Spirit [New Crescent 2] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (3 page)

Laughing at the huge spread, Reggie said, “You must have known I was coming.”

“I eat too, you know.”

He looked so cute sitting there, all six feet seven inches of him, munching on p. b. and j, and drinking milk as the cowlick at the back of his head bobbed in the breeze. She half expected him to sport a milk mustache when he put the carton down.

He raised his eyebrows, but said nothing when her hand went straight to the cookies. She paused and gave him her best don’t-you-dare look. Reluctantly, she offered him one. With an indulgent smile, he shook his head.

After biting into an apple, he chewed, swallowed, and said, “You looked pretty shaken in the kitchen.”

She shuddered. “Don’t remind me.”

“That bad, huh?” At her nod, he continued. “I’ll talk to the contractor and have him clean it up.”

“Don’t bother, I can do that. I have to talk to him anyway. I see Duncan’s company’s doing the work on the house.”

He nodded and waited for her to continue talking. She didn’t disappoint him.

“I’m afraid it might take more than a few of Duncan’s men to clear out what’s in that room.” Between bites, she explained her experience in the library and summed it up by adding, “That room is wrong, on a level we can’t even comprehend right now. It’s messed up. There’s something mad and unnatural in there.”

Chase narrowed his eyes and paused before saying, “I believe you. I’ll check it out myself after lunch.”

Her stomach dropped, and she regretted taking such a big drink of water as her throat clenched. She didn’t want him to go near that room, but she didn’t know what to say to stop him. She’d sound so stupid, and knowing Chase, he’d surely ignore her concerns.

Inspiration hit. She said, “I’ll go with you.”

Bless him. He walked right into her trap. “No, you won’t.”

She almost began to enjoy herself. “Oh, yes I will.”

“No, you won’t.” His voice was firmer this time, and he ignored her provocative smile.

“Oh yeah? If you’re going in there, then so am I.”

“Reggie, you’re not going into that room again.” Chase’s jaw clenched revealing an agitation that only spurred her on. Excitement flickered in her eyes.

Standing inches from him, and just for the hell of it, she challenged him.

“You can’t stop me, so accept it.”

“No.” He stood.

With her heart racing, she did the same.

“And how in hot and humid hell are you going to stop me?”

The tension between them was a writhing, tacile thing as they faced off. She knew he was just as keyed up as she was. She could see it coming and did nothing to prevent it. Damn it, she wanted it.

He took her by the shoulders. At the same time he pressed her body to his, he took her lips. He wasn’t gentle, and Reggie was glad because that was the last thing she wanted. She returned his passion, kiss for kiss. His mouth made love to hers, his tongue, teasing, demanding, exciting, all in one. He even used his teeth. It was glorious. Lost in each other, he was hot and hard and more than ready. Reggie wanted him to sink into her right there in the garden in broad daylight.

A low whistle permeated their sensual haze, and they pulled apart just far enough to peer into each other’s dazed eyes. They ignored the whoops and cheers of the amused workers around them and stared at each other.

Without taking his eyes from hers, Chase told their enthusiastic audience to get back to work. After a few more taunts, they moved off. Still, he held Reggie.

Her heart broke just a little when he shook his head as if clearing his mind of something unwanted. When he looked at her again, he’d reverted to the Chase she’d always known, the damnable frustrating one. He backed away from her in embarrassment. She saw the apology in his eyes and before he could say anything she said, “If you apologize, I swear, I will find something really heavy and hit you with it...twice…and just for the hell of it, I’d hit you again. Trust me. I’d go for the triple.” She poked his chest with a finger.

He raised his eyebrows and smiled. “What would you have me do then, Reggie?”

“I don’t know. Admit that it felt good maybe?”

He looked down at his still-aroused body. “I would have thought that was obvious.”

She gave him a little smile. “Good.”

His laugh was filled with self deprecation. “For you maybe. But I’ve got to face my guys like this.”

Their shared laughter broke the tension, and they sat down on the bench again.

