Unveiled Treasures (24 page)

Miserable with himself and not wanting to ruin Jessica’s evening by dumping on her again, he decided to go for a walk. With no real destination in mind, he started walking the fire trail that wandered behind his house. The flashlight he carried cut through the darkness, shedding enough light to guide him down the path. Without realizing where he had ventured to, he found himself outside Rachel’s cabin. He stood in the shadows and willed her to come back to him. Opening his eyes, he looked at the cabin again. Nothing changed. It sat there cold, empty and alone.
She’s made her choice. I pushed her into making it, but she’s made her choice
. Disgusted with himself and his inability to cope with his feelings, he turned on his heel and disappeared back into the forest.

* * * *

Rachel arrived home after midnight. Bleary-eyed, she gathered her bags and headed for the door. Sliding her key in the lock and opening it made her feel instantly better.
I’m home
. She thought as she dumped her bags on the floor and went to start a fire. Once she got the fire going, she wandered down the hall to her bedroom. Kicking off her shoes, she flopped face first into the mattress.

The sun came creeping through her bedroom window once again. Diffused light came through the curtains she had hung before she left. The crystal pendant still cast a rainbow of colors across the room and onto the floor. Stretching, she realized she was alone. Missing Brutus, she looked wistfully at his empty bed on the floor. “Three weeks, buddy, I’ll see you in three weeks.”

She contemplated snuggling back under the covers and going back to sleep. Deciding against it, she padded down the hall to the kitchen to start her morning pot of coffee. Once that was brewing, she went into the living room to take care of the fire. While she waited impatiently for the coffee maker to deliver her morning wake up call, she paced the floor trying to decide how she was going to approach Todd.

The soft knock at the door startled her out of her mental oration. Tying the strap on her robe shut, she went to answer it. Not recognizing the small elderly woman standing at her front door, she was intrigued enough to answer it anyway.

“Good morning to ye, Ms. Hardy. I hope I didn’t wake ye?” said the tiny woman.

The Irish lilt in her voice gave away her identity. “You must be Mrs. Riley. What can I do for you?” Rachel asked curiously.

The tiny woman looked up at her with bright blue elfish eyes that seemed to say,
“I know a secret”
“Are ye going to ask me in, or am I to stand outside and speak me mind?” The Irish singsong of her voice made Rachel think of her one and only visit to Ireland.

“I’m so sorry, please excuse my manners. Won’t you come in, Mrs. Riley?” Rachel stammered and opened the door further. “I just made a fresh pot of coffee. Would you like some?”

“That would be lovely. Frightfully cold out this morning; I expect the rains to be a coming before too much longer. We might even get a bit of snow.”

Rachel poured two cups of coffee and gestured for her to sit down at the kitchen table. Mrs. Riley sat and looked up at her. “Where did ye run off to?”

Rachel was caught off-guard by the blunt question. “I didn’t run off anywhere. I had some business to take care of in Phoenix. I was only gone for a short time.”

“I came out here yesterday and no one was home. I was so looking forward to meeting with ye.”

“Well, I’m home now,” Rachel said with a slight trace of irritation in her voice.

Mrs. Riley paid it no mind. Standing up, she took off her jacket and hung it on the back of her chair. Rachel noticed
the
Irish Star
swaying gracefully around her neck. “I wanted to thank ye for helping to return me necklace. Me insurance man wants to lock it up in a safe or place it in a museum. It was never meant to be locked away or to be gawked at by tourists. It was originally created for love. Love is something to be cherished, don’t ye agree, Ms. Hardy?”

“Yes I do. I make a living writing about love. I’ve waited my whole life to find it for myself. I have to tell you, Mrs. Riley, love is what brought me back here,” Rachel said, looking straight into the old woman’s eyes.

