Love at Last Read online

  “Do you know why I put them around town?” she asked. “Or leave them on park benches?”

  “I have a theory,” he said evenly. “I think you like to see people smile.”

  She nodded. “It’s silly. Simple, really, but I think kindness matters a lot more than people give it credit for.”

  “Everything about you matters, darlin’, and your big heart is only one of the reasons you’ve captured mine.”

  Oh boy…this is definitely happening.

  She swallowed against the adrenaline filling her up inside.

  “Rachel, you’re sweet and funny, but I think you have a bit of temptress in you that makes you blush. I know you like to dance, but not wild and dirty like some girls do. You prefer slow dancing, and when you dance fast, as I’ve seen you do at weddings and events like these, you’re totally focused on the people or person you’re dancing with, not on who else might be looking at you.”

  She felt like she was suddenly seeing the real Cal. The man who, a year ago, she didn’t think even knew she existed. But he had noticed her, and he was pouring out his heart and soul, trusting her with his honesty.

  “I didn’t think you’d noticed me much at all until you started flirting with me.”

  “I’d have to be blind not to notice you, darlin’. You outshine every other woman in this town.”

  She lowered her gaze as heat rushed up her chest. He lifted her chin with his hand and slid it to the nape of her neck, stepping closer. She was breathing so hard, and he was so close, her breasts brushed against his abdomen.

  “You’re an observer,” he said softly. “I’m surprised you didn’t notice.”

  “I…” She shook her head, trying to pinpoint when the flirtatious Cal had appeared, but all of him ran together in her mind. “Before you started all the flirting stuff, you were such a gentleman, I had no idea you were into me.”

  His lips curved up in a smile that reached his eyes. “My father would have appreciated knowing that. It’s a testament to how my parents raised me. I wasn’t raised to be the kind of man who flirts the way I have been with you.”

  “Then why have you been doing it? Not that I mind,” she said quickly, “but I’m curious because it was so out of character it threw me off-kilter.”

  His eyes darkened, and he stepped impossibly closer. “Because I got a little lost, or maybe desperate is a better word. I felt something changing in you, like you were losing faith in me. I know that’s ridiculous, because you weren’t mine to start with, but I was building up to asking you out, Rachel, and I had a feeling you were building up to something, too.”

  Oh God, you saw that?

  She thought he hadn’t even noticed her, and she had been ready to give up on him—until he’d starting flirting and she realized he had noticed her. But then she wasn’t sure if his excessive flirting was genuine interest, or if he was just playing around, which sparked the roller coaster of emotions she’d been riding ever since.

  “Why now?” she managed.

  “Because after my father passed away and my mother had healed to the point where she was no longer struggling—when I was no longer struggling—there came a moment when I looked at you and I just knew our time had come.”

  He lowered his face closer to hers. His hat buffered them, making it feel like they were alone, even though there were people all around them. His hand warmed her neck, sending rivers of heat down her spine, and his honest eyes held her captive. She wanted to memorize this moment. To remember the way her heart pounded so hard she knew it wanted to beat right beside his, and how he’d erased any doubts she’d had. She wanted to memorize the peace that came with the clarity of knowing Cal hadn’t been toying with her at all. He’d been careful, waiting for the right time, and he’d been just as nervous as she was.

  “Do you feel it, Rachel? Has our time come, or did this cowboy lose his shot with the only woman he wants?”

  She didn’t hesitate. Placing her hands on his broad shoulders and using them for leverage, she went up on her toes, and finally—sweet grace, finally—she pressed her lips to his. She was too nervous for the first touch to be anything but shaky and a little tentative. She’d wanted to kiss him for so long, she worried she’d mess it up. But then his free hand circled her waist, crushing her to him as his tongue swept across the seam of her lips, and all that nervousness fell away, unleashing years of pent-up desire. His kisses weren’t frenzied or hurried. They were deep and sensual, like he wanted to savor every second as much as she did. She lifted higher on her toes, and his hand splayed across her back, keeping her flush against him. He was deliciously hard everywhere, from his powerful thighs to his muscular chest, and every tempting inch in between.

