The Rebel of Copper Creek (23 page)

“I'm the lucky one,” he muttered against her lips.

With a lazy, satisfied grin he lay back, loving the feel of her small, slender body draped across his chest. He could stay this way forever.

She traced a fingertip over the scar that ran from below his ear to just above his heart. “This could have killed you.”

“It came close.”

“Want to talk about it?”

He shook his head. “We all have scars. Some, like mine, are visible. Most, like yours, like Ethan's, are well hidden. But they're still there, reminding us of what we've been through and survived.”

“We
are
survivors, aren't we?” She snuggled close, her fingers playing with the hair on his chest.

His deep voice warmed with laughter. “If you keep that up, we may have to go for seconds.”

She lifted her head and simply smiled, a woman's little cat smile.

It was all the invitation he needed.

He scrambled to his feet and scooped her up into his arms. “Your choice. Your bed or the lumpy sofa.”

“My… bed.”

He was halfway up the stairs before she got the words out.

W
hen did Ethan stop talking?”

Griff and Juliet lay among the bed linens in a tangle of arms and legs, deliciously sated, sharing bits and pieces of their personal history.

All through the night they'd made love, learning so many new and fascinating things about each other. Every time they came together it was fresh and wonderful. At times they'd taken a wild ride through a storm of passion. At other times, they'd felt as lazy, as comfortable, as old lovers who'd been together forever. But always they were joyous, almost feverish in their discovery of such rare and simple treasures.

“When his father died.” She fell silent, going back to that dark time in her life. “We didn't know a soul in Tampa, so Ethan spent every day at the VA hospital with me. He was three, just the age Casey is now. I was going on pure adrenaline, expecting another baby, caring for Buddy, and trying to carve some time each day for Ethan. Despite his tender age, he went everywhere with us. He sat next to his father's hospital bed, and more often in it, tucked up beside Buddy, listening to doctors and nurses who came and went. He traveled in his father's wheelchair to therapy, and to burn treatments. The three of us were inseparable. And then, suddenly we were alone.”

She sat up, wrapping her arms around her drawn-up knees. “At first, I was so caught up in my own grief, I wasn't aware of how profound Ethan's grief was. Then, when I noticed that Ethan wasn't speaking at all, I contacted a specialist. We had just started weekly sessions when Casey was born, and I had to let everything go to tend to him. When I finally reconnected with the doctor, she suggested that I relax and allow Ethan to proceed at his own pace.”

She glanced at Griff. “He's six now, and ready for school. Well…” She shrugged. “I'm told that way out here, so far from town, he will probably be home- and e-schooled, but still, he'll need to communicate with a teacher online and in the occasional group sessions, and I just don't know how he'll handle it.”

Griff took her hand in his, amazed as always that such a small, delicate hand could do so much hard work. “He's a really bright kid. He may not talk, but he knows everything that's going on around him. He seems happy and relaxed. Especially now that he's connected with Mad. Maybe you ought to take the expert's advice and just wait and see.”

She sighed. “I don't know that I have any choice. He'll talk when he's ready. I just hope it's soon. He's missing out on so much.”

“Speaking of missing out…” He drew her close and covered her mouth with his. “We have a lot of time to make up.”

She laughed and pushed against his chest. “Glutton.”

“I am. And it's all your fault, woman. You made me wait, and want, and imagine, but the real thing is so much better than my imagination.”

They were both grinning as he drew her down into his arms. And then there were no words as they came together in a storm of passion.

It was still dark outside the windows when Juliet started to slip out of bed.

Griff closed a hand around her wrist, stopping her. “Where are you going?”

“I can't sleep.” She chuckled. “Too excited, I guess. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning.”

“Yeah. I know what you mean. Me, too.” He brushed a kiss over her mouth. “Maybe I'll start the chores. That way I'll have them done early and we can take the boys to see my family.”

My family.
Just saying the words made his heart lighter.

“Oh, that would be fun.” She got to her feet. “I think I'll start breakfast. I know I can't make Mad's waffles, but maybe I'll make those awfuls Casey told him about.”

He drew her close and kissed the tip of her nose. “I'd be happy to taste your awfuls, ma'am.”

As Juliet walked off to shower, he looked around for his clothes before remembering that he'd left them in a heap downstairs. Comfortable in his nakedness, he ambled down the stairs and dressed before heading for the barn and a round of predawn chores.

