by Linda Warren
Since Elias and Chase were busy, she decided to put up the blinds in the house. That was the last thing to be done besides the trim around the hardwood floors. When she drove into the driveway, she saw Elias’s truck. She had no idea what he was doing here in the early afternoon.
As she opened the door, she heard hammering. Elias was in the living room, tacking down the trim around the floor. He had on clean jeans and a shirt, and he’d showered and shaved. What was he up to?
“What are you doing here?”
“Finishing the house. I hung the blinds and now I’m finishing the trim. This house is ready to move into.”
“Oh.”
He tacked a piece of trim in place. “I was thinking when I finish we could go to Temple and buy furniture.”
“Oh. I’d like that.” He hadn’t forgotten.
He rose to his feet and placed the hammer into a toolbox. “We have a budget and we have to stick to it.”
“Really? I thought I could just buy willy-nilly.”
He glanced at her. “Don’t be smart. I get enough of that from our son.”
Maribel looked around. “Where is he, by the way?”
“He’s with Zane. I gave him the afternoon off and he and Zane are going to do something fun. And by fun, I mean likely hanging around Erin and Jody, I’m sure.”
“He’s stuck on her.”
Elias picked up the toolbox. “Yeah. Just wait until Wyatt finds out and then I might have to deck the sheriff.”
“My son is good enough for the sheriff’s daughter,” she said a little testier than she’d intended.
“Exactly. Isn’t it good we think alike?”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Not exactly.”
He threw an arm around her shoulder with a cockamamy grin. “Come on, Maribel. Let’s go shopping. And believe me, those are words I thought I would never say to a woman.”
And shop they did. They agreed on just about everything except the sofa for the living room. She wanted a smaller sofa and Elias wanted a large leather sectional with a recliner in it. She compromised by getting her own comfy chair with a footstool.
It surprised her that she wasn’t the one to blow the budget. Elias was. He insisted on a big screen TV for the living room, their room and Chase’s room. The argument was Chase was going to play football and Elias wanted to watch him on a big-screen TV. How could she argue with that? So they went over their budget. But Elias didn’t seem to mind. The store would deliver the furniture and appliances on Thursday.
Maribel had never had a home of her own and she could hardly contain her excitement. She and Elias were still talking as they went through the back door of Paige’s house.
“I was thinking,” Elias said. “We’ll get all the furniture in on Thursday, hook up appliances and finish up on Friday. How about getting married on Saturday morning?”
She swung around from putting her purse on the counter. “Saturday?”
“Yeah.”
“Can you take off those days?”
“You bet. We’re catching up with the hay and I’m taking some time off.”
“Did you tell your mother about the wedding?”
Elias frowned. “No. Why?”
Maribel didn’t know how to say what she was feeling so she was honest. “I’d like just the three of us at the ceremony—you, me and Chase. I don’t want a big deal made out of it. I’d rather it be private and just us.”
“O-kay,” he said slowly. “What about Grandpa? What about Rosie? What about my mom? They’re going to feel hurt.”
She rubbed a spot on the counter. “And that bothers you?”
“In a way. My mom’s been at all my brothers’ weddings and she’s going to be hurt, especially based on what went on before.”
Maribel threw up her hands. “Okay. I guess there’s no way for us to get married in private.”
“How about this?” Elias sat at the table. “I’ll call Judge Henley and see if he can marry us at ten o’clock Saturday morning. Just us and no one else. And then I’ll ask my mom if she could handle the reception at her house for the family.”
Maribel thought about it and came to the conclusion that that was how it had to be. She took a deep breath. “I don’t want to get married in the courthouse.”
He sighed. “Where would you like to get married?”
“There’s this gazebo in Horseshoe Park. It’s white and has beautiful pink crepe myrtles blooming around it. I always thought it would be a beautiful place to get married.”
Elias slapped his hand on the table. “The gazebo it is. At ten o’clock, and don’t be late or I might marry someone else.”
Maribel laughed. “I’m the only female in this county who will take you on.”
He got up and slowly came toward her. She moved to the other side of the table and he advanced. Round and round they went until Chase came through the back door.
“What are y’all doing?”
“Arguing, son,” Elias replied.
Chase shrugged. “Whatever cocks your pistol.”
“That kid spends too much time with Grandpa.”
Maribel clapped her hands. “And isn’t it great? My city son is pure country now.”
* * *
THE WEEK PASSED quickly. The furniture arrived on Thursday and they set everything up and the house looked so much better. Elias even spray washed the outside so even the exterior looked brand spanking new. On Friday, they cleaned Paige’s house and mowed the yard. They planned to leave it just as they had found it. One more night and then they would be in their own home.
Maribel was nervous on Saturday morning as she slipped into that same white dress she’d bought on a whim. She was getting married. To Elias Rebel. At seventeen, that would’ve been a dream come true. Today, the passion and emotions of those two teenagers would be different. They were adults now and they would make adult decisions. But Maribel couldn’t help but think the passion would be just as great.
