Sugar Shack (2 page)

Chapter Two

After arriving in Burlington the next afternoon, Catherine checked in at the car rental office. The harried fellow behind the counter was nice, but kept checking the weather outside the huge glass windows. He must not be a native, she thought with a grin. Vermonters never worried about the weather changing, because they know for certain it will. It’s clear skies one minute and before you turn around, you’re in the midst of a snowstorm. Get used to it or move south, her grandmother always said.

Keys in hand, she hurried across the skywalk to the economy car Elsie
’s secretary, Mary, had rented her for the week. After loading her luggage into the hatchback, she jumped in and cranked up the little car’s heater full blast.

Winter in
New England was a picture in itself. Snow lay like a quiet blanket across everything. Buildings, trees, rooftops, everything was covered in white. It was beautiful. And as much as she’d avoided coming home over the years, she’d missed it here.

She pulled out of the airport parking lot and headed toward the university.
Such a long time had passed since she’d been here and even longer since she’d seen the campus.

The snow that had been gently falling when she
’d landed now splattered against her windshield in large, sticky clumps. The sky was gray and snow blew across the road in front of her. A storm was definitely brewing. With that in mind, she detoured away from the school and headed in the direction that would eventually lead her to her parent’s house. Another smile tugged at her lips. It really would be good to be home after all these years. She’d entertained her family in her tiny Chicago apartment during a few major holidays since she’d left Vermont. But after ten years, it would be nice to give her parents a break and spend Christmas where they were most comfortable.

She hadn
’t even called to let them know she was coming. This was going to be a surprise to end all surprises. Her dad would love the fact that she’d gotten him good this year. Her laughter filled the tiny car. Edward Bennett was the biggest practical joker she knew and they were forever trying to one-up each other.

A wave of snow blew from the
shoulder of the road and washed across the asphalt, covering it in white. Catherine downshifted to maintain traction. The farther down the country road she went, the more snow crunched softly beneath her tires. Gray clouds above grew darker and more ominous.

She checked the time. Only 2:18 in the afternoon. She
’d been on the road over an hour and had four more to go before she reached her parent’s house.

Time seemed to tick backwards as she remembered the last time she
’d traveled this road. Luke had come to Burlington to bring her back to his family’s maple farm. He took over the business immediately after his graduation the previous year. Although Catherine visited the farm many times, she never saw him at the helm. Watching him manage the whole, intricate operations filled her with pride, and to be honest, it had been quite hot to see her man in charge like that.

Mackenzie
’s Maple Farm was located in the small town of Maple Knob, about a ninety-minute drive from campus. A slow grin curved her lips. How many times had she and Luke pulled off this main road and traveled down the bumpy dirt path toward Hawk Talon’s Lake? A giggle bubbled out of her as she recalled one time in early autumn when they’d visited their secret place and made love in the backseat of Luke’s SUV. The vibrant forest of red, orange and gold had surrounded them, the gentle ebb and flow of the river the only sound. Well, she amended, it had been the only sound until Luke found her sweet spot with his devilishly skilled hands. He always knew exactly where to touch her to set her body on fire. She came alive under his masterful strokes that day and screamed in wanton pleasure when his fingertips caressed her clit until she was mindless with need.

He
was her first lover, and what an introduction to sex. Even now, no man compared to him. The way he was always gentle, yet assertive, had made it all the more exciting to her.

Catherine turned down the heater a bit.
The tiny car’s interior was suddenly uncomfortably warm.

Her thoughts floated back to Luke and his lovemaking prowess. Unbidden, her mind conjured an image of him standing over her bed, as he had done so many times before crawling in beside her. She never grew tired of looking at that beautiful man. Every feature was seared into her memory. The sun-streaked blond hair. Eyes the same shade as the rich maple syrup he made. Lips so sinful they could tempt a saint. Her heart fluttered at the
memory of his perfect body. Six feet of lean, corded muscle. Between his legs was the most amazing prize of all. Nestled against a dark patch of hair between his muscular thighs, his long, thick cock demanded attention and she was always happy to oblige.

A rush of heat burned her cheeks as she remembered one exceptionally risky performance they
’d shared in the back of a movie theater. As soon as the lights dimmed, Luke’s lips covered hers and their tongues probed the depths of each other’s mouths, stroking and tracing every contour.

Luke
’s hand trailed down her body until he reached her knee, then his fingers lifted the hem of her skirt and slid up her thighs. Skillfully, he moved her panties to one side and slipped past the lacy barrier. When he stroked the lips of her pussy, his mouth caught her low moan.

His kiss deepened as his finger entered her. Her hips rolled to meet him. Another moan vibrated through her, captured by his lips. His finger began a slow, intoxicating rhythm inside her. Soon it was joined by another finger. God, she wanted more! His hands were magic, weaving a spell around her, inside her. The tempo changed, grew faster and faster. Her hips rose and fell, riding his fingers in the cramped confines of the theater seat. A groan of pleasure escaped her, breaking through their joined lips. She was past caring if anyone heard them or saw what they were doing. All she knew was that she had this gorgeous, sensitive man pleasuring her and she wanted to come. She had to find sweet release.

Almost there.

Almost there.

Another slide of his fingertip across her clit and she threw her head back and bit her lip as warm waves of pleasure swept over her. His fingers continued to play with her as she shook from each delicious orgasm.

She was still panting when he breathed low against her ear,
“I wish it was my mouth down there instead of my fingers, babe.” For effect, he tongued her hoop earring.

The thought of him licking her pussy had nearly made her come again right there in the back of the theater.

