as she could, with him on top
of her, she tilted her ass up in the age old language of female surrender.
"You want me?" He licked the shell of her ear, continuing to pleasure
her breasts, working the nipples between his fingers, playing with
them, fulfilling a fantasy of his own. "Tell me how much. Beg me."
"It's hard," she groaned. Almost impossible. Putting words together
while he prodded her backside with his cock was a challenge.
"You can say that again." Justice slid his big body up and down her
back in a sensual caress, using her breasts as the perfect love handles,
the hair on his pecs abrading her back, his dick nudging at the crease of
her ass.
Wanting became needing and needing became... "I'm empty without
you, I' m burning up. I feel like I can't breathe unless you come inside
me."
Her entreaty aroused him beyond belief. He drew back, remembering
the condom—they hadn't been consistent. And when he withdrew to
protect her, she said the magic words. "Fuck me, Justice. I think I'll die
if you don't fuck me."
"Are you sure you're ready for me?" He loved to tease. Reaching
between her legs, he palmed the pad of her pussy and massaged,
glorying in how wet she was. The soft woman flesh beneath his hand
made his cock grow even bigger. He was afraid he'd split the condom.
"Yes, yes, yes," she chanted.
Strutted with passion, he positioned himself and plunged in—one hard,
long thrust that buried him balls deep.
Charlee gasped and pushed back against him, wanting to meld herself
to him forever. Desire sparked over her skin. "God, you feel so good!
More! More!" she cried.
Justice covered her, placing his palms on the ground on the opposite
side of the saddle and took her hard. "Fuck, this is good," he ground out
between his teeth as he flexed his hips, pistoning in and out -over and
over - hard, riding her, pleasing her, giving, taking. "God, Charlee,
how. how did I ever do without you?"
If she could have captured this moment in time to savor again and
again, she would have. His words. His possession, the way her body
responded and accepted him. The continuous mind-blowing filling and
stretching, pounding into her pussy with obvious, no-holds-barred lust.
Charlee basked in the fact that she was gloriously, completely, and
perfectly fucked.
Spiraling into pleasure, she flew apart, her pussy contracting helplessly
around his cock. "Um, um, oh, God, Justice!" she whimpered as waves
of pleasure swamped her.
Justice could feel her cumming around his cock. He rose up, tossing his
head back, his neck bowed. Clasping her hips, he drove into her again
and again as she continued to spasm around him until he felt his own
cum boiling up from his balls and jetting out of his cock, an orgasm so
massive he thought he'd die from it.
Even after he came, he didn't stop moving. He just slowed down,
letting the strokes give her every ounce of pleasure he could—every
little moan, every little quiver was a reward in itself.
Justice learned a powerful lesson—the ones who said it was blessed to
give than to receive were right.
* * *
During the night, something woke her up. Charlee sat up, trying not to
disturb Justice. After they'd made love, he'd zipped their sleeping bags
together and cuddled her close. Now, he slept on his side away from
her. She'd been nestled close to his back, spooning him. Sleeping with
Justice was so different than sleeping alone. How many nights had she
curled up in her lonely bed and imagined this very thing.
But something was outside. The horses were restless, she could hear
them pawing and grunting. Sliding up and out of the bag, she quickly
donned her clothes and slipped out of the tent. The fire wasn't
completely out, but only embers glowed. The moon, however, was a
big pie in the sky and gave enough light for her to. "Shit!" she
whispered. "Dang, dang, dang." She crawfished backward and slapped
the side of
the tent. "Justice, wake up!" She wasn't talking loudly, because she
didn' t want to alert the very large bear who was right now pilfering
through their gear. Too late.
RAWR! The bear stood on his hind legs and growl, slapping the air.
"Justice Orion King, if you don't come out of that tent and save me, I' ll
never forgive you as long as I live! "
When he didn't make an immediate appearance, Charlee tried to figure
out her next step. She didn't have a gun or a club or anything like that.
But her eyes caught what was left of the bananas lying about three feet
away where Justice had prepared their meal.
"Go away! " she yelled, picking up one of the bananas and chunking it
at him. The bear was momentarily distracted, he reached for the banana
and set back on his haunches. "Justice! " she screamed again, hoping to
rouse him to her rescue. The bear wasn't cooperating because he ate the
banana whole and then eyed her like she was the second course. Again,
she chunked a banana.
Justice had heard her, scrambled up and was now pulling his pants over
his hips. When he emerged from the tent, it was to find his Charlee
hurling fruit at a grown black bear while she stomped and snarled,
ferocious enough to scare him, much less the bear. Even though she
seemed to have the situation well in hand, he took over. Seeing her
place herself in danger sent his heart rising into his throat. "Get behind
me." He grabbed her arm. Picking up a log that was smoldering on one
end, he charged the bear. "Go! Get outta here! " This was his closest
encounter, but his instincts to protect his own were high.
The bear scampered off with the last banana in his mouth. When he
turned to see his baby, she was frozen, her chest heaving. So brave. His
Charlee had always been fierce. And so many times she'd stood up for
him. Not that he'd needed it or asked her to do it, she'd just been that
scrappy little lioness, ready to do battle for him if she had any clue
someone was trying to take advantage or harm him.
"What am I going to do with you?" He swept her up in his arms, his lips
colliding with her. After he'd kissed the living daylights out of her, he
buried his face in her neck. "You should have come back in the
tent and kick the crap out of me to wake me up."
"Hold me tight." She was shaking like a leaf.
"We're moving in the cave. I'll set up the tent in the back, and we'll
build a fire in the front. I'll keep you safe," he promised.
Charlee let him take care of her. He fixed her a place to sit first, then got
busy moving what they'd need. When he finished, she launched herself
back into his arms, and he cradled her to him. Raining kisses on her
face, he calmed himself by running his lips over her skin, thanking God
that she was here with him, safe and sound.
Sometimes there are moments when reality blurs with dreams, when
something so perfect happens that we are afraid to breathe, to blink, for
fear the joy will fade and we'll find our arms empty. These were
Charlee's thoughts as she clung to him.
He was Justice and he was not. The way he pressed her to him was
impassioned. Reverent. His kisses were laced with fire, but also with
something akin to desperation. Charlee had never seen him act in such
a way, she had no idea he could be so ardent, yet so tender. Truly, she'd
never ever expected to be the recipient of such feelings.
Heck, if Charlee had known she could illicit this type of response from
him, she'd been out hunting bears before now.
"I' m okay," she murmured, touching his cheek. Even though his
caresses weren't meant to arouse, Charlee's body reacted. Her nipples
peaked, aching as she clasped him around the neck and molded her
body to his. "I'm still here."
"And I want you to stay here, Charlee. I don't want you to leave me
again." Justice found her mouth and poured himself into the passionate
kiss. All she could think about was the possibility that Justice might
care for her, really care for her. Not just as a friend, not as a friend with
amazing benefits—but love. This kiss felt like a silent declaration of
love. Could she be imagining it?
Drowning in the euphoric possibilities, she let herself go, giving herself
to him fully, putting every bit of adoration and devotion she could into
the kiss. Justice groaned, gathering Charlee even tighter in his arms.
She reveled in the thrill of his attention, each kiss becoming gentler,
more exquisitely tender than the last until he let their lips slowly
separate, and he stared at her in the flickering firelight.
Charlee felt a bittersweet poignant jolt of hope. The way his eyes were
locked with hers, it was as if he were looking into the depths of her
soul. "You want me to stay?" The question slipped from her lips
unbidden.
"Yes, I want you to stay." He picked up her hand, gave her a sweet
smile and placed a kiss in the middle of her delicate palm. "From
listening to you talk to Cyrus, you can pretty much work from
anywhere, can't you?"
"Yes, that's right." The idea of returning to Bronco filled her with
dueling emotions. Living in the same town as Curtiss Parker and all the
bad memories was one thing, but living near—or possibly
with—Justice was something else entirely. Dare she dream? "Can we
talk about it?" She wanted to hear his thoughts, to know exactly what
he meant before she laid bare her soul and left it unguarded and
vulnerable.
"Sure, I want to talk about everything." He pulled the covers over them.
"But for now, let's sleep. Rest. Tomorrow we can begin anew."
* * *
Morning broke in a blaze of color. They rode northwest from the camp.
"I'm not really ready to go back. This has been idyllic. I'm afraid life
will interfere, take what we have away from us."
"I won't let that happen." He assured her. "This is too important." The
path they were following began to narrow. Temperatures were even
warmer today, the weather report he'd called up on his phone showed
that it could climb into the sixties. Texas weather was all over the place,
like the old timers said—if you don't like the weather in Texas, just
give it a minute, it' ll change.
On either side of the path, the land had begun to rise. They were riding
downhill into Cave Canyon. "Look over there, Justice. Do you
remember what we did on those rocks?" She pointed to several huge
boulders resting against a limestone wall. "I bet if we were to look, it'd
still be there."
Justice laughed. "Let's see." He pulled Cochise to a halt and grabbed
Shasta's bridle, steadying her horse while Charlee dismounted. Justice
dropped the reins, knowing both horses were trained to ground tie.
"Wait up," he called. She was already dashing over, anxious to see if
the carving they'd made over a dozen years ago was still there.
"We used to play cowboys and Indians and pirates if the water was
flowing. I can remember once you told me this was Jurassic Park and
we hid behind these rocks and pretended to hear velociraptors coming
through the brush." She smiled as images from their past danced
through her mind. There were so many nooks and crannies to hide in,
shallow caves to explore. This was a magical place.
Justice snorted. "And once you made me play Captain Hook to your
Peter Pan."
"We had fun." She pulled him around to the backside of the rock and
sure enough there it was.
HERE THERE BE DRAGONS, Justice had carved and underneath
she'd added...
Go Ahead Make My Day, Sulphur Breath. Both of them laughed.
"You've always had an attitude."
All of a sudden, Justice felt like they were being watched. Wary since
their encounter with the bear, he scanned the top of the canyon. What
he saw made his blood pressure spike. "Look," he whispered, touching
Charlee's arm. "Be slow and quiet, we have a visitor."
Charlee leaned back against him and let her eyes follow his pointing
finger. On the ridge above them and to the right stood a magnificent
white horse. "Oh, my," she whispered in awe. "He's gorgeous. I want
him! "
Justice chuckled. "I tell you what, if you say you'll stay with me, he' s
yours. You can spend the summer luring him with your considerable
charms and when you do, we'll gentle him and break him to saddle.
How
about that?"
"Some men tempt women with diamonds and gold."
"Hey, I'm Justice King, I wasn't born yesterday." He wrapped his
arms around her waist and kissed her neck. "Besides, I know you as
well as I know myself. Diamonds and gold don't matter a whit to you. A
horse on the other hand."
"Makes my heart flutter, like you do." She turned her head and kissed
his lips. Almost. Almost she told him she loved him. She had to bite her
tongue to keep from saying it. Knowing how near she was to
confessing, she pulled from his embrace. "I guess we'd better go. I need
to get this information so we can head back, check the report, and I can
make my recommendation."
"Okay, we'll both do what we need to do. Just remember, you're
sleeping in my arms tonight."
Charlee found she didn't have any desire to argue with his logic. They
finished riding through the canyon, and she took enough photos and
videos to map it. It wasn't the right time of year for anything to be
nesting or hatching, no young in any dens, so she hoped that the
flooding wouldn't disrupt the ecological makeup of the canyon while
they were diverting Lavaca Creek to fill the sinkhole. "This should
work, Justice."
As they neared the sinkhole, Justice was anxious to see if it had grown.
"I hope so, Charlee." To his dismay, it had, expanding another twenty
feet or so and taking out about half of the other lane of highway. "This
thing has got to be contained or it'll swallow the county."
There were only a few men working, prepping sandbags. All of the
heavy equipment and concrete barriers were on the ground and waiting
for placement. "Just as soon as we get the report, we'll start. Depending
on the engineer's take on this, we may have to put up some barriers in
the canyon to direct the flow and possibly dig some channels to insure
the water goes right where we want it, but I promise you that in a few
days the sinkhole will be filled and road construction can begin. Soon
this will be just a bad memory." She also hoped the report yielded the
info that the sinkhole wasn't due to fracking or injection drilling. But
whatever would be, would be.
"Come on, sexy." He held out his hand. "Let's go home."
* * *
Justice didn't really want Charlee to leave, but she told him she needed
to get back to her computer and finish mapping the canyon so that when
the report came in, there would be no delay. He took the opportunity to
connect with his folks, to make sure Shiloh had delivered the parents in
one piece. He had and now his little brother was on his way to
Wyoming to see some girl named Faith. Women sure can wreak havoc
in a man's life. Jase was on his way home. Justice talked to him, and he
seemed to be in good spirits. The twins were also on their way back to
El Camino. It seemed their apartment had suffered from an invasion of
bed bugs and was in need of fumigation. Justice told them they were
sleeping in the barn. Best of all, Cade and Abby were flying in. Soon,
the house would be full again. There would be one extra, if he had his
way.
Justice wanted Charlee in his bed.
Charlee was busy also. She couldn't remember being this happy. She'd
practically danced back in the hotel room and the first thing she'd done
after completing her work was to call Hampton. Hampton and Weber
had become essential to her. Ever since he'd helped her locate her
mother and stood by her during her passing and the loss of the baby, he
and his partner had become a part of her life. Charlee had visited them
many times, celebrating birthdays, holidays, being there for one
another when they were sick. She'd sat with Weber at his father's
funeral and visited Hampton's mother in the nursing home. So, it made
sense that she would want to tell these two men who'd always wanted
what was best for her that she had reconnected with the man she loved.
To her delight, Hampton surprised her a few minutes later with a
call back. "Hello? What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, it seems like everything's right, and we want to see it
with our own two eyes. Let your man know we're coming down in a
few days, and we want to take you two to dinner."
"Great!" The idea thrilled her. "That's amazing! We'll drive over to
Chris's at Bryan-College Station, the best restaurant in the area."
Now, if things with Curtiss Parker were only this easy. Charlee debated
visiting him again, but when she called, he was in surgery. An
emergency appendectomy. Oh well, if she was going to be staying,
there'd always be another day.
Ring! Ring!
Glancing at the read-out, she saw it was Justice. Yay! "Hey,
handsome."
"Awww, thank you, gorgeous. The report's here and it looks like Greek
to me."
"Good! I'll be right over. Hang tight." She was walking as she talked.
"Drive safely."
The drive to the ranch took her by the water tower and today the words
didn't look like epitaph to a friendship—they looked like a promise.
When she passed by the clinic her father was standing outside, and she
couldn't drive by without stopping. Her mood was just too good to spoil
it by being negative, so she swung in. "Hey," she said as she rolled
down the window.
"Charlee, hello! Want a cup of coffee?" He looked hopeful.
"I don't have time today, I'm working. Would you take a rain check?"
She saw his face looked flushed. When she'd seen him the other day,
Charlee had been sad by how much he'd aged.
"Certainly." He patted the top of the car. "I'm just grateful you're giving
me another chance."
As she waved and drove away, Charlee smiled, grateful for her own
second chance with Justice.
When she arrived at El Camino, Justice was standing out by the gate.
When she drew closer, he held out his thumb. She stepped on the break
and stopped right by him. "Need a ride?"
"I was waiting on you," he announced as he opened the door of her Jeep
and crawled in. "Put it in park." He indicated the gear shift.
When she followed his instructions, he leaned over, close enough to
feel her breath. When she brought her tongue out to taste her lips, a low
growl came deep from Justice's throat, which made Charlee's heart beat
double time and the place between her thighs pulse with
anticipation. "Wanna kiss?"
