She kissed his finger again, then the underside of his wrist, where she remembered the nerves lay close to the skin, smiled at his response. “If I told you, I’m not sure you’d believe.”
His eyes had gone darker, his hand heavier and starting to tremble when he stroked her hair. “Right now, I reckon I’d believe anything in the world you asked me to believe,” he swore in a whisper. “Well…most anything.”
She brought his hand to her cheek. “Then, would you believe that I love you? That whatever I did, however things seemed, I never stopped loving you all this time—not for a day, not for an hour, not for one minute?”
He drew a shaking breath. “That’s a tough one…but since it’s you who’s asking…”
She touched his lips, smiled when he kissed her fingers. “Believe that one thing, Sam Antonio mio, my knight, my crazy Texan. Believe that, and everything else is easy.”
The telling would come later, after, somewhere in a bed they could call their own, her head pillowed on his shoulder, her hand stroking his chest in the sheltering, blessed darkness. But now …oh, now…
She framed his dear, beloved face with her palms, her thumbs—thumbs, by God—trembling as they traced the never-forgotten angle of cheekbone, the softness of his lashes when he shut his eyes and shivered. There was no need to draw him closer; he surged to meet her, groaning with relief. Lips met in liquid, laughing wonder. Bodies fused from mouth to thigh. Their arms wrapped and held tight as if they’d never let go. Oh, now. Now and forever, at last, love.
BUT IF THE REST of their life together looked easy, there was one hard thing left to do, and the sooner it was faced…
Even knowing what they went to find, they couldn’t stay sad. If anything, somehow the sadness only deepened their joy. The night was all fizz and giggles, with not a champagne bottle in sight. “You’re sure you’re all right?” she worried as he sat down with her in his arms on the third-floor landing of RI Gen’s back stairs. A discreet getaway, then explain it all later, had suited them both, but still… “Smoke inhalation isn’t something to—”
He kissed her mouth shut. “I’m fine. Strong lak ze bull. The panting ain’t the stairs, babe, it’s the baggage. Say the word, and I’ll carry you to North Carolina.”
“After we see to Cattoo…” Her arms tightening around his neck, she pressed her breasts to his chest. “Yes, North Carolina sounds perfect. Let’s blow this town.”
For just a moment he sobered—as much as he ever did. “And your job, Jess?”
She traced the hawkish shape of his nose, the slant of his eyebrow, glorying in her fingers that could touch him. “Ohhh…I was thinking about taking a long vacation.” To consider long and hard what she—she, her own sane and happy self—wanted to do with the rest of her life, now that it had been so mercifully restored to her. What else, besides loving a certain crazy Texan…
He snorted. “What d’you think you’ve been having all week? I’d say it’s my turn to lie down on the job!”
She pulled his head to hers, to growl against his lips. “Yes…fine…if you come lie with me.”
And his kiss was the only answer.
THEY CAUGHT a late-cruising cab down the street from the hospital. The cabbie was clearly convinced they were either drunk or insane, or embarking on an elopement, but his amusement turned to alarm when they directed him down the alley behind the mill. “Stop right here,” Jessica said, “and please leave your headlights on.”
“Hey, I need my fare before you—”
“We’re just going over there by that wall. We’ll be right back.” Between them they hadn’t a penny. The firemen had been in no mood to let Sam find his wallet or his keys before they hauled him to safety. After this, they would have to drive to Mac’s house to borrow money, but now, that was the least of her worries.
With all their coming and going, if the firemen had trampled Cattoo’s body…She shivered, and turned her face to Sam’s neck as he lifted her from the cab.
“She made it this far?” he muttered, walking slowly, his eyes scanning the ground. “There’s no chance she can’t still be up there, safe and sound on the ledge, givin’ us a cat smirk? Only the inside of the sixth floor burned. If she kept her cool…”
“No. She’s here.” And yet not here. Jessica reached out, reached deep within, called one last time their plaintive, lilting cry. “Kiiiii?”
No answer. Only darkness, silence, the idling mutter of the cab’s engine at their backs, its lights throwing their long, knotted shadow in front—man and woman, two yearning creatures made one. Walking with one heart.
Sam stopped and his breath hissed out. “There, babe.” He carried her to the front of his rental car, stood looking down into shadow. “Maybe you’d better let me…” He settled her on the hood of the car, then dropped to one knee.
“Is she…?” Jessica couldn’t see past his bent head. Didn’t really need to see. Reaching out, her mind told her nothing—and therefore told all.
“Yeah…Oh, Jez…” Carefully he stood, something dark and heartbreakingly small cradled in his arms. “Little hussy, if you’d only…” He turned and smiled crookedly. “She’s not too beat-up. Her front legs are broken. Guess she landed feet first, cats being cats, then flipped on over, hit her head…”
“Give her to me.”
“Babe, are you sure…”
She held out her arms. “She’s mine.” She’s me.
“She was mine, too. Or maybe I was hers.” But he laid Cattoo in Jessica’s arms. Softest fur…fragile body…heart as big as all the night sky. She dropped her face to the warm bundle, inhaled on a shaking sob—felt the touch of a cool, questing nose.
“Merrrr?” It was just the ghost of a sound at her ear, no louder than a heartfelt prayer.
“Kiiiii?” she called again, and this time heard the answer in her mind, stronger and surer. “She’s—”
“Yes.” His arms were already sliding around her to lift them both. “Let’s go find ourselves a vet.”
From deep within, the answer came once more—a painful, joyful purring. I am here. You are here.
“She’s going to be all right, Sam! Oh, God, she’s—”
“Yeah,” he said, walking quickly toward the lights. “Didn’t I tell you, once ’pon a time, that cats are s’posed to bounce?”
eISBN 978-14592-7793-9
YOU AGAIN
Copyright © 1996 by Peggy Nicholson.
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You Again Page 30
