Devil's Creek Read online

  The next kiss was deeper, more urgent.

  “Inside,” she mumbled. “We should try to make it to the bedroom.”

  He reached under her blouse, caressing her breasts with one hand and pulling her toward him with the other. “It won’t be easy.”

  They got out and rejoined on the porch, pressing against each other. They kissed hard, their breath coming quick now, dancing around each other as they made their way inside.

  He’d unbuttoned her blouse by the time they passed through the kitchen, and suddenly laughed.

  “What?”

  Pulling her against his swelling manhood, he smiled. “I’m picturing your aunt finding a trail of clothes leading to your room.”

  She reached for his belt buckle. “She won’t care. She’ll actually be glad. She keeps telling me I need to get laid, believe it or not.” She snorted a laugh and he joined her, chuckling, kissing, and caressing her.

  Halfway down the hall, he suddenly lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist.

  He stopped and drew in a sharp breath. “Wait. I forgot. I have a dozen condoms in my backpack. In the car.”

  “Not now.” She moaned and kissed his earlobe.

  He leaned her against the wall, ready to take her right on the spot. “I don’t want to rush this, but—”

  “My room’s right here.” She gestured toward a green painted door.

  He waltzed her into the room and fell with her onto the bed, kissing her neck, collarbone, shoulders and then again on her luscious mouth.

  “Take this off,” she said, reaching for the bottom of his tee shirt.

  He sat up and shed the shirt, throwing it across the room. “Now yours,” he whispered, helping her slide out of it. She released the back of her bra, tossed it aside, and lay back down beside him.

  She frowned, tracing her fingers around a scar on his side. “Oh, baby. Where’d you get this?”

  “My first tour of duty. Gunshot.”

  “Oh, gosh.” She leaned him back, kissing around the scar. “I’m so sorry.”

  He rolled and kneeled over her, unsnapping her jeans. “May I help you out of these?”

  “You may.” She wiggled and shrugged out of them, lying in front of him in pale orange panties.

  He gazed at her, unable to tear his eyes from her. “You are gorgeous.” He stared at her, drinking in the beauty of her creamy skin, her perfect curves.

  “You’re the gorgeous one,” she said, laughing and running her hands across his chest.

  He began kissing her breasts, belly, arms, fingertips, and finally her inner thighs. He shed his pants and underwear, relieved to finally get out of the restrictive garments.

  This time it was her turn to stare. “Oh, wow. You do want me, don’t you?” She pulled him closer, running her hands over his backside and reaching below to stroke him gently and cup his balls.

  He reached for her last bit of clothing, sliding them down her legs and off the tips of her toes. Now she lay beneath him, the picture of perfect womanhood. In spite of his urgent need, he stopped to savor her: her musky, sweet scent, the creamy smoothness of her skin, the way her dark hair tumbled down her shoulders and chest, the burning desire in her long-lashed eyes.

  He reached a finger inside her, gently probing and massaging. He kissed her, dancing his tongue along her teeth, playing with the tip of her tongue. He knew from her dampness that she was more than ready, but he wanted to make it last for her, tantalizing her until the last, precious second.

  She writhed beneath him, moaning and sighing. “Anderson. Now.” She reached for him and guided him toward her.

  “Caroline.” He moved his aching organ closer and in seconds he was sliding deep inside her. He wanted to slow down, but was pulled along by a desire so powerful; it was as if he’d completely relinquished control.

  “Faster,” she whispered, locking her legs around his waist. “I need you.”

  Needing no encouragement, he drove into her. She arched beneath him, calling his name, raking her fingernails hard against his back. He rolled and now she was atop him, sinking so low on him he felt he’d disappeared into her clamping tissues.

  Before he could slow himself, he climaxed, exploding into intense waves of pleasure. Somehow, he’d waited long enough, for she, too, cried out in pleasure and collapsed onto him, heart pounding against his.

  She rolled to the side and lay beside him glistening with perspiration, with one leg still draped over his body and her eyes half-closed. “Wow.”

  “Yeah.” He caressed her back, making small circles up and down her spine.

