U.S. Marshals: Chased (U.S. Marshals Book 2)

by Laura Marie Altom

  “But you’re also understandably still bitter about having lost so many years,” Allie bravely said.

  “You know…” While her hairstylist stood patiently reading a magazine, Gillian pulled one of the cushioned pool chairs to the manicure/pedicure station. “At first, yeah, I was furious for what you’d done, but then I looked at it from your point of view. It’s not been all that long ago that I went through my own less than idyllic romance. Joe and I survived some treacherous times. And believe me, there were more than a few days I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to kiss the man or strangle him. Sure, now, every day I pinch myself to believe I’m not living in the pages of a fairy tale, but it wasn’t always that way.” She sipped at her drink. “Allie, I know firsthand my brother can be a major horse’s behind. I can just imagine you initially telling him you were pregnant. You were probably hoping for a reaction somewhere in the range of shock, soon overcome by wild elation and tears and a romantic proposal, am I right?”

  Tearing up herself that finally, finally, someone had stopped to look at her side of the coin, Allie nodded.

  “Okay, and so then my moose of a brother probably just stood there, dumbfounded. Hands shoved in his pockets, saying nothing.”

  “No,” Allie said. “He did keep saying one thing over and over. That he’d make it right.” She laughed. “Well, our baby wasn’t an it. From the first day I learned I was carrying Caleb’s child, I wanted him or her more than anything I’d ever wanted in the world. More than my law degree. More than world peace. I selfishly wanted this child to be the glue bonding Caleb and I together forever. But one look at his face after I’d told him the news, and it didn’t take rocket science or even my law degree to tell me he not only didn’t want this baby, he didn’t want me. He didn’t want us, and this stupid, storybook image I’d spun of the two of us living happily—”

  “That’s not true,” Caleb said, stepping out from behind a palm. “I wanted the happy ending. I just wasn’t as quick to realize it. I needed more time. But you were too damned selfish to give me even a week.”

  Gillian blurted, “Oh, for heaven’s sake! She wasn’t selfish, Caleb, she was hurt. She was afraid for you, and even worse, probably thought you didn’t want her or the baby. What woman in her right mind would stick around trying to force a man to love her? It can’t be done. It’s like shoving a square peg in a round hole. And you saying you were going to make it right? What the heck was that supposed to mean?”

  “Zip it, Gil.” Caleb didn’t give two figs that his sister thought he’d bungled the situation all those years ago. All he cared about was that the woman he loved—and yes, he did love Allie, most likely never stopped loving her—was sitting alone and fragile with a calendar hunk staring at her like she was the meat he was going to wolf down for dinner.

  Swooping his bride-to-be out of the stupid toe-decorating chair and into his arms, Caleb said, “Sis, carry on this party without Allie. She’ll be busy for the rest of the day.”

  Not caring that the remaining woman in the room and three men were gaping, Caleb took his curvaceous treasure outlaw-style in search of the nearest bedroom.

  “I love you.” Allie’s words landed against Caleb’s warm neck and cheek, reverberating back to her laced with his heady, all-male smell. “I’m not even sure how or when it happened—maybe my love for you never stopped. Maybe just now, when you busted in on all that girly stuff and just took me.”

  “I haven’t taken you yet,” he said, heading for the winding staircase at the end of the hall. “First we have to find a suitable place… A feat which I’m beginning to think may be tougher than our patching things up.”

  She laughed. Hugged him that much harder, now certain she’d never again let him go.

  “I thought you’d been here before?” she asked.

  “I have,” he said. “But they keep building new additions. If Joe and Gillian weren’t always doing nice things for people, all their money would be disgusting.”

  By the top of the stairs, Caleb was breathing heavy.

  “You can put me down, you know?”

  “Nope.” He’d leaned against a marble pillar. “Just need a second to catch my breath.”

  “You’re a goon for keeping up this macho act. Seriously,” she said, squirming for Caleb to put her down. “I was impressed by the whole scooping me up and carrying me off into the sunset routine. But now that it’s just us, you can drop me. You know—” she winked “—save your energy for other activities.”

