Love’s Sweet Revenge(67)
He enveloped her into his arms. “Did you?”
Randy smiled. “Why would any woman who belongs to you want any other man?”
“I can think of a lot of reasons.”
“Well, I can’t think of even one.” Randy kissed him. “Maybe we should just go home to the kids, Jake.”
“No. Katie and Evie are looking forward to the ball, and Brian wants to take Evie to the opera. They’re young and excited and need to feel beautiful and have some social enjoyment away from the loneliness of the ranch. Lloyd feels the same way.” He raised up and kissed her eyes. “And you need a chance to show off some new jewelry.”
“What new jewelry?”
Jake rolled off of her and reached for his jacket, taking out a small box and handing it to her. “This.”
Randy’s eyes widened, and she scooted to sit up.
Jake rested on his side as he watched her open the box and gasp. “Happy anniversary, baby.”
“Jake! We can’t afford this!”
“Yes, we can. For years I have wished you had a fancier wedding ring than that plain gold band I gave you back at Fort Laramie when that priest married us a lifetime ago.”
“I love my plain gold band.”
“And you deserve something more. I want you to wear that tomorrow night at the ball. Everyone’s heads will turn when we walk in, because I’ll have the most beautiful woman in Colorado on my arm. And she’ll be wearing a ring that damn well proves she did legally marry me all those years ago. And now she’s just as rich and important and elegant as the high-class snobs in Denver who think they’re better than everyone else.”
Randy removed a gold band from the box. It sparkled with one large diamond in the center and four smaller diamonds on either side, with a swirl of eight more tiny baguettes crossing over the band. She slipped it on her finger. “Oh, Jake, it’s…it’s too much!”
“Quit worrying about that.”
“It’s so beautiful! So exquisite.”
“Like the woman wearing it.”
“And it fits perfectly! How did you—” She looked at him slyly. “Someone must have helped you pick this out.”
Jake just grinned. “Her fingers were the same size as yours.” He pulled her farther down under the covers again. “I could tell just by touching her fingers they were exactly right.”
“The woman who said you reek of sex? What else did you touch?”
Jake kissed her. “Nothing else. She knows a lot about diamonds.”
“I’ll just bet she does. She knows a lot about men, too.” Randy fingered the wavy strands of hair that brushed his forehead. “How is it that some men age so well?”
“It’s the ones who have a good woman by their side.” Jake moved on top of her. “I want you to know that I picked out that ring myself. Gretta didn’t have anything to do with it, other than to try it on for fit. That ring is all me, and I love you, Mrs. Harkner. No man could be prouder of his wife than I am of you.”
“And I love you…for better or for worse.”
He nuzzled her neck. “It’s been mostly for worse. I know that. I’m sorry these past thirty years involved so much heartache at times.”
“These past thirty years brought me two beautiful children, a dear adopted child, and four wonderful grandchildren with more on the way. They brought me a man far more loving than any other man I might have chosen. It’s all been worth it.” She held her hand up and studied the ring as he continued kissing her throat. “Thank you for the ring, Jake. I can’t wait to show it off tomorrow. ”
“And I can’t wait to show you off.”
“Maybe we should go out to eat. I want to show the ring to Evie and Katie.”
“Too late. I’m too deep into wanting my wife right here in bed.”
Randy reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her as their lips met in a deep, delicious kiss.
No foreplay was needed this time. She opened herself to him, and he guided himself inside her, pulling her to him with a strength that told her how easily he could hurt her, yet a gentleness that told her he never would. Not this man who adored women, and especially adored the one most special to him. When they were together like this, she could hardly believe that dark, ruthless side of him even existed…but it did. She couldn’t get over her belief that she had to keep that side of him at bay…or lose him.
* * *
Katie pulled down the netting from her hat and over her forehead. “Do you like my hat?” She turned to Lloyd, studying his brawny chest. She walked up and kissed it before he could finish buttoning a white shirt.