Mountain's Captive (15 page)

C
hloe frowned
as she shut the last of her suitcases. Taking a last glance around her New York apartment bedroom, she sighed in thought. Outside her window she saw a stray cat crawl over the fire escape. She watched it hop down from a railway before scurrying past.

Chloe took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Seeing a sock on her cleaned floor, she bent over to pick it up and threw it into a laundry basket. After getting back she had cleaned her entire apartment until it sparkled. She sadly thought of Everest and his lodge. Then, going to her vanity, she lifted the lid to her makeup case and hurriedly threw in several small bottles of perfume, an extra lipstick and her nail file.

Grabbing the case in one hand, she lifted her suitcase off her bed with the other. She carried them into the living room and set them by the door. Inside, she felt dead. The Vegas trip had gone exactly like planned. Paul had been predictable. Shaking her head, she refused to think about it. It was over.

Wandering into her kitchen, she stopped at the box she had left on her counter. She opened the lid and dug through its contents. Hesitantly, she pulled out her research notes. Devon had brought them back with her from Montana. Packing the notes in her briefcase, she carried it over to sit with the rest of her luggage. Going back to the box, she threw the empty container away.

Chloe stared at the discarded package, trying not to cry. It was hard though. She felt a sob gather in her chest as she thought of Everest. Betsy might have wanted to get out of Miner’s Cove, but Chloe wanted to spend the rest of her life there.

She missed the mountain haven. The city only seemed noisy and irritating to her now that she was back. Before, the smell of the streets had never bothered her. Now she found herself longing for the fresh, clean scent of a snowdrift and the stout odor of burning wood in a fireplace. Her body longed for all the times and places she had never made love to Everest on the mountain. His embrace still burned her skin, branding her and forever ruining her for another man’s touch.

Shaking herself out of her self-pitying trance, she eyed her airplane ticket. Opening it, she scanned the bold print.

“Switzerland,” she mumbled, “first class, no layover.”

Seeing her purse, she pulled it to her and shoved the ticket inside. Then, pausing, she pulled out a worn piece of paper. Her hands shook as she unfolded it. It was her wedding certificate to Everest. She knew she should throw it into the trash or even a file somewhere that no one would ever see. Tracing the firm strokes of his precise handwriting, she smiled in remembrance. It was neat and orderly like the rest of him.

Going over to her briefcase, she rummaged through it until she found the divorce papers. His signature stood out boldly from them, matching the wedding certificate perfectly. Folding them together, she put them away.

“Yeah,” she hollered when the doorbell rang. Taking a few steps to the door, she pulled it open. Seeing Devon, she smiled and waved her in.

Devon eyed the suitcases wearily as she walked around them. “Are you all packed?”

“Yeah, I leave tonight.” Chloe went back to the kitchen to grab her purse. Setting it by the luggage, she motioned Devon into the living room.

“Wow, did you hire a maid?” Devon asked in amazement as she looked around.

Chloe laughed wryly, “No, I finally picked up.”

“Picked up?” Devon shot in skepticism. “I’d say you spent nearly ten hours on this place. I have never seen it so clean.”

“Uh, thanks,” Chloe muttered, as she rolled her eyes. “I just got in the habit when I was in Mon…”

Suddenly, Chloe stopped. Devon turned to her and frowned. Chloe’s blue eye filled with pain as she squeezed them shut. Behind her lids all she saw was the potent form of Everest’s naked body as he came over her. Shivering, she turned away.

“Did you ever try to talk to him?” asked Devon, all the time knowing Chloe hadn’t. There was no way to get a hold of him in the mountains.

“No,” Chloe stated. Her tone left no room for argument. “And I won’t. He made himself clear. He doesn’t want anything to do with me. If he did he would have sent a note or something with you.”

“Chloe,” Devon interrupted, “he doesn’t know me. A man like that wouldn’t send a personal note with a complete stranger. Maybe he wants to talk to you.”

“No,” Chloe denied with a firm shake of her head. “It’s over.”

“I don’t think it has to be that way.”

