Badass (32 page)

She stemmed his flow of words by closing the gap between them and kissing the dickens out of him. “Let me explain. I like everything we did – everything. And if you want me – if you think I can make you happy. Well, I want to try more stuff . . .” she whispered in his ear – “anything your heart desires. I am yours to command.” When he chuckled, she sealed the deal. “When you go all alpha and macho, it makes me feel soft.” She kissed his neck. “You make me glad I’m a woman.” Now, she felt like she could be brave, “Your woman.”

“God, I love you,” he rejoined their lips and kissed her like she always dreamed of being kissed. “I have loved you from afar for so long.” Wasn’t that her line? Avery wanted to laugh – but she didn’t. He was just too sweet, and this was just too wonderful. “I love your sweet spirit, Avery. I love your giving nature – your spunk – I adore your body. I love everything about you.”

Dreams do come true. Whoever said they didn’t – was wrong. “I love you, too. So much. I’ll love you, forever.”

“You had damn well, better.” There was that McCoy bravado. “Will you marry me, Avery? Will you bind your life and heart and body to mine, forever?”

Hugging him tightly, she ignored the little pains and protests that her body was making. This was more important. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

“Thank the Lord.”

Epilogue

October 16 – The Sweetest Day

Avery stood to the left all the way on the end and Isaac stood to the right in the same position. Soon, they would meet in the middle and walk out together – and boy, did she have plans for the night. But right now – they had a wedding to celebrate.

Aron and Libby stood side by side, facing one another, ready to pledge their love. She was beaming with health and he was beaming with happiness and the rest of the family was so grateful that this day had finally arrived. All was well. Before the ceremony, Aron had presented Libby with a statue of him on his knees at her feet, and she had given him the sonogram showing that they were having twin boys. Both gifts had been perfect expressions of their love. The small church was full. Besides family, there was Bess, their former housekeeper – Nathan had been especially glad to see her. Kane, Lilibet and Zane were there. Joseph’s friend Beau had arrived with a beautiful Hispanic woman and Levi had braved gossip and brought Pawnee, who looked very lovely and very feminine. Trace, Lance and Terence Lee had parked cars and now sat in the back row and the biggest surprise had been Bowie Travis – not the baby – but Jacob’s friend. He had slipped in the back just before the ceremony started and Jacob had sent a message back by Nathan that he had better be planning on staying awhile. Today was a happy day, and there were many things to celebrate.

Aron began his vows, they were heartfelt – “I stand here, today – the luckiest man in the world. Libby, before you walked into my life, I was blessed. I can’t deny that, I had my brothers, the ranch and my health. Many people would say that I was rich. But they would be wrong. I was blessed, but I wasn’t rich.” He ignored the preacher’s tut-tuting gesture and framed Libby’s face and kissed her – slow and deep. “Now, I’m rich. I’m rich in love; I’m rich in laughter – and hope, Libby. My life is full of happiness and hope – and really, great sex.” He whispered the last three words, but everybody heard them and laughed out loud.

“That-a-boy, Aron,” someone called from the back.

He doffed his hat at the comedian – he had insisted on wearing his hat, and Libby wouldn’t have it any other way. Libby didn’t wait to see if he was finished – she couldn’t be quite another second. “Aron, when I came to Tebow – I didn’t know if I was going to live or die. I wanted to experience all that life could offer. I wanted to live. I’m not ashamed to say that I had been infatuated with you for years. You were my dream. So, when I thought I had a chance to spend some time on the ranch – I thought life couldn’t be any sweeter. I was wrong. I didn’t know what living or loving was like until the first time you kissed me. My life began the first time you took me in your arms. Never had I even dreamed that life could be so wonderful. I will love our children to the end. Even now, I would die for them in a heartbeat. But, as much as I will adore them – I will never love anyone or anything as much as I love you. You are my world.”

Again, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. The preacher took up the ceremony, and just before he was about to pronounce them husband and wife – Aron motioned that he wanted to speak again. “This is highly irregular, Mr. McCoy,” the pastor smiled. “But – since when has that ever stopped you.” Everyone laughed – at least no one could say they didn’t have a good time at this wedding.

