Be My Guest

by Caroline Clemmons

  Aurora froze. Fear gripped her throat and made it impossible to get her breath. If she moved, Lenny would see her. For what seemed an eternity, Aurora watched as Lenny and Billy passed by. Crouched so low she almost crawled, she scurried away from the ravine. When she reached a large clump of cedar, she crept behind it and stood up. She rubbed her aching left arm. It's always this poor left arm that gets hurt, she thought.

  The peaceful scene away from the men belied the danger of her position. The pungent smell of salt cedar surrounded her and a bird called to its mate. The sun sank below the Caprock horizon and only the faint rosy glow remained above the bluffs. She prayed Lenny and Billy would not find her before dark.

  Aurora's attention was drawn to the right where a procession of trucks turned into the path leading to the little ramshackled house. Could that be Will's truck in front that screeched to a halt behind Lenny's truck? Far in the distance she could see flashing lights on the top of several patrol cars. Relief flooded through her. If she could hold out a few more minutes she would be safe.

  Lenny and Billy turned as they also saw the procession. Both men cursed and started for the same clump of cedar that sheltered her. Fear renewed itself as Aurora edged toward the next clump, trying to keep the bushy tree between her and the two men. She reached the next clump just as Lenny sighted her.

  At the same time, she heard Will calling to her. No voice had ever sounded so wonderful!

  "Aurora, are you okay? Aurora, can you hear me?"

  Lenny gave an evil laugh and raised his gun to aim it at Will.

  She yelled as loud as she could. "Will, get back! They've got guns."

  Aurora picked up rock and threw it at Lenny. The rock struck Lenny on the side of the head and distracted him so that his shot missed Will. She ran back to the ravine and pitched into it. Lenny turned and fired at her. Her arm stung as another bullet whizzed into the ravine near her, spraying gravel. She ignored a warm, wet trickle on her arm as she raced toward help.

  The increasing twilight made the ravine more difficult to navigate than even the few minutes before. Her hands pushed at roots and rocks protruding from the arroyo sides as she moved toward the house. Voices floated in front of her. Lenny's and Billy's cursing grew louder as they pursued her. Every sound seemed magnified. Otherworldly. She saw the whole scene from somewhere outside and above herself.

  Onward she ran, but her breathing grew ragged and her steps slowed. The boots seemed like lead weights meant to slow her legs. Surely Lenny and Billy were having as much trouble. Only a few more yards and she would be safe. Only a few more yards. She left the ravine and raced toward Will.

  Just as Aurora thought she was safe, her stiff boots stumbled on the uneven terrain and she fell forward. The hard fall knocked the wind from her. She struggled to her knees, only to see Lenny beside her.

  His gasps couldn't hide the venom of his voice. "Well, now, ain't this nice. I'll teach you to mess with me. Your rich boyfriend and all them others can watch you die."

  Aurora heard the click of his gun and watched as he aimed it at her head. She kicked at Lenny's legs, catching him in the back of his knees as a shot rang out, followed almost simultaneously by a second shot. The sound’s shock jolted her. Expecting to be shot, she braced herself. When she felt no new pain, she gazed around. Lenny clutched his shoulder and cursed as he fell to the ground. Aurora grabbed the gun he dropped before he could pick it up again.

  Billy dropped his gun and raised his hands, "Don't shoot. I'm unarmed." Two deputies took charge of Billy and Lenny.

  Will raced to Aurora's side and soon Raul, Tommy, Bob, and other cheering men surrounded her, though their faces became a blur. She put her head on Will's chest as the warmth of his arms engulfed her in a hug to match any grizzly's.

  "I think the girl who's missing is in that house." Aurora said to Sheriff Hodges when Will at last relaxed his arms around her so that she could speak.

  Two of the deputies had already entered the house. The Sheriff signaled to the only woman deputy with the group and together they also went into the house. Soon Sheriff Hodges returned alone to where Will stood with his arms around Aurora.

  The Sheriff's said, "Yes, she's in there. The ambulance is on the way."

  "She's alive then?" Relief flooded through Aurora.

  Hodges' expression was grim. He ran his hand across his face as if to erase the savage scene just witnessed in the house. "She's had a cruel time. But, yes, if you could call it that, she's still alive."

  He paused in stern reflection, then turned to Will. "Reckon we'll need a second ambulance now, thanks to your marksmanship." He clapped Will on the back. "I told you we need you in the reserve deputies."

  Aurora asled Will, "You mean that was your shot that hit Lenny?"

  He kissed her quickly and beamed. "Best I ever made. I couldn't let him shoot you, could I?" Will hugged her again, then registered the moistness of her sleeve with horror. "Oh, honey, you're hit."

  She gave her arm a perfunctory examination before declaring it only grazed. With the realization of how precarious her situation had been, she again buried her head in Will's chest.

  "Oh, Will, I was so frightened. I was afraid I would never see you again--afraid I'd never have the chance to tell you and Kelly how I feel about you. Thank God you came when you did."

  "When you didn't come to the party, I was thought it your way of telling me goodbye." The agony on his face proved to her just how much he wanted her. "When Lori Beth told me you'd been kidnapped, I went crazy." Will ran his hands up and down her arms as if to reassure himself she actually stood here with him.