Mrs. Riley reached across the table and placed her tiny, frail looking hand on top of Rachel’s. “Aye, Josie was right then. There is love between ye and the sheriff. He’s a stubborn lad. That one can be. Dragged him home by his ear a time or two, meself,” she said with a warm chuckle. “He’s been known to stick his foot in his mouth a time or two as well.”

“Mrs. Riley, did you come out here to talk about mine and Todd’s relationship, or about your necklace?”

“Both. I came out here to tell ye how me great-grandda ended up with the love of his life and
the Irish Star
to boot. He was a poor dirt farmer. Anyway, he was playing cards with some fellas one night down at the pub. One of them bet more money than he had on him and put
the Irish Star
in the pot. Aye, I can see the light comin’ on in yer eyes. He won it in a card game. The Irish rebel tale just makes it all more exciting, don’t ye think? Well, back to me story. There was a young barmaid working at the pub when Grandda won the pot. Her name was Ester O’Connell. Grandda had it bad for Ester, but being poor, he didn’t think he was worthy of her love. Well, now that Padrick O’Reilly had some ale in his belly and some coin in his pocket, he walked right up to Mr. O’Connell and asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage. I’m named after her.” She extended her hand across the table again to shake Rachel’s hand. “Mrs. Ester Mary Riley is very pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Rachel smiled and shook the frail looking hand with pride. “It is very nice to make yours as well, Mrs. Riley.”

“We are a tight knit community here in the Canyon. We look after our own. When one is down or in trouble, we pull together to help fix things.”

“I thank you for your concern but I…”

“Don’t tell me ye don’t want no one interfering in yer life. You shouldna moved to a small place such as this if ye didn’t want to get close to nobody.” Her blue eyes flashed. “There now, ye’ve gone and fired the Irish in me. I’ve come out here to peacefully talk, not to fight with ye.”

Rachel was amazed at the transformation that took place before her very eyes. “Mrs. Riley, I came back to talk to Todd. I don’t need anyone to push me towards him, I pushed myself. I love him and I am going to find him and tell him so.”

“Why didna ye say that before, girl? Well, me work here is done then,” she said, calming her voice and rising from the table. “I’ll be seein’ ye around town then?”

“Yes, ma’am, you will.”

“Did ye get yer book written?”

“Yes, ma’am I did. It’s now in the hands of my agent.”

“Good, that’s good. Ms. Hardy, it was a pleasure talking with ye. Don’t let love pass ye by. Grab hold of it and enjoy the ride,” she said, cackling mischievously on her way out the door. Turning back, she looked at Rachel again. “
The Irish Star
has brought more than one couple together over the course of time. It holds magic in the heart.”

Rachel watched the old woman drive away. Alone in her cabin, she contemplated the conversation she just had. “Well, Rach, it’s now or never,” she told herself as she headed off for the shower.

* * * *

Todd was returning home from the early morning hearing of Edward Templeton. Ed was found guilty on six different charges of breaking and entering, using and possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy to traffic stolen goods. The judge had reduced his sentence to eight years behind bars with the chance of parole after four being served. Todd would have liked a stiffer sentence, but he wasn’t a judge. Jake Vanderhuff’s high-priced family lawyer was trying for an insanity plea so his hearing had been rescheduled for a later date. He sighed as he pulled into his driveway and climbed out of his truck. It was still morning, he planned to forget about everything for a few hours and go fishing.

* * * *

Rachel was as nervous as a school girl on her first date. Her hands were shaking so badly, she was having a difficult time applying her makeup. But she was determined to see this through to the end. She looked in the mirror. Her own big, blue eyes reflected back to her. She took a breath to steady her nerves and finished applying her makeup. Turning her head to the right and then the left, she was happy with the results. “Make up—good. Hair—very good.” Her hair was a sleek dark cap that framed her face. Her black lace bra and matching thong were skimpy and what was there was see through. She grinned wickedly in the mirror, slipped into black, spiked heels, donned a black, leather trench coat and walked to the door. Calling forth all the courage she hoped she had, she headed out towards Todd’s house.

