Scarlet Fever - Hill Country 2 (24 page)

“I’ll buy you one just like it, sweetheart,” he assured her.
 
“And I’ll give you a bath in it every night.”
 
He added bath salts, undressed himself and her, and eased her down into the warm, soft water

He sat at the back of the tub, with her between his legs.
 
“This feels so good, Alex.”
 
He took a soft wash cloth and a bar of clean scented soap and began to wash her.
 
It wasn’t meant to be sexual, he was simply taking care of her.
 
Gradually, the heat began to build.
 
Alex made no move to initiate anything, but Scarlet did.
 
As he caressed her body with the wash cloth, she ran her hands up and down his strong legs, tracing the muscles, loving how they enfolded her so securely.
 
When she was with Alex like this, it seemed as if death itself could have no power over her.
 
“Alex, I want you.”
 

He was ready for her.
 
He was always ready.
 
“Hold on, baby.”
 
He picked her up, carefully, pulled his legs together and eased her down on top of his shaft.
 
“Guide me in, sweetheart.”
 
She leaned her head back on his shoulder and eased her body down onto his.

“Ecstasy,” she moaned.
 
Alex did all the work.
 
He pulled her back up against him and with a flexing of his hip muscles; he soon had them delirious with pleasure.
 
Afterwards, he helped her from the tub, patted her dry and carried her to bed.
 
“I love you,’ Scarlet whispered as he tucked her against him and covered her with the sheet and quilt.

“I love you, too, baby.
 
I love you, too.”

One day before the wedding. . . . .

Dress rehearsal day . . . . .

Alex and Scarlet’s wedding day . . . . . .
 

Alex was as nervous as a cat.
 
Not about marrying Scarlet.
 
He was nervous about how she would react when she discovered that he had manipulated the events of the day to serve his plan.
 

The first order of the day was to get her to sign the wedding license.
 
Actually, it was a piece of cake.
 
She didn’t even question him, but followed his directions to a T.
 
“Sign here, baby.
 
This is the marriage license.
 
You and I are the official witnesses.”
 
None of that was a lie, one just didn’t have anything to do with the other.

Next, he had to give her the dress that she would marry him in. It was a tea length champagne sheath made of silk and lace with a short bolero jacket made entirely of lace with tiny pearls scattered throughout.
 
It was the most beautiful dress he had ever seen.
 
He found her outside by the pool, going over her list of last minute to-do’s.
 
“Hey doll, do you need any help?”

“No, I’m going over the seating chart for the rehearsal dinner tonight; we’ve had a few cancellations and a few additions.
 
I have to see who I can slip in where.
 
Plus, this is my list of bride’s maid chores to do today and tomorrow, and I have to prioritize them.”
 
Alex wanted to tell her that a bride shouldn’t have to work so hard on her wedding day, but that would have spoiled his sneak attack.
 
But if he was going to get her in the dress, he was going to have to tell her about it.

“I laid a dress out on our bed for you to wear tonight.”
 
That was his best plan, just come out and say it.

She put her list down and looked at him straight in the face.
 
“I had a perfectly good dress to wear tonight.
 
It’s homemade, but it doesn’t look so bad.”
 
She said this quickly, as if she thought it had to be said, then she got this tender little look and said, “You bought me a dress?”

“I couldn’t bear to see you wear a dress that you made for another man,” he admitted without shame.
 
“Besides, this dress is hot and you’re going to look hot
in
it.”
 
Before she could protest, he picked her up and marched into the main house with her.
 

On their way, he expected her to protest; instead she took the opportunity to kiss his neck.
 
If you didn’t have to be in front of so many people today and tomorrow, I would mark you – right here.”
 
She teased him by biting him playfully.

“Mark me, baby.
 
I don’t care.”
 
But, she did.
 
She kissed him gently instead.

When he had her in their room, he lowered her to her feet.
 
She turned and saw the dress.
 
“Oh, Alex.”
 
Scarlet had no idea that she walked around with his heart strings wrapped firmly around her pretty little fingers.
 
But it was true.
 
And when she dropped to her knees to look at the dress more closely, she tugged hard on those strings.
 
“What a gorgeous dress! It’s beautiful enough to be somebody’s wedding dress!”
 
Yes, those strings brought him to his knees right beside her.
 
“Thank you, Alex.”
 
But instead of smiling as he wanted her to, she laid her head down on his bed and cried.
 

“No, baby.
 
Please don’t cry.”
 
He didn’t know what to do.
 
This wasn’t the reaction that he had been aiming for.
 
“Come here.”

“I’m sorry.
 
You’re so good to me, Alex.”
 
She wiped her eyes, trying to regain her composure.
 
“It was silly of me.
 
I was just wishing that this was our wedding day.”
 
Alex had to bite his lip; he wanted to tell her so bad.
 
But, he was afraid that if he did, she wouldn’t go through with it.
 
