Leoti

Leoti

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Leoti
© Copyright 2012 Sienna Mynx

Cover art by Reese Dante

Electronic book publication December 2012

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Chapter One

Josie tossed her phone to the seat. The conversation between her and her sister didn’t end well. However, it would not alter her mood. Her fingers played against the buttons on the steering column flipping through stations. She settled on Stevie Nicks,
Landslide
. Carlton turned her on to Stevie. He loved a good guitar instrumental. She almost turned it off but Stevie’s bluesy voice stilled her hand. Josie’s head dropped back as she listened to the words,
and remembered that sometimes love isn’t enough. It evidently wasn’t enough for her and Carlton. She feared the future if it was one of wild parties and tiring civil cases. There had to be more to life. Maybe Carlton would realize that marriage, kids, and a family were what he needed. Maybe not. She would use this time to figure out what truly mattered in her heart.

The sign welcoming her to Mission Creek brought another smile to her face. Soon she drove through the heart of the town. Not much to the place. There was a gas station with a garage; a couple of cabin-like stores, and what looked like a Sheriff’s office. She also saw a produce store with fresh vegetables and fruit on display outside its doors. The serene quietness was a comfort. Ironically this would be a place that Carlton would love. He could write music and play his guitar all day.

Josie reached for the map. Stapled to it were the directions to the cabin she’d printed off of MapQuest for when she arrived. She felt proud that she hadn’t turned on her GPS once. The road continued through a community of log cabin homes, and rentals that would be impossible to navigate at night. The forest trees along the roads blocked the sun. It was a rental she’d secured over the internet from a private owner. She’d taken a risk on this one but at least she knew her mother and sister, and more importantly Carlton, wouldn’t be able to easily locate her.

7209 was the number and soon she found her cabin. The Mustang rocked, bobbed, and dipped, over the gravel driveway that lead to a log-house nestled in a plush, green-forested enclave. It was so cozy and cute. Josie put the car in park and smiled. A warm smell of wild cypress, freshly mowed grass mixed with sun dried leaves, pine and the faint berry scent of wild flowers filled her lungs when she exited the car.

With her hands tucked into the back of her snug-fit jeans she slowly approached, her heels sinking in the moist soil. At the porch steps she soon found the hide-a-key right where the owner said it would be, under a fake turtle. A couple of hard shoves on the door forced it open and she went inside.

The cabin was muggy. A sliver of light seeped in from the closed blinds. Shutting the door behind her she tossed her keys to the wall table then went about opening the place up.

It was beautiful. She had rented a one bedroom with a full kitchen and a spacious sitting room to the back, with double doors that opened to a large wooden deck. The view was spectacular. Blackfoot Mountain and a serene stream could be seen from the deck. The sunlight shimmied off its dark, still waters. Maybe she’d venture down there and do some writing by the lake. First order of business was unpacking.

Josie retrieved her bags and everything else from the car. After she completed the task of emptying her suitcase, she hauled in her antique typewriter, which weighed close to thirty pounds, and set it up in the back sitting room. A complete scan of the contents in the kitchen cabinets and fridge revealed she had nothing. Not even bottled water. She had to get up the road to the store or there would be no dinner. Especially before it got dark, she didn’t want to be forced on those roads at night.

Nate’s General Store

The bell over the door chimed as she stepped inside. An older gentleman with a silver beard that reached all the way to the top button of his shirt looked up from his paper. He stood behind the cash register. “Evening ma’am,” he said with a nod.

“Hello.” Josie said, shyly. She picked up a basket near the door and headed down the aisle. The man’s kind eyes followed her, as she imagined he did all strangers to his town.

“If you need any help finding anything, let me know. The names Nate, Nathaniel Collins,” he said.

“Thank you,” Josie answered.

She spent the next ten minutes gathering dinner, making a mental note of all the things she’d return for when she went exploring through Mission Creek the next day. She stopped and inspected a block of ground chuck too. The door chimed again but she didn’t bother to look over. She was stuck between deciding on sticking to her diet or a binge-filled week. Deciding that a little cheating on her menu wouldn’t do any harm to her curves she snatched up all the things she wanted as opposed to needed and then walked up to Nathaniel perched behind the register. As she unloaded her haul she took inventory of everything, and it dawned on her that she’d never checked the bathroom. The worst thing ever would be arriving to no toilet tissue.

