by Lori Foster
Gabe said, “The animals…”
Elizabeth swabbed at his face with the hem of her dress, giving him a peek at her panties as she did so. “You’ve got a nasty cut.”
“I’ll be fine,” he muttered.
She ran off but she was back within seconds. “Here, hold this against your head. Can you do that, Gabe?”
She handed him a soft pad, and he realized it was from the clinic. He pressed it hard to his head to stem the flow of blood.
“Don’t you dare move, Gabriel Kasper.” Her voice shook, thick with smoke and, he thought, perhaps emotion. “And don’t you be seriously hurt, either.” He saw her wipe tears from her face with a soot-covered hand, and he tried to smile at her, but his head was pounding painfully. “I’ll never forgive you if you’re seriously hurt.”
Before he could reassure her she was gone and a new panic settled in. Dear God, she’d gone into the clinic! Gabe summoned all his strength to stand, to fetch her and keep her safe, and then he heard the sound of approaching sirens and knew Morgan was almost there. He’d take care of things. But Gabe was needed still; he had to help her….
Morgan’s big hands settled on Gabe’s shoulders. “Don’t move, Gabe.”
“It’s just a knock on the head. Stupid cage got in my way.”
Morgan pressed him down. “Damn it, I said don’t move, you stubborn fool!” Speaking to someone else, Morgan said, “Go ahead. I’ll take care of my brother. Get the animals out.”
“Lizzy?” Already Gabe’s head was starting to clear, even as a throbbing pain settled in. The sirens were blasting, not helping one bit, keeping the animals frenzied and his head pulsing. He glared at Morgan. “Get Lizzy.”
“She’s inside?” Morgan jerked to his feet, but at that moment Lizzy stumbled through the doorway, aided by two firemen. She had a box of mewling kittens in her arms, and she was a dirty mess. “Here she comes now.”
Morgan went to her and took the box of kittens. “Sawyer was right behind me. He’ll fix Gabe up good as new.”
Gabe watched her lean against Morgan for just an instant, then she straightened and hurried to Gabe.
“Shh. It’s all right, babe. I’m okay. I just got knocked silly.” He pulled her to his side as he carefully sat up. “Morgan! Shut the damn sirens off.”
Morgan barked a few orders, and one fireman rushed to do as he was told. When silence settled in, Gabe touched Lizzy’s blackened face. “Are you all right?”
She wasn’t listening to him. She’d spotted Sawyer and she ran to him, then practically dragged him to Gabe. He had Jordan with him, and Jordan looked frozen with shock.
“What the hell happened?” As Sawyer spoke he opened his bag and began swabbing off Gabe’s face. To Lizzy he said, “Head wounds bleed like the very devil. If he’s not hurt anywhere else then he should be fine.”
Gabe took pity on Jordan. “I’m fine, Jordan. Go check your animals.”
Jordan looked at Sawyer and got his nod of confirmation. “Looks like he’ll need a few stitches, but that’s all.”
“Thank God.” Jordan, still looking somewhat sick and so furious he could chew nails, headed for the clinic door.
An hour and a half later, everything had quieted down. There was a lot of smoke damage to the clinic, but very little had burned. It hadn’t taken a large investigation to discover that a pet owner who’d come in earlier had evidently thrown a cigarette into the trash can in the bathroom. The can was metal, so other than the walls and floor in that room being singed, the damage was mostly smoke-related. It would take quite a bit of work, and a professional crew, to get everything clean again and to rid the clinic of the smell. Jordan had a strict no-smoking policy. Gabe couldn’t remember ever seeing his brother look so ravaged, or so livid.
Gabe was propped up against a tree, his head bandaged, watching the proceedings with frustration since Sawyer had flatly refused to let him help out. Lizzy had continued to work with Jordan until they had every animal accounted for and loaded into covered truck beds. Luckily, not a single animal had suffered a serious injury from the small fire, but they were frightened and skittish and Jordan was using his mesmerizing voice to calm them all. He looked like hell warmed over, but his tone didn’t in any way match his expression. It was lulling and easy and sank into the bones, reassuring even the most fractious animal.
