Homestead

Chapter Thirty-one

Clay pulled her T-shirt up over her nose and mouth to block out the worst of the smoke and soot. Her eyes burned, her vision blurred through the veil of tears. She’d lost track of time, aware only of the heat and noise and the inexorable beast that slashed and roared and fought to annihilate everything in its path. Propelling the tractor back and forth in sharp, short bursts, she knocked down the burning metal buildings, uprooting their timber supports and shoveling earth onto the piles of rubble to smother the flames. Periodically she directed her men to the edge of the forest to trench a firebreak and prevent the fire from spreading into the adjacent woods. Catching sight of a line of flames licking toward the underbrush, she maneuvered next to the vehicle on her right to send him in that direction.

“Hey,” she yelled, her voice raspy and her throat burning after hours of breathing smoke. The driver turned in her direction and Clay shook her head, certain she was mistaken. Her low-level headache skyrocketed with the motion, but her vision cleared up. She hadn’t been wrong. “What the hell are you doing?”

Tess sent her a grin, looking like she was having a fabulous time. “Following your lead.”

Irritated, impressed, proud, Clay worked on frowning. “Not what I meant.”

“What do you need?”

You. You and nothing else. Clay debated finding someone else to take care of the problem, but everyone was engaged and Tess clearly knew how to handle a tractor. “Over there to your right—about two o’clock—dig a trench and outflank that finger of fire headed for the woods. Be careful it doesn’t come around behind you. If it does, plow a path through the woods if you have to, but don’t let it trap you.”

“I’ll be careful. You too, okay? The wind is making this monster unpredictable.”

“I will.” Clay hesitated. “Hey!”

Tess stared back, her gaze so intense Clay felt the world drop away—as if they were back in bed with all the time in the world to show each other what mattered. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“I’ll see you later,” Clay said, wanting to say so much more. Wanting every night, every morning.

“Yes. You will.” Tess smiled, and somewhere beyond the wild, angry night, Clay’s world righted itself.

Clay pushed the tractor into gear and went back to plowing the burning debris into the center of a cleared area of the yard, building a giant bonfire that would eventually burn itself out. By the time they’d managed to contain the conflagration, the sky was lightening in the east. Dawn was coming, and the rain had eased off to a steady drizzle. The long night was over.

Piles of twisted metal and thick beams smoldered all over the camp, dark smoke roiling in the air. Clay was covered in soot and sweat. When she climbed down from the tractor, her legs trembled, and she had to lean against the big machine to keep her balance. Around her, the men congregated in small weary groups, their faces all alike—dirt covered, sweat streaked, exhausted, and triumphant. She went from group to group, thanking them, checking that none of the crew had significant injuries, instructing them to check in with the crew foreman to facilitate a head count.

Tess stood a little ways away, waiting for her. She looked as bedraggled and weary as any of the men, but she was smiling, the smile Clay had thought she’d never see again and knew now she could never do without. When she reached Tess, she wrapped her arms around Tess’s waist and rested her head on her shoulder. Somehow Tess still managed to smell sweet. “I’m going to have to be more careful about what I say in the future.”

Tess welcomed Clay’s weight against her, liking that she could hold her up, that Clay would lean on her when she needed to. She stroked Clay’s sweaty hair. “What do you mean, baby?”

“I didn’t expect you to take me literally—about following my lead.”

“I would’ve done it anyhow—I’ve been driving a tractor and moving earth since I was seven.” Tess kissed Clay’s temple. “But it was nice knowing you approved.”

Tess laughed softly when Clay grumbled. She was discovering she enjoyed teasing her. All she wanted was to drag Clay away where they could finally be alone, but they weren’t done here yet. “We’ve got to find Kelly. Ella was missing last night. I’m worried.”

Sighing, Clay straightened and slid her arm around Tess’s waist. “Let’s go to the trailer. That’s where they’ll be.”

They trudged through ankle-deep mud, and Tess turned her face up to the sky, letting the cool clean rain wash away some of the grime on her hair and skin. “I want to stand in the shower for an hour when we get home.”

“Does that mean I’m invited to shower with you this time?”

“You might want to let me get the first coat or two of grunge off first,” Tess said, “but yes. You’re invited. Although I have to warn you, my body feels like I’ve been carrying the damn tractor on my back for a week.”