  His comment puzzled her. She couldn't figure it out. "Lori Beth? How did she know?"

  "Eunice Foster, bless her, saw those guys dragging you away and called the sheriff. Then she called the ranch to let us know. Lori Beth answered the phone." His lips kissed her hair as he squeezed her to him. "So help me, I'll never buy feed from anyone but the Fosters as long as I live." Will's hands caressed Aurora's back as he held her to him. Never would he get enough of the feel of her next to him.

  "How did you know where they'd taken me?" Puzzled, she heard his heart's rapid beat under her ear. It sounded strong and clear, like her love for him. How could she have ever contemplated leaving this man?

  "Raul's cousin Paulo had a run-in with these two yesterday. He told me how to get here while Tommy called Sheriff Hodges with the same directions. We were closer than the sheriff, so we got here first. Damn, it makes me ill all over when I realized how close we came to being too late.”

  She leaned back to gaze into his eyes. What beautiful gray eyes he had. She could lose herself in them forever. "You seem to spend a lot of time rescuing me."

  He sounded very solemn. "I have all the time you need, Aurora."

  Aurora continued to meet his eyes. "Even if it's the rest of our lives?" The kiss Will gave her was the only answer she needed.

  This was all that she needed, this man was her lifesblood. She raised her head, "Will, about the store..."

  He cut her off before she could finish. "I don't care about the store. You can buy it or burn it, and it will be fine with me. You can work in town or sit on the front porch and whittle all day, I don't care. All I care about is that you marry me and spend the rest of your life with me."

  The men busied themselves with Lenny and Billy, discreetly turning their backs. The bullet from Will's gun hit Lenny in the shoulder but exited through his back. Lenny would live to stand trial.

  When the sheriff's deputies were ready to leave, Tommy clapped Will on the shoulder. Aurora thought to herself that Will's shoulder would soon be as sore as Lenny's with all this good-ol'e-boy shoulder clapping. Tommy put an arm around each of them as he led Aurora and Will toward the truck. "Come on, birthday boy. Although you won't get another present to match this one, you have guests waiting for your return."

  Raul walked beside Tommy. "Sí, amigo. Vamanos." He smiled at his friend and added, "It is just a though
t, but I am thinking that perhaps you will want Aurora with you in the truck. Paulo can ride back with Bob or me."

  Will shook Paulo's hand. "I can never repay you, Paulo. Without you and Raul, I would never have known where to find Aurora. This is the best birthday gift any man could ever have!"

  Paulo smiled and gazed from Will to Aurora. "I think, my old friend, that it is a wedding gift you have instead of a birthday gift.

  Alone with Will in the truck, Aurora sighed and snuggled close to Will. “Happy birthday. I’m sorry all this has spoiled your barbecue and celebration.”

  He pulled her into another bear hug. “After tonight’s terrifying episode, it’s turned out to be a wonderful day. You finally said you’ll marry me.” Their lips met in a fiery kiss.

  Horns from the pickups around them honked and they broke their embrace. Someone yelled, "Get a room, guys."

  "Guess we should go." She giggled, smoothed her hair, straightened her skirt. “Darn, your gift is in my car behind the shop.”

  He reached for her hand. Trust me, you’re the only gift I need.”

  She tilted her head and smiled at him. “Aren’t you even curious about the other gift I had for you?”

  “No gift could be as wonderful as your promise to marry me, but I give up. Tell me what you planned for the party.”

  “It’s an enameled red heart key chain.” When he looked at her as if she’d lost her mind, she laughed and met his gaze. “And a key. The key to Peggy’s shop. No, I mean it’s the key to my shop. You already have the one to my heart.”

  He flashed a triumphant grin. “I’ll treasure them both forever.”

  ***

  About Caroline Clemmons

  As long as I can remember, I've made up adventures. Okay, I admit the early creative stories featured me riding the range with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and saving the West. What a disappointment to learn that Roy was exclusively committed to Dale! Eventually, my best friend from across the street and I decided to become better detectives than Nancy Drew. We drove our parents and neighbors crazy sticking our pert little noses where they didn't belong. About that time I started writing down my adventures, but mostly I was a reader. Not until I read Nora Roberts' early novels did I decide to create my own romance manuscripts. My road to publishing was a lot slower than Nora's was. No surprise there! I still read Nora's books—as well as those of countless other authors—but now I write full time. Unless life interferes, that is.

  My Hero and I live on a small acreage in the ranching and horse country of North Central Texas. Our two daughters are grown, supportive, and live nearby. Living with Hero and me now are Webster, our sweet black Shih Tzu, and our two shorthaired cats: Sebastian, a large black and white tuxedo who thinks he's our watchcat; and Bailey Erin, a shy apricot tabby. When I'm not writing, I love spending time with family, reading, traveling with Hero, browsing antique malls, and digging into family history and genealogy. Writing about strong heroes and heroines who overcome amazing obstacles to forge a meaningful life together is my passion.

  Learn more about the author at http://www.carolineclemmons.com and at her blog at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com. She loves to hear from readers at mailto:caroline@carolineclemmons.com

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten