Right Here Waiting

by Tarra Young

  “I don’t think so,” he said as he pulled his hand out of her grasp.

  “Drats, you’re no fun,” she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

  There was knock at the cabin door and all playfulness came to an end. “Who’s out there?” she asked Josh. “Were you expecting someone?”

  “No, I wasn’t expecting anyone. Why don’t you go to the door and find out who’s out there?”

  “Me?” Why couldn't Josh get the door himself? Did he have something to hide?

  “Yes, you answer it. I always answer it. It’s your turn now.”

  “Oh alright,” she said dramatically as she turned to leave the room. When she got to the doorway, she couldn’t resist teasing Josh one last time. “Just remember, buddy, if there is an ax murderer on the other side of the door, I’m holding you responsible.”

  Josh laughed. “Just go answer it before whoever is out there gets tired and leaves.”

  “I think I already know who it is,” she said before turning and walking out of the room. She went over to the door and opened it. She was surprised to see Blade standing there wearing a suit. He let out a low whistle.

  “Blade, what are you doing here?”

  “I’m here to pick up my date.”

  “You’re here to do what?” she asked, unsure she heard him correctly. Could she be dreaming?

  “I think you know what I said. I’m here to pick up my date,” he repeated.

  “Me?” she asked for the second time tonight.

  “Of course I mean you. I’m not going out with Josh.”

  She laughed nervously. She was about to tell Blade she wouldn’t go out with him when he pulled out a light pink corsage she knew would look good with her dress. How could she tell him no?

  She stared in shock as he slipped the corsage on her wrist. She was too stunned to say anything.

  “Are you ready?” Little did he know, she was born ready, but she decided to play it cool.

  She fought to find her voice. “It all depends. Where are we going?”

  “Let it be a surprise.”

  She allowed him to take her by the arm and steer her out to his truck. He opened the passenger side door and waited until she was seated inside, with no parts of her dress hanging out, to close it. Moments later, he slid behind the wheel.

  “Where are you taking me? Is it very far from here?”

  “You will see,” was his only response. She wasn’t going to get any clues from him. It was just as well. She loved surprises, even if the anticipation drove her nuts.

  He started the engine and drove down the gravel drive leading out of the ranch. He pulled out on to the paved road and drove for a short distance.

  She was surprised when he turned down the dirt road leading to the cottage. “Why are we going to the cottage?” What did he have up his sleeve?

  “You’ll see when we get there.”

  The anticipation was driving her out of her mind when he pulled the truck to a stop in front of the cottage.

  He cut the engine and hopped out of the truck. He came around to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

  He helped her out and held her hand as he walked her up to the cottage. She could hear rock music coming from inside. She looked up at him questioningly.

  She waited as he unlocked and opened the cottage door. “Welcome to your prom, Megan Marie Nelson.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  The cabin was lit with candles placed periodically throughout the place, since there was no electricity. The music came from a battery operated stereo. Furniture was moved to create enough space for dancing. A table set off to one side of the room set for an intimate dinner for two. The cabin was decorated like a school gymnasium. She was too busy taking in her surroundings to say anything.

  “I know it’s not much and it won’t take the place of the real prom you missed. I just wanted to make this evening special for you.”

  “It’s perfect,” she said just above a whisper. She couldn’t believe he remembered. She missed her own prom. She worked up enough courage to ask him to escort her to the prom, but he turned her down.

  As if reading her mind, he said, “I couldn’t take you to your real prom because you were too young for me to date back then. There are laws against that sort of thing.”

  “I understand now, although I didn’t understand it when I was a teenager. I was devastated when you told me no. Several guys asked me to the prom afterwards. I turned them all down because they weren’t you.”

  “You never have to worry about that again,” he said, pulling her into his arms just as a slow love song came on. “May I have this dance?”

  “Yes,” she told him as she melted into him. She laid her head down on his chest and they began to dance to the music. She wished this moment could go on forever.

  She tried to shut out the fact she would be going back to New York soon. Right now, she wanted to live for the moment and enjoy this time with Blade, which would soon be only a distant memory.

  When she was in his arms, swaying to the music, time seemed to stand still. She could hear the rhythmic beat of his heart and became lost in it. All too soon the song ended.

  “My sweet Megan,” he whispered and began trailing kisses along the top of her head. He pulled each hair pin out one at a time, allowing her hair to cascade down her shoulders. He hooked his fingers in her hair before claiming her mouth with his.

