Colorado Heart (9781101612026) Read online

  Jared and Laurie had outdone themselves with the dance, as Jake knew they would. Jared made a good living with his cattle and more so with his horse breeding. He’d even asked Jake to let Bright cover some of his mares and promised Jake the pick of the bunch in return. Jake was anxious to see what came of it when the mares finally delivered. But not as anxious as he was to see Cassie.

  He’d made himself stay away all week and lost himself in his work. He caught a glimpse of her one time, on Puck, as she went to her place, and dang if he didn’t waste the entire morning watching to see if she came back by, which she did. He’d been afraid she’d just take off altogether, and he’d never find her if she did.

  The entrance to the Castles’ ranch was lit up with candles stuck in Mason jars. The drive had jars hanging on hooks at equal distances along the way, and there were more scattered among the outbuildings and barns below the Castles’ house. There were even candles floating on the lake. It was a pretty sight on the moonless night.

  There were several buggies parked outside the barn, and the sound of the musicians tuning up mingled with the soft chatter of those who were gathered around the tables outside. Tables covered with food and drink. There was no mistaking the silhouettes of Leah and Cade among the guests talking and laughing.

  Jake handed Bright off to one of Jared’s cowboys. He looked at the barn and he looked at the house. Soft lights shone through each of the windows, and more Mason jars with candles sat along the railing of the porch.

  Cassie was still at the house. He’d bet money on it.

  And he would have won. Cassie was waiting on the porch when he walked up. He had to take a moment. He was so stunned by her, standing there in the candlelight, in her pretty blue dress and her hair . . . it was pinned up in the back into a riot of curls. Her eyes were as blue as the sky and there was color on her cheeks, and her lips looked down-right luscious, so much so that he wanted to kiss her then and there. But he didn’t. Instead, he held out his hand to her and she took it without hesitation and Jake guided her down the stairs.

  “You are a beautiful woman, Cassie Parker.”

  “Just because you are right this one time doesn’t mean I’m going to let you make a habit of it,” Cassie replied tartly.

  “Does that mean we have a future together?”

  “I refuse to answer that question until I’ve seen you dance.”

  “Believe me, Cassie, I can dance,” Jake said.

  “That remains to be seen,” she said.

  He tucked her arm into the crook of his and they walked toward the barn. Jake glanced down at the top of her head but was suddenly distracted by what was under her chin. He’d always thought she was blessed, but now that her breasts were out there for everyone to see . . . he wasn’t so sure how he felt about that. While he appreciated the view very much, he knew he didn’t want anyone else gazing upon her blessings.

  “What am I going to do with you, Cassie?” He sighed.

  “I thought you always had a plan, Jake.”

  “I always think I do, until you show up and knock everything sideways.”

  “How about if we don’t worry about it right now and just enjoy the dance?”

  “That’s my problem, I’m afraid everyone is going to enjoy the dance just a little too much at my expense.”

  “It must be a hard life you live,” Cassie said with some satisfaction.

  Jake tugged on one of her curls and watched in fascination as it sprung back into place. How in the heck did women do that? “It’s a burden,” he said with a grin.

  They’d come to the barn and Jake kept a tight hold on Cassie’s arm. Ward tipped his glass in a toast as they walked up and Jake grinned at him. Dang if Cassie wasn’t the prettiest girl here, and there were a lot around. Everyone in the area had come, people from town, all of the outlying ranches, all the cowboys, except from Watkins’s spread, and even some of the miners.

  “Cassie, you look absolutely stunning,” Leah said.

  “Thank you.” Cassie smiled. “And thank you for all of the help you gave us after the fire.”

  “That’s what we do around here,” Leah said. “We look out for each other.”

  “That’s one of the things I like best about Angel’s End,” Cassie said. “The way the people look out for each other.” She gazed up at Jake and his heart swelled. He was beginning to think things just might go his way.

