by Connie Mason
"Chase," Maggie protested, "this is too much I have no idea how to run a newspaper "
"But you do, darlin' You're as capable as any man One day it will all come back to you, you'll see "
"Whatever I did, however I felt before my accident, I love you. Chase," Maggie said, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears
"No more than I love you, Maggie girl"
They rode home in near silence, guided by silvery moonlight and twinkling stars Several times Chase paused to kiss her with such longing that Maggie hated to see the ride end All too soon they entered the yard and drew to a halt at the front door Chase helped Maggie down from the wagon and earned her packages inside The house was quiet, everyone had already retired for the night He offered to carry her packages to her room and Maggie gratefully accepted
"Shall we look in on Beth'?" Maggie suggested, anxious to see how her baby had fared during her long absence Beth was nearly weaned to the bottle now, and Maggie missed the closeness
"You haven't lost your maternal instincts, have you, darlin"?" Chase teased, kissing the tip of her nose
Everything seemed so perfect between them that Maggie couldn't imagine why she had ever doubted Chase's sincerity or his love
Beth lay asleep in her cradle, only her blond head visible above the covers, these late September nights strongly hinted of winter Chase thought Beth looked like an angel with her thumb popped in her mouth Maggie dropped a kiss on her forehead and tiptoed out of the small room that had once been a store-room but had recently been converted for Beth's use The bedroom Maggie now occupied alone would be shared by her and Chase after their marriage
"I don't wanna sleep alone tonight, darlin'," Chase whispered when Maggie stood with her hand on the doorknob "It'll only be a few days 'til our weddin', and I don't wanna wait Let me love you tonight"
Her answer was to smile and open the door so they both might enter No words were needed as they slowly undressed one another, kissing and caressing, until they naturally gravitated toward the bed
"I love the way you make me feel," Maggie sighed between kisses "I hope nothing ever changes between us "
"What could change1?" Chase scoffed, using his hands and lips with gentle expertise "I may grow old, but I'll never grow tired of lovin' you You do believe me, don't you1?"
"I was foolish not to trust you," she gasped as his agile fingers found a particularly vulnerable spot and teased it unmercifully "Chase, please, you're torturing me I"
"Just lookin' at you is pure torture, I want you so badly," Chase admitted, his voice harsh with passion "Open your legs, darlin', I aim to bury myself so deep in your sweet body you can taste me "
Slowly, so slowly, he filled her, savoring the way she closed tightly about him Maggie raised her hips to meet his thrusts, her silken arms clinging to his neck and shoulders to keep from drowning in the sea of passion he was creating around her
"That's it, baby," Chase encouraged her, "move those sweet little hips This is where I wanna be, forever "
Then speech abruptly halted as Chase toiled effortlessly to bring her to the pinnacle of ecstasy Only when she clutched him frantically and gasped his name in mindless rapture did he shove himself in even deeper and lose himself in perfect bliss When their breathing slowed to evenly spaced gasps. Chase moved them to their sides, still joined, reluctant to
break intimate contact Sighing in perfect contentment, Maggie cuddled into Chase's embrace and fell asleep
Unable or unwilling to leave Maggie to spend the rest of the night in his lonely cot in the bunkhouse. Chase soon joined her in peaceful slumber—but not before his nagging conscience questioned his motives for rushing Maggie into marriage before she regained her memory Was it because he feared she would no longer want him if she had full control of her wits'? Or that he'd discover she still loved Scott Gordon1?
Chase meant to rise early and leave the house before anyone realized he had spent the night in Maggie's bed, but it was so warm and wonderful sleeping with his love in his arms that he awakened late Rusty was already in the kitchen sipping coffee when he arrived The heat from the stove had warmed the large room, and Bright Leaf was busily preparing breakfast
"Yer cornin' from the wrong direction, son," Rusty said, cocking a shaggy eyebrow "A rnite nosy, aren't you1?" Chase shot back, grinning sheepishly
"It's a damn good thin' yer gettin' married soon, ya randy young pup," Rusty hinted with sly inuendo, chuckling at Chase's obvious discomfiture Fortunately, Kate entered the kitchen just then, effectively halting Rusty's playful needling
Chapter Twenty-Four
Maggie pivoted before the mirror, pleased with the way her wedding dress hugged her lithe curves, complimenting her slim figure to perfection "Hold still," Kate chided, fussing with Maggie's skirt "Ain't she a picture, Virgie?"
Virgie maintained a sullen silence, but Kate scarcely noticed, completely engrossed with turning out a perfectly groomed bride But Maggie recognized Virgie's brooding silence and supposed it was because Chase had chastised the petite brunette for telling Maggie things about her past that were better left unsaid As for the mystery surrounding Beth's paternity, Maggie decided it would serve no purpose to insist that Chase wasn't her baby's father when she had no actual proof
Then it was time and Rusty appeared at the door to escort her downstairs He was to give Maggie away and, along with Kate, act as witness Sam Wills, one of the hands and Chase's friend, was best
man Virgie politely demurred when Maggie tried to include her in the wedding party
Maggie was surprised at the number of people crowded into the parlor, which was grandly decorated with white ribbon and bows Maggie had no idea so many men were employed by Chase on the ranch, and she was even more astonished to note that a few of them had wives She vowed to make their acquaintence soon
Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best—high collars, suit coats, boots polished to a high sheen and hair slicked down enough to hold a part Then she saw Chase, standing straight and tall beside the preacher, and everyone else in the room faded from view
Chase's new clothes fit him like a second skin, emphasizing the width of his shoulders, the slirnness of his waist, and the bulging muscles of his thighs The deep bronze of his face above the starched collar of his white shirt wore the appropriately solemn look demanded by the occasion, but nothing could disguise the awe and utter delight in his eyes when he saw Maggie walking toward him
Magnificent, he thought, savoring the warm flush of desire that charged through his veins just looking at her She resembled an angel. Chase thought, fashioned exclusively for him It mattered not one whit whether Maggie regained her memory, for she was his till the end of their days In fact, things had probably worked out for the best, he reasoned Maggie wanted him now, but he couldn't be certain she'd want him once she remembered how he'd left her to bear their child alone Under the circumstances it would please Chase if Maggie never regained her memory
Seeing Chase waiting for her in all his finery, Maggie felt that this was what she had been bom for—being Chase's wife, his lover, the mother of his
children Nothing would make her happier, Maggie reflected—except the ability to recall their past relationship
Then she was standing beside Chase, feeling the warmth of his hand enfolding hers and basking in the glow of his encompassing smile The ceremony passed in a blur of phrases, repeated vows, and then the kiss Now she belonged to Chase, not just heart and soul, which had always been his, but legally Nothing or no one could separate them Or so Maggie thought
Then she was surrounded by people—Rusty, Kate, and all the hands—offering congratulations, those brave enough pecking her on the cheek Only Virgie hung back, her violet eyes as unfathomable as the darkest night
Afterwards, while guests ate and drank their fill of the sumptuous feast prepared by the women. Chase had to catch Maggie alone and duck with her through the kitchen and into the attached pantry where they might enjoy a few minutes' privacy
<
br /> "Are you happy, darlin"?" he asked, kissing the tip of her nose
"Ecstatic," Maggie sighed, falling readily into his arms "Even Beth sensed the importance of the occasion, she behaved exceptionally well"
"Our daughter is a precocious little charmer who's as adorable as her mother and stubborn as her father I'm certain she realizes that we're a real family now "
"A real family," Maggie sighed wistfully "You never mentioned, do I have any family1?" "No, darlin', not since your father died a few years ago " "Chase, I "
"No, Maggie, don't think sad thoughts today Just remember that I love you Come spring I'll take you on a grand honeymoon—to Europe, if you like Per-
haps when we return, a little brother or sister for Beth will be on the way " "I want that more than anything. Chase I love you," Maggie vowed
"Reckon we oughta get back to our guests'?" Chase asked, wishing they were finally alone in the privacy of their bedroom "It won't be long before they'll leave and I can make love to you like I'm longin' to do "
The kiss he gave her spoke eloquently of his love, his longing, as he pressed her close, his big hands searing the flesh beneath the satin of her dress When he sought to deepen the kiss, Maggie moaned, molding herself into the curves of his hard body Lost in a world of their own making, neither heard the commotion taking place in the parlor until Virgie came looking for them a few minutes later
"Chase, Maggie, where are you1?" Her plaintive voice jarred them from their pleasurable preoccupation "How naughty of you to desert your guests A surprise visitor has just arrived, and he's anxious to see you "
Maggie suppressed a giggle as she pulled reluctantly from Chase's arms "What will everyone think of us1?"
"They'll probably think I'm anxious to take my wife to bed, and they'd be right" Chase smiled wolfishly "It's been a hellishly long two weeks "
"There you are," Virgie scolded, throwing open the door to the pantry "Come along now and greet your guest"
"Virgie, who—"
Before Chase could finish his sentence, Virgie had already turned, expecting Chase and Maggie to follow
"I reckon we oughta go meet the late arrival," Chase grumbled sourly "The sooner we get back to the party, the sooner they'll all leave C'mon, darlin' " Grasping her hand, he led her back to the
parlor, which was still crowded with friends and revelers
The new arrival stood in the midst of a circle of people and all Maggie could see were broad shoulders and dark hair Suddenly a hush fell over the room and the circle parted, allowing Maggie an unrestricted view of the man whose warm brown eyes and handsome features tugged at the fringes of her memory
Maggie recognized something hauntingly familiar about this man who gazed at her with compassion and concern—and something else she couldn't identify—something so stirring that every person in the room became aware of the tension, reacting to it with covert glances and embarrassing silence The breathless calm was nearly unbearable, waiting for something explosive to happen
Chase held his breath, afraid to speak, frightened of what Scott Gordon's presence might do to Maggie Why did the Mountie have to show up now1? he wondered bleakly He both hated and feared the effect Gordon seemed to be having on Maggie, who continued to stare at him in a perplexed manner How did the Mountie know where to find Maggie1? With trepidation and wildly beating heart. Chase searched Maggie's face, and a terrible realization seeped up through his bones
Maggie frowned, aware of the all-encompassing silence around her She felt herself falling into a abyss, groping, searching for someone or something A name, a place, a face that danced just beyond her reach as she grasped frantically at the edges of her memory Then she was spinning, whirling through a tunnel toward alight at the end As her flightless journey continued, fragments of her past fell neatly into place, like pieces of a puzzle she had misplaced and finally located
When she emerged into the bright light at the end of the long, dart passage, nothing of her past was denied her She was Maggie Afton, daring newspaper reporter and author of adventure stones, beloved mother of Beth—and now wife to Chase McGarrett A look of pure euphoria transformed Maggie's features as she directed a dazzling smile at the man whose friendship she valued, a man who had been there when she needed someone most desperately Total recall came instantly, and his name bubbled from her lips, producing a sinking dread in the pit of Chase's stomach
"Scottl Scott Gordonl" Maggie's enthusiastic welcome provided the catalyst that unlocked Chase's frozen senses
Maggie's reaction to Scott Gordon suspended Chase's thoughts and froze his tongue The moment Maggie cried out Gordon's name. Chase realized that her memory had returned, and with it the knowledge that it was the Mountie who had stood by her when her daughter was bom, not the father of her child, who had abandoned her when she needed him most Would Maggie recall that today was their wedding day1? That she was now Mrs Chase McGarrett1? Would she remember why she and Gordon had parted in Seattle and what had prompted her to bring Beth to Montana1?
Chase's blue eyes turned bleak when he saw Gordon open his arms wide and Maggie hurl herself forward into his embrace The loving display served only to reinforce Chase's belief that Maggie would never have married him were she in full possession of her memory Their marriage was finished before it began While Maggie and Scott greeted one another. Chase quietly left the room Absorbed with the newcomer and his effect on the bride, no one saw Chase leave but Virgie, who wore a satisfied smile
Deep in his heart. Chase knew Maggie would hate him for lying to her and rushing her into marriage before she recalled their past life and all the differences that lay between them He had no one to blame but himself, he reckoned, for wanting Maggie badly enough to lie to her But once he'd learned Beth was his daughter, he'd settle for nothing less than marriage The sight of Maggie in Gordon's arms was more than Chase could bear, and he rushed from the room, his pride badly damaged Having his bride desert him on their wedding day was the worst kind of humiliation
"Chase, waitl"
Chase was halfway up the stairs to the deserted second floor when Virgie caught up with him Frowning in annoyance. Chase halted Virgie was the last person he wanted to see She'd been a thorn in his side since the day Maggie arrived at the ranch "What is it, Virgie1?"
"Do you think Maggie's memory has returned1?"
"That's obvious, isn't it?"
"She seems quite fond of Mr Gordon," she said with sly innuendo
"What do you know about Scott Gordon1?" Chase asked sharply
"Nothing Just that he seemed quite concerned when he learned Maggie was your wife "
Til bet," Chase intoned dryly
"Chase, I know how you feel," Virgie sympathized "It's not easy to accept another man's child Do you think Mr Gordon has come to claim Beth'?"
"You don't know what you're talkin' about, Virgie," Chase claimed, exasperated with Virgie's meddling "Beth is mine "
"Of course she is," Virgie agreed blandly, "and I know you love Maggie, but now that she's regained her memory " Her words trailed off suggestively "Is there anything I can do for you1?"
"No, I—" Chase paused, suddenly eager to talk with Maggie privately A few minutes alone was all he needed to learn if he and Maggie had a valid marriage and whether she returned his love "Perhaps there is "
"Anything, Chase," Virgie offered eagerly "Tell me what I can do for you " She stepped closer, letting him feel her willingness, but Chase was immune to all save his desperate need for Maggie His good judgment fled in the face of his growing desperation
"You can do me a great service, Virgie, if you tell Maggie I'm waitin' for her in our bedroom I need to know what regainin' her memory has done to us without benefit of an audience I need to hear her tell me there's nothin' between her and Scott Gordon, not now, not ever "
Chase's simple request sent Virgie's temper soaring Couldn't Chase see Maggie wasn't the right woman for him1? Her type of woman didn't make good wives, she reasoned irrationally If s
he acted with discretion, there was still time to save Chase from himself Later he'd thank her
"Of course. Chase, whatever you say," she said with mock sincerity "Anything else you want me to tell Maggie1?"
"Just say that I'll wait one-half hour for her If she doesn't appear in that time, I'll assume our marriage is a sham and act accordingly "
"Don't do anything rash. Chase," Virgie advised
"I can take care of myself, Virgie Are you gonna do as I ask1?"
"Right away," Virgie responded as she turned to leave "I'll relay your message to Maggie immediately "
Maggie hugged Scott exuberantly, surprised but pleased that he'd arrived in time to celebrate her marriage to Chase She recalled everything now.
every detail of her past and present Her greatest relief carne with the certain knowledge that Beth was truly Chase's daughter How he found out about it was something she intended to leam the moment they were alone She hoped his eagerness to many wasn't prompted by his sense of duty to her and Beth, then immediately discarded the notion These past weeks Chase had told her repeatedly that he loved her She distinctly recalled her past as well as all that transpired since her accident, and she didn't blame Chase for lying to her So what if they hadn't been engaged as he said, obviously the love they found in the Yukon had never diminished for either of them
A mixture of laughter and tears shook Maggie's slender form as Kate and Rusty crowded around her, aware that in the space of a heartbeat, something had happened to Maggie
"It's all right," Maggie said happily "I remember! I remember everything!"
"Praise the Lord," Kate crowed, giving Maggie a quick hug "Do ya know what day this is1?"