  “Just hold me,” she said, snuggling against him.

  “I’ll never let go,” he said softly.

  Chapter 29

  The next morning, Anderson woke with Caroline’s arm across his chest and her breath in his ear. He stretched, smiled, and kissed her lips. “Wake up, sleepy head.”

  The aroma of fresh coffee filtered into the bedroom, and when the door opened in a sudden rush, he knew it was too late to cover his nakedness or pretend he hadn’t been making love to Caroline all night long.

  The woman in the doorway stopped, stared, and grinned. “Well,” she said softly, eyeing his body appreciatively. “It’s about damned time.”

  Anderson jumped at first before noticing the genuine joy shining from the woman’s green eyes. Parted on the side, her curly strawberry blond hair with bits of silver at the temples tumbled down her back and over one eye. She wore a bright yellow sundress with blue flowers, and was barefoot. Dangling beads hung from her neck, and although he couldn’t quite believe it, Anderson saw three daisies braided into her hair. Chuckles came bounding into the room and jumped onto the bed between them. Sunny approached the bed with her hand held out.

  “I knew you were from the sixties era,” he said, grinning. “But I didn’t think you’d be a real, live flower child.” He took her hand and shook it, after casually covering himself with the sheet.

  Caroline still slept.

  “Yup. I'm a bona fide hippy,” she said, laughing. “Name’s Sunny.” She couldn’t seem to stop smiling.

  “Anderson,” he said, gently sliding out from under Caroline’s arm.

  “Pleased to meet you.” She beckoned him to follow her. “Come on. I have breakfast ready.” Chuckles trotted after her.

  He waited until she turned to leave, then got dressed. He visited the bathroom before he made it to the kitchen, and rubbed toothpaste on his teeth with one finger until they felt clean. He splashed water on his face and hair, combing it straight back.

  “Well, look at you. You even look nice with clothes on,” Sunny said, giggling.

  Anderson sat where she told him to and watched the vivacious woman move about the kitchen. Full of energy, she talked nonstop until his plate was full and he’d downed one cup of coffee.

  “I love her,” he said, when he was able to get a word in.

  She stopped, beamed him a smile, and ran to his side to hug him. “Well, of course you do. How could you not?”

  “I just met her, so it sounds nuts. But I’m hooked. I think she’s my soul mate.”

  With another trilling laugh, Sunny danced back to the stove to pour more pancakes into the pan. “You are just too darling. I could eat you up.”

  “Hey. No eating my boyfriend, Auntie.” Caroline leaned on the doorjamb, wearing an oversized tee shirt. “Hands off.” She came in and sat on Anderson’s lap, encircling his neck with her arms. “He’s mine.”

  Sunny tilted her head, shouting at them. “Wait! I want a picture!”

  Caroline shrieked. “No way! I’m a mess.”

  Anderson snorted a laugh. “You two are nuts.”

  To Caroline’s horror, Sunny snapped a dozen shots.

  “I’ll kill you if you show them to anyone, Auntie.”

  Sunny giggled. “But, sweetie. This is a big moment in our lives. You haven’t had a lovely roll in the hay since… ” She frowned. “Well, since I’ve known you.” She
shrieked a laugh and pranced toward them again, taking another few photos.

  Caroline raced after her, trying to snag the phone from her aunt’s hands. “You’re horrible! And what’s this ‘big moment in our lives’ thing, anyway? Our lives? I thought it was me in there with this beautiful man.”

  Sunny evaded her, twisting and moving with the flexibility of a teenager. “Oh, he’s beautiful, all right. He’s a regular hunk.”

  Anderson watched the show with amusement. “Hey, sweetie. Did you tell your aunt the news?”

  The race around the kitchen stopped. Sunny’s mouth dropped open and she shrieked. “Wait. What? Oh! Did you get the part, honey?”

  Caroline nodded. “I did.”

  Sunny grabbed her hands and danced her around in circles. “Oh, baby. I knew you’d nail it! Way to go.”

  Anderson watched the women, loving the way they interacted.

