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Extending his life might not be the best thing. If only Libby were here."
"Sarah." He spoke in his most gentle tone. "Leave it alone for now. Let me take you
home; I'll fix you a good meal and you can sleep. I ll talk to Irene myself. She'll
understand."
"How did you know my sisters were helping me?"
"I felt them," he replied. "Are you steady enough to talk with the sheriff?"
She nodded. "And I want to make certain Donna's all right."
When they returned to the living room, Harrington already had Donna's assailant in the
squad car. Donna burst into tears, clinging to Sarah and Inez, making Damon feel helpless
and useless but filled with a deep sense of pride in Sarah and her sisters.
"Why did he attack you, Donna?" Sarah asked.
"I noticed he had your earring, Sarah. The one Joley made for you. He was wearing it. It's
one of a kind and I thought you must have lost it. So I asked him about it. He hit me hard
and dragged me out of the store back into my house. He kept asking me questions about
you and about Mr. Wilder."
Sarah pressed her hand against Donna's wound, just for a moment. Damon watched her
face carefully, watched her skin grow paler until she swayed slightly with weariness. Sarah
leaned down and kissed Donna's cheek. "You'll be fine. Don't worry about the store, we'll
lock up for you."
"I'm going to the hospital with her," Inez said, glaring at the paramedics as if daring
them to deny her. She held Donna's hand as they took her out.
"Sarah?" Jonas Harrington stood waiting against the wall. "You have a permit to carry
that gun?"
"You know I do, Jonas," she replied. "You've seen it more than once. Yes, it's up-to-date.
And I didn't shoot the man, although I was inclined to with Donna lying on the floor bleed-
Magic in the Wind 69
ing. And he is wearing my earring. I want it back."
"I'll get it back for you," Jonas was patient. "I know you're tired, but I need you to answer
a few questions."
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"That's one of the men who kidnapped me. He's the one who killed my assistant," Damon
explained. The other two must be staying somewhere in town. It shouldn't be that hard to
find them now that we have him."
"I'll find them." Jonas's voice was grim. "Sarah, will you come by the office later and give
me a full statement? I've sent the perp in the squad car down to the office. There's already
an outstanding warrant for his arrest and the feds are going to be swarming all over this
place as soon as we notify them. They're going to want to talk to the two of you, so you'd
better go rest while you can."
Damon circled Sarah's shoulders with his arm. "Can you give us a ride to my place,
Sheriff?"
"Sure. Let's lock up and get out of here before Sarah keels over and her sisters haul us
both over the coals. You've never seen them en masse, coming after you." He shuddered.
"It's a scary sight, Wilder."
"You're the only one it's ever happened to so far," Sarah pointed out.
Chapter 9
DAMON STARED DOWN into Sarah's sleeping face. She was beautiful lying there in the
middle of his bed. He had been standing there, leaning against the wall, for some time just
watching over her. Guarding her. It seemed rather silly and melodramatic when she was
the one with the gun and the training, but it felt as necessary to him as breathing.
Where had such a wealth of feeling come from nearly overnight? Could a man fall deeply
in love with a woman so quickly? She was everything and more than he'd ever thought of
or dreamed about. How could anyone not love Sarah with her compassion and tolerance
and understanding? She genuinely cared about the people in her town. Somehow that
deep emotion was rubbing off on him.
She could have been killed. The thought hit him hard. A physical blow in the pit of his
stomach. How was it possible to feel so much for one person when he'd just met her? His
entire life he'd barely noticed people, let alone cared about their lives. From the moment
he'd heard her name whispered on the wind, he knew, deep down where it counted, that
she would change his life for all time.
Their walks together, all the times on the beach, whispering
Magic in the Wind 71
in his house, or hers, even spending time with her family had only strengthened his
feelings for her.
Sarah opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Damon's face. He was leaning
against the far wall, simply watching her. She could see his expression clearly, naked
desire, mixed with knowledge of their future. His emotions were stark and raw and so real
it brought tears to her eyes. Damon hadn't expected to like her, let alone feel anything else
for her.
She held out her hand to him. "Don't stand over there all alone. You aren't alone
anymore and neither am I."
He heard the invitation in her voice and his body began to stir in anticipation. But he
stood there drinking her in. Wanting her in so many ways that weren't just physical.
"You weren't, you know, Sarah. You've never been alone. You don't need me in the same
way I need you. You have a family and they wrap you up in love and warmth and support. I
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never considered the value of family and love. Sharing a day with someone you care about
is worth all the gold in the world. I didn't know that before I met you."
She sat up, studying him with her cool gaze. Assessing. Liking what she saw. Damon
didn't know why but he could see it on her face. "I'm glad then, Damon, if I gave you such
a gift. My family is my treasure."
He nodded. What would it be like to wake up every morning and hear her voice? There
was always a caress in her voice, a stroking quality that he felt on his skin. Deep in his
body. "And you're my treasure, Sarah. I had no idea I was even capable of feeling this way
about anyone."
Sarah smiled. The smile she seemed to reserve for him. It lit up her face and made her
eyes shine, but more, it lit up his insides so that he burned with something indefinable.
"You brought me life, Sarah. You handed me my life. I existed before I met you, but I
wasn't living."
"Yes, you were, Damon. You're a brilliant man. The things you created made our world
safer. I watch your face light up when you tell me about other ideas you have and what the
possibilities are. That's living."
"I had nothing else but my ideas." He straightened suddenly, coming away from the wall,
walking toward her, confidence on his face. "That was how I escaped, into my brain and
the endless ideas I could find there." He traced the classic
72 CHRISTINE FEEHAN
lines of her face, her cheekbones. Her generous mouth. Take off your blouse, Sarah. I
want to see you."
A faint blush stole into her cheeks but her hands went to the tiny pearl buttons on her
blouse and slowly began to slide the edges apart. His breath caught in his throat as he
watched her. Sarah didn't try to be sexy, there was never anything affected about her, yet it
was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. The edges of her blouse slowly gaped open, to reveal
her lush creamy flesh beneath it. She had a woman's body, shaped to please a man with
soft curves and lines.
Her breasts were covered with fine white lace. Sarah stood up, her body very close to his.
Damon felt a rush of heat take him, a whip of lightning dance through his body. His blood
thickened and pooled. His body hardened almost to the point of pain. He embraced it,
reveled in the intensity of his need for her.
"You're so beautiful, Sarah. Inside and out. I still can't believe I could go from living in
hell straight to paradise."
She reached for him. "I'm not like that at all, Damon. I'm not truly beautiful, not by any
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