“Do you remember the night I proposed? I promised you that you would have bridesmaids. I promised you that our love would be contagious and that the boys would find beautiful, sweet girls to stand up for you – now look.” Libby glanced over her shoulder at Jessie, Cady and Avery. Standing behind Aron were Jacob, Joseph and Isaac. Noah and Nathan had served as ushers and taken their seats together on the front row. As the preacher had read the scripture, Skye had slipped into the chair by Noah and gave him a big smile. And when she covered his hand with hers, his eyes had gotten big and wide – but he hadn’t moved his hand.

“Can I finish now?” the preacher asked.

“Please do,” at least Aron was gracious.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride, again.” Libby squealed with delight when he picked her up – kissed her soundly – then let her slide back down his body. By the time her feet touched the ground, her eyes were glazed over with passion.

“I can’t wait for the honeymoon,” she whispered.

“Ahemmm,” the pastor tried to regain control. “It is my privilege to be the first to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Aron McCoy.” Loud shouts of jubilation filled the church and as the organ swelled with the happy notes – the McCoys filed down the aisle – all paired up with the women that God had created just for them.

Jacob took Jessie’s hand. “I love you,” he raised her hand and kissed her palm. “I’m sorry you didn’t have a big shindig like this.”

“What we had was perfect for us – it was private, and as soon as our baby arrives, we can renew our vows. Think how perfect that would be. You, me and Bowie Travis.”

“It’s a date,” he promised. “And guess what? The elder Bowie Travis has arrived and I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

Isaac and Avery stepped forward. “Before long, we’re gonna let that preacher tie the knot for us,” Isaac winked at her.

“I’ve got a better idea,” she winked back at him. “Let’s go home and I’ll let you tie some knots of your own. You can tie me to the bed and have your wicked way with me.”

“Hell, yeah!”

EXCERPT FROM
BURNING LOVE
– COMING SOON

1
^st
in the CAJUN SPICE series

Deep in the South - Atchafalaya Basin – Louisiana

Beau LeBlanc steered his pickup down the levee road toward the Robicheaux homestead. He would have liked to be out in his airboat plowing through the water lilies, fishing for catfish. Instead, he and Indiana had been called to rangle a big bull gator who had been plaguing the fisherman trying to make a living along Bayou Chene. These Cajuns had known too many problems, recently – the BP oil spill, the Mississippi River flooding and now a rogue alligator that was getting too aggressive around their homes. The locals had named him Godzilla; he had begun his reign of terror by tearing up their traps and snapping their trot lines and continued it by crawling up in their yards and eating their dogs and cats. Most of them were afraid to let their children out to play. So Beau had been summoned to move the old monster to a safe place before he became a man eater and would have to be destroyed.

As luck would have it, Godzilla had got himself into a predicament before traps could be set for him. He had been in the process of crawling between irrigation ditches at the Guidry place, when old man Guidry had walked upon him. The old gator had tried to get away from the human and instead of heading for one of the manmade waterways; he slid underneath the connecting pipe right into an enclosed deep well of water. The watery trap was likely to become his grave unless Beau could get him out. It was a wonder the homeowner hadn’t shot the old reptile. But he hadn’t – and for that Beau was grateful. He had a soft heart for things no one else cared about. Beau ran SAFEPLACE, a Sanctuary for endangered and threatened animals. Godzilla wouldn’t end up there; he was still able to make it on his own. They would relocate him somewhere deeper in the swamp, away from man.

“That’s the Guidry house.” Indiana pointed over at the dog-trot style, Louisiana swamp house. A tall thin man stood out front waiting, two hound dogs flanked him on either side. Beau pulled in and climbed out, breathing in the atmosphere like life giving oxygen. The swamp was a spiritual place for Cajuns. He could close his eyes and smell his home - it was so many things all melded together in a gumbo of sights, sounds and experiences – hot sun, dark green water, crawfish, mud, cypress trees, and humidity all carried on a thick damp breeze.

