At Hidden Falls (Angel's Bay Novel) (23 page)

“Not yet, but you will. You said you never stay in one place. Has there ever been anyone you wish you’d stuck around for?” When she was silent, he persisted, “Have you ever been in love, Isabella?”

She took a quick breath. “That’s a very personal question.”

“Like you haven’t asked me any?”

She was quiet again, then said, “Once. A long time ago. And I didn’t leave him—he left me.”

“That’s difficult to believe.”

“It’s the truth. Now, I’m going to go catch a turkey.” She walked over to buy a ticket.

Nick watched the current contestant in the pen. The teenage boy wasn’t having much success corraling a turkey, but he was impressing the teenage girl perched on the edge of the fence yelling encouragement. And Nick wanted to do the same.

He walked up and told the ticket taker to make it two. “We’ll do it together,” he told Isabella.

She smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”

They watched their predecessor make one last attempt before the clock ended his time. The kid was dirty and sweaty and supremely pissed off at having failed in front of his girlfriend.

Nick had a feeling that if a sixteen-year-old, agile boy couldn’t trap a turkey, he and Isabella were going to have their work cut out for them. “Any idea how we’re going to do this?”

“Not a clue.”

“Ready?” the starter asked them.

Nick grabbed his net with both hands, took a look at the turkeys, and picked out a likely victim. “Let’s go.”

The starter blew his whistle, and they were off. He charged his turkey—the less time the turkey had to react, the better. But the bird was quicker than he expected. Nick swiftly tossed the net, but his foot slipped, and he did a belly flop into the mud.

He sputtered, spitting dirt out of his mouth as he got back up to face the laughter. Not only was Isabella chuckling, but the rest of the crowd gathered along the fence was also enjoying the show.

“Let’s see you do it,” Nick challenged.

Isabella tried a softer approach, wheedling like a turkey whisperer. But in the end just as she closed in with the net, the turkey batted her away with madly fluttering wings that sent her falling back on her butt.

Her expression of dismay was hysterical.

“Why don’t you chase them toward me, and I’ll toss the net,” Nick suggested. “We might have better luck.”

“Okay.” She pushed her hair out of her face, leaving a streak of dirt across her forehead, then waved her arms gently, moving the birds toward him.

He crept up quietly behind one, holding the net wide to toss it over the unsuspecting turkey’s head.

“One minute,” the timer shouted, his voice scaring the birds.

Isabella laughed as they took off.

“Thanks, pal,” Nick told the timer.

The guy shrugged. “Better hurry. You’re almost done.”

Isabella was moving another couple of birds in his direction, and he stepped forward quietly, hoping not to startle them.

He was close, so close.

So was Isabella. She had her net ready in case one of the birds came back at her.

A glance passed between them, and she mouthed softly, “One, two, three.”

They charged the birds, hurling their nets. In doing so, they both slipped in the mud as the birds squawked in protest.

The next thing he knew, he was sprawled on the ground with a net over his head, the turkey long gone.

Nick peeled the mesh net away from his face. Isabella was doubled over laughing, pure joy on her face. He loved the way she laughed, with her whole heart and soul, even though her amusement was directed at him.

“What do I get for catching you?” she asked, wiping away a tear of laughter.

He got to his feet. “Did you do that on purpose?”

“Of course not,” she protested as they walked back to the gate. “You just got in my way.”

As they left the pen, Nick saw one of his longtime friends, Jason Marlow. A local cop now, Jason had recently started dating, Brianna Kane, the widow of another former friend.

“Nice job, Nick,” Jason said, slapping him on the back with a laugh.

“See how you do, before you start gloating,” Nick retorted.

“Have you met Brianna?” Jason asked.

“Hello again,” he said, smiling at her. When he’d last met her years ago, she’d been engaged to Derek Kane. “I’d shake your hand, but as you can see, I’m a little dirty. This is Isabella Silveira. Isabella, this is Jason Marlow. He works with your brother.”

“The famous Isabella,” Jason said, his smile broadening. “I heard about your dramatic arrival in our town. Joe has had me hounding every business along that stretch of highway in search of the car that ran you off the road.”

