Whispering Spirits (21 page)

She walked into the room and found Stuart
tied to the bed by the window. His snores told her exhaustion had
won. Pulling the complimentary thin comb through her hair, she sat
on the far side of the second bed and leaned against the
pillows.

The door opened and she jumped before
realizing Running Crane carried a pizza box and several bottles of
water.

“That smells so incredible my mouth is
watering already,” she said.

“Well, hi to you, too.” Running Crane
laughed. “I nearly fell asleep waiting for this.” He tossed her a
bottle of water and set the pizza on the small table. “I actually
ate a piece before I left the shop. Best pizza I ever ate.”

Summer laughed and quickly hurried to the
table to get a piece. “I’m not sure if I’m more hungry or tired. I
couldn’t have gone much further without dropping.”

“Me either,” he said between several bites.
“We can save Stuart a couple pieces. He can have them in the
morning. Worthington and guest are at the end of the hall. Thought
we’d pay them a visit around six.”

“Good, that’ll give us at least seven hours
of heavenly sleep.” She guzzled the water and couldn’t help taking
another piece of pizza.

“Hell, Stuart can stay hungry,” he picked up
another piece and ate with enthusiasm. “People will come get him
around eight tomorrow.”

“Shouldn’t he go to a hospital and get that
bullet removed? I don’t want his death on my conscious.” Summer
went back to the bed and finished her pizza and drank more water.
It seemed like she couldn’t get enough.

“I hope we’ll finally get to the bottom of
all this tomorrow.” Running Crane grabbed the last piece of pizza
and two bottles of water and joined her.

She tried concentrating on what he said…but
her brain refused to cooperate. Her lids grew heavy and even though
she fought it…

The toilet flushing and running water brought
Summer’s senses alert. She’d fallen asleep and couldn’t help being
surprised how much better she felt now. Loud snores told her Stuart
still slept. She didn’t feel exactly comfortable sharing a bathroom
with Running Crane, so she pulled herself up against the pillows
and drank what was left of her water.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Running Crane
entered the room toweling his bare chest.

Summer stared at his bronze muscles and found
herself aroused. “Good morning. Your leg is really looking good,
isn’t it?”

“Surprisingly really good. I hardly feel the
pain anymore.”

“You should still have a doctor take a look
at it to make sure no damage was done. If you’re done with the
bathroom, I think I’ll head that way.”

“Sure, toss my shirt out. Damn, wish I had
something fresh to throw on.”

“I know what you mean.” She struggled not to
stare at him. Using the complimentary packet, she brushed her
teeth. Glancing into the mirror, she froze—staring into Running
Crane’s eyes. He came up behind her and kissed the back of her
neck. She leaned into him.

“Thought you were going to throw my shirt out
to me?”

“Oh…I guess…have to admit I’m rather glad I
didn’t,” she giggled. He kissed her cheek and back down her neck,
then turned her around to face him. Summer looked up to find him
lowering his head to capture her lips. The tenderness with which he
kissed her nearly took her breath away.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for hours.”

Summer smiled. “I’ll admit I had nothing but
sleep on my mind…that is until you came parading around half
naked.” He kissed her again, hard and demanding and she responded
with equal intensity.

She realized it’d never been that explosive
and exciting with Jordan. That hadn’t occurred to her before.
Exhausted from studies, she pretty much went through the motions,
completely unaware things should have been different. When did she
stop feeling?

Running Crane pulled her shirt over her head
and pushed the bathroom door closed with his foot. In a quick
motion he unhooked her bra and captured a breast with his
mouth.

The action caused her to gasp as she leaned
into him moving her palms across his bare back. Her body reacted
without reservation. He recaptured her lips with his and together
they wiggled out of their jeans.

Running Crane reached over and turned the
shower on and pulled her into the enclosure. He took the soap bar
and moved it across her back and buttocks, slow and sensual. The
scent of eucalyptus and spearmint heightened the sensual mood.

He continued lathering across her shoulders
and down her arms, then back up across the back of her neck. He
handed over the scented soap, then moved his lathered hands over
her collar bone, then over both breasts. Kneading them and finally
moving around both erect nipples. Her breathing increased as he
touched her inch-by-inch.

