Yours and Yours Alone Page 20
“I am close with them, but I’ll live here with you.”
“Aside from Rena and her mom, there’s nothing much to keep me here. And I think we both know she’d insist I take my grown ass and move with the man I love. So I’m kind of looking forward to making a new start with you on the East Coast.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”
He shrugged and seemed to choose his words carefully when he spoke. “I wasn’t sure you’d want to see Bray on a regular basis just yet.”
“Oh, for the love of all that’s holy, Elkhorn. If you think anyone can compete with you for my heart and attention, then you’re sadly mistaken. I meant it when I said no old flame could hold a candle to you and that includes Braden. I love and adore you in ways I never thought possible. Braden and Hank are my past. You’re my future. Please don’t doubt that.”
He nodded. “I’m sorry. It’s just that sometimes I lay awake, fighting sleep because I’m afraid that when I wake, I’ll find I’ve been dreaming and you’re still not mine.”
“You’re not dreaming. I’m yours, Raven Elkhorn, heart, body, mind, and soul. There’s nothing left for anyone else. Just you and only you. But if we’re discussing fears...what is your mother going to say when she finds out about us?”
“Didn’t we just discuss that?”
“I know, but I really want her to be okay with our being a couple and getting married.”
“She will be. She’ll say congratulations and welcome to the family.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“And when she finds out I’m already pregnant?”
“She’ll be thrilled at the prospect of having another grandchild. Granted, she would probably wish we’d been married first, but understand this, Kania: No one is coming between us again. I love her dearly, but that includes my mother. You’re finally mine and I’m going to love and cherish you until the day I die—just as my father did my mother.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “This baby might be the only one we can have naturally.”
“Then we’ll love him or her all the more.”
“My dad was the best dad in the world and I had a loving childhood, but I don’t want an only child.”
“Neither do I. The world is full of kids who need a loving home. We can adopt a couple of them so our baby will have siblings or we can explore other options. I’m totally okay with whatever makes you happy. Because having you as my wife will make me sublimely happy. Okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“So. Just to get it out of the way.” He slipped out of bed and knelt. “Will you marry me?”
“Strange question.” She waved her hand at him. “Considering I’m wearing your engagement ring.”
“Answer the damn question, woman.”
“Yes. Oh, yes, Raven Elkhorn. I will marry you. I’m just sorry it’s going to take a while.”
“You mean because of Hank?”
She nodded. “He’s going to contest the divorce.”
“Let me handle him.”
“No! I’ve hurt him enough. He really didn’t deserve what I did to him.”
“What we did to him. I’ll take your word that he’s a good man, but he’s not going to stand in our way. Now that I know you love me, I’m not prepared to allow him to drag out the divorce.”
“How can you stop him?”
“I’ve managed to amass quite an impressive financial portfolio. I’m prepared to offer him a settlement that will allow him to have an early and very comfortable retirement.”
“Oh.” She said, relieved.
“What did you think I was going to say?”
“I thought you were going to suggest violence.”
He shrugged. “I’d still like to kick his ass, but now I kind of feel sorry for him. I know if I were losing you...I...I wouldn’t make it easy either.”
“Thankfully, you’re not losing me. As for money, my mother and her husband’s estate include three houses. Each has a value of at least two million dollars. They’re in the trust, but I’ll ask my lawyer to look into breaking it so I can give him whichever one he wants and some of the stocks I inherited to help with the upkeep. I don’t know if it will help any, but it’s the least he deserves.”
“No. You won’t. Your parents wanted you to have independent means, which is why they both left their estates in trusts that your husband can’t access. I’ll handle any financial incentive to get him to be reasonable.”
“Why should I allow you to spend money you’ve worked hard to earn when I have money available that I didn’t earn?”
“Because I’m old-fashioned. Dad taught us not to marry before we could give our wives a comfortable life based on our financial abilities. I’ll handle the financial arrangements. You save your inheritance for the benefit of our future kids.”
She shook her head. “I’m not going to allow you to have to work your ass off when I can help.”
“Don’t you worry about my ass, cher. I am very good at my job. My clients know that and compensate me accordingly. Even without the benefit of your trusts, we are not going to have any financial worries. But I love that you’ve prepared to be so giving.”
“What’s money without love, Elkhorn?”
He smiled. “Fortunately, that’s a question you and I will no longer have to confront.”
“I am so looking forward to changing my name.”
Frowning, he rose and slipped back into bed with her. “To what?”
