Maggie's Mountain (8 page)

“I didn’t ask for help.”

“No, you didn’t, but since I’m a neighbor I figure it’s the right thing to do. Besides, it’s dangerous for one person to run barbed wire. You could get tangled in it and hurt.”

“
Neighborly
concern?”

He knew she was remembering what had happened that day on his hike. He waited, wondering if she would pull away. He couldn’t blame her if she did. Instead, she inhaled a deep breath before she nodded consent.

“I suppose you’d just show up no matter what I said.”

He couldn’t help but smile. “Yep.”

A cool breeze stirred, bringing the tangy smell of fall and the harsh, raw aroma of the fire. The thick, gray-black column shifted and waved, wafting away from them and the cabin. At least nature was on their side.

She shifted in his arms, not to pull away, but to relax against him. The top of her soft buttocks cradled his expanding loins and he swallowed back a groan. He’d had her in this position before, though she hadn’t been as willing to settle into him as she was now. He’d fantasized about holding her like this again, about having her this close, feeling her body mold into his. Somewhere in the back of his mind a warning blared, but it was muted by the rush of his blood. The insistent memory of their kiss, the nights spent remembering how she tasted, how she felt, blotted out everything else but the screaming need he hadn’t been able to obliterate.

“Thank you for the help, Hale.”

“You’re welcome.” His words were raw with need.

Even though he knew what she needed was gentle comfort and not physical advances, he couldn’t help but nuzzle her hair. He caught the scent of clean shampoo as he bumped her ear with his nose, replaying what had happened in the woods, but this time he gave a gentle lick to her soft lobe. He felt her stiffen and placed a tender kiss between the crux of her neck and shoulder.

“Shh, I won’t hurt you,” he promised.

“Yes, you will,” she whispered back.

He wanted to reassure her, to swear it would all be okay. But he couldn’t bring himself to lie to her and he was grateful when she didn’t press. Instead she let him cuddle her closer, his arms locking securely around her torso. His lips began a languid trip up her neck, tasting the creamy skin across her nape, down the other side to her shoulder. He nipped her flesh and he heard her inhale a quick breath.

“My God, you feel good.” He rubbed his cheek against hers as he eased his hands toward her breasts. “As good as I remember.”

She didn’t stop him when he cupped them, instead thrusting her bottom into him in an instinctive move. He pushed back without thought, setting a slow, easy rhythm with his hips.

“This is what I’ve wanted to do to you.” His voice was deep and raspy. “I’ve wanted to touch you; I’ve wanted you to touch me. It’s so good. So damn good.”

She moaned, a throaty sound that ignited his slow burning desire into something far more dangerous. He moved his hands, skimmed slowly down her dark blue shirt to the edge, lingering a moment before he slid his fingers along her bare flesh. His breath was a hiss as he gasped at the sensation. She was soft, delicate underneath his palm, so inviting that he couldn’t turn away from the invitation to touch. She didn’t protest as he followed the path of her ribs to her breasts.

His knuckles traced underneath the heavy flesh, teasing as he outlined the satin edging of her bra. Her hips began to rotate in silent demand. He uncurled his fingers and began caressing her breasts through the thin material, nuzzling her ear as he absorbed the quaking of her body. There was no control, just a driving need to show her what they could have, to prove that she wanted what he did, and to satisfy them both.

He plucked her nipples at the same moment he thrust himself forward into her bottom. She jerked and gasped, her nails digging into his denim covered thighs. He did it again, this time nipping her shoulder when she responded.

“I want you.” He spun her around and took her lush mouth.

She clung to him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, her lips parting for his tongue. He swung them both in a tight arc before lifting her to sit on the hood of her car, moaning when she wrapped her legs around his hips.

He could feel the heat of her as he pressed between her thighs. Even through the layers of clothing it was obvious that she was as excited as he was. Desire was a live thing, hot and electric as it seared him. Every nerve ending seemed to simmer as he kissed her, touched her, drove her further toward the ultimate end. He pressed into her, sharing the mock act of sex that they were both so desperate for.

