Too Close To The Fire/Too Hot To Handle (Montana Men 3) (28 page)
Read Too Close To The Fire/Too Hot To Handle (Montana Men 3) Online
Authors: Jaydyn Chelcee
Epilogue
Some people say the worst way to
miss someone is when they are right next to you and you know you can’t have
them, but it’s worse when you thought you didn’t want them anymore and then all
of a sudden you realize you can’t live without them.
~ Unknown
Havre, Montana
Regional Health Care Center
February 15, Sunday
10:00 a.m.
Lacey
slowly walked down the corridor of the third floor. She braced herself by
placing one hand along the wall and forcing one foot in front of the other.
Walking helped her regain her strength. Unfortunately, she had a particular
destination, one she wasn’t looking forward to arriving at.
When
the door to room three-twelve opened, she hesitated. Karen stepped into the
hall and faced her. Lacey’s heart sank. The last thing she wanted to do was
talk to Danger’s wife.
For
a moment, the other woman looked uncertain. Finally, she moved away from the
door, her angry strides bringing Lacey face to face with the enemy. Lacey
tilted her chin in the way that said, to anyone who knew her well, that no one
was getting in her way.
“What
do you want?” Karen snapped, rubbing her protruding belly.
Lacey
didn’t fall for the familiar trick. She no longer cared that Karen carried
Danger’s child, but she had no desire to eye the woman’s distended stomach.
Karen had a way of always drawing attention to it. Lacey ignored her and
started around her.
Karen
grabbed her arm and jerked her around. “You aren’t wanted here,” she said in a
tone that would freeze air.
“Yeah?
Well, I didn’t want you sleeping with
my
husband and tearing up my marriage, but it didn’t stop you. So fuck off!”
A
smirk settled on Karen’s red glossy lips. “It wasn’t difficult to steal Danger
from you. You neglected him. He fell right into my bed like a starving man. He
kept coming back for more. Where were you when I was screwing your husband?”
“Let
go of my arm, or I’ll break every finger on your hand.”
Karen
slowly released her arm. “You have two minutes. Then I’m calling security.
After all, isn’t that what you did to him? Had him escorted out of your room?”
Lacey
pushed past her to Danger’s door.
Bitch!
The woman loved twisting everything to her advantage. “Call them,” she flung
over her shoulder. “It’s not your decision how long I stay…it’s Danger’s. He
called my room and asked me here. Otherwise, I’d never set foot near either of
you.”
“You’re
a liar!”
“No,
that’s your game.” Lacey raked her gaze up and down Karen’s body, lingering on
her rounded belly. “Is the baby even Danger’s?”
Karen
paled. “Of course it’s Danger’s.”
“I
doubt it. But that’s his problem. He’ll wise up to you. You might have played
him for a fool, but you’re in for a rude awakening. Danger’s nobody’s fool.”
Lacey
gently closed the door behind her. She leaned against the inside of the door
and drew a shaky breath. She turned her attention to Danger. The head of his
bed was up at a forty-five degree angle. White, gauzy bandages swaddled his
head. She couldn’t remember ever seeing him so pale or vulnerable. He’d always
been such a strong figure in her life, since the moment she first saw him.
She
moved closer to the bed.
His
dark lashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes. “You came. I wasn’t sure if you
would.”
“Yes.
Karen wasn’t too happy to see me here.”
“None
of her business.”
“She’s
your wife.”
“Lacey—”
“Look,
I didn’t come here to discuss your marriage to Karen. I wanted to ask your
permission to return to the ranch and get my boxes. My packing was interrupted,
as you know.”
“Yes.
Of course, get anything you want, anything you need.” Danger held out his hand
to her.
Lacey
moved to the edge of the bed and grasped his hand. She swallowed back the
tears. Her life with this man was over. She couldn’t dwell on what might have
been. She was sorry it ended on such a tragic note, but she was glad to be
leaving, moving forward with her life.
“I’m
sorry, Lace, for all the things I said to you, did to you. I know you can’t
begin to forgive me, but maybe someday…maybe someday, you will.”
Lacey’s
eyes stung with unshed tears. “It’s over. You didn’t know what you were saying
or doing. I’m just trying to hold on, Danger…you know?” Her voice broke. “I’m
trying to forgive myself for the mistakes I made. I have to be able to do that
before I can think about forgiving others.” She pulled her hand free and turned
to go.
