The Rescue Of Jenna West Read online

  Shoulder to thigh, his body silhouetted hers and his unspoken support wrapped around her like the first warmth of spring, promising and sure. It was that support which allowed her to say the words she’d been thinking since she’d watched her house crumble into a pile of embers.

  An image of Steve’s battered face, Allie’s pinched features, flashed through her mind.

  Jenna looked at Mace, leaning haggard and worn against the wall, rubbing his eyes. “Detective, I’m going back to work.”

  Allie, her hand on the doorknob, whipped around, her eyes wide with shock.

  “What!” Beside her, Linc jerked and snagged her elbow, as if to keep her beside him.

  Mace slowly straightened, his eyes narrowed as if he weren’t quite sure what he’d heard.

  She plowed ahead, knowing she had to speak now or she never would. Linc had given her more than her sexuality. He’d imbued her with a longing for a life with him and she wasn’t going to let Ramsey simply take away that chance, like he’d done everything else.

  Jenna had known Linc would hate the idea, but she had to do something. “Ramsey knows Steve can’t handle my patients now. I’m going back.”

  How did she keep her teeth from chattering? Just the thought of facing Ramsey turned her spine to liquid.

  “Jenna, you should think real hard about this.” Mace stepped toward her, his gaze shifting between her and Linc. “Ramsey will know exactly where you are.”

  “That’s the whole point. I’m ready to face him. I want him to find me. I want to draw him out, set him up, just like he’s done me.”

  For the space of two heartbeats, the hallway was silent. Then everyone spoke at once.

  “It’s insane!”

  “You’re not doing it!”

  “You can’t!”

  She kept her gaze on Mace, afraid if she looked away she would lose her nerve. “You can help me, right? What do I do?”

  He cocked his head, measuring her, looking more like Linc than she’d ever noticed before. “We might be able to work this. We could wire you.”

  “Yes.” She shifted, feeling as if her skin crawled with ants. “That way you can hear when I need you—”

  “You can’t do this, Jenna!” Linc still held her elbow and now spun her toward him. “This is crazy.”

  “Well, he is crazy, Linc, and if I don’t do it, he’ll never leave me alone. Or you. He’s already gotten to Wilbur, to Steve, harassed my parents. You’ll be next. I can’t let it go that far.”

  “Steve won’t like this, either,” Allie interjected from the doorway.

  “There’s no other way,” Jenna insisted, surprised at the growing admiration in Allie’s eyes. “I should’ve done something before now.”

  “You’ve been in no shape to do anything, thanks to that bastard!” Linc snarled. “Certainly not anything like this.”

  “It could work, Jenna.” Mace’s voice was low and thoughtful. “We’d have to be careful, but it could work.”

  Linc glared at his brother. “You’re not helping here.”

  “I know you don’t like it, Linc, but this may be the only way we’re going to get Ramsey in the open. Or at least get a chance at him. Jenna’s right. He wants her. Let him come get her. We can rig it so she’s protected, so we’re there for backup.”

  “You’re just handing her over to the bastard!” Linc’s hand tightened on Jenna’s arm. “Use a policewoman!”

  “No, it has to be me,” Jenna said quietly, turning to Linc, trying to soothe the anger and apprehension that rolled from him, though she felt the same things herself. He had to understand that only she could kill the demon of her past. “I have to do this. I have to end it.”

  “No!”

  “Linc, listen to me.” She tugged him a few feet away so they could speak in semiprivacy. Keeping her voice low, she looked into his eyes. “It’s time. After we made love, I realized what we had, how special it was. Ramsey could still take that from me and I’m not going to let him do it.”

  “This isn’t the way. If something happens—”

  “You heard Mace. He’ll be with me.”

  “She’ll be wearing a wire,” Mace suggested, making it obvious that everyone could hear their conversation.

  But Jenna wasn’t embarrassed about revealing what she’d shared with Linc.

  He closed his eyes briefly, pain and reluctance and protest creasing his features.