“Elkhorn. What else? Kania J. Elkhorn. I always considered myself too modern to change my name when I married, but it has a rather delicious ring to it. Don’t you think?”
“I absolutely do, but...”
“But what?”
“You didn’t take Hank’s last name.”
“No. I didn’t, but I think we’ve already established the fact that I love you more than I did him or any other man.” She turned the ring on her ring. “I am so looking forward to being Mrs. Raven Elkhorn.”
“Or, as my mom will call you, Wyanet Kania Elkhorn.”
She sucked in a breath. Raven’s mother, Jacqueline Elkhorn, had given both her daughters-in-laws bracelet bearing the endearment and followed by their names. There was Wyanet Autumn, Wyanet Oneida, and soon Wyanet Kania.
She glanced down at her wrist, imagining the bracelet already there. “I am eager to become your wife.”
“God’s knows I’m eager to be your husband. Damn, woman, I think I was born to love you and only you for all eternity.”
“Oh...Elkhorn. That’s so sweet.”
“You know how I feel about being called sweet.”
“It’s just so damn sweet,” she insisted, smiling at him.
“Whatever. But you’re having my baby, you’re going to be my wife, at long last, and as an added bonus, you’re taking my last name. What the hell more could a man want or expect out of life?”
“I don’t know what you could want or expect, but what you’ve got is me, a woman who is finally with the right man. I did love Braden and I would have been happy with him, but this feeling of utter joy and contentment I feel with you tells me it was always supposed to be you and me.”
“I’m yours, my darling cher cheré’. My one and only wyanet. Yours and yours alone. Forever.”
“Raven Elkhorn. Forever mine. Perfect.”
“Want to seal it with a fuck?”
“Yes...oh, yes.”
Epilogue
RAVEN WOKE TO THE SOUND of Kania’s soft sobs five days later. He bolted into a sitting position in bed and glanced around the moonlit room. Kania sat in a chair by the window, staring down at her phone.
He bounded out of bed and rushed over to her. “Cher? What is it? What’s wrong?”
She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face. “Your mom sent me an email.”
He stiffened. “What’s wrong? Has something happened to one of my brothers? What?”
&
nbsp; She shook her head and extended the phone to him.
He took it and quickly scanned the email. Then, he took a long, relieved breath and read it again.
He knelt beside her chair. “So these are happy tears?”
She nodded. “Yes. I know what you told me, but it means so much coming directly from her. Did you ask her to write?”
“No. I didn’t. I didn’t even tell her it was you I was in love with.”
“Then who told her? One of the guys?”
“No. We don’t break confidences with each other.”
“How did she know?”
“She’s a very intelligent woman. And she’s my mom.”
“Now I understand that she didn’t object to my relationship with Braden just because I’m not Native American, which is what I always thought.”
“You thought she was prejudiced?”
“No! And I don’t view wanting to help keep your culture alive in a negative light. My father wanted the same thing.” She sighed. “Which is why he was more welcoming to Hank than he was to Braden.”
“Bray understood and didn’t think badly of him.”
“Your mother made me think.”
“About?”
“My mother when she wrote a mother makes many mistakes during her lifetime. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how she could...abandon me, but—”
“Stop thinking of it as abandonment. She left you for what I’m sure she must have felt were compelling reasons. And I’m sure she paid a heavy price for that choice.”
“That’s what she said in the letter I got after her death, but it just made me angrier at the time.”
“And now?”
“And now I can’t spend any more time looking backwards. I just want to bask in the glow of all the warmth your mom sent me. Oh, Raven, she called me Wyanet.”
He smiled and placed her phone on the table by the chair. “I told you she would.”
“I know, but her email removed all doubt.” She bit her lip.
“Another concern?”
“I know Neida will understand, but what are Autumn and Cher going to think of me?”
“All my sisters-in-law are kind, loving, understanding women. Autumn warmly welcomed Neida into the family. Then she and Neida did the same for Cher. They will all three welcome you. They are not going to judge either of us because we’re into this together. We Elkhorns love and support our family without reservation. So please don’t worry about anything except marrying me and having a healthy baby.”
“God willing.”
“He is a loving one. He knows our hearts so I’m hoping and praying that he will.”
“Me too.”
He rose, lifted her to her feet, and hugged her. “Come back to bed.”
She burrowed close to him.
He lead her across the room and they slipped into bed. “No more doubts about the reception you’ll receive from her?”