She wanted him…but instead moved the soap
across his back, shoulders, arms, and waist. Dared she boldly touch
him? As if he read her thoughts, Running Crane moved his palm over
her hand and guided it until she grasped his erection firmly in her
palm. The lathered soap created powerful excitement as she moved
her cupped hand the length of him. He excited her beyond control
and her increased tempo expressed her desire.

He cupped her buttocks and lifted her to his
waist and she instinctively she wrapped her legs around him. She
placed her palms around his neck and guided him to her lips. The
kiss said it all.

He gripped her waist and guided her above
him, then slowly lowered her. Summer gasped and took him full and
quickly moved in rhythm with his thrusts. Shivers shook her as he
moved inside her, causing a need for more and more.

Heat built as a soft moan escaped her lips.
Running Crane brought her higher and higher as he increased the
tempo of his love making. She wanted him…all of him. She shivered
as his firm member touched, pressed, and moved inside her…making
her writhe with want and desire. One final thrust caused them both
to peak; they gasped together.

“I should have been…more romantic and…I
shouldn’t have taken you this way. I’m sorry,” Running Crane
whispered near her ear.

“You have nothing to be sorry about. I wanted
you as much as you wanted me. You’ll have plenty of time to be
romantic later,” she laughed softly. “We’ve been under a lot of
stress and I’d venture to say that relieved a lot of it.”

He laughed and turned around to allow the
water to wash over them. “I hope you don’t think I’m taking
advantage of you. My feelings are sincere and I want you both
emotionally and physically. I just want you to know that.”

“It goes both ways, Running Crane. I never
expected to…find myself wanting you. I never expected to face the
truth…that I’ve always been attracted to you. If you want the whole
truth – I wanted you to notice me way before I started dating
Terry. I dated your brother hoping you’d notice me. It backfired
because you went out of your way to ignore me.” She turned off the
shower and grabbed a towel, handed it to Running Crane, then
wrapped another around herself. Strange how it seemed comfortable
to be sharing a bathroom with him.

“A guy never moves in on a brother’s girl.
Truth is…I noticed you, but your mother warned me to steer clear.
She told Terry the same thing.” He pulled on his clothes, then
using the towel squeezed water from his long braids.

“Why?”

“We’re Indian and not good enough for her
daughter. But you know Terry, not about to be afraid of anyone. I
think he liked pissing her off.
Nah’ah
on the other hand did
her best to bring you back to our people and make you realize your
heart is with us. She contacted me several times when you were in
town…and tried to make sure we ran into each other. You never
caught on…did you?”

“Coffee shop? The powwow last fall? I guess
it never occurred to me you showed up during most of my home visits
but now that I think about it…you’re right…you were always
there.”

“You never noticed me, did you?”

Summer smiled. “Yes, I noticed you and was
too busy making sure you realized I was still angry with you. I’m
not sure why I did that.”

“I noticed.”

“Maybe I was more pissed that you didn’t try
to contact me after that kiss. That you seemed to take pleasure in
knowing I kissed you…and not the other way around.”

“You’re wrong. I did kiss you and I wasn’t
kidding when I said that kiss has stayed with me ever since. I’ve
wanted you for years,
Niipo
. Never in a million years did I
believe I’d be holding you in my arms and…loving you.”

Summer smiled; she knew exactly what he was
saying. “Maybe
Nah’ah
knew what she was doing all these
years.” Mentioning her grandmother brought her back to the present.
“What are we doing, Running Crane?”

“What do you mean?”

She moved away from him and quickly dressed.
“We’re here making love and having normal conversations…and
Nah’ah’s
still being held against her will. We’re wasting
time—”

“I don’t consider us a waste of time. Sorry
you do.” Running Crane pushed past her and stormed into the
bedroom.

“I didn’t say…didn’t mean that the way it
sounded. I just meant—”

“A lover’s spat? Oh…how sad.”

