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  Carter slowly pulled Emma’s finger out of her mouth. “Emma.”

  “Please.” Old memories of rejection, disappointment, and inadequacy flooded back. What if Carter reconsidered? What if Emma really wasn’t enough for her sexually? Even if this was a one-night stand, she wanted it. She had to try. “Please don’t make me stop.”

  Carter grabbed Emma’s hips and hefted her onto her lap. “I want to be sure you’re okay with this. I’d never take advantage.”

  “Trust me. You’re not.” Would Carter be uncomfortable if Emma took the lead? Would she? “Carter, I really want…” Could she even say the words aloud?

  Carter met her gaze. “Tell me what you want, Emma.”

  “I need to know if I can…if I’m enough…for once.” She broke eye contact, unable to bear any disapproval in Carter’s eyes. “Would it be all right if I took the lead?”

  Carter raised her arms as if to surrender. “I’m all yours. Do what you want.”

  “You might need to help me. I’ve never done it like this before.”

  Carter smoothed her hand down the side of Emma’s face. “That makes two of us. We’ll learn together. What would you like first?”

  Emma grabbed the hem of Carter’s turtleneck and in one motion swept it over Carter’s head and tossed it to the floor. “You naked.” Her bare breasts beckoned, their nipples puckered with excitement. She’d never seen anything so beautiful as the rise and fall of Carter’s chest with each urgent exhale.

  Emma lowered herself slowly, watching Carter’s mouth open and close in anticipation, gasping for precious air. This exquisite woman wanted her. She lay exposed and waiting for her. She’d never had this effect on a woman. It was a heady feeling.

  When she closed her mouth around Carter’s compact breast, she arched and threw her head back. Muscles along her rib cage tensed, and her belly hollowed—so stunning and graceful in her need. Carter’s responses fanned Emma’s desire. She licked the base of each breast to its point and sucked a nipple into her mouth. She savored the lightly salty taste and silky smooth texture as she poked and teased with her tongue.

  “Is this all right?” Emma asked, desperate to arouse and satisfy.

  Carter cupped the back of Emma’s head, urging without words. Her body conveyed exactly how she wanted to be pleasured. Emma felt like the conductor of the world’s most sensuous orchestra.

  Carter pulled her closer, her lips leaving a trail of fire on Emma’s face and down the side of her neck. She smoothed her hands under Emma’s sweatshirt and tried to remove it.

  “Not yet. Can I take your jeans off?”

  “Please.” Carter lifted her hips.

  Her acquiescence fueled Emma’s confidence, and her own body heated more. Emma rose on her knees, unzipped Carter’s tight jeans, and tugged them off. “I’m going to touch you now.”

  “Yes.”

  Emma slid her hand down the plane of Carter’s abdomen and marveled at the tantalizing feel of skin against skin. When her fingers stroked the edge of pubic hair, her crotch dampened. This kind of deep, burning arousal had always eluded her.

  “Please, Emma.”

  She checked Carter’s expression. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “Not at all. I’m trying to let you go at your own pace, but it’s really hard.”

  Emma smiled, enjoying the urgency of Carter’s need. Emma settled alongside Carter and tangled her fingers in the moist patch of curls between Carter’s legs. She was rewarded with the satiny warmth of Carter’s arousal, and her fingers glided easily into her.

  When Carter’s muscles pulled her fingers deeper, Emma almost lost control. She quivered and clenched her abdomen to stave off a powerful wave of desire. She didn’t want to come until she’d proved she could satisfy her lover. Emma plunged deeper and massaged Carter’s swollen clit with her thumb.

  Carter closed her eyes and pumped slowly against Emma’s hand, then clenched her jaw and moved faster, trying to control the pace. Emma stilled inside her, and Carter’s eyes flew open. “What’re you doing?” Her voice was raspy, her eyes hooded and dark.

  “I really want to make you come. Please let me.”

  “It’s not easy to be still while you’re doing that.”

  Emma smiled. “Doing what?” She circled Carter’s clit with her thumb. “This?”

  Carter groaned. “Uh-huh.”

