by Susan Fox
Veronica shot a worried sideways look at Cole, but the glitter of rage in his eyes forestalled any thought of persuading him to be a bit more merciful to Jessie. In spite of what Jessie had done, Veronica felt sorry for her. When Helen fell into step on the other side of Cole, Veronica realized that she was wasting no sorrow on her former friend, either.
It was later, after they'd grabbed a cup of coffee in the cafeteria, then gone upstairs to make certain Curtis was settled in his room for the night, that the three of them left the hospital. They were in the parking lot beside Helen's car when Helen spoke.
"I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am for the way I've treated you, Veronica. I guess I've been suffering from a particularly bad case of stupidity."
"I understand, Helen," Veronica said sincerely. "It's all right."
"No, it's not all right," the brunette said vehemently. "I've been unforgivably rude and ungracious to you."
"It's all right—really," Veronica assured her. "I'd feel more comfortable if we'd both just forget about it." Veronica had no problem managing a smile, pleased when Helen's worried look slackened and she allowed herself to smile back.
"Thank you, Veronica," Helen said, then hesitated. "I'd really like it if we could be friends. I have a feeling we're going to be neighbors." Helen's dark eyes slanted up to meet Cole's. "At least if Cole gets his way."
Veronica felt color tinge her cheeks, but she gave no other indication of the thrill of hope that surged inside her, showering her heart with joy.
"I'll call you tomorrow, Helen," Cole said to his sister-in-law. "Either that or I'll see you here at the hospital. Thanks again."
Cole and Veronica walked the rest of the way to his truck in silence. The sun had gone down, the dark-blue sky overhead deepening rapidly to diamond-studded blackness.
The ride home was quiet, as if both were too preoccupied with thoughts that couldn't be discussed yet. But when Cole pulled off the highway onto the ranch road, he took the left fork that led north of the house and deep into the rolling grazing land that stretched for miles beneath the night sky. He braked the truck to a halt on the crest of a hill and switched off the engine.
They sat in silence several moments, Cole's wrists draped over the top of the steering wheel as he stared into the darkness. Uncertain, Veronica tried to avoid the feeling that the next minute would be the most important of her life.
Sensing Cole was about to speak, she glanced in his direction. He leaned back, pulling his wrists from the steering wheel, and removed his Stetson. Lean tanned fingers pinched the crease of the hat as he looked down at it thoughtfully. Then he hung it on the rifle rack behind his head and turned to her, the lights from the dash illuminating the gentle loving look on his face and highlighting the vulnerability on hers.
Cole shook his head, his mouth tightening. "I'm sorry, Veronica. You deserve a more romantic setting than this."
Veronica's heart seemed to slam against her breastbone. Cole turned toward her fully, reaching to pull her into his arms. Veronica's hands slipped around his neck as his lips swooped down and took hers. When he deepened the kiss, Veronica felt the heated languor spread until she was thrall to the sensations his lips called forth.
"I love you, Veronica," Cole rasped. "And I'm going to be a miserable man if all you can say this time is that you 'care' for me." He didn't give her a chance to speak before his lips met hers with renewed vigor, releasing her mouth only when she was breathing as unsteadily as he. "Well?"
"Are you certain you want my love?" Veronica stalled, and Cole pressed a tender kiss on her mouth.
"You're scared to admit it, aren't you?" he asked, his eyes narrowing perceptively. "But you aren't a sixteen-year-old child experiencing her first crush, Ronnie. You're a woman," Cole said, then waited for her to speak.
"I love you, Cole," she finally whispered. "I loved you eight years ago, but what I felt at sixteen was only a childish version of what I feel now." Veronica turned her face slightly, deflecting another of Cole's kisses as she released a nervous breath. "I don't think you're going to be able to get rid of me very easily. I'm afraid I love you too much to leave you now."
Cole chuckled at Veronica's confession and she watched him almost worriedly.
"That's awfully damned convenient, Ronnie," he growled, "because once we stand up before the preacher, you're stuck with me for life, for better or worse, in sickness and in health. And I'm not some faint-hearted pantywaist who's going to take back my vow or break it over every little thing that comes along." Cole's expression relaxed. "So unless you're planning to marry me and stay married, you'd be wise to choose your next words with care."
"Wait, Cole." Veronica pressed her fingers gently over his mouth, her eyes glazing when Cole took a fingertip between his teeth and wrapped his lips seductively around it. Veronica stared, mesmerized by the sight, paralyzed by the molten pleasure that radiated in wave after delicious wave through her slim body. "S-stop." Cole grinned at the small stutter, the satisfied look in his warm gaze telling her he enjoyed arousing her. "We need to. . . talk."
Veronica barely had enough sanity to get the words out before she dazedly wondered what there was left to say. Cole reached up and took her hand away, but not before he turned it over and placed a kiss in its sensitive palm. Rational thought returned in slow degrees as violet eyes stayed fixed to much darker blue ones.
"Will you marry me, Veronica?"
"Oh, Cole, I. . ." The joy she felt tumbled over her, sending her blood pulsing through her veins in a frenzied staccato of exhilaration. "I want to marry you very much," she said. "But what about Curtis?" She had been a reluctant stepchild too many times for her to be insensitive to the boy's feelings.
"Curtis is coming around, sweetheart. Now that we know the reason for your problems with him and got rid of the source, he'll accept you. There's no doubt in my mind that he'll come to love you like a mother." Cole pressed his forehead to hers, the tips of their noses touching.
"And that brings me to the next problem," she whispered, running a gentle hand along Cole's whisker-roughened cheek. "I'll never be able to replace Jackie." Veronica caught back a small sob, amazed at the heartache she felt at the forlorn words.
Cole's fingers threaded into her hair and tugged her head back as he brought his lips down forcefully on hers. Veronica welcomed the ferocity of his mouth, opening her own to the onslaught, encouraging the raw passion of it as she combed her fingers into his hair, pressing him even closer. At last Cole withdrew, his fingers tightening in her hair to keep her mouth from reclaiming his. He saw the tears that glittered in the depths of her eyes.
"I stopped looking for a replacement for Jackie a long time ago," he told her. "And now that I've come to love you, Veronica, I know it's not only possible for that kind of love to happen twice—" Cole's husky voice dropped to a whisper "—but it can run deeper and sweeter the second time around."
Veronica was nearly overcome with emotion. Cole held her close again, the way he clung to her underscoring his every word, leaving her with no doubt about his love for her.
"If you'd rather have a more romantic setting for this marriage proposal, I'm willing to take you someplace else." Cole drew back, gazing down into the violet eyes that shimmered in the faint light from the dashboard. "Just as long as you say yes."
"I've already had all the romantic trappings," Veronica whispered. "And that's all they turned out to be— trappings. But you've provided the most romantic part of any marriage proposal—your love."
Veronica kissed him sweetly and said, "Yes. I'll marry you, Cole. But for nothing less than you threatened," she added, smiling happily. "For better or worse, in sickness and in health," she repeated, secure in the knowledge that whatever the future held for them, their vows of the heart were eternal.
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