"I'd pretty well kill for one." Just having him near burned her.
"No homicide necessary, I think I can give you what you need."
Charlee marveled at what a turn her life had taken. If he only knew the
elaborate scenes she'd made up in her mind, all revolving around
Justice. When she would masturbate—and God knew she did—it
would be Justice's mouth she'd imagine on her breast while she toyed
with her nipples. And when she put her fingers up inside of her, moving
them in and out, it was Justice she imagined touching her, kissing her,
making love with her. "Can you give it to me twice?"
"It's a date."
Charlee was so aware of him she was quivering, pure desire coursing
through her veins. Needing to touch him, she let her palm smooth over
his cheek, committing his dear face to memory. "A date?" She let the
pad of her thumb slide over his lower lip, and he dipped his tongue out
and touched it. Carlee felt her clit pulse in jealousy. How she would
love to go on a real date with him, where he picked her up, took her
somewhere in public—not as his best buddy but as the woman he
couldn't take his eyes off of, the woman he wanted more than his next
breath. Ah, well, she'd certainly never ask. He would if he wanted to,
and if he didn't, she'd enjoy him any way she could get him.
"I promise to show you the time of your life." With that promise, he sat
back, and Charlee drove on to his office, eager to see the read-outs.
Once they were in his office, he handed her a folder, and she crawled
into his big chair, sitting with one leg underneath her. Studying the
report, she traced lines with her finger. Justice waited. Charlee spread it
out and stood up, looking at the big picture.
"Good news." She looked up, watching his face. "The sinkhole isn't
your fault. The water table has fallen due to the drought and the
growing populations down south, most likely the Huntsville and
Houston area. With the absence of underground flow, the
honeycombed top strata couldn't support itself, so it collapsed."
Justice felt like a ton of weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It
wasn't so much the money, it was knowing he'd done something to
hurt his land, his environment. "So, what's next?"
Charlee returned to the report and used his calculator for a few seconds.
"I say we call Cyrus and have him and the crew finish up the prep work.
When he finishes, we can place the barriers and turn Lavaca Creek
toward the canyon. We'll gauge the rate of flow and that way we'll
know when to remove them before we flood the pasture."
"What about the road?" He wanted to get all of this done and off his
mind. He had more important things to do—like woo this woman.
"Hold on, let me show you something." She used her tablet to call up a
map of the area. "I marked the known King's Highway remnants. Now,
let's download this current report and overlay it." She made a few
adjustments. "You can see where the sinkhole extends underground
and where the bedrock is the thickest. I'll need to get Cyrus to review
this, but I propose to leave the current roadbed here," she pointed on the
map, "and swing it over to this point over in the section of your land
that is on the north side of the 21, and then curve it around this stock
pond and meet the existing roadway here."
Justice studied the map. "Do you know how many acres I'll be
losing?"
"Altogether," she punched a few numbers in the calculator, "it looks
like you'll lose about twelve acres total counting right-of-way.
Although, you will be reimbursed, not as much as you could get on the
open market. But it won't be a total loss."
She waited for a few minutes while Justice digested the facts. "Let's do
it," he said.
Charlee was relieved. "Let me give Cyrus a call. We'll drive out there
as soon as you're ready."
While she placed her phone call, Justice made one of his own to the
Legend steakhouse on the square. It was the fanciest Bronco had to
offer, but he wanted to show off his girl to the hometown folk.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Who knew she was such a 'girl?' Charlee had been looking through a
surveyor's transit toward Cave Canyon, helping Cyrus determine where
to lay the trench when Justice had casually asked her a question. "Will
you have dinner with me tonight?"
Such a casual question and one most women hear many times, but
coming from his lips it was magical. Not wanting him to know just how
much his invitation meant, she tried to act causal. "Sure, I'd like that.
Want me to pick up hamburgers on my way home? We can have a
picnic on the bed."
Justice considered her suggestion for a moment. "As intriguing as that
sounds, and I am visualizing licking chocolate malt from your
nipples..." The sensuality coating his words made Charlee shiver. "I
thought we'd have a steak and a few drinks at Legends. Before I take
you back to the motel and ravish you. Can I pick you up at seven?"
Charlee blushed and looked around to see who had heard. They were
alone. She smiled. "Sounds perfect. I'll be ready." Thoughts were
swirling through her head. What would she wear? The people of
Bronco would see them, and she wanted to look perfect. No more
tomboy Charlee Parker, she wanted everyone to see gorgeous Cha'risa
Cortez—including Justice.
Now, if she could just pull it off.
After she'd finished tromping around in the mud, helping Cyrus
engineer the project, Charlee had left Justice at his office and headed to
College Station to find a dress. And shoes. Get her hair done. Her nails
done. Buy makeup...girl stuff.
While she was there, she also visited a health food store. After
hearing what Justice had said about why he'd lost the time at the diner,
Charlee remembered the research she'd gathered on cluster headaches.
Knowing how he suffered, she always kept her eyes open, reading any
information she could get her hands on. A few years back, she'd run
across an article written by a Yale professor named Sewell who
purported the root of the Kudzu vine as a great relief for 'suicide'
headaches, the same headaches that Justice suffered from. The pain
from cluster headaches is known to be the worst pain a human can
suffer. To think the lowly Kudzu, the imported Asian vine that
supposedly 'ate' the Southern US, growing in many places ten feet a
day and covering everything in its path, could be a source for good and
healing boggled her mind. Thinking she would tell Justice and give him
a box of the tea, Charlee bought it and slipped it into her purse.
Five hours later the knock on the motel door made Charlee jump about
a foot and drove every coherent thought from her mind. He was here.
She'd made a discovery. No matter how much curling to her hair and
paint she'd applied to her face, she still looked like Charlee. Sighing,
she gave herself one last cursory glance, then headed for the door.
Justice waited with his hat in one hand, a bouquet of flowers in the
other and a bottle of chilled champagne at his feet. He hoped Ms.
Horne's ice buckets were big enough to accommodate his Riesling.
Justice was a bit nervous. Why, he didn't know. Looking down at his
boots, he made sure they weren't dusty. He'd dressed up for Charlee,
which meant he'd added a black jacket to his black jeans and black
shirt.
When the door flew open, he dropped his hat. "Mercy," he whispered.
She was a vision. His Charlee looked like an angel. "You look
beautiful. Here." He thrust the flowers out at her. Taking them from his
hands, she backed into the room.
"Thank you, I never expected this." She buried her face in the fragrant
red roses. "And wine?" A tentative smile made her face even more
kissable.
He couldn' t stop looking at her. She was dressed in a bronze sheathe
which hugged her curves and it seemed to glint when the light hit it. He
was mesmerized. Her hair hung in long ringlets. There was no way he
could resist touching. "I am one lucky SOB. How am I going to
eat knowing I get to come home with you?"
His heartfelt appreciation broke the ice. "I'd say we could skip dinner,
but I'm starving." She placed the vase of roses on the table, then iced
the wine for later. "We'll have to drink out of plastic cups."
Not if he had his way. "We'll manage," he promised. As she flitted
around the room, he catalogued every move. His cock was as interested
as he was. "Patience. Patience."
"What?" she asked, putting her new lipstick and the room key in her
purse. She'd splurged on a new bag to match the four inch heels. These
were her first real pair of fuck-me shoes, and she was anxious to see
how they worked. But if the bulge in Justice's jeans was any indication,
they worked just fine.
"You can hear still like a bat." He smirked. "I was giving a pep-talk to
my cock. He's a little over anxious. Doesn't want to wait."
"I know, I'm giving my girl parts the same lecture."
She winked at him, and he busted out laughing. "Come on, they're
saving us their best table."
Honestly, he made her feel like a princess. Charlee had to admit that
going from best friend to love interest definitely made a difference in
the gallantry department. He opened her door, fastened her seatbelt,
kissed her with enough to make her weak in the knees, and held her
hand while he drove. "What do you do for fun in Austin?" he asked.
Charlee thought for a minute. "I'm pretty much of a homebody. I watch
Netflix and I take walks down by the river. Reading is still one of my
escapes, but I try to branch out. A few weeks ago I did that indoor
sky-diving thing."
"Did you enjoy it?"
"Yes," she admitted, "but I'm not interested in jumping out of a plane."
He rubbed his thumb over the top of his hand. "I wouldn't want you to.
You were always too much of a daredevil for my peace of mind. If you
weren't swinging from a rope out of the top of the hayloft, you were
trying to stand on the back of one of the horses. Do you remember the
time you climbed to the top of the windmill to untangle my kite? I
turned my back and you were dangling fifty feet in the air. I swear, I
should be gray by now."
"You were always a worrywart." She raised his hand and kissed it.
"Hampton is a lot like you."
Justice cleared his throat. "He's gay, you say?"
"Yes, don't be jealous." She could read him like a book. "He and Weber
are coming down. They want to meet you, take us out to dinner in a
couple of days. Would you go?"
Charlee didn't know it, but she'd just set his mind to rest. He wanted to
be the most important person in her life again. "Wouldn't miss it. Just
tell me when."
Upon arriving at Legends, Justice escorted Charlee in on his arm and it
was almost like a scene out of a movie. When they were escorted to
their table, the whole room went quiet. Even the band stopped playing.
It was a local group, the lead guitar player had gone to school with
Charlee. Everyone was looking at them, and Charlee felt like a bug
under a microscope. "Do you think people recognize me?"
"I think they're staring because you're a walking dream."
Her next move dispelled any speculation that she and Justice were
dating because she leaned across the table and kissed him square on the
lips. A long kiss. A sensual kiss.
A kiss that made Justice thankful this was a nice restaurant with long
white tablecloths he could hide his erection under. "Check please?" He
teased out loud.
"No." She pulled his hand down. "I'll behave."
"I don't want you to ever behave." He stared long and deep into her eyes
while the waiter poured wine and at least a half dozen people took
pictures of them with their cell phones. Speculation about their
relationship would be all over town tomorrow. Justice was the most
eligible bachelor in three counties and news he was seeing someone
would not go unnoticed.
Their meal was delicious and soon Charlee forgot about anyone else
who might be observing them. To say Justice was charming was an
understatement. He was perfectly attentive and made her feel like a
queen. When he asked her if she wanted dessert, she looked him
straight in the eye and gave him her preference. "I'd rather have you."
Justice swallowed hard, slapped two hundred dollar bills on the table
and hurried her out. "You don't want to wait for change?"
"Hell no, I think I tipped them a hundred dollars, but I didn't want to
wait for the bill." All the way back to the motel, he kept her on the edge
of her seat, running his hand from her knee to her thigh. "You're so
damn soft." Grazing just an inch higher, he made another discovery.
"You're wet." His truck swerved before he righted it.
"Always, when you're near," she confessed in a whisper.
"Damn." Justice whipped into the motel parking lot, praying that Ms.
Horne wouldn't be where she could see them. When he came around to
help her from the car, he didn't wait for her to step out, Justice picked
her up and strode to the door. "Put the key in." He directed in a tight
voice. When she did, he pushed in and placed Charlee on her feet.
"Thank you." Smiling, she dropped her arms from around his neck and
was about to step away. Only she didn't get very far. Letting out a high
squeal, Charlee's head spun as Justice grabbed her, turned her around
and pushed her up against the door.
"You have no idea how much I want you." Biting his lower lip, he
pushed his lower body against her. "Feel what you do to me." Her eyes
got big, and she shivered as he kissed her neck and ran his fingertips
down her arms. When he reached her hands, he enclosed them in his
big ones and raised her arms, pressing her hands against the wall above
her head.
"You felt how much I want you, I'm starving for you." Licking her lips,
she stared at his mouth, willing him to kiss her.
"This is going to be fast. I'll take my time later, I promise." Shifting her
hands to one of his, he held her in place and slid a hand up her thigh,
wrapped the little scrap of lace across her pussy around his fingers and
jerked.
Charlee gasped as he began to rub her slit. "This is right out of my
fantasies, you know," she whispered against his lips.
"Mine too."
She moved her feet wider apart to give him better access. A flash of
white hot arousal rushed through her veins. Her nipples hardened, the
folds of her pussy swelled. "God, I can't breathe."
"Let me help." He sealed his lips to hers, and she yielded, opening her
mouth and allowing him to sink deep inside. Justice moaned, her
sweetness intoxicated him. He could spend all day just worshiping her
mouth. As he kissed her, he continued to swirl his fingers around her
clit. Justice could feel the heat pouring from between her legs. The
scent of her arousal made his mouth water. "Fuck, you're killing me."
Charlee's breath was hitching, catchy little gasps, sexy pants that let
Justice know exactly how much she wanted him. He pushed his fingers
up inside of her, making her go on tiptoe. "God, you're gonna feel good
around my cock."
"Please, please, I want you so much. Don't make me wait."
"Fuck," he growled, bending his mouth to her breast. Charlee thought
she'd faint when he nipped her swollen nipple through the fabric of her
dress and sucked hard.
Releasing her hands, he placed his palms on her hips and lifted. "Put
your legs around me." When she did, he unzipped his fly and guided his
cock inside of her. This time there was no finesse. He rammed home
and redefined the term wallbanger. All Charlee could do was hang on
and revel in how good it felt to be nailed to the wall over and over
again. Every jolt was ecstasy, her clit was pulsing as she rode his cock.
Trying to keep from screaming, she bit the side of his neck, and he
bellowed. "Cum for me, baby." Justice cupped her ass, tilting her to an
angle so her hips were fully seated against his, then he moved her up
and down his cock, her clit rubbing against him with every thrust. She
keened, writhing against him, crying out his name.
"Justice!"
Her pussy clamped down on him and the pleasure was out of this
world, blistering, past anything he'd ever dreamed. The ecstasy surged
through his cock, boiling up from his balls. And when the orgasm hit, it
nearly bowled him over. Shit, she was going to take him to his knees.
Annihilate him. The climax was huge, expanding, swelling, big as a
tidal wave.
"Charlee, my Charlee." He gasped, pushing his cock in as deep as he
could get it. He wanted to be one with her—signed, sealed, delivered.
Blindly he found her mouth, his lips slamming into hers, drinking from
her sweetness.
She held on, her heartbeat thundering in her chest. There was nothing
in the world to her but this man and the love she felt for him. Nothing.
* * *
He spent the night with her, loving her twice more. Once the occupant
of her next room banged on the wall, and Charlee pulled a pillow over
her head. "We're too loud. They're going to complain to Ms. Horne and
the next thing we know this will be all over the sewing circle."
Justice uncovered her. "Come home with me." "To El Camino?"
Moving over her, Justice kissed her mouth repeatedly. "Yes. Stay with
me. I can promise our walls are better insulated."
"But your family?"
"They all love you. The twins came back yesterday for a couple of
days, and Jase should be getting in this morning. One of us is supposed
to pick up Cade and Abby from the airport after lunch. Believe me,
they'll be glad to see you. You've always been part of the family."
She searched his face, wanting what he suggested so much she was
afraid to reach out and take it when it was offered.
"Please, I want you with me." He nudged her with his cock. "And just
think of the perks."
"Believe me, I love your perks. But I don't think staying at the ranch
would be a good idea. Not yet." She conceded with a smile, determined
to take it slow. There was a lot to consider, and she had her heart to
protect. And then there was the baby... the more they were together, the
more it felt like she was depriving him of something important. Did
men care about things like that? A miscarriage? After all, she'd only
been three months along.
He was disappointed. "All right, I guess I'm rushing things. Spend the
day with me and let's finish up with dinner at El Camino. I'll cook."
"You'll cook?" She laughed, relieved he wasn't angry. "How about we
cook together?"
"Deal."
