Echoes From The Past (Women of Character) (34 page)

She rubbed her palms over her
knees. "There’s no reason to go back. I feel like I’m getting a fresh
start here, and I like that idea." She wiggled her toes in her sandals and
then bravely looked up at him. "You asked me if I’d consider staying,
Garrett, and I want to do that."

He held out his hand.

Without hesitation Christie moved
over to him. He urged her down to his lap. "This is where I want you to
be," he murmured. "What do you have to say about that?" He
pushed aside her hair and brought his mouth close to her neck. Her stomach
muscles tensed in anticipation but still his lips didn’t touch her.

A groan of pleasure built in her
chest. "I say yes," she muttered as her fingers worked their way up
his shirtfront.

His mouth finally touched the
sensitive skin of her neck and she started in surprise and longing. She felt
his hot tongue on her skin. Christie lost her grip on his shirt and closed her
eyes, concentrating on the sensation of his mouth on her skin.

With shaking fingers she pulled
the buttons of his shirt open. She wanted the material off his shoulders so she
could feel him against her. She kissed his mouth, swirled her fingers through
his chest hair, aware of his quickened breathing. Christie felt his reaction to
her in the tightening of his arms, the strength he’d never use against her.

Their lips met and an immediate
heated reaction coursed through her body. She craved Garrett’s closeness, her
memory crystal clear of the one and only night they’d made love. Taking the
initiative, she eagerly touched his mouth, grazed her teeth along his whiskers,
enjoying their sensual appeal. This strong man wanted her. His breathing, now
as erratic as hers, told her that.

Christie nipped at his lips, wound
her fingers through the fine hair at his nape. She wanted nothing more than to stay
in his arms all night.

His jaw clenched. "If this
goes on much longer," he growled, "we’re going to end up in my bed.
You won’t get out until morning." He tightened his arms around her.
"Maybe not then."

Christie shivered with
anticipation. "I’m prepared to face the consequences," she whispered
provocatively.

His long fingers threaded gently
through her hair. "You keep giving, Christie. I’ve never known anyone with
such a big heart. I want to try to give back some of what you've given
me." Garrett placed his hands on either side of her hips, their heat
burning through the fabric of her dress.

Christie closed her eyes tightly,
savoring his touch. Her eyes flew open a moment later. "We still have to
talk about my background."

"I know." He cupped her
cheeks with his palms. "But maybe your past isn’t as important as you
think it is. Maybe it should stay in the past."

Christie moved her head jerkily.
"That's what I've been doing my entire life, trying to bury the
past."

"You have a knack for talking
at the wrong moment." Garrett touched his lips to hers, rubbing gently,
the friction escalating the heat between them.

Wanting to believe a future waited
for them, Christie ignored the warning jangle at the back of her mind. She
wanted to laugh and to cry she felt so keyed up. The freedom to love Garrett
was only a small step away and she intended to grasp it with both hands.

Fiercely, she pressed up against
him, aware of his body’s reaction to her closeness. She pressed kisses along
his chin, let her lips trail across his. Her gaze met his as his fingers
splayed across her neck. In an agony of feeling, she pressed her cheek to his
chest, turned her nose into the skin, allowed her tongue to trace and swirl,
wetting sensitive spots. "You don’t know how many nights I’ve wanted to do
this. I don't intend to wait another moment."

He murmured her name, his voice
hoarse. He surged to his feet, bringing her with him.

Christie stood on her toes, gently
bit along the cord of his neck, then found his mouth, hungrily assuaging the
bone-deep ache inside. Again, her body remembered the exquisite loving; their
one night of passion.

Garrett took her hand and she
allowed him to lead her down the hallway and into his room. The door closed and
for some reason she didn’t mind the closing of that door. Then they were beside
the bed and with one hand out behind him, Garrett lowered them onto the
mattress, his fingers moving to splay over her belly. Her breasts, threatening
to spill from her dress, ached for the touch of his lips. Christie wanted them
there. The sensitive skin invited his tongue, his exploration. All of her body
quivered in response to his journey across it. Christie pulled her legs up, her
hips thrusting against him, her hands around his back now, pulling him down
onto her. His weight made her shiver and crave more.