“Did he say something to you?” Chloe asked, a little too eagerly. Her eyes sparked with hope for a moment before going dead.

“Chloe, I am one of the best attorney’s in the state. I read jurors, judges and witnesses. But, Everest Beaumont? I couldn’t read a damned thing.” Devon let loose a frustrated moan. “Chloe, if he feels for you even half of what you feel for him then it’s worth giving it a try. Maybe you can work something out. Maybe later—”

“Don’t. Do not say that maybe later we can be together. I can’t afford to think of that. It wasn’t meant to be. I can’t…It’s too late for that.”

Suddenly, Chloe began to cry. She hid her face in her hands. Shaking her head against the pain, she fell over to bury her face into the cushion of her couch. Hitting the soft material in frustration, she shot angrily, “I can’t think of it. You don’t know how bad it hurts to think of it. Damn it, Devon. I love him. I love his smile, his quietness. I love that he makes his own clocks and doesn’t sell out to big business. I love that he eats eggs no matter how many times I cook them for him. And I love the way he looks, the sexy half smile he gets when he wants me.”

Devon listened quietly. Slowly, she stood. “All right, I won’t push. I just want to see you happy.”

“I know,” Chloe’s voice was hoarse in her misery. Sitting up, she swallowed down a sob and turned her glistening eyes to Devon. “I’ll be fine. I just need a little time to adjust.”

“I came to say good-bye and good luck. I’ll leave the address at your hotel in Switzerland when you get there.”

“Thanks.”

“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about Paul,” shot Devon with a smile suddenly forming on her amused face.

“What?” Chloe queried, confused. A feeling of dread curled in her stomach.

“That night you left him in Vegas he got married to another woman. I guess he got drunk and she showed up at his door wearing a wedding veil. He thought it was you.” Devon started laughing so hard that she had to stop to take a calming breath. “The next day he called my office blaming me for setting him up. But I swear I know nothing about it. It’s too bad. I’d like to be able to say I did it to him.”

“Who?” Chloe asked in amazement.

“It was that waitress from Miner’s Cove. Somehow she followed him to Vegas.” Devon shook her head at the irony. “I guess his family has threatened to disown him and without a prenuptial, he’s pretty much screwed.”

“You mean Betsy?” Chloe shook her head, bewildered. Unable to stop herself, she giggled. “I guess she got her rich husband after all.”

“What did you tell him to make him change his mind anyway?” asked Devon when they were able to stop laughing long enough to speak.

“I told him the other stipulations to the will,” Chloe mumbled. Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. “The ones you forgot to mention—the one in the last amendment.”

“What other stipulations? I told him everything that was required.” Devon came back to her chair and sat down. She narrowed her gaze in confusion.

“Oh, that he had to work a nine to five at the Kansas City office for six of the ten years. You see my father was really big into work ethic and he wanted to make sure my husband would be too.” Chloe chuckled before trying to force an innocent expression to her face. She failed miserably. “I also said that in total we had to have at least six children and they had to live with us until their eighteenth birthday.”

Devon shook her head in astonishment. “You are quite a writer Chloe. I never would have thought of that, but I can’t believe that was enough to put him off. He seemed to want the money pretty badly. What else did you tell him? And what are you not telling me?”

Chloe gulped. Her face paled a little in color before she looked Devon in the eyes. Licking her lips that had suddenly gone dry, she whispered, “I’m pregnant.”

“What?” Devon sat straight up in her chair.

“Yeah, I found out before I got on the flight to marry Paul. I couldn’t do it. When I told him that I was pregnant with Everest’s child, he went crazy. I told him that in order to get the money he would have to claim the child as his own and that the child would be his heir. I guess male vanity won out over greed and Paul refused to go through with it. When I saw him last he was drinking himself into oblivion.”

“You’re pregnant?” broke in Devon, stunned. She barely heard the rest of the confession. “With Everest’s baby?”

“Yes.” Chloe shrugged her shoulders insecurely as Devon shot across the room to give her a hug. Muttering through her uncertain tears, she said, “So you see. I can’t see him right now. I have to figure out what is best.”