The radio on his hip went off. Glancing at the read-out, he turned to Indy. “It’s the store. I wonder what’s up? We left them working on converting those Uzi’s to competition grade.” Holding down the talk button, he answered. “LeBlanc, here.”

“How much longer are you gonna be, boss?” As Beau listened to his employee, he poked Indiana, pointing out at the water. Out in the bayou, he could see the tell-tale eyes and a little bit of a snout showing above the water – an alligator.

“Not too much longer, we’ve gotta pull Godzilla out of a hole and then Indy will move him deeper into the Atchafalaya. I’ll come on back, as soon as he heads out. What’s going on?”

Rick Gentry was excited. When he got excited, he stuttered a little bit – like now. “You, you, you will never believe what’s coming into our shop this afternoon. A woman called and she, she, she has a Ma Deuce she wants us to look at.”

That got Beau’s attention. “A Ma Deuce? Damn! I’ll be there. If she arrives before I do, don’t let her leave – or at least hold on to the gun.”

Firepower Munitions – Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Harley rang the doorbell at Firepower Munitions and waited to be admitted. She found the locked door to be slightly odd, but she had been told by those in the know, that this establishment was the place to come to get a gun accurized. Her birthday present to herself had been a Remington 5R308. She wanted the 308 converted into a souped up sniper rifle – not politically correct maybe, but there was nothing more exciting than being able to hit a target 800 meters away. To each his own, she supposed. Firing a powerful weapon was the way she dealt with stress and the pressure of living her life alone. But the custom job wasn’t the main reason for her visit to Firepower; she had come to rid herself of a bad memory.

“Hey, come in.” While she had been deep in thought, the door had opened and a pretty girl with coal-black hair stood there inviting her inside. “Ms. Montoya, it’s good to meet you. My name is Dandi LeBlanc. Beau is my brother.”

The owner’s name was Beau. That fact had struck a sad note in her heart. She would never forget her Beau as long as she lived. “Thank you, Dandi.” She stepped into the gun shop. “It’s good to meet you, too.”

The front room of the shop wasn’t very big. The glass display counter held a few pistols and knives, but Firearms Munitions wasn’t a normal gun store. In fact, customers were required to make an appointment. The services they offered were unique and Harley respected the knowledge and the connections they were purported to have. A military contractor she knew of had commissioned them to design specific mounts with a swivel arm for a Mag 58 to be used on a helicopter. So, her request was certainly within their scope of work. “Do I know you?” Dandi spoke right behind her. “You look really familiar.”

“I’m nobody special,” Harley was quick to assure her. There was no reason Miss LeBlanc would be familiar with her face or her work, either in the Navy or in Socorro.

She had been forced to go by Nada in the service, because that was her legal name. But she longed to be somebody – anybody else – other than who she was. So one night, Nada had been reading a motorcycle magazine one of the guys had left lying around and the name Harley just hit her – it seemed right. So, Nada became Harley Montoya. She took her father’s name, even if he didn’t want her to have it. It seemed, to her, to be the least he could do.

“Are you sure?” Dandi looked at her, pointedly. “Oh well, it will come to me.”

Harley hoped not. She had hoped to live here in St. Martin’s Parish and no one ever learn about her unusual line of work. It was just better that way. Noises and voices from the back told her where the action was taking place. Harley was tempted to ask to look around, but didn’t really have time. There was no way she could miss the appointment she had scheduled this afternoon, it was too important. Following Dandi to the counter, she laid the gun case holding the 308 in front of her, but the Ma Deuce was still in the back of the Hummer, for that she would need to borrow some muscle.

“Beau’s in the back, I’ll call him. Did you bring the 50 caliber with you?”

Harley was amused. The younger girl was clearly a gun aficionado; she spoke the lingo as easily as some people talked about the weather. “It’s in my Hummer.

“You drive a Hummer?” Dandi’s eyes widened and her excitement doubled. “H2? H3?”

“Actually, it’s a H1.”

“Wow, I think the Hummer is one sexy machine.” With a wistful look on her face, Dandi took out an order book, “Now, what did you bring beside the machine gun?”