Fleetingly, her vulnerability
scared her. When you loved someone, you opened yourself to so much. Would she
be defenseless?

"Christie," he
whispered. His voice caressed her, deep, vibrant, full of promised delights.
"Come back to me."

Strength and joy infused Christie
as realization struck. No, not defenseless. When you loved someone you were
empowered.

She watched Garrett's mouth move
over her skin, her body reacting erotically, wanting again the feel of him
inside and filling her. This man completed her, helped her realize the woman
she was meant to be.

Strong hands caressed her skin,
cupping her breasts, encircling her, pulling her into him. Christie clasped his
hips with her legs, letting her head fall back, just letting herself feel all
of him.

###

Garrett didn't have time to think
of anything but Christie, sweet, trusting Christie, and the way she filled him
with desire. She was a light in his life, in Hannah’s life. At moments like
this, he couldn’t imagine her being like Judith, who’d been unable to shake
free of the demons that pursued her.

Lifting up on his elbows, he
watched her, the passion in her half closed eyes, the breath escaping past full
red lips. He dropped his mouth once more to those lips, loving their fullness
and texture, the way she opened up for him.

They were face to face with barely
a breath between them. Her dress hung off one slim white shoulder and the
sandals were still on her feet.

Garrett leaned over her and cupped
an ankle. He slid the sandal off one foot, then the other. He gently ran a
fingertip over her finely arched foot, then moved both hands up over her
calves, traced her knees and pushed her thighs apart. He moved closer, kneeling
between her legs as she gave him a kiss certain to blow his remaining control.

Maintaining eye contact, Christie
trailed two fingers down to his stomach, stopping at his jeans. She circled the
jeans snap and then slowly undid it. The zipper slid down, the metal click ...
click the only sound in the room. Breathing hard, he stood and pulled off his
boots. Impatiently, Garrett jerked his jeans off and kicked them away.

Dry mouthed, he watched Christie
lift her dress and pull it over her head. He swallowed quickly as she sat up on
the bed, clad only in sheer underwear. The pale skin of her hips drew him,
tantalized him as they curved into her rounded bottom. Unable to resist the
temptation he cupped her with his hands and pulled her against him.

He felt the shivery breath she
took and he dropped his mouth to hers, taking that breath, giving it back,
tracing her exquisite lips with his tongue. He could devour her and not get
enough. Garrett made himself go slower, savoring her. There was no rush, until
the torment of her smooth, slim body was suddenly against him.

Christie closed her eyes and gave
what sounded a murmur of satisfaction, her body trembling against his. She
gripped his waist, moved her hands along his back. Garrett felt the groan
building inside. He shook with mixed sensations of wonder and giving, taking
and sensation. Stumbling back, he dropped to the edge of the bed. Spreading his
legs, he pulled her up against him, letting her nestle against his thighs.

With a small laugh, Christie
pushed him and he let himself fall backwards. He lay on his back waiting,
hardly daring to breathe as she studied him curiously. Christie pressed her
palms flat against his chest. Climbing on top of him, she moved forward until
she sprawled erotically and shamelessly wriggled against him.

Garrett ran his palm up the inside
of her leg, his fingers feather soft, drawing small circles on her tender
flesh. His eyes met hers and he saw desire in her pupils, large and black.

She brought her face close and
touched his mouth as she lowered her body onto his, her liquid heat fully
enclosing him.

Garrett woke slowly, stretching
from head to toe. Opening his eyes, he saw the clock on his bedside table.
Nine-fifteen. He couldn't recall the last time he’d slept so late.

Instantly, he thought of the night
he and Christie had shared. He rolled over but she was gone from the bed. He
ran his palm over the still warm sheets.

The bedroom door opened. "Hi,
Daddy."

He caught Hannah as she jumped
onto the bed. "Good morning, Hannah. You look very nice in that blue
dress."

"Thank you, Daddy." She
gave him a tight hug. "Me and Christie are making breakfast ‘cause Ruth
isn’t working today. I didn't wake you, did I, Daddy? Christie said to let you
sleep."