After two or three false starts, they finally made it out of the bed and
into the shower. Charlee had no idea that a man and a woman could
play together. They laughed, teased, and God, how they loved. It was
like their childhood friendship and comradery had matured and taken a
sensual turn. All of a sudden she felt sorry for all of the lovers who
weren't best friends. This was how it should be.
As she dressed, Charlee imagined spending every day with him, safe in
his care, the center of his life. The whole idea sounded outlandish,
mostly because it was, but it was her fantasy, and she couldn't let it go.
There was no way she could deny how absolutely content and complete
everything he'd done so far had made her feel. But since she was
Charlee and he was Justice, she knew she'd better enjoy it now because
it probably wouldn't last.
Since she would be going to El Camino for dinner, Charlee packed a
small bag. When Justice saw it, he got his hopes up. "Changed your
mind about staying at the ranch?"
"No, we're going to be in the field today. I didn't want to have dinner
with your family in greasy grimy clothes."
He snapped his fingers as if missing out on something. "Shoot. Can' t
blame a guy for hoping."
She started to tell him he could spend the night at the motel again, but
she still didn't feel that sure of herself. Justice would have to continue
to make the first moves until her confidence level rose.
After leaving the motel, they drove by the site, this time heading down
21 to the barricade and walking the rest of the way. Justice held the
fence while Charlee crawled through and was pleased to see that
progress had been made and there were some new faces, his brothers.
"Look, there's the twins and Jase."
Charlee stared, they had changed so much! Justice had been grown
when she left, but the others—especially Trace and Trevor—looked
completely different. They were men.
"Justice!" All three of them came to greet their brother and to look. at
her.
"Is this Charlee?" The marvel in Trace's voice was reflected on all three
faces. He spread his hands. "My God, you turned into a swan."
Charlee blushed, getting the ugly duckling reference. She wished
another sinkhole would open beneath her feet. "Thanks, it's good to see
you. You all look great."
Justice could have cheerfully killed his brother. He pressed his lips
together.
Trevor elbowed his twin. "Smooth."
Jase had more finesse. He came over and hugged Charlee. "It's
wonderful to see you. We missed you around here."
"Yea, ignore my brother, he caught foot-in-mouth disease from the
cattle." Trevor was still trying to cover for Trace.
"No, no, it's all right." Charlee held up her hand. "I understand." She
turned to Jase, anxious to change the topic. "I thought about you the
other day."
"You did?"
Justice perked his ears up, wondering why she was thinking about his
brother.
"I remember you telling me the story about your ancestress, Jane Long,
and how she saw the bear cross Galveston Bay when it was frozen."
"Yea, she was interesting. They called her the 'mother of Texas'
because her third child was one of the first Anglo-American babies
born to an English speaking mother in Texas."
Justice watched the exchange, realizing she was smoothing out an
awkward moment.
"When I went down to Galveston a few weeks back to help with a study
of barrier island erosion, I met this man who was doing some intensive
study of Jane and her husband, James, especially their associations
with the Pirate Jean Lafitte and Jim Bowie. I bought one of his books if
you'd like to see it sometimes."
"I'd love to. I've gone down to the ruins of the old fort on Bolivar
where Jane lived many times. What bothers me the most is the
reference to the ships on the marker that slaves were unloaded there
and forced to walk some three hundred fifty miles through snake and
mosquito infested swamps to New Orleans where they were sold." Jase
was getting into the conversation, but Justice and the twins' eyes were
glazing over.
"Okay, you two squints, you can talk later. We just wanted to check the
progress and then I'm taking Charlee home with me."
His brothers looked surprised but happy. "Excellent. How about a
game of paintball?" Trace suggested, probably trying to make up for
his outburst.
Jase shook his head, more astute than his brothers. "I think he's inviting
her for dinner, not game day."
Trevor's expression brightened, like a lightbulb had gone off in his
head. "Oh, you mean like a girl/boy thing."
By this time Charlee was embarrassed again, and Justice wanted to
knock their heads together. "We'll have a nice family meal to welcome
Charlee back to Bronco."
"You mean, we'll have a meal if Abby gets home in time to cook."
Trace clarified. "We tend to burn things."
"Nonsense, I'm a master on the grill. There's a beef tenderloin in the
refrigerator just waiting for me." Justice defended his culinary skills.
"Charlee!" Cyrus called her over, and she walked with him down to
mouth of the canyon.
Justice turned to Trace and slapped him on the back of the head.
"What was that all about?"
"I'm sorry, I just meant she was hot."
His apology was almost worse than his insult. "Charlee is very
important to me." He raised his finger at all three of the other men. "I
want her to feel welcome in our home. Got it?"
"Of course," all three of them murmured.
"She is welcome," Jase reiterated. "She always was. We didn't run her
off." The moment he said the words, he knew he'd hit a sore spot with
his big brother. He saw Justice's face harden. "I didn't mean—"
"Forget it." Justice waved off his apology. Charlee was walking back
up.
"Day after tomorrow, bright and early, we'll fill the hole." She smiled,
contented that everything was going as planned. "I'll notify the sheriff s
department and let them know exactly what and when we 're doing
things. I'll also make sure we've filed all the necessary permits."
"I'm glad I have you." He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't
ever doubt it. Okay?"
"Okay, I believe you." She smiled, but the smile didn't seem to reach
her eyes. As they walked back to his truck, Justice realized this wasn't
going to be as easy as he thought it was. He and Charlee had some
unresolved issues. He had hurt her, maybe more than he realized.
Serendipity or fate or just dumb luck was giving them a second chance.
If there had been no sinkhole, Charlee wouldn't have come back to
him—and that would have been a tragedy.
The day passed quickly. They returned to his office to meet a
representative from the highway department. When they weren't doing
business, they talked—about everything. Movies they'd seen. Things
that had happened in the world. Their feelings on issues. Charlee and
Justice were catching up. And they touched. Always touching—hand
holding, walking close, his arm around her shoulder. Gradually they
were getting back to where they were, except now it was all new and
different with the added dimension of sexual attraction.
After lunch, when they passed through the doors of the El Camino main
house, Charlee paused to absorb the moment. The memories came
flooding back. "Want to freshen up?" Justice asked.
"Yes, please." She followed him up to his suite.
"You could use a guest suite, or you could shower with me." He gave
her a come-hither look.
"Some of your family is back. I don't feel comfortable." Ignoring his
come-hither look—which was hard—she occupied herself by
inspecting his room. To say it had changed since the last time she'd
been here was an understatement. Gone were the trappings of boyhood.
Instead of posters on the walls, there was Western art, original if she
wasn't mistaken. Instead of game consoles there was state of the art
media equipment. And that wasn't all. "You got a new bed."
He looked at the huge California King. "Well, I'm bigger now."
Her eyes were drawn to the area below his belt buckle.
"Ah-ha!" He chortled, catching onto her focus. "You have turned into
such a perv."
Charlee giggled as he lunged for her, managing to slip from his grasp.
"It's all your fault. If you weren't so good-looking, I wouldn't have
lusted after you all these years."
"CHARLEE!!"
A feminine voice from the hall caused Charlee to wheel around.
"Abby! Cade!" Overjoyed, she went to greet them, followed closely by
Justice. "Congratulations! How was the honeymoon?"
"Unforgettable." Abby Grace glanced adoringly at her new husband
before hugging her brother.
"How did you two get here? I thought your flight didn't arrive for a few
hours. Someone was coming after you, we didn't intend to leave you
stranded."
Cade shook Justice's hand. "Our flight was early, so we hired a
car."
"I'm just glad you two are back safely." Justice beamed at them both.
"Charlee's home. We've reconnected. She's going to be having dinner
with us, I'm about to go throw something on the grill." That was the
only explanation he gave, but Abby Grace's eyes got wide as silver
dollars.
"Hey, why don't you take me out and show me this sinkhole? I saw the
twins downstairs, and they were trying to explain to me what's going
on." Cade motioned to the door.
"Charlee saved the day, actually." He kissed her on the forehead.
"Come on with me, brother-in-law, I'll explain everything."
"We'll fix supper while you're gone," Abby said with a smile as she
hooked her arm through Charlee's. "You can grill another day. We need
to have some time for girl talk."
When the men were gone, Abby led her downstairs to the big kitchen.
A bit nervous, Charlee just plunged right in. "I guess you're wondering
what I' m doing here."
Abby was nonplussed. "Actually, I'm just grateful you are." Justice's
sister opened the freezer and took out a couple of containers.
"Lasagna, I made it a few weeks ago. I think this is a good time to use
it."
"Can I help?"
"Sure, there are salad makings in the crisper." Abby pointed to the
refrigerator.
Charlee pulled out lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and an avocado.
"Grateful? This whole thing is pretty crazy, but I'm glad to help." She
went on to explain her association with the state environmental board.
"Oh, I'm certainly thankful for whatever you're doing about our little
natural disaster. But that's not what I'm talking about." Abby turned to
her. "I've missed you."
Charlee started to cry. Once upon a time they'd all been so close. "I
missed you too." She didn't go into the adoption or the
misunderstandings between her and Justice. Maybe she would one day.
Right now things with Justice were too new and too fragile.
But Abby had no such qualms. "I don't know where you've been or why
you stayed away so long, but having you back will make all the
difference."
"I don't understand." Charlee tore up the lettuce leafs into a bowl.
"After you left, Justice changed. He withdrew, became distant. Already
I can see the difference."
Charlee shook her head. "I don't think that's possible."
"Oh yes, you don't understand. When you left, the light went out of his
eyes."
Charlee's heart lurched in her chest. "What do you mean?"
"For want of a better word, he mourned you, Charlee." Abby tried to
explain. "He dated women... "
"Zelda," Charlee injected quickly, although she wished she'd bitten her
tongue.
Abby waved her hand. "He did see her for a while. But they never had
the connection you two did. Not that she didn't try, believe me."
"Justice said she didn't want to live here." Charlee started buttering
bread to go with the lasagna, which was now warming in the oven.
"She's beautiful, you have to admit they're perfect for one another."
Yea, she knew her insecurity was showing.
"Nonsense. They weren't compatible, they didn't have the connection
you two had. You and Justice are soulmates, you always have been.
I've known that from the time I knew about the birds and the
bees."
Charlee sighed. "I hope so, Abby. You know he's always been my
world, but we had a hard time for the last few years I was here. I
couldn't hide how I felt about him, and he didn't feel the same way.
Kids were cruel to both of us."
"If he didn't feel the same say about you, deep down, then how do you
explain what's happening now?"
Abby's argument didn't convince Charlee. "I can't. Honestly, I keep
expecting to wake and find it's all in my head. From the moment we ran
into each other, he's been...amazing. Justice has been like he used to be
when we were close, except its more. Now things are like I always
dreamed they'd be, and I'm so afraid something is going to happen to
mess it up." Like him finding out about the baby.
"You and Justice belong together, Charlee. All you need is faith."
Charlee hoped so. More and more she was struggling with the idea of
telling him everything. She had to, or there was no use to even dream of
anything more.
All she needed now was the right time.
CHAPTER TWELVE
To Charlee's surprise, dinner went smoothly. The twins entertained
everyone with the story of their latest romantic fiasco. "We should have
seen it coming. I can't believe we were so naïve." Trevor threw his
napkin on the table. Charlee was still in shock over the change in them,
now they were big men with Channing Tatum faces and a body to
match—which she only noticed in passing. Lusting after one King was
all she could handle.
"Don't tell me you two haven't done something similar before?" Cade
asked, grabbing another slice of garlic bread.
"No, we haven't," Trace said, sharing his brother's opinion of the
affront. "They played us. Twins, like us, pretending they were the same
person just to see if they could stir up trouble between Trevor and me."
"Sounds like they were a handful." Abby tried to hide a grin. "Are you
going to see them again?"
"I doubt it," Trevor said between bites. "Twins dating twins is just
asking for trouble and we don't need much more of that."
"I agree," Jase added. "It's going to be a cold day in August before I fall
for another woman."
Abby rubbed her arms, sending her brother an amused look. "I just felt
a chill, Jase. I think you'll have to eat those words someday."
Charlee was enjoying herself, she felt like part of the family again.
After a dish of ice cream for dessert, Justice rose.
"I'm glad all of you are back in the fold. I haven't heard from Shiloh and
that worries me a little. If he calls here, someone let me know."
"Justice, we're going to crash here in Abby's old room for a few
weeks if that's all right with you?" Cade asked.
"We're renovating my house." Abby explained to Charlee.
"This is your home, Cade. Yours and Abby's. You never have to
ask."
"Where are you off to, big brother?" Trevor asked with a sly look.
Justice put his hat on and held his hand out to Charlee. "Not that it's any
of your business, but Charlee and I want to be alone. We're going for a
little drive." Back to the motel. But he kept that part to himself. "I'll be
back."
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Trace snickered.
Justice put his arm around Charlee and shot the bird at his brothers on
the way out. "Excuse me, Abby," he called out to his sister.
"Thanks for everything. Good to see you all," Charlee called over her
shoulder as Justice rushed her out.
The drive back to the Bronco Inn started out quiet. He was holding her
hand, their fingers entwined. Finally, Justice broke the silence. "I hope
being with my family wasn't uncomfortable for you. Sometimes they
speak before their brain is fully engaged."
"I love your family. Believe me, I know what hurt is. What your
brothers do is either all in fun or out of concern for you. They aren't
being mean."
He picked up her hand and kissed it. "Do you remember when we used
to help Dad hauling hay? You weren't big enough to pick up bales, but
he let you drive the truck."
Charlee looked at him and smiled. Just like Abby said, Justice looked
happy. "I was too short to see over the steering wheel, so he pushed the
seat up and let me sit on a pillow."
"You only ran over one tractor that year." He teased, winking at her.
"And do you remember the time Dad caught you out in the pasture
digging holes with a shovel?"
"Yes, I went hunting baby calves, since you'd told me that was where
they came from. No one would share the facts of life with me."
"I think you've figured them out." He reached over and tweaked her
nipple, making Charlee jump.
Seeing which way the conversation was going, she lowered her
voice. "I remember the time I caught you jacking off in the barn."
Charlee was staring at him and the only light was from the dashboard,
but she could swear Justice blushed.
"You weren't supposed to be there."
"How...uh...often did you play with yourself? Make yourself cum?"
"I'm a guy, so often."
"I never forgot how you looked, pumping your dick." Just the thought
was turning her pussy molten. Feeling bold, she slid her hand over to
his lap and rubbed the swelling she found there. At the same time she
reached between her own legs and rubbed.
Justice jerked. "Are you doing what I think you're doing?"
"Uh-huh, I've sorta turned myself on," she confessed breathlessly.
"You've turned us both on," he groaned, but covered her hand with his.
"Stop, it feels too good. I don't want to wreck." He slowed down.
"Thank God we're here, give me your key."
They took the few steps to the door in a run. "Get naked." They started
pulling at their clothes, trying to kiss while they undressed. He finished
first, then helped her, jerking her dress over her head. She panted under
his kiss, and he slid his lips down her throat, nipping at the flesh,
making her groan.
"Justice." Charlee slid her hands from his shoulders to his neck,
gripping his hair in her fist and yanking him near, feathering a kiss over
his jaw, catching the lobe of his ear between her teeth.
His whole body shook. "You aren't so innocent now, are you?"
"Aren't you glad." It wasn't a question. "I'm more enthusiastic than
experienced." Placing both hands on his chest, she pushed. "Lie down."
Horny beyond belief, he went willingly, grunting a little when she fell
on top of him, her lips leaving a trail of sizzling kisses from his abs to
his nipples. Where she surprised the hell out of him. Damn, if she didn'
t take one between her fingers and the other between her lips and she
played with him, teasing until he couldn't speak or think, his hips
bucked helplessly.
