by S A Monk
Hawk lifted his head to look at her, pleased and a little surprised. “Yeah?”
She gave him a soft brief laugh. “Yeah. Definitely yeah.” Her hands rose to frame his stubbly jaw. “But I want more,” she whispered against his lips.
He threw back his head and laughed.
Before he could respond further, though, Eli came into the room, holding a black suit in a clear plastic bag. They both took a step back from one another.
“You better get cleaned up,” he ordered Hawk, eyeing them with something that was a cross between a scowl and a grin. “You gotta take this back before six this evening. They sent over the wrong size,” he said, referring to the tuxedo he was holding. It was what Hawk was supposed to wear as Scott Richard’s best man tomorrow at the wedding. “You should have just enough time to do that before the rehearsal and bachelor party tonight. And make sure you check the size again when you get another one. If you don’t show up, dressed the way you’re supposed to be tomorrow, Becky will be madder than a hornet.”
“I could do that for you,” Jenny offered.
“No, the rental place is on my way.” He checked his wrist watch. “I need to hurry, though.”
Jenny reached out and squeezed his hand. “If you promise not to drink and drive, you can take my Corvette. You can even put the top down.”
Eli laughed. “Glad you reminded him of that. You saved me the usual reminder, and he took it from you better than he would have from me. ‘Course I don’t have no fancy sports car to bribe him with.” Then he gave her a wink. “Guess I’ll have to keep you company tonight, sweetie, so I can take your mind off that vampire who bit you on the neck so many times.”
Hawk shook his head in chagrin. “Geez, Eli!”
Jenny blushed to the roots of her reddish brown hair. “Shame on you, Eli. Just for that I’m going to make you watch the video Peter sent me. Have you ever seen “The Quick and the Dead”? It’s about a lady gunfighter.”
∞∞∞
An hour before the wedding, Hawk came down the stairway, taking the steps in a quick gallop. Jenny stood at the bottom, watching him hustle down. She hadn’t waited up for him last night, hadn’t even heard him come in she’d been so exhausted after the cattle drive. She’d missed him, though, acutely, desperately. She’d read the letter Peter had written, and was not happy with his reminders of her other life. This man before her was really throwing her for a loop! So many intense feelings after just one night of intimacy. She was so not ready to return to the life she left in southern California.
He looked deliciously fantastic in his black tuxedo. Underneath his jacket, he wore a dark forest-green brocade vest over a crisp white pleated shirt. The bow tie and the silk kerchief in his jacket pocket were also dark green. His black dress boots were flawlessly polished, and he was wearing his dressy black felt Stetson. On him, all that black color, contrasting with his stark white shirt and darkly tanned skin, made his blue eyes even more intensely blue. He was so heartstoppingly handsome, he took her breath away and left her staring at him speechlessly, like some silly teenager!
At the bottom of the stairs, he took her hand and turned her in a full slow circle. “You look spectacular! You take my breath away in that dress!” he told her, mimicking her own thoughts of him. He seemed to especially like the view from behind. “Is it another one of your own designs?”
Jenny nodded affirmatively. “One of my personal favorites.”
It was a bit avant-garde, a bit over the top maybe, with its high couture design, but it was so soft and feminine, just the way she liked to design all of her clothes. The neckline cut a high slash across her collarbone. The deeply cut sleeveless bodice fit her upper body like a second skin, and the hemline cut a diagonal sweep from knee to mid-calf. A long narrow slit in front gave a tempting peek of her breasts, displaying just a hint of skin and curves. The lightweight silk knit was a deep blood red that clung to her body enticingly, creating a smooth yet bold symmetrical line from neck to leg. You had to be toned to wear this little red number, and undergarments had to be kept to a bare minimum. It was so exact, not even Spanks escaped detection.
Jenny knew she looked spectacular in it with her lean figure and dark red hair flowing loosely over her shoulders, waved and parted, with a long rhinestone comb holding one side behind her ear for a nostalgic look.
