She and Klayne were soon enjoying plates of cheese-filled ravioli with slices of warm bread.
“This is delicious,” Klayne said, lifting another piece of bread from the basket on the table.
“I’ve never eaten anything here that wasn’t good,” Delaney said, cutting a square of ravioli in half and watching wisps of fragrant steam float upward. She sniffed. “Sage and basil.”
“Sage and basil?” Klayne asked, looking down at his half-eaten meal. “Is that what’s in the ravioli?”
“I think so. I’ve been trying to pry the recipe out of them for years. Supposedly, it’s a secret that will go to their graves.”
Klayne chuckled and forked another bite. “Can’t blame them for not wanting to share.”
Delaney grinned and broke off a small piece of bread. “I suppose not.” She glanced up when an older couple stopped by their table. Delaney hopped up and hugged the diminutive woman. “Mrs. Campanelli, it’s so nice to see you.”
“You as well, Delaney. Are you keeping busy at the ranch?” the woman asked.
“We are. Dad’s in Portland right now helping Carol, but he’ll be home in a few days.” Delaney held a hand out to Klayne, who’d stood when she rose from the table. “Tony and Ilsa Campanelli, I’d like for you to meet Sergeant Klayne Campbell.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Klayne said, shaking Tony’s hand then Ilsa’s.
“The pleasure is ours, young man,” Tony said. “Thank you for your service to our country. I assume you’re stationed here in Pendleton at the airfield.”
“Yes, sir, at least for the moment.” Klayne gave Delaney a look that made her stomach flutter.
“Delaney, dear, what on earth are you doing wearing a summer gown when it’s only twenty degrees outside?” Ilsa asked, fingering the lace sleeve of Delaney’s dress.
Delaney tipped her head toward Ilsa and glanced at Klayne. “Mrs. Campanelli is a famous fashion designer. Her gowns have traveled all around the world. And she made this one.”
Klayne smiled at the petite woman who, despite her advancing years, remained a remarkable beauty. “Then I should thank you for making a gown that sets off Delaney’s lovely features.”
Ilsa beamed at him and Tony grinned. “So what are you kids up to?”
Delaney gave Klayne a conspiratorial look then leaned closer to the older couple. “Klayne and I just came from Kade’s office where we got married.”
She held out her hand and Ilsa examined the diamond ring. “Oh, Dee, we couldn’t be happier for you. Will there be a reception later?”
Delaney shook her head. “No. If you both don’t mind, we’re trying to keep things quiet. The sudden wedding is because Klayne is leaving soon, but Dad doesn’t know. I don’t want anyone telling him before I have a chance to talk to him when he gets back.”
“Understood,” Tony said, placing a hand to his wife’s back. “Congratulations on your nuptials and enjoy your evening.”
“Thank you,” Klayne said, politely inclining his head to them both.
The couple left and Klayne had seated Delaney when Tony reappeared. “I’d be happy to take a few photos, if you’d like.”
“Oh, I hadn’t even thought of a photograph, but that would be wonderful, Mr. Campanelli. We could come by…”
“Right after dinner?” Klayne interjected, not giving her a chance to suggest the following day.
She tossed her husband a curious look then turned her attention back to Tony.
The older man nodded his head. “That would be perfect. I’ll get everything ready. Just come over to the studio when you finish up here.”
Klayne shook his hand again. “Thank you so much, sir. We appreciate it.”
“My pleasure.” Tony strolled over to Ilsa as she waited at the door.
“That was kind of him to offer,” Klayne said, eating the last bite of his ravioli.
“It was,” Delaney said, feeling rushed to finish her meal. She didn’t want to keep Mr. Campanelli waiting. “It might have been better to wait until tomorrow to go see him.”
Klayne shook his head. “Oh, I think right now is perfect. You’ve got on your wedding dress and your cheeks are still pink from all the excitement. Besides, I think it’s a good thing to capture the image on our wedding day. Not that I could ever forget the most important, wonderful day of my life, but it’ll be nice to have a photograph of it.”
