One Wild Texas Night, page 15
Jake wasn’t part of her life anymore. And she’d better get used to it.
But ironically, if it weren’t for Jake, she wouldn’t be back in touch with her sister, nor would she be going to see Regina. She had to at least call and thank him for that.
For right now she pushed aside thoughts about him. She had something more pressing to do: she needed to get her plane ticket and make arrangements to go visit Regina. After all these years, she couldn’t wait.
* * *
It had been so long since he saw her last. Jake knew Claire had gone to see her sister. She had called him before she left, sounding incredibly happy about the trip. He had called Sam and Regina and talked to Claire several times since she’d gone to visit them. Now she was coming home tomorrow and he ached to see her, to hear about her trip.
He had missed her more than he had ever missed any woman. He thought about her all through his waking hours, and he was making mistakes because his thoughts would drift to Claire and he would forget what he was doing.
He got up on the weekend and cooked breakfast for himself, putting strips of bacon in his big iron skillet. He turned the fire low on his gas range and then turned to get orange juice. He glanced out the window and saw his back gate was open. His big Lab knew how to open the gate and frequently did. Then the dog would go join the cowboys and spend the day around them. The dog had figured out how to open the gate, but he never tried to learn how to close it, despite the countless times Jake had tried to teach him. Jake went out to close it, because the dog could open it and get back in if he wanted to.
Jake gazed at the horizon and thought about the past month. He still missed Claire and wanted to see her as soon as she returned from visiting her sister. Maybe she was over being mad at him. She had sounded happy the last time they talked and actually she told him she missed him. Feeling hopeful for the first time in a long time, he turned to go back to the kitchen and glanced at the window.
Orange flames flickered, and he remembered his bacon in the big skillet. He ran back inside, grabbing a fire extinguisher as he ran through the back entryway.
When he raced into the kitchen, a fire burned in the skillet and had caught a curtain at the window. That’s what he had seen burning.
He turned off the gas burner and then raised the extinguisher, aiming it at the curtain, squirting it and putting out the fire in seconds. Next, he grabbed a lid for the iron skillet, covered it and smothered that fire. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. That all had happened because he couldn’t keep from thinking about Claire.
There was no more denying it. He was in love with her. For the first time in his life, he was in love. He wanted her back in his life. He wanted her in his life all the time.
Would she ever get over her anger with him? She had said she missed him. How strong were her feelings for him? Could he ever get her back?
He thought about the feud and her feelings about that. She had repeatedly told him they could never have a permanent relationship even if they ever wanted one because of the feud. She had said she never wanted to marry and be cut off from her family the way Regina had been. That damned old feud! It was time to end it. He stared into space, racking his brain for any way possible to bring it to a conclusion. Would anyone be willing to join him and let the feud die?
Then he thought about Claire again. When he saw her again, would he be able to persuade her to take a chance on marriage? Did he really want to marry at this point in his life? It was years sooner than he had ever expected to settle down.
He had always thought he would marry when he was in his forties. He hadn’t ever wanted to be tied down before that.
He remembered that night they’d lain in bed when he’d told her that his time with her had been paradise. Such true words. He leaned over the table and thought about his life and about Claire. No matter what age he was now, he wanted her back. He missed her. He loved her and he wanted—needed—her in his life. He was ready to settle down with her...but could he ever talk her into marriage? She was a strong person, accustomed to running her life and making her decisions alone. Could he convince her to take a chance on marrying him?
He didn’t even know for certain if she was over her anger with him about Regina.
There was a way to get answers to all his questions if he really wanted to. He took a deep breath and began to make plans. The problem that loomed first might be the next to the biggest one—could he get her to see him?
Twelve
It had been a week since Claire arrived back in Dallas and then drove out to Persimmon to move back into the hotel suite. She’d had a wonderful time with Regina and her family, and for a couple of days she was in euphoria from her trip and being with her sister, but that had worn off. She was home now, and she missed Jake. She had gotten along at her sister’s because she was so busy with Regina and her family, but since the first solitary night in Dallas and then the next night in Persimmon by herself, she’d missed Jake badly. It surprised her how much she missed him.
She was the one who’d told him goodbye, who’d told him to get out of her life, but now it was a void she didn’t like. She missed him in too many ways—his sexy kisses and lovemaking, his upbeat outlook, his companionship, his flirting and constant light touches that built desire but also made her aware that he liked being with her.
How many times a day did she reach for her phone to call him, then stop? He would walk out of her life at some point anyway. The more he was in her life before he said goodbye, the more she would hurt when he left.
At least that was what she told herself, but it wasn’t working out well. No matter what argument she used, she still missed him and wanted to be with him.
Could she really take him back in her life when it might just mean more heartache later? She may have changed, but it didn’t necessarily mean Jake had. He wasn’t a marrying man—he’d told her that upfront—so even if they made up, Jake wouldn’t propose. Did she want to live a life of just being with him for a time without marriage?
