Garden of Sorrow (Book 4 of Psychic Visions, a paranormal romantic suspense) (18 page)

He glared at her.

She tried again. "I believe he's on the hunt for his next victim. At least that's what I'm feeling." She took a deep breath against his next reaction. "Then he's going to come after me."

She didn't get the bellowing she was expecting. Instead, his face paled to a stark white, throwing the planes and angles of his face into harsh relief.

Kevin slumped back into his chair. "He's coming after you? When did he say that? Since when have you been communicating with him?" He studied her weary face, then added quietly, "Start at the beginning and leave nothing out."

She did, slowly and carefully, gradually bringing him up to date on the latest odd developments in her life.

"That's when I came back to hearing you pounding on the car window," she concluded.

"Are you sure about him hunting another victim?"

Alexis shuddered. "Maybe because I'm speaking with Daisy, he feels he's losing her. Maybe he's hunting for a replacement. I don't know." She took another long sip of the cold liquid. "There was an aged quality to the vision, like it happened a long time ago. I don't have any evidence of that, just a feeling. I think this killer has been operating for a very long time."

Shifting in his seat, Kevin studied the crowd walking by. After a long silence, he finally said, "We don't
know
if there were other victims."

Rubbing her temples, she snorted in disgust. "Like hell we don't. Daisy is one and I think I've seen three other children. At least three others," she amended, thinking of all the shadowy faces in her visions."

"But that's all supposition," he said. "And I need something concrete to go on. Like a body."

"You have one child's body," she cried out. "Why can't you find out about her? Hasn't she paid enough? Haven't they all?"

"Easy," Kevin reached over and captured her hands gently, compassion and caring written on his concerned face. "We're working on it. It takes time."

Alexis clenched in fingers, unintentionally squeezing Kevin's hands. "I can't stand that she has no home."

"I know that, honey."

Honey?
Rough skin rasped across her soft palms. Tingling, arousing, yet comforting at the same time. Alexis stared, mesmerized as his strong fingers evoked sensations she hadn't felt before. Who was this man that moved her so? Why had he come into her life now?

"Let's go. I'm going to take you to one of my favorite places for a couple of hours. You need to get out of town for a bit." He held up his hand to forestall her arguments. "I'm not asking you to come, I'm telling you." He stood up, holding out his hand.

Alexis glanced up at him, more than a little surprised at this sudden development. "I just want to go home and rest."

"I know. But this is a special place and just what the doctor ordered." He smiled smugly.

"Now you practice medicine, I suppose?" Her sarcasm had no effect on him.

He pulled her to her feet and tugged in the direction of his truck. "Part of the job description. Let's go."

Scant minutes later, they were in his truck, heading out of town. The miles of suburbia gave way to miles of green forest. Alexis couldn't remember the last time she'd gone in this direction. Maybe never.

Listlessly, she watched the rapidly disappearing miles. They'd turned onto a well-traveled dirt road heading into a deeply wooded area, with second growth trees and long meadows. She'd heard there was a chain of small lakes in the area, but hadn't taken the time to check them out.

The truck bounced over a rise and the whole vista changed. Alexis gasped as blue sparkling water opened up in front of her.

"
This
is gorgeous."

Kevin smiled at her. "You haven't seen anything yet."

And he was right.

A large stream flowed down the mountain behind them through a series of small glistening pools. It resembled a blue, sunlit necklace winding down to feed the incandescent jewel in the valley.

"Oh, my God." Alexis exited the truck and raced to the water's edge.

The musical laugh of the moving water refreshed her soul. Fresh air refreshed her senses as nothing else could have.

"What is this place?"

"It's actually private property." Kevin came to stand beside her. "I'm building a house back here in a grove of trees."

It took a moment for his words to sink in. "You mean you own this piece of heaven?" At his complacent grin, she shook her head in disbelief. "I didn't even know that something like this existed." Alexis turned slowly, trying to take it all in.

"This has been in my family for generations. Everyone enjoyed coming here, but I'm the first to want to live here." They walked upstream a few hundred yards. Kevin showed her rock steps leading into one of the pools. "I have many happy memories from here."