  When he eased his efforts, kissing her lighter, more tenderly, she couldn’t resist pushing her hands into his hair, wanting to feel more of him. It was lush and thick, and felt exactly how she’d imagined. She knocked his hat to the ground, but neither one pulled away. She didn’t know how long they kissed beneath that tree, or how many hundreds of people might have seen them, and she didn’t care. She was finally in Cal’s arms, and she never wanted this moment to end.

  Chapter Three

  CAL MUST HAVE kissed Rachel at least a hundred times in the hour since they’d shared their first kiss, and the thrill was bigger, his emotions ran deeper, with each and every one since. They walked arm in arm around the festival, checking out the booths, but he was too high on Rachel to focus on anything else. They shared barbecue and fries and watched a group of kids roasting meat on sticks in the cowpoke area.

  “Look how cute they are with their little cowboy hats and boots.” Rachel leaned into him. “I bet you were right in the middle of all of that when you were young.”

  “Always,” he said as they headed back toward the festivities. “There’s nothing better than feeling like one of the big guys when you’re a little tyke.”

  “I was surprised to see you with Li’l Hal this morning. Do you watch him often?”

  “Are you kidding? If Hal Braden had been around, I wouldn’t have been allowed to take him out today.” Hal was Rex’s father, and he loved his grandkids to no end. Between him and Rex, who always seemed to have Li’l Hal in his arms, the boy rarely left his loving family circle. But today Hal and Rex were both helping to run the festival.

  “I know that’s true, because Jade is wondering what’s going to happen when their second baby is born.” A group of kids darted past, and Cal pulled her against his side. “Do you think you’ll ever want a family?”

  “Heck, yeah. My house already feels too quiet most days.” Cal was the oldest of his siblings and was the only one to have followed his father and grandfather into the horse training business. His sister was an interior designer, and his brother was a pilot. But Cal had gotten more than just a love of horses from his father. His love for family, and the desire to have his own, had hit Cal hard recently.

  He pulled Rachel closer and asked, “How about you?”

  “I definitely do. When I was a kid I never thought I would want a big family. I’m so close to my parents, and being an only child, I thought there was no way a parent could love more than one child like mine love me. But, of course, you grow up and get to know families, and you realize how bountiful love is. You know how close I am with Emily and her cousins, and they have huge families. Being around them has made me want that for my kids.” She pointed to the Trusty Pies and Pet Pampering booth and her eyes widened. “Have you ever had Elisabeth’s River Pie?”

  “Can’t say that I have.”

  “Can we get a slice?”

  He chuckled. “We can get anything your little heart desires.” He leaned down for another kiss as they weaved through the crowd. “Do you feel like you missed out by not having siblings?”

  “No,” she answered. “I had so many friends, I didn’t miss out, I don’t think. But I worry about what will happen after my parents are gone, you know? I think about that sometimes, being void of family
. It’s a scary thought. I’ll have my friends, but it would be nice to have a sibling who had been there my whole life.”

  She leaned against his side as they waited in line and said, “I wished I could have been there with you when you lost your father. I wanted to be.”

  “That was a rough time. Thank you.”

  “You must miss him an awful lot.”

  “More than you can imagine. I still see him around, you know? In the barn, and at times like these, when I’m listening for his laugh.” He shrugged. “I like to think he’s watching us, smiling down at us, doling out advice and shaking his head. Lord knows he’s probably cursed me a million times for hitting on you so brazenly.”

  A sexy smile formed on her lips. “I think he’d be proud of you for finally going after what you wanted.”

  “Thanks, darlin’. That’s a much better thought to have in my head.” He pulled her into another kiss, and her arms wound around his neck.

  “About damn time.”

  They drew apart at his buddy Steve Johnson’s voice, and Rachel blushed a red streak. Cal wanted to chase that blush right down her body and love her so thoroughly she’d blush from the memories.

  “It is about damn time,” Cal said.