“I told him to forget about it,” Isabella said. “There’s nothing to be done now, and I want to move on.”

“Your brother doesn’t let things go.”

“He’s stubborn,” Isabella agreed.

“It must be a family trait,” Nick put in.

Isabella made a face at him, then turned to Brianna. “I wouldn’t go there in nice clothes,” she said. “It’s pretty slippery.”

“Jason is on his own.” Brianna smiled.

“And I will succeed,” Jason added. “I’ve got a four-year-old to impress.”

“My son, Lucas,” Brianna explained. “But he already thinks Jason is a superhero, so this really isn’t necessary.”

Lucas came running over with the tickets. Jason swung him up into his arms, and it was easy to see the love between the two of them. The longtime bachelor had turned into a family man.

So many things were changing, Nick thought. Shane getting married to Lauren. Jason dating a woman who had a kid. And he was living with his fifteen-year-old daughter and trying to ignore the hottest woman he’d ever met.

“You two going to stick around?” Jason asked.

“And enjoy your eventual humiliation?” Nick asked. “As much fun as that would be, I think we’ll be going.”

Jason laughed. “Nice to meet you, Isabella.”

“You, too. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

As Jason, Brianna, and Lucas headed toward the pen to await their turn, Nick walked Isabella back to the truck. “How come almost every time I’m with you, I end up in the mud?” he asked.

“We must stop meeting this way,” she agreed. “But you have to admit, that was fun.”

“I don’t know about that. But
this
is fun.” He pulled her against his muddy chest and planted a kiss on her lips. As soon as his mouth touched hers, he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss because he wanted it so much. Her immediate response set him on fire.

When he finally let her go, his gaze dropped to her sweet, hot mouth. Her breasts heaved as she breathed hard, drawing his eyes lower. He burned to see her naked, to put his hands on her breasts, on her ass, on every beautiful inch of her body. Seeing the same flare of desire in her eyes, he swallowed hard.

“We should go,” she said quickly.

“Yes. Right. Go where?” he added, his brain muddled.

“Your car. Is it at the theater?”

He had to think. “Yes.”

As she got into the truck, Nick adjusted his jeans, then got into the passenger side. He rolled down the window as they pulled out of the lot, needing the cold, crisp ocean air to cool the fever that was Isabella.

They didn’t talk on the way back to the theater. When she pulled up next to his car, she didn’t look at him, either. Why?

“It’s getting harder to say good-bye to you,” he told her.

“You’ve been wanting to say good-bye since the second we met,” she reminded him.

“I didn’t know you then.”

Her eyes filled with shadows as she turned toward him. “You don’t know me now, Nick.”

“You’re beautiful, funny, free-spirited, creative, kind . . . What don’t I know?”

“A lot.”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“Why should I? You want me one minute, and the next you don’t. You ask me to stay, then you tell me to go. So I’m going—as soon as you get out of the truck.”

As he watched her drive away, he knew the last thing he wanted was for her to go. He just wasn’t ready to ask her to stay.

Isabella had just stripped out of her muddy clothes when the doorbell rang. She threw on Joe’s robe and went to the front door. She was shocked to see Nick on the porch.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“I tried to go home.”

“It doesn’t look that way.”

“I even tried to get Megan to go home with me, so I’d have a good reason not to come over here. But she was busy with my mother and she didn’t want to leave.”

“If you’re bored, I’m sure you could find something to do that doesn’t involve me.”

“I’m not bored.” He gazed into her eyes. “Tell me to go, Isabella. Tell me you don’t want me. Tell me this is a crazy idea.”

She swallowed hard. “This can’t just be on me, Nick. It has to be your choice, too.”

“My choice is you,” he said.

The simple directness of his words took her breath away.

She extended her hand, and his fingers wrapped tightly around hers as if he didn’t intend ever to let her go. He stepped inside and shut the door. “Your brother isn’t here, is he?”

She shook her head. “I just talked to him. He won’t be back until late tonight.”

He pulled her up against him, mouth to mouth, hip to hip, toe to toe. His mouth descended on hers, rough, hungry, and demanding, his tongue sweeping past her lips. His hands yanked impatiently at the tie of her robe, then slid inside to cup her breasts.

