Silent Run

jogged toward her. “Did you forget something?"
    â€œYes, dammit. You. I forgot you.” He grabbed her by the arms and kissed her long and hard on the lips. “I can’t leave you behind. I can’t do it."
    She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You still want me?"
    â€œWith every breath I take.” His eyes burned with desire and need. “You are connected to me, Sarah. I can’t let you go. I don’t know how I thought I could."
    â€œOh, Jake,” she whispered. “How can you forgive me?"
    â€œBecause I can. Because I want to. Because you’re the woman I love."
    â€œStill? After everything?"
    â€œThe truth is that I never stopped loving you,” he said, gazing into her eyes. “Even when I hated you, I loved you. You got under my skin. You haunted my dreams."
    She put her hands on his face and let all of her emotions show. There was no more need to be guarded, to try to protect her heart. She’d already given it to him. “I love you, too, Jake. I always did. I never lied about that. If you’ll give me a second chance, I’ll do better."
    â€œSo will I.” He pulled her up against his chest. “It wasn’t all you, Sarah. I have to share some of the blame for not wanting to rock the boat. But we can start over. We can get it right. We know who we are now. The last few days I fell in love with the real you, the one who couldn’t hide from me. There are no more lies between us. And that’s the way it’s going to stay."
    â€œI can’t believe you still want me."
    â€œI do. Forever."
    She kissed him lovingly on the mouth, tasting the truth on his lips, and nothing had ever tasted sweeter.
    â€œI have to go to LA,” she said, breaking away. “Damn, I can’t believe I have to go to LA now."
    â€œCaitlyn and I will go with you, and when you’re done there we’ll go home together. We’ll finish building our house. And when we both know the time is right, we’ll get married."
    â€œThat plan sounds perfect,” she said as he kissed her again and again and again. Finally, laughing and breathless, she pulled away. “Caitlyn,” she started to say.
    â€œI’ve got her,” Teresa said, holding Caitlyn in her arms. “Although, if this is going to get X-rated, you might want to take it inside."
    Sarah smiled as tears of pure joy now filled her eyes. She took Caitlyn from Teresa, and she and Jake wrapped their arms around their daughter. They were going to be a family after all.
    â€œWell, Sarah,” Catherine said, “I think you finally got your happily ever after."
    â€œI think I did,” she said, meeting Jake for another kiss, another promise for the future.

Epilogue

    Two months later

    Jake and Sarah said their wedding vows just before sunset in the garden of a beautiful mountain lodge overlooking Lake Tahoe. Teresa stood up for Sarah, while Dylan offered his services as best man. Catherine held a squirmy, giggling Caitlyn on her lap while the minister blessed the union between Caitlyn’s parents. It was a damn Hallmark card moment, Dylan thought, as he watched his brother and Sarah share their first kiss as husband and wife.
    He followed them down the aisle and was the first to offer his big brother a hug and congratulations in the receiving line. Then he kissed Sarah on the cheek. “You got yourself a good guy. Treat him right."
    â€œI know it,” she said, a loving smile on her lips as she glanced back at Jake. “He’s the best."
    â€œSo are you,” Jake replied.
    â€œYou two are sickeningly happy,” Dylan said. “I’m going to get a drink -- a strong one."
    â€œYour turn next,” Jake said with a grin.
    â€œDream on, brother. Not everyone wants to have a ball and chain strapped around his ankle. No offense, Sarah."
    She laughed, as Dylan had known she would. In the past couple of months he’d come to know his new sister-in-law a lot better, and she had an amazingly good sense of humor, especially about herself. She’d stripped the murky brown color from both her hair and Caitlyn’s, returning them to their natural blond beauty. She had also decided to keep the name Sarah and, in fact, had legally changed her name to Sarah Jessica Sanders, combining her present, her past, and her future. Since Jake had forgiven her for putting him through seven months of torture, Dylan had forced