Chase knocked on her door. “Mom, are you ready? It’s time to go.”
“Go with your dad. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“You’re not backing out, are you Maribel?” Elias asked.
“No. I just don’t want you to see me before the wedding.”
“Ah, the romantic.”
“I am not!”
She heard laughter on the other side of the door.
Sitting on the bed, she slipped into strappy white heels and stood to look at herself in the mirror. She had to look closely to see if it was her. She looked good. Her long hair hung down her back and she placed the floppy hat on her head. Just perfect for a wedding.
She drove to the park and sat for a moment, looking at Elias and Chase in the gazebo—both tall, dark and handsome. Anyone would know they were related because they looked so much alike. Her guys. Today, they would become a family.
Getting out of her car, she straightened her dress and walked up the steps to the gazebo. Judge Henley stood there with the Bible in his hand. Elias stared at her, as did Chase. What was wrong? Why didn’t someone speak?
* * *
ALL ELIAS COULD do was stare. He knew Maribel was beautiful, but in her white dress she surpassed even his own dreams. Her long strawberry blonde hair was down her back just like he loved. He felt eighteen again and he knew now why he’d never got seriously involved with anyone else: he’d been waiting on Maribel.
“Wow, Mom. You look beautiful,” Chase said and snapped a picture with his phone.
“Thank you, son.”
Elias handed her a bouquet of miniature white roses.
“Oh.” She seemed stunned. “I’d forgotten about the bouquet.”
“You’re gorgeous,” he whispered in her ear, as he linked his arm through hers. And
he knew they would be linked for the rest of their lives. The ceremony was over in a few minutes, and they were officially wed.
Judge Henley picked up his briefcase and pulled out some papers. He handed them to Chase. “Your father asked that your last name be changed and you signed the papers. You are now officially Chase McCray Rebel.”
“Thank you, Judge.”
“Just make sure you win the state championship this year.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And congratulations. I love happy endings.”
As the judge walked off, Chase said, “We’re officially a family.”
With his arm around Maribel and the other around his son, Elias felt on top of the world.
* * *
THEY HEADED TO the ranch for the reception. Elias knew Maribel was nervous. But everything went off without a hitch. She fit into the family as if she were one of them, and she was now. Falcon and Quincy had barbecued and his mom had made all the trimmings with the help of the sisters-in-law. There was a tense moment when Ashton and Axel McCray showed up with their families. But his mom invited them in and Rosie, Remi and Maribel joined them. They started talking about kids and school and once again everyone did their best to get along.
Elias went to the kitchen where his mother was cutting another chocolate pie. “How many of those did you make?”
“I know you like chocolate pie so I wanted to have enough.”
“I’m sorry if having the McCrays here bothers you.”
She turned to look at him, her brown eyes sparkling. “I don’t care who comes into this house as long as my son is back. I almost lost you. I don’t want to live through that again.” The sparkle turned to tears and he put his arms around her.
“I really love her, Mom.”
“I know, as Paxton and Phoenix love their wives. That’s just the way life is. You can’t choose your kid’s partners.” She touched his face. “Never again do I want you to leave this ranch. Never.”
“I won’t,” he reassured her. “My son is falling in love with the ranch and you’ll probably see a lot of him.”
“I couldn’t think of anything I’d love more.” She picked up the pie. “Now let’s see if anyone’s hungry for more dessert.”
Elias went to Maribel. She was laughing and talking and very animated. For a moment he just watched her. She was happy, but he had to wonder if she would ever love him the way he wanted her to. He would deal with that later, but for now he had what he wanted—a family.
* * *
MARIBEL WAS EXHAUSTED when they finally went home. She hadn’t meant to stay that long, but visiting with her new family had just seemed right. She had been nervous at first, but Miss Kate had made everything perfect. She’d even made her brothers and their families feel welcome. That meant a lot to Maribel.
It was after eight o’clock when they walked through the back door of their very own house. She looked around at the new appliances, the furniture, the flooring, the walls and then at Elias. “Thank you. Everything is just what I wanted.”
Elias threw his hat into the living room and it landed perfectly on the sofa. “Now comes the good part.”
“Don’t be crass.” She walked toward the bedroom. “I don’t see why Chase couldn’t come home tonight. It’s our first night in the house and he should be here.”
Elias followed her. “He wanted to spend the night with Grandpa and I said yes. I didn’t see any harm. He’s getting to know his new family.”
“But...”
“Let it go, Maribel.”
She paused inside the doorway. She slowly laid her purse, bouquet and hat on the dresser beside a collection of white roses perched in the trash can that she had bought for Chase’s room. Before she could ask questions, Elias walked in with a second trash can, the one she’d bought for Grandpa’s room, filled with ice and a bottle of champagne. In his other hand were two glasses.
“Why are you using trash cans?”
“I couldn’t find a vase and we have no ice bucket. So trash cans it is.” He placed everything on the dresser.
She shook her head and sat on the bed. “Sometimes you’re so thoughtful and other times you’re just crazy.”
