Layers Crossed (22 page)

He turned
around, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, and
set the pails down to the ground. With the long steps he took
toward me, it seemed like he was walking in a sexy slow-motion
movie shoot, slowed down just for me so that I could watch the
tanned body twist deliciously. A farmer’s tan took on a brand new
meaning for me when I looked at Eric, because I’d rarely seen him
wear a shirt outside, and he was all smoldering in sun’s rays.

Without saying
a word, he lifted me into his arms and planted a wet lingering kiss
on my lips, coercing my body to hum with desire. Pressed against
his warm, hard length as he attacked my mouth with his tongue made
me wonder whether I should postpone my trip to town. My legs
wrapped around his midsection and my arms around his neck. I felt
my groin heat against his low abdomen, my dress floating to the
side. If it weren’t for my panties, my tingling core would be
melting against his hard muscles. This man was everything I’d ever
imagined a strong and powerful fairytale hero to be.

I finally slid
down along his length, enjoying every curve and valley of him,
including the bulge in his pants.

“You’re in a
good mood.” I breathed out a ragged breath, my knees weakening
beneath me.

“Can’t you see
I’m happy to see you?” His scarred brow lifted in that sexy way of
his, and my body perked up with awareness and my gaze lowered to
the growth in his pants. How I wished I could stay on this ranch
forever, just me and him, forgetting all the worries around us,
taking all the time I wanted to get lost in each other!

“I need to
borrow your truck and take it to town.”

“Be my guest.”
He drew the pads of his fingers along my lips and lowered his voice
to a raspy whisper. “Will you be long?”

Didn’t he know
that any minute away from him was too long?

“I hope not.”
My heart hammered in my chest. I couldn’t focus around Eric. He
mesmerized me with every touch, word, and gesture. “I have a couple
of things to check at the Sheriff’s – you know, work stuff.”

“Is everything
all right?”

“Yeah,” I
lied. I hated lying to Eric. I still hadn’t been able to tell him
that Huntz had been back to Ogden, and that the last ping a week
ago placed his location closer to town than before.

“It’s an old
piece of junk. Take your phone with you just in case.”

“Will do. Do
you need anything from town?”

“Just you and
those sweet lips of yours.”

I lifted up
onto my toes, savoring one last kiss.

“I’ll be back
in a couple of hours,” I said against his mouth.

“Not fast
enough.” His lips trailed along my cheek down to my neck, vibrating
against my skin. My head lolled back and it took every ounce of my
strength to pull away from him.

I rolled down
the window, waving back as I
maneuvered
the truck around the larger holes in the
road Eric had warned me about. Half an hour later, I was parked at
the sheriff’s office, watching him wipe sweat from his forehead and
squint as he appeared to struggle with reading something on his
computer.

“Good
morning,” I said, walking in.

“Good morning,
Emma.” He scanned me from bottom up and smiled knowingly.

“I heard you
were ill last week. Hope you’re feeling better.” I reached my hand
forward, taking his in a firm greeting before setting down a bag of
goods on his desk, which was overflowing with paperwork. “I brought
you some honey and lemons. It soothes the throat when you add it to
tea.”

“Why, thank
you, Emma. I haven’t had tea with honey in ages.” He laughed, his
belly shaking like it had a battery inside and was the source of
all his energy. “Looks like I’m a lucky man this morning. It’s the
first time in a long time a beautiful lady walked in here, and
shook my hand so professionally, and brought me gifts.”

“I’m the lucky
one to have been welcomed to Ogden by everyone. It looks like your
computer is frozen.” I nodded toward the machine, which reminded me
of a box of shoes and something that belonged in a museum. “Mind if
I have a look?”

“Be my guest.
We’ve been meaning to replace it, but you know, funds are pretty
low, and there’s not much crime in Ogden, so the town always finds
something more important to spend its money on.”

I clicked a
few keys, unlocking the operating system and shutting down the
unresponsive programs.

“Well, what do
you know?” He lifted his hands to his hips, his mouth open in awe
as if I had just performed a miracle.