  “Oh look,” Leah said. “Rosa and Manuel are here.”

  “They are?” Cassie turned around. Sure enough, Rosa and Manuel were walking up to the barn. “I didn’t think they’d come.”

  “I asked them to,” Jake said. “After all, they are a part of this community too.”

  “Did Jake tell you about the barn raising?” Cade asked.

  “No,” Cassie said.

  “It’s supposed to be a surprise.” Leah poked her husband.

  “Sorry,” Cade said, and rubbed his arm where Leah had prodded him. “It’s next Saturday at your place. We figured we’d worry about the house after that.”

  “We’ll have everything done before the first snow,” Jake said. “If it all goes according to plan.”

  Cassie nodded. Jake could see there were tears in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away as Rosa and Manuel arrived.

  “My Cassie,” Rosa said. “You look so beautiful.”

  “She does, doesn’t she?” Jake watched her as she talked to Rosa and Manuel. She positively glowed with happiness. It was a sight he never thought he’d see.

  Jared came up. “Jake, you want to do the honors and welcome everyone to the dance?” he asked.

  “It’s your place, Jared. You go right ahead.” Jake wasn’t leaving Cassie’s side for anything tonight.

  Jared went to the makeshift stage, set up in the middle of the barn, and everyone filed inside. Jared welcomed everyone, and the trio of musicians, Silas on the guitar, Gus on the fiddle and one of Jared’s cowboys on the bass, began to play a lively song. Couples moved onto the dance floor and soon everyone was dancing, and those that weren’t were clapping and stomping along. A passel of kids, most of them the Martins’, with Banks among them, looked down from the hayloft and laughed at the adults’ antics.

  “Would you care to dance?” Jake asked Cassie.

  “I thought you’d never ask,” she replied sassily.

  Jake whirled her out onto the dance floor. As tiny as she was, he could have just picked her up and gone with it, but she was nimble and quick and she kept up with him. Jake had learned how to dance at the private school his mother scrimped and saved to send him to and he wasn’t afraid to show it now. Soon Cassie was laughing breathlessly as they twirled around the floor, and her joy was infectious. He couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear at her, and he was conscious of people nudging each other and pointing their way.

  He could care less. He knew without her telling him what her answer was. He could read it on her face. She was ready to face the future.

  The song ended and a waltz began. Jake put his hand on Cassie’s waist and once more spun her around into the dips and glides of the waltz, and she stayed right with him.

  “So,” he said. “What do you think?”

  “About what?” Cassie asked.

  “My dancing. You said you were going to base your decision on how good of a dancer I am.”

  “I don’t need to tell you how good you are,” Cassie replied. “Or else your head would be too big for this barn.”

  “So I am a good dancer.”

  “You know you are.”

  “Which means . . .”

  Cassie stopped suddenly, so fast that he almost stumbled—almost—and she looked up at him with a wondrous expression on her face. “I’m ready for a future with you, Jake,” she said. “If you still want me.”

&nbs
p; Did he still want her? That had to be the most foolish thing he’d ever heard her say, but he didn’t feel like arguing with her at the moment. Instead, he wanted to kiss her senseless. But to his surprise, and more than likely everyone’s there, he did something he wasn’t planning on at all. Jake slipped to one knee, took Cassie’s hands in his and said, “Will you marry me?”

  Cassie looked as stunned as he felt. And for one brief second Jake realized he’d set himself up for a lot of humiliation. But then she smiled, and then she cried and she put her hands on either side of his face and said, “Yes. I will marry you.”

  Jake jumped to his feet and picked her up. He swung her about and the music suddenly started up in a fast tune and everyone was pounding on his back and offering up congratulations, while Cassie clung to his arm as though trying not to be swept away by the tide of well wishes.

  “I didn’t know that was part of your plan,” Ward said when Rosa and Manuel descended on Cassie. “But it was a good one.”

  “I got to confess,” Jake said so only Ward could hear. “It sort of just came to me.”