  A few minutes later he pulled back and grinned down at her. “If I keep this up, we won’t be having any dinner.”

  “Would it be so bad?” she challenged him.

  “I would say no, but Martha slaved all afternoon preparing our food.”

  “If she cooked it, it must be delicious.” She couldn't wait to taste it all.

  “Are you saying if I cooked our dinner, it wouldn’t be?” he asked, pretending to be offended.

  “I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying everything she cooks is delicious.”

  “Are you sure you want to go back to New York and give up Martha’s cooking?”

  “Let’s not talk about that tonight. I just want to enjoy our prom night.”

  “Fair enough,” he said as he dipped her.

  “What did Martha fix for Dinner?” she asked when she was righted again.

  “Fried chicken, a fresh batch of her biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn on the cob. For dessert, she has prepared us an apple pie she baked earlier today. All this talk about food is making me hungry.”

  “Me too,” she said as her stomach growled. “I’m starved. Let’s eat.”

  The food was delicious as was expected. It was always the case when it came the Martha’s cooking, though. Neighbors used to come from miles around just to have dinner with the Nelson’s because of her cooking.

  Throughout the meal, she caught Blade watching her, a look of desire blazing in his eyes. A tingle of excitement shot through her like a current of electricity.

  She was about to take her last bite of apple pie when Blade surprised her. He took the fork from her hand and fed it to her. There was something sensual about the act.

  Oh Lord! Did she die and go to heaven? How was she ever going to be able to go back to New York and leave this man behind? She couldn’t ask him to give up his life in Idaho and follow her to New York. She wasn’t even sure he loved her.

  If he did, wouldn’t he have told her by now? It seemed logical he would have. What did it matter? Now he owned the ranch, his life was here, while her life was back in New York waiting for her to return to it.

  Did she really want to leave? The way Blade was looking at her right now made her want to stay here forever.

  He got up and walked around the table to where she sat. He knelt down on the floor in front of her. “I want to take you upstairs and make passionate love to you, which I intend to do later, but there are a couple of things we need to deal with.”

  “What is that?” she asked around the lump forming in the back of her thr
oat. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know whatever it was he wanted to say.

  “Before I tell you what I know I have to tell you, I need you to know I love you.” Blade finally said the words she longed to hear all these years.

  Tears formed in her eyes and her throat suddenly felt dry. Did he just say he loved her? She fought to find her voice. She knew how she felt about this wonderful man. She always knew. “I love you, too,” she finally managed to say. It felt strange saying those words out loud.

  She watched as Blade reached into his suit jacket, and from a secret pocket inside the lining, he pulled out an envelope. “This is for you,” he said, holding it out to her.

  With trembling hands, she reached out and took it from him. “What’s this?”

  “I’m not sure exactly. You need to open it and read it for yourself.”

  “It’s not from you?” Who wrote this letter? Why was Blade giving it to her?

  “No.”

  “Who’s it from?”

  “It’s from your parents," he explained. "I got it from the attorney today.”

  “My parents?” she asked, trying to fight the tears which were now running down her cheeks.

  “Yes. You don’t need to open it now if you’re not ready – “

  “No, I’m fine,” she said as she opened it with trembling hands. She pulled the letter out and began to read it:

  Our Dearest Megan, if you are reading this, it means we have passed away. We are also hoping this means you have just spent a year on the ranch with Blade, as we have requested in our will.

  When you left Idaho and went to New York to start a life of your own, your father and I missed you, but we weren’t the only ones who missed you in your absents on the ranch.

  Blade missed you as well. You may have figured this out by now for yourself. Blade was right here waiting for you all those years, longing for the day when you would return to the ranch.

  As each year passed, we began to wonder if you were ever coming back home to us. After much discussion about this situation, your father and I decided to make this our dying wish if you didn't come back to the ranch by the time we passed away.

  We engineered the clause in our will so you would have to come home and stay with Blade for at least a year. By now we are hoping you and Blade are a happy couple. If not, we hope you will make the best choices regarding your future with Blade.

  If you and Blade are engaged or are planning to in the near future, please know you have our blessings, and even though we won’t be able to attend the wedding, your father and I will both be there in spirit.

  We have always wanted what is best for you. We want you to be happy. We know this is what you can have with Blade for a lifetime. We hope by now, you can see this for yourself.

