Sun Catcher - Book Two Read online

  “What’s not fair?”

  “The fact that I fell in love with you and then you turned out to be some kind of hacker and a thief. I mean ... what the fuck was I supposed to do with that kind of information?”

  “I’m not sure,” Lexi said solemnly. “What was I supposed to do with the fact that I fell in love with a girl that found out something that could put me in jail?” She rolled her body off and lay back on the bed. She stared out the balcony doors. “It was a mistake to come here. I should have left you alone.”

  Cate missed Lexi’s warmth the second it was gone. She realized she hadn’t looked at it from Lexi’s perspective. “Hey,” she said.

  Lexi didn’t move. Cate watched her breathe softly. She could practically hear the gears moving in her head and wondered if she was trying to come up with some sort of solution.

  A few moments later, Lexi looked back at her. “Look, we have a lot of chemistry.”

  “There’s another understatement,” Cate whispered. She traced her finger up Lexi’s shoulder and down her chest.

  Lexi caught her finger and pulled it to her lips.

  “You have great lips,” Cate whispered as she watched Lexi’s mouth wrap around her middle finger.

  Lexi smiled but her eyes were serious. “Like I said, we have a lot of chemistry. Maybe that’s confusing things.”

  The words registered but at that moment, Cate didn’t feel confused at all. “What I know is that when you touch me, I lose all sensibility.”

  Lexi nodded. “Me too.”

  Cate sighed. “I get it. You are who you are. I’m either okay with it or … I’m not.” She tried to look at Lexi objectively, from an outsider’s point of view as if she’d just met her. But then scenes from their epic night of reunion sex began to play in her mind again and all objectivity was quickly lost. “Fucking fuck,” she whispered. “I can’t think straight.”

  Lexi snorted with laughter.

  “It’s not fair. If you were just some hairy lug nut of a criminal, it would be easy. But you just happen to be the sexiest, funnest, and most insanely talented lover that I’ve ever been with. What am I supposed to say - go home? As if that’s ever going to happen.” She rolled on top of Lexi and stared down at her. “Do you want me?”

  Lexi frowned. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

  “Then fuck it. I may die tomorrow. I should be so lucky to have fallen in love at all.”

  Lexi smiled at her. “You don’t have to make any decisions right this minute. How about we spend some time together, have some fun and then you can see how you feel?”

  “Hmmm,” Cate deliberated. “That sounds like a very mature and emotionally stable thing to do. Can’t I just be reckless and wild?”

  “Reckless and wild has consequences.”

  Cate looked down to where their breasts were pressed together. “What are the consequences of being on top of you right now?” she whispered.

  Lexi’s lips curled into a smile. “I think you know.”

  Cate felt Lexi’s fingers slide down the center of her back and between her legs. Lexi’s eyebrow arched when she arrived at her destination.

  Cate searched her eyes. “Is what you’re going to do dangerous?”

  Lexi laughed. “Is that a serious question?”

  “Like is it spending your life in jail dangerous or you might get killed dangerous?”

  Lexi’s eyes dropped down to her lips. “That depends on a few things. Shh! Less talk, more pussy.”

  Cate was majorly distracted by the insistence of Lexi’s fingers. She pulled Lexi’s hands where she could see them. “Like, what does it depend on?”

  Lexi coiled her fingers through Cate’s. “Can we not think about this right now?”

  Cate stared back at her. “Are you kidding me?! How can I not think about it? I’d like to know what it’s like to have you around for more than a week, you know?”

  “Hey, me too!” Lexi flipped her onto her back and stared down at her. “The truth is, I don’t know. Right now, all I want to think about is the fact that we’re together.” She pushed her body between Cate’s knees and sat back on her heels. She slid her hands down Cate’s skin, from her breasts to her thighs, her eyes focused between Cate’s legs. When she looked up, her blue eyes pierced through the gaps in her messy blond bangs.