“But, with the baby?”

“He’s too honorable. With the baby, he’ll be with me for the baby. I’ll never know if he would want to be with me for me. So first, I go to Switzerland to speak with dad’s lawyer. I’ll see if there is a way to get an extension and if there’s not, I’ll contest the will. I am sure he’ll want to come to some sort of terms instead of seeing all of his commission held up on a technicality. Then, after that mess is straightened up, I’ll think about what to do with Everest. By then the snow should have cleared enough to get up to his house.”

“If it isn’t, I’ll fly you there myself,” Devon asserted. “I can’t believe you’re having a baby!”

“Me neither.” Chloe chucked insecurely as Devon pulled her into another hug. As her friend held her, she began to cry. But this time the tears were full of hope.

Z
ipping
the suitcase over her new business suit, Chloe sighed. It was late, but the cab wouldn’t be arriving for another ten minutes. Going to her bathroom, she grabbed a hair tie and pulled back her hair to the nape of her neck. Closing her eyes briefly, she yawned. It was late, almost midnight. Hopefully the airport wouldn’t be too busy and she could check in fairly easily. Then she would be able to sleep on the plane.

She eyed her light gray T-shirt and blue jeans in the mirror. She refused to dress up for a fight across the Atlantic Ocean. Hearing the doorbell ring, she frowned. The cab was early. Going to the door, she flung it open.

“Cab?” a short man with a red cap asked in a gruff Bronx accent. The man looked nervously over his shoulder before tilting his jaw up in the air. “You call?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” Chloe answered. Turning around, she grabbed her purse. “Just let me get the lights and I’ll be ready.”

“Fine,” the man grumbled. He looked curiously into her home and stepped in. “These goin’ down, or what?”

“Yeah, all that.” Chloe motioned to the luggage before rushing to the bathroom to hit the lights. Yelling over her shoulder, she said, “I’ll take the two smaller bags down with me.”

“Whatever you say, lady,” the man hollered.

Chloe stepped across the hall to her small kitchen. She flipped the switch before coming back into her living room. Without looking up, she went straight to her bags.

“Can I help you with that?”

Chloe froze. Everest’s voice poured over her body like a gentle rainstorm. Unable to believe her ears, she stood. Her purse slid from her shoulder to the floor with a crash. She ignored it. Her eyes rounded as she realized it wasn’t a dream. Everest was standing in her living room. He wore a dark suit, his hair was tied back to the nape of his neck and he was holding a bouquet of red roses. His firm lips curled into an expectant smile.

“Uh, no,” Chloe finally managed to choke out in wonder. Her heart started to race. It pounded frantically in her chest.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked softly.

Chloe shivered and nodded her head. In a whisper, she hushed, “Switzerland.”

Everest frowned slightly.

“What are you doing here?” questioned Chloe, puzzled. She wanted to jump into his arms and pull him to her lips, but she held back. Her body pulsed with the need to feel him. She had missed him so much.

“I came to wish you a happy birthday,” he stated simply, as he held out the flowers to her. Whispering, he said, “Happy birthday, Chloe.”

Chloe took the flowers. Her hand trembled as she drew them to her nose. She couldn’t smell them as she tried to shakily breathe in their heady scent. It was the only gift she had received for her birthday. Everyone else had forgotten. “But, what are you doing in New York? How did you get here?”

“I called Grandpa on the two-way and had him send a helicopter over the drift. I booked a flight and came straight from the airport.” Suddenly, he frowned.

“But, why?” she queried.

“You’re not happy to see me.” The statement was matter-of-fact. His eyes lost some of their shine as his face hardened. “Maybe I should go.”

“No, wait.” Chloe shot forward, her hand reaching out to stop him. She didn’t dare to touch him, not yet. Her hand trembled and hung in midair. Turning, she laid the flowers on a small table by the front door. “I just—”

“Chloe, I love you,” he burst all of a sudden.