  “Where’s Shannon?” Rachel asked.

  “My fiancée ran off with a mob of girls to make candles or something.”

  “Candles, huh?” Rachel said with a playful glimmer in her eyes. “You should have gone with her. I hear candlemaking can be life changing.”

  Damn, darlin’, just when I thought my night couldn’t get any better, you surprise me.

  “With all the wedding planning we’ve done, I think I’ve had all the life-changing events I can handle for a while.” Steve waved to someone across the grass and said, “Are you in the rodeo?”

  “No way.” Cal could ride with the best of them, but he hadn’t signed up for anything more than helping Luke, with the hopes of finally getting to spend time with Rachel. Now he was glad he’d thought ahead. “But we’re going to watch it after we get a piece of Elisabeth’s River Pie.”

  “Did you hear she’s pregnant?” Steve asked.

  “No!” Rachel peered around Cal and looked at Elisabeth, who was busy helping a customer decide which pie she might like. Elisabeth was married to Emily’s brother, Ross. “She doesn’t look pregnant, and Emily didn’t say anything this morning about it.”

  “They just told everyone this afternoon, so Emily probably didn’t know. Twelve weeks today. Shannon had some pie earlier and said, now that Elisabeth’s pregnant, her pies taste even sweeter.” Steve lowered his voice, as if Shannon could somehow hear him, and said, “I think it has more to do with the fact that she has an affinity for pink icing, and Elisabeth always puts some on Shannon’s piece. I’ll catch you guys later.”

  After Steve took off, they got their pie and sat at a picnic table to share it.

  “Open up, darlin’.” Cal held up a forkful of the creamy white chocolate with chunks of dark chocolate and whipped marshmallow cream.

  She had a dreamy look in her eyes. “I feel like I’m dreaming and I’m going to wake up tomorrow and realize all of this never happened, or it was some kind of horrible joke.”

  Cal set the fork on the plate and straddled the bench so he was facing her. “This is as real as it gets for me, Rach. I know I waited a long time, and you’re probably used to guys who move much quicker. But I needed to get my world under control before I could even hope you’d want to be in it with me.”

  “First, I’m not used to any guys,” she said softly. “And second, that’s really thoughtful, but everyone goes through hard times, and dealing with them together is what makes couples stronger.”

  “I understand that, but I wanted to be the man you deserved to have by your side, not someone who was fragmented from the very beginning of our relationship. I’ve got nothing standing in my way anymore. No heart-wrenching event that might take me to my knees, or family who needs me to lean on while they find their footing. At least for now. I know my mother won’t live forever”—he took her hand in his—“but by then I hope we’ll be so close, you’ll know who I am when I’m not suffering a loss, and it’ll be easier because we’ll go through it together. The ball’s in your court, Rachel. We’ll be as real, and last as long, as you want us to.”

  She rose to her feet and straddled the bench in front of him. Placing her hands on his thighs, she leaned closer and gazed into his eyes. “Then I’m all in, Cal Hayden, so don’t hurt me, okay?”

  The grin splitting his lips was too big to stop as he took her face between his hands and said, “The only hurt you’ll feel is when I get too excited and kiss you too hard, darlin’.”

  “That’s the best kind of hurt there is.”

  A LITTLE WHILE later they were back at the arena with Callie, Emily and her mother, Catherine, and a handful of their other relatives, watching Wes and Cutter in the ring. The crowd was going wild as Wes and Cutter rode broncs, roped calves, and wrestled steer. Cal stood by the fence with Emily’s husband, Dae, and the rest of Emily’s brothers, whooping and hollering, cheering them on, while Rachel sat with the girls in the stands right behind them, gushing over her and Cal’s newfound coupledom.

  “Finally,” Emily said as she hugged her for the tenth time in as many minutes. “We have watched you two tiptoe around what everyone else saw for so long, we were ready to lock you in a bedroom together and tell you not to come out until you had seen each other naked.”