The quick, loud blare of the fire siren cut through the haze like a blinding search light. He paused only for a moment, long enough to be annoyed, before kissing her again. The sound persisted, this time a longer beep.

Suddenly she was scrambling from him, pushing him away as she slid across the other side of the car hood. He stood, dazed by the shift in attitude, hard as a randy stallion denied his mate.

“Hale. Hale.” Her frantic tone sliced into him like cold steel. “The fire department…I think they have the fire out.”

He shook his head, trying to piece together her words into coherent thought. Damn it, a few seconds ago he was two zippers away from…now she was telling him…what? The fire? He blinked away the sexual fog and her face came into stark focus.

“They’re coming up the drive now.” Her eyes were huge, her face pale, her cheeks flushed, her lips swollen and red from kissing. He could see a mark starting on her throat where he’d been tasting her. “We need to move the cars.”

“The cars.” It only took a moment for reality to click. “Right, move the cars.”

Irritated, he strode to his Mercedes and threw himself inside. What the hell had he just done? He maneuvered his car with deliberate ease, trying to balance out his still shaky composure. God help him, if they hadn’t let out a warning sound he might have embarrassed himself in a way that could never be forgiven. Worse, he would have embarrassed Maggie. He’d practically been ripping her clothes off, in full view of the Exum fire department, and he hadn’t realized or cared.

He climbed out of his car and winced at the pain the movement caused. He was sure to be paying for his attempt at seduction for hours yet. Maggie had parked in front of him on the road and slid out of her own vehicle with short, competent movements. Even though she appeared to be in control as she talked to the firemen, he could see the slight tremors that shook her periodically.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood leaning against his door, waiting for the fire department to leave, for the police to show up. The police, however, never came, even after the red truck was bumping down the two-lane. He didn’t move from his position when she turned to look at him, her body braced as she stood beside her own car.

“It was a camp fire,” she said in a tight voice. “Someone left without making sure it was out.”

“I don’t like you being out here on your own.”

“I’m sorry my independence bothers you.”

He ran a shaky hand through his hair and tried again. “It’s not your independence, Maggie. It’s the fact that you’re out here alone where strangers feel confident enough to tramp around without being caught. Hell, you don’t even have a dog.”

“I hate to inform you, but I’ve lived out here for years.”

“With your parents, then your…husband.” He didn’t want to consider why he’d hesitated over the word. “Now you’re on your own.”

“For a whole two and a half years and I’ve survived.” She gave an irritated shake of her head. “It was an accident, probably some teenagers sneaking away to drink who didn’t put the fire out properly. I’ll have someone come out this week to put up some barbed wire.”

“I told you I’d help you with that tomorrow.”

“Under the circumstances, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Frustration tangled with annoyance and he found himself losing patience. “Considering
what
circumstances?”

“After…we were…a few minutes ago…” Her obvious embarrassment did nothing to cool his emotions.

“After we made out like a couple of turned on high schoolers? After we almost went at it on top of a car? After your body reacted the same way mine did?” He itched to grab her, to shake her, to force her to admit she was affected just as much as he was. But he knew if he touched her now he’d have her down on the pavement, naked, before he opened his mouth. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Don’t.” The word was clipped and full of fear. “I can take care of it myself.”

“I’m sure you could. That isn’t the point.” He crammed his hands in his pockets to curb temptation. She was nervous, unsure, and the least he could do was waylay her fear. “Maggie, what happened—”

“Shouldn’t have. Ever.”

“As I recall, you’ve said that before. Didn’t stop it from happening again, though.”

“Hale….”

“Maggie. No, don’t.” He stopped her before she could turn away. “You have to face facts. We’re fiercely attracted to each other and nothing you say or do is going to change that.”

“You have to face facts, too. You’re a Warrick, I’m a Cooper. Our families have been fighting since before either of us was born. There’s too much bad blood between us. We can’t be in a relationship together.”

Relationship? What was she—? Suddenly it hit him. Maggie Mae Cooper wasn’t the sort of woman who scratched an itch with a man and moved on. If she was they would have already been burning up the sheets. “We’re adults. We can make our own decisions.”

“I’ve made mine. I can’t get involved with you.”

He waited for more of an explanation knowing there was something deeper. But her pretty mouth remained closed as she stared at him. What was it she refused to say?

“Go home, Hale. Please.”

Home, hell; what he wanted to do was toss her into his car, drive to the nearest town, lock her in a hotel room and make love to her until they were both too exhausted to argue. Then he’d find out what was going on in that head of hers. If she didn’t look so tired, so determined, so damned fragile, he might have acted on the impulse. Instead he pulled the keys from his pocket.

“I don’t like leaving you here.”

“I’ll be fine,” she told him. “Just go.”

He gave her a long, penetrating look and ran a hand through his hair in aggravation. His nerves were teetering on the edge of control; he pulled in a heavy breath and forced himself to think before he reacted. When he spoke, his voice was hard and deep, practically daring her to argue.

“I’ll come back, Maggie Mae, and when I do you won’t be able to talk your way out of an explanation.” With a final look at her pale face, he got behind the wheel and drove away.

Chapter Seven

Maggie stared at the box that held her mother’s things and sighed. It had been a long evening and she was exhausted, but her body was still too jittery from the fire. No, not just from the fire she admitted with a grimace. It was because of Hale Warrick, too.

The man had nearly seduced her in broad daylight, on a public road, with the volunteer fire department looking on. And she hadn’t protested at all. She’d participated completely, falling into his kisses and the heat of his hands like warmed putty. Her common sense had abandoned her the minute he’d pulled her into his arms. Not that she was surprised; she’d always known deep down that she would react just the way she had if Hale Warrick ever decided he wanted her and acted on that impulse. Of course she’d never thought it would come to that. She'd been sure their feuding families would see to it.

“Momma, this is a mess.” She laid her hand on top of the tall container and shook her head. “He doesn’t even know the truth and he’s after me. Like father like son.”

Maggie felt tears well in her eyes and she sank back into the cushions of the couch. No, that wasn’t fair, she thought. Hale’s attraction was earthy lust, a physical desire, animalistic in nature and not coated with the brush of messy emotions. But Hale was a rich, influential lady killer and she wasn't about to be added to any list.

The phone rang. She knew it wasn’t Jolene; she’d already fielded that call earlier. Logically there was only one other person who would call this late.

“Hello?” she snapped into the phone.

“Maggie? Maggie, are you all right?”

Relief flooded her system as she melted back into the couch again. It wasn't Hale, after all. “Brian. I’m fine.”

The man who’d been her husband’s friend hesitated on the other end. “You don’t sound it.”

“I’m sorry, it’s been a…long day.”

“So I’ve heard. You had a fire?”

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. “I see the grape vine in the law enforcement community is as fertile as ever.”

Brian chuckled. “You know all we do is sit around and gossip. When I heard someone had set fire to your woods, I got a bit concerned.”

“You’re sweet to think of me, but the fire department got it under control before it had a chance to do any real damage.” She propped her feet on the coffee table beside her mother’s box. “Apparently no one pays any attention to my warning signs.”

“Chris always did say he was going to set up a better security perimeter out there. Lights, maybe cameras, definitely better fencing. He said that was about the only thing you two argued over.”

“I’m not putting flood lights and cameras in the woods. I am, however, going to see about having barbed wire strung tomorrow.”

“You’re not planning to do it yourself?” His voice sounded as stern as Hale’s, though it was nowhere near as deep in timbre.

“I’ve already had the lecture. I’m going to call Jo’s husband, Ben, so he can point me in the direction of some boys who might need a little extra spending money.”

“There’s no need for that, Maggie. I can come out and help you.”

What was it with men suddenly deciding they had to help her? A few years ago she couldn’t have paid enough to bring anyone out here. Now they seemed to be stumbling all over themselves.

“Brian, really, it’s fine.”

“Maggie, you were my best friend’s wife. Chris wouldn’t want you having to pay strangers when I could help you out. I’ll bring Eric with me; heaven knows he could do with some physical labor. I don’t know what Brenda and that husband of hers are thinking, letting him stay inside all the damn time or hang out with those skateboarding hoodlums.”