  “I can’t live like this anymore, Linc. And I can’t ask you to, either. Ramsey’s not going to stop until he has me. Let’s just end it now. Let’s bait him. If we do this, we’ll have some control. He won’t call all the shots.” Her gaze locked on his, drawing strength from him. “I’m tired. I want it finished.”

  In his eyes, she saw the struggle to understand, to accept.

  “I don’t like it. I don’t like you being in the same country with him, let alone the same room.”

  “I don’t like it, either.” She squeezed his hand. “But I’m not going to live like this the rest of my life. I’m not.”

  Disapproval radiated from him, but finally he nodded. “I hate every bit of this.”

  “So do L” she whispered. “But it will work. It will.”

  “It better, or there will be nowhere he can hide that I won’t find him.”

  She gave him a shaky smile and turned to Mace. “All right, what do we do?”

  “I’m going with her,” Linc announced, his hand still tight on hers.

  “No!” Jenna turned to look at him. “No—”

  “It’s not up for debate,” he said flatly, a savage light in his eyes that she’d never seen. Before she could renew her protests or Mace could add his own, Linc continued, “If I don’t go, Ramsey will know something’s up. After what he did to Steve, you would be foolish to go anywhere alone. He’ll be suspicious if you do.”

  “He’s got a point, Jenna,” Mace said grudgingly.

  Allie watched silently, her eyes filled with concern.

  Everything in Jenna protested at putting Linc in such danger. “I don’t want you to risk it. I don’t like—”

  “Then we’re even,” he said. “Because I don’t like the thought of you going in there, either.”

  She stared at him, knowing further protests would be futile.

  “This way, we’ll be together,” he added quietly, running his knuckles along her cheek. “No matter what happens.”

  Perhaps it was selfish for Jenna to want Linc with her, but she drew strength from knowing they would fight Ramsey together. That Linc would lay his life on the line for her humbled her, terrified her, and she prayed fervently that he wouldn’t have to give that ultimate sacrifice. That none of them would.

  Chapter 13

  She sat next to him in the truck, her hand on his thigh, her head on his shoulder. All during the ride from the hospital, frustration seethed inside Linc. He’d tried again to change her mind about facing Ramsey, but she’d begged him tearfully to understand, to support her.

  The problem was he did understand and that challenged every protective instinct he had. He knew how it felt to be reduced from competent and confident to powerless and uncertain. How could he ask her to walk away from a chance to end this and get on with her life, to get Ramsey?

  He couldn’t. And even though he hated it with everything in him, he wouldn’t allow her to face it alone: Linc had to trust that Mace would make it as safe as possible.

  Jenna had come to mean a lot to him. He’d fight with his life for her and realized that tomorrow, he would do exactly that. In a flash of insight, he realized she was doing the same. Trying for a future on her terms. Fighting for a chance. She hadn’t said she was doing it for them, only for herself, but how could he not support her?

  Tension sliced through him like newly whetted steel and a sense of urgency built. He wanted to do everything he’d ever left undone, attempt to right every regret. He was glad he’d told Jenna about the baby, but he wanted her to also know how she’d changed his lif
e, reopened his heart. He wanted her to know before they faced Ramsey.

  Tonight might be the only chance he had for that and he didn’t want to delay.

  She was quiet during supper. In an effort to keep her mind from the upcoming confrontation, he told her about him and his brothers as boys, hunting with their dad, fishing in the summers.

  At one point, she said wistfully, “I’d like to meet your dad, both your parents.”

  “You will.” He said the words because he wanted them to be true, because he believed them, but he couldn’t erase the dark doubt that clung to every reassurance. Because the flat truth was he didn’t know if either of them would survive what was coming.

  Jenna became more withdrawn, more thoughtful, the mood between them more unsettled. After dinner, she excused herself to go call the hospital, then her parents and sister.

  Linc ached as she walked away. He wanted to hold her, make love to her, and wondered if she would allow it. After he’d cleaned up the dishes, she still hadn’t returned so he decided to shower. The scent of their joined bodies—delicate with a hint of his muskiness—still lingered on his skin and when he stepped into the stall, the sweet heady scent rose around him.

