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The farm was nice, Tara thought as they made their way down the long unpaved drive flanked by grassy fields. Broodmares and sleeping foals on the left paid them no mind. But the yearlings on the other side watched the car with interest, following along the sturdy black fence.
Tara’s stomach churned with anticipation when she spotted the well-tanned couple standing at the barn door. Introductions went quickly and Tara clutched the bag of carrots to her middle as they followed Bonnie and Rick around the side of the barn. “You don’t mind that I brought carrots?”
Bonnie smiled. “No, he loves them.”
“I brought apples as well, but they’re in the car. We’ll leave them for you. I used to put apples in his dinner every night.” She spotted the huge horse standing at the far end of his pasture. “Would it be okay if I went into the field with him?” She held her breath while she waited for the answer. It should be no. She was a stranger and she knew better than to ask. But she knew Chewy and believed he would remember her.
“He’s exceptionally kind. But he is a stallion. I don’t know.” Bonnie looked at her husband. “If we tell you to come out, you’ll come out?”
“Absolutely. Please, I’ll take full responsibility, and I promise it will be okay. He’ll remember me and he’ll know he can trust me.” She needed to connect with him. Without the others interfering. Her gut twisted and her voice came out low. “Please?”
“Okay.”
Tara opened the gate, then carefully latched it behind her. When the horse lifted his head and looked at her, she promptly forgot about the people.
“Chewy.” She kept her voice low, then whistled using the high-low two-toned sound she’d made her own so long ago.
The horse huffed out a breath and she copied him. He jogged about ten steps toward her, then stopped and huffed again. This time, she walked toward him, then stopped and huffed. Then she sat down and he trotted right to her and lowered his head. She rested her face against his.
Tears poured down her cheeks while he made a sound low in his throat, not unlike that of a mare talking to her foal.
Nudging her until she stood, he dropped his head over her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pressed his jaw down the middle of her back, holding her there until her tears ran out.
“Oh, man, it’s so good to see you here, having a great life.” He pushed at the bag of carrots and she laughed. “Here, hang on.” She ripped the bag open and fed him the whole works, one at a time, marveling at how well he chewed in spite of the tongue she’d seen nearly ripped from his mouth. She rubbed his face. “You really are a handsome devil.”
Bonnie came up behind her. “He is. And he makes really nice babies.”
Tara turned. “He’s not a Thoroughbred.”
Bonnie didn’t seem surprised. “When Jake took the blood sample, he hinted that there’d been a mix up. He also told us you rescued him after what happened to his mouth.”
“I wish I’d been able to stop it before it happened.”
“We do what we can. Sometimes that has to be enough. You must have been young.”
“I was.” The big horse inhaled the last bit of carrot then started searching her pockets for more treats. Tara laughed. God it felt good to laugh as though she was finally free of something dark. “I had a summer job picking poop from the fields where the babies were. He used to sneak up behind me and chew on my hair. That’s why I nicknamed him Chewy. His mom was Elli, the resident nurse mare. Three-quarters Thoroughbred and a quarter Clydesdale. That’s why he throws the chrome. His grandsire was the typical bay with four long stockings and a white face.”
With Chewy walking sedately between them they made their way back to the gate where the two men waited.
“Was there was a mix up at registration time?” asked Bonnie.
“Something like that.” What was she supposed to say?
“If it was intentional and my horse is in danger, I have a right to know.” The woman wasn’t stupid. “We checked out Meyers Security when Jake gave us his card. We know they were investigating the theft of that horse, Vedigan Way. Is Chewy connected to that?”
Tara looked to Jake for help.
“Not that we know of,” he lied, surprising Tara. “That case went cold some months ago. The one we’re working on now is sensitive, so I can’t share details, but Tara and I are the only people who know Chewy’s whereabouts, and now that we have the photos and test results, he should be safe. Harming him would change nothing for the guilty parties.” He held the gate for the two women. “But if you’re ever concerned for any reason, call me and I’ll make sure you’re looked after.” He held out a hand to the horse and it was duly sniffed and examined for treats.
