by Vaughn, Ann
“She has a metal plate in her face, pins in her shoulder; she’s got whip scars on her back, even though she’s had several skin grafts to reduce the scarring, surgical scars on her lower abdomen and a gunshot scar...that she got because I shot her.”
Susie froze in clearing the table and looked at him, alarm on her face. “You shot Tessa?”
“She was being held as a shield. Was the only way to get her free.”
Her eyes widened, horrified. “So you shot her?!? Shane Gabriel!”
“I knew what I was doing. Dad taught me to shoot well, and I’m pretty good at it. I knew I wouldn’t hit anything vital on her.”
She was quiet a moment, sinking back down into her chair.
“Are you back together with her now?”
He met her direct gaze. “I’m hoping to be. We talked some things out at Steve’s last weekend, and I brought her to see the house. Look, Ma, I know you haven’t ever really approved of Tessa...”
She cut him off. “It wasn’t Tessa. It was that she was Mary Kelly’s daughter, you know that. Right or wrong, it was how I felt.”
“I gotta know if you still feel that way, because...I want Tessa in my life.”
She closed her eyes a moment, then looked back into his. “And Wendy?”
“I talked to her that night we had dinner at Miss Nettie’s when Cordy was in town. Of course, she isn’t happy, but she said she understands.”
Susie sighed. “Yes, she would. Wendy is a very nice girl.”
“So is Tessa,” he countered. “You just never gave her a chance.”
Susie wiped a tear from her cheek. “It hurts to know you had a whole relationship going with her, long enough that you were engaged, and you couldn’t tell me. I know it is because of how I treated you when you were kids.”
“I didn’t want to keep it from you...things were...intense. We only had a couple of months together before the investigation heated up and she was sent in undercover. Then she was under for three months, in the hospital for six weeks, and then she spent the last year in Cabo San Lucas at Gib’s condo on the beach, healing, as much as she could. She was tortured, and she was raped.” Susie gasped, more tears falling down her cheeks. “She’d had an injury when she was in the Army, shrapnel from an IED attack pierced her uterus. The rapes further injured her uterus and now the doctors think she will never be able to carry a pregnancy to term. That is why she sent me away. She didn’t want me to give up my chance at a family.”
Susie looked to Luke, reaching for his hand. Luke cupped her neck in his hand and placed a gentle kiss to her brow.
“I don’t want you to miss your chance at a family of your own, either,” she admitted, “but if you love her, if you truly love her, I don’t see how you could walk away from her because of that.”
Shane sighed and swallowed hard at the lump that had formed in his throat. “I do love her. And I can’t just walk away. It almost killed me to not be with her this last year. She’s back and she’s willing to take me back and try to make a go of it. And I want it to work, Mom...I love her so damn much.”
Susie nodded, reaching out to lay her hand on her son’s cheek. “I can see that you do. Why don’t you bring her over for dinner Friday night? She and I need to talk.”
He closed his eyes briefly, and then pulled his mother into a tight embrace. “Thank you, Mom...that means...everything to me.”
She returned his embrace, holding him just as tight. “I’m sorry you felt you couldn’t talk to me about it, baby. I love you. I only want what will make you happy.”
That Friday night, Shane picked Tessa up and drove her, Mary and Gib out to his parents’ house. Tessa and Mary were both nervous. The approval of Susie McCanton was something they both had sought at one time or another. Mary had only ever wanted her friendship, but had always done her best to steer clear of her because of her past relationship with Luke. Tessa had never really cared much about Susie’s lack of approval, until that night she’d seen Wendy sitting at the table at Miss Nettie’s as an accepted member of the family. She had to admit, that bothered her.
Now, she only cared for her approval in so far as she knew it was what Shane wanted and needed. For herself, she only needed Shane, and whatever would make him happy.
“So, Shane’s father was your first boyfriend, huh?” Gib teased Mary as they turned down the road toward the McCanton’s ranch. “Should I be worried, here?”
