The Texas Ranger's Reward (Undercover Heroes)

by Winters, Rebecca

  He wore animal skins on his lean body and a thong around his forehead, with his chestnut hair spilling over. One hand clutched a spear. His leg carried a jagged scar from thigh to the ankle. The sight of the young superhero brought tears to Travis’s eyes.

  “Do you like it?” she asked Casey. Travis heard the tremor in her voice.

  “I love it! I didn’t know you painted me.”

  “I did this after I first met you, but I’ve kept it a secret.” The revelation thrilled and humbled Travis.

  “How come?” Casey asked.

  “Because I take care of children all the time, but I’m not supposed to love one of them so much, that I wished he were my son. I love you, Casey. I think I love you too much. That’s why I didn’t read a story to you the other night. I wanted to be your mommy, but I knew I wasn’t, and I was afraid you’d see me cry.”

  He walked over and looked up at her with eyes more brilliantly blue than Travis had ever seen them. “Do you want to be my new mom?”

  Tears poured down her cheeks. “Yes. More than anything in the world.”

  Now came the hug. Casey almost crushed her. They clung for a long time.

  “You know how you have that picture of your daddy above your bed because you love him?” she finally asked.

  His son nodded.

  “That’s the same reason I have your picture above mine.”

  Casey’s head whipped around. “Dad?”

  “She loves you, Casey. Did you hear that?” His son literally glowed with happiness. “And do you know what’s really amazing?”

  “What?”

  “She loves me, too.”

  “I already know that.”

  “How do you know?” His eyes met Melissa’s while they waited for Casey to come out with something startling.

  “ ’Cuz I’ve seen you kissing.”

  Travis laughed for sheer joy. “Well, there’s one thing I bet you don’t know.”

  “What?”

  “I asked Melissa to marry me last night.”

  “I knew you were going to.”

  “You knew?” Melissa made a sound between a laugh and a cry.

  “Yup. You said you were going on a date with her. Zack said that after Mitch kissed Heidi on a date, they got married.”

  “Sheer deduction.” Melissa grinned at Travis. “I’m not surprised. It looks like those two are so smart, they’ll probably grow up to be P.I.s like their dads.”

  “Nope.” Casey shook his head. “I’m going to be a Texas Ranger!”

  Melissa embraced them both. “Your son has mighty big shoes to fill,” she whispered against Travis’s cheek. “Will you do me one more favor?”

  He kissed her temple. “Anything.”

  “Please don’t let me die of too much happiness yet. Our lives are just beginning.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Outside the cabin windows, golden fall colors interspersed with green pines provided the backdrop for the wedding. Inside, the flowers on the stands by the fireplace and placed around the family room mimicked the tones nature had provided: elegant red roses, orange Asiatic lilies, bronze cushion spray and yellow Viking spray chrysanthemums mixed with greenery. Dark red tapered candles had been added to highlight the rustic setting.

  Melissa knew how much Casey was looking forward to Halloween, so she and Travis had planned to get married the Saturday before.

  They both wanted a small affair. Only family and close friends on either side, with Melissa’s pastor officiating. Even so, a lot of cars lined the road into the cabin. Snow was forecast for the late evening, but she wasn’t worried, because after the four o’clock ceremony, followed by a celebration, everyone would have time to get home before it started. Then she’d be alone with her husband, able to shower him with the love she felt for him. Just the thought made her pulse race.

  Casey would be going back with his aunt Pat and her family. Later on, in the spring, Travis planned to take them on a week’s honeymoon. For now, two nights away was probably as much as Casey could handle.

  When they came back down from the cabin, they’d drive straight to Travis’s home. They’d already moved her things in, and Melissa had arranged to sublet her town house. Everything had been done, except the ceremony to make them husband and wife.

  “Melissa?” the pastor said. “If you and Travis will join me and hold hands…”

  Travis, stunning in a tux, intertwined his fingers with hers before they moved to stand in front of the pastor. Melissa wore a cap-sleeved, knee-length, raw-silk dress in an eggshell color. She knew Travis liked her hair long, so she’d left it loose, and wore two roses behind one ear.

  “Dearly beloved, we’re gathered here in the heart of these mountains to join Melissa Jeremy Roberts and Travis Cederlof Stillman in holy matrimony. It was here they found their love, and so it’s appropriate they seal their vows on this very spot.

  “All of you here know the way the lives of these two have been fraught with difficult and dangerous obstacles. The fact that they’ve survived so beautifully shows not only the indomitable human spirit, but proves they’ve literally fulfilled that part of the vows where they take each other ‘for worse.’”

  He smiled. “What’s left is the ‘for better,’ and then to go on loving each other, whether rich or poor, through sickness and health, to the end of your lives and beyond. Travis, do you take this woman to be your wife?”

