A rush of adrenalin roared through his body and fueled it. Joshua’s fingers tightened around the butt of his Glock. He hadn’t lost his grip on the gun, not even when he got shot, and with a superhuman endurance, he shifted position. He crawled the few feet to the doorway without notice. None of them, including Tina, expected him to be able enough to act. She bought him the moment he needed when she elbowed Benson and he managed to hold the pistol steady as he aimed, then fired.
Years of training, an inherent gift for marksmanship, and pure need came together. He didn’t miss. The shot pierced Tillman’s heart and the man died on impact. Benson stared at him and he used his last reserves to order him to halt. If Benson didn’t obey, Joshua had no idea what they would do because he clung to consciousness with effort. But the criminal reacted as he’d hoped and shot his hands high into the air.
Everything wavered around him but Joshua held on, waiting for Tina. When she reached his side, he tried to lift his hand to take hers but he failed to move it. She spoke and he answered, although he wasn’t sure what he said. He struggled to see through the blinding white consuming his vision. He wanted her face to be the last thing he saw because he figured he’d die now. She babbled something about calling an ambulance and he opened his mouth to tell her it was too late and that he loved her, but he heard the sirens.
“They’re coming,” he told her.
Her voice reached his ears, words of concern, and he managed to tell her it could’ve been worse, when the darkness won. He slid into it, unwilling, and still struggling. Joshua tried to tell her that he loved her but he couldn’t. His hand found hers in the last seconds of awareness and he gripped tight.
“Don’t die,” he heard her say. “Joshua, hang on. I love you, you stupid, brave, wonderful man. I love you.”
I love you too, he thought, and nothing more.
Time ceased to matter and he drifted through the midnight blackness. There was nothing, and then mist appeared. Grey and thick, it surrounded and enveloped Joshua. He sensed comfort in it and realized after the first moments that he had no pain. He could walk and move, so he did. He walked through the fog and emerged into a familiar place, the stomp dance grounds near Tahlequah.
The familiar cadence of the ancient songs soothed him and he yearned for more, so he came closer. Most of the mist evaporated and he saw the line of dancers. His grandfather, younger than Joshua could remember, led them and sang the chant. Behind him, her hands resting on Grandpa Lost Deer’s waist, was his grandmother. Joshua smiled, his heart glad at seeing them again, their faces calm and pain free. He watched as the dancers snaked around in the patterns of the dance, and heard the unmistakable sound of the turtle shell rattles the women wore attached to their ankles.
Each dancer was someone he knew who had died. Two of his uncles, an aunt, his cousin Benny who died in a fiery car wreck when he was sixteen, his father, a great-uncle, and his great-grandmother were all present. Tribal elders had a presence too, and one of his favorite high school teachers, Miss Gary, was among the dancers. They were in the classic man-woman-man-woman order and he wanted to join them.
His feet ached to dance too, and when he opened his mouth, Joshua joined the song. His tongue wrapped around the guttural Cherokee words with ease and he understood the old tongue now, even this archaic version. Peace filled his heart and he wanted to stay here where there was no pain nor effort. He savored it and let the comfort seep into his troubled soul.
One dance ended and the dancers halted. He met their curious gaze.
“Can I join the dance?” he asked.
Grandfather shook his head. “It’s up to you, son. But if you do, there’s no return. We dance not in your world but in the Night Land. The spirits say your time is not finished, but if you dance, you will cut short your existence. The choice rests within your heart.”
Joshua took one step toward them, eager to reunite with his family and to secure the overwhelming peace. Then he thought of Tina and hesitated. Her face filled his mind and his heart skipped several beats as he remembered the sound of her voice, the touch of her hands.
His grandfather nodded as if he knew Joshua’s thoughts. “We are your past, she is your future,” he said. “One day both will be one, but this is not that day.”
“I have to choose?”
“Yes, life or death, light or darkness, love or peace…it is up to you.”
There was no choice, he realized. He needed Tina and she needed him. A sound crept into his dream or vision, whatever this was, and he listened. Sweet, poignant, and desperate, it touched him deep within, until tears trailed down his face. He recognized her voice and hearkened to it.
“I choose my woman,” he said.
“You are wise, my grandson. When it is time, we will be here to welcome you.”
He bowed his head with respect and reverence. Some force tugged at him and pulled Joshua into a tunnel of light. He hurtled through space and perhaps time at incredible speed. Images and sounds surrounded him, all familiar. Although he tried to focus, he couldn’t pause long enough, but snatches of conversations flew through his ears.
Without warning, he slammed down hard and on impact the pain returned. So did emotion and memory. He could hear Tina’s voice and after a few moments, he tuned into and understood her words.
“Joshua, sweetheart, I love you. Open your eyes so I can tell you, please,” she said.
“I never expected it to happen but it has and I love you. Don’t die on me. You can’t.”
In a burst of clarity, he understood how badly he’d been injured and became aware of his damaged body. Although he had not yet opened his eyes, he could read the monitors beside the bed. His pulse rate barely registered and his respiration was low. While he had visited the Night Land and his ancestors, his body had gone into a near-death state and he had the power to reverse it. Without being told, he knew he had lost a significant amount of blood and suffered internal injuries, but he held tight to the power within and willed healing to begin.
Minutes became hours and his awareness increased. At some point, although he had not yet summoned the strength to open his eyes or respond, he heard Tina say, “His vitals are stronger. Can you tell me if he’s improving?”
An unfamiliar male voice answered, “He seems to be and I’m optimistic but cautious. You’re a nurse, right? So you know I can’t offer false hopes. Within twelve hours, if there is improvement, we’ll know.”
Each detail became clearer as the time passed. Joshua knew he lay on crisp sheets and could tell that the bed had been positioned, until he half sat upright. He wasn’t prone. He heard the soft beeps from the monitors and Tina’s ragged breath, sometimes punctuated with soft moans. After awhile, he knew light from dark and realized morning had come. He didn’t know how many dawns had passed since he’d been shot but this one signaled a new day.
Joshua concentrated and managed to open his eyes. He gazed around the room until he located Tina, slumped in a chair beside his hospital bed, her hand wrapped around his.
Dredging his voice up from his throat proved harder than he’d thought. “Tina,” he said. I sound worse than a croaking bullfrog, he thought.
Her head popped up and she gasped. “Joshua!”
“Who else?”
“Oh, Joshua,” she said. Then she began to weep, soft tears above a shimmering smile. “You almost died. I could have lost you!”
“I know,” he told her. “But I’m here and I love you, too.”
Tina laughed, the sound brighter than a fresh-minted penny and sweeter than any candy. “I love you so much,” she said. “You must have heard me!”
“You called me home,” he said.
She kissed him, her lips lighter than a breeze, and he smiled.
Chapter Thirteen
He spent twenty days in the hospital recovering from both the gunshot wound and the lingering effects of his leap from the bridge into the river. Tina stayed by his side, seldom sleeping, never leaving the facility for t
he first few days until he insisted. After that, she visited each day but she took time to rest and to reorganize her life. By the time Joshua was released, she had resigned her job in Dallas, sublet her apartment to another nurse, and retrieved her personal items. She listed Gramps’ place with a local realtor and moved her possessions to Joshua’s house.
With her cousin Charley’s help and a few contractors, the broken windows and walls were repaired. By the time she brought Joshua home, no one would ever know a shootout or standoff had taken place in the quiet house. Law enforcement officials had investigated and decided Joshua was a hero. To celebrate and make the place more homey, she had planted more flowers and bought bright curtains to hang at the windows. Digging into her savings, Tina replaced the oldest furniture too and filled the kitchen cabinets with her favorite Fiestaware dishes. She brought her cast iron cookware and went on a grocery shopping spree.
Joshua stepped out of the truck onto the grass and grinned. “The place looks pretty good.”
Tina rushed around the truck to take his arm and offer support. “It’s home sweet home, darlin’. Are you glad to be here?”