“And you love crazy.” He sat beside her.
She took a deep breath. “I want to start this marriage being completely honest. You know how I feel about love. I just don’t have those emotions in me anymore and if you’re expecting it, maybe we should end this before it starts.”
“Ah, Maribel, do you think I went to all this trouble if I didn’t think there was a future for us?”
“Elias...”
“I’ve always been a gambler and I’m betting everything on you changing your mind. You can’t keep everything inside. One day it’s going to burst forth like a broken water pipe and you’re going to realize that what happened with your mother is something you have to let go. Just like you have to let go of Chase and let him live his own life.”
“I will never let go of my son.”
“I didn’t mean that. I mean you have to cut the apron strings.” He sighed deeply. “And why are we talking about this?” He glanced at the flowers. “I just brought you some beautiful flowers and we should be celebrating.”
“Why are they bent?”
“I had to shove them into the refrigerator and the trash can was kind of tall.”
She laughed. She couldn’t help herself. There was no one like Elias and maybe he was right. Maybe in the days ahead something in her would find a way to feel all the things he wanted her to.
She clasped her hands in her lap, needing to tell him something.
He removed his boots and set them neatly side by side. Looking at her serious face, he asked, “What now?”
She swallowed hard, trying to get the words out.
“Are you nervous?”
“A little.”
“Come on. What’s there to be nervous about? We’ve done this before.” He stood and pulled his shirt out of his jeans.
“Well... You see...I...haven’t...done it since Chase was conceived.”
He stopped unbuttoning his shirt. “What? You mean...”
She nodded. “Yes. I mean I haven’t been with anyone since that night.”
“Are you kidding me?”
She glared at him.
He raised a hand. “Okay. You keep throwing these curveballs at me, Maribel. I thought we’d be butt naked and halfway to heaven by now.”
“Don’t be crass.”
“Didn’t you date in Dallas?”
“After a while, I did, but all the guys wanted was sex and I had a kid to think about. I didn’t want an endless string of guys coming in and out of his life. I didn’t want to have meaningless sex.”
“Sometimes it’s pretty good.”
She glared at him again.
He walked over to the bottle of champagne and opened it. When the cork popped, she jumped. Her nerves were frayed and she just wanted him to understand how she was feeling. But with Elias, he probably only understood his point of view.
“I hope you don’t think I’m sleeping in the other room tonight.”
“No. I just wanted you to know.”
He shoved a glass of champagne into her hands. “Drink up. It’ll get rid of the nerves.”
She took a sip of the refreshing bubbly. “Why aren’t you nervous? Do men ever get nervous about sex?”
Elias laughed. “No. It’s like breathing for men.”
As she downed the rest of the bubbly, her face felt warm. Elias slipped out of his shirt and threw it on top of his boots. Then he poured more champagne. By the second glass, Maribel was wondering what she had been so nervous about, especially when he was kissing her all the way down her neck.
His hand gent
ly slid down the zipper on her dress. She stood and shimmied out of it, standing in her fancy new bra and panties. She bent to remove her heels but Elias grabbed her and laid her on the bed. On his knees, he undid the straps of her heels and ran his hand up her leg. Her breath caught in an exquisite sigh and she wanted him to keep on touching her. He downed the last swallow of champagne left in his glass and took her empty glass from her hand, carefully setting them on the floor.
He looked into her eyes. “How are the nerves?”
“What nerves?”
He was out of his jeans and briefs in a heartbeat. Lying beside her, she reveled in his skin against hers. He slowly unhooked her bra and her panties went flying across the room. She heard a giggle and realized it had come from her. She never giggled. The champagne must be working. His lips touched her breasts and all thought left her as she gave into everything she’d been wanting.
She moaned as his lips found the most intimate part of her and he quickly brought them back to her breasts and then to her mouth. The emotions and the passion were the same and nothing existed but the two of them in each other’s arms, discovering all those special places known to lovers. His body was just as strong, hard and masculine as she’d remembered. Nothing had changed. The years had been kind to him. Her hands kneaded, stroked and teased until he groaned and slid on top of her.
They’re joining was fierce and passionate with moans and sighs and Maribel held on to Elias and the spiraling pleasure until the last moment. They lay entwined, bathed in sweat, heart on heart. This was wonderful. This was part of being married.
She glanced at the slightly bent white roses on the dresser. Could her heart find a way to feel love again?
Chapter Fifteen
Elias never had a quitting time. He always worked until the job was done. But these days at five o’clock, like his brothers, he headed for the barn. He and Maribel had a small window of time that was theirs. It was before the kid came home from football practice and Grandpa showed up. It was the only time they had alone and they took advantage of it.
It was now October and Elias couldn’t believe how fast time was flying. Hay season was over and they were back to ranching. He, Maribel and Chase had settled in to the house and it was as if they’d always been a family. Things were better than he’d ever expected. Maribel had been nervous that first night but now she was as insatiable as he was. Sometimes he’d even get a text from her in the early afternoon.
