Lone Star Knight
Page 16
“And you think I would ask you to leave here?”
“I think that, right now, you are as in love with the idea of hiding out here as you are in love with me,” he said bluntly.
She rose, walked over to him. “Do you love me, Matthew?”
He touched a hand to her hair. “I think that I have always loved you,” he confessed and felt the truth of those words seep into his marrow, settle deep.
Tears rimmed her eyes as she walked into his arms. He drew her close, drowning in the scent of her hair, in the feel of her molded against him.
“Then trust me to know my heart. Trust yourself to know yours. Above all, trust us to find some common ground together. Believe in us, Matthew.” She drew back so she could see his face. “I love you. I love High Stakes. And I stopped hiding days ago. But I’ll never stop loving you. Never.”
He bent his head to hers, his chest so full of love and want for this woman, he felt the burn behind his eyes. He pinched his eyes shut, gave a brisk shake of his head and knew that whatever he had thought, no matter how noble his intentions, he could never let her go.
“Does this mean I’ve convinced you?” he asked of her misty blue eyes.
She smiled. “Oh, two little words might seal the deal.”
“Marry me,” he said without hesitation.
“Yes,” she said and brought his mouth down to hers.
Outside the bedroom door, Lois let out a huge sigh of relief. “Well, it’s about darn time,” she muttered and brushed a tear from her eye as she tottered on down the hall. “Thought that silly little pup was gonna let that woman get away. Take and tan his hide is what I’d do if he hadn’t come to his senses.
“Frank!” she bellowed as she trundled down the stairs. “Franklin! We’re gonna have us another weddin’! I took and told you so, now didn’t I?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Frank said as he met her at the bottom of the stairs. “You surely did.”
“A countess,” she purred, as Frank settled an arm over her shoulders. “Did you ever take and think we’d have us a countess at High Stakes?”
“No, dear. I never did.”
They were still in bed when the phone rang the next morning. “Walker,” Matt said, tucking Helena under his shoulder and the phone beneath his chin. “Aaron. Hi. What’s up?”
“Things are heating up,” Aaron said. “I just got a call from Justin. A car attempted to run down Jamie a little while ago.”
Matt shot to a sitting position. “My God. I never thought they’d go that far. Is she all right?”
Concerned, Helena raised up on her elbows.
“Yeah. Thank God, Ben was there when it happened and he shoved her out of its path. She took a nasty fall though. When Justin called, he’d just come from the ranch where Ben had taken Jamie. Justin says she’ll be fine even though she’s shaken and has a knot on her head. According to Justin, Ben really showed his hot Amythra blood. Says he swept her off like in some scene out of the Arabian Nights,” Aaron added with a grin in his voice.
“I hate that this happened to her, but I’m glad she’s out of town and safe with Ben.”
Aaron chuckled. “She may be out of danger from this jewel fiasco, but I wouldn’t exactly say she’s safe. Did you ever notice the look in Ben’s eyes whenever her name comes up?”
After a few brief words about how things just kept getting more convoluted, Matt hung up.
Beside him, Helena was practically in tears. “What’s going on? What’s happened to Jamie?”
“It’s okay,” he murmured and pulled her close. “Jamie’s fine. She’s in good hands.”
She settled into his embrace, breathed a relieved sigh after he’d filled her in. “And so am I,” she said and snuggled in beside him. “I’m in the very best of hands.”
Later, after he’d loved her thoroughly and she’d fallen back asleep, he thought back to Aaron’s phone call. Ben and Jamie. Could the aloof and mysterious Sheikh Ben Rassad and sweet, sassy Jamie Morris possibly find what he and Helena had found together?
Doubtful. But then again—he turned and smiled at the Earl of Orion’s daughter, naked and warm against his side—stranger things have happened.
Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Cindy Gerard for her
contribution to the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Lone Star Jewels series.
New friends, like blessings, turn up at the most unexpected times.
This book is dedicated to my new friends, talented authors all:
Jennifer Greene, Sara Orwig, Kristi Gold and Sheri WhiteFeather.
It was great fun saving the jewels with you.
Special thanks to Dr. Joan Harding for lending both her friendship
and her medical expertise to the writing of this book.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0664-9
LONE STAR KNIGHT
Copyright © 2001 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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