Slow Hands (27 page)

"Dozens," she hedged.

"You probably hated that I asked you to elope. To give up a big church wedding."

The song ended, and Keira had no choice but to meet Alec's eyes. It was tempting to lie. To simply agree. But that had never been her style.

"I hated you for not coming back," she whispered finally. "The lack of a fancy ceremony never entered into it. Being together was all that mattered."

Alec's grip tightened, holding her in place. "If you could do it all over again," he began.

Keira cut him off. "I wouldn't. Had I known it would hurt so badly, I would have chosen to
never
meet you, Alec."

Having said more than she meant, she turned and headed back to her table. Franny intercepted, dragging her off toward the bathroom.

Franny checked to make certain they were alone. "You look upset. What's wrong?"

Keira shook her head. "It's— I don't know. Weddings. Always a bridesmaid—"

"Is it Alec?"

Keira nodded. "I shouldn't have gotten involved again. I don't want to be hurt when he leaves."

Franny shook her head. "Maybe if you gave him some encouragement, he'd stay."

Keira looked away. If only it were that simple.
Encourage him.

With what?

He'd left once because Freedom—her love—wasn't enough. She couldn't bear the thought he might grow bored . . . and leave again. Alec had another life, away from Freedom. A life of dangerous undercover assignments.

She recalled the scars on the backs of his legs. He'd been injured at least once. And still he went back to it. Did playing secret agent satisfy the thrill seeker in him?

Other guests drifted into the bathroom.

"Let's get out of here," Franny whispered. "And think about what I said. If Alec is what you want, then go for it. Life's ugliest regrets aren't the opportunities that never come. It's the ones we let slip by."

Go for it.
Simple words, but did she have the courage to try again?

Alec was waiting just inside the reception hall, keeping his eye on the door in case Keira tried to slip out.

Her words had cut. Deep.
She wished she'd never met him.
How the hell could he overcome that? And why was it so important that he did?

When she reappeared, he moved to her side, offered his arm. When she took it, he exhaled, led her toward the bar.

"Can we pretend our last conversation didn't happen?" he asked. "And start over?"

At her nod, he ordered two drinks. He clinked his glass against hers.

"Here's to the future." He kept his voice low and drained his glass.

"The future." Keira emptied her glass and found herself swept back onto the dance floor.

The rest of the evening was a sparkling blur of dancing. Of champagne cocktails. Sally had both a live band and a DJ. Between the two of them, they kept the party hopping.

When it came time for the bride to toss the bouquet, Franny dragged Keira to the center of the floor. Keira stepped back into the crowd, hoping Franny would catch it. She watched as Sally drew back, did a fake throw before tossing it high in the air.

Straight into Keira's hands.

She stared at the bouquet, dumbfounded, as everyone clapped. Then Alec was there, kissing her, laughing, pressing another drink into her hand.

The party started breaking up around two, after the happy couple took off for their honeymoon.

Darryl and Franny walked outside with Alec and Keira.

Franny and Keira sang a duet about strong women and straight whiskey. Keira shimmied while Franny did a pelvic twist. Both women giggled.

Darryl shook his head, slapped Alec's shoulder. "You're driving, right?"

Alec nodded. He'd purposely had soft drinks all evening, while making sure Keira had plenty of champagne. He was determined to woo her back into his bed through fair means or foul.

He knew the main reason she'd stayed at Franny's the past few nights was to avoid him, to avoid the growing intimacy between them. Or at least that was what he wanted to believe.

He'd given up trying to define his feelings for her. Nothing fit. There had always been something extraordinary between Keira and him.

Soul mates? Scary shit.

They definitely had a kinship that went beyond the physical. He had run from it ten years ago. Was maybe only now coming to realize what he'd run from.

At twenty, he hadn't been ready to embrace an all-encompassing love. Was he now?

He didn't know.

But he could no more deny his attraction to her than he could stop the blood from flowing through his veins. He wanted Keira with a need that felt overwhelming. A need to have her, hold her, at any cost.
Very scary shit.

The night was starry and clear. Keira sang as they made their way to Alec's Jeep. He laughed at her exaggerated sway, then helped her in. He buckled her seat belt and earned a kiss.

Still smiling, he started the car. Before putting it in gear, he reached over and trailed his fingers along her bare shoulder. To put clothes on skin this soft and pretty was a sin.

"Nice night. Feel like taking a ride?"

Keira shrugged, opening the moon roof. She leaned back slightly in her seat. "Sure. Where are we going?"

Alec put on a CD. "You'll see."

Keira recognized the spot immediately. The old fire tower.

The first place they'd made love.

"Feel like a climb?" Alec asked.

She looked at her gown. His suit. "We're not exactly dressed for it."

"Never stopped us before. Hold on."

He climbed out and came around to her side. When he opened her door, she saw he had grabbed a flashlight.

"You carry the light, I'll carry you."

Before she could protest, Alec had her in his arms and was heading down the trail.