“No. None.”
“And no more doubts about our relationship?”
“No. I just wish I’d started divorce proceedings when Hank left and saved us both a lot of shame and grief.”
He kissed her forehead. “We’re not ligating the past, cheré.”
“No. We’re living in the present and looking forward to our future together, my wyanet.”
He smiled. “That’s generally a term used for women meaning legendary beauty.”
“You are the most beautiful man in the world—in body and spirit. So I think the term applies, Wyanet Raven Elkhorn.”
He sucked in a breath and she thought she saw a glimmer of tears in his dark gaze as he drew her into his arms. Minutes later when he slipped inside her, she closed her arms and legs around him, intent on showing him how much she loved him. And how content and delighted she was to be his, and his alone.
Long Line of Love 1: Nights Of Desire Excerpt
© 2007 Marilyn Lee
All Rights Reserved
FOR SEVERAL MINUTES after she woke, Tempest Marshall lay with her eyes shut tight. She took several slow, deep breaths. They didn’t help. When she opened her eyes again, she was still naked. There was still an equally nude male body curled against her back in the strange bedroom. A large, warm palm still cupped her right breast.
She swallowed slowly, struggling to remember the events of the previous night. What had happened after her second drink? How had she ended up in bed with a man? She frowned. A vague memory of a slightly raunchy slow dance with Layton hovered at the edges of her confused thoughts.
Her cheeks burned as the events of the night before slowly evolved. After a moment of panic, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and allowed the memories of the previous night to rush over her.
Tempest finished her drink and set her glass down on the large coffee table in front of the sofa where she sat with her best friend, Benai. She glanced around the huge dimly lit room until she spotted the tall, handsome figure of her boss. Dressed in a dark, tailor-made suit that emphasized the breadth of his wide shoulders, his narrow hips and long legs, Layton was more breathtaking than usual.
His thick, dark hair, worn short in the front and on the sides and just below collar length in the back, provided the perfect frame for his tanned face with its high cheekbones. Although he was hosting the annual company party, he stood alone, slowly surveying the people gathered in his living room. This year’s theme, chosen by Tempest, was Countdown to Valentine’s Day.
He turned his head suddenly. As he locked his dark brown gaze on her, his firm, sensuous lips curved in a slow, intimate smile.
Tempest’s heartbeat increased. She tore her gaze from his and noted the sprig of mistletoe dangling above the large double doors to his right.
As if in concert with the small, inner voice that whispered it was now or never, Benai leaned close. “The rumor about him keeping the kiss-me-now-twig hanging around all year is true.”
“I guess so.”
“But where’re all those handsome brothers of his?”
The Grayhawks were a close-knit
family. Over the years Tempest and Layton had worked together, Tempest had met each of his many siblings several times. Usually one or more of them made at least a token appearance at his parties.
“I don’t know but I’m surprised you’ve never met any of his brothers.”
“There’s never really been an occasion for me to meet any of them.” Benai gave an exaggerated sigh. “It’s just my luck that the only hunk here tonight is yours.”
Tempest shook her head. “He’s not mine.”
Benai shrugged. “Maybe not yet but I have a feeling he could be yours...if you take full advantage of your opportunities and the fact that it will soon be Valentine’s Day.”
“So?”
“So it’s nearly Valentine’s Day and he’s practically standing under mistletoe. “You and I are about the only women here who haven’t kissed him. Am I going to make a move on him or are you?”
“Stay away from him, girl.”
“Then get your butt in gear and go engage him in a lip lock he’ll still be thinking about this time next year.”
Tempest cast a quick glance at the clock on the mantel. Eleven thirty-five p.m. In just twenty-five minutes until it would be Valentine’s Day. Her usual inhibitions lowered by two highballs, she nodded. “Wish me luck.” She stood up. Maneuvering around dancing couples, she crossed the room.
She watched Layton watching her approach. His dark gaze never wavered from hers.
She stopped in front of him. “Layton...” Her voice sounded breathless. She paused and moistened her lips.
He smiled again, revealing even, white teeth. “Finally.”
She blinked up at him. “Finally?”
“I was beginning to think you were deliberately avoiding me. I haven’t seen you since you arrived two hours ago.”
“I was just mingling.”
“Ah.”
Uncertain how respond to that, she decided to pursue a safe topic—at least for the moment. She cast a quick look around the room. “I’m surprised not to see any of your siblings.”
“So am I.” He grinned. “It must be my lucky night.”