She moaned. “Let’s get you out of those muddy clothes.” She pulled him down the hall to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Then she turned to him, her hands teasing with the edge of her robe.

Nick stared at her with passion-filled eyes.

She made him wait, letting the anticipation build, then let the robe fall to the floor.

Nick sucked in a breath. “You’re gorgeous.” He put his hands on her hips as he leaned in to kiss her. His mouth trailed down her jaw, tracing a line along her collarbone, then dipping down to taste one nipple, then the other, sending a wave of delicious pleasure through her.

She reached for his shirt, unbuttoning it as quickly as she could, then moved below his belt. He already had an impressive bulge going, and she lingered there while he shrugged out of his shirt. Then his jeans and boxers were off in record time. His ruggedly sculpted body made her mouth water. He was amazing. And he was hers.

She stepped into the shower as the steam fogged up the room around them. Nick moved behind her and grabbed the bar of soap off the shelf.

“Let’s get you clean,” he said with a wicked smile as he soaped up his hands and placed them on her breasts, his thumbs swirling around her nipples.

She drew in a breath as he played her with his sensual hands and his sexy mouth. The water streamed over her head as she slid her hands down his muscled back, her fingers molding his buttocks, pulling him closer, his mouth sliding down the side of her neck.

He dropped to one knee, his mouth trailing down her abdomen, his hands parting her thighs, and then he gave her the most intimate kiss of all, teasing and tasting in delicious torture that left her shaking with need.

When the water began to cool, Nick shut it off and pulled her out of the shower, wrapped her up in a big terry-cloth towel, and kissed her long and deep, filled with promise. They stumbled across the hall to her bedroom, the wet towel coming off as the backs of her knees hit the edge of the bed.

He came down on top of her, and his dark gaze met hers. Cupping her head with his hands, he kissed her again and again and again. It wasn’t nearly enough. She pushed him onto his back, then straddled him. “My turn to play,” she said with a smile.

His eyes blazed with desire. “Whatever you want. Just don’t stop.”

“I don’t plan on stopping until we’re both . . .” Her voice drifted away as she sank onto his erection. “Really, really satisfied.” And as she moved against him, she had a feeling that was going to take a long, long time.

God, she was beautiful, with her exotic eyes, dark hair, and beautiful skin. Nick loved watching her ride him so freely and with so much joy. There was nothing tame or boring about Isabella; she didn’t hold back. She wouldn’t let him hold back, either. She wanted everything from him, and he wanted to give it to her.

The tension built to an unbearable point where he was torn between wanting it to go on forever and needing blessed release. His hands gripped her ass; his blood roared through his veins.

She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. “Let go, Nick,” she whispered.

Her soft voice was all he needed to jump. He pulled her hard against him as he thrust hard and hungrily, stroking her body until she cried out and he shuddered with a powerful climax.

He couldn’t catch his breath, his heart beating in triple time as Isabella nestled next to him, her head on his chest. He closed his eyes, tightening his arm around her, wanting to stay like this forever.

Her breathing softened, and her lids drifted closed. He drew in a slow breath and let it out. His mind was threatening to jump into instant analysis, but his body wasn’t ready to join in. For the first time ever, he felt completely satisfied, as if he’d found the one person in the world who really meant something.

The thought scared him. He didn’t believe in soul mates. He wasn’t even sure he believed in endless love.

But Isabella made him want to believe.

He drew in a breath and let it out. He didn’t have to make any decisions now. She certainly wasn’t asking him to.

She was asleep, her cheek against his heart, her hand spread across his abdomen in a sweet caress. For now, it was just about this moment. This really good moment.

The trees were thick, the branches scratching her face as she followed him deeper into the woods. Nick charged ahead, and she saw the danger before he did.

“No, stop, Nick!” she screamed.

“Isabella, wake up!”

Nick’s voice dragged her out of the terrifying darkness, and she opened her eyes to see him staring at her with concern. Her fingers were digging into his biceps, and she forced herself to let go. “I’m—I’m sorry.”

“That was some bad dream. You’re still shaking.”