On Ice (35 page)

She undid the rest of the buttons while he pulled off his down jacket, tossing it on the passenger seat near the door.

He drew her into another embrace, letting his hands roam over her soft, but well armored body. A sound that could have been made by an animal escaped her throat as his arms tightened around her.

Her breath felt constricted as they drew apart once more. She unbuttoned his faded flannel shirt and then reached inside to find a thermal undershirt exactly like the one she wore under her gown. The gray waffle-weave knit was worn by all the inhabitants of the northern regions. She never considered it particularly appealing, until now. Her fingers stroked his torso, dragging the knit shirt across the hair swirled over his muscled chest. He pulled both shirts off over his head, staring at her intently as he discarded them. Reaching into the pocket of his jeans, he removed a stick-like object from its depths. Rene drew in a breath as he unfolded a small silver blade from the knife he had retrieved.

As Rene tensed, he looked up from the pocketknife. “Rene, I would never hurt you,” he said, his voice husky with desire. “You’ll stay warmer this way. I’ll buy you new things.” Reaching for her, he slit the flannel gown and thermal undershirt from neck to hem. He folded the knife and tossed it on the dashboard.

The windows were covered with frost. Rene couldn’t see the moon anymore. The glowing dash lent enough light for them to see each other well. She pulled the blanket from beneath her and wrapped it around Brett’s shoulders. As she leaned close to him, she softly kissed his shoulder. Hearing his harsh intake of breath, she continued to trail little kisses across his collarbone.

Brett pulled her to his chest, his fingers twining in her hair. A rush of pleasure thrilled her when she felt his heartbeat thundering as hard and fast as her own. His fingers found the slit in her thermal shirt, slowly stroking her warm skin. She arched her back to help them find the target they sought. As his hand closed around her breast she knew everything had changed. There was no going back. She could no longer deny the passion between them.

Brett lowered his head to kiss her breasts, making slow torturous circles with his tongue. She pulled him closer with both hands.

Leaning her back onto his down coat, he stripped her of the lower half of her thermals, kissing and caressing her flesh from breast to thigh and back again.

As he knelt over her, she reached for him and he pressed his body against hers. Their lips met in a kiss so tender she almost cried. He pulled back to look at her face in the glow of the dash lights.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

She giggled self-consciously, unwilling to let him know how starved she was for tenderness. “I was wondering what I was going to wear to bed from now on?”

“
Me,” he answered gruffly, lowering himself to her again. Her legs slid around his torso as he fulfilled the promise his body had made to hers.

~*~

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Rene pressed her cheek against Brett’s chest. They cuddled in her blanket, tired from their exertions, but not spent.

“
Are you still smiling?” His tone sounded warm in the darkness.

“
And you’re not?” She kissed his chest, breathing softly against his skin.

“
I am,” he admitted, the grin evident in his voice.

“
Look!” She raised her head, pointing to a smear in the frost on the driver’s side window. “I can see the moon through there.”

“
That’s your footprint.” Brett chuckled deep in his throat.

“
What?” Rene sat up to examine the smear more closely.

“
And there’s the other one.” He directed her attention to the windshield where the shape of her small foot was clearly defined.

“
Oh, my! How shameful.” Rene laughed over her wanton behavior.

“No, it was wonderful. I never thought it would happen.” He pulled her back into his arms, pressing a kiss on top of her head. “Certainly, not in the Hummer.”

Rene brushed a kiss across his chest. His warm skin smelled of soap. “How did you happen to be outside the cabin at midnight?”

“
I couldn’t sleep. I’ve driven over before, but you were tucked in. The cabin was dark. This time, it was like you were expecting me.”

“
You were on my mind, all right,” she said. “I was lonely and pretty upset about. . .some things.”

“
Some things?” he asked.

She nodded against his skin.

“
Could you explain that a little? Tell me what upset you?”

“
You, for one. You just stopped talking to me. It was like I ceased to exist.”

He was silent for a moment. “No, you were always there, all around me, everywhere I turned. I replayed the messages you were sending and realized you’d been telling me you weren’t moving closer to me. I decided to stop pursuing you.”

“
You certainly did that.”

“
No, I didn’t. I’ve never stopped loving you. I thought I was driving you away.”

“
The--the children miss you, too.” A catch in her voice betrayed her emotion.

“
I’ve missed them. I hope they’ll forgive me.”

“
It’ll be fun. We can have lunch after.” Tommy walked several blocks down Moray Street with Mark trailing close behind.

They cut through an alley giving Mark a scare when a screen door opened suddenly. He’d been considering the possibilities of getting mugged and killed without anyone ever knowing his true identity.

“
It’s okay, Marky. That’s the back door to Wu Hong, the Chinese Deli.”

A boy exited the restaurant laden with trash bags. He tossed them over the top of the dumpster and clanged the lid shut.

“
Are you sure this is such a great idea?” Mark asked. “We could die here and end up in that dumpster.”

“
What kind of place are you from? Arizona must be really rough. This is just the
neighborhood. Besides, it’s broad daylight. Don’t be such a worry wart.” Tommy waved off his objections.