“Meyers Security specializes in keeping people safe by making sure those who want otherwise are taken care of. Both of you, your farm and your horses, will always be our responsibility because you stepped up and gave us a sample that will help put a very bad man in jail for a long, long time.”
“He’s the one who abused my horse?”
“Yes.”
“Then I know Bam, uh, Chewy, will never let him on the property undetected.”
“Thank you for allowing me to visit,” said Tara. “You have no idea what it means for me to see him and know how happy he is here.” She gave the horse one last hug, then headed for the car.
Bonnie stopped her. “You’re leaving already? Won’t you stay for coffee?”
“No, I’m sorry. We squeezed this stop into a very busy schedule.” She had to get away from here before she broke down. There was too much emotion pounding her from different directions and she needed space to cope.
“I wish we could get to know each other,” Bonnie said.
That made Tara hesitate and some of the tension left her. This woman had made a good life for a horse that meant a great deal to Tara. She didn’t owe her, but maybe one day they could be friends, once Brady was out of the picture. “We will one day, but really, we have to go now.” Then she did something she never did. She held out her hand.
Bonnie took it and squeezed. “Another time,” she said.
Jake caught up with Tara as she was taking the bag of apples from the back seat to set them at the barn door.
“Thank you,” said Tara when she got in beside him. “I had no idea how much that would mean to me.”
He rested a hand on the back of her neck and massaged gently. “I think he needed to see you, too. It was as if there’d been something left unsaid between you all those years ago.”
She stared at him. “How did you get that?”
“Body language. His, yours, and even the air seemed lighter when we left.”
“I couldn’t have described it better.” Emotion threatened to overwhelm her. “You keep surprising me. In a good way.”
“Back at ya.”
#
Vancouver at dusk, was a sight Tara was never likely to forget. The city glittered with street lights, the sky was tinted crimson from the setting sun, and the water glowed gold. In all her trips through YVR, she’d never seen it so dramatically displayed. “Gorgeous.”
He grinned. “Like one of those tacky paintings on black velvet.”
Her mouth dropped open and he laughed at her as he made the right wing dip dramatically to turn them for final approach. She stayed quiet through the landing and taxiing because he was busy with instructions from the tower right until he turned off the engines in front of the private flight operations center. The Citation would be refueled and tucked safely inside one of their hangars until they were ready to leave.
Once the paperwork was complete, and they’d been cleared by Customs, they were handed key fobs and directed outside to a sporty, blue car parked at the curb. “Cute,” said Tara.
“Cute? You call a hundred-thousand-dollar car cute?” His eyebrows were up and his eyes wide in a cartoonish look of disbelief.
She refused to laugh. “It is. What would you call it?”
His brows came down and he placed a hand over his heart, and with mock seriousness said, “Special. A piece of exquisite engineering to be worshipped.”
Her grin couldn’t be squelched. “So you’re a car snob? It’s transportation.” She hesitated. “And cute.”
“There’s no hope for us. But I shall be gallant enough to still take you to dinner.” He opened the passenger door. “Get in.”
She smirked. “You’re very gentlemanly.”
“My momma raised her boys to treat ladies with respect.”
Her heart did a funny bump as he closed the door, and Tara watched him slide into his seat, start the car and steer his way through airport roads and across a couple of bridges. The man exuded the peculiar kind of masculine grace that spoke of sureness, fitness, and confidence.
“You’re staring.”
“I just realized I’ve never seen you look tentative or uncertain. You even drive like you’ve been in this particular car, on exactly this route, a dozen times before.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment and say thank you. But I’m betting you want to know why?”
She nodded.
“Well, for starters, I have done this before, twice to be exact. And secondly, when you’re in law enforcement, you have to be confident or you’ll be eaten alive. Nobody wants a partner who’s not sure if they should make a move or not. We’re taught to make fast and accurate decisions, then live with the outcome as though that’s exactly what we planned.” He smiled. “You show the same thing when you’re doing your job.”
