Marrying the Marshal Page 16

  The dog raised his ears and whined.

  Allie asked, “Seeing how even Barney’s apparently confused, 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. Sorry, Barn, but this is one party you’re not invited to.” He shut the doors on the dog.

  “Caleb? How come Barney can’t come in?”

  He kissed her hard and claiming. “Because tonight you’re mine. And I’m not sharing.”

  Dazed and totally, completely, head-over-heels in love, Caleb’s ridiculous answer sounded logical enough 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 were 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 open the red velvet drapes behind the hot tub to reveal an awe-inspiring view of a snowcapped Mt. 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 gravitate 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 one of four poker tables. 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.

  “God, 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 love you, I love you,” she said between kisses.

  “I love you,” 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.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Hey, Mom and Dad,” Cal called out from his innertube as he floated down the solarium’s stream 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 stream had taken Cal around another bend, momentarily putting off the need to answer.

  “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 said, reaching 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, pitching a grape at his brother.

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

  “I hope there will soon be no more need for a crew—and in light of recent events, I’m officially taking myself off it. 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 said, swallowing the happy knot in her throat, “thank you.” She raised her wineglass. “Not just to all of you, but to God and all the angels. Thank you all so very, very much.”

  “Hear, hear,” Vince said, and raised his glass in sharing her toast. Everyone else joined in, Cal and Meghan clinking their crystal goblets filled with chocolate milk.

  “Mom?” Cal finally asked. “Can we quit talkin’ and eat? Me and Meggie wanna get back in the pool.”

  “Yeah,” Caleb said, shooting her a private look of such pure love she almost fell into a swoon worthy of a saloon girl. “This boy’s got some major dunking ahead of him.”

  “All right,” she said. “Thanks everyone for indulging me. Let’s eat.”

  Adam said, “I’ll give you an Amen for that!”

  Barney, having been sitting patiently beside Adam, barked for his own share of the meal.

  “WHAT AN AMAZING WEEKEND,” Allie said, collapsing onto her living room sofa, glad when Caleb sat beside her so she could rest her feet on his lap. He’d stored quite a chunk of vacation time over the years and had decided to use the weeks before the wedding not only to relax and move, but file for an official transfer to Allie’s judicial district. She still wasn’t thrilled about Caleb’s career choice, but was trying to at least be okay with it.

  “Hey!” he complained. “I was just about to plunk my feet on you.”

  “Sorry,” she said with a sweet smile. “I enacted my plan first.”

  He shook his head, reaching his hand out to hers, lacing their fingers. “This the way it’s always going to be around here once we get hitched? You using me as a foot rest?”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” she said. “There are lots of other parts I’d like to rest on you, too.”

  “Mmm…” His lips parted in a slow grin. “I’m liking the sound of this.” He stroked the core of her palm with his thumb, streaking heat through her.

  Eyes closed, she sighed. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For letting go of the past. For the great life we have ahead of us.”

  “What if I turn out to be a royal pain in your derriere? Leaving my dirty socks all over the place and never helping with dinner?”

  “I can think of worse things…” Like you never having been here at all.

  “What’s up with this sudden sad face?” he asked. “You having second thoughts?”

  She shook her head. “This time we’re going to get things right.”

  “Yeah,” he said with a solid nod. “That sounds good. Real good.”

  “So then we’ll take Gillian and Joe up on their offer to do this thing at Christmas at their house?”

  “This thing?” He pouted. “You referring to our wedding—the most important day of our lives—as this thing?”

  “You know what I mean,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I don’t know, it just sounds weird referring to it as our wedding. I’m afraid if I say it too much, I’ll jinx us.”

  “Darlin’,” he said, dragging her across the sofa to snuggle alongside him, “once I tell Gillian and Joe our wedding is on, believe me, it’ll be like a speeding train. Nothing’s going to stop it. In that palace of a house of theirs, not even the weather can bring us down. Trust me, we’re good to go.”

  “All right, then…” After taking a shaky breath, she said, “Guess I’d better see how much Adam and Bear enjoy wedding dress shopping.”

  “How come they get to go and not me?”

  “Ever heard of a little rule stating it’s bad luck for the groom to see the dress before the bride wears it walking down the aisle?”

  “Yeah, but seeing how we’ve already established the fact that we’re home free as far as ba
d luck is concerned—”

  “No,” she said. She did kiss him, though, to soften the blow. “Sorry, but on this point, I mean business. We shouldn’t mess around with tradition.”

  “BUT GILLIAN,” Allie said on the phone a few days later. “Isn’t it tradition for the bride to pay for the music?”

  “Sure,” Gillian said, “but I understand the full orchestra is somewhat over the top, and since I know how much Caleb adores all things country, I thought it might be fun to get a really big name in for the reception. You know, someone he’ll never expect. Garth Brooks or Shania Twain.”

  “Assuming they’d even perform at a wedding reception, do you have any idea how much either of those two would cost?”

  “Yes, which is why Joe and I would be honored to cover their fee. It’ll be our gift to you.”

  “You’re already providing the space, catering, flying in a photographer. Gillian, I know your heart’s in the right place, but you’re making me feel like a moocher.”

  “Puh-lease.” Gillian made a pfft sound. “You’ll have become a moocher when you’re over here begging me for stuff. When I’m begging you to let me give you stuff, that’s a whole other story. So? Who should I book? Garth or Shania? Maybe both? Oh—and don’t tell Caleb. I want it to be a surprise.”

  “HATE TO BE the bearer of bad news,” Allie said to Caleb that night as she flipped the six pork chops she was preparing for dinner. One each for Caleb, Cal and herself. Three for Adam, who’d said he was starving and forgot to bring a lunch. “But your sister is out of her mind.”

  “I like Aunt Gillian,” Cal said from the salad-making station where he helped his dad tear lettuce. “She’s fun.”