“Come on, let’s get out of here. I’m taking you two home,” Ray said. With his hand in the small of Amber’s back and the other on Jason’s shoulder, he ushered them to his rental car. He was just closing the passenger door when John McClure approached.
“Thanks. I owe you,” the other man said, offering Ray his hand.
The two men stared at each other. Ray’s temper had cooled enough that he was able to finally raise his hand and clasp John’s. The residuals from the urgency, the fear and the rage he’d been holding deep inside, had partly eased after that pitiful confrontation with Harris. For some unknown reason, he couldn’t let it go.
John bent down so he could speak to Jason and Amber in the car.
Ray waited quietly not saying a word. When John straightened, Ray said, “I’m taking them home. You can talk to them again later if you need to after they’ve both seen a doctor and rested.”
John nodded. “It will take me a while to finish up here,” he said before he moved off.
“Ready?” Ray said, settling behind the wheel, looking from one to the other.
“My car...” She shivered, recalling the terror they’d experienced on the long trip out of state.
“They’ll see that you get it back. For now they need it for evidence.”
“I’m not sure I want it back.”
Fatigue was evident in Jason and Amber’s feces, and elation that they were truly safe and on their way home shone in their eyes.
Ray concentrated on the road. He tried to ignore the bone-deep rage by assuring himself that she was safe. He took pains not to voice the question uppermost in his mind. He comforted himself with the knowledge that there would be plenty of time later to talk... plenty of time.
“After this I swear I won’t complain about anything ever again,” Jason chatted as the big car sped down the interstate. “Parents, school, my older brothers, girls, nothin’!” He’d been talking for hours, but neither adult shushed him. They considered it therapeutic.
They’d both been through such a terrible ordeal the last few days, Jason even more so than Amber. Ray offered to stop for food, but both Jason and Amber refused. All they wanted was to be home as quickly as possible. When they stopped for gas, Jason went to call his folks. Amber and Ray had a chance to talk privately.
“I’ve never been happier to see anyone than I was when you stepped inside that window, sweetheart I had no idea you would be back so soon.” Amber’s fingers laced with his.
“Can you imagine my surprise when I returned to discover you’d disappeared? That telephone call from the store owner to Lynn probably saved your lives,” he said, his voice turbulent with emotion.
Amber was unable to suppress the terror that raced through her system when reminded of their narrow escape.
Lifting her chin so that he could see her clearly, he said tightly, “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I left under the impression that you would contact John at the first sign of trouble.” A muscle jumped in his jaw as if he were gritting his teeth. His eyes were piercingly direct. “If it hadn’t been for Lynn, John wouldn’t have known you had disappeared along with the ransom money.”
“You’re angry with me,” she acknowledged correctly. That was putting it mildly. He made an impatient sound in his throat then said, “Why didn’t you keep your promise?”
“I told him about the phone calls and the paint on my walls.” She offered no excuse as to why she had purposefully not mentioned any of it during their brief telephone conversations. She wasn’t sorry. She had not wanted to upset him, distract him from his work.
“You’re lucky to come out of this with only a few bruises,” Ray grated out harshly.
“Honey, the important thing is I got there just in time to keep him from hurting Jason.” She shuddered. “It’s not an experience I care to repeat. He scared me half to death, but it’s over now, thank God.”
“I can’t decide if I’d rather shake some sense into you or take you into my arms and never let you go. You put me through hell!” He slid a hand beneath her hair, caressing the sensitive flesh at her nape. “You’re precious to me. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you, baby, especially after waiting so long to really have you.” When she started to speak, he shook his head, saying, “Let me finish. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m proud of you, Amber. But I can’t remember being so scared. Damn it—you gambled on our future happiness. Yeah, I know why you did it. That doesn’t mean I’m thrilled by any of this.”
“Ray, listen—”
“No! You listen. What did I have to do to keep you safe? Should I have locked you in my town house?” In spite of his rage he took exquisite care as he lifted her wrists to his mouth and kissed the delicate bruised flesh. Ray had faced danger countless times, yet he honestly could not ever remember being so frightened. This incident was right up there with the horror of seeing his best friend die in front of him and not being able to stop it.
“Honey, please don’t be angry. I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. I care about Jason. I felt so helpless... so responsible.” Her eyes filled with tears.
Ray longed to take her into his arms, eliminate her sorrow, but he needed to finish. She had to be made to understand what her actions had nearly cost them both. “This was no innocent crusade, Amber. You were in real danger. Harris had real bullets in that gun. He blamed you for firing him. He demanded money from you, not Jason’s parents. You are the one his misguided hatred was directed at. You!” His dark brown eyes glinted like steel. “Do you realize how close you came to dying?”