“Shut up, Stuart,” Summer snapped. “Let’s get
this Worthington thing over with. I’ve had about as much dealings
with this man as I can stand.” She pulled on
Nah’ah’s
sweater and headed for the door.

If Running Crane was so easily insulted,
maybe she needed to reevaluate their budding relationship. She
didn’t need to constantly explain herself. This time she was going
into things with an open mind and heart. They would discuss what
they expected of each other…and their plans for the future. If he
couldn’t do that…they were over before they really began.

She clenched her teeth and tightened her jaw.
What she didn’t need right now was relationship drama. Her efforts,
her energy, her mental concentration needed to focus on getting
Nah’ah
back. What was she thinking in the first place? Was
she even ready for a relationship after Jordan?

She glanced at Running Crane as he followed
her out the door. She could tell his mood had darkened. Could she
admit she found the man exceptionally attractive…so much that her
heart pounded at the thought of him touching her? This wasn’t going
to be easy.

“Worthington’s staying in a room at the end
of this hall. Stay behind me and let me try the door.” He reached
over and turned the doorknob. It surprisingly opened. He stepped
inside.

Summer followed in close behind…then
stopped…staring in disbelief.

“What the fuck you two doing here?” Senator
Lawrence Borden scrambled to pull a sheet over his naked body. “I
thought you were—”

“Dead,” Running Crane provided.

“Son-of-a-bitch, you two got nine lives or
what? I’m sick of you disrupting my business.”

Summer glared at Borden and his bed partner.
“Hello, mother.” Summer hoped her tone sounded as cold as she meant
it. “I see your taste in men hasn’t changed much. I couldn’t figure
out how Worthington was getting his information. Now I get it. You
would come around father and friends, get the information you
needed and no one was the wiser. I thought you were going to
Europe.”

She pulled the sheet just above her nipples.
“I was until you decided not to go along. I wanted to get you away
from all this. You never seem to make wise decisions for
yourself.”

“Like you have?” Summer glared at the woman
who gave her birth. “I detest you more at this moment than I ever
have. You helped them kidnap
Nah’ah
? How could you?”

“That woman has been a thorn in my side for
as long as I’ve known her. She’s getting what she finally deserves.
You wouldn’t be so against me if she hadn’t pushed her Indian ways
on you. I hate the woman and all she stands for.”

“Where’s Worthington?” Running Crane gave the
bathroom a quick glance.

“I’m expecting him in few minutes, now that
you mention it. Girl, look away or you’ll get a full view. Which
way doesn’t matter to me.” Borden tossed the sheet aside, stood,
and reached for his clothes hanging over the nearby chair.

Summer shifted her glare to her mother. “That
document everyone is searching so hard for…maybe it’s not
Worthington’s name they’re worried about. Maybe it’s Senator
Lawrence Borden who has something to hide.”

“Blackmail was Jordan and Joshua Perkins
downfall,” Borden said. “How they managed to keep you out of it,
I’ll never know. And you wouldn’t have been in jeopardy had you
gone to Europe.”

“And leave
Nah’ah
to you wolves, not
likely.” Summer glared at the man.

“I nearly had your grandmother in the palm of
my hand. She truly believed the government was planning on
returning Native lands back to the Blackfeet. Keeping her busy with
that business, she didn’t have time to worry about the gold we
found.”

“Then someone saw the core sample results…and
your secret…was a secret no more,” Summer provided. “That’s when
people started dying. Why Jordan? Wait…he and Joshua were
blackmailing you, but you didn’t know it was them. Jordan worked
for you and that’s how he got ahold of the results.”

Running Crane leaned against the chair back.
“Greedy Joshua wanted more money, didn’t he? Your guys followed him
to his apartment and you discovered Derek and Stuart Wallace were
in on it, too. But none of the guys realized you had Stuart in your
pocket.”

Summer drew in a breath. “Oh, but you didn’t
have Stuart in your pocket yet—did you? You offered him more money
than he’d ever imagined…if he took care of what? His partners and
he was supposed to bring you the document.”

“My…my…my. Listen how clever you two
are.”

Summer gave her mother a stern glare. “You
have no idea.”