Jake walked over to the bed and climbed in beside her, drawing her into his arms and settling her head on his chest, unconcerned with the many wires that were connected to her or the oxygen mask that covered her nose and mouth.
She settled immediately as his bare hands slid beneath the hospital gown she wore, and he stroked her naked back over and over again. He could feel her heart slowing as her soul melded with his.
“That’s it, angel. Breath slowly and match your heartbeat to mine.”
“Thank you, Jake,” she whispered. “You know, if you want to, I wouldn’t mind making love right now.”
He laughed softly as he held her tighter. “Angel, you’re going to regret teasing me. I just may have to punish you for putting such thoughts into my head.”
“Oh, that would be nice, sir,” she whispered, hugging him tightly before relaxing her hold on him and settling against his chest.
It wasn’t long before she was resting peacefully, finally able to relax now that he was there to block out the emotions from all the people who had taken care of her and touched her since she had arrived at the hospital. Jake ran his hands up and down her back, loving the soft curves of her body as he explored the sexiness of the flare of her hip.
“Sir?” she whispered.
“Yes, angel?”
“Okay, just checking that you’re still here.”
“I’m here, Claire,” he whispered, doing his best to clamp down on his need for her.
When she had called him “sir” he had nearly lost his mind with pleasure. He knew she didn’t really realize what that honorific represented. If she did, she wouldn’t have said it to him.
“You are to sleep and get better, angel,” he told her firmly. “When the doctor says you’re okay, I will be taking you home. With me.”
“Yes, sir,” she whispered, hugging him tightly before finally falling asleep.
“Hell,” Jake whispered. “How am I supposed to stay away from you when you always give me what I need, angel?”
* * * *
Bryce Fletcher stood by the hospital bed while Zoey Branson sat next to her sister DelAnne. It had taken almost an hour for Zoey’s arm to be stitched up, and he had refused to leave her side to be taken care of himself until he saw that she was okay. Once she was stitched and bandaged and given a dose of painkillers, he allowed the doctors to take a look at his back.
There were only a few injuries that needed stitches. The rest of the cuts had been cleaned and covered with bandages. He saw the way Zoey watched over him until she was sure he had been taken care of. It gave him a good feeling to finally be cared for by the woman who was destined to be his mate.
Once they were finished with the doctors, Zoey was allowed to go to her sister, and Bryce automatically followed her. Zoey looked up at him in surprise then looked away as if it was too painful to see him. He wasn’t sure what that meant but if she thought he was going to give up on her, she had better think about it again.
He hadn’t gotten where he was by giving up. He had lived a childhood that would have broken most people. He had finished high school and had joined the military before entering the police force. If Zoey Branson thought he would give up and quietly go away, she didn’t have a clue how much he was determined to fight for her.
He wanted a mate who was his best friend as well as his lover. He wanted a woman who would give him the kindness and the gentleness that he craved. He wanted a future with a mate who would give him laughter, love, and children. And he wanted a mate who could stand her ground with him, push him to be a better person, and call him out any time he forgot that the whole world did not live the life of a soldier like he did.
The vision that he had seen when Zoey had touched him hadn’t frightened him. It delivered him from the despair he had been sinking into. He loved the way she had looked at him in that vision. He loved the laughter and the happiness he had heard in that vision. And he loved feeling her body pressed against his with their baby growing inside of her.
“Damn baby,” he whispered. “You’re going to be exactly what I want and what I need. And you know I’m going to be the same for you.”
“You’re wrong, Officer Fletcher,” she said quietly, looking up at him with sadness in her beautiful eyes.
“No, Zoey, I’m not wrong. And you know it deep in your heart.” He hesitated a moment then held out his hand for her. “If I’m so wrong, prove to me that touching me won’t give us both the vision of the life that we’re going to share. Go ahead, baby. Touch my hand.”
Zoey looked at his hand in silence. Instead of touching him, she turned and reached out to take her sister’s hand in hers to hold it gently.
“Go ahead and touch him, Zoey,” DelAnne whispered, her eyes twinkling as she looked up at her older sister. “Go ahead and show him that nothing will happen.”
“Do you want me to disconnect your oxygen, DelAnne?” Zoey asked her through gritted teeth.
DelAnne laughed softly, coughing slightly. “Don’t let her get away with ignoring you, Bryce,” she told him firmly. “She needs a man who will drag her off to his cave and make love to her.”
“I can do that,” Bryce offered, smiling and winking at Zoey as she looked up at him in shock.
“You are not dragging me to any cave,” she told him angrily, standing up and poking him in the chest.
Bryce laughed and grabbed her hand to hold it firmly within his. The vision returned and he saw Zoey laughing in his arms, taking his hand and placing it on her belly. Bryce could actually feel the heat and movement of their child.
“Don’t lie to me and tell me you didn’t see that, Zoey,” he told her quietly.
“I don’t lie,” she insisted, pulling her hand free.
“No, she just pretends her ability means nothing,” DelAnne spoke up.
“DelAnne!” Zoey chastised her.
Bryce walked around the hospital bed to stand beside Zoey, crowding her until she was against the wall and standing next to the window. He placed both his hands flat on the wall behind her so that they were level with her shoulders. He eased toward her and lowered his head so he could speak to her on her level.
“Whatever your ability is, I’m thankful for it,” he told her quietly. “What you just showed me has given me more hope than I’ve ever had in my life, honey. I want you. I want a life with you that I know will bring us both happiness. I want to hold you and love you and make our baby with you. I want to touch you and kiss you and love every inch of your body. I want you sharing every day with me so I can love you with my whole heart, soul, and body. I want us helping each other and enjoying our days together. And you want it, too.”
“No, I don’t,” Zoey protested. “You’re wrong.”
“No, honey. I’m not wrong,” he told her quietly. “You and I are going to be best friends. You and I are going to be lovers. And you and I are going to have a life and a family that we both want and deserve.”
“No,” Zoey whispered. “We can’t.”
“Yes, honey. We can,” he told her gently. “Together we’re going to be one hell of a team. You’re going to learn to trust in our destiny to be mates. You’re going to see that the Great Spirit has given us a beautiful gift by allowing us to see a glimpse of our future.”
Zoey just shook her head. He didn’t understand. He couldn’t understand. But she did. And she couldn’t allow him to think he would have a good future with her. She knew better.
“Don’t be afraid, honey. Whatever it is that’s making you deny what we’ve both seen in that shared vision is something we’ll be able to work through together. We’re destined mates, honey. You and I are going to be stronger because we’ll be together, and no one will be able to hurt us or tear us apart,” he promised her. “I’m going to love you like no one ever has loved you before, Zoey. Think about that and let me know if you’re willing to give us a try. But be very careful. Don’t throw away the possibility that we have in front of us. We’ll have a good life together
if you’ll just give it a chance. Okay, Mate?”
He leaned forward and kissed her lips gently. Easing away from her, he turned and walked out of the room. Zoey stood there with her back to the wall, struggling to catch her breath.
“Hell,” she muttered, his words filling her with such warmth she was afraid to hope.
“Zoey, if you’re stupid enough to let that man go, you’re no sister of mine.”
Zoey smiled sadly. She couldn’t help but wish that things could be different. She didn’t want to hurt Bryce Fletcher. She could see that he was a good, kind, and loving man. She could feel the happiness in him through their shared vision and knew that he would be a faithful and loving mate and a caring father.
“I think I don’t really have much of a choice, DelAnne,” Zoey said softly. “As much as I want to be with him, you and I both know I can’t.”
“Are you still harping on what Mom told you when you were sixteen?” DelAnne asked, snorting with disgust. “Really, Zoey. When are you going to understand that Mom told you that stupid prophecy to control you? There is absolutely no basis in fact for it.”
“Maybe,” Zoey said quietly, pushing aside the hope that was beginning to form inside of her.
“Maybe? Oh, please! You need to focus on the vision you had when you touched him. What was it? Was it good?”
Zoey hesitated, smiling slowly as she thought about the vision. “Yeah,” she answered finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “Yeah, it was really good.”
Chapter 32
Deuce looked around the living room of his ranch home, thankful that all of his family was present. Even the newest adopted members of the family were there, and he was pleased that every one of them had accepted that they were now family members. They were all just as important as those who were born to the family.
He smiled as he looked at Robbie showing his puzzles to Cooper as she sat on Marc’s lap. The little girl was adorable, and he had to hide his smile as he saw how the stoic man was completely owned by her. She giggled sweetly as Robbie told her jokes that only little ones could appreciate. She had her left hand wrapped in Marc’s long hair, claiming him completely. Madison sat beside Marc, smiling and completely at ease. He didn’t think she realized the full impact of what Marc was to mean to her yet, but she would soon if he was any judge of character. Marc’s resolve to remain distant was slowly breaking down. It would only be a matter of time before he realized that Madison was his gift and that he was meant to cherish her and claim her as his.
Looking over at the couch, he saw Rafe sitting beside Becca and Jake sitting beside Claire. Both of his brothers were holding their mate’s hand. It seemed as if they had finally come to their senses, but he could also see that the women were hesitant to relax completely. Reaching out to hold his own mate’s hand, he pulled Gracie closer to him and held her tenderly so that her back was against his chest and he was able to touch her pregnant belly. Something in him ached to touch her and their child every moment of every day. She was his heart. She was his soul. She was his miracle.
Looking across the room, he saw Deputy Bryce Fletcher standing behind the couch, directly behind Zoey. The way he was watching her made Deuce know that he had laid claim to her despite the fact that Zoey seemed determined to ignore him completely. He shook his head at her stubbornness. He wished he could shake some sense into the defiant men and women before him. Didn’t they realize that time was precious? Didn’t they understand that every moment away from their mate was a moment lost that they could never get back? Obviously not.
“Do you have any news, Bryce?” he asked the deputy, almost afraid to bring up the situation with Tim’s father.
“Jenkins Hughes was arrested early this morning,” Bryce told them calmly, looking at Tim and hoping that his childhood friend could see the compassion he held for him. Tim had always been a good friend, and he didn’t want to cause him any additional turmoil. “Mr. Hughes admitted to causing the gas leak and starting the fire at the diner, but he insisted that he didn’t know that the four women were inside.”
“So what does that mean?” Tim asked, his voice hard.
“Well, it’s up to the judge and jury to decide if they believe him or not. As far as our department is concerned, his charges hold him accountable for the intentional destruction of the diner and the injury to the four women.”
“Good,” Tim said firmly.
“As far as the destruction to your fences and the injuries to your animals, the investigation is ongoing,” Bryce added. “He’s not forthcoming with any information so it may take some time to hold him on charges for those crimes.”
“Okay,” Deuce said, accepting the truth of the situation. “All of us need to remain on alert. We need to make sure that our family is safe.”
Lainey reached out and touched Tim’s hand, drawing him toward her and wrapping her arms around his waist to pull him closer so she could nuzzle against his neck. Spence pressed against her back, successfully sandwiching her between them. Lifting his left hand, he touched Tim’s shoulder and pressed firmly, linking the three of them.
“We have some other things to discuss that are important for all of you to hear,” Deuce spoke up, drawing all of their attentions and smiling as every member of his family looked at him. “I’m glad you’re all here tonight,”
“Deuce, before you start, Tim and Lainey and I want to say something,” Spence spoke up from his place beside the fireplace where the three of them stood. At Deuce’s nod, he looked out at the members of his family and cleared his throat. “First off, we want to tell you how glad we are that everyone is okay after what happened at the diner.”
“My mates have convinced me that it’s not my fault, but I want to offer my sincere apology that my father has caused so much pain for all of you,” Tim said softly. “I’m glad everyone is home safe.”
He looked at Becca, Claire, DelAnne, and Zoey hoping they could understand how much his heart hurt that they had been injured. When he saw their smiles as they looked up at him, his breath came a little easier. He looked at Bryce Fletcher and saw him nod in acknowledgment of his words. Something inside his chest relaxed as he saw the open acceptance of his apology. It would take some time for him to fully accept that he wasn’t responsible for his father’s actions, but he knew that the fact that none of his family held him accountable for what had happened would help him to someday make peace with it.
“We also wanted to let everyone know that we’re expecting twins,” Lainey spoke up, smiling at her two mates as they turned to look at her. “We were going to keep it to ourselves for a while, but there’s no need. We want all of you to share in our miracle.”
There was a surge of happiness and excitement as everyone stood to congratulate and hug the newest expectant parents. The way Spence, Lainey, and Tim glowed was certainly understandable. Having twins was a definite miracle that would give the family another boost of joy.
“Congratulations,” Deuce said, joining his happiness with the rest of the family. “That brings us to the importance of what we need to tell all of you. It seems that there are parts of the matings of our ranch that are unknown to many of us. John and I have sort of stumbled upon some facts that we verified with Luke and Melanie so we can let the rest of you know what to expect when you mate.”
“Deuce, not all of us have mates,” Zoey spoke up, determined to keep herself unmated. She looked behind her for just a moment and damned herself for doing it when she saw the instant smile that Bryce Fletcher gave her. Damn, but he was a persistent man.
“Maybe right now that’s true,” Deuce agreed, “but you should still know what to expect when it does happen for you. I don’t want anyone to be caught without the knowledge that you’re going to need.”
Zoey sat back against the couch cushion. She didn’t know what knowledge Deuce was gong to impart, but she had to admit to herself that he had sparked her interest. She was willing to listen to what he had to tell them.
“Al
l of you know that the mating link appears on the nape of our necks when we find our mates and the mating is accepted by all participants in the mating. We now know that the Great Spirit acknowledges and blesses matings between three people since Spence, Lainey, and Tim have been gifted with the mating mark that includes the three of them.” He smiled at them and nodded to acknowledge their special blessing. “Luke, John, and I also were able to feel the warmth of our babies’ beginning life the night our women conceived. We could feel the life force when we touched their abdomens. It only can be felt when we touch their bare skin and it intensifies as the babies grow.”
“We felt the same thing when Lainey conceived,” Spence spoke up. “We didn’t understand how we knew that what we were feeling was our babies, but we did.”
“It was one of the most remarkable thing we have ever experienced,” Tim told them, smiling down at Lainey. “To be able to feel our children when they were so new inside of her was the most incredible feeling.” He turned to face the rest of the family and smiled at their attentive faces. “That’s when Spence and I said the prayer of blessing over our babies that we men have all been taught since we were teenagers.”
“What many of you don’t know is that when you find that your woman is pregnant, a small, golden link appears attached to the mating mark that represents the baby that she is carrying. In Lainey’s case, she has two links that represent the twins she is having.”
“You have two links, Lainey?” Becca asked, amazed.
Lainey nodded. “So do Tim and Spence.”
“What?” Jake asked, surprised.
“That’s the other part that we weren’t aware of,” Deuce continued. “The mothers get the tiny link that represents her baby and so do the fathers.” He looked around the room and saw the shock on every unmated couple’s faces. “No one can see the links except the parents. Luke can see the two links on Melanie’s neck, and she can see the two links on Luke’s neck. I can see the link on Gracie’s neck and she can see the link on mine. John can see the link on Jamie’s neck and she can see his.”
Claiming Lainey [Cowboy Mates, Psychic Connections 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 38