Catherine adjusted herself in the driver’s seat and concentrated on the road again. The memory excited her more than she imagined possible. Even through the layers of clothing, she could feel the wetness dampening her panties. She frowned. How could this man still have such an effect on her?

Her mind rewound to the last conversation they
’d shared. It was about this time of year, right before the maple sap was running and ready to be tapped. Luke was so excited about his first season at the helm. He wanted to share it with her. Unfortunately, Catherine hadn’t been as excited.

She turned away from the painful memory, wishing she could take it back. Wishing she had been more mature at twenty-four and could have made him understand
her desire to break away from the tiny world in which she’d grown up.

The memory burned in her brain and wouldn
’t be ignored. As the wipers flung heavy snow off the icy windshield, she relived the moment they had broken up.

“
I can’t stay in Vermont, Luke. I just can’t. I feel like I’m wasting my life here and there’s so much more out there,” she told him as they stood on his porch that chilly winter’s night.

As long as she lived, she could never erase the look of blindsided pain that wracked his face.

“What?” He gripped his gut like someone punched him. “Wasting your life?”

Everything was coming out all wrong.
“I didn’t mean wasting, Luke. I just mean, I think there’s more I’d like to see before I settle down into anything permanent.”

His eyes closed briefly, then reopened, a cold look replacing the warmth he always show
ed when looking at her. “Does this mean you’re refusing my offer of marriage, too? After all these years, you decide to lay this on me now? Damn. How long have you been planning to leave me, Catherine?”

He wasn
’t hearing her. “That’s not exactly what I was saying, Luke. Listen...” She put her hand on his arm.

He pulled away
and folded his arms over his chest, looking at her with fire in his eyes.

That look. It was so pained. And it tore at her heart. She hurt him more than she meant. This wasn
’t supposed to happen. Not with him pulling away like this. “It’s only for a little while, Luke.”

Shock
had replaced the anger in his gaze. “Seriously? Only for a little while? While you what, Catherine? See other guys? Test-drive another way of life? I don’t think so, babe. I’m not going to wait while you try to figure out what makes you happy, and I sure as hell don’t want you to have to settle for the wasted life I’m offering you here.”

Tears blurred her vision as she fought to keep the little car on the icy road. Why had everything gone to hell so fast? And why hadn
’t she been brave enough to fight for the relationship?

“
Coward!” she hollered, banging the steering wheel. The horn honked with her action. She honked again. She hollered and honked and honked and hollered. It felt good. She played a long, single-note dirge on the horn, uncaring if anyone in the farms way off the road could hear her.

God, I
’ve been such an idiot.
The breakup was her doing. Luke had never been anything but kind and patient with her. He offered her everything he had but, at the time, she was too selfish to realize he was what she needed. She wanted to test the waters outside, to check the green grass on the other side of the pasture. And now she had. And although she’d been around the world many times over, nothing compared to the quaint security that had once been within her grasp.

She honked again.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid!”

The snow fell faster and harder now, sticking to her car in great white globs. She wasn
’t near her parent’s house, nor any motel or restaurant. This was definitely a country road, used mainly by residents and locals.

Since there was no other traffic on the road, she slowed to a crawl and tried to get her bearings. Her reminiscing had distracted her to the point where she was driving purely out of instinct and not watching where she was going. Now she needed to figure out how far from civilization she was.

A thick blanket of snow carpeted the countryside, making landmarks less familiar. That and the fact she hadn’t traveled this way in over a decade didn’t help.

Beneath the darkening clouds, she could see the faint glow of a blinking light. She smiled. She remembered that light very well. It signaled the three-way stop about a half-mile ahead. It was an important part of her history since if she turned right, it took her home. If she chose left and traveled another quarter-mile or so, she
’d run smack dab into Mackenzie Farms.

She braked, craning her neck right. Home lay that way. But
the drive was at least two more hours and the weather wasn’t cooperating. She’d most likely get stuck soon, and she wasn’t prepared to hike in the snow...or to knock on a stranger’s door and ask for help. She grabbed her cell phone from the passenger’s seat and flipped it open. No bars.

“
Welcome back to the sticks,” she muttered.

She snapped the phone shut and looked left. Down that road lay her past. Could she face him again after all she
’d put him through? Could she at least tell the only man she’d ever loved she was sorry to have caused him so much pain?

She sighed. It really wasn
’t an option. She couldn’t willingly set off toward her home knowing it might put her life in danger.

Her hands gripped the wheel and the snow crunched loudly beneath the tires as she turned left. What the hell, right? I could use a little closure on this part of my life anyway. She only wished her heart would stop hammering so
fiercely in her throat. What would she say when she saw him after all this time? Would he recognize her? Would he kick her off his property?

No. Luke wasn
’t like that. Even if he were still angry or hurt, he wouldn’t send her out into a blizzard.

She
’d just cross her fingers and hope for the best. What was the worst that could happen?

Chapter Three

The turn-off to the farm had a new sign beside it with a painted hand pointing toward the rutted driveway. Catherine grinned, noting the proprietor
’s name in small letters at the bottom of the sign. Luke never was one to brag.

She accelerated up the hill toward the farm...and all of a sudden, there it was. From the rust-colored farmhouse trimmed in black to the barn painted in the exact same shades, the place was exactly as she remembered it. A
new building stood beside the barn. Smoke snaked out of it, mingling with the smoke rising from the chimney of the house. If memory served her correctly about maple sugaring, the new building was most likely a sugar shack where the sap was boiled into sugar and syrup.