Heat Wave (Riders Up) (24 page)

“Don’t worry about
that, Mom,” Carolyn called out over her shoulder as she headed for the stairs. “Boys
aren’t going to come between me and what I want to do with my life. I know I
have to have good grades to become a vet.”

Listening to the
muffled sound of her daughter’s bedroom door closing, Maggie wondered aloud, “How
much of a chance is there that she will stay that focused over the next several
years?”

Ed’s face lit up. “Oh,
she may vacillate some, but Carolyn seems to have a strong dose of her mother’s
stubbornness. I’d put money on the girl doing what she wants.”

“Aren’t you an
interesting odds maker,” Maggie teased, feeling much more relaxed than an hour
earlier. Would she ever get used to being a mother of a teenager? She looked at
Ed. So what did he have in mind now?

“So, I’d best be
going,” Ed said, rising from his chair. “It’s been a stressful night. You need
to get some rest. Morning will be here before you know it.”

Maggie folded her
arms and pouted. “Aren’t I even going to get a goodnight kiss from my date? I’m
not sure I could sleep if I wanted too.”

Ed grinned down at
her. “Guess I can manage that,” he said. “Must have been an oversight on my
part.”

She felt his finger
tip brush lightly across her lips before his mouth settled on hers. She waited,
applying no pressure, more than a little curious about how her man was going to
handle this goodnight kiss.

His tongue traced
her lips. She loved the care he was taking with her. This would be no peck, nor
was it a kiss to comfort.

In a moment, his
tongue moved across the roof of her mouth, teasing, caressing. Maggie held back
no longer as she joined her tongue in their play. His hands cupped her butt. God,
he had wonderful hands. She stood on her tiptoes to grind her crotch against
his stiff arousal. She felt him tense and begin to withdraw; she held on
firmly. Without thought, she jumped up into his arms and swung her legs around
his rear. She rubbed against his erection, wanting more.

Finally, Ed
succumbed to her rhythm. Maggie bit his shoulder and stifled a scream. He braced
himself, holding her steady. She rocked back and forth, slowly at first and
then more rapidly. When relief came, it threatened to shatter her soul; she was
awash with fire. And then there was nothing—almost no feeling.

Limp. It would have
taken a Herculean effort to move a single muscle. She was grateful that somehow
Ed knew all she wanted was to be held.

How much time went
by she didn’t know, but her head eventually cleared some. Her muscles strained.
Aware of Ed still holding her, she lowered her feet to the floor. How could it
be possible they still could hold her up?

“I’ve got to go,
Maggie. Your daughter just went upstairs, and here we are making out like a
couple randy fools.”

With the back of
her hand, Maggie wiped the heat from her lips. As her eyes regained the ability
to focus, she said, “You’re right. I didn’t plan to seduce you again.”

He chuckled. “I
know. Let’s just say this one was mutual. It must be those damn rabbit ears.”

“What!”

“I’ve been turned
on ever since you came down with those rabbit-eared slippers on your feet. Never
thought I’d be involved with a bunny.”

“If that’s what it
takes, I may never take these slippers off.” She dropped her eyelids briefly. “I
had a great time tonight, Ed. I hope there will be many more. You are full of
surprises. I didn’t know you could be so romantic.”

“Oh, there are
plenty more surprises. You haven’t even begun to sample my repertoire.” Setting
his Stetson squarely on his head, pulling the brim down some, he promised, “Till
next time.” And then he stepped out into the night and made his way toward the
loft.

Maggie watched him
disappear in the darkness, feeling suddenly alone and chilled. It had been a
marvelous night. And he
was
full of surprises. But he hadn’t asked her
out for another date. Turning off the kitchen lights, she grumbled, “At least
Carolyn got a second date.”

The next morning Ed
arrived early for breakfast, his body rigid and his face ashen.

“Didn’t you get any
sleep? You look like hell,” Maggie mocked, glancing up from cracking eggs into
a large mixing bowl.

“Put the eggs down,
Maggie,” Ed said firmly, “I’ve got some bad news.”

