Along Came Love (15 page)

She laughed and cuddled against him as they
toured the house together. "I can't believe it's ours…"

"I like the sound of that," he said and
smothering her lips with another kiss.

"There is one thing…Mom." She hesitated as
she looked him in the eye.

"Selma can live with us if she wants. And if
she doesn't, I'll pay Al off for that little hosue and it will be
hers. Oh…there is something I need to tell you…too." Jake stopped
again. "I told Selma before I told anyone…."

"About your being a preacher….?" Samantha
smiled.

"Yeah, she was a big part of the final
decision, her witnessing there in her living room for me that day.
I felt she would enjoy the news before anyone." Jake shook his
head, "forgive me…"

"Forgive you…I think," Samantha grabbed his
cheeks, "that is the sweetest thing I've heard in a long time. My
mother adores you, you know…" Samantha giggled.

"I'm pretty taken with her too." Jake
chuckled.

"We haven't talked about having kids…"
Samantha sounded breathless now.

Jake nodded, "No we haven't. And I think that
should be your decision. I won't force you one way or another. I
love children, as you well know, but if you feel we've passed that
age and need to go on, I can understand that too."

Samantha smiled, as he fingers played at his
lips, "Let's leave that to God. If he deems it so, we'll have
them…if not, we'll just have to love each other enough to fill the
gaps."

Jake's expression was somber, and happy,
"That's a great idea."

"Have you told your family yet?"

"Only dad…I couldn't let him go off on a
honeymoon fretting over what I was about to do or not do."

"How'd he take the news?"

Jake shook his head, remembering, "He nearly
cried, he was so happy. It kinda took me by surprise. He said it
was the one dream my mother had for one of her children and that
she would be so proud…."

"Oh Jake…it's all working out isn't it? I
mean, it's like some kind of dream come true. I can't deny, I did
have reservations marrying another man in law. But this…I never
dreamed…"

She ran into his arms again and hugged and
kissed him a long while. There was so much contentment here she
didn't want to ever leave his arms. When he pulled away from
another breathless kiss he smiled. "Sam…"He drawled with a sexy
smile."Just because I'm a preacher, doesn't mean I don’t have
normal feelings too. I want you so bad.

So let's don't prolong this engagement. I
want to get married as soon as my dad gets back, and before
Reverend Miller officially retires."

Samantha rested her head on his big chest,
and smiled, "I'm all for that, the sooner the better."

He held her closely and swayed as though
there was music, "I'm going to spend a lifetime showing you how
good marriage can be, Sam. It feels so good all of this coming
together for us, so very good. As though my entire life is all
coming together now and it's so darn good I'm afraid to grasp
it."

She turned around to stare up into his face,
"Don't ever be afraid to tell me you love me. I promise never to
get tired of hearing it. I promise to put you first, and love you
always. You can tell me anything…." She whispered before her lips
tantalized him into a steamy kiss that threatened them both to a
boiling point.

He pulled away, and set her a little distance
from him, "Not that I don't want you Sam. I do. So bad I can hardly
stand here and look at you without taking you. But, our wedding
night is going to be special Sam…I'll see to that." His eyes were
filled with a desire she had never experienced.

"First," he cleared his throat and turned
almost away from her, as though some of the things he was thinking
was too much. "I'm going to ask God to bless our marriage and our
wedding night. I'm going to ask a special blessing for it, because
I plan to make love to you all night long, if I can hold up to it.
But before that I'm going to tell you why I love you."

She smiled and stared with anticipation.

"I love you…Sam, because your heart is so
pure…you give so much, and take so little. Not only to me…but to
your mother…to the kids you work with…to everyone you come in
contact with. I fell in love with your heart….not your body.
Although," he glanced from her head to her toes with nothing but
open appreciation, "there is a lot to appreciate there too. When I
look at you, I consumate us. We are one in spirit, we are soul
mates…"

She smiled, "Soul mates…I like that…"

"I want you so bad, Sam…but I also know that
you are worth waiting for. I've waited a lifetime for love to come
along. I can wait a little longer. I think…" he came closer.

