Wild Mountain Desire

By Maura Burd

Shawna Lang returns to the enchanting mountains of Asheville. Away from Asheville for nearly twenty years, Shawna starts out on her trip with a deep longing for romance and adventure. Though coming back gives her heart an intoxicating excitement shed longed to experience, the danger linked with her return may bring her a perilous adventure that she couldnt expect. Upon meeting the handsome Gerard Rutherford, Shawna is thrust into a whirlwind of excitement as an enthralling mystery begins to unfurl around her. Shawna must take caution for there are those around her whose dark secrets have the potential to cause her certain harm. And only when she comes face-to-face with the true nemesis will the dark secrets be revealed. Shawna may find the perilous adventure shed wished for one that she may never escape.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 31, 2009
• ISBN: 9781438988900

Maura Burd

Maura Burd is an author of suspense romance, paranormal romance and poetry. Her publications include her books; a paranormal romance collection White Light Parallel - 8 Stories of Love, a romantic poetry collection A Lovers Whisper, a passionate poetry collection A Lovers Rapture, a paranormal romance novelette Deity of Darkness, its sequel Deity of Darkness Risen, and a suspense romance novella Wild Mountain Desire. Previous poetry publications as part of an anthology include Touch in Poetic Voices and Of Being a Dreamer in Treasured Poems of America; Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum. She received the Golden Poet award for her poetry from World of Poetry. Maura resides in Pennsylvania with her husband Randell. For more information on Maura, visit her website at WWW.MAURABURD.COM.

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AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

This book is a work of fiction. People, places, events, and situations are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or historical events, is purely coincidental.

© 2009 Maura Burd. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse   8/25/2009

ISBN: 978-1-4389-8890-0 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4389-8889-4 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2009905663

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Cover Design by Maura Burd.

WWW.MAURABURD.COM

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

About the Author

Prologue

1985

The woman hid beneath the awning of the building as the night sky flashed above her. It was her only option, she told herself. She knew it wasn’t going to simply go away. As she contemplated what she’d done, rain began to pour down from the storm clouds.

Gazing out from under the shelter of the awning to the parking lot beyond seemed to her as though it was a strange continent away. But it wasn’t the rain or lightning ahead that she feared, it was the tempest she knew she’d be leaving behind.

Clutching her umbrella tightly, she stepped out into the heavy downpour. Her quick steps were unsteady as she tried to avoid the deep puddles forming along the cement sidewalk.

Before stepping down off the curb to the parking lot, she paused suddenly and turned around. Looking through her tear soaked eyes; she turned her gaze up to a particular window in one of the rooms in the building. A heavy blow of guilt thrust into her heart as she tried to convince herself, one last time, that it was for the best. Remorsefully, she pulled her gaze away, hurried to her car and then drove away.

Chapter One

Present Day

Shawna Lang stood alone at the railing overlooking the valley below the cliffs of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath of the clean mountain air. The scent of freshly fallen maple leaves brought a comforting smile to her lips. And as the sea of rolling hills throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains showcased their spectacular fall colors, Shawna wondered why she’d waited nearly twenty years to come back to North Carolina.

The natural landscape was indeed a visual enchantment. Shawna stood still and listened to the wind as it blew through the mountains. The stiff, rustling sound of dry oak leaves dancing on the branches and the soft, rousing sound of swaying hemlocks throughout the mountains seemed to be whispering its wondrous secret that it was a magical place.

Shawna’s hazel eyes gazed languidly towards the west as the sun began to disappear behind the majestic mountain terrain. It had been so long since she’d taken time out to appreciate the tremendous beauty of nature. She’d wasted so much of her adult life rushing to do something or hurrying to get somewhere that such awe-inspiring moments like this was a rare occasion.

Somehow, middle age was catching up with her and she didn’t have even one serious love affair to either rejoice in or to regret. From the beginning, her life was set into high gear, thrusting her into adulthood at an early age. This was the main reason Shawna chose to get away for a while. Her spirit was hungry for a change. She thought if this trip couldn’t breathe inspiration into her soul, perhaps nothing could stimulate excitement back into her life.

She looked down at her wristwatch and saw that it was nearing 7:00PM. Feeling suddenly rushed, she turned away from the lookout and walked back to her car.

Estimating that she had a few more miles of driving before reaching Bev Rutherford’s estate, she thought she’d let her friend know she was almost there. But when she attempted to call, her phone had no signal.