  “Or this?” Emma penetrated her with a slow, firm thrust.

  Carter bit her lip, her eyes pleading.

  She enjoyed teasing Carter, facilitating her reactions, but she also loved feeling her own body respond so readily and powerfully for the first time. Confidence was a potent aphrodisiac, but Carter’s willingness to let her explore and set their pace touched her deeply. Pressure built between Emma’s legs as her lace underwear rubbed painfully against her clit and nipples.

  Carter held Emma tighter as her labored breathing deteriorated into erratic panting.

  Emma eased herself onto Carter’s thigh and almost came with the first firm stroke. “Take my shirt off.”

  Carter peeled the garment up and threw it behind her. “So beautiful.” She teased Emma’s breast with her fingers, and Emma’s clit twitched, ready for release. “You are so responsive.”

  Emma ground slowly against Carter’s thigh, savoring the tingling buildup that rose from her toes and coalesced in her crotch. When Carter tightened around her fingers, Emma increased her pace. Penetrating Carter and commanding her pleasure made Emma wild. “Come for me, Carter. Now.”

  “Oh, yes.” Carter claimed Emma’s mouth and thrust her tongue inside. She rode Emma’s hand faster as spasms milked her fingers.

  Emma clung to her, unwilling to pull out until she’d urged every ounce of pleasure from her. “That’s right, baby. Let it all go.”

  “So good,” Carter panted.

  Carter’s words and her last shudder freed Emma’s release. She rode Carter’s thigh and rubbed her breasts across her lips until she buckled in an eruption so intense her entire body went slack. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she collapsed against Carter, unable to move.

  “I guess we’re both fast learners.”

  “Uh-huh.” Emma’s body was limp, her muscles exquisitely drained. “So that’s an orgasm with someone else. Totally unbelievable. Thank you.”

  Chapter Ten

  On her drive to work with Ann the next morning, Carter still felt Emma’s hands on her body, seared into her skin like a brand. The sex had been raw with a touch of vulnerability for both of them. Carter wasn’t usually so passive, but she’d enjoyed it, sexually. Emotionally, she was unsettled that she’d trusted someone she’d just met that much. Who was she kidding? She’d never given up control to anyone. What made Emma Ferguson different?

  “So, did you bed that feisty redhead or not?”

  “Huh?” She’d totally spaced out. Not good. “Sorry, I was thinking about…” She couldn’t come up with one single lie that would sound believable. She reached for her necklace but scratched her ear instead.

  “You did! Spill.” Ann tugged on her arm.

  “That’s none of your business.” Her voice sounded harsh.

  Ann’s hand stilled as a look of surprise claimed her face. “Okay.”

  She and Ann had discussed sex since she was old enough to be attracted to girls, nothing off-limits. But she had no words to explain her reaction to Emma or the fact that she’d been sexually managed, quite satisfactorily, for the first time in her life.

  “I didn’t mean to snap at you.” She hoped Ann wouldn’t take her apology as an invitation to unleash a new volley of questions, because she didn’t have a lot of answers.

  “So it didn’t go well? I can’t imagine that. You two seem like a pretty good match.”

  “You think any woman I sleep with more than once is a good match, but you’ve jumped the gun with Emma. It was just sex.”

  Ann gave her a sideways glance.

  “It was.” At least that’s what she kept telli
ng herself as the familiar warnings about relationships returned. Don’t get attached. Love is dangerous. Nothing lasts forever.

  “It must’ve been different, because you’ve always talked to me before. Did she do something you didn’t like? Though I can’t imagine what a woman like that could do that I wouldn’t like.”

  Carter looked out the window to keep Ann from reading the truth in her eyes. “She was different, and so open about what she wanted. I felt almost like I was with a virgin, or at least someone just learning about herself sexually. It was…well…”

  Ann grinned and nodded as if it all made sense. “Intimate? Intense? A nice change?”

  Carter’s throat tightened and she looked down at her necklace, twisted into knots almost to her chin. Why had being with Emma felt so unusual? Emma had needed to take the lead, and for some reason, Carter had wanted to let her, but it went deeper than that. She’d connected with Emma on a level she hadn’t with other women.