Mary laughed. “Of course not. Luke and I have been friends ever since he came back to town after he and Susie married. I’ve told you that.”
“Just trying to lighten the mood here,” he teased, “relax, ladies. It will all be all right.”
“I just want it all to go smooth for Tessa,” Mary confessed.
Tessa turned slightly in her seat and offered her mother a smile. “I took on the entire Naturalists’ hierarchy, I think I can handle Susie McCanton.”
Shane glanced at her. “She’s my mother, not Attila the Hun,” he teased. “And besides, she feels bad for how she treated you before.”
Tessa shrugged. “She really didn’t treat me any way at all...she just ignored me. It was how she treated you about me that was upsetting. But that was a long time ago.”
“What about Cordy and Gracie?” Mary asked.
“Cordy and Gracie have always liked Tessa. No worries there.”
“But they liked Wendy, too,” Tessa offered.
He took her hand and kissed her knuckles when he turned into his parents drive. “Cordy and Gracie like everyone. Relax.”
Tessa smiled and leaned over to kiss his cheek when they parked. “I’m fine, Shane, don’t worry about me.”
When they got out, Susie and Luke were waiting for them on the front porch. Susie watched Shane slide his arm around Tessa’s waist as they walked up the steps. She took in Tessa’s smile at her son and noted that they looked right together, and that for the first time in a long time, Shane’s eyes looked settled. Tessa was the piece that had been missing from his life ever since he’d come home, and as much as she still felt a little pang of jealousy that it was Mary Kelly’s daughter who made her son happy, she decided in that moment that his happiness was all that mattered.
“Tessa,” Susie said, stepping up to her and holding both hands out to take Tessa’s in hers. “You look absolutely beautiful,” she complimented her, squeezing Tessa’s hands when she placed them in hers. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
Tessa shot a surprised look over her shoulder to Shane and her mother before returning Susie’s greeting.
“Thank you, Mrs. McCanton. It’s good to be home.”
“Please, call me Susie. Mary, Mr. Gibson, thank you for coming out.”
“Call me Gib,” he said, shaking her hand and then Luke’s. “Thanks for inviting us.”
Mary smiled at Susie and the women embraced, and just like that, Tessa and Mary were welcomed into the McCanton fold. Tessa smiled at Gib, knowing that whether he wanted to admit it or not, he had a big part in this, just by virtue of loving her mother.
In the coming days, Tessa and Shane spent all their free time together, just getting to know each other again. Tessa found the more time she spent in Shane’s house, the more she loved it and the more she loved him for having built it with her in mind. They had yet to take their relationship any farther than just kissing at this point. At first, Tessa wasn’t sure she was ready to move on to the next phase and Shane didn’t seem to be in a hurry about it, either, but she’d begun to feel something was missing, and it was becoming harder and harder each night to leave him.
Shane had been wonderfully kind and patient with her and she knew he was afraid to take things beyond kissing, afraid of triggering unpleasant memories for her, and while she loved him for it, she knew they needed to try to take things to the next level if they were ever going to have a future together. On Friday she decided to go about planning his seduction.
They didn’t have a wedding that weekend, so that afternoon she t
old her mother and Gib that she wouldn’t be home that night and that it would be better not to expect her for the entire weekend. She could tell they were both happy and alarmed, but out of love for her, neither voiced these opinions.
She decided to go into Shelmerdine’s and shop for lingerie for the weekend, something to entice Shane out of his chivalry. It was while she was on her way to the lingerie section that she noticed two figurines in the collectibles section. They were about 12 inches tall, of a fierce male warrior angel. In one, he was facing off against a large black dragon and in the other, he stood guard over two children, his wings curled to protect them. She knew the minute she saw them that she had to have them. They were her Shane; her Dragon Slayer and her Protector. His middle name, Gabriel, was after the Archangel Gabriel, after all. She turned one over and blinked at the high price but decided it really didn’t matter; she’d already made up her mind.
“Aren’t those beautiful?” Mrs. Shelmerdine asked, coming to stand beside her.
