Harlee rolled to her side and looked over her shoulder in time to see Warren go airborne and slam against the opposite wall. Her tormenter sprawled on the floor, not moving. A figure shrouded in darkness stalked toward him.
The light from the lamp illuminated the face of her savior.
Jake.
Air rushed into her lungs. Grateful tears of relief clouded her eyes. She lay limp and unmoving, exhausted both mentally and physically. The rat dog leaped on her chest and licked her face.
Jake nudged Warren with his foot. She watched as he searched the dark corners of the room. Her body refused to budge as he bent over her. The smell of fear faded, replaced by the heady masculine scent of perspiration and expensive cologne. She opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn’t. She spiraled downward, spinning round and round.
She welcomed the blackness that claimed her.
* * * *
Harlee cuddled closer to the warmth. It filled her, comforted her, kept her safe. She never wanted to wake up. Didn’t want reality to intrude on her fantasy.
Her body ached like it’d been dropped off a cliff. At first, she couldn’t recall why. Then it flooded back to her in vivid pictures she’d rather forget. She burrowed her head into Jake’s chest and curled her body around his. Her soft curves molded to his hard planes. With a moan, his arms tightened around her.
Harlee tilted her head back to study him in the early morning light. He looked haggard with those dark circles under his eyes. He’d lost weight in his face, too. She touched his lips with a fingertip and traced the outline, loving the strong male feel of them. Jake opened his mouth and licked her finger, tickling it with his tongue. Harlee giggled.
“Mmmm.” His hand squeezed her butt. He rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him.
She winced as her cut arm brushed across his chest. He opened his eyes and blinked the sleep from them. “You okay?”
“Yeah. It hurts a little.”
“You’re lucky. The cut wasn’t deep. They didn’t have to put stitches in it.”
“What happened to Warren?”
“He’s in custody without bail. He’s a very sick man.”
“That’s an understatement. The man is frigging nuts. Will he get help, Jake?”
“I hope so.”
“Do you hate me?”
He chuckled. “Hardly. I make it a practice not to get naked with women I hate.”
“Thank you for finding me.”
“The rat dog showed the way.”
“Is he okay?”
“Yeah, he’ll be fine. Just a few broken ribs. He’s staying the night in the animal hospital next to a foxy poodle.”
Harlee breathed a sigh of relief. “Brad said you weren’t coming back until tomorrow.”
“I changed my mind. I had to find you. I don’t ever want to lose you again.”
“Oh, Jake.” She couldn’t form the words she wanted to say, but she could show him. Harlee rubbed her cheek across his stubble and enjoyed the clash of textures, rough against soft. “You feel good.”
“So do you.” He moved one thigh to the other side of his hips. She rubbed herself against him. She reared up to study his face, propping herself on elbows planted on his chest.
The tears escaped so quickly she didn’t stand a chance of stopping them. They dripped one by one onto his bare chest. “Jake.”
“I love you, Harlee.” He pulled her down for a deep wet kiss. His lips lingered on hers long after his tongue stopped its sensuous strokes.
“I love you, Jake.”
Chapter 24—The Crooked Bowtie
Jacob Andrew Reynolds fumbled with his bow tie. His fingers wouldn’t function, and the damn thing refused to cooperate. Brad tried to help him, but his fingers had turned into thumbs.
“Oh, shit, let me do it.” Carson elbowed Brad out of the way and tied the perfect bow tie.
Surprise, surprise. Everything Carson did was perfect. Right down to his perfectly tight ass, though lately even that had changed. Jake felt a twinge of guilt for his part in splitting the family and ReynCorp’s current financial woes. One of the fallouts of the Rosehill debacle was that Carson had left the family business. Jake felt grateful he’d even attended the wedding. Sighing, he shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind. Not only would ReynCorp survive and somehow prosper, but he’d find a way to mend all these broken fences. For now, family quarrels and money issues were not going to ruin this day.
“Thanks, Car.” Jake stared in the mirror and wiped his sweaty palms on a towel. “I never imagined I’d be this nervous.” He ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame that one untamable stray lock.
“You’ll do fine.” Carson’s pale blue eyes met his. For once, they were filled with warmth, instead of disgust or exasperation. “She’s a great catch, little brother. You’d better treat her right, or I’ll personally kick your butt.”