  We will always love you and care about you, even though we are no longer there with you physically. We trust Blade to take care of you and to always keep you safe. He loves you deeply and always has. Don’t let anything in life stop you from seeing this.

  Love,

  Your mom and dad

  The tears fell down her cheeks in a downpour of emotion by the time she finished reading the letter. She folded it up and placed it back inside the envelope. Her parents knew the whole time she was in love with Blade. Better yet, Blade was in love with her. It couldn't get any better than this.

  Blade got to his feet and took her in his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him and clung to him. “Are you alright?” he whispered in her ear.

  “I think so.” He wasn’t trying to make her stop crying. He was allowing her to cry it out, yet he was still there for her. She respected him for that.

  She thought about what the letter from her parents said. She felt bad she didn't last the year as her parents expected her to. “What you said to me before you gave me this letter and what this letter says changes everything.”

  “What has changed?” Blade seemed concerned.

  “I can’t go back to my life in New York. Not ever. I don’t want to go back.”

  “Why not? I'll be with you.”

  “I want to stay on the ranch if you’ll allow me to.” She held her breath, waiting for his answer.

  “Of course you can stay. The ranch is and always will be your home for as long as you want it to be.”

  “I want to stay on the ranch with you forever. Is that too long?”

  “Too long? I don’t think forever is long enough. I was hoping this topic would come up because I want to talk to you about it.”

  “If there’s a problem with me living on the ranch, I can always fix this cottage up and live in it.”

  “You’ll do no such thing. You will sleep in the ranch house every night in our bed from here on out.”

  He reached into the same pocket he got the letter from her parents out of and pulled out a small, black jeweler’s box. She could feel her heart rate speed up. Was that what she thought it was? “I meant what I said when I told you I love you.”

  He dropped back down on the floor on one knee in front of her. He opened the jeweler’s box. She gasped. It was exactly what she thought it was. He took the ring out of the little black velvet box.

  “Megan Marie Nelson, will you marry me?” This moment was better than she dreamed it to be.

  She began to cry, but this time it was tears of happiness. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Blade Thorne.”

  She just got the words out when he slipped the engagement ring on her finger, making it official. It was a small gold band with a single solitaire diamond mounted to it. It sparkled as the light from the flickering candles caught it. It was the most beautiful ring she ever saw.

  “The ring used to belong to my great, great grandmother,” he explained. “It has been passed down through my family. I knew when you were seventeen; someday I would be slipping it onto your finger.”

  “I’m glad you chose me,” she said as a fresh rain of tears threatened to wet her cheeks. She would remember this moment and cherish it forever.

  He jumped up and pulled her into his arms. “I plan to make you happy for the rest of our lives,” he promised.

  He kissed her and told her to wait right there for him. He returned a few minutes later with a flashlight. He handed it to her before he began to blow out all the candles.

  When he finished, he took her by the hand, pulled her to her feet and led her upstairs to the bedroom. They made love to celebrate their love for each other and their engagement.

  After making love for the third time, she whispered, “I love you, Blade Thorne.”

  “I love you, too Megan Nelson.”

  Afterward, they fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms. She never felt more content in her life than she did now.

  The next morning, she awoke to her first of many happy mornings in the embrace of the man she loved. She felt no regrets of the events of the night before. She looked down at her engagement ring in the early morning light to be sure she didn't dream it.

  They kissed each other good morning and it wasn’t long before Blade was raining hot, searing kisses along her neck and shoulders.

  The heat began to build between them and she welcomed it. “I promise to make love to you every night and every morning,” he whispered, his breaths coming in short gasps. His hands explored her body.

  Wherever his hands touched her bare flesh, they ignited a fire in their path until she begged him to make love to her, which he gladly did again and again.

  It was always going to be this way, she decided. The way it should be. She spent her youth right here on the ranch, waiting for Blade. Blade spent much of his adult life, right here waiting for her. Now it came full circle, they wouldn’t be waiting anymore.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Growing up in Utah, Tarra Young knew from the young age of four that she wanted to be an author when she grew up. Her love of books goes way back to when she was a child. While other children had their security blankets, Tarra had her books. She has been writing, even getting a few of her bo
oks published along the way through small publishers. Tarra is currently living in Fairfield, California with her mom, sisters, one of her nephews and her fiancé. You can visit Tarra on the web at http://www.tarrayoung.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/tarra.young - Please take a moment to visit the website where you purchased this book and leave a review.