“Hell, yes,” he said and wrapped one arm around her waist. “I could be six feet under or in a fucking wheelchair.”
Tears welled up when he mentioned he could have died. He had come close and she would never forget it. “Are you okay to walk to the house?”
His eyes kindled fire. “Woman, I’ve been doing physical therapy for weeks now. If I couldn’t walk a few lousy feet, they wouldn’t have cut me loose from the hospital. Besides, I’m going to do you one better. I think I’ll just carry you over the threshold.”
She stilled. Despite all their declarations of love and the obvious connection, he hadn’t mentioned the future at all. He sure hadn’t talked about marriage. Tina hadn’t even told him yet she’d moved in, afraid he might think she pushed for commitment. She longed for it but he had to want it too.
“That’s just for brides,” she said. Then she held her breath, waiting.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “Well then, will you marry me?”
Without hesitation, she answered. “Yes, Joshua, I will.”
“Good. So let’s set a date.”
A list of everything she would need to do and buy formed in her mind. She would need a dress, a veil, a bouquet, and shoes. Sometime soon, they would have to pick out rings. They needed to find a church or hall, contact a minister, decide on a place for a reception, select bridesmaids and groomsmen, choose a maid of honor and a best man, and so much more. Wedding cakes, invitations, something old, new, borrowed, and blue were all added to the list. “I guess we could think about late summer or fall,” she said.
He turned toward her and cupped her face with one hand. “I’m not waiting that long. What’s wrong with tomorrow?”
Everything, she stated to say, and then realized nothing. “Tomorrow’s fine if you are,” she told him. “I guess we can buy the license, find a judge, and grab some witnesses. I’ll call Charley and you can find someone.”
“My brother already said he would. He’ll be here tonight.”
“How did you know I’d agree?”
His beautiful smile melted her heart. “I just did. Let’s go inside. I want to go to bed.”
The happiness around her like a magic bubble threatened to pop. “Okay, sure. Are you tired or hurting or both?”
“Neither.”
“Then what?”
“I want to make love to you.”
Joshua’s words ignited her desire and it burned hot. She had craved this since their one encounter, but there hadn’t been an opportunity with everything that had happened. Tina’s patience had stretched beyond any boundaries she could name, waiting. She didn’t figure he would be up to intimacy for a few more days, maybe more, but she couldn’t refuse.
“Oh, yes,” she moaned.
From the moment he lowered his mouth onto hers, she was gone. Heat leapt between them, powerful and potent. It captured Tina and consumed her. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed back, delighted when his lips melted under her mouth. She used her tongue to French kiss deep, and shivered with a delicious pleasure when Joshua gave it back. Then she shifted her mouth to his neck and nibbled with her teeth. He groaned and undid her blouse, his fingers moving with greedy certainty onto her breasts.
A bird trilled from a nearby tree and Tina remembered they were in the yard. If anyone came over—her cousin, his brother or mother, a neighbor—they would be doing the deed on the grass any minute. “Joshua,” she said. “Let’s go inside.”
He didn’t reply until she repeated it and then he laughed. “All right, honey.”
They cleared the front door and stripped, their clothes falling onto the hardwood floors and rag rugs with abandon. His muscular torso robbed her breath away, although the sight of the fresh gauze reminded her to take care. Beneath it and around the edges, a new scar caught the light and glistened. Tina stepped out of her jeans and shed her panties faster than a snake shedding skin.
“Come here,” Joshua said and pulled her to him, his arms tight as a vise. He kissed her again, this time with a forceful hunger.
Tina glanced down and saw his cock come to attention. “I see everything’s in working order,” she said. Then she grasped it in her hand and caressed it, her fingers gliding up and down the shaft in a slow tease. It hardened at her touch and she worked it until his face lit with an unbridled joy. If she did more, he’d probably come and she wanted to stretch out the pleasure as long as possible.