“What?” Maggie
wiped her hands on a towel. The smoldering anger in his eyes chilled her body. “What
happened?”

“The tomcat.” Ed
breathed deeply. “Somebody slashed the tomcat’s throat. I found him this
morning in the barn crosswalk when I went to feed the horses.”

“Oh, my God,”
Maggie murmured. Collapsing into a chair, her body shook. “Poor Tom. Someone
was here? Someone is trying to scare the hell out of us. Someone is very
serious.”

Ed moved behind
Maggie and began massaging her shoulders. “No question, and very sick. Any
bastard who’d kill a cat has to be sick. I don’t know if it happened while we
were at the dance or later.”

“He could’ve been
killed while we slept. Thank God Johnny or Carolyn didn’t find him first.” Maggie
struggled to quell her roiling stomach. She gripped the tabletop; her knuckles
whitened. “What next?”

- o -

Ed bent to kiss her
ear. He’d never seen her so devastated. She’d always been the strong one—now
she needed someone to lean on, and he wasn’t sure he ought to be that one. But
no one else was available.

“I don’t know.” He
continued rubbing her neck. Maggie leaned forward, giving him more access. He
could feel the strain in her neck muscles seeking release. “You should report
this to the sheriff. He might do nothing, but at least there will be a record. Killing
a cat goes a long way beyond vandalism. I’ll call Clint later today and bring
him up to date.”

Ed worried whether
they would find the bastard before any further damage could be done. He cringed
at how vulnerable everyone in the household was—as well as some promising,
pricey horses. How could he protect them all, isolated from neighbors by a half
mile in either direction?

Maybe he’d go into
town later in the morning and buy a gun. He wouldn’t tell Maggie—she’d just be
more alarmed. But they had to do something to protect themselves.

“We can’t leave the
kids here alone, singly or together,” Maggie said. She pressed a hand against her
throbbing temple. “What if…” Maggie closed her eyes.

Opening them again,
she said, “Who is safe anymore? What is safe?” She turned to look sidewise at
Ed. “Are you safe in the barn? Are we safe in the house? There’s a rabid person
out there. We’ve got to be careful.”

“I wholeheartedly
support you on that. I’m not sure we can afford a lot of security. The cost of
an alarm system for the barn and house would be prohibitive.”

- o -

Maggie laid her
head down on the table. She was comforted by the warmth of his large hands
resting on her shoulders. What would she do without him? She would survive; she
knew that. But this was so much better—sharing the good and the bad with
someone you loved. Still, none of them were safe.

She sat back in the
chair. “You’re probably right about the cost of an alarm system, but I should
at least check it out. We can’t just sit here and be easy targets for any sicko
who happens to want this land.” Maggie’s shoulders slumped. “What would compel
a person to kill an innocent cat?”

“I don’t know, but
if we’re lucky we’re going to find out.”

Maggie rose to
continue preparing breakfast. Regardless of what else was happening, they had
to eat. Squirting oil on the frying pan, she couldn’t shake the feeling that
her safe cocoon was in danger of falling completely apart. What if they weren’t
lucky? She couldn’t imagine anyone she knew stooping so low. Could she really
have an enemy that hated her that much or who coveted her land that much?

The hate in Mrs.
McPherson’s eyes last night had been raw and intimidating. But could she really
be behind the killing of the tomcat? Maggie knew better than to rule out that
possibility, but she found the idea preposterous, even for Mrs. McPherson.

Maggie shuddered. Squaring
her shoulders, she focused her attention on what needed to be done. Ed would
notify Clint. She had more faith in the Chicago-based detective agency than in
the local sheriff’s office. She’d make a report to the sheriff, though. Then
she’d see about a security system for the house. There was no way she could
afford an electronic system for the barn; a night watchman was out of the
question. No matter what they did, they would remain vulnerable to anyone
determined to cause trouble.

Maybe she should
get a gun. She grimaced. She didn’t know the first thing about shooting a gun. Her
family would likely be at greater risk if she owned one.

