Twice in a Lifetime Page 16
Her first dousing had been a hurried one, a quick dunk to get rid of her top layers of dust and dirt before meeting with the small army of police officers and federal agents who descended on the Bar-H. The meetings had gone on all afternoon and well into the evening.
Aunt Alice had arrived in the middle of the sessions. Delivered by Reece and his wife, Sydney, she’d thumped up the flagstones on her walker and demanded to know what in hell had happened up there on the mountain. Evan Henderson and his wife, Lissa, had arrived not a half hour later.
Slightly overwhelmed by the five Henderson brothers ranged around her, Rachel had retold her story for the fifth or sixth time. Jake had finally spirited Rachel away and insisted she rest. At which point Evan had dragged his older brother off, insisting that a physician take a look at the lacerations on his temple.
They were something, the men of the Bar-H. Every one of them handsome as sin. Each leather tough. All fiercely protective of their own. Sam, the youngest, had first captured Rachel’s attention, but it was the oldest who’d captured her heart.
Smiling, she raised a toe to catch a drip from the old-fashioned faucet. She could feel her aches and bruises soaking away. Feel, too, the love she’d first recognized in a dark, dank tunnel now filling her with a soft, glorious glow. Jake didn’t know how she felt. Couldn’t know. They’d never talked of love. The closest they’d come to it was the list they’d started of things they liked best about each other.
She’d add to that list, Rachel mused. She’d spend the week or so before she had to go back to D.C. with Jake, give him time to grow used to the idea of love, find other things to “like best” about her. After she went back to work, she could arrange long weekends here in Flagstaff. Or he could come East to see her while he sorted through his feelings.
Rachel didn’t kid herself. That might take a while. As Jake had pointed out, he’d been married to Ellen for ten years, had dated her for six years before that. He was still trying to find the part of himself that could exist without her.
He’d find it with Rachel. She knew it as surely as she knew she’d gone searching for lost millions in the rugged mountains and found a treasure beyond worth.
Closing her eyes, she let her head loll back. She’d soak for another half hour. Spin daydreams of Jake. Bask in the warm, happy glow of knowing that he wanted her.
She woke with a startled splash when two arms plunged into water that had gone tepid. Catching her behind the back and under her knees, they lifted her up, out, and against a hard, broad chest.
“I should have known you’d zonk out on me.”
“Huh? Whatimeizit?”
“Time to get you to bed, sweetheart.”
She came awake fast. Blinking, she barely had time to note the clean white bandage taped to his temple before he carried her out of the bathroom, dripping and slippery with the last of the bubbles.
“Jake, I’m all wet!”
“I’ll dry you off,” he assured her, heading for the king-sized bed positioned to catch a spectacular view of mountains.
“Your sheets, the mattress, I’ll get them soaked!”
“I’ve waited too long to make love to you on something other than rock or dirt to worry about a little water.”
Well, if he wasn’t going to worry, she wouldn’t, either. She was laughing when he deposited her on the turned-down covers, smiling when he stripped off his clothes, and on fire with need when his long, hard body covered hers.
The sun had set, plunging the room into night. Rachel hadn’t noticed either the absence of light or the onset of darkness. Drowsy once more and limp from pleasure, she curled against Jake’s side.
“Marry me.”
She lifted her head. “What?”
“Marry me, Rachel.”
Her jaw sagged. She stared down at him, speechless.
Rolling over, he pinned her to the mattress with a hip. His fingers slid through her still-wet hair, his thumb traced a slow path along her lower lip.
“I know it’s too soon. You haven’t had time to get to know me. The real me,” he added with a ghost of a grin, “not the possible suspect.”
“Jake, I… I…”
“I don’t want to let go of what we found up there in the mountains. I don’t want to let go of you.”
“But… Ellen…” Still stunned, she fumbled for words. “Are…are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” His hand cradled her cheek. His eyes smiled down at her. “They say real love only happens once in a lifetime. For me, it’s twice.”
Rachel swallowed a huge gulp of happiness. “Are you trying to tell me you’re in love with me?”
“That’s exactly what I’m trying to tell you. Marry me, Rachel.”
Her answer came straight from the heart. Or maybe it was her gut. Whatever. All she knew was that every instinct in her body shouted this was right.
“Yes.”
“Good.” He dropped a hard, fast kiss on her mouth, then surged off the bed. “I’ll tell Reece to call the preacher. Evan can take care of the license.”
Stepping into his jeans, he yanked on the zipper. “We’ll have to get blood tests, but I’ve known Doc Smith all my life. He won’t mind if we get him out of bed.”
Rachel blinked in sheer astonishment. “You mean now? Tonight?”
“Now. Tonight.”
“Jake, are you serious?”
A fierceness came over his face. Leaning down, he planted a fist on either side of her.