“Yes, sir.” Jake executed a mock salute, which sent all three brothers into nervous laughter. “You’ve sure changed your tune.”
“We all have. She stood up to you over that camp and sacrificed your relationship for her cause. That proved to me that she wasn’t after your money. I’m just glad that you got to her before Warren did.”
“Yeah, the poor bastard. Hopefully, he’ll get some help in prison or wherever he’s going.” Brad popped a mint in his mouth.
“I don’t think he’ll see the light of day for a while.” Carson shook his head. “What a waste.”
Joe Reynolds strode into the room, his voice full of cool confidence. “I’m glad to see you all survived last night. I wasn’t sure any of you’d be functioning this morning after that bachelor party.”
Brad of the cast-iron stomach laughed. “We didn’t have that much to drink.”
“Speak for yourself.” Carson grumped, putting space between their father and him.
“You know, Car, you are looking a little green.” Brad teased.
Carson opened his mouth to argue, but Joe interrupted. “Brad, Carson, I’d like to speak with Jake. Alone.”
“He’s already figured out sex,” Brad quipped. “In fact, weren’t you fourteen when you and our Italian housekeeper…”
Jake slanted Brad a murderous look. One more secret down the toilet and into the gutter. Now that he considered it, that’s actually where that particular secret belonged.
Joe waited for the older brothers to leave then gave Jake his full attention. “I’d never thought I’d see this day that my youngest would be the first to marry. Again.” He shook his head. “I worry about those other two and your sister. You may be my only hope for a grandchild.”
“Don’t worry, Dad. They just need to find the right woman—and man.”
“Like you did?”
“Like I did. I can’t believe she agreed to this huge wedding.”
“She didn’t stand a chance with Mariah and your mother and sister planning the thing. It’s grown in direct proportion to my shrinking pocketbook. I’ll have to take over a few more companies to pay for this one.”
Jake laughed. It felt good to release some of the tension.
“You okay?”
Jake shook his head. “I’m scared to death, Dad.”
“You’ll be fine, kid.” Joe fussed Jake’s perfectly straight bowtie. So dear old Dad was nervous, too. “You look great. The weather couldn’t be better. Seventy-five degrees and sunny. Someone’s looking out for you.”
“Couldn’t be Bridget. Her cards predicted rain.”
“I have a wedding gift for you. Both of you.” Joe handed him an envelope.
Jake took the envelope. His father watched expectantly. “Did you want me to open it now?”
Joe nodded. “You can share it with Harlee later.”
Jake opened the envelope then he stared up at his father in wonder. “This…This is the title to the section of Rosehill property that contains the camp. Dad, I…”
“You earned it. It’s all yours. With what Rico paid
for the five acres near the farmhouse, we’ll have enough to start work on the small resort on the other end of the property once the permits go through.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“‘Thanks’ works for me.”
Jake rubbed his eyes, finding it hard to speak. “Thanks,” he croaked.
Carson peeked in the doorway. “Are you ready?”
Jake nodded and swallowed. His father clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Take a deep breath. Put one foot in front of the other. Stand at the altar. Say your vows and love that girl forever.”
“I will, Dad.” Jake followed his father from the room.
His mother waited outside the door. Her eyes shone as she stood on tiptoes to give her baby boy a peck on the cheek. She took the arm his father offered her. His parents looked into each other’s eyes. Clarice raised her face as Joe leaned down and kissed her. Not a chaste, impersonal kiss, but a sloppy, openmouthed one with all the trimmings. Joe’s eyes moved down Clarice’s body and back to her face. Something flickered in their gaze. Love? They were falling in love again? Giving it a second chance?
Hell had already frozen over, so what was next?
Maybe this island was magic after all.
* * * *
“Harlee! Are you getting sick?” Mariah pounded on the bathroom door.
Harlee Louise Davis knelt over the toilet bowl. “I’m thinking about it.”
“Don’t you dare. You’ll mess up your hair and makeup. Get a handle on yourself and get out here. Now. They’re ready for you.”
“I can’t.” Harlee leaned her head against the cool porcelain and fought the waves of nausea. Mariah’s incessant pounding amplified the pounding in her head.
