For Love of Charley (20 page)

She took a small step closer and he caught
the tantalizing scent that was uniquely Charley. Warm. Soft. Mysterious.

“I hope you don’t mind that I followed
you.”

Slowly, he stood, his gaze fixed on her
face. This was no vision of Charley in front of him. It was the real thing.
“How did you know where I was?”

She gave a little shrug. “I went to your
house. You weren’t there, but your car was still in the driveway, and the patio
doors were open. This was the only place I could think of that you might be.”

“I see.”

Silence descended, broken only by the
occasional chirp of an early rising bird. Cole cleared his throat. “How’s
Victor?”

Charley removed her hands from her pockets,
couldn’t seem to decide what to do with them, and stuck them back in. “The
doctor says he’s going to be okay. He was in the recovery room when I left.”

“That’s good.”

“Yes.”

For another few seconds they stared at each
other.

“Why were you looking for me?” He couldn’t
afford to hope, didn’t dare let himself.

He saw her take a long, deep breath, almost
as though she were bracing herself, then let it out in an explosive whoosh.

“It suddenly occurred to me that I’ve never
really answered your question. That wasn’t fair of me.”

“Question?” Cole had to fight the urge to
stick his own hands in his pockets.

“Yes. You asked me to move in with you. I
never gave you an answer.”

This time, the hope bubbled up inside him
in spite of his efforts to squelch it. “And?” He was surprised his voice wasn’t
shaky.

She pulled her hands out and twisted them
together in front of her. “The answer is no.”

He couldn’t respond. If he did he’d beg her
to change her mind, plead with her to love him. Instead, he gave a single curt
nod and started to turn away.

“Cole?”

He stopped.

“You know how small towns are. If we moved
in together before the wedding, everyone would still be talking about it in
fifty years. Do you really want our children to hear stories about their
parents living in sin?”

He had always thought that “his heart
stopped beating” was just a phrase used in books. It wasn’t. Fighting for air,
he turned back to her. “Wedding?” He could barely get the word out.

She smiled at him and the whole world
exploded in brightness. “Yes. You did propose to me, after all. So the wedding
was delayed a little. Better late than never, I always say. I do hope you don’t
mind if it’s a big one. I’ve always wanted a fairy-tale wedding with a long
white dress and all the trimmings.”

He reached her in one step and swept her
against him so tightly he was afraid of hurting her, but he couldn’t seem to
stop. “Charley,” he choked. “Oh, God. I thought I’d lost you forever.”

Her arms snaked around his neck, her breath
warm on his cheek. “Not a chance, my love. You got away from me the first time.
This time I’m going to make sure we make it to the church even if I have to
guard you every second.”

“Is that a threat?” His lips moved along
her jaw to the corner of her mouth.

“No,” she whispered turning her face to
his. “That’s a promise.”

Happiness didn’t even begin to cover the
emotion that surged through him. Euphoria, maybe? Whatever it was, he was dizzy
with it. Charley’s lips under his, soft and warm, made thinking impossible. She
was his. Finally and forever. Nothing else mattered.

A flame ignited inside him and he was
sucked into a whirling maelstrom of sensation that he was incapable of stopping
even if he’d wanted to. And he didn’t want to. Something drove him, some final
vestige of the years he’d lived without her, to prove to both of them that she
belonged to him body and soul, as he belonged to her.

Charley clung to him helplessly as his
mouth ravaged hers, then trailed down her neck. He forced himself to pause long
enough to look into her eyes. They had gone from green to gold, heavy-lidded
with desire.

“I know,” she murmured. “It’s okay.”

With a groan, he stripped her clothes away
and lowered her to the ground. His hands and mouth were everywhere, touching,
tasting, driving her into such a frenzy of need that she cried out. Even the
earthy scent of the grass crushed beneath them added to the pleasure.

At her cry, Cole felt moisture flood his
eager hand. He could wait no longer. Barely taking the time to unzip his pants,
he plunged into her, filled her completely, and felt her tighten around him,
hold him inside as though she would never let go.

Frantically, his mouth found hers again as
he held himself still. As soon as his tongue touched hers, she climaxed,
arching off the ground to meet him, and he drank in her moans, needing them
more than he needed food or air. And still it wasn’t enough.

