Mountain Moonlight (20 page)

"Ella was sent wonderful presents, too, and could hardly wait to grow up so she could join her sister in Nevada. None of them had any clue what was going on until Letty made headlines."

"Don't tell me she was a show girl."

"I won't, because she wasn't. Actually, it was clear from the newspaper stories that early on she'd become what Grandmother Ella called 'a fallen woman, and for money, yet,' before she took up with one of the lesser mobsters."

"A gun moll. Fascinating."

"Gun is right--she shot the man. The news stories played it up as a jealousy murder, since she also wounded the 'other woman.' Apparently Letty was let out on bail before the case came to trial because less than a week later she suffered a fatal 'accident' while crossing the street. According to Ella the entire family was relieved."

"It never occurred to any of them that she'd probably been murdered by the mob so she wouldn't have a chance to spill anything she might know. It's hard to believe my great-grandparents could have been so narrow-minded and so innocent."

"Different times," Bram said. "That's quite a story. You're the first person I've known with a notorious great-aunt hidden in her background."

"I've never told any one else her story. Since I've gone this far, I might as well admit that I've always sort of admired her. Not for murdering the man, but for striking out on her own and surviving any way she could in a setting and a time really hostile to women. If Davis had been a girl, I think I might have named him Letty."

"Interesting she was let out on bail. That's unusual in a murder case where there's a witness--in this case, the other woman. No doubt the mob knew who to bribe to get her free long enough to off her."

"I never thought of that. How cold-blooded." Vala shivered.

Evidently Bram saw this because he said, "Getting cold?" Without waiting for an answer he sat up and pulled her over onto his sleeping bag where he put an arm around her, nestling her against his side. "Better?"

"Umm," she murmured. "If I were Sheba, I'd purr."

For a few moments, Bram was content just to have her close to him, but it didn't last long until desire began to override every other emotion. He shifted, turning her face up to him and kissed her.

Her lips were soft and welcoming, she tasted of herself with a slight chocolate overlay from the last bar in the supplies--he'd split it three ways as dessert. Much as he liked chocolate, her flavor was far more addictive.

That's what it was--addiction. He was addicted to Vala. Would he ever be able to kick the habit? Not wanting to think about that just now, he concentrated on the kiss, deepening it, feeling her eager response rage through him. Davis is in the tent, he warned himself. Don't let this get out of hand.

He wouldn't, all he wanted was to hold her in his arms for a while, to kiss and caress her. No, that was a damn lie. What he wanted was to possess her completely and have her possess him as well. He needed to be locked with her in an embrace that would send them both on a trip to the stars. Vala was unique--no other woman was like her, or even came close. She not only aroused him almost past bearing, but she also made him aware of his own strength, strength he could and would use to protect her, to keep her safe always. "Sweet Vala," he whispered against her lips. "My beautiful Vala. Mine."

The last word echoed in his mind, mocking him. No matter how many times he might say it, she wasn't his.

"Bram," she breathed. "We can't."

No, they couldn't, not under the circumstances. But he let her go reluctantly.

After they'd bedded down, each with a sleeping bag partially zipped up, she reached a hand to him and he grasped it. He half smiled, thinking he'd never in his life believed he'd be lying next to a woman he needed in the worst way and do nothing more than hold her hand.

He supposed it meant something significant, but he didn't care to probe into that. Safety lay in keeping cool, in not making promises he couldn't keep.

When he finally started to drift off, a stray thought floated across his mind. When he first set eyes on the kitten yowling at his front door, he had no intention of keeping her, none at all. A pet anchored you down. He needed to be free, needed no restrictions, no responsibilities. He still felt that way. Didn't he?

Maybe. But, for better or for worse, somehow Sheba had become his cat. He wouldn't dream of parting with her. Half-asleep, he couldn't quite make the connection between Sheba and Vala. Probably because there wasn't any.

Chapter 13

Bram roused in the morning to Davis's voice saying, "Aren't you guys ever gonna wake up? I already got the tent down by myself."

Glancing at Vala, Bram saw her blinking drowsily. "Morning," she mumbled.

"I figure the sooner we get going," Davis said, "The sooner we get breakfast at Brenden's Bronco Corral."

Bram yawned and stretched. "Right as usual," he told Davis.

Since Vala had slept in her clothes, she had nothing to do but slide out and reach for her socks and boots. Bram, though, had stripped down to his shorts. In deference to Davis's modesty where Vala was concerned, he said, "All females present turn your backs," before emerging and reaching for his jeans.

Her smile was amused when she turned to look at him after he sounded the all clear.

"Gee," she said as they saddled up, "I worked dang hard learning all this stuff about horses and now the trip's almost over. It isn't a skill I'll need to use back in New York, you know."

"You always tell me nothing learned is ever wasted," Davis pointed out.

"Good advice always comes back to haunt you," Bram told her with a grin.

"Everything I brought along is dirty, including me," she said to him as they started off. "I hope you've got a washer and dryer."

"How come you're asking Bram that, Mom?"

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you. Bram's invited us to spend tonight at his place."

"You mean I get to see the kittens? Cool."

"You can pick the one you want," Bram reminded him. "Even name it. I'll ship your kitten to you later."

They soon came out onto the flat. If either Davis or Vala realized the night camp hadn't been necessary, neither said so. Could be they both, like him, hated to see the trip end.

Once they reached Brenden's, Bram told Mac about the pack horse going lame. "Seems okay now, but you might want to check him."