  “Intimacy is good, Carter. Remember that. Women are complex creatures who crave connection. Intimacy makes you stronger, but it also helps you yield when necessary.”

  Ann made sense after what Emma had told her about Sheri. It hadn’t sounded like she and Emma shared any real intimacy. “You’re probably right.”

  “Emma took a more direct path with you than the others. Maybe she got to you a little.”

  Carter let Ann’s words sink in as she pulled up to the ranger station. “I told her about my parents’ accident.”

  This time Ann turned toward her in the seat. “You haven’t talked to anyone about that since Cass.” She squeezed Carter’s forearm lightly. “Honey, it’s good to share your life with people you trust.”

  “That’s just it. I don’t really know her yet. And she’s a reporter. Should either of us trust someone who makes her living digging into other people’s secrets?”

  Ann swatted her arm. “Oh, please. Stop being so suspicious. Try something different. Give the woman a chance. You never know what might happen.”

  “All I know is I couldn’t be there when she woke up this morning.”

  “Why, honey?” Ann’s forehead crinkled and her eyes studied Carter.

  She looked out the window and raked her fingers through her hair. How could she explain her feelings to a woman who had always known what true love felt like and exactly what she wanted? “When I woke up, Emma was practically on top of me, her head on my shoulder, our legs entwined, her arm across my middle.” Carter faltered, and Ann was quiet for a few minutes, giving her time to think.

  “And that scared you?”

  “That’s the weird part. It didn’t. I know this is going to sound crazy, so don’t laugh.”

  Ann put her hand on Carter’s arm. “Honey, when have I ever laughed at your emotional struggles? I know how hard these things are for you.”

  “I didn’t feel smothered or panicked like I normally would’ve. I felt…grounded. You center me in family and tradition, but this was different. In that moment, I felt emotionally anchored in something deeper. Does that make any sense at all?”

  Ann smiled and nodded. “It makes perfect sense, Carter. So, why did you leave?”

  “Because I didn’t know what to say or how to explain my feelings. I was torn between apologizing for last night and asking for a date.”

  *

  Emma rolled onto her stomach, and tenderness in her crotch reminded her of last night—her first real orgasm, with Carter. She sprang upright on the sofa and scanned the room for the woman she knew instinctively would not be there. She rubbed her eyes and inhaled Carter’s scent still strong on her fingers. The aroma ignited her. Sucking her fingers into her mouth, she tasted the delicate salty flavor and surrendered to the slow melting that spread through her. One by one she licked each digit until she found the last delicious reminder of Carter and her other hand was wet with her own arousal.

  And then her anxiety began. She’d never been compelled to seduce another woman, but she’d needed to prove she could, to erase her insecurities. And, Carter found her sexually exciting—something Emma had given up on. Yesterday she’d had nothing to lose by putting herself on the line. She woke up thinking she and Carter were building something together. So why hadn’t Carter stayed, or at least said good-bye, before sneaking out like a burglar?

  She’d wanted to talk with Carter, to thank her and make sure things wouldn’t be weird between them. If she’d read Carter right, she’d be second-guessing herself and worrying about having breached some invisible boundary. Emma had no such concerns. She’d done exactly what she wanted and been rewarded with the most delicious result. However, she needed Carter to know she wasn’t just a means to an end. She’d trusted Carter enough to show her vulnerability and believed Carter would handle it with care—that spoke volumes about the rebound of her self-confidence.

  The screeching of her cell phone startled Emma out of her self-satisfied state, and she scrambled for her bag. “Hell—o.”

  “Hey, darling. You sound hungover. ” Rick Hardy’s voice changed from business to concerned. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m good. What’ve you got for me?” Emma secured the blanket around her and prepared for Rick’s news.

  “I put my magic powers to the test and got results. Your instincts were right. The remains are definitely human.”

  “And what about the DNA comparison? Anything you can tell me yet?”