Griff turned Juliet's horses into the pasture while he mucked out the stalls. Afterward he filled troughs with feed and water.

He was whistling as he hosed down the barn floor and watched the filthy water swirling down the drain.

He looked up to see the rock-star bus pulling up outside, with Heywood Sperry at the wheel. Except for Sperry, the bus appeared empty.

Puzzled, he walked to the open doorway just as the hydraulic platform descended, with Sperry seated on his scooter.

At the sight of Griff, sleeves rolled to the elbows, a pitchfork in his hand, Sperry's jaw dropped. “What in hell are you doing here this early?”

“I could ask you the same. Where are the rest of the Romeos?”

“Don't know and don't care.” Sperry looked him up and down, then beyond him, seeing the wagon filled with wet straw and dung, the hose still spewing water down the drain, and the truth dawned. “You spent the night again?”

“Again?” Griff's brows shot up. “You keeping score, Heywood?”

“I'll leave that up to you. Guys like you probably sit at Wylie's every weekend to boast about how many women you scored.” Sperry pushed a button on his scooter, turning toward the house.

With a shake of his head, Griff took his time storing the pitchfork on a hook along the wall and turning off the hose. By the time he'd ambled up to the house, he could hear Sperry's voice, thick with fury.

“I can't believe a woman like you would accept charity.”

Juliet stood on the porch, drying her hands on a dishtowel. “You may call it charity, but I call it generosity. I've never met such welcoming, kindhearted people as the MacKenzie family. They brought all the wranglers they could spare, just to help out a neighbor.”

As Griff climbed the steps she reached out a hand to his. “And just look at this porch.” Her tone softened. “Griff did most of the work himself. I can't believe how talented he is.”

Sperry's eyes glittered with a strange light. “Oh, I can believe it. He was just boasting about his many…talents. But then, since he's already treating your barn chores like his own, I guess he didn't need to brag about spending the night.”

Juliet was frowning as she turned to look at Griff.

Instead of engaging in an argument with Sperry, he merely squeezed her hand and winked. “How're those awfuls coming?”

That brought an unexpected smile to her lips as she followed suit and resolved to ignore Sperry's insulting insinuations. “They're coming along just fine. And you'd better get inside and grab a shower. I heard the boys upstairs. They'll be down soon and ready for breakfast.”

“I'm ready now. I've worked up a powerful appetite.” He brushed a kiss to her cheek before turning away. At the door he called, “See you, Heywood.”

“Not likely.” Sperry's voice changed from furious to triumphant as he said to Juliet, “I drove out here to tell you that I'm disbanding the Romeos.”

“Disbanding? Why?”

“Why not? I can't stand being around them. And they've made it plain they can't stand me, either.” He paused before saying, “Sorry you'll have to lose all that money they've been paying you for the privilege of riding your old nag and playing cowboy.” A sly smile crossed his face. “Of course, if you'd like me to reconsider, I might give it some thought. For a price.”

“'Morning, Mama.” Casey danced out on the porch and sidled up beside Juliet, with Ethan trailing close behind. “Griff's here. He's upstairs taking a shower and said he'll be down to eat breakfast with us. Isn't that great?”

“Yes, it is.” Juliet took a moment to hug each of her boys before turning back to Heywood.

His tone was shrill. “Are you ready to hear the cost of getting the Romeos back?” There was a long pause, and, like a kid who knew he was throwing a tantrum, he looked at her with an air of expectancy to gauge her reaction.

Instead of taking the bait, Juliet said, in her sweetest voice, “I have no choice but to respect your decision to disband the group, since you were the one to form it in the first place. I do hope you'll let them know that I encourage all of them to continue their therapy, if not here, then somewhere else.”

Gathering her sons close, she herded them inside.

As the screen door closed, Sperry shouted a stream of obscenities before turning his scooter toward the bus. Minutes later the vehicle roared off in a cloud of dust.

“That mean man is mad at you, Mama,” Casey whispered.

Juliet merely smiled. “That man is mad at the whole world, honey.”

“Well, look at this.” Mad peered out the window and turned to Willow. “Griff's home. And he's brought Juliet and her sons.”

“Oh, how grand.” Willow stepped out the door to greet them as the truck came to a halt at the porch. Mad followed her out, grateful once again for the ramp that made it possible to move about without waiting around for someone to help.

As the two boys skipped down from the backseat, Mad opened his arms. “Welcome back, lads.”

