All Through the Night (Liar's Web) (18 page)

The entire time he drove around, Darcel didn't say a word. From time to time he could feel her eyes on him, questioning him, but he didn't trust himself to speak. He couldn't bring himself to look at her. He didn't want her to see the darkest part of his soul laid bare. His anger was too over the top. It burned too deep inside of him, like a wildfire he couldn't extinguish. He didn't want to freak her out any worse than he already had. She probably thought he was crazy. A crazy, out-of-control sheriff who she'd trusted to keep her alive and out of the hands of a killer.

After a half hour of driving around, he pulled the car into a shaded grove of trees, his breathing ragged and uneven as if he'd just run a marathon. He bolted out of the car and began walking down the pathway, pausing for a moment to stare upon the huge American beech tree. His gaze scoured the bark for the place where he'd carved his initials. He found the spot about six inches below eye-level, marveling at the fact it had withstood the test of time.
JT.

He'd been thirteen old at the time and pissed off at the world after his mother's untimely death. Although other kids had carved their initials as a couple surrounded by a heart, he'd done it solo, as a testament to the fact he was alive and breathing. JT against the world!

A few feet away he saw the simple, worn sign announcing
The Falls
.
 
He walked a few feet farther then stopped in his tracks as the vivid scenery took his breath away. He raised his gaze upward, marveling at the waterfall that cascaded fifty feet down to a breathtaking pool of aqua-green water. He stood there, transfixed by the pool, torn between a desire to jump in and a longing to climb to the top and free fall down.

At the top of the canyon where the falls originated there were caverns and vast ledges, private spots for jumping into the cool depths or sharing a special moment.

He felt her presence before he saw her. Something in the air shifted the moment she joined him by the pool. Perhaps it was the way she smelled or the raw energy she exuded. The hairs on his arm began to prickle, and he knew she was there. Before he saw her, he heard her sharp intake of breath and knew instinctively she was blown away by her first view of The Falls. He turned toward her, not wanting to miss a moment of her reaction to one of life's natural wonders.

“
This is breathtaking,” she gushed, her beautiful brown eyes widening with amazement as she drank in the sheer beauty of the waterfall.

“
The most beautiful place on Earth,” Jake said, his voice filled with reverence. “I used to come here a lot as a kid, mostly to get away from what was going on at home. Somehow I convinced myself that there had to be good things in the world if this place existed.”

Her mouth hung open in wonder. “I've never even heard of these falls. It's Pine Creek's little secret, I guess.”

Jake swiveled his head toward her as waves of pain continued to wash over him. “I shouldn't have brought you here. I'm sorry you were caught in the middle of that mess.”

“
You don't have to apologize. After everything you've done for me, please don't apologize. Families are messy sometimes. I know that all too well.” Her eyes were full of compassion and sweetness, and it made his gut clench to realize he cared what she thought of him. It mattered to him what she thought of his screwed-up father and his tragic past.

At the moment all of his emotions were heightened, intensified by his run-in with his deadbeat dad and the memories that rose to the surface whenever he stepped foot on the Rez. “I can't come here without thinking about my mom. Her name was Sparrow. I see her face everywhere I look. She was the one who brought me here for the first time.”

“
Tell me about it,” she urged, somehow knowing he needed to talk about her, to relive the happy moments of his past instead of wallowing in the sad ones.

“
It was just the two of us. It'd been one of those hellish days when Kohana made our lives unbearable. She brought me here to rid of us of all his negative energy. I was seven years old. She called these waters healing waters. We dove in right over there,” he pointed to the ledge above them, “and we swam for hours just the two of us.”

“
You miss her.” She reached out and touched his arm. “You'll always miss her. But by remembering her, you're honoring her memory.”

“
She should be here, dammit!” he spit out as tears misted his vision. “She shouldn't be just a memory!” Finally, after so many years of rage and heartbreak over the loss of his mother, he was able to give voice to his feelings. And strangely enough, Darcel wasn't looking at him as if he were out of his mind. Her face was filled with compassion and understanding. She didn't look repulsed at all.

Darcel reached out for him, pulling him into her arms and hugging him tightly against her chest until he felt as if he wanted to live there forever. It would be a little bit of paradise to stay like this, to take in all of her goodness and let it flow through him. His pride made him want to pull away, to resist what he knew must be pity, but he couldn't bring himself to disentangle himself from her. He inhaled the scent that lingered on the back of her neck.

She smelled like baby powder and vanilla. It was heavenly. Her dark hair was a riot of curls gently cascading over her shoulders and giving off the mysterious scent of jasmine. She pulled away, pausing to gaze into his eyes as if she were looking to see if he was all right. Her eyes were warm and tender, and he found himself being pulled into her orbit.

He closed the short distance between them, placing his lips over hers in a sizzling, sensual kiss. Her tongue darted out and licked his lips, and he let out a low moan at her erotic foreplay. Teasingly, he nibbled at her top lip, then her bottom, coming back at her with an equal dose of playfulness. He switched up the kiss by delving his tongue into her mouth, raising the stakes and making the kiss more passionate. She placed her hands on both sides of his face, her fingers wandering to the back of his neck as she kissed him full on, her movements matching his in power and sensuality.

Jake broke off the kiss, pulling back so he could gaze directly into Darcel's passion-filled eyes. “Come with me,” he coaxed as he grabbed her by the hand and led her along the ledge so they were standing at the base of the waterfall. Jake let go of her hand and began to slowly peel off his clothes, his gaze never breaking contact with hers as he shed his clothes layer by layer.

Darcel stood and watched him, hungrily taking in every naked inch of him. She licked her lips as if she were preparing herself for a scrumptious meal, her eyes full of fire. Her heated glances turned him on, and he felt his shaft harden with arousal. Not wanting to break eye contact with her, he began walking backward into the pool, his steps leisurely and enticing.

“
Are you actually going in there?” she asked, her expression a mixture of amusement and surprise.

“
Yes,” he answered with a wide grin. “And I hope you are too.”

She shook her head at him as if he were crazy. “Noooo…I don't think so.”

“
C'mon, Darcel,” he encouraged in a silky voice. “Bring my fantasy to life.”

* * * *

“
Your fantasy?”

“
Making love in the falls.” Jake flashed her a devilish smile that made her weak in the knees.

She swallowed nervously then licked her lips as he beckoned her with a wave of his finger. He looked so delicious standing there in the water, with droplets glistening on his chiseled pecs and sculpted abs. The sun bounced off his copper skin, giving him the appearance of a sexy sun god. Desire took her by surprise, ripping through her like a powerful undercurrent. She wanted him.

She'd never considered herself sexually adventurous, and the feelings raising within her left her feeling off balance. The temptation to join Jake in the water felt overwhelming. It was the ultimate seduction, to be driven to do something so out of character based purely on desire.

It was just the two of them, she rationalized, as she slowly began to unbutton her shirt. Jake's gaze was trained on her every movement, and her hand shook a little under his intense scrutiny. She peeled off her pants and bra, shyness taking over as she began to tug at her panties. She'd never been completely nude outdoors before, having never skinny dipped or shed her inhibitions enough to have sex outside.

As her panties fell to the ground, she cast an uncertain glance in Jake's direction, gaining a measure of confidence as she saw the bold approval in his eyes. She waded through the water until she met Jake at the base of the falls. Without uttering a single word, he took her hand and pulled her toward the rock ledge, hoisting her up into one of the caverns.

“
Don't let me fall,” she pleaded as she worked to get a foothold on one of the rocks. Her foot slipped on the slick stone, and she felt herself being held in his powerful arms instead of falling. It was the safest feeling she'd ever known.

“
Never,” he murmured as he lifted up one of her legs and draped it across his thigh. “Just hold on to me. I've got you,” he whispered, his voice smooth as glass. He grabbed her waist with one hand while his other hand was firmly gripping her butt, his fingers seductively kneading her lush backside. She reached out and stroked his erection, her movements full of sensuality. She curled her fingers around him, exploring his girth, the texture of his skin, his silky essence. He leaned toward her and hungrily kissed her on the lips, his breath hot and heavy, his tongue expertly probing her mouth. She kissed him back greedily, sensing his urgent need for them to be one.

He entered her in one solid thrust—stretching her, filling her up, going deep inside her. She sucked in a deep breath as pure ecstasy washed over her. Because of the way his body was positioned at an angle, he managed to rock against her pleasure spot as he stroked himself inside her. Again and again he thrust himself into her, pushing her to the brink. His movements were giving her maximum pleasure, and she let out an earth-shattering cry as she felt the first flutters of an orgasm.

God, I love this man!

Love? She loved Jake Trueblood?

The thought ran through her mind like a runaway train. The very moment it flashed into her brain, she tried to push it away with all her might, as if rejecting it would make it untrue. Was it even possible she could have fallen so hard for him in such a short space of time? Or perhaps she'd always loved him, right from the start. Love? Real, honest to goodness love! Try as she might, she couldn't escape it.
Yes, I love him.

The weight of it hit her full force, leaving her stunned and breathless. Abruptly she disentangled herself from him, distancing herself from all the pleasure he was giving her. She found herself putting her hands on his chest and pushing him away from her. Even though she craved his touch, it was only intensifying what she was feeling. She turned away from him, unwilling to let him see the love shining in her eyes.

“
What's wrong? Did I hurt you?” Jake asked in a pained voice. He gently turned her around, his ink-colored eyes searching her own for any signs of distress. “Please don't tell me I hurt you.”

She avoided eye contact, her chin trembling as she shook her head. “No, it's not that. It's too—”

“
Intense?” He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. Looking into his eyes was unbearable. His dark orbs were filled with sensuality and warmth. She mutely nodded her head, not trusting herself to give voice to her chaotic feelings. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, and she felt as if she was swimming in depths way over her head. How had things spiraled so out of control?

“
Stay with me. I need you.”

His words slammed into her gut with the intensity of a sledgehammer.
I need you
. She felt weak in the knees upon hearing him express his desire for her. They mirrored her own feelings—she needed him. More than she'd ever dreamed possible. How had this happened? It was terrifying to be facing these out-of-control emotions, all the while unsure of what Jake was feeling for her. He needed her. But how? In his life? In his bed? Or was he simply trying to get through this difficult moment in time?

Right now she didn't have time to question things. Jake was staring at her intensely, his eyes full of raw hunger. This was his fantasy. To make love under a waterfall. And she couldn't deny this man anything he asked of her. Because she loved him. And even if she wasn't ready to tell him, she would show him how deeply she cared. She threw herself into his arms and wrapped her own around him, her lips reaching up to meet his in a sizzling kiss.

He entered her, gently pushing himself inside her, his strokes slow and rhythmic. He took his time with her, prolonging her pleasure by taking her to the brink and then slowing it down right before she was about to climax. It was as if he were doing everything in his power not to overwhelm her. As the water swirled over them, she surrendered to it—the pleasure, the need, the rush of their bodies melded together. And above all, loving this man as she'd loved no other.

She felt his body stiffen and he let out a primal groan as he orgasmed. “Darcel.” He groaned as his body shuddered and arched against her. He reached down between their bodies and flicked her clit with his finger, sending her plunging over the edge. As pleasure rocketed through her body, she cried out words that came straight from her soul.