Her nipples turned to stone, ripe and full as cherries ready for picking, and her pussy revved with wet heat. Tina’s skin became sensitive, reacting to his slightest caress, and her blood beat fast. She could feel her pulse racing and the tension between them building on a foundation of carnal delight.
She went to her knees, then used her tongue on his cock, tempting and licking until his moans echoed loud in her ears. “Suck me,” he told her, and she did.
Her mouth suckled his stick. Tina raked its length with her lips, using just enough teeth to titillate him more. His taste filled her mouth and she reached behind to cup his buttocks so she wouldn’t lose balance. When he had enough, he grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet.
“Bedroom, now,” he told her. “Your turn is coming.”
Just the words almost made her climax but she clung to him until they hit the bed. Their bodies fell onto it with a bounce and she spread her legs in invitation. Joshua nailed her, his erect cock finding home with skill and purpose. He packed her pussy full, then moved in and out in a rhythm as old as time. Beneath him, she writhed, the pleasure so intense she thought she might die from it. She scooted to drive him deeper and locked her feet around his back. He whimpered and she moaned as he hit the depths of her cunt.
Every nerve ending in her body sang soprano, and need radiated from her pussy outward. They fucked so hard that the bed slapped against the wall in time to the physical music they made together. Joshua held Tina’s hands above her head locked in his, and rode until the first wave of culmination began.
It started small and grew, sweeping them both in wicked, intense spirals toward the moment when they both came in a blinding rush of feverish heat and focused sensation. Tina shut her eyes as the spasms rocked them both, the amazing delight so strong it wiped out everything else. She didn’t think, she was—and gloried in it.
In those moments, she wasn’t Tina. She had no name and neither did he. They were man and woman, Adam and Eve, any couple, since the beginning of time. When the final moment hit, she cried out and so did he, then they shuddered together.
They lay still, as aftershocks rocked her body, each one brimming with sensual wonder and as potent as a little death. She cradled against his right side but her hand strayed to rest over his heart. It pounded beneath her touch and she liked it. It reassured her that he lived and loved.
When their breathing eased and his heart rate settled back into normal, Ti
na glanced into his dark eyes. He smiled and touched her face with one light finger. “I love you, honey. I thought for a minute or two there you might just kill me, but it would’ve been too sweet to stop.”
Her voice emerged as a whisper. “I love you, too. Are you okay?”
Joshua chuckled. “If I’m not, I feel too fine to notice.”
Tina understood. She had never felt better in her life.
****
Morning sunlight slanted down over the town as they met her cousin outside the Sequoyah County courthouse. Tina wore an off-the-shoulders formal she’d worn to many hospital balls and events over the years, but it was the prettiest thing she owned. She’d refused to wear a veil but had tucked a white rose behind one ear and carried a simple bouquet with roses and daisies. Joshua looked delicious in his marshal’s uniform. Their small party included his mother, his brother, two fellow officers, and her cousin Charley.
The others stepped back as Tina embraced her cousin who shook his head at her. “You sure about this, girl?” he asked. “It seems pretty damn quick to me.”
“I’ve never been surer about anything, ever,” she told him.
Charley grinned. “I won’t argue. I know when you’ve made up your mind. Besides, he’s quite a catch, a U.S. Marshal and a Cherokee too.”
Tina laughed as Joshua joined them, one hand resting on her shoulder. “So you think I’m a catch?” he said. “You sound like some Victorian mama pimping her daughter at a coming out party, Charley.”
Her cousin flushed and opened his mouth but Tina put her hand over it. “Don’t even try to one-up Joshua,” she said. “Besides, you’re right…but he’s my catch. I pulled him out of the river and decided he was a keeper.”
Everyone laughed but before they went inside, Joshua pulled Tina aside. He kissed her long and slow until her bones melted. “So I was your catch of the day?” he asked.
He didn’t seem to mind so she nodded. “I could call you that, I guess.”
“That’s fine,” he said. “Just remember you’ve reached your lifetime limit and you can’t throw me back now.”
Quite the Catch Page 9
