Full Bloom

You're good for me, too. You may have turned us all prematurely gray, but you'll keep us from becoming too complacent and set in our ways. Things are never dull around you, sweetheart."
    Emily grinned for the first time that afternoon. "That's the amazing thing about nature, isn't it. There's a role, no matter how minor, for every living creature, even us mosquitoes."
    Jacob stopped at the entrance to the glass-walled garden room that lined the back of the Ravenscroft home. He pulled Emily into his arms and kissed her with quick, rough passion. "You're not a mosquito. You're a sexy little passion flower, and your role in my life is not minor. You're the most important thing that ever happened to me."
    Emily walked into the tiled garden room, flushed with the aftermath of Jacob's kiss and the sweet satisfaction of knowing she was loved. At that moment, she felt certain she could face anything, even a bunch of Ravenscrofts.
    And they were all there to put her certainty to the test.
    "Darling!" Catherine exclaimed, moving forward to hug her daughter. "What a surprise you've given us. We had no idea you were planning marriage. How could you keep it a secret? We're all in shock."
    Emily smiled wryly. "Now, Mother, we all know it takes a lot more than an unexpected marriage to shock a true Ravenscroft."
    "Hello, Jacob," Drake said with a welcoming grin. He held out a hand, which Jacob shook without hesitation. "Congratulations. Now she's your problem."
    "Drake!" Catherine admonished. "What a thing to say."
    Gifford Ravenscroft nodded coolly at his new son-in-law, his gaze speculative. "I always did say your greatest asset, Stone, was the fact that no one around you ever really knew for certain what you were thinking. You moved quickly this time, didn't you?"
    Jacob smiled faintly, his eyes as watchful as those of his former employer. "Not really. I've been waiting for Emily for a long time."
    There was an uncomfortable hush as everyone absorbed the meaning of that, and then Drake broke the uneasy silence to ask Jacob and Emily what they wanted to drink. After that, Catherine, with the automatic skills of a good hostess, managed to find a more neutral topic.
    Of all the people in the room, Emily thought, her brother seemed to be enjoying himself the most. It was as if he was secretly very amused by the whole event. When he caught Emily's eye, Drake winked reassuringly.
    A few minutes later when he handed her the glass of wine he had poured for her, he said in a low voice that reached her alone, "Take it easy. Stone's been in worse situations than this."
    Emily's eyes widened, and then she chuckled. "That's what he told me. But I can't help it. My stomach is tied in a knot."
    "Take a couple of sips of the wine," Drake advised before he moved off to refill his mother's drink.
    Emily followed his advice and then sat down in an antique wicker chair. It was a relief to get off her feet. Jacob, who had been politely talking to her mother, took a chair near Emily, a glass of Scotch in his fist. He glanced first at Drake and then at Gifford.
    "What's been happening with Morrell?"
    Gifford's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "It's under control."
    Drake nodded. "We signed the papers on the Fowler deal yesterday. Morrell knows he's out of the running on that project. It's too late for him to try anything underhanded." Drake shot a quick, hooded glance at his sister.
    Emily pointedly ignored him and sipped her wine.
    "I assume you followed that up with a little insurance?" Jacob inquired dryly.
    Drake nodded. "I followed that lead you gave me and did some research on the Satterly deal. You were right. Morrell was walking a very shaky line on that one. That stock was bouncing all over the place when he started buying it. He had to have been using inside information. It wouldn't take much work to turn up some concrete evidence to turn over to the Securities Exchange Commission. I discreetly let Morrell know RI was willing to go to the trouble of investigating his connection with Satterly ourselves if he gave us any more problems. He's not stupid. He knows when he's beaten."
    "Do you really think he sent those punks after Jacob?" Emily asked, still unable to believe the Damon she had known would sink to that level.
    Drake shrugged. "We'll never know for sure. It could have been a simple case of attempted assault and robbery. We can only be grateful it was Jacob who drove into the garage at that particular moment and not you. We told you when