Capture the Night Read online

  “What about you?” Johnny whispered, clenching the quarters. “How’re you holding up, Lex?”

  She didn’t answer for a moment, and his heart lurched in his chest. Had she changed her mind about them? After all this, was he going to lose her? His lips tightened.

  “Alexa?”

  She looked up into his face, and he understood that she’d only been trying to rein in her emotions. Relief flooded him as she gave him an uncertain smile.

  “You’re sure—”

  “I’m sure.” He put the quarters beside him on the bed and took her hand in his once again. “More sure than of anything else I’ve ever done.”

  She leaned up to him, laying her head against his shoulder. He breathed in the clean scent of her hair, memorized the very weight of her body on his. This was what he’d been looking for; waiting for—this intersection of their lives.

  “Then, let’s get you well, Officer Logan,” she murmured. “You owe me a Mexican dinner—and, as you say, ‘the fantastic life to go with it.’”

  Epilogue

  Their afternoon wedding was simple and sweet. Ray Carter and a few other close friends and family members gathered at the courthouse to be present when Johnny and Alexa said their vows.

  Alexa’s heart caught, skipping a beat as she entered the judge’s chamber. Johnny wore his dress blues, his face expressionless until Alexa walked through the door on Pete’s arm. The only visible sign of the brothers’ harrowing time at McShane’s hands were the faint remainders of black eyes and bruised cheeks.

  Johnny’s cobalt gaze glowed as he met Alexa’s eyes. Pete guided her forward to stand beside Johnny, not letting go of her arm until Johnny took her hand in his.

  His touch was strong and reassuring as they stood before a beaming Judge Reynolds. A hush fell over the gathering as the judge became solemn and began the ceremony. When he reached the words “til death do you part”, Johnny turned and looked straight into Alexa’s eyes, the memory of just how close death had been—for both of them—obvious. Her fingers flexed, squeezing his hand in silent acknowledgement of what they’d almost finished before they’d ever started.

  Finally, the ceremony was over, and Johnny pulled her to him, bending to put his lips to hers in a slow, tantalizing kiss. Seconds later from behind him, Pete cleared his throat. Johnny smiled, reluctantly lifting his mouth from Alexa’s.

  A cheer went up from his family and comrades, glad for something positive at the end of this very emotional two weeks. Johnny’s eyes smoldered with hot promise of things to come as he looked into Alexa’s face. She grinned at him, pulling him to her for another quick kiss.

  “Let’s go home,” he murmured close to her mouth.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  And now, here they were. Alexa watched as Johnny put the key into the lock and turned the knob. His house was bigger than she had expected. Bigger than one person would need. Big enough for dreams to be fulfilled…

  She glanced up at him as he swung the door open. He gave her an uncertain smile, putting his hand to his injured side. “I’d carry you across the threshold, but I’m saving myself for—later.”

  Alexa laughed and took his arm. “For the bedroom, you mean?”

  “Yeah. Guess I’m gonna get that wish after all—you know, the moonlight and candles—my own bed—”

  “Why don’t you invite me in, Officer Logan. First things first.”

  Johnny closed and locked the door, seeming suddenly nervous. “Uh—yeah. You’re right.” He led the way, holding her hand. “It’s not a mansion. But I figure, even if this place was a palace—it wouldn’t be what I’d like to give you.”

  Alexa melted at his uncertain words, and the way his grip tightened as they stepped inside. But as they entered the living room, Alexa noticed that someone else must have been there earlier.

  An arrangement of fresh roses and honeysuckle sat on the coffee table, the mingled scents refreshing the house. She took a deep breath and smiled. Johnny turned to her as she started for the flowers to admire them.

  “Hey, where did those come from—” he began, breaking off . “Rosa.” He smiled. “It’s just like her, to think of every little thing. Freddy Fender’s Greatest Hits, included.” He nodded toward the stereo speakers that emitted the strains of Rosa’s favorite singer.

  Alexa leaned in close and took another whiff of the flowers, then straightened as Johnny took her hand again and pulled her along behind him. “Umm. Roses, honeysuckle, and Freddy Fender,” she murmured dreamily. “What more could a girl—”

  As they rounded the corner, the words died in her throat. Johnny’s bedroom had been transformed into a haven for the two lovers.

  The curtains had been drawn against the remaining daylight. The fresh sheets had been turned back, and the bed strewn with rose petals. Candles had been lit, bathing the darkened room with a soft glow. The bedroom stereo speakers had been turned on so that the music played softly there as well as the living room.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Johnny stood looking at the bed, his gaze going to the nightstand. The phone was missing. He grinned. Rosa sure knew what she was doing. Getting rid of that damn telephone was the best idea yet. But Freddy Fender?