Even though she didn’t know what was in store for their future, she knew she had already forgiven him. And, she needed to think before she called to thank him for telling his brother about her. If Jake hadn’t told them, she never would have seen Regina again, and for that she was grateful.
But she needed to figure out what exactly she wanted from Jake.
She paced the suite from door to window, but she couldn’t stop the questions that echoed in her head. Could she accept life on Jake’s terms? Was she better off just trying to get over him?
Twenty minutes later she was still pacing. She still had no answers. All she knew was that she was wildly in love with him and she had sent him packing. How could she get him back?
Her cell phone rang, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the call was from Jake. Smiling, she answered.
“Claire, I want to take you to dinner tomorrow night,” he said.
“That’s getting right to the point,” she said. “I’d love to go to dinner with you tomorrow night.”
“That’s good. Does this mean I’m a little bit forgiven?” She could hear the tentativeness in his speech even though he tried to put it a light tone.
“Yes, you are,” she answered, suddenly serious and wishing he was with her right now. “We can talk about it tomorrow night.”
“Good. How about seven? And plan on a long evening. We need to talk.”
“Now I’m curious,” she said, wishing he had asked her for dinner tonight, because she wanted to be with him.
“Any chance we could move this dinner up to tonight?” he asked.
“You’re a mind reader—even over the phone. I’d love to move it up to tonight.”
“See you at seven.”
“See you at seven,” she answered, echoing him. She disconnected the call and felt her entire body pulsate. She was too excited to sit still and began pacing again, this time with a smile on her face instead of a frown. She needed something to wear—her sexiest dress. “Jake Reed, I’m about to make you sit up and take notice.”
She couldn’t wait for the day to pass. She wanted to be with him with all her being. She wanted to kiss him and be kissed, to love and be loved by him. She wanted tonight with him and to make up with him, and if he broke her heart later, she would just deal with it when it happened. She screeched and jumped in the air, throwing her arms up and twirling around. “Jake, I’m going to love you tonight until you never want to let me go.”
That might be a pipe dream because he always moved on, but she was going out with him tonight, and maybe, just maybe, he’d stick around awhile.
* * *
At exactly 6:59 p.m., when Claire opened the door to face Jake, she wanted to throw her arms around his neck and hug him. He wore navy slacks and a pale blue long-sleeved shirt that was unbuttoned at the collar, and he looked incredibly handsome. She smiled and greeted him.
“Come in. I’m ready. I wanted to say a few things to you before we go out.”
“You look gorgeous,” he said, his voice lowering a notch.
“It’s a dress I don’t wear often—not much need for it on the ranch, and it isn’t exactly a church dress,” she said, glancing down at her black sleeveless dress that had a straight skirt and a plunging neckline. She looked up at him.
“Jake, I had a long talk with Regina, and she made me see how important it was to them that you didn’t tell anyone about them. She was grateful for your secrecy and made me understand. I told you I never wanted to see you again, but that’s not true at all. Even when I was angry at you, I missed you so much. The thought of us not being together...” she trailed off.
Jake grabbed her hands. “The important thing is we’re here now, and I’m glad. I missed you. And, I promise I won’t keep something like that from you again. We’re in this together now.”
“I’ve missed you so much,” she said.
He pulled her to him, his arm going around her waist as he leaned down to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoe and kissed him in return, her heart racing as she lost herself in his fabulous sexy kiss.
Suddenly, he stepped away slightly, taking her hand in his. He gazed at her intently. “Claire, I know you don’t think I’m the marrying type, but I think I was just waiting for the right woman. I love you, and I want to marry you. Will you marry me?”
Stunned, she stared at him. “Oh, Jake. I love you. I’ve loved you despite our families.” She stared at him and couldn’t get words. Tears stung her eyes. “I want to say yes, but I can’t. We can’t marry. I can’t live the way Regina and Sam live.”
She hurt badly. She loved him and suspected she always would, but she couldn’t see any way they could marry. “We have that feud, and you know what that means.”
He framed her face with his hands. “Listen to me. I’ve talked this over with Sam. We both think it’s time to end that old feud. What I think we should do is have a big church wedding and invite both families.”
“Oh, Jake,” she said, shaking her head and wiping her eyes before the tears could fall. “My brothers—I can’t imagine what they would do.”
“I’ll tell you what they’ll do,” he said. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’ve already had a talk with Clyde with Les. I took the Persimmon sheriff with me, but he stayed in the waiting rooms of their respective offices until I finished talking to them first, and then I called him in, and he talked to them. We’re not going to have any trouble from Clyde or Les. I didn’t bother talking to Laird, because I don’t think he ever was the cause of trouble.”
“I don’t think so, either,” she responded. But she couldn’t get her mind around everything he’d said. “You talked to my brothers?”