“You really
should get a new computer. It would connect to the central network
and keep you updated on most wanted and fugitives.”

“Have you ever
thought about being a police officer?” he asked, as if he knew my
calling was in the field. Given most women in Ogden bore children
and performed tasks expected of females from the Stone Age, I found
Sheriff Lowes more open-minded than I’d given him credit for and
took his comment as a true compliment.

“My
sister-in-law is one. I guess she rubbed off on me a bit.” I
shrugged.

“Dealing with
neighborly disputes and complaints takes up most of my time here.
Some don’t like barking dogs, while others argue that our
twenty-five mile-per-hour speed limit downtown is still too high
and keep applying to the city to reduce it. Keeping track of it all
is too much paperwork.” He pointed to a desk with a spilling stack
of papers.

“You need
help,” I said, taking a note of the tiredness in his eyes and
sagging cheeks.

“I could have
this town running smoothly, but when I asked for help, no one was
willing to do it. They all have farms around here to take care of
and say there’s no crime. But once in a while, one does show up,
and unfortunately there are no resources here to do the job I’m
supposed to.”

“You mean like
these men?” I pointed to the cork board where half dozen
photographs had been pinned, noting the familiar face of John
Huntz.

“We don’t get
many fugitives here, Emma. But this guy” – Sheriff Lowes shook his
head, pressing his chubby finger against Huntz’s forehead with
vengeance like he wanted to put a bullet right through it – “he was
a piece of work. He kidnapped Eric and Annabelle Waters when they
were young, and had harassed the family for many years before that.
That man was capable of murder; you can tell by just looking at his
face. Hasn’t been seen since the day Eric was found wandering down
the road, with Annabelle a few miles behind him. Eric must have
told you the story.”

“He has. What
about this one?” I pointed to another guy.

“Disappeared
with his wife and was never heard from again. Her body was found
floating in a creek one hundred miles south. His never was. He was
Huntz’s neighbor.”

“You think
they’re linked,” I stated.

He laughed
again. “I never scratch anything off the table until I’m sure. If
you ever need a job Emma, you just let me know. You’re a smart
woman. I could use some help around here. With your wits, we could
resolve half the city’s disputes in no time. And maybe solve a case
or two.”

I got
butterflies of excitement in my belly at the offer.

“John Huntz
owned properties, right? One burned down, and Missy lives in the
other one. Do you know why?” I asked.

Sheriff Lowes
regarded me knowingly, and I knew he was beginning to wonder why I
had so many questions about Huntz. But I also knew I hadn’t asked
enough to make him suspicious just yet – he’d take it as curiosity
because I was staying with Eric. “Well, it looks like you know more
than many here, Emma. Missy was an orphan. Since only the town’s
register and priest knew about the second property, which had been
left unoccupied for years, the church asked whether Missy could
live there in exchange for all the work she had done for the
community. They gave the town a remarkable donation for a new fire
truck in return. Since no one could object to the matter, Missy
moved in.”

“Interesting…”

“Emma, not
that anyone will ask you about it, but you should keep this between
us. I have a feeling many would tear the place down if they knew,
and Missy needs a home to live in. Do you know what I’m trying to
say, Emma? Can I trust you with this?”

I pulled my
fingers across my lips, saying, “Sealed. I promise. If you ever do
get that new computer, I can show you how to enter the data and
clear up the work.” I caught the binder that was about to slide off
the pile of papers on his desk.

“I will
definitely let you know, Emma.”

“Have a great
day!”

“You too.” He
removed his hat, bowing his head.

After two
hours of chatting and getting an extensive update of the town’s
neglected work, I stepped outside into the smoldering heat. Dust
swirled in the air as a dark-haired girl on a bicycle pulled up to
the store Missy worked at. She flipped the kickstand to support the
bike and headed my way. My gut twisted. Her snobby demeanor and
undeniable look of satisfaction on her face confirmed we wouldn’t
be friends. Her boobs nearly spilled out of her shirt with
pride.

“Hi, Emma. I’m
Claire. Eric’s girl.”

Why did I feel
like my fingers suddenly grew claws instead of nails?