  Reluctant to wash off the reminder of their lovemaking, he recalled her trusting surrender, her giddy disbelief when they’d made love. And the need to be with her, to protect her returned.

  He stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, quickly drying off. Steam misted the bathroom, freshly scented with soap and shampoo he’d used. After knotting the towel around his hips, he rubbed at his hair with another towel.

  As he walked toward the vanity for his comb, he noticed words forming out of the steam on the mirror. He smiled and his pulse kicked up.

  Meet me in the barn.

  He ran a comb through his hair, then dressed rapidly in a pair of knit shorts and tennis shoes, forgoing a shirt. What was Jenna doing in the barn?

  Once outside, Linc saw the dogs loping around the perimeter of the barn. He reached the doorway and found Jenna leaning against the jamb, staring out at the beginning sunset.

  “Hey, there,” he said softly, admiring the soft golden light on her face, the sun-warmed brilliance of her eyes.

  “Hi.” She smiled at him, a combination of desire and reserve. Her arms were crossed, her lean fingers resting on the new cast Linc had given her at the hospital since her arm wasn’t quite healed.

  He eased up beside her, taking in the gleaming auburn hair that fell softly thick and luxuriant to the top of her shoulders. His gaze trailed over the thrust of her breasts beneath his shirt, the sleek length of her legs. “Everything okay?”

  “Everything’s fine.” She reached for his hand, tugging him closer. “You got my message.”

  He nodded, curious, enjoying the sight of her. She’d showered, too, and the fresh citrus of her shampoo floated to him, mingled with the clean air and the heavy perfume of grass.

  She’d changed into denim shorts and another of his shirts, this one a plain teal that shimmered in her eyes.

  She squeezed his hand, then stepped away to tug one of the barn doors shut. “Good.”

  When she reached for the other door, he pushed her aside and began to close it, anticipation tapping at him.

  The dogs raced up to the door, tongues lolling as they started inside.

  “You boys stay outside.”

  At Jenna’s command, all three animals plopped down on their haunches, watching her expectantly. She patted each of them on the head, then slid the door completely shut.

  Soft darkness closed around them. The barn was dim and pleasantly cool. Lingering sunlight filtered through the slats of the barn wall in a soft amber glow.

  Linc’s heart turned over. He wanted this woman in his life, his bed. A slow burn inched under his skin.

  “Come with me.” She laced her fingers with his and led him toward the back of the barn, to one of the empty feed bins.

  He looked inside, eyes widening in surprise. At his grin, she smiled shyly and stepped up into the small, contained room.

  She had spread a thick floor of hay then covered it with two blankets. In the corner sat his portable CD player, which normally rested on a small table by the barn phone up front. The soft aching strains of Céline Dion floated out, transforming the spot into a secluded hideaway.

  Jenna turned to him, her gaze softly inviting.

  Heat and restlessness steepled inside him. In a low voice, he asked, “Did you bring me out here to seduce me, Dr. West?”

  “Would I be able to?”

  “No doubt.” His body tightened. Just looking at her made him itch to touch, to taste.

  “Maybe you could return the favor,” she said huskily, her eyes glowing provocatively. She held out her hand and he took it, stepping up into the feed bin.

  His thumb stroked the curve of her cheek. “I want you, Jenna. I’ve never wanted another woman the way I want you.”

  “Show me.” Longing and fierce desperation ached in her voice. Tears glittered in her eyes as she covered his hand with hers. Raw need etched her features, but there was also apprehension.

  “I won’t let Ramsey hurt you. I’ll kill him first—”

  “Shhh.” She pressed a kiss to his lips, lacing her fingers with his. “Let tonight be only for you and me. No past, no future, no threats. Only us.”

  Unmistakable desire burned in her eyes along with a plea and his throat tightened.

  “Make love with me?” she whispered.

  Want deepened her voice, but Linc also heard an edge there, felt her desperate attempt to hold on to now, put off tomorrow.

  “Please?”

  He couldn’t deny her, wouldn’t deny either of them what might be their last night together. Need and profound caring welled inside him and his hands shook as he gently framed her face. “Yes.”