“I did. They’re businessmen now, and they don’t want to get in trouble with the law or with their customers. They don’t scare me, and they never have. They may have given us trouble in the past, but they won’t now. Clyde has his own real estate company, and Les is a builder, and they’re both doing well. They are definitely interested in keeping things that way. They won’t give anybody any trouble. We have an understanding.”
“Jake, they can be so sneaky—”
“So can I. They don’t want trouble, believe me. Don’t worry about your brothers. You’ll see.”
“They’re not the only ones who live by that feud. A lot of the older people have strong feelings about it.”
“Sam and I talked about that. That’s why he and Regina and their family will come. They will be present with their four kids. Those four kids are Reeds and they are Blakes—they have both families’ blood in their veins. They have relatives in both clans, and Regina is going to contact some of the Blakes and let them meet her kids, and Sam is going to contact some of the Reeds and let them meet the kids. Maybe then everyone will see how ridiculous this old feud is.”
“I hadn’t thought about the kids. And I never even considered that Regina and Sam would come here.”
“Now back to what’s important. In case you forgot, I asked you if you’d marry me, and I’ve told you we can work things out and stay right here in Dallas and on our ranches. So, Claire Blake, will you marry me and become Mrs. Jake Reed?”
She stared at him. “Oh yes! Yes, I will. I love you, Jake, with all my heart,” she said, smiling and standing on tiptoe to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him while joy bubbled in her.
Instantly, his arm banded her waist, and he pulled her tightly against him as he leaned down to kiss her.
“Ahh, darlin’, how I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you, Jake,” she whispered, and then he kissed her again. She didn’t know how long they stood there in each other’s embrace, bodies pressed against each other, lips together. Her heart raced with happiness. She was going to accept his offer—all of it. She would marry him, and she would stop worrying about the feud. Jake would have to work miracles to make the feud go away, but this would be a start. It might be a very big start.
Sam and Regina’s kids might make a giant difference in how people felt about the feud.
When she finally could think clearly about more than the feud, she pulled back and looked up at him. “Are we still going to run two separate ranches?”
“We’ll do whatever you want to do,” he answered. “I’m open for anything as long as you’re in my bed at night.”
She laughed and put her arms around his neck again. “We’ll have fun, Jake,” she said.
“Hey, wait. I forgot—I didn’t do this right. I brought you a present.” He reached into his hip pocket and brought out a box tied with a pink ribbon. “I got this for you.”
She took it from him and unfastened the bow. Her heart raced because she was filled with happiness. She was going to marry Jake, the man she loved, and she would get to keep her ranch. And maybe the sister she loved would be back in her life now.
She removed the wrapping paper and held a small box in her hand. She opened it and gasped. “Oh, Jake,” she said, looking at a dazzling emerald-cut diamond.
“I did it backward. I was going to give you that, and when you opened it, then I intended to ask you if you’d marry me.”
“Yes, Jake Reed, I will marry you and love you all the rest of my life,” she said, looking at the dazzling big diamond and then up at the man who dazzled her far more. “I love you, Jake,” she said, meaning it. Then a thought struck her. “We haven’t even talked about kids. Do you want kids?”
“Yes, I do. Do you?”
“Yes, I want your kids. I don’t care how many. We can decide that as we go.”
He laughed and took the ring from her and held her hand. “I’ll do this right. I love you, Claire. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, Jake. I love you, and I’ll marry you.”
He slipped the ring on her finger and drew her to him to kiss her again. When he released her, he picked up her hand to look at the ring.
Her gaze followed his. “It’s gorgeous and it fits.”
“Ah, darlin’, how I love you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her to him to kiss her. She kissed him in return while her heart beat fast with joy and love. She opened her eyes, waved her fingers and looked at the dazzling diamond that would always be a symbol of Jake’s love. “I’m marrying the sexiest, best-looking guy in all of Texas,” she said, smiling at him and hugging him.
“I want to spend a lifetime making you happy,” he whispered, showering light kisses on her. “It’ll be good. I promise I’ll do everything I can to try to make you happy. And you know how well I keep my promises.” He looked at her, and they both smiled. “I love you, darlin’.”
“I love you, Jake,” she said. Joy filled her, and she held him tightly, this rancher who loved the same things she did—and what was most wonderful, he had fallen in love with her. Life was wonderful.
* * *
Don’t miss any of the stories in
The Return of the Texas Heirs series
from USA TODAY bestselling author
Sara Orwig
In Bed with the Rancher
One Wild Texas Night
and two more stories coming in 2021!
Keep reading for an excerpt from Once Forbidden, Twice Tempted by Karen Booth.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS BOOK FROM
Luxury, scandal, desire—welcome to the lives of the American elite.
Be transported to the worlds of oil barons, family dynasties, moguls and celebrities. Get ready for juicy plot twists, delicious sensuality and intriguing scandal.
