Unveiled Treasures (3 page)

First night in her new home, Rachel couldn’t have been more excited, nervous and she admitted to Brutus, terrified. She unpacked the handful of groceries she’d bought and put them in the ice chest. Opening her backpack, she pulled out a pair of tropical vanilla scented candles and candle holders. She couldn’t count how many times she had been teased for traveling with her candles. They made any place she happened to be feel more like home.
Don’t leave home without them
she chuckled at her use of the old American Express commercial as she set one on the end table and the other on the mantle of the fireplace.

There was a pile of wood stacked next to the hearth.
Nice and dry by now.
She envisioned her father and brother bringing those logs in many years ago. Once she had a fire snapping cheerfully in the grate she grabbed a dust rag, a mop, a broom and some cleaning supplies. She was too excited to sleep. She planned on scrubbing and cleaning to help take the edge off and hopefully to help her wind down. Standing with her hands on her hips she looked around the room. Brutus jumped up on the couch and sent a cloud of dust flying. She looked at him and smiled. “Well, I guess I better get busy. We can’t to go to bed in this mess.”

Once the floor was freshly scrubbed and the room thoroughly dusted, she rolled out her sleeping bag in front of the fireplace. She dashed into the bathroom to change into her pajamas. Fluffing her pillow she snuggled down in her sleeping bag. Lying on her back she started to make a mental list of things she needed to buy and do. She rolled over on to her side to watch the flames flicker and dance. The roof creaked and the window rattled. She tried to wrap her pillow around her head to drown out the noises with no avail. She sat up and looked around. The fire sent shadows into an eerie dance across the walls. “Calm down, Rachel. Everything is fine. It’s just the wind blowing. You’re in the mountains now, in a rundown, filthy dirty cabin.” Her voice sounded so hollow in the empty house. She turned to look at Brutus curled up on the couch. “I’m going to double check the locks one more time. You know, just to be safe.” He opened one eye and watched her pad stocking footed across the planked floor. She checked the locks on the doors and the window. “Everything is nice and secure. See? There’s nothing to worry about, Brutus my boy. But if it will make you feel better, you can come and sleep on the floor by me,” she said, patting the sleeping bag beside her. He yawned and stretched before hopping off the couch. He came over to her, circled three times and lay down beside her. “There, that will make us both feel better. Good night, buddy.”

Rolling over on her side again, she watched the fire. The flames were sensual and erotic. The way they moved and swayed, flicking their forked tongues towards the sky. It made her think of two lovers entwined in each other’s embrace. She began to get very sleepy. Todd Bradley’s face filled her mind’s eye. He was tall, she was sure he was well over six feet. His eyes were hypnotizing. She couldn’t recall ever meeting anyone with gray eyes before. That crooked little grin reminded her of a rogue. Yes, that fit him perfectly. He was sexy, arrogant and a little mysterious, a rogue Adonis. She imagined running her fingers through those sandy blonde curls. Her eyelids started to droop as she thought about his full lips. She had to admit she was a little curious to find out what it would be like to kiss him. She suspected him to be a very good kisser. Brutus perked up and let out a low growl. He jumped up, paced the room and quickly returned to curl up at Rachel’s side. Dozing off, she thought she heard noises from the garage. “It’s okay, Brutus. It’s just Mama Raccoon going out for food,” she mumbled as she drifted off to sleep.

* * * *

Outside the cabin in Rachel’s garage, a lone figure dressed all in black was storing the goods from his latest job. He found it damn convenient this cabin being left empty here for him. He also thought himself a genius for finding it. Looking around the garage, he was sure he had everything to fill his customer’s order. Just a couple more days and he would be sitting pretty. Holding the pendant he’d recently acquired in his hand, he swore he could feel a power radiating from it. He wondered how much an emerald this big was worth. Even with his untrained eye, he could tell the stone was flawless. A warm sensation coursed through his fingers as he stroked the center stone. He turned it over in his hand to watch it flash and sparkle in the pale moonlight.

