by Bobbi Smith
"Er . . . uh, yes. Miss St. John is in the building. If you'd like to have a seat, I'll see if I can find her for you. May I tell her who's looking for her?"
"No. I'd like to tell her myself. Could you just show me where she is?"
"This is highly unusual . . ." Joanna stammered, unable to look away from him. And then he smiled at her and her resistance vanished. He could have whatever he wanted.
"Miss . . . ?"
"Joanna," she said dreamily.
"Joanna, I've traveled over more than half the country to find Sheri. Will you take me to her?"
"I'd love to." She stood up and started off toward the stairs with her mysterious visitor following.
Tim DeYoung was in a meeting with Kevin St. John, Thomas Nicholson, Mira Son, and Chris Keeslar when he heard Joanna talking to someone. He excused himself and stepped out of his office just as she walked by.
"Joanna? Do we have a visitor?"
"This gentleman's here to see Miss St. John, sir. I was just taking him upstairs. She's with Cathy Goellner right now."
"I see."
Tim did not try to stop them, but watched as they walked away. The man was impressive. He had a certain Western look about him, and he wondered at his connection to Sheri. As the stranger disappeared up the steps, Tim had an inspired thought. If this new book of Sheri's was any good, he might ask that man to pose for the cover. He certainly appealed to the ladies, if Joanna was any judge. Tim made a mental note, as he went back into his office, to ask Sheri who her visitor was and if he'd be interested in being on the cover of a dime novel. The cover art for Seth Jones had made a big difference in the sales of that book, and he was willing to do whatever was necessary to help profits at Carroll and Condon. It was worth a try.
"She should be right in here. . . ." Joanna led him through the door to the room where the readers worked.
As they entered the room, it seemed that almost everyone looked up. Everyone, that was, but Sheri, who was seated next to Cathy's desk with her back to the door.
''She's over there," Joanna told him.
"Thanks." He moved toward Sheri like a predator stalking its prey. He had found her, and he was never going to let her get away from him again,
Something in his manner was so intense that Joanna felt a shiver go up her spine. She wished she were the one he was after.
Cathy and Sheri had been talking for quite a while when Cathy noticed Joanna coming through the door. She thought nothing of it at firstand then he walked in. Her expression suddenly changed, and she lost track of what she'd been saying.
"Cathy, are you all right?" Sheri asked, puzzled by the look on her face.
"I'm just fine," she answered with a grin. "And I'll be even finer when I find out who that is. . . ."
"Who who is?" Sheri frowned.
"Him!"
Sheri started to turn in her seat to see what Cathy was talking about.
Brand had been hard put not to run across the room and sweep Sheri up in his arms. He was focused only on getting to her, on being with her. He'd made a terrible mistake that night at McDowell. The horror of her being shot while he'd been holding her had torn him to shreds. It had taken him weeks to come to grips with the tenor of it all. Only then had he come to realize that a life without Sheri would be meaningless for him.
He had fought the idea of searching for her. He had told himself that he should stay out of her life, that she was no doubt glad to be rid of him. But then he'd returned to the fort and had talked to O'Toole and to the lieutenant. O'Toole had told him how Sheri had reacted to his message that day, and then he'd run into Philip. He had not respected the man much until that day with the posse in the mountains, but now, as he came to know him better, he found he actually liked him.
Especially that day, after Philip had come straight out and told him what a fool he'd been for letting Sheri go.
It had taken Brand a while longer to come to understand his feelings completely. He could not face another day without Sheri by his side. He loved her. He had missed her, and he would spend the rest of his life making up for the pain he'd caused herif only she would give him the chance.
As he strode toward Sheri now, his heart was thundering in his chest. He wouldn't blame her if she told him to leave and never come back, but it was a chance he had to take. He would tell her that he loved her, and he would let her decide the rest.
"Sheri?" he said softly as she looked his way.
Sheri stared at him in shock as he made his way toward her.
It was Brand. . . . He was there. . . .
She couldn't move. Night after night, she had dreamed of this moment, but in the light of day she'd never imagined that he'd really come for her . . . not after all this time. Her gaze met his and she slowly stood up.
"Brand . . ." she whispered.
And then he was there, standing over her, looking down at her, aching to touch her, yet holding himself back.
"I shouldn't have let you go," he said solemnly. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."
Tears filled her eyes as she lifted one hand to his cheek. "I've missed you. . . ."
"Not nearly as much as I missed you," he said, still holding himself under steely control. He wanted to hold her, to crush her to him and never let her go. He had been waiting a long time to say the words to her he could no longer deny. "I love you, Sheri."
It was all that she'd ever dreamed of and more. With an exultant cry, she went into his arms, and right there in front of everyone, she kissed him.