She wanted Hawk’s eyes on no one but herself, and she wanted him to be impressed him with her design skill. Of course there was also the added bonus that she liked to advertise her talent by wearing her own clothes. People usually commented on her more striking designs, and it was a good way to gain customers.
Since Becky’s wedding colors were green and red, she hoped she would look really good on the best man’s arm. In addition, there were a few wicked thoughts floating around in her head that had to do with what might come after the wedding when she had to step out of this sexy dress and reveal just how skimpy her underwear was.
She’d managed to cover the vampire bites beneath her ear with make-up, while the ones lower were covered by her dress. She wore a black cashmere shawl over her dress, sheer black hose underneath it, dangling diamond earrings in her pierced ears, and a matching diamond bracelet around her wrist.
“At this point, I’d rather skip the wedding,” Hawk murmured in appreciation. “I’m going to have a hell of a time keeping my hands off you all day.” Bending his head, he let his lips trail along the long curve of her neck where her hair exposed it.
“You can touch. I won’t wrinkle, although I might come apart at the seams, or even melt,” she responded, arching her neck for more.
Hawk made a groan that sounded like a strangled laugh. “We better go, or I’m going to carry you back upstairs and strip that dress off you.” He lifted his eyes and gave her figure another once over. “By the way, what are you wearing under that. I can’t see a bra or panty line.”
Jenny laughed and felt herself grow warmer. “That’s for you to guess at all day and find out later, cowboy.”
He uttered a soft curse under his breath as she handed him the keys from her rhinestone-studded clutch purse.
Outside, he held the door to her Corvette open for her. She noticed, relieved, that he had put the top back up on the convertible. “Are you nervous about being in the wedding?”
“No, I just want the day to be over with, so I can be alone with you,” Hawk said as he slid in behind the steering wheel. “I told everyone, including Eli, to take a couple of days off. We won’t cull and move Scott’s cows until Monday.” After putting the key in the ignition, he leaned across the stick shift to give her a quick kiss. “We have the rest of the weekend, alone together, princess.”
An entire weekend in bed with this man sent shivers racing across her skin. She smiled at him as he turned the ignition key and brought the powerful engine to its full resonant roar.
“This is sure one sweet car!” There was a boyishly broad grin on his face as he revved up the engine just for fun. “I was a good boy last night. I didn’t drink and drive. I took good care of it. I even stopped to get it washed, vacuumed, and gassed last night before the rehearsal.”
She looked around the rich leather and wood toned interior. “Thank you. It looks super.” Then she looked to him and grinned. “Did you take all your buddies for a ride last night?”
“Nope,” he chuckled. “Just Scott.” He ran his hand over the checkered racing flag and the Chevy logo that decorated the molding between the saddleback leather bucket seats. “We’ll have to take it for a spin tomorrow, with the top down.” He pulled out slowly, careful not to kick up too much dust on the dirt road. “Wouldn’t want you getting to the wedding all windblown today. You look too pretty.” When he got out on the highway, he opened it up.
“Careful, you’ll get a ticket if you open her all the way up.”
“Might be worth it,” he answered with a big grin. “What year is this?”
“It’s brand new. I’ve only put a couple of thousand mile
s on it.”
“Expensive.”
“Yes, very, but all mine— no loan on it.”
“Damn, you must have a hell of a job!”
Jenny just laughed.
“Why a Corvette? You don’t see many women driving them, especially the racy Stingray model? It’s considered a muscle car, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know, but I sure fell in love with it the moment I saw it. I get told all the time that it’s a guy’s car. The dealer was even skeptical.” She watched him shift the gear column on the black leather console, immensely pleased that he enjoyed her car so much. “I had a boyfriend in college who owned a 1974 T-top red Stingray. I loved his car more than I did him, so when I could afford it, I knew that was the car I wanted, although I didn’t want a vintage model. Surprisingly, it’s fairly easy to handle, even with the six speed manual transmission. I love the way people look when you start that engine. And I love the way it feels, the way it drives— powerful.”
“Oh, yeah,” he said, unable to stop smiling. “I heard you the night of the Cattlemen’s meeting. It was sweet, and you got your share of stares.”
