Where There's Smoke: A Texas Heat Novel (11 page)

The whole neighborhood by the sea, would come out to watch the daily spectacle of the postman delivering yet another parcel. The gifts and letters kept coming for weeks.

My darling Cricket, please…please…

That song that says I’m a lover not a fighter didn’t know about Rowan Camden. He was unquestionably both. Rowan and Deena called in every political favor they had. The reporter, Bob North was arrested and charged with slander, libel, extortion, black mail and fraud.

Rowan methodically destroyed any influence or credibility Bob had in the media industry. Bob’s interview with Sawyer was publically exposed as a work of fiction. Her name was exonerated.

The Camden legal team obliterated any hope Bob North had left. Rowan had the reporter fired, had the bank foreclose on his house and repossess his car. By the time Rowan was through with him, Bob North faced up to fifteen years in jail.

Miami Beach, Florida

Shady Acres Rehabilitation had a reputation for discretion. High profile clients came for alcoholism and substance abuse. The clients were focused solely on recovery. No cell phones, tablets, no news from the outside world. Rowan signed in, snapped on his visitor badge and walked to the Healing Garden.

Caleb strolled with his therapist, Dr. Morgan under a tree lined path. “I do feel stronger when it comes to-” he never finished the thought.

Rowan’s fist smashed his nose bloody. His brother staggered back. Rowan loomed over him. Dr. Morgan yelped and hid behind a tree.

“That’s for Felicity.”

Caleb nodded. He knew he had it coming. Rowan advanced on him again and punched him in the gut. He knocked Caleb on his ass. “That’s for Sawyer.”

Caleb backhanded blood from his broken nose. “Get up,” Rowan hissed. Caleb rose, brushing dirt from his clothes.

“I divorced Sawyer.”

Caleb’s jaw dropped. “What? She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you!”

“Yes she is.” Rowan proceeded to explain to Caleb about the article and his role in it. Caleb blanched. He looked like he was going to throw up. “Oh my God.” He raked a shaky hand through his hair. “Bro, I don’t even know what to say or how to express how freaking sorry I am. Sawyer saved my life. The guilt over Fee was just eating me alive. I thought about suicide so many times.”

Rowan paled. “Don’t,” he said.

Caleb looked at his brother with pleading eyes. “Do you think you’ll ever forgive me?”

Rowan nodded. “Someday yes, today’s not that day.”

Caleb held his hands up. “Hey, I’ll take it.”

He sighed, “How’s Fee?”

“In the wheelchair where you put her, how the hell do you think she’s doing?”

“That’s not a very therapeutic response,” Dr. Morgan said, peaking from behind the tree. Rowan glared at him. The doctor snapped his mouth shut.

“It’s okay,” Caleb said, “I deserved that.”

“If you weren’t my flesh and blood I’d kill you for what you did and gladly go to jail for it.”

Doctor Morgan gasped. “Not nice!”

Rowan leveled the good doctor with a withering glare. The older man shrank back.

Rowan speared his brother with an icy gaze. “You better get yourself right boy, I doubt mom will be as lenient.”

Caleb snorted. “I live in fear of that woman, bless her…Rowan, for what it’s worth, I hope you get Sawyer back.”

“I won’t stop until I do.”

Deena Camden went ballistic after hearing Caleb’s confession about his role in Felicity’s accident and Sawyer’s attempt to cover for him. She cut him off financially, fired him from his managerial position for Camden International and kicked him out of the company owned villa. “Xander can stay, you can go rot.”

It took months for her to talk to her son again. Their relationship eventually healed but it was never the same.

Sawyer took long walks on the pristine beach to watch the sunrise and sunset. One evening, when she walked through the veranda door, the house smelled like curry chicken and – pizza? She turned the corner and stopped cold.

A
Star Wars
marathon played on the flat screen TV. Two chairs faced the screen with pizza, popcorn and soda. Just like prom night. Sawyer placed a hand over her heart as if to protect it. Rowan stepped from the shadows. Her pulse went wild at the sight of him. Her breath hitched in her throat. Truth is, she was starved for him. The yearning in his eyes made her blush all over. He looked so solemn. He stood perfectly still as if he were afraid to spook her.

Rowan whispered her name without sound. He took a bracing breath and tried again.

“Sawyer, when I was seventeen, I fell in love for the first time. What I felt for you then terrified me. I didn’t have the guts to tell you what I wish I had. If I could do it all over again, this is how prom night would end.”

Rowan walked straight up to her, framed her face between his hands and kissed her with sweet, aching tenderness. Tears slid down both their cheeks when she kissed him back. When their lips parted, Rowan leaned his forehead against hers. If they could inhale each other they would.

“Cricket,” he whispered, “I didn’t mean it, forgive me baby, please, I’ll lose my mind without you.”

Rowan tensed as if bracing himself for rejection. Sawyer stood on the tip of her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the breath from him. Rowan’s arms crushed her to him. He kissed her like a drowning man hungry for air. She devoured him right back with unconcealed yearning. They both trembled in the aftermath.

“I missed you so much,” she whispered.

“Nothing felt right without you,” he said.

“I couldn’t take it off,” she held up her platinum wedding band. “Me either,” he held up his.

“I love you,” she said softly.

Rowan groaned. “I love you so much Cricket.”

She smiled. “Good to know.”

“Please marry me again,” he whispered.

“Yes!” she said tearfully. “Better make it soon, Pastor Camden.” Sawyer moved his hand to her growing belly.

Rowan’s eyes widened. “Oh sweet Jesus.” He tenderly held her. “How far along?”

“Four and a half months.”

Rowan knelt down. He kissed her baby bump. “Hello peanut,” he said. Rowan buried his face in her thick waist and wrapped his arms around his family.

Sawyer stroked his ginger hair. “Come,” she led him to her bedroom, locked the door and pushed him back on the four poster bed.

Rowan’s green eyes burned her alive.

“Make love to me like you mean it,” Sawyer said.

Rowan pulled her down for a long, hot kiss. He worshipped her body with his own. He thrust slow and deep. Sawyer cried out when he plunged again, circled her nipple with his tongue, sucking her breasts while thrusting into her again and again. Her back arched, brown curls fell back and her nails bit into his muscular back.

“Come for me Cricket.” She did, again and again, knowing that this time, their love was forever.

Update from the blog of Susie Q and Penny May about the scandalous pastor and his runaway wife:

Wedding Song –
Back At One
, Brian McKnight

Honeymoon – A castle in the Scottish Highlands

Children – Twins, a boy and a girl

Pets – Two mini Husky dogs