Reegan doubted they’d spend forever in this house on the ranch. But it would be a good start for them. There were two bedrooms, one for them and one for their first child. She hadn’t even had her first real kiss yet, and she was already thinking about, well, more.
“Brandon and Reegan don’t have to rush like we did,” Sarai was saying.
“None of us had to rush,” said Eva. “They all had months before that zoning about this land being for families only kicked in. Every one of them married before time was up.”
“She’s right.” Sarai turned back to Reegan. “You’ll likely be hitched by the weekend.”
That sounded perfectly fine to Reegan. The sooner, the better.
“And then you won’t be alone when he gets deployed again,” said Eva. “You’ll have us.”
It took Reegan running the woman’s words in her head over and over again to comprehend. Each time she replayed Eva’s words her blood grew colder and colder until the pitcher of lemonade slipped out of her hands.
“When he what?” Reegan breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Eva and Sarai looked to each other. Concern was etched on both their honey-golden skin.
“I …” Eva looked between Sarai and Reegan. “That’s what he said his first night here.”
“Brandon’s deploying?” Reegan tested out the words. They tasted bitter on her tongue. “He’s going back to war?”
“I could be wrong?” Eva’s words rushed out. “That was his first day here before he met you.”
“He met me before he came here.”
“But he wasn’t in love with you then,” Sarai offered. “He is now.”
The back door opened. All three women turned to the large figure standing in the doorway. Brandon’s gaze swept over the scene at the kitchen table. His eyes were bright, hungry as they searched for her. But the light dimmed when he saw her. The two other women quickly excused themselves.
Reegan couldn’t look at him. Instead, she grabbed a rag and began mopping up the spilled lemonade. As she squeezed the sugary beverage from the rag, she felt all the joy squeeze from her heart.
“What happened?” Brandon asked.
“What does it look like?” she snapped, her voice breaking.
“I see the obvious answer is that someone spilled lemonade. But I don’t think it’s the right answer.” He bent down and took the rag from her, finishing cleaning up the mess she’d made.
Reegan watched him. She watched how the muscles of his arms moved as he dragged the rag over the floor. She watched how his lips pursed in concentration of the job. She looked at the dark bags under his eyes and ached to soothe him, even now.
“When were you going to tell me?” she said.
He frowned, looking up at her. She saw her own anguish reflected back at her from his dark eyes. His gaze turned guilty, and he turned away.
Brandon stood, tossing the rag into the sink and then washing his hands. He pumped soap into his palm and rubbed his hands together. Then he repeated the action as though he hadn’t gotten clean enough the first time.
“So it’s true?” Reegan asked coming to her feet. “You’re re-enlisting and looking to deploy?”
“What?” Brandon whirled around to face her. “No. I’m not re-enlisting.”
Reegan’s relief was instant. So, it had been a misunderstanding? He wasn’t leaving her. But then his gaze clouded over as he appeared to think about it more.
“Well, yes,” he revised his answer. “I was. That was the plan. But then I met you and … everything changed.”
Brandon opened his arms, and like she was a moth to his flame, she came to him. Her legs were shaky, and he caught her before she took the last step to bring them together. He wrapped her up in his warm embrace, and Reegan knew heaven.
“I have no idea what I’m going to do with my life now,” he said into her hair. “Except for the fact that I want to spend it with you.”
Reegan’s whole being was a tornado of emotion. Everything was topsy turvy. Nothing was clear. She needed some clarity, something to hold onto. “So, you’re not leaving?”
“No.” He pulled away from her, gazing down into her eyes so that she saw the truth there. “I’m not leaving you.”
The tears fell then. Reegan felt as though she’d been holding herself together, not just for days, but since her parents died. For his part, Brandon held her, he held her tight, whispering sweet-nothings in her ear.
She wasn’t sure how they ended up in the bed. But his arms were around her. She felt his warm embrace even through the layers of clothing that remained between them. His large, strong body was a spoon behind her while she cried. He held her tight as though protecting her from all sides.
And cry she did, for hours, maybe even days, as she finally felt the effects of her world crashing down around her. But through it all, she knew she was safe. Nothing would ever hurt her again. Not while Brandon Lucas held her in his arms.
And hold her he did. He didn’t loosen his grip for one second. Not when her tears stopped. Not when she fell asleep.
Chapter Nineteen
It was the bright rays of dawn that awakened him. Not the whirring of a helicopter. Not the crunch of boots. Not the snore of someone sleeping next to him. Though someone was sleeping in his arms.
Reegan’s back was tucked against his chest. They were both still fully clothed. His arms were wrapped firmly around her, holding her close. Against his forearm, he felt her chest rise and fall in the peace of sleep. Her fingers were entwined in his.
The last thing Brandon remembered was lying down with her in his arms as she cried herself to sleep. She’d finally reached the next level in her stage of grief. All because she’d thought he was preparing to leave her.
His hold on her tightened at the thought. He doubted he’d ever be able to be away from her for more than a few hours. In fact, in the bright morning light, even one hour felt excessive.
