A Conard County Homecoming

by Rachel Lee

  “No, you’re not,” he agreed.

  “After that I pretty much stopped dating.”

  “Why? Just because of him?”

  She shook her head. “No. Because I realized that had been the problem one way or another with every guy I dated. The one I hated most of all was the guy who insisted on ordering for me in restaurants. By the third date we were done.”

  He gave a short laugh. “I can sure as hell see why. Damn. Ordering for you? That’s insulting.”

  “Maybe not in his world, but definitely in mine.” She looked into his eyes. “So, Mr. Independent SEAL, I hear you guys are the ultimate in machismo. Do you want the little woman staying at home?”

  He laughed, a full-throated sound of humor. “We’re all about toughness. But I’ll tell you something. Most of us, having to be away so much, vastly prefer to leave behind a woman who can take care of herself and everything else that comes up. Now, I’m not going to say we don’t have any male chauvinists in the crowd, because I’m sure we do. But...many of us would rather not be worrying about the home front when we can’t be there. We’d like to come home to a happy family, not a miserable one. Besides, as one of my buddies said, if you leave a woman at home alone with nothing to do but wait, she might find other ways to entertain herself. So...” He shrugged. “I can’t speak for everyone, but I never had a thing for traditional roles.”

  She smiled. “Maybe because you were secure enough in your manhood you didn’t have anything to prove.”

  He fell quiet, staring into space, but Nell, who’d taken up station behind him on the bed, didn’t seem disturbed. “Funny you should say that,” he replied presently. “My CO remarked on that once. He said you can tell the guys who’ve been on an active mission. They don’t have anything to prove to anyone.” Then he shook his head a bit. “But machismo? I don’t like that word. It has so many negative connotations now. So I’ll just leave it at toughness.”

  That was fine by her. She burrowed into his shoulder just as his hand found her breast and began teasing her toward the pinnacle of desire once again. She spared a moment to wonder wryly if she was going to be able to walk when she went back to work, then gave herself over to the wonder of Zane, the wonder of being free to touch him anywhere, everywhere, the freedom of enjoying his every caress anywhere on her body.

  She felt as if she’d cast off shackles she hadn’t even been aware were binding her. Fiery starbursts began to explode in her head and she straddled him once again, leaning forward so that her hands were on his shoulders, watching his face as she rode him, feeling him slipping in and out of her.

  His eyes never closed. He stared right into hers even as his face began to relax, then to tense again as passion wound ever tighter in both of them.

  Please, she thought as culmination overtook her at last in a blinding explosion, don’t ever let this end.

  * * *

  Sunday night she had to go home to prepare for school the next day. She hated to do it but figured the space might be good for both of them.

  She certainly knew she needed time to think. She knew she was growing deeply involved with Zane. She’d warned herself about her predilection to fall for guys when she made love with them, but she didn’t think it was just that.

  So she was worried. She’d given a lot to him, emotionally, and received a lot from him, and she didn’t want it to end. But she also feared it would. He hadn’t even really committed to staying in this town. What if he decided he needed a cabin on an isolated mountainside to be comfortable with himself? What if he just decided this little town was too small and any plans he had of making a future for himself would just wither and die here?

  As she well knew, far too many young people left here as soon as they could, looking for brighter opportunities and brighter lights in general. It was a problem for all small rural towns, and she had no idea what could be done about it.

  The community college had helped, but most of the students who went there left for four-year schools or jobs elsewhere. Before the semiconductor plant had closed, it had promised a future for young people, but it hadn’t remained.

  The proposed ski resort on the mountain, which somehow never seemed to come to pass, though attempts had been made repeatedly...well, what kind of jobs would it provide for the most part? Not that it mattered, since the landslide had put construction on hold indefinitely while more surveys were done. So far all Conard City had gotten from it were brick-paved sidewalks in the downtown, fancy new streetlights in the main areas around the town and some fresh paint in a few places.

  So what the heck was a guy like Zane supposed to be able to do here? Bleak prospects indeed.

  Her phone rang several times, disturbing her work. She’d turned off her cell as soon as things heated up with Zane, and now as her friends touched base she simply said she’d been visiting someone and refused to say any more. Each of them in turn giggled, suspecting something romantic, but she blessed them for not pressing.

  She and Zane didn’t need to be an item. They weren’t an item. They’d had a weekend fling.

  Like she believed that’s all it was.

  Shoving her disturbed thoughts aside, she bent her attention to her work. She couldn’t afford to let that slip, not for any reason. Soul-searching would have to wait.