Balancing his weight on the elbow of his
cast laden arm, he began to drive into her, slipped a hand between their joined
bodies and touched her swollen core, bringing it back to life, driving her
again to the edge. And this time when she reached it, he watched her face. He
was the only man who had ever given her that look of ecstasy and now he would
be the only one who ever would. Charley belonged to him.

The very thought was enough to make him
lose control, but at her words, the explosion went soul-deep, shattering him
into a million pieces.

“My love,” she whispered. “Husband of my
heart.”

An infinity later Cole managed to gather
enough energy to move to one side, but he still couldn’t bear to let her go.
Taking her with him, he cradled her close, showering kisses on her closed eyes.
A satisfied smile still curved her lips and Cole chuckled.

Her eyelids lifted halfway. “Feeling pretty
smug, aren’t you?” She lifted a hand languidly and traced his lips. “I guess
you have a right to be.”

Cole kissed her fingers. “So, when is the
big day going to be? And it better not be far off, because I don’t think I can
wait much longer.”

Charley hesitated. “I’d like to wait until
Uncle Victor is out of the hospital and recovered, if you don’t mind.”

He didn’t want to ask, but he had no
choice. He had to know. “How is Victor going to feel about this? He’s never
been real enthusiastic about having me as a member of the family before.”

Charley shifted a little and gazed at his
face. “He knows what he did to us was wrong, Cole. He told me as much himself
before they took him into surgery. He made me promise to give you another
chance.”

“Is that why you’re here? Because you
promised Victor?”

“No.” She cupped his cheek with her hand.
“I’m here because I love you and because I can’t live another day without you.
It would have hurt if Uncle Vic hadn’t come around, but it wouldn’t have
stopped me.”

“I love you, Charley,” he whispered just
before his lips met hers.

Charley weaved in and out of the crowds
that lined the boardwalk of Duncan Mills’ main street, her gaze sweeping the
milling mass of humanity. Frannie had told her that Cole was working here
today, but so far he hadn’t been in any of the usual locations she’d checked.

Her protruding stomach made navigation
through the tourists a major undertaking and she was about to turn back when a
loud voice rang out from the center of the street.

“Come out of there you lily-livered snake!
Or are you afraid to face me?”

A grin split Charley’s face as people
rushed to the rails to get a better view of the gunfight that was about to take
place. It was one of the main attractions that Duncan Mills offered and a huge
favorite with the visitors.

Directly across the street, the saloon
doors parted and the gunslinger stepped out. His black Stetson was pulled low
over his eyes and a wooden match dangled carelessly from one corner of his
mouth.

Spurs jingling, he stepped off the
boardwalk and made his way to the center of the street, turning to face the
young man waiting on him. “Give it up, boy. A lot of better men than you have
tried to take me. They’re all up at Boot hill now.”

“Shut up and draw, you coward.”

The gunslinger shrugged. He’d done his best
to dissuade the kid. Nonchalantly, he opened his duster to reveal the gun belt
slung low on his narrow hips and tied down around a muscular thigh.

Charleys eyes ran over him speculatively.
He was undoubtedly the sexiest gunslinger she’d ever seen. From all around her
she could hear the sighs of the female audience members.

With elbow cocked and his hand hovering
over the butt of his pistol, he waited. “After you, kid.”

The kid licked his lips nervously and then
went for his gun. It had already cleared the holster before the gunslinger
moved.

In a blur of speed, his gun seemed to jump
into his hand. A single shot rang out. At the other end of the street, the kid
spun in a circle and went down. With a flick of his wrist, the gunslinger
re-holstered his Colt 45 while the city mortician ran out with a tape measure
and began taking the kid’s length and width.

As the gunslinger turned away, his gaze
moved over the crowd and suddenly met Charley’s. A sheepish grin turned up the
corners of his lips.

She extended her arm and curled one finger
at him. “Caught you, didn’t I?”

Cole laughed. “I have a reason, honest.
Jesse couldn’t do it. He called in sick. There wasn’t time to get anyone else.”

“A likely excuse if I ever heard one.” She
grabbed the front of his shirt in both hands and pulled him close enough to
kiss soundly. “Why don’t you just admit you love it?”