“I know what it’s like to lose someone you love, Rachel. I almost lost you up there on the mountain. I’m not going to take that chance again.”
She had nothing to say to that. Helplessly, she lifted a hand and curled it against his cheek.
“We’ll work out the arrangements,” he promised with the same unshakable confidence he’d evidenced in the tunnel. “Your job. My responsibilities here at the Bar-H. Who you want to fly in for the ceremony. Where we’ll go on our honeymoon. It’s all doable, as long as we do it together.”
“You’re right,” she whispered. “We’ll do it together.”
Her wedding day dawned crystal clear. A dusting of snow had been deposited during the night and now sparkled like tears of joy on tree limbs and rooftops. Rachel stretched lazily. Flinging out an arm, she traced the indentations in the pillow next to hers.
Despite the fact she and Jake had made love for most of their prenuptial night, he was already showered and shaved and downstairs making coffee. She’d snatched a few extra minutes to recoup her strength and think through the last minute details.
She’d had all of two days to get ready for the ceremony this morning. With the help of her four soon-to-be sisters-in-law, she’d phoned, shopped, cut and combed. Rachel’s family and friends had assembled from all corners of the country.
Jake’s extended family had come pouring into Flagstaff, too. His mother, Jess, who’d folded Rachel in her arms and welcomed her into the family with a fierce hug. Lissa’s father, Arlen, and old friends of hers from Paradise, Arizona. Lauren’s sister, Becky. Various members of Sydney’s film crew.
Aunt Alice had arranged for the Downtowner Café to cater the wedding breakfast. Molly and Sam’s daughter, Kasey, had spent hours gluing strips of silver and white paper into daisy chains for decorations. Two-year-old Matt and the twins had contributed their frequently vocal input, as well.
Now there was nothing left to do but shower, step into the exquisite creation of creamy lace and white leather she’d found during a frantic sweep through Flagstaff’s stores, and join her life to Jake’s.
Humming, Rachel had started for the bathroom when a glimmer of metal in a half-open bureau drawer caught her eye. She recognized the corner of a picture frame and slowed her step.
Jake had cleared his belongings off the bureau top and emptied several drawers, stuffing his things into other drawers to make room for hers. They were still working out living arrangements—Rachel had already scoped out a possible job at the government r
esearch facility just north of Flagstaff. She didn’t care where she lived as long as it was with Jake, and there was no way she was going to take him away from the ranch that was in his blood.
No way, either, she was going to take him away from his memories of Ellen. They were part of him. Part of what had molded him into the man Rachel loved more with each breath she drew.
Tugging the drawer open a little more, she drew out the framed snapshot. The slight, slender blonde was leaning against a split-rail fence, surrounded by trees that had blossomed with fall gold. She’d tilted her face to the sun. She was young and happy and smiling.
An answering smile softened Rachel’s lips. “I’ll take care of him, Ellen. I’ll take care of the home you guarded for him and his brothers.”
Her glance drifted around the room. She’d already left her stamp. Her purse was tossed on the nightstand. Her sweater hung over the foot rail of the massive four-poster. At Rachel’s request, Jake had shoved the big, comfy armchair closer to the fireplace so they could snuggle and toast their toes while they watched the late news.
“I might change things around a bit,” she told Ellen softly. “I’ll probably get into a few arguments. He’s pretty hardheaded about some things.” Her smile widened. “But you know that, don’t you?”
The sound of a door slamming warned her the rest of the house was coming alive. Easing the framed snapshot back into the drawer where Jake had placed it, Rachel went to get ready for her wedding.
She came down the stairs an hour later. Winter-white roses wreathed her upswept hair. A pearl-seeded weskit with long lace sleeves, a scooped neckline, and a fitted bodice hugged her curves before flaring at her hips over an ankle-length, buttery soft leather skirt gored with the same shimmering lace. The scent of Chanel clung to her skin.
The men of the Bar-H were lined up at the bottom of the stairs, ranked in order of seniority. Rachel returned Sam’s wide grin, shared smiles with Reece and Marsh, felt a rush of delight at Evan’s warm, approving look.
Then her gaze went to Jake, standing tall and tanned and incredibly handsome in a dark blue suit and his best Stetson. The love Rachel first acknowledged in a dark, dank tunnel filled her soul with bright, shining light.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-6827-6
TWICE IN A LIFETIME
Copyright © 2001 by Merline Lovelace
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*Code Name: Danger
*Code Name: Danger
*Code Name: Danger
*Code Name: Danger
†Holiday Honeymoons
**Men of the Bar H
**Men of the Bar H
**Men of the Bar H
**Men of the Bar H
†Holiday Honeymoons
†Holiday Honeymoons
§Destiny’s Women
§Destiny’s Women
§Destiny’s Women
†Holiday Honeymoons