  “This is just beautiful,” Alexa breathed. She turned to him. “How did you know Rosa did it, though?”

  “Nobody else appreciates Freddy Fender quite as much as Rosa does.” He grimaced as the next song started. “Maybe I should go and put something else on—”

  “No! Wasted Days and Wasted Nights is one of my favorites!”

  Johnny looked at Alexa closely. “Are you serious?”

  She lifted her head at his incredulous expression. “Yes. I…really like Freddy Fender…too.” Her answer held a trace of defensiveness.

  Johnny closed the space between them and took her in his arms. “Those ‘wasted days and wasted nights’ are over for us, Alexa.” He bent his head and kissed her.

  She raised her hands and began to unbutton his shirt as he shed his uniform jacket, dropping it on the floor behind him.

  He ignored Alexa’s muted sound of protest as he pulled her close to him, aborting her unfinished mission as he unzipped the back of her dress. His mouth plundered hers now, the gentleness disappearing as passion’s fire took hold.

  Johnny broke the kiss long enough to pull the dress away from Alexa’s body and let it whisper to the floor. He shrugged out of the uniform dress shirt, letting it fall atop the growing heap of clothing.

  He opened his belt buckle, but as he started to unbutton the placket at his waist, Alexa brushed his fingers away and took over the task. “Let me,” she breathed.

  Her hands were trembling, but she unfastened the placket quickly, slipping her hand under the double layers of material until she touched hot, bare skin. She peeled away his clothing, and he groaned, closing his eyes, as her fingers found the hard length and held him. Finally, he forced himself to breathe, to slit his eyes open; and when he did, she was watching him.

  Alexa gave him an impish grin as her hand glided over him, releasing, then holding him again.

  “You’ve got about three seconds to get out of those shoes—and the rest of what you’re wearing,” he gritted.

  “You’re still half dressed yourself.” She leaned up and nibbled his lower lip. His breath hitched, but he stopped himself from reaching for her, from prolonging this madness. The next time he kissed her, he wanted to be inside her.

  Alexa sat on the bed and kicked off her shoes. Then, suddenly self-conscious, she removed her panties and bra. She reached for the down comforter, but Johnny stopped her.

  “Alexa. Wait.” He’d stripped off everything but his socks and had sat on the edge of the bed to do that before joining her. “I can’t move so quick with these holes still mending up.” He glanced at her, seeing the flash of embarrassment in her eyes.

  “Okay, now, Mrs. Logan. We’ll have none of that. What’s wrong?” He turned to her, lying atop the comforter that she’d begun to pull
over her, crushing her arms next to her body to hold her immobile.

  “I’m—uh, not eighteen anymore.” She caught her lower lip between her teeth.

  Johnny chuckled and kissed her nose. “Well, lady, in case you hadn’t noticed, neither am I.” His lips covered hers, and he shifted so she could put her arms around his neck. “And I’m damn glad, for both our sakes.”

  Impatient now, he pushed the cover back away from her and slid against her, his skin warm and rough against her cool softness.

  “Put me inside you,” he whispered against her lips. He kissed her neck, inhaling the sweet fragrance of her skin, her hair, as she reached for him and guided him to her. As she reached for him, he poised for a moment at her entrance, looking into her eyes.

  “I’m choosing you, Alexa. In our proper, normal world—you.” He watched as the last trace of uncertainty left her face, and his heart shattered at her complete trust.

  Her lips curved as she guided him slowly into her, smooth and hard, gentle and rough all at once. His mouth slanted across hers, and he lay still for a second, unwilling to hurt her in his eager impatience. He gritted his teeth at the exquisite pleasure, the way she gloved him.

  A soft sigh escaped her, and he tensed. His fingers locked in her hair. “Okay?”

  “Very ‘okay’.”

  She moved slightly and he groaned in pure pleasure, his hands moving over her skin, memorizing every minute detail of her body, of their loving.

  Alexa lifted her hips, grinding upward, as his tongue delved into her mouth. He breathed into her, the air between them disappearing as her breath became his. Johnny lifted his head. “I should’ve taken some time—before we started this,” he muttered.

  Alexa shook her head, the dim light playing across her fine-boned features for a moment.

  “Next time,” she whispered. She turned his head to plant a kiss on his palm as he touched the side of her face. “Didn’t you notice? I was ready for you.”

  Her eyes held a teasing glint that made them sparkle, even in the low light of the room. But the love he saw there was what made his heart stop. Beautiful.

  He began to move, setting a steady pace, and Alexa matched the rhythm. Her hand went to the bandaging at his side.

  “Does it hurt?” she blurted.

  Johnny laughed. “As if. You really think I could feel it if it did? Right now, I mean?”