“Well, it’s a dream car.” She stared at his profile, behind the wheel. His long legs had plenty of room, and he looked in complete command of the powerful vehicle, at ease with the turns and the speed. “You look good driving it. It suits you.”
“Thanks for letting me. I’ve been dying to give it try since the day I saw it parked in the yard. You should start parking it in the equipment shed. I’ll make some room for it.”
“That would be nice. Keep that set of keys,” she told him, indicating the set in the ignition. “I have a second set at the house. Drive it anytime you want.”
“Damn, a gorgeous woman and a fast car! What else could a man ask for?” He reached for the hand in her lap and brought it to his lips to kiss.
Jenny giggled. “Unless it’s a fast woman and a gorgeous car!”
CHAPTER 15
Hawk parked the car in the lot between the church and its recreation hall, where the reception would be held. It was the same church her dad had been buried from. It brought back painful images. Jenny walked with him up the steps and through the big open double doors into the vestibule, where Scott was waiting anxiously.
Hawk looked at the groom, then at his watch. “I’m on time. The wedding doesn’t start for fifteen minutes. Relax buddy. You’re just giving up the rest of your life, your income, your....”
“Oh, stop!” Jenny admonished as she poked Hawk in the side. “That’s not nice.”
He winked at her. Then he looked at Scott. “You know I think I forgot the ring.”
“You didn’t!” Jenny and Scott both were appalled.
Hawk responded to their panic with a laugh. “Nah. Just kidding, buddy. I don’t want Becky coming after me with a shotgun, the way she did you.”
“Stuff it, Larson,” Scott shot back, his good humor restored, but not his nerves.
“Hey, I just wanted you to lighten up a bit.” Hawk stepped over to his best friend and patted him on the back. “This is a great day for you. Becky’s a great woman. Smile.”
“I better go find Eli and Hank.”
Hawk turned to Jenny and bent down to give her a kiss on the cheek. “After the wedding, Scott says we have to sign some papers. I’ll catch up to you at the reception hall.”
“Okay.” She caught his hand and squeezed. “Go easy on Scott.”
Scott watched her go. “That’s a hell of a woman, too, my friend. Might want to make that partnership Tom wanted permanent with her.”
Hawk smiled as he watched Jenny in her sexy red dress walk down the aisle. “Been giving it some thought. The Rockies are a long way from Hollywood, though.”
Eli and Hank were sitting near the front of the church. Hank nodded to Jenny as she sat down next to Eli in the pew. The old cowboy smiled at her. “Be nice to see you walking down the aisle one of these days soon yourself, missy,” he whispered in her ear. “There’s more than one way to form a partnership, ya know?”
“It’s a bit soon, Eli.”
“Your dad woulda loved to see you two make a permanent arrangement.”
Jenny supposed that her father would have indeed liked to see her make a permanent partnership with the man he had loved as a son. It wasn’t an unpleasant notion, far from it in fact; just premature. One episode of passionate lovemaking did not make a potential marriage.
Of course, it also felt like there was something much more significant than great sex going on with John Red Hawk Larson. He had been tremendously supportive after Tom’s death; sensitive, caring, and understanding. There weren’t many men capable of that. She still grieved for her father. There wasn’t a day that went by that she didn’t miss him; that she didn’t still keenly feel his absence in her life. But the pain wasn’t as acute as it had been at first.
Jenny stared at the man partially responsible for that as he walked to the altar and took his place beside the groom. Hawk was a rare and unique man. She’d never met a man as considerate of her feelings as he was. He may have gotten a bum deal in his life way too early, but he had learned a lot from her father and he’d risen above his adversity.
And no one had ever made love to her the way he had. It had been indescribable! But did she have a future with him? Did he want a personal one as well as a business one with her? And what about her life in California? Could she continue her career here? The ranch required a lot of full-time attention. Was she ready to give up one life for another? Would she have to? She was still torn between her dual dreams, her current goals and those of the past. It was a dilemma that didn’t have any easy answers, and it had been on her mind all week.