Lizzy returned to Gabe’s side again and again, and each time he told her he was fine. Then she’d flit off to do more work. She had to be exhausted, but she kept on. He was so damn proud of her, he could barely contain himself.
As if she’d heard his thoughts, she glanced at him, then hurried to his side. “Do you need something to drink?”
On her knees beside him, she smoothed his hair and touched his cheek. Gabe caught her hand and carried it to his mouth. “Mm. You taste like charcoal.”
She grinned. “I imagine I smell like it, too.” She glanced at Jordan. “Sawyer recommended he move the animals into your garage until the clinic can be cleaned. It’ll take a few days. Poor Jordan. He looks devastated.”
“I know how he feels.” She faced him, her brow puckered in confusion, and he said, “You scared the hell out of me, Lizzy, when you ran back in there without me. For all I knew, the place was burning to the ground. I kept thinking about you getting hurt….”
“I was careful.”
“But what if you’d stumbled like I did? How the hell would I have gotten you out of there?” Her expression softened, and she leaned forward to gently kiss his mouth.
“I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“I love you.” He hadn’t said it again since she’d had her nightmare, and now he couldn’t keep the words contained. Her eyes widened. “What?” he asked, sounding a little sarcastic. “You thought I made it up the first time? Not a chance.”
“Oh, Gabe.” Tears welled in her eyes, and Gabe held his breath, waiting to see what she would say.
Then Jordan appeared, and he hauled Lizzy to her feet. “I’ve been so busy trying to see to things, I haven’t even thanked you yet.”
Jealousy speared through Gabe as he watched Jordan lift Lizzy onto her tiptoes and kiss her soundly. She blushed, but she didn’t pull away.
“This is going to be inconvenient as hell for a few days,” Jordan said, hugging her tight, “but at least all the animals are safe.”
Lizzy finally pulled back. She smiled and started to say, “Gabe’s the real…” but then her words tapered off and she put a hand over her mouth.
Jordan raised a brow. “Real what? Hero? I’d say you both are. Not only did you get all twenty-three animals outside, you even managed to get my baby brother out with only a knock to his hard head. That took a lot of guts, sweetheart, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”
After Jordan walked away, Gabe took pity on Lizzy and tugged her down beside him. She was mute, her dirty face blank. Gabe kissed her ear. “How’s it feel to be a heroine? Will you add your own experiences to your thesis?”
She blinked owlishly at him. “But I didn’t…”
“Didn’t what?” He smoothed a long red sooty curl behind her ear. “Didn’t risk your life for those animals? Didn’t face injury without a thought? Didn’t do what had to be done almost by instinct?”
“But…” She sucked in a deep breath. “I was so scared.”
“For yourself?”
She stared into his eyes, bemused. “No, not at first. I was afraid for you, and for the poor animals. But now I’m shaking with nerves.” She held out her hand to show him, and Gabe cradled it in his large hand.
“Only a fool wouldn’t react after going through something like this. You think after that boating incident I wasn’t something of a wreck?”
“You said you weren’t afraid.”
“I was mad as hell at that fool for falling out of his boat. I wanted to tear something apart, and since I couldn’t get hold of him, I punched a hole in my wall, then had to repair it.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “It’s
all just reaction. Anger, fear… I’ve even seen people start laughing and not be able to stop. You’re trembling. I got violent. We’re the same, sweetheart, but we’re also different. And what you did today is no less significant than what I did a year ago.”
She seemed to consider that for a long time, and Gabe was content to hold her. Finally, without quite looking at him, she said, “I don’t want to be a coward, Gabe.”
“You’re not.”
She bit her bottom lip. “Have you enjoyed spending your time with me these last few weeks?”
