by Angi Morgan
“I’m okay.” Although one look told him he was bleeding like a son-of-a-bitch again. “We’ve already been there. I think they’ll give us some latitude.”
Jane looked calm enough as she pulled out a chair, set Rory in his lap, and found a kitchen towel. But her hands shook as she pressed it against his wound.
He did feel a bit light-headed.
No two ways about it. He was walking on cut glass. She wanted to talk, he could tell. Her eyes questioned him each time they met his as she sat Rory nearby in a chair.
He just couldn’t make his mouth work.
For some reason he was scared to death to have an uninterrupted conversation with Jane about their past or future. Facing another perp—even while he felt as if he’d been at the bottom of a stampede—was preferable to being turned down by her.
“There’s no telling how long it’ll be before we get a real chance to talk.” He stretched out his right hand to pull her to his lap. The towel fell to the table. She lifted it and put pressure on his shoulder again.
“What’s wrong with now?” she asked, concentrating on his shoulder.
“I might pass out and miss something important.” It wasn’t a joke, even though she harrumphed as if it were. “I want to take Rory to meet my parents.”
His hand around her waist felt a catch in her breath. God, he was just too tired to figure out what was wrong this time.
“Of course. Sure. It’ll give me time—”
“Hey. I didn’t mean alone.” In spite of the urge to lean his head on her shoulder and fall asleep, he drew her close and kissed her. “You’re not going to leave me to watch a three-year-old all by myself, are you? I’d never survive.”
“You would survive anything.”
“You’re wrong,” he said as he guided her face closer to kiss her again. “Without you, I didn’t—”
“So we do have survivors,” McCaffrey said as he holstered his 9 mm and joined them. “I’m assuming that since you’re both sitting here, that the rest of the house is clear?”
Steve nodded and Jane stood. He should give a report. There was something important he needed to say…
“Thanks for the file. George is tracking down the illegal sale of your new drug, Dr. Palmer. It seems Hayden Hughes…”
McCaffrey’s voice dropped into oblivion. Black spots swam in front of Steve’s eyes as he slid from the chair, landing on his butt and whacking the back of his noggin.
“We need a med-evac ASAP.”
“There’s somethin’ I need to say…” He couldn’t remember.
He was just too tired.
Chapter Eighteen
Jane strolled under the trees on the ranch where Steve had grown up. He’d played here. Learned to be a man here. He’d climbed one of these giants as a kid, fallen and broken his arm. He had roots as deep as the line of oaks that had been planted a hundred years ago.
“I don’t belong here.” The words tumbled out on a deep breath meant to hold the tears inside.
She’d learned a lot about Steve from his family. They’d all come this weekend to meet Rory. His parents, siblings, nieces and nephew, every cousin, aunt, uncle and grandpa. On one hand it was nice to be accepted and treated like more than the mother of Steve’s child.
On the other, it was a bit overwhelming for someone who was raised with no family other than her parents. No home to go back to because they’d moved from state to state to be closer to the best schools. She didn’t know how to act around all the shared Woods familiarity.
They were warm, loving and accepting and she was totally out of her league.
She ached for the sense of belonging this family freely offered. They had opened their home and hearts. And her heart belonged to the man crossing the yard to join her. Dressed in his working boots, worn jeans, an old FBI T-shirt and that ever-present Stetson. Steve Woods had forever captured her heart.
“How ’bout that sunset,” Steve said.
“I thought you were playing with Rory.” Small talk seemed to be all they’d managed this past week.
Just as Steve had predicted, between the hospital, debriefing by the FBI and meeting family, there hadn’t been much private time for them.
“Mom wanted some more time with him.” He pointed near the house where Amanda pushed Rory in the rope swing. Steve’s honest smile made her heart beat faster.
The scratches were healed, the bruises fading to yellow on Steve’s handsome face. He’d nearly died. He’d risked everything for her and Rory, more than once. She wanted so much to run into his arms and never leave.
She loved him.
“McCaffrey called.” He stuck his hands in his jeans pockets as he had so often when around her. “Thomas Brant is back with his family along with their money. It was found in a briefcase in Selena’s car. Hughes had contact with her as early as ten months ago. They’ve exonerated you of all charges. And I’m cleared to go back to work.”
Everything was wrapped up. She could return to her apartment and begin work. Her eyes watered while she viewed the sunset he admired. Definitely beautiful, reflecting every color imaginable off the clouds.
“I thought you’d be happy.” He caught her hand, swinging her around to face him, but quickly let go.
“I’m happy.” She knew her voice didn’t convey a happy tone. It was shaky, holding back the tears that still threatened her control.