"I'm supposed to believe this is spontaneous?" she asked, then hiccupped. Champagne bubbles outnumbered oxygen molecules two to one in her veins.

"Nope. I admit, I planned it. This used to be a great place to watch stars."

And to make love beneath them, Keira recalled. The fire tower was a big open loft nearly sixty feet in the air. Private. Romantic.

Choruses of baby tree frogs chirped, the air alive with night sounds.

Alec set her at the foot of the ladder, then shone the flashlight straight up. "Just like I remembered." He looked down at her heels. "Can you climb in those?"

She hiked her gown up. "Actually the dress is more of a challenge."

Alec watched her climb a few rungs, admiring her taut butt. He started right behind her, careful to keep his arms outside of hers in case she slipped.

Her agility amazed him. So, too, her spirit for adventure. She was the only woman he knew who would tackle a climb like this in high heels and a gown. And would look like a perfect lady when she reached the top.

The ladder ended at the trapdoor in the floor of the tower. Alec boosted Keira through the opening, then climbed up.

He quickly surveyed their surroundings. The platform was about twelve feet square, with waist-high side rails and no roof. Beer cans and cigarette butts littered the floor.

"Guess things haven't changed," he observed.

Keira stood at the rail, felt the breeze ruffle the loose tendrils of her hair.

Things had changed tremendously over the past ten years, she thought. But here, in this little space of forest, things were the same. The fire tower was still a clandestine meeting place for lovers.

"The park service threatens to tear this down every year, but the locals have fought them," Keira said. "A lot of native sons and daughters were conceived up here."

Alec chuckled. He came up behind Keira, placed his hands on either side of the railing, neatly boxing her in. He liked the thought that she was trapped in his arms, with nowhere to turn but to him.

He stared over her head, off to the east, toward Fire Mountain. While he couldn't make out the shape, he knew the lone light high above the horizon was Willis's cabin. "Your grandpa still leaves the light on."

"He and Motel 6." Keira smiled. In the tradition of scores of Morgans before him, Willis kept a light burning in the uppermost window of the house.

"To light your way home," she whispered.

Alec lowered his lips to her shoulder, nibbled the bare skin. "Remember the first time we made love?"

Keira shivered. From the memory. From the feel of his lips, the way his teeth rasped her skin.

"A girl never forgets her first time."

"And you think the guy who gets to be her first does?" He kissed the little spot below her ear. "We'd gone to the drive-in. Watched
Gone with the Wind
for the millionth time."

Alec pressed another kiss, lower, to her nape, inhaled the delicate scent of female. Perfume.

"You were wearing a yellow halter top and white shorts," he continued. "I took one look at your nipples poking through the fabric and nearly shot my wad on the spot. Drove me nuts to know you were braless. Especially when you had to walk back to the concession stand to use the bathroom. Knowing other guys would see you. See
them."

Keira felt his hands brush down her shoulder blades, felt the zipper of her dress being lowered. Cool night air kissed her skin, reminding her she was braless tonight, too. "I don't remember you complaining about what I wore. Or didn't wear."

"Hell no. I liked the way I could reach in from the back," he continued. "And feel your breasts."

His hands crept inside her dress, worked around to the front. Unhurried, yet willful. Purposely tormenting her.

She gasped as her dress fell forward, and Alec's hands cupped her breasts. Her nipples peaked. Ached. And he didn't disappoint. He caught the tips, plumping them between thumbs and index fingers, tugging, coaxing. They tightened, sensitized, electricity running on invisible lines from her womb to her breast.

Alec's touch drove her wild. Those slow hands. Gifted fingers. It made her crazy for more.

She leaned back against his chest, deliberately raised her arms up, over her head, looping them back around his neck. The movement thrust her breasts forward, allowing him full access as he kept up the divine play with her nipples.

"We left the movie early," Alec continued. "And came here."

Keira remembered. She'd picked
Gone
with the Wind
because she'd seen it so many times. She and Alec went to the drive-in to make out. To pet. To do everything but make love.

"I remember you said you had an early birthday present for me." Alec's hands tightened again. "You told me to close my eyes."

She drew a sharp breath, recalling the night, her intention. It had been an incredibly selfish gift, as much for her benefit as Alec's.

"I closed my eyes and felt your hand go to my belt." Alec turned her around to face him. He caught her chin, raised it, forcing her to meet his eyes. "You unzipped my pants, reached in to fondle me ... and started crying."

Keira felt a tear roll down her cheek. That Alec remembered all this overwhelmed her.

At sixteen she'd thought she'd known it all. She hadn't.

"I was so embarrassed, Alec. I wanted to be suave and sophisticated. I wanted to make love to you. And—"

"You were scared to death." He kissed her cheek, caught the tear with his fingertip. "So was I."

She blinked in disbelief. "You? But you were so—"

"Macho? Swaggering? It was an act." He laughed. "I was worried I'd disappoint you. Afraid I'd come in your hand before even touching you. At eighteen that's a huge concern."