Page 36 of Threat of Danger
“Old friend?” Eliot asked, and then he suddenly stilled, incredulity in his voice as he added, “The author?”
She nodded.
Stunned silence. But only for a moment. “No kidding?” Another moment of mute surprise before he said, “I’ve read all his books. You think I could meet him while I’m here?”
Really? Dammit. How has this not come up before?
She had no idea what authors Eliot read. They were mostly together at work, and they usually talked about stunts and equipment, training and safety. And, of course, movies.
She couldn’t say no without explaining, so she said, “Sure.”
She would have smiled at Eliot’s sudden kid-meeting-Santa reaction if she wasn’t so aggravated. The one thing she’d been most determined to do was avoid Derek. How could it be so damned impossible?
She watched him for a few seconds. He cut a solitary figure. She pictured him over at his place, alone at his parents’ farmhouse like a cursed prince in his tower. He didn’t run the sugaring at his parents’ farm. All he needed for his work was a computer. He could live anywhere in the world. Why didn’t he move to New York or London to feed off the creative energy like other famous authors? What was Derek doing in the backwoods of Vermont?
Not something Jess needed to think about right now. She didn’t want to think about Derek at all. She focused on Eliot. “I’m glad you’re here.”
She tilted up her lips to his, and he brushed them again. The light kiss felt comfortable, easy. Being in Taylorville wasn’t going to taint Eliot. The meeting of Jess’s present and her past didn’t have to be a disaster. Having Eliot here was good. Eliot was on her side. Eliot grounded her.
He was watching her with such a lovely smile.
She wanted to tell him about her past. If they were going to have a relationship, she shouldn’t have secrets from him. And this was a good place to tell him.
She opened her mouth ... then closed it again.
His arms loosened around her. “Is this OK?”
“Yes.” She didn’t want him to think she was having second thoughts. She wanted this—something right and natural and easy with him.
I need to tell you something.
One second ticked by, then another and another. No more movement below. Derek was gone.
She filled her lungs. “Do you want to walk down to the river?”
“Which river is it?”
“The Lamoille.”
“Right. Sure.” But he didn’t move. “Looks like a good place to practice water stunts.”
Unease seeped into her muscles. “It’s not as tame as it looks. A high school girl drowned in it last week. Hannah Wilson.”
“How?”
“Her car went off the bridge.”
He gave a somber nod. “Key is to climb out the window before the car goes under. Once you’re under the surface, with water rushing in and pushing you back, it’s much harder to get out.”
Being trapped in a car underwater was one stunt Jess hadn’t done yet, and she had no wish to attempt it.
She watched Eliot as he watched the river. He was probably thinking about all the stunts he wanted to try.
She would tell him about her past in the car as they drove back to the house. And, after lunch, she would take him to meet her mother. Maybe he would buy a couple of acres of Taylor land. Then Jess would come back here with the team for training a couple of times a year. That’d be nice. As long as her team was with her, it’d be doable. She could visit with Pam. And Zelda and Chuck and Kaylee.
And her mother ... and her mother’sboyfriend. She was going to have to get used to the thought. Her mother had every right to live her life any way she wanted. And Jess was an adult, not a petulant child. She had to accept her mother’s choices.
After ten long years, feeling that she had a family again threw her off balance. To steady herself, she slipped her arms around Eliot’s neck and pressed her lips back to his. This time, he deepened the kiss.