“Where should I hide it?” he asked himself in a whisper. Looking around he saw a small wooden chest on the top shelf.
Perfect,
he thought, wrapping the Irish Star in a swatch of fabric he found inside the chest. He replaced the chest on the shelf and froze. His beady black eyes scanned the night for any signs of movement. “Getting jumpy,” he said out loud. “There’s nothing out here but that damn raccoon family.” He knew how nasty raccoons could get when cornered or protecting their young so he made sure to give her plenty of space as he left. He closed the garage door and headed into the night where his truck was parked on an old abandoned fire trail. He was so engrossed in his thoughts, he never noticed Rachel’s truck parked in front of the garage or the smoke curling out of the chimney.

Chapter 2

Rachel woke with a stiff back and feeling cold. But she was safe and alive. Noticing the fire had gone out sometime during the night she shivered and set about stoking it back to life. Looking around the room, she saw that Brutus had moved, and was curled up on the couch sleeping soundly. Jumping up with the sleeping bag wrapped around her, she did a little booty shake before heading off down the hall to the bathroom. She was excited and proud of herself. She’d spent her first night alone, well with Brutus of course, but her first real night alone in her house.

Turning on the shower taps, she stripped off her pajamas. Stepping into the shower, she shrieked and jumped back out again. An ice cold shower first thing in the morning was not what she had expected. “Stupid idiot, you forgot to light the pilot on the water heater last night. Well it serves you right,” she scolded herself. Grabbing a towel to dry off with, she put the pajamas back on and headed out to the kitchen. Brutus was standing in the archway waiting for her with his tail wagging in greeting. “If I can’t have a hot shower, I can at least have coffee,” she said to him. “Coffee maker’s still packed in the moving truck.” Thoughtfully, she chewed on her lower lip. “I sure hope they get here soon. Instant coffee is going to have to do for now.”

Setting the kettle on to boil, she opened the door to let Brutus go and run outside. Picking up paper and a pen, she began to write a list of supplies and things she needed to do. She always worked better off a list. Too many thoughts caused things to get tangled and or forgotten. Like the water heater.

Heading towards the laundry room/utility closet she grabbed a box of matches from her backpack. Opening the door to the utility closet, she found the water heater. Taking her time to light the pilot and checking to make sure everything was in good working order, she paused to thank her parents.
If it hadn’t been for the two of you, I wouldn’t be where I am today
. She smiled to herself. She could still hear her father saying, “
Practical knowledge is just as important as academic.
”

Rachel knew enough about how things worked to know what she could do and when to call in the professionals. She crossed her fingers and hoped the rainy weather would hold off until she could get the roof fixed. She also knew not to expect too much out of a twenty year old water heater. That would have to be placed at the top of the list, along with the roof. She went back into the kitchen when she heard the kettle’s shrill whistle.
Finally. Coffee—strong and black, coming right up.

Her body now fueled by the jolt of instant caffeine and the candy bar she ate for breakfast, it was time to get busy. Her furniture and personal belongings would be along soon and the house was not ready for any of it. First, she wanted to get cleaned up. “The creek can’t be any colder than my shower…oh, what the heck, let’s live dangerously.” She smiled wickedly. She was getting used to talking to herself. Grabbing her towel and toiletries from the bathroom, she threw on a sweatshirt and walked out the door.

The autumn morning air was crisp and held the smell of damp leaves. Red and gold leaves littered the patio and the sun was shining. All in all, it was the start of a beautiful day. She jumped over the short patio wall just as she had as a child and headed down the path to the creek. The path was just as steep and rocky as she remembered from spending her summers here as a little girl.

