He pulled the covers around them, tucked her into the softness of his embrace, and then kissed her temple lightly. Rachel lifted her face to his and kissed his lips gently.
“Did you enjoy yourself, Sam?” she asked him quietly. She kissed his chest lightly and laughed softly against him.
“Baby, you have no idea,” he told her, smiling down at her. “I love the way you touch me. Feel free to do anything you want to do to me anytime you want.”
Rachel laughed and snuggled against him. “You were right, Sam,” she told him quietly, stroking his forearm lovingly as it rested across her stomach.
“About what?” he asked softly, all energy drained from his body.
“Your bedside manner did leave me weak and satisfied.”
Sam smiled and took her hand in his to lift it and place a gentle kiss on the wedding band that she wore. The beauty of that ring didn’t compare to the beauty of his wife.
“I always keep my promises,” he whispered, releasing her hand and tucking the quilts around the both of them.
He gently rested his hand on his wife’s breast, settling into the warmth that they shared beneath the blankets. He heard her sigh contentedly and kissed the top of her head. He couldn’t help but smile as she reached out and rested her hand upon his chest and gently stroked his body. They both fell asleep contented and happy, the sweet smell of cinnamon and sugar surrounding them.
“Are you sure you can’t stay for a few more days?” Rachel asked Gwen sadly, reaching out to touch her friend’s hand.
Gwen squeezed her hand and smiled at her with tears in her eyes. “I’m sure,” she told her quietly. “Stan and I have to get back home for a family reunion at our oldest son’s home in Wyoming. I feel as if you and Sam should be there too, now that you’re our youngest daughter.”
Rachel smiled at Gwen’s words then reached out to hold Gwen tightly within her arms. “I’m going to miss you so much. Thank you for everything.”
Gwen rubbed Rachel’s back then stepped out of her embrace and turned to face Sam as he stood beside their camper. “You’ve got our address,” she told him, sniffling slightly. “When you and Rachel are settled in your new home, you give us a call and we’ll come by and say hello. If you two decide to live around here we’ll practically be neighbors.”
“I will, Gwen. You take care of this card shark, here,” he said, indicating Stan before he leaned down to lightly kiss her cheek.
Stan smiled at last, relieved at the humor that helped him say good-bye without making a darn fool of himself. “You take good care of each other, you hear?” he told them, reaching out to shake Sam’s hand firmly.
He turned toward Rachel and opened his arms to her. Rachel embraced him and hugged him tightly. When she let go, they both had tears in their eyes.
“You’re a jewel, Rachel,” Stan whispered to her before pulling away.
Rachel smiled through her tears at his kindness. She remembered those exact words used by Joanna McCoy so many years ago. She felt choked by the emotions that filled her heart. She looked at the elderly couple and smiled. She was going to miss them so much.
“I hope you keep in touch,” Stan told them, truly hoping that their friendship would not disappear with the memories of summer as most often happened.
“We will,” Rachel promised.
She stepped back and found Sam beside her. She put her arm around his waist as he encircled her shoulder with his arm to hug her against him. They stood there silently and watched Gwen and Stan climb into their SUV and drive away. Stan honked the horn in good-bye and Gwen waved out the window.
Rachel waved until she could no longer see the SUV then turned to Sam. “I’m going to miss them,” she said quietly.
“Me, too,” Sam agreed. “But we’ll keep in touch. As soon as we decide where we’ll be living, we can write them and let them know. Maybe we’ll be close enough to visit.”
“Where do you want to live, Sam?” Rachel asked him seriously. In the past three days they hadn’t talked much about specifics of their future. They had been too busy enjoying each other’s company and making love.
“Wherever you are,” Sam told her, smiling, his eyes twinkling with a devilment that Rachel was beginning to know so well.
“I’m serious, Sam,” she told him, smiling as she lightly touched his stomach.
“So am I,” he whispered, taking her in his arms and kissing her deeply.
When he pulled his lips from hers, she was smiling as she looked up at him. He realized that he lived for that sweet smile and that loving look. Rachel gave him such honesty and caring, he knew he would never take her love for granted.
“Sam, I want you to live where you’ll be able to do your job best. If you want to work at Denver Memorial and live in the Denver area, that’s fine with me. If you want to join a practice here in the mountains and live here, that’s fine, too. I can write anywhere. So where we live is going to have to be your call.”
Sam smiled at her tenderly. He didn’t know what to say. Her generosity had made him speechless. Rachel made everything perfect. He knew that it was because of her that he was so happy. She made everything in his life right. He also knew that her offer was sincere, and she would be happy living with him wherever he wanted to live and be supportive of him in whatever he wanted to do. That thought made him realize how incredibly blessed he was to have her as his wife.
“What do you want to do?” she asked him seriously.
Sam smiled down at her and pulled her into his arms. “I want to make love to my wife,” he whispered, kissing her tenderly.
Rachel’s arms went around him immediately. “Sounds good to me,” she told him, laughing softly.
The passion in his eyes was obvious. He was looking at her very seriously, his breathing becoming labored as his body hardened in anticipation.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold back, Rachel,” he whispered, placing her hand over his chest to feel the slamming of his heart.
“Me either,” told him, smiling. “I don’t think we should hold back. I think we should have a down and dirty experience. Race ya!”
Sam laughed as Rachel bolted from him and ran toward the camper. She threw open the door and raced up the two steps to beat him inside. He ran after her and made the leap into the camper in one jump, pulling the door shut behind them and locking it securely.
His heart was racing and his breathing was already labored as he looked at the incredible sexiness of his wife. His breath left him in a soft whoosh when Rachel threw herself into his arms and kissed him furiously. He was aware that she was pulling at his clothes and did his best to help her get him naked.
