Chapter Ten
She was in love with Jacque LeBlanc. That was Monique’s very first conscious thought when she awakened the next morning. A blossom of sweet warmth opened up in her chest at the realization. It both thrilled her and frightened her more than just a little bit.
Falling in love certainly hadn’t been in her plans, but in this moment, she was utterly filled with it. Somehow the swamp loner who was more apt to scowl than to smile had crawled deep within her heart, straight into her very soul.
Making love with him the night before had definitely been magical and beyond wonderful.
He’d been so gentle and yet so very passionate.
Even now her body was warm from the memory of his caresses.
Still, despite the sexual explosion that had taken place the night before, she really had no idea what Jacque felt about her.
Oh, she knew he wanted her, but beyond that she had no idea what his feelings were for her. He blew so hot and cold, and she never knew what kind of mood she would get from him. Maybe he was destined to be her very first heartbreak. Didn’t every woman have one?
Before this depressing thought could gain any real purchase in her mind, she got out of bed.
She dressed in a bright yellow sundress, knowing from the weather report that it was supposed to be a hot day.
Autumn would soon be approaching, her mother’s favorite season.
That was when the stifling temperatures grew more pleasant, and the greens looked greener, and the yellows appeared brighter.
Monique sat on the edge of her bed as thoughts of her mother momentarily overwhelmed her. She had been so desperate to find the murderer, and that desperation still lived deep inside her.
She was just waiting for a better idea to strike so she could continue hunting the killer.
Of course, she didn’t intend to say anything to Jacque until she was ready with that kind of a plan.
With her body healing up nicely, thoughts of catching the murderer and the person who had beaten her were more and more on her mind again.
But right now, she was ready to go out and see Jacque. Were things going to be awkward between them this morning after the night they had shared?
There was only one way to find out. She got up from the bed and left the room. As with most mornings, Jacque sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee before him. At her appearance, he gazed at her and smiled. The smile put her nerves at ease.
“Good morning,” he said.
“And a good morning to you,” she replied brightly. She got herself a cup of coffee and then joined him at the table.
“How did you sleep?” he asked.
“Like a baby. What about you?” She took a tentative sip of the hot brew.
“Same,” he replied. “I thought after lunch we could go out back and do a little fishing.”
“That sounds really exciting. I’ve never fished before,” she replied.
He looked at her in obvious surprise. “Never? You grew up in the swamp, and you’ve never been fishing?”
“Never. Mama paid some of the men in the swamp to keep us supplied in fish for meals, but us girls were never allowed to fish. It was one of her rules I never really understood. I think maybe she was afraid we’d fall off the bank and get eaten by a gator.
” She was grateful that there was no awkwardness between them this morning.
“Then this afternoon I’ll make sure you learn to fish like a pro,” he said. “And I’ll even keep you from being eaten by a gator.”
She laughed. “Thanks, I appreciate that. I’m also feeling a bit of a challenge coming on. You teach me, and I’ll pull in more fish than you.”
“Ha!” His eyes lit up. “Challenge accepted. Let’s say if I win, then you have to cook the fish for dinner tonight.”
“Fine, and if I win, then we have a dance party in the living room. Just you and me, dancing to some fun music.” She’d missed dancing. It had been such a part of her life before her mother’s murder…before her sisters had found love.
“Great, but I’m not dusting off my dancing shoes just yet,” he said with a sparkle in his eyes. “Hmm, I can just taste the fish you’re going to cook up for dinner.”
She laughed. “You’re a jerk.”
“Maybe a little,” he agreed. “Now, let’s talk about what we want for breakfast.”
The morning passed pleasantly. They small-talked off and on, and in between he read and she played on her phone. After a lunch of sandwiches and chips, they went out the back door where he handed her one of the fishing poles that leaned against the shanty.
The afternoon sun was warm but a slight breeze kept it pleasant.
He led her down a path away from his shanty and to his fishing hole.
“Wow, nothing like having a great place like this right outside your back door,” she said.
It was a fairly large pond of water. Trees lined it, offering both shade and beauty as they rose up majestically.
“It is nice,” he agreed.