Garrett grinned. "I'm not
tired anymore."

"I'll tell Christie."
After giving him a kiss, Hannah jumped off the bed.

"Hannah?"

She turned her wide blue gaze on
him. "Yes, Daddy?"

"You like Christie, don't
you?"

"I love her," she said
solemnly.

Garrett smiled at her. "Me,
too." He stared at his daughter, and it was like a light bulb flashed in
his head. He did love Christie. He patted the sheet beside him. "Sit down
a minute. We have to talk."

His daughter sat on the edge of
the bed.

"Do you remember when we
talked about the accident? I want to make sure you understand it was never your
fault."

She nodded.

"I also want you to know that
ever since I saw you peeking at me from behind your mom, you’ve always been my
little girl." He wanted there to be no lingering doubts in her mind that
he wanted her. Hannah threw her arms around him and hugged him again.

"Oh, Daddy! I love you even
more than Albert."

Garrett laughed, but a great
relief washed over him. He finally felt like he had a handle on his daughter.

"I have to go help Christie,"
she said, and ran out of the room.

Garrett heard Hannah's excited
chatter all the way from the kitchen.

In the shower he planned what he
would say to Christie, how he'd ask her to marry him. She had to say yes. She
loved him and he loved her. It was that simple and the time was right for the
three of them to be a family. He didn’t expect everything to be easy, but he
and Christie had a good start.

Exiting the shower, Garrett
knotted a towel around his waist. He reached for the bathroom doorknob but the door
opened toward him first. Christie stood in the doorway. With a lift of his brow
and a leer, he advanced on her. "Since you’re here I have every intention
of taking advantage of you."

Christie put up a warning hand.
"Keep away from me, Garrett McIntyre. I came to tell you breakfast is just
about ready. I have other news also." Christie smiled slightly.
"Hannah informed me she loves you more than Albert."

"Ah, the highest
compliment."

"Ruth was here for just a few
minutes. She’s taken Hannah with her into town. I imagine she’ll have her hands
full with the way Hannah’s been running through the house," she said.
"And now it appears we’re all alone."

Garrett began to smile.
"Sounds like a conspiracy to me."

"If it is, I vote we should
play along." Her smile told him to come and get her. She pretended to
evade him by backing out the door but Garrett shackled her wrists in his hands
and closed the door. Gently, he pinned her against the wood and put his hands
beside her head. "The rule starting today is you can’t leave bed until I’m
awake. I think you were looking for an excuse to come back in here," he
murmured, running his mouth down her neck. "And I'm not letting you go
until you admit it."

Christie tipped back her head and
closed her eyes. "I'm not admitting to anything," she declared, her
palm flat against his chest.

Garrett heard the distant ringing
of the phone. "Let the machine get it."

"It might be Darrell,"
she murmured, "He promised to call."

Garrett closed his eyes and
groaned. Christie burst out laughing, no doubt reading the disappointment on
his face.

"The bacon’s probably nearly
burnt anyway," she observed, slipping away from him. She gave him a
teasing smile. "See you for breakfast."

Garrett walked into the kitchen a
few moments later. He’d let Christie off lightly with a few kisses, but he
intended to make up for it later.

He wrinkled his nose and reached
over to turn off the griddle. The bacon strips were definitely charred.

"Christie?"

He also flipped off the gas under
the teakettle as it began to whistle shrilly. Where was Christie?

Garrett walked back out into the
hallway and spotted Christie in the living room. She stood at the French doors,
staring outside. The phone was in her hand but Garrett could clearly hear the constant
beep of a disconnected line. He felt a sudden chill, seeing her standing there
so still.

"Christie?"

As he approached she slowly
turned. She fumbled with the phone and then put it down on the table behind
her. Gone was the carefree woman he had kissed five minutes earlier. Now her
eyes looked haunted.

Telling himself to remain calm, he
touched her arm.

She started to speak several times
but was so obviously upset she stopped. Garrett’s gut twisted at the
resignation he saw in her eyes.