All Through the Night (Liar's Web) (28 page)

“
What's that smile all about?”

 
She shook her head, her lips sealed together in a tight smirk.

“
Tell me, woman. No secrets.”

Darcel steepled her fingers in front of her face. She let out a deeply held breath. “What would you say if I told you that six months from now we're going to be extremely blessed?”

“
Darcel,” he said in an awe-filled voice. “Don't tease me about something like that.”

Her heart filled with joy at his amazed reaction. “I'm not teasing. We're going to have our own little rug rat.”

Jake frowned. “But we've always used protection.”

She smirked at him, her eyes teasing as she said, “Not always. There was that one time at The Falls…under the waterfall, on the ledge, in the—”

Jake jumped up from the bed and raised his fists in the air. He reached down and pulled Darcel into his arms, lifting her up and twirling her around until she was dizzy. He let out a whoop of joy, hooting and hollering like a wild man.

“
Easy, big guy. I'm already having bouts of morning sickness.”

Jake's eyes widened, and he placed her gently back on the bed as if he were afraid she might break. His face had a dazed expression as he settled back under the covers. His Adam's apple bobbed as he nervously swallowed. “Morning sickness? Already? Seriously?”

“
Yup. Although they should really change the name of it. It's not morning with me…it's daytime, nighttime. Whenever the mood strikes, this baby gives me a hard time.”

He reached down and reverently stroked her flat abdomen, his eyes full of worship and wonder. “I love you, darlin’.” He reached up and caressed her cheek, nuzzling her skin with the pad of his thumb.

“
I love you, too.”

“
I don't know if I can be the type of man who'll say it every day—”

She reached up and placed her fingers across his lips. “Shhhh. You don't have to. As long as you make me feel that you love me every single day, we'll be all right.”

“
I'm gonna show you,” he nuzzled her neck, “in a million different ways.”

Darcel groaned as his lips began to trail seductively down her throat and his tongue lashed against her collarbone. He kissed her, his lips moving over hers in a sensual, soul-stirring expression of love that melted her insides. She swept her tongue against his, delighting in the husky moan Jake let out as their intimacy deepened and passion flared once again between them. As they ended the kiss, they gazed into each other's eyes, neither of them needing to say a single word to know what the other was feeling.

“
I never imagined I'd want to settle down. That started to change when I saw Case and Star come together. Against all odds they found their way back to each other.” He let out a ragged sigh. “My parents' relationship made me feel that love was something that brought you down. I know now that real love…it raises you up. It makes you feel like anything’s possible.”

“
Considering the way we started, I'd say anything is possible,” Darcel said with a laugh. “Star is still giving me grief about all the trash-talking I did about you.”

Jake stared at her in disbelief, his smile turning into a frown. “You trash-talked me? Seriously? What could you possibly have had to say about me?”

Darcel worked hard to hide her grin. “I might've said you were rude, obnoxious, aggressive, hateful, judgmental.”

He crossed his hands over his heart. “Have mercy, woman. You're hurting my feelings.”

“
But that was before I discovered you're tender, loving, sexy, strong, and one hell of a bodyguard.” Darcel slapped him playfully on the chest. “It's time for you to go home.”

Jake groaned. “Seriously? Are you really kicking me out?”

Darcel hit him with a fluffy pillow, urging him to get up from the bed. “It's bad luck to sleep in the same bed with your groom the night before your wedding.”

He raised a skeptical eyebrow at her. “But it's not bad luck to have balls-to-the-wall sex with your groom in your bed the night before the wedding?”

She placed her hands on her hips and let out a huffy sigh. “Jake Trueblood. You may think it's ridiculous, but it means something to me. It's tradition.”

Seeing the serious look on her face, Jake slowly rose from the bed, his body language speaking volumes about his reluctance to leave his comfortable surroundings. With one last longing look at the bed, he threw on his shirt and pants, then pulled on his cowboy boots.

Darcel nibbled at the corner of her lips as she watched him gather his things. “Are you upset?”

He turned toward her, his expression one of disbelief. “How could I be upset with you? You've given me everything I never knew I needed or wanted. Your love. This sexy, juicy body. A baby.” He walked over to where she stood, reaching her in three long strides. He cupped her face between his palms, his face showing tenderness and love as he said, “I'm going back to my place, babe. Just know that this is the last time I'm ever gonna sleep without you next to me.”

Tears gathered in her eyes, and she reached for him, wrapping her arms around his solid waist as she placed kisses all over his plaid shirt. “You're my other half.”

“
Don't ever forget that,” he said, his eyes burning with an intensity. “That way we'll never lose our way.”

“
Never,” she promised with an emphatic nod of her head.

“
Before I forget, I have something for you. In my culture the feather represents honesty and truth. I'll always give you that. That's a promise.” He reached into his overnight bag and pulled out a white envelope adorned with a lush brown-and-white feather. Solemnly, he handed over the envelope.
Honesty and truth
. That's what Jake stood for, not only as Sheriff of Liberty Creek, but in all aspects of his life. It was one of the many reasons she loved this man so deeply.

“
Should I open it now?” she asked nervously, sensing the grave importance of the envelope's contents. Jake nodded, his face shuttered and unreadable.

“
I want you to have all the answers,” Jake said, his eyes trained on her every movement as she fingered the envelope. “It's what you deserve.”

