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  The words were like healing hands cupping her wildly beating heart. The throbbing within her lower body slowly receded and she found it difficult to think rather than just feel. Gazing into Cade’s gray eyes, she nodded. “Finding you was finding myself. You’ve helped me find my way back to me, Cade. I can’t put it all into words, but you’ve shown me how to have a healthy relationship between a man and a woman.”

  “How could you know before now?” he asked, tenderly pressing a kiss to her brow, cheek and then trailing a series of them to her mouth. Raising his head, scant inches between them, Cade held her blue gaze. “We all make mistakes, Rachel. No one is perfect. I knew Payson had hurt you badly. I hope to show you there is a good side to the rest of us.”

  “You have,” Rachel murmured, feeling a delicious drowsiness stalking her. “I’ve never felt happier. Or more hopeful.”

  Gathering Rachel into his arms, Cade lay down, pressing his body against hers. “Let’s take a nap,” he urged, his face buried in her fragrant, silky hair. “We have a lot to talk about after we wake up. Right now, sweet woman, all I want to do is lie here with you and wake up with you in my arms….”

  “WHAT DO YOU THINK of a July wedding?” Cade asked Rachel as they sat at the kitchen table two hours later. Jenny had been fed, bathed and was now crawling around the kitchen floor. Sometimes, she would stand with the help of a chair or with the support of their hands. She was happy to be exploring the legs of the chairs right now.

  Slipping her hand over Cade’s, Rachel said, “Let’s see what your parents say. Gwen has a lot of things going on at the quilting shop. We need to try and fit into their schedules.”

  “You’re right,” Cade said. He gazed over at her flushed face and drowned in her joyous blue eyes. His body hardened all over again. They had awakened an hour ago and taken a shower together, then had tended to Jenny, who had just awakened.

  “First, I’d like to go home to Iowa with you at my side, Cade. I want you to meet my brothers and their families.”

  “I’d like that. I want to see where you were raised,” Cade said, meaning it. It was nearly ten o’clock in the morning. Sunlight made the world outside their kitchen bright and hopeful after a very long, dark winter tide.

  Jenny climbed up with the use of the chair and Rachel’s help. She smiled and cooed.

  “We’ll be taking Jenny with us,” Rachel promised, lifting the baby into her arms and settling her across her lap.

  “Absolutely,” Cade said, reaching out and allowing Jenny to wrap her tiny hand around his finger. He gave Rachel a warm look. “Maybe, after we’ve been married awhile, we might think of giving Jenny a baby brother or sister?”

  Rachel heard the hope in his voice. So much had been taken from Cade. Now, it was as if all of life was going to be given back not only to him, but to her, as well. Their tragedies were behind them. She kissed Jenny’s hair. “I’d like nothing better than to work on that, Cade. I’ve always dreamed of having two or three kids. I came from a large family and I know the happiness of it. I’d like to have that chance with you.”

  Her softly spoken words were incredibly sweet and healing to Cade. He placed his hand around Rachel’s shoulders, their chairs close to one another. “You’re a gift to me.”

  “No,” she whispered, tears coming unexpectedly to her eyes, “you’re my gift, Cade.”

  Leaning over, he smiled and pressed a tender kiss to her lips. “We’ll be gifts to one another. Okay?”

  “Forever,” she said, her voice raspy with unshed tears. “I know life can be hard, and we’ll have plenty of ups and downs. Together, Cade, we can manage them. I know we can.”

  Jenny bent over to crawl into her father’s lap. Cade smiled with deep fulfillment. “Life guarantees nothing. What we can do is live each day to its fullest. I’m grateful you and Jenny are in my life. And I intend to let you both know how much I love you. You’re all I’ll ever want or need.”

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-7568-7

  DEADLY IDENTITY

  Copyright © 2010 by Lindsay McKenna

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