“That was somethin’, lady,” he drawled, almost as if he’d read her mind.
Shannon grinned. “I’ll say.”
His fingers moved to play with her hair, lifting a length of it before letting it fall, strand by strand, back into place. “You have beautiful hair,” he said softly. “Beautiful hair, a beautiful body...”
Shannon dropped her cheek to his chest again, content for the moment to listen to the strong beat of his heart.
“Are you blushing?” he teased.
“No,” she lied.
“Uh-huh,” he murmured in disbelief.
Her skin tingled, her eyes had to be glowing, and she couldn’t stop smiling. She bubbled over with the sheer bliss of being alive, of being with him.
Rafe shifted position, adjusting the pillows behind his head so that he could sit up more. Eventually he said, “I, ah, suppose I should warn you that Aunt Mae’s going to pick up on this.”
“I don’t care.”
“So’s everyone else.”
“I don’t care about that, either. Do you?”
“Nope.” More time passed, then, “It’s just...what are we going to do about it?”
“Do?” she said.
“We could get married.”
Shannon’s head popped up, a reaction he seemed to find amusing.
“Just because we...?” She motioned to their bodies lying together in bed.
He shrugged.
“Oh, no. No,” she said. “That’s not a good reason for doing anything. And haven’t you forgotten? Wouldn’t that be doing exactly what your great-aunt wants?”
“I could live with it,” he said, surprising her.
“But...” She tried to sit up, the better to read the astounding thoughts going on behind his words, but he wouldn’t let her.
“Think about it,” he murmured before dragging her up against him and once again setting her senses ablaze.
~*~
“What about love?” she demanded later. Much later. Once she recovered her ability to form a coherent sentence. “Isn’t that important?”
“Sure it is,” he agreed.
“And?”
“And what? I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t—”
“Doing what?” she interrupted him. “Making love to me or asking me to marry you? I seem to remember you once saying something on the order of ‘We could have some fun.’”
He moved uncomfortably. “That was before.”
“Before what?”
“Before I realized that this time Aunt Mae might be right.”
“Might be?”
“Oh, hell!” he burst out. “I’m not very good at all this love chitchat. Never have been, never will be. I can’t sleep at night because you’re driving me completely out of my mind. And in the day, it’s not much better. I love you, Shannon. I didn’t want to. You know I didn’t want to, but I do, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. Not even to stop Aunt Mae from thinking she’s put one over on me, which she has.” He ran a hand through his hair. “What about you?” he asked after a moment. “Do you think you could ever come to love me, too? Enough to...”
A shadow moved deep in Shannon’s eyes. Rafe saw it and instantly sat up. Her chin lowered, but he lifted it until he could see her face.
“What is it?” he asked. “I’ve always had the feeling that—”
“Yes, I could love you,” Shannon interrupted him. “I do love you. But there’s something you have to know. Something I... One of the people in the crash...he wasn’t just my father’s assistant. Or a friend of mine. He was my fiancé. We were going to announce our engagement at Christmas.”
Rafe sat very still, struck by what she’d told him. “Did you love him?” he asked at last.
“Yes,” Shannon whispered. She didn’t want to hurt Rafe. She didn’t want to make him feel second-best. He wasn’t! But she had to tell the truth. At least the truth as far as she knew it.
Rafe didn’t say anything for a very long time, then he asked, “Do you still love him? Is that why you...”
Shannon shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t worked it out completely yet. I loved him,” she said, using the past tense on purpose.
Rafe continued to look at her. Then just as amazingly as he had before, he said, “I can live with that.”
If Shannon hadn’t already admitted deep inside herself that she loved him, she would’ve had to admit it then. Rafe was a man who didn’t waste words, who didn’t pretend to false emotions or false motives. If he said he loved her, he meant it. And he was willing to believe the same of her.
Shannon wrapped her arms around his waist and held on. In turn, his arms closed around her.
“We won’t go into it now,” he said gruffly, his chin resting on top of her head, “but later, whenever you’re ready, if you want to talk about it, we will.”
“I love you, Rafe,” she breathed softly and closed her eyes.
~*~
Rafe couldn’t stay away from the main house. After spending most of the night with Shannon—making love as many times as they could before sunrise—Rafe had come home and fallen into his own bed to sleep for maybe an hour. Then he’d gotten up, showered, shaved and dressed before hurrying back across the way. It was a damn good thing Shannon didn’t care about people knowing, because he didn’t think he could fool a fence post, let alone his aunt.
Mae looked him up and down when he presented himself at the breakfast table. Shannon had yet to put in an appearance.
“You’re joining us?” she asked suspiciously.
“If you don’t mind, Aunt Mae.”
“Of course I don’t mind. Marie, set another place.” Marie’s eyes lingered on him, as well, as she went about her duties, and he wondered if he was giving off tiny electrical sparks of anticipation.
When Shannon came into the room, there was no longer any doubt, because he felt the sparks explode instantly into live current. It was all he could do to remain seated in his chair when Shannon smiled at him and offered the look that only lovers share.
As he suspected, the cat was out of the bag immediately. Mae gave them an assessing glance, then started to nod as a self-satisfied smile pulled at her lips.