  “Emily!” Rachel laughed, and Cal must have heard what Emily said, because he turned and flashed a sinful smile that set off a whirlwind of emotions inside her.

  He took off his Stetson and placed it on her head, looking even more handsome with his messy blond hair setting off his eyes. The hat was warm from his head and so big it sank down low on hers. He tipped up the front of it and said, “Does my girl look hot in my hat, or what?”

  “Hot and taken,” Emily said.

  “And it’s about time, young man,” Catherine chimed in. “I’ll have you know, this pretty gal here was on my matchmaking list for kissing under the mistletoe this winter.”

  He pressed his lips to Rachel’s, then grinned at Catherine. “The only man she’ll be kissin’ from now on is this one, Ms. B. But if you want to set up that mistletoe around your house, I’ll gladly bring my girl over and put it to good use.” He chuckled and turned back toward the festivities.

  “He’s a feisty little devil,” Catherine said. Then she reached across Emily and patted Rachel’s leg. “And he’s a good man, honey.”

  “I know,” Rachel said, absently touching his hat. “I’ve known for a long time.”

  “Ow, ow, ow.” Callie spread her hand over her burgeoning belly and sucked in air between clenched teeth.

  “What is it?” Catherine and Emily said at once.

  The color drained from Callie’s face. “I’ve been having these pains on and off for the last few days, but they’re worse tonight. We called the doctor and he said it’s common to have Braxton Hicks contractions this close to my due date. But they take me by surprise every time.”

  Luke’s wife, Daisy, leaned around Catherine and said, “He’s right, Callie. Some women experience them for weeks before the birth.” Daisy was a family practice physician.

  “I would hate that,” Callie said. “I’m due next week, and I swear if this baby is a day late, I’m going to walk from one end of Trusty to the other and back again until I go into labor.”

  They all laughed.

  “Do you want me to get you a drink or something?” Rachel asked.

  “No, thanks. The baby sits on my bladder, so if I drink, I’ll have to pee, and the bathroom is halfway across the festival grounds.” Callie rubbed her belly. “I can’t wait to meet our baby.”

  “I can’t wait to spoil your baby.” Emily glanced at Dae, who was as enthralled with the rodeo as the rest of the guys, and said, “We’re trying to get pregnant.”

  �
�You are?” Fiona asked. “We’re talking about it, too. Jake brought it up again last night. I think being around Callie has had an effect on him.”

  “I think Jake’s sexy wife has an effect on him,” Catherine said with a wink.

  “Both your babies will be so cute!” Rachel said.

  Daisy smiled warmly at Catherine and said, “We’re thinking about adopting.”

  “Really?” Emily asked. “Are you and Luke having trouble getting pregnant?”

  “No. We haven’t tried yet, and we still want to have babies one day,” Daisy explained. “But there are so many children in other countries who need families. We feel blessed to be surrounded by so much love, and we want to share it with a baby who isn’t.”

  “I love that,” Emily said. “Dae is adopted, and we talked about going that route, but he really wants to carry on his family’s heritage.”

  “That’s understandable,” Rebecca said.

  “When did you decide to adopt?” Rachel asked.

  “We’ve been talking about it for a long time, but we didn’t want to tell anyone until we started the process and were sure it was even a possibility. We were going to tell you guys this afternoon, but then we didn’t want to steal Elisabeth and Ross’s thunder,” Daisy explained.

  “I’d share my thunder with you anytime.” Elisabeth pushed her blond hair over her shoulder and hugged Daisy. The two blondes looked like they could be sisters.

  Callie grabbed her stomach again and looked pleadingly at Daisy. “If these are practice contractions, then labor is going to stink.”

  “They’ll give you an epidural,” Daisy said. “And afterward you won’t even remember the pain. You’ll be too focused on the sweet little baby in your arms.”

  “That’s what everyone tells me, but I’m not so sure.” A few minutes later Callie grabbed her belly again. “Oh!” She winced. “Daisy,” she pleaded. “How do you know when they’re real?”

  “Usually Braxton Hicks aren’t painful, just uncomfortable.”