  “Oh, don’t you worry,” he said with a big, naughty grin. “That portion of my anatomy runs on an entirely different battery pack.”

  “Well in that case…”

  “Hey—” a voice sounding suspiciously like Gillian’s said through the house’s intercom system. “If there’s a moose upstairs, barreling his way through my delicate antiques looking for a place to snuggle with his sweetie, go to the end of the main hall. Make a right. Go to the end of that hall. Make another right. Go through the double doors, and you two will have the whole wing to yourselves. Oh, and in case you’re wondering who this voice belongs to—it’s God. You two better get it right this time or else I might have to come down there and—” Gillian giggled. “Joe, quit. I was right in the middle of— Well, why didn’t you tell me I was still pressing the transmit button. You know I’ve never known how to work this—”

  Allie asked, “Did you understand a fraction of those directions?”

  Caleb released a ragged breath. “All I really understand is that this house is too big to pull off a proper Wild West kidnapping. Would you really not be too upset if I put you down? I’m dyin’.”

  Beaming just being with him, she shook her head.

  He set her to her feet, and she took his hand. “Come on, you big weakling. I think our room is this way.”

  “This is really it?” Caleb asked.

  “These were the only double doors I’ve seen since at least a mile back.” Save for a small sliver of light sneaking past drapes, the room was so dark that until they found a light switch there was really no way to tell if they were in a bedroom or gymnasium.

  With both of them fumbling for a switch, it wasn’t exactly a stellar launch to their official bedroom reunion. But as high as Allie currently felt knowing that finally both had forgiven and were ready to move on with their lives, she didn’t need champagne and roses—just Caleb.

  Lots and lots of Caleb.

  “Ah,” he said, “I think I might’ve found something.” He flicked one light switch, then two, then burst out laughing. “You’ve got to be kidding…”

  Allie took one look at their room and started laughing right along with him. “Looks like someone knows you a little too well.”

  “Remind me to thank Gillian and Joe for this.” He shut the doors before kissing her hard and claiming. “Tonight you’re mine. And with so much family in the house to help parent Cal, I’m not sharing.”

  Dazed and totally, completely, head-over-heels in love, Caleb’s logic sounded perfect to her!

  In keeping with Gillian’s apparent love of fantasy-themed rooms, their room had been done up to resemble a Wild West saloon with the red-velvet-draped bed sitting up on a small stage. There was even a swing over the bar and a rack of costumes in case they had trouble getting into the mood.

  Hand in hand, they climbed the short set of stairs to the bed, then past, beyond a curtain that led to what a sign proclaimed was “The Watering Trough.” Perched in the center of smooth-washed river pebbles placed like tiles was a barrel-shaped bubbling hot tub. In a couple of nearby stalls, two stuffed animatronic horses appeared to be chewing straw. They were so real looking, Allie had to stroke a brown nose. Almost as soft as the real thing!

  On the far side of the room was a sink and open shower with dozens of spray jets angled to hit all major body parts, and some that might’ve been previously overlooked.

  “This is nuts,” Caleb said.

  “I love it,” Allie said, sweeping op
en the red velvet drapes behind the hot tub to reveal an awe-inspiring view of a snowcapped Mount Hood. “We should just stay here forever. The place is so big, Gillian and Joe would never even know we were here.”

  Caleb drew the drapes.

  “Hey, what’d you do that for? All that sunshine felt nice.” She winked and suggestively spun the belt to her robe. “It’d feel even better if you took off this fluffy towel with sleeves.”

  “I might be off duty,” he said, kneeling to slip his hand into the part in her robe, then gravitated up her thigh, “but that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped worrying about you. Francis and most of his thugs might be behind bars, but that doesn’t mean you’re officially safe.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Shut up and just go back to that new territory exploration.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He tipped his imaginary hat.

  “You can do better than that,” she said, dragging him upright, then back out to the saloon portion of their suite. “How about a real cowboy hat? And chaps. Mmm, yeah, nice leather chaps and nothing else.”