Brandon knew he’d carried Reegan in here when the sun was still high in the sky. Looking at the clock on the side table, he saw that it was the start of a new day. He didn’t remember seeing the darkness of night.
Had he slept through an entire day? She hadn’t even sung him to sleep. Her wails had pulled at his heart. He knew he hadn’t closed his eyes until she’d settled. It must have been the act of holding her, of having her near that had brought him to the place of peace.
He had to have gotten at least ten hours of sleep, likely more. He hadn’t wakened once in the night. Not even from a nightmare.
It wasn’t her singing that gave him peace, it was her. He’d found hope in her. He’d found faith in her. He’d found love in her.
That young pastor was right; it wasn’t good for man to be alone. Just as soldiers formed teams and units, Brandon had found his true calling with the woman in his arms. Holding the woman he would marry, he felt the chords of harmony settle over him. Pressing the palms of their entwined fingers together, he found an unbreakable unity.
For the first time in a long time, Brandon wanted to sink to his knees and say thank you.
Later.
Right now, he pulled the woman who completed his life to him. He pressed his lips to her temple. Reegan stirred, turning her face to him and slowly blinking open her bright blue eyes.
Recognition was swift in her gaze. The smile she gave him lent him the strength of a full army. Her sigh of utter contentment, had he not been laying down, would’ve knocked him to his knees.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Good morning,” he parroted.
“I don’t think we were supposed to sleep together until after the wedding.”
She turned her body to face him. Brandon loosened his hold only slightly. He had no intention of letting her go right now or ever. Moving his fingertips through her mussed hair, he brushed her strands aside so that he could have a clear view down into her lovely face.
Brandon had never expected to fall in love. He was glad he was
lying down for the occasion. It was a dizzying event.
Reegan looked up at him with so much trust in her eyes. But there was still a vulnerability on her brow. He wanted to brush it away. Before he could have that right, he’d need to come clean about everything.
“I blamed myself for your brother’s …” He couldn’t use the word death now, since it may no longer be accurate. “For losing Reece. He asked permission to investigate something that seemed off. There were a group of women headed into a danger zone we were surveilling. He wanted to warn them. I thought they might be setting a trap. He argued against it. I let him convince me to take the chance.”
Brandon took a breath. He waited for the darkness to assault him, for the smoke to fill his nostrils. The sights, sounds, and smells were all there, but they weren’t strong. They were no longer a visceral experience, just a memory.
“Were they the bad guys?” asked Reegan.
“We still don’t know for sure,” Brandon answered. “But some evidence has come to light that we may have been wrong.”
“Well, you could always count on Reece to do the right thing. Even if that meant he’d sacrifice himself for the possibility of the good in others. If he is gone, then I’m glad he did it trying to save someone else’s life. And his last act brought you to me.”
Brandon closed his eyes. There were no flames, no smoke, no sand behind his eyes. There was only the glow of orange-red. He’d rested his forehead against Reegan’s forehead, and her hair filled his vision.
She was a blessing come to life. He felt he could breathe again. He felt absolved.
He opened his eyes in time to catch Reegan tilting her head. Both of her soft pink lips closed around his bottom lip. Brandon relaxed into her sweetness. One of his hands came up and cupped the side of her face, tilting her head so that he could capture both of her lips with his.
As much as he wanted to hear her voice, to hear the sweet songs she made, he wanted the sweetness of her lips even more. His fingers tangled in her hair, holding her to him, and he deepened the kiss.
Reegan gasped. The sound of her voice, coupled with the sweetness of her lips, added onto the softness of her flesh broke something inside Brandon. The soldier in him threw up his hands in surrender.
Before he could wave the white flag, a pounding knock sounded at the front door.
They both groaned. Neither pulled away from the other. Reegan’s hunger for him was reflected in her blue gaze.
Just as Brandon thought to ignore it, the knock sounded again. He knew it wasn’t one of the women from the ranch. It was an authoritative knock. Like a soldier’s knock. But he knew it wasn’t one of the men on the ranch.
Rolling out of bed, he ran his hand through his hair as he left the bedroom. He took a few deep breaths as he approached the door so that he wouldn’t bite off the head of the person on his doorstep. Throwing open the wood door, Brandon’s suspicions were confirmed. Standing on the stoop were two uniformed officers. Alongside them was Chase.
“Corporal Lucas?” said one of the uniforms.
Brandon nodded. He glanced over at Chase whose look was grim. Brandon’s first thought was to shield Reegan from whatever news they were about to deliver. But it was too late. He already felt her coming up behind him.
“We have communication that Private Reece Cartwright has been found.”
Reegan gasped behind him. Brandon turned with his arms outstretched in case she was about to faint. But who was he kidding? This was Reegan. The woman had been thrown tragedy after obstacle, and she was still standing.
Her blue eyes were bright. Her lips tilted up in a smug smile. “I told you.”
Yes. She had told him. He knew now never to doubt his future wife’s intuition.
“We’re putting together a team to retrieve him,” the uniformed soldier continued. “We’d like you to be on it.”