He shrugged his shoulders and cocked an eyebrow as if he didn’t believe her.
“We haven’t really gotten to talk yet.” He wrenched his hat from his head and began his customary pacing. Crushing acorn shells and crunching his hat brim with every footstep. “You know, fours years ago, I never thought I’d get the chance to see you again. Then you were back in my life and trying to save your…trying to save Rory.”
The same feeling of inadequacy slammed her, shutting down her brain, keeping her mouth from forming words.
“You should have told me,” Steve said softly.
“You’re right.” It was time to tell him everything. “I thought I could raise Rory myself. Protect him like my parents protected me.”
“You didn’t think I could do that?” He set his hat on a fence post.
She looked toward the house, her eyes drawn to the swing and her son. She heard the crunching of shells behind her. “Oh, no, Steve. It wasn’t anything like that. It was the only way I knew to survive. The habit of moving on and not looking back. I’ve never had a place to look back to.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“Hayden had Rory’s IQ tested without my consent. When the tests concluded Rory was like me, I understood why my parents were so protective and kept my gift a secret. We were never romantically involved. Suddenly Hayden wanted to become a family to be there for Rory. I realized my son already had a family. He needed his father.”
Without skipping a beat, Steve stepped in front of her and stared at her mouth. His brown eyes caused a hitch in her breathing, just before his lips captured hers. Her hunger for him was all-embracing. She wanted every morsel of his mouth, his hands, his body. She didn’t want the kiss to end, but Steve leaned back with that dazzling smile splashed on his face.
He stuck his hand in his front pocket again and pulled out a diamond ring. “So, are you going to marry me?”
I want to. I didn’t think it would matter, but it does. She craved to, but it was a hard question to answer. She’d thought about it since she first considered moving back to Dallas.
“I can’t. As much as I want to, I came back to change Rory’s life. I never meant to change yours.”
“Maybe my life could use a little changing.” He stepped back, one hand pushing through his hair, the other tucking the ring in his jeans. “Maybe it’s the concussion, but I’m not completely following you.”
“I don’t want to get married because you feel obligated by the fact we had a child together.” She wanted to comfort him, to kiss him again, to hold on to him forever. But she didn’t. She stayed where she was
and said the words she’d practiced in her head too many times to count. “Go back to saving the world one case at a time, Steve. Rory will visit any time you want.”
“And what about what I want?”
“How could you possibly know what you want?” The words seemed familiar. It took a split second, but she remembered where she’d heard those words before. Steve had said them four years ago when they’d spoken about her career.
“I want what’s best for you and Rory.” He shook his head and let out a long breath. “I made the decision that broke us up. Let’s make this one to stay together.”
“You hardly know us,” she whispered.
“That can change.” He slapped his hand against his thigh. “Why are you so dead set against us being together?”
“It’s not that. You’re an FBI agent who has a gift for finding children and reuniting them with their families. I don’t want to change you or stop you from what you love. You’d eventually resent me for taking you away from your work.”
He cupped her face in his hands, waiting until her eyes met his.
“Look at me. Analyze the muscles in my face to determine if I’m telling the truth.” Steve took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before he said the most important words in his life. “I love you. And I loved Rory before I knew he was my son. I loved him because he was your son.”
“But you didn’t say anything when I told you.”
“It was kind of a shock to my brain. I’ll admit it took me a while to focus. And I didn’t completely understand until now why you didn’t tell me.”
Tears finally escaped the confines of her beautiful eyes. He knew how she felt. He remembered when Rory first spoke to him. How real everything became when he held the little guy in his arms for the first time.
“But you can’t just ask me to marry you.”
His mom waved from across the yard and pointed to his son running toward them. They all deserved the chance to be a family. “Why not? You love me, don’t you?”
“Yes, but—” She turned away, but he caught the look of fear and hope on her face. Caught the way her arms hugged her middle, protecting herself.
“No buts. Just say yes.” He caught her shoulders and tucked her safely against his chest, whispering in her ear. “When are you going to stop running, Janie?”
“I’m not running anywhere.” She turned in his arms, searching his face.
“You’re running from me and I can’t let you go again.”
He fingered the ring in his pocket, bringing it out one last time. His hand found hers, poised between them…ready to accept his promise.
“I don’t know how to do this,” she said with a shaky voice.
Sliding the ring onto her finger was the commitment he wanted to give. It was the right choice for him. Her acceptance by wearing the ring was what he needed.
Jane smiled as she sealed their pledge. They’d discover—together—how to make it right for them both.
“Let’s start with a kiss and take a slow walk down the aisle.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-6623-4
HILL COUNTRY HOLDUP
Copyright © 2010 by Angela Platt
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