Glancing from the
stove to where Ed remained at the table pretending to read the same page of a
magazine over and over, she thanked God that she had his help. How long would
he put himself at risk for her and her family? Could he be scared off? She
would be so much more vulnerable if he fled.

Was the land really
worth all of this? Maggie stared out the kitchen window toward the paddock
where horses grazed and beyond, toward the corn fields that had failed her this
season. Who was she without the land? What kind of future could any of them
have if they were separated from the land?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Two weeks later,
Maggie sagged against the mail box, her eyes fixed on the certified letter she
held in her trembling hands. The envelope was addressed to Edward H.
Harrington; its return address was the Illinois Racing Board.

If it contained
what she thought it did, she should be thrilled for him. So why was she shaking
like a leaf? If it was the good news he’d been so afraid to hope for, would he
leave her? If it was bad news, would he retreat to the nearest bottle?

A week earlier,
when they’d been in Chicago picking up four broodmares, Cassie had hinted at a possible
breakthrough in Ed’s case. She hadn’t been at liberty to say more. Given the
glare from her husband, she’d likely already said more than she was supposed
to.

Because of the
tomcat being killed, Maggie had insisted on taking the kids with them to Chicago,
school or no school. Hank looked after the stock while they were gone and
nothing had gone wrong. Her children had been awed by the skyscrapers, though
neither Carolyn nor Johnny seemed particularly enamored with big city life.

Maggie hefted the weighty
envelop gingerly. It even felt important. If the Board had decided to reinstate
him, Ed would go back to his old life. Why wouldn’t he? This backwater
community had to be small potatoes for a trainer of his skill and stature. Cassie
had told her about his burning desire to be on the level of a Baffert, a Lucas,
a Zito. He’d been on the verge of making the leap to that next plateau when the
scandal hit. Maggie knew he’d never make that next level training her horses in
Beaverhill, Iowa.

She sighed, turned
and slowly walked toward the house. It had been a good run with Ed and the
horses. Smiling, she remembered the close camaraderie they’d shared remodeling
the barn and constructing new fencing; the thrill of buying those first horses
and then sharing that initial kiss; his running, only to be caught. Her muscles
ached recalling each moment that morning in the kitchen when neither one of
them could run anymore. She took a deep breath remembering his laughter, his
arms holding her securely during a waltz, his body speaking to her own in a
language unique to them.

It was over. With
the dead cat and the trip to Chicago with the kids along, there had been little
time for romance. And now he would scurry off to Chicago as fast as his beat up
old truck could haul him.

No need to prolong
the agony. Maggie walked toward the barn. If this wasn’t a good news-bad news
event, she’d never known one before.

Maggie stood
rigidly watching Ed rip open the certified letter with shaking hands. Holding
his breath, he scanned it quickly. A smile spread wide across his face. It grew
broader. It became his entire face. She heard him hoot, “They did it! I’m
cleared. I’m reinstated.”

Ed threw his cap
toward the haymow. He grabbed Maggie by the waist and twirled them across the
barn driveway. “I can’t believe it, Maggie. Two so-called witnesses changed
their stories and the circumstantial evidence collapsed.”

He kissed her on
the top of her head; she clung tightly to him as if they were aboard a
Tilt-A-Whirl.

“I can dream again,”
Ed shouted. “There is life after death. This is cause for celebration, Maggie—get
your best dress on. We’re going to go to Des Moines to the fanciest restaurant
they have. It might not be like dining at the Pump Room in Chicago, but it will
do for tonight.”

Not wanting to
burst his bubble, knowing that she owed him at least this much, she set aside
her own fears to celebrate with him. She celebrated wildly, maybe even drank
too much wine. He insisted she have the best wine in the house even though he
had none. They ate and they danced. She felt so secure and so afraid in his
arms. He didn’t seem to notice the tears in her eyes. Or if he did, he must
have written them off as tears of joy and pleasure. They weren’t.