Unable to argue with him when he said sweet things like that, she remained silent and forked a final bite of ravioli.
“Should we take dessert to Mr. Campanelli as a thank you for taking the photo?” Klayne asked as he paid the bill.
Delaney grinned. “No. Mr. Campanelli’s sister is the one who started this restaurant. He gets all the wonderful Italian food he wants anytime he wants. His wife is a talented seamstress, but from the stories I heard, she practically burned down her dress shop before they wed when she attempted to bake bread. Her inability to cook is legendary.”
Klayne chuckled and helped her on with her coat. “Are half the people in this town related to one another?”
Delaney shook her head. “Not half, maybe a third,” she teased as they stepped outside and began walking down the street. The snow had stopped and stars glistened overhead. “Judge Rawlings is married to Caterina. Caterina is Mr. Campanelli’s sister. Mrs. Campanelli’s brother, Lars, and his wife started the first orphanage in the area. They still help there all they can, although they’ve turned over the management to one of the children they raised in the first group of orphans to live there. Mrs. Campanelli’s sister, Aundy, and her husband also live in the area, on a farm near the orphanage. Their youngest son oversees it now. Their oldest son is a doctor here in town.”
“Wow, that’s a lot of family ties,” Klayne said, trying to keep names and people straight. Delaney turned a corner and pointed to a shop door across the street.
Together, they walked inside Tony’s photography studio. Klayne helped Delaney remove her coat, and then stared at the images on the walls. Some of them dated back to the first year Tony opened the studio, at the beginning of the century. Photographs of Indian mothers holding babies in beaded cradleboards hung beside images of wheat harvests and mule teams.
“Is that Mrs. Campanelli?” he asked, pointing to an image of a beautiful young woman standing beneath a lace parasol.
“Yes. Isn’t she something?” Delaney asked, admiring the photo. Ilsa Campanelli was one of the most genteel, beautiful women she knew.
Tony stepped through a doorway and greeted them. “Come on back,” he said.
Delaney led the way with Klayne right behind her. His nearness unsettled her, but she ignored it. There would be time enough later to dwell on the feelings and emotions he stirred in her.
Much to Delaney’s surprise, Ilsa arranged props in front of a screen. “This is going to be such fun,” Ilsa said, motioning for them to step into place.
For the next twenty minutes, Ilsa and Tony worked as a team to position Delaney and Klayne in a variety of poses.
Delaney requested Tony take a few of Klayne by himself, and then Tony snapped a few of Delaney. The last photo he took of her, Klayne stood just to the left of Tony. When Delaney looked at him, he made the silliest face she’d ever seen and she burst out laughing. Her smile was infectious and that dimple danced tantalizingly in her cheek.
“That’s the one,” he whispered to Tony. Despite Tony and Ilsa insisting the photos would be a wedding gift, Klayne paid them.
“Thank you, again, for making time to do this for us,” Klayne said as the couple walked them to the door.
“It’s our pleasure,” Tony said, thumping Klayne on the back as Ilsa gave Delaney a hug. “Now get out of here and enjoy your evening.”
“We will. Thank you, sir.”
Delaney looped her arm around Klayne’s as they meandered back toward the car.
“Do you want to go anywhere? Do anything?” Klayne asked as they neared his borrowed transportation. �
�We could go to the movies. If you’d like, we could see about that dance Judge Rawlings mentioned.”
“I’d rather just spend my time with you. Let’s go home,” Delaney said. The thought of Klayne being at the ranch with her sent an odd thrill chasing through her. In spite of the rushed, unexpected wedding, she couldn’t deny how much she loved this man, how much she wanted to be with him. It felt right.
“I like the sound of that,” he said, opening the car door and holding it for her as she slid onto the bench seat.
Klayne hurried around the car and started it. While they waited for the heater to kick in and begin blowing warm air, he pulled her into his arms and held her close. Music played on the radio and he hummed along as Bing Crosby crooned, “How Deep is the Ocean?”
