Jayne Castle: Canyons of Night

She stopped in front of the glass case that contained a display of objects set with crystals and amber. Something about the watch on the bottom stirred her energy.

She opened the door of the display case, reached inside, and took out the watch. The timepiece was an early Second Century antique, designed by an Arcane watchmaker. It would be a clever reminder of the case that Slade had just worked here on the island, and, perhaps, a memento of their time together.

She touched the pendant at her throat. The dark energy in the watch sang to her senses. She knew she could tune it for Slade.

THE FULL FORCE OF THE STORM STRUCK SHORTLY AFTER ten o’clock that night. Lightning danced in the skies. The fiercely gusting wind whipped the trees and rattled the windows. Rain pounded on the roof.

Slade stood with his arm around Charlotte. Together they watched nature’s special effects through her living room window. They were both jacked. The energy of the storm had stirred their senses. He was aroused in more elemental ways as well, but he didn’t think that he could blame that condition on the storm. Just being close to Charlotte had that effect. Just thinking about her was enough to make him rock hard.

Rex sat on the windowsill. He ignored the storm. He was occupied with the task of taking the gold pocket watch out of the clutch and putting it back inside. He repeated the process over and over as if it were a new game.

“I love storms,” Charlotte said. She folded her arms beneath her breasts and snuggled against Slade, her head resting on his shoulder. “It’s the energy. So thrilling.”

He tightened his arm around her. They had turned the lights off inside the cottage. The strobelike flashes of lightning illuminated Charlotte’s features in all the compelling hues and shades of feminine mystery.

He turned her slowly to face him.

“Thrilling,” he said.

She smiled in the flaring shadows and he was suddenly on fire for her. He picked her up and carried her across the living room and down the hall to the darkened bedroom. There he stood her on her feet.

He used both hands to remove her glasses and set them carefully aside on the end table. He cradled her face between his palms and kissed her.

She responded, as she always did, with a passion that warmed his very soul. She wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth for him.

He stripped her clothes from her and bundled her into bed. It took him only seconds to get out of his trousers, boots, and shirt. He lowered himself slowly down on top of her, braced himself on his elbows, and bracketed her head with his arms. He kissed her deeply until she was breathless and twisting beneath him.

He made his way slowly down her soft, sleek body, glorying in the sensual curves of her breasts and the womanly fullness of her thighs. By the time he tangled his fingers in the triangle of soft hair below her belly he was desperate for her. But he wanted her to come first.

He used his hand and then his mouth on her, letting her spicy, damp heat intoxicate his senses. She was full and wet and tight. Her fingers clenched in his hair.

“Slade,” she gasped.

Moments later he felt her release cascade through her. She was still pulsing when he climbed back up her body and thrust into her. He stroked once, twice and then his climax tore through him.

Outside the storm raged, setting fire to the night.

CHARLOTTE WAS ON THE FRONT PORCH, HEADING toward her car, when she heard her phone ring. She fished it out and glanced at the screen. She smiled when she saw the caller’s name.

“Good morning, Thelma,” she said. “Is everything okay at your place?”

“Actually, it’s not, dear.”

“Are you all right?” Charlotte asked quickly.

“Yes, yes, of course. I didn’t mean to alarm you. There was a good deal of damage to my garden and the high winds took off a section of the greenhouse roof. The power is off, of course.”

“Same here. Slade said it’s off in town, too.”

“There’s nothing that can’t be repaired here at my place,” Thelma said. “The problem is that there’s a tree down in my front yard. It’s blocking the driveway. I can’t get my car out and I need to go into town to pick up a few things. I wondered if you could give me a ride?”

“Of course. I’m just about to leave to check up on Looking Glass. Slade did a quick drive-by early this morning when he went into town to assess the damage. He said everything looked fine at the shop but he didn’t have time to go inside. I want to make sure that there were no leaks. I’ll pick you up in about five minutes. How’s that?”

“Perfect. I’ll walk out to the road and meet you. There is so much debris down in the drive that I don’t think you could get anywhere near the house.”

Charlotte opened the car door. “I’m on my way.”

“Thank you, dear.”

“It’s the least I can do after all the fabulous zucchini bread and the basil and tomatoes you’ve given me.”

Thelma chuckled. “I’m just grateful to have a neighbor who appreciates good veggies. See you in a few minutes.”

The phone went silent. Charlotte dropped it back into her purse and drove cautiously out to the main road. Branches, limbs, and windblown debris littered the drive and the narrow strip of pavement that wound along the top of the cliffs.

Slade had left early to organize his small staff and an assortment of volunteers. By now they were all out identifying hazards such as downed power lines and making sure those who lived alone were all right. When he had phoned earlier he had advised her that the road into town was reasonably clear.

Thelma was waiting at the junction of her drive and the road. She was bundled up in a faded windbreaker and carried a covered basket on her arm. She opened the door on the passenger side and got into the car.

“Good morning, dear,” she said. She settled the basket on her lap. “My goodness, that was quite the storm, wasn’t it?”

“They predicted seventy-mile-an-hour winds and I think we got them,” Charlotte said.

“I expect Slade will be very busy for the rest of the day.”

“Looks like it. When he called a while ago he was on his way out to Zeke Hodson’s house to make sure everything was okay.”

“Good. Zeke is getting on in years. He must be eighty-five or eighty-six by now and he has always kept to himself. Never had a phone. He could collapse in his house and no one would know it for weeks.”

Charlotte’s phone rang again. She braked to a stop to answer it. A glance at the screen showed Slade’s name.

“Hi,” she said. “How’s the recon going?”

“So far nothing serious,” Slade said. “You okay?”

The urgency in his voice surprised her.

“I’m fine,” she said. “I’m on the way into town. Thelma is with me. She called a few minutes ago to ask for a lift.”

“Is she all right?”

“Yes, but there’s a tree blocking her driveway so she couldn’t get her car out.”

“All right,” he said. “Drive carefully. There are broken tree limbs hanging everywhere. Some of them are big. If one comes down on a windshield it would do some major damage.”

“I know. I’ll be careful.”

“Power is out all over the island and there’s some damage to the ferry dock and the marina. We won’t be getting any ferry service for at least forty-eight hours. Willis said some of the B&B guests are not happy about being trapped on the island. The visitors out at the lodge don’t like it, either. But aside from the whining, it shouldn’t be a major problem. I’ll check back with you later.”

“Okay,” she said. She closed the phone and dropped it into her purse.