Maggie tried
desperately to guard a portion of her heart as she waited for reality to hit—waited
for him to announce when he’d leave for Chicago. This might be their last night.
She was determined to enjoy the ride as best she could for as long as it
lasted.

There was little
conversation between them during the return trip from Des Moines. Maggie even
found it difficult to appreciate the late October full moon. Maggie shrank farther
into the corner of her seat.

Ed drove down her
driveway and said quietly, “I’d like you to come to the loft, Maggie. Let’s
check on the kids, and then come and stay the night with me.”

“Okay,” she
whispered. She wanted one last time. She needed one more memory to tuck away.

“Leave the lamp on,”
Ed said, pulling the blankets off the bed.

Maggie warmed under
his unabashed appraisal.

“I want to see you.
I want to memorize your shape. Your taste and smell are branded into my mind. I
intend to memorize every square inch of your body, woman. I’m going to
accomplish that with my tongue.”

Maggie’s eyes
widened and then glazed over.

“Every square inch,”
he reiterated. “Nothing will ever be forgotten.”

His intensity
impaled her to her very core. The firmly set jaw, the gleam in his eyes, the
burning of his touch. She wanted him now; she wanted him deep inside. His look
disarmed her, turning her body to soft clay to be molded however he desired. Normally,
she’d struggle with him for control. This time she willed herself to receive
and to follow his lead. She willed herself to be patient.

Quickly, Maggie
discovered that she didn’t have to work at waiting, at being patient. Her body
could do no other.

He started by
pulling one of her hands to his lips. He nibbled and suckled each finger before
moving to her wrist. She sighed heavily as his tongue traced her earlobe and
then lapped at her nape. His lips brushed her eyelids, then her nose; Maggie
smiled as her nose twitched in response. His tongue traced the outline of her
smile before moving to her chin.

She started to put
her arms around his back. Ed raised his head and looked at her. “Not yet,” he
whispered. “I’m not near finished.” He placed her arms back on the bed. “Just
receive. We have all night. Who knows about tomorrow?”

Maggie tensed,
nearly panicking. “Tomorrow can wait, and so can I,” she managed to say before
her heavy eyelids shuttered.

She luxuriated in
his quest to know and remember her body. Ever so lightly, his tongue advanced
from the crown of her breast to its nipple, which ached in anticipation. He
twirled the nipple with his lips and teeth. Maggie’s back arched in response.

He moved on.

After swirling his
tongue around her navel, Ed paused, easily rolling her over on her stomach. Lying
there surprised, Maggie felt even more exposed, more naked. He started at the
base of her neck. She nearly dozed off.

This was beyond any
sexual experience she’d ever had. That smooth rough tongue communicated much
more than lust and desire. Love. Pleasure. Delight. Warmth. She was an object
of adoration. She’d been loved before, but she couldn’t remember ever being
adored.

His lips graced her
buttocks; her skin puckered as he suctioned her flesh. Her loins cried out for
attention, but she waited. This was his night. Smiling inwardly, she rephrased
that thought—this was very definitely becoming
her
night.

She had never known
how sensitive the back of her knees were. At last, he turned her over again and
his tongue inched its way around her waist, down her inner thighs, and then
back up to that ultimate prize.

She was so wet
there was no need for further preparation. Undaunted, Ed continued to explore
and apparently memorize. All her senses were drawn to that one singular tingly
spot. Maggie could wait no longer; she bucked in response to his probing
tongue. She was about to explode into a thousand pieces. She felt him press his
open mouth firmly against her straining sex, as if by doing so he could keep
her from dismantling. Maggie grabbed his head, pulled his ears, locked his body
to herself with her powerful legs; rapidly, she lost herself in an
exquisiteness so rare she hadn’t even known it existed.

- o -

Minutes later, Ed
still smiled into her wetness. He savored her nectar clinging to him like a
protective shield. Had he become addicted to Maggie Anderson’s taste?

If there was but
one truth in his life, then he knew what it was—there was no way he wanted to
live without Maggie. Memories, while powerful, would never be enough.