His heart started pounding. His palms got damp. Gabe didn’t give away his reaction when he answered, keeping his tone mild. “I told you I love you. So of course I love spending time with you.”
She nodded slowly, then curled tighter to his side, keeping her face tucked under his chin. “How many women have you loved?”
Wrapping a red curl around his finger, he said, “Hm. Let’s see. There’s my mother. And now Honey and Misty.”
She punched his ribs. “No, I mean romantically.”
“Just you, sweetheart.”
“You’ve never told another woman that you loved her?”
“No. Though plenty of women have told me that.”
She was so surprised, she leaned back to glare at him. “Really?”
Gabe flicked the end of her nose. “Really. Just not the one woman I wish would tell me.”
She swallowed hard. Her blue eyes were round and filled with feminine daring. Gabe held his breath.
“What would you think,” she asked slowly, “of me finishing school and coming back here to stay?”
Afraid to move, Gabe said, “Are you considering doing that?”
“I think, since you love me, and since I love you, it’d make sense.”
He let his breath out in whoosh. “You little witch!” He laughed and squeezed her, then winced as his head pounded. “Why haven’t you told me before now?”
“I wasn’t sure if I’d dreamed it or if you’d want me around forever. I wasn’t sure if I was making too much of things. I’m not very good at figuring out this whole romantic business. But I do love you. I can’t think of much besides you.”
Going for broke, Gabe said, “You know you’ll have to marry me.” He frowned at her just to let her know he was serious. “You can’t tell a man you love him and then not marry him.”
Her face lit up and her smile was radiant, despite the black soot on her cheeks and the end of her nose. “I have to finish out my semester first. But that won’t be too long.”
“I can wait. I don’t want you to give up anything for me.” Then he shook his head. “I take that back. I want you to give up your guilt. And your free weekends because I’ll be coming to see you whenever you’re off school. And I most definitely want you to give up any thoughts of other men, or—”
She touched his face. “Okay.”
Gabe grinned so hard his head hurt. “I just love an agreeable woman.”
EPILOGUE
QUIT LOOKING so disgruntled.”
Gabe frowned at Jordan, his face red, his fists clenched. “I can’t believe you stole her right out from under my nose.”
“She came to me willingly, Gabe. And besides, I need her.”
“So do I!”
Jordan shrugged indifferently. “You can get anyone to answer your damn phones, but Elizabeth has the touch. The animals love her. More than they love me, sometimes, and that’s a truth that hurts.”
Gabe looked at his wife, all decked out in snowy white, her beautiful red hair hanging in long curls down her back. He wanted to get the damn reception over with so he could get her alone.
“Uh, Gabe, your lust is showing.”
Gabe considered flattening his brother, but then he saw Lizzy smile and she looked so happy, he knew he had to give in gracefully. “All right, so she can be your assistant. I guess I can hire someone else.” He had taken Sawyer’s advice and opened a shop in town. He had more business than he could handle, but he enjoyed it so he wasn’t complaining. He’d thought Lizzy would work with him, but she’d opted to sign on with Jordan, and he had to admit she had a way with animals.
She was so special she made his heart swell just looking at her.
“So magnanimous,” Jordan uttered dryly. “I had no idea you had these caveman tendencies.”
“I didn’t, either, until I met Lizzy.”
“She got a fantastic grade on her thesis. Did she tell you she’s been approached about adding it to a text?”
Gabe scowled. “She’s my wife. Of course she told me.”
Jordan laughed, then quickly held up both hands. “All right, all right. Quit breathing fire on me. I’m sorry I mentioned it.”
Thank God she’d kept his name anonymous, Gabe thought, disgruntled by the instant popularity of her Mystique of Heroes. He snorted. What a stupid subject. But evidently not everyone thought so; Lizzy had received several calls from men wanting her to interview them. Gabe would have liked to hide her away somewhere, but watching her bloom was a distinct pleasure, so he put up with all the other men ogling her and tamped down his jealousy.