He then took Mac aside and told him privately that the bill for the horses was to go to him, unlike the customary arrangement of being paid for by the person who'd hired him. Mac raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

After they ate, Vala thanked Mac for choosing Susie Q for her, adding, "She's the only horse that could ever have put up with me."

"Figured you wasn't much of a rider," he said.

When she asked about paying him, he told her it'd been taken care of. Vala glanced at Bram inquisitively and he smiled. He'd explain later.

Again, Davis asked to ride in his pickup and Vala gave her permission.

"We'll swing by the airport so you can get rid of that rental car," Bram suggested. "It's on the way to my place.
I can just as well take you there tomorrow to catch your flight."

When Vala hesitated, he added, "I'm planning to see you off anyway."

She agreed and followed him to the airport. At the rental return, while Bram was transferring the last suitcase from the car to his pickup, he overheard the attendant ask Vala if she was planning to fly out today.

"No," she said. "Tomorrow."

"Reason I asked," the man went on, "is I figure maybe you ain't heard they plan on shutting down a lot of the airports east of us on account of that winter storm."

"Thanks, I didn't know about that," she told him. "Surely things will be better tomorrow."

The man shook his head. "You better call and make sure in the morning. They say it's some storm."

"You mean we might get stranded here?" Davis asked. "Yay!"

Bram kept his mouth shut but couldn't squelch a pleased smile.

Vala frowned, saying something about if she was delayed, she hoped she'd still have a job when she got back. "My boss wasn't too thrilled about giving me this time off," she finished.

"I wouldn't care if we never went back," Davis said. "I like Arizona."

Sitting between Bram and Vala in the pickup, he chattered most of the way to their destination, pointing out sights along the way and asking questions.

Vala listened to her son with half an ear. The news about the storm had upset her a little--mostly because the delay was only that. A delay. She'd still have to go back to New York sooner or later. All it really meant would be a prolonged goodbye instead of a quick closure.

"Mom?" Davis said. "You look cross."

She blinked. "I'm not, I'm just a little worried about getting home."

"What for? We're gonna be at Bram's house, not that crummy motel."

"I thought you liked the motel pool," she was provoked into saying.

"You weren't listening. Bram's got a pool. And a Jacuzzi. And he's gonna find his guitar and maybe teach me to play."

She glanced across at Bram. "All in one day?"

He shrugged. "Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky and the storm'll hang on for a week."

"You two are impossible."

"Come on," Bram coaxed, "admit you can't wait to soak in the Jacuzzi."

Since she'd been thinking how good that would feel, she gave him a reluctant grin, then turned back to the window, firmly repressing any visions of Bram stripped down for the Jacuzzi. She concentrated on the passing scene.

How Phoenix had changed since she'd lived here! Much larger for one thing--there didn't seem to be any end to the city sprawl. But, compared to the east coast cities where the winter turned everything drab and dingy a week after a snow-fall, Phoenix looked bright and colorful.

With the sun's warmth coming through the open windows of the pickup cab,
it
was hard to believe a storm was closing airports across the rest of the country. Since there was nothing she could do to change what was happening, she decided to relax and enjoy whatever extra time she might have to spend here.

One thing was certain--Davis was happy about it. Bram, too, seemed pretty enthusiastic about spending more time in their company. And the truth was she couldn't really say she was sorry.

She looked at her son. "Once we get to Bram's, first things first, kid."

He eyed her resignedly. "I suppose that means I got to take a shower right away. Even before I see the kittens?"

"You know it."

"Happens I have two showers," Bram put in, slanting a wicked glance at Vala.

"Being a gentleman, I'm sure you'd allow me to use yours first," she said as demurely as she could. "But I'll wait until Davis takes his shower and then use that one."

Not long after this, Bram left the freeway via an offramp and turned onto a residential street.

"Look at all the orange trees right in people's yards," Davis said.

"Arizona grapefruit are better than Arizona oranges," Bram cautioned. "The oranges tend to be bitter."

After a few blocks he entered a dead-end street and pulled into a driveway, hitting the garage door opener as he did. When the door lifted he parked next to a sporty-looking silver BMW already in the garage.

Seeing her looking at it, he said, "What I use on those rare occasions when I have to remember I'm a lawyer."

Vala smiled. "I suppose you keep the necktie in the car."

They entered the house through a connecting door and were immediately confronted by a vocal Sheba. She twined around Bram's legs, assessing them with her beautiful blue eyes.

"She sounds like she's scolding you," Davis told Bram. "Right. She's annoyed because I dared to go away and leave her." He lifted the cat into his arms and she immediately climbed onto his shoulder.

"Neato,"
Davis
said.

Bram led them to the two guest rooms, which shared a bathroom, and Vala shooed Davis into the shower there, telling him she'd lay out clean clothes on his bed. Thank heaven she'd left one clean set in the car for each of them to go home in.

But later, once she was dressing after finishing her
own shower, she fingered her clothes with distaste. True, she'd packed this navy blue pants suit so she'd be comfortable on the plane, but it was so--so New York.

She longed for a brightly colored cotton skirt to wear with the white short-sleeved sweater she'd packed to go with the pants suit. And maybe a scarf with the same colors in it as the skirt.

Eyeing herself in the mirror as she blow-dried her hair, she frowned at the colorless combination of navy blue pants and white top. She looked--efficient. Even on the trail, though she'd been no style setter, she'd come off with more zip than this.

Emerging from the bedroom, she followed the sound of Davis's voice and found him with Bram, sitting on the floor beside a box where Sheba nestled among her nursing kittens. As Vala eased down next to them, Bram took her hand and guided it toward the mother cat, allowing Sheba to smell her fingers.