Edge of Time (Langston Brothers Series) Page 13

  Marissa jumped. “Craig, no! You’ll break your hand.”

  He whirled back on her, eyes flashing. He advanced on her, both hands swinging easily at his sides. He didn’t appear to be injured. “What have I done to deserve this treatment, Marissa? What? I’m tired of this continual push and pull game you play with me.” Craig stopped a few feet from her and a bit of the fierceness in his stance sobered. He spread his arms as though asking the universe along with her a question. “What do you want? Or more importantly, why don’t you want me?”

  She hesitated, unsure what to say, fighting the tears battling to run free. “It’s not you, Craig.” Her throat constricted, choking off the words. “There are things... things you don’t know about me.”

  “Do you love me or not?”

  Marissa bit her lip, desperate to maintain silence.

  More of the anger dissolved from his handsome features, replaced by the compassionate guise of the man she knew so well. Her insides trembled, threatening veto her resolve. Craig moved in then, stopping not half a foot from her, tiling her chin with gentle fingers. “You are a puzzle,” he murmured. “I look into your eyes and see so much conflict. Share it with me, Marissa. Let me take it from you.” He took her face between his rough palms and pressed his forehead to hers.

  She crumbled.

  The warmth of his hands, the pain of rejection she’d seen in his eyes—pain she knew all too well—pain she’d inflicted on him—and the thrill of his touch combined until the barrier of hurt, betrayal and confusion crumbled away, letting rays of sunshine and clarity into her dreary world. “Craig, I...” she flicked her eyes away from the intensity of his gaze and stopped cold. “What is that?”

  Several yards away the eerie shrouding of mist parted revealing a piece of steel gray fabric that perfectly matched Craig’s Confederate uniform.

  “What?”

  She stepped around him, taking a tentative step toward the fabric, drawing closer, a sickening of dread settling in the pit of her stomach.

  That certainly was not her window to the future.

  Sticking up from the dirt was a partially buried human arm, hand reaching out of the soil, with every indication the rest of the body was still attached.

  “Oh, my God.” Craig strode past her.

  “Why is he buried like that?” A cold trembling descended upon her as the mist swirled around them, rising from their feet to their knees. Run! A chill swept her spine as a whisper echoed on the breeze around her.

  “Coyotes probably dug him up.” Even Craig looked a little pale. “We need—”

  Snap!

  Heavy feet crunched on the forest floor. Marissa grasped in panic at Craig’s arm as an odd scraping noise pierced the thicket not twenty yards away. It sounded like something being dragged through the underbrush.

  With a gentle urgency Craig put a hand on her waist. “Move, now!” They ran to the edge of the woods before dashing to the tethered the horses.

  Toughie squalled anxiously from his pen.

  The crack of a gunshot sounded behind them and simultaneously an ominous whistling zipped past Marissa’s ear.

  “Jesus,” Craig blasphemed, grasping Marissa about the waist and heaving her onto his buckskin before swinging an agile leg up behind her. Grabbing the reins of the old bay mare he urged them to a breakneck pace as another shot cracked behind them.

  Shaking uncontrollably she clung to the strong arm clamped around her waist and cringed into the broad expanse of Craig’s chest as a third shot sounded behind them. Carolyn’s bay mare crumpled, letting out a pitiful grunt of anguish as she thrashed behind them. Craig dropped her reins and spurred his buckskin on.

  “Maggie! No!” A hysterical sob escaped her lips. Craig seemed not to hear as he crushed her more snuggly against his chest, hunching over Jeb’s haunches, urging the horse to an even faster pace.

  Thundering down the dusty road Marissa became absolutely positive of two things: one the woods really and truly were haunted… Run… echoed through her thoughts, and two: she was never going home.

  Flying over the rise leading into Charleston, Craig sawed on the reins, halting them just outside the city. “Are you all right?” He pulled her around until she sat somewhat awkwardly facing him half in his lap and half in the saddle, one knee looped around the saddle horn. She hadn’t realized quite how hard she was shaking until she nearly rattled off her perch and his strong arm curled securely around her, anchoring her.