  “Do you want to worry about shit we can’t control right now … or do you want to touch me?” She gripped Cate’s hand and pulled it between her legs.

  Cate felt Lexi’s warmth and her wetness. She felt her heat and her desire. There was nothing to be done about the future, no matter how dangerous it was. There was nothing but Lexi, in that room and all the world, with her eyes piercing down at her. Cate raised herself up until they were face to face. Their lips came together without another word and everything dissolved. Every doubt, every question. Everything that Cate knew was sensible. She was powerless and she knew Lexi was too. The minute they were inside each other, Cate knew all she needed to know.

  ***

  The shadows on the ceiling were long when she woke. Lexi was watching her from her pillow. Her fingers played gently up her arm like tiny droplets of water. Rain fell outside. The humid afternoon had turned into a cool evening.

  “You said something last night about names,” Cate remembered suddenly. “Should I be calling you something else?”

  Lexi shifted her body and straddled Cate’s hips. “It doesn’t matter here but I have to make a trip down to Malaga. I’ll use a different identity then.”

  “Is it ... work related?” Cate asked.

  Lexi nodded. “I have to pick up a package. I was thinking of renting a car and driving down. You could come along.”

  “What’s in the package?”

  “Computer parts.”

  Cate squinted her eyes. “Computer parts?”

  “And a few other things. Special equipment.”

  “Anything explosive?”

  Lexi laughed. “No. Just electronics, like I said.”

  “What happens after you pick up the package?”

  “Well, let’s see. We’ll be in the south of Spain on holiday with nothing to do and nowhere to go. I’m sure we’ll think of something adventurous.”

  Cate smiled. “Then I’d love to come with you.”

  Lexi rolled off of her and reached for her jacket on the chair beside them. She pulled out her phone.

  “Who are you calling?” Cate asked. She figured she was allowed to be nosy since Lexi had helped herself to her email account.

  “My sister,” Lexi said. “I should let someone in my family know where I am.”

  “The sister in Manhattan or the one in ... wherever you’re from.”

  “The one back home.”

  Cate sat up. “And where is home exactly?”

  “Iowa.”

  Cate grinned. “No shit.”

  “We’re all from somewhere.”

  “True,” Cate said. “What’s her name?”

  “Jericho.”

  “Alexis, Jericho and ...”

  “Charlotte - but everyone calls her Charlie.” She clicked her phone and tossed it back on the chair. “Jericho’s not picking up.”

  “It’s morning there, right?”

  “Just after ten,” Lexi said and tossed her phone onto the chair. “She’s probably working.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Iowa, USA

  For twenty excruciating minutes, Jericho had been sitting in the Mayor’s office listening calmly as one of her fellow council members talked himself into a corner.

  “It’s interesting how you always seem to speak up on behalf of Phil Nagel. Is he a friend of yours?” she asked point blank.

  “What are you insinuating?” her colleague snarled.

  Jericho sat forward in her chair. “I’m not insinuating, I’m asking. Last week, you suggested that a piece of land be sold off for less than a quarter of what it’s worth. Now here you are again, claiming another piece of city property is
worth less than market value. You were a realtor, so I know you know as well as the rest of us. Nagel’s been trying to sign investors on that project for the last year and no one wants in because it hasn’t been properly costed. If he gets a discount on the land, then maybe he gets backers. And here you are, all game to hand over your vote to give that discount. So yeah, I am curious - is he a friend of yours?”

  Ned Handley stood up. “I don’t have to listen to this horse shit.”

  “Sit down, Ned,” Mayor Donaldson sighed. He glanced at Jericho and closed the folder on his desk. “Let’s revisit this at our next meeting when the rest of the council is here.”

  Jericho sat back. “Sounds fair to me.”

  Ned scowled at her. “Don’t think for a second that I don’t know what you’re trying to pull.”

  Jericho turned to him again. “And what’s that, Ned?”

  Mayor Donaldson jumped in again. “Okay, let’s get back to this next week, alright?”