The short mile drive was over before she had time to prepare herself. Parking next to his truck, she stepped out and almost climbed back in again. Shaking her head and swallowing the very large lump stuck in her throat, she looked at the A-frame house  quietly nestled amidst the pine trees. Her palms were damp. Fighting the battle against her nerves, she had to remind herself to take deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. With an outer semblance of calm, she marched up to the front door.

Todd heard the soft knock on the door and was almost tempted to ignore it when something inside him told him it was Rachel. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he opened the door. She was standing there with her big blue eyes full of questions and a little fearful. “Hi,” he said. “Want to come in?”

Rachel stood there staring at him. She was not as prepared as she thought for the rush of emotions that flooded inside her and sent her pulse racing. “I um, yes,” she said mildly as she stepped inside the door. She caught a whiff of his aftershave as she passed him. She closed her eyes and let him assail her senses. He always smelled of that musky, woodsy scent. No matter what was said or happened after today, she would always think of him when she smelled it.

“You left without a word to anyone,” he said more gruffly than he intended.

“I finished my book and delivered it to my agent—she lives in Phoenix. I also wanted the opportunity to visit my father.”

“Rachel, I need to tell you something, then you can decide what you want to do from there.”

“No, Todd.” She opened the belt and let her coat fall open. “Whatever you have to say can wait ’til…later.” She finished the sentence and the coat slid to the floor to pool at her feet. She watched him devour her body with his eyes. Seductively swaying her hips, she walked the few feet separating them. “I want you and I want you now. No—no, don’t say anything yet.”

Todd closed the distance between them and buried one hand in her hair and closed the other over her breast. He brought his mouth down savagely, crushing and bruising her lips. His tongue delved inside the warm recesses of her mouth to tangle with hers. The blood rushed out of his head and into his pants.

Rachel moaned and pressed even closer to grind her lace covered mound against his hardened desire.

Todd tore his mouth from hers and ran a trail of kisses down the side of her neck. With frenzied hands, he fisted one in her hair again as the other burned a trail from her breast, to her back and down to her ass. He squeezed and pulled her hard against him.

Rachel looked up at him. “Are you going to take me upstairs?” she asked huskily.

“No,” he replied, his own voice thick with emotion and lust. He picked her up, walked across the room to the kitchen and set her down on the island countertop. In a sweeping motion, he sent everything on the counter crashing to the floor. “Right here, right now.”

Rachel opened the clasp at the front of her bra. She gasped in pleasure as he laved one nipple and then the next. Her nipples became hardened kernels and strained to feel the caress of his tongue, mouth and skillful hands.

Todd gently pushed her back flat on the counter. Slowly, he ran his hands across her face, neck and chest. He hesitated briefly to knead her breasts before venturing further down her body. Her scent, the womanly essence that was all Rachel drew him in. Tenderly, he slipped the lacy swatch of fabric down her legs and let them fall to the floor. He bent down and drew up her legs to rest them on his shoulders. He loved her with his tongue, slipping it inside her honeyed core and then paying equal attention to her sensitized clit. She ground her wet pussy into his mouth and wickedly talented tongue, clamping her thighs around his head. He drove her higher when he gently took her clit between his lips and began to hum.

Rachel cried out his name. The vibrations his humming created sent her over the peak. Just as she began to climax, Todd slid two fingers inside her wetness and finished her off.

Todd had no intention of letting her come down yet. Dropping his jeans to his knees he stood between her legs and in one swift motion, buried himself deep inside her moist body. “My god, Rachel, I love you. You’re in my blood. And I’ll never get enough of you.”

Rachel was floored. He loved her! Warmth slid through her body and completely enveloped her. She slid her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs tighter around his waist. Nipping at his earlobe, she whispered, “I love you, too.”

Todd held her by the hips and pumped his aching cock deep inside her willing body. He’d held back long enough. A few deeper, penetrating strokes and he erupted.