  “And Anderson got Raoul, Auntie. He gets to kiss me on stage.”

  Sunny’s face lit up, which seemed almost impossible to Anderson, since she’d already seemed so happy.

  “I’m running out to the car to get my backpack,” Anderson said. “I’ve got my toothbrush and stuff in there.”

  Caught in another hug with Sunny, Caroline shot him a smile over her aunt’s shoulder. “Okay.”

  Outside, he breathed in deeply. The cool Vermont morning air invigorated him. He stretched and smiled. God, what a night. He hadn’t felt this happy in a very long time.

  At the car, he stopped and stared. The back door was cracked open, and his backpack had been emptied on the ground, contents strewn about. His laptop lay opened nearby, a starburst of cracks marring its screen.

  “No. No way.” He bent down to pick it up and noticed the red spray paint on the side of the Corolla.

  Whore was sprayed in capital letters across the door and fender.

  ∞∞∞

  “We should call the police,” Sunny said.

  Tears streamed down Caroline’s face. “Yes.”

  “I already did. They’re sending an officer out.” Anderson scrubbed harder with a rag soaked in turpentine. “I’m afraid I might mess up the original paint.”

  Caroline hiccupped a sob. “I don’t care. Just get it off.”

  Sunny whistled, staring at Anderson’s laptop. “Who would do such a thing?”

  Anderson rolled his eyes. “The one and only jerk in your niece’s life. Hank.”

  “Good old Hank? Cripes, he doesn’t let go easy, does he?” Sunny looked around the woods. “This wasn’t here when I came home at four-thirty this morning. He must’ve come after that.”

  Caroline raised a hand to her face. “Oh, God. Do you think he looked in my window? Saw us together?”

  Anderson scowled. “Probably. He’s such a pervert.” He straightened and massaged his back. “But honey, we have nothing to be ashamed of.”

  A police car rolled up the hill just as Anderson finished removing the paint, but not before Sunny had documented it on her video camera. Officer Phillips emerged and introduced himself.

  “Vandalism,” he said. “It’s getting worse and worse around here. Just had a complaint down the road last week of a mailbox smashed all to pieces.”

  Sunny chatted and flirted with him, apparently having run into the gentleman many times at the local watering hole. He took down the details, didn’t give much hope of any resolution, and warned them to lock up their valuables in the future.

  “Officer?” Caroline said as he was preparing to leave.

  “Yes, Miss?”

  “Like I said, we think we know who did this. And he attacked my friend here in the school, too.”

  “Did you report it?”

  She frowned. “We should have, huh?”

  “Next time—if there is further trouble—call me.” He handed her his card. “We can start to build a case. And if it was this fellow you suspect, the more you document, the better you’ll fare in court. If it comes to that.”

  He touched his hat and got into his patrol car, driving slowly back down the dirt road.

  Back inside, Anderson washed the turpentine off his hands with hot water and soap, dried his hands, and then embraced Caroline. “Forget about it. He’s trying to rile us up. But we’ve got more important things to focus on today. Like practicing our songs, right?” He gave her his best smile, trying to encourage her.

  She sighed as if letting all the fear and anxiety out with one long breath. “You’re right. We can’t let him do this to us. It’s what he wants.”

  Sunny put her arms around both of them. “Then you just head up to school as if nothing happened. Smile. Laugh. And show him he can’t hurt you.”

  Anderson hugged both women, but he was thinking about his school assignments that sat on his broken laptop. Grateful he’d bought the hazard insurance, he relaxed. All he had to do was stop at the computer store today to get the screen replaced. It was a fixable problem.

  “Come on,” he said. “We’ll be late for our first class if we don’t get a move on.”

  Sunny touched his arm. “Listen, honey. We want you back for dinner tonight. I’m going to bed in a few minutes, but when I get up later today, I’m gonna make you two a delicious supper. So you come back, okay?”

  Anderson noted Caroline’s smile of approval. “Thanks, Sunny. I’ll be here.”

  Chapter 30

  During practice that night, Anderson decided it was time to face Hank and read him the riot act. He’d put up with more stupid spitballs than he could handle, and figured the asshole would probably be lying in wait for them again at Caroline’s house.

