Forever After (44 page)

After feeling his silken lips and warm breath on her skin again, she couldn’t imagine leaving him. “No,” she whispered. “Nothing could drag me away.”

“Do you promise?” He kissed his way from her ear to the corner of her mouth. “If I tell you now, you’ll stay right here and make love with me before you go.”

He was crazy. For eighteen months, she’d ached to be with him, and now he was convinced she might leave him. “I’m not going anywhere, period. I promise.”

Setting her senses afire, he retraced his path back to her ear and whispered, “Your folks are here.”

Meredith’s eyes flew open. “What?”

She felt his lips curve in a grin. “Dad bought the spread next door. There are two houses over there—really nice ones. We took a page out of your book. Changed our looks, flew to Canada under assumed names, then took a flight out of Ontario to Mississippi. Dad stayed down there to help them sell their farm and make all the necessary arrangements. Got them new identification, social security numbers, a car that couldn’t be traced. They’re right up the road. Have been for eight months.”

Meredith shoved at his shoulders and reared back to stare up at him. “My mom? And my dad? You’re serious? They left Mississippi and came
here
?” Tears filled her eyes as she read the answer to her question in his smug expression. “Oh, my stars! My folks?” She hadn’t seen them since before she’d married Dan. And now they were within walking distance? “Oh, Heath. What on earth possessed you to—? You went clear down to Mississippi and—?”

A wealth of love shone in his eyes as he gazed down at her. “You never would’ve been completely happy if you’d never been able to see them again. Every time you men
tioned them, I could see how much you loved them, and that you missed them so much you ached. And I think all kids should have the chance to know their grandparents.”

“So, just like that, you went and got them?” she asked incredulously.

“Not ‘just like that.’ It was damned difficult.” He flashed her a teasing grin. “I got a crash course in down-home Mississippi folks, I can tell you that. Your dad never blinked about selling his place and all the equipment and all their furniture. He was so anxious to see his daughter, I think he would have parted company with his right arm to get out here. Just not with Spook.”

“Spook?”

“His pig. There was no way in hell he was leaving Spook. Do you have any idea how much trouble it is to transport a three-hundred-pound hog? And on an airplane, no less? There was no way that Spook could go in a truck all that way. Oh, hell, no.”

Meredith giggled even as she felt tears welling in her eyes. Heath had promised to do everything in his power for the rest of his life to make her and Sammy happy, but she’d never expected him to go to these lengths. Of all the beautiful gifts in the world she might have wished for, being able to see her parents again had to be the sweetest, most perfect gift of all.

“I love you so much,” she whispered, unable to draw her gaze from his. “Have you any idea at all how much I love you?”

“As much as I love you, I hope.” He sighed and loosened his hold on her, his mouth quirking at the corners as he began straightening her clothing and started to rebutton her dress. “Prove it by not staying over there too long this afternoon, all right? We’re going to have supper with them, so you’ll have all evening to catch up.”

Meredith caught his wrists. “I’m not going anywhere right now, Heath Masters.”

His smile deepened. “I’m not gonna hold you to that silly promise. I know you’re dying to go see—”

She touched her fingers to his lips. “I’ll go, yes. But later. And not without you.”

The next instant, she was flat on her back across the bed with him straddling her hips. “Are you sure? I really don’t mind if you go. I’ll understand.”

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” she asked.

Narrowing one eye, he started peeling away her clothing and throwing it in all directions. “Have I told you recently how much I love that dimple in your cheek?” He bent down to kiss the spot. “Dear God, Merry, I’ve missed you. Day and night, twilight and dawn. I couldn’t get you out of my head.” He jerked her shoes off. “I love your toes. Can I kiss your toes?” Next went her stockings. “You’ve got the cutest dimpled knees. Did I ever tell you that?”

Meredith giggled again. “You make me sound like a dumpling.”

He canopied her naked body with his broad, darkly burnished one. “And every sweet inch of you is absolutely delicious, if I remember right.” His eyes twinkled warmly into hers, and he gave her one of those slow, crooked grins that she loved so much. Then he bent his head to nibble at the corner of her mouth. “Oh, Merry. I love you so. You have no idea how very much I love you.”

Meredith turned to kiss him fully on the mouth, murmuring that she loved him just as much, the words almost indistinguishable from her blissful sighs, which he drew into himself as if they gave him sustenance.

Heath
. Being in his arms again was sheer ecstasy, and she knew deep in her heart that this was where she belonged. He had given her so much, this man. Gifts beyond measure. A sense of pride and a belief in herself. A happy, confident little girl. The strength to endure whatever came her way and to stand alone as she faced it. And last, but not least, he had restored her ability to believe…in magic, and miracles, and castles made of dreams. There really were heroes in this grim old world, after all. And right when you felt the most hopeless and least expected it, he could barge
into your life, sweep you off your feet, and carry you off into the sunset to live happily ever after.

As their kiss deepened, Meredith remembered thinking as she left the ranch in Oregon that she would never see Heath Masters again. Now she realized how wrong she had been. Her fairy tale hadn’t been over.

The most wonderful part of the story had only just begun….