Page 65 of Bridles and Bribery

Then Jordan came to life. He twisted out of his mother’sembrace, throwing her off balance. She tumbled backward and might’ve fallen over the edge of the cliff if her son hadn’t caught her.

He pressed her to the ground and rolled her to her belly in the dirt and gravel.

She gave another high-pitched laugh. “What are you doing, you crazy kid?”

“No, Mom. I’m not crazy.” He pressed a knee to the middle of her back, holding her captive as Dave and Gil rose from their hiding places and converged on them. Bending closer to speak directly in her ear, he added sadly. “You are.”

Epilogue

July

“How do I look?” Jillian stepped onto the deck of the houseboat she and Dave were renting to spin in a slow circle. An evening breeze whipped at the hem of her ivory lace kimono that she’d tied over the front of her swimsuit, making the sheer fabric dance against her calves.

She was hoping she’d dressed appropriately for the waterfront cafe Dave was taking her to for dinner. She was thrilled to pieces she’d managed to shed her baby weight in time for their honeymoon. Starting her animal rescue center on the Wagner homestead next door had helped her burn it off.

“Think I’m gonna need a closer look.” Dave cocked his head at her in mock perusal, moving her way with his hands in the pockets of his white swim trunks. He’d buttoned a white short-sleeved shirt over them that he hadn’t bothered tucking in.

She blushed beneath the intensity of the very male, very approving glint in his eyes. “I wasn’t sure what else to wear to a beach cafe where the stools are sunk into the water.” It sounded every shade of romantic to her, though.

After much debate, they’d ultimately nixed their trip to Hawaii indefinitely and found a secluded getaway much closer to home. They were honeymooning on the Pecos River instead, within quick traveling distance back to Heart Lake, should their infant son need them. It was the first time Jillian had been away from little Bo overnight, but knowing he was in Grandma Eloise’s capable hands made the separation easier. She and Dave had been gone for four days already and would be returning home tomorrow.

“It might be better to just show you what I think.” Dave reached her and tangled their fingers together. “I’m so in love with you, Jills.” He touched his mouth to hers.

“Love you back even more,” she murmured against his lips.

He tugged her closer, deepening their kiss. “My way of saying that’s not possible.” His voice was rough with emotion as he raised his head to continue their favorite argument. He cuddled her against his chest. “It’s so good to be together again.”

“Very, very good,” she agreed. It was something she would never take for granted after what they’d endured during the first few months of their marriage. Now that Jan Jacobson had been arrested and was awaiting trial without bail, they’d been able to return to some semblance of a normal life — one that had included a long list of home repairs and more new furniture, thanks to the two bombs Jan and her thug associates had tossed through their basement windows.

Dave dragged a hand through Jillian’s hair that she’dleft down just because he liked it that way. “We’d better get going before…” He dropped his arms without finishing the sentence. Reaching for her hand, he guided her toward the dock. He leaped out of the boat and leaned in to assist her to the dock beside him.

“Before the restaurant closes?” She tipped her face curiously up to him as they strolled together toward the strip of sandy beach that housed the waterfront cafe.

“Nope.” He lifted her hand to his lips. “Before I lose my willpower to take you out to dinner.” He winked at her as he kissed her fingers one by one. “I’m already counting the minutes until I have you all to myself again.”

She drenched him with a joyous smile that told him without words that she was counting the minutes as well. They spent the next hour dangling their feet in the water from their half-submerged stools, while eating lobster and playing several rounds of Gomoku.

It was a game of strategy, so it came as no surprise to her that Dave turned out to be a formidable opponent. She quickly figured out how to break his focus, though.

“You’re such a cheater,” he accused, leaning closer to nibble her earlobe.

“I believe the term you’re looking for is multi-tasker,” she retorted. “Fact. Only one of us is skilled at playing both Gomoku and footsies at the same time.”

“Fact,” he mimicked her tone, tugging her off her stool into his lap. “There are more ways than footsies for a man to multi-task with the most beautiful wife in the world.”

He claimed her lips to prove his point, then made his next move, neatly reaching around her to slide his fifth black marble into place on the vintage wooden board ahead of her white marble.

“You win!” She slid her arms around his neck to end the match with a celebratory hug.

“Babe, I swept the winnings the day I married you.” Since he’d already paid for their meal, he lifted her in his arms and carried her from the water back to the river’s edge. He set her on her feet to continue their stroll to the dock in the twilight. The glow of the setting sun was fast disappearing, and stars were popping out overhead like tiny white Christmas lights.

As he lifted her into the houseboat, the phone in his breast pocket vibrated with an incoming call.

They exchanged a wry look.

“I don’t have to answer it,” he said quietly.

“Yes, you do.” She tapped a finger lightly against his chest. “You know you do.”

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