by Rita Herron
His pulse raced as he drove to the Becker land. As he expected, he found Jessie at the main house. When he entered, sounds of joy echoed from Jonah’s study.
Lolita bustled out with a smile and welcomed him. “Sí, Ranger Navarro. It is a blessed day. Mr. Becker has come back to us. He is his old self again.” She suddenly reached up, cupped his face in her hands and kissed both his cheeks. “Miss Jessie told me what you did. You have cured him. It’s a miracle! I get champagne for us to celebrate!”
Cabe grinned at her excitement, and hoped that Jessie and her father would both welcome him. Perspiration dotted his hands as he knocked on the study door and pushed the door open. “Jessie?”
Her beaming smile greeted him. “Cabe, come in. My father has had a radical recovery.”
He entered, filled with trepidation over Jonah Becker’s reaction to him. The man he’d met before had been ill, disoriented, but the real Jonah was an unscrupulous businessman.
“Jessie, Mr. Becker.”
Jonah gave him a wary look, but waved him in. Jessie introduced him, and he extended his hand. “Mr. Becker, we met once, but it’s nice to see that you’re feeling better.”
“My daughter tells me that I owe my recovery to you. That you solved the murders around here, saved her life, and that you and your father exorcised the spirits from my land.”
He gritted his teeth. “We didn’t exorcise them,” Cabe said, protective of his cultural beliefs. “We helped the spirits find peace. And you aided in doing that by returning the land to them.”
Jonah shrugged. “Yes, you’re right. It did belong to them.” He slid a protective arm around Jessie. “I want to thank you for protecting and saving my daughter. You did a good job, Ranger Navarro.”
Cabe glanced at Jessie. Love for him shone in her eyes, but there was an acceptance there as well. She would not beg him to love her or guilt him into being with her.
Her unselfishness only made his love grow stronger. And it gave him courage. She’d been right when she’d accused him of running before.
He didn’t intend to run now.
“I did do my job,” he admitted, then squared his shoulders. He faced hardened criminals every day. Why was it so damn difficult to confess that he loved someone, to open up his heart? “But, sir, it wasn’t just my job. I care for your daughter.”
It was an old-fashioned thing to do, to ask for Jonah’s permission. Perhaps even lame. But tradition and family ties mattered, and he would never forget it again.
Sweat beaded on his neck, but he told himself Jessie was important enough for him to take a chance. Although if her father answered no, then he had no idea what he’d do.
“I see.” Jonah pinned him with his eyes. “And your intentions, Sergeant Navarro?”
Cabe flexed his hands, trying to shake off his nerves. “I love your daughter, Mr. Becker. And I’d very much like to ask you for her hand in marriage.”
Shock flashed across Jessie’s face, then a brilliant smile that made his heart pound. She was just as uncertain about her father’s reaction as he was, but she took a step toward him, offering hope.
Jonah gave him a long assessing look, then turned to Jessie. “I believe that decision is up to my daughter. Jessie?”
“Dad, I love Cabe,” Jessie said softly. “And I would like your blessing.”
Emotions glittered in Jonah’s eyes. “I love you, too, Jessie. I always have.” He pulled her into a hug, and tears trickled down Jessie’s face.
“Thank you, Dad.”
Jonah wiped at his own eyes, then cut his gaze toward Cabe. “But if you hurt her, Navarro, you’ll deal with me.”
“Yes, sir.” Cabe finally breathed. “You have my word, sir, that I will love her with all my heart and protect her with my life.”
He reached for Jessie’s hand, pulled the beaded leather pouch from his pocket, then dropped to his knee. “Jessie, I love you. And if you’ll do me the honor of marrying me, I will respect you, cherish you and love you for the rest of my life.”
More tears filled Jessie’s eyes, tears of joy. “Cabe, oh, yes. Of course, I’ll marry you.”
His hand shook as he slipped the ring from the pouch, then held it out to her. “It isn’t a diamond, but it belonged to my grandmother and has been passed down through my family for generations.” He hesitated. “My father said it will symbolize us and the joining of our families and cultures.”
“It’s beautiful,” Jessie whispered. “Absolutely perfect.”
His heart swelled as he slipped it on her finger.
An excited laugh came from her, then she launched herself into his arms. Her lips met his, and he kissed her tenderly, passionately, the pent-up need over the past two days rising to taunt him.
Lolita bobbed in with a bottle of champagne, and they pulled apart long enough to toast Jonah and their upcoming marriage. But one toast, and the secret, sultry smile Jessie graced him with indicated she was ready to be alone.
His sex hardened, the need to make love to her overpowering as they rushed back to her cabin and fell into bed.
They made love like teenagers, like lovers, like newlyweds, like a couple who had been destined to be together forever.
And he promised her that they would.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-5031-8
RAWHIDE RANGER
Copyright © 2010 by Rita B. Herron
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