Since Scott and Becky were married at a full nuptial mass, it took over an hour. Hawk shifted restlessly after a while, rolling his broad shoulders, moving his hands from his pockets to his sides and back again. Jenny watched him shift from one foot to the other occasionally, and smiled. Obviously, he wanted the ceremony to end, while she was simply enjoying the uninterrupted opportunity to sit and stare at him.
When the mass was finally over, the wedding party, including Hawk, disappeared with the priest into a side door off the altar. The professional wedding photographer followed in hot pursuit. Resigning herself to the fact that Hawk would be gone for a while, Jenny left with Hank and Eli and headed to the reception.
Inside, the three of them found a linen covered table to sit at. After several trips to the buffet table, they had an array of finger sandwiches and appetizers set around the beautiful centerpiece in the middle of the table. While she sipped her flute of champagne, Jenny stared at the golden angel surrounded by a spray of rose tinted baby’s breath. With Eli and Hank to keep her company, she was content to wait for Hawk, but Eli, bless him, asked her to dance as soon as the music began. Hank followed the old cowboy’s request as soon as they returned to the table. Then a friend of theirs ambled over and asked for a dance. While she was dancing with yet another cowhand, Steve tapped the young man on the shoulder and cut in. His dance became three, and would have progressed to four had Jenny not excused herself for a much needed break to the ladies’ room.
While she was inside, several women she had met at Becky’s wedding shower stopped to greet her and lavish praise on her dress. Everyone wanted to know if it was one of her own designs. When she told them it was, they wanted to know if her line of clothing was available through any of the stores here in the valley, or even in Denver. Sadly, it wasn’t, she told them. But visions of a possible market in the region tantalized her. It occurred to her that she might be able to entertain both her dreams right here in her childhood backyard.
When she returned to the table where Eli and Hank were sitting, she continued to think about the possibility of moving her business to Colorado. Movies took a lot of time and travel. Maybe it was time to stop costume designing and just limit herself to fashion designing. She could work at home, build a clientele for ready-to-wear clothes, eve
n do some exclusive designing once in the while. All she needed was a little help, some seamstresses and cutters. She could start off small, maybe open a boutique. Denver, with its trunk shows and ready-to-wear market, was only a couple of hours away. That way she could stay and help Hawk run the ranch.
While she sat thinking and sipping champagne, she spotted Brad Caldwell across the room, talking to a group of men and women. County commissioners, according to Eli when he noted who had caught her attention. In turn, she asked him why Brad had even been invited to Scott and Becky’s wedding. Eli told her Becky’s dad was a county commissioner, and a member of the Board of Director’s at Brad’s bank.
Jenny concluded Brad Caldwell was a born politician. He was handsome. He had money, and he had charisma. It appeared he was also very influential. Certainly, he was someone who would make a dangerous enemy.
She watched him scan the room, as if he was looking for someone. She could only hope it wasn’t her. She moved her chair so Eli blocked her from Brad’s line of vision. She really did not want to spoil her day by talking to him, or by having Hawk see her talk to him. Damn, where was Hawk anyway?
At last, Scott and Becky entered the reception hall. They were received with an enthusiastic round of applause. Hawk wasn’t with them, although his counterpart, the maid of honor, was.
The newlyweds moved through the reception hall, greeting and accepting congratulations. Eventually, they spotted Jenny. Eli and Hank rose to give Becky a kiss and Scott a handshake. Jenny stood, too, and gave Becky an affectionate hug. In the time she had been home, she had really come to like Becky. In fact, they were becoming fast friends.
“You look absolutely beautiful,” Jenny told her. “That dress is gorgeous.”
“So is yours. I wish I’d met you sooner, then I would have had you design my gown.”
“I’ve never done a wedding gown.”
“Make your own your first then.” Becky smiled impishly. “Scott tells me you and Hawk are getting pretty cozy. It would be great if you decided to stay here, even better if it was with one particular man we both know.” Becky leaned closer to whisper, “I’ll throw you my bouquet. It’ll bring you good luck.”