They flew into his arms and settled themselves on his lap, ready for a ride up the ramp. They weren't disappointed when Griff caught hold of the back of the chair and started pushing.

“Juliet.” Willow embraced her and kept an arm around her shoulders as they walked inside. “I'm so happy to see you.”

“We should have called to let you know we were coming.”

“Why, for heaven's sake? Don't ever feel that you have to ask permission before coming by to visit. You and your boys are family to us. And family never needs an appointment.”

Juliet felt a little thrill at her words. Did these people have any idea how precious their warm acceptance meant to her and her boys?

As they stepped into the kitchen Juliet breathed in the wonderful fragrance that perfumed the air. “Do I smell bread baking?”

“You do.” Myrna hurried over to hug her. “Mad and I are trying a new recipe for cheese bread.”

“It smells heavenly.”

“Good. Now let's hope it tastes heavenly, too.” She turned to press a kiss to Casey's cheek, and then Ethan's.

“Will you read some stories to us later, Grandma Myrna?” Casey asked.

At the little boy's easy use of the nickname she'd asked him to call her, the old woman gave a sigh. “Of course I will.”

Both boys snuggled on Mad's lap as he wheeled around the room, showing them all the foods that were in various stages of preparation for a huge ranch lunch.

Gradually the others began drifting in from the barns and surrounding fields. Whit and Brady, back from a night in the hills and badly in need of shaves, looked ruggedly handsome. Both men shook hands with Griff before hugging Juliet and the boys. Then they gratefully accepted ice-cold longnecks from Myrna.

“You always know just what a guy needs, Myrna.” Whit said and took a long pull of beer.

“I grew up on a ranch. I saw days when my daddy could drink a beer before breakfast, after he'd been up in the hills with a herd for weeks at a time.”

When Ash and Brenna walked in arm in arm, wearing identical smiles, Whit couldn't resist teasing. “You two always look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What've you been up to, besides the usual romantic goo we'd rather not hear about in any detail?”

“We went to town this morning,” Ash said over everyone's chuckles.

“Any particular reason?” Whit nudged Brady, and the two men shared knowing grins.

“Naw.” Ash accepted a tall glass of ice water from Myrna before adding, “We stopped by Orin Tamer's dealership.”

“You don't say?” Whit's smile grew. “So, which truck did you buy for your bride?”

“A four-door, black, all-wheel-drive monster that can climb hills, get me through a blizzard, with room for family in the backseat.” Brenna said it all so quickly the entire family roared with laughter.

Mad managed to say to his grandson, “Just looking, were you, lad?”

Ash grinned good-naturedly. “Yeah. But since Orin happened to have only one like it in stock, and it was exactly what Bren's been wanting, I figured I'd better snap it up before somebody else did.”

“Very wise, lad.” Mad winked at Whit. “But then, that's what happens when a man loses his heart to a beautiful woman. He starts out wanting to do all the chores around her place. The next thing he knows, he can't wait to buy her things.”

Whit's tone was dry, but his eyes were dancing with laughter. “Like a diamond to seal the bargain if she's a typical woman. But if she's a rancher, nothing says ‘I love you' like a big old monster truck.”

Willow kissed Brenna's cheek. “I knew you'd bring Ash around to your way of thinking.”

“Hey.” Ash dropped an arm around his wife. “It was my idea.”

Willow and Myrna couldn't help laughing before Willow said drily, “You're even better than I thought, Brenna. Not only did you get the truck of your dreams, but the man of your dreams believes it was all his idea.”

The family continued teasing Ash and Brenna as they gathered around the table. Myrna and Mad passed around a giant bowl of fresh garden lettuce and tomatoes, thick slices of meat loaf, and a huge pan of bubbly macaroni and cheese, along with cheese bread hot from the oven.

Griff and Juliet chose seats on one side of the table, with Casey beside his mother and Ethan beside Griff. Before they started to eat, both Juliet and Griff took the time to cut up the boys' food.

“Oh, Mad.” Juliet looked up after her first bite of meat loaf. “This is wonderful.”

“Thanks, lass. Would you like my recipe?”

She nodded. “I'd love it.” She turned to Griff, putting a hand on his. “Do you like meat loaf?”

“I never did before.” He closed his other hand over hers and met her smile with one of his own. “But that was before tasting this. If you can duplicate Mad's recipe, meat loaf will be on the top of my list.”