When her hand found its way to his groin and her little hand encircled
his dick, he found his voice.
"Am I doing something right?" she whispered, her inner minx
emerging as she pumped his cock.
"Perfect," he growled. "Do it some more."
Charlee was in heaven. She made herself happy, playing with his cock.
Stroking him up and down, holding him tight, pumping fast. When she
passed the pad of her thumb over the tiny hole at the tip, he bowed his
back and bellowed. "Fuck, baby!"
Nothing—nothing would ever be the same. Charlee had changed
everything for him. Sex was no longer sex, it was making love, and he
couldn't imagine doing it without anyone other than her. His cock was
huge, harder than ever before, his arousal complete and every touch of
her hand only added to the frenzy.
Until she went to her knees between his legs.
"God bless Texas," he prayed.
Charlee smirked. She didn't have any idea what this had to do with
Texas, but she didn't care. Justice slid his fingers into her hair,
wrapping the length around his fist. "This is what I want." He pressed
gently, guiding her to his cock. When she showed him mercy, taking
the head in her mouth, he almost levitated off the bed. It felt so damn
good.
Looking down, Justice kept his gaze on her. There was nothing more
erotic in the world. Her lips were stretched over his girth and her eyes
were looking into his. She cradled him between her lips, her tongue
tickling the end like she was enjoying an ice cream cone. This was no
show, no act, she wanted to do this for him. When she moaned and
swirled the head between her lips, he felt faint. "Suck me. Suck me hard
and deep."
For long ecstatic moments, she sucked, digging her nails into his
thighs, bobbing her head up and down. When she felt him tense, she
backed up, driving him insane, fisting his length and licking at his balls.
"How in God's name do you—"
He hissed when she took him back into her mouth, the warm wet heat
blistering him with pleasure. Opening wide, Charlee let him sink deep
to the back of her throat, then drew him forward, sucking so hard, his
whole body followed. He reached for her. "I want inside."
"No, let me." She rose over him, straddling his thighs. "Give me
your hand." He did and she guided it between her legs. "Look how
much I want you." He looked—her pussy was pink, glistening swollen.
Being buried deep inside of her was his favorite thing in the whole
world.
"Beautiful." Desire overwhelmed him. He placed a hand on her waist
and steadied her. Taking his cock, he prepared to impale her. "You're
still wearing my star."
"Yes, I am. Justice, wait," she whimpered. "We need a condom, we
don' t need to forget again."
"You aren't on birth control?" Clearly, he didn't want to stop.
"No, no one before you, since you. only you," she breathlessly
confessed. "And I need to tell you something."
His ego just grew too big for the room. "Hold on." Reaching around
her, he scrambled for his pants, digging into the pocket. "We wouldn't
want any accidents."
Accidents. Accidents. The word battered her brain, but she, like him,
was too invested in the ecstasy. When he was covered, she lifted up and
helped him guide her down onto his erection. As before, the moment of
their joining was sublime. She'd read where some women had no
feeling, that foreplay or oral sex was what got them off. But for Charlee
it was this—she craved him deep inside. The moment of penetration
was rapture. "Ahhhh," she exhaled. "God, I love..." This. You.
Feeling the flames devour him, Justice pulled Charlee down for a kiss
while he pushed the rest of his cock into her snug pussy. Eating at her
mouth, he felt her melt into him as he worked his way inside. Charlee
was small, tight, providing him with perfect friction. He bit the inside
of his mouth, anything to keep from embarrassing himself and shooting
off deep within her before he'd made her cum. The fact that she was
whimpering, purring, weaving her hands in his hair and undulating on
top of him didn't make it any easier.
"Good, baby?"
"Yes-s-s-s," she keened, grinding herself down on him hard.
"Let me." He took command, easing her up to give him room to thrust.
And when he did, he felt on fire. His mind went numb because total
bliss engulfed him. If he'd been a selfish bastard, he would've just lost
himself - thrusting, pumping, plunging - taking his pleasure,
because God in heaven it was pleasurable. Totally fuckin' amazing. But
he couldn' t. this was Charlee, and she came first.
Locking his hands around her middle, he took her slowly, luxuriously,
fucking her deep with long, sure strokes. He was enthralled, every cell
of his being totally committed to one consummate goal. More and
more, in and out, perfect sensual repetitions designed to bring them to
that ultimate pinnacle of erotic pleasure. Being with her was all he'd
ever wanted, even when he didn't realize it. She accepted him—every
movement, every lunge, every pounding stroke.
"Oh, Justice," she mewled. "Please, please, I need to cum, I have
t o . "
"Cum, baby, cum for me." Giving her what she needed was paramount.
He'd prefer to let it go on and on, but the flame was too hot, the finish
too rewarding. As she bounced on his cock, her breasts jiggled in front
of his lips, too tempting to ignore. Knowing the sensation would push
her over the edge, he closed his mouth around one pouty nipple and
began to suckle—hard. She cried out, pushing toward him so he would
know she wanted more. - more - more - "Yes!" she screamed as her
pussy contracted, clamping down on him in climax. Justice felt
it—there was nothing to compare it to, his dick being massaged and
milked by her silky sheathe. His legs tense, thighs jerking, balls
tightening, pulses of pure euphoria surged up and out of his cock. He
exploded, wrapping his arms around her, his hips surging upward again
and again as he greedily fucked her, - pushing, pushing - until the last
drop had been squeezed out the end of his aching, grateful manhood.
Charlee collapsed on top of him, loving him, wishing this was forever,
wishing she had the courage to pour out her heart—tell him her secrets,
her dreams.
But for now, she'd take this. It was damn sure better than nothing.
"God, that was good." He rubbed her back, absorbing the ebb and flow
of her breathing. "You okay?"
"Oh, yea, I'm boneless."
He chuckled, and she could feel his laughter vibrate beneath her. As
much as she wanted to be with him, Charlee needed to be alone—to
think. "You'd better go home, since your family is here. I'm sure they'll
want to see you for breakfast."
Justice stilled. This wasn't what he'd planned. "Is there something
wrong?"
She kissed his chest. "No, I would just feel better about it, that's
all."
Not really understanding, he did as he was bid. Justice cleaned up and
redressed. By the time he came back to the bed, she had on a nightshirt,
sitting at the head with the sheet pulled up to her chin. He felt shut out.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Of course." She smiled. "Sleep well and be safe."
He kissed her goodnight, lingering, trying to show her without words
exactly what she'd be missing when she sent him home.
Her lips were sweet, but she didn't say what he wanted to hear.
"Goodnight."
And when he walked out the door, he felt lonely, like he was leaving
part of himself behind.
* * *
The next morning, after a restless night's sleep, Charlee dragged herself
from the bed. The alarm had fractured the quiet, waking her from a
disturbing dream where she was lost in a fog, knowing that the sinkhole
was near. Yet she had to move, Justice was lost, and she expected to
step into nothing and fall into oblivion at any moment.
After he'd left, she'd missed him. That was the simple truth. Already, in
just a few short days she was addicted to him. And if she had to walk
away from him again, well, it might just kill her this time.
After a shower as hot as she could stand it, she stepped out to dress,
anxious to get out to the site, knowing how critical all of this work was,
as she'd envisioned it. While she was pulling on a pair of jeans, her
phone rang.
Justice.
"What's wrong?" A feeling of dread hit her.
"We've got a problem. One of Cyrus's men was parked too near the
hole, the side of it collapsed. The truck is hanging by two wheels. And
he's still in it."
"God, I'll be right there." She threw the phone down and jerked on the
rest of her clothes. To lose a life to this disaster was unthinkable.
Frantic, she gathered her things and locked the door, running to the
Jeep and gunning it out into the highway.
When she arrived, she parked and hastily made her way to the edge of
the hole. Men stood around with ropes and chains. "Oh, my God." She
ran up, and Justice automatically grabbed her, pushing her back. "The
ground is unstable. That's why we haven't made any headway. Every
time we draw near, another inch or two crumbles."
She hugged herself, chills of fear rasping over her skin. The voice of
the man who was trapped rang out. He was afraid. And who wouldn't
be. As deep as it was, the sinkhole might as well be bottomless. The
poor man who'd died in Florida came to mind. A sinkhole had formed
under his house. The portion of his house that contained the bedroom
fell in during the middle of the night, and he was lost—never
found—hopefully never woke up before he died. To tumble into
oblivion would be a horrible death.
So, she went and stood out of the way, waiting. Charlee felt helpless.
But what made it worse, was when she saw who was elected to save the
day. It was Justice—her Justice—making his way on his hands and
knees with a hook and chain in his hand. There was a rope tied around
his waist, but the truck it was attached to was in danger of going over
also.
Charlee began to shake.
Why wasn't someone helping? Why wasn't anyone else doing this?
But no, it was him, her Justice, and she couldn't breathe.
A deadly quiet fell over the area. No one moved, no one dared to. They
were so afraid the next noise they heard would be the breaking off of
more earth and the crashing of the truck which would be the coffin of
the poor man trapped inside.
To keep from screaming, Charlee bit her finger—hard enough to
hurt. But the slight pain was nothing next to the ripping, shredding
agony of fear that was tearing through her chest. She hadn't lived a
perfect life, and she rarely ever asked anything for herself. When she'd
begged for her father to quit beating her, the answer had been no. When
she'd prayed for her mother to get better, the answer had been no. When
she'd gotten down on her hands and knees and prayed to stop the
cramps that would steal her child, the answer had been no. Despite their
ups and downs, the greatest blessing in her life had been this man and
now his life was in jeopardy. "Please, please, if anything happens."
And as most do when they are faced with such great loss, she began to
bargain. "Spare him, if you have to take someone—take me."
When she opened her eyes, it was to see that Justice was almost
there—almost. He had the hook in his hand and he was
reaching—reaching—when the ground lurched and the truck dropped
another four inches because another bit of earth fell victim to the
fracturing surface. And when it did, Justice fell forward, and Charlee
screamed.
Justice dove forward, knowing he had only one chance. One chance to
save this man and maybe one chance to save himself. Everything
slowed down to a crawl—time, his breathing, his ability to move.
With every ounce of determination and grit he had, Justice raised his
hand and aimed—and just as another foot of earth gave way and the
pick-up began to fall, he hooked it and there was a screeching scream
of metal as the iron claw caught and the tractor behind him was flung
into reverse, trying to keep its burden from falling in.
Charlee covered her mouth, her heart in her throat, and when she saw
the truck jerk to a stop mid-fall, she ran forward. "Justice, please,
please, be okay."
And then, there he was, he came toward her slowly. People were
dashing about, Cyrus was shouting orders and there was an unearthly
release of energy in the air. When his eyes met hers, he stopped and
held out his arms, and she ran into them full tilt, launching herself at
him. He caught her, swept her against him, buried his face in her neck.
Charlee cried.
A few minutes later, Justice was still shaking. The only solace he could
find was holding on to Charlee, absorbing the trembling her little body
made. "It's okay, it's okay." And it was, except a damn cluster headache
was coming on. He could feel it stalking him like some damn mad dog.
A tightening to his neck, a pain between his shoulder blades, streaks of
light in the periphery of his vision. Soon, he would be incapacitated.
"Charlee, I have to leave."
"What's wrong?" She pushed his hair out of the way. "Is it your
head?"
"I just need to go get some aspirin and change clothes, I'm filthy." He
didn' t want her to know the truth. He was a grown man now, and he
didn' t want the woman he was attracted to seeing him as weak.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yea. I'm sure." He waved his hand in the air nonchalantly.
Charlee didn't know whether to believe him or not. They were sitting in
his truck, him in the passenger seat and her in his lap. She was about to
push farther when her phone rang.
She answered. "Hello?"
"Charlee!" It was Cyrus. "We're going to have to rerun that report. It's
going to take the rest of the day and into the night. I've already called
for them to bring the machinery back. Everything is set up for
tomorrow and to reschedule all the crews will be as expensive as hell.
We' re going to have to pull this off and the sooner we can stop this hole
from growing, the better." He finally took a breath. "I need your help."
"I'll be right there." She hung up and ran her hand over Justice's face.
"Wait here." She opened the door and climbed out, running to her truck
and opening her bag. She had it! Grabbing the kudzu tea, she hurried
back. "Are you sure you feel like driving?"
Justice sat up straighter, making sure his face reflected no sign of pain.
"Of course, I'm on my own land."
His answer didn't totally satisfy Charlee. "Take this, I read about it as a
help for cluster headaches some time ago. I've done some research, and
I think it will help."
"Kudzu? You've got to be kidding." Justice tried to smile, and
Charlee could see right through the effort for what it was.
"No, I' m not. Just as soon as you get home, ask Abby to make you a
cup and drink all of it. Do that every four hours."
"I don't believe in herbal remedies."
"Do you believe in me?"
Justice exhaled. "Got me there. Yes, I do."
"I'll call Abby and tell her."
"Don't trust me?" Justice asked her dryly.
"I care about you." Understatement of the year.
Her phone rang again. She glanced at it. "I've got to go." Charlee was as
torn as she'd ever been. She was needed on the job, and Justice needed
her too, even if he wasn't admitting it. Unfortunately, he was depending
on her to do her job as well. At this moment, she wished cloning was a
possibility.
* * *
Eight hours later, Charlee was exhausted and dirty. She and Cyrus had
pulled it off. Everything was a go for the next day. Twice she'd called
Abby and checked on Justice. She had made sure he drank the tea and
the last time they'd talked, he was asleep. Rest was the best thing for
him.
And her.
Charlee wanted a hot bath in the worst way. As she headed to the
Bronco Inn, the sun was hanging low in the sky. As she turned toward
the east, the water tower came into view.
Charlee Parker
Loves
Justice King
This time, instead of feeling hurt when she read the words, she felt
peace. Why should she be ashamed of the truth? Love is a miracle. No
one should ever hold back telling someone they are loved. Who of us is
going to say on our deathbed that were loved too much or too well? Our
hold on this world is so fragile, to withhold the gift of love, even when
it's not reciprocated devalues life itself.
The only dark cloud on the horizon was the actual dark cloud on the
horizon. There was a storm coming, the whole sky was black. Charlee
flipped on the radio and pressed buttons until she heard someone
talking about the weather. Drats. She listened as the report was given.
A huge thunderstorm was coming with heavy rains and lightning,
possibly even hail. A shiver of apprehension made her skin crawl.
Charlee hated storms. She really, really hated storms. One would think
that her fear would have lessened with age, but still when a storm blew
in, she was weak with fear. If she was on the road, she had to pull off
and find a motel room. There, or at home, she would find a spot and
make herself as small as possible, waiting it out. She knew her fear was
unreasonable, but it made it no less real. Charlee only wished she knew
where the anxiety came from, possibly something that happened when
she was very young, perhaps right after she'd been taken from her
parents. Charlee didn't know. She only knew that this was something
she had to live with. Justice had known of her paralyzing fear, he had
always moved heaven and earth to come to her, to hold her. Those were
the times when she'd felt safe. But that was a long time ago. He
probably didn' t even remember. And now he was out of it. By all
rights, she should be there taking care of him, not him worrying about
her.
As she drove into the parking lot of the motel, the first drops began to
fall. She'd been planning on ordering a pizza, but her appetite flew out
the window. Bowing her head, she ran the few feet between her vehicle
and the door. Breathless, and not from running, she pushed inside the
room, then leaned against the door. Immediately she was reminded of
the
last time she'd felt this door at her back, and she had to admit that was
much more fun than this.