A collective romantic sigh went up from the room full of women. Cathy looked over at Kathy, Brooke, and Bari-Leigh.
"It's Brand," she whispered.
They all smiled, each secretly wishing some handsome man would come into their lives and kiss them that way.
When Sheri and Brand finally broke apart, Sheri's cheeks were flushed and her eyes were shining with love for him.
"Will you marry me?" he asked, his voice hoarse with emotion.
"Oh, yes." Her answer was heartfelt.
The office of women erupted in cheers and applause. Sheri fell back into Brand's arms, laughing and crying at the same time. Never had she known joy so sweet.
"Everyone," Sheri announced, "this is my Brand. The fictional hero of my new book and the true hero of my heart."
The women were smiling as they watched the happy couple make their way from the office. Joanna watched with envy from her desk as they left the building. She hoped some day the man of her dreams would come and take her away, too.
"What was all the commotion about?" Tim De Young demanded, coming out of his office after Sheri and Brand had disappeared through the door.
"That man who was just here . . ."
"Yes?"
"That was Brand, the hero of Sheri's new book."
"That was Brand, the half-breed scout?" He was startled. "He came all the way to New York?"
"Yes. He just proposed to Sheri, and she accepted."
Tim frowned thoughtfully. "I'd better read that book today."
He hurried back into his office and shut the door. He had a lot of reading to do.
Sheri lay in her husband's arms, delighting in the joy of being with him again.
"I love you," Brand told her. He would never regret his decision to come after her. He loved her more than life itself, and together they would have a wonderful future.
"I love you, too. You know what?"
"What?"
"My life is just like one of my books," she declared. "We're going to live happily ever after."
"You're sure about that?" he teased.
"I'm positive." She rose over him to kiss him.
He gathered her close to him, his hands restless upon her silken curves. Now that she was his in all ways, he was certain that he would never get enough of her. Sheri melted against him, surrendering to his masterful touch. When he came to her, she welcomed him, taking him deep within her. They moved together in perfect union, each offering to the other the gift of
total self. Ecstasy was theirs. They had never known that love could be so sweet.
Epilogue
Eighteen Months Later
"Sheri!" Jeremiah Wayne, the postmaster, called out to her as she entered the post office. "You've got a letter here all the way from New York City!"
Sheri was excited. She had come into town with Brand and the baby to get supplies. Her first stop was always the post office . . . just in case. Today, her wishes had come true. Today, she had a letter. She hurried back to the desk to see what he had for her.
"Who's it from?" she asked.
"Looks like your publisher," Jeremiah told her. "I'll just bet it's good news."
"I hope so. Thanks!" She was smiling brightly as she left.
Jeremiah was disappointed that she hadn't read it right there in front of him. He wondered what was in it, and he hoped he'd been right when he'd told her that it was good news. He'd certainly enjoyed her book.
Sheri headed back to the newspaper office to meet Brand. Tearing open the envelope, she began to read on the way.
"I got some mail, and wait until you hear this!" Her eyes were aglow as she entered the newspaper office.
Maureen, Charles, and Brand, who was standing holding their six-month-old daughter, Becky, in his arms, all looked up expectantly when she came in.
"What does it say? Is Brand, The Half-Breed Scout selling well?" Maureen asked. They had heard nothing from Carroll and Condon since the book had come out a few months before, and they were eager to know.
"It says, Dear Sheri, We are pleased to inform you that sales of Brand, The Half-Breed Scout, or Trail of the Renegade have been phenomenal, with sales rivaling those of Seth Jones. Please contact us about writing a sequel as soon as possible. Sincerely, Tim DeYoung."
"Sheri, that's wonderful!" Charles said.
The very pregnant Maureen went to hug her. "I knew you could do it! I knew you could write a bestseller!"
"Yes, but I needed my inspiration. I needed my husband," she said, looking at Brand with love in her eyes.
Brand slanted her a wicked grin. "Any time you're ready to do some research, just let me know!"
"Maybe we should head back to the ranch right now, then, what do you say? If Mr. De Young wants this next manuscript in less than six months, I'm going to have to work real hard on it. I might need a lot of inspiration."
"It would be my pleasure," he told her as he came to her side and pressed a soft kiss on her lips. "Congratulations. You earned it."
Sheri looked up at Brand with all the love she felt for him mirrored in her gaze. "I couldn't have done it without you."
Bobbi Smith After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi Smith gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982. Since then, Bobbi has written over twenty books and several short stories. To date, there are more than three million of her novels in print. Awarded the the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller of the Year Award, her books have appeared on several bestseller lists. When she's not working on her novels, she is frequently appearing as a guest speaker for Romantic Writers Association conferences. The mother of two boys, Bobbi resides in St. Charles, Missouri, with her husband.