At last, Maggie’s
legs loosened their grip on him. “I want to feel you in me, Ed,” she panted. “No
more exploring. Please. Just love me.”

“What do you think
I’ve been doing?” Ed teased, easing her over onto her stomach.

“It was great, but
I need more.”

Climbing to her
knees, Maggie wiggled a steamy target for him. Ed didn’t miss his mark.

“Ah, yes,” she
sighed. “That’s where I want you.”

He felt her squeeze
his erection while pushing back against his thighs, pulling him deeper into her
interior. As if both of them wished for time to be suspended, they waited. After
what seemed like minutes, she squeezed once more. It was his signal. He began
flexing his hips to and fro.

He reached to cup
her breasts. Maggie’s breathing quickened. Ed sensed the gathering at her
sexual center.

“Faster,” she
called out, raising her head. “Now. Don’t wait. Don’t hold back.”

Her command acted
like a trigger. His hips traveled at a speed unknown to him. Maggie howled and
mewed.

He knew the moment
her climax began. He felt her shatter beneath him, her fluids wetting his
thighs.

Maggie’s release
sparked his own powerful response. His hips ceased moving. He kissed her back.

“My God, Maggie,
what am I going to do with you?” he moaned, collapsing, pinning her body to the
mattress.

Ed felt her shudder
beneath him and he rolled them to rest on their sides, her rear tucked firmly
against his thighs. Still intimately joined, he couldn’t imagine life getting
any better. He had his life as a trainer back, and he’d at last found a woman
to love.

Yes, dammit, he’d
admitted it. A woman to love—if she’d have him. Maybe she’d seen more than
enough of his indecisiveness. She would never leave the farm; he’d never ask
her to. Somehow they could work things out. He hadn’t come this far and
overcome so many obstacles to lose her now.

“A body can’t feel
better than mine is feeling right now.” Maggie cooed faintly.

Half asleep, Ed
cuddled her even closer and grazed her neck with the tip of his tongue. “Me
too,” he whispered.

- o -

Loud banging on the
loft door and insistent shouts jarred both lovers awake. Ed grabbed his pants
from the chair, slipped them on and rushed to respond. Before he opened the
door, he glanced back and saw that Maggie had pulled the sheets and blankets
over her nudity.

When Ed opened the
door, a man dressed in bib overalls stood there with raised fist screaming as
loudly as he could. “The barn’s on fire! You got to get out quick.”

“Oh, my God!”
Maggie shrieked, overlooking modesty and clambering to get out of the bed.

With their eyes
straining, both Maggie and Ed pulled on boots, threw on clothes and rushed down
the stairs. They headed toward the broodmares, who were housed in stalls at the
other end of the barn.

Maggie had
recognized the man who sounded the alarm as her neighbor, Randy Jackson. He
already was leading one broodmare out of the barn by the time she and Ed got
down the stairway. That left three broodmares in the barn and several younger
horses in a nearby shed. The fire seemed to be located in the feed and storage
area, but it was spreading rapidly. Flames climbed the wooden walls toward the
haymow. It was already too late to save the barn. She turned her full attention
toward the mares. They were stomping furiously and whinnied anxiously.

Ed was already
putting a rope around Midnight Dancer’s neck and trying to convince the balking
animal to leave her stall. With a halter in hand, Maggie entered the stall of
another frightened horse. The mare threw her head about so much that Maggie
could only get the halter strapped around the animal’s neck. “It’ll have to do,”
she muttered to herself, tugging hard on the halter. At first the mare only
pulled back. The animal’s wide eyes mirrored the terror which was happening
around her.

Without a second
thought, Maggie pulled off her blouse and used it to cover the mare’s eyes. She
didn’t know what she’d done to win the animal’s trust, but at last the horse
stepped forward following Maggie’s lead.

The heat singed her
breasts. Flames spit out dangerously close to the mare’s tail. Slowly, but
determinedly, Maggie walked the mare down the center of the barn toward safety.
She refused to look up at the ceiling above her. She didn’t have to look; she
knew it was ablaze.