Man of Honor, A

by Tina Leonard

  Cord looked down to study the infant. Dark hair, not blond like Tessa's. That was Greer. Blue eyes, which could be any of them. All of that could change as the baby grew.

  But the face shape, the lusty yell, the compact body - he'd experienced all that before.

  Suddenly he was back in time, and his mother was bringing his new baby brother home to him.

  "Take good care of him, Cord," she'd said. "He's going to look up to his big brother all his life. He's going to be your best friend."

  She'd been right. They'd had a special bond.

  The baby in his arms flung a fist out of the flannel wrapping, waving it at the world. Instantly, Cord knew. The baby had Hunt's face, the face Cord had never thought to see again. It was in the streak of brow over wide-open eyes and even the shape of the eyes; Hunt was there in the angle of the chin, the curve of the head. Memories of tree-house

  picnics, lazy summers and boyhood dreams came pouring back to him.

  His brother would always be with him in this child. It was a blessing he couldn't possibly have imagined.

  Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath, drawing the air into his chest in a profoundly grateful sigh. Tears in his eyes, he kissed the baby on the forehead, and then he kissed Tessa.

  "Thank you," he said. "Thank you so much."

  Chapter Nineteen

  Tessa awakened when Nurse Gray came in to take her pulse and remove her IV. She glanced at Cord, who hadn't left her side. Though she couldn't see his eyes for the black cowboy hat, she knew he was asleep, hiding under the brim. He held the baby securely on the V made by the leg he rested on his other knee. His hands held the sleeping baby in

  place, one at the diaper line, one palm over the knitted baby cap.

  She thought maybe she had never seen anything so sexy as that baby cradled in worn blue jeans and held by Cord's strong fingers.

  "Is he asleep?" Anita Gray asked.

  "Yes."

  "How does he sleep sitting like that?"

  "I don't know. The night nurse tried to talk him into sleeping on a cot, and I tried to get him to go to a hotel so he could shower and take a nap. But he wouldn't."

  "You're lucky," Nurse Gray replied. "We see a lot of dads and quite a few of them are excited about their babies, but he's devoted."

  Tessa lowered her lashes and didn't reply.

  "Seems like the little tyke sleeps just fine with his daddy."

  The baby was sometimes fussy, but not when Cord held him. Tessa imagined it was the wonderful feeling of security Cord emanated.

  "We got married in Mexico yesterday," she told the nurse. "Have you ever done something that afterward you knew was a mistake?"

  "Oh, honey." Anita patted her arm. "You know what? You sound like all the other mothers who come here. A little bit of blues is normal after delivery. Half the women who come

  in here either want to kill their husbands during delivery or right after when they're feeling puny as a sick dog. You got yourself a big hunk of burning love sitting right there holding your little hunk of baby love, and I'd be willing to bet my nurses' training you didn't make a mistake. Give your body a chance to adjust to all the hormones flying around in it for a while before you make any huge decisions."

  Tessa didn't reply. Her huge decision had been to get married. All her sound reasoning had melted into nothing now that the sheriff had been defeated.

  "What are you going to name Baby Greer?"

  That was an issue they hadn't discussed. It was a touchy one. She wasn't certain if Cord would want to share in it.

  "I haven't decided. We haven't decided," she corrected herself.

  "Well, you'll think of something," Nurse Gray said happily.

  Cord raised his head. He stared at Tessa. A shiver went through her as their eyes met.

  "How do you feel about Michael?" he asked.

  "Michael? Michael Greer?" Hoping he'd still been asleep when she'd voiced her fears to Nurse Gray, she nodded. "I like it. A lot."

  "I've been reading in this family Bible of yours. There's a family tree on the inside cover, which shows you had a grandfather named Michael. Someone's underlined some passages about Michael, the archangel. Apparently, he's a tough dude. Strong. And courageous."

  It was just right somehow. The relationship between her and Cord should be just right, too. But she knew it was not. The premonition that had been haunting her, warning that time was running out, took shape in her mind and she knew why.

  She couldn't make Cord stay with her for the rest of her life. He put everyone else first, took care of her, his brother, the baby. He was a good man and didn't deserve to be shackled to her out of a sense of responsibility. It was the worst way she could think of to start a marriage.

  There was no longer any need for matrimonial subterfuge. The criminals had been caught. Hunt was safe from the men who had been planning to assassinate him.

  Cord should be free. They had spoken no words of love, and though their passion had been powerful, there was a lot more required to have love blossom and grow between two people.

  "Write Michael on the chart," she instructed Nurse Gray. "Michael Alan Greer."

  "Will do gladly," Nurse Gray said as she left the room with a smile.

  "Alan?" Cord asked, but he already knew.

  "Yes, Alan for your father, because he would have been very proud of his older son."

  She could tell Cord liked that by the way his eyes lit up.

  It was heartrending to witness his joy, so she stared down at her right hand, fiddling with the silver and lapis ring.

  "I've made plane reservations to get you home tomorrow."

  Her head came up.

  "Why?"

