The Doctor Wears A Stetson (Contemporary Western Romance) (25 page)

Jessie's lungs constricted; something
invisible squeezed her mid-section. She wanted Cameron with all her
heart, but there were issues to discuss. She had to make perfectly
certain. She tried to pull away, but his arms tightened around her,
and he deepened the kiss.

After giving in for a heart-pounding moment,
Jessie pushed at his chest and broke contact. "Please let me go,
Cameron."

"I'm never letting you go again," he said,
holding her close. "When I left Salt Fork, I had only one regret.
Do you know what it was?"

She searched his face. "No, what?"

"Leaving you behind." He kissed her to ease
the sting of the memory. "Even then, I knew there was something
special and powerful between us. It scared the hell out of me. I
couldn't stay. I had to get away. I had made my plans."

Jessie nodded. "I remember. I had a
different future mapped out for myself, too. When Dad got sick,
everything changed."

"I know, sweetheart. It must have been
damned difficult. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry I
ever left you." Cameron smoothed the wisps of hair from her face.
"I'm here now and we're together. We'll make up for lost time, I
promise."

Jessie bit her lip. "What about your
brother?"

Cameron hugged her. "What about him?"

"I leased the mineral rights on the ranch,
remember? Dallas hates me and may never forgive me. And he isn't
speaking to you. If we marry, he may never speak to you again."

"Dallas will get over it. We're too close
and there's too much between us for him to stay angry forever. I
want to marry you. Say you want to marry me, too."

Jessie's heart ricocheted in her chest as
she hugged Cameron and kissed him again. Now, she was afraid
because everything she'd ever wanted had suddenly come true. She
was still afraid it might disappear just as quickly.

Cameron lifted her into his arms and carried
her up the stairs. Jessie laughed again and looped her arms around
his neck. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

"I need more than kisses.
We
need
more than kisses. We need a bed."

Reaching his bedroom, he laid her on the
mattress and followed her down. He started to kiss her, then pulled
back and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Jessie asked, luxuriating in
the feel of Cameron's weight bearing down on her.

"You haven't said yes," he said, his blue
eyes gazing into hers.

Her tummy fluttered in response. "What do
you mean?"

"I've asked you to marry me, and you haven't
given me your answer." He brushed his hand across Jessie's soft
hair. "I'm asking you again, Jess. Will you marry me?"

As long as she lived, she'd never get over
thrill of being with this man. Smiling, Jessie kissed him. "Yes,
Cameron.
Definitely yes!
"

****

A few hours later, Jessie lay snuggled
against Cameron, her head on his shoulder, her leg thrown across
his lower body. Happiness bubbled inside her.

A low chuckle deep in his chest vibrated
against her ear. Raising herself on one elbow, she looked at him.
"What's so funny? Why are you laughing?"

Cameron grinned. "I was just thinking how
happy my mother is going to be."

Jessie lay back down. "You mean because
you're finally putting your bachelor days behind you and getting
married?"

"There's that, of course," he said with a
nod. "But I was thinking more about the mineral rights."

Jessie raised up again. "What about the
mineral rights?"

He chuckled. "When I came home that first
time in October, Mom and Dallas told me about everything, how
Copper River Oil was snooping around, and how
you
owned some
of the mineral rights on the Diamondback Ranch--"

"Get to the point, Cameron."

"You know what my mother is," he said with
amusement.

"Yes, she's a delightful fluff-head," Jessie
answered fondly.

"Exactly. And you of all people know how
much Dallas wants the mineral rights back in the family?"

"How could I ever forget?" She wrinkled her
nose at the thought of all the confrontations with Dallas McCade in
the past and maybe even a few in the not-so-distant future.

Cameron gave her a little squeeze. "Well get
this: Mom had the bright idea that I should marry you, and then the
whole mess would be solved. She'd have a daughter-in-law, the
prospect of more grandkids,
and
as an added bonus, the
mineral rights would be back in the family."

Cameron laughed again. "She'll be so happy
and pleased with herself. It won't take long for her to believe she
arranged this whole thing."