  A tremulous smile radiated on her face and she moved into his arms, whispering, “Lock out the world for me, Linc. Just for tonight.”

  He fitted her body to his, cool air shifting through his still damp hair, lifting the scent of Jenna’s clean citrus to his nostrils.

  Her head rested on his shoulder. Her body draped his like a silken shadow. His thigh moved between hers and she put her good arm around his neck, laying her head on his chest. Full breasts pressed against his bare chest and her nipples burned his skin through the shirt she wore. They swayed slowly to the throbbing strains of Dion’s “Seduces Me.”

  A slow fire unfurled in him. He wanted this night to last forever, to delay the inevitable—

  He cut off the thought. She was right. Tonight was for them, no thoughts of Ramsey, no uncertainty, no fear about tomorrow, only now. Narrowing his senses, he gave himself over to the brush of her thighs against his, the soft caress of her breasts against him, the languid way her body contoured his.

  “Jenna?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Why here?”

  Her breath tickled his neck. “This is where you touched me for the first time.”

  “I scared the hell out of you!”

  “Not anymore,” she said in a sultry tone.

  Linc’s arms tightened around her. Her tongue touched the pulse in his neck, igniting streamers of fire through his body. He bent, taking her mouth with his.

  At first he kissed her languorously, gently, savoring the want that drummed through his body. He tried to curb his hunger, his impatience to go faster.

  But she returned the kiss, sighing into his mouth, then gripping his arm, silently imploring. He wanted to go slow, savor every inch of her, make it last, but she had other ideas.

  She pulled her mouth from his, breathing raggedly. Her eyes glowed with sensual purpose and anticipation. She raked her nails over the hard muscle of his chest, through the crisp dusting of hair, and down the tautness of his belly.

  “I love the way you touch me, the way you feel,” he rasped, trying to rein in the savage fire that tore through him.

  Pleasure and need da
rkened her eyes to black in the barn shadows. A secret smile lit her face and she cupped his erection, already straining against the soft fabric of his shorts. A ragged breath shuddered out of him and he pressed himself into her hand. Her gaze locked with his as she gently rubbed and molded his rigid flesh to her hot palm.

  Pleasure stabbed through him, sharp and merciless. Music played, but he could distinguish no words, only the arousing. sob of the music, moving through his body with the pressure of Jenna’s hands.

  Hungry to taste her, he pulled her to him and drove his tongue into her mouth. She met him, her hand still stroking, firm and rhythmic and wicked, destroying every ounce of restraint.

  A dark ferocity charged through him. Struggling to resist the wildness, he fumbled open the buttons of her blouse. She tore her mouth from his to unbutton her shorts and step out of them.

  Soft golden light painted her body. Her breasts were small, but full, the rose tips crowned and pouting for him.

  “How can you be so perfect?” he whispered in awe, bending his head.

  She slid her hand up his arm, clutching his shoulder as he bent and took her in his mouth. She gasped, her nipple rasping against his tongue and he shook with need.

  His hands framed her hips, then cupped her bottom. His tongue stroked the creamy velvet of her breasts, the light skein of veins beneath the flesh. She tasted of soap and mystery.

  Fire lashed him, stinging like a hot wind and unleashing a violent impatience. Lost in the feel of her, the slide of her skin under his tongue, he suckled her, raked his teeth gently across the velvet peak of her nipple.

  Jenna pressed his head to her breasts, her fingers warm and insistent on his scalp. She moaned deep in her throat.

  The sound shattered something hard, buried inside him.

  Teeth nipping at his neck, she delved her hand beneath his waistband to touch the straining flesh there. “You’re driving me crazy,” she panted.

  “The feeling’s mutual,” he gasped. He lifted his head and kissed her. The taste of her mingled on their joined tongues and drove a spear of heat straight through him.

  With one hand, he pushed his shorts over his hips, stepped out of them at the same time he stepped out of his shoes. He pulled her into him, his hands cupping her rear. Covering her lips with his, his tongue slipped inside her mouth, coaxing, seeking. She flattened herself against him, snapping his last line to sanity.