Give Him the Slip (45 page)

Well, hell. He couldn't lie to her. He broke, cracked like a pecan
at pie time. "Anything. I'd do anything for you, Red."

Her eyes shined behind watery tears. "I knew that. I knew
that because I know the kind of man you are. The bad boy of Brazos Bend? Hah.
You're the best of Brazos Bend, Luke Callahan. The very best."

Staggered, he could do no more than shake his head. "Hell,
Maddie."

She put a finger up to his mouth. "Hush, now. I've come a
long way to say this, so let me. I love you, Luke. I love your honor and your
honesty. I love your heart. I even love your humor. I'm a strong woman, and I
can survive without you, just as you can survive without me. But we shouldn't
have to live that way just because we can. We're good together, Luke. We're
better together."

Her words left him humbled but hopeful. "But what about your
white picket fence?"

"Since I was a little girl, I've wanted a home. I dreamed
about that white picket fence and I thought my life wouldn't be complete
without it. Well, I was wrong. I don't need a fence. I don't need brick and
mortar. I need you. Just you."

"I don't understand."

"Here."

As she walked across to pick something up from the coffee table,
he noticed a new addition to the living room. "An aquarium?"

"Oscar does better with friends." She handed him a
folded newspaper. "Read this."

The masthead said Extra to the Brazos Bend Standard. Luke gave
Maddie a quick glance. He'd never known the paper to run an extra. Then his
gaze fell to the date. "Tomorrow?"

"Just read it."

A two-inch headline proclaimed, What A Surprise, Baby! just above
Sara-Beth Branson's byline. Luke skimmed the first paragraph.
Maddie
Kincaid, owner of Home for Now senior care... Baby Dagger...
"Ah, no.
You've been outed. Why would Bee do such a thing?"

"I asked her to," Maddie said calmly.

"What!"

"I'm not as nice as you, Luke. I'm not as honorable or
honest. When I play, I play to win and to hell with the rules. I set fire to my
bridge, Callahan. By noon tomorrow, the paparazzi will be interviewing Mrs.
Swan about what we did in Branch's backyard. I can't go back. So, what are you
going to do about it?"

Luke's heart pounded. He had a hard time sucking in a breath. Good
God. She did the one thing he'd have never banked on. "You threw away your
home? Your life? To be with me?"

"No, Callahan. I want my home. I badly want my home. But home
isn't a place out"—she waved her arm toward the
northwest—"there."

Maddie lifted his hand and placed it against her breast, over her
heart. "Home is in here. Home is you and me together. Together, we can
carry it with us anywhere. Everywhere. That's what I want. What I need."

She dropped his hand and took a step back. Her voice held the
slightest tremble, and her eyes shimmered with vulnerability as she asked,
"So, Cap'n, what do you say? You gonna let me and my fish stay
aboard?"

Emotion had wrapped a noose around Luke's neck and his heart
swelled as big as Texas. If he didn't take control of himself, in another
minute he'd be blubbering like a baby. She loved him.

Maddie loved him.

It was more than he'd ever hoped for. Ever dreamed of. Certainly
more than he deserved.

He drew a deep breath, then said, "You're the one for me,
Red. The one and only. I know I don't deserve you, but you're here now and
damned if I'm turning you loose. You're mine, Baby."

Her smile bloomed like a daisy. "You've never called me
Baby."

"I'd rather call you Mrs. Callahan. Marry me, Maddie."

Her eyes widened, and he took her hands in his, holding them
tight. "Make a home with me, Maddie. Here and everywhere. Make a family
with me. Maybe a couple little redheads with bouncing curls. I want that. I
want you. No one will ever love you the way I do. If they try, I'll gut 'em and
pitch 'em overboard."

"How romantic," she said between laughter and tears, her
expression alight with love and happiness.

He grinned his pirate's grin. "That's me. Suave and debonair.
So how about it, wench? You willing to be my first mate?"

"First and only mate," she warned.

"Works for me." He lifted her off her feet and spun her
around. Their lips met and clung, a sweet promise, a solemn vow. In that
moment, in the miracle of their kiss, Luke's heart overflowed. Finally, he had
a home, they both had a home—in each other's arms.

He loosened his grip on her just enough to let her slide slowly
down his body until her feet touched the floor. The physical need that had
simmered inside him since he'd walked away from her demanded its due, and the
rogue in him gave her fanny a swat. "Now, off to the bedroom with ye,
Maddie me mate. I'm of a mood to hunt for hidden treasure."

Mischief lit her eyes. "In that case, it's a good thing I
brought rations. We might get hungry."

"Rations?" He reached for her shirt. Tugged it up and
off. Black lace. Beautiful.

"Bananas. Ice cream. Chocolate sauce."

He dragged his gaze back to her face. "What?"

She dipped a finger into his waistband and tugged him toward the
galley, circling her mouth with her tongue. "Whipped cream, too."

Luke damn near tripped over his own feet. "Well, blow me
down."

"Don't worry, Callahan. I'd planned on it. In fact, I brought
enough chocolate sauce to do it twice."