“Bring some glasses and some champagne, Marie,” Mae called into the kitchen. “I think we have something to celebrate!”
~*~
Shannon and Mae sat at the table long after Rafe had torn himself away to attend to ranch business. Little work had been accomplished the day before, and it had to be made up today.
Mae refilled their cups with coffee herself.
“Better drink this to clear our heads,” she murmured. “Alcohol first thing in the morning isn’t something I’m used to.”
“Me, neither,” Shannon said.
Mae sat back and studied her. “So,” she began, “when’s the wedding?”
Shannon had to smile. “I have no idea, Mae. Rafe and I haven’t talked about it. We’ve barely—” She had been going to say, talked at all, but she didn’t want to get into a protracted conversation with Mae about what they’d been doing, instead, “—had time to think,” she finished.
Mae arched an eyebrow. “Well, you should. There’s no use putting things off.”
“Mae!”
The matriarch shrugged. “Never hurts to plan ahead,” she said. She took a sip of coffee. “I hope you know you’ve made an old woman very happy. Your daddy would be happy about it, too. And your mother. Rafe’s a good man.”
“I know he is.”
“I didn’t want him to be alone.”
“You’re alone.”
“I was meant to be. Rafe needs a wife.”
“He wouldn’t have left the ranch, you know. He loves it too much.”
Mae looked at her. “Love does funny things to people.”
“Now you won’t have to worry.”
“No, now I won’t have to worry.”
“Mae, tell me the truth,” Shannon said. “Did you have this
planned from the start?”
“And it gives us all the time we need to work on the history.”
“You ignored what I said.”
“I’m thinking maybe a late-spring wedding or very early summer.”
“Mae.”
“A couple of weeks after the roundup is over— around the time when we Parkers have our annual business meeting. Partners come to the ranch from all over the state. This time they can come for a wedding, too. Kill two birds with one—”
“Mae!” Shannon cried in exasperation.
Mae blinked.
“When I first got here,” Shannon said, unable to hold back a smile, “you came close to frightening me. You barked your orders and made people jump. But that was before I learned that underneath, you care for people far more than you want anyone to know.”
“You have a very good imagination,” Mae replied.
“I have a very good eye. I see things.”
“That’s what I remember from when you were a child.”
“Which brings me back to—”
“Enough of this,” Mae said, standing up. “You have far better things to think about right now than what I might or might not have thought seventeen years ago. How does the first week in June sound for a wedding?”
Shannon didn’t answer at first. She silently rose from the table, walked over to Mae and planted a kiss on the soft lined cheek. “Rafe and I will let you know,” she said firmly.
~*~
Dub was waiting for Rafe at the office. He’d already made himself at home, sprawled back in a chair, his boots propped on a corner of the desk.
“You startin’ to keep banker’s hours?” he grumbled good-naturedly.
“You complaining?” Rafe countered.
“Hell, no. Just askin’.”
Dub looked at him hard, and Rafe went over to the file cabinet to bury himself in a paper search.
“Somethin’s up. I can feel it,” Dub proclaimed after a minute.
“What could be up?” Rafe asked.
“Everythin’ all right with Jodie?”
“Yeah, she’s finding out about life the hard way.”
“That’s the way it usually happens. Hey, we heard from Morgan last night. He’s taken care of that little problem up in the Panhandle and is on his way home. Could get here anytime. Says he wants to sleep for a week.”
“Great,” Rafe said. “I’ll be glad to see him.” He was overtaken by a yawn.
“You still not sleepin’ too good?” Dub asked.
“Not last night,” Rafe answered. His blood stirred in memory. Maybe he could take a little time off at lunch and go see Shannon. He was the manager of the ranch, after all, not some hired hand.
Dub broke into his thoughts. “Not eatin’, not sleepin’—it must have somethin’ to do with that little filly.”
Dub was teasing, but he’d hit the nail right on the head.
“I love her, Dub,” Rafe said simply.
Dub almost fell out of his chair. He grabbed hold of the desk and blinked in disbelief.
“Aunt Mae’s plan worked this time,” Rafe said.
“My Lord,” Dub wheezed. Then he hopped up to shake hands with Rafe and pound him on the back, a grin spread from ear to ear. “Morgan ain’t goin’ to believe it!” he said happily.
“Think he’ll be my best man?”
“Sure he will. Just ask him. When’s the weddin’ supposed to be?”
Rafe frowned. “I don’t know exactly. That’s one of the things we have to work out.”
Dub stared at him. “The lady has agreed, hasn’t she?”
“Mostly.”
“Mostly! What does that mean?”
“We didn’t talk about a time.”
“What did you do then? Oh, hell. Never mind, I can use my imagination. I’m not that old! But you have to talk about it, boy. Put your brand on her real quick if she’s the one you want.” He shook his head. “Boys are gonna give you a pretty hard time.”
“They usually do.” Rafe grinned.
“I’ll have a little talk with ’em. See if I can get ’em to go easy on you.” Dub sidled toward the door.
“You just want to be the first with the news,” Rafe teased.