  His eyes blazed against the red hues of the twilight sky and Marissa felt the familiar quickening of her pulse and the breathlessness that seized her every time his gaze locked on hers. His hair glowed reddish gold in the lingering beams of sunlight and for a moment she was unable to tear her eyes away as the oddest sensation of being safe, protected with him descended upon her. “I th-th-think so,” she stuttered, swallowing convulsively as the memory of that partially buried body in the woods flooded over her again, along with the fact that someone had been shooting at them! She’d seen trauma; she’d always prided herself on being level headed and cool under pressure, but never before had she felt truly traumatized herself. In that moment she had new empathy for the countless hysterical accident victims she’d rolled her eyes at in the past.

  “We need to find Sheriff Hudson and tell him about that man buried behind Genie’s house,” Craig said, gently stroking her hair.

  “Oh, Craig!” She half choked on a strangled sob. “You could have been shot! I-I’m so sorry.” Sobs racked her as she clung to the strength of his body, clutching the thick wool of his jacket and listening to the steady thudding of his heart. What would she have done if he’d been hurt—and all because of her? For a moment his long fingers calmly, soothingly stroked her hair as he nudged Jeb into a slow walk into town. She sniffed. “And poor Maggie! How am I going to tell Carolyn I killed her horse?”

  * * *

  Craig swallowed a small smile. He wasn’t entirely sure why, but there was something inexplicably funny about her last statement. It was so like Marissa to worry more about the horse than herself. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll replace the horse.” He fit her more snugly against his chest, if in fact that were possible. “I’m sure everyone will just be glad you’re all right.”

  “What were you doing out there, Craig?”

  “I was looking for you.” He sighed, pressing his lips to the top of her head, breathing in the rosy scent of her soft hair.

  “Why?”

  “Because I was worried after you took off in such fit, and then Paul Christenson was nosing around again. It made me nervous.” He paused contemplatively. “But we’ll talk about this later, all right?”

  She nodded, relaxing a bit against his chest. God, but she felt so tiny and fragile nestled against him… It brought out every protective instinct inside him. If anything had happened to her…

  “You saved my life,” she murmured. “If you hadn’t come looking for me…” She shivered. “Craig?” She reached up to touch his cheek and he glanced down, meeting her eyes. “I do love you. Whatever happens, I want you to know that.”

  “I love you too,” he replied without hesitation, kissing her hair once more.

  Expertly maneuvering the horse through the city streets he pulled it to a stop outside the jailhouse and hopped to the ground, reaching back to lift Marissa from the mount before flipping the reins loosely over the hitching rail. Jeb was well trained. He’d stay.

  Their eyes locked as his large hands encompassed her slender waist. The waning light cast reddish-purple beams of radiant light across the loose thickness of her pale hair as colorful prisms danced across her face, turning it into a beautifully surreal mask and making her dark liquid eyes unreadable. He held her for a moment suspended in time, drinking her in, knowing she could have been lost to him… forever.

  “Dr. Langston,” Sheriff Hudson’s voice sounded from the
jailhouse door “What brings you two here? Not trouble, I trust.”

  “George.” Craig nodded a grim greeting, leading the way into the jailhouse. He quickly relayed the evening’s events. Throughout the telling he kept an arm securely about Marissa’s waist. He couldn’t help but worry over her. He’d never seen her so stricken or so pale. No, that wasn’t entirely true. The day he’d run into her in the field she’d looked this way… stricken. She’d also been in an equal state at the officers’ ball, when Kirsten Jamison had bothered her.

  “I can take you back to where we found the body,” Craig assured the sheriff, “but we’re going to need a whole posse if whoever shot at us is still out there. And first, I want to get Miss McClafferty back to her aunt. She’s had a bad scare.”

  “I’d appreciate it, but if the killer has half a brain he’ll be long gone before we get back out there.”

  Marissa’s gripped the arm not fitted about her waist. “Don’t leave, Craig. Please.”