  “I do,” he said in his deep voice.

  “Melissa? Do you take this man to be your husband?”

  “With all my heart.”

  Travis squeezed her hand.

  “Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined together, let no man put asunder. Casey?” He nodded at their son, who was standing by with a huge smile. “If you’ll come forward with the rings…”

  Melissa’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears as the little boy, dressed in a tux like his father, and carrying the rings on a pillow, stepped forward. At that moment she could see handsome Casey as a grown man, wearing a tux at his own wedding. One day she would paint him like that. But that time was years away yet, thank heaven!

  Travis picked up the interlocking rings and slid them on her finger. Two blue-white diamonds sparkled up at her. He’d been extravagant, but he told her that one diamond represented his love. The other represented Casey’s, and they came as a package deal.

  With a less than steady hand, she took the gold band she’d picked out for him and put it on his ring finger. When she looked up, Travis pulled her into his arms. In front of everyone he kissed her with long-suppressed hunger before the pastor had time to say anything.

  “We know how you feel, comrade,” Travis’s boss called out in his Russian accent, “but it’s time to wind this up.”

  The onlookers laughed. After being congratulated, Melissa was engulfed with hugs and the party began.

  Casey and Zack drank a lot of punch and worked their way through the crowd to her. Abby tagged along behind them. Melissa hugged all three of them before she picked up Casey in her arms and kissed him. “You’re my boy now,” she said, before lowering him to the floor.

  “Yup.”

  “We’ll be outside in front of your school on Monday to take you home. Are you going to be all right till then? You can always call us. We told your aunt.”

  “I know. Are you going to stay right here?”

  “What do you think?” Travis had come ba
ck and engulfed them in his strong arms. “Melissa and I aren’t going anywhere. This is our favorite place.”

  “Mine, too.”

  “Your aunt Pat and uncle Jerry are waving to us. It’s started snowing. They want to get down the canyon before it piles up. I need another hug.”

  Casey hugged them both hard, but to his credit he didn’t break down and cry. With Zack watching, he had too much pride.

  “Call us when you get home, okay, bud?”

  “Yup.”

  “We love you, sweetheart,” Melissa said emotionally. With that, he ran through the cabin to the front door, where his aunt and uncle were waiting.

  Pretty soon everyone was leaving. Her parents were the last to go. “I don’t have to worry about you taking care of her.” Melissa saw her dad’s affection for Travis. Her parents were crazy about him. More hugs ensued before quiet reigned and they were finally alone.

  When she heard Travis turn the lock of the front door, adrenaline began to flow through her body. Her breath caught as he turned to her. Those dark blue eyes were burning with desire for her.

  Without saying a word, he walked around, blowing out the candles. Without the generator on, all they heard were the sizzles coming from the fire dying down in the fireplace. Only the fading light from the flames lit the room.

  He slid his hand to her neck and they walked over to the window looking out on the forest behind the cabin. “Our first snowfall together. It’s so beautiful, Travis.”

  “Not as beautiful as my wife.” He unexpectedly picked her up as if she weighed nothing, and started for the staircase. “I wanted to do this the night we came up here so I could plant the cameras. Watching you climb the steps gave me ideas I shouldn’t have been having.”

  She pressed a warm kiss to his mouth. “I had the same ideas, Travis, but no matter how hard it’s been to wait, I’m glad we did. It makes this night unique in our lives.”

  He returned her kiss as he carried her over the threshold of her bedroom. “You’re so precious to me, Melissa. I adore you. Love me tonight, darling. You have no idea how much I need you.”

  Who would ever have thought that helping each other out of their clothes could be such a breathtaking experience? Time and space had no meaning as they became lovers. They became one flesh, giving and taking pleasure throughout the night.

  When morning came, and dazzling sunlight streamed in the window, reflecting off the snow, Melissa found herself nestled against his chest with their legs entwined. She lifted her head. With him asleep, she could feast her eyes on him all she wanted.

  No woman could possibly feel the euphoria that enveloped her this morning. It was because no woman alive had been loved into oblivion by this particular Texas Ranger.

  Unable to resist, she kissed him around his lips to tease him awake. When he responded by searching for her mouth, she kissed his jaw.

  His eyes opened. He took a deep breath. “What are you trying to do to me, woman?”

  “So you call me ‘woman’ now.”

  “That’s right.” He raised up and proceeded to crush her mouth with refined savagery. At last he raised his head. “And I’m your man.”

  “Yes,” she said breathlessly.

  Another hour passed before she was in any state to form a coherent sentence. “Darling? Could I ask you an important question?”

  He gazed at her. “Sure, but what else could you want to know?”