  “You’ll never be wrong if you follow your heart, Jake,” Ward said, and offered him his hand. “Congratulations. I will be the best man, in case you are wondering.”

  “I never doubted it for a minute,” Jake said.

  A toast was raised to them and then they were expected to dance, and finally they were able to escape outside. Jake pulled Cassie around to the side of the barn for a kiss, but she stopped him by placing her hand on his chest.

  “I’ve decided to start living my life, Jake. It wasn’t an easy decision to make. God knows I was scared. But I’m not scared anymore. I want to start living, and that means now. Tonight. With you. I can’t think of any reason in the world to wait. Can you?”

  Jake opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him at the moment. But it didn’t matter because Cassie wasn’t done. “I almost forgot the most important part,” she said. “I love you.”

  * * *

  “Are you sure Cassie?”

  “I’m sure Jake. I’m ready to start living my life, and I want to start living it with you.”

  “Then welcome to my home,” Jake said. He slid off Bright and put his hands up. Cassie put her hands on his shoulders and he lifted her from the saddle as if she weighed nothing. Cassie felt like she was floating on air. She had been, ever since the first dance.

  For the first time in a long time she felt alive, and she didn’t want this feeling to ever go away. Jake took her hand and they walked up the steps and across his wide front porch. He pushed opened the door and a puppy ran to them, all waggly tail and sniffing nose. Jake picked the puppy up. “This is Josie,” he said.

  “Pleased to meet you, Josie,” Cassie said. She put her nose to Josie’s and the puppy licked her face. Cassie wrinkled her nose and Jake laughed. It was such a happy sound, and his face was almost boyish. Cassie smiled wistfully at him, seeing the boy who’d had to be so serious in his youth, who’d worked so hard to make something of himself, which he had. His house was warm and comforting and solid, like Jake. It would survive whatever the world threw at it; she knew it without a doubt. Cassie held on to Josie, who wiggled contently in her arms as Jake showed her the main room of his house. There was a huge sofa on one side of the stone fireplace, and two chairs, with a table between them, on the other. Lamps hung on the wall and gave off a soft and cozy light. Jake opened a door to the left of the entrance to reveal an office. One entire wall was nothing but books.

  “How wonderful,” Cassie said as she peeped into the room.

  “Feel free to read as much as you want,” Jake said.

  “Mr. Jake?” someone called from the back of the house.

  “I’m here,” Jake said.

  “You home early.” A Chinese man walked into the hallway. “With company,” he said with a smile.

  “Cassie, you remember Fu,” Jake said.

  “Pleased to see you again, Fu,” Cassie said, and the man bowed at her.

  “Fu, do you mind taking care of Bright for me?” Jake asked.

  “I will,” Fu said with a wide grin. He bowed again at Cassie and started talking in Mandarin as he went out the door.

  “He’s interesting,” Cassie said.

  “He is,” Jake said. “But not as interesting as you.” He touched her cheek and then picked up one of her curls and pulled it straight. He released it and it snapped back into place. “I think I could play with those all day.”

  “Enjoy them while you can.” Cassie gave her head a shake. “They’ll be gone come morning.”

  “Just as long as you are here come morning,” Jake said. “And every morning from here on out.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Jake,” Cassie said. She put her palm on his chest right where his heart pounded against it, and spread it wide. “I finally found a place where I belong.”

  Jake bent and kissed her and she lost herself in it. Except she was no longer lost, she was found. Jake found her and brought her in from the cold and now she belonged somewhere. All these years she’d been looking for a place to belong, only to find it wasn’t a place so much as who was in that place.

  Josie whimpered, because she was being crushed between them. Jake put Josie on the floor and picked Cassie up, and once more she felt as if she were floating on air. He carried her through a door and by the low glow of a lamp she saw a huge bed with a high mattress. Jake sat her down on the edge of the mattress, pulled off her shoes and tossed them aside.