  Once she’d parked him in front of the costume rack, he frowned. “The hat, maybe. But chaps?” He shot her a look. “Sorry. Ain’t going to happen. Now this on the other hand…” He held out a red bustier with black lace trim. “Oh, yeah, Daddy likes. Go put it on.”

  Hands on her hips, she said, “And all I get to see on you is a lousy cowboy hat?”

  “Tell you what,” he said, leaving her breathless with a teasing kiss. “You get your assets poured into that getup, and I’ll see what I can do.”

  Allie had never felt more feminine. Silly. But for sure, all-woman with her waist cinched in and her heaving bosom thrust up and out.

  She took a deep breath, eyed herself one last time in the cheval mirror located in the dressing room/closet that was bigger than her whole bedroom at home, then headed out to the saloon room to meet her man.

  “’Bout time,” he said, shuffling a deck of cards at a poker table. He sat with his booted and spurred feet up on the table. Faded jeans hugged the length of his long legs, and on his chest was nothing but the muscles and dark sprinkling of hair God gave him. On his head sat the hat she’d requested—on his face, a slow grin beckoning her straight onto his lap.

  “Damn…” he said with an appreciative whistle. “Spin around.”

  Face no doubt as red as the cranberries they’d be having for Thanksgiving dinner, Allie abided by his request, making sure she added plenty of flirty moves with her matching red-and-black parasol.

  “Y-you look…” Still smiling, he swallowed hard.

  “What’s the matter, cowboy? Cat got your tongue?”

  “You are without a doubt, the most beautiful woman ever created.”

  “Thank you,” she said, heart pounding to be the recipient of such high praise. “You’re not so bad yourself. I like what you did with the hat. Though you might want to be careful with those spurs…”

  Allie gripped the iron headboard, Caleb’s shoulders, his back. But anywhere she grabbed couldn’t ground her from the elated feeling of flight that strummed through her with each thrust. He was just as amazing a lover as she remembered. Repeatedly bringing her to climax in a myriad of ingenious ways before he’d even been satisfied once.

  He’d had tricks she was still recovering from. Then, just when she’d been on the verge of throwing a good old-fashioned hissy fit if he didn’t once and for all satisfy the hunger that’d been growing since the last time she’d been in his arms, he’d plunged inside her, finally fulfilling her every aching need.

  “Lord, I love you,” he said, nipping at her breast, kissing her throat, then moving up, up to cover her mouth with his, stroking her with his tongue.

  “I love you,” she somehow managed.

  Faster and faster he rode, and she clung to him, surrendering in full. Here, now, her every dream came true. No more heartache. From here to the end of what would hopefully be very long lives, there’d be nothing but joy.

  He rode harder still, and she bit his shoulder, pressing her fingertips into his back, sliding her fingers farther down. Helping him uncover still deeper, more intimate spots until the pleasure spiraling through her was too great to further ponder their wondrous act when all she could do was oh-so-willingly surrender.

  “I’m so sorry I hurt you,” she said between kisses.

  “Likewise,” he said, sweeping aside long strands of her sweat dampened hair. “Never leave me again. No matter what idiotic, bullheaded thing I might say.”

  “I won’t,” she said. “No matter what. It’s you and me and Cal together for the rest of our lives.”

  “Don’t forget anyone else who might happen along,” he said, easing over to pat her belly.

  “You in a hurry for more?” she asked.

  He nodded.

  “Good,” she said, giving him another kiss. “Ever since having Cal, I’ve dreamt of the day when I could have another baby. Only this time, with you there to help me raise it.”

  “Tell you what,” he said. “How about we hit the watering trough for a nice, long soak, then you get back on that swing and we’ll see what we can do about getting our boy a little brother or sister.”

  Allie couldn’t help but giggle. “I don’t know. Think it’ll hold?”

  He lightly smacked her behind. “Only one way to find out.”