A loud crack of thunder sounded and lightning split the sky. She saw
the flash through the window next to her. An illogical dread filled her,
and she crept into the room, making her way to the chair in the corner
of the room. Curling up in it, she pressed her face to her knees and shut
out the world.
Charlee measured the passing of time in lightning flashes instead of
minutes. She tried to concentrate on work plans or even count sheep,
but she kept losing her train of thought. Once she'd seen a small lost
dog on the side of the road, who was so scared of the passing traffic that
it literally shook every few seconds. She remembered picking it up to
carry it to safety and feeling the rhythmical trembling of its little body.
Fear could be an all-consuming thing.
A knocking on the door took Charlee by surprise. Her nerves were
already on edge and the sudden noise just capped off her unease. She
sprang to her feet, staring at the door. Another round of knocking
propelled her to look through the peephole and what she saw made her
body go weak with relief.
Throwing the door open, she moved into Justice's arms, not even giving
him a chance to get inside. "You came, you came."
"Shhhh." He held her close. "Let's get inside, and I'll hold you."
He knew her so well.
"You're wet," she mumbled against his shirt.
"I usually am when I come to you during one of these storms.
Umbrellas are for sissies."
Charlee tried to chuckle. Instead, she choked out a half sob. "You're all
man."
"Damn straight." He guided her to the bed.
Feeling stronger because he was here, she pulled away and went to the
bathroom, grabbing him a towel. "Here, dry off." As he did so, she sat
on the edge of the bed and devoured him with her eyes, still quivering
like the little dog. His presence calmed her, and finally she had sense
enough to ask. "Why are you here? You have a headache! "
Justice finished drying off his prize Stetson and sat it on the
dresser. "I'm here for you. Now get undressed, we're going to bed."
The prospect of lying in his arms sent her fingers skittering to buttons,
unclasping, shedding her clothes, not bothering to pick them up. He
followed suit.
"Where's a T-shirt for you?" Justice asked, and she pointed to a drawer.
He found a pink one which said, 'Geologists do it in the dirt.'
"Seriously?"
She shrugged and grinned. "Hand it here. My nipples are cold."
"Huh, and I just thought you were happy to see me." He gathered the
shirt between his fingers. "Raise your arms." When she did, he slipped
it over her head.
"I am glad to see you." She crawled up the bed as he pulled back the
sheet with one hand and turned off the lamp with the other. As soon as
they were stretched out, she ran her hand over his face. "You were sick
and yet you came to me."
He rolled to face her. "Of course I came. The lightning and thunder
woke me up, and I couldn't rest imagining what you were feeling." He
kissed her on the cheek. "Besides, I'm better."
She caressed his temples, wondering if he was telling the truth. "Are
you sure?"
"Yes." He kissed her gently on the lips. "Your tea worked."
"It's a miracle." She teased, then another thunderclap jarred the room,
and she buried her head in his chest.
He tightened his arms around her. "It might very well be. Believe me, I'
m going to look into it and stock up. Nothing has ever shook one of
them off like that before." Justice rubbed her back, up and down,
willing her to relax. "But the real miracle wasn't the tea, it was you
caring enough about me to find it and bring it to me."
"That's no miracle." That's love, she finished mentally.
"How did everything go at the hole?" He continued to touch her,
gentling her, reassuring strokes meant to calm and comfort.
She turned her face to the side so she could see him. There was a pale
glow in the room from the bathroom light shining through the partially
open door. "We're ready. We reran the reports and adjusted the figures
based on the growth of the sinkhole due to the further collapse.
Tomorrow we'll have to ascertain what the rain means for the water
flow."
Another clap, a rumbling roar and outside it sounded like the bottom
had fallen out of the sky. Rain fell in maddening sheets. Just as her
body tensed, Justice placed a finger under her chin, lifted her head and
fastened his mouth to hers.
Charlee's focus shifted from the world around her to the man beside
her. He surrounded her, engulfed her, the flavor of his kiss, the caress
of his lips and tongue giving her something to immerse herself in other
than worry. She molded her body to his, giving herself over to his
desire. When he cupped her cheek and groaned, the sound of the storm
outside faded to nothing. He kissed her until they were both aroused,
needing more. "Turn over," he urged, and she let him arrange her the
way he wanted in his embrace. Soon she found herself lying in his
arms, being spooned, her back to his front. Justice cradled her so close,
one arm under her and one over, leaving his hands free to touch her at
will. As he kissed her neck, he initiated a double onslaught, rubbing her
breasts and cupping her sex. His fingers drove her mad, tweaking her
nipples and massaging her clit. She clutched his forearm, biting her lip,
pushing her head back and opening her legs, inviting him to do more.
"Raise your leg and put it over mine." He instructed and when she did,
she felt his cock nudging her vagina. She reached between her legs and
helped him in. Their mutual sighs of gratification were a familiar
response to their joining.
"Now, I feel whole," she whispered as he began to move, the rocking
rhythm of their love making a soothing contrast to the chaos outside the
walls of their sanctuary. Blood hummed in her body. She felt so alive,
shifting her hips as he filled her repeatedly and continued to pleasure
her sex with his questing fingers. He played her body like an
instrument, and she surrendered, the sensations flooding her very soul.
God, what this man could do to her. She would be lost without him.
Plunging in and out, he sent her body soaring, and soon she was
quivering in his arms, the lightning flashes of pleasure as she climaxed
vied with the fireworks of the storm. The whole time, he pleasured her
with whisper, kisses, caresses, giving more than he took. As she cried
out
his name, she reached back to touch him. His face, his hair, she just
wanted a connection. Soon she was panting, her pussy constricting
around him. Justice pushed up hard, crying out, and she felt him cum
with her. The sensation of his seed filling her made Charlee's heart burn
with feverish need.
Slowly, they came down, his hips continuing to press against hers, his
cock still buried within her. He petted her body, tender strokes
designed to fill her with contentment and peace. "Rest, baby, rest."
She wanted to, she needed to rest. But her mind wouldn't allow it. In the
midst of their arousal, once more they'd had unprotected sex. And she'd
let him. "Justice."
"What?" He kissed her shoulder.
Her insides quivered, this time not from the threat of the elements. "I
want to tell you something. I need to." "Tell me."
She opened her mouth and it was dry. Her mind imagined a dozen
outcomes of her confession, none of them good. He'd be angry. He'd
blame her. He'd never forgive her. He'd leave. "I'm afraid."
"Afraid, of me?" His voice held complete disbelief.
"Not of you, of what you'd think of me. It's not good."
"There's nothing you could say that I don't want to hear."
She tried again. "I..." But the words wouldn't come. "I can't, not
yet."
Justice couldn't imagine what she was holding back. "It's okay, tell me
when you can. I'll always listen."
"I'll think about it." As the storm raged outside, Charlee lay safe within
his arms, still intimately joined with him in body as well as spirit. If she
hadn't dreaded telling him about the baby, everything would have been
perfect.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Charlee opened her eyes, squinting at the rays of sunshine hitting her in
the face. She rose up. "Justice?" No answer.
She glanced at the clock. When she saw what time it was, she
screeched. "I'm late!" Throwing back the covers, a sheet of paper flew
off the bed, and Charlee caught it.
I'm letting you sleep in. I've talked to Cyrus and we're about to place
the concrete barriers. Come when you feel like it. Love, Justice
Hurrying, she ran to take a shower. Love, Justice. Love, Justice. Was
that a polite valediction or did he mean it? He liked her. He desired her.
But did he love her? "Arg! " The uncertainty was killing her.
While she was pulling on clothes, she dialed him. He answered
straightway. "Hey, baby." His voice sent tingles down her spine.
"Hey, I' m about to leave, things still okay?"
"The heavy rain really raised the level of the creek. Cyrus thinks the
flow will be accelerated and fill the canyon and the hole a lot quicker
than we first thought."
"Well, that's a good thing." She worked her feet into her shoes.
"Remember, Hampton and Weber will be here tonight. Are you still
free?"
"Wouldn't miss it."
She could hear other voices. "Go, I'll be there soon." Charlee hung up.
Knowing it would be muddy, she threw all of her gear and girly stuff in
a backpack and headed out. She was just unlocking the Jeep's driver's
seat door when her phone rang. Thinking it would be Justice, she
brightened. "Hello?"
"Miss Cortez?" "Yes?"
"This is Sheriff Tindall, we've got a situation."
Charlee fastened her seatbelt. "What's wrong? How can I help
you?"
"Two kids have been reported missing, and we're afraid they might
have headed onto El Camino property. They were playing with some
other children at the local McDonald's who told them about Cave
Canyon. The parents are being questioned and everybody is blaming
somebody else. But knowing what you folks are doing out there today
makes this a shade more critical. We're sending someone out to look
for them. They probably went in the opposite direction, but could you
check?"
Charlee felt her stomach turn over. "Of course, I'm on my way." The
sheriff sounded fairly calm. He didn't know what she knew. If those
kids were in the canyon when the water hit, they'd be swept away and
drowned.
Quickly, she started the engine, put the Jeep in gear and spun out of the
lot, spraying mud and water as she wheeled onto the road. As she
steered, she called Justice again.
"Are you missing me?"
"Yes, but listen. I got a call from the Sheriff and it's possible two kids
are in the canyon. I'll be there in a matter of seconds, stall Cyrus if you
can."
She heard a curse. "I'll try, I think it's too late."
He hung up, and she increased her speed, trying not to panic. When she
arrived, Charlee parked and jumped out, immediately breaking into a
run. "Justice! Justice! " She saw him coming toward her on a
four-wheeler.
"Get on! "
There wasn't time to talk. He sped toward the canyon, and Charlee held
on, peering over his shoulder. They passed the trenches Cyrus had dug,
which would direct the flow into the sinkhole. Already, water was
racing through it. They were too late. Lavaca Creek was flowing
through Cave Canyon. The term creek would be deceptive. When
heavy rains
came every little tributary swelled with run-off and what normally was
a small, meandering stream could morph into a raging river. And that
was what they had.
When they could go no farther on the RV, he slid to a stop, and they
bounded off. "You stay here." He directed. "Wait!"
"Not on your life, there are two of them. I' m going with you. I know
that canyon as well as you do."
"We don't even know if they're in there. It's too dangerous."
About that time, they heard it, a small voice screaming for help.
Looking at one another, they took off, running through the water that
was growing by the second. To their ankles, to their knees, to their
thighs, the water was entering faster than it could get out, so the depth
was building fast.
"They'll try to climb out of the way. I'm afraid for them. They'll run into
a cave and get trapped."
"Hello! Where are you?" Justice called. It was a race, they both knew it.
As they went deeper into the canyon, they jumped on rocks when they
could, but when they couldn't, they began to swim.
"Hello!" she called. "Can you hear us?"
Charlee was a strong swimmer, but they had to fight against the white
water. Her heart was pounding so hard she was afraid she might pass
out.
"Help us! "
She heard a faint cry and jerked her head up. "There they are! " She
pointed, seeing two small children clinging to the trunk of a tree.
They both turned, battling the current. "I see you! " he called out.
Charlee reached the little boy first, pulled him free and handed him to
Justice. "I'll get the girl." She started toward her but the little girl
panicked,
turning
loose
and
flailing
helplessly.
Charlee
stared—amazed—for behind the girl was a woman, a woman in white,
moving her arms in a beckoning motion, a look on her face that made
Charlee's blood run cold. "La Llorona. No!" she screamed, diving for
the child. No one would drown today if she had her way. She dove for
the child and when she did, she cracked her head on a rock. A horrid
flash of pain stole her vision. She grasped out blindly, desperately
clawing
through the water to find the child. At last, her fingers closed over
cloth, and she yanked, striving to pull her to the surface. Once she had
the small body in her arms, Charlee struck out, struggling to keep both
their heads above water.
Thankfully, she heard other voices. Someone had come to help.
Charlee couldn't see for the blood running into her eyes, she tried to
move toward the sound, praying that Justice had made it to safety.
"Help," she managed to cry, but she swallowed water, so much that she
surrendered to the blackness.
Justice saw her. "Charlee! " He and two others managed to pull her out.
Handing the child off to Cyrus, he picked Charlee up and ran with her.
Finding dry ground, he laid her down and checked her pulse. She
wasn't breathing. "No!" Immediately he began working on her, turning
her over, breathing for her. If she died, he didn't know what he would
do. "Don't you dare leave me, Charlee!"
He fought for her. He willed her to breathe, and when she did, he went
limp with relief.
When Charlee came to, she felt strong arms around her. "Is Justice
safe?"
"I'm here, Charlee. It's me."
He cradled her up to his chest, and Charlee tried to open her eyes. She
couldn't, the pain was too excruciating. "The baby, Justice. I needed to
tell you about the baby," she whispered before she succumbed to the
agony in her head.
"Charlee!" Justice screamed. "Where's the ambulance?" He rose and
ran with Charlee in his arms. Others were working on the children, and
he could see they were alive. They were sitting up and coughing,
appearing to be about seven or eight, close to the same age of him and
Charlee when they first met.
"The ambulance is on its way." Someone assured him. "You really
ought to lay her down."
"No, I'll hold her." And he did until the EMTs arrived and collected all
three of them. He was scared to death. She had to be okay. What had
she meant about a baby?
"Get her insurance papers." Cyrus reminded him, so he went to her
truck and found the backpack. Looking into it, he saw her wallet, so he
slung the bag over his shoulder. Justice followed in his truck as the
ambulance drove to the emergency room. When they arrived at the
small county hospital, it was Curtiss Parker who met them. He was
shocked to see his daughter was one of the victims. "What happened?"
The EMTs spoke for him, and it was a good thing because he was
almost speechless. "Will she be okay?" Justice asked.
"I'll see to it." Her father left for the back with Charlee on a stretcher.
The children were being seen to by attendants and nurses. Their parents
had met them there. Justice went to meet them, explaining what had
happened and what Charlee had done. Thankfully, they were going to
be all right.
Needing to be alone, Justice went to the waiting area nearer to the
double doors that Charlee had disappeared behind. He sat, bowed, his
head in his hands. The waiting was so hard. He called Jase and then
remembering Hampton and Weber, he dug in Charlee's backpack and
found her phone. Locating the number, he pressed the button.
"Charlee? How are you?"
"Hello, this is Justice King."
He could hear the change before they spoke, immediate seriousness.
"What's wrong?"
Justice explained everything. "We're not too far out of Bronco, we'll be
there in a few minutes." Somehow, their love and concern made Justice
feel better.
He jumped when the doors opened and Doc Parker stood there. He
motioned for Justice. A nurse met them, and he gave her Charlee's
insurance card. "How is she? Is she going to be okay?"
"She's still unconscious. I cleaned the wound and examined her, took
some blood. There's no water in her lungs."
Her father's clinical explanation made Justice angry. "Don't you care
that she nearly drowned?"
Before his eyes, Curtiss Parker crumpled. "Of course I care."
Steering the old man in Charlee's room, Justice first checked on her.
She was small and pale. He went to her, bending over her body, kissing
her cheek. Her breathing was even, but her skin seemed cold.
Feeling a need to vent, he slowly turned. He didn't yell, but he said
some things he'd been wanting to say for a long time.
"She's been through so much in her life. Things she should've never had
to go through." He pointed his finger at Curtiss. "Look at her, she's little
and fragile. Trusting. Compassionate." He made a fist. "And to think
you ever raised a hand to her."
A noise at the door caused Justice to pause. Two men stood there, tall
and well-dressed, one blond, one brunet, both handsome. Doc Parker
didn't leave, rather he moved closer to Charlee. He didn't acknowledge
the pair who'd just entered. Justice moved toward them. "I'm Justice
King."