  "Because you can't ride all the way back to Crookseye in a truck, Tessa. I can't imagine it would be comfortable for you or the baby."

  As much as she knew she had to free him of the responsibility of her and her baby, she hadn't wanted to be torn from him that soon.

  "Tomorrow?"

  "Yes. The doctor says you check out tomorrow. The baby is strong and healthy, so there's no reason to keep him here. You delivered one whopping youngster. " He grinned proudly.

  "You and Michael will fly home, and I've arranged for your mother to pick you up at the airport."

  "Mama and Nan will be so happy to see the baby," she said reluctantly.

  He was being sensible, of course. All those hours in a truck would be tough on her, especially with no place to lie down.

  "Cord," she said softly, "there's something I want to talk to you about."

  "Shoot."

  "You and I, we've been through a lot... together. But it's over now, and I think our ... fake marriage should be over, too. If we'd waited twenty-four hours, maybe it wouldn't have even been necessary."

  "Hold on, Tessa. If we hadn't gone to Mexico to get married, none of those folks would have followed us, and who knows when Sheriff Grimes would have stumbled over the murderers? Our marriage was for good, in every way. "

  Her neck heated above the lace of her gown. "If I say that you wouldn't have married me without the necessity of the subterfuge, you'll argue with me and pretend not to see the point."

  "Damn right I will."

  She shook her head at him. "Cord, I asked you to marry me. I thought I was protecting you and Hunt, but now those reasons no longer exist. We need to dissolve our marriage. Anything else would fall short of what's right. What really counts."

  "I didn't need protecting. And what really counts is this little baby. And you and me." He got up to sit on the edge of the bed, putting Michael down between them.

  "Tessa, I know I'm a man of few words. I don't always say what I feel. But I do feel deeply. And you've made me the happiest man on earth."

  "How could I?"

  "Because I love you. I have for a long time." He picked up her fingers, then kissed the tips.

  "I'm not taking on my brother's responsibility. I know that's what you think. The truth is, it was
my duty to stay out of your way when you and Hunt were together. But you've both moved on, and once I saw that, I hoped you'd think of me. "

  "I thought about you a lot," she admitted softly.

  "You're all I ever wanted."

  "But I find that so hard to believe."

  He kissed her palm. "Don't. You're the one who should be running for the hills. I've been

  trying to think of how to keep you now that I've got you."

  "Oh, I doubt it will be as hard as you think."

  "Well, I'm not my brother. I don't laugh as much, I'm a lot more serious, and I don't dance well. But that doesn't mean I won't love you every day of your life."

  "I don't see any of those as shortcomings," she said, laughing at him a little. "I fell for you because you're kind and giving and strong. It was enough to steal my heart even when I so badly didn't want to lose it again."

  "But? Do I hear a but?"

  "But I have. I do love you, very much. I don't want you to stay married to me because you feel sorry for me."

  "Oh, I can assure you you're no charity case, Tessa Greer. I've wanted you for so long it's going to take me months to realize I finally have the woman of my dreams. "

  Her heart just about burst inside her chest from sheer joy.

  "I never knew I could be so happy."

  He smiled, the skin crinkling around the corners of his eyes, the way it did when he was the happiest.

  "Don't talk about leaving anymore. My heart can't stand the shock."

  "I'm sorry. I just felt that giving you the chance to back out was the right thing to do. But I'm terribly glad you're not accepting my offer." She smiled, then leaned over to kiss his cheek.

  "You can do better than that." He motioned with one finger, gesturing for her to kiss his mouth instead. "I'm not about to give up the only woman I know who can burn toast.

  It's a rare talent."

  She leaned over and kissed his lips, a kiss that he returned in full.

  Between them, Michael let out a small cry.

  "He's going to be keeping you up at night," Tessa teased.

  "I'll be keeping you awake, so that will be fine with me."

  She touched her fingers to the nape of his neck, running through the long strands of hair at his collar.

  "You know what I really want for Michael?"

  "Tell me."

  "A baby brother one day."

  Cord nodded. "Me, too."

  She smiled at him, remembering. "And a tree house. For the boys."

  "What about their father?" His raised brows suggested he looked forward to camping out with his sons.

  "I'll miss you in our bed," she said, sliding her arms around his neck, "but I'll bring you the fishing poles at dawn."

  "You're going to make a wonderful, understanding mother and wife," he told her.

  She put her lips to his and whispered, "But after the night out with the boys and the fishing trip, you're all mine." She kissed him so he'd completely get her meaning.

  "I think I'll build that tree house," he said, pulling her close to him as she picked up the baby, "but maybe I'll build it big enough for six."

  "Why don't you?"

  "Why don't I just? How are you at scaling fish?"

  "I can't." She snuggled her face against his as they gazed down at the baby. "I'll master popcorn before the boys are old enough to sleep in the tree house."

  "What if it's a girl?"

  "Our next child?"

  He nodded.

  "Well, then," Tessa said, leaning against him, fully at peace, "she'll do just fine. She'll have a daddy who adores her."

  "Like her mother," he said, sneaking a kiss.

