Finding Forever (Smoky Mountain Lawmen Book 1) (6 page)

The
car door snicked open and Ben stepped back. 

“Goodnight,
Gemma.”

“Goodnight.” 
She slid into the car and Ben closed her inside.  With a final look she turned
over the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, leaving Ben standing beside
his car wondering why he tortured himself.  But he’d been in as much of a rush
to get her on her way as she had been.  The low sun had turned her chestnut
hair to a halo of coppery fire around her head and given her skin the warmest
glow.  Getting her door open for her had seemed like the fastest option to
remove temptation.  It worked in that she was gone, but now he just had her
scent stuck in his head and a need for a cold shower.

He
was forty-two years old, but he felt like a goddamn teenager.  Disgusted with
his lack of control he climbed back into his SUV and headed to the sheriff’s
office where the files on the other murders waited for him. 

Determined
to put Gemma out of his mind, Ben threw himself into the files. 

Hours
later, Ben looked up, startled, to see one of the night shift deputies standing
in front of his desk. “You still here?”

“What
time is it?” Ben asked the man.

“Just
after eleven.”

Christ
. 
He’d lost track of time trying to find some commonalities.  He closed the case
file and thrust it back into the box on his desk.  “Not anymore,” he said,
standing.

When
he walked into the Mabley home carrying the file box—because he wasn’t kidding
himself; he knew he’d have trouble falling asleep—he could hear the TV playing
quietly in the living room.  He poked his head around the corner to see Gemma
dressed for bed and curled up in one corner of the couch watching the news.

She
glanced up and muted the TV when she saw him.  “Hey.”

“Hi.”

“You’re
as bad as Tristan,” she said, motioning to his box.  “Bringing work home with
you.”

Like
a moth to a flame, he walked into the living room and set the box on the coffee
table then settled onto the far end of the couch.  “Reading material to lull me
to sleep,” he quipped with a sigh.

“You
look like you’re stuck.”

Ben
frowned.  “What do you mean?”

She
motioned to the box again.  “On your case.  I swear, the military gives you
guys a course on facial expressions.  You and Tristan are two peas in a pod. 
He gets that same look when he’s stuck on a case.”

Ben
grinned.  Maybe it was the quiet or the late hour, but he felt himself relaxing.
 “You didn’t hear?  It’s called Facial Etiquette for the American Soldier 101,”
he teased.  “All officers are required to take it, so they can adequately intimidate
their troops.”

She
giggled.  “I almost believe you.”

Their
shared laughter served to dispel the last of the tension he always seemed to
feel with her around.  He didn’t want to fight tonight.  Not her and not
himself.  Not after rereading all those damn files.

“So,
you want to share?”

He
studied her speculatively.  He was sorely tempted after having watched her work
her magic on Caleb.

What
the hell.  It’s not like it would hurt.

“The
only commonality I’ve got between them is they were all single mothers.  They
came from different walks of life, none of them had similar jobs, or lived in
the same areas.  They didn’t frequent the same grocery stores or other public
areas—” Ben leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.  He ran a hand over
his jaw.  “I’ve got nothing.”

Gemma
reached for the box.  “May I?”

Ben
hesitated.  Telling her about the case was one thing, but actually letting her
look at the files was quite another.  She was a potential witness.

But
he didn’t have to give her all the details.  She could look at the women’s
lives and possibly see something he had missed.

He
reached into the box and quickly flipped through the folders, pulling out the
pertinent papers.  Ben thrust the papers at her.  “Here.  This is everything on
their daily lives and backgrounds.”

Deciding
not to hover while she read he excused himself to shower and grab a beer.  When
he returned to the living room she was nearly done and had at some point
retrieved a pad of paper and a pen.  As he sat down she flipped the last sheet
on to the stack with the others and looked up.

“Anything?”
he asked.

“Maybe. 
Did you notice that all of the children were undergoing treatment for an
illness or condition?”