"Hampton Forbes." "Weber Thorne."
The men shook hands. Curtiss Parker came forward also. "I'm glad
you're here," Justice said. "She's told me how much you mean to her.
Thank you."
"How is she?"
Her father spoke up, "She's stable. Unconscious. I can't tell you when
she'll wake up. Other than the concussion, there doesn't seem to be any
damage. We've done an MRI to be sure and taken some blood for
tests."
"Do everything necessary. Don't hesitate. If there's something her
insurance doesn't cover, I'll pay it gladly." Parker nodded.
Justice's proprietary air made Hampton smile. Many of his fears had
just been laid to rest. He punched Weber. "It seems like we know you.
Charlee talked about you nonstop."
Parker checked Charlee's vitals one more time. As he started to leave,
Justice stopped him. He looked at the other men, as if deciding whether
or not to speak in front of them. "Do a pregnancy test, she mentioned
something about a baby."
Parker hesitated, glaring at him, but he ended up just nodding and
left.
Hampton and Weber walked to her bedside. "How much do you know
about the time when she left Bronco eight years ago?" Hampton asked,
looking at Justice.
Justice shoved his hands in his pockets. "I know why she left." "Do
you?"
"Parker hit her, and she found out who her parents were and called
you."
Weber cut his eyes toward Justice. "Is that all?"
He turned to look out the window, knowing what he had to say. "Her
father hit her because she'd just left my bed. She helped me home from
a bar, I was drunk. I seduced her."
Hampton spoke, "I very seriously doubt if you had to seduce her.
Charlee loves you with every breath of her body."
The honesty of his statement slammed into Justice's ribcage like a
sledgehammer. "The next morning, I called her by another woman's
name."
"And you ignored her the next day. She didn't know if you couldn't
remember or were just one cruel son-of-a-bitch."
"I didn't remember, I still don't. Just flashes, which may be memories or
wishful thinking."
Hampton walked up to him. "There wasn't one moment of any day that
you weren't on her mind. Even when she was caring for her mother,
every time I talked to her, we spoke of you."
"I saw you the morning you took her away." Justice looked the other
man in the face. "Why did she stay away so long?"
"Because you never gave her a reason."
"I never had the chance!" Justice exclaimed. "Parker wouldn't tell me
where she was. She never called, she never wrote—nothing! "
Hampton held out his hand. "Quiet, when she wakes I don't want the
first thing she hears is us arguing." He hesitated a moment, then added,
"While she was here, you never gave her a reason. To hear Charlee tell
it, you had pushed her away, separated yourself off to be with others.
She was your most faithful friend, and you abandoned her."
Justice's remorse knew no bounds. It was true. His only defense
sounded weak. "I was young. Stupid. Believe me, the moment she left,
I realized what I'd lost."
Weber nodded. "Many times we don't appreciate what we have until it's
gone."
"Is that all she told you?" Hampton questioned him, looking at Justice
pointedly.
He searched for the right words. "She told me the time she spent with
her mother, going back to school and how close she is to you two." Was
there more? He wasn't sure what they were expecting him to say.
"You'd better sit down." Hampton motioned toward a chair. Justice sat
down, realizing he was about to hear something huge.
"Charlee didn't know it when she left, but she was pregnant with your
baby."
Justice stopped breathing.
"After everything that happened, she wasn't paying attention, didn' t
expect it. Her mother noticed the changes in her appetite and that she
hadn't mentioned having her menses. One morning, so Charlee says,
she mentioned wishing she had the courage to call you." Hampton
laughed wryly. "She told her mother she didn't know what she'd say to
you. Her mother told her to tell you she was pregnant."
Justice stared, his heart hammering. "What happened to the baby?"
Every thought in the world was flying through his brain.
Hampton and Weber touched Charlee through the covers, establishing
a connection. "She lost it, right after she lost her mother. There was no
apparent reason. It just wasn't meant to be, I guess."
Not meant to be? Justice turned to the wall and slammed his hand
against it. "A baby? My baby?"
"Settle down, King," Hampton warned. "None of this is her fault."
Turning, he came to the bed. Tears were streaming down his face.
"Why in God's name didn't she tell me?"
A moan from the bed caused all of them to jump. "She's awake."
Charlee opened her eyes. "Justice?" Their words had been filtering
through her mind. The baby. He knew about the baby. "Forgive me,
Justice. Please forgive me."
Hampton grabbed Weber's arm. "We'll go get coffee." He looked
Justice straight in the eye. "Tend to her."
Justice didn't have to be told twice. He came to her, engulfing her in his
arms. "You're okay, thank God, you're okay. I was so scared. What
would I do without you?" He squatted by the bed, so he could look
into her beautiful brown eyes. "You're not the one who needs to be
forgiven, it's me."
"No, no." She touched his face. "I wanted to tell you so much. I just
wasn't brave enough."
Before they could talk more, a nurse and her father came in to check on
her, and Justice had to step away and let them do their job.
* * *
This time he didn't take no for an answer. After Charlee was checked
over and deemed well enough to be checked out, she was released.
There was no sign of concussion. Hampton and Weber were able to
visit with her while the paperwork was completed, then Justice took her
home. His family all stood on the porch while he carried her in. "Make
way, make way, I' m carrying in a hero."
"Heroine," Abby corrected.
"Semantics." Justice laughed. "Could you fix Charlee some soup? I
don't think she's had anything to eat today."
"Charlee can speak for herself," she said in a huff. "And I can
walk."
No one paid any attention to her protest, other than Jase kissing her on
the forehead as Justice carried her by. He carried her suitcase while
Cade held the door. "The twins had to return for football practice, but
Shiloh did call and wants you to call him ASAP." Cade reported all of
this while his wife hurried to the kitchen.
"All right, I'll give him a call as soon as I have Charlee settled. I'm
taking her up to bed." He started up the staircase.
"I'd rather sit in the living room."
"No, ma'am, we need to talk." Justice had some things to say and they
couldn't wait.
"Oh." She grew still in his arms.
When they entered his room, she looked around. "Don't you think
a guest room would be more appropriate?"
"No, I don't. I'm too old to be sneaking down the damn hall."
"Oh." Well, if he intended to sneak, things couldn't be too bad. He sat
her on the edge of the bed, then started piling and plumping pillows.
Charlee wanted to giggle at the big man who was trying to be so
considerate. "I don't need so many."
"Hush and let me take care of you."
"I saw her, Justice." Charlee spoke up.
"Saw who?" he asked confused.
"La Llorona, I saw her when I went back after the small boy. She was
crying out for him to come to her."
Justice didn't doubt her a moment. "You saved him. You didn't let her
win." He took her hand. "I can't believe how close I came to losing you
again, this time permanently."
"I' m fine," she assured him.
"I intend to take care of you, I've missed out on too much already."
Ah, there he'd said it. "You want to talk about the baby." Charlee's heart
pinched in her chest.
"Yes, I want to talk about our baby." He went to his knees in front of
her.
Our baby. She didn't miss that. "Okay."
"I got you pregnant." It was a fact. She nodded. "You left me and you
didn't let me know."
There was hurt in his voice. "Yes, I'm so sorry. I wanted to. I needed
you."
"Why?" One word—one word that held a world of anguish. "Didn't you
think I'd want to know?"
Charlee hung her head. "I didn't think you'd believe me. I didn't know
how to face you, to tell you."
Her confession broke his heart. Justice laid his head in her lap. "I would
have believed you. I should have been there for you. I can't believe you
went through something like that alone." When she started to say
something, he stopped her. "And don't tell me that you had Hampton,
I'm so jealous of those two I could nearly die."
"You have no reason to be," she whispered.
"Can't help it."
He crawled up in the bed next to her. "Scoot over, you're a bed
hog."
"Am not. You're just so big." She scooted over, making room.
"You like me big." His sounded pretty cocksure.
"I do." She nestled down against him, grateful the truth was out in the
open. "It was a boy."
Justice sighed. "I feel like there's a hole in my chest. I didn't know him,
but he was part of me." He pushed her hair out of her eyes. "A baby.
Our baby."
She wanted to say they could have others, but he'd never made any
declaration—neither of them had. And he'd have to be the first. She just
couldn't put herself out there like that, not anymore.
"Did you want him?"
His question caused her pain. "More than I wanted life."
Laying his head on her breast, he grew still. She stroked his hair, and
they held one another, thinking of what might have been.
A slight knock on the door caused Justice to rise. "Come in," he called.
It was Abby with a tray. "Here's all of us some soup, I hope you don't
mind if I join you?"
"Thank you and please do." Charlee sat up in bed. "How's the
sinkhole?" She couldn't believe she had forgotten to ask. This was her
job and here she was lying abed.
Justice took his bowl, pulling a chair over next to the bed with his foot.
"It's full. Everything seemed to work. When you feel better, we'll go
check it out. Cyrus said you'll be able to do some seismic tests to see if
everything is stabilized below the surface."
"Great." She smiled weakly. After the onslaught of emotions about
their baby, nothing else seemed important. Still, it was her job to be
concerned. "How about the road crews?"
"They've already begun." Justice explained.
"That's a relief," Abby added. "It will be good to have the King's
Highway passable again."
Charlee giggled. "When Justice was young, he thought they called it
the King's highway because it all belonged to your family, from
Mexico City to Louisiana. They had no idea the King being referred to
was the King of Spain. It was called that because the trail was a
commissioned."
"Really?" Abby grinned. "I never knew that. Tell me other things about
Justice I don't know." She licked her spoon and watched her brother
squirm.
"Let me see..." Charlee considered what to say.
"Be careful, my Indian maiden, you have to sleep with me tonight."
"Watch it, paleface." She teased back.
Abby waved her spoon in the air. "Oh, oh, I have to tell you about this
outfit I saw in town. You got to see it, a white fringed leather crop top
with short-shorts. We'll go buy it for you at the first opportunity."
Justice groaned. "Abby, please. Don't do the girl sex talk in front of
me." They all laughed.
"Well, I guess I'll leave you two alone." She kissed them both on the
cheek. "I am so glad you're safe. That was a wonderful thing you did
today, but a very close call."
When she was gone, Justice gave her a heated look. "I'm going to run
some bathwater and let you have a soak, and then I'm going to make
love to you. Any objections?"
Charlee swallowed. "I can't think of one."
He did as he promised, and she felt like a princess when he carried her
to the bath, undressing her tenderly, kissing her face, her lips, and her
throat. When the cool air brushed her nipples, she shivered, and he
moved down to her breasts, worshiping them with his mouth. A quiver
of anticipation rippled up her spine when he sank to his knees in front
of her, peeling away her damp panties with his teeth. "Nice touch," she
whispered.
He chuckled. "Don't make me laugh, I'm in seduction mode."
When she stepped out of her underwear, not an inch of her remained
hidden. She marveled at the difference love could make. No longer did
she feel inadequate, awkward, a gawky tomboy that no man would
want. Times had changed. If the hot stare Justice was giving her was
any indication, she was definitely his type. "You do want me, don't you,
Justice?" The question slipped from her lips before she could call it
back.
Justice kissed her beneath her breasts, then over the place where their
child once rested. "I don't think you have any idea how much you mean
to me." He stood to his feet, swept her up, and lowered her in the warm
water. "You're my treasure, that's what you are."
Charlee luxuriated in his attention. He took off his shirt, leaned over the
tub, and washed her tenderly. Not a spot on her body felt neglected.
Finally, he laid down the sponge and got serious. Cupping her nape, he
crashed his lips with her, taking complete possession. His other hand
was busy between her legs, delving between the delicate folds, making
her arch and whimper. She threw her arms around his neck, even as she
lifted her hips, opening her thighs wide.
Their kisses didn't cease, even when he took her so high she exploded
in his arms. He captured her sweet cries in his mouth, and she
welcomed his hunger, returning it tenfold.
Standing, he picked her up. "I'm desperate for you." Setting her down,
he wrapped Charlee in a big fluffy towel and dried every bit of the
dampness from her body, paying special attention to the tender place
between her legs. "I can't get enough of you," he confessed.
Charlee gripped his shoulders as he carried her to the bedroom. He
didn' t lay her down like she expected. Rather, he set her down and
undressed. She couldn't take her eyes from his male perfection. The
rippling muscles of his chest fascinated her and his impressive erection
drew her hand and made her pussy clench. Once he was nude, he
picked her up by the waist. "Hold on to me." Justice guided her legs
around his waist and her arms around his neck. "Now put me in." His
dominating attitude made her wet. Still standing, he brought her down
on his cock until he was fully seated. She purred, curling her nails into
his shoulder and scraping her teeth on his chest.
"You're so strong." She marveled as he began to move her up and down
on his thick shaft. Charlee braced her heels on his hips and helped him,
pushing herself up and off and back down. "Oh, oh, oh, this is so good,"
she moaned, letting her head fall back. To be mastered like this,
controlled, fucked so completely was all she'd ever dreamed.
"Kiss me," he demanded. She lifted her head to meet his
descending lips. Their kiss was perfect, a combination of raw and
tender that made her whole body tremble.
Needing more leverage, he went to the bed, laying her down. Looking
down at her, he fisted his cock, anxious to get back inside. She was so
beautiful, so delicate, so eager to accept him. It was a complete and
utter turn-on. Justice moved over her, covering her neck in kisses,
trailing a path of fiery nibbles and bites over the full swell of her tits.
"You are precious to me," he murmured against her skin. She closed
her eyes, the look of complete rapture on her face going straight to his
dick. She lifted from the bed, pushing her tits up until her nipple
brushed his lips. Christ, he wanted to close his mouth over those tender
peaks and suckle until she moaned and begged for more. With a
shuddering breath, he licked them, just licked, tracing the round puffy
areola with his tongue.
He got the reaction he was after.
"Justice," she keened. "I ache. Suck them. Please, open your mouth and
suck them."
"God, you're hot." She was panting for him, and he did believe the
woman was going to burn him alive.
While he gave her what she asked for, sucking and eating at her breasts,
first one and then the other, he put his hand to her pussy and began to
ready it for him. Using three fingers, he dredged from the back to the
front, spreading her cream, swirling her clit. Then he pushed two of
them deep inside of her and finger-fucked her until she was
whimpering, closing her legs tightly around his hand and trying to ride
him. "Now, now, please." She framed his face. "Love me, Justice."
If Charlee hadn't been so desperate, she would have bitten her tongue.
Justice didn't seem to notice her consternation.
Holding her steady with his big hands, he probed her tender, silky folds
with his hard cock. Flexing his hips, short, shallow thrusts, he
attempted to push his way inside. Always, always, he had to work for it,
and damn it was worth it. She was exquisitely tight, hot, wet, and he
groaned when he finally slid in.
"Look at me," she whispered. "Let me see those beautiful blue eyes."
Looking down, he beheld her beauty. She was flushed, that suckable
lower lip between her teeth—and fuck, if she wasn't milking her own
nipples. "I love to love you."
Charlee gave him an angelic smile. "I know."
"Oh, really." Justice snorted as he hammered in and out of her, her
channel so snug the friction was sinful. "Sound pretty sure of yourself,
Charlee."
She held his eyes and tightened on him, released and tightened again.
"Hell, baby, do it again."
Charlee did, clutching his forearms and clenching her pussy around his
cock in an internal massage that took his breath away. "Feels so good,"
she moaned, rising up to find his mouth, kissing him with wild
abandon. Sometimes Justice couldn't fathom how responsive she was.
Anything he did, anything he wanted to do—she was right with him,
she always had been.
Beneath him, her body grew taut, she dug her nails in his back and
wrapped her legs around his waist. "I'll never get enough of you, never.