  “You were right about that too. There’s a match between the bones recovered from the factory and the hair sample you sent. They both came from the same person. I assume that’s the missing guy you’re working on?”

  Emma tingled with a surge of adrenaline. “Yeah, but—”

  “I know where you’re going with this, Emma. I’ve already got a team working on it. The medical examiner’s staff thinks they have enough bones, minus the nonhuman additions, for a full reconstruction, but it’ll take a bit longer. The forensic anthropologist they use is out of town. Even with that, we can’t be sure it’ll give you the answers you’re looking for.”

  “I know, Rick. I just want to explore all the possibilities. If something on the skeleton indicates foul play, there’s more than a story here. If not, at least I’ve done my best.”

  “I’ll let you know as soon as I do. In the meantime, don’t get yourself into a pissing contest with the locals. Okay?”

  “I’ll try to keep it low-key.” If this turned into a murder case, she’d need all the help she could get from the locals. She’d try to keep on their good side.

  She gingerly paced the small cabin floor, favoring her sore ankle. Should she call Fannie Buffkin? She’d want more than a handful of possibles and maybes, but she deserved to know her brother’s remains had been found. She picked up the phone and dialed, praying for the right words to soften the blow.

  “Hello. This is Fannie Buffkin.”

  “Fannie, it’s Emma Ferguson. I need to tell you something. Should I come by?”

  There was a brief pause at the other end. “Just spit it out. It’s about those bones, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, I’m afraid it is. They’re—”

  “It’s Theodore.”

  “I’m sorry, yes. The remains have been identified as belonging to your brother. I don’t have anything else to tell you right now. A forensic anthropologist is doing a reconstruction to determine cause of death. As soon as I know, I’ll be in contact.”

  “Thank you for calling, Emma.”

  “Again, I’m so sorry.”

  The line went dead.

  Compared to delivering a death message to a loved one, her situation with Carter felt almost minor. Carter would probably continue to avoid her for the same reason she’d left before dawn. Emma couldn’t do anything about that. In the meantime, her assignment was becoming more complicated. She didn’t have all the facts yet, and to proceed without them was both unwise and unprofessional. She quickly showered, dressed, and walked toward her car.

  Emma fumbled in he
r bag for the keys and dropped them. When she stooped to pick them up, she noticed her back tire was flat. She cursed under her breath for the delay a repair would cause. She checked the rest of the car, remembering the prowler she’d seen around the cabin, and found the front tire was flat as well. “Damn it.” She wasn’t sure AAA would respond to a place so far outside a major town.

  When the park Jeep pulled up behind her vehicle, her stomach knotted as she mentally prepared a number of responses tailored to match Carter’s mood. She looked even more delicious today than ever, maybe because Emma had tasted the goods.

  Carter left the Jeep door open and approached, her eyes never leaving Emma’s face. “Good morning, Emma.”

  Not what she expected, or maybe wanted. Carter’s tone relayed no warmth or hint of familiarity, as if nothing had happened. Her eyes told a different story. She scanned Emma’s face as if searching for something buried.

  “Good morning,” Emma said, trying to sound equally unaffected.

  “I’m really sorry about leaving so early this morning. Not very chivalrous of me.”

  “I’m sure you had your reasons.” Her departure had stung, and Emma wanted an explanation, but she refused to push. Pressuring a woman like Carter would be the equivalent of asking her to get married on the spot—quick exit in the opposite direction.

  “Yes, but I’d rather talk about it later. Are you going into town?”

  “I was, but…” She pointed toward her car tires.

  Carter stooped and inspected both tires. “They’ve been slashed. I’m sorry I didn’t think to check them the other night after the prowler incident.”

  Emma searched her messenger bag for her wallet. “Do you think AAA will come out?”

  “Nope, but I’ll have one of the guys at the service station take care of it. May I give you a ride? You probably shouldn’t be driving until your ankle is stronger anyway.”

  Emma nodded and started toward the passenger side of the Jeep.

  “Let me help you.” Carter cupped Emma’s elbow with one hand and hooked her other arm around her waist. “Lean against me.”