Get it together. Now. This is the most important moment of your life. The bittersweet irony of her situation crossed her mind. She’d started this adventure in the toilet, she’d be damned if it’d end in the toilet.
Harlee rose to her feet and wobbled to the bathroom door to unlock it. Mariah, Bridget, and Eva stormed the room, talking at once. Shame on her. She’d messed up her hair. Smeared her makeup. Wrinkled her dress. They went to work on her like Tasmanian devils in a hurricane.
Harlee finally waved them off. “That’s enough. He’s marrying me. Not my dress or my makeup or my hair. If I don’t get out there soon, he’ll think I stood him up at the altar.”
The madwomen stepped back and let her pass. Mariah followed closely behind and fussed with the train until Brad, as the best man, took her arm and led the matron of honor up the aisle. Bridget followed on Carson’s arm. Harlee hid behind the doorway.
Eva nodded at her. “The stars are aligned for a long and happy life.”
Harlee smiled. For once, she agreed, and she couldn’t ask for a more beautiful backdrop for a wedding. They’d be wed in a large gazebo perched on the bank above the bay. The San Juan Islands stretched in a picture-perfect view behind them as the sun began to set in the west against a backdrop of brilliant oranges, reds, purples, and pinks.
“Are you ready?” Rico smiled down at her and squeezed her hand.
“Thank you for giving me away.”
“Harlee, I thank you for everything you’ve done for Mariah and me. Jake offered to sell five acres and the farmhouse to us. Mariah is ecstatic.”
“I didn’t convince him. It was his idea.”
Rico smiled. “I’m sure you had a hand in it. I know how women work.”
A small orchestra played the traditional wedding march. The Reynolds family didn’t do anything halfway. Jake’s parents had gifted them with this huge event.
Rico gave her arm a tug. She held tight and followed the path of rose petals around the corner of the farmhouse to the aisle formed by the guests. Harlee raised her eyes and met Jake’s admiring gaze. His chocolate eyes glittered with love and devotion.
Her fears dissolved. Her nervousness vanished along with the five hundred plus guests. Jake and she existed in their own private place.
She didn’t remember much of the ceremony. She clung to Jake’s arm and savored the masculine scent of his cologne. His tuxedo-clad biceps flexed under her hand. An errant lock of black hair insisted on falling across his forehead. The bow tie around his neck listed to one side. She didn’t care. He was perfect. And he was hers.
She said her vows and never meant anything so much in her life. They kissed, long, wet, and deep, causing the guests to cheer wildly.
Jake and Harlee faced their guests as the minister introduced them as Jake and Harlee Reynolds. The sun set in the background, resplendent in a rainbow of colors and reflected by the water.
Igor sat on his haunches near the front row. All the while, he shook his head trying to dislodge the bows in his hair. The dog groomer had a sense of humor. Igor didn’t, at least not when it came to his fur. But he did bark when the groom kissed his bride.
They had the rat dog’s approval, what more could they ask for?
Except to live happily ever after.
After all, that’s the way any good fairy-tale ends.
~ THE END ~
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* * *
COMPLETE BOOKLIST
The following Jami Davenport titles are available in electronic and some are available in trade paperback format.
Evergreen Dynasty Series
Save the Last Dance
Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?
The Gift Horse
Seattle Sockeyes Hockey Series
Skating on Thin Ice (Coming Soon)
Crashing the Boards
Seattle Lumberjacks Football Series
Fourth and Goal
Forward Passes
Down by Contact
Backfield in Motion
Christmas Break
Time of Possession
Roughing the Passer (Coming Soon)
Standalone Books
Love at First Snow
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jami Davenport has been writing since she was old enough to know the alphabet. An advocate of happy endings, Jami writes sexy romantic comedy, sports hero romances, and equestrian fiction. Jami lives on a small farm near Puget Sound with her husband, a former Green Beret turned plumber, a Newfoundland cross with a tennis ball fetish, a prince disguised as an orange tabby cat, and an opinionated Hanoverian mare.
She works in IT for her day job and is a former high school business teacher. In her spare time, Jami rides and shows her dressage horse and grows roses. An avid boater, Jami has spent countless hours in the San Juan Islands, the setting for her first two books. In her opinion, it is the most beautiful place on earth.
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Website: http://www.jamidavenport.com
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