  “With the threat of that killer gone, would you like to move back to Fort Davis? There must be a part of you that misses the association with your coworkers. After all the phone calls from them and your former boss, plus the citation from the governor of Texas for meritorious service, don’t you miss that life? Because if you do, I have no problem with us moving there.

  “I can always find a job in my profession, and I can paint anywhere. The important thing is for you and Casey to be happy. I realize the P.I. job saved your sanity when you moved here, but there has to be a huge chunk of your life you still feel is missing.”

  He leaned over her, plunging his hand in her hair. “After what you just said, I love you more than ever. But you need to know that with Valerie’s death, my days as a Ranger ended. I came here to start a new life and I’ve learned to love it. My new friends at Lufka’s are the greatest. The work I do is just as challenging.

  “As for Casey, he has family here. Because of that family, he fell off one of their horses, and the accident that followed ultimately brought us into the exciting world of Melissa Dalton. That was the day the whole world changed for the Stillman family.” He cupped her face with his hands. “I don’t want to change anything. I want my wife right where she is—in my heart and my bed.”

  She smiled. “That’s all I needed to hear. I guess it will have to be up to Casey to continue the Texas Ranger tradition.”

  “Maybe. If it’s what he really wants.”

  Melissa raised herself on one elbow. “I think we’d better call him and let him know that we’re alive and fine. So far he’s shown great restraint.”

  Travis’s smile lit up her universe. “He has, hasn’t he?”

  “I love that boy. I hope we can give him a little brother or sister.”

  “After we phone him, I think we should do our best to make that happen.”

  “Oh, yes, please!”

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt of The Cowboy Soldier’s Sons by Tina Leonard!

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  Chapter One

  We are such stuff as dreams are made on.

  —Shakespeare’s The Tempest

  Shaman Phillips wasn’t expecting a blonde bombshell to show up at the front door of the Dark Diablo farmhouse, but one glance at her shapely legs, long silky hair and beautiful face made him believe tonight might be a lucky night for a lone wolf. “Hello,” he said. “Can I help you?”

  “Hi.”

  Shaman decided the voice of an angel went with her amazing looks. She was way out of his league—and yet even a man with scars liked to gaze at beautiful things.

  “I’m looking for Chelsea Myers.”

  “Ah. The Chelsea Myers who married my brother Gage in July. She’s Chelsea Phillips now.” Shaman leaned forward, out of the doorway, planting his well-worn boots on the porch. “They live at the Callahan place, Rancho Diablo, in Diablo.”

  The goddess stepped closer, her high fire-engine-red heels clicking on the wood porch. “My name is Tempest Thornbury. I met Chelsea and Cat in July, before I returned to Italy.” She held up a small Louis Vuitton bag, complete with tufts of tissue paper coming out the top. Shaman knew what Louis Vuitton was; his sister, Kendall, was a huge fan. “I brought this for Cat. Is there a possibility you could give it to her?”

  “Come on in,” Shaman said, tamping down the wolfl
ike tendencies fighting inside him. “I’ll get their address and you can send it to her. It’d probably be quicker. I never know when I’ll see them, now that the school year has started.”

  Tempest smiled. “Thank you.”

  Shaman went to get the address, and she followed him into the house. He handed her a piece of paper. “Cat started school in the middle of August in Diablo. She’s real happy there.”

  “I’m so glad.”

  He decided his visitor was even more beautiful close up. The hot-red suit fit her curves to perfection. She didn’t wear a wedding ring or jewelry, just some gold hoop earrings that kissed her cheeks.

  “She’s a sweet girl,” Tempest added.

  Shaman nodded, suddenly uncomfortable and not sure why. His first thought was to seduce this angel—what man could resist?—but she was too perfect for him. How dumb was that?

  Ten years in the military, most of them spent in Iraq and Afghanistan, might have left him hungry for female companionship, but it had also left him with scars on his back, a chunk missing from his shoulder and a red slash across his sun-browned cheek. He was lucky those were his only visible scars. Many of his buddies hadn’t fared so well.

  A little less perfection in a woman would suit him better. “Sorry I couldn’t be more help.”

  Tempest smiled and turned on her heel. “I was hoping to see Cat and Chelsea, but I suppose they won’t be back until the semester is over?”

  “Can’t say.” He wasn’t familiar with Cat’s routine. “Chelsea and Gage just announced that they’re expecting a baby, so I don’t know how often Chelsea will be out here.”

  Tempest glanced back at him, looking pleased. “That’s wonderful! I’m glad to hear it.” She opened the front door before he could do so. “I didn’t get your name?”

  “Shaman Phillips.” He held the door for her, and as she walked out, caught a tease of a light flowery perfume. “You staying in Tempest, Tempest?” He grinned. “I didn’t realize you were named after the town.”