“Don’t…” she whispered as her tears glistened in her beautiful golden eyes.
“Baby, I would have gone after Jason for you—if you’d only waited.”
“How was I to know when you would be back?” That was the problem. He was not around when she needed him the most. Amber whispered tiredly, “Ray, please, I know you’re upset with me. But I can’t take any more right now, especially not your anger.”
He reached into his pocket removed a clean linen handkerchief. He used it to wipe her face while his emotions simmered. She was right. He had not been there when she needed him. His absence had nearly cost her her life. He forced himself not to say more. He contained his keen frustration, just barely.
“So now you’re not going to talk to me?” she accused unhappily.
“You don’t want to know what I’m thinking.”
“Just say it!”
“You risked our future on a stupid gesture. What do I have to do? Marry you to keep you out of trouble?”
“Ray!”
“Jason’s coming. This will have to wait until we get home.”
Amber would have liked to lay her head down and bawl her eyes out, cry until she was empty of all the fear and tension. But of course she could not. Just as she knew she was not calm enough to handle Ray’s anger. For Jason’s sake she had to gain some measure of control over herself.
Once they were under way, she leaned her head against the reassuring strength of his wide shoulder. She was tired, so tired. Both Amber and Jason slept, giving in to their exhaustion.
It was late afternoon when they reached the small sleepy university town. Jason’s parents, Wayne and Ginger Adams, as well as Jason’s brothers were all waiting to greet them. Hugs and kisses and tears were exchanged all around. Everyone talked at once. Lynn’s tears flowed unchecked. Although Alex was not an openly affectionate man, he hugged his son with tear-filled eyes. He offered his heartfelt thanks to Ray and Amber.
Lynn insisted that they all stay and share supper. Although Amber longed to refuse, she was too tired to offer more than a token resistance, using Lynn’s guest room to freshen up.
John McClure arrived just as Ray and Amber were about to leave. Ray, who had not been far from Amber all evening, wordlessly took her hand into his when the questioning started. Jason, on the sofa, was flanked by his parents. Recounting the past few days was more painful than Amber expected. She felt as if she were reliving it all over again. She was dangerously close to tears and trembling with fear by the time John McClure was finished.
With a protective arm around her shoulder, Ray ushered her out. Amber didn’t offer even a whimper of protest.
She could have wept with relief when they finally entered the apartment and she was surrounded by the familiar warmth of home.
“Bed?” he asked softly, his eyes on her drooping shoulders.
She shook her head. She tried to smile to ease his troubled gaze but failed. Her spirit was heavy knowing he was angry with her. Unfortunately she was too tired to even discuss it.
Ray sighed, knowing Amber was all that mattered to him. He’d gone a little crazy during the hours he’d feared she was lost to him. Now that they were alone and he could look at her, touch her, know she was safe, the fear squeezing his insides was beginning to slowly diminish along with a little of his rage.
“After being in the cabin for days without being able to wash, I feel so dirty—as if I’ll never be clean again.” Her fatigue was evident in the sway of her slender frame. She could hardly put one foot in front of the other.
“It’s over now, baby.” His hands were so tender as he held her close. He brushed his mouth gently against hers. “You’re home, and no one will hurt you ever again." He lifted her up into his arms, cradling her easily against his chest. “Just let me take care of you now, angel.”
Her sigh was answer enough as she wound her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. He was here and she was safe. She would not let herself remember how she had felt when she thought she might never ever see him again. It was over. That horrible ordeal was behind them.
Ray shouldered his way into the bathroom, depositing her beside the huge tub. Turning on the taps full force, he dumped a measure of her favorite foaming bath oil into the water before he turned his attention to her. He systematically unbuttoned her blouse, sliding it down her arms, then unfastened her slacks and pushed them down her legs. He kept his own sexual need for her firmly under control.
“Where you goin’?” She looked at him, her hands on the front fastening of her bra.
“Brandy,” he said, tightly angry with himself for the way his body was responding to her beauty. She needed his care, his love, not his lust. He let out a sigh of relief when he returned to find her up to her neck in bubbles. He cradled a large brandy snifter in one hand. Ray perched on the edge of the tub, studying her quietly.
Amber was beyond tired, dark bruises showed beneath her golden brown skin. She surprised him when she whispered, “Please, Ray. Don’t be mad at me. I’m so glad you’re home. I missed you so much, sweetheart.” She reached out to caress his deep copper-tone cheek, her fingers lingering on his unshaven stubbled chin. When he didn’t respond, she sighed heavily. “Ray?”
Eventually he said, “I think I was more scared than angry. I nearly lost you, my angel.” His voice was thick with emotion while his eyes burned from unshed tears. He quickly looked away, refusing to let them fall.