  He hesitated, giving her a reassuring squeeze. He understood she didn’t want him traveling back to the place where they’d been shot at, but at this point he saw little other choice.

  Sheriff Hudson glanced briefly between the two of them and waved dismissively. “It’s all right, Doc, see to your girl. I’m sure my deputies and I can find it. Where is Mrs. Harris?” he went on. “I’ll need to speak with her about this.”

  “We’ll tell her, Sheriff,” Craig offered, “we’re headed over to the Reed’s house now.”

  Following Sheriff Hudson through the wide door of the office Craig led her to where Jeb waited obediently beside the hitching post.

  * * *

  “You found a dead body in my woods?” Genie asked, outraged, planting both hands on her hips. She didn’t bother asking what Marissa had been doing out there. Obviously, she knew. “And then you were shot at?”

  Solemnly Craig and Marissa nodded. “The sheriff is on his way there, now,” Craig replied, pulling a chair out from the table for Marissa.

  “Does he have any idea who it is?”

  Craig shrugged, resting his hands on her shoulders, lightly rubbing them. “I still think Paul Christenson is behind this.”

  “Aarrgh!” Thumping angry fists on the table, Genie harrumphed and plopped onto a third chair. She held her head in her hands. “What am I going to do? I can’t go home because there is a madman cavorting about my woods shooting people!”

  Rising, Marissa moved to her friend and wrapped sympathetic arms around her. “I know this is hard, but Sheriff Hudson and the other deputies will catch him. I’m sure of it.”

  Genie looked back at Marissa with troubled eyes. “I guess now we know where the legend about the murderer came from.”

  Marissa nodded slowly. “Not a made up horror story after all.”

  * * *

  Stepping onto Carolyn’s back porch to steal a moment alone with Marissa, Craig turned her to face him. “Are you really doing all right?” Reaching out he brushed a thumb across her cheek as worried eyes roamed over her face.

  She nodded. “I’ll be fine.” Reaching up, she brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead and drew a shuddering breath. “I’m just glad you’re all right.” Their eyes locked and in that moment everything became timeless… still.

  All else melted away.

  Stepping a bit closer Craig slid his hands around her waist watching the ever darkening shadows dance across her face. “Marry me?” No flowery words of love and longing came readily to his lips but his deep voice wrought with emotion said all that was needed. The ensuing darkness made it impossible to see her face or gain even a small glimpse of her expression. With bated breath Craig stared into her shadowed eyes silently pleading that he hadn’t seriously erred in choosing the moment to tread upon this particular limb.

  A small barely audible sniffle escaped her lips and her hands shook. “No, Marissa, Please don’t cry. Don’t cry.” He cupped her face in his hands, brushing the tears away with his thumbs. “I’m sorry. This was a poor time to propose. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Craig was devastated. He’d pushed too hard, and now he had no one but himself to blame for the rejection. Still… he just couldn’t believe that she felt nothing for him. From the very beginning they’d seemed drawn together by some unknown force.

  She sniffed again leaning her cheek against the warm flat of his palm. “That’s not it. I’m just so happy.”

  “Happy?” He bent down, looking directly into her eyes. “You mean...?

  “Yes,” she cried, throwing her arms about his neck. “I’m saying yes.” Craig laughed aloud, sweeping her off the wooden planks, turning a wide circle.

  Marissa pressed breathless kisses to his lips, and Craig fought to accept that he’d truly won her. She lifted her head, fixing eyes like melted chocolate on his. “I love you,” she whispered.

  “I know,” he grinned, finally allowing her feet to touch to the ground.

  “We should tell Genie and Carolyn.” She grasped his hand, tugging him back toward the house.

  “Wait.” He pulled her back with a low laugh. “I have something for you.”

  “You do?” Surprise and excitement brimmed in her expression.

  “The other reason I came looking for you this afternoon after you disappeared.” He shoved a hand into his inner breast pocket and withdrew an exquisite engagement ring. “I was preparing to plead and if necessary demand that that you marry me.” Slowly he slid the thick band, inlaid with a diamond of no meager size and offset with two sapphires onto her finger. “It was my mother’s.”

