Flying in Shadows (The Black Creek Series, Book 2) (13 page)

Andy rode on the edge of a three-to-a-bench seat in a shiny, red company truck. The
dickhead rookie between him and the crew leader was one of Greenberg's masonry subs.
Understanding that contacts mattered, he worked to brush off the dude's laziness and
instead made a mental note of it for the day he would need a mason. He wouldn't be
choosing him. They drove through a new subdivision where Greenberg owned several lots.

He grinned as they passed two redheads standing behind a pickup full of plants and
shrubs. While her mom loaded containers into a wheelbarrow, Rose spread sunblock on
her legs. Huh. So, she did remember to do that on her own. Spying on her as a fly
on a wall was highly satisfying, except he wasn't the only one who watched her.

"Mother fucker, dude. Did you see that chick's hands on those long legs?"

The crew leader made no attempt to teach the asshole appropriate behavior while on
the job. It took Andy several minutes to realize they weren't actually
on
the job.

Instead, he focused on two thoughts: the loose bricks around the front window of the
next construction site and the weekend rock climbing trip he and Rose would leave
for the next day. They'd already taken a few short day trips but couldn't spare an
entire weekend until after graduation. Since she didn't die from her valedictorian
speech, he guessed they were a go.

* * *

Miguel Ramirez—alias Michael Rainer, alias Maarten Ricks, alias whoever he felt like
being that day—stood on the square-foot lawn of a house deep in Chicago. He could
see Wrigley Field down the long street between rows of vehicles that were parked bumper
to bumper.

The building of the bitch he was waiting on had been broken up into four apartments.
Nearly a year since their last
visit
. He could always use some extra cash. Didn't really need any since the last two hits,
but her place was on his way as he headed west.

He looked like an ordinary man in a busy metropolitan area, taking a smoke break before
bed. He knew bitch lived in 3B. Knew her very, very well. He took time to study his
girlfriends, as he liked to think of them.

He had girlfriends scattered all across the great US of A. It wasn't hard to keep
them in line. Space out the visits. Change appearance whenever necessary. Scan the
building for new security. Don't leave any tangible evidence. Scare the fucking shit
out them.

Without moving his head, he followed the oncoming car with his eyes while keeping
out of sight, leaning against a tree. His face reddened when a man got out of the
bitch's car and walked around to open her door. The time he'd spent scouting her,
four nights waiting in the fucking wind, was more than he would tolerate.

Then, he thought of how productive slicing the wimp's throat might be. He could use
that to keep her in line. It worked good all the other times. People were murdered
in a city this size all the time. He could spray a few gang signs and let the cops
run with it.

As he felt for his trusty knife at the base of his pant leg, wimp guided her to the
door of the building. Watching, Miguel realized she was blowing him off. Ha! What
a tease. A peck on the mouth? No fucking way. She deserved what she was going to get.

He finished his cigarette while wimp threw his head back and laughed at something
she said. Not gonna work, dumbass. He could still kill the mother fucker, just for
the feel of it. So easy. He took the short set of steps in one leap just as wimp turned.
Miguel purposely knocked shoulders with him, apologized using perfect American English,
pocketed his wallet, and snatched the door before it latched. Not bad, he thought.
Not bad at all. He took the stairs two at a time in his soft-soled shoes while slipping
on his gloves and catching up to her in the hallway.

She turned with the anticipation of a woman half expecting her date to have changed
his mind about third date sex. He locked her arms to her sides and used his body to
push her up against the door to her apartment. The feel of her body tighten, then
shake made him instantly rock hard.

"Go ahead and scream." He dug his fingers into her arm. "No, no, no." He grabbed the
pepper spray she held in her hand. "Not unless you want to try it, baby." He chucked
it down the hall and pressed her head, face first against her apartment door, hopefully
cutting the skin along her eye socket. "Open it. Then, turn off that nice security
system you had installed."

He loosened as she dug in her pocket for her keys and loved the way her hands trembled.
"I told you what happens when you change the rules, baby. I always know. Maybe if
you have a good load of cash in there and if you ask real nice, I won't hurt you...
too bad."

* * *

They decided on leaving Charcoal. Rose turned her head and looked sideways at the
puppy. "How does he know? Look at him. It's ridiculous."

Andy stopped loading ropes and equipment into her pickup to look at the pup. "Huh.
He does know. We can take him."

"No." Not for what she had planned. She hadn't walked into the lingerie store and
bought the skimpiest camisole and shorts set she could find just to have Charcoal
in the way. And the drugstore. She wanted to hide her face just thinking about it.

"Hello? You there?" He gave her a friendly elbow jab and waved his hand in front of
her face.

"Oh, crap." She left the drugstore bag in her room. "I'll just be a minute."

As she jogged up her porch steps, Andy called the dog over and gave him the command
to lie.

Her mom must have heard her dart up the stairs, because she was waiting by the front
door when she came back down.

"Remember to use your bug spray—"

"And sunblock." And condoms. "Got it. Love you."

Chapter 11

Together, Rose and Andy lounged next to the red coals of the campfire. Clouds thickened
in the late hour, causing the stars to disappear in the deep gray. They ate hot dogs
with the works and had an apple to compensate. The crickets were so noisy she and
Andy could barely hear the bullfrogs from the river down the trail. Balmy evening
air meant hot climbing the next day. She took off her shoes and socks and let her
toes rest by the dwindling fire.