“Naw, it’s like I said—I’ll tell ’em to go easy.” Dub stepped out onto the porch, then hurried across the yard to intercept Gene, who was on his way into the tack room. An animated conversation ensued, with a lot of shaking of heads and waving of arms and several long looks toward the office.
From this point, Rafe knew with absolute certainty, the news would spread like wildfire.
Chapter Sixteen
Harriet came running as soon as she heard the news. She dragged Shannon up off the sofa and hugged her, all the while bouncing up and down. “I just heard! Gene told LeRoy and LeRoy told me. It’s wonderful! Wonderful! You’re going to be a Parker now! Oh, I’m so happy! I knew it was going to happen. I just knew it!”
“You didn’t. You couldn’t!” Shannon smiled as her friend finally let her go. “I didn’t even know myself.”
Harriet’s face was pink with excitement. “I suspected something the last time we talked, just before Jodie— How is she, by the way? Wesley woke up with a stomach ache this morning, and I haven’t been out of the house till now.”
“I haven’t seen her, either, but Gib says she’s holding up. She’s staying pretty close to her room, I think.”
“She doesn’t have anything to be ashamed about.”
“Maybe you should go talk with her. Tell her about what happened to you. How the boy you once—”
“Maybe I will,” Harriet interrupted. “Uh, I have something else to tell you.” She lowered her voice as she checked to be sure they were still alone. “Where’s Mae?”
“Lying down. I think yesterday was more of a strain on her than she’s willing to admit.”
Harriet frowned. “Mae. Lying down during the day?”
“She says she feels just fine.”
Harriet continued to frown, then the frown slowly dissolved as she withdrew a letter from her pocket. “Look at this,” she said.
Shannon unfolded the letter, and as she read it, her eyes grew larger. “Harriet?” she said with dawning understanding.
“Yes! I’ve sold a story! It’s a little one—one I didn’t think stood a chance—but the publisher likes it. And look! They want to pay me for it.”
“Oh, Harriet, I’m so proud of you! Have you told LeRoy?”
“Not yet. I just found it in the mail.”
“Well, go tell him! He’s the one who’s going to be proud.”
Harriet beamed. “He will, won’t he? Oh, I’m so happy! I find out you’re going to be my new cousin-in-law, then at the same time I get great news about a story I wrote. You’re going to be good for this family, Shannon. You already are!”
“It’s all...still a little new.”
“You’ll get used to it.” Harriet’s gray eyes twinkled. “How did Aunt Mae take it when she heard? You know this is going to make her even harder to live with.”
“She opened some champagne.”
“Ahh,” Harriet said with a grin, “and toasted herself, as well as you.”
“Not out loud.” Shannon grinned back.
“Well, no, she wouldn’t. Then again, she probably would, if it was anyone but Rafe. Has she decided yet when you’re going to get married?”
“She’s tried. I told her we’d let her know.”
“Good for you! When did she say?”
“The first week in June.”
“Family-meeting time. Makes sense. People won’t have to make two trips.”
“I’m not sure we want a big wedding,” Shannon protested.
Harriet started to laugh. “Oh, you poor thing,” she sympathized, then still laughing with wry delight, she stuffed the letter back in her pocket and hurried off to find her husband.
~*~
Rafe found it hard to concentrate on his work. He had to keep fighti
ng the urges to chuck it all in and go back to the compound well before lunch. One thing that stayed his hand was all the teasing he received.
“Hey, yeah, Rafe. That little girl’s gone and put a ring through your nose when you weren’t lookin’. Better be careful ’bout what she’s gonna do next!”
“Probably expect ya to keep your hair combed and your boots clean. An’ won’t let ya drink or cuss or get in fights. It’ll be like bein’ in jail!”
“Sure hate to see somethin’ like this happen to a good cowboy. She’ll have you singin’ in the church choir ’fore long.”
Rafe took all the razzing, including the bits that crossed into mildly obscene, in the spirit in which it was offered—with cheerful camaraderie.
All morning he stayed at the pens and worked with the young horses, even as he ached to be with Shannon. When lunchtime neared, though, he tried to slip away, but one of the men had a problem and he had to stay to listen. Then another man made him listen to his problem. And finally, just as he turned to leave, someone lassoed his left foot.
That was it! The boys must have picked up on what he wanted to do and entered into a conspiracy to delay him. Scowling, he turned back, ready to chew out the joker—and came face-to-face with Morgan Hughes.
“Where you goin’ in such a hurry, ol’ buddy?” Morgan drawled, the other end of the rope dangling in a loose coil from his hands. “Off to see some pretty little thing I’ve been told you think you fancy?”
Rafe’s face instantly cleared. “Morgan!” he exclaimed, and moved to clap his best friend’s shoulder. “So you got here!”
“None too soon, it seems.”
It had been at least a year since Rafe had seen him. He looked tired, but much the same. Thick blond hair poking out from beneath his black hat, clear blue eyes that could look right through a man, handsome features bronzed by the sun, a deceptively lean body. This was the epitome of a cowboy, born and raised to the job, but with something extra—a fine mind and the ability to search out wrongdoers.
“What’s this I hear about you gettin’ married?” he said.
“Your dad told you?”
West Texas Match (The West Texans Series #1) Page 21
