The Princess and the Pauper (30 page)

The door opened and Jesse, Lieutenant Rothchild and the other man came out of the interrogation room. As always, April could tell by Jesse’s expression what had transpired. Rothchild, however, looked ready to burst, and April could only take that as a positive sign.

“Sorry you had to wait,” Jesse said, leaving the two other men to bend over April. The cut and bruise on his cheek had turned purple and nasty, giving him the appearance of a street ruffian himself. “I can take you home now. We’ll just pick up your car later.”

“What happened? Why were you in trouble?”

“Me?” His brows arched innocently.

“You know what I mean,” she responded impatiently. “What prompted that closed door meeting?”

He hesitated a moment, and she sensed him weighing what he could or could not tell her. April could have cried from frustration. She’d told him she loved him too many times to count. Why couldn’t he trust her a little?

A faint trace of amusement glowed in Jesse’s eyes. “Our esteemed Lieutenant Rothchild demanded the meeting.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“C’mon.” He practically lifted her from the chair. “I’ll tell you on the way home.”

April had to be satisfied with that until they were turning onto her street. Jesse seemed powered by some inner joke that he didn’t want to share. She should be angry, she supposed, but was so glad to be with him that she didn’t much care.

But when his car nosed into her driveway, April’s patience ended. “All right,” she said in a flat, determined tone. “I deserve some kind of explanation.”

He switched off the ignition. “I’ve been promoted.”

April’s lips parted. “Because of what happened tonight?”

“Of course not. Rothchild just chose to use this incident to make an example of me – how I mistreated the kid, police brutality and all that – and it backfired. The kid’s got a record a mile long and he’s over eighteen. Captain Martinson made a rather involved presentation of the facts and—” Jesse rubbed his nose, hiding a smile “– Rothchild ate crow.”

The image of Rothchild eating crow made April smile, in spite of herself. “You love it, don’t you?”

“Well, what goes around, comes around. You’re now looking at Lieutenant Jesse Cawthorne. This time when Captain Martinson offered the promotion, I took it.”

It was a monumental moment. April was staggered. She could practically feel the changes. “This time?” she asked.

“It’s been offered before,” he admitted, in a tone that suggested the subject was closed.

He was trying to push her away even while he sent her other messages. This time she wasn’t going to let him. She couldn’t help the tiny flame of hope burning in her heart. “Well, what’s so different about this time?”

The cool look he sent her might have stopped her when she was younger, but not now. She simply waited. “I just felt the time was right,” he said flatly.

“Is this job… safer?”

“If I choose it to be.”

“You wouldn’t have to take such chances?”

“I don’t have to now. April—”

She placed a hand on his arm, and he bit back his irritation. “Don’t count us out,” she said softly. “I won’t push, but don’t take away my dreams.”

He looked totally bemused by her unerring faith. “Why? Why do you want me?”

“I told you once tonight. I love you.”

He shook his head, as if the truth were too fantastic to accept.

April twisted her door handle, glancing back at him when he made no similar move. “Aren’t you coming in?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Oh, Jesse.” She sighed wearily.

He regarded her soberly in the uneven cast of the overhead light. April was tired of fighting and losing. What would it take to convince him they were right for each other?

He frowned. “I’ll stop by tomorrow and see how you are.”

How much could her pride stand? she wondered, gazing at him in frustration. She’d been honest with him. She’d bared her soul over and over again. She’d given him every chance, knowing that it had been partially her fault that he’d left her that summer in Rock Springs.

But she’d paid the price.

His hands lifted to the ignition and April heard herself say, suggestively, “What if I told you it’s safe now?”

“April!” He actually laughed.

“You’ve wounded me, Jesse. You’ve driven me half mad with frustration. But you saved me tonight. Don’t let me down now.”

The pained look he sent her melted something deep inside her. She held his gaze as he cautiously grazed his knuckles down her cheekbone. His thumb rested for a moment on her dry lips. Tentatively she drew that thumb into the warm cavern of her mouth and heard him suck in his breath. “I can’t get away from you,” he said in a tortured voice.

“Then stop trying.”

April didn’t wait for his answer. She sensed she’d done all she could. Without looking back she got out of the car and entered the house to release Jennifer’s mother from babysitting duty, then walked into the den to pour herself a glass of wine. She drank three deep gulps, choked and wiped the corners of her mouth with her fingers.

The front door opened, a cool breeze whipped around the room, then the latch was softly closed. She heard Jesse walk into the room and dared one quick glance back.

He had his hands in his pockets; his expression dark. She could practically feel the turmoil churning inside him. Without asking, she poured him a straight Scotch and held it out to him. Reluctantly he removed one hand from his pocket. His fingers were warm when they touched hers.

“You took that promotion because you’re thinking of starting a new life,” April said before she could think better of it. Quickly she took another sip of her wine, to keep him from seeing the betraying quiver of her lips.

“You’re so incredibly sure of yourself.” Jesse sounded downright annoyed.

“Sure of myself?” April stifled a laugh. “Oh, come on. The only thing I’ve ever been sure of is how I feel about you.”

“You weren’t so sure once,” he reminded her.

“I was eighteen years old. My parents swayed me. But they didn’t talk me out of you. If you’d stuck around long enough, you would have found that out.”

This time he didn’t argue. Instead he said, “You wouldn’t be happy with me.”