“I guess you’ve missed a lot of fishing while I’ve been here.” She looked up at him.
“Not so much. I’ve managed to get in a little fishing while you are at work.”
“That’s good. I know my presence here has disrupted your life, and you hate that.”
“You haven’t really disrupted my life,” he said with a wry smile that belied his words.
“Now, the first rule of fishing is learning to bait your own hook.” He set down the tackle box he carried and then opened a container that held big, fat earthworms. “Watch while I bait mine, and then you can bait yours.”
“Yucky,” she said as he pulled out a big fat worm and then threaded it on his hook.
“Now, your turn.”
“Double yucky.” She managed to successfully bait her hook, and then he showed her how to cast the line out. It took her three times of trying before she managed to get the line far enough away from the shore and into the deeper water.
“Now we sit and wait for a bite.” He sank down to the grassy bank, and she did as well.
“It’s very peaceful here,” she observed after a couple of minutes.
“Yeah, I find a lot of my peace here.”
They sat in a comfortable silence for a little while. Birds sang merry songs from the tops of the trees, and small animals could be heard rustling through the brush behind them. There was a sort of primeval hush here that was very appealing.
He must have showered before she’d gotten up that morning.
They sat close enough together that she could smell the minty scent of his soap and the ocean breeze fragrance of his shampoo.
That all mingled with the aroma of shaving cream and his cologne.
It made her realize that despite making love with him the night before, she wanted him all over again.
She’d never, ever felt this way about a man before.
“I didn’t use a condom last night,” he said, breaking the silence and surprising her with the topic. “Hell, I don’t even have any condoms.”
“It’s okay. I take birth control pills, and I don’t believe you’re a promiscuous man,” she replied. “And I’m not a promiscuous woman, so we should be safe.”
“You know it was a mistake.” He continued to gaze straight ahead across the water. “We should have never gone there, and I definitely won’t go there again.”
“I don’t understand why it was such a big mistake? Both of us are consenting adults and don’t have significant others.”
He turned and looked at her, his gaze dark and shuttered against her. “You don’t have to understand. I just need you to know that I won’t allow myself again to lose control like I did last night.” His gaze returned to the water.
“So noted.” She couldn’t help but feel a little hurt by his words, especially since she didn’t comprehend his issues. Once again, she felt as if Jacque had inner demons. They were demons that had made him choose a shanty in the swamp and a life without laughter, without joy and without love.
“Oh, I think I’ve got one,” she exclaimed as the tip of her pole bent down.
“Give it a small jerk to set the hook,” he said. “And then reel it in.”
She did as he instructed and then got to her feet and reeled. She cried out in triumph as she landed a nice-size catfish.
Thankfully, he removed the fish from the hook for her and then put it into a basket that floated in the water. “I believe that’s one for me and zero for you,” she teased.
“Don’t get cocky, there’s plenty more time left for me to catch up to you,” he said with a laugh.
They fished for about two hours and then called it a day. She had three fish in the basket, and he had two. “You’d better start looking for those dancing shoes,” she said with a grin as they started the walk back to his shanty.
“It must have been beginner’s luck. Either that or you had an amazing teacher,” he said.
“Ha, don’t make excuses. I just fished way better than you today,” she teased.
“I demand a rematch on another day.”
She laughed. “You’re obviously a glutton for punishment because I’ll just beat you again.”
They were almost to the back door when the shot rang out. The bullet whizzed precariously close to her head. She screamed in terror.
“Get down,” Jacque cried out. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the ground with his body covering hers.
He yanked his gun from his holster and pointed it to the right, where he believed the shooter was somewhere hiding in the bushes. Even with all his muscles tensed and with him filled with a wealth of adrenaline, he could still feel Monique trembling with fear beneath him.
Damn, where was the shooter hiding and was he going to fire again? Right now, with him shielding her, there was no way she could get shot. But there was no question that the bullet had been meant for her.
If she’d been a mere inch to the left, it would have found its mark in her head. The very idea squeezed his chest tight. Death had come far too close to her.
Seconds ticked by…then minutes, and no other bullets flew. Finally enough time had passed that he believed the imminent danger was over. He half rose from his prone position. Nothing happened.