Fuck me, baby. Fuck me good."
Did women know what words like that did to a man? Maybe so, but
Charlee's outburst wasn't staged. She was real, she wanted him, and he
was ready to deliver. "Hold on tight." Plunging back in, he gave her
what she needed. Pumping, stroking, thrusting, he made love to her as
she writhed in ecstasy. Her breathless little pants tickled his skin. She
was close. Justice needed her to cum first, and he needed her to come
now. "Give it to me, Charlee. I need to hear you cum." Intent on
pleasing her, he drug his cock in and out of her sensitive canal.
Charlee held on as he sawed in and out of her. Pure ecstasy ripped
through her body. When he slipped his hand down and fingered her clit,
she came unglued. Delicious pressure built until it exploded in wave
after wave of rapture and still he slid in and out of her with deep
merciless strokes. "Justice!
His own climax rose inside of him, boiling over. Justice cried out,
shouting, pushing deep and holding it there. The pleasure was so
perfect he never wanted it to end.
Rolling over, he pulled her with him until she lay on top, her body
glowing with the sheen of perspiration. "I keep expecting to wake up
and find this is one of those dreams I used to have."
"If this is a dream, I think we're both having it." He ran his fingers
down her arm, unable to keep his hands off her. She looked up to meet
his eyes. Unlike the day he'd seen her at the stop light, they were full of
trust and contentment. The realization that he'd succeeded in making
her happy hit him like a ton of bricks. "You don't ever have to worry,
Charlee. I promise I'll never hurt you again."
His promise was a balm to her soul. Until she remembered. damn,
they'd forgotten a condom again. Oh, well, as bad as she hated storms,
lightning didn't strike in the same place twice. Did it?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
"Married? You're married?"
Charlee opened one eye, trying to determine why Justice was so upset
and who was married. All she knew was, it wasn't her. And she'd give
her eyeteeth and everything she'd ever own to be Mrs. Justice King.
"Well, of course she's welcome, Shiloh." She watched Justice pace at
the end of the bed. As far as she could gather, Shiloh was married, and
Justice wasn't happy about it. "This is Faith you married, right?"
Apparently Shiloh didn't like his comment because Justice held the
phone out about a foot from his ear.
Charlee would've thought it was funny, but she could see that Justice
was truly upset. He was the older brother, the protector, the one who
would walk through fire for his family.
"Fine. Drive safely and we'll see you in a few days." He closed his eyes.
"Yes, both of you." He disconnected the phone call and tossed the cell
across the room.
Charlee didn't say anything, she waited quietly for him to notice she
was awake. When he did, his face softened. "Morning."
"I notice you left off the word 'good'." She sat up, holding the sheet up
over her breasts.
"My little brother has just made the mistake of his life."
"He got married."
"Yes," Justice said emphatically. "He needed a wife like he needed a
hole in the head."
"Wives are trouble." She offered helpfully.
"Yes," he agreed, then realized he had stepped into a pile of manure.
"Shiloh is too young. He hasn't known this woman very long."
Charlee wasn't about to get involved in a volatile family discussion.
She wasn't family, and she certainly didn't want to hear any more about
Justice's objections to marriage. Her feelings were stinging now. "I
gotta go to the restroom." Rising to her feet, she walked regally by him,
dragging the sheet with her. As she passed him, he stepped on the end
of it and by the time she got to the end of the rug, she was naked.
"Oops."
"Hey!" Before she knew which way was up, he snagged her around the
waist, picked her up and was blowing raspberries on her belly.
"Put me down!" She squealed, but then dissolved into a fit of giggles as
he continued to tease her.
He let her slide down his body, their mouths joined, tongues mating.
When he had her kissed into submission, he wrapped the sheet back
around her. "You take it easy. I'm going to go check on the road work,
get a load of stock ready to send to a rodeo in Idaho and try to sort out
what Shiloh is up to."
"Take it easy on him, Justice. He wouldn't have done this lightly." That
was all Charlee intended to say on the matter.
"I know." He tapped her on the end of the nose. "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too." She watched him go, wondering exactly where they stood.
Not too long after she was dressed for the day, her phone rang. Abby
had already been up with a cup of coffee and an invitation to go to
town. Charlee was ready, she wanted to go by the clinic and talk her
father into giving her a prescription for birth control.
She'd rather eat razor blades, but she wanted the pills. Her period was
due any day and she knew they were playing with fire.
"Ready?" Abby came to her door, leaning on the jamb, wearing a cute
turtleneck with a western vest. "I have one more week off before I start
back to work, so I'm taking advantage of every minute."
"Yes, I am ready." She joined Justice's sister in the hall. As they moved
down it, Abby studied a few of the family portraits. There was one of
her and Justice posed on top of a tractor. "You're a veterinarian, your
job is fun and rewarding."
"I can't argue with that. Did you hear that Shiloh got married?" Abby
asked in amazement as they headed down the stairs.
"Yea, I heard the phone call. What do you make of it?" Charlee slipped
on the coat she'd hung by the front door.
"Shiloh is quiet, deep, he's hard to read. This woman must be extra
special. He does nothing lightly." Abby's voice reflected her love for
her brother.
"I wish him well."
"It's going to be wild around here, no doubt about that." Abby winked
at her. "When are you two getting married?"
They walked out the door and toward Abby's truck. The ground was
still muddy and they could see Justice and several others standing by a
trailer full of cattle. "We're gone!" Abby yelled.
"Be careful, you two together are lethal! " Justice called, waving at her.
"Be sweet, Charlee. I' ll be waiting for you."
Charlee was glad for the respite, maybe Abby would forget she asked.
No luck.
"So, has he proposed?"
She took a deep breath. "No, he hasn't."
Abby was surprised. "Really? Well, you do it. This is frickin' 2015,
women can take the bull by the horns these days."
Charlee shook her head. "No way. I could never do it."
Abby knew their history, and she understood. "Don't worry, he loves
you. He's probably just waiting for the right time."
* * *
"Are you sure you want to make this run again, Jase? We can send one
of the men." Justice watched Jase's face carefully.
"No, I want to go." Jase was emphatic. "The long miles give me time to
think, I' m considering making a change."
"What kind of change?" He didn't think he could handle any more
bad news. Shiloh had thrown him for a loop. "And realize, I'm old. I
could have a bad heart for all you know."
Jase slapped his brother on his back. "You're a rock. No, I think you'll
approve. I'm thinking about buying a recording studio and making
music."
"No shit!" Justice didn't know what to say. "What do you know about
the music business?"
"I know what I like." He shrugged his shoulders. "I heard a girl sing at a
bar up in Dallas a few days ago. To say she inspired me is putting it
mildly."
Justice put one hand on his hip and held on to the trailer for support.
"You're thinking about buying a recording studio because a woman
caught your eye?"
"That about sums it up." Jase was enjoying his brother's frustration. "I
have the money and you only live once. At least I don't have to pay
alimony."
Justice threw his hands up and started to walk off. "My whole family is
nuts."
"Where are you off to?"
"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I'm off to buy a wedding ring."
Justice was secretly smiling. He was expected to be a hard ass, and he
certainly didn't want to disappoint anyone. Truthfully, he was relieved
to see both Jase and Shiloh fight for their happiness. Which was exactly
what he intended to do. He'd known what Charlee was thinking this
morning. He could've put her out of her misery and proposed, but he
had a plan. A good plan. And today was the first step.
* * *
"I won't be long in there. If you'll be back after me in fifteen minutes,
I'll be ready." They were sitting in front of the clinic. Charlee would
rather be at the dentist, and she hated dentists.
Abby held up a package. "That sounds like just enough time to buy a
pair of shoes to match this dress. Do you want me to find you a sexy
pair of boots to go with that little leather ensemble?"
Charlee blushed. She couldn't believe she'd actually bought the white
Native American inspired outfit Abby had told her about. "I have a pair
of boots that will do."
"Oh, you don't want boots that will do, you want a sexy pair that will
make Justice's eyes pop out."
"Okay, okay, I trust you. I wear a size 7, if you see something you like,
pick them up for me." She handed Abby a hundred dollar bill.
"No." Abby pushed the money back. "These will be on me. That way I
can take credit for your nuptials and call upon you to babysit anytime I
need to."
"Babysit?" Charlee was stunned. "You're pregnant?"
"No." Abby shook her head. "I don't think I can get pregnant, but we
are looking into adoption agencies."
"I'm sorry." Charlee wondered if it had anything to do with the fire. The
whole topic of adoption unnerved Charlee a bit. "Be careful, check out
the agency. Don't just go through a lawyer or you might run into an
unscrupulous one like Pete Sheldon."
Abby hugged her. "I know. We won't. And I'm so sorry that happened
to you.. .but if it hadn't, you wouldn't be here with Justice, so you can't
regret it. Can you?"
Charlee sighed. "No, I can't. Sometimes the old saying's true... all
things work together for good." She opened the door. "See you in a bit."
As Abby drove off, Charlee squared her shoulders and went in to see
her father.
When she entered the clinic, she was met by an older lady. Charlee
didn't know her. "I'd like to see Dr. Parker."
"Do you have an appointment?" she asked tightly. "He's busy."
"Okay, I'll make it quick. Would you tell him his daughter is here?" The
words almost stuck in her throat.
"Daughter?" The receptionist stared at her. "You're Charlee
Parker?"
"Cha'risa Cortez, actually." She held out her hand. "And you are?"
"Stella Monroe. Your father's girlfriend."
Charlee almost bit her tongue. "Well, I'm pleased to meet you. Could
you ask if he'd see me now?" As Stella walked off, Charlee hid a smile.
In a few moments, she was motioning for Charlee to come back.
Walking down the hall, Charlee relived the last time she'd been in this
room. The day she'd left Bronco. When she stepped into her father's
office, he looked rather small behind his desk. "I was about to call you,
Charlee."
"Really?" She sat down, curious. "What about?"
"Well, you first. What's the reason for your visit?" He opened a folder
in front of him and stared down at a report.
Charlee wondered at the strange look on his face. Was he upset that
she'd met Stella? He had to know that what he did in his private life was
certainly none of her concern. "I stopped by to see if you'd write me a
prescription for birth control pills," she said the words in a rush.
Her father cleared his throat and sat back in his chair, a bland look on
his face. "I'm sorry, but that's not going to be possible."
What? "Why? I can go to another doctor easy enough, but why won't
you do this for me? Some misplaced sense of morality?"
Doc Parker shook his head. "No, that's not the reason."
"Then do this for me. Please."
"I can't, you're already pregnant," he stated flatly. "I did a blood test
while you were in the hospital, at your boyfriend's request."
For a second or two, Charlee didn't comprehend what he said. She was
pregnant again? He'd done the test at Justice's request? Justice was
concerned she might be pregnant, yet said nothing to her. The events of
eight years ago and today intermingled, and she became dizzy. And
when she did, another sinkhole opened up, and Charlee tumbled in.
She fainted.
When she came to, Stella was holding a glass of water, and Curtiss was
fanning her. He got her up on the table and checked her heart rate. "We
need to do an exam, I want to do an ultrasound and get you a
prescription for prenatal vitamins."
Charlee didn't fight any of it. She was too stunned. Mechanically
she did as she was told, until she heard the baby's heartbeat... then she
started to cry. Equal parts of pure joy vied with a terrible sense of
anxiousness. She was going to have a baby! Justice's baby.
"You're going to be fine, Charlee. Justice King is a good man."
Yes, he was. He'd understand. He had to understand. After all, she
hadn' t become pregnant by herself. "Are you going to call him?" She
had to know. "I'd like to be the one to tell him."
Parker pulled his glasses off. "You're the only one I would tell unless
he brought an injunction for a paternity test."
"Okay." She didn't know what else to say. She and her father didn't
have a normal relationship, he didn't strike her as a doting grandfather.
When the examination was over, she paid for an office visit, pocketed
the script and went out to meet Abby. By the time she joined her,
Charlee was shaking.
"Get what you came for?" Abby asked. She was obviously in a good
mood.
"Uh, yea." Not exactly.
"Great, do you need to go anywhere else?"
Charlee shook her head no. "I'm ready to go back."
"Look in the box at your feet." Abby grinned as they headed out of
town.
Charlee picked up the white box and removed the lid. Inside, she found
a pair of knee high white leather boots. "These are very pretty."
"Well, don't sound so excited," Abby said sarcastically. "What's
wrong? Was your dad an asshole again?"
"No." She shook her head. "I just found out some unexpected news."
She wouldn't dare declare her baby to be bad news, no matter what
happened.
"What?" Abby pressed.
Charlee picked at her sweater, she was nervous. "I met my father's new
girlfriend. His receptionist."
Abby bought it. "Oh, I bet that was weird."
The drive was short, soon they were nearing El Camino. She glanced at
Justice's sister. "Will you take me by the ranch offices? I need to talk to
Justice."
"Sure." Abby didn't sound too certain. She could tell something was up.
"I' m going to go over to my house and check to see how the contractor
is doing. We're enlarging the kitchen and the master bedroom until
Cade can get our new house started."
"Okay." Charlee hugged her, picking up her packages. "Have a good
day. And thank you so much."
Abby let her off in front of the El Camino office complex. She felt like
she was walking in a fog. The knowledge that she was pregnant
shouldn't have come as a huge surprise. After all, they had taken risks.
Still, the news had stunned her, shocked her, and scared the living
daylights out of her. All of the doubt and sorrow from losing her first
child came rushing back. How had she let this happen again? Charlee
knew how—she had no willpower where Justice was concerned. Just
one touch and she lost her mind every time. The one thing she was
certain of was that she wouldn't hide this pregnancy from Justice. This
was their second chance. Charlee smiled to herself. They were having a
baby! And she intended to tell him now—before she lost her nerve.
* * *
Taking a deep breath, Charlee opened the big glass doors to the El
Camino office complex. Sometimes she forgot what a big operation
this was. All together they probably employed over a hundred hands
and office staff. As she entered the vestibule, the receptionist looked
up. "Can I help you?"
Charlee had only seen her at a distance, the day she'd come to review
the reports. "May I speak with Justice, please?"
"Ah, you're the geologist?" She held out her hand.
Charlee took it. "I' m Charlee Cortez, Ms. Michaels," she read the
nameplate on the desk.
"If you'll take a seat, I'll tell him you're here." She edged closer to
Charlee. "He's with someone, a female someone." Ms. Michaels raised
her eyebrows, smiling as if they shared a secret.
"Oh?" Charlee felt uneasy. "Maybe I should come back later." She
started to rise.
"Oh, no. Hold on. They've been back there for a while with the door
shut." Ms. Michaels touched her cheeks as if they were hot. "I don't
even want to think about what's been going on. It's his girlfriend, well,
she used to be his girlfriend until she broke it off. Beautiful girl. Zelda's
her name. A true match for Mr. King, so refined and elegant. A city
girl, a real lady. You just sit here and let me check."
Bile rose in Charlee's throat. "No, please. You don't have to."
The woman ignored Charlee and took off, possibly more to feed her
own curiosity than anything else.
She shouldn't have done it, Charlee knew better. She should just wait
and ask Justice what was going on. But she couldn't, she was drawn
down the hall to his office like a moth to a flame. When she came near,
the door to the outer office was open. Charlee could hear voices.
"I'm home now, Justice. I'm ready to begin my life with the man I
love." Undoubtedly Zelda.
Charlee's hand went to her throat. She couldn't make out all of what
was being said, until Justice's voice came across clear as a bell. "I've
been waiting to hear those words for a long time. You've made me a
happy man."
Pain shattered Charlee's heart. Before she could hear more, Ms.
Michaels walked out.