  Ned grabbed his briefcase and stormed out of the room.

  Jericho was about to leave too when the Mayor motioned for her to stay. They both waited until they heard the door at the end of the hall open and close again.

  The Mayor sighed and rubbed his face in his hands. “God, that man annoys me.”

  “I’m sorry, sir. I have a hard time listening to that kind of bull- … nonsense.”

  “Believe me, you’re not the only one. Shit,” the Mayor muttered as he looked into his coffee cup. “I’ve already reheated this cup more times than I’ve drunk from it.” He sat back in his seat and drummed his hands on his desk. “I know what Ned’s up to as well as you do. I’m hoping the rest of the council isn’t as weak.”

  “I think we have some good and some bad, sir.”

  “Well, I don’t care. Nothing is going through without proper numbers and if I get a whiff of any more of this crap, there’ll be an inquiry.”

  Jericho knew an inquiry like that would spell disaster for the town. “We can probably avoid that. I think we already know who to watch out for.”

  The Mayor looked at her and nodded. “At least most of us seem to be playing for the same side.”

  “At least,” Jericho said. She stood and reached her hand across his desk.

  The Mayor stood and clasped it firmly. “How are the home renovations coming along?”

  Jericho thought of all the late nights she’d spent trying to get her house back to something she could call a home. “You know how it is - there’s always something that crops up when you dig into an old house.”

  “That’s a big project. I was talking to Fraser over at permits - we play poker.”

  “Yeah, he’s been around a few times, making sure everything is up to standard.”

  “He said you’ve done a pretty amazing job all on your own. He couldn’t believe it.”

  “Well, I’ve had a little help. Drywall, you know.”

  The Mayor shuddered. “You won’t find me doing that kind of work again. That’s for young backs.”

  “Yes, it is. There are some things I’d rather pay someone to do.”

  He gave her a wink and walked her to the door. “You know, Jeri ...”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Have you given any thought to running for the Mayor’s office?”

  Jericho smiled. “Did Ned make you want to retire?”

  He laughed. “Aw, it’s not all his fault. Retirement looks pretty tempting on a day like today.”

  Jericho glanced out the big picture window behind him. “I bet it does, sir.”

  “I’d be more inclined to retire if I had the right candidate to endorse.”

  “I appreciate you saying that, sir.”

  “This town is better off for having you here, Jeri. And your family before you. That desk could be yours.”

  They both looked back at the Mayor’s desk. Jericho couldn’t help thinking that she might give it a light sanding once she took over. “Well, city council keeps me busy enough. Not to mention my own job.”

  “I don’t know how you do it all, Jeri, I really don’t. But I guess not having a family of your own frees up a little time.”

  It was true but lately that kind of truth struck a chord. “It does, sir,” she sighed.

  The Mayor gave her a gentle smile. “Maybe one day you’ll find the right gal,” he said and winked. They’d reached the hallway. The Mayor looked down its gray walls to the single square window at the end. “Looks like another hot one,” he said.

  “It does.”

  “You know, I watched you pull in this morning. That old car looks as good as the day your granddad bought it.”

  Jericho grinned. She loved her car and was proud that he’d noticed. “I painted it in the spring.”

  The Mayor laughed. “Did you do that yourself too?”

  “No, I used the shop at the high school. The students helped out. I donated some equipment for their time.”

  “Bet they appreciated that.”

  “They seemed to.”

  The Mayor held out his hand again. “Think about what I said.”

  “I will. Thank you, sir.”

  Jericho felt the Mayor’s eyes on her as she walked down the quiet hallway and out through the main doors. At the bottom of the stone steps, she pulled off her jacket and slung it over her arm. It was almost noon and the sun was blazing hot.

  She pulled her phone from her bag. There were two missed calls: one from an international number she didn’t recognize and one from the administrator at the high school. She had an idea who the long distance number might be and redialed. A husky voice answered.

  Jericho grinned. “Figured it might be you.”