Jessie could just imagine Ruth feeling like
that. Feeling glad about them marrying. But she wouldn't be glad
about not getting any more grandchildren. Then another thought
flashed unbidden in her mind.

Jessie pushed away and sat up. A sinking
sensation burned in the pit of her stomach as that unwelcome
thought expanded.

"Cameron?"

"What is it, sweetheart?" He slid his hands
down her body, loving the feel of her beneath his fingers.

"If I marry you--" she began.

"If?" His hands stopped their
exploration.

"Won't I be breaking my promise to TR? The
mineral rights
will
be back in your family. I can't break my
promise. I gave him my word." She sat back on her knees, her lips
trembling.

Cameron wiped a tear from her cheek. "You
are going to have to stop thinking of all these obstacles that
could keep us from being together. Don't you
want
to marry
me?"

"Of course I do. But a promise is a
promise."

"Look, you promised TR you wouldn't
sell
the mineral rights to Dallas. You're not selling. We'll
put the damn things in a trust for our kids. That will satisfy your
promise
and
appease my brother."

"You're forgetting I can't get
pregnant."

Cameron sighed. "If you're really unable to
have children, then we'll adopt, like I told you before. There are
many, many children in foster homes who need someone to love and
take care of them. We could love and take care of a few, couldn't
we, Jess? They'd be ours, no matter how they came into this world.
I know you'll make a wonderful mother."

Cameron leaned over and opened the drawer in
the bedside table. He pulled out the black velvet box and snapped
it open, retrieving the diamond ring she'd refused on Valentine's
Day. He took her left hand in his and looked deeply into her eyes.
Jessie felt as if he were searching her very soul.

Silently, he slid the ring on the third
finger of her left hand. The diamond glittered with a fire of its
own, reminding Jessie of the fire burning in Cameron's eyes
whenever he looked her way. Reminding her of the fire that burned
between them, the fire that had always burned between them.

"With this ring," he said, his voice low and
intense, "I want to make you my wife. I want you to be the mother
of our children, no matter where they come from." He kissed the
ring, then turned her hand over and kissed her palm. He twined his
fingers with hers. "What do you say, Jess? Are you with me on
this?"

Jessie nodded and felt tears gather in her
eyes. For the first time, she really believed what Cameron had been
trying to tell her all along. It didn't matter to him if she
couldn't give him a child. He loved her and wanted to spend their
lives together.

He squeezed her hand. "What do you say,
sweetheart?"

Jessie smiled and launched herself against
him. All was right with her world again. "I love you, Cameron
McCade. I've loved you forever and ever."

Cameron held her in his arms, close to his
heart. "It's about time you told me, Jess. It's about damned time
you told me."

****

For the next couple of days, Jessie floated
on a cloud of happiness. She'd practically moved in with Cameron
already. They'd told Ruth they were getting married and as
predicted, Cameron's mother was ecstatic over the news.

Jessie had come into work early today and
was under Joe Montoya's truck changing the oil, when she heard
footsteps coming close. For one heart-pounding minute, she thought
it might be Cameron, then immediately thought better. He'd be busy
at the clinic this morning.

"Need some help with that?" Sam asked,
squatting near her.

Jessie scooted from underneath the pickup.
"Yeah, I can't make the plug budge. You give it a try, will
you?"

She stood up and suddenly fell backward. Sam
caught her before she hit the cement floor.

Jessie leaned against the truck, her head
spinning crazily.

Sam frowned at her. "Okay, that's it. I'm
taking you to the clinic. Something's definitely wrong if you're
fainting and falling down."

"Nothing's wrong. Give me a minute, will
you? I'll be fine. I just stood up too quickly, that's all."

"Nope, I'm taking you to see McCade. And I'm
taking you right now. You shouldn't have a problem going to the
clinic now that you're engaged to him. No excuses, Jessie. You stay
here. I'll get your coat and purse and we'll take my car."

"But what about the garage? We can't just up
and leave."

"Hell yes, we can. I'll drop you off at the
clinic, then come back here. The place isn't exactly hopping with
customers right now."