“They really are,” Tessa replied, holding the one with the dragon.
“Harold bought those from an artist out of Tyler. We’ve had them for months. No one ever seems interested enough to buy them, though.”
“I want them both,” Tessa told her.
Mrs. Shelmerdine smiled. “Really?”
“Yes, ma’am. They are perfect.”
“Well, all right, let’s get you checked out. I have boxes for them. Are they gifts?”
“This one is. I’m keeping the other one.”
“Who is the lucky recipient?”
Tessa smiled. Gotta love small towns.
“Actually, I’m going to give this one to Shane. It fits him, don’t you think?”
“It surely does.”
They chatted a bit more and then Tessa took her purchases and headed toward Shane’s office. Becky greeted her with a warm smile when she walked in.
“Tessa Kelly. I haven’t seen you in years! Everyone was talking about how you were back in town and how beautiful you’ve become. They certainly weren’t lying.”
Tessa smiled. “Thanks, Becky. How have you been?”
“Oh, can’t complain. I get to come to work with six of the hottest men in town every day,” she said with a grin and a wink.
“You are one very lucky girl,” Tessa laughed.
Tessa looked up when Shane rounded the corner, her smile brightening when she saw him. He wore his usual work attire of boots, jeans and black henley and her heart accelerated at the sheer masculine sexuality rolling off of him.
“Very lucky indeed,” Becky said.
“I thought I heard your voice out here,” Shane said, eyes only for Tessa. “What brings you here?”
Tessa raised her shopping bags slightly. “Brought something for you.”
“Oh, yeah? Come back to my office, you can show it to me. Hey, Becky, could you fax this over to Sheriff Braswell for me?” he asked, handing Becky the papers that were in his hand.
“Sure thing, Sheriff.”
He placed his hand on the small of Tessa’s back to lead her down the hall to his office. It was the first time Tessa had been in there since he took over from his dad, and when she stepped in, she was surprised at the changes she saw from Luke McCanton’s office to now Shane’s. For one, computers covered the credenza behind his desk and one with two monitors sat on his desk. She remembered from when she used to volunteer in the file room that his father had resisted having a computer brought in for as long as he could, and how he would curse at his so loud the whole office could hear him.
“Close the door, please,” she told Shane when he stepped inside. One dark brow lifted in surprise but he obediently shut it behind him. Tessa stepped to him and also closed the blinds on the window that let him see out into the squad room.
“Is something wrong?” he asked warily, watching her turn toward him.
“Oh, no, Sheriff, everything is right. I just didn’t think you would want an audience when I did this,” she said, sliding her arms around his neck and pulling him down for an intense, passionate kiss. After a few moments, he groaned and tried to pull back but she caught his lower lip between her teeth and began to suck on it, not letting him pull away.
“Tess,” he groaned when her hands slid down his back to cup his muscular butt.
She smiled up at him while she squeezed her second favorite part of his body.
“Yes?” she asked innocently.
“What are you doing?”
“Saying hello to you.”
“You’re killing me,” he groaned.
Giving him a final kiss and squeeze, she stepped back and lifted the shopping bag to his desk.
“I’ll give you a reprieve...for now. I bought something for you. I was in Shelmerdine’s and saw these and I immediately thought of you. Let’s see, which one is yours...oh, this one,” she said, handing him a box. He took it and leaned on the edge of his desk to open it. When he pulled the figure out of the box, she loved the way it looked in his big hands, and the way he studied it, his thumbs tracing over the angel’s wings.
“Tess...this is...wow.”
“You like it? He makes me think of you, my own personal Dragon Slayer, and you know, since you’re named for an angel...”
His head came up. “What?”
“The Archangel, Gabriel. Shane Gabriel. I mean, I know it’s a family name, that you’re named after him,” she said, gesturing toward the picture on his wall of the first McCanton to be named Sheriff of Indian Springs, Gabriel Shane McCanton, “but Gabriel is also the most powerful of all the Angels in Heaven. The Protector of women and children. And anyway, I saw that and I knew you had to have it. I got this one for me,” she said, unwrapping the one of the Guardian Angel.