  So would remembering the weekend. Her mind kept summoning memories that made her shiver with delight and longing. She never wanted to forget a single detail.

  But math papers stared back at her, and she gave herself a hard mental shake. Later. She’d deal with everything else after she finished her work.

  Just as she was sliding the papers and lesson book into her backpack, there was a rap at the front door. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was nearly eleven.

  Good grief. She jumped up immediately and wasn’t at all surprised to see Nell standing there with a bone in her mouth, her own self-improvised knocker.

  “I’m coming,” she said immediately and yanked her jacket off the hook. Her heart raced as worry and fear consumed her. What was wrong? Was Zane hurt?

  She closed her own door, not worried about locking it, and raced after the dog. As she approached the ramp, she noticed the light from inside seemed dim. Flickering.

  Flickering? Oh, God, fire?

  Scared half to death, she raced up the ramp, patting her pocket for her phone, realizing she’d left it at home. Her stride broke just a little, but she decided it was more important to get inside and check on Zane. If she needed to call for help she could do it then.

  Nell pushed the door open and Ashley raced inside.

  And found herself standing in a candlelit wonderland.

  * * *

  Sitting in his wheelchair at the foot of stairs he would never climb, Zane watched Ashley with a faint smile as she froze just inside the door and looked around, her mouth dropping open. Candles flickered on every flat surface in the small foyer, in the living room and kitchen. He’d wanted to do his bedroom as well, but common sense took over. Candles posed a danger and he didn’t want them burning where he couldn’t keep an eye on them.

  “Hi,” he said, watching her look around.

  “Zane... What...?”

  “For you,” he explained simply. “Beauty for you.”

  She looked at him, wonder on her face. “This is so special, but how...?” She just shook her head.

  “Freitag’s was open. I ventured out and bought every candle they had. Because...you.”


  Vaguely she heard Nell close the door behind her. Then her terror of just moments ago hit her hard. “Do you realize how scared I got? It looked like there was a fire in here, and Nell showing up so late...” She almost hated herself, given what he’d done for her, but the adrenaline hadn’t settled yet.

  His smile faded. “Damn. Didn’t you see the note in her side pocket?”

  She turned and looked at the dog. Indeed, the corner of a piece of paper stuck out from a slit in the dog’s service vest. The last of the adrenaline began to seep away.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, turning to him again. “I jumped to a conclusion.”

  “Clearly.”

  Had she ruined this for him? For an instant she almost hated herself. “I’m sorry,” she said again, beginning to feel miserable. “This is so beautiful! It’s like a wonderland.”

  “I hoped you’d think so.” It was his turn to pause. “Will you ever be able to believe that Nell has come for you for some reason other than that I’m in trouble?”

  The question hung on the air, seeming weighted with significance. Something important was happening here.

  She struggled for the right way to answer, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. “Zane, when my phone rings at this time of night, I answer expecting bad news. Nobody makes a friendly call at that hour.”

  His face relaxed. “I didn’t think of that. So Nell was like a too-late phone call?”

  She nodded, saying not another word.

  He swore quietly. “Not the effect I planned at all. The note asked if you could come over for a surprise.”

  “It’s a fantastic surprise,” she assured him, looking around again. “The instant I saw it, my first thought was that I’d stepped into wonderland.”

  His smile began to return. “That was what I wanted. I guess you were full of adrenaline when you got here.”

  She nodded. “I didn’t mean to ruin it for you.”

  “You couldn’t possibly ruin it for me.” His face, which often looked hard when he was lost in thought, which spoke of a hard-lived life and past tragedies, was suddenly so gentle her throat tightened up in response.

  “Could you come a little closer?” he asked.

  She stepped toward him until she stood right in front of him. He patted his lap, so she shed her jacket, throwing it to the side. She hardly noticed that Nell grabbed it and dragged it out of the way as she settled onto Zane’s lap.

  Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, she kissed him warmly, then leaned back to look around at all the candles. They cast a dancing glow over everything that was almost otherworldly.

  “I know it’s late,” he said. “I was sitting here after you left and realized I was missing the hell out of you. I knew you had to work, so I amped myself up to go out, and as I was driving by I saw that Freitag’s was open.”

  “It’s the time of year,” she answered. “Usually the sidewalks are rolled up at around six or seven. Well, except for Maude’s diner.”