"I believe you. It's spectacular." In fact, she was deeply shocked that someone could own this and yet not find a way to be here every available minute.

"Construction has gotten much easier with the times. I'll be bringing power down here. The foundation is complete, as is the well. Do you want to see?"

"Do I ever!"

They walked over to the deserted site.

"Have you got a contractor building this for you?" There were signs someone had been working. Tools were neatly stacked off to one side. Yards of lumber for framing sat ready under the trees. The much-needed generator in plain view, but tucked further underneath the branches.

"Yes, but it's a buddy of mine, so he works on this when he doesn't have other work. He's putting up a double garage for someone else today."

Good. Alexis was glad to not have noises marring the silent beauty of this place.

"Do you want to go for a swim?" he asked, smiling broadly.

Crestfallen, she looked over at him. "I didn't bring a suit."

Despite the words, the water drew her back to its side. She wanted to immerse herself in the cool crisp ripples. Did she dare?

"I'm going in. You make up your own mind."

Startled by his words, she turned to face him, only to stop in shock at the sight of his beautifully muscled behind. Dear God, Mother Nature at her best. A moan of delighted surprise escaped – the sound brought his head around sharply.

He grinned. "Like what you see, do you?"

Raw heat washed over her face, but she refused to look away. Keeping her eyes on him, she admitted softly, "Oh yes."

"Enjoy," he tossed back cheerfully, taking care as he stepped on the stone stairs and descended into the rippling water. "But wouldn't you prefer to come in yourself?"

"I'm thinking about it." In this setting, with just the two of them, alone in nature, it seemed natural to be nude. As it was, she felt overdressed, hot and decidedly uncomfortable. Without allowing herself to think of the consequences, she stripped off her clothing. The cool air instantly soothed her overheated skin. She sighed in relief. She glanced over at Kevin but he rested against a large flat rock with his eyes closed.

Inexplicably, she was miffed. To hell with it. She strode, with a confidence she didn't feel, to the water's edge, gasping in shock at the temperature of the water as she slipped in. Cool waves lapped at her skin as she sank down to settle against a smooth rock, grateful to close her eyes and relax.

H
e was no angel, for heaven's sake, and she'd test the strength of a saint. Although he'd hoped she'd follow his lead and loosen up enough to join him in the water, Kevin hadn't dared to believe it would happen. For all her wholesome, natural look, she held herself in tight control, as if fearful of letting go.

He couldn't resist sneaking a quick glance.

God, she was beautiful! Long and lean from many hours of physical work, tan marks highlighted the secret areas of her body she kept hidden from public view. Gentle waves reached up to caress her heated skin as she slowly sank, inch by inch into the water. But her nipples, oh God. His eyes slammed shut and he focused on controlling his breathing.

No force on earth could stop him from opening his eyes for a quick second look.

Damn him for looking in the first place, and damn him for not looking sooner. The water already lapped at her breasts, lifting their delicate weight to float on the gentle waves. Kevin shuddered, grateful for the swift current that would at least distort her view of his arousal. His eyes slid closed once again, taking with him the incredible erotic memory of her face when she'd first felt the cool water enveloping, caressing, and cooling her skin. That look would feed his fantasies for a long time.

He'd love to have Alexis be more at ease with him. She needed to relax more, smooth away the constant pinched look she always carried – a look he presumed had been there since her sister's death, if not before. She'd isolated herself inside a tower of pain, refusing to rejoin the world.

Now that she was taking her first tentative steps, he really wanted her to enjoy her life…and he wanted to be in it in some capacity. He didn't know in what capacity or where he wanted a relationship to go, just that he wanted a chance for them to move forward together.

***

Alexis stretched out. The gentle current washed away the many layers of stress that had built up slowly over the last few weeks. With the blue sky, hot sunlight and incredible water vistas surrounding her, nothing resembling ghosts or evil was allowed.

She was thankful for the respite.

She was also getting cold.