Tears sprang to her eyes, "You are saying
such sweet and beautiful things to me and look at me, I've been
working in a rose garden all morning, I've got dirt under my
fingernails…" she protested.

"Not dirt…just good clean earth. And I love
the smell on you. So…" he pulled her by the hand and they walked
through the house once more. "I opened an account at the furniture
store downtown and I want you to go and get whatever you want for
each room.

If you find something that needs repair, let
me know because me and my brothers will get busy fixing the place
up. There are a few things I've already decided needed fixing like
the fence and flower beds and we'll put in some trees, although, it
has one of the pretties pecan trees out back." He said kissing the
top of her head as he dragged her through every room again.

"Hold me Jake," she suddenly whispered.

"Forever," he whispered.

"Sam?"

"Yes Jake?" Samantha answered the phone a
little breathless.

"Why are you panting?" Jake demanded his
worry obvious.

"I ran to get the phone before Mom woke up,
she's not feeling well today," Samantha answered.

"I'm sorry, honey. Is there anything I can
do?" He asked disappointed that Selma was having such a rough time.
He wanted to be there for her too.

"No, she's resting. I thought I'd call the
doctor, maybe take her in this afternoon." Samantha explained.

"That's probably a good idea, honey. Look,
I've got to run over to Peaceful today and turn in my badge and get
things settled over there. My house and my desk at work. So I'll be
gone all day. But if anything comes up and you need me, call me on
my cell, okay?"

"Sure…I understand, you need to do that."
Samantha agreed. "You go ahead and I'll talk to you tonight when
you get in."

"Alright honey, but let me know if there is
anything…I can do. Oh, and by the way, I've got this chair, well,
it's really broke in and so comfortable, I thought maybe we could
put it in the bedroom or something, but it might not go with what
you pick out. What do you think?"

"I think you are about the most adorbable man
I've ever known to ask. Quit worrying, the chair will fit
somewhere, bring it on." she chuckled into the phone.

"Hey, Sam," Jake added hoping this put a
smile back on her face. "I love you."

"I love you too, in case I haven't told
you…"

"You have, but I enjoy hearing you say it,"
he chuckled into the phone.

"Good, and I have a washer and dryer I'm
bringing back too. I might not get it all back today, but I have
it."

"Great. Please be careful though," she said
softly.

"I will, never worry."

Jake hung up, but he had a bad feeling in his
gut about this day and didn't know why. Selma not feeling well
bothered him. He felt pulled in staying home to help Samantha and
getting the work done. He decided that getting the work done would
mean he could concentrate his effort here afterwards, so he knew
he'd have to go to Peaceful today, but some gut feeling told him he
should stay here.

"God, I'm putting it in your hands today," he
murmured as he went to take a shower.

Deke came inside the house, he was hot,
sweaty and spent the morning mending a fence, and stared bemused at
his brother in a towel in the hallway. "Jake, where you headed all
gussied up?"

"Over to Peaceful. Deke have you got a
minute?" Jake asked.

Deke shrugged, "Sure, what's up, bro."

Jake waved, "Let me get dressed and I'll join
you in the kitchen. This won't take long…" he murmured, then added,
"I hope."

He threw on an old soft pair of jeans and a
bright yellow western shirt, then joined Deke in the kitchen. Deke
seemed calm and tired.

Jake began to pace the kitchen as he went to
the fridge and got him a glass of milk. It had always been the
answer to a problem. Deke seemed to watch him and frowned. "Uh oh
must be bad if you're reaching for the hard stuff."

Jake looked up from his task to smile at his
brother. "Well, not bad, it's just something I've got to confess
and I'll feel better."

"Okay, bro, confess, I'm all ears." Deke
stretched in the kitchen chair, leaning back on the legs of the
chair, like Emma asked him a hundred times not to do.

"I'm quitting my job…" Jake blurted, wanting
to get to the point and not sure how to go about it.

Deke's face became a slight frown, he
squirmed a little in his chair, not sure how to react to this news.
"You're not going to be a Sheriff any longer?"