“Oh, how romantic,” the cab driver stated sarcastically from the door. “Miss, are you ready?”

“Can you give me one moment,” Chloe replied breathlessly as she held up her hand. She didn’t look at the little man, but kept her disbelieving gaze on Everest.

“All right, but if we are late for your flight it’s your fault.” The man leaned against the doorframe and waited.

Everest frowned. Reaching into his pocket, he handed the man a hundred-dollar bill. “Wait in the cab. She’ll be down in a minute.”

The man took the money and shrugged like it was no big thing. But he did leave.

When he was gone, Chloe whispered, “What did you say?”

“I said I love you, Chloe. That is why I am here. I came to find you.” He took a hesitant step forward and eyed her pale face. She didn’t look too well. Maybe she had missed him like he had her. “I came to tell you that I would wait for you. I’ll wait ten years until you can divorce that prick.”

“You’d do that?” she asked, dumbfounded. Her blue eyes rounded in amazement. Her hands trembled.

“Hell,” Everest declared, “I have already waited my entire life to find you. Ten years will be nothing.”

Chloe felt her heart race a bit more. The piercing light of his hazel-green gaze bore into her soul until it left it quivering with need. His handsome face was hard with emotion, but she could see the truth of his words in his eyes.

“But,” she began.

“No buts,” he broke in. Taking another step, he lifted his hand to her cheek. He couldn’t deny his body the simple touch and was pleased when she didn’t back away. “I don’t care what the next ten years brings you. I’ll wait. If you lose a leg or fall into a coma, I don’t care. I’m coming to get you. At that time, if I have to sell my place in the mountains and move to New York, I’ll do it. I’ll do it for you.”

“But,” she tried again. Her love bubbled from her throat to choke her words.

“I’ll take your child like it was my own and we’ll add a baby or two and live as a family. I know why you are doing it. I know about the people you’ll be helping. And no matter how much I hate it, I love you even more for your selflessness.” Everest gazed deeply into her eyes. Her cheeks had colored prettily into a blush as he spoke. With an amazed smile, he noticed her toy machine wedding band hanging on a chain on her neck. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small jewelry box.

Chloe gasped as she read the intent in his eyes. Numbly, she started to nod her head before he even spoke.

“Chloe, will you marry me?” he asked, before adding with a sheepish grin, “Again and in exactly ten years from this very moment?”

Chloe tried to nod but could barely move. Her breath caught in her constricted throat. He opened the box to present her with a thin gold band lined with diamonds. Tears came to her eyes, as she hushed, “The child is yours, not Paul’s.”

Everest narrowed his gaze, straining to hear her. Believing to understand, he nodded, “Yeah, the child will be mine.”

Chloe felt tears line her eyes. Nothing was coming out of her mouth right. Finally, she managed to tilt her jaw, and said louder, “I don’t have to marry you again.”

Everest frowned, confused. Standing, he looked at her. She began to sniff harder.

“Yes, I will marry you,” she finally blurted. She flung her arms around him to press kisses to his handsome face. A smile crossed over his perfect features that took her breath away. He didn’t understand anything else she had said, but the last sentence was enough.

“I’ll wait for you.” Everest swore, beaming with the bittersweet pleasure of it. “And if you ever have a need of me all you have to do is send word. I’ll come to you.”

“I need you,” she whispered. “Oh, how I need you, Everest. I need you every day.”

Everest smiled, unable to resist her. He knew it was wrong, knew she had married Paul. But he couldn’t stop himself. His need for her was too strong. It defied all logic. Cupping her face, he kissed her lips passionately.

“Do you have to leave for your honeymoon right away?” he asked thinking of the man downstairs waiting for her. “Will you miss your plane? I don’t want to cause you any problems.”

Chloe let go of him. Everest watched as she crossed over to the window. Pulling it open, she screamed down into the street, “Bring my bags back up, I’m not going anywhere!”

The cab driver’s curses were lost as she turned back to him. Lightly she said, “I’m not going anywhere but Montana.”

“Chloe?” he questioned with a hesitant smile. “How?”