  But this time, it would be different. He’d be waiting for Hank.

  Sunny had prepared a beautiful meal of fried ham, roasted butternut squash, stir-fried peapods, and a gourmet salad. He ate ravenously, to Sunny’s apparent delight. The three of them talked as if they’d known each other for years, and he realized with a stab of sadness how very much he’d missed a family-style dinner. His folks had been gone for years, and the closest he’d had to this experience was the brief time he spent with his brother and his wife this past summer.

  Sitting around the table, laughing and chatting like normal people, without bombs going off or planes screeching overhead... it was nice. Real nice.

  I could get used to this.

  He offered to do the dishes, but Sunny shooed him away. He shared his plan with Caroline before grabbing a baseball bat from his trunk.

  “No!” She shoved him backwards a step. “I won’t have you confront him.”

  “So, we just let him torment us for the rest of the show? For the rest of our lives?” He kept his voice low and calm. He didn’t want Sunny to hear him, or Hank, in case he was already out there, watching them.

  “No.” She huffed. “We should ignore him. He’s a bully. And if he doesn’t get a reaction, he’ll go away.”

  Anderson took her hands. “I don’t think so. He’ll escalate until he does get a reaction. I’ve seen his type before.”

  She hung her head. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “I won’t. I’m a big boy. I’ve fought in combat with terrorists, for God’s sake. Hank can’t hold a candle to those guys.”

  “What will you do?” she said, weakening.

  “I’m going to sit out in your little shed over there with a lawn chair, my trusty bat, and a blanket. I’ll just watch for him. I can see the front porch and your bedroom window from there.”

  “But if he shows up?”

  “I’ll tap him on the shoulder and politely request that he vacate the premises.”

  She punched his arm. “No you won’t. You’ll beat him up.”

  He smiled slyly. “Well. Maybe a little.”

  A laugh escaped her, but she squelched it. “I don’t like violence, Anderson.”

  “Me, neither,” he said. “But sometimes it’s necessary. Especially with jerk wads like Hank.”

  She crossed her arms. “I hope you’re right.”
>
  He slung an arm around her shoulders. “Hey. Maybe he won’t even show up. He might be sick of it.”

  She leaned into him. “Maybe.”

  But inside, something told him it wasn’t over. The rage in Hank seemed more than “jilted boyfriend” anger, it seemed puerile and obsessive. The guy was probably nuts.

  Armed with his bat, Anderson grabbed a blanket from the closet and settled into the shed around eight-thirty, just as darkness settled over the woods.

  ∞∞∞

  For the millionth time, Anderson glanced around the property.

  Nothing.

  All was quiet.

  Sunny had covered Caroline’s bedroom window with a thick blanket, so if Hank showed up, he wouldn’t get a free show tonight. Behind the blanket the room was dark, and he hoped she was sleeping peacefully inside, not worried about him.

  He sat up and stiffened. Was that a noise on the driveway?

  There, beyond the light of the porch, a shadow moved. Black on black. It was hard to see, but he sensed movement, just as he had in the desert overseas when an enemy approached.

  The Toyota was pulled up close to the house, still fully illuminated by the porch light. It wouldn’t be easy to attack it in that bright pool of light.

  Would he try to sabotage it again? Or did he have something new in mind?

  Hank’s face appeared on the edge of the light. He stopped to listen before creeping toward the house.

  Christ almighty. The bastard’s going to try to look in her bedroom window.

  Anderson stood slowly, making no noise. He tracked Hank to the side of the house, where the intruder approached and tried to look inside.

  Anderson touched Hank’s shoulder. “You can’t see her from here.”

  Hank whirled around, surprise filling his eyes. “You!”

  “Yeah. Me.” Anderson held the bat in both hands, ready to swing. “And what the hell are you doing here? Planning another night of sabotage?”

  “You’re fucking her!” Hank screamed, pushing toward him.

  The light snapped on in Caroline’s bedroom, the living room, and in the kitchen.