  “Hey, Mom and Dad,” Cal called out from his inner tube as he floated down the solarium’s lazy river along with his cousin. “Where have you been?”

  Allie gave Caleb a nudge. Considering the fact that they’d been holed up in their suite for a whole afternoon, night and part of Thanksgiving morning, someone had a lot of explaining to do. She nominated him.

  “Gee, thanks,” he said under his breath.

  Luckily, the narrow river had taken Cal around another bend, momentarily putting off the need to answer.

  Both dogs sat transfixed beneath an exotic tree, staring up at equally exotic birds.

  “Yeah,” Adam said from one of the cushy pool chairs. “Where have you been?”

  Beau looked up from an opulent poolside buffet of fruits and an assortment of yummy breakfast foods. “Come to think of it,” he said, “it has been a while since you two were last sighted.”

  “Knock it off,” Caleb said to his brothers, slipping his arm possessively around Allie’s waist to lead her toward the buffet. “Let’s just say we had catching up to do.”

  “Cool.” Beau reached for a pancake.

  “No,” Adam said. “If you’d had to put up with these two and their constant bickering for the past few weeks, you wouldn’t think this sudden reunion was cool, but more of a glory-freakin’-be. So? Does this mean me and the crew will finally get some peace?”

  “First off,” Caleb began after pitching a cheese cube at his brother.

  It fell to the tile floor where Barney promptly ate it.

  When Milo looked to him expectantly, Caleb tossed him a mini cheese chunk, too.

  “I hope there will soon be no more need for a crew—and in light of recent events, I’m officially taking myself off the case. And second, nothing else me and Allie do is any of your stinkin’ business.”

  “Yeah,” Beau said. “But you’ve gotta admit that Wild West room is pretty hot. At least give us a rundown on which equipment you used.”

  At that, Allie shrieked, “You two are merciless! Caleb, can’t you get them under some sort of control?”

  He laughed. “Been trying every day of my life. At this point, I’m thinking we might just have to find them women of their own to do the job for us.”

  Sitting at Gillian and Joe’s endless Thanksgiving table in the stone-walled, Medieval-themed dining hall, surrounded by so many she held dear, filled Allie with bone-deep contentment. How long had she wished for a big, boisterous family? For the secret about Cal’s existence to not only be out, but for Caleb to embrace the knowledge of his having a son? How long had she wished for something stupid like a real turkey? And
here all of it was together at this one long table gleaming with polished silver and sparkling crystal and the delicious aromas that came from not just turkey, but ham and mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes and all the trimmings anyone could ever ask for.

  Better yet were the people. Caleb and Cal. Gillian and Joe and their two little ones. Beau and Adam and Vince. Her smiling mom. Even Joe’s first wife’s parents, who were busy doting on Meghan and the baby.

  What a magical day. What a magical life.

  If only her father could be here to share her many blessings. Allie cleared her throat. “If you don’t mind,” she said, “I’d like to add to Joe’s prayer.”

  “What was wrong with mine?” Joe asked with a teasing wink.

  “Nothing and you know it,” she said. “I—I just…” She pressed her gold linen napkin to already tearing eyes. “I’m sorry. It’s just that this is the first Thanksgiving in a long time that I’ve had so much to be so thankful for. Yes, I’ve been blessed with a fine son and a great job and home, but this year, I’m almost too happy. I have this sensation like if I sneeze or something, all of this—you—might just vanish.”

  “Not a chance!” Beau said. “You see the huge lunch Adam put away? The boy’s going nowhere soon.”

  Everyone shared a laugh, lightening the gravity of Allie’s words. Yet in all of their faces, she saw recognition for what she’d meant. They were especially thankful, too. She saw it in the way Gillian rested her head on Joe’s shoulder. The way Vince cupped his hand around the top of Cal’s head. The way Caleb gave both his brothers affectionate smiles.

  “Anyway…” She swallowed the happy knot in her throat. “Thank you.” She raised her wineglass. “Not just to all of you, but to God and His angels. Thank you all so very, very much.”