Heartstealer (Women of Character) Read online

  Sloan watched a cameraman approach Jacie and her brother to position them for the impromptu interview. John Wilson, a local news reporter was there. Sloan had gone to school with John and now gave him a nod. "John, how are you doing?"

  "Fine, Sloan. This place is really shaping up. You guys have done a great job." He turned his attention to Jacie and introduced himself. "Jacie, I’ve read the backgrounder on you. You’ve been on jumps all over the world. I’m curious why you’re here in this relatively quiet area of the Catskills."

  Sloan watched her give John a brilliant smile, noted the effect it had on the other man as John’s usually reserved manner slipped a bit. Sloan wondered how often she used that smile to get her own way. It was the same one she’d given him.

  "Look at this place!" she exclaimed, waving her hands to indicate the mountain ranges on three sides. "It’s gorgeous. People should know about Timber Falls and all it has to offer. Aerial Antics is here to help them do that. As an added bonus, I get to stay here for a month. How could I refuse such a lovely setup?"

  With cynical detachment Sloan watched John fall under her spell and take a step closer to Jacie.

  "Has there been much interest in the skydiving lessons?" John asked.

  "The guests are excited," James said. "We've had some response too from local people as you can see by the crowd that showed up."

  "Jacie, it’s obvious you enjoy jumping out of planes. Can you tell those of us who haven’t dared that, what it’s like? Is it really a thrill not to be missed?"

  Sloan watched Jacie curiously as she closed her eyes and spoke softly. "When you jump the air catches you and whips you upward. It’s like catching your breath on a wild carnival ride. Your heart rate is accelerated and the adrenaline’s flowing. It’s an incredible feeling of freedom."

  The words were heartfelt; her love of skydiving came through loud and clear.

  "Your film "Escape from Angel Falls" last year was a box office hit, despite the turmoil the film company has since experienced. Would you consider doing stunts for another film?"

  Sloan didn’t think that information was in the backgrounder. He saw a brief flash of anxiety on her face as she looked at her brother.

  "That was a one-time thing," she said lightly. "Our specialty is film stunts, but usually my brothers handle those jobs. But who knows," she added, "I might consider doing another one if I’m asked."

  "How did your company get into film stunts?" John asked.

  Smoothly, she turned to her brother. "I think my brother can answer that question in more detail," she said.

  She smiled and deftly sidestepped out of camera range so Con could take over. As Jacie headed his way with determination, Sloan watched her curiously, wondering what else might be beneath the surface of this woman.

  "I’m ready," she said.

  "I can wait. I don’t want to take you away from the limelight," he told her briskly. "Some people just eat up that attention."

  She lifted a brow. "Thanks for your consideration, but my brother can handle it from here. Publicity is his thing."

  James joined them. "That pretty much wraps it up. Thanks, Jacie, for taking care of that. I’d say we’re getting some interest stirred up." He threw Sloan a glance. "Would you believe I signed up for a jump?"

  Sloan knew what was coming as his brother gave him a speculative look and then said to Jacie. "Sloan’s too down to earth to jump off anything more than a horse."

  Sloan knew anything he said would probably be misconstrued, but James had it just about right. He was far from a thrill seeker.

  Jacie looked at him and said earnestly, "If you're worried about it, Sloan, we can take it real slow. I explain everything in detail and show you how the equipment works. I promise you’d love it."

  "I'm not afraid," he said, giving James an annoyed glance. "This ranch has an unlimited supply of work to keep me occupied. I don't have time to be jumping out of planes for a thrill."

  She cocked a brow at him and slowly nodded her head. To Sloan’s annoyance she and James shared an understanding glance. "Okay, I get it," she said. "You feel skydiving is a crazy thing to do."

  "Guilty," he drawled, watching the determination narrow her eyes. He could almost read her thoughts, she had such an expressive face. She appeared undaunted, as if his opinion didn’t bother her in the least.

  "My brother likes to keep his boots firmly on the ground," James said with a laugh.

  "Well, maybe by the end of my stay I can convince him otherwise," she said slowly, eyes sparkling.