“I’m miserable without you.”

His lips twisted. “Your father hates me.”

“My father is coming around. He’s just stubborn. Like someone else I know.”

“We’d be desperately poor.”

April heart warmed. He was finally admitting he felt something for her. “No, we wouldn’t. I’m an heiress, remember? You wouldn’t take that away from your daughter, now would you?” she asked quickly, witnessing his deepening frown.

He swore, then grimacing, reluctantly shook his head.

“I would give anything up for you, Jesse,” she said gently. “It’s you who’s always had trouble. You’ve always seen the extremes of our relationship. I’ve been poor before. I could do it again. I would do it again.”

He gazed at her directly, then took the drink from her hand and slowly set both hers and his on the glass topped bar. Drawing her forward between his legs, he said, “I’ve been unfair to you. I couldn’t bear being unfair to you anymore.”

“You think leaving me again is fair?” April asked.

His arms tightened. “You’ve never made things easy for me,” he muttered, drawing a deep breath.

“Do you love me, Jesse? I need to know.”

He drew back, regarding her through heavy lids. “Would you let me go at my pace? You’re so impatient.”

Her lips trembled with mirth. “It’s my one fault.”

“I can think of a few others,” he said dryly.

“Jesse…” She slid her hands around his nape and inside the collar of his shirt to the smooth, hard muscles of his shoulders.

“I love you, Princess.”

It took her breath away. April eyes widened. She’d never really expected to hear those words from his lips.

Jesse regarded her closely, amused. “What? No comeback?”

She shook her head.

He kissed her, long and lingeringly, his firm lips twisting now into a smile. “I’ve loved you too long and too deeply to give you up now. I’ve told myself a thousand times that loving it was a mistake. I’ve tried to stay out of your life. But thinking of you walking alone in Old Town was enough to keep me watching you every night.”

“It was you in the shadows,” April said in wonder.

“You knew I was there?”

“I sensed it. Why didn’t you say something to me? You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.” He was rueful. “It was just that I was trying to forget you, and I didn’t want to talk to you. I needed some time.”

“But you followed me, anyway.” She slid him a look from beneath her lashes. “You were that certain I was at risk?”

“Was I wrong?”

She would have liked to disagree, but couldn’t. Silently she shook her head.

“April, my job has been on the streets of Portland. I couldn’t underestimate the danger even if I wanted to. I knew it was simply a matter of time. Do you know what it did to me, the image of you being attacked?” he asked huskily. She felt the fine tremor that moved through his body. “Half the time I wanted to kill Jordan for putting you at such risk.”

“It was my decision,” she reminded him.

“And it’s going to be a condition of marriage that you quit that place,” he announced arrogantly.

“Marriage?” April was too bemused to be put off by his demand.

“When you marry me, you give up Touché. Otherwise my heart won’t be able to stand it.”

April could scarcely believe her ears. How many years had she dreamed of hearing him admit he cared? All she’d ever wanted was Jesse. All she’d ever wanted was to be a part of his life. She bent her head and said, “Well, I’ll have to think about that.”

He tipped up her chin, raking her with his gaze. “You’d better be joking,” he growled.

April grinned. “Jordan’s opening another store on the other side of the river. It’s in a suburban shopping mall. Low crime. Good wages. I hear he’s looking for experienced people.”

Jesse hands slipped to her waist, drawing her against the hard pressure of his hips and thighs.

“Also, I have this feeling my father and I will work things out. I could go back to Hollis’s.”

“As my wife? Don’t kid yourself.”

“You don’t know,” April said, lifting sensual blue-green eyes to his. She ran her fingers lightly over the skin at his nape and shoulders, her pulse beginning to beat with a warm, insistent rhythm.

He caught his breath as her touch drifted lower. “What,” he asked carefully, “are you doing?”

“Getting to know my future husband.” Her voice deepened with emotion. “I can’t wait to tell Eden the truth.”

“When should we do that?” The timbre of Jesse voice changed in response to the magic of April marauding fingers. She was sliding her hands along the waistband of his jeans, making short work of his belt buckle.

“After we’re married. Let’s give her some time to get used to you.”

“April—” he began.

“Can you really stand to eat all your words and be married to a Windsor Estates girl?” she asked, her teeth biting gently into his earlobe.

For an answer Jesse suddenly shifted position, pinning her deliberately against the glass cart. April heard bottles rattle alarmingly, but her eyes danced with joy, and her senses reeled with love. “It’ll be tough,” he admitted.

“Then let’s make it easy,” she murmured, her eyes slumberous now.

And Jesse, his mouth tasting the sweetness of hers, agreed.

Lady Sundown

As beautiful and reckless as the glorious Oregon wilderness, Lexie Danner was determined to claim the shining promise of her future. Not for her the stifling confines of an elegant finishing school—she would fulfill her dream to be an animal doctor, and wed whom she pleased! No one would stop her—least of all her so-called stepbrother Tremaine. Related to Lexie through marriage only and her enemy since childhood the rugged, boldly confident young doctor sparked a fierce anger in her—and a sudden, newly-awakened desire.

But a scheming land baron’s conspiracy and a powerful, vengeful enemy from the past threatened to destroy all they both cherished. Now they would be forced to fight for their fives—and a love as blazing and eternal as the boundless mountain skies…