CHAPTER 16  


His posture was entirely too rigid. His walk was way off kilter. Sadie noticed also that, after they stepped out of the car and onto the roadside, it was a long moment before JC would look in her direction. She wondered at this because something had been happening in the car…something good…or so she thought. Maybe he HADN’T really caressed the back of her hand while they were shifting. Maybe it had been her imagination. 
 
She tucked away her errant curl and stepped to the edge of the blacktop. 
 
The valley spread below her, a maze of lush green forests and snow-covered hillsides. In the middle of it all, Lake Tahoe glittered like a humongous diamond. It was truly breathtaking. 
 
Yet her attention was still, almost magnetically, drawn to JC. 
 
He stood just off to her left and he had his hands buried deep in his pockets. He, too, stared out over the landscape, but his eyes were almost vacant. It was as if he was seeing, but not really and he rocked on his heels while he absently chewed his lower lip. 
 
Something was wrong. Sadie could feel it. She cleared her throat. 
 
His gaze shifted to her direction. 
 
“You know,” she said, trying to keep her words flippant, “If you didn’t want to go ice skating you could have just said so…” She forced a smile, “You didn’t have to kidnap me and bring me halfway back to ‘Frisco, you know.” 
 
She waited. JC dropped his eyes and looked away. He answered her with silence. 
 
Sadie’s smile fell. She suddenly wanted to cry. 
 
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, “I didn’t mean…I know you…” 
 
“Got too caught up in your Pop and Lock routine, Janet?” He interrupted, chuckling softly, “Between that and your horrible driving skills I completely missed the turn.” 
 
His eyes sparkled. Sadie sucked in a breath and put her hands on her hips. 
 
“My horrible driving skills!!!” she protested, “ I’m not the one who stalled two thousand times!” 
 
“Well if you hadn’t been so...DISTRACTING I wouldn’t have stalled!” 
 
“Well if you hadn’t…” 
 
She stopped. She had no idea what to say to that. 
 
“Shut up,” she said instead, folding her arms across her chest. She turned away in a huff. JC laughed outright. 
 
“C’mere,” he cooed, grabbing her sleeve. And suddenly, she was in his arms, her cheek pressed against the cold zipper of his down vest, her hands resting on his narrow hips. Even through the layers of fabric, she could hear his heart beating…hear every breath he took into his lungs. Goosebumps broke out along her skin despite the warmth of the sun and the warmth of his embrace. Her vision swam. 
 
“So…you’re hands wouldn’t happen to be COLD again, would they?” he whispered against her ear. 
 
Sadie shook her head. 
 
“My nose is a little,” she admitted, “But gloves…” 
 
Then it dawned on her. He was talking about last night. Her head snapped up. 
 
There were his eyes…misted over and endless. His entire focus was her. Her body trembled. 
 
“Gloves…help…that…” she stuttered, unable to break from that dazzling stare. Her cheeks felt hot. She unconsciously licked her lips. 
 
“I know,” he whispered, eyes following the movement of her tongue. Then, the mist cleared and she saw a flicker of pain cross his face. She bit her lip in confusion. Her heart raced. 
 
“You…you…can…” She couldn’t finish the sentence. Words, in the light of the afternoon sun, failed her in a way they never had before. Yet somehow, he understood and took her hands and pulled her fingers free. He tucked the gloves in his back pocket. He placed her hands under his shirt, on the scorching heat of his waist. 
 
“That’s better,” he murmured as her fingers wrapped around his body. He came closer and nuzzled her neck, “Yeah…that’s…nice…” 
 
She could feel his gentle exhalations against her skin. She could practically taste his musky salt. Every pore of him was oozing something so delicious she more felt helpless and giddy each time she inhaled. In an act of pure thoughtlessness, she let her lips drop a tiny kiss on the hollow of his throat. 
 
His body literally jumped. She felt it. Beneath her hands he jerked and shook and his breathing became uneven. 
 
“Sadie,” he choked out. “Oh baby…” 
 
She dared to do it again. 
 
Under her lips, his pulse pounded. 
 
“Oh Sadie…” 
 
She moved higher. 
 
His words were an unintelligible murmur as she nipped his earlobe and came down along the corner of his jaw. By the time she reached his lips, they were already swollen and trembling. She licked the corner of his mouth. 
 
“Please,” he gasped, eagerly pressing towards her. His hint of stubble scratched her skin. Sadie tipped her head up to claim his mouth. 
 
But a voice behind them stopped her cold. 
 
“‘Scuze me folks, y’all need a jump or somethin’?” 
 
A cop, in full uniform, was saunteing in their direction, hands on his hips. Sadie froze, cheeks blazing red. JC spoke for both of them. 
 
“No officer, we were just admiring the view…” he said casually, “It’s such an incredible sight we didn’t want to miss it.” 
 
But as JC smiled, the cop’s eyes narrowed. 
 
“Well, this here’s a no stopping zone son. That means, nice or not, you can’t stay here if you ain’t havin’ no car trouble…” He shifted his bulky weight and adjusted his hat, “Otherwise I’ll be havin’ to give you a ticket.” 
 
Briefly his eyes rested on Sadie. Then the panned back to JC. 
 
“Oh,” JC said, “Well, we’ll get going then. I didn’t realize…” He pulled Sadie in the direction of the car. “We’re very sorry…” 
 
The cop said nothing, just watched them get in the car and prepare to leave. 
 
JC started the Jeep and pulled away quickly. 
 
Sadie folded her un-gloved hands in her lap. 
 
Nobody spoke. 
 
But when Sadie licked her lips, she could still taste the salt of his skin. 
 

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