“And have you tease me even more than you
already do? Not a chance.” He splayed his hand over her round stomach. “How’s
junior today?”

“Starved. I thought maybe you’d take us to
lunch. Marge is saving us a table at the Diamond Lil.”

“I’d be honored, Little Lady.”

Charley laughed. “I think you’d better
stick to gun fighting and leave the impressions alone.” She glanced at the
“body” the morticians were hauling off. “Robert is doing a fantastic job, isn’t
he?”

“He was wasted mowing lawns. And he’s
making a lot more money now.” Cole hopped over the rail and put his arm around
her shoulder, steering her through the crowd. “What have you been doing all
morning?”

“Working on the nursery. We only have a few
weeks left to go.” She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. “Uncle
Victor sent over another present for the baby.”

“Charley.” His tone carried a warning and
she grinned.

“Come on. You know how much he’s looking
forward to this baby. And you should see what he sent. It’s a handmade cradle
and it’s gorgeous. I’ve never seen one quite like it.”

“He’s going to have this baby spoiled
rotten before it’s even born.”

“Like you aren’t?”

“Point taken. But if he’s going to help
spoil it, he can darn well come over and walk the floors with it right along
with the rest of us.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem. The
problem will be keeping him and Mrs. Paulson from killing each other fighting
over the baby.” She put her arm around his waist. “Are you done for the day?”

“I’m supposed to be back for the barroom
brawl in a few hours.”

“Now, Cole—”

“It’s just acting, Charley.”

“That’s what you said the last time, and
you came home with a black eye and a bloody lip.”

“I’ll be careful, I swear.”

They reached the shiny red Jag that had
been Cole’s wedding present to her and she tossed him the keys. “You drive.”

“Something wrong?”

She smiled at him. “No, just a little
backache.” Suddenly her expression changed to one of surprise.

“Charley, what is it?” He was beginning to
sound panicked.

“I think you may have to put off your
brawl. My water just broke.”

* * * * *

Cole pulled the blanket down and gazed at
the tiny bundle in his arms. He’d never been so awed or so terrified in his
entire life. His son.

“He looks just like you.”

The baby was wearing a knitted cap, but
Cole knew he had a whole head full of dark hair. “He has your chin. That means
he’s going to be stubborn as a mule.”

Charley stroked the tiny cheek. “I can’t
believe he’s so perfect, Cole.”

They both looked up as the door opened.
What seemed to be an entire greenhouse of roses appeared first, followed
immediately by Victor Channing. He paused just inside the door.

“Is it safe to come in?”

Cole glanced at Charley, then smiled.
“Sure. I’ve been told they don’t actually bite at this age.”

Victor moved farther into the room and put
the flowers on the stand beside Charley’s bed. Standing carefully, Cole stepped
to his side and put the baby in his arms. “Victor, meet Colby Wade Jordan, your
great-nephew.”

For a moment Victor seemed stunned, then
tears filled his eyes as he stared at the baby. “Thank you, Cole. Thank you for
everything.”

He felt Charley grip his hand tightly and
looked down at her.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Cole leaned over and kissed her. “And I
love you.”

In real life, I’m Kathy to those who know
me, since Katherine has always sounded snooty to my ears. Physically, I’m 5’5” with
brown eyes. The rest of me is subject to change at the whim of my caloric
intake, exercise regimen (or lack thereof), and Miss Clairol. I’ve worked at
everything from killing bugs to telephone operator. I have a degree in
journalism that is stuffed in a drawer somewhere. I’ve been writing for seven
years now and have sold seven novels, five most recently to Ellora’s Cave. The
Sweet Gum Tree won the PASIC Book of Your Heart contest in 2002 in the single
title category. I’ve been a member of Romance Writers of America since the day
I started writing, and serve as judge for numerous chapter contests. I’ve been
married to the same man for thirty-eight years now. We got married when I was
two. That’s my story, I’m sticking to it.

Katherine welcomes mail from readers. You
can find her website and email address on her
author bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
.

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For Love of Charley

Second Time Around

Sweet Revenge

The Sweet Gum Tree

What Price Paradise

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