He just couldn’t risk it; it was too important.
 
Her life and their happiness depended on it.

“You’re going to be a vision of beauty in this dress.
 
And here are your shoes and new underwear and a necklace that matches your new bracelet.”
 
The tears started up anew and this time she held him close.
 
“Let’s put your necklace around your pretty little neck.”

“It’s too much,” she whispered.
 
“Are these real diamonds?” she asked reverently.
 

“I wouldn’t buy you anything else.”
 
He had found the perfect set for her.
 
The eternity set.
 
The bracelet, necklace and ring meant more to him than just a beautiful gift for a beautiful woman.
 
He was telling her that their love was forever; for eternity.
 
The three pieces had set him back over one hundred sixty thousand dollars and it had been well worth every cent.
 
“You are more precious to me than all the diamonds in the world.”

As he fastened the necklace, he kissed the spot where it touched her skin.
 
When he lifted his head, a tear remained.
 
And it glistened brighter than any diamond ever had.
 

************************

Not used to having a cell phone, Scarlet forgot to carry it with her.
 
Doc Gibbs called and called, but there was no answer.
 
Finally, he gave in and called Alex.
 
“Hello.”

“Alex, I can’t get through to Ms. Evans.
 
Could you ask her to call me, immediately?”

“You sound concerned.”
 
Alex bowed his head in sheer panic.
 

“Alex, you know I can’t say anything.
 
Just have her call me.
 
Now.”

************************

“Stop, Scarlet.”
 
Alex held her by the shoulders.
 
“You have got to go call the doctor.
 
Now.”

“Why, Alex?”
 
Scarlet tried to pretend that she didn’t understand what he was saying.
 
“I already have my pills.”
 
She didn’t want to know what the doctor had to say.
 

She knew what he was going to say.

She could feel it.

Right now, she was running on pure adrenaline.
 
She figured that she could make it through the wedding tomorrow, but after that . . . . .
   

It was all going to catch up with her.

“Please, baby.
 
Call the doctor.
 
For me?”
 
Scarlet closed her eyes.
 
Why did he have to make it about him?
 
Taking the phone from him, she began to dial.

Alex stood there while she phoned the doctor’s office.
 
She turned her back to him and talked in a low voice.
 
He couldn’t hear the conversation.
 
He didn’t have to.
 
He watched the set of her shoulders; one minute they were squared, the next they stooped forward in defeat.
 
She recovered quickly, but he knew.
 

Her kidney function had fallen to a critical level.

“Tell me, Scarlet.”

“Tell you what?”

“The results of the blood tests.”

“Let’s not spoil the day with talk of doctors and disease.”

It nearly killed him, but Alex didn’t press it.
 
He’d wait till his ring was on her finger, then they’d have a serious talk.

************************

 
Annalise and Ethan were radiant.
 
The wedding party and close friends began to arrive.
 
Not all of the decorations were up, but there was enough to make the setting enchanting.
 
Bobby and Cecile were holding hands and making goo-goo eyes at each other.
 
Literally.
 
The little Lutheran preacher was a rotund man with a sliver of silver hair that rimmed his head.
 
He addressed the group, and Scarlet thought he seemed extremely nervous.
 
Weddings she knew.
 
And this little man was acting like it was his first rodeo.

“Let’s go over the music first.
 
Both songs.
 
Get it out of the way.”
 
Scarlet almost laughed.
 
She had no ego involved, so getting her songs out of the way was no big deal.
 
The piano that Alex had rented for her was a great instrument, and with just a few touches, she found her key.
 
She began with
Unchained Melody
.
 
It was for Annalise and Ethan.
 

A hush fell over the crowd as Scarlet began to sing.
 
Singing and playing the piano was something that came easy for her.
 
Her voice was strong and she lost herself in the words.
 
She sang of love that had been lost, now found.
 
She sang of hunger and desire and a lover’s prayer that God would bring them together once more.
 

Alex was floored, flabbergasted, awe-struck and amazed.
 
He had not doubted that Scarlet could sing.
 
But, he had no idea that her voice would be absolutely incredible.
 
She could have easily been a star.
 
Her voice was blue velvet; lush and smooth as silk.
 
He had been standing, but he had to sit down.
 
And when she began the next song, Elvis’s
Love
Me Tender
, he knew without a doubt that she was singing right to him.
 
Looking into his eyes, she asked him to love her tender, love her sweet.
 
She asked Alex to never let her go.
 
He wanted to walk to her, assure her that he would hold on to her for the rest of his life, with both hands.
 
But he forced himself to be still.
 
She told him that he had made her life complete and that she loved him more than words could tell.
 
With tears flowing down her cheeks, she asked him to make all of her dreams come true.
 
There would never be a dearer moment in his memory than when she sang just to him, promising that she would love him forever.
 
He intended to hold her to it.