After the Storm: Clean Historical Western Cowboy Romance Novel (Dawson Chronicles Book 2) (18 page)

              The twenty-odd people poured forth from the building and turned to look back at it as they were drenched by the raging storm.  They gathered together, drawing comfort from their closeness as they looked upon the ruined building.  As they looked on, more of the building succumbed to the combination of weight and wind and collapsed.  They gazed around at each other, all of them thinking that they’d narrowly escaped severe injury or death.  Other townspeople came to see the destruction and to take the shocked and drenched people to safety. 

*****

              Once the storms finally subsided enough and the rain stopped, Tim went to the
Dialogue
office to see if the telephone was working again.  It wasn’t.  He went back to the Keller home, which had only suffered a few shingles being ripped from the roof. 

              “Sweetheart, I have to go out to the ranch to let them know we’re all ok.  The telephone and electric are still out,” Tim said.  “I’ll come back with the gang so we can help around town.”

              “I’ll help, too,” Renee said.

              “Honey, you don’t have to do that,” Tim said.

              She fixed him with a look.  “How would it look for the wife of the future Congressman Dwyer to not help our town in a time of need?  Besides, I have a lot of friends that I want to check on, and I can help out with anyone who’s wounded.”

              He smiled at her.  “Boy, I like the sound of that.  My wife.”  Holding her, he said, “I’m so glad we went ahead and got married.  I’m sorry our wedding got ruined in one way, but I’m not sorry we had Mac marry us.  When I think what might have happened if I hadn’t come when I did …”

              Renee tightened her arms around his midsection.  “Don’t think about that.  We’re safe and sound.  That’s more than others can say.”

              “No wonder I love you so much.”

              “I’m going with you to tell your family about us getting married,” Renee said.

              Skip said, “Take Dash.  He can hold the both of you and he’s more surefooted and able to get over obstructions.”

              Tim nodded.  “Good idea.”

              Renee had changed into jeans and an old blouse.  “I’m ready.”

              Switch and Hope hugged her.

              “Be careful,” Hope said.  “Switch and I will go to the hospital to help with incoming patients.”

              Skip said, “I’ll start helping around town however I can.”

              Tim and Renee mounted Dash and made their way through the camp up to the Dwyers’.  Pasture fences lay on the ground and shingles had been ripped from some of the buildings.  One of their trees was down and a couple of the sunroom windows were broken.  They rode up to the house and slid off Dash.  Tim tied him to a hitching post and they went inside.

              Most of the family was gathered in the parlor and greeted the newlyweds with relief that they were safe.

              Tim put his arm around Renee and said, “We have to tell you something, and please wait to get mad until we explain it all to you.”

              “All right,” Lacey said.

              Tim said, “We’re gonna need our rings, Kyle, because we had Matt marry us.”

              The expressions on the family’s faces were filled with surprise and dismay.

              Renee understood why they were disappointed about not being there for their wedding.

              “Please let us explain,” she said.

              She and Tim told the story of their narrow escape and why they’d wanted to get married in a rush.  The family understood their reasoning and were shocked by how close they’d come to being hurt or worse.

              “Thank God for Dash.  He might have been an accident, but I’m sure glad he was there,” Tim said.  “He and Skip saved us.”

              Kyle had gone to his room and he came back with their wedding bands, which he handed to Tim.

              Joe snatched them and said, “I’m the mayor so I can do this part at least.  I guess I have that power.”  He handed Renee’s to Tim and said, “Repeat after me, Tim.”

              Since he’d been to so many weddings, Joe had memorized the ceremony.  He guided them through the ring exchange.  “I now pronounce you husband and wife … again.  You may now kiss your bride … again.”

              Everyone smiled at his performance.  Tim and Renee didn’t mind repeating their kiss as their family applauded them.  They were hugged and Randall said they should have a quick toast before seeing to repairs, not only at the ranch, but in town, too.

              Joe and Lacey watched Tim and Renee as Kyle raised a toast to them and the love in their eyes convinced them that the young couple’s choice had been the right one.  They split up, some of the people working on the ranch and the others heading for town.

*****

              By the time they arrived home that night, the Dwyer clan was exhausted.  The destroyed church had gotten the worst of it, but there had still been a lot to be done elsewhere in town.  This sort of thing had happened a long time ago, prompting Joe’s deputy mayor, Cassie Benson, to organize a disaster relief plan for the town. 

              Joe knew that if it hadn’t been in place, dealing with the aftermath of the storm would have been much harder.  They’d helped board up broken windows and Renee had patched up minor wounds and assisted in taking people to the hospital for further treatment.  Cora and Lucy had fixed a meal and they heated up food for the tired workers arriving home.

              After eating, Tim and Renee went to his room. 

             
This is my home now and I’m going to be with Tim from now on.
  That thought filled Renee with happiness, but she also felt nervous.  It was another new place she had to get used to, but she wasn’t alone this time.  This was what she’d been waiting for: beginning her life with Tim.  And yet she didn’t know what she should do. 
One thing at a time.  Clean up and get ready for bed.

              They had planned to stay at the Dawson Hotel overnight before leaving on their honeymoon, but that plan had been derailed by the storm.  In the morning, they would take stock and decide when they wanted to leave.

              Tim was also disappointed about the way things had turned out, but he was determined to make the best of the situation. 

              “Why don’t you go ahead and use the washroom first?” he suggested.

              “All right,” she said.

              Tim could see the tension in her shoulders and apprehension in her eyes as she gathered her things. 

              Going to her, he said, “This isn’t how it was supposed to be, but I’m not sorry that we got married today, honey.  Everything is gonna be fine because we’re together now.  We can get through anything together and we’ll get through this.”

              She put her hands over his where they rested on either side of her neck.  “You’re right.  We’ve gotten through much worse than this.  All that matters to me is being with you.”

              He gave her a brief kiss and then she went to clean up.  While she was gone, Tim went to the linen closet and got out fresh sheets.  Cora had taught all of the kids how to make beds, saying that there was no reason they couldn’t do it once they were older.  He put the new sheets on the bed and then smiled as he put his boots back on.

              Quickly, he ran outside and cut some of the new roses from one of the bushes and hurried back inside to the kitchen.  He knew where the vases were kept and put the roses in one and hurried back to their room, running past Edwina, who was coming out of the parlor.  She saw the flowers and guessed what he was up to.

              Grinning, she went to her and Randall’s quarters, where she began gathering up some fragrant candles.

              “What are you doing, love?” Randall asked.

              Edwina’s green eyes smiled.  “I’m helping our newlyweds have a nice wedding night.”

              Randall immediately rose from the sofa.  “You take those.  I’ll get a bottle of the champagne we were saving for their reception.”

              She kissed him and said, “You are such a smart man.  I’m so glad I married you.”

              Randall said, “I’m smart for marrying you, m’dear.  Let’s hurry.”

*****

              When Renee came back to their room, she was surprised at the transformation in it.  The freshly made bed was turned down and rose petals had been sprinkled on it.  A vase of the beautiful flowers sat on Tim’s dresser.  Several lit candles were placed around the room and a champagne bucket sat on a nightstand along with two champagne flutes. 

              She smiled at Tim’s thoughtfulness in doing something so special for her.  She wondered where he was and then decided that she should get her surprise ready for him since he wasn’t there.  When she was done, she sat down on the bed and reclined back on her hands to wait for her groom.

              Tim entered their room and leaned against the closed door as he took in the beautiful, alluring woman sitting on the bed.  He’d never seen anything like what she wore and he found it more provocative than any other lingerie. 

She’d modified a pair of boy’s underwear, slitting them up the side and adding pink lace along the bottom.  They molded to her thighs and flattered her curvy hips.  She’d done something similar to the button-down shirt, replacing the normal buttons with little pink flowers and cutting it lower to reveal a hint of cleavage.  Her hair was pulled into a high chignon and pearl earrings dangled from her earlobes.  A burning hunger for her filled Tim as he took in her lovely form.

Renee was equally fascinated by him in a men’s silk robe with his hair freshly washed and combed.  It was such a contrast from the way he normally dressed that it looked exotic and enticing. 

“You are the most gorgeous, beautiful woman I’ve ever seen; I’m so proud to be married to you,” he said, coming towards her.

“Thank you,” she said, excited by his smoky gaze.  “You’re the handsomest, most virile man I’ve ever seen.”

Tim stepped over to his closet and reached inside it, surprising her by pulling out a guitar.

“You play?”

“Yeah.  I sing, too, but I can’t do it in front of lot of people.  Daddy keeps trying to get me to play with them at the bar, but I just can’t,” he said, sitting down on a chair.

“But you’re going to play for me?”

He nodded, smiling bashfully.  “I’m gonna try.”

Renee sat up against the headboard as he settled the guitar on his lap and strummed a little to warm up.  The love song he played for her was incredibly sweet, but the tender way he sang it made it more so.  His voice was in the low tenor/high baritone range and very smooth.  His fingers moved with confidence over the strings and his bashfulness disappeared as he looked at Renee.  Through the song, he told her what was in his heart, using the music to convey all she meant to him.

When he finished, tears glittered in her eyes.  She clapped softly and motioned for him to come to her as she stood up.  Tim set the guitar down and embraced her.

“That was so beautiful.  Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.  I love you, honey, and there’s nothing I won’t do to make you happy,” he said, cupping her face in his hands.

“And I’ll do anything to make you happy,” she said, untying his robe.  “You’re overdressed, Timmy.”

Smiling, he let it slide down over his shoulders.  “I can take care of that,” he said, letting it fall to the floor. 

Her dark, desire-filled eyes captured his gaze and he couldn’t look away as he lowered his head to kiss her.  Her lips were warm and soft and Tim thought he would go crazy with wanting her.  Tim suddenly discovered that Renee’s shyness regarding making love with him had gone.  He thrilled to the way her hands traveled over him and the way she kissed him passionately.

He returned the favor and was rewarded by her moan of need.  His control broke and he quickly divested her of her unconventional, fascinating lingerie.  She let out a little squeal as he suddenly picked her up and laid her on the bed.  The candlelight illuminated her eyes as he lay down beside her, and the love reflected in them touched a place deep inside that he hadn’t known existed.

“Make love with me, Timmy,” she whispered.  “I need you and I love you so much.  I never thought it would be possible to love someone the way I do you.  I belong to you now.”

He moved a hand to her hair, releasing it from the chignon and delving his fingers into the silky mass.  Fisting his hand in it, he tugged a little.  “That’s right.  You’re mine now and I’m yours.  I belong to you forever, Renee, and I’m going to show you how much I love you.”

His aggressive attitude excited her and she slid her arms around his neck, pulling him closer so she could kiss him.  Soon they were wrapped up in each other, giving their hearts, souls, and bodies to each other as only two people in love can.