Jessie couldn't argue with that and decided
to let Sam play knight-errant. He'd gotten used to "taking care of
her" the past couple of years. He was a good friend. He'd teased
her about the flowers, but hadn't said much about the engagement.
She wondered what he thought about her marrying Cameron.

At the clinic, Sam wouldn't let Jessie just
hop out of the car. "You're not walking in by yourself. I don't
want McCade accusing me of letting you hurt yourself."

"What are you going to do? Carry me in?"

"If you don't shut up, I might just do
that."

Jessie made a face at him. "Right."

He parked the car and Jessie started to open
the door.

"Don't even think about it," Sam said.

"Good grief. What in the world has gotten
into you?"

He didn't answer, only got out of the car
and walked around to the passenger side and jerked the door
open.

"Grab you purse," he said, scooping her out
of the car.

"Hey, put me down!"

"Not until we get inside and see
McCade."

Sam marched toward the entrance, pushed open
the glass door and entered the clinic. Thankfully, the waiting room
was empty. Sam strode to the admissions window and tapped on the
glass.

The nurse opened the window and gasped.
"What's going on? What's wrong with Jessie?"

Jessie shook her head. "Nothing's wrong,
Sheila. I got dizzy--"

"Jess? What the hell?" Cameron came up
behind Sheila and frowned. "Are you hurt? Is she hurt?" he asked
Sam.

"No, I merely felt dizzy--"

"Shut up, Jessie," Sam said. "She almost
fainted at the shop. She hasn't felt well in weeks. I think you
need to find out what's wrong with her."

"Damned right." Cameron rushed around the
counter to open the door leading to the examination rooms.

Sam carried Jessie into the passageway and
faced Cameron, whose eyes were trained on her. She wiggled and
squirmed. This was all ridiculous and embarrassing. "Let me down,
now!"

Sam handed her over to Cameron. "Here, take
her, she's your woman. She obviously needs a keeper, since she
refuses to take care of herself. I'm going back to the garage."

"Thanks, Garza," Cameron said.

Sam smiled a male kind of smile that made
Jessie want to smack them both.

"No problem," he said. "I know I'm leaving
her in good hands. Congratulations. You're one lucky son of a
bitch. And if you mistreat her in any way, you'll have to answer to
me."

"I know. Thanks, again."

"Sam!" Jessie watched him leave the clinic.
He didn't look back, just waved his hand.

She felt silly being in Cameron's arms with
Sheila staring at them, a tiny smile playing on the nurse's
lips.

"Please put me down, Cameron."

"I don't think so. Sheila, I'll be examining
Jessie in room three. Hold any calls."

"Sure thing, Dr. McCade."

Jessie sighed and gave up the struggle. When
they reached the examination room, Cameron deposited her on the
examination table. He kissed her hard, then stepped back, the frown
in place again.

"I knew you were feeling bad for the past
couple of weeks. Tell me your symptoms--
in detail
. Don't
leave anything out. Garza looked pretty shook up out there."

"It's nothing," Jessie said, straightening
her coveralls after being manhandled. "I stood up too quickly and
was dizzy."

When she didn't elaborate, Cameron lifted an
eyebrow.

"I'm waiting, Jess. You worked hard for this
clinic to be built. You should take advantage of my professional
services. God knows you have access to all of my personal
services." He winked. "Come on, sweetheart. Tell the doctor where
it hurts."

Jessie rolled her eyes and shook her head,
feeling the bubble of happiness she'd been floating on expand.
"Well, I
have
had an upset stomach off and on. I've lost
count of the days. I'm sure it's just the bug that's been going
around."

Cameron stepped forward and listened to
Jessie's chest with his stethoscope, then moved it to her back and
listened there. "Take a deep breath. Any vomiting?"

Jessie inhaled deeply. "Only once. I've been
tired a lot lately, too."

"Uh-huh." Cameron felt the glands in her
throat. Then looked in her ears. His hands were impersonal and
professional, yet she could feel the healing power in his
touch.

"Open your mouth," he said.

Jessie sighed and complied.

Cameron examined her tonsils, then stepped
away. "When was your last period, Jess?"