She hadn’t thought of that, but it was true. “Too bad it doesn’t carry over into daily life.”
“Once you learn to trust yourself it’ll be easy.”
She nearly laughed at the idea.
Dinner wasn’t the fancy restaurant experience she’d expected to go along with the fancy car. Instead, Jake drove to Chinatown, picked up takeout and drove into Stanley Park.
“My Mom introduced us to this on vacation one year,” he said as he led her to a patch of grass and laid out a blanket from the trunk of the car. “Nothing like the smell of the ocean, mixed with chow mein.”
“Not a combo I’d have thought of. But it really works.” She watched him unwrap chopsticks. “You can use those things?”
“Sure.” He reached into the bag for a plastic fork. “We have other options for the unbrave.”
“Was that a challenge?”
He grinned. “What do you think?” Tara was glad for the light cast from the street lamp so she didn’t mistake his comment for something other than teasing.
She held out her hand. “Challenge accepted. Oh, no,” she said when he dropped the fork in the bag. She wiggled her fingers. “I want both.”
“Ah, just in case?”
“In my profession, not having a backup plan is just dumb.” She opened the carton he handed her and was happy to see noodles instead of rice. This she could probably handle. She checked out the way he held his chopsticks and carefully copied. But the food kept slipping off.
“Don’t you dare laugh at me.”
“Use the fork.”
“Not a chance. Show me how you do it.”
They were comfortable, she realized. And wasn’t that nice. Him helping her get food to her mouth could have been very awkward, but instead, they both enjoyed the humor of the situation.
When they’d eaten their fill, Jake moved to sit behind her and pulled her back to lean against him while they watched the bright lights of tiny boats go by. With her hands over his where they rested at her waist she absorbed his presence, and his scent surrounded her. She could stay here forever.
“This is nice, especially after today. To just sit here and be.”
“Be what?” His warm breath tickled her ear and she had to concentrate to answer his question.
“Be here, be in the moment, a part of the whole without sticking out like a foreign object.” Talking was easier this way. Without him looking at her.
“You like to blend.”
A half laugh escaped her. “I want to blend, but I don’t know how. I’m the person who sticks out because I don’t wear the right clothes or say the right things. I don’t know what’s expected of me so I don’t fit in with others.” She shrugged. “I’ve always been different.”
“I’d call it special.”
“Ha. I’d call it weird and probably antisocial.” She thought about it for a minute. “I’d rather interact with an animal than a human.”
Jake was silent for so long she feared she’d said something wrong and started to pull away, but his hands stayed firmly clasped. And when she stilled, he rubbed his chin on the top of her head.
She watched the reflections of distant street lights bounce off the inlet’s inky black water. And enjoyed the feel and smell of cool ocean air. “I think this place has hit the top of my list.”
“What list?”
“Favorite places.” She swallowed hard and mustered courage. “I mean, with you. Like this, just being quiet.”
He kissed her cheek and she turned to meet his mouth with hers. Just a fleeting kiss, before snuggling back into him. “Thank you. For today, for everything. I’m sure I seem ungrateful at times but that’s just...”
What was it exactly? Was she afraid to let him close enough to see who she really was? What would he think of her when the truth came out? She stuffed those thoughts away and laughed when a huge, brightly lit cruise ship came into view. As it passed, their quiet, dark spot became as bright as in daylight.
“Time to get out of here,” said Jake.
She scooted to her feet, and with her back to the crowds leaning over the boat’s railings, offered him her hand.
They drove halfway around the park to a three lane bridge.
“Where are we going now?” she asked.
“A safe house. Up there.” He pointed to the mountains at the far end of the bridge.
After a steady climb through an area dotted with mega homes, Jake pulled into the driveway of what looked like an enormous concrete bunker. But once they got inside, Tara saw the hidden treasure that it was.
The house was a gorgeous combination of wood and stone, embedded in the mountainside. The entire city-facing wall was glass, floor to ceiling, so the incredible view was a part of the interior as well. The furnishings were a beautiful combination of wood, leather and tapestry, and display cabinets shone with hidden lights and amazing jade sculptures.
“Freaking incredible.” Not the prettiest words, but the best she could do.
“And ours for the next few days.” Jake looked like he was unsure whether to put their bags in one room or two, finally opting to set them down in the entryway.
She wasn’t sure either. Stalling, she opened a sliding door and went out onto the wide deck to stare out at the panoramic view while she tried to figure out what to do. It was so different now than it had been when they were at the cottage. She’d been an emotional wreck then because she’d been about to expose Brady for what he was and get him into a great deal of trouble. Had she used Jake as a way to escape? No. But she’d shoved aside all thought of consequences in order to live in the moment because, at that time, she’d believed Brady would come after her and she’d be dead by now.
And she’d been sure what she’d felt when she was with Jake was love at first sight. But it was different now. So much had changed. And so much hadn’t. She still hadn’t shared her deepest secret and didn’t know if she ever could. How could he possibly trust her once he knew who she was on the inside?
A shiver ran across her skin as Jake slipped his arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head.
“Fantastic view, isn’t it?”
“The bridge looks so tiny from here, but pretty with the lights draped that way. Can we see the spot we had dinner?” Babbling. She had to stop. “Oh, hell.”
He turned her to face him. “What is it?”
She had to tell him but just couldn’t. “Look, you need to know that I have a secret, and when you find out what it is, you’ll probably wish you’d had nothing to do with me.” She swallowed hard, hating that she was wrecking the wonderful time they’d had together. “So I guess we should just call it a night.”
“You can’t tell me now, is that it?”
She nodded.
“Are you married?”
She shook her head.
“Engaged?”
“Nope.”
“An escaped felon?”
This time when she shook her head he grinned. “Then whatever it is, we’ll handle it when the time comes.”
That was it? But—
“Can you let it go for now?”
Could she? What was more important? “I care about you.”
He pulled her in and held her close. “I want to be with you. No matter what your deep, dark secret is.”
She put her lips against his throat. “I want to be with you, too.”
“Then let’s try this.” He brushed his mouth over hers once, twice, and on the third pass, his hands came up to frame her face. He kissed her as though there was nothing but time. Long, slow, luxurious kisses had her on her tip toes, giving back, and taking, while her heart climbed up her throat and pounded there. Her hands, as though acting on their own, skimmed under the edge of his shirt and flattened against the smooth skin of his back, holding him to her.
When his mouth moved over her throat, a groan came from somewhere deep inside her. This, she thought, as her as her body took control away from her mind.
When his hands dropped to her hips and he drew her tightly against him, the last of her worries evaporated. He wanted her and that was all she cared about right now. What better way to forget everything but the here and now?
His mouth took hers again, and his hands slid inside her cotton shorts, over her bottom, over skin prickling with need. Her fingers fumbled with his belt buckle.
“We need to slow down.” His voice was low and scratchy. “When’s the last time you went skinny-dipping?”
Seriously? Now? “Never,” she managed.
“Come on.” He grabbed her hand and led her down a set of stairs she hadn’t noticed. At the bottom, there was a swimming pool tucked under the deck.
“Can you swim?”
“Of course.”
“Good.” He swung her up into his arms and jumped in.
Tara came up sputtering and clinging to him as he paddled to the shallow end.
“I thought skinny-dipping meant no clothing?”
“It does.” He grabbed the hem of her shirt and tugged it off.
The lacy sleeves she wore to cover the scaring on her lower arms were tight enough to stay in place.
“Pretty,” he said running a fingertip over the intricate pattern. To distract him, she slid her hands under his shirt and shoved it up over his head. She tossed it onto the wide tiles and it landed with a loud plop which made her laugh.
“I love your laugh,” he said, and lifted her so their mouths came together. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Cool water lapped at heated skin and she lost all sense of where or even who she was.