"That's right….I'm not." Jake said downing
half the milk in one swallow.

Deke shrugged as though that wasn't the worst
news he could hear.

"I see…you've thought this through, and
you're taking the partnership after all?" Deke twisted his head in
question.

"Nope…I'm not taking the partnership Deke…"
Jake blurted. "I've even stopped off and talked to them about it,
they completely understood."

Deke frowned again, unable to put the puzzle
Jake created together.

Jake shook his head and blurted it out, "I'm
taking Reverend Miller's place."

He could have heard a pin drop it got so
quiet. But not for the reason he anticipated.

"Reverend Miller…he's a preacher…" Deke
studied his brother closely now.

"I know…that's what I am trying to tell you.
I'm going to preach, Deke." Jake admitted, feeling some of the
tension leave his body.

Deke cleared his throat…"You…are?"

"Yes, and I know this comes as a big surprise
to you, a shock maybe. But in college my major wasn't law. It was
theology. I took it on purpose. I wanted to take it. I was
interested as far back as that, although Darla wanted me to study
law. And I had an interest in the law too. Now I've finally made
the decision. Reverend Miller wrote me a while back, wanted to know
if I would be interested. Said he thought of me and me only for the
position and hoped I was finally ready. I was, but I just didn't
know how to tell all of you…."

"Wow...bro…that is….a big surprise. I never
even saw that one coming."

"I know," Jake bowed his head. "I realize now
I've been going at this the wrong way all these years. I should
have been up front about it long ago. I just didn't know how you
would feel about it." Jake admitted, with each word he felt
better.

"Is it that important how we feel about it?"
Deke asked him looking straight at him.

"It is to me. I guess I'm really just like
Clint and want acceptance…" Jake said glancing at his brother for
some sign of what he might be thinking or feeling.

Deke got up, paced a little and went to the
fridge for some milk. He poured it, and came back to the table to
sit down.

"I think…." Deke began with a stern
expression, "That you should have told us years ago. For that I
should be mad."

Jake nodded…feeling a tad bad about the
secret. "You're right of course."

Deke then burst out with a huge smile and
extended his hand for a shake, "but I don't blame you a bit. And I
think it's terrific Jake…"

Jake glanced up in shock, "You do?"

He took Deke's hand, held it a moment, and
then shook hands.

Deke stood up and jerked his brother to his
feet and hugged him for the first time in years. "I sure
do…bro…."

Jake felt a sense of relief and pride and
love all swelling inside him at the same time. He hugged Deke back
and backed away to look at his face.

Deke grinned, "But I gotta know one
thing."

"What's that," Jake was beaming.

"Why would you ever be afraid to tell me
something that special, that wonderful?" Deke's expression was soft
on him, and questioning.

Jake flopped back into the chair and twisted
the milk glass. "You don't understand it. Most of my life, I've
been a little different than the rest of the Travers clan. And that
has been a little hard to swallow, I tell you. I've known it, but
wouldn't acknowledge it. I wasn't as good a cowboy, I liked bikes
better than riding the ranch in a pickup or on a horse. I wasn't a
ladies man like most of you boys. I felt I didn't measure up. So
when I realized my true calling I knew this would be way off from
ranching, or law. I wanted approval…."

Deke shook his head, "And you didn't think we
would give it? I can understand that. But we've known you were a
little different than the rest of us. We just looked in the wrong
direction. But being a preacher…wow, Mom sure would have been proud
of you."

Jake chuckled, "That's what dad said. He had
tears in his eyes when I told him. At first I thought, gee, I'm a
real disappointment to him."

"Never. You of all the brothers have never
been a disappointment, Jake. I've always been able to count on your
help. You were there for me when I needed you. Always. I mean that.
There has never been a time when I've had to ask your help. You've
just been there for me. Running this ranch, it's a headache
sometimes, especially these days. But you…you've never let me down
for a moment Jake. I just wished you had felt freer to come and
talk to me about what was bothering you. I've spent many a night
worrying about you. I'll admit. I'm as bad as dad."