He met her passion with his own, kissing her feverishly, and pulling her clothes from her body. They were naked in no time and barely made it to the bed before he entered her quickly, moving with such intensity and power that Rachel moaned his name in ecstasy within seconds. He thrust into her hard and deep, gritting his teeth as pleasure raced through his body. He knew he wasn’t going to last.
When her body clamped down around his cock, he gave up trying to hold back. His balls pulled up tight against his body and his cock exploded with his release. He pulsed within her over and over again, loving that she took all of his seed deep within her every time they made love. He truly hoped they would be blessed with the miracle of their child’s conception. He wanted to have a baby with her. He wanted to have lots of babies with her.
When the pulsing of his shaft finally subsided and every drop of his seed was released into his wife’s body, he sighed with satisfaction. Carefully easing his cock from her warmth, he fell beside her onto the bed, careful not to crush her. All his strength left him at that moment.
“Holy hell,” he whispered against her neck.
Rachel laughed and touched his face weakly. “I agree,” she told him quietly.
With extreme effort, she pulled the blankets over them. Sam smiled at her nurturing efforts and reached beneath the blankets to pull her toward him. He looked into her eyes and smiled at the raw emotions that he saw there. He leaned down to kiss her gently then deepened his kiss, reaching down to the warmth between her legs and touching her intimately.
Rachel’s breath came in short gasps as she looked up at him to search his face. He was so serious as he looked at her. His eyes had misted to a cloudy blue and his breath was labored as he worked his magic on her with his finger. She grabbed for his hand and held it to her body as she found her release again.
He closed his eyes and enjoyed the throbbing of her body against his hand, thrilled to have given her such intense pleasure. Her body sagged against him as he lay beside her facing her. He gathered her in his arms once again, pulling her legs over his to cradle her in his lap, lifting her hips slightly so that they were not lying flat on the bed.
She was so exhausted she couldn’t have moved if she wanted to—not that she wanted to. She was content to remain exactly where she was.
“Nice?” Sam asked her, smiling down at her.
“Very nice,” Rachel answered happily. “I don’t think I’ll get my strength back for a while. I need a nap.”
Sam laughed and pulled her closer to him. “Sounds good,” he whispered, his hand gently massaging her hip then reaching up to settle over her breast as she rested so comfortably against him. “Go to sleep, Rachel. I intend to make love to you again after we wake up.” His voice was soft as lethargy surrounded him. He yawned then smiled down at his woman. “Besides, I don’t want you to move yet.”
“You don’t?” she whispered. “Why not?” She kissed his chest lightly, smiling when she heard his contented sigh.
“We should stay put to give your body a chance to begin our baby,” he told her, kissing her temple lightly.
Rachel opened her eyes and looked at Sam. At her quietness, he opened his eyes and looked down at her. He was very serious. He searched her face, waiting for some sign of emotion.
“Our baby?” she whispered, unsure what to say. Reaching up, she touched his hand as it held her shoulder and traced the wedding ring that he wore.
He nodded, looking down at her intently. “Our baby,” he whispered, covering her stomach tenderly with the wide expanse of his hand. He looked down where his hand rested and felt a pull in his chest at the miraculous possibility of their developing child. He had a profound feeling that they had indeed just made a baby together. He wasn’t sure if it was a real knowledge that he had or just his desire. He hoped it was the former.
Rachel didn’t speak. She didn’t know what to say. As much as she wanted it to be true, she was afraid. Allison’s words replayed in her brain. She leaned against Sam and was glad that he enveloped her within his embrace. She couldn’t speak—didn’t want to speak. She just wanted him to hold her.
They slept holding each other, unaware of the other’s thoughts.
* * * *
The comforting smell of cinnamon and sugar filled the camper. Sam and Rachel snuggled closer to each other, smiling softly as they felt the gentle warmth that surrounded them.
“Do not fear what is happening,” the angel Bernadette whispered to them. “You are meant to be together and have a family.”
“Does he love me?” Rachel whispered, reaching out to touch the beautiful angel with the sparkling pink wings.
“Yes, Rachel,” Bernadette answered. “You are his heart. You hold his love. Do not worry. He does not even realize that he has not used his words to tell you that he loves you. Search your heart, dear one. You know that he holds you within his soul and surrounds you with his love.”
“I don’t know,” Rachel whispered. “I hope that he does. I love him very much.”
“Yes, child. That is as it should be. Do not question his feelings. They are there, and they are deep.”
“I hope so,” Rachel whispered. “I understand his desire for a child, but I can’t be with him if that’s the only reason he wants me.”
“Samuel wants you for far more than that, dear one,” Bernadette told her gently. “Give him time to understand that he must tell you what he feels.”
Rachel snuggled closer to Sam, sighing contentedly as he tightened his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She smiled at the soft kiss he placed against her temple and drifted back to sleep.
The familiar and soothing scent of cinnamon and sugar eased her worries, and she settled within her husband’s embrace.
Bernadette fluttered closer to the loving couple, bathing them in her love as she watched over them. Kissing Rachel’s birthmark, she could not help but giggle sweetly as Rachel laughed and reached up to try to touch her.
“You cannot touch me, Rachel, but I will always touch you,” Bernadette whispered before leaning toward Sam and kissing his temple lightly. “I am here for you, too, Sam. Value your mate. You must tell her how you feel about her. She is destined to be yours forever. Always cherish and love her. The two of you will have a happy life together filled with friends and family—and lots of babies.”
“Bernadette?” Rachel whispered as she slept.
“I am here, Rachel,” Bernadette told her gently. “I will always be here to watch over you.”
Bernadette faded away, the sight of the sleeping couple a beautiful memory that she would hold in her heart forever.