Klayne softly sang the words in a smooth baritone voice. Astonished he could sing, she listened to the words that professed he loved her as deep as the ocean and as high as the sky. She wanted to wrap the pleasure of the moment around her to keep with her always.
Delaney breathed in his spicy scent and rested her head against his solid chest. Maybe she was wrong earlier. Home wasn’t the ranch. From that moment on, it was in his arms.
In all her life, she’d never felt so secure, safe, cherished, and loved as she did when Klayne dropped a kiss on her forehead and cuddled her a little closer. This man, this elated feeling, was what she’d waited her whole lifetime to find.
Thoughts of Klayne leaving soon made her heart ache so badly she felt like she might suffocate, so she turned her attention to the evening ahead. Klayne might intend for this to be a wedding in name only, but Delaney had far different ideas.
“Let’s go home,” she repeated in a whisper. She looked up at her husband and willed him to be as in love with her as she was with him. The light flickering in his arresting blue eyes assured her of his affection every bit as much as the way he kissed her tenderly then put the car in gear.
She moved so he could drive, but sat close enough their thighs touched. Delaney felt heat sear through her with each bump in the road. By the time Klayne turned onto the Sage Hills Ranch lane, she wondered if she had a fever.
Klayne parked the car at the end of the walk and hurried around to open the passenger door. Delaney slid across the seat and he lifted her into his arms, carrying her down the walk and up the steps. He carefully maneuvered around Moose as the canine slept sprawled across the top porch step, snuffling in his sleep.
“That ridiculous dog,” Delaney whispered, reaching down to open the door when Klayne bent his knees so she could reach the knob.
The door swung open and Klayne carried her inside. The house was dark, though warm, as he toed the door shut behind them.
Slowly, he set her down. He seemed hesitant to let go of her, but he finally took a step away from her when she reached out and flicked on a light.
“I appreciate you marrying me today, Delaney.” He backed toward the door. “I can’t thank you enough for what you did. It means the world to me.” Another step back. “You’ll receive some papers in the mail with information about becoming my beneficiary. I suppose I better go, though.”
“Don’t leave yet, Klayne.” Delaney removed her coat and tossed it, along with her hat, on the newel post of the stairs. “You said you don’t have to be back until tomorrow morning didn’t you?”
Clearly hesitant to stay, he edged closer to the door. “I did say that, but I think it’s best if I leave.”
“Why would you want to do that, Sergeant Campbell?” Delaney moved in front of him and tugged off his coat and hat, dropping them on top of hers. She unbuttoned his dress jacket and guided it off his shoulders, letting her hands linger over the hard muscles of his arms as she pushed down the sleeves and brushed against him. She’d never been so intimately close to a man before and wasn’t sure how to proceed. Nevertheless, of one thing she was certain — Klayne was not leaving her alone. Not on their wedding night.
Pure instinct kicked in as she removed his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. “I’m pretty sure you’ll have a much better time here this evening than you would back at Pendleton Field.”
Klayne swallowed hard as an inner battle waged. She could see it in the lines around his eyes and the firm set of his jaw. Finally, he expelled a long breath then reached out and pulled her against him.
Sparks flickered in his eyes as he gazed down at her with such a look of hunger, she wondered if he intended to devour her. Slightly anxious by what she’d started in her attempt to seduce him, she considered if she was brave enough to see her bold actions through. Klayne was her husband, after all. A man she loved with all her heart.
Fingers trembling with anticipation and a little fear, she finished unbuttoning his shirt. Her cool hands slipped underneath the thin cotton of his undershirt. The heat radiating from his skin, along with the solid firmness of his abdomen, warmed her in seconds.
His breath blew across her neck as he placed a heated kiss to the pulse rapidly pounding in her throat. He lifted his head and the sparks in his eyes ignited into liquid fire. Intrigued, uncertain, and longing for something she couldn’t explain and didn’t fully understand, she couldn’t tear her gaze away from his.