"Red?" She hadn't heard Andy's voice crack since the seventh grade.

"Hmm?" Noticing him gawking at her toes, she pressed her lips together. "Oh, yes...
go on."

He went back to explaining about his summer job. "The contractors in the area are
like a tight-knit clique of junior high girls. They won't let outsiders in and ambush
them if they try." He kicked off his leather flip-flops and propped his feet next
to hers. "I like it, though. Working as the low man, I've learned what the crew leaders
and bosses do that pisses us off, or is just unproductive and stupid. I can use that
when I have my own crew leaders and I'm the boss."

Only half listening, she took a deep breath, got up and stood in front of the fire.

"Have you decided when you'll give your two weeks no—" He sounded as if his tongue
stuck to the roof of his mouth.

With determination, she pulled off her tee. Underneath, she wore the low-cut satin
with shoelace-thin straps. The color matched her toes.

Andy sat frozen with his hands clasped tightly on the top of his head. The look on
his face gave her more confidence. As she reached for the top button of her jean shorts,
he jumped from his chair. "Wait. Damn it." Grabbing her by the wrists, he looked around.
"We're outside. What're you thinking?"

She stepped close enough to brush against him. With one of the most honest and sincere
looks she could muster, she looked up at him. "You
know
what I'm thinking."

Closing his eyes, Andy breathed deeply and stood for what seemed like eternity. "Yes.
I know. And I don't have it in me to push you away again."

Sparks of anticipation traveled through every inch of her body before settling low
in her stomach. Feelings so strong left her legs weak. She willed herself to stand
strong.

Guiding her arms behind him, bringing her closer, Andy pressed their foreheads together.
Painfully slow, his hands ran up the length of her arms and over her shoulders before
resting on the sides of her neck. Softly, he whispered, "I've never done this... with
anyone who's never done this."

"A first for both of us, then." Anxiously, she took his hand, pulling him toward their
tent.

Inside, it was too small to stand. She sat on her heels, turned on the lantern and
watched as he zipped them in.

When he turned, she stretched up on her knees to get back to the button on her jeans.

He took her hands away once more. "Let me."

As his thumbs rested on her wrists, he spoke low and deep. "Your pulse."

"I know. I can't help it."

"You're trying to kill me."

Need and anticipation raced through her. She felt her shorts loosen as he released
her button. A reflexive, muffled purr escaped her throat. Rough hands slid into the
sides of her shorts and over her hips.

They didn't need words. Hardly ever needed words. She leaned on one leg for him, then
the other. He slipped her shorts over and tossed them aside before sitting back to
look at her.

Was she supposed to feel exposed or embarrassed at the way his eyes traveled over
her? All she felt was flattery at his awe. And need. And want. Her lips tightened.

"You're beautiful."

For the first time in her life, she felt beautiful.

Reaching over his head and behind him, Andy grabbed the back of his shirt.

"No way." She stopped his arms. "Me." Rising from her heels, she ran her hands under
and up his shirt, exploring muscle and flesh as she took the cotton over his arms.
She'd seen him shirtless before. Her entire life. This was powerfully different and
something she would never forget.

Andy lifted off his feet to his knees. Copying the movements he'd made, she took off
his khakis. They wrapped their arms around each other, touching skin to skin and thin
bits of material that covered warming flesh. The heat and humidity of the summer night
added a seductive tone to her plan. A biological tone, like the rush of the water
they could hear from the river in the distance. This was nature in its most basic
element, and she felt completely right. Surreal. She could feel Andy was ready for
her, too, and had to restrain herself from rushing in and exploring.

The feel of her heartbeat slammed against Andy's chest. He'd never had love attached
to sex before. With bodies pressed together, he took her face in his hands and gently
dove in. Tongues meshed. Teeth grazed. Never in his life had he held such a woman.
And she had been here all along. The intensity shook him, took him.

He wound one hand around her back, under the satin while the other slid between the
two of them to cup the silk. Her legs wavered at his touch. Fascinating. Supporting
her weight, he lowered her to the ground before inching one of the straps from her
shoulder, kissing warm flesh along the way.

Her small, breathy sighs echoed in his ears—reactions that were as intoxicating as
her body. He wanted to savor this, her. This was not a performance. It was two people
discovering each other. He felt her hands, earnest, gripping, exploring. When he felt
her reach around to find him, he grabbed her hand.

He shook his head, steadying his breath. "Not this time."

Although he felt the deflated drop in her chest, she seemed to recover and lifted
her arms straight overhead, inviting him to slip off the silk. Following her lead,
he trailed his hands up her waist, then raised the satin over head. Rolling on his
side, he propped on an elbow and rested his head in his hand. Watching her as she
watched him. She was fit. The six-pack was as sexy as ever.

No nerves. He could tell. She looked flattered. He felt drunk. He brought his mouth
close to her ear. "I love you."

"Mmm," Rose all but hummed and seemed to melt in his hands.

Taking her, he circled lazily with his thumb. She jolted and her reaction had him
fighting control that balanced on a thread. He willed himself not to rush, not to
just take. He moved his hand from her and leaned in to replace it with his mouth.
She arched and quaked, grabbing his shoulders and digging her fingers in.