One Summer in Santa Fe (16 page)

“But—”

“No buts. We’ll work it out. Somehow we have to. I love you, and I don’t want to let you go. The rest is just details.” He wasn’t going to let go of her, he just had to convince her of it.

“I don’t want to let you go, either,” she said, and closed the gap between them. “I’m so afraid.”

“Of what?”

“Of you. Of me. What we could have together and losing it. That scares me the most.”

“Don’t worry about what hasn’t happened. When teaching people how to jump out of airplanes my instructor deals with a lot of nervous people. What he says applies here, as well. ‘Open yourself to the possibilities, and just let go.’”

Breathless at the pain in her chest, wanting so badly to reach out to him, but afraid the fear would win, she looked into his eyes. Nothing except love, nothing except trust filled them. Could she do any less than honor him with her own love and trust? “I will.”

She let go, and he caught her.

Clothing was removed by urgent, trembling hands and kisses were hot and deep. Naked, Taylor carried her to her bed and laid her on top of it, then pressed his weight down on her. Skin to skin, sigh to sigh, they loved each other in the most intimate of ways, drawing deeper into each other with each seductive kiss.

As Taylor eased inside Piper, he knew that this was the welcome home that he’d be wanting the rest of his life. Unable to control the want, the need, the urgency pulsing within him, Taylor guided her legs around his
hips and buried himself deep inside her with a groan of satisfaction. When she cried out his name, he knew there was no other place he wanted to be. Seconds later his body responded and he found his release.

Aftershocks coursed through Taylor as he turned with Piper to settle her comfortably in his arms. “I love you, Piper.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’ve never said that to another woman. I’ve never been able to say the words until you.”

“Taylor,” she whispered, and turned his face toward her for a soft kiss. “With my heart, my soul and my body, I love you.”

“That sounds like a vow.”

“I guess it kind of is. When you truly love someone, you do make a vow to them and to yourself.”

“Can you stay with me here?” he asked, his eyes suddenly serious. “Can you stay in Santa Fe and give up travel nursing after this extension is over?”

She bit her lip and stroked his face with her hand. “You really want me to stay?”

“More than anything. But you have to want to stay, too. We can make a home, build a life together. The kind that neither of us has had.” There was vulnerability she’d never heard in his voice, in the soft stroke of his hands down the length of her back. The man with the magic hands loved her. Wasn’t that a precious thing?

She sat up on the bed and knelt beside him.

“I can hear you thinking. What’s going through your mind?”

She dropped her head and allowed the wave of hair to cover her face. “Can I trust you? Can I trust everything that you are, that you claim to be, to want?” Raising her head, she stared intently at him. “What will
happen if things don’t work between us? It will kill me to love you and lose you.”

“There are no guarantees, Piper. Only trust will make it work. Between you and me.” He met her gaze straight on. “I don’t know how to tell you how much I feel for you. How I feel when you’re with me. I just don’t have the words in me. The only way is to take that leap of faith and trust what’s in your heart.” His gentle hand stroked her face. The energy flowing from him into her nearly broke her heart with its sweetness.

There was respect, there was humor, there was friendship, and there was certainly passion between them. Were those enough of the right building blocks to have a forever love? “You’re right. You’re absolutely right.” Without her clothing, bared completely to him, she stood at the end of the bed, holding a post for balance.

“What are you doing?” he asked, and sat up at the head of the bed, his eyes glowing as he watched her.

“If I fall, will you catch me?” she whispered.

“A naked woman in bed, are you kidding?”

“Be serious.” This was the playful Taylor that she loved, but she needed more right now, just for a moment.

“I am.” Taylor gave her a lingering glance to her curves, but the smile on his face and the look in his eyes let her know he understood her.

Without another word, she closed her eyes and let go, falling forward. She didn’t get far, because Taylor caught her, pulled her close and turned her gently in his arms. “If you fall, I will catch you. When you stumble, I’ll be there to help you up.” His voice was a husky whisper in her ear. “But you must promise to do the same for me.” A kiss to her cheek. “I want to build a life with you, Piper. Will you marry me someday soon?”

With emotion choking her throat tight, she nodded. “I will.”

“I love you. The rest is just details.”

They sealed the vow with a long, slow kiss.

Six weeks later

A
BUNDLE
of bright cheery balloons tied to the mailbox fluttered in the afternoon breeze. A “Welcome Home” banner adorned the threshold from the living room to the kitchen in Taylor’s house.

“They’re here! They’re here!” Alex dashed out the door into the driveway and jumped up and down until Taylor pulled the SUV to a halt. Piper followed along at a more reserved pace, but she wasn’t able to contain the smile on her face as she watched Taylor assist Caroline into a wheelchair. “What can I take?” Piper asked.

“There’s a pile of stuff in the backseat you can bring in,” Taylor said, and kissed Piper on the cheek. “Hi.”

“Mom, Mom! You’ll never guess what.”

“What?” Caroline said with a laugh. Thin and gaunt from the lengthy recuperation, Caroline’s pleasure at being with Alex was obvious. “Tell me what.”

“Uncle T. got me a gaming system!” Energy and excitement sparked off Alex. With his mom home, as well, his life was complete.

“Oh, like you need another one.” She turned to Taylor. “You weren’t supposed to spoil him so much.”
The playful glare she gave turned soft with affection for both of them. As the only men in her life, she needed them both.

“It has educational programming, too. Don’t worry.” Taylor gave her shoulder a squeeze of reassurance.

“There’s even an exercise program for you,” Alex said. “It’ll make you stronger.”

“Now I see your ulterior motive,” she said, and pushed the wheelchair forward. “You’ve been talking to my physical therapist.”

Piper held the door as everyone bustled through into the kitchen. Caroline looked up at Piper, adjusted the wheelchair to face her and held out her hand. “Hello, Piper.”

“Hello, yourself.” Piper leaned over and greeted her new friend and soon-to-be sister-in-law. “It’s good to see you again. You look better now than in rehab.”

“I’m very happy to be here.” Caroline sniffed appreciatively. “Something smells wonderful.”

“We made you a cake,” Piper said, and drifted closer to Taylor. “We?”

“Alex and I. Taylor did the decorating.” She looked up as Taylor pulled her against his side.

Caroline laughed and placed a hand over her heart. “I never thought I’d ever hear that about my brother.”

“Come into the living room, and I’ll show you the exercise program, Mom.” Alex led the way and Caroline followed. She gasped at the state of Taylor’s living room. “What in the world happened in here?”

“It’s home now,” Taylor said, and let his eyes sweep the jumble that had once been a showroom.

“But…” Horrified concern filled her eyes.

“Don’t worry, I’m not.”

“I didn’t want to take over your life, Taylor.” Tears
dripped down Caroline’s cheeks. She was still weak and easily overwhelmed.

“You didn’t. My life is more open than it’s ever been, and that’s a very good thing.” He crouched down beside her chair and placed a hand on hers. “I wouldn’t have had you hurt for anything, but this experience has been a life-changing one for me. One I needed more than I ever realized.”

Alex approached. “You should have seen the couch before we steam-cleaned it,” he said out of the corner of his mouth. “Grape soda.”

“Oh, Alex.”

“Caroline, it’s really okay.” Piper moved toward Taylor and slid her hand around his waist. “The Taylor you know is still in there, but he’s made a lot more room for the rest of us in his life.”

“Yeah,” Alex said. “He even said I could get a dog! Is that cool or what?”

“Taylor, are you ill?” Caroline asked, a frown on her face, and she blinked at him as if seeing him for the first time.

“No.” He looked at Piper. “I’m in love.”

Alex made a rude sound in his throat. “Same thing.”