"We'd best let them alone." She smiled really big. "I caught them
kissing and talking about a wedding."
"Yes, we should give them their privacy." Charlee felt like she was
dying.
"I'll tell him you stopped by. Would you leave your number?"
She walked woodenly back to the front. "He has my number, but don't
bother him with my stopping by. I have to go out of town. I'll catch up
with him at a later date."
Before anything else could happen, Charlee left. Her mind refused to
process what she'd just heard. She half-walked, half-ran back to the
house, straight up to Justice's room to throw her things in the suitcase.
This time she took the star necklace off and left it on the bed where he
'd find it. For long seconds, she stared at the place where they'd made
love. How was she going to survive this? Feeling weak, she forced
herself to leave the room and get downstairs. Charlee had to hold the
side of the wall to keep from falling. She felt dizzy and disoriented.
Hopefully she would be able to drive. The house was deserted and for
that, Charlee was grateful.
When she was outside, she loaded her luggage and climbed behind the
wheel. Numb, she was totally numb. With a heavy heart, she took one
last look around. What she was going to do, she didn't know. She
couldn't think. Backing out, she drove beneath the El Camino sign and
headed toward the sinkhole site. Before she left, she needed to touch
base with Cyrus.
Then, she was going somewhere to cry.
* * *
Justice whistled as he walked. Whew! What a day. He'd been put
through the wringer. If Shiloh's wedding announcement and Jase's new
career plan wasn't enough, he'd just experienced the return of. ..Zelda.
Justice laughed to himself. He'd said that phrase in his mind the same
way he'd say the return of.. .Godzilla!
"Mr. King? Mr. King?"
Justice stopped in his tracks. "What's wrong, Ms. Michael?" He turned
to wait on his receptionist, who was hurrying down the hall. All he
wanted to do was go home to Charlee. He was worn out, and he needed
to hold his baby. Tonight, he planned on proposing. The small band of
gold and diamonds was burning a hole in his pocket. Justice had picked
the ring out, bought it and had it engraved on the spot. When you throw
a little extra money at something, things tend to get done quickly.
Out of breath, Ms. Michaels stopped in front of him. "I just wanted to
tell you that you missed a visit from that lady geologist a bit ago."
Justice frowned, perplexed. "Charlee?"
She made a face, thinking. "Maybe, that's not the name she used.
something Cortez."
"Charlee came here? What did she want?" An uneasy feeling began to
rise in the pit of his stomach.
"Well, she asked to speak to you. But I told her your lady friend was in
there with you." Ms. Michaels blushed and fanned herself. "I think she
understood, especially after I explained you'd had the door shut and
you two were ...kissing. The lady didn't leave a message, she said she'd
check up on you later."
"Shit." Justice shook his head.
"What's wrong?" Ms. Michaels looked disturbed.
"Not much, you're fired." He wasn't firing her because she told Charlee
what she thought she saw, he fired her because her mouth was too big.
"What? Why?" She looked shocked.
"If you'd tell someone you thought was a relative stranger that much of
my business, you'll tell anything. I can't trust you. Pack your desk. I'll
wait."
She huffed and puffed, spouting off about filing a lawsuit. Justice
ignored her. Instead, he called Charlie. He let it ring and ring, but there
was no answer. Finally, it went to voice mail. Justice glanced over at
the woman clearing out her desk while he called the house phone.
Again, no answer.
Hell, he was in a mess. Could she have believed Ms. Michael's stupid
assumptions? Zelda had stopped by to inform him she was moving
back to Bronco. She and Toby were engaged. As far as Justice was
concerned, they deserved one another. And yes, he and Zelda had
embraced but it was nothing more than a congratulatory kiss. Oh well,
he' d straighten it out as soon as he saw her. Charlee would listen, she
knew he loved her.
About three miles away, Charlee shook Cyrus's hand. "You've done a
fine job, Cyrus. If you can get a local contractor to monitor the
sinkhole, I'd appreciate it. And please forward me updates on the El
Camino Real road construction, I'd love to see the finished results."
"I'll do it. Where are you off to next?" Cyrus asked. "I sorta thought
you'd be hanging around here."
"No, I just got off the phone with my boss. I'm heading to Dallas. There
was another earthquake, and we need to rule out fracking as a source of
the problem before a bigger one hits. If it is the cause, we'll stop the oil
drilling near the fault line."
"Well, good luck and I'm sure we'll be working together again soon."
As she walked back to her car, Charlee let her gaze rove over El
Camino. In her mind's eye she could see her and Justice running and
playing, riding and laughing. Oh well, those days were gone. She ought
to have been an actress. Charlee was astounded that she'd managed to
hold it together while speaking to Cyrus.
Firming her resolve, Charlee got on the road and headed north. She
didn' t go by the clinic to tell Curtiss Parker goodbye, she just wanted to
get the hell out of Dodge. This time as she passed the water tower, the
words seemed to mock her. Charlee averted her head until they were no
longer in view.
Loving Justice had been a mistake.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Justice drove up to his house, rehearsing what he was going to say. He
had to make sure Charlee understood that what Ms. Michaels thought
was happening was not anywhere close to the truth. She'd understand,
she had to understand. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! How the hell had this
happened? He'd been happy, he'd been minding his own business.
Getting on with his life.
Opening his truck door, he stepped out into the yard. The sun was
shining, he could see a few crocus beginning to peek their heads up
through the dirt in his mother's flower bed. A horse whinnied in the
distance and a dog barked somewhere in the pasture, probably chasing
a squirrel. He'd walked about two yards before he realized Charlee's car
was gone. A ripping feeling tore through his gut. Charlee's car was
gone.
"Charlee!" Justice didn't know why he was calling her, she wasn't here.
Maybe she'd gone on another errand. Maybe ...running, he jumped up
the steps, flung open the door and took the stairs two at a time. He tore
down the hall and crashed into his room, hoping to find something,
anything that would tell him she was still here.
Dammit! His room was just his room again. Gone were her clothes, her
computer, her suitcase. All that remained was her sugar cookie scent
and the lonely star lying across his pillow.
* * *
Just a short nap, that was all she needed. This pregnancy was sapping
her strength faster than last time. Maybe because she was older now.
Charlee rolled to one side and clutched the pillow.
"You need to eat something, Charlee."
It was Weber, looking in on her for the umpteenth time in the last
hour.
"I can't keep anything down. Maybe later. Okay?"
"I promised Hampton I'd take care of you. We have to keep your
strength up. You shouldn't be working at all. I'm just glad this job was
in Dallas so you could stay with us."
Charlee rolled over so she could see her friend. Between him and
Hampton, he was the talkative one. "This job isn't strenuous. I ride in a
truck and read seismic reports. I'll be fine. Where's Hampton?"
Weber beamed. "He's talking to the woman I hope will be our
surrogate. Just think, we'll be raising our kids together."
She smiled weakly. "True and I think that's wonderful. I'm so grateful I
have you two. I wouldn't want to face this alone." Charlee stared up at
the ceiling. Their luxury townhouse sure beat a hotel any day. Pity she
wasn't in the frame of mind to enjoy it.
Crossing his arms over his wide chest, Weber frowned. "I still think
you're making a mistake. Justice King didn't cheat on you. It took me
less than two minutes of seeing that man standing next to your hospital
bed to know you mean everything to him."
The words hit Charlee squarely in the heart. "I don't think so."
"How many times has he called since you pulled your disappearing
act?"
"I don't know, I quit checking," Charlee mumbled. "Justice loves you."
"No, he doesn't, he never said it. Not once." Charlee knew she was
practically whining. Disgusted with herself, she pulled the pillow over
her head.
"I was stupid. I guess I just thought you knew I loved you. I've always
loved you."
This unexpected voice in the room almost caused Charlee's heart to
jump out of her chest. Justice was here! "Go away. I have bed head."
She heard the door shut and assumed Weber had deserted her.
"Come out from there, I've seen you covered in mud, no front teeth,
with chicken pox and naked before you had those delectable boobs. I
think I can handle a bed head." When she didn't move, he pressed. "Are
you ill, Charlee?"
"No, I'm just fine!" she yelled beneath the pillow. "I'm pregnant again,
the father of my baby is in love with another woman, and I've made a
fool out of myself—again!"
She didn't hear him move, but there was a sudden whoosh in the air and
his big six-foot four body flew through the air and landed right on top
of her, not crushing, his hands and knees preventing any but the most
gentle of contact. He tore the pillow from her face. "You're pregnant?"
There was wonder in his voice. "With my baby?"
Charlie scrunched up her face. "No, it belongs to one of the other ten
men I ' m sleeping with."
Justice's mouth twitched. "Well, I guess I'll just have to challenge them
all to a duel for your hand. Were you going to leave me out of this
again? When were you going to tell me?"
She pushed at his chest. "I wish you'd move." When he didn't, she
sighed. "I came to tell you the moment I found out. I had gone to get
birth control pills and learned that you had requested my father do a
pregnancy test. Then I found you and Zelda cozied up making wedding
plans."
"She's marrying Toby."
"And h e r e . " She reached out from between their bodies and grabbed a
piece of paper from the nightstand. "I wrote this to you, it explains
everything." Charlee dragged it back across the bed. "I didn't intend to
leave you in the dark." Through the haze of her anger, his words finally
sank in. "What did you say?"
"Zelda's marrying Toby. Don't you think that's a perfect match?" Not
one to waste an opportunity, Justice was now peppering kisses over her
face. "When are you going to marry me?"
"Oh, no." She tried to turn her face away. "You don't love me, and I'm
not marrying you because of the baby."
Patience. Justice could afford to be patient. After all, he had her
right where he wanted her—beneath him in a bed. "I just told you I
loved
you."
"As a friend, you've always loved me as a friend." She said the last
three words with emphasis.
"You are my friend, sweetheart. My best friend." Justice framed her
face. "You're also my other half, my soulmate. You, my Charlee, are
part of me, the best part. When you left me, both times, it felt like I ' d
lost myself." He looked deep into her eyes. "And I had, I ' d lost my
heart."
Tears began to flow from Charlee's eyes. "You're just saying this
because I ' m pregnant."
"Women," he teased, "always have to be shown." Rising up on his
knees, he dug in his pocket. "Hold on." He pulled something out and
held it between his fingers. "I didn't know about the baby when I
bought this. I hadn't seen Zelda when I bought this." He stepped from
the bed and got down on one knee.
"Cha'risa Cortez, my Charlee Parker, will you marry me? Will you live
with me? Will you let me love you for the rest of my life?"
He had Charlee's attention now—big time. "Are you sure you want to
marry me? Me? I ' m just Charlee, remember? The same Charlee whose
love was immortalized on the water tower for all to see."
Justice smiled and held out the ring, a beautiful gold band with a big
diamond in the center. "Read what's inside and give me your answer. I
had the ring engraved."
With a shaking hand, she took it and held it close enough to read.
This is what it said.
Justice King Loves Charlee King. Forever
Charlee grabbed her heart and flung her arms around his neck. "You do
love me! Yes, I'll marry you. I've never seen more beautiful words."
He sealed their love with the longest, deepest, sweetest kiss
imaginable. "I'm glad, because they aren't only written on a band of
gold, they're written on my heart." Justice slipped the ring on her
finger.
Charlee buried her face in his neck. "I'm sorry I ran." "That's okay."
Justice laughed. "Just know that from now on, I'll always come after
you."
"You do that." She hiccupped against him.
"Now, how about we go check into a nice hotel where I can make love
to my future wife? Abby tells me you bought that hot sexy leather outfit
to drive me crazy." He joined her on the bed. "I know you have this job
to finish, and I ' m going to stay with you until you're through and then
I ' m taking you home."
"I don't want you to be away from the ranch. What about Shiloh?"
"You're more important. The ranch and Shiloh's new bride will be there
when we go home." Justice ran a finger down her soft cheek. "I love
you so much."
She took his hand and placed it under her heart. "There's nothing more
important to me than you and our baby. I love you, Justice King."
Epilogue
Justice grabbed Charlee and pulled her down on the rug beside
him.
"Justice, I have to check on the baby! " She squealed as she landed on
top of him. Her husband was stretched out in front of the fireplace like
an oversized panther.
"Shhhh. Jock is fine, I just changed his diaper. It's my turn for some
TLC." He laid her down and rose over her, covering Charlee with his
big body. The fire was warm and the flames gave him enough light to
see how beautiful she was. "I'm glad you're wearing this outfit." He
fingered the white fringe, then kissed the smooth expanse of skin
beneath the cropped top.
Charlie caressed the side of his face. "I'm wearing it for a reason." She
gave him a mischievous look.
Anytime he was this close to his woman, Justice couldn't help but react.
He was cocked and primed, wanting to make love. "And what's that?
Are you trying to seduce me?" Moving his hips, he nudged his cock
into the warm place between her thighs. "I think it's working."
Reaching up to playfully nip his lip, she giggled. "I don't have to seduce
you, you're perpetually hard."
"Truc," he agreed as he fiddled with the drawstring ties, eager to free
her breasts. He knew exactly how to drive Charlee crazy and he did it
with regularity. "Did you wear it so I ' d let you play with my long
firearm?" He grinned, still gently humping her, giving Charlee a
preview of attractions to come.
"No, Wild Bill, I know you're helpless against my wiles when I wear it
and I need to ask you a fav...or." Breathlessly she arched her back as he
nuzzled the top open and found a nipple, scraping it between his teeth.
"Do you have wiles?" he asked between sucks. "I haven't seen any
wiles."
Charlee playfully pinched his side.
"Ow! "
"I have mega amounts of wiles, I ' l l have you know." She spread her
legs as he slid a hand down beneath the waistband of the tight pair of
shorts. "Ahhh, that's the spot," she moaned as he found her clit.
"You have more wiles than I can handle, my Indian princess." He
raised up on his knees while she tore at his belt buckle. "Do I have
something you want?"
"Yes," she muttered as she stuck her tongue to the side of her mouth,
tugging at his zipper. "I want you and. I want to quit my job."
She had his attention. "What? I thought you loved your job." He let his
expression remain bland, he didn't want her to realize how much he was
counting on her answer. He'd prayed for her to quit her job. Justice
hated her being on the road and sometimes what she had to do was
dangerous.
"I do, but last t i m e . " Charlee hesitated, afraid of what he was going to
say. "Last time I had so much morning sickness, it was hard to work.
And I got so tired."
Justice froze. "Last t i m e . " his face broke out into a big grin. "Are you
pregnant again?"
She dropped her gaze. "I know Jock is less than a year old, but I can't
seem to help it. Either you're extra potent, or I ' m extra fertile."
"I'm extra potent." He stated unequivocally. When he saw her hopeful
eyes, he dropped back down so he could lie beside her. "Come here, my
love." Justice drew her close. "I'm thrilled about another baby." He
kissed her on the end of her nose. "I want a whole tribe with you," he
teased. "And you never have to work another day in your life if you
don't want to. I'll always take care of you. I'll always give you exactly
what you need."
"You already do," she sighed as she drew him out and caressed him
between her palms. "Love me."
"I already do." He used her words as he joined himself with the woman
of his dreams, his best friend, his lover - his wife.
As they loved one another, Charlie knew in her heart that from the
moment their paths had crossed, all those years ago, they were meant to
be.
She would spend forever and a day. loving Justice.
THE END
Hell Yeah! Series Cowboy Heat
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Other Books by Sable Hunter:
Texas Heat
T-R-O-U-B-L-E
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Come With Me: Dixie Dreaming I
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Green With Envy (with Ryan O'Leary)
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For A Hero (with Jess Hunter)
http://amzn.to/17E9BjK