  For a moment as he looked into her eyes Sloan experienced a heady feeling, but he stood his ground. "You can try," he said laconically. "It might be fun."

  "Yeah, good luck!" James said. "Sloan, can you drive Jacie in to get settled? I need to finish things up here."

  Sloan bit back his impatience. "Sure." Work would have to wait a little longer. "My truck's over there by the gravel road." He turned and reached to pick up her parachute. As he straightened a hand clamped on his shoulder. Jacie’s brother stood behind him.

  "Do you mind if I talk to my sister before you leave?" Con asked.

  Sloan threw Jacie a glance. "I’ll be waiting in the truck."

  Ω

  Jacie gritted her teeth as Sloan and James walked away and left her with her brother. She knew Con meant well, but his attitude was beginning to get a bit smothering. When his unblinking stare got unnerving, she said, "What?"

  "What was that landing about?"

  She didn’t pretend to misunderstand. "What’s the big deal? So I altered the landing a bit."

  "That guy could have been hurt."

  "He wasn’t. Anyway, how did I know he’d suddenly play hero and step in front of me?"

  Con sighed, and ran a hand through his short cropped hair. "He thought you were in trouble. Were you?"

  She opened her eyes wide. "No. I knew what I was doing. Are you having doubts now?" she demanded.

  Con drew a deep breath. "If I did you wouldn’t be here. I know you can do this, Jacie. I think it’s more a matter of you convincing yourself. I just don’t want you to get hurt along the way."

  She stepped close and looked up into his face. "Listen, Con. We both know I made a mistake thirteen months ago. How long before you forget about that mess? I don’t intend to be in that situation again, okay? Enough said." She crossed her arms over her chest.

  Con put his arm around her shoulder. "Promise me you won’t take chances," he said in a low voice.

  "Con. You know me. Let it go."

  "That’s what I’m worried about." He dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Sorry."

  Her irritability fled. "I’m here to do a job and I’ll do it."

  Con directed a worried glance back toward where Sloan waited by the truck. "I saw the sparks flying between you two."

  She chewed her lip thoughtfully, knowing exactly what he’d seen. She still felt off balance by her reaction to Sloan. "It doesn’t mean anything," she assured him, then sighed at the concern in his eyes. "I know you like to worry about me but I’m a big girl. Time for you to leave," she added fiercely. "I have to go."

  "I’ll see you in a month," he said. "Call me and I’ll pick you up."

  "It’s all taken care of. Bonnie said she’d pick me up. She’s even going to come and stay for a few days."

  Con grimaced. He and her friend Bonnie had never quite hit it off. She stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks for taking care of the interview. Have fun in Rio," she said, then turned and walked to the truck.

  It was time her brother realized she could take care of herself. Making a fool of herself over Brad was a lesson well learned and she didn’t intend to repeat. Being around Sloan for a month might give her a different perspective. But it would all be in fun, nothing serious.

  § Chapter Two §

  Jacie opened the truck door and scrambled onto the truck seat, sending Sloan a quick glance of apology. "Just finishing some business," she said light
ly, pulling the door closed. "Sorry to have kept you waiting."

  "It’s okay. I had a few calls to make. Your parachute is in the back," he said, starting the motor.

  "Thanks."

  As they pulled away she waved to her brother and then turned her attention to Sloan. He looked relaxed in the driver's seat, one arm on the wheel, the other resting on the window. He was a darned attractive guy, but then she reminded herself looks sometimes went no deeper than the surface.

  She stared out the window at the heavy growth of evergreens lining the road. "Everything up here seems so vibrant and lush in color. The Catskills are certainly a delight to the senses."

  "I agree with you. There’s no place like it." With barely a pause, he added, "I noticed you're limping."

  She knew she had to deal with this now. "I have been for about a year." When he looked straight ahead, she realized she might have been too terse. "Sorry, I'm touchy about my leg. Suffice it to say it’s an old injury and won’t hamper my performance here."

  "Sorry," he said crisply, sounding anything but. "I wasn't prying. I want to make sure we all understand what’s expected here."

  "My brother is very protective of our company reputation. He wouldn't have sent me on this job if I wasn't up for it," she said abruptly. "I’d never let the family business take a hit."

  "James is satisfied with your credentials."

  "The way you say that it’s like you have doubts."

  "You come right to the point," he said. "I admit this kind of stuff isn’t my area, so let’s just leave it at that."

  When the vehicle slowed for a turn, she tipped her head back to stare at the rough-hewn sign overhead. "How did you come up with the name Timber Falls?"

  "Logical choice. Timber used to be big business around here."

  "And the falls?" she asked.

  "We’ve got them," he said shortly, taking a turn into a large parking lot. A long gray-stained cabin sat on one side of the lot with a sign that read "Office."

  "This is the main office," he said, slowing the truck. "There’s a bar and restaurant with a small dance floor and there’s rooms on the second floor." He drove through the parking area. "I’ll bring you as close to your cabin as I can. We had quite a bit of rain this week and the road’s taken a pretty bad hit. I’ll have the dozer out in the next few days to smooth out the ruts."

  He stopped the truck and she opened her door and cautiously stretched her legs. With a slow and easy stride, he walked around the vehicle and held her door. "Your brother put your suitcases in the back."

  "Where’s my cabin?"

  "Just ahead. I have to warn you it’s pretty small and rustic. Probably not what you’re used to."

  "It sounds charming. I’m not hard to please you know." She offered him a small smile. "I’m comfortable in most surroundings." She didn’t get a smile in return. Jacie shrugged philosophically. It didn’t matter what he thought of her. She studied his profile and then let her glance drop to his hands as he reached for her cases. She frowned, telling herself it didn’t matter that he wore no rings on those long tanned fingers.

  He caught her watching him. The impact and intensity of those blue eyes made her rush into speech. "If you point the way to my cabin, I’ll find it."

  He set her cases on the ground and dug a hand into his jeans pocket and pulled out two keys on a chain. They dangled a moment and then he flipped them back in his palm. "I'd be happy to show you."

  "I’m sure you’ve got a ton of work," she said firmly. "I’ve already kept you too long."

  "I'm the boss. The work will wait." His unexpected grin caused a fluttering in her chest. "The best thing about being the boss is I don't have to answer to anyone."

  She gathered the chute into her arms. "We all answer to someone," she said smartly.

  His grin was slow. "I'm the exception."

  Emotion knifed unexpectedly through her midsection. God! His air of command combined with that hint of humor was unexpected. She recalled how being close to him had felt; wonderful yet dangerous to her equilibrium.

  An image of Brad came into her head and sanity reasserted itself. Don't go there, she warned herself. He might be saying all the right things, but when push comes to shove some men just let you down. She had the scars to prove it. She had loved Brad and he had dumped her like so much garbage. Jacie squared her shoulders. That little reminder was what she needed to stay focused.

  "Okay, then, I'd appreciate you showing me the cabin and I’ll be off your hands." Absently, she pushed back a tangle of hair, feeling the fine layer of grit along her hairline. If she had listened to her father she would be home. Mentally, she shook her head. No way. She had had enough of being looked after.

  His glance dipped to her leg and back up. "Follow me."

  Maybe he had seen the grimace of pain on her face and guessed she was hurting. She needed privacy to deal with her pain. It wasn’t open to public scrutiny. Her leg only bothered her when she was really tired. She had been up before dawn this morning thinking of what she had committed herself to. Was she insane taking on this job, ground and skydiving lessons? Before the accident, such a job wouldn't have daunted her, now she lived with a fear of failure. She had convinced Con she could do it, that she needed to do it. He was right on one score. She just had to prove it to herself.

  Sloan was now waiting for her. With an unconcerned smile, she quickened her pace. "I’m right behind you and I won't land in a heap at your feet."

  "I promise to pick you up if you do," he drawled.

  She fluffed her hair back. "It's a deal." She entertained the notion of falling and letting herself be picked up by Sloan. Tempting.