“Lace!”
He sounded desperate. Lost.
Afraid.
She
hesitated, turned back.
“Come
back home, Lace. Marry me? I know I made plenty of mistakes. My biggest was
losing you, but I want a second chance.”
“You
didn’t lose me, Danger. You shoved me out of your life.”
“I
know. I know all the things I did wrong. I’m asking for a chance to do things
right.”
“You
have a new wife. She’s going to have your baby.”
“I
don’t love her. Stay with me. Please. Let me make up for the things I did to
you, the awful things I said.”
“Danger—”
“I
know I messed up. I did things, said things that hurt and humiliated you. I’m
so sorry for everything. Please. Give me another chance.”
“It’s
too late.” Lacey bit her lower lip, but still the tears slipped down her face.
“It’s
never too late. We’ll start over. I don’t want to lose you, Lacey. Marry me.”
“I
married Rafe yesterday.” Lacey toyed with the diamond on her ring finger. “As I
said, it’s too late.” She quietly closed the door behind her.
Rafe
waited for her in the hall. She went into his arms.
“You’re
crying. What did he say to you? If he asked you here just to say hurtful things
to you, sick or not sick, I’ll drag his ass out of that bed and teach him some
manners.”
Lacey
shook her head. “No. He was very nice. It’s me. Everything makes me cry.”
“You’ve
been through a lot, sweetheart. Is he okay?”
“Yes.
The brain tumor, you know? It changed him. He’s not fully recovered, but he’s more
like his old self.”
“That’s
good.” Rafe rubbed her back. “You ready to get out of here? I loaded everything
in the truck.”
“Yes.
I’m ready.” She hesitated a moment, then took his hand and laced her fingers
between his. “He asked me to marry him, Rafe.”
Rafe
froze. “What did you say?” He searched her face, unease in his eyes.
“That
you and I married yesterday.”
He
cupped the sides of her face. “I’ll set you free, Lace. If you still love him,
want him, I won’t stand in your way. It might kill me to let you go, but above
all else, I want you to be happy.”
“There’s
no going back, Rafe. He has a wife, a baby on the way. I love Danger. I always
will. There’s a part of me that aches for what we lost, but I’m not
in
love
with him, not anymore. I love you. I know when I fell in love with
you.”
“You
do? When?”
“When
you handed me the white daisies at the airport last August and tried so hard to
conceal your erection.”
“You
never said a word.”
“No.
But I realized you wanted me. My heart did a crazy little flip, and I knew I
was in trouble. My marriage to Danger was crumbling, and suddenly, there you
were and I needed someone to talk to, to lean on. I tried not to lean too much,
but I wanted you, Rafe. I did everything I could to save my marriage, but I
couldn’t do it alone. I’m so lucky I had you. I love you.”
“Thank
God.”
“Let’s
go home. My life in Montana is finished. I want kids, Rafe. Babies. At least
three. I want a home and children with you.”
Rafe
pulled her close and pressed a light kiss against her mouth. “We’ll work on all
those things. I promise.”
She
grinned and snuggled close against his side. “I’m ready when you are.”
To be continued…
Coming
soon from Jaydyn Chelcee
Playing
For Keeps
(Duel Remington’s Story)
Book four of the Montana Men Series
About the
Author
Jaydyn Chelcee is a native of Oklahoma. She’s traveled
extensively, at least in the western half of the United States where she
searched for settings for her novels. One of her favorite sites in her
contemporary western romances is Montana. She’s the author of the best selling
Montana Men Series.
In the Arms of Danger,
and
No Holds Barred
are available
in multi-formats at Secret Cravings Publishing and in print at Amazon.com
Coming soon from Secret Cravings publishing:
Playing for Keeps,
book four of the
Montana Men Series.
Available now from Secret Cravings Publishing: Extended
release of
Witch’s Brew, Witch’s Heart,
Witch’s Moon
and
Witch’s Magic,
books
one, two, three and four of the
Winslow
Witches of Salem Series
written under Tabitha Shay.
All current releases available at Amazon.com
http://www.secretcravingspublishing.com
http://www.jaydynchelcee.com
Email:
[email protected]
