In Love and In Danger (Loving) (5 page)

He kissed her lightly, she returned it and he headed for the door.  As he opened the door, she said, “Matt, I don’t hear the train a’coming”

“You will
.  You will, as soon as I get back.”

Life is calm and serene in Rossville once again.  Rebecca recovered from the damage done during the ransacking of the shop.  The FBI has possession of the Symphonion and there is little likelihood of her getting it back.  She isn’t too upset, because she didn’t pay for it in the first place.  The lady with the flaming red hair and the hideous handbag had just left it in the store.  All of her products were shelved and Herschel had found several very nice pieces recently including some Louis XIV chests. 

Traffic was picking up as people left for other parts for spring break.  She was finally making a profit, not to the extent of being able to hire assistance but still, a profit.

Matt had called her from El Paso and then a week later from Laredo. And from McAllen, Texas came the last call.

She began to despair of seeing him again.  Rossville was not a high point of interest for the FBI.  After 3 weeks of no news, Rebecca gave up.  She had one evening and it was a memorable one.  It taught here one thing.  She was alive and she could feel other emotions than sadness.

Several of the eligible local bachelors had stopped into the shop lately and she had met and made some new friends, now that she was living a part of her life outside of her shop and home.

Her parents were delighted.  Her mother was attempting to play matchmaker again.  She had invited Rebecca to dinner, and coincidentally, a young junior partner from her father’s law firm was there.  She found he was a nice enough young man, but just a bit too eager to please the boss’s daughter.  Rebecca had dinner with him once and thereafter turned down his invitations.

She had started going to the same church she had attended as a young girl.  Most of the single men there were in their fifties.  She wasn’t that desperate just yet. 

She had considered one of the online matchmaking websites but decided against it.  It was just too easy for someone to misrepresent himself.

She still thought frequently of the evening with Matt and the invasion of her bedroom by Ricardo and being forced to stand close to him totally nude.  Strangely, it didn’t embarrass her; it made her angry all over again.  There had been no local coverage of the attempted drug smuggling though the Chicago Tribune did mention the breakup of a smuggling ring but that was the extent of that.

It was beautiful outside and she had put some of her larger pieces outside the door, hoping to attract some attention.  She would have to bring them inside before the afternoon sun hit them but for now, at least one sale had resulted from her display. 

The bell on the front door tinkled to announce the arrival of another customer.  She hurried in from the back and began her welcome speech when she spotted this outrageously handsome man with a bouquet of roses.  He removed his hand from his pocket and she could hear the faint strains of Johnny Cash’s deep voice.  He was singing “I Hear the Train A ‘Coming.”  She dropped the book in her hands and ran toward the man saying, “Matt!  Matt!  I’m so glad to see you.  I thought you weren’t coming back.  Wait a second.”  She went to the door and turned the sign around to the Closed side.

Returning to Matt, she walked into the extended arms, wrapped hers around his neck, and said, “I’m so glad to see you.  I’ve missed you so much.

She couldn’t talk anymore because he had covered her mouth with his and was kissing her hungrily.  He kissed her nose, her forehead and the crevice in her neck.  Then he returned to the luscious mouth and kissed her thoroughly.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve been in Mexico.  We apprehended Ricardo and his red-headed friend trying to cross into Mexico.  He has been talking.  We are going to be able to shut down several large smuggling routes.  Ricardo and his friend are going away for some time and afterwards, they will probably go into the witness protection program.”

“What about you?  What are you going to be doing now?” 

“Well, for the next month, I’m going to be on vacation.  I am going to take a long awaited and well deserved vacation to Hawaii.  After I come back, I am going to be assigned as SAC in the Champagne-Urbana office.
”

“That’s great.  Champaign is only about sixty miles from here, if someone wanted to drive, that is.  When are you leaving for Hawaii?”

“I have to make some contacts first.  I’m looking for someone to go along with me.  Do you know of anyone that might be interested in going?  They would have to like Johnny Cash songs though.  The sounds of “I Hear The Train” started again.”

“As it happens, I do know of someone, though she hasn’t heard any trains recently.”

“Where can I find this someone?”

“Open your
eyes and you might see her.  Matt, do you really mean it?  Are you really inviting me to Hawaii with you?”

“Absolutely.
  I think we need to get to know each other better and in a place where there shouldn’t be any unwelcome interruptions.”

“I would love to be that someone, Matt.  When?”

“What will you do about the shop?”

“A girl has been working part time with me.  She would love to do it, I’m sure.  If not, I’ll just close for however long is necessary.  Now what does a girl have to do to be kissed?”

“Come into my arms and I will be most happy to accommodate you.  She floated into his arms.  His lips touched hers and a familiar tingling shot through her.  He lifted her off her feet and they whirled around the floor to the rhythm of a Johnny Cash song.”

“Matt, the store is closed for today.  Come go home with me.”

“I was hoping you would ask.  I would be delighted.  He followed her home in his car and on into the garage.  She lowered the garage door. 

They went straight into the bedroom shedding clothes as they went.  They stood before each other, taking in the entrancing sight of each other’s body.  He placed his hand on her shoulder and gestured towards the bed.  “Shall we?”

“Lets.”

It was quite some time before either emerged from the bed room and then it was only for an energy bar for each.  The door closed once again.  The exploration of the bodies continued to a very satisfactory solution.

“Good night, Matt,” said Rebecca and snuggled back into a spoon type configuration.

“Good night Rebecca.”   Both his arms were around her with each hand cupping a breast.

“You’re not going to get much sleep if you keep doing that,” Rebecca said.

“Doing what?” Matt asked innocently.

She turned over to face him and began to hum.

The Rossville
News carried a notice of transfer of ownership of the local shop, Antique Treasures from Rebecca Turner to Anna Liddell, a local resident.

The News also carried news of the marriage of Ms. Rebecca Turner, daughter of Preston and Maria Upton to Matthew Ward, of Chicago
... 

Ms Turner is the widow of Captain Jason Turner of Rossville.

The groom is the son of David and Judith Ward.  He is employed by the FBI and is the Special Agent in Charge of the Champaign office.  The couple will make their home in Champaign.  They are currently honeymooning in Hawaii. 

The Rossville
News wishes the couple a happy life and hope they remember Rossville fondly.

About The Author

Susan Leigh Carlton lives in Tomball, Texas, a suburb northwest of Houston.  She lives with her husband of over 40 years, their two toy poodles and
Lissie, her cat.

Susan began writing in August, 2012, publishing two cookbooks culled from the hundreds of recipes in her mother-in-law’s collection.

Cakes From Mamaw's Kitchen

Pies
From Mamaw's Kitchen

She also published
Diabetes: You Can Live With It Or Die From It

Susan recently published her first romance
novel 
Loving An Airborne Ranger

Her Second Romance novel was
Loving A Firefighter

Visit Susan’s
website 
Susan Leigh  Carlton's E-books

Visit with
Susan on Facebook 
Susan Leigh Carlton on Facebook