“Hi, it’s good
to know there’s more than one Eric in town.”

“Oh, no,
there’s only Eric Waters. The one who made me a woman.” She
sighed.

What the
fuck?!

For a moment I
doubted that she belonged in this polite town. Claire could have
easily passed for a bitch from the biggest city in the world. How
she had gotten her skanky hands on someone like Eric in the first
place was beyond me.

“You know, a
connection like the one we have never dies. Once they take you to
their barn, it’s a sealed deal for the rest of your life.”

Eric told me
he’d never taken a woman in his barn. Had he lied? Or was she
bluffing? I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Well, I
personally find his bed much more comfortable. Come to think of it,
the floor in his family room and the shower weren’t too bad
either,” I countered.

She waved her
hand as if dismissing me.

“He’s just
letting off his anger for now. And once he does, he’ll come back to
me. After all, he told me you’ll be leaving soon, and he’ll need to
return to his regular life.”

Another moment
of this conversation and I swear I would make use of the new weapon
that had grown at the end of my fingertips. I’d never met anyone
who aggravated me so much. When had she gotten a chance to talk to
him?

“Have a great
time while you’re visiting, Emma. And don’t let a bull kick you on
the way out of town.”

I stood there
with my mouth open, for the first time in my life unable to think
of something witty to say. Claire was definitely someone I had to
watch out for, and without a doubt, this wasn’t the last time I’d
see her.

My heart leapt
at the smell of freshly baked bread that drew my attention to Mrs.
Gladden’s bakery. I took a brave step toward the store. I had
avoided it since the first day I arrived in Ogden. It had been two
years since I’d eaten a pastry resembling something David would
have made. Catching my gaze, Mrs. Gladden waved me to come
inside.

“Good
morning,” I said nervously, feeling the smell of fresh bread
penetrate my lungs.

Standing at
the bakery’s threshold, I felt like I’d just traveled back in time,
when I’d ran to David’s dad’s bakery to meet him in the
morning.

“Hello, Emma.
It’s so good to see you again. How are you adjusting, my dear? I
hope Claire out there didn’t give you too much trouble.” She leaned
over the counter, waving me inside once again. But I couldn’t
convince my feet to move. “That girl likes to stir the pot too
much. I’m so happy Eric finally found someone kinder, like you.
Don’t let her tell you otherwise.”

I guessed
having seen me speak with Claire, she mistook the cause of my
nerves. The last time I’d chatted with Mrs. Gladden, we stood
outside the bakery, and given Eric was with me, I’d had a good
excuse not to enter. Could I do so now? Could I really put my past
behind me and step into the future?

“It’s all
right. Are those red velvet cupcakes?” I pointed to the massive red
mounds with cream cheese frosting on top, sprinkled with crimson
flakes.

“Oh, Emma.
Come in, please. You must try them. I baked them this morning, and
I promise you won’t find a better taste in the world.”

With David
gone, I was sure she was correct. I took a step forward. The warmth
of baked goods wrapped around me, and before I knew it, there was a
cupcake sitting on a plate in front of me and Mrs. Gladden holding
a forkful ready for a taste.

“Thank you.” I
hoped my voice was louder than a whisper. Glad to be sitting down
at one of the tables, I stared at the dessert in front of me.

“Don’t you
like cupcakes, dear?” she asked, concern drawing onto her face.

“I do, it’s
just that… they bring memories. Sad memories.”

She pulled up
a chair beside me and took my hand into hers, “Tell me. It will
help.”

I wasn’t sure
how, but spilling my heart out to Mrs. Gladden felt liberating. For
the first time in two years, I’d felt like I was finally letting
David go. She wiped a tear from her eye as my story came to an
end.

“You’ve lived
through much more in your life than many of us old folks, Emma. I’m
sorry for being so pushy.” She pulled the plate away from me.

“No, please. I
think it’s time I try something new.” I took the fork from her hand
to taste the cupcake. The smooth cream frosting melted on my
tongue. It wasn’t too sweet, blending perfectly with the red
sponge. Mrs. Gladden waited without moving for my approval.