  Alexa grinned up at him. “I gave you a small dose of painkiller a few days ago, as I recall—”

  “Yeah,” Johnny panted. “Not nearly enough.”

  “Greedy.” She bit at his chest, licking a streak of fire across one nipple, then the other. She gave a self-satisfied smile at his sharply-indrawn breath.

  “I’ll never get enough of you, Alexa,” Johnny muttered. “Never.” They were as together as they ever could be, at this moment. He was locked deep inside her hot sheath as they moved. He felt nothing except their joining, the love that wrapped them in invisible arms and held them for these moments in time.

  He closed his eyes, concentrating hard on not letting himself go over the edge just yet. With Alexa, he could do that so easily—so quickly. But he didn’t want this to be over—ever. Still, the wounds he’d suffered and the resulting blood loss had taken a toll on his stamina even now, two weeks down the road.

  “Don’t hold back, Johnny,” Alexa urged him.

  She must have been thinking those same thoughts.

  “Don’t…want it to end.”

  “We’ve got a lot of tomorrows.” She brought her legs together. He gasped, fighting for control and losing the battle as she repeated the action.

  “Alexa—”

  She countered the accusation in his tone by releasing the pressure, matching his increase in rhythm. Their breathing came in harsh rasps.

  Johnny’s climax was shattering. Alexa pushed against him as he thrust into her, again and again. His rough hands cupped her face, and he covered her mouth with his just at the moment she cried out his name. His heart leapt, pounding hard as they marked each other with that kiss, her cry caught between them as they joined.

  The need for words between them had long since passed. Now, they communicated through a touch that whispered of magic, a sigh that spoke of dreams, a look that left no doubt of this new love that bound them so close to one another.

  After a few moments, Johnny moved off of Alexa and rolled onto his back. The room was several shades darker than when they’d come in. Johnny watched that flickering candlelight he’d wished for a lifetime ago, making patterns on the ceiling above them.

  Alexa moved to lay her head on his shoulder, her arm going around his belly, just as they had been positioned when he’d made that wish in the cubicle that Daniel had brought them to for safety.

  “It’s just as you wished for, Johnny,” Alexa murmured. “Candlelight, your own bed—I hear we’re supposed to have a full moon tonight…”

  “And more time,” he added quietly. He stroked her hair. “All the time we could hope for. I remember—I wanted to capture the night and hold on to it forever—” He gave a short laugh. “Looks like we did just that.”

  Alexa propped on her elbow, looking down into his face. “Scared?”

  He smiled at her teasing. “No. Solo muy agradecido. Just very thankful.”

  “Me, too,” she whispered, bending to graze his lips with hers. Then, “How do you say ‘I love you’?”

  “Te quiero. Te adoro. Te amo. I want you. I adore you. I love you. And I do, Alexa.” He pulled her to him for a deeper, longer kiss, and she sighed in contentment.

  This was love. The real thing, this time, for both of them. And it was here to stay.

  About the Author

  Cheryl Pierson is a native of Oklahoma. She lives in the Oklahoma City metro area with her husband. Her short stories have been published by Prairie Rose Publications, Western Fictioneers, Adams Media, Chicken Soup, and Western Trail Blazer (WTB). She has seven novels to her credit, FIRE EYES, TIME PLAINS DRIFTER, THE HALF-BREED’S WOMAN, GABRIEL’S LAW, SWEET DANGER, and CAPTURE THE NIGHT (PRP); and TEMPTATION’S TOUCH, (TWRP).

  Writing is so much a part of her life that she and long-time friend Livia Reasoner opened a publishing house. PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS furthers the western-themed writing offerings of women. www.prairierosepublications.com

  Cheryl is the current President of the Western Fictioneers.

  To learn more about Cheryl and her exciting books, visit her at www.cherylpierson.com/

  You can e-mail her at [email protected]

  Visit her Amazon author page here:

  www.amazon.com/author/cherylpierson

  More by Cheryl Pierson

  SWEET DANGER

  When bookseller Lindy Oliver and undercover cop Jesse Nightwalker sit down to share a pastry at the local deli, they're strangers. But as breakfast suddenly becomes a heart-stopping life-or-death ordeal, a stolen kiss changes everything between them. Amazon Link

  ALWAYS AND FOREVER

  At a children's Halloween carnival, a Gypsy fortuneteller predicts a new love for both Cindy and Gage. When the two meet over a poorly carved pumpkin, love flickers to life and the stars begin to align.

  But the odds of finding a new love later in life seem insurmountable and the prophecy seems too good to be true. After all, Gage has been burned before and Cindy doesn't believe in fortunes or second chances.

  Will doubt overshadow their attraction, or has love already been set in motion? Can the star-crossed pair put their faith in the love that was foretold? Can they believe in each other? AMAZON

 

 

 
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