The Lost and Found (19 page)

I quickly scampered out of bed and tiptoed quietly to the door, pressed my ear against it. I listened carefully, but didn’t hear anything. I took Daisy’s collar and quietly opened the door and peered into the dark hallway. I didn’t see anything or anyone, so I pulled Daisy back and silently closed the door again. My heart was pounding. My pulse was racing. Someone had been outside my bedroom door. I didn’t have any proof as to who it was, but I had a pretty good idea.

“That was weird and a little spooky,” Gracie said after I’d climbed back in bed. “Please tell me I’m not staying in a haunted house.”

“No, it was probably just one of the boys, getting up to get a drink of water or something.”

Gracie wasn’t all that convinced by my explanation, but she didn’t make any further comment. We soon succumbed to sleep. Daisy would alert us if anyone came back.

THANKSGIVING WAS A BEAUTIFUL
affair. We ate too much food, watched football, laughed, and talked. I’d expected to be sad and maybe a little depressed, but I wasn’t. Whether due to Gracie being here, or because of Josiah, or Billy, I just felt good. Peaceful. And I was thankful for it.

I watched Ethan closely for signs of sadness, but he seemed emotionally sound. At one point during the afternoon, I was seated next to Josiah on the couch watching the game, and Ethan sat down beside me. His gaze was focused on the screen. A little bit of cool whip was stuck to his chin, and I couldn’t help but smile. Daisy ambled over and sat at his feet. I turned my gaze back to the television and then felt Ethan take my hand. He squeezed it gently, just held it.

Josiah tightened his arm around my shoulder, in a one-armed hug; I looked up at him and he smiled, his lips lifting at the corners, a twinkle in his eye. He leaned over and placed a kiss just above my ear, inhaled slowly and then just as slowly let his breath out. My eyes rolled back in my head just a little, and then my head dropped to his shoulder. He tucked his chin over me, and slowly the food coma began setting in, and next thing I knew Gracie was shaking my knee. “You guys gonna sleep the rest of the day right there, or what?”

Josiah

CRIMSON WAS CURLED UP
asleep on his bed. Josiah stood there, looking down at her, studying her. Enjoying her. Her tanned legs beckoned him where they peeked out from beneath his sheets. The moonlight spilled in, blanketing her in its glow. Her blonde hair was spread out across his pillow. Her shirt had slid down off her shoulder, enticing him.

Silently Josiah removed his shirt, leaned over, and slowly knelt on the bed. Her scent ripped him, enflamed him further as he drew closer to her. His mouth found her thigh, and he inhaled, drawing her into himself. Slowly he kissed her, moving enticingly upwards.

Crimson moaned softly in her sleep, stretching cat-like. Her golden-brown eyes flickered open and he watched as the fire began to build in them. She rolled to her back, reached for him, pulling him closer. Josiah growled in anticipation. His mouth found hers; they tangled and danced…

Crimson was shaking. Pulling away from him. He blinked; his eyes opened against the glare of the bright sunshine. Gracie was leaning over Crimson, shaking her awake.

Just a dream.

He’d just been dreaming. His dark eyes glared at Gracie in irritation.

Crimson Sage

I BLINKED GROGGILY AND
tried to remember where I was and what day it was. Somehow I’d slid over, closer to Josiah. My back was against his chest; he had one arm wrapped around me, across my chest. Our hands were joined; we’d both fallen asleep.

“Come on now, you love birds, we’re fixing to get a snowball fight going and we need all hands on deck.”

“Seriously, Gracie?” I grumbled, “I was having a really great dream.”

“Yeah, well, by the look Josiah is shooting at me right now, he was too. Now get up. Go get changed, or I’ll drench you in snow right where you sit.”

I groaned and complained under my breath as I moved to comply with her request. Josiah stood and in silence helped me to my feet. He kept one hand at my waist, to steady me as I swayed; his fingers gripped me lightly. Gracie gave me the stink-eye before turning around and heading outside.

“Don’t even think about going back to sleep. I mean it.”

Still grumbling, I turned toward the staircase. Josiah allowed me to move away from him; his fingers grazed along my skin until we were at arm’s length then his hand gripped mine and jerked me back to him. His mouth found mine, and he kissed me like he was drowning and I was oxygen, clung to me like I was his life raft. I sensed an almost desperation in his touch. An urgency. Josiah kissed me breathless. As suddenly as he’d begun, Josiah ended our kiss.

“I was having a good dream, too.” He looked at me through his lashes, his lips curled in his sexy, wicked grin, and my stomach clenched around all the butterflies wreaking havoc there. I chuckled nervously and waited for him to release me.

Josiah kissed my forehead and let me loose. “I’ll wait for you. Go on.”

I ran up the stairs, trying to get my pulse under control. You’d think after all this time, getting used to the way Josiah kissed me, that I’d be better at controlling my responses to him. Instead, he still managed to stun me over and over again. And as I wriggled my snow gear on, I reflected that my reactions were not a bad thing.

JOSIAH’S BIRTHDAY LANDED ON
Black Friday this year. He thought it was a fitting day for him. I was determined to get him to see himself in a better light. Less black, at least. Since I’d met him, he’d turned my life a nice glowing, golden red. He filled me with heat. With warmth. Before I met him, I hadn’t thought I’d ever feel warmth again. I talked Billy into taking us into town for pizza and ice cream to celebrate.

The Pizza Palace didn’t offer one of those birthday packages where the staff come and sing
Happy Birthday
to you and you get a free slice of cake. So I had Gracie pick up a cake at the grocery and we all sang
Happy Birthday
as loudly and as off-key as we could. The other patrons joined in as well, and soon we’d incorporated the entire establishment into our party. I was pretty sure that no matter what happened to us in the future, even if we didn’t last, Josiah would remember this birthday with pleasure. Knowing someone went out of their way to show him he was treasured.

For Josiah’s birthday I gave him a gift certificate to the tattoo parlor he preferred, called Grey Sky Designs — he’d been talking about getting another one — he’d sketched out a sweet anchor and compass tattoo that he wanted to get on his left forearm. Billy gave him money toward getting his car painted, and Ethan and the other boys had pooled their resources and gave Josiah a Ford baseball cap with a blue ‘65 Shelby on it just like the one on Josiah’s poster. Even Gracie got in the spirit and gave him a picture she’d snapped of him and me; she’d had it framed and everything.

JOSIAH AND I TOOK GRACIE
to the airport the day after Black Friday. She and I cried as she stood in line at the security checkpoint. We promised to come see her as soon as we could. Tears were still falling from my eyes even after we were on the road and heading home. Josiah held my hand and let me cry. We stopped on the way back and got milkshakes; it was becoming our thing when we went to town.

“What do you say about a swim later tonight?” he asked as we pulled into the driveway.

“I could use one, that’s for certain.”

“I’ll pick you up about eight, then?”

“Sounds perfect.”

Josiah

JOSIAH LIKED GRACIE
. She was funny and interesting. And she loved Crimson very much. Josiah thought she accepted him, even approved of him. And that pleased him.

Thanksgiving was… well, it was the first time Josiah had felt like he had a family to celebrate with. He’d celebrated the holiday before, here at the ranch — been included in the festivities; Billy had always made him feel welcome. But this year, it was Crimson who made the difference. It wasn’t just that Josiah was welcome, but that he was wanted.