Picnic in Someday Valley (Honey Creek #2)(41)

She let out a sigh of pleasure. Smiling, he pressed against her ear once more. “You feel like you are paradise in my arms.”

When he returned to her lips, to his surprise, Jesse felt her deep hunger for more.

“I’ve never felt this . . . I’ve never lost control . . .” she whispered.

“Me either. Not like this.” Love had always been a gentle summer rain, but this was more a raging storm sweeping both of them into deep water.

For one long minute they just held each other, then she slowly moved away. Sadness brushed her eyes, maybe fear, definitely longing.

She stepped up two stairs. “I know you have to go.”

Reason registered, replacing passion with reality. “I do.” For the first time he heard the kitchen clock ticking, as if time had stood still for one beautiful moment and now had to catch up. “I have to be somewhere.”

“I understand, but when or if you come again, ask for what you want so we won’t waste time. Then when I say it’s time for you to go, you must leave.”

He was halfway across the kitchen when she added, “Agree?”

It seemed a strange thing to say, but he nodded. “You do the same. Ask for what you want.”

“I will not have to ask, Jesse. You’ve already given me what I wanted . . . what I needed.” She smiled. “The best kiss ever.”

When he started to say more, she turned and disappeared in the bend halfway up the stairs.

Jesse backed away and silently walked to his truck. Part of him wanted to run and never come to her door again. He’d never felt so out of control, and he feared he might not be able to give her everything she wanted.

Another part of him wanted to go back inside and say that he wanted more, much more. He’d take all she wanted to give.

He’d given up trying to figure out which one of them started this. Now he was wondering which one’s daydream they were playing out. His or hers.

He’d never tell anyone what had just happened. No one would believe him. Part of the time, he wasn’t sure he believed it himself.

As he drove home after picking up the kids, he tried to figure out what this was between him and the baker. It wasn’t an affair. They weren’t dating. Most of the time she didn’t even want to talk. Were they closer to being lovers than friends?

But she said so much without talking when she moved her body against him. As long as she didn’t stop, he wouldn’t care if they never talked again.

Maybe they were just two rabbits who bumped together in a field.





Chapter 26


Marcie


After filling out an application for a dispatcher position in Honey Creek, Marcie walked out of the sheriff’s office. Deputy Rip Carter, who helped her through the whole process, told her the sheriff said she’d be coming in. She didn’t know if that was a good sign or a bad sign.

When she left, the deputy waved and said, “I’ll be seeing you.”

She drove back to Brand’s place with a six-pack of beer to thank him. It wasn’t much for all he’d done, but she wanted to give him something.

He smiled one of his rare smiles and said, “Thank you,” then helped her get Wayne’s car back to the bar in Someday Valley. She’d taken the rancher home in her car, which was running like it was new, then she’d circled back to the trailer park and packed.

She had lived in the trailer park for as long as she could remember, but as she filled one suitcase she realized there was very little she wanted to take. A doll she’d loved at five. A few outfits and a picture of her father. He hadn’t been much of a dad, but he’d stayed, and that was more than her mother had done.

Marcie left everything else. If her brother came home, he could have it all.

When she was packing a few blankets in the car, Joey walked by, carefully keeping his distance. His arm was in a cast and one of his eyes was still swollen closed. A bandage covered what was left of his ear, and his lip was busted. He had so many bruised spots he looked like he had blue chickenpox. He was a strange color, with orange-red hair, blue patches, and mud-spotted clothes.

“You moving out, Marcie?” he called.

She acted like she didn’t hear him.

He didn’t come closer but he yelled louder. “I came over to tell you I’m real sorry about the other night. I’d been drunk all day and my brain wasn’t thinking straight.”

“Your brain hasn’t worked in years, Joey. Go away.”

One look told her he probably was sorry, but she didn’t care. “Stay away from me from now on.”

“I ain’t coming any closer. You don’t have to worry about that. After I saw what your boyfriend did when we all attacked him, I’d hate to imagine what he’d do to me one-on-one. You tell him I just thought we were coming to party, nothing more.”

She thought of telling Joey that Brand wasn’t her boyfriend, but she decided to let the lie remain.

“You know me, Marcie. I get drunk and don’t know what I’m doing. How about we agree on no hard feelings?” He lifted his arm out from his body. “I got the worst of it. It’ll be six weeks or more before I can work, even if I did have a job.”

Marcie finally turned and faced him. “You are lucky my boyfriend didn’t kill you all. I suggest if you ever see him or me again you walk the other way. Fast.”