  They walked along a rutted path through dense evergreens. Someone had gone to the trouble of placing large wooden tubs with a profusion of bright colors along the narrow road.

  She drew in a deep breath. "Mmm, I smell balsam. It’s unexpectedly refreshing. I’ve been admiring the mountains rising all around me since I arrived. I already love the wild beauty of the Catskills."

  "You’re beautiful so you'll fit right in," he said.

  "Well, thank you," she murmured, taken back, sidetracked by the unguarded expression on his face. It spoke of attraction. She gulped back a breath. Attraction. God! He felt it, too, then. She had been aware of it the first moment they had come body-to-body. She pressed her parachute more tightly against her chest as if the flimsy material could provide a barrier.

  He grimaced. "That was pretty dumb blurting that out. No doubt I’ve made you uncomfortable."

  Jacie laughed out loud. "Yup, that’s my first thought when a good looking guy tells me I’m beautiful. Uncomfortable as hell. I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’m the most laid-back person I know. Not much bothers me. Except lately, I find myself asking for help more than usual. It annoys me."

  "Well, around here we're big on helping out. So if you need help, make sure you ask."

  "We’ll see." Her mother called it strong, but maybe there were times when you needed to lean on someone else. "With four brothers you grow up taking care of yourself," she said dryly. "Otherwise they take over your live."

  "Well, just to remind you the whole idea of Timber Falls is relaxation. There's riding, swimming, hiking, whatever strikes your fancy when you're not giving skydiving lessons."

  "I'll probably just hang out." She gave him a humorous grin. "You know, kind of balance things out." This place might offer her a chance to withdraw for a while, perhaps mend a little inner torment. "Who knows, maybe you’ll be asking me for skydiving lessons."

  He gave her a narrow-eyed glance. "Watch your footing, this next area is pretty rough."

  He rattled her, quite simply. She placed her feet carefully, walking beside the ruts in the road.

  "There’s an activity schedule in your cabin. If any problems crop up let me know." She found his slight drawl attractive.

  "Thanks." She steeled herself against that devastating smile. Surely she wouldn't keep reacting physi
cally to everything he said, each gesture he made! Sloan reminded her of Con in a way. She loved her brother dearly, but he was the type of man who looked out for the women in his life. She did not need Sloan getting the idea in his head that she couldn't take care of herself.

  Finally, the cabins were in sight. "Which cabin is mine?" she asked. The deep reddish brown cabins were small and arranged in a wide circle.

  "The one on the end."

  "I love it." The structure was set a bit apart from the others, almost hidden from view, but the setting was pleasing. With the cabin partially shaded by huge maple and oak trees and a row of red flowering bushes on one side, there was an aura of privacy.

  "This place is everything your brochure promised. Everything I hoped it would be. I'm glad Bonnie talked me into taking this job."

  "Bonnie is a friend, I take it?"

  "Yes."

  She had almost decided against the job. Since the accident she had been in a crippling apathy. Although she and Bonnie hadn’t been friends that long, she’d proven to be a lifeline during her recuperation. She’d needed the buffer between her and her family.

  "Have you been skydiving long?" Sloan asked.

  "Eleven years or so."

  He stared at her incredulously. "You must have started when you were a kid."

  "Almost." She lifted her face to the sun. She couldn't talk about her job right now, not without getting into some maudlin history. "This is like its own little paradise―the isolation and raw wildness of the mountains," she murmured.

  He looked at her and lifted a dark brow in amusement. "We’re not really isolated. The closest town is only twenty miles away."

  She smiled at him. "Having lived in a city most of my life, this is isolation. It'll suit me."

  There was a skeptical curve to his mouth. She wondered if he thought she was trying to impress him. As he moved ahead she eyed his straight, broad back, the lean-hipped jeans, the curl of dark hair visible along his collar beneath the hat. She bit back a curse when the toe of her boot caught on a root. Catching herself, she gave him a quick look that dared him to say a word.

  Apparently undaunted, he said quietly, "Are you okay? Maybe I could―"