Brutus met her at the edge of the creek with his tail wagging and tongue lolling to one side. ”Enjoying yourself, aren’t you, boy?” She asked him as she stepped out of her shoes and peeled off the sweatshirt. “The sports bra and Scooby-Doo boxers I slept in last night are going to have to do. If the birds and squirrels don’t like it they can find somewhere else to hang out for a while.” Rachel said to her friend as she finger combed the rest of her braid loose. She took a deep breath and jumped in to the crystal clear water. She surfaced in time to see Brutus dashing off into the trees again. Man, the water was cold! This was going to be the fastest bath in history. The icy water had her quickly shampooing her hair and soaping up her body. When her teeth began to chatter, she dove under water for a final rinse. “I will never take a hot shower for granted again. The next time I go swimming in the creek I want it to be in the summer and for fun.” Slipping out of the water, she sat down on a sunny rock to towel dry her hair. Daydreaming in the sun she listened to the sounds of the forest around her. She could hear the birds, the water rushing past a few inches away and in the far off distance, a familiar barking that could only be Brutus. As far as she cared, she was alone in the world. Being at one with nature and enjoying every minute of it.

* * * *

Todd Bradley knew it was morally wrong to stand there and watch her bathe but he couldn’t help it. She was out in the creek for the whole world to see. So why shouldn’t he? Besides, she was absolutely beautiful. When she failed to answer the door, he’d grown concerned and wanted to make sure she was alright. He’d noticed her truck was still parked in front of the garage so he started walking the property looking for her. He never expected to find the little wood nymph bathing in the creek.

That glorious brown hair fell like a straight sheet of rain all the way down to her waist. He wanted to bury his face and hands in it, find out what it smelled like. He was really beginning to like the smell of exotic flowers. The white sports bra she was wearing was very wet and very see-through. He wasn’t complaining. It left nothing to the imagination. Firm small breasts were plastered against it, clearly visible. But best of all were the Scooby-Doo boxers she wore. Did she have any idea how cute she looked? Or how dangerous it was for her to be running around in the woods dressed like that? Feeling very much the voyeur, he decided he’d watched long enough. He cleared his throat and called out, “Rachel, are you down there?”

Startled at being found in this state of undress and by him of all people, she scrambled for her towel. She wrapped it around her for protection and modesty. “Sheriff, what are you doing out here? Do you harass everyone at eight o’clock in the morning, or is it my lucky day?” She snapped the questions at him for ruining her good mood. He just smiled that crooked little grin of his as she made her way back up the path to the patio where he stood. She wondered just how long he had been standing there before he had called out.

Todd felt the need growing as the bulge in his pants became more evident. He wanted to reach out to touch, taste, and feel her against him, no, under him. What would it be like to get totally lost in her? Curiosity got the best of him. He couldn’t resist; didn’t really want to. He had to taste her and find out.

Without saying a word, he walked right up and kissed her. Gently, he touched her with his persuasive lips and tongue. Her scent drifted up to assail him. She smelled of exotic flowers again. Envisioning a rare night flower opening its pale white petals to absorb the moonbeams, he buried his hands in her hair. He felt the jolt of pure electricity as it shot straight through to his loins. He wondered if she felt it too.

Todd felt her tense momentarily before she trembled against his lips and slowly began to yield. He felt his swelling desire press against her abdomen as she leaned closer into the kiss.

He pulled back abruptly when he felt her pressing even closer against his hardened arousal and looked down at her. His gray eyes were darkened almost black with desire. He was sure those blue eyes were going to swallow him whole. Breathing raggedly, he whispered, “I’ve wanted to do that since I first saw you.”

“Do you always do what you want?” she asked in a husky whisper.

“No, I don’t. I made an exception with you.”

Unconsciously she flicked her tongue over her upper lip. The suggestive gesture did not go unnoticed by Todd. His flavor was rich and still present on her mouth. She wanted him to go away so she could sort through her thoughts and get in to some dry clothes. She remembered she wasn’t wearing much more than a towel and the realization made her blush.

Todd tore his gaze away from her tongue. “I came up here to make sure you were okay. It’s my sworn civic duty to serve and protect, ma’am. I would hate it if something happened to you.”

She made her way towards the front door. Looking back at him over her shoulder, she said, “By the way, Sheriff, is that how you welcome everyone to the neighborhood?” She didn’t wait for his response. She closed the door in his face.