He avoided her eyes when he said, “I should explain myself.”

Amusement gone, she tilted her head and challenged him. “Do you want to?”

“Honestly? No.” He held up a hand and prepared to continue.

She didn’t want to hear it and ignored his gesture. His grudging desire for her wasn’t something Reggie felt up to discussing. She interrupted him and changed the subject before he could say anything that would smart. “What I felt in the library sure proves I’m back in New Crescent with a vengeance.”

“Yeah.” he nodded and swept out his arm. “Alas, people, I give you our hometown, the source of all things strange. I still don’t want you going into the library again.”

“And I still don’t want
you
to go there without me.”

He nodded with defeat. “How about a compromise?”

When she looked at him, she narrowed her eyes, and he chuckled. “No tricks, I swear. I’ll get Duncan’s guys to clean it out and we’ll go in together when they’re done. Deal?” He held out his hand to her. She hesitated a second then placed her palm firmly against his, and they shook on it.

For a split second, she saw her hand and his joining and becoming one. She thought she’d been hallucinating until she looked up and realized that he’d seen it too.

With a frown, he said, “I’ll get right on that.”

Rubbing his other hand against the back of his neck, he gave his head a shake and walked away.

Alone, sitting on the bench, Reggie looked around. Left to grow wild, the garden still held an undeniable beauty. She closed her eyes and turned her face to the sun. A feeling of homecoming wafted over her—the antithesis of what she’d felt in the library.

Tearing her face away from the sun, Reggie looked over the vast gardens. Chase had his work cut out for him. They seemed to go on forever reaching out to the rocky shore. Catching a brief flicker of movement in her peripheral vision, Reggie turned her head with a quick snap. Was she imagining things now? She could have sworn she’d seen the graceful movements of a woman out the corner of her eye, but now there was nothing. Where had she gone? Around the corner of the house?

“Enough of this.” Irritation tinged her voice when she spoke aloud.

Reggie acted. Kicking off her inconvenient shoes, she sped off after the woman. Careening around the corner of the house, she was brought to a sudden stop by a solid wall that was Chase’s broad back. She bounced off him with a grunt Facing the opposite direction, he hadn’t seen her coming but his quick reflexes enabled him to catch her just before she crashed to the ground.

Frustrated to have her pursuit thwarted, she looked up at him without apology or gratitude. “Did you see her?”

Gripping her arms, Chase frowned and shook his head. The three men he had been talking to lumbered off, leaving them alone.

“A woman. There was a woman. I saw her!”

“I didn’t.”

Angry, she rolled her eyes at him and just barely managed not to stamp her foot in frustration.

“It was probably something blowing in the breeze,” he said.

Reggie frowned for a moment. “Puhhh. That wasn’t what I saw.”

His touch spread that special warmth she couldn’t ignore. “Let me go.” She shook his hands off. “I’m fine. I know who I need to talk to.”

Effectively dismissing him, she walked away and moved toward the driveway. Urgency gripped her as she started the car.

She wasn’t crazy. She’d seen a woman vanish into thin air and of course there was the library. What was it in there that had made her feel so hopeless? Just remembering it made her flinch. The library had stood untouched for over one hundred years. Was that what made it feel so different? She shook her head. No way. There was more to it than that. There had to be. Standing in that room, Reggie had never felt so empty. Something had sucked at her spirit and she intended to find out what.

* * * *

Mmm…the woman. She’d been so lush, ripe, filled to the brim. What a revelation. She had plenty. Ah, it would be sweet to use her up, leave her spent...wasted. It wouldn’t be long now. He was getting stronger every day. She’d be back, and he’d take more. When the other realized what was happening, it would be too late.

Sprawled in the yellow chair in her friend’s living room, Reggie told Gillian Watson about the strange phenomenon she’d experienced. She left out the part about the kiss. She wanted to hang on to that for a while. It hit too close to home. Still shoeless, she used one bare foot to stroke Gillian’s uncanny dog, Hank.