He looked at it then looked into her eyes and her breath caught at the look in his, just before he leaned down and placed a tender, lingering kiss on her lips.
“Thank you,” he whispered against her mouth.
She smiled softly at him. “Do you like it?”
“I do, yes. It’s perfect.” He stepped away from her and placed it on the shelves over his credenza, so that it would be seen right when someone walked into his office.
She couldn’t stop smiling as he walked back to her and folded her into his embrace. They stood for several moments, just holding on to each other, taking comfort from each other’s presence. Then, feeling that it needed to be said now, when they were in the midst of a moment of sweetness, Tessa tilted her head back and looked him square in the eye.
“I love you, Shane McCanton.”
His hold tightened on her and he captured her mouth in a kiss that left her clinging to him.
“I love you, too, Tessa Kelly.”
She smiled. “Good. Now, give me your house key. I’m going to go start dinner. When will you be home?”
He blinked at her rapid change of subject, but dug his keys out of his pocket.
“I’ve got a conference call in about thirty minutes that will probably last an hour or so. Should be able to leave after that.”
“Perfect. Call or text when you are leaving.”
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her until she was once again clinging to him for support, then pulled back.
“Thanks for coming by and for the statue.”
She winked as she reached for the door. “Anytime, Sheriff.”
Shane watched her leave and felt his heart swell in his chest when she winked at him over her shoulder before closing the door. Was he really being given this second chance with her? He felt like the luckiest man in the world in that moment...and it scared him. Every time in the past, when he’d felt like things were going his way, something always happened to turn his world upside down.
“Sheriff,” Becky said, leaning into his office. “You have a call on line 2. He says it’s urgent.”
“OK, thanks, Becky,” he crossed to his desk and absently picked up the receiver. “McCanton.”
“Shane,” he h
eard Bruce’s voice and he was immediately alerted by the tone of his voice that something was wrong.
“Bruce...what is it?”
“The Heltons escaped.”
“Both of them?” he asked incredulously.
“Afraid so. And they know who Tessa is, since they are working as their own attorneys...you need to be prepared.”
“Son of a bitch! How could this happen?”
“They underestimated the brothers’ appeal. They charmed and bribed their way out. I’ve called the state guys in your area but you need to be ready.”
“Yeah, I hear ya. Damn it.”
“I’ll keep you updated on any information I find.”
“Thanks.”
He slammed the receiver down and stormed out of his office to call his guys together and brief them on the situation. Then he picked up the phone and called his dad and asked him to be on alert and to call any of his friends to do the same. He also alerted the Sheriffs and Police Chiefs of neighboring towns and counties. If the Heltons were in the area, he wanted as many eyes as possible looking for them.
“Becky, I’m heading out. Forward any urgent calls regarding the Heltons to my cell, OK?”
“Will do.”
He went out to his truck and headed out of town to his house, trying to tamp down the feelings of anxiety over this most recent development. Tessa was on her way to becoming some semblance of her old self; she didn’t need the threat of the Heltons hanging over her head.
A smile touched his lips seeing her car in his drive as he pulled in to the garage. When he opened the door, his smile widened when he smelled the delicious aroma coming from the kitchen.
“Hey, Tess!” he called, dropping his keys on the counter. He stepped out of the kitchen and then froze when he saw a trail of rose petals on the floor and noticed candles lit on every surface along the path of roses, leading to his bedroom. His heart immediately began beating faster as he slowly followed the path. God, was he ready for this? Tessa had been through so much at the hands of those monsters, was she really ready for this?
He opened the door to his room and heard soft music playing, and what looked like thousands of candles flickering in his room and in the open door of the bathroom. He stepped in and found Tessa neck deep in the tub, two flutes of champagne sitting on the side, and an open bottle chilling in a bucket of ice next to the tub. Her golden hair was piled on top of her head, a few tendrils clinging to her face and neck in the steam.