He knew he had a job to do where she was concerned and it would be one that would give him the greatest of pleasure and satisfaction. Her pain was his pain, her happiness was his. Their lives were now entwined and all because of the proposal he’d offered and she’d taken.
Without thought he turned her in his arms and lowered his head to kiss her, needing the feel of his mouth on hers, her body pressed against his. The kiss was long, deep and the most satisfying experience he could imagine. But then, he’d had nothing but satisfying experiences with her. And he planned on having plenty more.
“AREN’T YOU GOING TO work today?” Bella asked Jason the following day over breakfast. She was learning her way around his spacious kitchen and loved doing it. They had stayed inside yesterday after he’d brought her here. He had kept her mostly in the bedroom, saying their honeymoon was still ongoing. And she had been not one to argue considering the glow she figured had to be on her face. Jason was the most ardent and generous of lovers.
Her mother had called last night trying to convince her she’d made a mistake and that she and her father would be flying into Denver in a few days to talk some sense into her. Bella had told her mother she didn’t think coming to Denver was a good idea, but of course Melissa Bostwick wouldn’t listen.
When Bella had told Jason about the latest developments—namely her parents’ planned trip to Denver—he’d merely shrugged and told her not to worry about it. That was easy for him to say. He’d never met her parents.
“No, I’m not going to work today. I’m still on my honeymoon,” Jason said, breaking into her thoughts. “You tell me what you want to do today and we’ll do it.”
She turned away from the stove where she’d prepared something simple like French toast. “You want to spend more time with me?”
He chuckled. “Of course I do. You sound surprised.”
She was. She figured as much time as they’d spent in the bedroom he would have tired of her by now. She was about to open her mouth when his house phone rang. He smiled over at her. “Excuse me for a minute while I get that.”
Bella figured the caller was one of his relatives. She turned back to the stove to turn it off. She couldn’t help but smile at the thought that he wanted to spend more time with her.
A few moments later Jason hung up the phone. “That was Sheriff Harper.”
She turned back around to him. “Has he found out anything?”
“Yes, they’ve made some arrests.”
A lump formed in her throat. She crossed the floor to sit down at the table, thinking she didn’t want to be standing for this. “Who did it?”
He came to sit across from her. “Your uncle Kenneth’s twin grandsons.”
Bella’s hand flew to her chest. “But they’re only fourteen years old.”
“Yes, but the footprints outside your window and the fingerprints on the rock matched theirs. Not to mention that the kerosene can they used to start the fire at your ranch belonged to their parents.”
Bella didn’t say anything. She just continued to stare at him.
“Evidently they heard their grandfather’s grumblings about you and figured they were doing him a favor by scaring you away,” Jason said.
“What will happen to them?” she asked quietly.
“Right now they’re in police custody. A judge will decide tomorrow if they will be released into the custody of their parents until a court date is set. If they are found guilty, and chances are they will be since the evidence against them is so strong, they will serve time in a detention center for youth for about one or two years, maybe longer depending on any prior arrests.”
Jason’s face hardened. “Personally, it wouldn’t bother me in the least if they locked them up and threw away the key. I’m sure Kenneth is fit to be tied, though. He thinks the world of those two.”
Bella shook her head sadly. “I feel so bad about this.”
A deep scowl covered Jason’s face. “Why do you feel bad? You’re the victim and they broke the law.”