Letty Sue didn’t let down her guard. “You killed Pierce Mainwarring and set Chase up for the murder?”
“Brilliant, wasn’t it?” She grinned then, tugging at her hair again. “It would’ve worked perfectly, too. No one would believe a half-breed over the evidence. I used his Cheyenne ropes to tie the man up. He had no alibi.”
“I gave him his alibi.”
“You ruined my plans.” Venom poured from her lips like hot lava. “I hate you, too.” Suddenly, the woman pounced, clutching at Letty Sue’s body, ripping her clothes. Letty Sue turned and twisted, her hand still firmly on the gun.
“Don’t,” she warned, but the crazed woman kept on with her attack.
With a firm, steady push, Letty Sue shoved her away with all of her might. Marabella went crashing against the window, and when she turned up, ready to attack again, pure evil on her face, a shot rang out.
The woman slumped to the floor, gripping her shoulder in agony.
Chase stood by Letty Sue’s side, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other covering her hand, pointing her gun.
“Chase, I shot her.”
“We shot her,” he corrected, using her strength to keep himself upright.
“But how did you get up?”
“I couldn’t risk her hurting you,” he said, his body sagging against hers. “Can you tie her up?”
She nodded. “I think so.”
“Good. I love you, Letty Sue….” he announced, then collapsed on the floor right in front of her.
Three days later, Letty Sue sat on the bed watching her husband devour his afternoon meal. Color had come back to his face. His body appeared strong and healthy again. Each day of nursing him had brought him a little closer to a full recovery. She’d never once left his side. “You’ve got quite an appetite today, Chase.”
“It’s all this fine cooking,” he teased.
“Rosalee is giving me some help, but I insist on cooking all your meals from now on.”
“I won’t be arguing with that.”
He set his plate aside and grabbed for her hand, pulling her closer. “Come here.”
“Chase, you need to rest in bed.”
“Letty Sue, what I need has nothing to do with rest and everything to do with this bed.”
“But—but you’re recuperating.”
“What I need right now only you can give me.” He kissed her soundly on the mouth, dragging her down beside him on the bed. “I love you, sweetheart, now let me prove it.”
Letty Sue was powerless to stop him. He was her heart, her soul, her very life, and the thought that she might have lost him scared her senseless. And if she hadn’t come here when she had, he surely would not have survived. Marabella, with all her deceit, had sought to destroy Chase. But Letty Sue wouldn’t think of that venomous woman now. She focused all her attention on the man whose hot searing gaze was turning her insides to warm jelly.
She removed her clothes quickly, watching the appreciative gleam in her husband’s eyes as they moved over her length. And when he touched her, his intimate caresses scorched her skin like burning, licking flames.
Chase loved her. She could hardly believe it, but his smoldering kisses and consuming passion could be nothing else. And she loved him back with everything she had.
The brave Cheyenne boy who’d saved her all those years ago had been her destiny all along. They were meant for each other. Fate had had a funny way of bringing them together, but they were together at last—now and forever.
“Oh Chase,” she whimpered, when he moved his hand down to her most private region and stroked her. “Feels so good…so very good.”
“Sweetheart, it’s going to feel even better.” And moments later they were joined, a beautiful blending of two bodies coming together as one.
Chase held her tight in the aftermath of their torrid lovemaking. This woman meant everything to him. His love for her was staggering.
Walk as one. Stand together.
His mother would approve.
Letty Sue was the woman he’d been waiting for, the woman who would be forever in his heart. It had just taken her longer to grow up, but she had, and now he felt like the luckiest man alive.
He kissed her forehead and shook his head, recalling how Letty Sue had fought off Marabella and saved his life.
“You took an awful chance coming here.”
“I had to, Chase. I love you with the whole of my heart. You, me and little Jake, we’re a family now. I had to fight for that.”
“I do love you, but I didn’t know just how much until I saw you that morning. Know what I thought?”
She curled up in his arms, snuggling closer. “No, what did you think?”
Chase drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I was so weak, I didn’t know how to take my next breath. I thought I was dreaming when you entered my room. You were an enchanting vision I needed to cling to for survival, but when you came to the bed and spoke softly to me, I knew you were real. It was then I thought of a fitting name for you, one that will endure our entire life.”
Letty Sue smiled sweetly. “Tell me it’s better than Twisted-foot Woman.”
Chase grinned and kissed her cheeks. She lifted her head up, waiting, her heart tripping over itself. Smoke filled his gorgeous silvery eyes. She knew the look, and finally knew what it meant.
“When I saw you, my mind cleared and I thanked all the spirits in heaven for bringing you to me. I thought, here she is, my beautiful wife, the woman I was meant to love, Leticia Suzanne…my Angel at Dawn.”
Epilogue
Letty Sue lowered her two-year-old daughter down onto the bed, kissing her round cheeks and tucking her in. “Good night, Baby Jolie,” she whispered, then turned to witness Chase brushing a kiss on Jake’s forehead.
“He’s out. Nothing’s going to wake him till dawn.” They peered at Jake, clinging to his pillow, taking deep exhausted breaths.
“Seems Barnum and Bailey’s Circus tuckered our little ones out today,” Letty Sue said softly, as they headed out the bedroom door of the New York hotel suite. This was their first trip East, their honeymoon. Chase had promised, and true to his word, as soon as he could manage to get away from Johnston Ranch—his ranch—he’d surprised Letty Sue and packed them all up for this journey across the continent.
Standing by the fireplace in the parlor of the suite, Letty Sue felt her shoulders slump with fatigue. This was the sixth hotel they’d frequented in as many weeks, and although she loved seeing the East with her family, she felt herself yearning for the simpler side of life.
“I think the circus tuckered you out as well.” Chase grinned, putting an arm around her waist.
“It was fun, but seeing those circus horses made Jake long for his own pony. He misses the ranch, Chase. And our sweet little Jolie misses her own bed.”
Chase brought Letty Sue closer, whispering in her ear, “And what do you miss, sweetheart?”
She sighed deeply. “I never thought I’d say this, but I miss Texas. I’ve enjoyed every minute of our trip and I thank for you for bringing us, but would you mind terribly if we headed home a bit earlier than we planned?”
“I’m willing,” he replied, struggling out of his pressed suit coat and tie. He dropped them briskly to the floor. “More than willing, darlin’.”
Letty Sue took in the sight of her handsome husband. Her heart never ceased to pound more quickly whenever he was near. After three years of marriage, that hadn’t changed. “You do look fine in your fancy duds though, Mr. Wheeler.”
She touched his starched white collar, then began to undo the buttons. “But you’d look much better wearing nothing at all.”
Chase’s grin was pure sin. “Is that an invitation?”
“An invitation?” She pulled the shirttails out of his trousers, her fingers brushing the golden taut skin of his chest.
He captured her hands, pressing them flush against his hot flesh. “For me to make love to you all night long?”
He wrapped his arms lovingly around her shoulders, guiding her to their bedroom. “And tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow, Chase, my love, you’re going to take your family back to Texas…home.”
ISBN: 978-1-4603-0933-9
CHASE WHEELER’S WOMAN
Copyright © 2002 by Charlene Swink
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