“Excuse me, I forgot something,” she said and turned to slam bodily up against the hard frame of a man. She went back on her heels and he caught her elbow steadying her.

“Oh I’m sorr-” her voice caught when her eyes reached his.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice deep, rustic, with a smooth delivery. It was a voice that was all man. She gaped, swallowed then forced a smile, stepping out of his reach. “I didn’t see you.” She apologized tugging at the bottom of her shirt, trying to fix the mistake by reclaiming her poise. He gave a soft chuckle, and she knew why. He stood over six-foot-five, and was broad shouldered with a Herculean physique. This man was hard to miss. His blue-black hair, rested on his dark brown aviator jacket with the fleeced collar. She’d never seen a man with hair so long and beautiful that it didn’t in any way detract from his masculinity. In fact every bronzed inch of him looked as if his skin was sun kissed.
And his eyes,
they were deeply magnetic like Carlton’s.

What was he? Native American? Resting off his neck was a silver medallion with turquoise stones, beautifully crafted, on a thin leather chain. With his collar open she noticed a tribal tattoo at the base of his throat. Interesting, it had a circular pattern.

“Excuse me.” She apologized, realizing that the two of them were now just staring. She walked around the tall man bringing his eyes with her. Josie snatched rolls of tissue and paper towels pretending to be unaffected. She then returned them to Nate. Digging through her purse for her wallet she caught glimpses of him from her peripheral. He was inspecting the selection of shovels and other tools, having forgotten something as well. She handed Nate her credit card and braved another look. He must have been psychic because he cast a glance back over his shoulder. The exchange had her blushing like a schoolgirl.

“Stop it.” She chastised herself. The last thing she wanted was a man. She had a guy. She never doubted Carlton’s love for her they just had different priorities.

“Excuse me?” Nate asked, handing her the card and a pen to sign the receipt.

“Nothing,” she said scribbling away then stuffing her card in her wallet. The Native American was behind her now, something in his hand. She could sense his presence. Josie accepted one bag then the other but again in her nervousness dropped part of her load.

“Oh, damn it,” she cursed. Now she was all thumbs? Nate came around the corner concerned, and the stranger who had her knees weak bent down to help. She wanted to just run out of the store, she was so embarrassed. Hell it looked like she was playing the role of a damsel in distress. How ridiculous.

“I’m so sorry, so sorry.”

“It’s okay.” he smiled, putting things in the fresh bag provided. “Do you need help to your car?”

“NO!” she said a little too loudly.

Nate and the stranger frowned.

“Ah, I mean, I’m okay, thank you,” she stammered. “Thank you.” She accepted the bags and quickly left.

Elu was speechless.

There were few women in these parts and it had been even longer since he’d seen one so strikingly different and beautiful. She stood up slowly. Standing he found her petite, delicate, feminine. She had to be no more than five-feet four or five. And curvy in all the right places, with full jutting breasts in a creamy yellow slimming shirt that was flat to her tiny waist. His gaze lowered to find she had a fine shapely backside and thighs. He inhaled the lilac embedded in her perfumed skin when he aided her.

Round amber brown eyes gazed up into his under long lashes and perfectly arched brows. She had a slender nose and full moist lips on a lovely oval face. She was natural too. No makeup, her complexion a deeper shade of brown than his, he guessed her to be African American. She had picked her hair out into a riot of curls that dusted her shoulders and puffed around her face like a dark cloud. He’d bet those curls were silky to the touch. And before he could say his name or make conversation like a nervous butterfly she was gone.

“Pretty ain’t she?” Nate asked, and Elu realized the old man was at his side grinning up at him amused.

“I hadn’t noticed.” Elu said, his voice croaking with his false attempt at being nonchalant.

“Guess you don’t care to take this roll of tissue she left behind out to her then?” Nate chuckled.

Elu snatched the roll and hurried after her.

Josie loaded the back of the Mustang, thankful the top was still down when she heard him.

“Miss?”

She looked up.

He smiled with perfectly white teeth and approached. “You left this on the counter.”

It was the blasted toilet tissue that started the folly.

“Thanks,” she said. A dog barked. A beautiful black and white Siberian Husky. It looked like a wolf, with ice blue eyes. The animal was huge, and if she didn’t love dogs she’d probably be frightened. “Is he yours?” Josie asked.