Her last pit stop had been over 4 hours ago. She was incredibly thirsty, but she didn’t want to waste time by trying to locate a convenience store. She remembered a spare bottle of water that had rolled underneath the passenger seat a few days earlier. Seeing no approaching traffic, she leaned over to her right and reached underneath the seat. Keeping her eyes on the road and her left hand firmly on the wheel, she felt around the floor till she located the bottle. The bottle, though, was lodged firmly underneath one of the seat brackets.

Reaching down as far as she could, her car swerved dangerously over the road. But no matter how she tried, her fingers couldn’t pry it loose.

After giving it her best shot, she sat back up in her seat. She glanced in her rear view mirror and saw a car coming up from behind at a high rate of speed. She slowed down her speed when the car caught up to her, but the vehicle wouldn’t pass. It was so close to her bumper that she thought if she put on her brakes the car would run into her.

Nearing the entrance to the Rutherfords’ estate, a bright reflection of police car lights appeared in her rear view mirror. Damn it! she cursed aloud as she pulled off the road.

The officer got out of his car and walked up to her driver’s side door. Shawna pensively opened her window. May I see your license and registration? The officer articulated his request to her in a composed voice.

Shawna couldn’t make out his face clearly in the dark. Certainly, she replied. She took her wallet out of her purse and handed him the documents.

Have you been drinking, miss?

No…absolutely not. She realized he must have seen her car swerving when she was reaching under the seat. I was trying to dislodge a water bottle out from underneath the passenger seat, she explained. I might have swerved my car. I know it was a stupid thing for me to do. I’m sorry.

Let me have a look at your eyes, please, he said.

Shawna complied as the officer shone his flash light into her eyes to see if they might be bloodshot.

He removed the light from her eyes. Stay here.

Yes, sir, she answered and then watched him walk back to his car. She realized her explanation probably sounded flimsy to him. She leaned her head back against her head rest anxiously awaiting her fate.

A few minutes later he returned. What’s your purpose here in Asheville, Miss Lang? he asked.

The intimidating and commanding tone of his voice made her feel as though she were being questioned by the border police, she thought. I’m on my way to visit an old friend, she answered. Her voice shook awkwardly and she felt as if she was on the verge of becoming tongue-tied. She lives just down the road from here.

I watched you cross the center line twice in the last mile. Reckless driving is not something to take lightly or dismiss.

I understand, sir. Her voice quivered as she spoke.

Your carelessness could have caused a serious accident.

I realize that now.

He returned her documents to her. I won’t write you up for this, but do remember to drive safely.

Thank you, Officer, she spoke appreciatively. I will.

Enjoy your stay in Asheville.

I will. She let out a huge sigh of relief and then waited for his car to leave. But instead of leaving, he remained parked in his car. Thinking he might have been waiting for her to head out first, she looked in her mirrors and then signaled to pull back out onto the road. The officer pulled out after her and continued to follow her until she reached the Rutherfords’ hemlock-lined driveway.

After she turned off the main road, she looked in her rear view mirror to see if the officer was still following. But to her relief, he continued on the interstate.

There were two weathered and ancient-looking cement lions nearly life-size, guarding each side of the narrow driveway’s entrance. Knowing she’d reached the vicinity of her friend’s home brought her great comfort. And she didn’t even mind the branches of the old hemlocks brushing lightly against her car as she drove down the path. After her run-in with the police officer, anywhere was a better place to be than driving out there alone on the interstate.

When she reached the end of the driveway, her eyes were immediately drawn to the powerful image of the octagonal tower on the front left side of the house. Emerging from her car into the darkness, Shawna felt the undesirable yet oh so recognizable sensation of apprehension grasp her spirit with undeniable force.

Her eyes gazed up at the ominous looking tower with hesitation as if she were expecting to see something terrifying staring back at her. What she saw was only the inanimate image of a house. Shawna hurried on to the front door.

May I help you? the woman at the front door asked with an annoyed tone in her voice.

I’m Shawna Lang…Bev’s friend from Gettysburg.

Shawna could see by the woman’s grim expression that her evening intrusion was not appreciated. Almost instantaneously though, as Shawna’s own alarm developed, the woman’s stern expression curiously began to soften. Please, come inside.

With her heavy luggage in tow, Shawna entered the home and followed the woman across the beautifully polished parquet floor. The magnificent circa 1875 Queen Anne style mansion was just as