Chapter Sixteen #2
She closed her eyes and lost herself to sensation.
She had spent so much time thinking and analyzing, it was freeing to just feel.
She focused on the way he smelled—like pine soap and washed cotton and male musk.
His fingers were calloused and dragged against her skin, sending shivers up her spine.
Then his mouth closed around her, warm and silken.
He tasted of citrus and salt, and she told herself she would never forget that combination.
And then they slid together, shifting and rocking, slow, then fast, friction and flow, tension building.
She gripped his shoulder and arched her back and he thrust up to meet her.
Her climax shuddered through her, and he held her tightly until her body relaxed.
Then he thrust again, moving more deliberately, winding up the tension, until she came a second time, just as he found his release.
They lay together for a long moment, still connected, unspeaking. Then he slid from beneath her, got up and disposed of the condom. When he returned to bed, she cuddled against him. “I learned something about you just now,” she said.
“What’s that?” His eyes were closed, his breathing slowing.
“Talking isn’t the only thing you’re good at.”
Wednesday morning Carter was still at Mira’s apartment when her phone rang, the blare of Banda horns jolting him awake. “When did you turn that back on?” he asked, one arm draped over his eyes to shield them from the dawn light that streamed through her bedroom window.
“Right before we went to sleep,” she said. “Remember. You turned yours on, too.”
“Obviously, I was distracted by you.” He reached for her, but she swatted him away. She finally found the phone beneath their discarded clothes. “Hello?” she answered.
“Mira, this is Sheriff Walker.”
She sat on the edge of the bed and wrapped the blanket around her. As if the sheriff might see her through the phone. “Hello, Sheriff.” She looked over her shoulder and met Carter’s eyes. He sat up, expression alert.
“Have you received any more messages?” he asked. “Any letters or other threats?”
“No,” she said. “I thought Ed Anders was sending those letters.”
“Ed confessed to sending letters to many people in town, but he denies responsibility for yours. We feel the tone of the ones sent to you is different—and given the message on your classroom whiteboard and the attack on you on Gold Lake Trail, we think your harasser is someone else.”
In the back of her mind, she had suspected this, but having the sheriff confirm it unsettled her. She could no longer tell herself she had nothing to worry about now that Ed had admitted guilt.
“The reference to David Ketchum’s murder makes us believe whoever wrote to you has a connection to Santa Fe and your past,” Travis continued. “We’ve learned that Mitch Anders was born in Santa Fe. Do you remember running into him while you were living there?”
“No! Hasn’t he lived in Eagle Mountain for years?”
“He has, but he could have gone back to visit family.”
“I’m sure I never saw Mitch before I came here,” she said. “And he’s never said or done anything to make me suspicious of him.”
“Some people are very good at hiding their true intentions.”
She knew that too well. “Please let me know if you learn anything else,” she said.
“I will. In the meantime, be careful, and alert us to anything suspicious, even if it seems insignificant.”
She ended the call and rested the phone in her lap. Carter scooted closer. “I heard most of that,” he said. “Now they think Mitch is the one who targeted you?”
“Why would he do that?” She shook her head. “I can’t think of any connection between us.”
He rubbed her shoulder. “I don’t like knowing that someone is still out there who tried to harm you.”
“If Mitch is responsible, he’s in custody,” she said. “And I’ll be careful, I promise. I’m only going to go to school and my night class and to see you.”
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea for me to stay here when I can,” he said.
She turned toward him, letting the blanket slide down. “That wouldn’t be a bad idea at all,” she said, and pushed him back on the bed. “I have a little time before I have to leave for work.” She knew one way to shove her fears aside. At least for a little while.
Wednesday was often the slowest day at the tour company.
Carter and Dalton spent the morning detailing Jeeps and making small repairs.
But Carter’s mind wasn’t on his work. Instead, he was worrying about Mira.
She should be safe enough at school, but then again, someone had sneaked into her classroom and left that sinister message.
He would feel better if he knew for sure the sheriff had found the person responsible.
“Dude, that’s the third time you’ve checked the air in that tire,” Dalton said. “Is something wrong with the gauge?”
“Nothing wrong with the gauge.” He rose. “I’m just distracted.”
“Too much sex will do that,” Dalton said.
Carter sent him a sour look. “I’m worried whoever hurt Mira is still out there,” he said.
“Guess the sheriff’s office has been too busy with the child kidnapping attempts to track down Mira’s attacker,” Dalton said.
“They’re still working the case,” Carter said. “The sheriff called her this morning. But they don’t have much to go on.”
“She doesn’t have any idea who it might be?” Dalton asked.
“She says not, but I wonder about her ex.”
Dalton leaned across the hood of the Jeep. “Trouble there?”
“He ended up in prison. She says he was a mild-mannered guy before that, but maybe prison changed him. He might have spent his time inside resenting her for dumping him.”
“If he’s still locked up, she shouldn’t have anything to worry about,” Dalton said.
“He’s been paroled. Then he disappeared.”
“I could try to track him down.”
“I’m sure the cops have already tried that,” Carter said.
“But they don’t have a hacker like me.” Dalton grinned. “And even if they have looked and found out stuff about this guy, they’re probably not telling you everything. And you want to know everything, right?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Then leave it to me.” He straightened. “I’ll need the guy’s name and anything else you know about him.”
“His name is George Suarez and he was arrested in Santa Fe a couple of years ago.”
“What did he do?”
“You can’t tell anyone,” Carter said. “It would really upset Mira.”
“I would never do anything to upset Mira.”
He explained about George’s involvement in child pornography. Dalton made a face. “Doesn’t sound like they kept him in prison nearly long enough. I’ll see what I can find out.”