“Yeah,” Clay muttered, “me too.” She laughed. “But I think a shower with you might just make me forget about being tired.”

“I just might let you make me forget about it too.” Tess loved that Clay wanted her—the desire in Clay’s eyes stirred her in ways that made every problem seem solvable. Clay’s desire filled her with strength. “I want you again.”

Clay’s arm on her waist tightened. “I can’t think of much else.”

“I hear voices,” Tess said as they reached the trailer where the door still hung askew. Relief kicked through her. “I think they’re here.”

Clay grabbed her hand. “Let’s find out.”

Tess hurried inside after Clay and abruptly halted. Ella and Kelly stood side by side in front of Clay’s desk in nearly identical postures—legs spread, arms crossed, hard impassive expressions—both staring at the man sitting opposite them on the only chair.

“Jimmy?” Tess said. “What are you doing here?”

Ella glanced at Tess and Clay. “It seems our friend Jimmy here was trying to drive his ATV out through the woods and managed to flip it over. Which is why he didn’t get away after he opened the gas lines and conveniently dropped a match. Isn’t that right, Jimmy.”

Jimmy looked at Tess as if waiting for her to answer. She didn’t want to believe Jimmy was behind the arson, but he had no business being at the camp. “Jimmy? What’s going on?”

“I know you don’t want them anywhere near your land. I was just trying to get them to move.”

“Oh, Jimmy.” Tess glanced at Ella. “I think we’re going to need to get the authorities involved before we talk to Jimmy any further.”

Ella nodded. “We haven’t been able to raise them yet, but Kelly and I will be happy to babysit him until we can get someone out here to take him into custody.”

Jimmy’s eyes grew huge and his head swiveled from Tess to Ella and back again. “What do you mean, custody?”

“We’ll need to talk to the sheriff, Jimmy,” Tess said. “Until then, you need to stay here. This is serious—do you understand?”

For a minute, he looked as if he might try to bolt, but his gaze flickered to Ella and Kelly, and he slumped back, his hands between his knees, his eyes on the floor. “Doesn’t look like I’m going anywhere. I got it.”

“Tell the sheriff to call me when you get a hold of him,” Clay said to Ella. “Are you both all right?”

“I could use breakfast and a shower.” Ella grimaced and indicated her mud-caked boots and soiled clothes. “Chasing Jimmy in the storm was ugly, but otherwise I’m good. You?”

“We’re fine.” Clay ran her hand down Tess’s back. “I want to get Tess home, but I’ll come back and relieve you as soon as I’ve had a shower.”

“We’re good here,” Ella said, “and you’ve both been working all night. Get some sleep first.”

“Thanks. Call me if anything else develops.”

“Will do.” Ella raised a brow at Tess. “Get her out of here, would you? And keep her away for a while?”

Laughing, Tess grabbed Clay’s arm and pulled her toward the door. “I’ll try.”

As they slogged toward the truck, Tess said, “I can’t believe Jimmy did this. I’m so sorry, Clay.”

“It’s not your fault, Tess. You didn’t ask him to do it.”

“But he did it because he thought that’s what I would’ve wanted.”

Clay stopped by the front of the truck, pulled Tess into her arms, and kissed her. “It wasn’t, and I know that.”

Tess pressed her palms against Clay’s chest and kissed her back. Clay felt so good against her, under her hands, under her lips. “People need to understand what you’re doing here, and what it means for them. I’m finally getting it and I know you can explain it to all of us. Give us the good and the bad, and we’ll be able to handle it.”

“I will. I promise.” Clay ran her fingers through Tess’s hair and kissed her, deep and slow. She didn’t care about the rain, or the acrid smell of smoke in the air, or the weary trembling of her muscles. The taste of Tess, the softness of her skin and the warmth of her body drove every other thought and sensation from her being. Tess was all she knew and all she wanted to know.

After a minute, Tess looped her arms around Clay’s waist and leaned back. “Are you paying any attention at all to what I’m saying?”

Clay kissed her throat, nibbled along the angle of her jaw. “I am, I’m paying total attention to everything that matters. You.”

Heart pounding, Tess gripped Clay’s shirt harder, wanting to have her naked, above her, inside her. Right that instant. “We have to go. I need you.”

Clay shuddered. “I need you too. More than I can say.”

“Then all you have to do is take me home, and take me.”