Finding her words at last, she smiled happily. “I didn’t marry Paul. I couldn’t. I don’t love him. I love you. I’m on my way to contest the will. My father’s attorney is vacationing in Switzerland.”

“Then, I’ll go with you,” Everest stated. “We’ll fight it together.”

“But, don’t you see?” she put forth as she moved to him. “We already have. Our divorce isn’t final. I never sent in the final papers. I couldn’t do it. I tried, but I couldn’t. So we don’t have to get married, we already are.”

Everest rushed over, gathering her into his excited arms to kiss her. He lifted her necklace to study the cheap ring. Grabbing his hand, she held it tight over the bent metal band. “But you deserve a wedding. You deserve more than a minister dressed like Elvis and this.”

“I don’t want a wedding. I want you. I hate being in public. I just want to go home with you. I want to go back to Montana.” Chloe breathed softly against his slanting lips. “Take me home.”

Everest leaned over to deepen the kiss. His tongue edged the line of her velvet entrance before pulling back with a questioning glance to her flat stomach. “What did you mean when you said the child was mine?”

“Where do you want these bags?”

Chloe smiled, but rolled her eyes as the driver interrupted them again. Letting go of Everest, she motioned to the floor, “There’s good.”

She absently grabbed two hundred-dollar bills from her purse and handed it to him. With a playful dismissal, she said, “Now go away.”

The driver smiled, nodded and left. It was the easiest money he’d ever made.

She ignored the cab driver as she went back to her husband’s arms. Whispering into his stunned face, she said, “I’m pregnant.”

Everest growled happily, taking her into his strong embrace. With a squeal of delight escaping her lips, he lifted her into the air. His lips were on her mouth, her cheeks, her neck. Chloe groaned passionately as his hands moved over her firm backside in a solid caress.

“Oh, my!”

Chloe turned at the shocked exclamation. Seeing an elderly neighbor lady, she giggled.

“You should be ashamed—” began the woman in outrage.

Everest let go of Chloe and slammed the door, cutting off the woman’s words with a hard thud. When they were finally alone, he directed his stalking growl toward her.

“I would defend your honor,” he began.

“Bedroom’s this way, mountain man,” she broke in boldly. Her eyes shone with intense sexual promise. She giggled and squealed as Everest charged her and lifted her up into his arms. Carrying her as if she was no more than a feather, he began unfastening her blue jeans.

Chloe ran her fingers to untie his hair. The silky brown waves crashed seductively over her fingers. Sighing huskily, she said, “You look very nice in a suit.”

Growling passionately, he responded, “I look better underneath it.”

Chloe moaned at his confidence as he passed into her room. Dropping her to the floor, he threw off his jacket. Then he began tugging at his tie.

“Let me,” she voiced lowly. With gentle urgency she began to undress him. Throwing the tie over her shoulder, she said, “You know, we really should get a dog. Mountain men should always have a dog.”

“Mmmhmm,” he nodded. Her hands skimmed to his waist to unbuckle his pants. “Whatever you want.”

At that decree, she raised a naughty eyebrow. “Oh, really.”

“Mmm,” he nodded his assent. Her hand found the hard length of his member bulging beneath his cotton briefs.

Chloe fell to her knees. Looking up at him, she said, “There is one thing I have got to know before this goes any further.”

“What’s that?” he questioned. He thrust his manhood wickedly toward her mouth. Chloe freed the large erection. Everest groaned, wildly excited.

“Did you really eat your own horse after an avalanche?” she asked. “I mean you wouldn’t expect me to, would you?”

Everest brows shot up in surprise. However, his manhood didn’t lessen in its willingness. Chuckling, he said with a teasing light in his deep gaze, “No. It died of old age.”

Chloe moaned in wanton delight. Leaning over she grabbed him firmly by his perfectly masculine hips. Her fingernails grazed his buttocks as she sucked him into her mouth. Everest hollered in virile rapture, reveling in the feel of the tender satin of her slick mouth. And there were no more words, only the groaning passions of two people madly in love.