“Yeah. 
We checked them out.  None of them went to the same doctor or hospital.  These
women literally
never
crossed paths.”

“Do
you have any notes on the kids’ treatment?  The doctors and clinics?”

Ben
nodded and started rummaging again.  He handed her papers as he found them.

After
he’d handed her the information on the third child she suddenly clasped his
arm.  “Did the fourth child stop or diminish traditional medical treatment?”

Nonplussed,
he blinked then leafed through the folders more quickly, soon locating the
information.  “Yes.  He had an illness that affected kidney function and the
victim took him off many of the traditional drugs in search of a more natural
way to regulate his kidneys.”

She
stood abruptly and looked at him wide-eyed.  “Ben, that’s it!  All five victims
used a non-traditional approach to treat their children.  That’s why the women
were targeted.”

Ben
stared at the sheets of paper spread across the coffee table.  All this time
and
no
one
had seen this connection.

No
one but Gemma.

He
finally had a solid lead.  Because of one incredible woman.

Ben
jumped up and grabbed her.  Arms circling her waist he lifted her free of the
ground.  “You.  Are.  Amazing!”

Then,
because he couldn’t have stopped himself if he tried, he kissed her.

He
had intended it to be a congratulatory kiss.  Just a brief contact, but the
instant her mouth touched his he knew a short kiss wouldn’t be enough.

Gemma’s
body tingled from head to toe.  Every point of contact between her body and
Ben’s felt like fire touched her skin.  After a brief moment of surprise at his
kiss she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers sliding into his hair as
she sank into his embrace.  His mouth was firm under hers.  When his tongue
begged entrance to her mouth, Gemma opened for him.  He still tasted like the
coffee he had undoubtedly consumed at the station.

Her
feet touched the floor, but he didn’t let go or break contact.  Instead, his
hands started to roam.  Gemma whimpered as his hands cupped her hips and pulled
her closer.  Even through the heavy material of his jeans she could feel him. 
She wiggled, trying to get closer, and was rewarded with a growl. 

His
hands left her hips to slip under the hem of her pajama top and roam the smooth
skin of her back.  Intense heat raced along her nerve endings as his hands
skimmed the sides of her breasts.  When he flicked his thumbs over the tight
buds of her nipples she was sure she would combust.  He kneaded them with sure
fingers to the point that she was clutching at his arms to stay upright. 
Sensation spiraled through her until her knees felt like Jell-O.  The kind that
hasn’t quite set yet.

All
of a sudden Ben jerked his mouth from hers and stepped back.

Breathing
hard, Gemma locked her knees to stay upright.  She stared at him, both confused
as to why he’d stopped and appalled that she wanted to drag him down to the
couch and strip him naked.  She’d never been so hot for a man so fast.  She’d
never been so hot for a man period.

“We
can’t do this,” Ben said, voice rough.

Knowing
he was right, didn’t make the words hurt less and Gemma had to turn away to
keep the tears at bay. 

“You’re
right,” she whispered.  “Good luck with your case.  Good night.”  Gemma made a
hasty escape to her bedroom before she did something really silly.  Like beg
him to join her.

Gemma
walked to the parking lot, weary after a long day.  There had been something in
the air today; riders and horses alike had been ornery.  But she was done and
she was going to go home and soak in the tub.  She rifled through her bag in search
of her keys coming up empty. 
Had she left them in her desk
?

Her
shoulders slumped in defeat as she remembered exactly where her keys were.  She
glanced over at the empty parking spot where she had parked her Jeep this
morning.  Stacy had her car.  In the craziness of the day, Gemma forgot that
she had handed over her car keys this morning to her colleague so that Stacy
could attend her night class in Asheville while her car was in the shop. 

And
she had also completely forgotten to call Tristan so he could pick her up.

Well,
no time like the present.  Gemma pulled out her cell phone and dialed her
brother.

“Hey. 
Can you come get me?” she said, when he picked up.

She
could hear the frown in his voice.  “What’s wrong with your car?”