  “There’s still time to change your mind,” he said.

  “Why, are you having regrets?” Cassie said, because she couldn’t resist teasing him. Their easy bantering one of the many reasons she fell in love with him.

  “Nary a one,” Jake said as he kissed her again. “Of course that could change at any time.”

  “Oh, it could?” Cassie said between kisses. Jake gently guided her onto her back as he leaned over her with kisses. Soon his knee was on the bed and she was prone beside him. “When did you know, Jake? When did you fall in love with me?”

  He toyed with a curl. “I fell in love with you that night you ambushed me on the trail,” he said. “But it took me awhile to admit it to myself.” He was being honest with her, as he promised, as she wanted. “When you told me not to come around anymore, I realized I couldn’t live without you. But I couldn’t quite figure out what to say to convince you to see things my way.”

  “There wasn’t anything you could say, until now,” Cassie confessed. “I had to come to the realization on my own. I had to decide what I wanted my future to be like.”

  “Just remember, Cassie, I’ll never force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

  “Just remember, Jake, I trust you with my life and with my heart.”

  “Both are the greatest gift I could ever receive,” Jake said. He kissed her again and Cassie put her hands on his chest and then moved them to the buttons of his shirt. Jake gave a slight intake of breath as she slowly spread his shirt open and ran her hands over his solid chest. It was hard and unforgiving, all planes and angles, yet she knew it well as a soft place to lay her head, those many times he’d offered her comfort.

  Now she wanted to give to him in a way that made her ache inside. She rose up and kissed him in the ridge at the base of his clavicle, and Jake sighed with pleasure. With that encouragement Cassie continued, slowly kissing every bit of skin she could reach.

  Suddenly he pushed himself up. “No fair,” he said. “I want to touch and kiss you too.” A thrill shuddered through her body at the thought of Jake’s lips on her body. He looked at her with a devilish grin, and Cassie sat up and presented her back to him where a row of buttons fastened her dress. “Help yourself,” she said.

  “I hope you don’t regret saying that,” Jake said as he started on t
he buttons.

  “That’s entirely up to you,” Cassie replied calmly, even though calm was the last thing she felt. Luckily Jake’s fingers were nimble and he soon had her dress open and falling off her shoulders. He kissed the top of her spine and moved around the back of her neck to her shoulder as he slowly eased the dress off her arms. Cassie leaned back against that very solid chest, and Jake’s hands came around and cupped her breasts. His thumbs slowly moved over them and she arched into his hands.

  What had she been so scared of all these years? Being with Jake was nothing like what happened to her. Paul Stacy took advantage of the fact that he was stronger than her. He abused her. That had nothing to do with this wonderful thing that was happening between her and Jake.

  Somehow, without her even realizing it, the straps of her petticoat were down and Jake’s hand was on her bare skin. She felt every one of the calluses on his fingers as he lightly caressed her while kissing her neck. She wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled his face to hers so she could kiss him.

  Jake put a hand under her hip and moved her into his lap. Without stopping the kiss, he pulled her dress, camisole and petticoat down over her hips, leaving her in nothing but her stockings. With a lopsided grin, Jake smoothed his hand along each leg, taking the stockings with him as he went.

  “You’re very good at that,” Cassie said. “Should I worry that you’ve had so much practice?”

  “I just so often imagined doing it with you that it comes naturally,” he said, and he laid her down on the mattress. A sudden chill chased through Cassie at the intensity of his eyes upon her. If before she’d thought his eyes stormy, then now they were possessed of a whirlwind.

  “You are so beautiful,” he said. It had been so long since she’d thought of herself in that way that it shocked her, but she knew by the look in his eyes, by the way he yearned for her, that he meant it, as he dipped his head and kissed her again.

  “So are you,” Cassie said. She tugged at the waistband of his pants. “I want to see more.” Jake didn’t waste any time obliging her, yet he suddenly became cautious.