THE RANCHER'S SPITTIN' IMAGE

by Peggy Moreland

  Merideth dropped her arm from Sam's shoulder to give the dress a sharp tug down, drawing the bodice back into line. "If I left it up to you, you would have worn grubby jeans and manure-caked boots to our sister's wedding."

  "I would've been a lot more comfortable, I assure you."

  Merideth smiled while she turned her gaze on the wedding guests. "Yes, but just think of all the compliments you've received."

  "Yeah. Right," Sam muttered wryly. "All delivered to my breasts."

  Merideth laughed, the sound throaty and deep. Sam noticed that more than a few men glanced her sister's way, their eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and longing. Sam was sure that the sultry smile Merideth gave each one would keep the men awake that night, thinking sinful thoughts while they lay beside their sleeping wives.

  "For heaven's sake, Merideth. Cut it out," she complained.

  "What?" Merideth asked innocently.

  Sam rolled her eyes. "Turn off the charm before you give one of these poor guys a heart attack."

  Merideth laughed again, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "A little harmless flirting. You should try it some time."

  "No thanks." Sam glanced around, frowning. "Have you seen Jaime?"

  "Not since I took a glass of champagne away from him."

  Sam scanned the crowd. "I promised Mandy I would keep an eye on him. Oh, look," Sam said, her eyes brightening. "There's John Lee Carter. I didn't see him at the ceremony."

  Merideth followed her sister's gaze, her heart stuttering a bit when she met John Lee's gaze. Eyes as blue as the Texas sky above seemed to bore right through her, stripping her of her clothes and laying her bare. Fighting the delicious thrill that shivered down her spine at his blatant perusal, she puckered her lips and blew him a teasing kiss before glancing away. Though tempting, John Lee was too much like Merideth for her to take his look seriously.

  Shifting her attention back to the table where the bride and groom lifted crystal flutes of champagne in a silent toast, Merideth blanked John Lee Carter from her mind.

  In spite of herself, she felt her heart melt a little at the look the newlyweds shared. "They were destined to be together," she said on a sigh.

  "Yeah, they were."

  "It's perfect, isn't it?" Merideth offered thoughtfully. "Jesse and Mandy are finally together. Jaime gets a dad, plus the heritage he so richly deserves. And the Circle Bar and the Double-Cross Heart ranches are one again, the way they were meant to be." Suddenly she tossed back her head and laughed.

  "What?" Sam asked, eyeing her dubiously.

  "I'll bet Daddy is rolling in his grave right now."

  Sam bit back a grin as she turned her gaze back to the newlyweds. "Yeah, and I'd wager Wade's probably doing some rolling of his own." Her grin softened into a wistful smile as she watched Jesse pull Mandy into his arms for a kiss. He withdrew slightly and whispered something to Mandy which had her smiling and linking her arm through his. Sam watched them walk away.

  "Wonder where they're going?" she asked curiously.

  Mandy had walked this path many times over the years, but seldom in the light of day, and never with Jesse at her side. She squeezed Jesse's arm as they stepped from the shadow of the trees and into the sunlit glen.

  "This is where I came when I needed to feel near you," she whispered as she let her gaze wander over what had once been their secret meeting place.

  Slipping his arm from hers, Jesse draped it across her shoulders and pulled her close against his side. "I wish I had been here for you."

  Hearing the regret in his voice, Mandy turned to face him, looping her arms around his waist and smiling as she looked up into his eyes. "Oh, but you were. Always. I would come here and talk to you, tell you my fears, share with you my joys. I always felt your presence, your comfort, even though I had no idea where you were."

  Sighing, Jesse hugged her to him, his heart full to near bursting with his love for her. "Oh, Mandy," he whispered. "We lost so many years, so much—"

  She leaned back and pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him. "We have today and tomorrow and always. We aren't going to think about the past, only our future."

  Jesse caught her hand in his and kissed her fingers, then smiled as he drew her hand to his heart. "I am one lucky man."

  The beat of his heart beneath her palm, the heat of his flesh blending with her own, brought back memories to Mandy of other times they had stood just so in this glen. "Jesse?" she began hesitantly.

  "Yes, querida?"

  "I know that you wanted to go some place special for our honeymoon night, and I really appreciate the thought, but would you mind if we…"

  Jesse frowned, wondering at her hesitancy. "Mind if we what?"

  Mandy felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment and dipped her chin, unable to meet his gaze. "Well, if it's all right with you, I'd really like to spend our first night as husband and wife here in the glen."

  Jesse tossed back his head and laughed, then caught Mandy up in his arms and swung her around, his lips finding hers. "Oh, querida. My love. I can't think of a more perfect place to spend the night with you."

  *****