“I
lent it to Stacy and forgot.  It’s been a hell of a day, Tris.”

“I’m
tied up at the moment and will be for a while.  Is there anyone there that can
give you a ride?”

“No. 
I walked out with Mona and she locked up.  And before you ask, she didn’t
notice I was without a car, because we parked on opposite sides of the
building.”

A
long sigh came across the line.  “Give me a few minutes to work something out. 
Someone will be there soon to get you.”

Gemma
thanked him and hung up.  She leaned against the side of the building and
settled in to wait for her ride.  Knowing her brother she was going to be
escorted home in the back of a police car. 

When
her phone rang several minutes later, she expected to see Tristan’s smiling
face pop up on the caller id, so the unfamiliar number that came up was a
surprise.

“Hello?”

“Gemma! 
Oh, thank God!  This is Marcie Trent.  I didn’t know who else to call.  The
therapist’s office is closed and Caleb’s really not doing well at the moment. 
I need help.”

Gemma
could hear the desperation in the older woman’s voice and rushed to reassure
her.  “I’m waiting on a ride right now, but I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Thank
you, Gemma,” Marcie whispered.

Gemma
hung up, her heart in her throat.  It ached for that poor family.  She willed
her ride to show up sooner rather than later and couldn’t despair the fact that
it was Ben pulling into the lot to pick her up.

She
raced toward his SUV and was pulling open the door almost before he’d come to a
complete stop.

“What’s
wrong?” he demanded as she jumped inside.

“Marcie
called.  Caleb’s having a hard time and she needs some help.”

She
clicked her seat belt in place as Ben swung the car around and pulled out of
the parking lot without a word. 

“Thank
you,” she said softly, several minutes into their drive.  She looked over at
him.  “Not just for picking me up, but for understanding.”

He
reached over and covered her hand with his.  “Anytime, Gemma.”  He glanced her
way for a long second before turning his eyes back to the road.  “I mean that. 
Anytime.”

Gemma
turned her hand over in his and squeezed.  They still needed to talk about what
happened last night and what they were going to do about this crazy attraction
they had for each other, but in that moment, Gemma didn’t care.  Because no
matter what else Ben was, he was her friend.

It
was dark when Ben pulled into the Trent’s driveway for the second time that
night.  He’d dropped Gemma off hours earlier, eliciting a promise from her to
call him when she was ready to go home before he left her to go back to the
station. 

Fifteen
minutes ago, she’d kept her promise and called. 

Ben
had barely put the car in park when the front door opened and Gemma stepped
through.  He watched her turn and hug Marcie Trent before she made her way down
the sidewalk and climbed inside the car.  The glimpse he got of her face in the
interior light showed him a haggard, exhausted woman.           

“How’s
he doing?” Ben asked softly as he backed out of the drive.

Gemma
sighed, eyes closed as she rested her head against the seat.  “A mess.  But we
managed to get past the panic and calm him down.  He was asleep when I left. 
Marcie’s going to call the therapist first thing in the morning.”

Ben
slid his hand over hers and said nothing while he offered silent support.

They
rode in silence back to the Mabley’s house.  Halfway there, Ben felt Gemma
completely relax.  He glanced over and saw she had passed out against the
window.

She
looked like herself again now that she was asleep.  Ben hadn’t realized just
how stressed she was until now when he could see the difference.  He suspected
that she hadn’t given herself a chance to properly grieve for her friend yet. 
Just thrown herself into work and helping Caleb at the detriment to herself. 

He
knew how that went.  He’d done much of the same during his stint in the Army. 
And it always came back to bite him in the ass, just like he knew it would for
her too. 

But
no matter when it finally overwhelmed her, he’d be there for her.  The woman
pulled at every emotional string he had and he couldn’t sit by and watch her
suffer without suffering right along with her. 