  “It’s beautiful.” Amazed eyes raised to his. “Oh, Craig, thank you. Thank you so much!” She threw her arms around his neck again, burying her face against his shoulder.

  “Marissa, I must know, why did you change your mind tonight?”

  She eased back, resting her palms against his chest, toying with one of the gold buttons. “We were shot at tonight.” She shook her head, disbelieving. “I still cannot quite fathom it, but,” her eyes flicked upward, the swirl of emotions reflected within real and vulnerable, “I could have lost you, and I realized that no matter how complicated my life is… I don’t want to spend a moment of it without you. Whatever lies in my past… you are my future, Craig.”

  Craig stared down at her for a long moment, rubbing a stray hair between thumb and forefinger. He sensed a wealth of other meaning beneath her words. He resisted the urge to delve deeper, this woman would be his wife, God willing he’d have a lifetime to unearth her scars. Running a hand up to cradle the back of her neck he pressed firm lips to her neck, tasting her sweetness. “Come home with me tonight.”

  With her breath hot in his ear and full breasts crushed against his chest he wanted nothing more than to rip the clothes from her body and bury himself in the inviting heat of her. Again! Now! Her lips were wet on his neck and the way her fingers feathered the hair at his nape. Her touch was caring, loving and it was driving him crazy. His lips moved to her ear and the moan she emitted as he gently nipped was more than he could bear.

  “What?” her voice was breathless as she dissolved against his chest.

  “Come home with me tonight.”

  “No,” she moaned the word against his lips.

  “What do you mean no?” His hand found the curve of her buttock and he grasped her almost roughly against him.

  “I want to do this right,” her breath was tantalizingly hot and wet in his ear. “I want our wedding night to be perfect.”

  Groaning aloud he dragged himself away from her. “I think we already ruined the concept of a wedding night.”

  “Please, Craig? Nothing in my relationship with Brian was ever quite right. With you I want to follow tradition. “Please, Craig?”

  “Er...” Though he wanted to continue arguing the point, Craig understood that she needed for them to have one magical nigh
t of perfection. Wedding night. Silently he vowed to make that night as special for her as possible.

  Edge of Time 230

  Ten

  Genie and Carolyn were both ecstatic when told of the engagement.

  “I am so proud of you, Marissa,” Genie said, having slipped into Marissa’s room later that night. Carolyn, of course, had no idea that her “cousin” from Atlanta was no real relation, so both time-travelers were careful with what they said in front of her. “It took me a full year to come to grips with being here forever, and you’ve only been here for a few months.”

  The older woman’s revelation surprised Marissa. “You seem so happy and composed I didn’t realize it had taken you so long to accept.”

  “Well, I wasn’t always like this. Life is what we make it and it took me a year to realize I could be happy here.”

  Marissa nodded. “It took me right up to the moment I accepted him to realize that I could make my life here and be happy.” She lifted the delicate white gown Genie had pulled from the back of the closet. “Are you sure you want me to wear this?”

  “Of course!” Genie exclaimed, her eyes dancing. “I hope you don’t mind, but I really have come to think of you as my niece. I wore that dress to marry Jim, Carolyn wore it to marry Alfred, and now it’s yours to marry Craig.”

  Tears welled in Marissa’s eyes at the unconditional kindness the other woman had shown her. “Thank you, Genie. Thank you so much. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

  “You are very, very welcome, Marissa.” The women embraced warmly. “Are you excited?”

  Marissa nodded and beamed through sparkling eyes.” I don’t think I have ever been so happy. I had every intention of swearing off men, but Craig just wouldn’t take no for an answer.” For a moment her expression sobered and she turned to Genie with a question heavy on her heart. “But I still feel like I’m lying to him. He doesn’t even know where I’m really from. I stop myself from making reference to things that to me are common knowledge or everyday sayings that he has never heard of, things that don’t even exist yet. What if I slip up and say something stupid. What if he thinks I’m crazy?” Marissa rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “I guess what I need to know is, did you ever tell Jim? And if so, how did he react?”