She slit the envelope open with her fingernail, pulling out several pieces of paper containing names, dates, signatures, stamps, and official looking seals. As her eyes skimmed the first page her heart began doing wild flip-flops within her chest. Her hands were shaking as she turned page after page, studying each line carefully so she might be able to memorize each and every detail.

“
Jake!” she cried out as she read through the documents and the exact nature of his wedding gift became crystal clear. Two names jumped out at her. Francine “Fancy” Williams and Chantelle “Chanty” Sawyer. Her sisters. Miraculously, Jake had found them. Four weeks ago they'd discovered that she hadn't been the sole survivor of the house fire.

Jake, with some help from his law enforcement buddies, had uncovered documents showing all three sisters had survived the fire and had been placed in three separate orphanages. And now, with a handful of documents, and no doubt endless hours of investigation, he'd given her back the family she'd lost. He'd found her sisters!

“
It's all there. Where they live. What they do for a living. When the time is right, you can go to them, seek them out. Hopefully, the three of you can reconnect and put all the pieces together from your past.”

Tears fell from her eyes, threatening to drip onto the papers and ruin the precious documents Jake had procured. She was overcome with emotion, overwhelmed by the depth of her love for this man and the way he knew her down to her very soul. He'd given her the one thing she was missing in her life, and in doing so, he'd filled a gaping hole in her heart.

“
My heart is so full right now. I can't ever thank you enough.”

“
Just meet me at The Falls tomorrow,” he said. “That's thanks enough for a lifetime.”

He took her in his arms and planted a hot, searing kiss on her lips, one that was destined to show up in her dreams later that night. As she looked out her bay window and watched him walk toward his car, she couldn't help but think that tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.

* * * *

This sacred day was already shaping up to be the most wonderful day of her life. Not only was she marrying the love of her life, but she'd been given the tools to reconnect with her sisters. All because of Jake. He'd already given her so much, it was overwhelming. Because of him, she'd finally been honest with her parents about her fears and insecurities as an adopted child.

She'd finally managed to hash it out with Lenny, and they'd reached a new understanding about pushing the limits of the brother/sister bond. Above all, he'd given her a love she'd always dreamed of, but never really thought she deserved. And together they'd created a baby, one they would love and cherish all the days of their lives.

Their small, intimate wedding at The Falls had mushroomed into a bona fide Liberty Creek event. In addition to Star, Case, Ruby, Ella, and Bodine, the entire Matthews and Evans clans had shown up, as well as Jake's friends and family from the Rez. Bodine was beside himself with jealousy when he caught sight of Ella's date, Jabari, the handsome actor who was filming a movie in town.

Aurelia claimed status as mother-of-the-groom while Ed and Shirley were beaming from head to toe at the honor of their daughter marrying the sheriff. Even Lenny had come correct. He'd shown up on time and dressed in his finest suit and tie. Lily was the smallest and cutest flower girl decked out in a pink-and-white lace dress. The entire Liberty Creek Sheriff's Office had shown up, as well as all the staff members of Dawkins Realty.

When Darcel walked into the clearing on her father's arm, Jake found it hard to breathe. His bride looked stunning beyond words. She was the living, breathing embodiment of a goddess. Her milk chocolate skin glowed in the afternoon sunlight, magnificent in its natural state, devoid of any makeup other than a touch of color on her lips and a hint of blush on her cheeks. The strapless ivory gown with beading on the bodice showed her figure to stunning advantage without being over–the-top. With her hair swept up in a classic chignon, she resembled a timeless beauty from yesteryear. He looked at the slight swell of her belly, marveling at the miracle she was carrying inside her. The most precious gift of all.

* * * *

Darcel hadn't been able to resist the added touch of a diamond tiara. For today only she was a fairytale princess marrying her prince. Right down to her red leather cowboy boots peeking out from under her flowing gown. A simple gardenia was pinned behind one ear, lending her the look of an exotic angel. Jake was handsome as sin in his white tux, his jet-black hair tied neatly back in a low ponytail. A white cowboy hat rested on his head, giving him a sexy, rugged look.

Although he looked gorgeous in his tux, she couldn't help but think of later tonight when she'd have the pleasure of stripping him out of it. Jake must've read the passionate glint in her eye, because he shot her a hot gaze full of sensuality and a promise of a scorching-hot wedding night. As she reached Jake's side, he held out his hand and grasped hers in his, a brilliant smile lighting up his face.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear, his breath hot and savory as it swept across her cheek. “Welcome home, darlin’.”

She smiled up at him, a dazzling smile full of adoration, devotion, and hope for a beautiful future. In the last place she'd ever expected, she'd found her happily ever after.

About The Author

Sandra Calhoune grew up in Massachusetts in a family of five kids. She knew at an early age that being an author was her dream job. What could possibly be better than creating happy endings? She lives in Connecticut with her college sweetheart husband, two lovely daughters, and two very spoiled dogs.

Acknowledgements

Although writing is a solitary endeavor, writers do not exist in a vacuum. We are fortunate enough to have people constantly praising us and telling us how much they enjoyed our work. For all my family, friends, readers, and strangers who have supported me in my writing goals. Many thanks! And for those of you who wanted a Darcel and Trueblood book ... this one’s for you.

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