She nodded in understanding. She, too, knew the kind of fear he’d experienced because she often felt it while he was away working. It was not easy to get through, and it didn’t go away until she could touch and hold him again.
She continued to caress his firm jaw line with soft hands, hoping to reassure him that she was safe. She stroked the deep cleft in his chin before she slowly ran the soft pads of her fingers over the thick mustache framing his full African lips. “You’re too far away,” she complained, her voice husky with feminine yearning. “Join me.”
He knew he needed the reassurance of her soft body in his empty arms just as much as she also seemed to need it. Ray was also impatient with himself for that equally hungry ache deep within that was ravenous to be buried within her moist sheath. Although he refused to give in to it he could not ignore its existence.
The amber-colored liquid in the glass was clear and sultry like his woman’s eyes when she was deeply aroused. His hand quivered when he pressed the glass against her soft mouth. She could hardly keep her eyes open, so heavy was her fatigue. He watched her, making sure she swallowed some of it before he took a generous dose of the liquor.
He knew he had to let go of thoughts of how dangerously close he had come to losing Amber. It would serve no useful purpose.
Amber took another sip when he held the glass for her, then sleepily watched him roll up his sleeves and kneel down beside the tub. She thought perhaps she should put forth some effort to take care of her own needs, but sighed contentedly when he began soaping her upper body with the bath sponge.
She would have preferred to feel his hands on her bare skin. It had been so long since they had made love. She sighed, taking comfort from his closeness and his quiet strength.
Thankful that Amber was too tired to question the tremor in his normally sure hands, Ray asked, “How soon can you make the arrangements?”
Amber was caught up in the pleasure of him massaging the tightness from her neck and shoulders and failed to understand the significance of the question.
“Hmm?”
“Shouldn’t take more than a week, don’t you think? We need to contact a minister and order the cake and food for the reception.”
Amber’s eyes popped open. “What are you talkin’ about?”
“I asked you to marry me a few hours ago. You couldn’t have forgotten already?”
“Correction. You ordered me to marry you. Honey, I don’t need a piece of paper.” She caught his hand on her calf, then she met his gaze. “All I need is you.”
“If I have any say in the matter, you’ll have both. We belong to each other, and I won’t rest until the entire world knows it,” he said softly. “You’re turning into a prune.” He motioned for her to stand as he rose himself in order to reach the bath sheet on the heated towel bar.
Amber could not believe what she was hearing. “How can I marry you when the reason behind it has nothing to do with love? I don’t need looking after, Ray Coleman. I need your love. I need to know you have faith in me and that you trust me.”
“What the hell does that mean? I offered you my name! ”
“Keep your blasted name! I’m interested in your trust! I suppose I should feel honored that you don’t want to take a giant step backward and return to the way things were before we became lovers again. Huh?”
“Women! Is it a requirement that you can’t have your first lipstick until you learn how to jump to the wrong conclusions?”
“Smart mouth!”
Ray chuckled, wrapping her in a thick, warm towel and catching her around the waist. “Angel,” he whispered against her hair when he realized she was truly upset He placed a series of kisses along her throat.
“What?” she said impatiently, trying not to melt at his feet in a puddle of unfulfilled longing.
“Amber, what do I have to do to show you how much you mean to me? We made a commitment to each other, remember? I’m not letting you back out of it now. I’m in love with you.”
“And I’m in love with you.” She pressed her mouth against his neck.
He tilted up her face so he could see her eyes. “So why won’t you marry me?”
“Let’s talk about this later when I’m not so tired,” she whispered, her arms around his neck while she pressed her cheek against his chest. She needed his support just to remain standing.
Amber stared thoughtfully at him, not quite able to meet his penetrating gaze. She knew every line of his roughly chiseled features, from the jut of his strong square chin to the frilly drawn masculine mouth framed by the thick mustache. He was capable of giving so much pleasure. There was no question that he knew how to please her sexually. But they could not very well spend their entire life in bed. She needed to know he was safe and would be coining home each and every night as he left for work in the morning.
Ray said no more but he scooped her up in his arms, as if she weighed close to nothing, and carried her into the bedroom. They lay down on the bed together. He covered her with the comforter. She pressed her face into the base of his throat, annoyed that he was still fully dressed.
“One of us is wearing too many clothes,” she complained.
“Yeah, and one of us can hardly keep her eyes open,” he whispered back, brushing her mouth lightly with his. “Sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake.”
“Ray...”
“Shush, nothing has to be decided tonight.”
Amber was sound asleep when Ray eventually undressed, showered, and slipped beneath the covers at her side. He longed to hold her but he did not, knowing she need her rest more than anything else. He discovered that he needed to look at her more than he needed to sleep.