Chapter Twenty
Reegan’s emotions were being tugged in two different directions. On the one hand, she’d been right. Her brother was alive. Her heart felt like it was expanding, growing ten times as large as though it could hoist a sail and head overseas to retrieve her brother. And that’s where the tug in the other direction came into play.
She turned to Brandon. His jaw was tense. His hands were balled into fists.
In order to get her brother back, she’d have to relinquish her hold on the man she loved. She’d lost so much in the last week. Could she take the gamble and possibly lose more? There truly would be nothing left if they didn’t recover Reece and Brandon didn’t return.
Her heart, so heavy from the joyful news of her brother, broke into pieces of shard at the thought of losing the love of her life. Her insides felt sliced up at the two directions she was pulled. She wanted her brother back safe, but she didn’t want to let go of Brandon.
Her fingers found his. Slowly he unballed his fingers and clutched her hand in his.
“Is this the only way?” she asked the two uniform soldiers sitting on their couch. Sergeant Chase stood near a window looking out at the ranch. Reegan sat in a wingback chair with Brandon standing over her like some great, protective beast.
“No,” Brandon answered. “I don’t have to be the one to go.”
She’d only known this man for a handful of days, but she heard it clearly in his tone. He was not the type of man to push his responsibilities off on others. To shun this duty would take something from him. That something was a major part of what had made Reegan fall in love with him so fast and so surely.
She gave his hand a tug until he met her gaze. The turmoil in his dark eyes told her she had gotten it right. He wanted to go, but he didn’t want to leave her.
“Corporal Lucas knows the terrain and the logistics,” said the uniformed soldier. “He’s the best man for the job on such short notice. Sgt. Chase said so.”
Chase pushed off the wall and came closer. “I assumed you meant to consult him. I didn’t realize you wanted him to go back.”
“He’s our best chance at getting Private Cartwright back,” said the soldier.
“Which is why he’s going.”
All eyes came to Reegan. But she only had eyes for Brandon. She stood, turning her back and shutting the others out. She placed her hands on his heart and looked up into the face she’d come to cherish.
His gaze narrowed as he peered into her eyes. Words were not necessary between them. Reegan understood this man perfectly. And now she was certain he understood her.
“I have to do this,” he said. “I have to go and bring him back.”
“I know.”
She reached out to bring him into her arms and found herself swallowed up in his embrace. She felt his deep and shuddery inhale. His exhale blew strands of her hair away and caressed the cone of her ear.
Reegan rested her head under his chin. She’d had so much taken away from her, but this was the one thing she wanted to hold onto; the safe place just above Brandon’s heart.
She straightened, looking him in his beautiful eyes. Eyes that knew her so well after such a short time. She felt bared to this man.
They were alone now. At some point during their embrace and intimate conversation, the uniformed soldiers and Chase had left. But she could see them waiting outside the front door. It let her know that her time with Brandon was short. The clock was ticking before he’d leave.
Brandon put his forefinger under her chin and turned her attention back to him. “I need you to do something for me before I go,” he said.
“Anything.”
“Marry me.”
Her breath caught at the fierceness in his strong features. She lifted a hand and ran it down the side of that strong jaw. “I already agreed to do that.”
“I want to give you my vow before I go.” His dark eyes practically glowed with emotion. His hold on her was firm. If she’d wanted to get away, it would’ve been an impossibility. “Not because I want you to have everything I own before I go. Because I need you to know that you have my heart
, you have my strength, you have everything that I have to offer. Reegan Cartwright, you came upon me like a sneak attack, and you broke down all my defenses. I surrender to you.”
She rested her forehead against his. He wiped the tears as they fell to her cheek. “We’re lucky these guys and girls on the ranch know how to throw together a quickie wedding. Let’s do it so you can bring me back my brother.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Brandon opened his eyes. He blinked a few times and then he was wide awake. Sleep came to him with ease now that his spirit had found peace.
Nightmares still touched his dreams, but their grip was weaker. Dark thoughts flitted through his mind throughout the day, but he was overwhelmed by the bright blessings now present in his life.
He reached out across the mattress for the source of that wondrous warmth, but the space next to him was empty. It had only been two days since he’d slept with Reegan in his arms. The following two nights had been peaceful as he listened to her sing in their kitchen, as he listened to her hum in the gardens as they tended the soil side by side. She hadn’t been in his bed again, but his body knew that her place was next to him.
Soon …
The night after the soldiers had made their visit had been a whirlwind of preparation for both his mission as well as his wedding. The women of the Purple Heart Ranch had whisked his fiancée away, and he hadn’t seen her again until dinner. They’d whisked her away again for the night for an impromptu bachelorette party.
The next day, he’d had some time with Reegan in the gardens. But as the following day would be their wedding day, tradition dictated that they spend the night apart.
Brandon found he slept each night peacefully even knowing the dangerous mission he was about to undertake. His mind was rested, and his soul was at peace. Be it because he had a chance to save Reece or because he had given his heart over to Reegan, he wasn’t sure? Likely a bit of both.
In Over His Head Page 9