“
How much farther are we going?” Mark wasn’t pleased to be walking around in public where he might be spotted. But he supposed no one would be out scouring the streets for him in this section of Houston.

“
It’s right around this corner. See, there it is.” Tommy pointed to a gaudy sign hanging outside an equally gaudy store front window.

“
Madame Kendra?”

“
I swear to you, she’s the best. You’ll see.” Tommy grabbed Mark’s hand, dragging him into the shop. A string of Indian brass bells jangled against the glass.

The smell of patchouli incense hung heavy in the air. It was circulated by an ancient ceiling fan emitting a rhythmic squeak. High overhead, the original tin ceiling was flaking white paint. Display cases with scratched glass were filled with crystals, talismans, incense, tarot decks and a myriad of other equally useless items. It was apparent to Mark that no one had bothered to dust in some time.

“
Kendra! You’ve got customers.” Tommy gave the bells another jangle.

Black curtains parted and a young woman appeared. Her hair was dyed an unpleasant shade between blonde and orange. Atop this she’d wound a green silky scarf edged in beads. The sleeves of her gauze peasant top covered her hands, allowing only her fingertips to show. She gazed at Mark intently before turning to Tommy.

“
Hi sweet stuff. Who did you bring me?” She circled Mark, inspecting him thoroughly before embracing Tommy.

“
This is my new friend Marky. He’s in need of your services.”

Kendra pursed her lips and raised one eyebrow.

“
Oh, get your mind out of the gutter,” Tommy said. “He’s here for a reading.”

Kendra led them behind the curtain to a cubicle surrounded by more draperies. She lit a candle and took a tarot deck out of a velvet pouch.

“
Ask me a question,” she said.

“
Give me an answer,” Mark replied.

She laughed, throwing her head back to display a pretty neck. “He’s a tough customer. It’s okay. I can answer the question you won’t ask me.” She placed the deck face down on the table, spreading it into a fan shape. “Touch three cards.”

Mark chose the cards and Kendra set the remainder of the deck aside.

“
I will tell you your past, your present and your future.” She turned over the first card. Kendra drew in a breath and glanced sharply up at Mark.

He felt a muscle tighten in his jaw.

Kendra hesitated before speaking. When she did her voice sounded strained. “This card represents your past. Your past was chaotic. You’ve left behind something very painful, not just to yourself but to others. . .and others have left you behind. There is a
blackness behind you representing the emptiness to which you may not return. This blackness seeks to swallow you up. The choice is yours whether or not to be swallowed.”

Mark realized he’d been holding his breath. He snapped his fingers several times in succession. “Interesting.” he said evenly.

Tommy looked from Mark to Kendra and back again as they gazed across the table at each other.

She turned the second card. “This card represents your present.” She stared at it and expelled another deep breath. “Appearances are deceiving. You are a chameleon. The devil is standing on half a cube, representing half truths and lies. You are very angry and your anger is coloring the entire world as you see it.” Her voice took on a strident tone. “What you see is not the truth. Your anger is the strangling kind and the one it strangles most is you.” Kendra’s hand shook as she reached for the final card.

“
So you’re saying the next card represents my future?” Mark’s lips turned up into a little forced smile. “By all means turn the next card. My past and present are so bright I can’t wait to know what the future holds.”

Kendra turned the card over. She licked her lips and swallowed hard. “It’s Justice. You will find the one you are seeking.” She picked up the cards, returning the deck to the velvet pouch.

“
That’s all?” Mark asked.

“
That’s all I can read. The reading is over.” She rose and gestured to the opening in the draperies.

“
See? Aren’t you glad you came?” Tommy squeezed Mark’s arm. “She said you’ll find Rene. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

Mark threw a bill on the table and left the cubicle. At the front of the shop, he turned to see Kendra staring at him, her brows drawn into a frown. He glared back at her. “Yes, it’s what I want.”

~*~

“So, what are you going to do after Mark Desmond is brought to justice?” T.J. sipped her white wine thoughtfully, entrancing Terrence with her grace and beauty.

“Do?” Terrence echoed. The restaurant was dimly lit, a perfect setting for a romantic dinner. It was Mrs. Sander’s favorite place to dine and indeed, T.J. had seemed pleased when he suggested it, but right now, he wished for a flashlight to read her expression. Was she teasing him?

“I mean, will the Sanders need to employ a bodyguard when their stalker is behind bars?” She drank more wine, tilting her head back as she emptied the glass. He couldn’t seem to tear his gaze from her pale throat as she swallowed.

“No, I---ah, I guess not.” Terrence hadn’t considered his future employment.

“So, what are your plans?” T.J. set her now empty glass on the table. Terrence made quite a show of refilling it while his mind frantically searched for an acceptable answer. He did not want her to think him a complete fool.

“I imagine I’ll return to Scotland. That is my home.” He refilled his own glass, though he had to resist the urge to toss it down quickly. “My family is there.”

“Oh, your family. Do you have a, I mean, a--” She stammered, “A special lady in your life?” Even the subdued lighting couldn’t hide her blush.

“Sure,” he let his natural burr draw the word out. “I have lots of ‘em. There’s my sister and her little girl, my grandma and of course, my ma.” Terrence felt much more at ease.