A sound of tortured misery escaped his throat on a low groan. “Delaney, you need to step away and show me to the door, right now. If you don’t, if you wait one more minute, I won’t be able to leave. Do you understand what I’m telling you, sweetheart? If you want me to leave, now is the time to tell me.” He started to move away but she wouldn’t let him, clasping her arms around his waist and holding on tight.
He held his arms out to his sides, not touching her. Even so, she felt a tremor pass through him as he fought to hold onto his control.
“Delaney Marie, if you don’t turn me loose, I won’t be held responsible for my actions. I know I promised you a marriage in name only, but you can only push a man so far before he lands beyond the edge of reason.”
“I plan to hold you responsible for your actions, Klayne.” She gave him a smirk as her hazel eyes darkened. “Fully and completely responsible.” Her hands nudged off his shirt then slid up his arms.
One step closer and she obliterated any space lingering between them. “I don’t want you to leave, Klayne. Not now, not ever. I love you so much.” She pressed a quick kiss to his jaw. “I want you to love me, Klayne.” A peck to his cheek. “Love me like I’ll always belong to you.”
The pleading in her gaze left him undone.
“I love you, Delaney. More than you can know.” His lips and heart took full possession of her as he captured her mouth in a kiss full of more yearning and ardor than she imagined possible.
Languid and in a state of bliss unlike anything she’d ever dreamed, Delaney lost the ability to stand on her own.
Klayne bore her weight as she pressed against him, unable to get close enough. Suddenly, he swept her into his arms and started up the stairs. Delaney directed him to the guest room where he’d stayed the night of the big snow storm.
In the muted light from the slivers of moonbeams shining in the window, she enthusiastically surrendered to the tender yet undeniably passionate love of her beloved husband.
Chapter Nine
Stubbornly clinging to every precious minute of the few he had remaining with Delaney, Klayne denied rest for his exhausted mind and body.
He’d spent hours pouring out all the love he harbored in his heart not just for her, but for what she represented — someone to call his own, someone who thought he mattered and cared whether he lived or died.
After such a wondrous, phenomenal experience, he refused to surrender to something as commonplace as slumber. Instead, he turned onto his stomach, folded a pillow beneath his cheek, and watched her sleep.
In her arms, he’d finally discovered a place to belong, a place that was his and his alone. Through her sweet love, he’d found absolution from his past and hope for his future. Delaney had given him the home he’d always longed for and never kne
w how to find — the home of her heart.
Silver moonlight streaming in the window illuminated her face while the small lamp she’d left on in the hall cast a pale amber-hued glow around the room. Even in the murky shadows, he could see her eyelashes fan her cheeks and a slight smile ride the corners of her lips. He’d been right when he assumed she’d be just as pretty in sleep as she was awake. Silently studying her, he thought she looked so young and adorable, yet utterly tempting.
When he took a breath, he closed his eyes, memorizing her succulent scent. Whether he had one more day or fifty more years on this earth, he didn’t want to forget a single thing about this miraculous night. For the very first time in his life, Klayne felt wanted, needed, and loved. So incredibly loved.
Delaney was the first person to say the words to him. I love you. Three simple words that had the most profound effect on him, rousing emotions he hadn’t even realized he possessed. The affection, passion and devotion she’d so freely given him watered the parched soil of his heart. The seeds that had laid dormant there took nourishment from her love and blossomed into something beautiful and so very unexpected.
With his heart so full it felt like it might burst, Klayne reached out and fingered one of the silky locks of Delaney’s hair. The dark tresses flowed in wild disarray over her pillow, and entangled around him. He loved the texture of her hair, the weight of it in his hands, the fragrance of it that put him in mind of exotic flowers with a hint of citrus.
He released the tendril of hair and indulged in tracing his fingers lightly down the exposed skin of her arm. It was so incredibly soft, smooth, and warm.
Unable to stop himself, he leaned over and skimmed a kiss across her lips.
“Mmm. Klayne,” she muttered in her sleep and rolled toward him.
Home of Her Heart (Hearts of the War Book 2) Page 11