  “I remember. Anyway, I was just killing time. They have a nice ramp in their doorway, so I went in to wander around. Very nice ladies in there. They even pushed a few tables of clothing to the side so I could navigate. I picked up a few items of cold-weather gear and then...then I saw the candles. I was surprised they had so many. Must be the approach of Christmas.”

  “Maybe,” she said, watching his every expression, drinking him in as if the hours without him had parched her deep inside.

  “Anyway, I saw those candles and thought of you.” He gave a quiet laugh. “I bought so many those dear women had to help me carry them out. But they were laughing and teasing me, demanding to know if I was buying them for a special lady.”

  She felt her own smile grow and her heart swell. “Thank you, Zane. Nobody’s ever done something so...so...amazing for me before. It’s like the biggest-ever fiery bouquet.”

  “I hoped you’d like it.” His arm closed around her waist and snuggled her even closer. “Ashley?”

  “Hmm?” She rested her head on his shoulder, inhaling his wonderful scent: man, soap and now candle wax.

  “You haven’t known me very long. I mean, it’s only been a few weeks.”

  “I know.” She nearly sighed, trying to square this explosion of candles with the feeling that he was about to break off their relationship. He’d wanted to be a hermit, after all, and she’d kind of spoiled that. But she didn’t want to give him up.

  “But I don’t think falling in love requires time.”

  Her heart stopped. She couldn’t draw a breath. What was he saying? She managed to push out his name with the last air in her lungs. “Zane?”

  “I’m probably crazy,” he said. “In fact, I know I am. But I’ve never felt about anybody in my life the way I feel about you, Ashley. I’m mad about you. I don’t want to be without you. I want a future with you.”

  At last she could draw a breath. She tilted her head, trying to see his face, feeling his other arm wrap around her in a bear hug.

  “I won’t blame you if you tell me no. I’ve got a lot of problems, and you might not want to deal with them. I’m not sure why anyone would. So I’m not asking for any kind of answer unless you want to walk away right now.”

  Finally some strength seemed to be returning to her. Her heart felt swollen with hope. She ached with it.

  “It kinda just happened. I’m not going to ask you to marry me, even though I want to, but that wouldn’t be fair. What I am going to ask is that you’ll try life with me for six months or so. To see if you can stand it, if you want me and all my mess.”

  Six months? He wanted a six-month trial when she realized in an amazing blast of self-understanding that she wanted it all, and she wanted it all right now.

  “Zane...”

  He lifted one hand and put a finger to her lips. “I love you, Ashley. You eased your way into my heart before I even knew it was happening. You warm me. You take away the chill. And you treat me like an ordinary man. I can’t begin to tell you how much that all means. So if you’ll give me six months to try to win you...”

  Win her? She wiggled until he let go of her. She slid off his lap and faced him. Now he looked as if he expected bad news.

  “I love you, too,” she said baldly. “The whole time I was next door trying to work, it kept hammering at me. I love you. But I was afraid you didn’t want me or anyone else... You wanted to be a hermit!”

  His expression lightened. “Not anymore. And certainly not when it comes to you. So I get my six months?”

  “Only if you insist. I’d marry you tomorrow.”

  His smile was so wide and bright that it was like dawn. “Six months,” he repeated. “You deserve that. Then I’ll ask you to marry me.”

  “Oh, ask me now, darn it.” She dropped into his lap again. “Ask me now and I’ll settle for a long engagement as long as I can move in with you.”

  He threw back his head and laughed, the freest, happiest sound she had ever heard from him. Then he turned his face to her as laughter died. “Marry me, Ashley.”

  “Absolutely,” she answered as her heart began to sing. “But I don’t want a wedding on Valentine’s Day.”

  He blinked. “Why not?”

  “So cliché. The day after. But not one day more.”

  Then she wrapped her own arms around him and twisted to kiss him until they were both breathless.

  Behind her Nell gave a happy bark.

  A while later, surrounded by the flicker
ing candles and the warm scent of wax, he said, “Thank you for coming over to welcome me home.”

  “I feel like I came home, too,” she answered. A place she thought she’d already had until Zane. He’d given her a different kind of home, one she hadn’t known she was missing. A home in his arms.

  * * * * *

  For more stories of healing and homecoming, look for A CONARD COUNTY COURTSHIP, available October 2017 from Harlequin Special Edition!

  And don’t miss Rachel Lee’s next story of love and danger, CORNERED IN CONARD COUNTY, available August 2017 from Harlequin Intrigue!

  Keep reading for an excerpt from THE CHASE by Vanessa Fewings.

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