After all, she’d married him.
Jordan nudged him with his shoulder. “She’s getting ready to throw the bouquet. This always cracks me up the way the women fight over it.”
Ready to get back a little of his own, Gabe said, “I noticed all those women lining up are eyeing you like a side of beef. You’ll be next, you know.”
Jordan shook his head, then downed the rest of his drink. “You can forget that right now. I’m rather partial to my bachelor ways.”
“You just haven’t met the right woman yet. When you do, I bet you get knocked on your ass so quick you won’t know what hit you.”
Jordan was ready to refute that when suddenly the women all started shouting. He and Gabe looked up to see that Lizzy had thrown the bouquet, but her aim was off. It came sailing across the room in a dramatic arch. Right toward Jordan.
He almost dropped his drink he was so surprised, but when the flowers hit him in the chest, he managed to juggle everything, and was left standing there holding the flowers.
Gabe laughed out loud, Lizzy covered her mouth with a hand to stifle her giggles and Jordan, seeing a gaggle of women rushing toward him, muttered, “Oh, hell.”
Gabe looked at his wife and winked, then whispered to Jordan, “You better make a run for it.”
And he did.
Gabe smiled as Lizzy headed toward him, looking impish and beautiful and so sexy he decided the reception was well and truly over. He kissed her as soon as she reached him, then whispered against her lips, “That was a dirty trick to play on my brother.”
She grinned. “I was tired of all the women here looking at you with broken hearts. It’s time for Jordan to be the sacrificial lamb.”
Gabe shook his head with mock sympathy. “Damn, I feel sorry for him.”
Startled, Elizabeth leaned into his side and asked, “Why?”
Taking her by surprise, Gabe hoisted her up in his arms, which left her delicate white gown loose around her legs, giving everyone a sexy peek. Over the sound of the raucous applause from all the attending guests, Gabe whispered, “Because the prettiest, sexiest, smartest female is already taken—and I have her.”
Elizabeth laughed. “You are a charmer, Gabe.”
He started out of the room, holding her close to his heart. Right before he disappeared through the doorway, he looked up and saw Jordan backed against a wall, women surrounding him. Gabe shook his head.
He wished his only single brother all the same love that he’d just found.
The women looked determined enough to see that he got it.
*
Jordan
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
C
HAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EPILOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
THE SWINE.
Jordan Sommerville stared at the hand-painted sign positioned crookedly over the ramshackle building. Visible from the roadway, the sign boasted some of the worst penmanship he’d ever seen. The bright red letters seemed to leap right out at him.
He cursed as another icy trickle of rain slid down the back of his neck. He could hear the others behind him, murmuring in subdued awe as they took in the sights and sounds of the bar. It was late, it was dark, and for September, it was unseasonably cool. Surely there didn’t exist a more idiotic way to spend a Friday night.
The idea of trying to convince a bar owner to institute a drink limit, especially a bar owner who had thus far allowed quite a few men to overimbibe, seemed futile. Jordan started forward, anxious to get it over with.
Somehow he’d become the designated leader of the five-man troop, a dubious honor he’d regretfully accepted. The men had been organized by Zenny, a retired farmer who was best described as cantankerous—on his good days. Then there was Walt and Newton, who claimed to be semiretired from their small-town shops, though they still spent every day there. And Howard and Jesse, the town gossips who volunteered for every project, just to make sure they got to stick their noses into anything that was going on.
Jordan stopped at the neon-lighted doorway to the seedy saloon and turned to face the men. A strobing beer sign in the front window illuminated their rapt faces. Jordan had to shout to be heard over the loud music and laughter blaring from inside the establishment.
“Now remember,” he said, and though he used his customary calm tone, he infused enough command to hold all their attention, “we’re going to talk. That’s all. There’ll be no accusations, no threats and absolutely, under no circumstances, will there be any violence. Understood?”