Ben
shifted in his seat, not entirely comfortable with his thoughts.  She was
undermining all the defenses he’d erected to protect himself.  She’d already
slid firmly into the friend category and was quickly headed for the one he kept
behind multiple locks.  He didn’t do attachments to women past friendship. 
He’d seen how messy it was when it all went to pieces.  He had no desire to
ever go down that road.

But
her perseverance and drive rivaled any of the men he’d served with and her
compassionate nature spoke to the same desire to do good in the world that Ben
felt.  It made him want to watch her work her magic on people as she helped
them cope with whatever ailed them whether it be emotional or physical
impediments.  And now that she was hurting he wanted to help her heal.  He
wanted to see her smile again, all bright sunshine and shining eyes.  He wanted
to be the one to hold her when she cried and to wipe away her tears.  The
shoulder she leaned on when she needed strength.

Those
were scary thoughts for a man who had no desire to have a woman in a permanent
roll in his life.

Ben
sighed as he pulled into the drive at the Mabley’s and shut off the engine. 
Any serious thoughts about the situation and decisions on it would have to wait
though.  He was as exhausted as Gemma.

He
stared at her in the darkened interior of the car.  She looked so peaceful and
he was loathe to wake her.  He hit the switch to turn off the car’s interior
lights, got out, and walked around to Gemma’s side.  He opened her door slowly
so she wouldn’t topple sideways.  She shifted to settle more deeply into her
seat as the door moved away from her.  Ben got the door open all the way and
quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and put her purse in her lap.  He gently scooped
her off the seat and kicked the door shut.  She stirred in his arms and Ben
stopped, waiting for her to settle or wake.  She burrowed into his chest, her
breathing becoming soft and regular again.

Ben
tamped down the sudden flair of desire at the feel of her soft body cuddled
into his chest and her warm breath heating the skin of his neck.  She might tug
at his emotions, but he absolutely could not give in to that particular
emotion.  He knew without a doubt that if he had any chance of keeping Gemma
out of the innermost recesses of his soul he could not give in to the desire
running through his veins. 

Teeth
clenched at the feel of the woman in his arms, Ben carefully made his way up
the drive to the porch.  He managed to get the door open without jostling her
too much.  Thankfully, closing it was easier than the car door had been. 

Just
as he was heading down the hallway to deposit her in her bedroom, Tristan poked
his head out of the den. 

“What
happened?” he asked, bounding to Ben’s side.

Ben
quickly shushed him.  “She’s just really tired.  She had a hell of a day,
Tristan.”  He resumed his walk down the hall.  “I’m going to put her in bed and
I’ll catch you up.”

Tristan
hesitated in the doorway to Gemma’s room, but the fierce look Ben sent his way
had the younger man nodding reluctantly and heading back to the den.

Ben
laid Gemma on her bed.  He deposited her purse on the nightstand and tugged off
her shoes.  He knew she’d be more comfortable without the jeans she wore, but
there was no way he was going to take them off of her.  Not if he didn’t want
to end up waking her so he could spend the night right next to her.  Instead,
he pulled her t-shirt free of her jeans and slid the belt she wore from its
loops.  Gently, he pulled at the covers until they slid free of her body then
pulled them up over her.

He
couldn’t stop himself from running a gentle hand over her cheek into her hair. 
She looked like a sleeping goddess with the moonlight shining on her smooth
skin and the waves of rich hair splayed on the pillow.  His whole body ached to
climb into the bed with her and just hold her.

Ben
silently cursed and snatched his hand back.  He didn’t know why a woman he’d
met three days ago could have such a stranglehold on him, but she did.  Maybe
it was because he felt like he already knew her from all the stories he’d heard
from Tristan over the years.  Her zest for life and compassion for others that
Tristan had described had made her someone he admired even though he’d never
met her.  Now that he had, he couldn’t help wanting to keep someone like her in
his life.  She made the world brighter just by being in the same room.

God,
how he wanted her
.

With
one last long look, Ben turned and swiftly left the room.  Because, no matter
what, he couldn’t give in to this attraction.  She deserved a man who would
stick around and he knew he wouldn’t.