They'd been resting in companionable silence for several minutes, maybe even longer, but without any movement to warm her up, the chill had started to settle in.

"Had enough?" Kevin called to her.

"I think maybe. I'm almost numb," she answered, not opening her eyes. Splashing sounds warned her of his approach. Casually, she shifted, allowing the water to hide most of her. She was no prude, but the energy between them already hovered at flashpoint. It didn't need any starter fluid.

"Can't have that." He stood in front of her, concern written on his face. "Let's warm up in the sun."

He held out his hand.

Alexis looked at his outstretched hand carefully. It was such an innocent gesture, but fraught with hidden implications. Shivers raced down her spine.

He waited, his palm still outstretched.

Why was she making such a big deal out of this? Because it was a big deal – at least it was for her. Her hand moved on its own accord, sliding into his much bigger one, mocking her indecisiveness. She watched, shocked, as her fingers nestled contentedly into his.
How dare they?

Easy. They'd bypassed her mind, and followed her heart.

Shit!

He tugged her gently to her feet and into his arms.

Ice met fire. Heat seared her cool body, igniting flames of scorching passion. Kevin held her snug against him from chest to thigh, wet skin to wet skin, causing heat to smolder inside. Her breath caught as her nipples shifted against his lightly haired chest.

"Are you all right?" he whispered against her hair.

"I think so, but I'm getting cold," she answered, slightly out of breath.

"Impossible. I'm burning up." He laughed lightly only it slid quickly into a groan.

Startled, she searched his face. Color flushed over his high cheeks, tension pulled at his very skin. But his eyes, oh, Dear God. Deep, metallic and mesmerizing, she felt them reach inside her soul, searching, seeking, asking something of her.

Kevin lowered his head, sealing her mouth with his. Flames ignited her, warmed her from the inside out. A moan escaped on a breathless sigh when he lifted his head ever so slightly, before dropping once more to take her mouth in a blazingly passionate kiss.

Steam should be rising around them, Alexis thought as her mind floated in a daze. He turned her fully against him, sealing her from breast to hip before sliding his tongue deep within the sweetness of her mouth.

She ceased to think at all.

His erection prodded insistently against her belly, unfurling a deep throbbing in hot, rolling waves. She moaned again. Dear God, his hands! They slid from shoulder to hip, then back again, pressing her closer, each wet slide bringing more shudders.

"We shouldn't be doing this," she protested faintly, when she finally could.

"Like hell, we've been heading here since you climbed out of that ditch."

"No," she protested weakly as his hand slid around her shoulder to her chest, sliding downward to rest on the rounded top curve of her breast. Her eyelids closed as continuous tremors turned her spine to jelly.

"No?" he questioned in disbelief.

"That's not what I meant. Hell, I don't know what I meant."

He resumed his assault on her senses, trailing tiny kisses across her cheeks and up over her eyelids. His touch was tender and comforting.

"
Shh,
you think too much." His tongue traced the delicate lines of her flushed lips. "Just feel. Anything this good can't be wrong. We need this," he added fiercely, using hot kisses to accent his words.

She leaned against him, unable to formulate a coherent sentence when her thoughts could only center on one thing – his hand was too high. Rising on tiptoe, she shifted so his fingers lovingly cupped her aching breast. She moaned in relief, tilting her head back in acquiescence as sensations overwhelmed her.

Kevin took advantage of the soft skin presented, sliding delicate kisses down her smooth throat. Her moans changed to soft gasps.

"What?" he whispered in her ear. Delicately, he traced the shell shape with his tongue, slowly, sensuously reawakening nerve cells that had lain dormant for years.

Snuggled tightly against his chest, Alexis was treated to a symphony of sounds as Kevin's heartbeat boomed through her, his own ragged breathing inexplicably reassuring her. She laughed in sheer joy, a tinkling lightness that echoed over the waves lapping at their bodies.

"Nothing, nothing at all."

He lifted his head to look at her. Then he grinned, revealing pure male satisfaction. "I'll have you know this is considered to be a whole lot more than nothing, my dear," he teased her.