  “How come you didn’t pick up?”

  “I was in with the Mayor. What’s up?”

  “Nothing - just wanted to touch base. I have a new number,” Lexi said.

  “I see that. You’re not in Chicago anymore.”

  “No.”

  Jericho shook her head. If there was a single word that would describe her sister Lexi, cagey might have been it. “But you’re somewhere.”

  “Barcelona,” Lexi said after a few seconds.

  “Catching up on some R&R?”

  There was a pause and then a sound as if Lexi had placed her hand over the receiver. Jericho heard muffled conversation in the background and another woman’s voice.

  “Sorry, I missed that,” Lexi said when she returned to the call again.

  “It doesn’t matter. You sound relaxed. Charlie told me about your night at her place. She was worried.”

  “Well, things are better now.”

  “Is that why you’re in Barcelona?”

  “Something like that,” Lexi said.

  Jericho knew her sister was hiding something, but what else was new. “Fine, I’ll quit asking.” Jericho watched a familiar pick-up pull into a parking spot on the road. The driver stepped out and waved. Jericho gave a little wave back. “Uh-oh, here comes trouble.”

  “Oh yeah? Who?”

  “Claudia Howell. She’s walking over right now.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Parking lot, City Hall,” Jericho said as she looked around. “It’s damn hot out here.”

  “Here too,” Lexi said.

  “So that’s it? Nothing else?” Jericho was pretty sure her sister hadn’t called just to give her new number. Lexi never called without a reason. But then Claudia caught her eye and gave her a little wave.

  “Hey, Jericho,” she called loudly. She walked across the parking lot to where Jericho stood.

  “Hey, Jericho,” Lexi mimicked on the other end of the line. “Can you take a look at my radiator? It’s running a little … hot.”

  “That’s really not helping,” Jericho said as she tried to keep a straight face.

  “She’s been into you since high school,” Lexi teased.

  “Let’s discuss that another time,” Jericho said since Claudia was standing well within earshot.

  �
�You’re looking at her boobs right now aren’t you?” Lexi said and then snorted with laughter.

  “Are you done yet?” Jericho asked.

  “Alright, alright. How’s the shed coming along?” Lexi asked.

  Jericho knew Lexi wasn’t asking about the real shed since nothing had been done to the old building in years. It had to be the other project that she was curious about. “It’s almost done. There’ll be enough space for Charlie. I’ve worked it all out.”

  “Good. She’ll be there soon?”

  “Yep. She’s on a shoot right now but heading here after.”

  “Perfect. Let me know how it works out.”

  Jericho heard the voice in the background again and smiled. “Someone there with you?”

  “Just a friend.”

  “You don’t have any friends.”

  “Very funny. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  “Right.”

  “Say hi to Claudia for me.”

  “Say hi to your friend.”

  The line went dead. Jericho stared at the phone in her hand and shook her head again.

  Claudia moved a few steps closer. “I saw you standing there and thought I’d come and say hi,” Claudia said. “By the way, I love that skirt. You always look so good!”

  Jericho glanced down at what she was wearing. “Thanks,” she said. “Where are you off to?”

  “I was thinking about heading down to the coffee shop for something iced and caffeinated. Can I interest you? My treat.”

  Jericho smiled back at her. “I was actually just heading back up the hill to cut the grass. The lawn is taking over. But thanks, maybe another time.” There would never be another time since Claudia was married, but Jericho couldn’t exactly come right out and say that. She hoped Claudia would eventually get the hint.

  “Cutting the grass, huh? That’s a pretty big job for a single woman.”

  Jericho looked back at her. “There’s a lot of things I do by myself.”

  Claudia stifled a smile. “Oh, I’m sure there is!”

  Jericho groaned inwardly. The last thing she’d meant to do was drop innuendo during an already awkward conversation. “I just meant -”

  Claudia took a step closer. “I’ve been spending time out at the lake. Remember how we all used to hang out there in the summer?”