Gillian looked at her friend and smiled. “You felt nothing unusual when you were sharing Chase’s lunch?”

Reggie avoided her eyes. “Nothing during lunch.” She wasn’t ready to share yet, even with Gillian.

“Come to think of it, it’s not so surprising.” Gillian nodded her head, speculating. “You’ve always been deeply connected to that house, and it’s coming alive at last. It’s stirred up, I’ll bet. There’s a lot of history there, you’re New Crescent born, and so is Chase. Maybe your connection to the place is so strong that you’ve drawn him in with you.” Gillian raised a hand to fend off Reggie’s vehement reaction. “Actually, that makes more sense than you’d think. Chase is a landscaper. He works with the earth, gets his hands dirty. He’s been there for weeks. He’s already connected, whether you like it or not.”

Reggie counted the butterflies in her stomach, and for a moment, considered naming each one. She figured, since they were going to be spending a lot of time together, they may as well be on a first-name basis. Hank whined and put his head in her lap. Stroking his head, Reggie remembered he liked to chase butterflies, an uncanny dog indeed.

Gillian smiled at the look on her friend’s face and said, “Chocolate?”

Reggie’s eyes widened with avarice. “Chocolate is my love-ah.”

Gillian laughed and Reggie added. “Sadly, the only lover I have at the moment.”

“I baked brownies with nuts and marshmallows. If you weren’t so keyed up when you walked in, you would have smelled them. I’ll just get you a plate, shall I?” Gillian left the living room.

Unwilling to let her out of her sight, Reggie followed. A little less than patient, she leaned against the counter. She snagged the first brownie Gillian put on the plate and stuffed it in her mouth. She rolled her eyes. Bliss.

Sheriff Travis Sinclair burst through the kitchen door. He tended to do that when he was riled up.

He pinned Reggie with a dark look. “What the hell are you thinking?” He was followed by Chase, who pulled up a kitchen chair and calmly straddled it. He handed Reggie her forgotten shoes.

Figures, he’d find the sandals. Damn it, how did he make the simple act of sitting, look so sexy?
Reggie shifted uncomfortably. She grabbed another brownie with one hand and used the other to slip her sandals back on.

To Chase, she said, “Stoolie, rat fink.”

She turned to Travis with shoulders back and head held high. Coquettishly, she smiled and in perfect Scarlett O’Hara inflection, she said, “Why, Sheriff, you do tend to burst into a room and overwhelm a girl, lordy, my…my…my…I’ll get the vapors, I swear I will…” She fanned herself with her hand.

Gillian and Chase laughed.

Travis ignored them. “You’re not going near that damn Bennett library alone, do you hear me? My gut tells me there’s something stewing up at that place and it’s not good.”

Reggie wasn’t impressed. “Your gut sure is a blabber mouth, and so is your friend here.” She wrinkled her nose at Chase and said, “What? Did you rat me out as soon as I pulled out of the driveway?”

“You’d just started the car actually. I told Sam too,” Chase said implacably. She couldn’t help but smile.

Travis failed to see the humor. “Stop it, both of you. This is no joke. I’m going to call Aunt Ernestine and get her take on all of this.”

In a quiet tone that brooked no argument, Chase said, “No, you’re not. This is something Reggie and I will handle. If Ernestine’s counsel as Guardian is needed, Reggie and I will seek it. I just thought you needed to know, you being Sheriff and all.”

Travis, never one to take no for an answer, confronted his buddy. “Not bloody good enough, Chase. You know Reggie has no special abilities, she’d be virtually helpless if things go the way I’m afraid they will.”

Gillian cringed at Travis’s words. Instinctively, as if trying to cushion the blow, she reached out as Reggie looked down at her hands, shoulders stooped.

Oblivious, Chase faced off with Travis, “Back off, Sheriff. She’s never needed Rebecca Goode’s gift in order to be powerful. So what? On her fourteenth birthday, she didn’t wake with some mysterious gift like everyone hoped…expected even. I was with her today, she did just fine.”