  "Yes," Tessa said, giving him another.

  As he held her, Cord smiled. His brother had been right. Everything good in life lived on in the heart.

  Silent as a shadow, Hunt stepped into the jail cell. The prisoner turned, instantly on guard since no one ever entered. "I heard you were trying to find me a few months back," Hunt said softly. "Here I am."

  Salvador looked into the glittering eyes and knew instant fear, though the face had changed.

  "You killed my brother."

  Hunt stepped close to stare into the prisoner's eyes. "I am not responsible for the bad choices some people make. Your brother made choices my country had to act upon. " He touched one finger to the vein pulsing in Salvador's neck. "But you killed the man who was like my father," he said quietly.

  "He would have warned you. And I wanted to avenge my brother's death."

  Hunt shrugged, pressing more steadily against the vein. "The problem is, you were using the wrong method to get to me. I can't let you live, knowing there is unfinished business between us."

  "You mean your woman," Salvador spit out.

  "I mean my brother's wife," Hunt said smoothly. He pressed harder so that Salvador's expression began to show pain.

  "Say that for me. Your brother's wife," he instructed.

  "Your brother's wife," Salvador said on a gasp. "Who had your child."

  "Who had their child," Hunt corrected calmly.

  "Their child," Salvador repeated.

  "Doesn't that bother you?" he asked the Hunter, knowing the words were probably his last on earth.

  Abruptly, the pressure was removed just as stars exploded behind his eyes.

  "No," Hunt said. "You loved your brother. And I love mine. When you get back to Spain, remember that. Or I will have to kill you."

  Salvador nodded, leaning against the cold wall. Hunt stepped from the cell before turning to stare through the bars.

  Salvador stopped breathing as the glittering eyes held him to their understanding. The face was different - but the eyes promised death.

  He nodded his acquiescence.

  Slowly, the Hunter nodded. And then he was gone.

  "Come here, sweet potato pie," Hester said lovingly as she picked up baby Michael.

  "You just let your grandma sing you a lullaby so you don't fuss anymore."

  Tessa grinned at Cord and Nan as Hester picked up the three-month-old. He grasped her finger, wailing at the top of his lungs.

  "You are the strongest little thing I have ever seen," Hester crooned. "My goodness, but I do believe you are destined to take on the world." She cradled the baby to her, the crying instantly ceasing as the infant sensed warmth.

  "She never puts him down," Tessa whispered to Nan.

  "Spoils him rotten," Cord added although the complaint was good-humored.

  "Can't imagine why." Nan smiled. "He's only the most beautiful child on the planet. And usually has his mother's sweet disposition." She gave Cord a poke in the arm. "And your appetite."

  "Oh, my gosh. That reminds me. I was supposed to take the apple pie out of the oven!" Tessa flew into the kitchen to retrieve it.

  They all followed in time to see smoke billowing into the air as Tessa opened the oven door.

  "Wow," Cord said. "Good thing I like my pie a little crisp."

  Nan waved an oven mitt in the air to clear the smoke.

  "Shew-eel, can’t see a thing."

  "I'm never going to get the hang of cooking," Tessa moaned.

  Ever since her wedding day, she'd been determined to conquer her disastrous ways in the kitchen, something she thought was required of a good wife.

  Cord saw the tears begin to fill his wife's eyes and grinned.

  "Can you and Hester watch the baby for a while?"

  "Sure thing." Nan waved Tessa's way with the mitt. "Leave the good part to us grannies. You reward your wife for trying so hard."

  "I intend to." He scooped Tessa into his arms, pot holder, apron and all.

  "Cord!" she shrieked. "What are you doing?"

  "Didn't marry you to have you in the kitchen, Tessa Greer," he told her on a chuckle.

  "I can think of much better ways for you to spend your time." He carried her out of Hester's house to his truck and seated her inside.

  She smelled like flour and cinnamon,
and he was hungry.

  "That pie will take two hours to cool, so I'm taking you home. Cooking lessons from your mother and Nan can wait."

  She giggled, pulling the apron from around her waist. "I think you just have something else in mind for rising."

  He glanced at her, his expression dry.

  "I'm past the rising stage. What comes after that?"

  "If you can drive this truck any faster, I promise to show you when we get home," she whispered in his ear, snuggling against his arm. "I'm much better at lovemaking than cooking, I promise."

  He grinned. "I love you, Tessa."

  Her heart spilled over with joy.

  "I know. I love you, too."

  He parked the truck and reached inside to pull her out so that he could carry her. Ellie danced and barked at his feet, caught up in their excitement. Cord strode to the porch, putting Tessa down so he could open the door. They walked inside, both instantly pausing when they saw the wooden rocking horse in the hallway.

  Small and white, it was a child's dream first ride. The bridle was blue. Across the saddle, Michael was scrolled in gold letters – and painted golden pennies adorned the leather. A card attached to the mane said simply, "I love you all."

  Cord and Tessa glanced at each other, smiling.

  "Hunt," they said at the same time. And then went into each other's arms, with nothing standing between them ever again and a future so bright it shone.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen