But here, now, he finally understood what his parents meant. This was about taking care of her, about putting her needs over his, not just in the bedroom, but in life. Because she would do exactly the same thing for him.
Something had changed in Zac. At first she thought he was wearing out—which Tabby found totally understandable considering he’d been up an entire day and then some. But then she’d seen something flutter in the back of his eyes, an expression that thrilled and excited her. Scared the crap out of her too.
For a second she thought it was love staring back at her. But it couldn’t be. Not so soon. That he might not love her, might see this as a fling, frightened her even more than she’d been when waiting to tell Bill she wanted a divorce.
What if it was just the look he got as he was about to come? She gnawed at the nail polish on her thumb. It had been reasonably dark in her apartment when they’d done it the first time and, to be honest, she’d squeezed her eyes shut, overwhelmed with her own orgasm, instead watching him when he’d come. The second time she’d been ass up in the air, unable to see his expression.
His cock still pulsing deep inside her, Zac slumped over her chest, his breath hot on her damp skin. Just as she was about to say he was too heavy, he rolled off to the side. His hair stuck up in all directions, and the exhaustion she’d seen when he first arrived home was clearly overwhelming him.
His eyes stayed closed as he murmured, “Promise me you’ll be here when I wake up.”
Until the diner’s broken window was fixed, she didn’t have to head back to town. She stroked his hair off his face. “I’ll be here.”
His big body rolled against hers, the heat he generated warming her against the now-chilled sheets. As she snuggled in his embrace, he murmured, “Love you, kitten.”
She cupped her hands over her mouth as the world tilted on its axis beneath her. He’d said the L word. The debates about whether it meant the same thing to him as it did to her, and if it was too soon after her divorce for her to really mean it, got shoved aside. She snuggled closer, resting her head on his chest. God, his heart beat was so strong, so steady. This was no rebound romance. This was the man she should have been with from the start. Billy had been the rebound.
Love welling up in her chest, spreading over her skin like a warm blanket, and her, “I love you too,” was a declaration no one could question.
A quiet, “Thank fuck,” whispered across her skin.
She jumped when his eyes opened and locked on her. His grip on her tightened. “Say it again.”
His eyes searched hers, and she repeated it. “I love you. I’ve always loved you. And I always will.”
Epilogue
One year minus one day later
“Your tie is crooked, Zachary. Come here and let me fix it.”
Zac bit back the complaint that none of the other guys had to wear a tie, as his mother made some adjustment to the offending article.
“There, that’s better. Now you’re ready to get married.”
Wow. Married. Though it had been his idea, and he’d proposed the moment he’d awoken that day of the fire, it had taken him three months to convince Tabatha to say yes. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to marry him, she’d explained, but because she didn’t want people thinking she’d jumped into marriage or that they had to get married. Not that he gave a goddamn what other people thought, but it took him a while to get her not to care. But who knew weddings could take so long to arrange? It wasn’t that they had trouble booking the venue—hell they’d both agreed his place would be the perfect setting, with its landscaped backyard. It had been arranging everyone’s schedule, and taking the weather in account—and they both agreed on a fall wedding rather than under the scorching hot summer sun. Now, one year less a day after their first official date, it was finally here.
His mother, dressed in a subdued grey dress with a simple silver chain at her neck, brushed her hands across his shoulders, her eyes glistening with pride. “You grew up into such a handsome man, Zachary.” She took a shaky breath. “You look so much like your daddy did when I married him.”
He fought against the lump in his throat at the tears in her eyes. Pops would have been making jokes about Zac messing up his vows, or ribbing him about the wedding night. “He’s lookin’ down on us, Momma.”
“Oh, I know, baby. I just wish…” She straightened, showing the Buchanan mettle, as his daddy used to put it. “Well, if wishes were horses, we’d all be riding now, wouldn’t we?” A decided nod of her head and her voice strengthened. “I like Tabatha. I always hoped you would ask her out but you kept treating her like a younger sister. Even when I kept encouraging you to see her for who she really was.”
“You did?” Could have fooled him.
“Oh, Zachary. Honestly. Were you really that blind?” She glanced over at Quinn. “I suppose I would have been happy if Quinn was interested in her, since you weren’t, but…well, it’s best for both of them that they didn’t date.”
Before Zac could ask her what she meant, Reverend Mike appeared at his side. “We’re ready…Mrs. Buchanan, it’s time to let the usher escort you to your seat.”
Ready? Already? That couldn’t be right. Zac glanced around at his yard, which Tabatha and her friends had transformed into a makeshift wedding chapel, complete with a pots of daisies and sunflowers sitting on stumps strategically placed at the end of every other aisle. The white wooden seats that had been empty when they’d arrived were now filled with a lot of folks he knew and almost as many he didn’t, almost all of them waving their programs like fans.
Holy crap, this was it. The sweat that beaded on his forehead had little to do with the weather.
“I’ll take you, Mrs. B,” Quinn offered.
“No, I’ve got her.” He held out his arm. “Momma, shall we go?”
Tucking his mother’s hand into the crook of his arm, he escorted her to the seat. Instead of sitting down, she caught his hand in hers. “Now, Zachary, I have some advice to give you about marriage, and I want you to listen to me because your momma knows what she’s talkin’ about.”
Oh God. Advice? Here? Now? “Momma, what are you doing? The ceremony’s about to start.”
She huffed. “They can hold their horses for a minute. I’m not done talkin’ with you yet.”
Hold their horses? Was she seriously expecting Tabatha to delay the wedding?
“I meant to talk to you last night but then Quinn and the boys took you out and I didn’t get a chance to get you alone until now.”
“Momma, you can tell me after the ceremony.” Somewhere there wasn’t an audience. And a bride waiting impatiently in the house. And a bride’s father who would no doubt blame him for delaying the wedding. Mr. Morgan was probably filling Tabby’s head with crap about how her groom may be having second thoughts. “Momma, please.”
She fixed him with the same stern look that had him stopping in his tracks when he was little. Damned if it didn’t work still. “Just remember that life isn’t always easy, Zachary. When you hit those hard times—and you will—the main thing you have to do is to be there for each other. Marriage means being each other’s cheerleader. When you’re fighting—and you will fight—just remember that when you look back on things the next day or the next year or maybe it’ll take twenty years, it won’t matter if you left the pot roast out on the counter instead of putting it in the fridge where the dog couldn’t get it. Or that she ate the last scoop of ice cream that you’d been planning to have after work. Those are inconsequential in the bigger picture.”
“Yes, Momma.” He bit back how she’d once yelled at his father for the whole pot roast incident. Or how his father had hired Mrs. Morgan to cater an entire meal the following week to apologize. Huh. That had been the first time he’d met Tabatha.
“Just remember to make each other laugh,” she continued. “Every day. If you can both laugh, then you’ll do fine.”
“Thanks, Momma. I’ll try to remember. Don’t sweat
the small stuff, and laugh every day.”
“Well,” she huffed. “When you reduce it to platitudes like that, it sounds silly, but it’s good advice. Now you get back up there beside Quinn and get yourself hitched. You’ve delayed things enough.”
He’d delayed things? Yeah, like he was about to argue that point. With a muttered, “Yes, Momma,” he rejoined Quinn.
Quinn glanced as Zac’s momma, his forehead furled. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, she’s missin’ Pops ’specially hard today.”
“We all are.” Did Quinn wonder who’d offer him marital advice when he decided to get married? Or even if there’d be anyone on his family’s side of the aisle? Did he realize that his momma would be there for Quinn as if she’d given birth to him? That he and Tabby would be standing right there too? He caught Quinn’s gaze. He wanted to say “I love you, dude” but the words stuck in his mouth. Instead, “D’ya know Momma and Mrs. Morgan are already making bets on when the first grandkid will be born?” tumbled out.
The thought of Tabby pregnant, of holding their kid, didn’t scare him as much as it would have even six months ago. Strange how life worked. Maybe they’d get to work on helping his momma win the bet while they were on their honeymoon.
The crowd stirred, and the band Tabby had hired to play through the ceremony began to play some song she’d fallen in love with from one of her chick flicks. He turned his attention to the patio door where Boggs ushered Tabatha’s mother to her seat and, beyond her, Shannon appeared, her blue satin dress in Tabatha’s beloved fifties-style theme. His usher’s wife rocked the outfit as she sashayed down the aisle on Dave’s arm.
The song ended, and the quartet started playing I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You, the song Tabby had chosen over a more traditional processional song.
A vision in white appeared at the patio door.
Everyone, everything else faded. One hand hooked in her father’s arm, Tabby was resplendent in a vintage white wedding gown that ended at her knees. The breeze caught it and swirled it with each step she took. Instead of the usual up-do she wore at the diner, today her hair floated down over her shoulders, a sprig of daisies twined together on one side.
If someone asked him later what her father had worn, or if there’d been someone singing the lyrics, he couldn’t have told them, all he saw was Tabatha—his Tabby—with the softest look in her eyes.
Mr. Morgan took his daughter’s hand and, with a stern look, placed it in Zac’s. “You take good care of my daughter, Buchanan, or I’ll come back and kick your ass, you hear?”
“Yes, sir. But I promise, I’ll never give you cause.”
“Better not,” her father muttered, before he took his seat beside his wife, who was already dabbing her eyes.
“Hey there,” Tabby whispered. “You okay? You’re not going to pass out or anything, are you?”
He shook his head, wondering if he just might. “You are the most beautiful bride there’s ever been.”
“Even with my cowboy boots?” She clicked them together to make sure he looked down at the light-blue boots with elaborate white stitching. “They’re the something blue and something new.”
“Love ’em.” Because she was wearin’ ’em. Hell, she could have been barefoot and she’d have still been the most beautiful woman on the planet.
She leaned in to whisper, “Just so you know I plan on them being the last thing I take off tonight.”
Reverend Mike cleared his throat. “If you two are done, can we begin?”
Begin? Hell yeah, today was the first day of the rest of his life and the best day of many more to come. Because Tabby was right where she was supposed to be. Beside him.
Tabatha’s Chili Seasoning
4 tbs. chili powder
2 tbs. ground cumin
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground pepper
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (this can be increased as desired)
Directions
Stir all ingredients together and store in an airtight container. This will be good for 2-3 batches of chili.
Tabatha’s 5-alarm Chili
1 lb. lean ground beef browned and drained of fat thoroughly
1 (4oz) can hot green chilies
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ c. dark beer (any variety works and this is Tabatha’s special trick)
½ c. water
1 (28 oz.) can of whole peeled tomatoes
1 (29 oz.) can of tomato sauce
1 (16 oz.) can hot chili beans
3 tbs. chili seasoning
Slow Cooker Directions
Place ground beef into crock pot and stir in chili seasoning. Add in tomatoes by crushing them into small pieces with your hands into the pot. Then add in onions, chilies, Worcestershire sauce, and chili beans and stir. Finally add in the liquids by adding in tomato sauce, beer, and water. Once incorporated, cook in slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low or 4 ½ on high with stirring occasionally. The chili will seem a bit runny after cooking, but stir for 2 minutes to even it out and thicken it up before serving.
Suggested serving options include: shredded cheese, sour cream, crackers, cornbread, corn chips, or even macaroni.
Tabatha serves hers with shredded Colby jack cheese and her famous corn bread.
Tabatha’s Green Chili and Smoked Gouda Cornbread
2 c. self-rising white corn meal mix (suggested is Aunt Jemima)
3 tbs. coconut oil (melted)
½ c. buttermilk
1 c. milk
1 (4 oz.) can hot green chilies
1 c. freshly grated smoked Gouda cheese
1 egg
1 tsp. organic sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, stir together cornmeal mix, buttermilk, milk, egg, and coconut oil. Add in green chilies and cheese along with the sugar, and stir until combined evenly. Spray muffin pan, and fill to 2/3rds full. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes until they start to turn golden on the tops. Don’t overcook or they will be tough. Serve up warm.
About the Author
Leah Braemel is the only woman in a houseful of males that includes her college-sweetheart husband, two sons, a Shih Tzu named Seamus who acts like a cat and Turtle the cat who thinks he’s part dog. She loves escaping the ever-multiplying dust bunnies by opening up her laptop to write about sexy heroes and the women who challenge them.
Contact Leah at [email protected], find her on Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorLeahBraemel, or visit her webpage at http://leahbraemel.com to find out about her other books and appearances.
Other books by Leah Braemel
Hauberk Protection Series
First Night
Private Property
Personal Protection
Deliberate Deceptions
Perfect Proposal
Hidden Heat
Tangled Series
Texas Tangle
Tangled Past
The Grady Legacy series
Slow Ride Home
No Accounting for Cowboys
Wrangling the Past (to be released 2015)
Short Stories
Unashamed
Cherry Cottage
Anthologies
Red Hot Holiday
Northern Heat: Best Canadian Erotic Romance Stories
COMBUSTIBLE
By Lexxie Couper
Copyright © 2014 by Lexxie Couper
All rights reserved.
Contact: [email protected]
Desmond Russell. Arson investigator. The best Australia has. Cool, calm, collected and utterly poised. Nothing intimidates him. He knows fire like he knows his own body and soul. Sent to the small Outback town of Wallaby Ridge to investigate the complete destruction by fire of the Austra
lian Deputy Prime Minister’s cattle station homestead, he clashes with Jess Montgomery, captain of the local fire brigade, a feisty woman no taller than his chin, with wild red hair and a mouth like a drunken sailor.
Jess has a major dislike of arson investigators, especially ones from the big smoke. Two years ago her brother died in a fire she knew wasn’t an accident, but the investigator who arrived from the city—a smug bastard who looked down on the people of Wallaby Ridge even as he reeked of scotch—said it was. She doesn’t trust Desmond Russell to investigate his own arse, let alone a fire that destroyed the Deputy PM’s Outback homestead. And when she learns Desmond is the son of the drunken investigator who dismissed her claims of arson in her brother’s case...well, she’s not going to let him waltz in and take over.
Arson investigator, Desmond Russell is the best in Australia. Cool, calm and collected, nothing ruffles him. Until he meets Outback fire brigade captain, Jess Montgomery, a woman who ignites all his sexual desires. The initial spark will engulf them both…but will their hearts survive the inferno?
Dedication:
To the hot firefighter who used to work with my dad back when I was only seventeen. You were the start of a lifelong obsession I still have with sexy firefighters. Which kind of messed me up a little, given I saw my dad almost daily in his firefighter’s gear.
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